Natsuiro Matsuri IF - If I Hadn't Chased the Fireworks That Day - Firecrackers, Fireworks, and Nine Years' Worth of Tears

We arrived in Nagasaki before dawn. When I stepped off the Shinkansen, I realized my legs were still shaking. I stood frozen on the platform, still holding Matsuri's hand. (Did we actually get away?) I didn't know. Kurosaki had been watching us on the platform at Shin-Osaka Station. He might be following us. "[whispers]...Yuuto." Matsuri's voice was hoarse. Her hand was still gripping mine. She hadn't let go since we jumped onto the Shinkansen. She couldn't let go. "[gentle]You okay?" My voice wasn't working right either. Matsuri nodded, but her face was pale. Her ponytail was coming undone, strands of hair fraying loose. "[serious]Anyway, let's get out of the station. Before it gets crowded." The area in front of Nagasaki Station was still dark. Just streetlights flickering here and there. In the distance, I could hear the sound of a streetcar running. The scent of the tide drifted on the wind, and I thought—ah, this is a port town. August 15th. The day of the Spirit Boat Procession. It was still past four in the morning, and the city was asleep. But by evening, this city would be turned upside down by the roar of firecrackers and waves of people. (We have to find Aoi before then.) "[serious]Matsuri." I sat down on a bench in front of the station. Matsuri sat down next to me. Her eyes, looking at me, were tired but still held firm resolve. "[serious]Aoi is trying to escape this city on the night of the Spirit Boat Procession." I opened the map app on my phone. My fingers were still trembling a little, but I forced them steady. "Where do you think Aoi is? You'd know, wouldn't you, Matsuri?" Matsuri thought for a moment, then spoke. "[serious]...She'd avoid crowds. She's always been like that, ever since we were kids. But at the same time, places with too many people make it harder for the handlers to spot her." "[serious]So not the downtown area. But not somewhere completely deserted either." "[serious]Around Old Dutch Slope. Tourists pass through, but there are tons of narrow alleys. I think she'll hide around there until night, and then when the firecrackers start, she'll try to slip through to the port." Matsuri's voice was full of certainty. Because she'd spent nine years thinking about Aoi. "[serious]Alright. Let's search Old Dutch Slope first." ―――― We walked together through the streets of Nagasaki at dawn. Following the streetcar tracks, we climbed the sloping roads. The cobblestone paths were wet with morning dew, and the soles of my shoes grew damp with every step. The sky was gradually growing lighter. As we neared Glover Garden, we entered an area lined with old Western-style buildings. "[serious]Let's split up. I'll check these alleys. You take that side." "[serious]But Kurosaki might—" "[serious]It's fine. We can reach each other by phone. If anything happens, I'll call right away." With that, Matsuri disappeared into a narrow alley. (Is she really okay alone?) I was worried. But there was no time. I started walking through a different alley. Climbing up and down stone steps, turning through narrow lanes. Old wooden houses mixed with cafes and souvenir shops. There were no tourists yet. —*Thump, thump.* My heart wouldn't stop pounding. (What if the organization's handlers find her first?) (What if Aoi isn't even here anymore?) Terrible scenarios kept flashing through my mind. But—my feet wouldn't stop. (I'm scared.) (But I have to do this.) For the first time in my life, that's how I felt. ―――― Morning passed, noon came, and then it was evening. In the end, the morning turned up no clues. I met back up with Matsuri, and we had a late lunch at a small diner near the port. I ordered *champon*, but I could barely taste it. Looking out the diner window, the streets were starting to fill with people. Preparations for the Spirit Boat Procession. Stalls were being set up, and families in yukata were walking by. (We're running out of time.) Kurosaki had to be in Nagasaki by now. Maybe he'd already found out where Aoi was— "[excited]Yuuto! Look!" Matsuri's voice made me look up. She was pointing out the window. At the entrance to a narrow alley. A girl with long black hair, clutching a black backpack— Aoi. "[excited]Let's go!" Matsuri threw down her chopsticks and bolted out of the diner. I chased after her. "Wait, Matsuri—" But Matsuri didn't stop. We turned down the alley, ran down stone steps. I was out of breath. My heart ached. (Aoi—) When we rounded the next alley corner— Matsuri stopped dead. My feet stopped too. In the middle of the alley, Aoi stood frozen. Clutching her backpack to her chest, her back pressed against the wall. In front of her stood two men. Black suits. Sunglasses. Wireless earpieces. The organization's handlers. "[cold]Aoi, there's no running anymore. Come quietly." One of them spoke quietly. Aoi's blue eyes went wide. "[angry]Wait!!" Matsuri shouted. She tried to run forward. I—instinctively grabbed Matsuri's arm. "[angry]Yuuto, let go—" "[serious]You take Aoi and run." Matsuri's eyes went round. "[serious]I'll stand in front of them. While I do, grab Aoi and disappear into the crowd." "[scared]That's impossible! You by yourself—" "[serious]Right now, it's the only way!" My voice came out so strong it surprised even me. I let go of Matsuri's hand and walked out into the center of the alley. (—I'm scared.) My legs were shaking. (Scared, scared, scared.) But— (My legs are moving.) "[surprised]What do you want?" One of the handlers looked at me. "[serious]Just a passerby." I forced down the tremor trying to creep into my voice. "Just got a little curious—a high schooler surrounded by two adults in an alley. If I filmed this on my phone, it'd go pretty viral, don't you think?" I pulled my phone from my pocket and held it up. The handlers froze for just a moment. In that single moment— "[excited]Aoi!!" Matsuri slipped past the handlers. She grabbed Aoi's hand and pulled. "—Don't let them get away!" The handler tried to chase after them. I planted myself in his path. "[scared]Y-you're dealing with—" —*BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG!!