🎶春日の響きと記憶の音 — Chapter 177

🌸✨ 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 💗💜💗💜💗 A Little Sweetness at the School Festival Miku hesitated for a long time before finally speaking in a small but expectant voice. “Then I’ll choose matcha… But the white chocolate one looks really pretty too…” She had only just finished speaking when Luka gently opened her mouth. “I’ll choose white chocolate.” Miku’s eyes lit up. “Really? Then I can choose matcha without worrying!” Luka looked at the white chocolate flavor on the menu board and smiled faintly. “Yes. It looks pretty, and it feels a little milder than strawberry.” MEIKO looked at Luka, then at the white chocolate option on the board, and a gentle smile appeared on her lips. “It suits you very well, Luka.” Hearing that, Luka naturally turned her gaze toward MEIKO. “It’s only a flavor.” MEIKO raised an eyebrow, her smile deepening. “That’s all I meant too.” Luka paused slightly. MEIKO’s tone had been perfectly natural, but for some reason, those words made Luka feel a little embarrassed. Rin immediately leaned over, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Luka. “But white chocolate really does feel like you, Luka! Pretty and kind of elegant!” Luka’s cheeks flushed faintly. “Rin, don’t exaggerate so much.” Teto immediately joined in, her tone extremely serious. “It’s not an exaggeration. I think so too! And if Luka were holding a white chocolate banana, the picture would definitely look beautiful!” Len glanced calmly at Teto. “You just want to watch the fun, don’t you?” Teto immediately puffed out her chest. “I’m praising her!” Len said calmly, “It doesn’t sound like it.” Teto puffed out her cheeks. “Len, you’re way too calm!” Gakupo stood beside Luka, quietly looking at the white chocolate flavor, then at Luka. “Still, white chocolate really does suit you.” Luka froze slightly and instinctively shifted her gaze toward him. “Even you’re saying that…” Gakupo’s expression remained steady. “It is merely my impression.” Luka gently looked away, her voice a little lower than before. “…Then I’ll choose white chocolate.” Meanwhile, KAITO did not continue the topic about Luka. Instead, he turned to look at where Mio’s finger had stopped. “Have you decided, Mio?” Mio looked at the original chocolate flavor, then at the other more decorative options, still seeming a little unsure. “Hmm… I think I’ll choose the original flavor.” KAITO smiled faintly. “Original flavor? A very reliable choice.” Mio looked up at him. “Is it too plain?” “No,” KAITO said gently. “If it’s your first time trying it, the original flavor is actually the best way to understand what this stall tastes like.” Hearing that, Mio’s eyes brightened a little. “Right? That’s what I thought too.” KAITO smiled and nodded. “And original flavor usually won’t go wrong. It’s perfect for someone who wants to enjoy it slowly.” Mio could not help laughing. “KAITO, you sound like you’re giving a dessert review.” KAITO said with a completely serious expression, “Because desserts deserve to be treated seriously too.” Len added calmly, “Especially ice cream.” KAITO smiled. “Of course.” Mio was amused into laughter, and the hesitation on her face finally relaxed. “Then I’ll choose the original flavor.” みお stood beside her, watching as Mio finally decided, then lowered her gaze toward the strawberry flavor she had been thinking about the whole time. Mio noticed her gaze and asked softly, “What about you, みお? Do you still want strawberry?” みお nodded lightly. “Yes. The color of strawberry looks pretty.” Rin immediately smiled and said, “You’re choosing strawberry, みお? That’s so cute!” みお blinked, then lowered her gaze a little shyly. “It just… looks pretty.” Mio smiled and moved a little closer to her. “It suits you, みお.” みお looked up at Mio. “Really?” Mio nodded. “Yes. It’s pink, but not too flashy. It feels gentle.” みお was quiet for a moment, then said softly, “Then I’ll choose strawberry.” Hearing that everyone was deciding one after another, Teto immediately raised her hand. “Then I’ve decided! I want cookie crumbs! The texture team can’t lose!” Rin quickly raised her hand too. “I want caramel almond bits! It looks the most luxurious for a school festival!” Miku looked at the menu board with anticipation. “Then I’ll choose matcha! It looks gentle, and it probably won’t be too sweet.” MEIKO looked around at everyone’s choices, then finally pointed at the dark chocolate. “Then I’ll choose dark chocolate. At least it looks like it won’t be so sweet that I’ll regret it.” KAITO looked at the display case and smiled. “Then I’ll choose double chocolate.” Len glanced at him. “You chose the sweetest one after all.” KAITO smiled naturally. “It’s a school festival, after all.” Len was silent for a moment, then finally pointed at the milk chocolate. “Then I’ll choose milk chocolate. Something simple is fine.” After everyone had more or less decided, Luka finally remembered that one person still had not spoken. She turned to look at Gakupo. “What about you, Gakupo? Which one do you want?” Everyone’s gaze followed and landed on him. Gakupo looked at the bananas covered in chocolate and toppings in the display case, then at the menu board. After a brief silence, he said in a steady tone, “I will pass.” Rin blinked. “Huh? You’re not eating?” Teto opened her eyes wide in surprise. “It’s a school festival! It’s chocolate bananas! And you’re not eating one?” Gakupo answered very seriously, “The sweetness seems too high for me.” Len nodded faintly. “Reasonable.” Miku said with a little regret, “But even just a little bite should be tasty.” MEIKO looked at Gakupo and smiled. “It’s fine not to force yourself. Eating should be about choosing what you like, after all.” KAITO also said gently, “If you only want to taste it, everyone can share a small bite with you later.” Mio nodded. “Yeah. The