Next Year, and the Year After
...My head!
Captain, it feels like my head's about to split open!
Hang in there...! Just a little longer!
Nngh...!
Aaaahhh!!
Besta is on fire! She's devouring at full speed!
Three bowls of bingsu left! Two! And now the final one!
She's finished! All done!
And the winner of the bingsu speed-eating contest is... Besta!
*Crowd cheers*
Winning a speed-eating contest...
I succeeded. I'm satisfied.
Next!
...So this is a sugar honeycomb challenge!
It really is made of sugar. The smell is overwhelming.
So I just need to carve out the shape?
Exactly! However you do it, just extract the shape cleanly!
In that case...
After hearing the rules of the game, Besta tossed the candy into her mouth.
Moments later...
Done.
What the?! How...?!
I licked around the edges with my tongue to melt it away.
Ten seconds is more than enough for a candy like this.
Who knew she had this in her!
That good enough?
Yes, more than enough.
I've lived my whole life on battlefields, after all.
I always wanted to experience a flashy festival in a peaceful city.
Captain, let's move on to the next place... Hmm?
Aah, sis...!
My bluebird...!
Those two...!
Nosebleed! Besta, your nose is bleeding again!
Hmm...!
Stop fantasizing!!
After visiting a number of booths and enjoying the festivities,
Besta and I climbed a hill to watch the fireworks.
Quite the crowd.
Honestly, there are probably more people here than I've seen all year.
We still have to wait for the fireworks...
That's a good thing.
Can you feel the mood, Captain? Everyone's full of anticipation.
For the fireworks about to begin.
All these people, looking to the sky for just that one moment.
It's just like the warriors of the Western Liberators.
Our goal of reclaiming the West.
Commander Ceres, Ms. Lydia, and I all joined for that purpose.
That sense of unity...
A moment where everyone is focused on the same goal...
This atmosphere, this time, this place... I really like it.
I looked up at the night sky Besta was gazing into.
So, did you do everything you wanted to?
Yes. I did quite a lot.
There are still things I couldn't do due to time and circumstance...
But I don't think I'll have any regrets.
What's there to regret?
...Pardon?
You can just do it next year.
Next year...
Even if it's not next year, there's always five years, ten years down the line.
You've got time.
Captain, but that—
...
No, forget it. I almost said something I'd regret.
Ah...
The fireworks...
A fiery bloom burst across the sky to the crowd's cheers.
Even after everything ended, Besta and I kept watching the sky for a long while.
How were the fireworks?
...Magnificent.
The feeling still hasn't faded, but...
One more time.
Next year, like you said, Captain. I want to see them again.
Let's come back next year.
...Yes, Captain.
Next time, it'll be all four of us—Commander Ceres, Ms. Lydia, you, and me.
Just the four of us, all getting—
...
Mm!
I handed her a handkerchief without a word.
Then we walked back chatting about what booths to visit at next year's festival.