"As for my third wish..." She's going to say it. She's actually going to say it. My heart hammered against my ribs as I waited.

"As for my third wish..."

She's going to say it. She's actually going to say it.

My heart hammered against my ribs as I waited for those crucial words, but instead of speaking, Shiraishi-senpai simply smiled that mysterious, heart-stopping smile.

Damn it, don't leave me hanging like this!

But then—oh god—then she reached out and gently took hold of my arm. Not a casual brush or accidental contact, but a deliberate, intimate gesture that sent electricity racing through my entire nervous system.

Her fingers were warm and soft against my sleeve, and when she tightened her grip slightly, it felt like she was trying to fuse us together at the molecular level. The sensation was so intense I had to resist the urge to shiver.

This is it. This is really happening. Shiraishi-senpai is actually...

Using her height advantage—those long, elegant legs weren't just for show—she tilted her head and leaned against my shoulder. The weight of her pressing against me, the warmth of her body seeping through the fabric of my shirt, the subtle floral scent of her hair filling my senses...

Our heartbeats seemed to synchronize in that moment, creating a rhythm that matched the festival atmosphere around us. Her breath mingled with mine, and I could feel the rise and fall of her chest against my arm. Every fiber of my being was hyperaware of her presence, from the silky texture of her kimono brushing against my hand to the way her eyelashes cast delicate shadows on her cheeks.

She's thinking about me. This goddess-tier beauty is actually thinking about me.

Shiraishi-senpai had probably expected her college life to continue in its peaceful, admirers-from-afar pattern. But then I'd crashed into her world like some kind of romantic meteor, and now here we were, experiencing something that felt ripped straight from a shoujo manga's climactic scene.

Playing festival games with the girl of my dreams while she's pressed against me like this... if this is a dream, please don't let me wake up.

Looking down at her face—so soft and warm in the festival lighting, those impossibly long lashes creating the most delicate shadows—I was struck by how different she seemed from her usual composed self. This vulnerable, almost fragile version of Shiraishi-senpai was pressing closer to me like a lost kitten seeking warmth and comfort.

"Ginjo-san, let's go there next."

She lifted her head to point ahead, and I followed her gaze to a sign that read "Completely Handmade Planetarium."

A planetarium? At a school festival? And it's handmade? That's actually pretty impressive.

"Looks interesting," I agreed, though honestly, she could have suggested watching paint dry and I would have been enthusiastic. "Let's check it out, Shiraishi-senpai."

We approached the stall where a massive hemispherical structure dominated the space. Shiraishi-senpai stopped in front of it, her eyes wide with genuine amazement.

"Is this really all handmade? That's incredible!"

The planetarium had to be at least 2.5 meters in diameter, constructed entirely from what looked like corrugated cardboard. But this wasn't some amateur craft project—the surface was painted with deep, rich colors representing the night sky, dotted with carefully placed stars and constellation patterns that looked like they'd been researched and mapped with scientific precision.

It looks like modern art. These students didn't mess around.

"Oh, just two of you?" The bored-looking attendant perked up slightly. "Perfect timing—everyone's at the concert in the main stadium, so you'll have the whole place to yourselves. Private showing for two!"

He gestured for us to follow him into the hemispherical structure, and as we ducked inside, I realized the space was much more intimate than it had appeared from the outside.

Intimate being the operative word here.

Standing upright, my head nearly brushed the curved ceiling. The entire interior could maybe fit four or five people comfortably, which meant with just the two of us...

Oh. Oh no. We're going to be very close together in here.

The interior was pitch black, creating the sensation of being in a tent under the open sky on a camping trip. In the confined space, Shiraishi-senpai and I naturally drifted closer together, our shoulders brushing.

Focus, Ginjo. Don't think about how good she smells. Don't think about the warmth radiating from her body. Don't think about—

That unique, intoxicating scent that belonged exclusively to young women—something floral and clean and utterly feminine—surrounded me like a cloud. In the darkness, every other sense was heightened to an almost painful degree.

I'm in trouble. Serious trouble.

"Get ready, you two! We're about to begin!" the attendant called from outside.

The entrance sealed shut, plunging us into complete darkness for a heartbeat before—

Holy shit.

