The festival's noise hums faintly in the background—a soft murmur of chattering students and distant laughter, blurred beneath the lazy drift of summer night air. Above us, the golden glow of paper lanterns sways gently, casting flickering shadows across the worn cobblestone path. The light pools around our feet like scattered drops of sunlight as Rin leads me down a quieter street at the edge of the festival grounds.
My hand rests in his—lightly, almost hesitantly. His grip is steady but unassuming, his warmth grounding me in a way that feels far too easy. Like the quiet hum of cicadas in the distance or the crisp coolness of night air brushing against my skin.
I should let go.
But I don't.
"...So," Rin says softly, his gaze drifting toward the darkened sky, where faint stars peek through the hazy summer night. "It's been a while."
"Yeah."
My voice feels too small beneath the weight of his presence. Like a single breath lost beneath the endless stretch of night.
