The Liar and The Patient

Muted Fireworks

"I want to go so much~"

"You're still too weak! Quick, eat up."

It was the day of the summer festival. On the distance hill, lanterns and stands could be seen in their vibrant red and orange, complimenting the dusk sky. People, in yukatas or not, were all on their way to the venue in pairs and groups. Takagi, however, could only watch from afar while eating rice porridge from her hospital bed. No amount of enviousness or jealousy could get her out of this white room.

"I can walk~" She whined for the first time in Nishikata's memories. He started to wonder if it was a side effect of the medicine she just took.

"Alright, you will go once you're cured." Nishikata scooped another spoon of rice porridge and blew on it. "Come on, here you go."

"But I really want to go now..." Takagi pouted but still ate up.

"Fine..." Nishikata sighed.

"Huh? You will let me go?" Takagi's eyes lit up.

"Of course not! Plus, that's not up for me to decide, it's the doctors." Nishikata said, causing her to groan a little. "But I do have this. I was planning on showing you later..."

He took out a big cardboard box from under the bed.

"What is that?" Takagi asked.

"I need to set it up." Nishikata put the box aside and smiled, then he began to pull up the blind. "Can you wait for a few minutes?"

"There's no way!" Takagi said with another pout.

"If you can resist yourself to not peek, you win." Nishikata said.

"I'm not you, I won't be so easily persuaded by a contest." Takagi crossed her arms.

"Please?"

"Fine... I won't peek..." She sighed as she lay back. "You better hurry up, because I don't know how long I can hold myself."

"Thank you." Nishikata grinned as he disappeared behind the blind. "I'll try and be quick."

Takagi sat in silence as she waited, eating the rice porridge as she did. All the rustles she heard really tickled her curiosity, but she restrained herself from looking. After a rather painful fifteen minutes or so, Nishikata's head peek through the blind.

"All done~" He said with a smile and a drop of sweat on his forehead.

"Can I look now?" Takagi asked.

"Sure."

Nishikata flipped open the blind. In front of her was not the monochromatic room she was staying in and had gotten used to, but a mini summer festival! Target-shooting and hoop-tossing games made from cardboards and wooden sticks. Candy apples and takoyakis were sitting on cardboard boxes like miniature stands. There was even a small tub of water with fishes inside to make a fishing game! Red and white cloths and tiny lanterns could also be seen decorating each plot, adding to the authentic atmosphere. Takagi couldn't believe her eyes.

"This is your summer festival." Nishikata said. "This is as much as I can gather..."

"This is amazing!" Takagi cried. "You did all this by yourself?"

Nishikata nodded. "If you like it then it's all worth it."

"Are you kidding me? I can't love it more!" Takagi hopped off of bed. "Where should we start?"

"It's your choice." Nishikata said. "But we should eat the takoyakis while they're still hot."

"How do you even get them anyway?" Takagi took the box of takoyakis. It looked just like the ones they sold at the festival, with even an identical box.