Hikari leaned against the rough brick wall of a convenience store, one leg bent, sandal pressed flat against the surface behind her. The afternoon sun painted everything in that particular golden haze that made Tokyo feel almost dreamlike. Almost. She scrolled through her phone with practiced disinterest, thumb flicking upward in a rhythm she'd perfected over countless commutes.

  LIME Music's interface glowed against her face. New releases. Finally.

  In the neon-veiled sprawl of Tokyo's digital underbelly, LIME Music pulses like a siren's heartbeat, born in 2018 from the iron grip of LIME Corporation's empire. With 380 million souls hooked into its veins, 95 million paying tribute through premium whispers. It devours Asia's sonic soul, weaving J-pop anthems and K-idol fever dreams into a web of shared ecstasy via seamless Messenger shares, AI-forged playlists that read your midnight longings, and LIME Live's electric arenas where fans hurl virtual roses at gods like Ai Hoshimiya. Bound in a velvet pact with Hoshimiya Entertainment, it turns passive listeners into fervent cultists, Supporter Clubs their sacred vaults of exclusive serenades and parasocial spells, profiting ￥620 billion yearly on the thrill of connection, where every tap echoes the motto: Feel the Rhythm. Share the Moment. Live the Music.

  Her finger hovered over the album art. Moonlight Reverence. The name alone sent a little thrill through her chest, the kind she'd never admit to feeling. Nine months. Nine entire months of radio silence, cryptic social media posts, and increasingly unhinged fan theories. She'd called it, though. Knew they'd drop something today. Had to be today.

  The album title stared back at her in elegant silver script: Angels of Delusion. Six tracks. Maybe seven if you counted the hidden one everyone was speculating about on the forums.

  "Finally," she muttered, letting her head tip back against the brick. "About damn time. They're really the only good band left anyway."

  The words came out flat, almost bored, but her thumb was already queuing up the first track. She'd listen to it on the walk home. Alone. The way she preferred it.

  Footsteps approached from her left. Quick, purposeful. The kind of gait that belonged to someone who never walked anywhere when they could run instead.

  "Yo, Ari!"

  The voice cut through her concentration like a knife through silk. Hikari's eyes flicked up from her screen, and there she was. Ito Rina, jogging toward her with that loose-limbed energy that made everything look effortless. Her brown hair was pulled back in its usual ponytail, but the bangs were a disaster, plastered to her forehead with sweat and sticking out at odd angles. Track practice, then. Had to be.

  Rina stood at 5'3", all wiry muscle and sharp angles, her hazel eyes bright with that particular brand of mischief that meant she'd either done something impressive or gotten kicked out of practice again. Probably both. Her uniform was rumpled, shirt half-untucked, one sock higher than the other. Classic Rina.

  Hikari pocketed her phone with a smooth motion, straightening up from the wall. "Rina. Didn't expect to see you here." She tilted her head, studying the mess of her friend's appearance. "Thought you'd be at practice for at least another hour."

  Rina stopped in front of her, already unscrewing the cap of her water bottle. She took a long drink, throat working, then lowered it with a satisfied gasp. "Yeah, well." She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "They sent me home early."

  "They sent you home?" Hikari's eyebrow arched. "What'd you do this time?"

  "Nothing!" Rina's protest came out too quick, too defensive. She crossed her arms, water bottle dangling from one hand. "Apparently I was, and I quote, 'demoralizing the other runners.' Like it's MY fault they can't keep up with me."

  The corner of Hikari's mouth twitched. Just barely. But it was there. After two weeks of living in a world where speed meant something entirely different, where her own velocity could crack pavement and shatter windows, hearing Rina brag about outpacing high schoolers hit different. It reminded her of Sutaro. That same cocky energy. That same unshakeable confidence in their own abilities.

  "Right," Hikari said, letting the smile show now. "Because it's definitely their fault they can't match the all-mighty Rina."

  "YES!" Rina jabbed a finger at her, eyes lighting up. "See? You get it, Hikari. This is why we're friends." She took another sip of water, then glanced around, brow crinkling. "Wait. Where's Penny? Isn't she usually glued to your hip by now?"

  Hikari blinked. Huh. She hadn't even noticed.

  Without thinking, she let her eyes drift closed. Just for a second. Just long enough to reach out with that other sense, the one that had become as natural as breathing over the past two weeks. Her psychic awareness unfurled like invisible threads, stretching outward, searching.

  There.

