Feelings Beneath the Sparkles - 神威がくぽx巡音ルカ

💜💗💜💗💜 Story 💗💜💗💜💗 The lively sounds of the fireworks festival gradually faded into the distance. The lanterns along the riverbank continued to glow, bathing the summer night in a warm golden light. Kamui Gakupo and Megurine Luka had decided to stay a little longer. After finding a suitable spot and making sure their surroundings were safe, they picked up their sparklers again. This time, they didn't hurry to compete over who could draw the prettiest shapes, nor did they try to create anything particularly special in the air. Instead, they simply stood side by side, their shoulders touching as they watched the golden sparks flickering in their hands. Luka gently turned her wrist, sending tiny sparks dancing through the darkness. "Gakupo, don't you think sparklers are amazing?" "What makes you think so?" "Even though they're just tiny little lights, they're so captivating to watch." She lowered her gaze to the sparkler in her hand, her voice carrying a hint of wonder. "When we were watching the fireworks earlier, I kept looking up at the sky and thinking about how beautiful they were. But now that I'm looking down at these little sparks, I feel like they have their own special charm, too." Gakupo glanced at the light in her hand before turning his attention to her. "Perhaps it's because they're right here in our hands." "Right here in our hands?" "Mm. Fireworks are beautiful, but we can only admire them from a distance. Sparklers are different. We can decide when to light them, how long we want to watch them, and who we want to share them with." Luka gazed at him thoughtfully. "It sounds like you really like sparklers." "I didn't particularly care for them before." "What about now?" Gakupo smiled faintly. "Now I like them." "Because of tonight?" "Because I'm spending tonight with you." Luka's hand paused slightly. The sparks continued flickering in front of her fingertips, yet somehow, even the little patch of darkness surrounding them seemed to grow gentler. She didn't answer immediately. Instead, she quietly moved a little closer to Gakupo until their shoulders rested more firmly against each other. Gakupo noticed her movement but didn't point it out. He simply adjusted his posture slightly so she could lean against him more comfortably. After a while, Luka spoke again. "You know, I used to think that the most important thing about attending a fireworks festival was finding a really good viewing spot." "Somewhere you could see everything clearly?" "Exactly! Somewhere with an unobstructed view of the entire sky. I would also try to arrive early so I wouldn't get pushed around by the crowds and miss the fireworks." She smiled at the memory. "But today, I don't think I care quite as much about that anymore." "Why not?" Luka turned to look at him. "Because even if we hadn't found the best spot, I would still have been happy as long as you were beside me." Gakupo looked at her, the amusement in his eyes gradually deepening. "Should I consider myself honored, then?" "Of course." She deliberately adopted a serious expression. "Not everyone gets that kind of privilege." "I see." "So you have to treasure it." "I will." His answer was so sincere that Luka suddenly forgot the playful retort she had been preparing. She looked at him for a moment before finally laughing helplessly. "Sometimes, you're really sneaky." "What did I do?" "Even when I'm just saying something casually, you always answer so seriously." "Because it's you saying it." Gakupo lowered his sparkler slightly, making sure the sparks remained at a safe distance from them before looking at her again. "I don't want to brush off anything you say." Luka's playful mood softened. This was something she had always loved about Gakupo. He never said things he didn't mean just to make a moment feel romantic, nor did he treat her as immature when she occasionally acted a little childish. He was always willing to listen, giving even her most casual thoughts the same thoughtful attention. To Luka, that feeling of being cherished was far more heartwarming than any grand promise. She lowered her gaze to her sparkler and asked softly, "Then, if we grow old someday, will you still play with sparklers with me?" Gakupo raised an eyebrow slightly. "Why wouldn't I?" "Because by then, we might not have as much energy as we do now." "Then we'll sit down and play." "What if even sitting down feels tiring?" "Then we'll find somewhere comfortable to rest and play when you feel better." Luka couldn't help laughing. "You make it sound as though you can find a solution to anything I ask." "Only if you don't ask me to relight a sparkler that's already gone out." "Then what if I insist that you relight one that's already gone out?" Gakupo looked down at her, pretending to consider the question for a moment. "Then I'll have to buy you a new one." Luka laughed so hard that her shoulders trembled. "That's not an answer!" "It's a practical answer." "Honestly..." Still laughing, she gently rested her forehead against his shoulder. Gakupo chuckled along with her. He loved seeing her laugh so freely in his presence. He loved it when she made little unreasonable requests just to tease him, and he loved knowing that he could always find a way to make her happy. The two sparklers continued to glow with small, brilliant lights. Neither of them spoke for a while. They simply watched the golden sparks dancing together. After a moment, Luka remembered something else. "Gakupo, was there anything you particularly wanted to do when you were little but never got the chance to?" He thought about it for a moment. "Yes." Luka immediately lifted her head. "What was it?" "When I was little, I once thought that if I had the chance to attend a fireworks festival, I would want to watch the entire display with someone important to me." She paused in surprise. "But you've seen fireworks many times before, haven't you?" "I have." "Then what's