Natsuiro Matsuri IF - If I Hadn't Chased the Fireworks That Day
Summer of his second year in high school. Yuto gets a sudden call from Matsuri Natsuiro, a classmate he secretly admires. "I want you to chase fireworks with me!" Her words make no sense, but they sparkle. Before he knows it, Yuto is swept up in Matsuri's 'All-Japan Summer Festival Crossing Tour.' Her goal is to find Aoi, her best friend who she was separated from as a child. There's only one clue: Aoi appears for just a moment at a different summer festival every year. Relying on that alone, Yu
Natsuiro Matsuri IF - If I Hadn't Chased the Fireworks That Day - Dance, within the circle of the night.
The bus from Lake Suwa to Gujo Hachiman wound slowly through the mountain roads.
Outside the window, deep green stretched endlessly. Tiny settlements appeared and vanished, dotted here and there.
"[excited]Yuuto, look at that! The river is so beautiful!"
Matsuri practically pressed herself against the window glass as she shouted. We were the only passengers on the bus, so no one was going to scold us for making noise.
"Yeah, it's amazing."
I gave a half-hearted reply while looking at a map of Gujo Hachiman on my phone. A small castle town in central Gifu Prefecture, located on the upper reaches of the Nagara River. Famous for its old townscape and its summer all-night dance festival.
Population: about forty thousand. A much smaller town than Kasumigaoka.
Five hours since we'd left Lake Suwa. Two bus transfers, and we'd finally made it this far.
I thought back to the night before.
At Minshuku Minazuki, Matsuri had slept in the futon right next to mine. Fifty centimeters apart. I could hear her steady breathing, and I couldn't sleep at all.
The Lake Suwa fireworks display where Matsuri had cried.
Chasing after Aoi, running through the crowds. But I couldn't find her.
(*This time, for sure—*)
"[excited]We're here! Time to get off, Yuuto!"
Matsuri's voice cut right through my thoughts.
――――
Gujo Hachiman's bus terminal was a compact little building, like a renovated old station house.
The moment we stepped off the bus, a thick, muggy heat clung to my body. Even though it was a mountain town, being in a basin meant there was almost no wind. The sound of cicadas drifted from afar—the quintessential feel of a countryside summer.
"[excited]This way! The inn is over in the old town district!"
Matsuri immediately unfolded the map she'd picked up at the tourist information center and started striding ahead. A bundle of energy, as always.
About a fifteen-minute walk from the bus terminal, the historic townscape came into view.
"Wow... it's beautiful."
Matsuri stopped in her tracks and murmured, genuinely moved.
Old wooden houses from the Edo period lined both sides of the street. White walls, black lattice windows, lanterns swaying under the eaves. Clear water flowed through the channels, and carp swam leisurely within.
"This town is incredible."
I was honestly impressed. There was no scenery like this in Kasumigaoka. It felt like a set from a period drama.
"[gentle]I hope Aoi can live an ordinary life in a town like this someday."
Matsuri said it quietly.
Her profile, just like during the fireworks the night before, was gazing somewhere far away.
(*She's been thinking about Aoi this whole time.*)
Well, of course she has. That's why we're on this journey.
"[calm]We're going to find her at the all-night dance tonight, right?"
I said it in as normal a voice as I could manage.
"Yeah!"
Matsuri turned to face me and flashed her usual bright smile.
――――
Our lodging was a place called Miyako Ryokan, an eighty-year-old wooden inn.
"Hello! I'm Natsuiro, I have a reservation!"
The moment we stepped through the entrance, the scent of tatami hallways and aged wood tickled my nose.
"Ah, Natsuiro-san. Welcome."
The person who emerged from the back was a petite landlady with her white hair neatly tied up. Probably around seventy years old. She wore a kimono, her posture perfectly straight.
"Your room is a six-tatami-mat room on the second floor. It's 4,500 yen per person without meals, so 9,000 yen for the two of you. The futons are already laid out."
"Thank you very much!"
Matsuri paid with a cheerful smile.
(*One room again, huh...*)
I sighed internally. But I didn't even have the energy to complain anymore. I knew we had to save money.
