The venue was a sea of lights and sound. The crowd buzzed with anticipation as the rhythm built, signaling Rei's imminent entrance onto the stage. Dark colors and LED lights energized the audience and the entire hall. I finally found my seat—I had reserved it strategically in advance, close enough to hear the music clearly but not so close as to get lost in the chaos of the front row.
As I pulled out my trusty notebook to jot down my thoughts and how much I'd enjoy the concert, I looked up, expecting to see a random fan beside me… but it was the girl from the park. I froze for a few seconds, stunned. She looked just as beautiful as she had in the park.
A moment of disbelief and silence hung between us. Her eyes clearly showed surprise, but soon the silence turned into a soft, sweet nervous laugh.
"This… I didn't think coincidences like this existed," her voice was barely audible over the noise, but I heard her clearly.
With an involuntary smile and a strange warmth in my chest, I replied, "Yeah, it's almost like it was planned, or someone—or something—wanted us together at this concert." I said it without thinking, and immediately thought, Earth, swallow me whole.
Her cheeks flushed as she tried to hide her face, her eyes sparkling. She responded shyly, "Maybe it's fate playing a prank on us?"
A small laugh escaped my lips. "I'm not really one for fate or pseudoscience, but it's nice to see you again—I mean, I thought you seemed nice from the start." A faint smile appeared on her lips as she spoke.
"I don't think we introduced ourselves. I'm Eris, and it's nice to see you again too," she said, her voice so quiet I could barely hear her.
"I'm Vali, nice to meet you." From that moment on, our conversation flowed naturally. We talked about our excitement for the concert, our favorite songs, and even reminisced about her stumble in the park—though she was still a bit shy while speaking.
As the lights lit up the entire venue, signaling the concert's imminent start, Eris and I got to know each other more. Rei was both of our favorite singer. Though we watched the illuminated stage during the concert, there was an undeniable mutual attention between us. I could feel the tension and awareness as our arms brushed, sending small jolts of energy through me.
For me, the concert and the music, which used to be purely auditory, became something more. Now, it was as if I could feel her smile in the melody, an even greater emotion blooming within us without us realizing it.
As the concert ended and the final song began, Eris and I instinctively locked eyes. Embarrassed, we both quickly looked away.
When the stage lights started to brighten, revealing Rei's silhouette—the singer who never showed her face—she appeared, grateful and bathed in applause. Beside me, Eris's eyes shone, a wide smile on her face. She tried to hide her excitement in front of me, but her enthusiasm was obvious.
Eris turned to look at me.
"The crowd's a bit chaotic," I commented with a small smile. "Do I have something on my face, or are you looking for something specific?"
"Just looking," she replied, averting her gaze.
The post-concert chaos erupted, and the crowd surged toward the exits in waves. I tried to stay with Eris, but in the blink of an eye, the crowd swept me away. I searched for her dark hair, but finding a girl my age who wasn't very tall was like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Disappointment washed over me. I had really enjoyed her company during the concert, and though I generally preferred solitude, I regretted this sudden separation. With a sigh, I headed to the merchandise area after searching for her everywhere, thinking this was the end of our encounter.
But as I approached the merchandise area, a familiar figure caught my eye. There was Eris, standing in front of the T-shirt display, her face worried as if she were looking for something specific.
A wave of relief and warmth flooded me. Without hesitation, I pushed through the crowd to reach her side.
"Eris?" I called out loudly to be heard.
She turned, relief evident on her face and in her eyes, though she seemed to be trying to hide it. "Oh, it's you… You got lost, didn't you?" Her tone was casual but carried a hint of relief.
"Yeah, the crowd was worse than I expected," I said, happy to see her again and to see her relief at seeing me—I still didn't know why her relief made me so happy. "Were you looking for me?" I asked.
"Not… not really," she replied, glancing at the T-shirt display. "I was just looking at something—not that I'm that interested, but… there was a design I kind of liked."
As Eris kept looking, I decided to surprise her by buying the design she liked.
