Behind the bustle of the Temple Fair, a slightly elevated hillside quietly overlooked the brightly lit grounds below. It was the complete opposite of the liveliness beneath—chilly, silent, and utterly deserted.
This was the viewing spot Satsuki had chosen in advance. Naruto glanced down at the area publicly recognized as the best place to watch; there were still plenty of empty spaces there, and it was nowhere near full.
Perhaps Satsuki simply preferred a quieter environment like this. Naruto thought so, yet he vaguely felt that watching fireworks side by side on an undisturbed hillside was practically straight out of an anime... and a terribly clichéd scene at that.
"Look, it's starting."
Satsuki's voice rang out beside him as she raised a hand and pointed at the night sky. The moment her words fell—
"Whoosh—boom!"
The first firework shot up with a crisp whistle and suddenly blossomed at the highest point of the deep night sky!
In an instant, dazzling light spilled down like an inverted waterfall, turning half the sky as bright as day. Tiny sparks trailed long tails as they slowly drifted downward.
Then came the second, the third... Fireworks of every color rose one after another, competing to splash color across the vast canvas of the sky.
Each explosion was accompanied by faint cries of surprise and admiration from the crowd below, and every burst briefly illuminated the two figures standing together.
Naruto tilted his head back, his gaze following those fleeting yet breathtaking bursts of brilliance. But as he watched, his eyes slowly, involuntarily turned toward Satsuki at his side.
The flickering glow of the fireworks shone across her profile, tracing its soft contours. Her dark eyes were focused on the splendor filling the heavens, sparkling with a faint light more captivating than any firework. The