The six-tatami-mat room on the second floor was more compact than I'd expected. From the window, we could see the street below, and in the distance, the castle's main keep was faintly visible.
"[excited]Alright, let's go rent some yukata!"
Matsuri declared this almost before she'd even set her backpack down.
"Huh? I didn't bring a yukata."
"[surprised]Of course not! We're renting them. This town has rental yukata shops for tourists."
"[confused]Yeah, but I don't even know how to put one on."
"[sarcastic]Yuuto, you really can't do anything, can you?"
"[surprised]I know I'm the one who said it, but you're incredibly direct with your insults, you know that?"
"[laughing]Come on, let's go! You'll stand out at the all-night dance if you're not wearing a yukata!"
Matsuri grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the inn.
――――
It was a small shop called Sakuraya Rental Kimono.
Inside, rows of colorful yukata were lined up. Indigo, crimson, yellow, light blue. All of them looked cool and refreshing, hues that would shine on a summer night.
"[gentle]Welcome. Young customers are a rare sight."
A bespectacled old woman in her sixties greeted us with a warm smile.
"[excited]Um, I'll take this sunflower pattern! And for Yuuto... this one!"
Without a moment's hesitation, Matsuri picked a bright yellow sunflower-patterned yukata for herself and a simple navy-blue one for me. Girls are so quick when they shop.
"My, they suit you. You're both young, so anything would look good on you."
"Thank you!"
Matsuri happily took the yukata and immediately started changing. I tried to change behind the curtain in the corner of the shop too, but—
(*...How do you put this thing on?*)
I had absolutely no idea how to tie the obi. I tried wrapping it around a few times, but it just ended up a tangled mess.
"Jeez, you're so slow!"
Matsuri's voice flew at me from the other side of the curtain.
"[scared]Wha—hold on, I'm still changing—"
"[excited]What, Yuuto, you can't even put on a yukata? Haha, let me see!"
The curtain was yanked open with force.
And there stood Matsuri, wearing the sunflower yukata.
"—"
For a moment, I was speechless.
The yellow of the yukata contrasted beautifully with Matsuri's black hair. She usually wore it in a ponytail, but today she had it pinned up slightly, revealing the nape of her neck.
My heart gave a sudden, heavy thump.
(*Why is my heart pounding right now?*)
"[gentle]Hold still. You're seriously so clumsy."
Oblivious to my state, Matsuri casually stepped closer and began retying my yukata's obi.
She was so close.
A faint scent drifted from her yukata—soap, and the fragrance of summer.
"[surprised]Ah, hey, you're too close—"
My voice cracked.
"[laughing]What are you getting embarrassed for? There, all done! Is it tight enough?"
Matsuri gave my obi a pat and grinned mischievously.
"[serious]...Yeah, it's fine."
I scratched the back of my head, trying to hide how red my face had become.
"Alrighty then, let's go! The all-night dance!"
Humming a tune, Matsuri dashed out of the shop.
(*She really has no idea, does she...*)
I sighed and chased after her retreating back.
――――
Night had fallen.
The entire town of Gujo Hachiman was wrapped in light.
Stalls lined the streets—the smell of yakisoba, the sweet scent of candy apples, the sound of water splashing at the goldfish scooping game, the cheers of children.
And then—the sound of geta clogs began to echo.
*Clack-clack, clack-clack.*
A large circle was forming in the middle of the street. Dozens—no, nearly a hundred people—were dancing slowly, their geta clacking against the ground.
"[[Name: Gujo Odori — A nationally designated Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, held for over thirty nights each year from July to September. During the Obon period in August, it becomes the 'All-Night Dance,' where people literally dance through the entire night.]]"
"[surprised]All night?! That's insane."
"[excited]It's the best, right! Come on, Yuuto, we're joining in!"
"[scared]Wha—hey, hold on—"
Matsuri grabbed my hand tightly and, without waiting for an answer, pulled me right into the dancing circle.
――――
"[[Explanation: Gujo Odori has ten different dances. I think this one is a song called 'Kawasaki.']]"
