The alley behind Sakura Elementary smelled like wet concrete and rust.
Or maybe that was the blood in Hiro's mouth.
He couldn't tell anymore.
"Please—I didn't do anything—" The voice was small, breaking, desperate.
Hiro blinked through the haze of pain and saw him: a cat Beast Folk boy, maybe six years old, backed against the chain-link fence. Brown and white fur covered his trembling arms. His ears were pinned so flat against his skull they'd almost disappeared into his dark hair. His tail—usually fluffy, Hiro had seen it before in class—was tucked so tightly between his legs it had vanished entirely beneath his oversized uniform.
Three human boys loomed over him. Fourth-graders. Bigger. Meaner. The kind who'd learned cruelty early and worn it like a badge of honor.
"Freaks don't belong in our school," the leader said, cracking his knuckles with theatrical precision. "Your kind should stay in the districts where you belong."
The cat boy's golden eyes were wide with terror. His small hands clutched his school bag like a shield that could never protect him from what was coming.
Hiro's legs moved before his brain caught up.
"Leave him alone."
His voice came out smaller than he'd hoped—high-pitched, seven years old, barely above a whisper. But it was enough. The three boys turned.
The leader's smile was sharp. Predatory. "Well, well. Hiro Mizuki. What are you gonna do about it, runt?"
Hiro's hands were shaking. His heart slammed against his ribs so hard he thought it might break through. He was small for his age—always had been, always would be—and these boys had at least two years and twenty pounds on him each.
But he'd seen what they did to Beast Folk kids. The "accidents" in gym class. The textbooks thrown in mud. The lunch trays knocked to the floor. The casual, daily humiliation that no teacher ever seemed to notice.
He couldn't stop all of it.
But he could stop this.
"I said—" Hiro stepped between the cat boy and the bullies, spreading his arms wide even though they were shaking. "Leave. Him. Alone."
The first punch came faster than he expected.
It exploded across his cheek like a firecracker, spinning his head sideways. Stars burst across his vision. The metallic taste of blood flooded his mouth—he'd bitten his tongue.
"You think you're a hero?" The second punch caught his stomach, driving all the air from his lungs.
Hiro doubled over, gasping, his knees hitting the wet concrete. Pain radiated up his shins.
"Big mistake, Mizuki." A kick to his ribs. Then another. "Nobody—" Kick. "—cares—" Kick. "—about freaks."
But through the pain, through the ringing in his ears and the tears he refused to let fall, Hiro managed to lift his head. Managed to lock eyes with the terrified cat boy still frozen against the fence.
"RUN!" The word tore from his throat, raw and desperate. "GO! NOW!"
The cat boy hesitated for one heartbeat. Two.
"RUN!"
Finally—*finally*—those small legs moved. The boy bolted past them, his tail streaming behind him like a banner, his footsteps echoing off the alley walls until they faded into nothing.
He got away.
The beating continued—fists and feet and cruel laughter—but Hiro smiled through the blood filling his mouth.
*Worth it.*
Everything hurt. His face, his ribs, his arms where he'd tried to shield himself. Everything—
The world tilted. Darkened.
And somewhere in the distance, a sound started. Buzzing. Insistent. Growing louder—
BUZZ. BUZZ. BUZZ.
The buzzing started at 6:47 AM.
Hiro groaned, one arm flopping out from under his blanket to slap blindly at his nightstand. His fingers found his phone just as it buzzed again. And again. And again.
"What the hell..." he muttered, squinting at the screen's brightness.
KAEDE 🦊: HIROOOOOO!
KAEDE 🦊: Guess who's coming to visit?!
KAEDE 🦊: ME! 🎉
KAEDE 🦊: I'm already on the train lol
KAEDE 🦊: Can't wait to see youuuuu! ❤️
Hiro let his head fall back against his pillow with a heavy thud. Of course. Kaede never gave warning. She operated on pure chaos and instinct, like the fox spirit their grandmother swore ran in the family bloodline. Planning ahead wasn't in her vocabulary.
Another buzz.
KAEDE 🦊: Also there's a FIREWORKS FESTIVAL this weekend! We're going! No arguments! Bring that girl you've been texting about! 😏
Hiro's eyes snapped open fully. He sat up so quickly his head spun.
"What girl? How does she—" He grabbed his phone, staring at it like it had betrayed him. He'd never mentioned Luna to anyone. Not in the family group chat, not in texts, nowhere. His life was compartmentalized carefully, each section sealed off from the others. It was safer that way.
KAEDE 🦊: I'm your cousin. I know EVERYTHING. See you soon! 💕
Hiro fell back against his pillows, one hand covering his face. The morning sun was just starting to filter through his curtains, painting golden stripes across his ceiling. Outside, he could hear the early morning sounds of the city waking up—delivery trucks rumbling past, the distant chime of the crosswalk signal, someone's cat meowing persistently.
His phone buzzed one more time.
KAEDE 🦊: Also you BETTER have cleaned your apartment. Remember what happened last time? 😤
Despite everything, Hiro felt the corner of his mouth twitch. Last time Kaede had visited unannounced, she'd taken one look at his living space—clothes scattered across furniture, empty ramen cups forming a small pyramid on his desk, the general air of bachelor chaos—and spent three hours cleaning while lecturing him about "self-care" and "basic human dignity."
He typed back a quick response.
HIRO: The apartment is fine. What time do you arrive?
The reply was instant.
KAEDE 🦊: 11:30! Don't be late! I'm not waiting around the station like last time! 😤
Hiro checked the time. 6:52 AM. He had almost five hours, but he also had school. The weight of exhaustion pressed down on him, the kind that came from too many sleepless nights. His eyes drifted to the punching bag in the corner of his room, the one that helped him burn off the excess energy when the moon was full and his skin felt too tight.
Three more days until the full moon. He could feel it already, a low hum beneath his skin, making his senses sharper, his temper shorter. The beast was restless.
His phone buzzed again, but this time it wasn't Kaede.
LUNA 🐺: Good morning! Are you up?
Hiro's chest tightened. They'd been texting more frequently over the past two weeks, little conversations that extended beyond their rooftop lunches. She'd send him pictures of interesting clouds, or ask questions about homework, or just... talk. About nothing and everything.
HIRO: Unfortunately. Early wakeup call from my cousin.
LUNA 🐺: The one who's visiting?
HIRO: You remembered.
LUNA 🐺: Of course I did. You seemed worried when you mentioned her yesterday.
He had been worried. Kaede had a talent for seeing through people, for reading the things they tried to hide. And Hiro had so much to hide.
LUNA 🐺: Is everything okay?
Hiro stared at the message, his thumb hovering over the keyboard. Everything was fine. Everything was always fine. That's what he told people.
HIRO: Yeah. She's just... energetic. You'll see.
There was a pause before her next message appeared.
LUNA 🐺: I'll see? Am I meeting her?
HIRO: Apparently she's insisting on it. Fair warning: she has no concept of boundaries.
LUNA 🐺: 😊 She sounds fun.
LUNA 🐺: I'm looking forward to it.
Hiro found himself smiling at his phone like an idiot. He caught his reflection in the darkened screen of his laptop and quickly schooled his expression back to neutral. This was getting out of hand. He was getting too comfortable, too close. It was dangerous.
