Vol. 1 Chapter 2.5 – I Tried to Save the Fireworks Festival for the Gal JK
by PinkPanther“What’s wrong, Niko? You look kinda down.”
It was break time between classes.
Issei called out to Sakiko—Niko—who was slumped over with her chin resting on the window frame, completely sprawled out.
“……”
No reply from Sakiko.
Currently, her affection points were sitting at negative one billion… supposedly.
Even if he tried talking to her at school—tsuun.
Even at work—tsuun.
For the past few days, she’d been completely unapproachable. But today, Sakiko looked particularly drained of energy.
Not even her usual『Don’t call me by my name so casually』came back.
Somehow, it felt a little lonely. Somehow, a little unsatisfying.
“Niko. Show me your panties.”
“……”
He said it as a bit of a test.
Normally, she’d snap back with a furious『Don’t screw with me!』and glare at him like he was trash.
Recently, that reaction had kind of become the norm—almost a daily routine.
But today, even that didn’t happen.
“Gyahaha! Niko! He says he wants to see your panties!”
One of Sakiko’s gyaru friends burst out laughing like a screeching bird.
“Wanna see mine instead?”
“No thanks. I’m not interested in cheap panties.”
“Ahahaha! So you’re saying my panties are cheap—well, yeah, they are!”
Nanako would sometimes say,『I’ll show you if you stack bills as high as I am』but… if it’s something you can see anytime, it just doesn’t feel worth seeing. It’s not like just any panties will do.
“Niko, you seem really out of it. Did something happen?”
This time, he wasn’t hoping for a disgusted look—he genuinely asked, as a friend, out of concern.
Sakiko reluctantly raised her head.
“Haa… Read the room, would you.”
“I may be a genius, but unfortunately, I wasn’t gifted with that ESP called『air reading.』”
“The rooftop.”
“Hmm?”
“I’m going. If you’re coming, whatever. …Do what you want.”
Saying that, Sakiko walked out into the hallway.
Issei was left behind in the classroom.
“Hey, you not going?”
One of the gyaru friends asked Issei.
“Why?”
“She’s saying, like—『I’ll explain it on the rooftop, so follow me.』That kind of thing, right?”
“Oh! That’s what she meant!”
“Don’t give me that『Oh!』 Just go already!”
The gyaru kicked Issei in the leg. This particular girl practiced either karate or Muay Thai or something, so her kicks were no joke.
“Hmm. Very well, I shall go.”
Issei headed toward the rooftop.
◇
Outside of lunch breaks, not many people came up to the rooftop.
Niko—was standing, leaning against the iron railing.
As Issei approached, she began to speak in a murmur, without turning her face, her gaze unfocused and fixed on the schoolyard below.
“I have a friend…”
“Mm. You’re popular even in class. You’ve got tons of gyaru friends too.”
“Not like that… I mean, a precious friend. We’re not in the same class. She’s in Class D—Azusa Gawa… but you probably don’t know her.”
Sakiko spoke as if it were a given, but the truth was—Issei actually knew the names of every student in the school.
After all, he was a genius.
Azusa Gawa, unlike Niko, was a quiet, modest-looking girl.
Fidgeting with her bangs using her fingertips, Niko spoke.
“You know… back in middle school, I didn’t have hair like this. …It was way more plain. Jet black and all… I kinda had a high school debut, you know? And we ended up in different classes and all… so I started drifting a bit from Azusa. But she’s still a really important friend.”
“I see.”
She was probably talking about what people usually call a『best friend.』
But the fact that she didn’t use that word lightly—that was just like Niko, Issei thought.
“Azusa… she’s moving away.”
“When?”
“Once the second semester starts… she’ll already be gone.”
“I see.”
“You know the fireworks festival… right?”
“It’s next week, I believe.”
There’s a fireworks festival that happens every year at the nearby riverbank. It’s a local tradition.
“That… might get canceled, apparently.”
“Hm?”
It might get canceled? Why, he wondered.
“Azusa and I… we promised. Just the two of us… to watch the fireworks together one last time.”
Ah—I see. That made sense.
She was upset because the final promise between her and her soon-to-be-distant best friend might not come true.
“Niko…”
Issei stood beside her, keeping about thirty centimeters of space between them, just quietly being there by her side.
The two of them sat in silence as time passed by.
“Ah—sorry! I mean, even if I talk about it, nothing’s gonna change, right?!”
