Oh my goodness, she's here.
Is this some kind of surprise? Or why is she even here?
No, no, stop smiling. Don't smile. It makes it look like you're losing and she's winning.
But I couldn't help it. The moment I saw Selene walking toward me, that same soft, adorable smile on her face, my heart just gave up pretending. It was the smile I tried to picture every night before falling asleep. And now it was right in front of me, walking toward me like a dream that refused to fade.
My heart thumped once, twice, then all rhythm disappeared.
"Wow, and that's the best smile I've ever seen in my years of living," Rei said teasingly, noticing how stupidly wide I was smiling.
"Kurosuki!" I blurted out. I didn't even think. One second I was sitting, the next I was running straight to her.
My feet moved on their own. My breath hitched, my heartbeat too loud to hide.
Without hesitation, I threw myself into her arms.
I swear, I didn't plan to move that fast. Maybe I was going for a hug. Or maybe a kiss. But somehow, she turned her head just slightly, dodging my lips and wrapping her arms around me instead.
Was that on purpose?
The thought barely formed before I melted into her hug. Her scent, fresh frost mixed with something faintly floral, wrapped around me, and her warmth soaked into my skin. My hands gripped the fabric of her coat tightly, and for a brief, reckless moment, I didn't care about anything else.
"Kisaragi, my love, I missed you."
That was the first thing she said. Her voice was soft, almost like a whisper against my ear, but it carried weight, like she had been holding those words for far too long.
I couldn't breathe. Her words brushed against my ear and I shivered.
For a moment, I didn't say anything. I just stood there, holding her tighter, afraid that if I let go, she would disappear like a dream.
But then the word dream echoed in my head.
Wait, this isn't a dream. This is reality. What are you doing?
Panic rushed through me like a cold wave. I quickly stepped back, my hands still half-raised as if my body hadn't caught up yet.
"Whoa!" I shouted, waving my hands dramatically. "Stay away from me, you Ice Queen!"
My voice cracked embarrassingly and I coughed to cover it up.
I pointed at her like some kind of hero in denial, pretending to look calm. The market was still busy, steam rising from food stalls, chatter mixing with sizzling oil. My two new BFF, Rei and Akari, sat nearby, both blushing and clearly enjoying this spectacle like it was a live romantic drama.
"Oh, stay away from you?" Selene raised an eyebrow, amusement flickering in her icy-blue eyes. "You were the one who came running to me like a lover welcoming someone back from war."
"What? No way! You were the one who came to me! Why would I be running to you? I'm not the one in love, you are!" I shot back quickly, my hands flailing a bit too much to look convincing.
"Really, Kisaragi?" She leaned forward slightly, her hair catching the faint sunlight, eyes glinting with mischief. "I thought we agreed to be honest about our feelings."
Her tone was calm, but every word made my pulse skip.
"I didn't run to you, you did!" I said stubbornly, puffing my cheeks like a kid refusing to admit defeat.
Selene smiled. It wasn't her usual cold or composed one. It was softer, knowing.
"Okay then, let's ask Lady Hoshino and Lady Akarawa, shall we?"
"Wait, what? No, no, no, don't ask them!" I said, chasing after her as she walked straight to their table. My heart pounded. My pride was about to die.
Rei and Akari were feeding each other soba, laughing softly, when Selene stopped in front of them. I stood behind her, flailing my arms and mouthing don't say anything like my life depended on it.
"Queen Selene! You're here, welcome!" Rei said as both girls stood up to greet her, confused by my frantic hand gestures.
"I want you two to answer truthfully," Selene said, folding her arms. Her voice carried quiet authority, calm but impossible to ignore. They nodded instantly.
"Who ran to whom first, me or Kisaragi?"
I nearly choked on my own breath. "No, no, no!" I whispered behind her, shaking my head, pointing at her like a desperate mime. Say Selene, say Selene, say Selene!
Rei blinked, looked at me, then at Selene, and smiled wickedly. "Obviously it was her. She ran to you first, with a big smile on her face."
Akari nodded without hesitation, her expression almost apologetic but amused.
Selene turned around slowly. Her eyes gleamed, her lips curling into a victorious smile that could melt glaciers.
I froze. My face burned.
"I don't want these new friends anymore," I muttered under my breath, feeling utterly betrayed as they giggled behind me.
"Fine," I said, crossing my arms with exaggerated annoyance. "Maybe I did run to you. But you used your power to drag me into your arms, didn't you?"
Selene tilted her head slightly, amusement flickering in her gaze. Her long silver hair swayed as a breeze passed between us. Then she reached out and gently patted my head, her fingers brushing my bangs aside.
The touch was light but enough to make me stop breathing for a second.
"Okay then, Kisaragi, you win," she said softly. Her tone dropped, almost too gentle. "You're the only person I'd ever want to lose to."
My chest tightened.
Why did her voice sound like that? Why did those words sting but in a good way? They pressed right against my ribs, warm and heavy. My heart refused to behave, thudding faster with every second.
My face felt hot, my breathing uneven. "Wh… what's that supposed to mean…" I mumbled, too flustered to look her in the eyes.
"Wow, romantic words," Rei said, interrupting my moment like an unwelcome commentator. "Tsk tsk. Never knew the Ice Queen could be like this."
Selene gave her a small smile, that faint curve of her lips that somehow made her look both royal and tender. "I'm only like this to those special to my heart."
My breath caught again. She said it so casually, as if she didn't just destroy every bit of emotional defense I had left.
Her gaze drifted downward, and I followed it.
The soba plates on the table were still there, half-eaten, still steaming faintly in the cool air. The chopsticks rested awkwardly on the edges, a few noodles clinging to them.
Selene's eyes moved from the food to Rei and Akari, then to the vendor nearby wiping his counter, and finally landed on me.
Something about that look made me gulp.
"Kisaragi," she said slowly, her eyes narrowing just a little, "are you cheating on me?"
"What?" I blinked, startled. "Cheating? How?"
"I've only been gone for a few days," she said, tone calm but with that teasing lilt that made my stomach flip. "And you're already sharing soba with others? At the same place where we had our first soba together?"
Her words hit like thunder. I looked around the food stall, the red paper lanterns swaying gently, the wooden counter stained with soy, the same scent of roasted broth and oil.
It was the same place.
My mouth went dry.
"Wait, I swear I didn't know!" I said, waving my hands nervously, nearly knocking over a stool. "It's just a coincidence!"
Selene leaned closer, her face only inches from mine, breath cool against my cheek. Her eyes sparkled mischievously.
"A coincidence, hmm?"
Her voice was soft, dangerously soft. The kind that teased and tested at the same time. I could see my reflection in her eyes, nervous, red-faced, guilty for something I didn't even do.
My pulse quickened, my breathing uneven.
And for some reason, even though I knew she was teasing me, I couldn't look away.