The night was quiet again, the kind of quiet that wrapped the world in soft velvet. The rain had long since faded, leaving the scent of wet earth drifting in through the open window. The moon hung high, bright and pure.
Himeka sat on the edge of the bed, watching him as he stood by the window. He was exactly the same as always—white hair catching the silver glow, crimson eyes fixed far away, expression unreadable.
And yet… something inside her had changed.
Ever since that night—ever since he hadn't pushed her away when she hugged him—her heart had been a storm she couldn't calm. She thought of it constantly. The warmth of his body. The steadiness of his silence. The miracle that he had let her touch him.
Her cheeks flushed as she pressed her hands together in her lap.
If I can hug him… then maybe… maybe I can…
The thought sent heat rushing up her neck. She bit her lip, trembling with both fear and desire.
She wanted more.
Not riches, not titles, not even words. Just something—anything—that proved she wasn't dreaming when she felt close to him.
Her lips tingled with the thought.
"…I'll do it," she whispered under her breath.
---
She stood slowly, her bare feet brushing against the cold floor. Her nightgown swayed softly as she approached him. Each step made her heart pound louder, until it echoed in her ears.
When she reached him, she paused. Her hand hovered just inches from his sleeve.
"…Your Majesty," she said softly, her voice almost breaking. "May I be selfish… again?"
As always, no answer.
Her lips curved into a trembling smile. "That's fine. I'll take your silence as a yes."
With a courage born from desperation, she reached up. Her fingers brushed lightly against his sleeve, then his shoulder, before she slowly turned him toward her.
Her heart stopped.
He looked down at her, those crimson eyes calm and unreadable. The moonlight painted him ethereal, otherworldly.
Himeka's knees nearly gave out. She swallowed hard, her face burning.
"…You're too beautiful," she whispered, the words tumbling out before she could stop them. "It's unfair."
He didn't move. He didn't look away.
Her breath shook as she lifted trembling hands to his face. Her palms pressed gently against his cheeks, cool against his skin.
"Just once," she begged softly. "Let me steal something from you. Just once."
She rose onto her toes, eyes fluttering shut as she leaned in.
Her lips pressed against his.
The world shattered into warmth.
Her chest exploded with butterflies, her whole body trembling as if the ground had given way beneath her. His lips were still, unresponsive—but they were there. Real.
And for Himeka, that was everything.
Tears welled in her eyes as she deepened the kiss ever so slightly, pouring every ounce of her longing into that fragile connection.
"…Mnh…" a tiny sound escaped her throat, half sob, half sigh.
She pulled back slowly, her face flushed scarlet. Her breath came in shaky gasps, her lips tingling as though branded.
Her eyes lifted to his. "You didn't stop me…"
Her voice was so small, so fragile, it was almost a prayer.
"You let me kiss you."
Her hands slipped from his face to his chest, where she pressed her ear gently against the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.
"…It's real," she whispered, her tears falling freely now. "I'm not dreaming. You're here. You let me touch you. You let me…" Her voice cracked. "…kiss you."
He said nothing, as always. But his stillness felt different now.
Himeka clutched at his robes, smiling through her tears. "It's enough. Even if you never love me back… just knowing you'll let me love you is enough."
She closed her eyes, resting her cheek against his chest, holding him as if he were the only thing keeping her alive.
And for the first time in her life, she felt both utterly fragile and utterly whole.
Because she had kissed the Moonlit Emperor.
And he hadn't turned her away.
---
End of Chapter 9
---