But he couldn't seem to stop himself.
The school day crawled by with agonizing slowness. Hiro sat through his morning classes in a fog, his mind split between anxiety about Kaede's arrival and anticipation for lunch with Luna. He'd barely slept the night before, too aware of the approaching full moon, too conscious of the way his control was starting to fray at the edges.
In third period, Tanaka tried to talk to him about the basketball game coming up.
"Nakamura, you should really consider joining the team officially," Tanaka said, leaning across the aisle between their desks. Their teacher was late, and the classroom buzzed with conversation. "That shot you made last week was insane. Coach is still talking about it."
"Not interested," Hiro replied, not looking up from his notebook. He wasn't actually taking notes—just drawing aimless patterns, trying to keep his hands busy.
"Come on, man. It would be—"
"I said no." The words came out harder than intended, sharp enough that Tanaka actually leaned back.
"Jeez, okay. No need to bite my head off." Tanaka turned away, muttering something Hiro didn't catch.
Hiro's jaw clenched. His hands were shaking slightly, and he pressed them flat against his desk. Three more days. He just had to make it three more days without losing control, without showing anyone what he really was.
The teacher finally arrived, and the lesson began, but Hiro barely heard it. His senses were too sharp, picking up everything—the scratch of pencils on paper, the whisper of fabric as someone shifted in their seat, the flutter of pages turning, the rapid heartbeat of the student two rows over who hadn't studied for the pop quiz. It was overwhelming, a sensory flood he had to constantly filter just to appear normal.
By the time lunch arrived, Hiro felt like he'd run a marathon.
The rooftop was their sanctuary.
Hiro pushed open the heavy metal door, the familiar creak announcing his arrival. The late spring air hit him immediately, warm and tinged with the scent of flowers from the courtyard below. Up here, away from the crowds and noise, he could finally breathe.
Luna was already waiting, sitting on their usual spot—a concrete bench near the railing with a view of the courtyard below. She'd brought her lunch in a simple cloth-wrapped bento, and she was watching the clouds drift by with that peaceful expression she got when she thought no one was looking.
Her wolf ears twitched at the sound of the door, and she turned, her whole face lighting up when she saw him.
"Hiro!" She patted the space beside her. "I was starting to think you wouldn't make it."
"Sorry. Got held up." He settled onto the bench, maintaining a careful distance—not too close, not too far. The distance someone would sit from a friend. Nothing more.
Except it felt like more. It had felt like more for a while now.
Luna opened her bento, revealing neatly arranged rice balls, vegetables, and tamagoyaki. It looked homemade, carefully prepared. "Did you bring lunch?"
Hiro held up the convenience store sandwich he'd grabbed that morning. "Does this count?"
She gave him a look that was somewhere between amused and exasperated. "Hiro, you can't just eat convenience store food every day. That's not healthy."
"Says the person who eats ramen three times a week."
"That's different. That's budget constraints." She unwrapped his sandwich, examining it critically. "At least it has vegetables. Barely."
"It has lettuce."
"Lettuce doesn't count."
They fell into their usual rhythm, the comfortable back-and-forth that had developed over their lunches together. Luna told him about her morning—how her landlady had given her some leftover vegetables, how she'd seen a stray cat on her way to school and spent ten minutes trying to coax it closer with bits of her breakfast.
"Did it work?" Hiro asked, genuinely curious.
"Eventually. It was this tiny calico, really skittish. But I sat really still and—" She paused, looking self-conscious. "I might have used my ears."
"Your ears?"
Luna's wolf ears flattened slightly against her head, embarrassed. "Sometimes animals respond better to... other animals. It's silly, I know, but—"
"It's not silly." Hiro said it firmly enough that she looked up at him in surprise. "It's part of who you are. There's nothing silly about it."
Her tail, which had been tucked close, began to wag slowly. She tried to hide it by shifting her position, but Hiro had already seen. Something warm settled in his chest.
"Have you heard about the fireworks festival this weekend?" Luna asked, carefully extracting a rice ball from her bento.
"My cousin just informed me we're going."
"Your cousin?" Luna's ears perked up with interest. "The one you mentioned this morning?"
"Kaede." Just saying her name made Hiro feel tired. "She's... a lot."
"A lot how?"
"You'll see soon enough. She's—"
"HIROOOOOO!!!"
The shout came from behind them, loud enough that several birds nesting in the rooftop access structure scattered into the air. Luna jumped, nearly dropping her rice ball.
Hiro closed his eyes. "She's here."
The rooftop door slammed open with enough force to bang against the wall, and a whirlwind of energy burst through. Kaede Momiji, Hiro's cousin, looked exactly like she always did—like she'd gotten dressed while simultaneously running a marathon and planning a party.
She was wearing ripped jeans, a bright yellow hoodie, and sneakers that looked like they'd seen better days. But it was her ears that drew attention—two large, fluffy fox ears, the color of autumn leaves, that swiveled and twitched with her excitement. Her tail, equally fluffy and expressive, swished behind her like an overexcited flag.
"HIRO!" She sprinted across the rooftop and launched herself at him, wrapping him in a tackle-hug that nearly knocked him off the bench.
"Kaede," Hiro managed, his voice muffled against her shoulder. "Can't. Breathe."
"I missed you SO MUCH! It's been like two months! Two months, Hiro! Do you know how long that is?" She pulled back but kept her hands on his shoulders, her amber eyes sparkling with joy. "You never call, you barely text, I had to threaten to visit just to get a response—"
"You never actually threaten. You just show up."
"Because if I threaten, you'd find a way to avoid me!" She finally released him, then turned to Luna with the intensity of a spotlight. "Oh. My. GOD. Is THIS her?!"
Luna, who had been watching this exchange with wide eyes, blinked. "Her?"
Kaede rushed over, dropping to her knees in front of Luna and grabbing both her hands with zero concept of personal space. "You're LUNA! The girl Hiro's been moping about!"
"Kaede!" Hiro's face went red instantly.
"Moping... about me?" Luna looked between them, her tail starting to wag despite her confusion.
"Oh yeah!" Kaede's enthusiasm was unstoppable, a force of nature. "He texts our family group chat like 'Luna did something cute today' and 'Luna smiled at me' and 'I think Luna might actually like me but I'm too much of a disaster to do anything about it'—"
Hiro moved faster than he'd intended, his hand clamping over Kaede's mouth. His enhanced speed made it look almost comical, like he'd teleported. "That's ENOUGH."
Kaede's tail wagged mischievously behind her, and her eyes gleamed with barely suppressed laughter. She licked his palm.
"Ugh!" Hiro jerked his hand back, wiping it on his pants. "You're disgusting."
"And you're repressed!" Kaede bounced back to her feet, completely unrepentant. "But that's what I'm here for! To shake things up! Make things happen! Live a little!"
Luna was blushing now, her own tail wagging in a way she couldn't quite control. "You... you really said those things?"
"I—" Hiro wanted to deny it, but Kaede was already pulling out her phone, scrolling through their family chat.
