Our Halloween - 神代類x暁山瑞希&巡音ルカx神威がくぽ

💜💗💜💗💜 Story 💗💜💗💜💗 On Halloween night, the city felt livelier than usual. Orange and purple lights hung along both sides of the street, pumpkins, black cats, and all kinds of decorations sat in the shop windows, and lanterns under the eaves swayed gently in the breeze. Cheerful music drifted over from afar, street performers were making their final preparations for the parade about to begin, and the people gathered in the plaza had already pulled out their phones, eager to record this once-a-year celebration. Kamui Gakupo stood near the plaza entrance, looking down to check the parade admission information in his hand. He had always been in the habit of arranging everything in advance. Even for a festival, he would confirm the meeting time, the parade route, and the transportation plans for afterward. To him, these preparations weren't a bother. All that mattered was that tonight's plans went smoothly. "Gakupo!" A familiar voice came from behind him. He looked up and saw Megurine Luka walking toward him. She was smiling, her steps light, clearly already fully immersed in the night's festive mood. "Have you been waiting long?" Luka stopped in front of him and tilted her head slightly to look at him. "No, I just got here too." Gakupo put away the papers in his hand, and his gaze lingered on her face for a moment. "But you look very happy today." "Because it's Halloween!" Luka said it as if it were obvious, then turned to look out at the plaza. Colorful lights reflected in her eyes, cheers erupted now and then from the crowd in the distance, and even the air seemed filled with joy. "Usually everyone's busy with work and classes. It's rare to get the chance to join an event like this together, so of course we should enjoy it." Gakupo looked at her, a gentle smile appearing at the corner of his lips. "That's true." It wasn't that he disliked lively places. He was simply more used to spending his days off quietly rather than in a crowd. But when Luka stood beside him, eagerly pointing out the various decorations in the plaza, he realized that he, too, had been looking forward to a night like this. Especially a night he could spend with her. "Ah! You're already here!" Akiyama Mizuki's voice came from the other side. Gakupo and Luka turned at the same time and saw Mizuki walking over, waving, with Kamishiro Rui beside her. They seemed to have just come from the nearby stalls. Mizuki was holding a bag of small snacks, while Rui leisurely looked around, observing the festival decorations with great interest. "I thought I'd be the first to arrive," Mizuki said with a laugh as she reached them. "And you two actually beat us here." "Someone takes punctuality very seriously," Luka said, glancing at Gakupo with a hint of teasing in her voice. "Being on time is never a bad thing," Gakupo replied calmly. "Of course not, but being a little late once in a while wouldn't bring about the end of the world, would it?" Mizuki chimed in with a smile. Hearing this, Rui stroked his chin thoughtfully. "If it were an apocalypse-themed Halloween event, perhaps we really could work this into a performance concept." "Rui, please don't actually start planning an apocalypse parade." Mizuki turned to him at once. "Today's goal is to have fun, not to run around until next year because of your new invention." "What a shame. I had several interesting ideas." "Those ideas can wait until tomorrow!" Luka couldn't help laughing, and even Gakupo shook his head helplessly. When the four of them were together, exchanges like this came easily. Mizuki was good at livening up the mood, Rui could always come up with unexpected ideas, Luka joined the conversation naturally, and Gakupo often reminded everyone of their original plans when they got too absorbed in chatting. They never needed to search for topics. Even just standing in the plaza chatting, they could easily spend a pleasant stretch of time. Before long, the parade announcement sounded, telling participants to head to the designated assembly area. "It's finally starting!" Mizuki turned to the others at once. "Let's hurry over! I can't wait to see tonight's parade." "Slow down, there are a lot of people," Rui reminded her. "I know!" Mizuki said so, but her steps remained light. Luka was about to follow when she noticed that Gakupo had naturally moved to her side nearest the crowd. He didn't say anything about it, just moved along with the flow of people, keeping watch on their surroundings, and slowing his pace slightly whenever someone passed by, making sure Luka wouldn't be bumped by the hurrying crowd. Luka noticed his gesture and didn't point it out, only quietly moving a little closer to him. "Thank you." She said it softly. Gakupo turned his face toward her. "Hm?" "Nothing." Luka's eyes curved, and she deliberately left it unexplained. He looked at her for a moment, seemingly understanding what she meant, and in the end simply gave a faint smile. That was how it sometimes was between the two of them. Not everything needed to be spelled out, and care didn't need to be displayed with any ceremony. A glance or a subtle gesture was enough for them to understand each other. After reaching the