Chapter one

Yukino Shirakawa’s school day started like any other. The soft clinking of the school bell echoed through the hallways, signaling the beginning of another long stretch of classes. It was a Monday, but that didn’t make it any more exciting than a Friday.

She walked into the classroom, her silver hair neatly tucked into a side ponytail, her expression as neutral as always. She wasn’t unfriendly, but she wasn’t particularly warm either. People knew her as the girl who seemed to have better things to do than interact with anyone else. The "Dango Princess," they called her. Beautiful, aloof, and completely uninterested in people.

“Yo, Yukino!” A voice called from behind her, followed by the sound of footsteps catching up. It was her guy friend, Haruto, the only one who ever seemed to treat her as something other than an enigma.

Haruto was tall, with messy black hair and an easygoing grin. Unlike Aika, who was relentlessly bubbly, Haruto had a more laid-back, teasing personality. He was a bit of a jokester, but never mean-spirited.

Yukino glanced over her shoulder, giving him a flat look. Her eyes, a soft, muted brown—almost sepia in tone—gleamed with their usual sharpness. “What’s up, Haruto?”

“You’re not gonna eat lunch with us today?” he asked with a knowing smirk, as if he already knew the answer.

Yukino sighed and shook her head, a habitual response. “No, thanks.”

“You know,” he continued, nudging her gently with his elbow, “Aika’s starting to get really worried about you. Maybe you should actually give the cafeteria a try instead of... your daily shrine date.”

She could already feel her cheeks warming up in slight embarrassment. Haruto had a knack for bringing up topics that made her uncomfortable, but she was used to it. “It’s not like that,” she muttered. “I just don’t feel like eating with anyone.”

“You sure?” Haruto raised an eyebrow, watching her with a knowing smile. “It’s not the dango, right?”

Yukino narrowed her eyes at him, her sepia gaze cutting through his teasing with practiced precision. “You’re annoying.”

Haruto chuckled. “You’re the one who’s always eating those dangos. I’m starting to think you’re secretly in love with them.” He gave her a playful wink, but she didn’t react—too used to his antics by now.

Before she could respond, Aika appeared beside them with her usual bright energy. “You’re not skipping lunch again, right, Yukino?” Aika asked, her voice filled with mock concern. “Don’t tell me you’re heading off to your secret dango shrine again.”

Yukino sighed, glancing down at her feet. “I’m not skipping,” she said, though she couldn’t stop the small, guilty smile from pulling at her lips. “And no, I’m not going to the shrine... today.”

Aika raised an eyebrow skeptically. “You’re so predictable. It’s either dango or nothing with you.” She gave Yukino a teasing poke in the side. “We’ll just keep offering you friendship, then, and hope it eventually wins out over your addiction to rice dumplings.”

“Right,” Yukino muttered, her mind already slipping into its usual routine. Dango wasn’t an addiction. It was just... the only thing that made sense these days. She didn’t need anything else, especially not the awkward lunchroom conversations or the forced small talk.

Haruto gave Aika a playful shove. “Let her be. If she’s happier with her dangos, I say more power to her.”

Aika made an exaggerated “tsk” noise. “You two are impossible. Fine. We’ll catch you later, Yukino. Don’t eat too much dango or you’ll turn into one.”

Yukino shot them a dry look but didn’t protest. Instead, she gathered her things and left the classroom, heading out toward her escape. She didn’t mind being with Aika and Haruto, but sometimes, it was just easier to be alone.

Her usual route took her behind the school, toward the hidden shrine she’d stumbled upon weeks ago. It wasn’t marked on any school map, and no one really paid attention to it. Just the way she liked it. She could have a peaceful lunch break, no questions asked.

Yukino arrived at the shrine and settled herself onto the stone step, unwrapping the paper bag of dango she had brought with her. The quiet atmosphere was comforting, and the smell of the warm, sweet rice dumplings made her sigh in contentment. She always left one stick on the altar, just out of habit. A little offering to the spirits, maybe, but mostly just something to mark the spot.

Today, as she reached for the last dango stick, she noticed something out of place.

There was someone standing in front of the shrine.

A boy.

Yukino froze, her hand still in the air, a dango skewer halfway to her mouth. She hadn’t heard anyone approach, and the figure was standing perfectly still, facing the altar.

Her heart skipped a beat.

He wasn’t just standing. He was waiting.

"Who are you?" she called out, her voice sharp and cautious.

The boy turned at the sound of her voice—and the moment his misty purple eyes landed on her, his entire expression lit up.

A smile bloomed across his face, wide and bright and childlike, so full of warmth it felt almost unreal. His pale mauve hair caught the sunlight, giving him a soft, almost glowing appearance. His entire body tensed for a moment, like he was trying to contain something.

Then he didn’t.

“You came!” he exclaimed, practically glowing with joy. And before Yukino could react, he rushed forward and wrapped his arms around her.

Yukino stiffened, nearly dropping her dango. “Wha—?! Hey!”

His embrace was firm but gentle, like hugging someone he hadn’t seen in years. His scent hit her instantly—sweet red bean, fresh mochi, the faintest trace of spring wind.

“I knew you would,” he said softly, his voice muffled against her shoulder. “I waited so long... but you finally came.”

Yukino’s brain short-circuited.

What was happening?

Who was this guy?

And why the hell did he smell exactly like her favorite snack?

Yukino’s breath caught in her throat. “What are you doing?” she asked, freeing herself and stepping back in confusion. “Who are you?”

The boy smiled slightly. His voice was low and even, like he was speaking to someone he knew well, not a stranger.

“I’m here because you invited me.” He tilted his head slightly, his violet gaze never leaving hers.

Yukino blinked. What?

“I don’t even know you,” she said, now genuinely confused. “I don’t know who you are, or what you’re talking about.”

The boy’s eyes flickered down to the dango skewer she was holding. “You’ve been leaving offerings,” he said softly, as though it were the most natural thing in the world. “Every day.”

Yukino’s heart skipped a beat. She wasn’t sure what was happening, but her hand trembled slightly. “Offering? I was just eating dango... I don’t know what—”

The boy took a small step forward, his smile deepening. “It was a proposal, you know.”

Yukino froze, her mouth going dry. A proposal? What is he talking about?