Don't Forget Us

The night sky above them glistened like a million diamonds as Nitsuki stood in the spotlight, soft grass beneath her feet and the crowd around her. The stars twinkled, casting an ethereal glow over the scene. Her long dress almost shimmered, reflecting the beautiful lights above.

It wasn't a perfect entrance. She wasn't the perfect heroine.

But it was hers.

The air was cold as Inoue sputtered and just barely cobbled together what was left of her composure. The crowd that'd gathered to watch the spectacle was silent now. No murmurs. No whispers. Only their collective breaths filled the air as they waited for the drama to unfold before them.

"Wha… I…" the old woman stammered, her eyes narrowed and her face flushed with anger. "L-look what you've done! You've leeched onto this festival to promote yourself as something you aren't. You've ruined everything!"

Inoue pointed at her, her hand trembling, the microphone in her other hand shaking with the same intensity. "See what I mean everyone?! This thing is nothing but a lying, parasitic, crossdressing freak!"

Tachibana suddenly moved, his figure towering over the smaller old woman as he stepped between them. "Stop talking about Nia that way." His voice was a quiet rumble that echoed in the darkness—calm, but with a hint of danger.

Inoue flinched, taking a step back, before her lips curled upward. "HAH! Yes, this is what I mean! That pervert has converted this young man, once a shining beacon of our community, into a deviant!"

She turned to the audience, floundering. "You've all seen it, haven't you?! The way he looks at that pretender! The way he stands next to them! It's not healthy! It's not right—!"

A tourist suddenly yelled out from the crowd, "I'm a lesbian, and I think that dress is cute!"

"…hm, I only see one parasite here, and it's not the cute one…"

"…why are we even letting that old hag talk anyway?…"

"…are we still doing the festival after this or…?

"…I've been needing to use the restroom for like twenty minutes now…"

Inoue's face swelled like rotten seafood, not even noticing as her cronies slipped away unnoticed. The crowd's murmurs were growing louder, more insistent.

Nitsuki slowly raised her hand before it could escalate again.

"Enough, please. This is getting us nowhere," she said, her voice calm and even.

Quietness fell over the field, and she felt hundreds of eyes on her again.

She stepped up to Inoue, shaking in body, but not in spirit—

And bowed her head slightly.

"Thank you."

Inoue's face twisted, her eyes filled with confused rage, like an insect had just asked her to be squashed. "Thank me?! Thank me for WHAT!? For ruining your life—?"

She caught herself, biting down on her tongue. However, the damage was done. Several brows were raised from the locals.

Nitsuki continued, ignoring what was just said, "…However, I think that's enough. It's time to start things, and the night waits for no one."

"W-wait! What do you mean? You can't just—"

Nitsuki turned to the audience and began to speak, projecting her voice as loud as she could. "Hello. My name is Nitsuki Amano, and before the festival starts, I'd just like to apologize for how tonight's event has gone so far. The opening ceremony is over. I hope you all enjoy the rest of the evening."

"N-NO! On what authority are you acting?!" Inoue hissed, stepping down from the stage to jump in front of her.

Some of the locals and tourists were looking at her with curiosity, while others in the crowd simply took Nitsuki's words as a sign that the show was over and were already walking away.

"What do you mean Mrs. Inoue? I always worked in the background, but I'm still technically the Event Organizer for the festival. I thought you'd of all people know since you erase me from the list every time."

Silence.

Just like that, the spell was broken, and the night returned to normal. There were a few disjointed claps before the sound of people moving on with their lives filled the air. The stage was being abandoned, and the crowd was dispersing.

Inoue just stood there broken, mic in hand, watching the world continue on without her.

Nitsuki eyed the festival stands before bowing her head to the old woman one last time. "I hope you have a good evening, Mrs. Inoue."

As she turned to leave though, Inoue grabbed her by the arm, her grip firm and painful. "A-Amano! Don't you dare turn away from me. This is not over! You did NOT win!"

There was a fire in her eyes, hatred that couldn't be quenched, alongside the faintest smoke of fear and irrelevance.

"I'm not looking to win anything," Nitsuki replied, gently prying the vice-like grip off of her before Tachibana did anything crazy—he'd already begun to reach out and separate them. "I'm just trying to get by and live my life."

She started walking with Tachibana, guiding him around Inoue and giving him a smile.

"So, what are you in the mood for?" she asked, trying to steer the conversation towards something less heavy as her arms trembled from adrenaline.

His usual goofy smile came back as he shrugged. "Hm, maybe a skewer. You?"

"Anything but seafood. I'm not really in the mood for it right now."

