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“There are more people here than I thought.” By the time Kou and her friends reached the beach, many other guests had already gathered.

Since this was still a small-scale test before the resort opened to the general public, the beach wasn’t exactly crowded. Hinagiku and Miyuki weren’t likely to get lost among the guests unless something major happened, which allowed Kou to feel a bit more at ease.

“Kou, take my hand so you don’t get lost, okay?”
“Why me?!”

Kou flinched a little, feeling the warmth of Hijiri’s soft hand as she grasped hers, prompting her to protest.

“Did you already forget that you’re not really any taller than Miyuki?”
“Ack… I guess that’s true…”

Subaru pointed out that Kou was just as likely to get lost, which, unfortunately, made sense. But then…

“Wait, no. You can’t fool me. There’s no way Hijiri thought that far ahead—she just wanted to hold hands!”
“Eheh…maybe…”

Hijiri hummed happily, continuing to hold Kou’s hand without denying it, while Subaru just looked away, embarrassed.

“The fireworks should start in twenty minutes. Let’s grab what we want to eat and find a place to sit by then.”
“Why don’t we split up? This can be our meeting spot once we’re all set.”

Kou suggested splitting up after Ryunosuke mentioned the plan, and everyone agreed.

“Grilled chicken, grilled chicken…”
“I’m in a squid mood tonight.”
“Sounds like you just want an excuse to drink again…”

Sara and Hisui were clearly picking out snacks to pair with drinks, leaving Ryunosuke a bit baffled.

“Sorry, I can’t exactly leave those two unsupervised. Could you keep an eye on Miyuki for me?”
“Sure, go ahead.”

Ryunosuke apologized, but Kou didn’t mind. The adults were the first to head off.

“In that case, Miyuki, would you like to come with me?”
“Yes, please. And… umm…”

Miyuki blushed, glancing at Kou and Hijiri’s joined hands. Subaru seemed to understand and extended his hand to her.

“Here, we wouldn’t want you to get lost, right?”
“Ah… th-thank you.”

Blushing, Miyuki took Subaru’s hand while he kept his usual composure. Kou and Hijiri sighed in disappointment.

“He had the right idea… almost.”
“Yeah…”

Subaru had reached the right conclusion, just not for the reason Kou and Hijiri would have liked, making both his childhood friend and his sister cringe a little.

“What about you, Hinagiku?”
“Ah, I’m fine on my own. My mom just texted saying she’s leaving the hot springs and heading here, so I’ll wait for her.”
“Mm, I see. Mind if I wait with you, then?”
“Yes, Kasumi. Thank you very much.”

Kasumi and Hinagiku went to sit on some nearby steps, continuing their conversation.

With their groups decided, everyone dispersed to explore the food stalls, savoring the aroma of spices and sauces in the air.

“Oh wow, it looks like a feast when it’s all lined up like this.” Hijiri muttered as she looked at the table they had secured, loaded with all the food everyone had gathered.

There was takoyaki, yakisoba, hashimaki (thin okonomiyaki wrapped around chopsticks), and a variety of skewers—beef, sausages, chicken, squid, and even baked potatoes. On the sweet side, there were chocolate-covered bananas and other treats.

Sharing and sampling each other’s picks was part of the joy of visiting food stalls, and Kou happily joined in, savoring a bowl of yakisoba—even if it was just fast food.

“By the way, I actually watched your stream, too.” Kikyo, skillfully munching on grilled rice balls with her chopsticks, suddenly mentioned. “It made me wish I’d been there, fighting those detestable PKers in the city… or seeing those wriggling tentacles up close…”

“Is… is that so…”

Kou gave a neutral response, wondering what on earth there was to feel envious about. Sensing something ominous in Kikyo’s tone, she opted not to press further, and everyone else seemed to agree.

“I put full-dive VR games aside from the moment I was pregnant with Hinagiku, but maybe it’s time to get my own account… Though the second wave of accounts is selling out really fast…”

Kikyo mumbled thoughtfully as she lovingly patted Hinagiku’s head, while Hinagiku was fully focused on devouring a sausage. It was meant to be a tender mother-daughter moment, but somehow everyone watching shivered slightly.

“Oh, it should start any moment now.”

Ryunosuke, cheeks puffed with chicken, glanced at his watch before looking up at the ceiling. Everyone followed his gaze, and soon, the dome covering the beach began to transform into a breathtaking night sky.

The AR sky, indistinguishable from the real thing, was accompanied by the refreshing scent of grass, created by the same sensory-altering technology that made full-dive VR possible. The smooth transition into the AR theater drew gasps of admiration from the guests.

Then, a fireball with a spiral of sparks shot up across the clear, starry sky, disappearing for a split second…

BOOOOOOOM!!

“Hyah?!”
“I-I could feel that in my chest!”

Miyuki and Hinagiku exclaimed, startled. Kou and the others, who were a bit older, didn’t scream but were wide-eyed with surprise.

Above them, an enormous, colorful flower of fire blossomed in the sky, far grander and more intense than any firework they had ever seen.

“That brings back memories… I’d almost forgotten that fireworks used to be like this.”
“Yeah, nowadays fireworks have way less gunpowder because of noise and environmental regulations.”
“And they’re not made by hand anymore… Industrial fireworks can be pretty, but they feel kind of soulless in comparison.”
“Ohh… I heard fireworks changed a lot when I was starting elementary school. So this is what they used to be like.”

Kikyo and the other adults shared memories, marveling at the experience.

The art of crafting traditional fireworks had largely faded over the years, and with modern restrictions, they had become a shadow of what they once were—at least according to those who remembered the old days.

The AR theater was recreating these fireworks from the past, giving Kou and the others a taste of what had been lost. Even though they were virtual effects, the tremor through her body and the faint scent of burnt gunpowder felt incredibly real.

For a moment, no one spoke. They all watched in rapt silence, holding their breath as the sky exploded in vibrant colors.

Gradually, as they took in the spectacle, the crowd began to cheer, one voice after another, until eventually, the whole beach was clapping and cheering loudly.