"Look! See? 'Luna helped me understand the history homework today. She's really smart.' And here! 'Luna laughed at something I said. I think it was actually funny this time, not pity laughing.' Oh, and my personal favorite—" She held up the phone triumphantly. "—'I think I understand now why people write poetry about someone's smile.'"
Hiro seriously considered jumping off the rooftop. It would be less painful than this.
Luna's face was bright red, but she was smiling—actually smiling, wide and genuine and beautiful. Her tail was wagging so hard it was practically a blur. "You really said that?"
"I..." Hiro rubbed the back of his neck, unable to meet her eyes. "Maybe."
Kaede made a noise that could only be described as a squeal. "This is SO CUTE! Okay, okay, let me officially introduce myself." She stepped back, bowing with exaggerated formality. "Kaede Momiji, Hiro's favorite cousin—"
"Only cousin," Hiro muttered.
"—destined to be your new best friend, and official wingwoman for this adorable disaster." She gestured at Hiro. "Pleased to meet you!"
Luna giggled—actually giggled—and returned the bow. "Luna Yuki. It's nice to meet you too, Kaede."
"Polite AND cute? Hiro, you really lucked out." Kaede plopped herself down between them on the bench, making herself immediately at home. "So! Luna! Tell me EVERYTHING about you! Favorite color, favorite food, dreams, aspirations, what you see in my disaster cousin—"
"Kaede."
"What? These are important questions!"
Luna seemed to relax, warming to Kaede's infectious energy. "Um, well... I guess blue? For my favorite color. And I like nikuman a lot—they're warm and filling and cheap, which is perfect for—" She paused, looking self-conscious.
"For being broke?" Kaede said bluntly. "Same, girl. Same. Student life is rough. I survive on instant ramen and determination." She leaned in conspiratorially. "Sometimes I steal food from Hiro's family gatherings. They always make too much anyway."
"You don't steal it. Grandma literally packs extra containers for you."
"Semantics!" Kaede waved this away. "The point is, Luna, you're among friends here. No judgment. Well—" She glanced at Hiro. "—maybe a little judgment for Hiro's fashion choices, but that's different."
"What's wrong with my fashion choices?"
"You wear the same three shirts in rotation, Hiro. Three. I've counted."
Luna laughed again, and Hiro found himself relaxing despite the embarrassment. This was classic Kaede—overwhelming at first, but with genuine warmth underneath. She had a way of making people feel included, accepted. It was probably why she'd always been the popular one in their family, while Hiro had been the quiet one who lurked in corners.
"So!" Kaede clapped her hands together. "Fireworks festival this weekend! Luna, you're coming, right?!"
The light in Luna's expression dimmed slightly. "I... I don't know if I should..."
"Why not?!" Kaede's ears perked forward, genuinely confused.
Luna's own ears flattened against her head, and her tail stopped wagging. "I'm beast folk. At a human festival... people will stare. Say things." She looked down at her hands. "It's better if I just stay home. I don't want to ruin your time together—"
"Stop." Kaede's voice was firm, but kind. She reached over and tilted Luna's chin up, making her meet her eyes. "First of all, you wouldn't ruin anything. Second—" Her fox ears flattened, and for a moment, there was something fierce in her expression. "—if anyone has a problem with you being beast folk, they can deal with ME. And trust me, they don't want that."
Luna blinked, surprised by the intensity.
"I'm demi-human, Luna. I get it." Kaede's tail curled around to rest in her lap, and she stroked it absently. "The stares, the comments, the way people treat you like you're less than. Like you're exotic or dangerous or just... other." Her jaw set. "But you know what? Screw them. You deserve to have fun. You deserve to go to festivals and eat overpriced festival food and watch fireworks like everyone else."
She grabbed both Luna's hands and Hiro's hands, linking them together in a circle of three. "WE'RE going. All three of us. And anyone who has a problem can DEAL WITH ME."
Luna's eyes were shining with unshed tears. "You... you mean it?"
"Of course I mean it! Besides—" Kaede's fierce expression melted back into her usual bright smile. "—we're gonna look AMAZING in yukatas, and I refuse to let you miss out on that experience. Fashion is important, Luna. Essential, even."
Luna looked at Hiro, seeking confirmation. He met her eyes and felt that now-familiar tightness in his chest.
"I'd like it if you came," he said quietly. "Really."
The smile that bloomed on Luna's face was worth every bit of embarrassment Kaede had put him through. "Okay," Luna said, her tail starting to wag again. "Okay. I'll go."
"YAY!" Kaede bounced in her seat, causing the bench to creak ominously. "This is gonna be AMAZING! We need to plan everything—yukatas, meeting spot, which stalls to hit first, optimal fireworks viewing location—"
"Kaede, it's just a festival."
"JUST a festival?!" Kaede looked at him like he'd blasphemed. "Hiro. HIRO. This is Luna's first festival. It has to be PERFECT. Which means—" She stood up dramatically. "—we have SHOPPING to do!"
The shopping district was crowded on Saturday afternoon, packed with people preparing for the evening's festival. Kaede navigated the crowds with the confidence of a general leading troops into battle, one hand gripping Luna's wrist and the other pointing decisively at store fronts.
"There! That shop has the best selection!" She was already pulling them forward before Hiro or Luna could respond.
"Kaede, wait—" Luna tried to dig in her heels. "I don't have money for—"
"My treat!" Kaede called over her shoulder. "Consider it a 'welcome to the friend group' gift!"
"But—"
"No buts! This is happening!" Kaede pushed open the door to a traditional clothing shop, a bell chiming overhead. "Hello! We need yukatas for all three of us!"
The shop was beautiful in the way old traditional shops often were—wooden floors polished to a shine, careful displays of folded fabric in every color imaginable, the subtle scent of cedar and lavender. An elderly woman emerged from the back, and Hiro immediately noticed the tell-tale signs—the slight point to her ears, barely visible beneath her styled hair, and the way her eyes had a golden tint in certain lights.
A demi-human. Like Kaede. Like Luna.
"Welcome, welcome," the shop owner said warmly, her eyes crinkling with her smile. She took in their little group with a knowing look. "Festival shopping, I presume?"
"Yes! And it needs to be PERFECT." Kaede was already browsing the displays, running her fingers over fabric with an appreciative touch. "My cousin here—" She jabbed a thumb at Hiro. "—needs something that doesn't make him look like he's attending a funeral. And my new friend—" She pulled Luna forward gently. "—needs something that will make people's jaws drop."
"Kaede!" Luna's face went red.
The shop owner chuckled, approaching Luna with gentle interest. "First festival, dear?"
"How did you—"
"I've been doing this long enough to recognize the look." She walked around Luna slowly, assessing. "Don't worry. We'll take good care of you." Her eyes paused on Luna's tail. "We have yukatas designed specifically for those with tails. They're modified in a way that's both comfortable and traditional. You'll love them."
Luna's ears perked up. "Really? You have... you have things for beast folk?"
"Of course." The shop owner's smile was kind. "You think you're the first wolf demi-human to want to look beautiful at a festival? Come, let me show you."
She led Luna deeper into the shop, and Hiro could hear Luna's excited questions, the shop owner's patient explanations. Kaede sidled up to him, her tail swishing with satisfaction.
"This is going well," she said smugly.
"You planned this."
