Night had fallen, and the market looked completely different from how it did during the day.
Lanterns glowed in shades of gold and pink, swinging gently in the breeze as they hung from ropes stretched between stalls. The scent of flowers floated through the air, soft and sweet, mixing with roasted meat, fresh bread, and the faint trace of sake. Laughter rippled through the crowd. Somewhere in the distance, a flute played a slow tune that blended with the hum of voices.
Everyone was waiting for the couple to come out and begin the ceremony. Children ran between the stalls holding paper fans, women arranged flower petals on the floor, and men carried barrels of wine, their laughter echoing through the street.
It was the kind of night that felt alive—filled with color and warmth.
But in the middle of all the light and celebration, Rin noticed something strange.
"Hey, are you okay?" she asked, leaning closer to Rei, who had been unusually quiet beside her. "You look kind of… off."
Rei blinked slowly, as if coming out of a daze, then smiled. "Oh, nothing. I just thought I felt something off for a second. It's not a big deal."
Rin tilted her head. "Something off?"
Rei's playful grin returned as quickly as it had vanished. "Forget it. Anyway, Rin, earlier—you called us your best friends. What does that even mean?"
Before Rin could answer, Akari appeared, carefully balancing three cups of fruit wine. The cups shimmered faintly under the lantern light, little bubbles rising inside the golden drink. She handed one to each of them before sitting down on a low wooden bench beside Rei.
"Best friends, huh?" Rin repeated, turning the cup in her hands. The reflection of the lanterns danced in the liquid, tiny sparks of color that seemed almost alive. She thought for a moment before smiling. "It's… a word you say to someone you really like and feel close to. Someone you can talk to about anything, laugh with, and trust to stay by your side no matter what."
Rei rested her chin on her palm, a mischievous spark in her eyes. "So that means you'll stay by our side no matter what?"
Rin smiled softly. "Of course. You two are my favorite characters, remember? I'm meant to be by your sides. You're the reason I'm even here, after all."
Akari giggled, her cheeks pink from the wine. "Favorite characters, huh? I like the sound of that, even though you have been saying it more often." She took a sip and looked at Rin curiously. "So, in your world, did you ever have best friends too?"
The question hung in the air. Rin's smile faded a little. She looked down at her drink, watching the surface ripple with light.
"Hmm," she murmured. "That's… a good question."
For a moment, the music and chatter around her faded into a blur. Her mind drifted to a time that felt like another life, when she was smaller, quieter, and still believed the world could be kind. She had always kept her distance from people, always too scared of losing them or being a problem. But there were two faces she couldn't forget.
"Yes," Rin said quietly. "I used to have best friends."
Rei leaned forward, her interest piqued. "Oh? Tell us about them."
"They were with me when I started elementary school," Rin said. "The Lee sisters—Davina and Sasha." She chuckled softly, the corners of her lips lifting. "Everyone in school knew them. They were loud, always scheming something, and somehow always in trouble."
Akari smiled. "Sounds like fun friends to have."
"They were," Rin said. "Sasha especially. She was wild, stubborn, and never afraid of anyone. Davina was the calm one. She usually had to drag Sasha away before she got into real fights." Her eyes softened as she spoke. "Even after my parents died, Sasha never left my side. She'd show up at my house almost every day with that same ridiculous grin."
Her voice grew quieter. "At least, until I moved in with my mother's parents. After that, I never saw either of them again."
She took a slow sip from her cup. The sweetness burned slightly down her throat, mixing with a dull ache in her chest. "I thought I'd hear from them again someday. Maybe a message. Maybe a call. But I never reached out either. I guess… we all just drifted apart."
The lantern above her flickered. For a few seconds, the noise of the market seemed distant.
Rei nudged her gently. "You still think about them, don't you?"
Rin smiled a little, the kind that hurt more than it comforted. "Sometimes. Especially when I see people laughing together. It reminds me of how it used to be. Davina was always the logical one, but Sasha…" She paused, her eyes distant. "Sasha was chaos. She once picked a fight with a teacher because he yelled at me for being late. She said, My Tiny ghost doesn't deserve that. That's what she called me, tiny ghost."
Akari gasped softly. "Tiny ghost? That's adorable."
