The morning air in Seika Academy's main hallway buzzed with a nervous, electric energy. The semester finals results were being posted. A dense cluster of uniformed students packed the space before the announcement board, a mosaic of fur, feathers, and anxious human faces.
Luna stood slightly apart, her hands clasped tightly in front of her, ears pressed flat against her skull. Hiro stood beside her, a steady, silent presence.
"I can't look," Luna whispered, her fluffy white tail twitching.
"You scored top marks on every practice test," Hiro murmured, forward attentively. "Have a little faith."
A cheer erupted from the front. Yuki, bounced out of the throng, her pink ears quivering with excitement. "We did it! We all passed!"
Relief washed through Luna's shoulders. Kaede, the dramatic , pushed through next, a wide, sharp-toothed grin on her face. "Passed? Some of us dominated!" She pointed a dramatic finger at the rankings list. "Look! Top ten!"
The group surged forward. Takeshi, tall and human, squinted at the board. "Wait… Luna. Number eight overall?!"
All eyes turned to her. Luna felt her face grow hot beneath her fur. "I… I just studied really hard," she stammered, wrapping her tail around her leg.
Hiro's smile was like sunlight breaking through clouds. "You earned it," he said, his voice warm with pride.
"This calls for a celebration!" Lolo declared, her elegant crane features serene but her eyes sparkling. "Karaoke! My treat!"
The agreement was unanimous, a chorus of happy voices. It was then that another voice cut through, cool and familiar.
"I agree. A celebration is in order."
Ayaka stepped from the shadow of a column, her posture perfect, her expression unreadable. The group's chatter died down. The memory of her past cruelty, especially toward Luna, still lingered like a chill.
"What?" Ayaka said, a hint of her old defiance flashing. "I can celebrate too. I came in third." She gestured dismissively at the board where her name, Ayaka Tanaka #3, was etched.
An awkward silence followed. Luna looked from Hiro's protective frown to Ayaka's carefully neutral face. She saw not the sneering bully of months past, but someone trying, and failing, to find a way in. Luna took a soft breath.
"Do you… want to come to karaoke with us?" Luna asked, her voice gentle but clear.
Ayaka's icy composure faltered for a millisecond. Her eyes widened almost imperceptibly. "If I'm invited," she said, the haughtiness in her tone forced.
Luna offered a small, genuine smile. "You are."
Ayaka merely nodded, but the stiff line of her shoulders relaxed a fraction. It was not mocking. It was gratitude.
The karaoke room was a riot of color and sound that evening. The private booth, paid for by Lolo, was packed with their full group: Hiro, Luna, Yuki, Kaede, Lolo, Takeshi, and, sitting slightly apart but undeniably present, Ayaka.
Yuki kicked things off with an upbeat pop song, bouncing around the room with inexhaustible energy, turning the microphone into a prop in a one-girl musical. Everyone clapped along, laughing.
Kaede followed with a dramatic power ballad, clutching her chest and belting the high notes with theatrical flair, making everyone howl with laughter. Lolo's turn was a surprise—a classical piece sung in a clear, beautiful soprano that left the room in respectful, impressed silence.
Then it was Ayaka's turn. She selected her song with deliberate calm, but when the first notes of a melancholic, vulnerable ballad filled the room, a different person emerged. Her voice was quiet, lovely, and carried a real, aching emotion. Luna watched, her earlier preconceptions quietly crumbling. This was no performance. This was a fragment of a soul, offered up.
Luna's own song was sweet and emotional, a folk tune about finding home. As she sang, she was acutely aware of Hiro's gaze, steady and warm . Her own tail wagged in time with the beat, a happy, unconscious rhythm.
The climax was their duet. Hiro stood and offered her his hand. They chose a romantic duet, a dialogue of longing and promise. His baritone blended with her mezzo-soprano perfectly. They weren't just singing lyrics; they were having a conversation. The room faded away—the boisterous friends, the flashing lights—until it was just their two voices intertwining. When the final note hung in the air, there was a beat of pure silence before the room erupted into cheers and whistles.
Takeshi broke the romantic spell with a lightning-fast rap song, revealing a hidden talent that had everyone stomping their feet.
During the snack break, as everyone grabbed fried chicken and soda, Ayaka moved to sit beside Luna near the drink cooler.
"Thank you," Ayaka said quietly, not looking at her, tracing a bead of condensation on her glass. "For inviting me."
"Everyone deserves friends," Luna said simply, nibbling on a carrot stick.
A bitter smile touched Ayaka's lips. "Even someone who was cruel to you?"
Luna turned to face her fully. "People can change. You're trying. That's enough for me."
Ayaka's breath hitched. She looked away, towards the screen where a muted music video played. "I don't deserve your kindness."