assembly area, the four found a good spot. The lights in the center of the plaza gradually came on, and the music grew more vivid with them. The parade appeared slowly from the other end of the street, giant jack-o'-lanterns moving at the front of the procession, their light spilling onto the ground through carved grinning faces. Behind them, performers waved their props to the rhythm, while spectators kept waving back. When the first group passed by, Mizuki excitedly raised her phone. "This is so cute! Luka, look over there!" Luka followed the direction she pointed and saw a group of children dancing to the music. Their steps weren't quite in sync yet, but they were very earnest, and whenever they heard the audience's applause, they swung their arms even harder. "So cute," Luka said with a smile. "And they're not afraid of making mistakes at all," Mizuki remarked as she took photos. "This is exactly when you should let loose and play." "Perhaps it's precisely because they don't care about being perfect that they're having so much fun," Rui said, watching the procession, a note of reflection in his voice. "Rui, are you seriously going to talk philosophy even on Halloween?" "I believe the festival itself has meaning worth exploring." "Okay, okay, we'll discuss that topic when we get back." After saying this, Mizuki turned to Luka and showed her the photos on her phone. The two quickly began discussing which photos were worth keeping, and also agreed that after the parade ended, they would go take photos together at the decorated wall nearby. Gakupo stood to the side listening, responding now and then. Until Luka suddenly turned around. "Gakupo, would you like to take photos with us too?" "Of course." His answer came without the slightest hesitation. Luka had expected him to do what he usually did, first checking how long taking photos would take, or reminding them not to miss the later events. She hadn't expected him to agree so readily, and it left her stunned for a moment. "What is it?" Gakupo asked. "Nothing. I just thought you'd say to wait and consider it after the parade." "If you want to take photos, why would I refuse?" He said it naturally, as if it were the simplest thing in the world. Luka's smile gradually deepened. "Then it's settled." She turned and waved to Mizuki, signaling her to call everyone over. Taking advantage of the gap between groups, the four found a spot beside the plaza with beautiful lighting. In the background were orange jack-o'-lanterns, hanging stars, and, far off, blurry yet bright festival lights. Mizuki held the phone, Rui stood beside her, and Luka and Gakupo stepped into the frame together. "Everyone, look here!" Mizuki adjusted the shot. "Tonight we have to capture the best memories!" The shutter clicked. In the first photo, Rui's expression was especially serious, while Mizuki was grinning brilliantly. Luka happened to be turning her head toward Gakupo, and Gakupo's gaze just happened to fall on her. The two hadn't even noticed the photo had been taken. "Wait, this one is so funny!" Mizuki looked at the screen, unable to stop laughing. "What's funny about it?" Luka leaned over curiously. The moment she saw the photo, she laughed too. Everyone else in the picture was looking at the camera. Only she and Gakupo, without any agreement, were looking at each other. The surrounding lights happened to fall on them, making that unintentional moment look especially tender. "This one is lovely," Rui assessed seriously. "Not everyone is looking at the camera, but that actually gives it more of a story." "I think so too." Mizuki saved the photo at once. "We have to keep this one!" Luka didn't object, only looking up at Gakupo. He was looking at her too. In that moment neither of them spoke, yet it seemed as if they had both remembered something at the same time, similar smiles appearing on their lips. The parade continued. As the night grew deeper, the lights on the street seemed even more brilliant. Performing groups passed one after another, the music sometimes spirited and sometimes light, and the crowd's cheers rose in wave after wave. Occasionally, adorably dressed children waved at them, and Mizuki responded warmly, while Rui showed keen interest in certain ingenious mechanisms. Luka walked beside Gakupo, sharing the amusing scenes she had just seen. She told him about a child who had accidentally dropped candy on the ground, and about a performer who was working hard to keep a serious face but kept tripping over his own cape. Those trivial little things became vivid and funny in her telling. Gakupo listened quietly, offering his thoughts now and then. "Are you really listening?" Luka suddenly asked. "Yes." "Then what did I just say?" Gakupo didn't answer right away. Instead he recounted, in order, the several things she had just mentioned, not even leaving out her final remark. Luka's eyes widened, and then she couldn't help laughing. "You remember it so clearly." "It's because you told it so well." His voice was low and gentle. Luka was startled for a moment. She had only meant it as a joke, never expecting to get such an answer. She looked at him, and it felt as though something soft inside her had quietly