"Here, it's a gift from me. Do you like it?"
"T-Thank you, it looks good on me, and you gave it to me," she replied softly, blushing slightly. She took the T-shirt, looking away in embarrassment as her fingers gently brushed mine, filling me with both shyness and happiness.
"It's amazing to see you again," I murmured, quietly happy.
She replied softly, almost in a whisper, "Yeah, I guess so, Vali." The way she said my name was so tender, it could make anyone fall for her, I thought.
"Eris," I said, trying not to miss the opportunity. "What if we go somewhere quieter to talk—like a café or something… Only if you want, of course."
Her eyes lit up with excitement as her "tsundere" facade momentarily melted, replaced by genuine hope and enthusiasm in her gaze.
"I really enjoyed talking to you at the concert," I added. A small blush colored her cheeks, followed by, "But I don't know if I should accept. I'm not that special." Despite her words, the smile from what I'd said earlier lingered on her face.
"I don't think that's true—you're amazing. But if you don't want to, then… no worries," I said gently, a bit discouraged at the thought of her rejecting my offer.
"It's not that I don't want to. I'd actually love to—I'm just a little shy," she admitted softly, blushing.
"So, shall we go?" I replied, trying to sound calm. Inside, I was a nervous wreck.
"Yes, let's go. I don't have much else to do anyway," she agreed with a smile. "But don't think it means anything," she added with a light laugh, as if teasing me.
"Of course," I said, a bit confused by her sudden shift in attitude.
"Let's go. But I don't have your number yet—can you give it to me?" she asked, almost whispering. "I mean, just to keep in touch, that's all."
"Could you repeat that? I didn't hear you," I teased, just to mess with her a little.
"Come on, that's not fair—I know you heard me. Just give me your number," she replied, blushing and a little annoyed.
We pulled out our phones and exchanged numbers, Eris still looking away but with her eyes sparkling.
"Don't expect good morning texts or anything cheesy," she said quietly. I felt a wave of relief because, beneath her "tough" facade, I could tell she liked me and wanted to stay in touch. P.S.: She ends up breaking that promise about not sending good morning or cheesy texts after a while.
"I'll send you a message tomorrow," I said, trying to keep my composure.
She nodded, still not looking directly at me. "Do whatever you want, but like I said, don't get too excited." Despite her words, she seemed genuinely happy. For a brief moment, our hands touched, and we stepped apart as we left the noisy venue. Beneath her sometimes shy demeanor, I felt a genuine connection.
"Do you want me to walk you home since it's late?" It was already late, so I asked, worried it might be dangerous for her to go alone at that hour.
"T-To my house? I told you not to get too excited—we barely know each other," she replied, completely red and nervous.
"N-No, I didn't mean it like that! It's late, and it could be dangerous. You're right, we barely know each other—I shouldn't have said that. I can get you a taxi or something," I said nervously, trying to fix the situation.
"N-No, it's okay, I understand what you meant. I was just saying that to be safe, but I'd feel safer if you walked me home," she said to calm things down.
"O-Okay, let's go—I'll walk you home," I replied quickly without thinking, still embarrassed by what I'd said.
On the way to her house, though we were both a bit shy, we managed to have a normal, flowing conversation. I told her I had just moved to the city and other things. I also mentioned that I'd moved here alone a week ago, so I live by myself. When she found out I was new to the city, she asked if I wanted her to pick the place for our planned outing. I told her I'd decide, that I already had some ideas and would ask a friend or family member if needed, and that I wanted the place to be a surprise. Shortly after dropping her off at her house, I headed home.
Back in my room, Rei's melody still played in my head, but now it was accompanied by the image of Eris's smile and the soft sensation of her fingers when we exchanged numbers and when she took the T-shirt I gave her. Without realizing it, I was staring at her number saved in my phone. Just seeing her number brought a smile to my face. Reading books and novels felt different now—it felt happier.
