"And you're all done" Grandma said as she finished the last piece of pin on my her her desired state.
"Thank you ba-chan!" I smiled and look at myself in the mirror. I wore a yukata in a white and purple flower print. My hair in a tight bun with a flower pin by the right side of it. I am satisfied with my current look.
I bowed down to her and packed up my stuff, getting ready to enjoy the rest of the day. The faint sound of festive music heard outside made me more excited.
I opened the door and saw Ace, hands almost reaching the knob when I opened it.
"There you are" he said and took back his hand, smiling afterwards. He wore a yukata in black with a red fire print while his right arm hanged on the right sleeve. His signature cowboy hat hanging by his nape, while hair loosly curled by the sides.
"Better close that mouth of yours before flies go in" he laughed while saying that, I then realized that he was talking about me so I turned away hiding my flared up face. I did it again.
He is well aware in his good body state.
"Shut up Ace, I was just thinking about how you looked ho- I mean cold in your yukata" I screwed up. Yeah I know. And guess what, he is enjoying it. He laughed harder this time. I bit the insides of my cheek and waited for him to finish his laughter.
"Really, you done now?"
"Aww, is little (Name) mad now?" he said in a baby voice which sounded too cute for me, so I turned around and face the way to the festival grounds before I say anything embarrassing again.
"Ugh, whatever!" I said but I was just hiding the fact that I am embarrassed so that he would stop "Wait for me (Name)!" he said, laughing still so I walked faster to avoid him and it turned into a game of tag suddenly. I ran further to escape him but to no avail, I could not even lose him.
It's so hard to run!
"Go away Ace, why are you running... After.. Me!"
"Because you're running away from me!" he shouted back at me, still running. When suddenly I didn't notice the crack in between the steps, and yeah you guessed it right. I tripped.
I'm falling...
Falling..
Falling?
Wait what?
I opened an eye, only to see that I were held by two strong arms. I quickly pushed myself away from him to catch my breath.
"You done now?" a chuckle escape his lips as he crossed his arms
He did not even break a sweat after all that running?!
"Yeah, yeah" I said then turned once again and walked towards the festival, Ace following from behind.
As we get near the festive sound grew closer and could hear better. The streets swarmed people, different food stalls and fun games etc.
I almost forgot about Ace, I turned around but he's nowhere to be found. A few moments passed, I felt light tap on my right shoulder so I turned to look at it. There stood Ace, holding a cute panda mask on his right hand and two candied apple on the left, offering me each. I noticed that he also bought a mask for himself, a funny looking one, which is strapped to the left side of his head.
I gladly took what he offered me, fixing the panda mask in appropriate place first so I can eat only holding the candied fruit. It's so sweet!
"Thanks, Ace!" I took another lick and bit a side, while Ace did so too.
"So what do you wanna do first?" He asked and I looked around but could not see anything due to the people filling the place.
"Let's go look around shall we?" I said and held on the sleeves of his yukata.
After a few roundabouts here and there, we saw a stall where you knock out bottles and get a prize, so I pointed at it to tell Ace I'm interested at the said game. We walked over the stall and bought a shots for each.
We both positioned ourselves to aim and released the same time. I knocked out one out of three while he knocked all three of it.
"That is so unfair" I raised a brow at him "How did you do that?" he chuckled and laughed with the old man on the stall, "You just don't know how to aim" then picking a prize of his desire when old man asked him.
Despite playing this game over the years, I could not even perfect it. Maybe I'm just not cut out for it.
I made an offended look and turned to him, "(Name) this is a new record, you knocked out one bottle out of the three!" the old man by the stall said and gave a thumbs up.
"Hmp! Even old man is making fun of me" I said pretending to be even more offended but we just laugh it off, thank him then left to go to my favorite stall.
"(Name), here" Ace handed me a half-sized panda bear, and smiled behind it.
