A Kiss in the Shadows of Lunaria

Yona wipes down the marble counter at the Cielo Notte café, glancing at the clock as the dinner rush finally ebbs. The air is heavy with the scent of roasted coffee and rain-soaked pavement. Two men in immaculate suits step through the door, their presence silencing the room. Their eyes find Yona instantly. The shorter of the two, with a sharp jaw and a slow, dangerous smile, leans against the counter.

"You’re the artist, aren’t you?"

he asks, his voice smooth. Yona’s hands tremble as she sets aside her rag. The taller man’s gaze is colder, but lingered on her moonlit hair. Outside, thunder rumbles low. The tension in the café is thick as everyone waits to see what these men want from her, but it’s clear they won’t leave without an answer.

Yona clenches the counter’s edge, knuckles pale against the dark marble. Her voice stays steady despite the tremor in her hands. She meets their eyes, masking her unease with a sharp, guarded glare.

"Who are you?"

she asks, her tone barely louder than the rain’s soft patter outside.

Yona’s eyes fix on the crumpled paper, the familiar lines of her own work twisted in the stranger’s grip. The café falls into a heavy silence; even the espresso machine’s hum fades, as if the air itself holds its breath. Kael shifts, his boots clicking sharply on the floorboards as he moves closer to her side of the counter.

Yona pulls back, her breath hitching as the cold weight of his presence presses in. The café lights flicker once, sending long, warped shadows sprawling across the floor. Vesper shifts near the register, eyes darting between the men and the sketch, while the relentless rain drums a frantic rhythm against the glass panes.