{Halloween Together 1}

In October, the streets are adorned with orange pumpkins.

Not long ago, it seemed like Halloween was a minor event enjoyed by only a few people. Before I knew it, it had become nearly as prominent as Christmas, with Halloween promotions bustling everywhere. Even at the convenience store where I work part-time, ghost-faced cakes and pumpkin pies are lined up for sale, making me think that this is how new events start to gain popularity.

I bought a ghost cake wrapped in white mochi after finishing my shift because it was just too cute.

When I handed it to Miyu as a souvenir, she exclaimed with delight.

“It really is cute!”

“Right? The texture is so good that I ended up contributing to the store’s sales!”

The mochi-covered appearance resembled a ghost wrapped in a sheet, complete with a chocolate hat on top, making it hard to resist reaching for it. Of course, once you eat it, it’s gone without a trace—but the taste was so delicious that it made up for it.

“Wow, Halloween is coming up soon, huh?”

It seemed Miyu only realized this after finishing the cake and looking at the packaging.

“I’m not really sure what Halloween is supposed to be about. What about you, Atsushi-kun?”

“I’m not too sure either. Don’t you have Halloween promotions at your store?”

“Nope… pumpkins don’t really fit into bento boxes.”

Thinking about it, sweet pumpkins might not be suitable for the stronger flavors that are preferred in bento. It could be tough for a bento shop to come up with Halloween-themed products.

“Speaking of which, I used to have a Halloween party at a friend’s house when I was younger.”

My memories of Halloween go back to elementary school.

A classmate invited me over for a party.

However, there was a condition for participation—everyone had to come in costume.

“Atsushi-kun, did you wear a costume?”

Miyu’s eyes sparkled with curiosity, and I responded with a wry smile.

“Even though it was a costume, it wasn’t anything special. I just put on some tattoo stickers on my face and wore a flimsy black cape I bought from a 100 yen shop. That was it.”

Of course, I wasn’t the only one. The costumes of elementary school kids were nothing extravagant. Some just wore cat ear headbands with drawn-on whiskers, while others insisted that attaching a fluffy keychain to their belt loop made them a rabbit. There was even a kid who came in a dress they wore to a relative’s wedding. It was quite a chaotic Halloween party, to say the least.

“But what we actually did while in costume was just toast with drinks, eat candy, and play games… It wasn’t much different from a birthday or Christmas party.”

“Huh. Still sounds like fun, doesn’t it?”

“It was fun, but there was nothing special about it just because it was Halloween.”

I heard that, abroad, on Halloween, kids dress up and walk from house to house to collect candy. But that culture hasn’t taken root in Japan. It makes sense since there’s preparation involved for those who receive them.

In Japan, it feels more like “a day to openly enjoy cosplay.”

“It seems there are events around here for people to gather in costume.”

Miyu spoke with interest.

“You know the arcade street in front of the station? They’re having a parade there. I heard it gets really crowded on the day.”

“Oh, I heard it was really crowded last year too.”

I wondered if Halloween would actually be lively in this rural town, but apparently, a decent number of people gathered last year. Some of my university friends participated, boasting about how they got close to girls and how many shots of tequila they had. It was troubling to think of that as bragging.

Moreover, this year, Halloween falls right in the middle of the week, and the next day is also a weekday. I can’t understand those who want to drink all night.

“I also have work that day, so I’m planning to head home before it gets too crowded.”

Since Miyu said that, I immediately suggested.

“Should I come pick you up? It’ll get crowded, and it’ll be dangerous.”

“Huh? I think I’ll be okay.”

“With drunk people increasing and guys aiming for girls, it would be problematic if you get caught up in that.”

Of course, I know she’s not the type to be swayed by such guys. But drunk people can be troublesome, so it’s not safe for a girl to be out alone. If something dangerous were to happen to Miyu, I’d regret letting her walk home alone for the rest of my life.

“You’re worrying too much, Atsushi-kun.”

Although Miyu laughed at my concern,

“But I’m happy you’re coming. I wanted to do some shopping on the way back.”

She accepted my suggestion without hesitation, so I felt relieved for the time being.