Eventually, Niko turned to face Issei and said that with a wry smile.
“Sorry for making someone like you—who can’t read the room—worry about me!”
Issei might not have been great at reading the atmosphere, but he had noticed something was off about Niko.
Because, lately, he had been watching her—always.
“But just having someone listen helped a little. So I really was acting weird enough for even you to notice, huh…”
Niko said this with a face like she was savoring every word.
“Sorry. And… thanks. I couldn’t tell the others about this. So I’m really glad you listened.”
“Hm. I’m not entirely sure what you’re thanking me for, but… if you are grateful—”
“Stop. Don’t say another word. If you do, I’ll have to slap you again, got it?”
She shot him a suspicious glare.
Hm. It seemed the affection points still weren’t quite there yet. Best to fall back for now, Issei decided.
◇
“The fireworks festival… you say?”
After returning to the mansion, Issei asked Chitose.
“Indeed. There seems to be a rumor it may be canceled. Investigate the reason and the cause.”
“Understood.”
After replying, Chitose gave Issei a curious look.
“Um…”
“What is it?”
“Could this… perhaps be related to Niko-san?”
“How did you know?”
“Well, just a hunch. If I had to name it, I’d say it’s a woman’s intuition.”
Chitose nodded repeatedly—
“I see, I see. So it’s about wanting to do something about the fireworks festival for Niko-san, is it?”
“That’s right.”
“Fufufu…”
Issei looked back at Chitose.
Why was she smiling?
“Oh, it’s just… I never imagined you’d care so much about someone else, O-bocchama. Honestly, when you first said you wanted to see her pan—her underwear, I wondered what on earth to do with you. But now, seeing that you’re starting to care about another person’s feelings… I guess not everything is bad.”
“She’s not just『someone else.』”
“Eh?”
“The one whose panties I wanted to see is no longer just 『someone else』to me.”
“Ah…”
Chitose swallowed her words.
As she processed the meaning behind that statement, her cheeks began to grow a little warm.
O-bocchama might currently be infatuated with Niko-san—or more precisely, with her panties—but… before that, his target had been herself…
To be told『you’re not just someone else』… that was… troublesome.
“In any case, I’m counting on you.”
“Yes. Understood.”
Chitose gave a nod and began preparing tea for her master.
◇
A heavy, gloomy air hung over the fireworks festival’s operations headquarters.
The head of the local commerce association. Representatives from the sponsoring companies. The faces of the many adults present were filled with resignation. It felt like the suffocating atmosphere of a company on the verge of bankruptcy.
The conclusion they’d kept putting off had to be made today—right now.
This fireworks festival, a tradition that had lasted for decades, was facing a serious crisis this time.
There were even rumors spreading around town.
Holding a fireworks festival requires a large number of security staff, but they hadn’t been able to gather enough.
It was due to the recent labor shortage and soaring personnel costs.
It wasn’t impossible to gather enough people by overreaching…but that would definitely blow the budget.
Even if they somehow took on debt to hold it this year—what about next year?
If the event costs stayed like this, the debt would only keep snowballing in the years to come.
If they were going to pull the plug, better to do it before the wounds got any deeper.
“As I thought, this year’s event is…”
The director of the headquarters finally opened his heavy mouth.
He was about to announce the bitter decision.
“This year’s event will be—”
At that moment—
“Waaaait just a second!!”
Baan! The door to the meeting room slammed open as an outsider barged in.
A young man, followed closely in deferential posture by a woman dressed in black—a maid uniform.
“W-Who are you people!?”
“I’ve already heard everything! It’s about money, isn’t it?! Money’s the problem, right?!”
The intruder shouted rapidly, like a storm.
“W-Well… yes…?”
Overwhelmed by the intruder’s energy, the director even forgot to question him and simply responded.
“Then there’s no problem! I’ve got money! Now go ahead and hold the fireworks festival!”
The man gave a sharp chin jerk and the second maid rolled in a dolly carrying a metal briefcase.
With a pakan, the case was opened, revealing stacks of tightly packed ten-thousand yen bills.
Bundles. Bundles. Bundles.
“Uwoah!”
The director was left speechless.
“For now, I’ve brought two hundred million yen in cash. If it’s not enough, just say the word.”
“Wh… Who exactly are you…?”
Looking back and forth between the cash on the table and the mysterious intruder’s face, the director finally managed to speak.
