Actually, it was supposed to be just three girls, but if Kazuya had come, I planned to split up halfway and go on a date with him.
Kazuya and I grew up together from elementary school to high school.
We used to play a lot when we were in elementary school, but he stopped playing with me recently. I just wanted to be with him like we used to.
I’ve always liked him, but I never had the courage to confess.
Since there was no other choice, I went to see the fireworks with my two friends, all of us in yukatas. It would have been much more fun if Kazuya had been there with us.
I took a photo of the three of us in our yukatas and sent it to Kazuya.
I attached a message: "It’s a shame you couldn’t see us in our yukatas! Aren’t we cute?"
Next year, I’ll make sure we go together!
After the fireworks, I decided to go home after parting ways with my friends.
There was a police car parked in front of my house for some reason.
Did something happen!?
Even though I was still in my yukata, I hurried into the house.
In the entrance, I saw Aimi crying in her yukata, and a police officer explaining something to my parents.
"Aimi! What happened??"
Aimi noticed me and turned to face me.
"---Kazuya-kun..."
She broke down in tears again.
The police officer explained instead.
"Actually, there was a pervert incident near the convenience store, and Aimi and her friend were about to be attacked. A man shielded them and was stabbed. It turns out the man was an acquaintance."
"Who was the acquaintance? Could it be..."
My mother answered for me. Her face was soaked with tears.
"Sachiko, it was Kazuya. He protected Aimi and her friend and confronted the attacker."
"So, so, what happened to Kazuya? Is Shina Kazuya okay!?"
The police officer hesitated before speaking.
"Unfortunately, when he arrived at the hospital, he was already in cardiac arrest."
I went blank.
We were just messaging each other a little while ago.
"Onee-chan... I’m sorry. Kazuya-kun told us to run, but I was too scared to move. Then he went towards the attacker to protect us..."
It was summer break, but there was an emergency assembly where the details were reported.
Kazuya Shina protected middle school girls from a pervert by confronting the attacker himself.
The principal, wiping away tears, explained from the podium.
When I returned to the classroom, flowers were placed on Kazuya’s desk.
I cried with my friends in the classroom.
A few days later, I attended Kazuya’s funeral.
Kazuya looked beautiful.
I cried, hugging the coffin, but with my mother’s help, I managed to come home.
Aimi cried the whole time too.
Lying on my bed, I stared at the ceiling.
"Kazuya, thank you for saving Aimi. If you had come to the fireworks, Aimi might have been in danger. I never got to confess, but I’ve always liked you."
I whispered this while looking at a photo I secretly took of Kazuya in the classroom.