A *yukata* is not a swimsuit.
While similar in style to a *kimono*, a *yukata* is much simpler and more casual.
If you can't quite picture it, think of a *yukata* as a simplified version of a *kimono*.
Kobayashi Tetsu tried one on but felt awkward and ultimately returned it.
"I'm just going to wear this. It looks fine on me. Who says you have to wear a *yukata* to the fireworks festival?!"
He buttoned up his school uniform and checked himself in the mirror repeatedly.
*Still stuck in this school uniform!*
The Japanese male student uniform is a modified version of the Zhongshan suit, tailored to emphasize the waist and shoulders. Some more Westernized schools opt for shirt-and-tie combinations.
Even though Atlas was on vacation, some students with nothing better to do still hung around campus.
At that moment, Kobayashi Tetsu was chatting with Kitagawa Tsuyoshi, a seasoned Tokyo native.
"If you're looking for events, the fireworks festival is the big one. If you buy tickets in advance, you can get into the close-up viewing area. Businesses along the Sumida River compete to show off their wealth by commissioning the most extravagant and high-end fireworks. Seeing them up close is a whole different experience."
At this point, Kitagawa Tsuyoshi suddenly grew anxious. "We're not planning to set off custom fireworks at the fireworks festival, are we?"
"No, I hadn't thought of that," Kobayashi Tetsu replied, shaking his head. "I don't really want to go to the fireworks festival anyway. Too many people, and all those tall buildings blocking the view. There's nothing to see."
Kitagawa Tsuyoshi looked puzzled.
*Tall buildings? What tall buildings?*
A few seconds later, Kobayashi Tetsu realized his mistake.
This was 1985, not 2025!
Forty years ago, Tokyo outside the central district had hardly any skyscrapers, and the crowds were much smaller.
If he went to see the Sumida River Fireworks Festival now, the experience would be far more impressive!
Kobayashi Tetsu's mind began to race with possibilities.
*Since the opportunity is there, I might as well go.*
Kitagawa Tsuyoshi explained, "If you don't like the fireworks festival, you could also try drawing fortunes at Senso-ji Temple or find other activities. If you do want to see the fireworks, it's best to reserve a spot in advance. With enough money, anything is possible."
In other words, you could hire someone to stand in line for you.
Kitagawa Tsuyoshi didn't need to elaborate; he knew Kobayashi Tetsu had plenty of money.
Yet Kobayashi Tetsu's expression turned peculiar.
"Who would choose a spot so close to the front? Forget about getting hit by fireworks—the real problem is, if things get heated and you want to steal a kiss, everyone would see!"
Kobayashi Tetsu solemnly instructed Kitagawa Tsuyoshi, "Then I'll trouble you to make the arrangements, Kitagawa-kun. I'm not very familiar with Japanese festivals, after all."
Kitagawa Tsuyoshi bowed deeply. "Leave it to me!"
The Sumida River Fireworks Festival is held annually on the last Saturday of July. In 1985, that meant July 27th.
In the end, Kobayashi Tetsu didn't change into a yukata. Instead, he went out wearing his Zhongshan suit, which served as his student uniform.
Though it wasn't yet evening, the streets were already noticeably more crowded. Kobayashi Tetsu walked through the throng, his handsome looks his only asset in the crowd.
The agreed-upon meeting spot was near the subway station. Kobayashi Tetsu leaned against a railing alone, his thoughts drifting.
"Once we have handheld consoles, we can develop quick and casual games like Tetris. That game was practically made for handhelds."
As he pondered this, he heard a soft voice call his name. He looked up to see Anegasaki Nene standing beside him, wearing a pale yellow yukata with her hair neatly tied back. She looked unusually serious.
Looking down, Kobayashi Tetsu noticed that instead of wooden clogs beneath the slightly loose hem of Nene's yukata, she was wearing sandals without socks. Her ten toes were curled together, their color a delicate pink, as charming as the rest of the young girl.
Kobayashi Tetsu's gaze flickered away, and he quickly plastered on a smile. "Sister Nene, you're being a bit too formal, aren't you?"
"Rather, Tetsu-kun is being too casual," Anegasaki Nene retorted. "Many people are wearing yukata."
Kobayashi Tetsu shrugged.
