The Walk Home
The festival was finally ending.
The fireworks were gone, the music had faded, and only the soft glow of lanterns remained as people slowly made their way home.
Rikka walked at the front of the group carrying enough festival prizes to open her own stall.
"I still say my goldfish survived longer than Nanami expected."
"It survived twelve minutes," Nanami replied.
"Twelve glorious minutes."
Akira laughed.
"That thing saw you and immediately gave up."
"You're all jealous."
"No," Akira said. "We're concerned."
Rikka gasped dramatically.
Meanwhile, several steps behind them, Akari and Rukia walked in unusual silence.
For anyone else, it would've looked normal.
For them, it wasn't.
Rukia kicked a small pebble along the pavement.
"...This is weird."
Akari glanced toward her.
"The walk?"
"No."
Rukia shoved her hands into her sleeves.
"This."
Akari already knew what she meant.
Neither of them said it.
Ahead of them, Nanami quietly noticed the conversation.
Without saying a word, she grabbed Rikka's sleeve and pointed toward a nearby dessert stall.
Rikka immediately understood.
"Oh."
Akira looked between them.
Then smirked.
"Oh."
A second later all three suddenly became very interested in buying sweets.
Leaving Akari and Rukia behind once again.
Rukia stared.
"They did that on purpose."
"Obviously."
"They're terrible friends."
"They're our friends."
Rukia groaned.
Akari's lips curved into the smallest smile.
For a moment neither spoke.
The summer wind rustled the trees overhead.
Then Rukia quietly asked:
"...Are you glad you came tonight?"
Akari looked up at the lanterns.
Then toward her.
For once, the answer came immediately.
"Yes."
Rukia felt her chest tighten.
"Even with Rikka?"
"Especially because it led to this."
Rukia blinked.
Akari seemed to realize what she'd said.
For the first time all evening, the usually unshakable Akari Makino looked slightly embarrassed.
And that somehow made Rukia smile more than any firework had.