"Of course I planned this. I've been coming here for years. Mrs. Tanaka is the best in the district—and she doesn't discriminate." Kaede's expression turned serious for a moment. "Luna deserves this, Hiro. She deserves to feel normal. Human. Included."
"I know."
"Do you?" Kaede turned to face him fully. "Because from where I'm standing, you've been walking on eggshells around her. Being nice, sure, but careful. Always careful. Like you're afraid of getting too close."
Hiro's jaw clenched. "It's complicated."
"Everything's complicated with you." But her voice was gentle. "Just... let yourself be happy, okay? You deserve it too."
Before Hiro could respond, Luna emerged from behind a changing screen, and every thought in his head evaporated.
The yukata was stunning—a soft blue that reminded him of winter skies, decorated with delicate white snowflakes that seemed to float across the fabric. It was perfectly fitted, the modification for her tail so seamlessly integrated that it looked intentional rather than practical. Her white hair was pulled up slightly, showing the elegant line of her neck, and the whole ensemble somehow made her golden eyes even more striking.
She looked beautiful. She looked breathtaking.
Hiro stared, his brain completely offline.
"Well?" Luna turned in a slow circle, self-conscious. "Does it look okay?"
Kaede elbowed him sharply in the ribs. "Close your mouth, cousin," she hissed. "You're drooling."
"I'm not—" He forced words to work. "You look... nice."
"'Nice'?!" Kaede threw up her hands. "She looks GORGEOUS! Say it properly!"
Hiro's face burned, but he made himself meet Luna's eyes. "Beautiful," he said, his voice coming out quieter than intended. "You look beautiful."
Luna's tail started wagging, fast and uncontrolled, and she couldn't seem to stop smiling. "Really?"
"Really."
"I'm dying," Kaede whispered to Mrs. Tanaka. "They're so cute I'm literally dying."
Mrs. Tanaka chuckled. "Young love is quite something, isn't it?"
"We're not—" Hiro and Luna started simultaneously, then stopped, looking at each other.
"Whatever you say, dear," Mrs. Tanaka said with a knowing smile. "Now, young man, let's find something for you. Can't have the lady looking so lovely while you're in everyday clothes."
Ten minutes later, Hiro emerged in his own yukata, and it was Luna's turn to stare.
The yukata was dark blue, almost navy, with subtle grey clouds patterned across the fabric. It was simple, masculine, traditional—and it suited him perfectly. The formal clothing somehow emphasized his height, the breadth of his shoulders, the quiet strength he usually kept carefully hidden.
Luna found herself unable to look away.
"Well?" Hiro shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. "It's not too much?"
"No!" Luna said quickly. "It's... it's really..." She trailed off, unable to finish the thought without embarrassing herself.
Kaede leaned over to whisper in her ear. "You like what you see?"
Luna's face went scarlet. "I—that's not—"
"It's okay." Kaede's voice was kind, conspiratorial. "He's handsome. It's allowed to notice." She paused. "And between you and me? He's TOTALLY into you too."
"You think so?" Luna whispered back, her heart racing.
"Oh, honey. I don't think. I KNOW." Kaede squeezed her shoulder. "I've known Hiro his whole life. I've never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at you."
Luna's tail wagged despite her attempt to control it. Hope was a dangerous thing, but she couldn't help the way it bloomed in her chest.
They purchased their yukatas—Kaede insisted on paying, refusing to hear any protests—and Mrs. Tanaka packaged them carefully, including small accessories and instructions for proper wearing.
"You three enjoy the festival," she said as they left. "And dear—" She looked at Luna. "—hold your head high. You're beautiful, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise."
Luna nodded, her throat tight with unexpected emotion. "Thank you."
The evening arrived with perfect weather—warm but not hot, with a gentle breeze that carried the scent of flowers and festival food. Hiro, Luna, and Kaede met near the festival entrance, all three dressed in their yukatas.
The festival grounds were already crowded, strings of lanterns creating rivers of light between food stalls and game booths. Music drifted through the air—traditional festival drums mixed with modern pop songs, creating a strange but cheerful blend. Everywhere there were people: families with small children, teenagers in groups, elderly couples walking slowly hand-in-hand, all come to celebrate."I'm dying," Kaede whispered to Mrs. Tanaka. "They're so cute I'm literally dying."
Mrs. Tanaka chuckled. "Young love is quite something, isn't it?"
"We're not—" Hiro and Luna started simultaneously, then stopped, looking at each other.
"Whatever you say, dear," Mrs. Tanaka said with a knowing smile. "Now, young man, let's find something for you. Can't have the lady looking so lovely while you're in everyday clothes."
Ten minutes later, Hiro emerged in his own yukata, and it was Luna's turn to stare.
The yukata was dark blue, almost navy, with subtle grey clouds patterned across the fabric. It was simple, masculine, traditional—and it suited him perfectly. The formal clothing somehow emphasized his height, the breadth of his shoulders, the quiet strength he usually kept carefully hidden.
Luna found herself unable to look away.
"Well?" Hiro shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. "It's not too much?"
"No!" Luna said quickly. "It's... it's really..." She trailed off, unable to finish the thought without embarrassing herself.
Kaede leaned over to whisper in her ear. "You like what you see?"
Luna's face went scarlet. "I—that's not—"
"It's okay." Kaede's voice was kind, conspiratorial. "He's handsome. It's allowed to notice." She paused. "And between you and me? He's TOTALLY into you too."
"You think so?" Luna whispered back, her heart racing.
"Oh, honey. I don't think. I KNOW." Kaede squeezed her shoulder. "I've known Hiro his whole life. I've never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at you."
Luna's tail wagged despite her attempt to control it. Hope was a dangerous thing, but she couldn't help the way it bloomed in her chest.
They purchased their yukatas—Kaede insisted on paying, refusing to hear any protests—and Mrs. Tanaka packaged them carefully, including small accessories and instructions for proper wearing.
"You three enjoy the festival," she said as they left. "And dear—" She looked at Luna. "—hold your head high. You're beautiful, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise."
Luna nodded, her throat tight with unexpected emotion. "Thank you."
The evening arrived with perfect weather—warm but not hot, with a gentle breeze that carried the scent of flowers and festival food. Hiro, Luna, and Kaede met near the festival entrance, all three dressed in their yukatas.
The festival grounds were already crowded, strings of lanterns creating rivers of light between food stalls and game booths. Music drifted through the air—traditional festival drums mixed with modern pop songs, creating a strange but cheerful blend. Everywhere there were people: families with small children, teenagers in groups, elderly couples walking slowly hand-in-hand, all come to celebrate.
Luna stood at the edge of it all, her earlier confidence wavering. Even in her beautiful yukata, she was acutely aware of the stares. People's eyes lingered on her ears, her tail. Some stares were curious, some uncomfortable, and a few—the worst ones—were hostile.
She started to shrink back.
Kaede immediately linked arms with her on one side. "Nope. No backing out now."
Hiro took up position on her other side, not touching but close enough that his presence was protective. "Ignore them," he said quietly. "Tonight is about us."
Luna took a shaky breath and nodded. "Okay."
"That's my girl!" Kaede started forward, pulling Luna with her. "Now, first stop—food! I'm starving, and festival food is always better than regular food. It's science."
