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⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ˳༄꠶ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

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[恋は月の蔭に ] - [Lamp]

The day of the trial arrived with an air of somber gravity. The courthouse, usually bustling with activity, seemed to hold its breath as the proceedings were set to begin.

Vienna, though surrounded by a sea of faces and murmurs, felt an overwhelming sense of isolation.

When Shotaro laid eyes on her at the court hearing, he was taken aback.

Only a few days had passed since he last saw her, but she had already trimmed her hair, now sporting short hair that barely covered her earlobes, she even had lipstick on it was as if she was going to a date.

Shotaro immediately turned to look at Ni-ki, who was seated at the other end of the courtroom.

As Ni-ki had been remanded in custody, his hair had also been, in accordance with prison regulations, shaved to an extremely short length.

Strangely, even though the two youths were now both present in the same space, there were no interactions, no exchanging of glances, and no eye contact between them. It was as though they were entirely foreign strangers.

Vienna was seated in the middle of the courtroom, presently testifying as a witness for Ni-ki's case.

"Please describe the first time you met the accused."

The entrance of the small alley. Her attempt to dial 911. Being forced to kiss each other on the muddy floor before they even had the opportunity to take in each other's face clearly. At that time, she felt nothing but disgust and shame.

And yet, who could have predicted that it was precisely this incident that would intertwine their fates for the rest of their lives?

And who could have predicted that—in occasionally witnessing the suffering inflicted by the thugs onto Ni-ki—her refusal to stand idly by, her refusal to ignore the blatant bullying happening right in front of her, her courage in picking up her mobile phone to dial the police hotline, would reward her with a male youth willing to sacrifice his life and freedom for her, gifting her with a lifetime of love, admiration, and protection?

"I was on my way home when I happened to see a bunch of thugs standing in the alleyway..."

Vienna began to recount the first time she met Ni-ki with an unnaturally slow and measured tone. Her words were delivered with a deliberate calmness, each syllable carefully chosen, as if her tale was a tapestry woven from the depths of her soul.

Her voice, unexpectedly gentle and pleasant, filled the courtroom with a soothing resonance.

As she spoke, Vienna made it clear that Ni-ki had never harbored any intention of harming her. She emphasized that he was not the raincoat man, and that his actions on the night he was accused of murdering Taki were fueled by alcohol, not malice.

Shotaro's gaze shifted to Vienna's wrist, noting the absence of the bright red string that had once adorned it. Instead, a red string now encircled her neck, and a small key hung from its end, resting close to her heart.

Her presence in the courtroom was almost otherworldly. She stood there with a serene composure, as if she had come not to testify but to meet a cherished love. Her appearance, with the meticulously pinned short hair and the delicate petunias adorning her uniform, created an impression that she looked like an angel.

It was as if she were a vision of grace and purity, offering a gentle and profound declaration of devotion to someone dear.

Shotaro, observing from his seat, couldn't help but feel a pang of realization. The dynamic between Vienna and Ni-ki was an enigma that an outsider couldn't understand.

Their interaction, or rather the lack of it, spoke volumes about their relationship.

Throughout the trial, Ni-ki remained a stoic figure, his gaze fixed ahead, avoiding any direct eye contact with Vienna. Likewise, Vienna seemed detached, her focus unwavering on her testimony.

There was no exchange of glances, no silent communication that might hint at the depth of their connection.

It was as though they were two parallel lines, traveling through their own separate realms of joy and pain, each existing in their own sphere of influence.

Shotaro smiled they truly were made for each other.

Finally, the trial came to a smooth conclusion. The Judge announced, "All rise!"

"I hereby sentence the accused to ten years of imprisonment."

Bang.

The gavel was struck.

Court dismissed.

And with that, the courtroom was once again flooded with the whispers and murmurings of the people who attended the hearing.

The police officers were readying themselves to escort Ni-ki back to prison.

Just then, across the sea of people that separated the two youths, Vienna suddenly directed her gaze towards Ni-ki.

