037. Why Another Grand Banquet?

The next day.

Sunlight pierced through the dark of night, and dawn quietly brushed across the horizon. Although Nagumo Ametsuki had almost forgotten this once-familiar lyric, it involuntarily surfaced in his mind as he struggled to pull himself out of bed—the very song he used to set as his morning alarm. He washed up and prepared his breakfast and lunch for the day.

"Another new day." Nagumo felt a touch of sentimentality. After awakening his "Words of Power," he found himself unexpectedly looking forward to going to school.

"Textbooks..."
"Lunch box..."
"That should be about it."
"Wait, let me grab a book, too."

Nagumo scanned his desk. The current curriculum held little challenge for him, and he didn't want to spend his time in class just sitting idly by; reading was better than staring into space. "I bought quite a few books back when I was preparing to start a new project, covering almost every subject imaginable." He pondered this, glancing at the works he hadn't yet found time to read, and ultimately chose to slip Natsume Soseki's *Kokoro* into his bag.

"But... it’s a pity. Many of these books haven't been opened once since I bought them. Sometimes, it feels like the dopamine rush ends the moment the purchase is made. By the time the package arrives, I don't even want to open it..."

With these thoughts, he pushed open his front door. The sun was bright outside; as the sun moved toward the Tropic of Cancer, the morning light had grown significantly more vibrant than before.

"Time for class."

Nagumo boarded the train, heading toward Tsukinomori just as he did every day. The journey passed in silence.

*Beep.*

As the train arrived, he walked a short distance until he reached the gates of Tsukinomori. Outside, many girls were walking in groups, while others made their way alone. Nagumo tightened his grip on his slipping backpack and stepped into the school grounds. Scanning his surroundings, he happened to spot Nagasaki Soyo, also with her bag on her back, walking into the school by herself.

"Hey." Nagumo waved.

Soyo noticed him and offered a greeting in return. "Good morning."

"Apologies, I didn't sleep very well last night, so I'm a bit unfocused this morning."

"It's alright," Nagumo nodded.

They fell into step, walking closer together as they headed toward the middle school building.

***

After exchanging a few words, Soyo felt her fatigue ease slightly. She attributed this to the distraction of conversation, though her mind soon drifted back to the mystery of her "Vision," and she found herself conflicted. *I can't just ask him directly. That would be too abrupt.*

As she was thinking this, Nagumo remarked offhandedly, "Soyo-san..." Because he had spoken the name casually, it sounded light and airy. "Do you happen to know the exact date for our school's music festival?"

Soyo thought for a moment. "It's coming up very soon. After this weekend, it's next Tuesday. By the way, Ametsuki-kun, you must find time to come watch our brass band's performance."

"I will." Nagumo nodded.

Soyo sensed her "Vision," finding it no different than before. She probed carefully, "Speaking of which, Ametsuki-kun, what made you choose to transfer to Tsukinomori from Kamo River Central Middle School?"

"Good question," Nagumo mused. "There wasn't any special circumstance, really. At the time, Tsukinomori had just opened its transfer student program. As it happened, I had been performing well at Kamo River, and a teacher wrote me a letter of recommendation, so I came here. It also happens to be closer to home."

"I see," Soyo smiled. "It sounds like your performance back then must have been truly outstanding; otherwise, your teacher wouldn't have recommended you."

"That teacher was indeed a very kind person," Nagumo replied.

They turned onto the staircase. Originally, they were walking side-by-side, but as someone was coming down from above, Soyo naturally shifted, leaving her one step below Nagumo. She instinctively focused her attention.

Suddenly, a blinding red pillar erupted before her eyes; the entire "Vision" was flooded with a vivid, covering crimson.

"Ah!" Soyo gasped, her footing faltering as her body swayed.

*Swish.*

She instinctively grabbed the hem of Nagumo’s jacket and leaned into him, barely managing to steady herself. "Phew... I didn't fall..."

She let go and looked up, finding Nagumo watching her with a puzzled expression. She apologized, "I'm sorry... I almost tripped. I didn't grab you too hard, did I?"

"It's fine, just be careful."

Nagumo gently pulled her along. Soyo felt him grab her wrist, and a faint blush touched her cheeks. Before she could react, she felt a lift, and with a soft *tap*, she found herself standing on the next step.

Soyo felt her "Vision" blink off in that instant, and her surroundings returned to normal. They reached the turn in the hallway, which was the floor for the third-year middle school students.

Soyo said, feeling a bit flustered, "I'll head off now."

"Right." Nagumo waved as she left, then walked back to his own classroom.

The atmosphere in the classroom was as usual. However, it was strange that today, Wakaba Mutsumi had finished watering her cucumber plant early and was already sitting at her desk.

"Morning." Nagumo greeted her and returned to his seat. "Why are you here so early today?"

He set down his bag and leaned toward her. Mutsumi’s reply was characteristically brief: "Suddenly, woke up."

*Insomnia, perhaps...* Nagumo thought. He had experienced mornings like that before, though usually due to the pressures of life.

"Hmm," he leaned a little closer to her. "Is something going on lately?"

Mutsumi seemed surprised by his proximity and said softly, "Weekend, another banquet. Guitar, no time..."

*Is Minami, Mutsumi's mother, hosting another grand party?* Nagumo realized what was going on.

He thought for a moment and said, "Then, why don't you come over to my place? If your house is going to be full of guests, you're welcome to come to my place instead."