The world exploded into brilliance. Stars blazed to life all around us, constellations wheeling overhead in perfect, crystalline clarity. The projector hidden somewhere in the structure cast light so precisely that each star had its own distinct radiance.

"Wow!" Shiraishi-senpai gasped.

"This is incredible!" I breathed, momentarily forgetting everything except the sheer beauty of the artificial sky surrounding us.

They actually pulled this off. College students made this with their own hands?

The curves of the dome had been calculated with mathematical precision to create the perfect projection surface. Every angle, every measurement had been carefully planned to achieve this level of realistic beauty.

"It's so beautiful!" Shiraishi-senpai continued to exclaim, her voice filled with wonder. "How is it possible to achieve this level of quality with handmade equipment?!"

"The students who built this must have put incredible effort into getting it right," I agreed, genuinely impressed despite my distraction.

Though it can't compare to a real planetarium, there's something special about this. Something that captures the passion and creativity that only students could bring to a project like this.

Every beam of starlight seemed to pulse with youthful energy and determination, the kind of brilliant intensity that made me feel both inspired and slightly overwhelmed.

Maybe it was the magic of the artificial starry sky, or maybe it was the intimate darkness, but Shiraishi-senpai shifted even closer to me. Her slender, graceful hand found mine in the darkness, our fingers intertwining naturally.

"I'm... I'm really happy today," she whispered, so quietly I had to strain to hear her. "This is the first time I've ever experienced a school festival with such pure joy and excitement."

Her voice was barely audible, meant only for me in our private bubble of stars and shadows.

"Thank you, Ginjo-san, for making this such a memorable day for me."

She's thanking me? When she's the one who's made this the best day of my life?

Under the artificial starry sky, Shiraishi-senpai's smile was radiant enough to rival any constellation. Her pink yukata with its cherry blossom pattern made her look like some divine creature who'd stepped out of classical Japanese poetry.

I turned to look at her fully and found I couldn't look away. My consciousness narrowed to a single point of focus: her. Everything else—the festival, the planetarium, the rest of the world—faded into irrelevance.

Something's happening to me. Something beyond simple attraction or teenage hormones. This feeling in my chest, this warmth spreading through my entire being...

It was like a spring breeze had blown through the deepest part of my heart, carrying away all the cynicism and casual detachment I'd built up over the years. In this moment, under these artificial stars, she was more dazzling than any real constellation.

When I finally managed to focus on the present moment instead of getting lost in philosophical revelations, I realized Shiraishi-senpai's face was incredibly close to mine. Close enough that I could see the subtle variations in her eye color, the way her lips parted slightly as she breathed.

When did she get so close? When did I move closer to her?

She tilted her head back slightly, revealing the graceful curve of her neck, and her eyes—those gorgeous, expressive eyes—were filled with something that made my breath catch. Longing. Anticipation. Trust.

She's waiting. She's actually waiting for me to...

Her fingers trembled where they were still intertwined with mine, and even in the darkness, I could feel the heat radiating from her flushed cheeks. Her heartbeat, which I could somehow sense despite not actually touching her pulse, was racing.

Shiraishi-senpai's breathing steadied as she seemed to make some internal decision. Those impossibly long lashes fluttered once before she slowly, deliberately closed her eyes.

I could feel myself leaning closer, drawn by some gravitational pull I couldn't resist. Her unique scent—that perfect combination of floral shampoo and something indefinably feminine—surrounded me completely.

My fingertips, slightly rough from swimming and archery practice, brushed across her cheek with the lightest possible touch before threading through her silky hair.

Under the brilliant artificial starry sky, with the rest of the world forgotten, everything felt suspended in crystalline perfection. The warmth of her skin, the delicate tremor that ran through her when I touched her face, the sweet scent of her breath mixing with mine...

This moment. I want to remember every detail of this moment for the rest of my life.

And then, with infinite gentleness, our lips met.

The kiss was everything and nothing like I'd imagined. Innocent yet intimate, tender yet charged with enough electricity to power the entire festival. Her lips were impossibly soft against mine, and the small sound she made—barely audible, somewhere between a sigh and a whisper—sent lightning through my nervous system.

Time seemed to stop, the artificial stars bearing witness to something real and precious and absolutely perfect.

Whatever happens after this, I'll never forget this moment. Under these handmade stars, with the most beautiful girl in the world in my arms...