"Maybe not," Luna said softly. "But I'm giving it anyway because your my rival after all",
Ayaka's eyes glistened under the neon lights. She blinked rapidly, turning her head away to hide the tear that escaped. She didn't say another word, but the rigid wall around her seemed to have developed a deep, hairline crack.
It was Hiro who made the next announcement, clinking his soda bottle for attention. "Hey, everyone. Before we call it a night… would you like to come somewhere with me?"
"Where to?" Yuki asked, tilting her head.
"My grandparents' house. Today is my grandmother's birthday. She'd love to meet all of you." A fond smile played on his lips. "She's been asking about my 'pack' for months."
Kaede slammed a fist into her palm, grinning. "Grandma Akane's birthday! We absolutely have to go! She makes the best red bean cakes!"
The vote was unanimous and enthusiastic. They pooled their remaining change, bought a bouquet of flowers and a nice box of sweets, and descended upon the modest, well-kept house that sat in the transitional zone between the demi-human and beast folk districts.
The door swung open before Hiro could knock. Akane, a spry fox demi-human with orange-streaked hair and a kind, wrinkled face, beamed at them. "Hiro! It's so nice to see you And you brought the whole troop!" She pulled each of them into a warm, crushing hug that smelled of cinnamon and fabric softener.
From behind her, Daiki, Hiro's grandfather, a broad-shouldered wolf beast folk with a gruff demeanor, nodded in approval. "House hasn't been this full in years. Good. Wipe your feet."
The living room was cozy, filled with framed photos and well-loved furniture. Akane descended upon Luna first, taking both of her hands. "Luna, dear! You're even more lovely than Hiro described." She leaned in conspiratorially, her voice a stage whisper that everyone heard. "He talks about you all the time. 'Grandma, Luna did this,' 'Grandma, Luna said that.' It's always Luna."
Luna's blush was instant and deep, her white fur doing little to hide it. Her tail erupted into a joyful, uncontrollable wag that thumped against the sofa leg. Hiro groaned, burying his face in his hands as everyone laughed.
Daiki found a kindred spirit in Takeshi, discussing martial arts stances in the corner. "You move with good balance, boy. Heavy on your left foot, though. Keep training."
"Thank you,sir," Takeshi said, standing straighter, honored.
Akane dragged out photo albums, subjecting a giggling Yuki and Kaede to pictures of a toddler Hiro with his fluffy wolf ears sticking straight up, trying to howl. Lolo helped quietly in the kitchen, arranging cakes on plates with natural grace.
"You have careful hands, dear," Akane observed, watching her. "And a gentle heart. It's written in your movements."
Lolo froze,a porcelain plate poised in her hand.
Akane placed a gentle,age-spotted hand over hers. "You care for my grandson, don't you?"
Lolo's graceful composure wavered."I… yes. But I know Luna is—"
"The heart is a vast and complicated country,child," Akane interrupted, her voice soft as worn cotton. "It has room for many cities, many forms of love. Admiration is no less beautiful for being different."
Even Ayaka was seamlessly woven into the fabric of the evening, handed a stack of napkins to distribute. Daiki fixed her with his steady golden gaze. "You're the one who gave my grandson trouble at school."
Ayaka stiffened,the napkins crumpling slightly in her grip.
"But you're here now,"he grunted. "Trying to mend the fence. That takes a different kind of strength. Respect that."
He gave a single,firm nod. Ayaka, disarmed by the direct acknowledgment, nodded back, a weight lifting from her posture.
The birthday song was a raucous, joyful affair. Akane's eyes welled with happy tears as she blew out the candles on a magnificent strawberry shortcake. "Thank you, my dears. This," she said, her gaze sweeping over the crowded, laughing room, "this is the best gift."
As twilight deepened, the group, full of cake and warmth, began their journey home. On a whim, Luna invited them to see where she lived.
The walk from Hiro's grandparents' neighborhood into the heart of the beast folk district was a journey through a silent economic gradient. The well-maintained streets gave way to cracked pavement. The warm glow of generous streetlights dimmed into sporadic, flickering bulbs. The air grew quieter, heavier.
Lolo, who had lived her life amidst curated gardens and high walls, looked around with dawning, painful understanding. She saw the patched roofs, the boarded-up windows on the second floor of a bakery, the tired eyes of parents watching children play in a dusty lot.
"It's so…underserved," she breathed, not with disgust, but with shock.
"This is my home,"Luna said softly, no apology in her voice, only truth.
Lolo's delicate features set into a determined line."I will speak to my father. Not about charity. About investment. Infrastructure. This…" She gestured around, her voice gaining strength. "This isn't a beast folk issue. It's a people issue. And it's wrong."
