"Okay, we really need to do something about people coming in and out of your window," Selene said, crossing her arms in mock annoyance. Her voice carried that familiar blend of authority and concern that only she could pull off.
Rie and Akari had just climbed through Rin's window as they passed through on their way to Akari's room. Their low laughter faded down the hall, leaving the faint creak of the window hinges behind. Selene's patience was clearly wearing thin.
Rin, however, didn't seem to care. She stood in the middle of her room, spinning in loose circles, her hair fanning around her like a halo. "Whoo, whoo, whoo! I feel so alive!" she shouted, laughing so hard that her voice cracked slightly.
Selene leaned against the wall, watching her. A small smile touched her lips. Is this how she truly is when she lets go? she wondered. There was something raw in Rin's laughter, something untamed and honest, like a melody that had been buried deep and finally found its way out.
"You are full of surprises, Kisaragi," Selene said quietly, her eyes softening.
Rin came to an unsteady stop, nearly tripping before catching herself. Her cheeks were flushed pink from all the spinning. She took a deep breath, then suddenly ran straight to Selene and wrapped her arms around her waist, pressing her face against her stomach like a child seeking warmth.
"Do you want to try some recipes for a perfect date?" Rin asked, peering up at her with a playful glint in her eyes.
Selene blinked in surprise. "Recipes for a perfect date?" she repeated, then laughed softly. "We're not on a date, Kisaragi. You should go to sleep so you can get back to yourself by tomorrow."
Rin's lips pushed into a pout. "I don't feel like sleeping. I don't want tomorrow to come."
Selene tilted her head slightly, her expression soft but puzzled. "Why not?" she asked, her tone calm yet laced with quiet concern.
Rin's grip around her arm tightened. "Because tomorrow means I go back to being that boring version of me. The quiet one. The lonely one." She paused, her voice trembling. "I want to stay like this forever—free, alive, not scared of anything. I don't want to be that girl who cries all the time anymore."
The words hung between them like a fragile thread.
Selene slowly sat on the edge of the bed, the mattress dipping under her weight. The mood shifted as the room fell into a soft silence.
"Why don't you want to be normal?" Selene asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Isn't that the real you?"
Rin hugged her knees to her chest, her playful spark fading into something distant. "No," she said softly. "This is the real me. The one who doesn't hear those voices or see those faces."
Selene frowned slightly, unsure what she meant. "Voices?" she asked. "What do you mean by that?"
Rin looked up at the ceiling, her eyes reflecting the faint moonlight. "Those voices that come when it's quiet. They say things I don't want to remember. They make me cry even when I try not to. They blame for everything I'd lost."
Her voice wavered. "I just want to be who I was before that accident… before everything broke."
The air grew heavier. Selene could feel the ache behind Rin's words, the kind that didn't need to be explained.
"And if tomorrow comes," Rin murmured, her fingers curling into the sheets, "I'll lose this version of me. The voices will come back and take her away."
The curtains fluttered again, letting in a breath of cool air. The moonlight traced Rin's face, pale and beautiful in the silence. Selene reached out without thinking and brushed her thumb across Rin's cheek, feeling the faint warmth of her skin.
"No matter how much we try," Selene said softly, "tomorrow will always come."
Rin's eyes glistened, but Selene smiled, faint and patient. "But if you want the night to feel longer," she continued, "then let's make it last. Just you and me."
Something flickered in Rin's eyes, like hope catching light for the first time.
"What do you want to do tonight, my Kisaragi?" Selene asked, her tone light but full of warmth.
Rin lifted her head slowly. Her gaze met Selene's, and for a moment, neither of them looked away. Her lips parted slightly, her voice trembling when she spoke. "I want to be like this with you, Selene. This version of me can fall in love with you in a second." She breathed in deeply, her voice shaking but steady. "This version can silence all the voices until all I hear is you."
Selene's breath caught. There was no hesitation in Rin's tone, no mask to hide behind. Every word sounded like truth.
"I want to love you," Rin continued softly, "even if you're called a villainess. Because only you make my heart beat like this. I wish I could stay this person forever. My Selene."
The room felt smaller suddenly, like the world had pulled them closer just to hear her words.
Selene didn't speak right away. She simply leaned forward and wrapped Rin in her arms. Rin melted into her embrace, her heartbeat steady against Selene's chest. The air around them was still, broken only by the sound of their breathing—slow, calm, and fragile.
Rin's voice came out like a whisper, trembling with vulnerability. "But after our seventh date… if I tell you that I'm in love with you, will you stay by my side forever? Will you never leave me like my parents did?"
Selene froze. Her eyes widened slightly, and her arms loosened. Those words struck deeper than Rin could ever know. For a moment, Selene forgot how to breathe. She opened her mouth, but no sound came.
She finally stepped back, her expression soft but distant. Her gaze drifted toward the window. "Tomorrow is almost here, Kisaragi," she said quietly, forcing her voice to stay calm. "What are the things you want to do tonight?"
She smiled again, but Rin noticed something was off. That smile didn't reach her eyes. It was gentle, but it carried a quiet sadness—like Selene was hiding something she didn't want to say.
Rin tilted her head, confused. Why is she avoiding my question?
Before she could ask, Selene smiled again—soft, teasing, warm. And just like that, the heaviness started to fade.
Rin sighed and pretended to think, her finger tapping against her chin. "What do I want to do, huh?" she said, eyes brightening again. The mood around them shifted, lighter now.
Then she leaned closer, a playful grin spreading across her face. "I want to do dirty intentions with you, my Selene."
Selene blinked, startled, then let out a soft laugh she couldn't hold back. Rin joined in, her laughter filling the room again—pure and unrestrained.
For a brief moment, the night didn't feel so heavy anymore. The air felt alive again, soft with warmth and something unspoken. Outside, the wind whispered through the trees, carrying their laughter into the stillness.
And though both of them knew that tomorrow would come, for now, the world stayed quiet and theirs alone.