"That's not how science works," Hiro said.
"Says you. Come on!"
They plunged into the festival crowds, and slowly, Luna began to relax. Yes, people stared. But Kaede's infectious energy was impossible to resist, and she kept up a running commentary that made Luna laugh despite her nervousness.
"Ooh, takoyaki!" Kaede steered them toward a stall where an elderly man was expertly flipping the round dumplings. "Luna, have you had takoyaki before?"
"No..." Luna admitted.
"WHAT. Okay, that's a crime. We're fixing that immediately." Kaede ordered three servings, and soon they each had a small boat of the hot, savory balls topped with sauce and bonito flakes that danced in the steam.
Luna took a careful bite of her first one, her eyes widening. "Oh! It's hot!"
"Blow on it first," Hiro demonstrated, and Luna copied him.
The second bite was better, and Luna's tail started to wag. "It's really good!"
"Right?!" Kaede was already halfway through her serving. "Festival food just hits different."
They wandered from stall to stall, trying different foods—yakitori, yakisoba, kakigori shaved ice that turned their tongues bright colors. Luna tried everything with childlike enthusiasm, and Hiro found himself smiling more genuinely than he had in months. Just watching her experience these simple things—things he'd always taken for granted—made them feel new and special.
At the goldfish scooping game, Luna knelt beside the shallow pool, her tail swishing with concentration. She had a thin paper scooper, trying to catch one of the darting goldfish.
"Come here, little one," she murmured, moving the scooper slowly through the water.
The paper tore, and the goldfish escaped. Luna's ears drooped.
"It's harder than it looks," Kaede said sympathetically.
Luna tried again. And again. Each time, the fish escaped at the last second, and each time, her ears drooped a little more.
"Here." Hiro knelt beside her, holding out his own scooper. "Let me try."
His movements were precise, economical. He angled the scooper just right, moved it with perfect timing, and in less than ten seconds had captured a small golden fish.
"How did you—" Luna started.
"Reflexes." Hiro held up the bag with the fish, offering it to her. "For you."
Luna's whole face lit up. She took the bag carefully, holding it like it was precious treasure. "Really?"
"Really."
Her tail wagged so hard she nearly lost her balance, and Hiro had to steady her with a hand on her elbow. The touch sent electricity through both of them, but neither pulled away immediately.
"You two are KILLING me with the cuteness," Kaede announced. "I'm going to need insulin at this rate."
They moved on to the shooting gallery, where Kaede proved to have surprisingly good aim. She won a large plush cat, which she immediately gave to Luna.
"To go with your new goldfish! You're starting a collection!"
Luna hugged the plush, her earlier anxiety completely forgotten. "Thank you, Kaede."
"Hey, what are friends for?" Kaede slung an arm around her shoulders. "Now come on, I saw a mask stall back that way, and we NEED festival masks for photos."
The mask stall had dozens of options—traditional demon masks, animal masks, character masks from popular shows. Luna immediately gravitated toward a white wolf mask, detailed and beautiful.
"It looks like you!" Kaede picked up a fox mask for herself. "Okay, this is perfect. Hiro, you need one too."
"I'm fine without—"
"Not optional!" Kaede shoved a tiger mask into his hands. "Come on, it'll be fun!"
They put on their masks and posed together while Kaede set up her phone camera. The photos were ridiculous—Kaede making exaggerated poses, Luna laughing behind her mask, Hiro standing awkwardly in the back.
"These are amazing," Kaede said, scrolling through them. "I'm sending these to the family chat."
"Please don't—"
"Too late! Sent!" Kaede's phone immediately started buzzing with responses. "Hah! Aunt Yuki says you look 'very handsome' and wants to know when you're bringing Luna to meet everyone."
"We're not—she's not—" Hiro floundered.
Luna had gone very quiet, clutching her plush cat. "Your family wants to meet me?"
"They're nosy," Hiro said quickly. "Ignore them."
"They're curious," Kaede corrected. "Because Hiro never talks about anyone. Ever. So the fact that he mentions you constantly is kind of a big deal."
"I don't mention her constantly—"
"Hiro." Kaede turned her phone around, showing him the family chat. It was filled with his messages, all of them somehow relating back to Luna. "Evidence."
Hiro shut his mouth, defeated.
Luna was blushing but smiling. "I wouldn't mind meeting them," she said softly. "Sometime. If that's... if that's okay."
The hope in her voice made Hiro's chest tight. "Yeah," he managed. "That would be okay."
Kaede made a strangled noise and turned away. "I can't. I literally cannot with you two. My heart can't take it."
As the sky darkened and the time for fireworks approached, they made their way up the hillside where a small shrine overlooked the festival. The path was lined with stone lanterns, creating a gentle glow that guided festival-goers upward.
"I need to use the restroom," Kaede announced when they reached the shrine grounds. She was already backing away, her tail swishing. "You two go ahead! I'll catch up!"
Before either could protest, she disappeared down the path, leaving Hiro and Luna suddenly alone.
The shrine was simple but beautiful, its red torii gate illuminated by hanging lanterns. A few other people were scattered around—couples mostly, sitting on the stone wall or standing near the offerings box.
They approached the shrine, and Luna pulled out a coin, tossing it into the offering box. She closed her eyes, her hands pressed together in prayer.
Hiro did the same, though he felt like a hypocrite. What right did a beast have to pray to the gods
The afternoon sun filtered through the classroom windows, painting golden rectangles across the worn wooden desks. Luna tucked a strand of white hair behind one of her wolf ears as she gathered her textbooks, her tail swaying gently behind her. Across the room, Hiro watched her with an intensity he couldn't quite name—something between protectiveness and longing.
"Ready to go home?" he asked, slinging his bag over his shoulder.
Luna looked up, her amber eyes catching the light. "Yeah. Tonight I need to—"
Her bag slipped from her grasp, contents spilling across the floor in a cascade of notebooks, pens, and loose papers. "Oh no!"
They both dropped to their knees, gathering the scattered items. Their hands met over a fallen pencil case, and Luna felt electricity shoot through her fingertips. She pulled back, heat rising to her cheeks.
"Sorry," she murmured.
Hiro's own face had colored slightly. He handed her the pencil case, their fingers brushing again. "Tomorrow," he said softly, his voice carrying a weight that made her breath catch. "Remember. I'll tell you everything."
Luna studied his face—the sharp angles of his jaw, the way his dark hair fell across his forehead, the intensity in his eyes that sometimes seemed to glow in certain lights. She'd noticed him favoring his right hand lately, the knuckles wrapped in fresh bandages. "I remember," she said, and surprised herself with her own boldness. "I'm not scared, Hiro."
His expression shifted, something vulnerable flickering across his features. "You should be."
But he was smiling—nervous and genuine and utterly disarming.
Luna walked home through streets painted amber and purple by the setting sun. Her heart felt lighter than it had in months, maybe years. She hummed softly to herself, a melody her mother used to sing when Luna was small enough to curl up in her lap.
Tomorrow, she thought. Tomorrow I'll finally understand him. Understand why he looks at me the way he does. Why his presence makes me feel safe and terrified all at once.
