New Year's Festival
Hello, Captain! Good morning.
I have something I'd like to give you. Do you have a moment?
Lisa plopped two tickets into my hand.
Ta-da! Rocket launch viewing tickets...!
Aren't you glad you have such a good liaison?
What's the catch?
The catch? I'm hurt, Captain! You really shouldn't be so suspicious of my kindness!
If I had my way, I'd go myself.
*Sigh* Why do I have to work on New Year's of all days...?
Anyway! It'd be a shame to waste them, so go enjoy yourself for me, Captain.
Oh, and don't forget a souvenir for your poor liaison stuck working over the holidays!
I knew she was after something... Even so, I decided to take the tickets from her.
A rocket launch... It did seem like something Amora probably hadn't done before.
As the head of a noble house, she'd probably never watched fireworks amid a festival crowd.
Oh my, Captain... Calling a woman out this late at night.
And I certainly didn't expect you to invite me to a rocket launch.
After all, things like this are usually something couples do together.
...Pfft, ahaha. There you go making that face again.
Don't worry. I can pretend to be your sweetheart for one night.
We walked side by side until we reached the observation deck.
Ahh, what a lovely spot. You can see all of NOA from here.
Fufu... These tickets couldn't have been easy to get.
You've been such a good Captain, so... I suppose you deserve some praise.
Come here.
Amora casually patted my head.
Good boy. Very good.
The tickets had practically fallen into my lap... but this certainly seemed to be a popular viewing deck.
Every seat was taken, with couples whispering all around us.
What are you going to wish for tonight?
I'm going to wish that I can marry you.
Eek, that's practically a proposal!
What are you staring at?
...Hmm? Are you perhaps jealous of them?
I was just looking!
Fufu. Of course.
Well, whatever you say.
As usual, Amora pulled out her flask as she spoke.
Here, the two of us probably look like a couple too—
...Wait.
...Huh?
I'm sorry, but drinking is prohibited in this viewing area.
It's for everyone's safety, so we appreciate your understanding.
Oh my.
Amora looked at me, but I had nothing to say.
I didn't know either...!!
...Want to go somewhere else?
Oh, it's quite all right.
Rules are rules, after all.
Drinking even after being told it's prohibited would hardly be dignified.
...Besides, you went to such trouble to get us these seats, Captain.
I nodded at her easygoing smile.
By the way, when did you say the rocket launch starts?
In two hours.
Two hours?
...There's still that long to wait?
Hmm? That was strange.
Amora suddenly seemed unsettled.
So... that means I won't be able to drink for another two hours at the very least?
...Apparently, she'd thought she'd only have to wait thirty minutes for a drink.
Still, I hadn't expected her to be that shaken by it.
The Amora I knew loved her alcohol, but she wasn't the type to suffer from withdrawal symptoms from just two hours without it.
Had her habit gotten worse without me noticing?
Maybe I should look into an alcohol treatment program...
No, that's not it!
People might get the wrong impression that I'm some sort of alcoholic if you say that.
I've told you time and again. Drinking is merely a pastime for me.
It's just...
Just what?
It's just that places like this are usually for couples—
...No. It's nothing.
Amora didn't seem to be making excuses.
Maybe she was right, and I was worrying too much...
I decided not to press her any further and simply waited with her for the rocket launch.
...
...Something was definitely strange.
Amora hadn't teased me once since earlier.
I decided what I'm wishing for too!
What is it?
That once we're married, we'll have a child who looks just like you...
Whew. Must be nice.
...Anyway. With all that talk around us, it was strange that Amora hadn't said a word.
Normally, she'd be teasing me by now. So why wasn't she?
I carefully turned toward Amora.
...
She was still silent.
...Eek!
W-why are you suddenly getting so close?!
Wait, was Amora... startled?
And now that I looked closely, her face seemed flushed too...
...I got it.
There was only one possible explanation for all of this.
Amora.
Hmm...?
You snuck a drink, didn't you?
...Wait, what?!
But your face is red.
...I-is it?! Oh my...
Amora hurriedly pressed her hands to her cheeks.
Th-this is... well...
Anyway, I didn't...!
Her face was awfully red for someone who hadn't been drinking.
And no matter how much she denied it, there was an easy way to find out.
Alcohol always left behind its distinctive smell.
I took another step toward Amora to see if I could smell it on her breath.
Ah...?!
Just then...
A tremendous burst of fireworks bloomed across the sky with a deafening roar.
...Beneath their glow, Amora's face looked even redder than before.
An unfamiliar expression, her faint natural scent without a trace of alcohol... Suddenly, I remembered.
Amora wasn't someone whose face turned red after a few drinks.
I didn't drink! I told you, I didn't...!
Then why did she look like this—
I told you before...!
I've never even dated anyone, let alone gotten married!
I've never been somewhere like this alone with a man before...
And of all people, I'm here with you, Captain...
So of course I'm going to be... conscious of it...
...
...Ugh. This is exactly why I can't give up drinking!
Amora covered her face and ran away.
After searching high and low, I eventually found her in a quiet park.
*Sigh...*
Yes. That's more like it.
Amora was calmly drinking from her flask, without a trace of her earlier blush.
...Oh my? Captain?
Is something wrong?
You came running over in such a hurry.
Fufu. You didn't meet some other woman while I was gone, did you?
...She was acting as though absolutely nothing had happened.
For a moment, I wondered what I should say...
...It's nothing.
In the end, I decided not to ask her anything.
Hoping that someday, she'd be able to show her true feelings without relying on alcohol.
...Fufu.
Just then, fireworks once again painted the night sky.
Oh my, you can see them quite well from here too.
It's a shame we can't see them as closely as we could from the viewing deck.
Mm... Still, perhaps I prefer it here.
...This way, I can be my usual self.
Next time, I'll make sure to check beforehand.
...Fufu. Are you already asking me out on a date for next year?
Ah, youth... You're certainly quick, aren't you?
We stood side by side and looked up at the sky.
...Beautiful.
Beneath the brilliant fireworks, Amora slowly tilted her flask to her lips.