"Yeah," Rin laughed, shaking her head. "Annoying, but adorable. She once made us skip class just to feed stray cats behind the school. We got caught and almost suspended."
Rei chuckled. "You? Skipping class? That's a surprise."
"Not really," Rin said with a small grin. "Sasha could talk anyone into anything."
For a moment, the three of them laughed together, the sound blending with the soft music and chatter around them.
Then Rin noticed Rei's smile fade. Akari's expression shifted too, her color drained, her eyes fixed on something behind Rin.
"What?" Rin asked, confused. "Did I say something weird?"
Neither of them spoke. Rei's throat bobbed as she swallowed hard.
Rin turned around slowly.
Selene was standing there.
Her silver hair shimmered under the light, her eyes cold and still like frozen water. The crowd's warmth seemed to disappear all at once. The air grew thin. Ice stood a step behind her, silent as a shadow, his hands clasped neatly behind him. Even the candles near them began to flicker.
Rin froze, her heart skipped. She hadn't even felt Selene's presence. "S–Selene?" she whispered.
Selene's gaze didn't waver. She looked down at Rin, her expression calm but heavy enough to make Rin's breath catch.
Rei was the first to move. She stood up quickly and forced a smile. "Queen Selene! You startled us. We didn't see you there."
Selene's attention briefly flicked to her before returning to Rin. Her eyes swept over the glowing flowers and the bustling market. "It's lively," she said softly. "A wedding, I see."
Akari nodded quickly, almost too fast. "Yes! Two merchants are getting married tonight. Everyone's celebrating."
Selene's lips curved slightly. "How nice."
The air turned colder again. Rin could feel the tiny hairs on her arms rise. She didn't understand why Selene's presence always made her nervous and calm at the same time.
Ice remained behind Selene, his quiet form casting a faint shadow that rippled over the ground.
Selene looked back at Rin, her voice lowering. "You look lovely under the lights, Kisaragi."
Rin's cheeks warmed. "T–thank you," she said softly.
Selene's faint smile lingered as she stepped closer. She sat beside Rin, and before Rin could move, Selene wrapped her arms around her, pulling her close. Her touch was gentle, but there was a quiet firmness that made it impossible to pull away.
"You left me alone in the shop," Selene whispered, her tone light but layered. "I hope you're not planning to leave me waiting at the altar too."
Rin froze. She glanced at Rei, who looked away immediately, pretending to sip her drink.
"My lovely Kisaragi," Selene said with a soft smile. "Don't do that again, okay?"
Her voice was sweet, but Rin's chest tightened. It sounded like a promise—and a warning.
"I was going to come back," Rin said slowly. "I just got caught up helping with the decorations."
Selene sighed, resting her head on Rin's shoulder. "It took me so long to find you. If Ice hadn't located this place, I might've lost my mind." Her tone softened. "You're my queen. You shouldn't be doing work for anyone. I heard about your little adventures—being a merchant, helping that ant sell goods or whatever Ice called it."
She chuckled quietly. "I don't like it, but if it makes you happy, I'll learn to live with it. Just promise me you won't get yourself hurt."
"Don't worry," Rin said with a grin, lifting her cup. "I've got powers to protect myself from any danger. Besides, the only danger right now is you." She laughed lightly. "I've got multiple powers, and I'm good to go."
Selene tilted her head. "Multiple powers?" she asked curiously.
Before Rin could reply, Ice suddenly moved, sitting between them with a stiff smile. He grabbed both their hands and held them like a child holding his parents.
Rin blinked. "Uh… Ice?"
He only smiled wider, clearly trying to keep Rin from saying too much. If Selene discovered that Rin's powers resembled those of the dark stone, everything could fall apart.
Rie clasped her hands together with a dreamy sigh. "Aww, look at them. One lovely family."
Akari giggled beside her. "Yeah, we're going to have our own lovely family like that too."
Rei leaned closer and whispered, "I can't wait to tell my papa that the cold Ice Queen now has a lovely family. He's going to lose his mind."
Akari stifled her laughter, trying not to let Selene notice.
And then, as the music swelled and the crowd cheered, the bride and groom finally stepped out. The lights above shimmered brighter, petals floated through the air, and the first notes of the wedding song began.
For a brief, quiet moment, everything felt warm again.