Hiro looked at her,seeing not just the elegant heiress, but a future leader. "You'd do that?"
"Of course,"Lolo said, as if it were the simplest equation in the world. Luna's smile then was one of deep, profound gratitude.
Luna's apartment was on the third floor of a worn but clean building. The door flew open before they reached it, revealing Luna's mother, Yuki Shirohane, a lovely wolf beast folk with kind eyes and Luna's same silvery fur, now streaked with gray.
"Luna!You brought friends!" she exclaimed, ushering them all into the warm, cramped space that smelled of miso soup and lemon polish. "Your father is on the late shift, but please, make yourselves at home!"
The living room was small, forcing everyone to sit close on the floor and the worn sofa. Yet it was immaculate, filled with personal touches: family photos, a thriving potted plant, Luna's scholarship certificate framed proudly on the wall.
"Thank you," Luna's mother said, handing Hiro a cup of tea, her eyes lingering on him. "For being my Luna's friend. For protecting her. She shines brighter since she met you."
Hiro bowed his head respectfully."I always will, ma'am."
The older woman's keen eyes didn't miss the way her daughter's tail began a slow,happy sweep across the tatami mat at his words.
Luna showed them her bedroom—a tiny sanctuary with a narrow bed, a desk piled with textbooks, and a small window looking out over the district's rooftops. Takeshi stared at the framed certificate. "You really built this yourself," he said, awe in his voice.
"I had to,"Luna replied simply. "For my family. For a future where I could breathe."
Ayaka stood in the doorway,taking in the modest, earnest space. "I never understood… what 'having less' truly meant. I'm sorry," she murmured, the apology finally direct and unadorned.
Luna met her gaze."Now you understand. That's what matters."
The goodbyes at the door were filled with genuine promises to return. Luna stood in the doorway long after the group had disappeared down the stairwell, listening to the echo of their laughter. Her mother rested a hand on her shoulder.
"Good people,"her mother said softly.
"The best,"Luna whispered, her heart too full for more words.
The group splintered as they navigated back toward their own neighborhoods. Kaede and Lolo walked together through the demi-human district.
"Lolo,"Kaede said, breaking a comfortable silence. "You asked me earlier, at karaoke, about sharing someone you love."
Lolo looked at her,surprised she'd overheard.
Kaede's vulpine smile was bittersweet."It does hurt. Sometimes a lot. But when I see how Hiro looks at Luna, and how she looks at him… it's like watching two stars find their correct orbit. How could I want to dim that light?" She shrugged, a practiced casualness to the gesture. "Love isn't always possession. Sometimes it's celebration."
Lolo studied the older girl,the dramatic facade she often wore now stripped away to reveal quiet strength. "You have a warrior's heart, Kaede."
Kaede laughed,genuine and bright. "Nah. Just a heart that's learned its own shape."
Takeshi and Hiro walked the quiet streets near the school district.
"Today was…really good," Takeshi said, his hands in his pockets.
"Yeah,"Hiro agreed.
"Your grandparents…and Luna's mom…" Takeshi struggled for words, uncharacteristically hesitant. "You know, I used to buy into all of it. That beast folk were… I don't know, inherently wild. Less." He glanced at Hiro, prepared for anger.
Hiro just listened,his pace steady.
"But they're just…people," Takeshi finished, the realization solidifying as he said it aloud. "Good people. Honestly, better than a lot of the humans in my dad's corporate circles."
Hiro stopped and looked at his friend,the streetlight casting his face in sharp relief. "Thank you," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "For seeing them. For seeing her."
Takeshi grinned,punching Hiro lightly on the arm. "Thanks for not giving up on me, man."
Finally alone, Hiro walked the last stretch to his house. The night was clear, a few brave stars visible between the rooftops. The warmth of the day—the shared songs, his grandmother's joyful tears, the proud look in Luna's mother's eyes, the unity of his friends—settled in his chest like a sustained, warm note.
For the first time,he thought, I'm not a hybrid straddling two worlds. I'm just Hiro, and these are my people. All of them. The simplicity of it was breathtaking.
In her small, quiet bedroom, Luna lay curled under her quilt, hugging her pillow. The echoes of the day played behind her closed eyelids: laughter, song, her mother's proud face, Hiro's steadying presence.
Her phone buzzed on the nightstand.She reached for it.
A text from Hiro.
Today was perfect. Your mom is amazing as always.
Tears, sweet and uncomplicated, welled in her eyes. She typed back, her heart in her throat.
Thank you . Goodnight, Hiro.
She placed the phone back on the nightstand, settled into her pillow, and let the feeling of belonging wrap around her like a second blanket. In the dark, she smiled.
This,she thought as sleep gently pulled her under, this is what happiness feels like.