"The founding day of your House of the Hearth is coming up, isn't it?"
The one asking this question was none other than Chiori.
Luna, surprised, asked, "How did you know?"
"Just now, Lynette and Lyney came by and asked me to relay a message to you: 'Father' is returning soon, and the founding day is approaching. They hope you'll come back for the gathering."
Chiori said casually, then sighed.
"If they have something to say, they should say it in person. I'm not your messenger."
Luna, reclining on the sofa, pondered for a moment.
Chiori glanced at her. "Are you going back?"
"Are you coming with me?"
"As your girlfriend?"
"Mm."
Chiori smiled faintly. "A tempting proposal, but no thanks. I'm not part of the House of the Hearth. I'd just be a sore spot if I went there."
Besides, Luna's childhood sweetheart would certainly not be pleased to see her at such an occasion.
Only those intimately connected to a person—either their partner or someone on the cusp of becoming one—would be brought to a family gathering.
When Furina was asked about it, she offered a similar explanation:
"It's not that I couldn't go, but let's just skip it. Don't think I'm scared! It's just a rare family gathering, so you should enjoy it with your loved ones."
She paused, then added with a hint of concern, "Just... be sure to come back early!"
Thus, the next day, Luna had no choice but to arrive alone at the entrance of the House of the Hearth.
She gazed up at the towering gates, her hand poised to knock after a long silence.
"No need to knock," a faint voice drifted from nearby.
Turning her head, Luna murmured, "Lynette..."
Lynette, holding a box, pressed her lips into a thin line.
Welcome back
These words, if lost in a crowd, would have been easy to say. But when addressed to Luna alone, they caught in her throat.
So she forcefully shoved the box into Luna's hands.
"Give me a hand."
"Hm? Ah, sure..."
For a fleeting moment, confusion flickered across Luna's face.
Lynette pushed open the door and stepped inside.
Hearing no footsteps behind her, she glanced back slightly. "Aren't you coming in?"
"...I'm coming."
"Mm."
Lynette tried to appear nonchalant, but the twitching of her cat ears betrayed her current joy.
At least for this moment, she was genuinely happy Luna was here.
"Where's 'Father'?"
"She hasn't returned yet, but she'll be back soon. Let's decorate the House first."
The other children in the House looked mildly surprised to see Luna, but they nodded politely in greeting.
They strung up colorful streamers, pasted hand-written celebratory banners, and prepared ingredients for snacks and appetizers—after all, many of the children were now young adults.
Meanwhile, Lynette asked, "How have you been lately?"
Luna: "It's been good, just a lot happening lately."
Lynette: "...I see."
They exchanged glances, but neither could come up with a good conversation starter, resorting to small talk about inconsequential matters.
We weren't always like this, Lynette thought.
As children, they could talk about anything and everything. Even when there was nothing specific to discuss, they could easily invent endless nonsensical topics. When they lay together, they could chat until dawn.
She had once believed a rift had grown between them, making them strangers, unable to understand each other.
But Luna, at her core, hadn't changed.
The reasons behind her sword swings and gunshots remained the same as before.
Why...?
"Hmm?"
Why did you leave? Lynette wanted to ask, but she felt it wasn't the right time.
"Why call yourself Phantom Thief White Cat?"
Luna gracefully stepped onto the table, leaped up, and stuck a sticker to the wall.
"Because I like cats, so I chose that name. Speaking of which, where are they?"
"They" referred to the litter of kittens Lynette had adopted years ago. Back then, the children of the House of the Hearth had even argued over whether to keep them, eventually bringing the matter to Arlecchino.
Lynette's cat ears twitched. "They're doing well. Want to see?"
"If that's alright."
Lynette's gaze softened slightly. "There's no reason not to. After all... you were the one who encouraged me to adopt them back then. But whether they still recognize you is another matter."
Luna smiled faintly. "In a way, it's a blessing if they don't."
That way, they won't have to wait for my return.
"...Did you feel the same way back then?"
Lynette crossed her arms, her voice low. "You left me without a word, betraying our promise. Do you really think that was a good thing?"
The atmosphere grew heavy.
Lynette's cat ears drooped, regret washing over her. She shouldn't have brought up the past in a moment of impulse.
Even though she still couldn't fully let go of her resentment, she shouldn't have...
"Come this way," Lynette murmured.
She led the silent Luna to the backyard of the House of the Hearth.
Then, she pulled out a handful of small dried fish and shook them.
Instantly, several cats leaped down from the walls. Their fur varied in color, their expressions differed, but they all raced forward, mewing excitedly.
"Easy, now. Do you remember who this is?"
Lynette pointed at Luna.
As if understanding Lynette's words, the cats all turned to look at her, meowed a few more times, and then nuzzled affectionately against her.
Luna looked surprised.
"They still remember me?"
"...It's not like you've been gone for five or eight years."
Luna bent down to scratch their chins.
A flicker of envy crossed Lynette's eyes, but she said nonchalantly, "You might think forgetting is a blessing, but there are some things you can never forget."
She offered Luna a small dried fish.
"Here."
Luna opened her mouth. "Ah—"
"...You want to eat it?"
"Not that I mind, meow."
Lynette shook her head. "You're not a real cat. Give it to them."
"Mm."
After feeding the dried fish, the cats lazily wandered off.
Luna clapped her hands and leaned against the wall with Lynette.
"Back then, I just wanted to become stronger," Luna said.
Become stronger? Lynette recalled Arlecchino saying the same thing.
But Luna was already strong enough, she just didn't have a Vision. Lynette struggled to understand: Was becoming stronger more important than staying with family?
More important than her?
Lynette lowered her head, gently kicking the ground. "...There are always things you can't forget, and forgetting them wouldn't be a blessing."
"Forgetting only leaves a void in your heart, but dwelling on it brings anguish. You stare at the door, hoping to see the figure you long for, but they never appear. You see them in the newspapers, but can't truly touch them..."
"It's like a curse, a torment."
Lynette's voice was slow and deliberate.
A curse, a torment, Luna thought silently.
"But it's a curse and a torment only because we once saw the moonlight."
Luna couldn't help but glance at Lynette.
Lynette didn't meet her gaze, instead gazing at the sky, her hand slowly, cautiously moving until she gently gripped Luna's sleeve.
"Because I once saw the light."
But she couldn't grasp that light.
"That's why it's a curse."