I, Aki Tomoya, will not be a simp.

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Right outside the station is Ueno Park, Japan's first park and a local landmark.

The stone and bronze lanterns along the approach to the temple are already lit.

Many people will stop here tonight before heading to Senso-ji Temple.

Girls wearing yukatas are a common sight, and there are also many couples. It's the busiest time of summer, and also the day when the air is thickest with the scent of couples showing affection.

I waited outside Ueno Park, choosing a quiet spot where I wouldn't bother anyone, and casually asked her on Line how much longer I had to wait.

"Aki, stay there quietly and wait for me to come and take you away. Don't let a stranger take you away!"

"Take it away? Am I an object?"

We still have to wait here to be picked up by someone else; coming too early isn't a good thing.

Moreover, it's not certain that anyone will come up to chat him up; being a handsome man quietly won't attract any attention.

"Hey buddy, are you alone?"

As if his wish had come true, had someone finally noticed him?

"Hmm, you're alone too?"

Aki Tomoya nodded indifferently, glancing at the girl wearing black wooden clogs and a light pink yukata adorned with cherry blossom patterns.

She carried a small bag hanging with a red thread in her hand. Her hair, which she had cut off two years ago, had grown back and was neatly wrapped at the back of her head with a white ribbon.

"No, An Yi, you're being too cold. It'll make the girls who try to chat you up feel awkward!"

Sayaka Kudo shook her head, looking at him with a disappointed expression.

"At this moment, you should smile, ask the girl how old she is, and compliment her on how beautiful she is..."

She began to teach the method, and her words made Aki Tomoya chuckle.

He chuckled softly, and after taking a closer look at Sayaka Kudo today, he couldn't help but praise, "You look beautiful today. This yukata suits you very well."

"Yes, yes, that's it! You have to be more proactive when complimenting a girl!"

However, Sayaka Kudo didn't seem to realize it.

He thought that Aki Tomoya was just joking around at this moment.

How was my day?

At that moment, she turned around in front of Aki Tomoya, showing him her full figure.

"I already said that."

Aki Tomoya's teasing startled Kudo Sayaka.

She paused for a moment, then said somewhat flusteredly, "That doesn't count. Give me a more serious evaluation!"

Sayaka Kudo raised her hand and gently nudged Tomoya Aki's shoulder with her fingers.

She can't tell whether the other person's comments were serious or just a joke.

"What else do you want me to say? Do you want me to rave about it, to make you sound like someone who has never been before or will never be again?"

"You're so cunning! You actually thought you could get away with this so easily!"

Her slightly dissatisfied expression was quite interesting.

Looking at her now, Aki Tomoya's smile became even more teasing. He shrugged helplessly, as if there was nothing he could do, and said, "She's very pretty, really beautiful. I was even smitten just now!"

"...It's even more perfunctory now, isn't it!"

"Alas, I offered my heart as bright as the moon, but the moon shines on the gutter!"

He clutched his chest and protested his innocence in front of the girl.

What was originally a serious statement was unfortunately taken as a perfunctory response by others.

He really is quite pretty, and he swears he meant it.

"It's getting late, let's go, your Ueno Park is just ahead."

Knowing when to stop, Aki Tomoya figured he didn't need to look for more time. He figured it would be perfect to go directly to Senso-ji Temple after visiting Ueno Park.

As the path leading to Ueno Park grew denser with pedestrians, Aki Tomoya's urging made Kudo Sayaka temporarily let him go.

Walking beside the boy, Kudo Sayaka talked about recent events. As more and more passersby gathered around them, she couldn't help but move closer to the boy, and the two were almost shoulder to shoulder.

At this time last year, we were still in the academy, but this year, we have all entered the universities we wanted to go to.

Having spent half a year in Keio, a city she had longed for, Kudo Sayaka and Aki Tomoya should have known each other for about three years.

"It's rare that you specially invited me out today; I thought you would be with your friends."

Being invited out to a summer festival with girls was a first for Aki Tomoya.

As for whether it was a date or not, he wasn't sure, and he didn't dare ask the girl next to him if it was a date.

Because it's still somewhat embarrassing.

"Fumino needs tutoring, and all my best friends from high school have betrayed me and gotten boyfriends!"

The first half of the sentence is full of regret, and the second half is full of indignation.

My good friend whom I met at the private school is repeating a year of high school and basically has no time for anything.

Her best friends from high school have all found partners and are even showing off in front of her, urging her to hurry up and find a relationship too, since she's a Keio University girl and must be very popular.

Kudo Sayaka's words made Aki Tomoya smile.

As night deepened, the lights on both sides became even brighter, casting a glow on the girl beside him. Aki Tomoya's gaze lingered on her profile for half a second.

"The former hot girl has now become a talented woman in the literature department."

"Literature Department? Are you kidding me?"

"No, no, no, how could that be? It's you who has the opportunity to publish a book, isn't that a fact?"

When the boy talked about the surprises she encountered at the publishing house, admiration flashed in his eyes.

The fact that my friend's work passed the rigorous review process shows how impressive she has become.

"Beautiful girl literature writer!"

"Ugh, I'm getting goosebumps! Shut up, I was just trying it out!"

Sayaka Kudo thinks she can't handle the title of "beautiful girl literature writer" and thinks she should just give up on it.

She simply wrote down her story and was pleasantly surprised to find that it seemed to be able to be published.

After being admitted to Keio University, I continued to study every day, but I was actually losing sight of my goals. If I didn't try, I would feel physically and mentally exhausted.

Similarly, Kudo Sayaka would occasionally think of the boy next to her whom she always compared herself to. After writing down all her feelings from the two years at the academy, she felt a great sense of relief.

If this story had to be shown to someone, she thought of this person, and then she actually did it.

Before submitting the work, she had Aki Tomoya review it. Although it was just a simple "pretty good" comment, it gave her a lot of confidence.

The two walked through Ueno Park and headed towards Senso-ji Temple.

The lanterns hanging on both sides and the roadside stalls at the temple fair were reflected in their eyes all the way.

People were coming and going; this was the busiest time of day. They were in the center of the crowd, moving slowly forward.

Suddenly, Kudo Sayaka swayed slightly and instinctively grabbed the arm of the boy next to her.

Aki Tomoya, who had been lightly bumped, turned around and looked at her with concern, asking, "Are you alright?"

Sayaka Kudo shook her head, then realized that she was holding the other person's arm with both hands, her cheeks slightly flushed, though not so noticeable in the lamplight.

She immediately let go of her hands and complained, "Sorry, there were too many people, I was bumped into just now..."

There were indeed a lot of people, after all, it was a summer festival.

This is the liveliest time of summer.

Aki Tomoya looked around and replied softly, "It's not impossible for you to borrow my arm again."

"...It's just a little borrowing, don't overthink it, and don't get too cocky!"

She muttered for a while, making Aki Tomoya want to laugh but dare not.

It seems like she's the one who's probably overthinking things.

Aki Tomo didn't say anything, but when Kudo Sayaka cautiously reached out a hand and grabbed his arm tightly, he said helplessly, "Too tight."

"..."

Because of his reminder, the hand on my arm tightened its grip a little.

Senso-ji Temple will be crowded tonight, so doing this will prevent you from getting lost.

Slowly following the boy's steps, Kudo Sayaka couldn't help but glance at the boy's face several times.

She breathed a sigh of relief only after confirming several times that the other person had no ulterior motives.

But after a while, she became somewhat anxious and uncertain again, and she didn't know why.

"By the way, does today count as a date?"

Sayaka Kudo thought to herself.

It was only then that I realized that today's summer festival was spent with other single guys.