The entire school’s student body was currently gathered in the gymnasium. It was the very last day of school before summer break—well, it wasn’t really a school day, because I came here only to listen to a twenty-minute boring speech. 

“E-each year, there are lots of incidents during summer involving students like you...” 

The principal spoke into a microphone, continuously stuttering because of how old he was. While our school wasn’t that big compared to others in the city, there still was quite a lot of people in the gymnasium. I was surrounded by my classmates, who didn’t seem to pay heed to the speech and kept talking with each other about unrelated things.  

Naturally, because of the high density of students, accompanied by heat that was present everywhere, I found breathing there somewhat difficult. 

“T-that’s why, I wish all of you that you spend this time well and safely return to our school in September refreshed and brimming with energy to keep learning...” 

In the end, the speech boiled down to telling us to stay safe and have fun. It was pretty much common sense, and if someone was incompetent enough to do dumb things during summer, I doubt this speech would convince them not to. 

Either way, the chances of me having an accident were rather poor—if nothing unexpected happened, I was going to mainly stay at home. That said, there were some odd things happening in my life as of late, caused mainly by a girl that was peculiar in itself. 

That’s why I actually hoped that something unexpected related to her happened, but I simultaneously was sure that I was going to end up underwhelmed. 

•

Finally, the ceremony came to an end. After we had been let go, everyone started heading towards the exit at the same time. Since there was a lot of people storming it, it was only to be expected that it would be quite difficult to pass through them. Instead of being part of the wild horde, I decided to keep my pace slow and take my time before leaving. 

Before long, most people had already made their way outside. Without looking behind, I proceeded to go through the door. Immediately I felt that it was surprisingly cooler outside than it had been inside. 

While I stood in front of the gymnasium, the groups of people around me growing sparser with time, I looked up at the clear, blue sky. Unlike yesterday, there weren’t many clouds and the sun kept shining with its deadly rays that made you suffer when you had been exposed to them for a longer time. 

Apparently, I was free now. Almost free—it was only temporary, for a little bit over a month. Still, I wouldn’t be able to get rid of all thoughts concerning school—not only did I have a lot of homework to do, but I had to gradually study for high school exams I was going to take in a few months as well. 

Unlike most people, I wasn’t going to travel much. Perhaps I would get to go to the beach once or twice, but I doubt that my parents would take me to a hot spring resort or something like that. 

“...” I slowly breathed the fresh summer air in... and then out, while inconspicuously stretching my hands out slightly. Soon after, it responded by sending a pleasant gust of wind back, which merely made the shirt of my uniform flutter slightly. 

Yeah, it was summer, I guess... so what? I couldn’t enjoy it to its fullest. Like, I was going to stay at home—it wasn’t any different from winter, except that it was too warm instead of too cold. There were so many exciting things in this world that I was either too afraid to try alone, or it wasn’t even possible to do alone. 

“Human.” 

At that moment, I heard my name being spoken from behind. Well, it was rather a nickname, but in fact, I had never heard her actually saying my real name. I wonder if she had actually forgotten it. 

Still, I hadn’t expected that. I knew that she was present in the gymnasium as well, but I thought that she had already left… and even if she didn’t, I doubted that she would have the courage to speak to me while there were people around like that. As it seemed, she wasn’t really afraid of that. 

Naturally, I turned my head. Her figure was there, looking the same as always—her blonde hair long, and the black eyepatch on her left eye in place. 

“Instead of messaging you, I’ve judged that it would be better to ask you in person while I still can.” 

In spite of the crowd of people around us, she spoke to me normally. While her voice didn’t belong to the loudest, it wasn’t inaudible either. 

“Yes?” 

“I would like you to accompany me to a concert.” 

Her voice was cool as usual when she wasn’t abashed. When I heard that, I unwittingly opened my mouth slightly. It wasn’t because I was going to respond immediately, but because she surprised me immensely. 

Did I hear it right? She wanted to go to a concert with me? She? Me? Concert? Impossible, it was something I could merely dream of. 

I was on the verge of thinking that the person standing before me was her twin sister that looked identically and had been asked by the real Lumiya to talk to me, but I started noticing some signs of embarrassment after I stood there dumbfounded without giving a response for a few seconds. Her hand started moving in the air without a point and she lowered her head. 

“A-ah...” 

Realizing that if I remained silent, I might have made her run away and never speak to me until we returned to school in September, I made a sound to assure my presence and consciousness. 

In fact, I had never been to a concert. It was one of those things I was too afraid to do alone, but I also didn’t really have any favorite singers or bands I would like to see performing live. 

“No problem, really”, I responded while scratching my check and probably smiling, but I was doing it all unwittingly, under stress. 

But, in that situation, that problem would be resolved. Still, I wanted to know what concert in particular it would be. 

Hearing my response, she lifted her head back and stared almost at my face. 

“Fufu, but don’t misunderstand me. This is only my plan to... investigate human behaviors”, she said as she lifted a hand to cover her eyepatch and closed the other eye. 

