🎶春日の響きと記憶の音 — Chapter 182

🌸✨ In this alternate universe, Mio and みお are twin sisters, set in a unified world where the virtual singers of Crypton Future Media, Team TWINDRILL, INTERNET Co., Ltd., and the characters of Project SEKAI: Colorful Stage! feat. Hatsune Miku coexist. 🌙🎶 💜💗💜💗💜 Story 💗💜💗💜💗 Tanghulu Time Beneath the Trees After hesitating for a while in front of the candied fruit stall, everyone finally chose the flavors they liked. The transparent sugar coating sparkled under the sunlight, and the strings of fruit looked like tiny colorful jewels, held neatly in everyone’s hands. The student at the stall handed out the candied fruit skewers with practiced ease, and the area was soon filled with a sweet, fruity fragrance. Rin chose the classic dark-colored candied fruit skewer, and her eyes immediately lit up when she received it. “This one really looks like *the* classic tanghulu!” MEIKO chose the grape flavor. The glossy purple fruits were threaded onto the bamboo skewer, looking delicate and beautiful. She glanced down at it and smiled. “This color is actually really nice.” Luka picked a strawberry tanghulu. The bright red fruit, coated in a thin, shiny layer of sugar, looked especially eye-catching in her hand. Gakupo chose the mixed fruit flavor. Red, orange, green, and purple alternated along the skewer, as if he were holding a small string of colorful lights in his palm. Len had the orange flavor, with small, round orange fruits strung together, looking fresh and bright. Miku chose a green-toned fruit flavor. Looking closely, it seemed like green grapes or kiwi, and the colors appeared especially refreshing under the sunlight. Teto, without the slightest hesitation, chose strawberry as well, happily lifting it up to show everyone. “This color is the cutest!” KAITO held a grape-flavored tanghulu. The purple sugar coating reflected the light, suiting his clean and composed air very well. Mio chose a pink-toned tanghulu. The round fruits were wrapped in a pale pink sugar coating, making them look like a string of tiny candy balls. Mio, written as みお, chose the mixed fruit flavor. The colors changed one after another, from red and yellow to green and purple, making it look especially lively. As for Kiritani Haruka and Minori, they had also each chosen the flavors they wanted. Haruka held a bright red, translucent fruit tanghulu. It was simple, but beautiful. Minori held a mixed fruit tanghulu, with colorful fruits that looked almost like a tiny rainbow in her hand. Just looking at it seemed to make her whole self brighten up. After everyone had gotten their tanghulu, they did not immediately continue deeper into the crowded hallway. Instead, they slowly followed the flow of people outside to the walkway beneath the shade of the trees. The afternoon sunlight filtered through the branches and leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground. When a gentle breeze blew past, the leaves swayed softly, and even the air seemed more comfortable than it had been indoors. The twelve of them naturally stopped beneath the trees. Some stood, while others stayed a little closer together. They looked at the different tanghulu skewers in one another’s hands and slowly enjoyed this brief, leisurely moment. Minori looked down at the tanghulu in her hand, her anticipation almost impossible to hide. “It’s really so pretty… I almost don’t want to eat it.” Haruka stood beside her, a faint smile on her lips. “You were so serious when you were choosing earlier. Now you finally have it.” Minori looked up and smiled happily. “Because every single kind was really cute!” Miku looked at the different colors of tanghulu in everyone’s hands and smiled too. “Standing together like this, it almost feels like an exhibition. Everyone’s colors are different.” Rin immediately raised her skewer. “Right? And tanghulu really is perfect for a school festival!” Teto also brought her strawberry tanghulu forward a little. “This color is seriously super cute. I decided right away that I had to get the one with the most presence!” Len glanced at her, his tone calm. “Your reasons for choosing things are always very straightforward.” Teto answered proudly, “Being straightforward is good!” KAITO looked at the grape tanghulu in his hand and smiled. “But coming out here to eat under the trees really does feel nice.” MEIKO nodded. “It’s much better than standing in front of the stall the whole time. It’s more spacious outside too.” Mio looked down at her pink tanghulu and could not help smiling. “Looking at everyone holding tanghulu like this really gives off that school festival feeling.” みお stood beside her and nodded lightly. “Mm… And under the trees, it feels comfortable.” Mio looked at her, her smile softening a little. “Your skewer is really pretty too. It has so many colors.” みお looked down at the mixed fruit tanghulu in her hand. “Because every piece is different.” “It’s like a little rainbow.” みお paused slightly, then smiled softly. “Mm.” Luka stood beside Gakupo, her strawberry tanghulu shining brightly among the tree shadows. She looked around at everyone and said in a gentle voice, “This is nice too. We don’t have to keep rushing around. Stopping to look at the scenery is good once in a while.” Gakupo nodded lightly. “Yes. It’s quieter under the shade.” His gaze fell on everyone, then moved toward the sunlit walkway ahead. His voice remained calm. “And this kind of atmosphere is perfect for taking our time and enjoying things.” Len looked down at the orange tanghulu in his hand and added mildly, “At least we don’t have to worry about the sugar coating falling off while we walk.” Rin immediately burst out laughing. “Len, that reason is way too practical!” Minori could not help laughing as she joined in. “But it makes a lot of sense!” Haruka also showed a small smile. “True. Eating like this is less hectic.” Miku looked at the sunlight filtering through the leaves, and her mood seemed to grow lighter too. “Today’s school festival really is fun.” Hearing that, MEIKO’s lips curved into a slight smile as well. “We’re only halfway through exploring. There should still be plenty more excitement later.” Teto immediately raised her hand. “Then let’s finish eating under the trees first, and continue our adventure afterward!” Rin quickly agreed. “I’m in!” KAITO smiled as he looked at everyone. “Then let’s properly enjoy this little break first.” The wind passed through the treetops, gently stirring everyone’s hair and the hems of their uniforms. Sunlight spilled through the leaves onto each glistening tanghulu skewer, making the reds, purples, greens, and oranges appear especially vivid. And so, the twelve of them stood beneath the trees, eating the tanghulu they had just chosen while chatting naturally. The lively noise of the school festival still drifted over from not far away, but beneath this patch of shade, time seemed to slow down for a moment. And that bright, bustling feeling of the afternoon quietly became one of the most relaxing scenes of the day.