Rain fell in silver sheets, bouncing off the neon signs of the city like scattered starlight. Aiko tugged her umbrella closer, but her gaze was fixed ahead—on a small, crooked bookstore tucked between shuttered cafés. Its sign flickered faintly: Moonlit Pages. Her heart thumped in a way that made her stop mid-step. She didn't know why… only that she had to go inside.
The moment she stepped through the door, the world changed. The scent of old paper and ink wrapped around her like a gentle spell. Shelves towered above her, overflowing with books that seemed to hum with untold stories. And there she was.
Miyu.
Curled in a worn armchair by the window, hair damp from the rain, eyes that seemed to pierce through the dim light. A book rested on her knees, but when their eyes met, it was like the room shrank, leaving only the two of them.
"You… you keep coming here," Miyu said softly, tilting her head. A faint smile danced on her lips—curious, teasing, almost secretive.
"I… I don't know why," Aiko whispered, her heart hammering as though it wanted to leap straight into Miyu's hands. "Maybe I'm… looking for something."
"Or someone," Miyu said, closing her book with a slow, deliberate motion. She reached out a hand. "Maybe… it's me."
Aiko froze, fingers brushing against Miyu's. Sparks—like static electricity or the first firework of summer—raced through her veins. Her stomach flipped, and the rain outside seemed to blur into a curtain of silver just for them.
From that moment, everything changed. Days melted into nights spent chasing whispered secrets, exploring shadowed alleys, and laughing in the rain as though the city itself had become their stage. Every glance, every brush of hands, was a silent promise.
And yet… someone was always watching. Shadows flickered just beyond the streetlights, footsteps echoed too close behind. Danger was real, but somehow, it only made their hearts beat faster.
Finally, on a rooftop dripping with rain and neon reflections, Miyu turned to Aiko, hair plastered to her face, eyes wide and shining. "I don't know what comes next… but I know I don't want to face it alone."
Aiko swallowed, heart pounding like a drum. "Then we face it together."
Their lips met in a rush of warmth against the cold rain. The city stretched endlessly below, alive with lights, shadows, and possibilities. And somewhere in the darkness, a figure watched, silent, patient. But for the first time, neither of them cared. All that mattered was each other, and the story that had only just begun.