“Yeah, yeah, I know. So, when is that?” 

I inquired mainly out of curiosity, because I didn’t have any plans for summer vacation whatsoever, so I was always free. 

“It’s on the 28th. Don’t worry, I can acquire tickets in your stead.” 

“No..., that won’t be necessary.” 

It would be our second outing. Yeah, it was probably a common thing in society, but I wasn’t used to it. Furthermore, she was a girl, which was sure to increase the embarrassment for reasons. Still, I never would’ve expected her to come up with something like that. 

A concert... I guess there would be a lot of people there. If I had to go there by myself, I would be too scared. But now, I was going to have her by my side, so I wouldn’t be on my own—that fact itself left me uneasy as well, though. Perhaps it was the case for her as well and that’s why she had asked me? 

“If I may ask, whose concert it is?” 

It was a rather relevant information, yet I still ended up pretending that I didn’t really care about it. I guess I would be able to cope with most potential choices, whether it was going to be a western pop star or a death metal band... no, why did that thought even occur to me? 

Even though I knew her for some time now, I didn’t know much about her—that included her favorite music genres. Then again, she was odd, so I wouldn’t be surprised if she listened to a kind of music that had long been forgotten or didn’t whatsoever. Come to think of it, I had seen her a few times with headphones on in the morning, so I guess she had to listen to something. 

“A-about that. It’s a less known idol unit, but I chose it only because the time and place of performance was convenient for me, kakaka!” she restlessly turned sideways to me as she explained quickly. 

I didn’t really pay attention to how she pretended that she chose that concert randomly—I knew that she more or less genuinely wanted to go there. Actually, I would be surprised if she really thought she had managed to deceive me. Still, I didn’t care about that. 

“I see, that’s okay.” 

But, idols, huh? It was surprisingly normal. I mean, there were lots of kinds of idols, some of them you could see on TV every day, and others present only on the internet. Anyhow, I doubt it would cause my eardrums to explode, and seeing how she told me that it was less known, the performance wouldn’t be held in some large hall like I expected earlier. 

“Really?” she inquired calmly. 

“Yes.” 

“Are you sure?” 

Why did she ask me for confirmation two times? Was that idol unit actually a death metal band or something? 

“Yes. Ah, but I have never been to a concert before... so I guess you would have to explain some things to me...” 

“Me neither.” 

Huh, so it would be her first time as well? I guess she wouldn’t be a more experienced guide for me, then, but still, I wouldn’t be that scared of getting lost in the large crowd of people or something if I was together with her. 

“T-that’s why I have to go investigate. It’s difficult to do alone, but it wasn’t an important matter, so I’d rather do it now, when I... have an allied human by my side”, she continued as she lowered her head and her voice grew smaller in volume. 

At the moment she called me an allied human, I felt something inside me slightly jumping. She had never called me using my given or family name, but always used the word “human”, just as if she wasn’t one. Considering that she was supposed to be an alien, that made sense. 

Still, she added “allied”. Did that mean I had finally gained her trust? I might have been wrong, but she seemed to be distrustful, and as such, rarely told me something about her real self. Her message right now was rather easy to decode—pretty much the same as me, she was afraid to go to a concert alone. Now, that she had a person she thought could accompany her, she decided to give it a try. 

I accepted. I had yet to see whether it would end up as a success or a failure, but to be honest, there was both anxiety and excitement in my heart right now. 

Until July 28th, there was one week left. The suffering resulting from stress would grow stronger every day, but I had to resist that, since at the end of the road... there was a mystery box that contained either a reward or a curse. 

“That’s okay. It’s on the 28th, right?” 

“Right. I will send you the details later, then.” 

“Ah, but you’d better not come in that mask”, I suggested her because the last time we met she came dressed in a weird way, which was acceptable as long as she was walking around the street, but I guess it would bring too much attention or even cause her to be thrown out this time. 

“Fufu, you needn’t worry about that, human. I shall disguise myself perfectly, even at the cost of comfort.” 

“I see.” 

If by comfort she meant the ease and confidence she gained by wearing that black outfit, then I guess I could stay assured that she wouldn’t do it again. Even though she behaved in such peculiar way, I knew that she could think normally and had common sense. 

“Well then, farewell.” 

“Later.” 

She excused herself and got past me. I turned around at that moment and stared at her figure growing smaller in the distance. Her hair fluttered slightly as she kept making hurried steps towards the exit gate, passing by groups of students that were progressing leisurely. To be honest, it was a little funny. I wonder, was her face red at this moment? 

In a week, I was going to attend a concert with a friend... a girl. That certainly was a good start, especially for someone like me, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was all out of ordinary that was going to happen. 

The sun was shining brightly, emphasizing that it was the day summer break began. The last summer break in middle school, but I guess it wasn’t like it would look any different in high school. 

But... I was sure that I wouldn’t be seeing her off like that anymore. 

With a gust of wind blowing at me from behind, I moved forward to pick up my bike and head home.