⇲ 𝐊𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐆𝐎𝐄 𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐘,
𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐑𝐎𝐄 𝐒𝐇𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐄    〉 𝐉𝐀𝐏𝐀𝐍 !
XXXX.      ✿      CIRCA FEBRUARY 2013.
𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐁𝐈𝐑𝐃
METRO BOOMIN & JAMES BLAKE.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

The streets of the town were painted in soft shades of pink and red, with heart-shaped decorations strung across storefronts and glowing signs boasting Valentine's Day specials.

Despite the festive atmosphere, Okarun's palms were slick with sweat as he walked toward Odette's family shrine, his heart pounding in his chest.

He clutched a small bag in one hand—a carefully wrapped gift he had spent hours choosing—and adjusted his glasses with the other. "Just stay calm," he muttered under his breath. "It's just Odette. Your... your almost-girlfriend. No pressure."

It was almost overwhelming, but Okarun was far too distracted by the bag in his hands to care.

Inside was the result of days of planning, second-guessing, and outright panic: a silver bracelet with a crescent moon charm, a small bouquet of tiger lilies, her favorite milk chocolates, fruit gummies with Hello Kitty Valentine's-themed packaging, and even a small bundle of heart-shaped balloons.

He had Seiko, Momo, and Aira to thank—or rather, blame—for pushing him to get something that "would blow her away."

𐙚

"Okarun, if you don't get Dot something really good, I'll make your life miserable," Momo declared, arms crossed as she stared him down.

"You mean even more miserable than it already is?" Okarun muttered, adjusting his glasses with a deadpanned expression.

Aira, lounging nearby on the couch, smirked. "She has a point. Odette's putting in effort, so you better step it up. Don't just hand her something basic like a single chocolate bar."

"Hey, that was one time and it wasn't even a special day!" Okarun protested, his cheeks reddening.

Seiko chimed in from the kitchen, her tone amused but firm. "Don't let them intimidate you, but they're not wrong. A girl like Odette deserves something thoughtful. Maybe flowers? A piece of jewelry? Something that shows you know her."

𐙚

Okarun clutched the bag holding Odette's gifts in one hand, the balloons tied to his wrist bouncing lightly in the breeze. He felt like his heart was going to burst out of his chest with every step. The memory pushed him forward as he climbed the shrine steps, juggling his carefully chosen gifts.

At the top of the stairs, he spotted Odette near the shrine's courtyard. Her sleek black hair, streaked with pink, was styled straight, with blunt bangs framing her face and a high ponytail adding a playful edge. She wore a cropped pink sweater with a white heart design, a fitted black skirt, and white boots.

She turned, spotting him, and broke into a radiant smile. "Hey, Kenny!" she called, waving.

For a moment, Okarun forgot how to breathe. She looked breathtaking, and her smile only made his nerves worse. Swallowing hard, he approached, clutching the gift bag tightly.

"Hey, Dot," he managed, holding the bag out to her.

Her eyes lit up with curiosity as she accepted the bag. "What's this?"

"Happy Valentine's Day," he said softly, his face burning.

Odette peeked inside, her mouth falling open slightly. She pulled out the tiger lilies first, their vibrant orange petals catching the light. Then came the chocolates, gummies, and balloons. Finally, she opened a small box containing the silver bracelet with the crescent moon charm.

Her fingers traced the charm as her eyes softened. "Kenny... This is beautiful."

He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I, uh... saw the bracelet and thought of you. You always talk about how much you love watching the moon from the shrine whenever you work. It reminded me of that."

Her heart swelled at the thoughtfulness behind his words. Without hesitation, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms tightly around him. "Thank you, Kenny. I love it."

Caught off guard, Okarun froze for a moment before melting into her embrace, his arms wrapping around her waist.

𐙚

Earlier that day, Odette had been busy setting up the shrine courtyard for the picnic. Her grandmother stood nearby, watching her work with an amused smile.

The shrine's newest resident—that same small, now well-groomed puppy, followed her around as she operated. She had taken the little dog in after their bizarre encounter with Taro and Hana, and it had quickly become part of her daily life.

"Setting up all this for that boy, huh?" her grandmother teased. "He'd better have something really special for you. You're putting in a lot of effort."

Odette chuckled, adjusting the pink blanket on the grass. "He will, Grandma. I trust him."

The elderly woman hummed skeptically but didn't press further, leaving Odette to finish her picnic setup.

𐙚

Back in the present, Odette broke the hug but stayed close, her hands resting on Okarun's shoulders. "You're so sweet, Kenny. I'm lucky to have you."

His glasses fogged up as he tried to speak, but all that came out was a nervous laugh.

"C'mon," she said, grabbing his hand and leading him toward the picnic area she'd set up. A soft pink blanket lay spread across the grass, surrounded by plates of homemade snacks.

"You... you did all this?" Okarun asked, his voice full of awe.

"Duh," Odette said with a smile. "It's Valentine's Day. I wanted to do something special for you." Placing her gifts down on the blanket, she plopped down onto the soft blanket first.