***

Tachibana and Nitsuki laid next to each other on the hilltop, letting the cool wind caress them as they finished their snacks. The night sky above was a canvas of stars, and the sounds of the festival was far away. They were alone here, lost in the beauty of the heavens.

Nitsuki let out a soft, content sigh as she gazed up at them, the twinkling lights even more dazzling in the darkness. The scent of pine trees and woodsmoke filled the air, mingling with the faint aroma of grilled meat and sticky syrup that still clung to their clothes. She could taste it on her tongue too, the sweet, savory, and bitter notes blending together in a way that was equal parts comforting and exhilarating.

"…Are you happy, Nia?"

Tachibana's voice was a gentle whisper in the night, a question that carried a weight far greater than the simple words.

"…Yeah." She didn't have to think about the answer much though.

She was happy.

Happy that she was alive. Happy that she could finally wear a dress like she always wanted. Happy that she could see the stars, and happy that she was with Tachibana.

Even if the world was still a cruel and unfair place, and even if Inoue would keep her hatred burning, Nitsuki was happy.

Because here, in this moment, she was content.

She was with him.

Her hand fumbled for his in the dark until she found it and squeezed tight. He responded in kind, and she could hear the smile in his voice. "Good. I'm happy too."

She leaned in closer, feeling the warmth of his body against hers. She closed her eyes for a moment and breathed deeply.

"They really are beautiful, aren't they?" she whispered, not wanting to break the peacefulness that surrounded them.

"The stars?"

"Mm-hm. I don't think I've ever seen them so bright before."

"Probably because of the new moon tonight. Its darkness lets the sky truly shine."

"…I was sort of expecting something cheesier from you. But that sounded kinda poetic."

Tachibana chuckled. "Hey, I can be more than just a goofball sometimes. I've always liked the stars. I just wish I could see them more often. They help me feel small, and in a good way."

Nitsuki hummed and nodded, staring up at the endless expanse of the cosmos.

"Stars are pretty interesting. They're all so different, and yet we can still appreciate their light regardless. There's something about that idea that I've always liked," she whispered, her words mingling with the ambience of crickets and other insects.

"Is that so?"

"Yeah. Some are big, some are small. Some are bright, and some are dim. Some are red, while others are white or blue. But they're still stars, aren't they?"

"Psh, and you call me the cheesy one? Although… yeah, I see where you're coming from. It's nice and makes sense to me."

He paused for a second. "Hey, I have an idea. Why don't we make a wish?"

She tilted her head to look at his faint outline. "Hm? Tanabata was a month ago though."

"Er, a different kind of wish. Not written, but spoken."

"Isn't that just saying something out loud then?"

"J-just go with it!" he stuttered, sitting up. "I had something planned—a chant and everything—but you're making fun of me."

She sat up as well, smiling. "Oh? Well, I'm sorry. What is it?"

He cleared his throat, his silhouette in the blackness shifting. "O Stars of the night. Do not forget us."

"…" Nitsuki didn't answer immediately. The words were familiar, and she vaguely remembered where they were from.

"Is that…?"

"Uh, yeah. I just had an astronomy phase as a kid. I thought it was kinda neat." He gave a sheepish chuckle. "It's from a poem. I figured I wanted to use it for a special occasion."

Nitsuki smiled. Of course he did.

"Alright, alright. So, a wish then?"

"Yep! A wish. You think of one yet?"

She did, but she wasn't sure if it was worth it. She had already used it before, after all.

Maybe she'd just go with another one then—one that'd make Tachibana smile.

They both raised their hands to the sky and held them there for a few seconds before lowering them back down. Their voices echoed in unison in the darkness, the only other sounds being the rustle of leaves.

"O Stars of the night. Do not forget us."

The silence stretched on after that, neither of them daring to speak or move until Tachibana broke it with a question.

"So, uh… what did you wish for, Nia?"

Nitsuki grinned. Perfect.

"…I can't tell you, idiot. It won't come true if I do. That's how wishes work, right?"

"A-ah, that's right. Sorry, I almost forgot—"

She interrupted him with the most deadpan face she could muster.

"It's fine. I wished for bigger boobs."

"…"

"…"

She couldn't help it. Laughter broke through her charade, escaping her lips in a torrent of giggles and snorts.

"N-NIA! Oh my goodness. I can't believe you—Wait, hold on. You just said it wouldn't come true if—"

Nia just nodded, letting her grin overtake her face. "I know. That's why I told you."

For the longest while, he just sat there, his brain short circuiting until it finally registered what she was implying.

His body began to shake in hilarious mortification.

"S-so… So… you… Y-y-you're saying that—That you want…?! NIA?!"

She couldn't stop laughing, her sides splitting at his reaction.

"You're welcome, 'small-breast' lover."