“I’m not someone worth introducing, but… let’s just say I’m with an NPO—go ahead and call it『HOM.』”
“HOM?”
“It stands for: Hana-bi o Ōini Moriageruyō, 【Let’s Greatly Fire Up the Fireworks.】We support the continuation of the festival. Not just this year—next year, the year after, no need to worry.”
Then, the man turned on his heel and walked toward the door he’d come through. The two maids followed behind him in a calm and graceful manner.
“Oh—there’s just one thing I ask.”
He looked back before leaving and added that.
The director asked timidly,
“A-And what might that be…?”
“Make it the most spectacular festival you possibly can.”
◇
The day of the fireworks festival. 7:00 p.m.
Karan, the clack of geta echoed as Issei arrived at the riverbank. geta1
Behind him was Chitose and Nanako in yukata. Chitose wore hers with composed elegance, while Nanako was swinging her drawstring purse bunbun and pointing wildly at the food stalls, shouting with noisy excitement.
As they passed by the operations headquarters, the director—wearing a hachimaki—noticed them and started to rush over, but Issei stopped him with a hand gesture. hachimaki2
Today, they had come as ordinary festival goers.
“O-bocchama. Right ahead. Fujino Niko-san.”
Chitose said.
Issei had already spotted Niko in the crowd.
“No need. This is a rare occasion for them—let’s leave them alone.”
The two girls were hugging, crying in each other’s arms.
Even Issei didn’t think it was appropriate to intrude on that moment.
He kept his distance, silently watching the two of them.
From where he stood, the river surface, the two girls, and the fireworks all fit perfectly within his field of view. He kept watch over them.
“However…”
Issei then turned his gaze to Chitose beside him.
He slowly looked her up and down in her yukata.
“However?”
Chitose asked with a faint expression of anticipation.
“Without the maid outfit… there’s really nothing left of you.”
Pikii… A vein visibly throbbed on Chitose’s temple.
“O-bocchama… this is where you say, even as flattery, something like『it suits you.』That’s how it works.”
“That’s how it works?”
“That’s how it works. O-bocchama, you truly have no understanding of a woman’s heart.”
Woman’s heart—how is that relevant right now? Issei thought, but held his tongue. Chitose was clearly radiating an aura of anger.
Though he still hadn’t acquired that supernatural ability known as『air reading,』he had at least developed the skill to notice when someone was angry.
Considering how little attention he used to pay to such things, he felt it was quite the step forward.
“Goshujin-sama! Goshujin-sama! Goshujintamaa! Can I eat that?! Ohh! That looks yummy too! And that one looks tasty too!”
“Do as you like.”
He said to Nanako.
Today was meant to be a day off, not work. He had even given her a special allowance.
However… even on a day off…
Scattered among the festival goers were figures in black suits and dark sunglasses, intermittently visible. They were members of the Gotokuji household’s royal guard.
Their role was to protect their lord—Issei—no matter when or where. Guarding someone in the middle of a crowd must be exhausting. He’d have to give them a bonus later.
“O-bocchama. They’d probably appreciate kind words more than a bonus.”
“Why is it you always seem to know what I’m thinking?”
In response to Issei’s question, Chitose winked and said, “Because I’m your maid.”
He had no idea what that meant.
“I won ten whole sticks of candied syrup~!”
Nanako came back carrying her spoils—one in each finger of both hands.
Issei took one and popped it into his mouth.
Hmm. Sweet.
◇
Niko and her friend stood side by side, watching the fireworks.
Eventually, the friend leaned in close to Niko’s ear and whispered something.
Niko whispered something back to her friend as well.
From Issei’s distance, he couldn’t hear what was said, but he could clearly see Niko’s lips form the words: “Bye-bye.”
They waved at each other with just their fingertips, and then parted ways.
And Niko—without hesitation—walked straight toward Issei.
The maids quietly slipped away from his side.
Issei stepped forward to greet her.
“The fireworks aren’t over yet, you know.”
“She got all considerate about it. Like,『Is it really okay to leave your boyfriend hanging?』…Even though it’s not like that at all.”
“Have you already said your goodbyes?”
“Yeah.”
When it came to sentimental farewells and all that—those common, mundane emotions—Issei honestly didn’t understand them. He had no grasp of what those feelings were, and he couldn’t even imagine himself ever being troubled by something like that.
But not understanding something didn’t mean being incapable of caring about it.
