Day Two transformed the school into a carnival.
Stalls lined the hallways and courtyard—ring toss, goldfish scooping, masked lottery, shooting galleries. Clubs ran their own booths, students volunteering in costumes, calling out to passersby with exaggerated enthusiasm.
Riko was at the Student Council booth, managing the ticket sales with polished efficiency. Her smile was perfect. Her organization was flawless. She directed crowds like a general commanding troops.
Hikari had been dragged into helping the Drama Club's fortune-telling booth. Draped in a ridiculous purple shawl, she sat in a dimly lit corner, staring at customers until they fled. The club president claimed her "authentic mystic aura" was great for business. Hikari suspected they just enjoyed watching her suffer.
Kaito and Yuki, belonging to no clubs, wandered together through the chaos.
The festival buzzed around them—laughter, shouts, the clatter of games. Yuki's energy had returned slightly, the festival atmosphere lifting her mood.
"Look! A shooting gallery!" She grabbed Kaito's arm. "Let's try!"
Kaito allowed himself to be dragged. He won a large stuffed cat on his first try. The stall owner stared in disbelief.
Yuki clutched the prize. "This is going to Hikari. She needs more cats."
"That's... actually accurate."
They continued wandering, Yuki now carrying the oversized cat under one arm. It was ridiculous. It was perfect.
---
Near the food stalls, they spotted familiar faces.
Kenji waved wildly, a stick of cotton candy in one hand. "KAITO! YUKI! OVER HERE!"
Beside him stood Aiko, Kaito's sister, smiling warmly. She held a small bag of taiyaki.
They joined them, the crowd parting easily around Kaito's presence.
Kenji immediately launched into gratitude. "Seriously, you guys—thank you. For everything." He looked at Kaito, then Yuki. "For being Hikari's friends. For putting up with her. For making her... you know... human."
Aiko nodded. "She's different now. Happier. It's because of you."
Yuki beamed. Kaito inclined his head—his version of acceptance.
"She's easy to be friends with," Yuki said. "Once you get past the walls."
Kenji laughed. "That's a lot of walls."
"Worth it though."
They wandered together after that—Kenji dragging them to every stall, Aiko laughing at his enthusiasm, Yuki adding her own chaos, Kaito quietly winning prizes no one else could.
They played ring toss. Failed spectacularly.
They tried goldfish scooping. Yuki fell in. (The fish were fine.)
They ate questionable takoyaki. Kenji turned green.
They took photos in a silly photo booth. Aiko kept copies.
---
During a break, they found Riko.
She stood at the Student Council booth, still perfectly composed despite the chaos. When she saw them approaching, something softened in her expression.
"Having fun?" she asked.
Yuki held up her growing collection of prizes. "Obviously. Kaito won half of these. He's a machine."
Riko glanced at Kaito. "Of course he is."
Kenji grinned. "You should join us! When's your next break?"
Riko checked her watch. "Fifteen minutes. Maybe."
"Perfect! We'll be at the crepe stall!"
They waved and disappeared back into the crowd.
Riko watched them go, a small smile tugging at her lips.
---
Later, they found Hikari.
The fortune-telling booth was easy to spot—mostly because of the line of customers too scared to approach. Hikari sat inside, draped in purple, radiating pure "go away" energy.
Yuki burst through the curtain. "HIKARI! WE BROUGHT YOU A CAT!"
She thrust the stuffed animal at her.
Hikari stared at it. Then at Yuki. Then at Kaito.
"Kaito won it," Yuki added. "Obviously."
Hikari took the cat. Held it. Looked at it.
"Thanks," she said quietly.
Yuki beamed. "Now come play with us! When's your break?"
"Now." Hikari stood, shedding the shawl like a snake shedding its skin. "I'm done."
They left together, the cat tucked under Hikari's arm, the festival lights twinkling around them.
Day Two was chaos. Day Two was joy.
Tomorrow, everything would change.
(End of Chapter 86)