With absolutely no desire to leave her warm bed, Sayuri stretched slowly, trying to wake up her still sleepy body.
But the moment her hand reached her neck, she realized her necklace was gone.
Instantly, she threw the blankets aside, searching through the sheets, under the pillow, and the clothes scattered over the chair, but nothing.
"No… no, no…"
She hurried out of bed and dropped to her knees on the cold floor to look underneath it.
That was when she heard the sound of suitcases being dragged down the hallway.
Sayuri stood up so fast she nearly tripped over her own pajamas. She opened her bedroom door and walked out onto the balcony, her hair still messy.
Her father was placing the last suitcase into the trunk of the car.
"Good morning, Sayuri." He slammed the trunk shut. "Is this really the time to wake up?"
She tried to catch her breath.
"You're leaving already?"
"Yes, for Osaka, remember?" he replied quickly. "We'll be back Monday."
Her mother, already seated in the passenger seat, lowered the window slightly.
"I left money on the kitchen table, although I doubt you'll need anything. Don't forget to study for your exams."
Sayuri tried to hide her smile.
"I know, Mom…"
She forced herself to look calm. Normal.
"Have a good trip," she said with a small wave.
"Behave yourself," her father replied before getting into the car.
And then they left.
Sayuri stayed standing on the balcony, watching the car disappear around the corner.
Silence.
Two seconds later—
"YES!!"
She practically ran back inside the house.
"Finally!"
The entire house to herself, with nobody around to stop her from enjoying the Halloween party.
She ran upstairs to her room and threw herself onto the bed, hugging a pillow tightly.
Immediately, she grabbed her phone and texted Yume:
Good morninggg See you at six!!xoxo, Say
As soon as she sent it, she turned on upbeat music and started dancing around her room.
The lilac dress was already carefully laid out over the chair, and her witch hat rested beside the mirror.
Every time her eyes landed on the costume, a strange chill ran through her stomach. Sayuri had the feeling that tonight would be special.
Maybe it was just excitement.
Or maybe… not.
The hours flew by.
When she checked the clock, her eyes widened.
"No way… it's already that late?!"
She rushed around the room, grabbing the last few things in a hurry.
Carefully, she folded the lilac dress to avoid wrinkling it and placed it inside her bag. Then she set the witch hat on top to protect it.
After checking everything one last time, she took a deep breath.
Looking at herself in the mirror, she murmured:
"Tonight, no rules. Perfect little Sayuri can stay home with her books."
She turned off the lights one by one, grabbed her bag, and left.
A small smile appeared on her lips as she walked toward the night she had been waiting for.
When she arrived at Yume's house, Sayuri pressed the doorbell, trying to control her nerves.
A few seconds later, the door opened.
"Hi, Sayuri!" Yume's mother greeted warmly. "Come in, Yume's upstairs."
"Thank you."
The moment she stepped inside, Sayuri heard loud music coming from upstairs, followed by a noise that sounded like… something falling.
She climbed the stairs and opened the bedroom door.
Chaos.
Clothes all over the floor, makeup spread across the bed, tights hanging from the chair, a hairdryer running and in the center of that beautifully organized disaster…Yume.
Wearing an enormous thermal hair cap while staring into the mirror like an artist preparing her masterpiece.
Sayuri burst out laughing.
"Oh my God… what happened in here?!"
Yume turned so quickly she nearly knocked over a makeup palette.
"YOU'RE HERE!!"
She dramatically ran toward Sayuri, almost tripping over her own clothes.
"I'm freaking out! Tonight is going to be perfect!"
Still laughing, Sayuri looked around the room.
"It looks like a tornado hit this place."
"The tornado's name is Halloween."
The two of them started laughing together. Yume grabbed Sayuri's hand and pulled her toward the bed.
"Oh! And the boys will be here in an hour, so we need to hurry."
"Boys?" Sayuri asked.
Yume removed the cap from her head while messing up her hair.
"Kenji and Jun."
She smiled excitedly.
"They're meeting us here before the party."
Without realizing it, Sayuri instantly felt excited hearing his name. Jun would be there. She'd get to see him again.
Distracted while searching for eyeliner, Yume continued talking without noticing her friend's reaction.
"But forget about them for now. Tonight we're going to look amazing."
She dramatically pointed at Sayuri.
"So come on before I have an emotional breakdown trying to pick lipstick by myself."
They spent over an hour surrounded by makeup, clothes thrown across the bed, and endless gossip.
Yume made dramatic comments about absolutely everything while Sayuri failed miserably at trying not to laugh.
"Seriously, if I run into my ex at this party tonight, I'm pretending to faint."
"You never even had a real ex."
"Those are just details."
When they finally finished getting ready, the two stood in front of the mirror.
"Wow…" Yume murmured.
