"Did you just say anything?" she asked.
I replied softly, "No, nothing. Just wondering how an angel descended to earth."
Her face turned deep red. She picked up a small stone and threw it at my stomach.
"You dummy! I don't look that good!"
I grabbed my stomach and fell backward. It hurt, but I laughed anyway.
Tsukiakari laughed too.
We laughed until our sides ached, until the sound faded into the quiet of the field. It felt unreal, like a dream I had never allowed myself to have. My heart raced so fast I wondered if she could hear it.
The sun was still warm on our skin. The air smelled faintly of rain. Somewhere nearby, the river kept flowing, steady and calm. It was the middle of summer, yet it felt like spring had returned after a long winter.
Time moved without us noticing.
Dawn faded. The sky darkened. The moon climbed higher.
We were still sitting among the white dandelions when she suddenly stood and reached for my hand.
"C'mon," she said. "Let's go."
I hesitated. "But where? It's already night. We should head home. Your parents might be worried."
She frowned slightly. "Don't be such a mood spoiler. I'll handle them. Now come on—follow me."
She started walking toward the center of the field, still holding my hand. I followed, my steps slower than hers.
For a while, we didn't talk. We just walked. The grass brushed against our legs. My fingers loosened but my hand tightened around hers without me noticing. The night deepened quietly around us.
Then,
As we reached the middle, fireflies began to rise.
At first, only a few. Then more. Soon they filled the air, drifting slowly, like stars that had fallen to earth.
A full moon hung above us, bathing the field in pale light. Its cold warmth radiated on my skin like an old memory.
And between all of it—
There she was.
Her yellow hair glowed softly in the dark. Her eyes sparkled, no longer alien. Her laughter turned the night into something gentle instead of frightening.
My heart pounded so hard I thought I might collapse.
"See?" she said. "There's so much to live for. So much you haven't seen. If you had died… you might never have seen this. At least—not with me."
Her smile stole my soul.
A wind passed through the field, carrying my worries away until there was nothing left but her and me.
"Thanks for not letting me die," I whispered.
A smile broke across my face. Tears spilled down my cheeks. Her hand rested against my chest, light as a feather against stone.
"You're welcome," she said softly. She wiped my tears with her handkerchief. "Let's go. It's getting late."
We crossed the river using the rope and followed the same path back. My arms ached slightly from the swing. My shoes were damp from the grass. Everything felt oddly real again, as if the dream were slowly letting me go.
On the bridge, she stopped.
"Oh! I almost forgot," she said brightly. "The fireworks are next week. Let's watch them together from the field."
A small smile crept onto my face. "Yeah," I said. "Why not. I'm all in."
The streets were quiet as we walked. Most of the lights were already out. Somewhere, a dog barked once and fell silent again.
It was late, maybe midnight.
When we reached her house, I turned to leave.
"Stop, Shin."
I looked back.
She was standing closer than I expected, only a few centimeters away. My chest felt light, yet my heart weighed more than stone.
She placed her hand against my chest.
So soft.
She leaned forward and kissed the side of my face. Her lips were warm. Then she whispered against my ear, "Thank you for today. Let's meet tomorrow too."
Before I could respond, she ran inside.
I stood there, unable to move.
My body refused to respond, but my heart felt like it might tear free. I stayed there for a long time before I finally turned and walked home, her words echoing again and again in my head.
At home, I didn't drink water. I didn't change my clothes. I collapsed onto my bed, shoes still on, sweat cooling against my skin.
I couldn't sleep.
No, I didn't want to.
Her voice. Today's Everything replayed endlessly. I could still feel her touch. Her breath.
Somewhere in the long night, my consciousness faded.
The alarm rang.
I woke with her warmth still clinging to me.
Then I noticed it.
The red-eyed, hunched yokai that always watched from the corner
Was gone.
Relief washed over me.
I stood
And froze.
It lay beneath my feet.
My heart stopped.
I couldn't move. I couldn't scream. My body locked, every muscle refusing to obey. I fell back onto the bed as the figure stood and stared at me—its eyes empty, mate and lifeless.
Cold flooded my spine. Sweat soaked through my clothes.
"Move," I whispered. "Move—damn it. I'm going to be late for school."
My legs finally obeyed.
I stumbled out of the room, collapsed against the wooden floor, and pressed my forehead to the boards. My heart pounded violently until I thought of her, Yesterday. Slowly, the shaking stopped.
Warmth returned.
My legs stopped shaking.
I followed my daily ritual to school.
I sat at my isolated desk, waiting for Tsukiakari. Even without speaking, I felt as if her presence alone could fill my silent, monochrome world with color and sound.
Even that would have been enough for me.
Mrs. Kouya entered and began teaching.
But Tsukiakari didn't come.
I told myself she overslept.
No,
I wished that was it.
I fell asleep during class. When I woke, it was only the third period. The board looked blurrier than usual, and the day stretched endlessly ahead of me.
When school finally ended, I ran
to Gekko Bridge,
to the woods,
to her.
She wasn't there.
I waited until evening. I swung on the rope. I walked through the white dandelion field.
No one came.
The sky had felt cloudy since dawn.
I thought she might be sick. I went to her house
But I couldn't enter.
This wasn't Tsukiakari's house.
It was her parents'.
I turned back.
That night, I lay on my bed.
And somewhere in the silence,
I fell asleep.