The journey with Kael Arisugawa was filled with comfortable joy. Lionel's absence was a quiet reminder of their friendship, but Seraphine was happy, and her happiness made her feel secure, even though she was still prone to being slightly careless.
They arrived at Hoshihama, a small, secluded town celebrating its annual Festival of Starlight. The town square was a beautiful chaos of glowing paper lanterns and tempting food stalls.
Clumsiness and Comfort...
As they walked, admiring the huge, glowing paper dragon floating overhead, Seraphine missed a step near a cart piled with fragile glass lanterns.
THUD.
She stumbled, bumping the cart hard. The glass tinkled dangerously.
Kael didn't hesitate. He reacted instantly, wrapping his arms tightly around Seraphine's waist and pulling her back against the solid warmth of his chest. The move stabilized both her and the cart, preventing a disastrous crash.
"Oh, Kael! I'm so sorry!" Seraphine whispered, her cheeks hot with a "stupid-act adorable" mix of embarrassment and relief.
Kael just held her close for a moment, his handsome face resting lightly against her hair. "You're lucky I'm here, Princess," he murmured, his voice low and warm, full of the deep affection that felt instantly like home. "Don't ever stop distracting me."
The Festival of Starlight: The Unexpected Kiss
As darkness fully settled, they found a quiet spot on a small, empty bridge. Thousands of glowing paper stars were released into the night, creating a mesmerizing, golden river flowing toward the sky.
Kael turned to face her, his features soft and devoted in the starlight.
He gently reached out and touched her face, his thumb tracing the outline of her unique star-like pupils. "When we were little, I knew you were the brightest star in the entire palace," he whispered, his voice sincere, echoing the pure love since childhood he held for her.
He leaned in, his gaze locked with hers. Seraphine's heart hammered. She expected a romantic confession, perhaps a hand-hold, but not this.
He closed the distance, his lips meeting hers in a soft, sweet, unexpected kiss.
Seraphine was utterly stunned. Her eyes widened, her entire body went rigid, and a sudden, intense blush rushed up her neck and across her soft face. It was the deepest, most confusing blush she had ever felt.
Kael pulled back slowly, his eyes sparkling with amusement and love.
"Did you really not see that coming, Princess?" he teased, his signature flirty smile back. He gently brushed his knuckles against her warm cheek.
The Sweet Promise
Seraphine stammered, covering her bright red face with her hands. "I... I didn't! We... we didn't say anything yet!"
Kael chuckled, taking her hands and pulling them gently away from her face.
"That was just a teaser, Seraphine. A practice kiss," he whispered, his voice warm with confidence. "The official kiss—the one that counts—will happen on our wedding day. The day we finally get to go home together for good."
He pulled her into a tight, comforting hug, letting her bury her blushing face against his shoulder. "Until then, this is just a sweet, beautiful memory of the night you chose me. I love you, Seraphine. And I promise, the official day will come soon."
Seraphine smiled into his shoulder, her kind-hearted fear of the future gone, replaced by the happy anticipation of their shared official kiss.