They sat together, sharing the food and laughing as they talked about everything from school to the strange events they'd encountered recently. The shrine's newest resident—a scruffy golden-brown puppy Odette had taken in after chasing Taro—curled up nearby, its tail wagging contentedly.

As the sun began to set, casting the sky in hues of pink and orange, Okarun felt a surge of courage. "Dot, I..."

She turned to him, her honey-brown eyes locking onto his. "Yeah?"

"I've been wanting to say this for a while, but..." He took a deep breath, his heart racing. "I like you. Like, a lot. Will you be my girlfriend?"

Odette stared at him for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then, with a wide grin, she launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him into another tight hug.

"Of course I will, Kenny," she said, her voice warm and full of emotion. "I've been waiting for you to ask me that honestly.."

Relief flooded through him as he hugged her back, his hand rubbing her back. His round glasses were lying on the ground next to Odette's bouquet. "Really?"

"Duh," she said, pulling back slightly to look at him. Her smile turned to tease. "But only if you promise to stop being so nervous around me. It's cute, but I like it when you're more confident."

Okarun said with a nervous nod, his lips twitching upward in a small smile.

Odette leaned in closer, her honey-brown eyes locking onto his as her glossy lips brushed against his in a soft, lingering kiss. Okarun froze for a moment, his breath hitching, before his eyes fluttered shut and he kissed her back. His hand instinctively rose to gently cup her cheek, his fingers trembling slightly at the intimacy of the moment.

When they finally pulled away, both of their faces were flushed, the warmth of the exchange lingering between them as their foreheads rested together. Odette's eyes drifted down, noticing Okarun's outfit for the first time. "I never told you how nice you looked today..." she murmured, her voice soft and apologetic. "I'm sorry."

Her guilty expression made Okarun tilt his head in confusion. "There's no need to apologize, Dot," he said quickly, shaking his head. "Besides... I didn't exactly compliment you out loud, either." His voice dropped to a shy whisper as he added, "You look... really beautiful."

The sincerity in his tone made Odette's heart skip a beat. She grinned, stepping closer and throwing her arms around him in a tight hug. Okarun stumbled slightly at the sudden affection, and before either of them knew it, they lost their balance and tumbled onto the grass, with Odette landing on top of him.

For a moment, everything felt still. Odette looked down at him, her hands planted on either side of his head to steady herself, her sleek pink-streaked ponytail cascading over her shoulder. Okarun's face was redder than ever, and his glasses were slightly askew, but he couldn't help the small smile tugging at his lips.

"You okay?" she asked, biting her bottom lip to stifle a laugh.

"Y-Yeah," Okarun replied, trying not to sound like he was short of breath. "Perfectly fine."

Odette chuckled, brushing a strand of hair from her face before finally rolling off of him, though she stayed close, lying side by side on the grass.

After a moment, Okarun sat up, glancing at her thoughtfully. "Hey, Dot... can I ask you something?"

"Hmm?" She propped herself up on her elbows, looking at him curiously.

"Can I... take a picture of you?" His voice was hesitant, and he avoided her gaze, clearly nervous.

Odette tilted her head, her brow arching playfully. "Why so shy? Of course, you can." She smiled warmly before adding, "Where do you want me to sit?"

"Uh, where the sun is shining the brightest," he said, gesturing toward the shrine's steps.

"Got it!" she chirped, springing to her feet and dusting off her skirt. She walked toward the steps, finding the perfect spot where the sunlight illuminated her figure. Sitting down, she adjusted her posture, letting her legs dangle slightly while she turned to face him. "How's this?"

Okarun stared, momentarily stunned by how effortlessly radiant she looked. The sun caught the soft pink streaks in her hair, making it glow, while her outfit complemented the natural beauty of the shrine's backdrop. She tilted her head slightly, flashing him a playful grin.

"Perfect," he muttered, fumbling for his phone. He snapped a few pictures, trying his best to keep his hands steady, though his heart felt like it might burst.

"Happy?" she teased once he lowered his phone.

"Yeah," he said softly, looking at her with an expression she hadn't seen before—something deeper, more serious. She didn't press him, though, letting the moment linger.

Unbeknownst to her, Okarun had a plan. He hadn't asked for the picture just to save it. He wanted to draw her, to capture the way she looked in that exact moment content, confident, and breathtakingly beautiful.

As the sun began to set, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink, the two returned to the picnic blanket. Odette leaned into Okarun's side, her head resting on his shoulder.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Dot," Okarun murmured, his voice filled with happiness.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Kenny," she replied, her voice soft and warm as her fingers intertwined with his.

For the first time in a long while, Okarun felt truly at peace, knowing that this was just the beginning of something truly special.

AUTHORS NOTE: 💕

Hey everyone !! This is sooo late (by a few days) but I wanted to do a Valentine's special especially since I hit 20k Viewers & 900+ votes. I appreciate every single one of you who sticks with my fanfic and reads, votes, comments, and adds to your reading lists. I LOVE YOU ALL SM