The lilac dress fit Sayuri perfectly, delicate and elegant at the same time. The witch hat gave her a sweet yet mysterious look, matching the soft makeup and subtle sparkle in her eyes.
She looked like she had stepped out of a fairytale. Yume, on the other hand, looked completely different.
Dressed as the Queen of Hearts, with red and black details, bold makeup, and a mischievous smile that suited her perfectly.
"We look gorgeous," Yume declared.
"Confident much?"
"A little."
Sayuri laughed softly.
There were still a few minutes before the boys arrived. Yume went back upstairs looking for some missing accessory while Sayuri headed to the kitchen to get water.
She was way too nervous, not because of the party but because Jun would be there in just a few minutes, and the mere thought of it made her stomach feel full of loud butterflies.
She grabbed a glass of water and took one sip, then another.
Then—
DING DONG.
The doorbell rang, and immediately, she stopped breathing. When Sayuri opened the door, she was surprised. Kenji looked unbelievably handsome.
His perfectly fitted black suit had silver details that shimmered under the porch light. His blond hair was partially hidden beneath an elegant top hat, while dark eyeliner and slightly smudged red lipstick gave him a dangerously attractive look.
He smiled the moment he saw her.
"Wow…" he murmured. "You look beautiful."
"You also look… different."
Kenji gave her an exaggerated bow.
"So the costume worked."
She laughed softly.
"What exactly are you supposed to be?"
"A vampire."
He stepped a little closer.
"A sexy vampire."
"Oh, of course… now it makes sense," she replied awkwardly.
At that moment, Yume appeared at the top of the stairs and immediately burst out laughing.
"Oh my God… a sexy vampire? Seriously?!"
Kenji placed a hand over his chest dramatically.
"You don't understand art."
"Oh, I do. And that right there is pure narcissism."
The two started playfully arguing while Sayuri discreetly glanced outside.
But… no Jun.
Yume stopped.
"Wait…" She looked around. "Where's Jun?"
Kenji answered sarcastically:
"He came dressed as the Invisible Man."
Yume laughed.
"Idiot."
"I'm kidding." He shoved his hands into his pockets. "He said he might not come. I think he had a date or something."
"Jun and his mysterious dates…" Yume muttered, shaking her head.
But Sayuri felt strangely disappointed.
A date? Maybe with that girl from the park…
She tried to ignore the uncomfortable feeling and act normal.
"W-well…" She adjusted her hat quickly. "We should go before the party gets too crowded."
And as they left the house, Sayuri hated admitting that part of her excitement had disappeared along with Jun's absence.
They got into the car and headed toward downtown.
The place looked magical, the streets glowed with orange lanterns, golden string lights, and beautifully creepy decorations. People in costumes wandered everywhere while old Halloween songs echoed from the bars nearby.
Balloons, artificial fog… everything looked straight out of a movie. Sayuri stared out the window with shining eyes.
"Wow… this year looks amazing," Yume said excitedly. "The city really went all out."
Kenji parked near the main entrance. The moment they stepped out of the car, Sayuri saw him.
Leaning casually near the entrance gate, as if he naturally belonged in that dark atmosphere.
Far too handsome to ignore, Jun wore a black suit with red details, a dark overcoat, and heavy boots. His messy hair fell slightly over his intense eyes, somehow making him look even more attractive.
Sayuri couldn't look away.
"You came!" Kenji shouted, waving.
Jun pulled one hand from his pocket and answered casually:
"Yeah… I didn't have anything better to do."
But before he could finish speaking, his eyes found Sayuri. His gaze slowly traveled over her lilac dress, then up toward her lips.
"Wow…" he murmured almost inaudibly.
Then he looked away like nothing had happened.
"You look cute, Yume," he said casually.
"Cute? That's it?" she complained dramatically.
Jun shrugged.
"Fine… terrifyingly annoying, then."
"Much better," Yume replied proudly.
The moment they entered the main hall, Jun headed straight for the bar, trying to get as far away as possible so he could breathe.
Meanwhile, the others picked a comfortable table near the dance floor, surrounded by orange lights that made everything look even prettier.
Sayuri tried to act normal. Tried not to look at him, failed miserably.
Within minutes, Jun was already surrounded by gorgeous girls in costumes, all leaning too close, laughing loudly, obviously fighting for his attention.
Sayuri tightened her fingers against her lap.
"Wow… he's really popular with girls," she commented without thinking.
Yume glanced toward the bar and rolled her eyes.
"Who? Jun? Please. People act like he hooks up with everyone."
Kenji laughed.
"And doesn't he?"
"No." Yume shrugged. "He just messes with people."
A brief pause followed before she continued:
"By the way… has he finally stopped suffering over that mysterious girl?"
Kenji looked toward Jun.
"Good point. He hasn't talked about her in a while. Maybe he gave up looking."
Sayuri quickly looked away, but it was impossible not to feel bothered watching those girls touch Jun so easily.
