🎶春日の響きと記憶の音 — Chapter 136

🌸✨ 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 💗💜💗💜💗 Lively Stalls and Friends’ Laughter After taking the commemorative photo, everyone remained gathered near the haunted house exit for a while. The afternoon sunlight was warm, and the sounds of the school festival flowed through the hallway once again. Students were laughing, visitors were chatting, and from somewhere nearby came the delicious smell of freshly cooked food. Len, who had finally caught his breath after running through the haunted house, suddenly placed a hand on his stomach. “…I’m hungry.” Rin immediately turned toward him. “That’s right! We still haven’t checked out the other food stalls yet!” Teto’s eyes sparkled at once. “Food stalls!” Miku, who had just finished smoothing out her twin tails, blinked. “Now that you mention it… we did run a lot just now.” みお nodded softly. “I think I’m a little hungry too.” MEIKO smiled and looked down the hallway, where the lively voices of the festival could be heard. “Then let’s go. We’ll see what kind of delicious food they have.” KAITO nodded. “That sounds like a good idea.” Luka smiled gently. “After being scared so much, something sweet might help everyone calm down.” Gakupo looked thoughtful for a moment. “Food enjoyed after overcoming fear must surely possess a special flavor.” Len glanced at him. “You make it sound like part of a training journey.” Rin grabbed Len’s sleeve and pulled him forward. “Come on, come on! If we’re too slow, the good stuff will sell out!” “Hey, don’t pull so hard!” With cheerful laughter, the ten of them left the haunted house behind and headed toward the festival stalls. The moment they stepped out into the courtyard, the lively atmosphere of the school festival surrounded them completely. Colorful banners fluttered in the breeze. Students called out from behind their stalls, advertising yakisoba, takoyaki, crepes, cotton candy, grilled corn, fruit drinks, and all kinds of homemade sweets. The smell of sauce and grilled food drifted through the air, mixing with the sweet scent of sugar and fresh fruit. Teto immediately pointed toward a stall. “Yakisoba!” Rin pointed in another direction at almost the same time. “Takoyaki!” Len looked between them. “You two are going to split up again, aren’t you?” MEIKO laughed. “We can walk around slowly and buy whatever catches our eye.” Miku’s eyes wandered toward a crepe stand decorated with paper strawberries. “Those crepes look cute…” みお looked toward a stall selling fruit soda. “That drink looks refreshing.” Mio smiled. “Then let’s get both.” One by one, everyone began visiting the stalls. Teto was the first to return, proudly holding a box of yakisoba. “Look! The sauce smells amazing!” Rin came back right after her, carefully holding a tray of takoyaki. “Mine has extra bonito flakes!” Len bought a frankfurter on a stick and took a bite with a satisfied expression. “Finally, real food.” Rin immediately puffed out her cheeks. “Takoyaki is real food too!” “I didn’t say it wasn’t.” Miku returned with a strawberry crepe in both hands, looking delighted. “It’s so pretty I almost don’t want to eat it.” Luka smiled beside her, holding a berry parfait. “But eating it is part of the fun.” みお carefully held a cup of sparkling fruit soda, watching the tiny bubbles rise. “It’s beautiful…” Mio stood beside her with a small bag of churros. “Want to try one?” みお looked up. “Can I?” “Of course.” Mio offered one to her, and みお took a small bite. Her eyes softened immediately. “It’s sweet…” Miku smiled and held out her crepe. “みお, do you want to try this too?” みお nodded happily. “Then you can try my drink.” The two exchanged bites and sips, then both smiled at the same time. KAITO returned carrying a cup of shaved ice, the cool syrup shining under the afternoon light. “Something cold felt right.” MEIKO looked at him and laughed. “You really do love cold desserts.” KAITO smiled calmly. “It’s important to stay refreshed.” MEIKO herself had bought grilled corn brushed with soy sauce, and the savory aroma made Teto immediately turn around. “MEIKO, that smells so good!” MEIKO raised an eyebrow with a playful smile. “You already have yakisoba.” “But I can still admire it!” Gakupo returned last, holding a skewer of mitarashi dango. He looked at it with quiet appreciation. “The balance of sweetness and fragrance… elegant.” Len stared at him. “You even review festival food like poetry.” Gakupo nodded seriously. “Food, too, is an art.” Rin laughed. “I kind of get it though. That dango does look good!” Soon, everyone was walking through the school festival together, each holding something different. Teto happily ate her yakisoba while pointing out the next booth she wanted to visit. Rin carefully blew on her takoyaki before taking a bite, only to immediately wave her hand in panic because it was still too hot. Len sighed and handed her a napkin. “I told you to wait.” Rin, cheeks full, mumbled: “But it looked delicious…” MEIKO walked beside KAITO, laughing as she enjoyed her grilled corn. KAITO offered some shaved ice to her, and she tasted a spoonful before smiling. “That’s colder than I expected.” “That’s the best part.” Luka took a small bite of her parfait and looked around at the decorations. “Everything feels so lively. It’s nice to enjoy the festival slowly like this.” Gakupo nodded. “Indeed. After the stage and the haunted house, this peaceful wandering has its own charm.” Miku and みお walked together near Mio. Miku held her crepe carefully, while みお sipped her fruit soda. The earlier fear from the haunted house had already faded, replaced by warmth, sweetness, and the comfortable noise of the school festival. Miku smiled. “After screaming so much, eating something sweet really does feel nice.” みお nodded. “And walking around with everyone like this… makes me happy.” Mio looked at the two of them and smiled softly. “Me too.” As they passed by more stalls, students called out to them cheerfully. “Come try our candy apples!” “Freshly made pancakes here!” “Ring toss challenge! Win a prize!” Teto immediately turned her head. “Did someone say prize?” Rin’s eyes sparkled. “Ring toss?” Len looked at them with a tired but amused expression. “We just started eating, and you’re already thinking about games again?” Teto grinned. “That’s the school festival spirit!” Rin raised her takoyaki tray like a trophy. “Eat, play, laugh, repeat!” MEIKO laughed warmly. “That sounds like a pretty good plan.” The group continued walking beneath the bright afternoon sky, stopping here and there, sharing bites of food, pointing at decorations, laughing at each other’s reactions, and enjoying every small discovery along the way. There was no stage light shining on them now. No microphone, no applause, no carefully prepared performance. Only the sound of their footsteps, the smell of festival food, and everyone’s cheerful voices mixing together. And in that moment, the school festival felt like a song that had not ended— A song made of laughter, food, friendship, and the gentle afternoon light.