Stormy Summer

A Little Misconception

"No," was the immediate response as the door was already closing. Kuro barely had enough time to reach out and hold the door open, "I didn't even ask anything yet," he protested, almost sounding hurt as Kenma didn't even hesitate to close the door on us.

"Kuro..." Kenma sighed, looking tired as he opened the door again, "Come on, Kenma," Kuro tried to persuade him again, "it'll be fun"

Kenma groaned audibly as Kuro won't accept 'no' as an answer and eventually, he budged and followed us as we went to a park more or less near Kuro's house. The park as somewhat packed with people, some of which looked familiar from school. There were a few stalls built up and the whole area was illuminated by the stalls' lights and a few street lights.

"So... What's going on here?" Charlie asked, looking slightly nervous with all these people around, "Hanabi," was Akaashi's replay, as he suppressed a yawn. Rose looked confused for a moment before leaning closer to me, "Isn't it a bit late for that? Cherry blossoms are already gone..." she muttered quietly.

"You're thinking of 'hanami', Rose," I mutter back quietly, "this is a firework," I clarify for her and she just lets out an almost soundless 'oh' before pretending that nothing just happened.

"Wait... so we came all this way for a firework?" Anna piped up again and I nod my head at her, "Oh. Okay," she nods her head as well before looking around at all the people and stalls around us, the ones working the stalls seemed to be students and before I could point this fact out to anyone, Kuro seemed to have noticed my lingering stare toward some girls inside one of the stalls, selling some sort of sweets, "Our school organized this because summer break is about to happen soon," he answered my non-vocal question.

"Is it okay for us to be here, then?" Charlie voiced a genuine concern as she seemed to have scooted closer to us throughout the whole conversation, trying to avoid any of the passing students around us.

Kuro shrugged, "Why wouldn't it be? We wouldn't have brought you all this way if it wasn't okay," I almost could've believed him, if I didn't know any better. It's quite dark already, the sun has set already, so it wouldn't surprise me if he'd have brought us here even if it was 'Nekoma students only' I was about to retort something when suddenly, someone bumped into me from behind me, "Sorry, Sally-chan," Bokuto was quick to apologize as he held my steady by my shoulders and it was a good thing he did that because Charlie was standing right in front of me. At the sight of me nearly falling on her, she jumped back, startled, letting out a suppressed squeal.

I let out a startled sorry in her direction before turning my head to look at Bokuto, who had turned to talk to someone, who seemed to be apologizing to him. It seems like this person bumped into him as well.

I was startled out of my thoughts when Bokuto turned his head toward me again, our faces only inches apart as he still had his hands on my shoulders. If he wasn't this tall, I'm sure, our noses would be touching.

Quickly turning to look at the others again, I realized that Bokuto and I were now standing alone in this mess of people. I felt a pang of hurt at the thought that they just went on ahead without us. Even Kenma was nowhere to be seen.

"Come," Bokuto broke the silence first, suddenly standing beside me, my heart almost unnoticeably speeding up as he grasped my hand, "we should try and find them before the firework starts," he said as we started at a slower pace, slowly walking toward the first booth, selling some sort of candy. Bokuto bought two candied apples and before I could protest, he handed me one, the look he was giving me not leaving much room for protest. So instead of saying that I didn't want it, I took it with a quiet "thanks," as we continued on, looking at all the things on display for sale, most of these being all kinds of foods and drinks, but also small games like shooting ranges. With balls instead of toy guns.

That's where we found Rose and Charlie, the other three still missing. Rose just paid for three balls and was about to throw the first one when Charlie saw Bokuto and I approaching them, she waved after Rose threw and hit her target on spot, "We lost Anna," it didn't sound like she was worried. It was more of a statement than anything.

I sighed. Great, "Where did you last see her?" I asked after Rose threw her second ball and hit the cans perfectly, again.

I know asking that wouldn't get us far anyway. She could be anywhere by this point, "She was right next to us when we got here," Rose said, finally turning as she just threw her last ball, hugging her brand-new, huge stuffed bunny closely to her chest. She looked down slightly and raised her brow at me, but didn't say anything further.

"Do you know where Kuro-chan and the others went, then?" I asked, only a little hopeful of finding the others before the firework starts up. Rose and Charlie shook their heads as Bokuto started to look around, clearly having a better view of our surroundings, as he was taller than most of the other students here, including us.

"I think that's Anna-chan over there," he points somewhere further somewhere, though there's no way I could be able to see what he sees.

Heading in the general direction of wherever he pointed, Bokuto lead the way and soon enough we arrived at a clearing of some sort. There was barely anyone around anymore, but sure enough, there was Anna, happily eating her ice cream while watching the fireflies flying around her.