Until the Stars Align
Chapter 9 — TRUTH OR DARE
The first rays of dawn crept through the thinning canopy as Luka guided Aria out of the forest.
The world beyond the trees looked almost surreal — quiet streets, dew clinging to blades of grass, and the pale blue of an awakening sky. It was jarring how normal it all seemed, like the last twelve hours of running, fighting, and hiding hadn't happened at all.
But Luka's body knew better. His muscles burned with every step, every scrape and bruise screaming for rest. He didn't stop, though, not until they crossed the bridge near the outskirts of their neighborhood and the looming weight of the forest faded behind them.
Aria stumbled once, and Luka caught her before she could fall.
"You good?" he asked, his voice hoarse from exhaustion.
She nodded wordlessly, though her eyes told another story — red-rimmed from crying, fear still flickering in their depths.
They didn't speak the rest of the walk. There were too many things neither of them was ready to say.
When they finally reached her house, the sky fully awake now, Aria turned to him, her hands trembling slightly. "Thank you," she whispered, voice fragile.
Luka hesitated. He wanted to tell her it was nothing, that he'd do it a thousand times if it meant she was safe, but the words caught in his throat. So instead, he gave her a small, steady nod.
"Get some rest," he said.
She hesitated like she wanted to say something more but then slipped inside quietly, leaving Luka alone on the sidewalk, staring at the closed door.
And for a moment, with the early morning breeze against his skin, Luka let himself feel the weight of it all. The anger. The fear. The strange, aching relief that she was safe.
He didn't go home until he was sure his hands had stopped shaking.
---
Two days later, the tension had thinned — at least on the surface.
The group chat had lit up with messages from Kenji and Rika, organizing what they called a much-needed "stress detox outing." Luka had ignored it at first, not in the mood for anything beyond his games and the quiet hum of his anime playlist.
But then Aria messaged him.
Come. Please.
Just that. Two words.
And for reasons Luka didn't entirely understand, he found himself saying yes.
---
Saturday afternoon arrived with the kind of clear, golden weather that felt almost too perfect. Luka stood at the edge of the small riverside park where their group had decided to meet, hands shoved in his hoodie pocket, headphones draped lazily around his neck.
Kenji spotted him first. "Yo! Look who finally decided to show up!"
Rika grinned, her bright energy impossible to ignore. "Luka! We thought you'd ghost us again."
"I don't ghost," Luka muttered, though the corner of his mouth twitched upward.
Then he saw her.
Aria.
She stood a little apart from the group, hair tied loosely back, sunlight painting soft gold across her features. She caught his gaze for a brief second — and smiled. Not the polite kind, not the practiced one she wore at school, but something warmer.
Something that made Luka's chest tighten unexpectedly.
"Alright, let's go already!" Kenji clapped his hands together dramatically. "Bowling, karaoke, then food. We've got a schedule, people!"
Luka rolled his eyes but followed, falling into step beside Aria as they headed toward the station.
"You okay?" she asked softly, keeping her voice low so the others wouldn't hear.
He nodded once. "You?"
"I… think so," she said. "At least, I'm trying to be."
For a moment, silence stretched between them, comfortable in its own way.
Then Aria smiled again, just a faint curve of her lips. "Thanks… for being there. For me."
Luka didn't trust himself to look at her, so he just shoved his hands deeper into his pockets and muttered, "I told you. Always."
---
By the time they hit the bowling alley, the air was lighter. Kenji was terrible at bowling, Rika was obnoxiously competitive, Daichi quietly surprised everyone with a perfect strike, and Haruto was making ridiculous bets that had everyone laughing.
Luka found himself laughing too — actually laughing — when Kenji tripped over his own shoes trying to "add spin" to his throw.
Aria laughed as well, the sound soft but real, and Luka couldn't help but glance at her every now and then, as if to reassure himself she was really there, really safe.
Hours passed in a blur of neon lights, fast food, and loud music. By the time they were walking along the riverside again, the sun had already dipped below the horizon, leaving the city painted in shades of soft violet and silver.
"Truth or dare," Rika announced suddenly, spinning around with a mischievous grin as they reached the quiet stretch near the water. "C'mon, it's tradition!"
Kenji groaned. "Last time you dared me to eat that expired onigiri—"
"And you survived, didn't you?" Rika shot back, already dropping to sit in the grass.
One by one, they sat — Rika, Kenji, Daichi, Haruto, Aria, and finally Luka, who only reluctantly joined the circle.
The game started light. Silly dares, harmless truths. Haruto admitted to crying during a movie; Kenji confessed to accidentally texting his mom instead of his crush once.
Then the bottle spun and stopped — pointing at Luka.
"Truth," Luka said before Rika could suggest something ridiculous.
Her eyes gleamed. "Alright… what's your view on relationships?"
The group went quiet, the question hanging heavy in the cool night air.
Luka's gaze drifted toward the water, the ripples catching the dim glow of the city lights.
"I…" He hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "I don't… do casual. If I ever… if I ever love someone, it's for real. And I'm not the type to… to cross certain lines before I'm married. It's just… how I was raised. And how I want to be."
The silence that followed wasn't awkward. It was thoughtful. Respectful.
When Luka finally looked up, Aria was watching him, something unreadable flickering in her eyes.
Rika, surprisingly, didn't tease him. She just nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips. "That's… actually really sweet, Luka."
Kenji elbowed him lightly. "Man of principles. Respect."
The game went on, laughter filling the air again, but Luka couldn't shake the way Aria's gaze lingered on him, soft and almost… vulnerable.
---
By the time the outing wound down and the group started saying their goodbyes, Luka found himself walking beside Aria again, the quiet hum of the city wrapping around them.
Neither spoke at first. Then Aria broke the silence, her voice soft but steady.
"Luka… that night in the forest… I don't think I ever told you how scared I was. But… knowing you were there… it made me feel safe. Safer than I've felt in a long time."
Luka's steps faltered. His throat tightened, words caught somewhere between his heart and his mouth.
"Aria…"
She turned to him, her expression open, honest in a way that left him breathless. "I don't know what this is yet. But… I want to figure it out. With you."
For a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath. The river's gentle current, the distant hum of cars, the faint glimmer of stars just beginning to pierce the sky — everything stilled.
And Luka, for once, didn't overthink.
He reached out, his hand trembling just slightly as it brushed against hers.
"Then… let's figure it out," he said quietly.
Above them, the stars shimmered faintly, scattered across the dark canvas of the night.
Almost like they'd been waiting for this moment.
Like everything — somehow — had aligned.
---
TO BE CONTINUED…