My Twin Stepsisters Are Way Too Yandere!

Chapter 201: Chapter 201 - Fireworks and Feelings

With the coming of the summer festival were also clear skies and a warm evening breeze.

Paper lanterns lit up the streets.

The smell of grilled food wafted through the festival crowd.

Goldfish swam around in festival bowls while music played from the shrine that stood at the center of the town.

Kuro stood under the gate of the entrance, checking the time.

"Sorry I’m late!"

He just managed to look up before Akari ran towards him.

Dressed in a light blue yukata adorned with tiny white flowers, with her hair tied up in a ribbon and swaying while she ran to a halt, Kuro smiled.

"It looks good on you."

"...What?"

"The yukata."

"It does."

She blushed slightly.

"T-Thank you."

For once, she was at a loss of words.

---

They walked around at the festival together, trying out every food stall Akari could manage.

She dared Kuro to a shooting game.

Lost.

Asked for a rematch.

Lost again.

"The prizes are rigged!"

"The targets don’t move."

"They’re emotionally moving!"

Kuro chuckled.

"I’ve missed this."

Akari looked at him.

"My horrible aim?"

"Your talent of making an adventure out of everything."

She smiled slightly.

"So... That’s a compliment?"

"It is."

---

When the evening darkened and the crowd moved towards the bank of the river, the first fireworks would start in just a few minutes.

They found themselves in a quiet corner, away from the main area of the festival.

For once...

Akari wasn’t chattering.

Her hands were placed behind her back and she rocked on her heels.

"Kuro."

"Hm?"

"Do you mind if I asked you something?"

"Not at all."

"Do you ever wonder..."

She hesitated for a moment.

"... about high school?"

"Sometimes."

"I do too."

She chuckled.

"I always thought that graduation means the end of everything."

"But somehow..."

"We’re still here."

Kuro nodded.

"I’m glad."

"So am I."

---

First firework bloomed overhead, lighting up the whole night sky in red light.

And another one.

Yellow.

Blue.

Silver.

They reflected in the river.

Akari was staring up.

Her heart was beating faster than the fireworks.

Come on.

Just say it.

You’re not afraid to talk.

She inhaled deeply.

And, just like always happened, everything rushed out of her mouth at once.

"KuroIlikeyouandI’veprobablylikedyouforaverylongtimeandIthinkI’minlovewithyou!"

Silence.

Apart from fireworks filling the night sky.

Akari widened her eyes.

"..."

"..."

"...I SAID THAT OUT LOUD!"

She hid her face with hands.

"I’m sorry!"

"Just forget about it!"

"Act like you didn’t hear a thing!"

"I’ll move to another city!"

"I’ll—"

Kuro couldn’t help himself.

He laughed.

Not at her.

At the perfect confession that fit the girl standing in front of him perfectly.

Akari peaked through her fingers.

"...Why are you laughing?"

"Because..."

He smiled warmly.

"...That’s exactly how I imagined your confession."

She groaned.

"This is the worst day of my life."

"I don’t think so."

She slowly took her hands away from her face.

"What... Do you mean?"

Kuro looked up when another firework bloomed above them.

"I’ve been wondering for the past two years for how long I started to look forward to your letters."

"How long I started hoping to see you again."

How your smile has become the brightest part of my week."

He looked at her.

"I don’t know the exact moment."

"But I know that."

"I fell in love with your cheerful nature."

"With your persistence."

"With the way you make others smile."

And with the way you make my life a bit brighter with every meeting we have."

Akari’s eyes shone.

"So..."

"That means..."

Kuro nodded.

"I love you too."

For a moment, she just stared at him.

Then, with happy tears, she laughed.

"I prepared a confession speech for days."

And somehow, shouted it out like an emergency announcement."

"It suited you."

She playfully bumped his shoulder.

"Don’t tease me."

"I wouldn’t dream of it."

"You just did."

"I did."

They laughed.

And as the grand finale started, Akari slowly took his hand.

"This part..."

"...I’m doing on purpose."

Kuro took her hand and intertwined his fingers with hers.

"So am I."

Above them, the sky was filled with bright light.

Around them, the crowd cheered.

Neither of them took eyes off the fireworks.

Neither of them let go of each other’s hand.

With the final burst illuminating the sky, Akari smiled.

What should we do now?"

Kuro gently squeezed her hand.

