The park was quiet that night.

No crowds, no voices, just the whisper of wind weaving through the trees and the soft glow of streetlights in the distance. The kind of quiet that made every sound—every heartbeat—feel louder.

Kunigami had shown up early. He’d been pacing for ten minutes, hands shoved in his pockets, sneakers scuffing at the grass. He’d never planned something like this before, and it showed. The blanket he’d brought was slightly crooked, the little picnic basket half-open, and he kept checking his phone like maybe he’d done something wrong already.

When he heard her footsteps, he straightened instantly.

“Hey,” he said, voice just a bit too fast.

She smiled softly. “Hey. You okay?”

“Yeah,” he replied, too quickly. Then, realizing it sounded suspicious, added, “I mean—yeah, I’m fine. Just—uh, glad you came.”

She tried not to laugh at how awkwardly he was standing, like someone who’d never been on a date before.

“What’s all this?” she asked, glancing at the blanket, the thermos, and—was that a small bag of marshmallows?

Kunigami cleared his throat, scratching the back of his neck. “I, uh… saw something online about people watching stars together, and I thought it sounded kinda nice. For us.”