The night of the fireworks festival. It happened as I passed behind the shrine, away from the crowds.

In a corner of the grounds where the lights were dim, I saw a girl in a yukata, huddled small and hugging her knees.

Her shoulders were trembling slightly.

Worried, I tried to call out, "Are you okay?" But the moment I took a step—my feet tangled, and I lost my balance. My vision blurred, and I ended up pinning her to the ground.

Her eyes, wide with shock, wavered uncertainly as they reflected the faint light of fireworks bursting in the distant sky.

A small, trembling voice reached my ears, almost drowned out by the explosions in the night sky.