As soon as she said that, Matsuri immediately matched the movements of the people around her, fluttering her hands and tapping her feet.
(*She can do anything, can't she.*)
I desperately watched everyone and tried to copy them, but my arms and legs were completely uncoordinated.
"Come on, Yuuto! Don't move your right hand and left foot at the same time! Use your hips more!"
"[confused]How am I supposed to 'use my hips'?!"
Beside me, Matsuri slowly demonstrated the hand movements.
The lantern light faintly illuminated her cheeks. Her bangs, slightly damp with sweat, clung to her forehead.
Looking at her profile—
(*She's beautiful.*)
The thought came to me unbidden.
In an instant, my heart wouldn't stop pounding.
(*Why now, of all times—*)
Flustered, my feet got tangled.
*Thud.*
"Whoa!"
I lost my balance and nearly pitched forward.
"[surprised]Hey, Yuuto! Are you okay?!"
"[embarrassed]Y-yeah... I'm fine..."
The local old ladies dancing nearby giggled.
"Young man, you alright?"
"Can't let your girlfriend see you looking uncool~"
"[embarrassed]N-no, you've got it wrong! She's not my girlfriend!"
My face felt like it was on fire.
"[laughing]Ahaha! Yuuto, you're bright red!"
Matsuri was clutching her stomach, laughing.
(*Please, just stop...*)
I muttered in my heart.
――――
For about an hour after that, we stayed in the dancing circle.
I gradually started to get the hang of it, and just when I was managing to dance somewhat passably—
The sound of taiko drums echoed: *Don-don-don.*
The sound of flutes soared into the night sky: *Hyurururu.*
Men and women, young and old, all within the circle, sang the folk song together. Children, adults, the elderly—everyone was smiling, enjoying this one summer night.
(*Something like this isn't so bad, once in a while.*)
The thought crossed my mind.
It was the same as when we went to the fireworks at Lake Suwa. In a normal summer, I'd be lazing around at home, doing nothing but eating convenience store ice cream. And yet here I was, in a town I didn't know, dancing with people I'd never met.
Beside me, Matsuri was dancing happily when she suddenly murmured:
"[gentle]...Just for this moment, it feels like a normal summer, doesn't it."
She'd been thinking the exact same thing I had.
"Yeah, it does."
—That was when it happened.
Matsuri's movements stopped dead.
"...Huh?"
The smile from moments ago had vanished from her face.
"[worried]What's wrong?"
"Aoi."
Matsuri's voice was trembling.
"Aoi is here!"
She practically screamed it, then burst through the dancing circle and started running.
"Hey, Matsuri!"
I hurried after her.
――――
The crowd stood in our way like a wall.
"[shouting]Aoi! Aoi!"
Matsuri ran desperately, her yukata hem disheveled, shouting at the top of her lungs.
I chased after her frantically, nearly losing my geta.
(*Where is she, where—*)
Beyond the dancing circle, on a back street lined with stalls.
Amidst the swaying lantern light, I definitely saw it.
Long black hair.
Unkempt, yet beautiful black hair that reached all the way down to her waist.
Dark blue eyes glanced our way for just a moment.
"—Aoi!"
Matsuri's voice tore through the air.
Aoi stopped.
Her eyes met Matsuri's.
Her face—wasn't smiling.
It was sad, apologetic, and yet somehow happy to see Matsuri—a face where all of those emotions mixed together.
(*So that's Aoi.*)
I was at a loss for words.
Aoi's fingertips trembled faintly.
"—I'm sorry."
I thought I saw her lips form those words.
The next instant, fireworks—bloomed in the sky.
*BOOM!!*
A great ring of light blossomed overhead.
In the brief moment illuminated by that light, Aoi's figure vanished into the crowd.
"Wait! Wait, Aoi!"
Matsuri screamed and ran even faster.
――――
On the bridge over the Yoshida River.
The sound of geta echoed sharply against the stone paving: *Clack, clack, clack.*
On the river's surface, the distant fireworks were reflected in a hazy blur.
Matsuri had already stop
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