Ni-ki too, at that very instant, turned to look at Vienna.

Love, is something which one is unable to hide; even if one shuts his or her mouth as tightly as one could, one could never mask it from one's gaze.

Vienna's eyes, now glistening with tears, held a blend of sorrow and resolve.

She pressed the key—its red string a symbol of their unbreakable bond—tightly to her chest, feeling its comforting warmth as a reminder of the love they had cherished.

As Ni-ki was gently led away by the police officers, his gaze remained steadfastly fixed on Vienna.

The separation felt almost dreamlike, as if their hearts were connected by an invisible thread that resisted the physical distance.

The courtroom was abuzz with the murmur of conversations and the shuffle of footsteps as people began to leave.

Shotaro's pleas echoed in the stark, sterile hallway of the courthouse. His voice was both insistent and earnest as he made his case to the police officers stationed outside the courtroom.

"Please, just this once," Shotaro implored, his eyes pleading. " They need each other right now more than anything."

The officers exchanged glances, their expressions reflecting a mix of skepticism and empathy. After a few moments of deliberation, one of them finally nodded.

"Alright," he said reluctantly. "But this is a one-time exception. They can be in the car together for the drive to the jail, but no more than that."

Shotaro's face lit up with gratitude as he thanked the officers profusely. He quickly led Vienna to where Ni-ki was being held, and soon they were all escorted to the police car.

In the confined space of the police car, they sat side by side, their fingers barely brushing against each other's.

Shotaro, seated in the front, gave them a respectful distance, understanding the gravity of the moment. He kept his gaze fixed ahead, allowing the couple the privacy they needed.

The car's steady hum seemed to amplify the quiet intensity between them.

Vienna glanced at her Romeo, her eyes soft and searching.

She noted the fatigue etched into his features, but also the familiar, comforting presence that made her feel as though, in this moment, everything might be okay.

"Ni-ki, I'm feeling better now," Her eyes softened as she glanced at him, reflecting the kind of calm that only comes after surviving a storm. "It was the same feeling I got when I finished my last exam."

"What was the topic about?" His tone was gentle, but there was a faint edge of curiosity.

"A letter to yourself 20 years from now," she replied, her lips curving into the slightest smile, as though the memory of that day brought both nostalgia and bittersweetness.

For a moment, silence filled the space between them, heavy yet comforting. It wasn't the emptiness of words unspoken but the quiet understanding .

He could feel the tension still clinging to her, like the last remnants of fear that hadn't fully released their grip.

"Are you afraid?"

"I was afraid," she whispered. "But now... just a little bit."

Ni-ki held her gaze, something raw flickering in his own. He had carried his fear like a shadow for so long, but now, in this moment with her, it didn't seem to loom as large. He gave her a small, reassuring nod.

"I used to be afraid... but not anymore."

"If you had gone back in time," she began softly, her voice carrying a gentle curiosity, "would you do it all again?"

He chuckled, the sound warm and familiar, as if the question amused him, yet there was something deeper hidden beneath his laugh.

Vienna caught his smile, the kind that always seemed to reach his eyes, but she wasn't ready to let the question go. Her gaze didn't waver. She wanted to know.

"Answer me."

His eyes met hers, soft but unwavering, and after a pause, he shook his head lightly, the smile still playing on his lips.

"There's no 'if,'" he said, his voice steady yet quiet. "Plus, I don't like the 'if' in this scenario."

There was something definitive in his answer, like he was dismissing the very idea of looking back, of redoing anything. Because, in his mind, it wasn't about changing what had happened. It was about how they'd made it through, together.

Their shared gaze was a silent conversation, one that spoke of trust, love, and the unspoken promises they had made to each other.

As the car continued its journey, the city's lights flickering outside were a fleeting reminder of the world they were leaving behind.

Eventually, the car came to a stop. Vienna's heart sank as the realization hit her—this was the end of their shared journey for now. The time had come for them to part ways, if only temporarily.

