The sun was warm that afternoon, and a faint breeze carried the smell of broth and fresh noodles through the open window. Rin sat across from Selene, her chin resting on her hands, watching closely as the Ice Queen herself slowly ate her soba noodles.
Usually, Selene finished her food quickly, like she did everything else. But today was different. Her movements were slow, unhurried, her chopsticks gliding through the bowl with elegance. Every lift, every bite, every soft sound of slurping made Rin's stomach twist in a way that had nothing to do with hunger.
Her eyes followed the motion of Selene's lips. Soft, calm, almost shining under the light. The way they moved when she ate made Rin's thoughts scatter. She swallowed hard.
Don't stare, Rin. Don't stare.
But she couldn't stop herself. Her heart thudded louder with every second. The more she looked, the more she wanted to reach across the table, to pull Selene closer and feel those lips against hers.
Without even glancing up, Selene spoke. Her voice was calm and gentle, but her words carried a quiet sting.
"Why are you staring at me like that, Kisaragi? Am I so ugly that you can't look away?"
Rin froze, her heart leaping into her throat. She nearly dropped her chopsticks.
"I… I wasn't staring! And you're not ugly, so stop saying that!" she blurted out, cheeks already burning red.
Selene's lips curved slightly, though she didn't raise her eyes.
"You gave me that name, remember? Or did you forget that too?"
Rin puffed her cheeks, stabbing at her noodles in frustration. "You're still on that?" she muttered quietly.
But even while pretending to eat, her mind was running wild again.
She imagined leaning forward, closing the gap between them, catching Selene off guard. Just one quick kiss, like in those love stories she always laughed at.
Her lips twitched into a tiny smile at the thought.
Selene kept eating, expression unreadable, as calm as always. Rin's heartbeat refused to settle.
"Umm… Selene?" Rin said, her voice small.
"Yes, Kisaragi?" Selene answered softly, finally glancing up.
Rin panicked. "You, uh… you have something on your cheek," she said quickly, pointing nervously near Selene's lips instead.
Selene tilted her head slightly. "Where?"
"There. On your lips. I mean… your cheek!" Rin corrected fast, her words tumbling over each other.
Selene wiped her face lightly, but Rin leaned forward, her chair creaking against the floor.
"Let me wipe it of. It's still there," she whispered, her fingers already reaching out.
Selene didn't pull away. Her stillness only made Rin's heart pound harder.
Her fingertips brushed Selene's face, soft skin cool to the touch.
Her hand hovered dangerously close to Selene's lips now.
Bingo, Rin thought. This is it. My chance.
Her breath caught. She leaned closer, eyes fluttering halfway shut. Just a little more…
A sudden slurp shattered the moment.
Selene drew another bite of noodles into her mouth, completely unfazed, looking at Rin with a calm face.
"Is it gone?" she asked, voice clear and steady.
"Eh?" Rin blinked, dazed.
"Whatever was on my face. Is it gone?"
"Ah… yes! Gone! Totally gone! I got it!" Rin said quickly, laughing awkwardly. She jumped back into her seat, hiding behind her bowl as her whole face burned.
Her first attempt had failed completely.
Okay then. Attempt two.
Rin grinned to herself. This time, she'd make sure it worked. She'd seen this in plenty of manga before. Drop the chopsticks, bend down together, and oops—instant kiss. Foolproof plan.
She cleared her throat softly. "Cough, cough." Her grin widened as she picked up her chopsticks and, pretending to slip, dropped them on the floor, conveniently toward Selene's side.
"Oopsie" she said in a sing-song tone. "Aww, my chopsticks fell. Selene, could you please help me pick them up?"
Selene didn't respond right away. She continued eating, quiet and composed. Rin's heart skipped in excitement. This is it. She'll lean down any second and then—
Her fantasy shattered again when the chopsticks slowly floated up into the air by themselves, hovering perfectly between them.
"There. You can take it," Selene said, her tone calm as ever.
Rin blinked, completely frozen. The chopsticks gently drifted into her hands.
"Oh right… her telekinesis," Rin mumbled, facepalming in her mind.
"Th-thank you," she said quickly, trying to sound normal. Her cheeks were burning again.
Attempt two: failed.
Frustration bubbled inside her. Sparks of electricity flickered from her fingertips, and before she could stop it, the chopsticks burst into tiny flames.
Rin gasped dramatically. "Oh no! I lost control of my powers! This power is just so uncontrollable!" she exclaimed, waving her hands. "Maybe I should stop recharging myself from now on."
Selene finally looked up, raising an eyebrow. "Recharge yourself? What do you mean by that?"
Rin tried to look serious, even though her plan was falling apart. "My powers don't last long. When they fade, I have to get zapped to get them back. Oh, and guess what? I recently found out I can turn invisible too! Like you! And ice. Pretty cool, right?"
Selene's expression softened, but she seemed lost in thought, like Rin's words had stirred something she couldn't quite place.
"But anyway," Rin said quickly, glancing at her burnt chopsticks, "my chopsticks are gone. Totally gone. How am I supposed to eat now?"
She looked around the food stand, hoping to spot the vendor, but the stall was empty. Then a small smile crept onto her lips.
"I guess I'd ask for a new one, but the vendor isn't here…"
Selene sighed quietly and pushed her own pair toward her. "Here. Use mine."
"Oh no, no, no. What about you, Selene? You should eat too," Rin said, trying to sound selfless but secretly flustered.
Selene gave her a faint, amused smile. "Don't worry. You can eat. When the vendor comes back, I'll ask for another."
Rin frowned dramatically. "What kind of fiancee would I be if I let you starve, huh? No, I'll wait."
Selene blinked at her, slightly puzzled, but before she could respond, Rin leaned forward with a playful smirk. "Or maybe… we eat at the same time."
Selene tilted her head. "At the same time? How?"
Rin picked up a single strand of soba and lifted it with a sparkle in her eyes. "Simple. You eat from one end, and I'll eat from the other. That way, we share it."
Selene looked at the noodle, then at Rin, amusement tugging at her lips. "If we do that, we'll never finish eating."
"Then we'll just keep going until the vendor returns," Rin said brightly, grinning wide.
Selene chuckled, shaking her head. "Alright then, Kisaragi. Let's see how this works."
They both leaned in, each taking an end of the same noodle. Rin could feel her heartbeat echoing in her chest, faster and faster, as the distance between them grew smaller.
This time for sure. No way this fails, Rin thought. Nobody can stop us from kissing now, Selene.
Their lips inched closer, her breath caught in her throat, the warmth of Selene's presence filling the air.
Snap.
Selene bit the noodle in half.
Rin froze mid-bite, staring at her as her entire plan crumbled once again.
"I knew it. It was too slow," Selene said simply, chewing calmly as if nothing had happened. "Let's wait for the vendor to return. Then we can eat properly."
But Rin didn't answer. She sat still, her chopsticks resting limply in her hand, her gaze fixed on Selene.
Why is this happening?
Selene used to kiss her every chance she got. Earlier, when Rin ran to her, she'd avoided her lips. Rin thought it was an accident, but now… Selene had the chance again and chose not to.
Rin's chest tightened. The air suddenly felt heavy.
Did Selene get tired of kissing me, or has she found another fiancee to kiss?