melted, making even the surrounding music and lights more difficult to leave behind. "Then I'll share more things with you from now on." "Okay." Gakupo agreed softly, but with no trace of perfunctoriness. Mizuki, walking ahead, suddenly looked back. "You two, hurry up! There's a candy stall up ahead that looks amazing!" Rui stood beside her and beckoned to them. "From what I just observed, besides candy, there seem to be several very special snacks there worth investigating." "See, Rui has already started investigating!" Mizuki said with a laugh. "Come on over, or all the good stuff will be sold out!" Luka couldn't help laughing out loud, then headed forward. Gakupo followed her. The four ended up lingering at the candy stall for quite a while. Mizuki picked out several cutely shaped candies, Rui offered his opinions on the mechanical design of the packaging, and Luka carefully compared the different flavors, finally choosing a treat she wanted to share with everyone. Seeing her hesitate between two flavors, Gakupo asked which one she liked. "Actually, I want both." "Then buy both." "But wouldn't that be too much?" "We can eat them together." Luka looked up and met his smiling eyes. In the end, she put both treats into the shopping bag. When they returned to the side of the parade route, the liveliest finale group was just making its entrance. Enormous light displays advanced slowly along the street, and the whole road seemed wrapped in starlight. Music rang through the night sky, spectators clapped to the rhythm, and even street corners that were usually quiet were full of energy. Mizuki excitedly pulled Rui along to watch together, the two exchanging opinions and occasionally dissolving into laughter over some amusing detail. Luka stood beside Gakupo, holding the treats she had just bought. "Tonight has really been fun," she said softly. "Yes." "And I'm glad the four of us could come together." Gakupo looked at her. "If there's an event next year, we can go together again." Luka turned to look at him, warm light reflected in her eyes. "Promise?" "Promise." She smiled and held out her pinky. Gakupo looked at her, then reached out and gently hooked his finger with hers. It was the simplest of promises, with no solemn ceremony and no deliberately created romance, yet it made Luka feel especially happy. In the distance, Mizuki happened to notice what they were doing. She didn't make a sound to disturb them, only quietly tugging Rui's sleeve and gesturing toward the two. Rui glanced over and gave a meaningful smile. "It seems that besides the parade, there are other scenes tonight worth recording." "Shh." Mizuki raised a finger with a smile. "Let them enjoy it themselves." The two turned back to the lively street, not exposing that quiet, sweet little secret. And under the brilliant lights, Gakupo and Luka rejoined them. The four watched the parade while sharing the treats in their hands, occasionally trading jokes only they understood. No one was in a hurry to end the night, and no one was thinking about how much work and responsibility awaited them tomorrow. At least for now, they could set aside their everyday busyness and fully enjoy the laughter before them. When the last performers left from the end of the street, the music in the plaza gradually softened, and the Halloween parade finally drew toward its close. Mizuki looked at the photos filling her phone and nodded in satisfaction. "Memory collecting for today is complete!" "If you'd like, I can compile a few of the photos we just took into a video," Rui offered. "Really? Then I'll leave it to you!" Luka looked at them and couldn't help smiling. "Then I'll pick the photos, and Gakupo will make sure everyone has saved them." "Why am I in charge of that?" Gakupo laughed in exasperation. "Because you're the most reliable." Luka said it frankly, as if it were a fact she had long ago settled in her mind. Gakupo looked at her bright smile and, in the end, nodded. "All right, leave it to me." The night wind blew gently by, the lights on both sides of the street still twinkled, and in the distance, crowds unwilling to disperse were still taking commemorative photos. The four walked side by side toward the plaza exit, talking about their favorite performances of the night and beginning to look forward to the next event they could attend together. And for Gakupo and Luka, the most treasured part of this Halloween was neither any spectacular performance nor any perfect picture in a photo. It was that whenever they recalled this night, they would remember someone beside them sharing their laughter, someone willing to patiently listen to those seemingly trivial little things, and someone who kept a simple promise in their heart. Festivals eventually end, and the lights go out one by one after the night grows late. But the streets they walked together, the treats they shared, and the glances that met unexpectedly would all become a warm part of their memories. Perhaps next Halloween, they would gather in this plaza again. When that time came, the four of them could still, as tonight, welcome the lively crowds, admire the brilliant lights, and, in each other's company, spend a night worth treasuring.