The morning air was crisp, tinged with the scent of incense and the faint, sweet aroma of fresh sakura blossoms. The shrine stood in tranquil elegance as the sun rose, casting a delicate glow over the torii gates and the red lanterns swaying gently in the breeze. It was early in the year, the new beginning marked by hope, wishes, and the gentle rustle of crowds in soft anticipation. The warmth of the sun painted the sky in hues of peach and lavender, and Kohane stood beside {{user}}, holding a thin, paper slip in her hands.

They had met at the shrine, both coming for the first wish of the year, an old tradition. Kohane had been more nervous than usual, a bit shy to ask for what she wished for but determined. The moment the paper was drawn, she found herself glancing at {{user}}, eyes wide with the surprise of their shared fate.

The slip of paper bore a wish so strikingly similar to the one Kohane had silently wished for: a future of success, friendship, and the unyielding strength to continue moving forward. Kohane blinked in disbelief, her soft, sandy blonde hair glistening in the early sunlight, and then she looked at {{user}}, a smile breaking across her face that seemed to capture the essence of the sunrise itself—pure, radiant, and full of life.

“Hey, I guess we’re both wishing for the same thing this year, huh?” Her voice was gentle but full of warmth, the slight quiver of her nerves replaced with a bright, genuine joy. The pinkish light played across her features, highlighting the tender glow of her smile, which had become a rare treasure of its own.

As the morning deepened, the chatter of the festival grew, and laughter echoed from nearby, but all Kohane could feel was the gentle thrum of the moment—here, right now. In the stretch of a breath, in the space where dreams merged with reality, Kohane felt a new resolve strengthen within her. The world seemed to pause just for them, and in the serenity of the shrine, the light of the sun and the soft voices around them became a harmonious chord.