"We will keep walking."

"Together."

This was no longer two friends who were spending time together at the festival.

This was the beginning of a new Chapter that they will write together.

The fireworks slowly disappeared, leaving just a few trails of smoke in the night sky.

Crowd slowly moved towards the station, discussing the festival loudly.

Kuro and Akari walked side by side in comfortable silence.

Only now...

There was a slight difference.

They were still holding hands.

Akari looked at their hands and suddenly started to laugh.

"I just realized something."

"Hm?"

"We’ve been holding hands for ten minutes already."

Kuro glanced down.

"I suppose we have."

"And..."

She looked away, trying to hide her smile.

"...Neither of us noticed."

"I noticed."

"You did?"

"I just didn’t want to let go."

Akari’s face burned up.

"You can’t say such things all of sudden."

"Why not?"

"Because..."

She hid her face with her free hand.

"My heart isn’t ready yet."

Kuro chuckled slightly.

"I’ll try to give it some time."

"Thank you."

"But..."

She looked at him with playful grin.

"...Don’t take too much time."

"I won’t."

As they continued walking, they passed a small bridge over the river.

Colors reflected in the river by the lanterns of the festival were still dancing there.

Akari halted in the middle of the bridge.

"Kuro."

"Yes?"

She took a deep breath.

"This morning, I was scared."

"I was constantly thinking..."

"’What if he says no?’"

She laughed awkwardly.

"I even prepared myself to pretend that it doesn’t bother me."

Kuro smiled gently.

"I don’t think anyone would have believed that."

"Probably not."

She looked at him with shining eyes.

"I’m really happy."

"So am I."

A cool breeze from the summer caressed the river.

Unconsciously, Akari leaned her head against his shoulder.

Neither of them said a word.

The silence wasn’t awkward.

It was serene.

After a minute, Akari smiled.

"You know..."

"What?"

"I think this is my favorite summer festival."

Kuro looked at the silent river, then at the girl smiling next to him.

"I have a feeling..."

"It will be my favorite too."

Akari gently squeezed his hand.

"Next year..."

"We will come here."

"It’s a promise."

"A date."

She blinked.

Then burst out into a laugh.

"Heard you say that feels nice."

Kuro smiled.

"Then I’ll keep saying it."

Together, they continued walking home, the sounds of the festival slowly fading behind them.

Fireworks were finished.

But for Kuro and Akari, something much more beautiful was just beginning.

As they came into the station, the platforms were packed with people coming back from the festival.

Announcements echoed above their heads as one train after another approached the station.

Akari looked at the departure board, and let out an exasperated sigh.

"I don’t want today to end."

Kuro smiled.

"Me neither."

She stared at him in astonishment.

"You admit it?"

"No need for any psychological explanations."

Akari laughed.

"Well, I expected a psychological explanation."

"I left the textbooks at home."

"That’s good."

"I like you more this way."

Their train came.

They got inside and found two free places next to the window.

Contrary to the active walk through the festival, the trip home was silent.

Akari laid her head on the glass and observed the flashing lights of the city.

From time to time, she glanced at Kuro.

Then she smiled to herself.

"What?"

Kuro asked seeing how many times she had looked at him.

"Nothing."

"You’ve been saying nothing three times."

"Yes."

She giggled.

"I just wanted to make sure you were real."

He lifted his eyebrow.

"You confessed."

"I confessed."

"And you accepted?"

"Yeah."

"It still seems unreal to me."

Kuro looked outside and answered after a while.

"I think it will take some time for me too."

For some reason, his answer brought her even more joy.

At Akari’s stop, doors of the train opened with a soft sound.

She went out to the platform and turned back to him.

"Kuro."

"Hm?"

"...Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Akari."

Doors started closing.

Just when the gap between them grew too wide, Akari cried.

"Oh!"

Kuro looked at her.

"I love you!"

Several people turned to look at her.

Akari put her hands over her mouth.

"I did it again..."

Kuro couldn’t but laugh.

He raised his hand and shouted after the train was starting to move.

"I love you too."

As the train drove away in the night, Akari stood on the platform with a big smile on her face, ignoring people’s curious glances.

She put her hand to her cheeks and whispered to herself.

"Well, it seems..."

"I am always going to be loud."

And, for the first time in her life, she felt no shame in it.

Because there is a person who loves her the way she is.