  Two blocks away. Moving fast. The presence was unmistakable. Bright, energetic, practically vibrating with excitement. Penny was running, and whatever had her moving that quickly was making her feel like she'd just won the lottery.

  Hikari opened her eyes. "She's on her way."

  Rina stared at her. "How do you know that? You didn't even check your phone."

  "I..." Hikari's brain scrambled for something plausible. "Lucky guess?"

  "Lucky guess." Rina's tone was flat, skeptical. She leaned in slightly, eyes narrowing. "Ari, you've been weird lately. Like, weirder than usual. You know that, right?"

  Before Hikari could formulate a response that wouldn't sound completely insane, a voice cut through the air like a foghorn.

  "RINA! ARI!"

  Both of them turned in unison. Down the street, weaving between pedestrians with the grace of someone who'd never heard of personal space, came Penny. Penelope Jado in all her chaotic glory, arms loaded with shopping bags that swung wildly with each step. Her curls bounced with every stride, and even from this distance, Hikari could see the grin splitting her face.

  "Woah." Rina straightened up, water bottle forgotten. "What's got her in such a rush?"

  Penny skidded to a stop in front of them, nearly dropping one of the bags in the process. She bent forward, hands on her knees, chest heaving. Her breath came in sharp gasps, each one punctuated by a little wheeze.

  Rina let out a snicker. Couldn't help herself.

  Hikari's elbow found Rina's ribs with surgical precision.

  "Ow!" Rina rubbed her side, shooting Hikari a wounded look. "What was that for?"

  "Don't be a jerk," Hikari muttered.

  Penny held up one finger. Wait. She sucked in another breath, then another. Finally, she straightened up, though her face was still flushed. "Don't," she gasped, "tell me," another breath, "you guys," one more, "forgot."

  Hikari and Rina exchanged a glance. Then, in perfect unison: "Forgot what?"

  Penny's eyes went wide. Disbelieving. She stared at them like they'd just admitted to forgetting their own names. Then, with the dramatic flair of someone revealing a murder mystery's twist, she thrust one of the bags into the air.

  "Valentine's Day!"

  Silence.

  Rina's expression went blank. "Ohhhh." She drew the word out, realization dawning slowly. "Right. That's... that's a thing that exists."

  "That's a thing that exists," Penny repeated, voice dripping with mock horror. She pressed a hand to her chest like she'd been personally wounded. "Rina. Babe. It's literally one of the biggest holidays of the year."

  "Is it though?" Rina tilted her head. "I mean, really?"

  "YES!" Penny was already digging into one of the bags, pulling out two heart-shaped boxes wrapped in shimmering red foil. She held them up like trophies. "Which is why I, being the amazing friend that I am, got you girls these!"

  Hikari stared at the boxes. "Chocolate?"

  "Not just chocolate." Penny's grin widened. She waggled the boxes back and forth. "Premium chocolate. The good stuff. Because I know for a fact that both of you are tragically, devastatingly single." She paused, eyes sliding to Hikari with a glint that spelled trouble. "Well. Except maybe you, Hikari."

  Heat flooded Hikari's face so fast she felt dizzy. "What's that supposed to mean?!" She snatched one of the boxes from Penny's hand, holding it against her chest like a shield.

  "Come onnn." Penny drew the word out into three syllables, each one more teasing than the last. "You know exactly what I mean."

  "No." Hikari's voice came out higher than intended. "No, I really don't."

  "Oh?" Penny leaned in, eyes sparkling with mischief. "So what happened to that Lila girl, huh? Don't tell me you didn't ask her to be your valentine."

  The heat in Hikari's face intensified. She felt her aura flicker, just for a second, a brief surge of cyan energy that made the air around her shimmer. She clamped down on it immediately, forcing it back down with the kind of control that came from two weeks of life-or-death situations.

  Lila.

  God.

  She hadn't even thought about Valentine's Day. Hadn't considered it. The holiday had always been this distant, irrelevant thing, something for other people. She'd never dated any of the boys at school, never felt that pull. And the girls... well. None of them had ever made her feel the way Lila did. None of them had ever made her heart do that stupid fluttering thing, or made her brain short-circuit with just a smile.

  But now she had an actual crush. A real, honest-to-god crush. And it was Valentine's Day.

  And she'd done absolutely nothing about it.

  "Um." Hikari's voice came out small. "Not yet."

  "Oof." Penny clutched her chest again, this time with genuine sympathy. "You poor, poor soul." She turned to Rina, holding out the second box. "Here. Take your chocolate before I start feeling too bad for her."