When one of them grabbed his arm and slowly traced her fingers over it, Jun lifted his eyes and looked directly at Sayuri.
He noticed every single time she looked away, pretending she wasn't staring and every tiny sign of jealousy affected him far more than it should have.
A slow smile appeared at the corner of his lips. Jun picked up his whiskey glass and walked toward their table.
Straight toward Sayuri. Ignoring every other empty seat, he sat beside her.
Too close.
The scent of vanilla and old books surrounded her instantly again. He was addictive. So mysterious he left her completely hypnotized.
Jun noticed the effect he had on her. Every time he smiled, Sayuri unconsciously held her breath.
And strangely… he liked that.
More than he should have. Sayuri tried to act normal, but she couldn't stop looking at him.
His long fingers around the glass. The reddish lights reflecting against his skin. The slow movement of his throat when he drank.
Every time he lifted the whiskey to his lips, she bit her own lip discreetly. She wanted to say something.
Anything.
She wanted to get closer. Wanted his attention.
Wanted to confess that she had been thinking about him before she even knew his name.
But just as she finally gathered the courage to speak, Yume grabbed her hand.
"Let's dance!"
"Now?"
"Yes, now!"
On the dance floor, the two girls looked like free birds. Lights crossed over their bodies while the music pulsed through the entire room.
From afar, Jun watched silently. Through his whiskey glass, his eyes followed her every movement.
The delicate way she laughed. The way her body spun with the rhythm… She looked too beautiful for that place. Too beautiful for his world.
Jun took another sip of his drink.
"She shouldn't be here…" he murmured to himself.
"Did you say something?" Kenji asked.
Jun quickly looked away.
"Nothing… this is boring."
Kenji laughed while standing up.
"Relax. You'll find something interesting to do soon."
He looked toward a girl across the dance floor and grinned.
"Because I already did."
"Wow… you're ridiculously easy," Jun muttered, sinking back into the seat while his eyes involuntarily returned to Sayuri once again.
After several songs and way too many drinks, Yume needed to use the bathroom, leaving Sayuri alone.
"I'll be right back. I need to pee. Don't disappear."
"Okay, go ahead."
At that moment, an older man who had clearly been watching the girls for a while slowly approached.
The way he smiled immediately made Sayuri uncomfortable.
"I've been watching you… you're very beautiful," he said, leaning closer.
Sayuri stepped back, trying to avoid him, but before she could say anything, an arm wrapped firmly around her waist and pulled her back.
"What do you think you're doing?" Jun asked, his voice low and firm.
The man quickly raised his hands.
"Nothing… I thought she was alone."
"She's not. So you should leave."
The man walked away without arguing further.
Jun kept holding Sayuri for a few more seconds. Her body was still tense from the scare.
"He's gone now…" she whispered.
Jun realized he was still touching her waist.
He let go immediately, as if the contact had awakened something dangerous inside him.
"Right…" he muttered, looking away.
And without another word, he walked off the dance floor.
A few seconds later, Yume returned from the bathroom.
"Hey, I think I stepped on something disgusting."
"Ew! You took forever."
"The bathroom was packed. Wait… was that Jun? What did he want?"
Sayuri quickly adjusted her hair.
"I think he was looking for Kenji."
Suddenly, Yume's eyes widened.
"OH MY GOD!!!"
"What?!" Sayuri asked, startled.
Yume discreetly pointed toward the bar.
"That looks like a freaking octopus. Oh my God, look where his hand is!"
Sayuri looked over and found Kenji sitting far too comfortably beside a redheaded girl.
She glanced at Yume, and both of them burst into laughter.
"Oh my God, I need to sit down…" Yume gasped between laughs.
But a few minutes later, her laughter began fading. Her movements slowed.
"I think I drank too much, girl…" she mumbled.
Sayuri handed her a glass of water.
"Drink this."
Yume slowly took a few sips.
"Should we go home? I think you need rest."
"Probably, Say… I might've overdone it a little, haha."
"You're still laughing? Come on, let's get you a taxi."
Outside the event, Sayuri helped Yume into the car.
"Text me when you get home," Sayuri said while closing the door.
"You're not coming? Are you sure you'll be okay here alone?"
"I'm fine. I'll catch the next one," Sayuri reassured her.
The taxi drove away. Now alone, Sayuri decided to walk toward the train station but halfway across the street, she suddenly touched her head.
"My hat…"
She hurried back toward the hall and, while passing through the entrance corridor, bumped into Jun. He was talking to a stunning girl dressed in a revealing Catwoman costume.
Embarrassed, Sayuri tried to act casual.
"Hey. Where's Yume?"
"Yume already left… she wasn't feeling well," Sayuri replied, trying to keep her voice steady. "So… have a good night."
Jun quickly glanced down the empty hallway behind her. She was alone and that bothered him immediately.