"Why are you giving it to me? It's yours"
"Well, I want to give it to you" he shoved me the half-sized bear and I almost lose balance but he immediately said sorry in a whisper as he held on to my arm.
"How'd you even know I like pandas?" I gladly accept the bear and hugged it around my body.
"Well, it's all over your place?" he said and smiled "Anyways, where should we go now?" I took his sleeves again and walked, more like pushing against the crowd through the fishing stall.
"Sir, for two please!" I raised two fingers to the man while smiling, I'm confident in this fishing game because this is the only game I'm good at. Yes I know.
Setting the bear aside and taking the two bubble wrapped like fishing nets by the man, I handed one to Ace so that we can start scooping fishes out of the water.
The first try he did the bubble popped and he could no longer scoop anything.
"This sucks" he said and flopped on his butt to the floor, still watching me. I already took three fishes out, putting it in. Plastic filled water.
"You just don't know how to scoop" I said and snickered at him but then the bubble popped when I did, so he laughed.
"Ok miss who knows how" oh how I get so annoyed with his sarcastic comments. After we paid for the game we made our way to buy takoyaki on the way.
"Everyone, the fireworks display will start in five minutes" thus came an announcement so we hurriedly pay for the food and find a place. I figured that the place up the hill would be where the display would be more exposed so I suggested to which he agreed.
We set ourselves on the ground and looked out at the sea. It's so peaceful out there.
The sea were truly eye catching but what catched my eyes more was Ace, his hair blowing gently with the wind, his current posture, one leg up as his arm hang on top while th other leg gently laid down the green grass.
I didn't notice that he looked my way already until he said it outloud which woke me up.
"You really love looking at me huh?" he said in his most seductive low tone voice, as he tilted his head to the right side.
At that moment everything went silent, we were both starstrucked that we didn't notice we were both leaning in slowly against each other. He tucked a loose strand on my right ear as I close my eyes.
Then boom, loud firecrackers filled the open air and we both looked at it, what happened a few seconds ago forgotten. The blossoming flower shaped fireworks filled the sky in different size, colors, and shape. The scene were truly wonderful as we watched.
"It's so beautiful" I said in a whispering tone. Smile seen across my whole face, and joy filled my eyes.
"I know right" Ace said, looking at me the whole time, which I didn't notice until I looked at him. His head on his right hand, which is on top of his lap. His raven eyes staring back at mine as he smiled back.
Was he talking about me, or the fireworks? Oh wait! We almost kissed! What am I to do?!
I blushed at the sudden statement of his, ignoring the fact that maybe he was talking about the fireworks display, but maybe, just maybe he was talking about me you know?
We went silent and watched the fireworks until the display came to an end. The streets went busy again, filled with different kinds of noises you can imagine.
"Shall we go now?" he asked and offered me a hand. I gladly took it and stood by his side.
"You're heavy" I jokingly punched him on the arm and marched my way towards my humble home, Ace's laughing ass followed me from behind and when he catched up his hand brushed past against mine sending tingling vibes throughout my body.
The skin that he accidentally touched felt hot and so does my face. He noticed it and went closer to my face.
"What's wrong?" while holding each side of my cheeks, making me look up at him.
You happened that's what!
"What? N-nothing's w-wrong!" I manage to let it out smoothly as possible and gently pushed aside both his hands
I exhaled deeeply and brushed it off, my face still feels the excitement from earlier. A sigh of relief escape my lips when my house finally came in sight.
We settled down inside and made ourselves comfortable. After a few more minutes, I decided to call it a night and went to my bedroom so I can wash myself to sleep. I said goodnight but he remained silent, staring out at an open space in the area so I made my way to the bedroom.
When I was past him he suddenly held on my left wrist, stopping me from going anywhere. It almost made me jump by the sudden contact but I remained calm for the time being.
"Hmm? Do you need anything, Ace. Yoohoo?" he still remained silent, but this time he looked at me in the eye,
"Tomorrow I have something to tell you"