  Rina eyed the box like it might explode. "I don't do chocolates."

  "Girl." Penny's tone shifted, going from teasing to serious in a heartbeat. "Take. The. Chocolates." She shook the box slightly. "I even got your favorite."

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  Rina's resistance wavered. "Peanut butter chocolate?"

  "You know it." Penny's grin returned, smug and victorious.

  Rina huffed, but her hand reached out anyway. She took the box with the air of someone accepting a burden they didn't ask for but would carry anyway. "Your efforts are appreciated."

  "Noted." Penny tucked the empty bag under her arm, already pulling out her phone to check the time. "Anyway, I gotta bounce. Some guy asked me to be his valentine, and he's taking me to this fancy steak place downtown." She waggled her eyebrows. "So I'll catch you bitches later!"

  And just like that, she was off. Sprinting down the street with the same chaotic energy she'd arrived with, curls bouncing, bags swinging. Within seconds, she'd disappeared around a corner.

  Silence settled over the street again. Hikari and Rina stood there, chocolate boxes in hand, watching the spot where Penny had vanished.

  "So." Rina broke the quiet first, voice carefully casual. "Where you headed?"

  Hikari turned the box over in her hands, studying the foil wrapping. "Home. Need to listen to the new Moonlight Reverence album."

  "Mmm." Rina nodded, already stepping toward the crosswalk. "And I've got soccer practice in like twenty minutes. Coach'll kill me if I'm late again." She paused at the edge of the sidewalk, glancing back over her shoulder. "See you later, Ari."

  "Yeah." Hikari lifted her hand in a small wave. "Later."

  Rina jogged across the street, ponytail swinging, and disappeared into the flow of pedestrians on the other side.

  Hikari stood there for a moment longer, alone again. The chocolate box felt heavier than it should in her hands. She looked down at it, at the ridiculous heart shape and the shimmering foil, and felt something twist in her chest.

  Valentine's Day.

  Lila.

  She really needed to figure out what she was going to do about that.

  Hikari walked down the street of Tokyo, the box of chocolates cradled in one hand while the other stayed buried deep in her pocket. The city hummed around her with its usual energy: salarymen rushing past, couples laughing, the distant chime of a convenience store door. But her mind was elsewhere, circling the same impossible question that had plagued her for weeks.

  What do you get someone like Lila for Valentine's Day?

  The supernatural world made everything complicated. Missions, danger, the constant threat of death. It was hard enough maintaining friendships when your life revolved around hunting things that wanted to kill you. Romance? That felt like a luxury she had no right to even consider.

  And yet.

  Her thoughts drifted to Lila's smile. The way her eyes sparkled when she teased. The warmth of her hand when they fought side by side. The sound of her laugh that somehow made even the darkest moments bearable.

  Hikari's face burned just thinking about it.

  She was so lost in thought that she didn't sense the approach until arms wrapped around her waist from behind.

  Every instinct screamed danger.

  Her body moved before conscious thought could catch up. Muscles tensed, weight shifted, hands rising to execute a throw that would send whoever this was straight into the pavement. Years of martial arts training compressed into a single explosive moment.

  Then her psychic senses finally registered who it was.

  The familiar warmth. The playful energy. The aura that felt like sunshine given form.

  "Surprise!" Lila's voice bubbled with delight as she peeked over Hikari's shoulder, that same radiant smile that never failed to make Hikari's stomach fill with butterflies.

  Hikari's heart hammered against her ribs. Not from the scare. From proximity. From the feeling of Lila's arms around her waist, the press of her body against Hikari's back, the warmth seeping through layers of clothing.

  "Lila." Her voice came out rougher than intended. "I didn't know you spent time around here."

  Lila released her waist and circled around to face her properly, pink curls bouncing with the movement. Her azure eyes sparkled with mischief and something else. Something that made Hikari's breath catch.

  "I don't," Lila admitted, tilting her head in that way that was entirely too cute. "But I felt your supernatural pressure around here, so..." She stepped closer, close enough that Hikari could smell cherry blossoms and something uniquely Lila. "I kinda wanted to see you. Especially today."

  The way she said it. That soft, almost shy tone. The slight emphasis on 'especially.'

  Hikari's face burned hotter. Her stomach didn't just have butterflies anymore. It had an entire swarm. Her mind short-circuited trying to process what that meant, what Lila was implying, whether she was reading too much into it or not enough.

  Before she could formulate any kind of response, Lila's gaze dropped to the box in Hikari's hands.

  Her expression shifted.

