Chapter 6: Firewood Dance
Taiki took his shower, dressed up and fell flat on his bed, seeing the picture of himself and miku, he could only recall when we wanted to confess to her.
It was a cool evening, the soft hum of voices and the clatter of students preparing for the cultural day filled the hallways of Hitomia Middle School. The atmosphere was buzzing with energy, the air thick with excitement as everyone stayed late to finish their preparations for the event.
Taiki had just finished organizing some of the decorations and cleaning up his assigned area. He walked through the dimly lit corridor, feeling a little drained but satisfied with the work they'd done. As he passed the quiet classroom, he noticed something.
There, at one of the desks, Miku was curled up in a small ball, sound asleep, her head resting on her arms. Her breathing was soft, steady, and for a moment, Taiki just stood there, watching her. There was something so peaceful about her, so effortless in her beauty. It made his heart skip a beat.
A smile tugged at his lips as he leaned against the doorframe, silently admiring her.
But just as he was about to walk away, Nakamura appeared behind him, grinning ear to ear. "Ah, I see you're caught up in your little crush," Nakamura teased, elbowing Taiki.
"Shut up," Taiki muttered, a blush creeping up his neck.
Nakamura laughed. "You're so obvious, man. Don't worry, we'll let her sleep. She's been working hard too."
The two of them quietly left the room, making sure not to disturb her, and returned to their task of finishing up the last bits of work. It wasn't long before the whole school started buzzing with activity, the excitement of the cultural day finally taking shape.
---
The event was finally underway. Taiki's class had voted to organize a maid café, and it had been a hit. As he wandered through the café, he couldn't help but notice Miku in her maid outfit. Her usual shy demeanor was still there, but something about her—something in the way she moved—made her stand out from every other girl there. Her smile, her elegance, it was like she belonged there more than anyone else.
Taiki had to admit, she looked more beautiful than any of the other girls, and his heart skipped a beat whenever their eyes met.
After the café, the group wandered around to other areas, visiting different class booths and checking out the music concert. Every time Taiki looked up, there was Miku, smiling, laughing, lost in the fun of it all.
Taiki couldn't help but smile to himself. If she's happy, I'm happy, he thought.
---
Finally, as the day turned into night, the time had come for the firewood dance. The moonlight spilled through the windows of the gymnasium, casting soft shadows on the floor. Taiki was about to go outside to take a break when one of the senpais called him over.
"Taiki! Can you go lock the upstairs door? We're about to start the dance," the older student called.
Taiki nodded and headed upstairs, eager to get the task done so he could finally join the dance. As he entered the classroom to lock the door, he was surprised to see Miku sitting on the windowsill, looking out over the darkened school grounds.
"Oh, hey!" Miku smiled when she saw him. She waved gently, and Taiki's heart skipped a beat.
He walked over to her, a little awkward but smiling. They stood there for a while, watching the dance below. The sounds of laughter and music drifted up to the classroom, and the two of them exchanged small talk, enjoying the rare moment of peace.
Taiki's hands were in his pockets, and he glanced at Miku from the corner of his eye. He opened his mouth, but the words got stuck. Now's the time, he thought. You can do this.
"Miku..." Taiki started, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Huh?" Miku replied, turning to face him.
Taiki took a deep breath, his heart pounding in his chest. He looked at her, trying to find the right words. "I... I'm glad I met you," he said, a soft smile tugging at his lips.
Miku blinked in surprise, her heart fluttering at the sincerity in his voice. She opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, Taiki gave a small chuckle, scratching the back of his neck.
"Well, I better get going," he said quickly, turning toward the door.
Miku watched as he walked away, feeling a strange mix of emotions swirl inside her. There was a quiet disappointment—she had hoped for something more, but at the same time, she couldn't deny the warmth she felt just being around him.
Taiki walked out of the classroom, his mind racing with thoughts he couldn't quite voice. I can't do it... he thought to himself, looking down at the floor. Well, I'll just be her super close friend, then.
As he walked back to the gym, he couldn't help but smile to himself. At least we're friends. That's something.
---
Meanwhile, Miku remained in the classroom, staring at the door. A small, bittersweet smile crept onto her lips. Despite the sting of disappointment, she couldn't deny that she was glad she had met him. The connection they shared, even if it wasn't romantic, meant something to her. And that was enough—for now.
As the night carried on, Taiki and Miku went their separate ways. The firewood dance continued, the music played, and everyone danced beneath the stars. But for Taiki and Miku, it was the quiet moments, the small conversations, and the unspoken understanding that would keep their bond growing stronger—one step at a time.
And then he suddenly woke up, tears rolling down his cheeks, recollecting how he messed up his maybe one and only chance at expressing his feelings to miku. He cleaned it up, stood up, and said to himawl
'i will get her, and that's a promise'