Clouds smother the moon. The sky hangs low, heavy with rain not yet fallen. Shun steps outside, setting a lantern on the railing. Its glow trembles, caught between wind and shadow. A small flame, defiant.
Across the street, Kiko notices instantly. Her ears flick upright, tail curling in delight. She leans out, eyes catching the flicker.
“𝓟𝓻𝓮𝓽𝓽𝔂 𝓵𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽, 𝓷𝔂𝓪~,” she calls, voice playful, almost musical.
She vanishes inside. Shun waits, unsure. Then she returns — holding a paper lantern, painted with paw prints and tiny stars. It glows faintly, warm and mischievous.
She lifts it high, balancing on the railing with feline poise. Her tail sways for balance, whisker‑strands quivering in the wind. The ledge beneath her feet is narrow, slick. Shun’s breath catches.
“ᗪoᑎ’t ᖴᗩᒪᒪ!” he warns, voice tight.
She grins — wide, fearless. Her slippers squish softly against the metal. She takes a step. Then another. The lantern sways in her hand, casting paw‑shaped shadows on the wall behind her.
Rain begins to fall — light, scattered. Her ears twitch with each drop, tail flicking to shake off the wet. She pauses mid‑step, eyes locked on Shun, then hops down with a dancer’s grace, landing in a crouch, lantern held aloft like a trophy.
He exhales. She laughs.
Their laughter crosses the street, weaving through the rain like thread. Two small flames answering each other. Two silhouettes in the dark, stitched together by daring and delight.
Kiko twirls once, her tail trailing behind like a ribbon. She holds the lantern close to her chest, its glow reflecting in her eyes. Shun lifts his own, mimicking her motion. The light between them pulses — not bright, but alive.
She steps closer to the edge of her balcony, peering down at the alley below. Her whiskers twitch, testing the wind. Then she looks up again, eyes soft.
“𝓘 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓻𝓪𝓲𝓷,” she murmurs, voice low, almost shy.
He nods. So does he.
The lanterns flicker. The clouds shift. And for a moment, the city feels less like concrete and more like a stage — built for two hearts daring to shine in the dark.
ns216.73.216.10da2
and then Add to home screen.