He exhaled and rubbed the back of his neck irritably.
"Wait. I'll walk with you."
He stepped closer, but Sayuri looked away.
"You don't have to, seriously…" she replied, her jealousy painfully obvious. "Don't leave your company alone."
Her eyes involuntarily shifted toward Catwoman.
Jun followed her gaze for a moment before looking back at her.
"She can take care of herself."
Without giving her the chance to argue, he started walking beside her.
The two returned to the table in silence. Sayuri noticed he still hadn't finished his drink.
"I'll wait for you to finish," she said, sitting down.
Jun simply sat beside her, slowly swirling the whiskey in his glass as if organizing his thoughts.
"So…" he finally began. "We haven't really talked much, have we?"
Sayuri nodded, slightly tense. Jun lifted his eyes and finally looked directly at her.
"I watched you today… while you were dancing."
Her heart raced instantly.
"You're different from the girls who come here."
"Different how?" she asked curiously.
Jun slowly leaned closer.
"In a good way," he teased.
Then he took another sip without looking away from her. Sayuri could barely breathe under that gaze. Without asking permission, Jun gently took her hand.
"Maybe it's the alcohol talking…" He inhaled deeply. "But I want to dance with you."
At that point, Sayuri couldn't hear anything except her own heartbeat. Unable to resist, she let him lead her onto the dance floor.
Colored lights flashed around them while the music vibrated through the room. Jun placed a hand on her waist, slowly pulling her closer.
She could feel the warmth of his body.
His breathing.
His scent.
Everything about him felt overwhelming.
As if he were trying to understand her, his eyes slowly traveled across her face, absorbing every detail: her delicate skin, her soft pink lips, the shy way she avoided eye contact for too long.
It intrigued him. Attracted him far more than it should have. Jun didn't understand why he was acting like this.
These feelings were new.
Slowly, he leaned even closer. Sayuri held her breath. For one brief moment, Jun almost told her the truth.
Almost admitted she was the girl who had occupied his thoughts since that day.
But just as the distance between them was about to disappear—
"HEY!"
Kenji suddenly appeared out of nowhere, throwing an arm over both of their shoulders.
"You guys hiding things from me now?" he laughed.
Sayuri immediately stepped away, completely flustered, while Jun closed his eyes for a second in irritation.
"You always show up at the worst moment," he muttered.
"What moment?" Kenji asked drunkenly.
Sayuri inhaled deeply, trying to steady her breathing.
"I think… I should go. It's getting late."
Without waiting for an answer, she quickly walked back to the table to grab her hat.
Her hands were trembling. She needed to get out of there.
Needed air.
But before she could reach the exit, Jun grabbed her arm. The touch was firm, but careful.
"I'll take you home."
Sayuri turned her face away.
"You don't have to… stay with Kenji. I'll be fine."
She tried to pull away, but Jun didn't let go. There was something different in his eyes. Something intense.
"I said I'm taking you home. Don't be stubborn."
She thought about refusing again, but without fully understanding why… She gave in.
"Okay."
Jun nodded and, once they stepped outside the hall, stopped near the sidewalk.
"Wait here."
Then he disappeared around the corner.
Sayuri stayed there, clutching her hat against her chest while the cold wind brushed against her face.
A few minutes later, the sound of an engine cut through the silence.
Jun appeared on a black motorcycle, stopping directly in front of her.
Without saying much, he grabbed a helmet and handed it to her.
"Get on."
She stared at the motorcycle for a few seconds, feeling fear and adrenaline rush through her body at the same time.
Taking a deep breath, she put on the helmet and climbed onto the back.
"Hold on tight," Jun said while starting the engine.
"Hold on… where?" she asked nervously.
Jun let out a quiet laugh, then gently took her hands and guided them around his waist.
"Here… trust me."
The motorcycle sped through the glowing city streets, the wind hitting her face while the lights became colorful blurs around them.
With every turn, Sayuri leaned closer against him and, without noticing, wrapped her arms around him tighter.
He made her feel alive.
When they arrived, Jun stepped off first and helped her remove the helmet.
"Thank you… for the ride."
Jun didn't answer immediately. He simply looked at her.
Sayuri adjusted her hair and turned toward the door. Something inside her begged her to look back. But she didn't.
Until—
"Sayuri!"
His voice came out intense, almost like a command. She stopped instantly. Before she could say anything, Jun closed the distance between them.
Without hesitation—
Without permission—
He kissed her.
It was intense.
Impulsive.
Almost desperate.
As if he had spent the entire night fighting against the feeling and had finally given in to desire.
Sayuri froze, too shocked to react.
The world seemed to stop.
And in that moment, she knew nothing would ever be the same again.
Because the problem was no longer discovering who he was.
The problem now was that she had no idea how she was ever supposed to stop loving him.