  The playfulness dimmed. Something sharper flickered in those azure eyes. Something that looked almost like...

  "Is that a box of chocolates?" Lila's voice carried an edge Hikari had never heard before. Tight. Controlled. Almost possessive.

  Hikari blinked. "Uh, yeah?"

  "You have a boyfriend or something?" Lila took a step closer. Then another. Until they were nearly chest to chest, and Hikari had to tilt her head back slightly to maintain eye contact.

  The air between them felt charged. Electric.

  Hikari's brain scrambled for words. "No, my frie..." She stopped. Looked at Lila. Really looked at her. At the tension in her shoulders. The way her hands clenched at her sides. The vulnerability hiding behind that sharp tone.

  Something clicked.

  Lila was jealous.

  The realization sent a thrill through Hikari's entire body.

  "Actually," Hikari said, voice dropping lower, more intimate. She held out the box, offering it like a confession. "I got these for you."

  Lila's eyes went wide. Her lips parted in surprise. A blush bloomed across her cheeks, pink spreading from her face down her neck, and Hikari had never seen anything more beautiful in her entire life.

  Lila's telepathy brushed against Hikari's mind. Just a whisper. Just enough to know the truth: that Hikari had gotten these from her friends, not bought them specifically for Lila.

  But that wasn't what mattered.

  What mattered was that Hikari would lie about it. Would claim them as her own gift. Would give them to Lila without hesitation.

  "Oh." Lila's voice came out soft. Breathless. She reached out with trembling fingers and took the box, cradling it against her chest like something precious. "Thank you, Hikari. I really... appreciate it."

  The way she held those chocolates. The way she looked at Hikari. Like she was the only person in the world that mattered.

  Hikari's heart threatened to burst out of her chest.

  "Did you have any plans for today?" Lila asked, and there was something almost shy in the question. Unusual for her. Vulnerable.

  "Uh..." Hikari's brain was still trying to reboot from the emotional overload. "Not really. I was actually just gonna walk around and listen to the new album from Moonlight Reverence."

  Lila gasped. Actually gasped. Her entire face lit up like someone had flipped a switch. "You like them!? They're like my favorite idol band!"

  "Really?" Hikari felt a grin spreading across her face, warmth blooming in her chest at this shared connection. "Because I love them too."

  "They're so good!" Lila bounced on her toes, energy radiating off her in waves. "And don't even get me started on that long hiatus they took."

  "Is nine months really that long?" Hikari asked, humor coloring her tone.

  "It's longer than long!" Lila threw her hands up dramatically. "I could've killed 55 C-grade supernatural entities in that time!" She sighed, then her expression softened. Turned almost tender. "Anyways, I want somewhere to sit where we can eat these chocolates together."

  Together.

  Eat.

  Together.

  The words hit Hikari like a psychic blast. Her entire face turned crimson. Her mind conjured images that had no business being there. Sharing food. Sitting close. Lila's lips. The intimacy of it all.

  Lila's telepathy brushed against her again, sensing the spike in Hikari's emotions, and her smile turned knowing. Pleased.

  "I actually think there's a café around here." Lila reached out and grabbed Hikari's hand, fingers intertwining with hers, and started pulling her down the street.

  Hikari let herself be led, too overwhelmed to do anything else. Lila's hand was warm. Soft. Perfect. Their fingers fit together like they were made for this.

  They walked for about ten minutes, weaving through crowds, and Hikari was hyperaware of every point of contact. The swing of their joined hands. The occasional brush of Lila's shoulder against hers. The way Lila would glance back and smile, checking to make sure Hikari was still there.

  As if she could be anywhere else.

  The café was small. Cozy. The kind of place with warm lighting and the smell of fresh pastries. Lila ordered a strawberry shortcake with two spoons, and the significance of that wasn't lost on Hikari.

  Two spoons.

  For sharing.

  They found a table near the window. Lila took the seat right next to Hikari instead of across from her. Close enough that their shoulders touched. Close enough that Hikari could feel the warmth radiating from Lila's body.

  Hikari glanced at Lila from the corner of her eye, trying to be subtle about it. Trying not to stare. But it was impossible not to notice everything. The way Lila's pink curls caught the light. The curve of her neck. The way her shirt had shifted slightly, revealing a glimpse of the pink, girly sports bra underneath.

  Hikari's gaze lingered for half a second too long before she tore her eyes away, face burning.

  Control yourself, Hikari, she screamed at herself internally. Get it together.

  Lila placed the box of chocolates on the table between them and opened it carefully, almost reverently.