original flavor probably won’t be too sweet.” みお also added softly, “Strawberry… might be a little sweeter.” Teto immediately smiled and said, “You can have a bite of my cookie crumbs too! But I’ll say this first: it’s definitely going to be delicious!” Rin, not wanting to lose, added, “You can try my caramel almond one too! Though it’s probably even sweeter!” Gakupo looked at everyone and fell silent for a moment, as if he had not expected them to so naturally include him in their choices. Finally, he nodded slightly. “Thank you, everyone. However, one small bite will be enough.” Luka looked at him and said softly, “If you want to try it, you can also have a small bite of mine.” The moment she said it, she realized that the sentence sounded somewhat delicate. The air went quiet for an instant. Rin’s eyes slowly began to shine. The corners of Teto’s mouth also started to rise. Mio tried hard to hold back her laughter. Miku simply blinked innocently. “Luka is going to share hers with Gakupo?” Luka’s cheeks instantly turned red. “I-I only meant if he wanted to try the flavor!” Gakupo also paused slightly, the tips of his ears quietly turning red. But he quickly regained his composure and said in a low voice, “If you do not mind, then I shall have a small taste later.” Luka looked away. “…Mm.” Rin was almost unable to hold back her laughter. “Waa—” She had only made one sound when MEIKO’s hand gently landed on her shoulder. “Rin.” Rin immediately closed her mouth and obediently raised both hands. “I hadn’t even finished yet!” MEIKO smiled. “That is why I stopped you first.” Beside them, Teto laughed quietly until her shoulders trembled. “MEIKO reacts way too fast.” Len said calmly, “Because you two are too easy to predict.” KAITO smiled as he looked at everyone. “Still, this really does feel like a school festival.” Mio nodded and smiled. “Everyone is only choosing chocolate bananas, but it’s already this lively.” みお looked at everyone, and a faint smile appeared on her lips too. “But… it’s fun.” The students at the stall began preparing everyone’s chocolate bananas. Different colors of chocolate were evenly coated over the bananas, then sprinkled with each person’s chosen toppings. The white chocolate looked clean and bright, the strawberry flavor soft and cute, the original chocolate classic and simple, while the caramel almonds and cookie crumbs stood out with a stronger presence. The sunlight after the rain spilled over the front of the stall, falling also into everyone’s expectant eyes. Before long, the students at the stall carefully wrapped each completed chocolate banana and handed them to everyone. Everyone received the flavor they had chosen, but no one started eating right away. Mio looked at the original chocolate banana in her hand, then toward the area behind the stall. “There seems to be a seating area over there. Should we go sit down first?” KAITO immediately nodded gently. “That sounds good. It would be a little inconvenient to eat while standing here.” Rin looked at the caramel almond chocolate banana in her hand, her eyes still sparkling. “Then let’s go over there! I feel like sitting down will make it feel even more like we’re officially enjoying it!” Teto also held her cookie crumb chocolate banana, her tone full of confidence. “Exactly! Before the food makes its grand entrance, the atmosphere is important too!” Len looked at them and said calmly, “We just haven’t started eating yet.” “That’s exactly why it’s important!” Teto immediately argued back. Everyone chatted and laughed as they carefully held their chocolate bananas and walked toward the seating area behind the stall. There were several temporary long tables and chairs set up there. The tabletops still held a faint dampness from the rain, but the students in charge quickly wiped them clean again. From the seating area, they could still see the lively crowd of the school festival, along with the waves of laughter rising from the stalls here and there. “Let’s sit here,” KAITO said gently. Everyone sat down one after another, still carefully holding the chocolate bananas in their hands, as if they were not simply ordinary snacks, but the result of the lively choosing time they had just shared. Miku carefully held her matcha flavor and smiled as she looked at everyone. “Everyone’s looks so delicious.” Mio looked at the original chocolate banana in her hand, a soft smile appearing on her lips. “Yeah. I feel like eating together like this will be happier than eating alone.” みお nodded lightly as well, her gaze falling on the pink strawberry flavor in her hand. “And… this really feels like enjoying the school festival.” After sitting down, Luka still carefully held the white chocolate banana. Gakupo sat nearby, quietly watching as everyone excitedly discussed their flavors. When he noticed Luka’s gaze, the two of them both briefly looked away. Rin and Teto almost simultaneously showed expressions that suggested they wanted to say something, but the moment MEIKO looked over with a smile, they obediently quieted down. KAITO could not help chuckling as he watched the scene. “Then, everyone, let’s sit properly first. We can start eating together in a moment.” The sunlight after the rain slanted into the seating area behind the stall, falling onto the different-colored chocolate bananas in everyone’s hands and lighting up the anticipation in each person’s eyes. The sweetness had not truly reached their mouths yet, but the anticipation had already begun to quietly spread among them. The bustle of the school festival continued not far away, while everyone sat together, holding the little treats they had just chosen, ready to enjoy them together. The sweetness, laughter, and festival crowd blended together, turning the awkwardness from moments ago into a gentle aftertaste—subtle, yet somehow impossible not to notice.