Story Reader / Festival Event Story / Heart's Whispers Across Time / Story
The afternoon sun's softer than you'd expect, probably because of the clouds. You can even look straight up without hurting your eyes.
You relax completely and lie back on the grass. Petals float all around you, carried by the breeze.
Phew—
The flower petals suddenly swirl, like someone has just walked by, stirring up the air.
A red figure looms into view. Luna's standing next to you, arms crossed, looking down at you.
Just like the prophetic vision you had while drinking coffee back at camp, Luna is indeed close by.
You don't seem surprised I'm here. Did you know I was coming?
Hmm, doesn't matter. Saves me from having to look for you.
Hmph, asking useless questions.
She opens her hand, letting the pendant hang from its silver chain.
A gift.
You stand and take it—a moon-shaped pendant with a rotating center that shows different moon phases.
There's a clasp on the back.
After what Luna said, you flip the pendant and find a tiny switch on the chain. It blends in perfectly, you can barely see it.
I wasn't asking for a design review. I was trying to get you to...
Alright, give it here.
Luna leans in, takes the pendant, and opens the clasp.
She moves closer to you.
Don't move.
You fight the urge to flinch as Luna brings the pendant close, her other hand reaching behind your neck for the chain's end.
She carefully puts the chain around your neck and fastens the clasp.
She looks at the pendant on your chest for a few seconds, then turns it, changing the moon from a crescent to a full moon. She looks at it again, a small smile of satisfaction on her face.
Not bad, you...
Luna looks up, like she's asking what you think. Then, when your eyes meet, she realizes she's a bit too close.
...
She steps back, keeping a straight face, to give you some space. For a second, her eyes almost look away, but then she looks right back at you.
So?
What else could I be talking about?
She stops, like she just realized something, and puts her hand up to stop you.
Never mind. You don't have to answer. Forget I asked.
That's good to hear.
Your eyes drift away, and neither of you says anything. A brief silence hangs between you. Like she can't take the quiet, Luna clears her throat and looks back at you.
What were you looking at up there? I tried to see what you were looking at, but I couldn't find anything.
That's already boring me.
Even after saying that, Luna sits down on the grass next to you.
When she crouches and touches the grass and dirt, she hesitates.
You see why Luna's hesitating and look around, but you don't have a blanket or anything to sit on.
The jacket...
You turn to Luna after hearing her and see she's checking out your jacket.
Give it to me.
As if to stay clean, Luna lies on her side on your jacket.
I'm way past looking at the sky. How about we look at something different...
Looking at you, she pauses, then says.
You get a great view of the moon from here at night.
We've still got a bit before it gets dark...
Actually, me too.
Her hand brushes the jacket lining, still warm from your body.
Then let's stay here a bit longer.