She reached into her bag for her phone, wanting to text her mother that she'd be home soon. Her fingers fumbled through the contents—textbooks, wallet, lip balm—but found nothing.
Panic fluttered in her chest. "My phone! Where's my—?!" She dug deeper, pulling out books and papers, but the phone wasn't there.
The memory came back clearly: the bag falling, contents scattering, both of them scrambling to pick everything up. It must have slid under a desk.
Luna checked her watch—7:30 PM. The school would still be open for club activities. The photography club met until eight, and the basketball team practiced even later.
"I need to go back," she muttered, turning around and retracing her steps.
She didn't notice the black van parked at the corner, engine idling. She didn't see the three men inside, watching her with predatory focus.
"She's alone," said the driver, a man with a scar running through his left eyebrow. "Heading back."
The man in the passenger seat grinned, revealing yellowed teeth. "This is it. Streets are empty. Perfect."
The third man, sitting in the back beside coils of rope and a black duffel bag, cracked his knuckles. "Let's move. Time to collect our merchandise."
The van's engine rumbled to life.
PART TWO: THE FORGETTING AND THE FOLLOWING
The school felt different at night. The hallways that bustled with life during the day now stretched empty and shadowed, lit only by emergency exit signs and the occasional fluorescent fixture. Luna's footsteps echoed as she made her way to her classroom, her ears swiveling nervously at every sound.
She found her phone exactly where she'd thought it would be—tucked under her desk, its scratched flip-phone case glinting in the dim light. It was an old model, probably ten years outdated, but it was hers and it worked.
"Found it!" Relief flooded through her. She checked for messages—nothing new—and tucked the phone safely into her jacket pocket this time.
As she left the classroom, turning off the lights behind her, she felt the first prickle of unease. The school was too quiet, too empty. Even the usual sounds of club activities seemed muted and distant.
Luna exited through the main gates, pulling her jacket tighter against the evening chill. The streets were darker than she'd expected, streetlights flickering intermittently. Shadows pooled in doorways and alleyways, and the usual evening crowds seemed to have vanished.
It's fine, she told herself, picking up her pace. Just fifteen minutes home. You've walked this route a hundred times.
Footsteps echoed behind her.
Luna's ears twitched, swiveling back. She turned, scanning the empty street. Nothing. Just shadows and the distant hum of traffic from the main boulevard.
She walked faster.
The footsteps matched her pace.
Her heart began to race, pulse pounding in her ears. Her tail tucked instinctively, a prey animal's response to danger. Almost home, she thought. Almost safe.
The black van screeched to a stop beside her so suddenly she barely had time to scream.
The side door slammed open. Two men lunged out, their movements coordinated and efficient. This wasn't their first time.
"HELP!" Luna's scream tore from her throat. "SOMEONE HELP—!"
A rough hand clamped over her mouth, and the sickly-sweet smell of chloroform flooded her senses. Her vision blurred immediately, the world tilting sideways.
"Quiet, beast," a voice growled in her ear.
Luna fought with everything she had. Her claws raked across the man's arm, drawing blood. Her tail whipped violently, catching someone in the face. She kicked and twisted, animal instinct overriding human reason.
But there were two of them, and they were strong, and the chemical on the rag was already pulling her under.
The last thing she saw before darkness claimed her was the van's interior—dirty floor, coiled ropes, and a cage in the far corner.
Then nothing.
Meanwhile, across town, Hiro walked toward the convenience store with his earbuds in, music creating a buffer between him and the world. He was thinking about tomorrow, about finally telling Luna the truth. His mark burned beneath his shirt, the way it always did when his emotions ran high.
She said she wouldn't be afraid, he thought, dodging around a businesswoman hurrying home. But what if she is? What if she sees what I really am and—
Movement caught his eye. A black van speeding past, too fast for a residential street, weaving slightly as if the driver was panicked or reckless.
Hiro pulled out one earbud, frowning.
The van's license plate was obscured, deliberately smudged with mud. Red flag. Through the vehicle's back window, he caught a flash of something white—fur, maybe, or—
His blood turned to ice.
White fur. Wolf ears. Luna.
"No." The word came out strangled. "No, no, no—"
His bag hit the sidewalk. His mark erupted with searing heat, and his eyes flashed gold.
The beast inside him roared to life.
Hiro ran.
His human form couldn't maintain the speed his enhanced body was capable of, and he felt the transformation beginning even as he sprinted. His eyes blazed brighter, teeth sharpening, claws extending. Black fur sprouted along his arms, and his muscles expanded, clothes straining at the seams.
"Not yet," he gasped, fighting for control even as he pushed his speed higher. "Not in public. Not yet."
But if it meant saving Luna, he'd transform in the middle of the city square with a thousand witnesses.
The van turned toward the industrial district, and Hiro followed, a shadow among shadows, no longer entirely human but not yet fully beast.
Luna woke to the smell of gasoline and rust, and the rumble of an engine beneath her. Her head pounded, thoughts sluggish and disjointed. She tried to move and found her hands bound behind her back with rough rope that bit into her wrists. A gag cut into the corners of her mouth.
Panic exploded through her chest.
She was in the back of the van, lying on the dirty floor. The man from earlier sat nearby, watching her with cold calculation. In the front seats, she could see two others—the driver and another man riding shotgun.
Luna struggled against the bindings, a muffled scream tearing from her gagged mouth.
"She's awake," the driver called back.
The man beside her leaned closer, and Luna pressed herself against the van's wall, terror making her heart hammer so hard she thought it might burst. "Well, well," he said, his breath reeking of cigarettes. "Good evening, beast."
Tears streamed down Luna's face. She tried to scream again, the sound desperate and broken behind the gag.
"Stop struggling," the man said, not unkindly, as if he were advising her on something benign. "You'll only hurt yourself. Save your energy."
The man in the passenger seat turned around, grinning. "Feisty one. The clients will like that."
"You beast folk are worth nothing in society," the man beside her continued, conversational now, as if discussing the weather. "Lowest of the low. Nobody will miss you. You probably don't even have many friends, do you? That's how they like it—the isolated ones are easier."
Each word struck like a physical blow. Luna's ears flattened against her skull.
"But you?" He reached out and grabbed her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. She flinched violently, whimpering. "You're cute. Pure breed. Exotic. Young. You'll do very well as a pet for rich men. They pay top dollar for ones like you. Especially the wolf breeds—so rare now."
Luna's eyes widened in horror as understanding crashed over her. These weren't random kidnappers. They were traffickers. They'd been watching her, planning this.
She screamed against the gag, the sound raw and pleading.
"Scream all you want," the man said, releasing her chin and settling back. "No one can hear you. And where we're going, even if you scream, no one will come."
The industrial district sprawled before them, abandoned warehouses and empty lots creating a maze of concrete and rust. The perfect place for crimes that needed to stay hidden.
Luna's vision blurred with tears. She thought of her mother, working the late shift at the hospital. She thought of the few classmates who'd been kind to her. She thought of Hiro, and the conversation they'd never have now.
I should have been more afraid, she thought bitterly. I should have been watching.
The van pulled into a dilapidated warehouse, its windows long since shattered, walls covered in graffiti and decay. The men hauled her out roughly, and Luna's legs, weak from the chloroform, couldn't support her weight. She crumpled to the ground.