different about tonight?" Gakupo looked at her and answered calmly, "Before, I was simply watching fireworks. Tonight, I'm watching them with you." Luka's eyes trembled slightly. She had expected him to describe some unusual childhood dream, but she hadn't imagined his answer would be so simple. And yet, it was precisely that simplicity that allowed her to hear the affection hidden within his words. "So you used to think about something like this?" "Occasionally." "Did you ever imagine that you would be here with me tonight?" Gakupo didn't answer immediately. He looked at the sparklers in their hands. When the sparks flickered again, he finally spoke softly. "Not this clearly." He paused before turning to her. "But now, I do." "What do you think about?" "Where I should take you next time. What we could do on our next date. And whether we'll still be standing beside this river together next summer, just like tonight." Luka listened quietly. She suddenly realized that she had begun developing the same habit. In the past, whenever she planned her days off, she would first consider the places she wanted to visit, the food she wanted to eat, and whether she had enough time to fit everything into her schedule. But lately, whenever she came across something interesting, Gakupo was the first person who came to mind. If she saw a shop selling delicious desserts, she would think about taking him there next time. If someone shared photographs of beautiful scenery, she would wonder how wonderful it would be to enjoy that view with him. And tonight, she had already begun looking forward to next year's fireworks festival. She was beginning to understand how love could quietly change the way someone imagined the future. When a person gradually became part of your life, even your expectations for the days ahead began to change. Luka moved her sparkler a little closer to his, allowing their golden lights to reflect against each other in the darkness. "Then it's a promise." "What are we promising?" "That we'll come to watch the fireworks together again next year and play with sparklers, too. And whenever there's another interesting event, we'll go together." She looked at him with a gentle smile. "It doesn't have to be a grand event. Even something as simple as standing together and watching little sparks like these would be wonderful." Gakupo lowered his gaze to her. "All right." "You can't forget!" "I won't." "Then remember that you promised me." "I'll remember." He gently held her hand. "And not just because I promised you." Luka looked at him curiously. "Then why else?" Gakupo's gaze lingered on her face. "Because I'm looking forward to it, too." As those words fell between them, Luka felt a warm breeze pass through her heart. She slowly smiled and rested her head against his shoulder again. "Me too." The two sparklers gradually approached the end of their burning time. Their sparks were no longer as bright as they had been at the beginning, yet they continued to flicker until the very last moment. Watching the tiny lights, Luka suddenly realized that she didn't need to feel sad about their inevitable disappearance. Because the memories of tonight wouldn't vanish when the sparks went out. She would remember the crooked heart Gakupo had drawn with her, the way he seriously answered every question she asked, and his promise to spend every summer with her in the future. Each of these things seemed ordinary, yet together, they made her incredibly happy. When the last few sparks finally faded, they placed the used sparklers in the designated container according to the safety instructions. Luka glanced down at her now-empty hand before reaching toward Gakupo without hesitation. He took her hand naturally. "Do you want to play some more?" he asked. Luka thought about it before shaking her head. "Let's leave it here for today." "All right." "I want to save the remaining sparklers for next time." Gakupo smiled and nodded. "Then we'll play together next time." "Mm." Holding his hand, she walked beside him as they slowly made their way along the riverbank. The summer breeze remained pleasantly warm. Lanterns stretched into the distance along both sides of the road, and occasionally, people returning home passed them. They walked without hurrying, talking about the fireworks they had seen and the places they wanted to visit on their next date. When Luka mentioned a scenic spot she had always wanted to visit, Gakupo listened attentively and promised to find time to take her there. And whenever Gakupo mentioned something that interested him, Luka would immediately join the conversation, enthusiastically discussing possible plans with him. They continued talking all the way, as though there would always be something to share as long as they were together. When they reached a street corner, Luka suddenly stopped. "Gakupo." "Hm?" She didn't speak immediately. Instead, she moved a little closer and wrapped her arms around his arm. "Thank you for coming here with me tonight." Gakupo looked down at her, his voice gentle. "I should be the one thanking you." "What are you thanking me for?" "For being willing to come here with me." Luka looked at him before breaking into a radiant smile. "Then I look forward to our next date." Gakupo gently held her hand, enclosing her fingers in his warm palm. "Of course." They resumed walking, side by side, into the lights of the summer night. Perhaps next year's fireworks would be even more magnificent. Perhaps their next sparklers would form prettier shapes. Or perhaps the future would bring countless unexpected surprises. But for Kamui Gakupo and Megurine Luka, the thing they looked forward to most was never simply what remained unseen in the future. It was knowing that, whatever awaited them next, they could continue holding each other's hands, sharing their thoughts, watching the small yet comforting lights together, and slowly walking toward a future that belonged to them both.