"Should I call her or send a message? Or should I wait a bit?" Messaging, which seemed so easy in novels, was harder than ever. Finally, I decided to send something simple: "Hey, it's Vali. It was great meeting you at the concert." I sent it, anxious, until I saw the double blue checkmark, which only made me more anxious.
Her reply came many minutes later, though she'd been typing almost since I sent the message. It was short: "Hey, yeah, it was interesting. Thanks for the company today." Typical of her—that distant yet warm tone. A big smile spread across my face as I wondered why I was smiling so much over so little.
The next day, after a morning and night that felt eternal, I vaguely recalled that during our conversation at the concert, she had mentioned her love for cats. An idea popped into my head—I remembered a place my childhood friend had recommended, a place where Eris would feel at ease and we could interact more comfortably.
"Do you remember we agreed to grab coffee tomorrow? Well, there's a place I'd like to take you, and I know you'll love it," I typed.
Her response was instant, and her excitement about the idea made me happy. "Where are we going?" she replied.
"I want it to be a surprise. I'll pick you up, or we can meet somewhere near your house, and I'll take you there," I replied, trying to sound calm while repeating in my room, "I'm calm, I'm calm, I'm calm," to steady myself.
"O-Okay, let's meet near my house at a park or somewhere you decide, and we'll go," she replied, which reassured me since she didn't seem upset or displeased.
After that message, I accidentally pressed the video call button. When Eris answered, she seemed to be fixing her hair for the call and getting ready for tomorrow. The call was accidental, but it made me so happy. We talked for a while until we both got too embarrassed to handle and said goodbye to calm down.
Eris's Perspective After the Text Message
The day passed normally, with a mix of restlessness and happiness from meeting him. I didn't know why I felt this way. After all, he was just a boy I'd met at the park and later saw at the concert. A boy… who looked so beautiful and kind, though I'd never have the confidence to say it out loud.
My phone started vibrating and ringing on my bed, startling me slightly. It was a message from Vali. A simple greeting, but it inexplicably made my heart race and filled me with joy. I replied quickly as soon as I saw the message, trying not to sound desperate, though replying so fast probably showed how much I wanted to talk to him or spend time with him.
Then came his message and invitation to the café we'd promised to visit. I got so nervous and anxious—it filled my chest with a warmth I tried to ignore but couldn't. The feeling only grew stronger. His suggestion was… unexpected. And to be honest, very tempting, even without knowing where we'd go. Being with him was simply tempting.
My response was a bit evasive—I didn't want to seem too excited. What really made me anxious was his unexpected call. It made me start fixing my hair so I'd look good on the call and get everything ready for tomorrow. The call seemed accidental, but it made me so happy. We talked for a while until we both got too embarrassed to handle and said goodbye to calm down.
The next day, I arrived at the spot we'd agreed on a bit late, pretending to be slightly disoriented. Of course, I wore the T-shirt he'd given me, which had his scent—I'd smelled it all night. I'd be too embarrassed to admit that to anyone, but I did it without thinking, and it felt so good. I don't think I'll wash it just to keep his scent. Back to the date—or meeting (so I don't get anxious and flustered thinking it's a date)—the night before, I'd searched everywhere we might meet just to figure out where he'd take me, but I couldn't find out.
When I reached the area, Vali was already there in the park, waiting to take me to the surprise location. I approached him, and he greeted me with a smile.
We talked as he led me to the place he'd chosen. When we got closer, he asked me to close my eyes and take his hand so he could guide me to the entrance as a surprise. When I closed my eyes, he took my hand carefully and led me to the spot. All I could think about was how masculine and strong his hand felt—it was clear he practiced archery, as he'd mentioned.
When we arrived, he told me to open my eyes as he let go of my hand. That made me feel vulnerable, and almost instinctively, I grabbed his hand again, holding it tightly. That made him nervous, and it made me nervous too. When I saw the place he'd chosen, I was stunned. It was… a Neko Café. I'd told him I liked cats, but I didn't think he'd remember. That he remembered made me so happy.
"You remembered, but I only mentioned it once at the concert," I said, unable to hide my joy and forgetting the embarrassment of still holding his hand.
