"Hey, my Selene, if you kiss me, I'll give you my heart," Rin said softly, her voice half playful, half dreamy.
Selene carried her on her back, walking steadily along the quiet path with Rei and Akari following close behind. The night was cool, the air brushing against their skin like a whisper. Lantern lights flickered along the road, painting the cobblestones in golden ripples. The faint hum of distant music floated from the market where the celebration still went on.
Selene glanced over her shoulder, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Really? Is that your way of saying you'll love me if I kiss you?"
Rin nodded with sleepy conviction. "Yes. And if I give you my heart, just know I'll never take it back. It's all yours, my Selene. You can keep it forever and ever." Her voice softened as her gaze drifted upward. She reached out one small hand, her fingers tracing the sky. "Look, the stars… they're following us."
Behind them, Rei grunted as she adjusted Akari's weight on her back. "You know, I still don't get it. You said you sprained your ankle, but I think you just wanted me to carry you like the Queen Selene is carrying Rin."
Akari giggled, flicking one of her ears. "Oh, come on. Don't act like you're not enjoying this too. Besides, I told you, you're spending the night with me, remember?"
Rei sighed dramatically but smiled anyway. "You really are trouble, you know that? And I love it!"
Their laughter echoed softly through the night, warm and easy. Fireflies danced between the trees, glowing faintly like tiny souls drifting in rhythm with the music.
Selene's footsteps slowed for a moment. "Won't your folks be worried? You're both out late, and heading straight to the Hoshino residence of all places."
Rei scratched the back of her head with a grin. "Oh, my dad's definitely going to punish me for this. Probably make me train till sunrise or night watching for a whole year or even worse send me to my aunt's place. But honestly, it's worth it. I get to be with Akari. I don't care what happens after."
She chuckled softly and looked up. "Besides, my papa always finds a way to bail me out. He'll make up some excuse like he always does."
Akari smiled faintly, her voice a whisper against his shoulder. "You're lucky to have him."
Rei's grin dimmed a little. "Yeah… I know, he is my papa."
After a long pause, she glanced toward Selene. "Queen Selene, can I ask you something?"
"Go on," she replied without looking back.
Rei hesitated. "Why did you cancel our wedding all of a sudden? You looked like you were looking forward to it."
Selene didn't slow her pace. Her eyes stayed fixed ahead, her tone calm but distant. "Because I lost interest," she said simply. "And I found someone far more important. Someone who was meant for me."
She shifted Rin a little higher on her back, her voice softening. "Thanks to that person, both you and Akari are still alive today."
Rei stopped for a heartbeat, caught off guard by the weight in her words. "Okay… I guess I should thank that person then." She tried to grin, forcing the usual charm into her voice. "But still, no one loses interest in me. I'm Rei Akarawa, the most lovable person alive."
Selene didn't respond, her silence making the moment stretch.
"Akari," Rei said with mock sadness, "you won't ever lose interest in me, right?"
Akari giggled and hugged her tighter, resting her chin on her shoulder. "Never. You're mine, remember? I fell for you, and I'll always be in love with you. No one else is allowed to lose interest in you. Especially not me."
Rei's smile returned at that, softer this time. "Good. Then I'll keep carrying you forever."
Selene caught a glimpse of them over her shoulder, and for a fleeting moment, her lips curved faintly upward. The sight of the two walking so close reminded her of simpler times—times when love didn't come with danger or duty.
Rin shifted again on her back, her breath warm against Selene's neck. "My Selene," she murmured, her voice hazy with sleep, "the stars are beautiful tonight. Just like you."
Her words lingered in the air like the scent of blooming lilies. Selene blinked slowly, unsure how to react.
Rin raised her hand again, pointing to the sky as though counting the stars. "One, two, three…" Her voice trailed into a hum, then into a tiny song.
"Twinkle, twinkle, little star," she sang softly, her tone innocent and pure. "How I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky…"
Her voice lowered to a whisper. "Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are."
Selene's expression softened. "What are you singing, Kisaragi?" she asked quietly, her voice gentler than usual.
Rin giggled against her shoulder. "It's a song, from my world, when ever we look at the stars, we wondered what made it so bright..."
Selene tilted her head slightly, her gaze drawn toward the glowing moon. The light reflected faintly in her silver eyes. Almost without realizing, she murmured the next line under her breath. "Up above the world so high…"
Rei chuckled quietly. "She's really having fun tonight."
Akari smiled, brushing her hair back. "Yeah. I just hope she remembers this tomorrow morning. I can't wait to tease her about it."
Their laughter drifted into the night, blending with the rustling trees.
A cool breeze swept through the path, stirring the leaves and making the lantern flames flicker. Selene took a slow breath, the faint scent of rain mixing with the sweetness of flowers.
Rin's breathing grew slower, her voice a faint whisper near Selene's ear. "Selene… do you think stars ever get lonely?"
Selene blinked. "Lonely?"
"Yeah," Rin mumbled, half-asleep. "They shine all alone in the sky… forever. No one can touch them."
Selene was quiet for a moment, her footsteps steady. "Maybe," she said softly. "But even stars have someone who watches them from below. They're never truly alone."
Rin smiled faintly at that, her hand resting gently over Selene's chest. "Then you must be a star too… because I can't stop looking at you."
Selene's heartbeat stuttered for a moment. She looked ahead quickly, pretending she hadn't heard, but a faint blush crept to her cheeks.
Rei caught it instantly and nudged Akari. "Hey, did you see that? The Ice Queen just blushed!"
Akari gasped in mock shock. "No way. Are you sure? Maybe it's the lantern light."
Selene didn't turn around. "Keep talking and I'll freeze both of you where you stand."
That shut them up for a while.
The group reached the edge of the path, where fireflies floated above the stream like drifting stars. The gentle trickle of water echoed beneath the wooden bridge. Rin reached out her hand lazily toward one of the glowing lights.
"Pretty…" she whispered. Her fingers brushed through the air, missing the firefly as it fluttered away.
Selene adjusted her grip again, her voice quiet but steady. "Don't fall asleep yet. We're almost home."
Rin made a soft sound, somewhere between a hum and a sigh. "Mhm… you smell nice."
Akari laughed quietly behind them. "She's really out of it."
Rei grinned. "Yeah, but I get it. If Selene carried me like that, I'd probably fall asleep too."
Selene ignored them both. Her eyes lifted to the night sky again, the stars glimmering faintly above the clouds. "I wonder where Ice is," she murmured, almost to herself.
The night air carried her words away.
Rin's song faded into silence, her breathing soft and steady against Selene's shoulder. The lanterns ahead flickered gently, lighting the road home.
And for a fleeting moment, the four of them walked together in quiet peace—laughter still echoing faintly behind them, hearts calm under the same vast sky.