{Halloween Together 2}

On Halloween day, I headed straight to the station after leaving the university.

The area around the station, past five-thirty in the afternoon, was more crowded than I had anticipated, with salarymen in suits and students in uniforms mingling with people in costumes. The arcade street in front of the station was even more pronounced, with almost only cosplayers to be found. The costumes varied widely, from those simply wearing cat ears to those who went all out with wigs, outfits, and makeup.

Of course, I was in my usual clothes, waiting for Miyu outside the station building to avoid the crowd.

“Atsushi-kun!”

Miyu, who returned on a train before six, emerged from the station, seemingly swept away by the new wave of people. The passengers getting off the train were about evenly split between those in costumes and those not.

Before I knew it, the atmosphere had become lively, and I quickly took Miyu’s hand.

“Let’s head home before it gets even more crowded.”

“Okay.”

Miyu squeezed my hand tightly in response.

The familiar scenery of the town was completely enveloped in the Halloween spirit tonight.

People passing by were in all sorts of costumes, laughing and chatting as they walked down the street. Everyone seemed to be in a festive mood. The shops lining the street were decorated with pumpkin lights and garlands shaped like skeletons, embodying the full spirit of Halloween. On the other hand, I could also see police cars and officers managing the traffic, and I thought they really had their work cut out for them.

Even though I still didn’t quite understand what Halloween was all about, it seemed completely normal to everyone else.

Holding hands tightly to avoid getting separated, we half-flowed along with the crowd.

“There are a lot of people, huh?”

As I couldn’t help but mumble, Miyu nodded immediately.

“Right? With this many people gathering, Halloween is definitely spreading!”

“Is it really…?”

It felt like everyone just wanted an excuse to make noise.

But then again, that’s how festivals go.

“Look over there, Atsushi-kun!”

Miyu’s voice seemed to bounce with excitement.

In the direction she pointed, there was a group in impressive ghost costumes. Dracula, a werewolf, a mummy, and a witch—all wore outfits that looked like they had just stepped out of a haunted house, complete with colored contact lenses and fangs.

“That’s amazing, they look real!”

The group waved at her as she cheered, and Miyu jumped up and down, waving back.

Then, passing by them, there was a group in sailor uniforms that clearly weren’t real. They all had heavy makeup on, looking like adults, and I thought this was another kind of cosplay.

Some had their faces painted white and wore character hoods, while others came in out-of-season yukata. There were even small children dressed in costumes, being held by their parents. Like my memories of childhood parties, Halloween really is chaotic.

“I wonder what Halloween really is…”

Miyu picked up my murmuring amidst the crowd and said,

“I think it’s a festival that’s still growing.”

“Growing?”

“Yeah. Right now, everyone is exploring how to enjoy Halloween. In a few years, it might have a completely different vibe.”

A growing festival, huh.

Seeing it that way made me understand the chaos a bit better.

Halloween, which was a minor event in my childhood, had transformed into something that excites the town. As Miyu said, it might take on a different flavor in a few years. If it develops positively, it could become a festival that everyone enjoys.

I, for one, didn’t plan to dress up in cosplay and would prefer if there were fewer people. It was hard to walk through the crowd.

“Whoa…”

While I was thinking that, Miyu bumped into someone and stumbled.

“Are you okay?”

I hurriedly turned around, and she smiled sheepishly.

“Sorry!”

“The crowd is increasing, so let’s hurry and get out of here.”

“Yeah… okay.”

Still holding onto my hand, Miyu clung to my arm tightly.

“Huh?”

I was a bit flustered by her unexpected action.

Normally, she wouldn’t get this close in public, but Miyu looked up at me, blushing.

“W-Well, there are so many people. It would be a problem if we got separated…”

“Oh, right. That makes sense.”

My left arm was wrapped in her warmth, soft against my skin.

“Is it okay? Am I making it hard for you to walk…?”

“It’s totally fine, it’s not a problem at all. Let’s go.”

This was unavoidable. There were a lot of people, and it would be problematic if we got separated. Plus, it helped save space.

With my arm around her, I awkwardly maneuvered through the crowd.

There were quite a few girls in cosplay around us, but my focus was entirely on the arm I had around Miyu.

Of course, I couldn’t deny that I felt happy—if I could walk like this with her, then maybe this crowded Halloween wasn’t so bad after all.