"Get her inside," the driver ordered. "Buyer arrives in an hour. We need her cleaned up and presentable."
They dragged her across the concrete floor, her knees scraping, and threw her down in the center of the warehouse. She landed hard, the impact driving the air from her lungs.
The man who'd sat beside her in the van crouched down, pulling out a knife. Luna's eyes fixed on the blade, fresh terror flooding her system.
"Listen, beast," he said, using the knife to cut away the gag. "Cooperate, and we won't hurt you. Fight, and things will get very unpleasant. Understand?"
Luna gasped for air, her throat raw. "Please," she whispered, her voice breaking. "Please, I won't tell anyone. Just let me go. Please—"
"Can't do that. Business is business."
"My mother—she'll be looking for me. The police—"
"Will assume you ran away. Beast folk do it all the time, don't they? Too much discrimination, too much hardship. They'll search for a day or two, then move on." He stood, pocketing the knife. "Now, we're going to—"
The explosion from above cut him off.
The warehouse's skylight shattered inward with a deafening crash, glass raining down like deadly diamonds. A massive shadow dropped through the opening, landing in a crouch that cratered the concrete beneath it.
The men scrambled backward, shouting in alarm.
Luna looked up, and her breath stopped.
PART FOUR: THE BEAST UNLEASHED
The creature that rose to its full height was something from nightmares and legends alike.
Seven feet tall, hunched forward in a predatory stance that promised violence. Black fur covered every inch of its body, and running through that darkness were veins of orange light—like lightning frozen mid-strike—that pulsed along its arms, legs, back, and face. Massive clawed hands hung at its sides, each finger tipped with talons that looked capable of rending steel.
But it was the eyes that held Luna transfixed.
Golden. Blazing with fury and something else, something that made her chest tight.
The creature opened its mouth and roared.
The sound shook the entire warehouse, rattling the windows that hadn't already shattered, sending birds erupting from the rafters in panicked flight. It was the sound of rage and power and primal fury—the sound of a predator who'd found something threatening its territory.
One of the men stumbled backward, nearly falling. "What the hell is that?!"
The driver pulled a knife from his belt, hand shaking. "Stay back! Stay back, monster!"
The creature's golden eyes swept the warehouse, assessing threats, calculating. Then they landed on Luna, and something changed in that blazing gaze.
Recognition. Concern.
For one impossible moment, Luna stared into those eyes, and a memory surfaced: Hiro looking at her in the classroom, that same intensity, that same shade of gold when the light hit his eyes just right.
No, she thought. It can't be—
The creature turned back to the men, and when it spoke, its voice was distorted, layered with growls and something deeper than human vocal cords should produce. But beneath the distortion, Luna heard something familiar.
"Let. Her. GO."
The driver lunged forward with his knife, a desperate attack born of panic. The creature moved with impossible speed, catching the blade in one clawed hand. The knife shattered like glass. In one fluid motion, the creature lifted the man by his throat and threw him across the warehouse.
The man crashed into a stack of crates and didn't get up.
The second man grabbed a metal pipe from the ground and swung it at the creature's head with all his strength. The creature ducked, the pipe whistling through empty air, then caught it mid-swing. The metal bent in its grip like soft clay. A single punch to the man's stomach, and he collapsed, gasping and wheezing.
The third man, the one who'd sat beside Luna in the van, fumbled for something in his jacket. A gun.
"No—" Luna tried to warn the creature, but her voice came out as a hoarse whisper.
Three shots rang out, deafening in the enclosed space.
The creature moved like liquid shadow, dodging with inhuman speed and grace. It closed the distance between itself and the gunman in two bounds, landing behind him. One clawed hand seized the man's collar and lifted him off the ground as easily as if he weighed nothing.
"You. HURT. Her." The creature's voice was barely recognizable as speech, more snarl than words.
The man screamed, high and terrified. "Please! Please, don't kill me! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
The creature's claws extended further, drawing toward the man's throat. Luna could see murder in its posture, in the way every muscle tensed for the killing blow.
And she found her voice.
"No!" The word tore from her throat, raw and desperate. "Please, don't!"
The creature froze, head turning toward her with predatory focus.
Luna shook her head frantically, even as tears streamed down her face. "Don't kill him. Please. You're not—you're not that."
I know you're not that, she thought, even though her rational mind screamed that she couldn't possibly know anything about this creature. But those eyes. Those impossible golden eyes.
The creature stared at her for a long moment. Then it turned back to the man in its grip, and Luna saw its internal struggle—rage warring with something else. Humanity, maybe.
Finally, it threw the man aside like discarded trash. He hit the wall and crumpled.
"Leave." The word came out as a growl. "Now. Before I change my mind."
The three men didn't need to be told twice. They scrambled for the exit, helping each other, leaving trails of blood behind them. Within seconds, they were gone, and the warehouse fell into ringing silence.
Luna and the creature were alone.
PART FIVE: SEEING TRULY
The creature stood there, massive chest heaving with exertion, orange lightning marks pulsing with each breath. It didn't approach Luna. Didn't move at all.
It was afraid, she realized. Afraid of her reaction.
"Luna." Her name came out distorted but gentler than before, almost pleading. "Luna, I—"
It took a step forward, and Luna flinched involuntarily. She couldn't help it—the creature was terrifying, all claws and fangs and barely restrained violence.
The creature stopped immediately, and the sound it made was heartbreaking—something between a whimper and a gasp.
"I'm sorry." It backed away, toward the broken skylight. "I know I'm terrifying. I know. I'm sorry you had to see this. See me."
Luna tried to speak, but her throat was too tight.
"I'll call the police," the creature continued, each word seeming to cost it. "They'll find you. You'll be safe. I'll just—I'll go—"
Luna made a sound then, urgent and desperate, trying to form words.
The creature paused. "Your bindings. Right. Of course."
It approached slowly, each movement careful and deliberate, the way you'd approach a frightened animal. When it knelt beside her, Luna could see details she'd missed before: the orange lightning marks weren't just fur—they glowed from within, pulsing like a heartbeat. The creature's face, while inhuman, had a strange symmetry to it. And its eyes, those impossible eyes, held such depth of emotion that Luna's chest ached.
Carefully, with a gentleness that seemed impossible from those massive clawed hands, the creature cut through her bindings. The ropes fell away, and Luna rubbed her wrists, feeling blood flow back into her fingers.
The creature removed her gag, and Luna gasped, taking deep breaths of air that tasted like freedom.
They sat there in silence, Luna trembling, the creature frozen with obvious fear. Luna stared at it—really looked at it. The black fur, the orange streaks, the way its ears were positioned on its head. Wolf ears.
Like hers.
"Hiro?" Her voice was barely a whisper.
The creature's ears drooped, a gesture so familiar it made Luna's heart squeeze. "I'm sorry," it—he—said. "I'm so sorry you had to see me like this."
"It's really you?" Luna breathed.
"This is what I am." Hiro's distorted voice carried years of shame. "What I've been hiding. I'm not human. I'm a—"
"—beautiful."
Hiro's entire body went rigid, eyes widening in shock. "What?"
