Chapter 16: Chapter 16: The Late Arrival

The apartment felt quiet—too quiet. Scaramouche sat on the couch in his human form, tapping his fingers impatiently against his knee. His indigo hair fell into his sharp eyes as he glanced toward the wall clock hanging in the living room. The ticking sound grated on his nerves.

9:00 PM.

She wasn’t home yet.

Scaramouche let out an exasperated sigh, leaning back against the cushions. “Where the hell is she?” he muttered under his breath. Lumine had told him earlier that she would be spending the day out with her friends—Albedo, Kazuha, Amber, and Ayaka—and he hadn’t thought much of it at the time. It wasn’t like he cared.

But now it was 9:00 PM, and there was still no sign of her.

She’s fine, he told himself. Probably laughing it up somewhere with those friends of hers.

Still, he couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling building in his chest. It was strange. He didn’t even realize when his concern for Lumine had grown to this level.

---

11:00 PM.

By this point, his irritation had boiled over. Scaramouche stood up, pacing the apartment restlessly. The sound of his socked feet against the hardwood floor echoed faintly in the silence. He glanced at the clock again, narrowing his eyes.

She’s two hours late.

Scaramouche ran a hand through his indigo hair in frustration. “What kind of idiot stays out this late?!” he hissed, glaring at the empty apartment as though it would somehow summon Lumine back.

He moved toward the window and peered outside, looking down at the quiet street. The city was dim and still, the only movement coming from a few cars passing through. A sudden thought crossed his mind—what if something had happened to her?

No. Stop it. He shook his head, growling softly to himself. “She’s fine. She’s with her friends.”

But even as he told himself that, his shoulders remained tense.

Scaramouche returned to the couch, collapsing into it dramatically. “This is stupid. She’s stupid,” he muttered to himself. Why am I even bothering to wait?

The minutes dragged on like hours. He glared at the clock as if it had personally offended him. Just when he was about to start yelling out loud to vent his frustration, he heard it.

Footsteps.

---

Scaramouche froze, his body stiffening at the sound of soft footsteps approaching the door. His sharp ears picked up the faint jingling of keys, followed by the familiar click of the lock turning.

“Finally,” he grumbled, his irritation evident in his tone. But as the doorknob turned, his mind snapped back into focus.

Oh, crap.

Before the door could fully open, Scaramouche leapt off the couch in a rush, his form shimmering faintly as he transformed back into his midnight-furred cat self. He landed silently on the floor, his tail swishing as he darted over to the hallway just in time for Lumine to step inside.

“Ugh…” Lumine sighed as she pushed the door open, her voice heavy with exhaustion. She kicked off her shoes lazily and let her bag drop onto the floor with a dull thud. “That was a long day.”

Kuni—now safely in his cat form—sat in the hallway with an unimpressed expression, his tail flicking back and forth as he watched her slump forward.

Lumine noticed him almost immediately. “Oh, hey, Kuni,” she mumbled, forcing a tired smile as she crouched down to pat his head. “Were you waiting for me?”

Scaramouche stared up at her with narrowed eyes, his feline face masking the scolding he so badly wanted to give her. Do you have any idea how late it is?! he wanted to shout. But all that came out was a small, irritable mrow.

Lumine chuckled softly. “I know, I know. I’m late. You don’t have to look so grumpy.” She scratched under his chin, earning an involuntary purr from Scaramouche before he quickly stopped himself.

Lumine stood up, stretching her arms over her head. “Amber dragged us all over the place today. Shopping, food, and karaoke,” she said, recounting her long day aloud. “It was fun, but… I’m so tired.”

She wandered into the living room, dropping herself onto the couch face-first with a dramatic groan.

Kuni padded silently after her, jumping onto the couch and sitting beside her. His gaze softened as he took in her exhausted form. Her long day was written all over her face—dark circles under her eyes and a slight droop to her shoulders.

“Tomorrow’s going to be worse, though,” Lumine mumbled into the cushion. “We still have group projects and more homework. I think school’s trying to kill me…”

Scaramouche huffed quietly, sitting down beside her head. You’re an idiot, he thought, though this time, there was no real malice in it.

Lumine tilted her head to glance at him, smiling faintly. “You really are the best, Kuni. At least you’re here to listen to me complain.”

She reached out and gently pulled him onto her lap, resting her hand softly on his fur. Scaramouche froze for a moment before relaxing, letting her stroke him absentmindedly.

As much as he hated to admit it, being here—with her—made the hours of waiting seem… worth it.

---

Eventually, Lumine stood up and made her way to her room, carrying Kuni with her. She placed him gently on the bed before flopping down beside him with a sigh.

“Goodnight, Kuni,” she whispered sleepily, her voice soft as her eyes fluttered closed.

Scaramouche, curled up beside her, stared at her peaceful face for a long moment. The worry and irritation he’d felt earlier had faded away, replaced by an odd sense of relief.

You’re hopeless, he thought, though this time it was directed at himself.

As Lumine drifted into sleep, Scaramouche let himself relax, the quiet hum of the city outside lulling him into a rare sense of calm. For now, he’d let her rest—and maybe tomorrow, he’d figure out why her absence had bothered him so much.