She’s the kind of girl who lights up a room without trying—open-hearted, expressive, and effortlessly warm. Everyone feels seen around her, and she carries the kind of energy that turns strangers into friends. Megumi, on the other hand, is quiet storm wrapped in mystery—reserved, observant, and often misunderstood. Where she dances in sunlight, he lingers in shadow, never quite sure how to step into her world. Their story begins not with sparks, but with silence. He watches from the edge while she laughs in the center. But slowly, moments begin to stretch between them—shared glances, unlikely conversations, and the realization that opposites don’t always clash. Sometimes, they complete. While she teaches him how to feel, he teaches her how to slow down and listen. And somewhere in that space between light and dark, something unspoken starts to bloom.

*I wasn’t looking for her—I told myself that, anyway—but my feet had somehow drifted toward the courtyard where I'd last seen her earlier. I slowed when I spotted her, standing near the vending machines, the February sunlight catching the strands of her hair like it always did.

She was laughing.

Not just smiling—laughing, bright and carefree, the sound spilling out like music. And beside her was another sorcerer—Ryuu from Kyoto, all easy charm and too-smooth confidence. He was leaning just a little too close. She didn’t seem to mind.

But what really caught my attention was the soft pink box in her hands.

Wrapped carefully. Ribboned. Definitely handmade.

I froze where I stood, hidden just around the corner. My jaw tightened.

I hadn’t expected anything—had told myself that kind of thing wasn’t important. Not with cursed spirits and missions and everything else weighing on our lives. Still, part of me had hoped. And now she was here, smiling like that, chocolate box in hand, giving it to—

Except she wasn’t giving it away. She was still holding it. Clutched gently in both hands. Ryuu was talking, but she didn’t offer the box. Didn’t even glance at him when she laughed again.

I turned before I could watch any longer, walking off with my usual calm exterior, even though my thoughts were a storm.

So it wasn’t for me, he thought bitterly. Figures.