By spending time with Niko, Issei had begun to learn that.
It’s part of being human to get deeply distressed over trivial things. Even if he couldn’t understand the reasons or causes, he could still respect the emotions themselves.
To avoid the crowd, the two of them walked side by side toward a quieter area.
“Ah, hey… Look. The final fireworks are about to go up.”
Niko pointed excitedly.
The motion of her hand made her yukata sleeve flutter with a soft fuwari.
“They say the last one’s gonna be a huge rapid-fire finale.”
The two stood side by side, waiting for the fireworks.
“Hey, Issei…”
Niko suddenly said.
“What is it?”
“This might sound weird… sorry in advance.”
“I don’t mind.”
“Do you… have something to do with the fireworks festival not being canceled after all?”
“What makes you think that?”
“I don’t know… just a feeling. Not sure why. It’s weird, right? There’s no way a high school student could pull something like that off.”
Well, technically… he had pulled it off. He’d even once stacked cash up to his own height, after all. …What did she think that was? Maybe she didn’t believe it was real money.
“Well, then. I’ll leave that to your imagination.”
“What the heck is that supposed to mean?”
Niko laughed.
Then, suddenly, she stopped laughing and, looking downward, spoke to Issei.
“…Thank you.”
“Gratitude, huh? Then I’d prefer to receive it in some other form than just words.”
“E-Ecchi stuff is a no-go, okay?!”
“Ecchi?”
Huh? Had he ever requested something like that before? …Actually, what exactly counted as『ecchi』anyway?
He just wanted to see her panties.
That had nothing to do with anything ecchi. …Probably.
“You’re gonna say it again, right? …『Show me.』But those kinds of things—they’re supposed to come after you’re actually dating or whatever—”
Niko began to rattle off at high speed, clearly misunderstanding something.
Without waiting for her to finish, he cut her off.
“Niko.”
“W-What?”
“Show me your panties.”
He conveyed his original intention to Niko, directly.
“Ugh! I knew it! It’s that again! That again! I literally just said! You’re supposed to wait until we’re dating for that—!”
Unlike before, she didn’t slap him. Niko simply shouted at him with a red face.
“No, just the panties are fine. I don’t really understand what『dating』entails, but I don’t need that part.”
“…Huh?”
Niko’s expression froze.
“…I see. So that’s how it is… You don’t even plan to date me.”
Her eyes lost their warmth in an instant.
“And yet? You still want to see my panties?”
“Indeed. I want to see your panties.”
“…Fine. I’ll show you.”
Oh.
Those words filled Issei with joy.
He stepped around to the front, securing the best possible viewing position.
There were still some bystanders here and there—but those who got too close were swiftly and quietly escorted away by mysterious individuals in black suits and dark sunglasses.
An empty space had naturally formed around Niko and Issei.
Niko was staring at Issei with an intense glare.
Deep vertical lines creased her brow—her expression was quiet, but filled with a fierce, overwhelming pressure.
Yet Issei didn’t care in the slightest.
O-pantsu. O-pantsu. O-pantsu. At last, the O-pantsu would be revealed.
The final barrage of fireworks began to launch.
With the brilliant explosions behind her, Niko spoke.
“Keep those eyes wide open—and burn it into your memory.”
Of course he would.
The hem of her yukata began to rise. Opening to either side, the slit parted.
The contrast between her bare, pale legs and the darkness of the night was stunning.
—Just then, a firework exploded above them, showering them in seven-colored brilliance.
The hem of the yukata rose past her thighs, still climbing.
The moment was finally upon them.
“Oooh…!”
Purple.
Niko’s pantsu were purple.
And vertical-striped. They had a vertical stripe pattern.
“Happy now? You pervert.”
“…Hahh~”
Issei let out a deeply satisfied sigh.
He had witnessed something truly wonderful.
The feeling that had been driving him these past few days—something like hunger or thirst—was now completely satisfied.
Overwhelmed with fulfillment, Issei basked in a moment of bliss.
The fireworks came to an end.
An announcement began to play, signaling the conclusion of the event.
The crowd started to move. The atmosphere around them grew zawazawa with noise and shifting bodies.
Issei raised one hand to Niko and gave a sharp, snappy gesture.
“Tomorrow! I’ll see you at school again!! Adios!!”
Then he briskly walked off without hesitation.
Left behind was Niko—standing all alone.
“…idiot.”
Niko whispered softly under her breath.