Starlight Promises

Shoma Mihara unexpectedly receives a message from Atsushi Fujii through a mobile app, inviting him to a party to finally reconnect. The invitation hints at a path he should follow and pulls him toward an unfamiliar plan. He decides to follow the lead and heads toward the festival.

Shoma travels to a festival area hidden in the wilderness, where people from around the world prepare a Tanabata event with traditional clothing and old craftsmanship. He is guided by Shiori Senozawa as they approach the site. The anticipation centers on meeting Atsushi again and understanding what he has become.

Upon arrival, Shiori leads Shoma around the festival grounds and introduces him to the Tanabata setting. Shoma is chosen as Shiori's prince to participate in the ceremony, heightening his hopes of finally meeting Atsushi. The scene showcases a fusion of traditional craft and futuristic AR elements.

During preparations, participants wear suits and augmented reality glasses that grant them strength and knowledge as the festival's rite unfolds. Kanna, who leads the preparations, is revealed to be an artificial intelligence coordinating the operation. The tech-driven setup blends performance, education, and interactivity for everyone involved.

At night, Shiori and Shoma are attacked by samurai created by the same AI that prepared the festival. They must defend themselves using the enhanced suits and knowledge learned earlier and rely on each other to survive. The AI's samurai are built from legends and historical knowledge, created because the system had to process too much information.

Shoma learns that everyone attending has come to meet someone who has died, turning the event into a communal space for farewell as much as celebration. This revelation gives the festival a somber subtext and frames the upcoming trials as personal tests. The sense of longing pervades the atmosphere.

As the festival begins, Shoma and Shiori are attacked again, and they must confront the AI-generated samurai once more. They coordinate with Kanna to counter the onslaught, using the festival's tech and their own resilience. The samurai are drawn from legends and history by the AI, based on massive information processing.

During the crisis, Shoma discovers Atsushi did not drift away; he had died long ago, and his memory was repressed. This realization reframes their friendship and explains the distance Shoma felt toward Atsushi. Shoma's emotional arc deepens as he accepts the truth.

An AI-generated simulation of Atsushi materializes before Shoma and the others. Shoma can finally say goodbye to his friend, as the simulation provides closure for him and others who gather to remember their loved ones. The moment is presented as part of the festival's farewell feature.

The festival app on participants' phones makes the farewell possible, letting everyone see their deceased loved ones one last time. The immersive farewell amplifies the emotional resonance of Tanabata and the night's revelations. People reflect on their memories as the AI-guided ritual reaches its peak.

With closure achieved, Shoma processes Atsushi's death and the night’s extraordinary events. He understands that technology can create paths to memory and goodbye, even within a surreal festival. The experience leaves him changed and contemplative.

Shoma returns home carrying the experience, the knowledge gained from the AR festival, and the memory of Atsushi. The story closes with a sense that meaningful connections can be renewed through shared rituals and technology even after loss. He steps forward with a new understanding of friendship and farewell.