*But some aren't!*
As if summoned by his thoughts, Koyakawa hurried over, slightly out of breath. She wasn't wearing a yukata, opting instead for casual summer clothes.
"See?" Kobayashi Tetsu pointed. "Koyakawa isn't wearing one either."
"I'd never wear a yukata," Koyakawa declared, lifting her chin. "They're such a hassle!"
Nene chimed in, "They really are a pain. If you can't get a shop assistant to help, you have to ask family members. You need towels to maintain the shape, and someone to help you put it on properly to make it look good."
Koyakawa subtly tilted her head, a barely perceptible gesture.
"Alright, let's keep going further in and see what else is here!" Kobayashi Tetsu replied.
Kobayashi Tetsu treated the festival like a casual stroll through a temple fair, his mood exceptionally lighthearted, finding everything novel and intriguing.
He had never been to the Sumida River before, but he was well-acquainted with temple fairs—crowded, noisy, and filled with people, yet he never understood what was so appealing about them.
Perhaps in the 1980s, people had less leisure time, as the streets weren't as densely packed. Through the still-undeveloped parts of Tokyo, one could still catch glimpses of the night sky.
Kobayashi Tetsu suddenly pointed excitedly, "Candy apples!"
In unison, Koyakawa and Anegasaki Nene turned their heads.
*Don't buy them! Please, don't buy them!*
Kobayashi Tetsu looked puzzled. "Look how cute they are, each girl has one! They're not even that expensive. Why don't you two get one too?"
The two girls shook their heads in unison.
Kobayashi Tetsu was baffled.
*It's just a candy apple! It looks almost like a candied hawthorn skewer!*
He casually paid for one and took a candy apple, its crimson surface glistening like a maiden's lips, coated in a thick layer of sugary glaze.
Kobayashi Tetsu took a bite, letting the melting syrup flow across his tongue.
*Hmm, it certainly looks beautiful.*
*Well, the taste is a bit odd.*
Ah!
Kobayashi Tetsu's eyes widened.
*I can't eat this! It's shit!*
An indescribably bizarre flavor exploded in his mouth—sweet yet somehow bitter, leaving his entire mouth coated in a foul taste.
The unique appearance and texture of the candied apple came from massive amounts of saccharin and food coloring.
*It might even be inedible dye.*
Kobayashi Tetsu nearly vomited, but he managed to hold it down.
Koyakawa gave him a sympathetic look. "No one actually eats candied apples at the Summer Festival, even though they're technically meant to be eaten."
Anegasaki Nene added, "Candied apples are just for show."
Kobayashi Tetsu felt like crying.
"Before you start explaining, someone save me first!"
"I'll go buy water!" "Me too! I'll get water too!"
The two girls hurried off, one after the other. Kobayashi Tetsu hesitated, wanting to warn them, but the words caught in his throat.
*What if we get separated in this crowd?!*
He considered chasing after them, but worried they wouldn't find him if they returned. With a sigh, he leaned against the nearby railing.
"I still feel like throwing up," he muttered, clutching his chest.
He never could have imagined this.
Here he was, a handsome young man with two hundred million yen in his pocket, youthful wealth, and a strong back, nearly dying from a single bite of a candied apple.
It was utterly absurd, like the UFO ending in the *Silent Hill* series—a nonsensical parody.
As Kobayashi Tetsu lamented his ill-fated destiny, he suddenly heard a girl's voice.
"Would you like some water?"
Kobayashi Tetsu looked up at the steps. Takamine Aika, standing on the step above him, leaned down and offered him a bottle of water. Like Anegasaki Nene, she was wearing a yukata, but unlike Nene, she was in a full set, complete with wooden clogs.
*And even wooden clogs.*
Under Kobayashi Tetsu's scrutinizing gaze, Takamine Aika smoothed her hair. "We've met before, at the hospital. You know, during the *Albatross Game*."
"Oh, right," Kobayashi Tetsu nodded, remembering.
He rinsed his mouth with the water, washing away the syrup and finally feeling a bit better. He wanted to throw the candied apple as far away as possible.
"I'm not Japanese," Kobayashi Tetsu explained. "I don't really understand these customs."
Takamine Aika nodded, her ponytail swaying gently with the movement.
*She's figured it out.*
No Japanese person would be foolish enough to actually eat a candied apple. At most, they'd hold it as a decorative prop.
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