Mist drifted through the shrine grounds, slow and unbothered, as though the night itself had decided to linger.
Moonlight washed over stone steps and old prayer plaques, pale and gentle. Lanterns swayed faintly, their flames steady, untouched by wind. At the heart of it all stood the sacred tree—ancient, watchful, its shadow stretching like folded wings.
And beneath it—
The fox-maiden.
She swept the shrine in calm, measured strokes. White hair shimmered softly, fox ears alert, tail swaying in an idle, graceful rhythm. Foxfire glowed faintly near her feet, appearing and vanishing like quiet thoughts.
She did not speak.
She did not rush.
She belonged.
Behind a cedar tree near the outer path, a boy crouched like a criminal caught mid-escape.
Shinren pressed his back to the bark, peeking out just enough to see her again. He told himself he was only resting. That his legs were tired. That he'd leave any second now.
He did not leave.
"…Wow," he muttered under his breath. "So shrines really do have fox spirits."
His nose tickled.
No. Not now.
"Ah—!"
The sneeze rang out far louder than it had any right to.
The broom stopped.
Fox ears twitched.
Slowly—very slowly—the fox-maiden turned.
Her eyes locked onto the tree.
"…Come out," she said.
Her voice was soft.
That was somehow terrifying.
Shinren froze for half a heartbeat… then stepped out, hands raised like a surrendering thief.
"I can explain," he said quickly. "Well—actually, no, I probably can't. But if it helps, the sneeze was entirely unplanned."
She stared at him.
Unblinking.
Foxfire flickered brighter.
"A human," she said. "At this hour."
"I get that a lot," Shinren replied, then winced. "I mean—no, I don't. This is my first time trespassing at a sacred shrine. Very memorable experience."
Her brow twitched.
Was that… amusement?
"I was just passing through," he added, pointing vaguely behind him. "Got lost. Mountains all look the same at night, right?"
A lie.
A very obvious one.
She stepped closer. The air cooled. Her tail swayed once… twice.
"…You're bad at lying," she said.
Shinren grinned sheepishly. "I prefer 'honest with enthusiasm.'"
For a moment, she simply watched him.
Then—unexpectedly—the corner of her lips curved upward.
Just a little.
"Humans," she murmured, turning away. "Always loud, even when they try to be quiet."
She resumed sweeping.
"You may stay until dawn," she said. "Do not touch anything sacred. Do not wander."
She paused.
"And if you sneeze again," she added calmly, "I'll throw you off the mountain."
Shinren laughed before he could stop himself. "Fair. Completely fair."
He settled near the shrine steps, still smiling, heart lighter than it should've been.
Behind him, unseen—
The fox-maiden's ears warmed.
Just slightly.
The foxfire flickered, bright and playful, before dimming again.
Above them, the moon watched—silent, knowing.
And somewhere between mist and moonlight, the story began…
not with fate shouting—
but with a sneeze, a smirk, and a blush quickly hidden.