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[ Can't take my eyes off of you ] - [Frankie Vally]

"Come, gentle night; come, loving, black-browed night;
Give me my Romeo; and, when I shall die,
Take him and cut him out in little stars,
And he will make the face of heaven so fine
That all the world will be in love with night..."

Vienna sat quietly on the rooftop, basking in the warm glow of the setting sun. Her sweet voice filled the entire space as she softly recited her favorite poem.

Beside her, Ni-ki focused intently on perfecting his new dance routine. The gentle breeze caressed the rooftop, playfully rustling the scattered papers and tousling the youths' hair.

Vienna broke the silence, her voice cutting through the quietude. "What do you think of Romeo and Juliet?"

"Pathetic," Ni-ki replied without hesitation.

"Why is that?"

"They gave their lives in the name of love," Ni-ki said dismissively. "I don't get it. They betrayed everything they lived for for a mirage. Love doesn't last forever."

Vienna nodded in agreement. She had never understood the notion of teenage love. With the body going through so many stages, how could anyone truly grasp what love meant, let alone sacrifice their life for it?

The aroma of delicious food from the alley below wafted up to where Vienna and Ni-ki sat, filling the air with the rich scents of steamed pudding, deep-fried sesame rice cakes, and sweet potato pastries.

Vienna looked down, eyes widening with astonishment. "Before I met you, I had no idea Kyoto had a place like this. Mei used to talk about their red bean buns all the time, but we never came here together."

For the first time, she mentioned Mei without the sting of impending tears or the tightening of her throat.

Ni-ki turned his gaze toward her, curious.

Vienna continued, her voice steady despite the emotional weight. "Mei was my best friend."

A heavy silence followed. Ni-ki's confusion was palpable. "Did you guys fight?"

"She... committed suicide."

She hesitated, then added, "It was because of the bullying. Hana and her gang made Mei's life miserable. No one cared about her, so I decided to speak up. But here we are..." She trailed off, the weight of her words hanging in the air.

Ni-ki, sensing her pain, inched closer. He gently took her chin in his hand and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm here now," he said softly. "I won't leave your side."

Reigniting the conversation, Vienna asked, "Is this your hometown?"

"No," Ni-ki replied. "I'm not from Kyoto. My mum and I moved here when I was younger. After we arrived, she left me to fend for myself at the welfare center."

Vienna was momentarily at a loss for words.

"What about you?" Ni-ki asked. "Were you born in Kyoto?"

"Yes," Vienna said. "But my sister went to Osaka for work."

Vienna gently swung her legs from the edge of the roof, her gaze drifting toward the railway track stretching far into the distance. Memories of that pivotal day when they decided to run away from home flooded her mind.

With each passing moment, a restless desire began to stir within her, a yearning for something beyond the confines of their current reality.

"Ni-ki?"

"Hm?"

Vienna placed her hands firmly at the edge of the rooftop, leaning forward to look at the sprawling town beneath her. Just as she seemed on the verge of toppling over into the concrete jungle below, she abruptly jerked her head up and declared, "I can't wait."

"What can't you wait for?"

"I can't wait to leave this place, to leave my hometown... I want time to pass even faster."

"Why ?"

"If I leave, somewhere faraway , I'll have the chance to mature into an adult."

"Why do you want to mature into an adult?"

"I don't want to be a weakling. Youth, to me, feels like weakness," Vienna said with a sigh. "When I'm an adult, I'll be able to protect myself."

Ni-ki's steps paused for a brief moment before he resumed, glancing at Vienna's profile as his black hair fell softly over his forehead. "There are people willing to protect you."

"No," Vienna shook her head, "Danger is always lurking; one can never be... fully protected by others."

One can only rely on oneself.

Youth is a storm of yearning to break free from its chains, a tempest of anxiety and restlessness. It's like an arrow, taut and quivering, straining to be unleashed, yet held captive by the archer's firm grip, caught between the desperation to soar and the weight of restraint.

Ni-ki simply stared at Vienna, the same look of determination forming on his face as well. Finally, he said, "You will definitely be able to find a better place." You will grow up, and develop into a better person.

"What about you?" Vienna turned her head to look at him.

"It'd be the same wherever I go." Ni-ki smiled, though his slightly forlorn expression did not escape Vienna's notice.

"Do you want... to leave your hometown?"

"Are you asking if I want to leave this place?" Ni-ki continued strumming his guitar, the melodious notes effortlessly flowing from his fingertips.

"Yes."

"I want to."

"When?"

"As soon as possible."

Vienna's lips curved into a gentle smile. It won't be long before they would be able to leave this place.

"I cannot continue staying here much longer." Ni-ki announced. Before Vienna could truly contemplate his words, he added in a calm, distant tone, "I'm reaching my tolerance limit. I hate every single person who lives here."

Thoughts of Ni-ki's past suddenly flooded Vienna's mind—the memory of Ni-ki being mocked and bullied, the harshness of his upbringing.

Quietly, she replied, her voice soft and empathetic, "I too... dislike every single person here."

Upon hearing Vienna's agreement, Ni-ki lapsed into a heavy silence.

In his mind, he wrestled with the bitterness of his thoughts:

I hate this city. It's a strange relief that our paths didn't cross sooner. If we had met earlier, I might have ended up growing attached to every soul in this place.

And that kind of attachment—it would have destroyed me.

The days when the two teens could sit side by side were growing scarce, each moment tinged with the awareness of their impending separation.

Vienna tilted her head upwards, the breeze softly playing with her hair as she admired the vast, azure sky.

The distant beep of an approaching train broke the tranquil spell, prompting them both to rise and descend the emergency stairwell.

Vienna, lost in thought, misstepped on the stairs. Just as she was about to stumble and fall, Ni-ki's quick reflexes saved her.

He caught her in his arms, his voice a soft murmur of caution, "Be careful."

Whispering into her ear, his voice was a velvety caress, like a gentle morning breeze. Vienna's cheeks flushed, a deep pink spreading across her face as she clung to Ni-ki's arms.

Ni-ki's embrace tightened slightly as he lowered his head, his lips brushing tenderly against her earlobe.

Vienna's eyes fluttered shut, her body trembling as his kiss and warm breath wove a thrilling sensation through her.

Each touch and whisper sent shivers of excitement coursing through her, making her heart race.

She felt her face burning up, her emotions a swirling mix of joy and apprehension. His kiss was like a touch of honey—sweet and intoxicating.

She was enveloped in happiness, her heart fluttering with delight, yet a shadow of fear and sadness lingered beneath the surface, reminding her of the inevitable goodbye.

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ni-kiiii ur words will come and bite you back in the ass