Chikasugiru Karera no, Juunanasai no Tooi Kankei [LN] V2 Chapter 1.8

Chapter 1 - After The End Of The Rainy Season

Sharp, clear sunlight illuminated the ground. Low in the sky, a heavy-looking, pure white cumulonimbus was floating in the sky.

The summer festival takes place from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at a park in our residential neighborhood and on the grounds of the shrine next to it. After lunch, Yuriko and I helped set up the tents at the park, while Izumi and my mother went to the shrine to help set up the administration head office.

Yuriko had returned home once and changed from her sandals to sneakers. She was now wearing shorts that looked like white mini-skirts and a blue top.

After an hour or so, when I finished setting up the three tents with the other uncles, I was sweating quite a bit. I took a towel out of my own backpack and wiped the sweat off my neck and face.

I looked around and saw a few benches in the shade of the trees, so I walked over to one of them and sat down. It was a sunny day, and a high-temperature warning had been broadcast by the city in the morning. The sun was shining brightly and the cicadas were chirping so loudly that they seemed to press down on my ears. The sun was shining through the trees, creating a speckled pattern on the ground.

"So hot!"

While fanning her face with her hands, Yuriko came up to me and sat down beside me. She, too, was dripping with sweat. A towel was hanging around her neck, and her cheeks were flaming red. Her hair was pulled back in a bun, probably because of the heat.

"I'm sorry, I even made you help me."

"I don't mind. You, Izumi-san, and auntie are working, and I'm lonely if I go home alone."

So Yuriko said. Then she folded her hands and stretched, saying, hmm. I looked away as I saw her breasts bulge out from under her clothes.

"Last night, were you able to sleep?"

"Yeah. I thought we would talk until late, but Izumi-san fell asleep rather quickly. I mean, she surprisingly has a bad sleep position, isn't she?"

"What?"

"We slept together in two futons. But, her clothes were rolled up at midnight, and I could see many things. It was heaven for the eyes."

Yuriko said this as she looked at me.

---Many things? What do you mean? But, couldn't you see much in the dark if the lights were off?

I couldn't help but think about that. Then Yuriko shook her head and looked at me as if peering into my face.

"Hey......you were flying to a different world just now, weren't you?"

I couldn't reply. She was right on target. Yuriko's eyes narrowed.

"That's a lie. Males are stupid."

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I let out a sigh, as if I had really made a fool of myself. I was so shaken up that I couldn't say anything back immediately.

I kept my mouth shut and looked straight ahead. There was a turret in the middle of a grassy park about the size of a soccer court, with food stalls lined up around the perimeter. Many people were preparing for the event in their stalls. Colorful lanterns were decorated with strings tied around trees, telephone poles, and poles.

"Hey, Kenichi. Do you......."

Yuriko was about to say something like that when suddenly we heard Izumi's voice saying, "Kenichi-kun~"

When I looked toward where the voice was coming from, I saw Izumi walking toward us, wearing a light blue, sleeveless one-piece dress with shorts underneath. Her hair was parted in two and braided so that it was neat around her ears, making her look more refreshing than her usually straight hair.

"What's wrong?" Yuriko said to Izumi, who had come to her side.

"I'm done with my work, so I came over here. Aunty seems to be staying over there with her friends for a while. I also greeted Mori-san's mother just now."

Izumi also went into the shade, pulled a handkerchief out of her shorts, and wiped the sweat from her face.

"My mom was here?"

"Yes. She brought refreshments for the people working at the shrine. Kenichi-kun's mom introduced me to her at that time."

"I see," Yuriko said and got up from her seat.

"Well, Izumi-san is here, too, so why don't we go visit and pray? I'm sure there aren't many people there yet." 

"Yes. You're right," said Izumi, who had been at the shrine up to now.

We left the park and headed for the shrine next to the park. The streets around the shrine were also busy with several food stalls selling shaved ice and potato butter.

As soon as we passed through the shrine's torii gate, there were stone steps leading up to a water fountain and a hall of worship. Around the shrine, there are food stalls and tents of the neighborhood association. The shrine is surrounded by many trees, making it look like it was in a forest, so there was plenty of shade and it was much cooler than in the park. When the wind blew, the rustling of leaves was loud enough to drown out the cicadas' chirps for a moment. As we climbed the stone steps, the sun glinting through the trees, I suddenly thought of something to say to Izumi, who was standing beside me.

"Izumi, by the way......"

"What?" She looked at me and tilted her head.

"I wonder if Hoshino-san will come today. She probably knows that this festival is going to be held."

"Oh, I see. Now that you mention it."

Izumi took her phone out of her pocket and sent some messages. Then, shortly thereafter.

"She said she's coming! She invited me to go around with her," she said happily.

"Who is this Hoshino-san?"

Yuriko, who was walking in front of us, looked back and asked.

"A friend of Izumi's from school. It seems she lives around here. "

"Heh. So we'll have to split up?"

"Uhh.......I guess so......"

"Don't worry about us. Call me if you need anything."

Yuriko said with a friendly smile.

After climbing the stone steps, I could smell the savory aroma of baking and frying food from the many food stalls around the shrine. The sound of the adults in the tent of the neighborhood association was also in the air. I stood in a short line in front of the shrine, and as I finished praying, I heard the sound of taiko drums echoing from the park, shaking the air.

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