* In that instant, a thunderous roar echoed from down the street. Firecrackers. The Spirit Boat Procession parade was flooding into the main street. Hundreds—no, thousands of people in a surging wave. The sound and smoke of the firecrackers turned everything white. "Damn it—don't lose them!" The handler shouted, but it was too late. Matsuri and Aoi had vanished into the crowd. I—started running too. I dove into the mass of people. People in yukata, tourists in short sleeves, an old man holding up a camera. "[shouting]Wait, hey—" The handler's voice was drowned out by the firecrackers. (I can make it—!) I ran, weaving through the gaps between people. My heart felt like it was going to burst. But—I was scared, but I didn't run away. (I didn't run away.) That alone made me happy. ―――― The sound of the firecrackers grew a little more distant. A pier at Nagasaki Port. A deserted area stacked with shipping containers. When I finally made it there— Two figures stood in the shadows. Matsuri and Aoi. Matsuri stood there, still holding Aoi's hand. Aoi was looking down, her face hidden. I stood a little distance away. I looked out at the sea. The water of the harbor glittered, reflecting the distant streetlights. I knew I shouldn't interrupt. "[whispers]...I'm sorry." I heard it. Her voice was trembling. "For being so cold to you all this time. I'm sorry." Aoi's shoulders were shaking faintly. "It wasn't because I was scared. It was because I didn't want the organization to target you—" Her voice continued, as if wringing the words out. "That's all I've thought about, all I've run from. For nine years—" Matsuri didn't say anything. Instead— She wrapped both arms around Aoi and held her tight. "[crying]You idiot." Her voice was muffled. "Idiot, idiot, idiot—!" Tears spilled from Matsuri's eyes. Nine years' worth of tears. "I've been—looking for you all this time!!" The moment Aoi heard those words— Tears spilled from her eyes too. "[crying]...I'm sorry. Matsuri." She said Matsuri's name for the first time. Aoi's hands, hesitantly, wrapped around Matsuri's back. The two of them held each other on that pier for a long, long time. ―――― I kept looking out at the sea the whole time. So I wouldn't get in the way. But— "[gentle]Yuuto." Matsuri's voice called out. When I turned around, Matsuri was looking at me. "—Are you crying?" Huh? I touched my hand to my face. It was wet. "[embarrassed]N-no, it's nothing—just something in my eye." "[laughing]Hehe—it's so obvious." With her face still streaked with tears, Matsuri smiled just a little. Beside her, Aoi was looking at me too. Her blue eyes were still wet, but I felt like they'd softened, just a bit. "[gentle]You're Yuuto?" "[surprised]Ah, yes." Weirdly formal speech came out. "[gentle]For protecting Matsuri—thank you." Her voice was small, but she said it clearly. I didn't know how to respond, so I just nodded. ―――― A little while later, the three of us sat side by side on a shipping container. Across the harbor, the lights of the Spirit Boat Procession drifted gently. The sound of firecrackers still echoed in the distance. "[serious]This." Aoi pulled something from the bottom of her backpack. A small USB memory stick. "[serious]Verde Research's placement records. Every illegal transaction carried out over more than ten years." I caught my breath. "[serious]The children's names, the corporations and politicians they were supplied to, the sums of money—all with Himuro's signature." "[serious]You've been running with that this whole time." Matsuri's voice trembled. "[serious]If this gets out, the organization is finished. But—" Her fingers tightened around the USB. "I didn't know where to take it." Aoi looked at Matsuri. "It wasn't that I didn't want to see you. Every time I saw you—I wanted to protect you. But if I got close, the organization would target you. So—" Her voice started trembling again. "[sad]So I pushed you away. I'm sorry—I'm so sorry." "[crying]It's okay now. I understand." Matsuri squeezed Aoi's hand back. She held it tight and wouldn't let go. "[serious]I'm not giving up anymore." Matsuri spoke. "I'll protect you, Aoi. Absolutely. If you've been fighting alone for nine years—then this time, I'll fight with you." Aoi's eyes went wide again. But this time—it was different. I felt like a little bit of light had returned to them. "[gentle]...Thank you." ―――― Dawn began to break. The sky beyond the harbor shifted from pale purple to orange. "[serious]The fireworks promise—do you remember?" Matsuri said, looking up at the sky. "[gentle]That we'd watch fireworks all across Japan together—a promise from when we were kids." "[excited]It's not over yet. We'll definitely make it happen." Still holding Aoi's hand, Matsuri looked at me too. "[excited]Yuuto, you're coming with us." "[embarrassed]Huh?" "[laughing]You don't want to?" Matsuri laughed. A smile like the sun, her fang peeking out. It felt like I hadn't seen it in a long time. "[embarrassed]...It's not that I don't want to." I think I smiled a little too. Aoi watched our exchange intently— "[gentle]...Hehe." She laughed for the first time. Just a tiny softening at the corners of her mouth, but— She definitely laughed. ―――― We sat side by side at the harbor as night gave way to morning. Matsuri held Aoi's hand, and Aoi didn't pull away. I looked at their profiles, and at the sunrise beyond the sea. (I'm glad.) I really meant it. But— (This isn't over.) Kurosaki was still in Nagasaki. The organization hadn't given up. As long as she had that USB, Aoi would keep being targeted. (A much bigger fight is coming.) I c

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Episode 7

Name: Natsuiro Matsuri IF - If I Hadn't Chased the Fireworks That Day
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