  Then she froze.

  Hikari leaned in to see what had caught her attention, and her own eyes widened.

  The chocolates were shaped like stars and foxes. The stars were cyan, shimmering with an almost ethereal quality. The foxes were pink mixed with orange, detailed and beautiful.

  "Oh my god, Hikari." Lila's voice was soft. Awed. "Did you get these based on our apostle status?"

  The affection in her tone made Hikari's heart skip a beat. But before she could respond, Lila noticed something else. A small note attached to the inside of the box lid.

  Lila plucked it free and read aloud: "For my dearest friend Hikari, I expected you wouldn't have anything to get your crush today and I took the liberty to get these. I knew you'd share them with her. These shapes and colors just felt right. XOXO Penny."

  Hikari felt her face burn even hotter. Penny. Of course Penny would do something like this. Of course she'd know. Of course she'd help.

  She was reminded why Penny was such a good friend.

  Hikari reached out and gently took the note from Lila's fingers, folding it carefully and tucking it into her pocket. A keepsake. A reminder of this moment.

  Lila picked up one of the fox-shaped chocolates, examining it for a moment before taking a bite. Her eyes fluttered closed, and a soft sound of pleasure escaped her lips.

  "Mmmm. These are good." She opened her eyes and looked at Hikari, holding out the half-eaten chocolate. "Try it."

  Hikari stared at the chocolate. At the place where Lila's lips had been. At the indent of her teeth.

  This was an indirect kiss.

  Her heart thundered in her chest. Her hands trembled slightly. She let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding and leaned forward, taking the chocolate from Lila's fingers with her mouth.

  Their fingers brushed. Lila's breath hitched.

  The chocolate melted on Hikari's tongue. Sweet. Rich. But all she could think about was that Lila had bitten this first. That their lips had touched the same piece of chocolate. That this was as close to a kiss as they'd ever gotten.

  She chewed slowly. Swallowed. Tried to remember how to breathe.

  Lila was watching her. Staring at her through her lashes, azure eyes dark with something Hikari couldn't quite name but felt in her bones.

  "Good?" Lila's voice was barely above a whisper.

  All Hikari could do was nod.

  "Glad." The word came out soft. Intimate. Like a secret shared between them.

  The strawberry shortcake arrived, and Lila immediately scooted even closer, until their thighs pressed together under the table. She picked up one of the spoons and cut into the cake, gathering a perfect bite of cream and strawberry and sponge.

  Then she held it out to Hikari.

  "Say ahh," Lila teased, but there was something tender underneath the playfulness.

  Hikari's face burned. Her entire body felt like it was on fire. But she opened her mouth, and Lila fed her the bite, watching with rapt attention as Hikari's lips closed around the spoon.

  It was delicious. Sweet and light and perfect.

  But Hikari barely tasted it. All she could focus on was Lila. The way she smiled. The way her eyes sparkled. The way she looked at Hikari like she was the most important person in the world.

  They took turns feeding each other. Sharing bites. Sharing space. Sharing breath.

  Lila's hand found Hikari's under the table, fingers intertwining again, and neither of them let go.

  The café buzzed with other customers, but it felt like they existed in their own bubble. Their own world. Just the two of them and this moment and the unspoken feelings hanging in the air between them.

  Lila leaned her head against Hikari's shoulder, and Hikari's breath caught. She could feel Lila's warmth. Could smell cherry blossoms and something sweet. Could feel the steady rhythm of Lila's breathing.

  "This is nice," Lila murmured. "Being here with you."

  "Yeah." Hikari's voice came out rough. Emotional. "It is."

  They sat like that for a while. Close. Connected. Neither wanting to break the spell.

  Eventually, they finished the cake and the chocolates. Eventually, they had to leave. But as they stepped out into the Tokyo streets, hands still intertwined, Hikari felt something shift.

  This wasn't just friendship anymore.

  This was something more. Something precious. Something worth protecting.

  Lila squeezed her hand, and Hikari squeezed back.

  As they walked through the city together, surrounded by the chaos of Valentine's Day, Hikari couldn't help but wish this moment would never end.

  She didn't know what the future held. Didn't know if Lila felt the same way she did. Didn't know if they'd ever have the courage to put words to these feelings.

  But for now, this was enough.

  Walking hand in hand with the girl who made her heart race. The girl who made her believe that maybe, just maybe, she deserved something good in this world of darkness and violence.

  The girl she was falling hopelessly, irrevocably in love with.

  HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

  Created by Figures

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