Chapter 117: The Enchanting Beauty of the Night

Miku Yumetsuki had a deep love for music and possessed a remarkable talent for singing. However, her shyness confined her performances to moments when she was alone, singing only to herself. She had long wished to sing seriously in public, and by chance, there was a nearby park seldom visited by others—an ideal place for her to sing.

One evening, she decided to go. Upon arriving at the park, she carefully looked around and found it completely deserted. This discovery brought her a mix of relief and a slight pang of disappointment—there really wasn’t a single listener. But with no audience, there was no reason to be shy. Gathering her courage, Miku climbed to the top of the slide, the highest spot in the park.

Imagining herself standing on a grand stage, she began to sing the song she had long chosen. The song was written by a girl her age, hailed as the brightest rising star in the music world. The many dazzling accolades did not concern Miku; she simply loved the song.

Her voice rang clear through the quiet night and the empty park. For the first time, she felt such joy. After finishing “My Song,” she was deeply satisfied. Just then, a voice called out, “You sing ‘My Song’ really beautifully. Though you’re not quite as good as Iwazawa, you’re still very impressive!”

Startled, Miku’s heart screamed inwardly, “Someone heard me! What do I do? I’m so embarrassed! What if they laugh at me? I can’t face anyone now! No, it’s so dark, they probably can’t see me clearly. I’ll sneak away quietly!”

But fate seemed to have other plans. A breeze parted the clouds, and the bright moonlight mingled with the stars, illuminating the park and revealing the figure nearby. At first glance, Miku saw a breathtakingly beautiful starry sky, more stunning than any she had ever seen.

Captivated by the stars, she momentarily forgot to run away. Before she realized it, the boy had reached the foot of the slide. Panic set in, and she suddenly lost her balance, tumbling down the slide. Fortunately, the slide was designed for children, so it wasn’t very high.

Still, the ground was solid and the fall would hurt. Just as she braced herself, she landed in a warm embrace. As she fell, Yoru Hayate caught her effortlessly.

“Are you okay? You didn’t get hurt, did you? Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” the boy’s voice was gentle, tinged with apology. Miku looked up and saw Yoru’s kind smile, which made her heart flutter.

“It’s alright. Thank you for catching me,” she said, realizing she was still in his arms. She quickly stood up and thanked him again. Then, recalling what he had said earlier, she became excited and asked the boy, who was about her age, “You know Iwazawa, right? Have you heard this song before?”

“Of course. I’m good friends with Iwazawa,” Yoru replied with a smile.

“Hmph, I always say Iwazawa is like my big sister!” Miku said with a teasing disbelief, but this only brought them closer. She sensed he was easy to get along with and unconsciously began to see him as a friend. She grumbled, “Do you know you scared me when you suddenly spoke like that just now?”

“I already apologized for that. Besides, you really sang well,” Yoru said, shrugging with a playful helplessness when she doubted him.

“Really?” Miku, only twelve, forgot her earlier annoyance at his interruption upon hearing his praise. Bashfully, she tapped her head and said cutely, “Actually, I’ve always been too shy to sing in front of people. You’re the very first person to hear me sing!”

“Oh? Then I suppose I should say it’s my honor,” Yoru said, playing along.

“Of course! Hey, you really like Iwazawa’s songs too, don’t you? It’s like her music has magic—every time it shakes my soul. I’ve listened to every single song, especially since Iwazawa is about our age but already so mature, like a big sister. She plays the guitar amazingly! And the other members of her band, Girls Dead Monster, are all incredibly talented, too. They seem like they’ve been playing together forever.”

In front of Yoru, Miku dropped all her defenses, gushing like a devoted fan about her admiration for Iwazawa and the other members of Girls Dead Monster. Yoru smiled gently, realizing he had encountered one of their young fans.

Patiently listening, Yoru let Miku pour out everything about her life—her joys and troubles—without concern for whether he wanted to hear it all.

After several hours, Miku finally grew tired and paused. Only then did she realize she had kept a stranger listening to her nonstop for so long—and had done so with such ease.

“It’s already this late! Sorry, I don’t know why I suddenly talked so much. Maybe it’s because you seem so warm and friendly! Hehe~” Miku apologized with a shy smile.

“No problem. I’m free anyway, and I find your stories quite interesting,” Yoru said, waving off her apology.

“Really?! Will you come here again?” For the first time, someone had willingly listened to her so long. Miku’s eyes sparkled with hope as she pressed the question.

“Of course,” Yoru answered without hesitation.

“Then it’s a promise! See you tomorrow!” Miku said, waving goodbye as she ran toward the park’s exit. Watching her leave, Yoru thought it was time for him to go as well. Yet, Miku suddenly reappeared before him.

“Aren’t you going back now?” Yoru asked, puzzled by her hurried return.

Winking playfully, she asked, “If I leave like this, I won’t even know my new friend’s name! I’m Tsukino Yumachi. What’s yours?”

“Just for that reason? You could’ve asked tomorrow,” Yoru chuckled, amused by her earnestness before giving his name.

“Yoru, huh? Well then, Yoru, you absolutely must come tomorrow night! If you don’t, I’ll be very angry—and when I’m angry, I won’t talk to you anymore!” Miku said adorably, issuing her childish warning.

“Don’t worry, I never break my promises. Well, except for that one time...” Yoru said quietly.

Miku didn’t notice the sudden low tone in his voice. Filled with the joy of having made a good friend, she hurried home, eagerly pulling the covers over herself and looking forward to the arrival of the next day.