Luna's hand moved before her rational mind could stop it. She reached out, trembling, and touched his fur. It was softer than it looked, warm and alive. She traced one of the orange lightning marks, feeling energy pulse beneath her fingertips.
"You're like me," she whispered.
"I'm a monster."
"No." Luna's voice was stronger now, more certain. "You're a beast. Like me. You're—" Her voice broke. "You've been hiding, just like I've been afraid. We're the same."
Hiro's form began to shift. Luna watched in wonder as the black fur receded, as his size diminished, as the wolf features softened back into human ones. It was like watching a tide reverse, nature and humanity finding balance.
When the transformation completed, Hiro collapsed forward, exhausted. Luna caught him, her arms barely strong enough to support his weight.
"You're not afraid?" he asked, voice human again but weak, strained.
"I was," Luna admitted, holding him against her. "For a second. But then I saw your eyes. The same kind eyes that have been protecting me all this time."
Tears streaked down Hiro's face, cutting through the dirt and sweat. "I thought—if you saw—you'd run."
"Where would I run?" Luna asked simply. "You're the only person who's ever really seen me. The real me."
They sat there on the cold warehouse floor, holding each other as sirens wailed in the distance, getting closer. Luna's tail wrapped around Hiro's arm, an anchor in the storm.
"What are you?" Luna asked finally. "Really?"
Hiro took a shaky breath. "My grandmother is demi-human. My grandfather is beast folk. My father is half-and-half. My mother is human. I'm all of them. And none of them. A hybrid that shouldn't exist."
"That's why you look human but—"
"But I'm not. The beast is always inside." Hiro looked at her, his human eyes still holding that same golden intensity. "Especially when I'm emotional. Angry. Scared. Or when someone I care about is in danger."
Luna's breath caught. "You transformed for me?"
"I would do anything for you."
The words hung between them, heavy with meaning. Their faces were close, so close that Luna could count Hiro's eyelashes, could see the exact moment his gaze dropped to her lips.
The sirens were nearly on top of them now.
"We need to go," Hiro said reluctantly, pulling back. "Before they see me like this. Before there are questions I can't answer."
He stood on shaky legs and helped Luna up. Her own legs weren't much steadier, but together, they managed. Together, they ran into the night.
They found refuge in a small park several blocks away, tucked into a corner where the streetlights didn't quite reach. Luna sat on a bench, her tail wrapped around Hiro's arm, and studied his profile in the moonlight.
"Does it hurt?" she asked quietly. "The transformation?"
"At first, yes. Like my bones are breaking and reforming. But I've learned to manage it. Mostly."
"Is that why you punch your wall at home?"
Hiro turned to her, shocked. "How did you—?"
"Your bandages. The bruises on your knuckles. The way you wince sometimes when you think no one's looking." Luna took his hand, examining the scarred skin. "You hurt yourself to avoid hurting others."
Hiro said nothing, but his silence was confirmation enough.
"You don't have to hide anymore," Luna said, squeezing his hand. "Not from me."
"People will find out eventually." Hiro's voice was heavy with resignation. "And when they do—"
"Then we'll face it together."
"Why?" The question burst from him, raw and desperate. "Why aren't you afraid? Why aren't you running?"
Luna was quiet for a moment, thinking. Then she said, "Because I know you. The real you. And that person, that beast, saved me when no one else could. You could have ignored those men. You could have let them take me, could have decided it wasn't your problem. But you didn't. You hunted them down. You risked everything—your secret, your safety, your life—for me."
She leaned her head on his shoulder, feeling him tense, then gradually relax.
"You're my beast, Hiro."
Hiro's breath caught audibly. Slowly, as if afraid she might disappear, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "And you're my—"
He couldn't finish the sentence, couldn't name what she was to him. But Luna smiled anyway, because she understood. Some things were too big for words.
They sat there until dawn began to paint the sky in shades of pink and gold, two outcasts who'd found something precious in each other—acceptance, understanding, and the beginning of something that felt like home.
School the next day buzzed with rumors. Luna heard them whispered in hallways, shouted across the courtyard, passed from desk to desk in frantic notes.
"Did you hear? Luna was attacked!"
"They say traffickers tried to kidnap her!"
"A monster saved her—a real monster! Like, seven feet tall!"
"My cousin's friend saw the warehouse. It was destroyed. Police found blood everywhere."
"What if there's a beast folk monster loose in the city?"
"What if it comes after us next?"
Luna kept her head down, trying to navigate through the chaos. Her mother had been beside herself that morning, crying and hugging Luna so tight she could barely breathe. The police had taken her statement at 3 AM, and while Luna had been truthful about the kidnapping, she'd been carefully vague about her rescuer.
"I don't know what it was," she'd told the detective. "Everything happened so fast. I just remember being saved."
The detective had looked skeptical but hadn't pressed. After all, three men had turned themselves in at the hospital, babbling about a monster, all of them with injuries consistent with extreme force. The evidence spoke for itself.
"Luna!"
She turned to find Hiro walking toward her, and her heart did a complicated flip. In the daylight, he looked entirely human—no trace of the beast that had torn through a warehouse for her. But she knew now. She'd seen the truth beneath his skin.
"Hi," she said softly.
"Hi." He stopped beside her, close enough that their arms almost touched. Close enough that she could feel the warmth radiating from him. "How are you?"
"I'm okay. You?"
"Tired." He smiled slightly. "Didn't sleep much."
They stood there, the chaos of the school swirling around them, and Luna felt something shift between them. The awkwardness from before was gone, burned away by what they'd shared. Now there was just understanding. Trust.
"Hiro."
They both turned to find Ayaka approaching, her expression carefully neutral, but Luna caught the sharp calculation in her eyes.
"Ayaka," Hiro said, his tone polite but distant.
"I heard about what happened to Luna." Ayaka's gaze swept over Luna, assessing. "How terrifying. A monster, they're saying?"
"I don't know what it was," Luna said, repeating her careful lie. "Just that I was saved."
"Hmm." Ayaka's attention shifted to Hiro. "Quite a coincidence that you were in the area, isn't it? The police report mentioned someone calling in the location anonymously."
Hiro's expression didn't change. "I heard sirens. Saw the warehouse. Called it in. Anyone would have done the same."
"Of course." But Ayaka's smile didn't reach her eyes. "How noble of you."
The bell rang, saving them from further conversation. Ayaka walked away, but Luna saw her glance back once, her gaze lingering on Hiro with an intensity that made Luna's skin prickle.
"She suspects," Luna murmured.
"Let her." Hiro's hand found hers, their fingers interlacing naturally. "I'm done hiding. At least from the people who matter."
Luna squeezed his hand, warmth spreading through her chest.
They walked to class together, ignoring the stares and whispers that followed them. Because for the first time in their lives, neither of them felt alone.
The beast and his wolf. The outcast and his protector. Two souls who'd found each other in the darkness and refused to let go.
And somewhere in the shadows, Ayaka watched them with narrowed eyes, her mind already spinning plots and plans.
What are you hiding, Hiro Mizuki? she thought, watching him smile at Luna—a real, genuine smile that she'd never managed to coax from him. And how can I use it?
The game was far from over.
But for now, in this moment, Hiro and Luna had each other. And sometimes, that was enough.