The dorm was eerily quiet when Lumine and Aether returned from their afternoon walk. Lumine's brows furrowed in suspicion as she glanced at her twin. "Donât tell me they forgot our birthday," she muttered under her breath, a slight pout forming on her lips.
Before Aether could respond, the lights flickered on, and a loud "SURPRISE!" erupted in the living room. Balloons floated lazily above their heads, streamers adorned the walls, and a banner reading Happy Birthday, Lumine and Aether! stretched across the room.
Their friendsâAmber, Ayaka, Kazuha, Albedo, Venti, and even Scaramoucheâstood there with beaming smiles. Amber was holding a cake topped with lit candles, while Venti strummed his lyre, breaking into an improvised birthday tune.
"Happy birthday, you two!" Ayaka said warmly, stepping forward to hand them each a wrapped gift.
"Did you really think weâd forget?" Kazuha teased, his crimson eyes twinkling.
Lumine laughed, her heart swelling at the effort they had all put into this. "You guysâ¦" she trailed off, touched beyond words.
Aether stepped forward, his face glowing with gratitude. "Thank you, everyone. This means a lot to us."
After they blew out the candles, everyone dug into the cake. Venti, of course, got frosting on his face, courtesy of Amber. Albedo observed the chaos with a quiet smile, while Ayaka and Kazuha shared a knowing look as if reminiscing about their own birthdays.
As the celebration died down, Scaramouche silently stood up. Lumine noticed his subtle gesture and followed him as he walked out onto the balcony.
The night was serene, with stars scattered across the dark velvet sky like glittering diamonds. The cool breeze brushed against Lumineâs face as she stepped beside Scaramouche, who was leaning against the railing, his gaze fixed on the heavens.
"Beautiful, isnât it?" he said, his voice softer than usual.
"It is," Lumine replied, her eyes drawn to the crescent moon glowing faintly above them.
Scaramouche turned to her, his expression unreadable yet oddly tender. "Thereâs something I wanted to give you," he said, pulling something small from his pocket.
Lumine blinked in surprise as he stepped closer, revealing a delicate golden necklace with a small sun pendant. "This is for you," he murmured, gently clasping it around her neck.
She looked down, her fingers brushing against the warm metal. "Itâs beautiful," she whispered, her voice laced with emotion.
Scaramouche took a step back and pulled out a second necklace. This one had a crescent moon pendant, which he put on himself. "The sun suits you," he said quietly, his gaze locking with hers. "Youâre warm, radiant⦠and everything Iâm not."
Lumineâs heart skipped a beat. "Scaramoucheâ¦"
He stepped closer, his hands finding hers. "I want you to know that no matter where life takes us, youâll always be the light I look up to. Just like the sun gives life to the moon, you give meaning to me."
Her breath hitched at his heartfelt words. The night seemed to stand still as the world around them faded away. Slowly, Scaramouche leaned in, his lips brushing against hers in a soft, lingering kiss that spoke volumes.
When they finally pulled apart, Lumine smiled, her cheeks glowing as brightly as the necklace she now wore. "Thank you," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Scaramouche smirked, his usual arrogance laced with a rare vulnerability. "Happy birthday, Lumine."
Above them, the stars twinkled as if blessing their moment, the crescent moon and sun pendant glinting softly in the night.