Blue Spring Tragedy | Kou Mabuchi x Reader

29.5: The Fairy Tale Prince

"You know, I still can't believe you actually went through with it, (f/n)-chan," Kisyun babbled.

She bit on some of her candyfloss. One pink, the other blue in both of her hands. "Go through with what?"

"Wearing a yukata," Haruhiko completed. "I thought that you wouldn't listen to us."

"You're right: I didn't." (F/n) responded to their confused gazes, "I listened to Kikuchi-kun instead. Right?"

Touma had a spoon of shaved ice in his mouth. "Hm?" He blushed at the expectant stares of his friends. "Ah, yeah..."

Shortly after departing from Futaba, (f/n) and the trio went around buying food and playing games. None of them were a good shot at winning but enjoyed laughing at each other's mishaps. Kisyun had a fish slap him in the face when he tried to catch one (it was quite impressive) and Haruhiko almost shot the host of the game in the head (thankfully he didn't get mad).

"Oh, toffee apples!" (F/n)'s eyes sparkled at the sight of the sweet, juicy treats, vying for her money.

"How many do you want?" Touma asked.

"Don't mind, I'm paying for it." Holding the two sticks of candyfloss in one hand, she tried to reach the zip of her bag. "Touma, you better stay right there!" Sticking his tongue out at her, Touma ignored her command and went over to the vendor. He gestured for one toffee apple ("I want one as well, Touma!" Kisyun yelled)—and said the second one was going to be paid for by the strange teenager who shouted.

(F/n) fumed. This was the second time he had bought something for her despite her retaliation.

"Here," Touma threw his finished cup of shaved ice into the nearest bin and unwrapped the plastic around the toffee apple for her. Then he took the fluffy treats from her hand and into his own ones, replacing the empty space in her hands with the succulent red apple. "I'll take care of these for now. I told you, you should have bought them in bags."

"My brothers wanted them to be on sticks," she excused. "You know how they can be. Those mischievous little gremlins."

"Can't you teach them not to be so selfish?" Touma cocked his head to the side.

"It's their nature. Good thing they won't have this: it'll make them go crazy." (F/n) licked the toffee apple, savouring its sweet taste while Touma pouted. Didn't she think he was acting cute? "It's been so long since I've had one of these..."

"Touma, (f/n)-chan, we're gonna go check out those masks over there." Kisyun called, pointing at a store crowded with people. Displayed all around the walls were a great variety of masks stretching from mythical creatures such as the tengu, kitsune, kappa, to silly ones, some she could recognise from anime, and some that would have been used for elegant masquerades. "Touma, I'll text you when we're done. Don't stray off too far, lovebirds!"

"Don't forget to buy a pig one for yourself, Tachibana!" (F/n) teased while Touma spluttered.

"I'll buy one for you, too!"

The two boys scuttled away, eager to catch a mask before anyone else did. At least, that was what (f/n) saw anyway. In Touma's mind, he knew what they were devising. What plan they had in mind. Suddenly finding interest in a subject they had never spoken to him about before... escaping while they could... casually walking to a shop they saw ten minutes ago...

He really wanted to smack his head against a wall.

He was too preoccupied with the treats to do anything much, anyway.

They walked aimlessly into the festival, exploring the various shops. All the while, Touma noticed how her lips were as red as the toffee apple she was eating.