As the police officers prepared to escort Ni-ki out of the car and into the jail, Vienna took a deep breath, trying to hold onto every precious moment they had shared.

Ni-ki reached out, his hand finding hers in a brief, tender squeeze.

Vienna began to turn away, her tears threatening to spill, but Ni-ki moved before she could. He didn't care about appearances, not when it came to her. Nothing else mattered anymore when she was by his side.

He caught her hand gently, pulling her into his arms with a quiet desperation, as though trying to memorize every part of her in that moment.

Her soft, flowery scent filled his senses, reminding him of those nights they spent huddled together, finding comfort in the closeness of each other. His fingers brushed through her short, delicate locks—he remembered cutting them, playing with them absentmindedly, cherishing every strand.

But it was her eyes that truly undid him, the very eyes he had lost himself in so many times before.

The eyes that made him forget every trouble, every hardship, eyes he would sell his soul for—and he had, hadn't he? He was going to jail for her, for the love that held him captive.

And then, her lips—soft, cherry-colored lips he could never get enough of. Lips that had tasted of both sweetness and sadness, lips he would kiss a thousand times over if he could.

As he held her tighter, he knew, no matter where he was going, a part of him would always be here, with her.

And so, he kissed her. It wasn't a kiss born of lust or fleeting desire; it was deeper than that. His mouth pressed against hers with a delicate intensity, each movement slow and deliberate, as if to tell her everything he couldn't say in words.

Their salty tears mingled with the kiss, a bittersweet reminder of the love they shared and the inevitability of their separation. Vienna's lips trembled against his, torn between the desire to stay in this fleeting moment forever and the knowledge that she couldn't.

She clung to him for just a second longer, their breath mingling, the warmth of their shared embrace fighting against the cold reality around them.

But she knew—if she didn't pull away now, she might never be able to. With a soft, aching reluctance, Vienna gently broke the kiss, her forehead resting against his as she fought back the overwhelming urge to stay.

Her heart hammered in her chest, knowing that another second with him would make leaving impossible.

And now, as Vienna settled into her seat by the window of a slowly moving train, memories of the past washed over her like a tender wave. The train, moving with a rhythmic chug, carried her away from a chapter of her life.

Who had, in the past, captivated her with a gaze so profound it led her into whispering his name into the night air? He had used his lips and tongue to share a sweet that was a bittersweet reminder of their first meeting.

Who had once taken her hand and led her on a sprint through the empty streets of the old factory dormitories, just so she could witness the magical transformation of the city lights blinking into life one by one?

And who had pulled her away from the chaos of a dance competition at the Park, their hands tightly clasped as they dashed into the night? The bolts of lightning streaking across the dark sky mirrored the intensity of their feelings, and the rain that followed became a backdrop to their hurried escape.

As the train carried Vienna past familiar landscapes—the fields of wild grass she had often traversed—her thoughts were overwhelmed by memories of their shared moments.

Her mind, usually preoccupied with thoughts of Math and biology questions, was now fixated on the bittersweet remembrance of those days.

The hawkweed was blooming in June, a silent witness to the passing time. The roof of Ni-ki's home grew smaller in the distance, and tears streamed down Vienna's face as she recalled the last time they were together.

On that day, they had sat side by side on the edge of the roof, their feet dangling in the air. The sky had been a canvas of fading light as Vienna had asked him.

"Ni-ki, what's your greatest wish?"

He had looked at her with a softness in his eyes, his voice steady and sincere, "I am in love with a girl, and I want to give her a happy ending. That's all I wish for."

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im not crying you are

we've come a long wayyy tysm for sticking till the end(there's an epilogue dw guys) I love each one of you who voted and left comments it was the only thing that kept motivating me to update, and as promised I gave them a happy ending I was thinking of killing ni-ki off but it wouldnt make sense, this ending isnt sad but still impactful or so I hope??

Honestly I had so much fun writing this cus it opened new persepctives yk

you guys are now free to watch the movie now and I hope you give this ff more love 🫶🫶
(theres more to come tho ;))))