"Yeah, I'd never forget anything you said at that concert where we saw each other for the second time," he replied, his voice tinged with embarrassment but also happiness and relief that I liked the surprise he'd been so eager to show me since we'd agreed to get coffee the day before.
We entered the café, and he presented the reservation he'd made the previous day. He really came prepared—very prepared! I thought.
As soon as we settled into a spot in the Neko Café, the cats started coming over to us. There weren't many people at that hour, and the owner said it was unusual for the cats to be so affectionate. While we petted the cats on a low sofa close to the floor, one cat lay down with its head on my lap and the rest of its body on Vali's lap. That reminded me of how we'd been before we started petting the cats—we'd been holding hands, which made me shy. But at the same time, the cat lying across both our laps felt so sweet. This place was a feline paradise.
While we ordered our drinks and a small snack, the cats' presence filled the inevitable awkward silences. The cat lying on our laps demanded to be petted, and we talked about the playful cats, their fur, and other cats. Our chat about them somehow broke down the barrier of shyness.
At first, we talked about trivial things like the cats or the coffee, sharing funny anecdotes. Slowly, the conversation deepened. He told me about his love for novels and his desire to write his own stories. I mentioned my love for drawing and history.
There were awkward moments, of course—glances that lingered a bit too long, silences that felt eternal, responses from me that were too emotional, short, or even a bit curt. But the relaxed atmosphere of the café and the cats sleeping and cuddling while they walked across our laps to be petted acted like a soft cushion, letting us lower our guards.
I noticed Vali watching me sometimes with an expression… of interest in me? I tried not to blush too much and answered his questions as naturally as possible, though my heart was pounding.
"You like me a lot, don't you?" he asked softly.
"What?" I replied, blushing a little. "Yeah… a little," I said quietly.
"It's obvious you do—you haven't stopped petting that cat," he said, making me realize he was asking if I liked the cat, not if I liked him.
"You haven't stepped away from that cat either," I pointed out, trying to hide my embarrassment. I said that even though I knew he hadn't moved away from the cat because he wanted to stay close to me—and because that cat he mentioned was the one lying across both our laps.
"You two make a great couple," the café owner said.
"W-We're not a couple," Vali and I said at the same time, which, if we were already embarrassed, made us even more so. But what the owner said made me blush and feel happy that Vali and I looked like a couple.
"Not a couple? Well, I think you'd make a great one. Look at how the cats are with you—so affectionate—and look at that cat lying across both your laps. They say cats can sense emotions and affection better than humans. If you're not a couple yet, you'll make an adorable one," the owner added. That made Vali and me even more nervous and shy, especially when, after she said that, we both looked into each other's eyes at the same time before quickly looking away. It made me so happy that the cats and the owner thought we'd be a good couple—I don't think I'd ever been happier in my life.
We spent nearly two hours at the café. After the owner's comment, we managed to calm down, though we remembered it again when we left and saw a couple walking down the street.
"Vali," I said finally as we reached my house. "Thanks for today—I really enjoyed spending time with you, and the cats were adorable," I said, my voice almost a whisper.
"You don't have to thank me. I love spending time with you too, and I love seeing you happy," he replied, looking into my eyes, giving me a warm feeling that made me look away. "Eris, I'd like to see you again—let's do more things in the coming days," he said quietly, pausing.
"Yes, let's meet again—I'll treat you next time," I said with a slightly flirty tone, brushing my hair behind my ear.
And so, under the moonlight, the beginning of something more than friendship started to take shape, sparked by a concert and the gentle company of cats.
Of course, when I got home, I threw myself onto my bed, screaming into my pillow from embarrassment as I replayed the day—but I was happier than ever. No one scolds me for screaming so much since I live alone.
Vali's Perspective After the Date
Vali, after walking Eris home, spent the entire way back and at home thinking about how embarrassing some of his actions had been—like when he took her hand because the place was a surprise.
He had no one to share his embarrassment with since he'd moved to the city alone and lives by himself.