Classroom of the Elite: After Story

The Fireworks Festival (2)

The whole group was walking across a bridge along its sidewalk as they made their way to the festival grounds. Pops had made the right move by parking the sedan in an alley with some other parked cars, as all the people who wanted to park at the festival's assigned parking lot were now stuck on the bridge in traffic. There was a cool breeze in the air tonight.

Guess I was right, it is much cooler than it was yesterday night. I wonder how much food Ai has managed to sell.

He was looking at the river below when he caught sight of a luxurious looking boat with people onboard having some sort of party. There was no music, just a bunch of people in expensive looking suits and dresses holding glasses of wine as they listened to someone giving a toast. He could not see nor hear anything over the cars on the bridge but he knew for sure whose party it was.

The owners of the event arriving two hours after the festival started. It was almost eight p.m. The fireworks would start at nine.

"Okay guys, no dinner today. After giving our names in for the raffle, eat up at the food stalls coz, I ain't making anything at home. That's why I told you guys to bring your pocket money.", mom said. You could literally see her getting more and more excited as they got nearer and nearer to the lights and stalls.

Hina suddenly exclaimed, "Eh! I forgot to bring my money!". This was a lie. He had seen her holding a few bills in her hands while they were coming out of the house. He wondered where she hid them as there were virtually no places to hide while wearing a kimono.

"Honestly this girl-", mom said as she gave some money to the girl whose smile was a little too wide.

He felt a tug on his sleeve. He looked back to see Kei with her father behind her, looking at the cityscape from the bridge.

"Let's take a picture, all of us together with this scenery as the background. It looks beautiful.", she said.

With her keen ears, mom immediately jumped on the offer shouting 'Family photo' as she dragged Hina and him into their positions next to Kei. Kiyotaka's phone was given to a passerby who was asked to take a picture of them. She then went and stood with her husband behind the children. 

"Smile!", she exclaimed as the stranger took the picture.

He smiled and heard the click of the camera. After receiving his phone back, looked at the picture. Everyone looked good in their kimonos and the city lights in the night behind only made it more beautiful.

After a few seconds, he decided to set it as his phone's wallpaper.

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"So how's business going Ai", he asked the bubbly girl who was manning the stall.

"Its booming!" she replied in an excited manner. "By who are the girls you're with Kiyotaka?", she asked.

He turned to look at Kei and Hina. Pops and mom had seperated a long time ago saying they were on a date and we children shouldn't disturb them. Kei was now looking at Hina sceptically while the other was texting away on her phone. After a while, her face visibly relaxed as she said something to her sister, to which Hina looked up from her phone with a smile and her kissed Kei on the cheek and scampered away.

He suddenly a found a hand waving close to his face.

"She's your girlfriend?"

"Yeah.",Kiyotaka said as he took three sticks with karaage from Ai. With Hina gone more for them.

She hummed as she analysed Kei from afar.

"I approve.", she said nodding her head with her eyes closed with a thumb sticking up. "Now, don't keep your girlfriend waiting. Go."