Chapter 116: Chapter 109: "Under the Starlit Sky"

The faint glow of Lumine’s phone illuminated her face in the dark as she scrolled through her notifications. Her thumb froze mid-swipe when an announcement caught her eye:

“Tonight: Rare Meteor Shower Visible at 2:00 AM!”

Her eyes widened in excitement, and without hesitation, she threw off her blanket, startling the two cats nestled beside her—Snowball and Scaramouche, who was in his cat form.

“Guys, wake up!” she whispered loudly, shaking Aether’s shoulder.

“What… huh? Is something on fire?” Aether mumbled groggily, rubbing his eyes.

“No, dummy! There’s a meteor shower tonight! At 2:00 AM!”

Aether blinked at her, his golden eyes still hazy with sleep. “…And this couldn’t wait until morning because…?”

Lumine shot him a look, one eyebrow raised. “Because it’s happening tonight, genius!”

She grabbed her phone and opened their chaotic group chat, typing rapidly:

Lumine: GUYS WAKE UP, THERE’S A METEOR SHOWER AT 2AM!!!

Venti: whaaaaat 😴

Amber: For real?? Omg we have to go!!

Ayaka: That sounds beautiful! I’ll bring a picnic blanket.

Albedo: I’ll prepare my laptop. Data must be collected.

Kazuha: A peaceful night under the stars… I’m in.

Scaramouche: Do you people ever sleep?

Aether: We’re going, aren’t we?

Venti: WAIT. AETHER’S DRIVING??? 😱

Lumine grinned as she shut her phone. “Let’s go!”

---

Outside the Dorms – 1:00 AM

The group slowly gathered outside the school dormitory under the pale moonlight, bundled in oversized hoodies and scarves.

Amber clutched a bag of snacks, Ayaka carried a thick picnic blanket neatly folded in her arms, and Albedo had his laptop tucked under one arm with a thermos in the other.

Venti, still half-asleep, clung desperately to Kazuha’s arm. “Why… why did we agree to this? And why is Aether driving?”

“I’m right here, you know,” Aether said flatly, unlocking his car with a beep.

Scaramouche, still in his cat form, hopped into the car with an annoyed flick of his tail. Snowball followed close behind, curling up on Lumine’s lap once she got in.

Everyone piled into the car—Amber and Ayaka in the back, Venti wedged between Kazuha and Albedo, and Lumine in the front with Aether.

“Alright, everyone ready?” Aether asked, adjusting the rearview mirror.

Venti took a deep breath and dramatically clutched Kazuha’s arm. “If I don’t make it out alive, tell my story!”

Aether rolled his eyes and started the engine. But to everyone’s surprise, he drove calmly, obeying every traffic rule and maintaining a steady speed.

Venti blinked, looking out the window. “Is this… is this real? Are we… safe?”

Lumine stifled a laugh, and Aether smirked slightly. “See? I can drive normally.”

Venti let out an exaggerated sigh of relief and slumped against Kazuha’s shoulder.

---

The Hilltop – 1:45 AM

The car came to a smooth stop at the base of a hill overlooking the quiet town below. The sky was vast and clear, glittering with countless stars.

Everyone stepped out, carrying their supplies. Ayaka spread the blanket on the soft grass, and Amber set up the snacks in the middle. Albedo opened his laptop, typing quickly while glancing occasionally at the sky.

Scaramouche leaped out of the car and transformed back into his human form, stretching his arms above his head. Lumine held Snowball securely in her arms as she walked beside him.

“Didn’t think you’d actually show up,” Lumine said with a teasing smile.

Scaramouche shoved his hands in his pockets and looked away. “Yeah, well… someone has to make sure you idiots don’t fall off a hill or something.”

Amber giggled as she handed out snack packs to everyone. “You two are adorable, you know that?”

Scaramouche shot her a glare, but Amber just laughed and skipped away.

The group settled on the blanket, huddling close to fend off the chilly night air. Venti leaned against Kazuha, humming softly, while Ayaka offered hot tea to everyone.

Lumine lay back on the blanket with Snowball curled on her stomach, her golden eyes wide with anticipation as she stared at the sky.

“It’s starting soon,” Albedo announced, glancing at his screen. “Get ready.”

---

2:00 AM – The Meteor Shower

The first streak of light shot across the sky, leaving behind a faint shimmering trail. Then another. And another.

The entire group fell silent as the heavens above them came alive with streaks of glowing meteors. The sky seemed to dance with light, painting trails across the inky black canvas.

Lumine gasped softly, her eyes reflecting the celestial display above. Snowball let out a tiny mew as if enchanted by the sight.

Scaramouche, sitting beside her, glanced at Lumine instead of the sky. Her expression—pure wonder, glowing softly in the starlight—made his chest tighten.

Venti, unable to contain his excitement, whispered dramatically, “Is this… what heaven feels like?”

Amber laughed softly. “It’s so beautiful…”

Aether, sitting on Lumine’s other side, let out a quiet sigh, his gaze flickering between his sister and the sky.

The group stayed like that for what felt like hours, wrapped in silence and wonder, as meteors continued to streak across the sky.

In that moment, there was no teasing, no sass, no chaos—just friends sharing a rare and breathtaking experience under a sky full of fleeting stars.

Scaramouche leaned back on his elbows, tilting his head up at the night sky.

“Yeah… this isn’t so bad.”

Lumine glanced at him with a soft smile, her voice barely above a whisper. “Thanks for coming, Kuni.”

For once, Scaramouche didn’t have a sharp reply. He just looked at her, his violet eyes softening briefly before turning back to the sky.

And under the starlit sky, the chaotic circle of friends shared a memory they would cherish forever.