Ink and Memories

(Akane's PoV)

—

"Are you... Shin Ishikawa?"

The silence that followed Hoshiko's sudden, breathless question was absolute.

Shin remained entirely motionless, his right hand still suspended in the empty space between them, and his fingers frozen mid-air.

His eyes widened with a quiet, unadulterated confusion, his brow pulling into a sharp knot as his mind scrambled to process the sudden revelation of his full identity.

Beside him, I felt my eyes narrow into two razor-sharp slits, and my fingers clenching so hard around the leather strap of my bag that the stitching bit into my palm.

The ancient, possessive feeling in my gut began to hum with a dangerous intensity.

'How does she know his name? Hoshiko was completely disconnected from the rest of the world. There was zero logical reason for her to know him.'

Then, after a few instants, Shin shifted his weight, his voice dropping into a low, uncertain rumble that broke the heavy quiet.

"How... how do you know who I am?"

After Shin's question, Hoshiko didn't answer with words right away. Instead, an expression of pure, unbridled joy broke across her features, her dark gray-blue eyes lighting up with an explosive, brilliant energy that completely melted her cool, untouchable artistic persona.

Then, she let out a soft, breathless laugh and lifted her right arm, her cyber-style ink catching the neon glow as she pointed toward the high shelves near the back counter.

"Look directly behind you, up on the top right rack!" she directed, her voice trembling with intense excitement.

Shin and I moved our heads in unison, our gazes tracking the line of her finger toward the upper wooden shelf, where a series of rare art books and framed prints were meticulously arranged.

Resting right in the center, displayed behind a protective glass casing, was a pristine, limited-edition volume of a dark fantasy manga about vampires.

The bold, stylized kanji on the spine read: 'Azrael, Born To End The Night.'

The moment Shin's eyes fell on the cover, I saw a profound, sudden shift across his features.

It was as if a hidden floodgate had violently cracked open behind his brow, a wave of ancient, buried memories rushing straight to the surface of his face.

Then, Shin looked back at Hoshiko, his gaze intense and thoroughly analytical as he scanned the details of her face.

The girl standing before us was bold, confident, and stunningly beautiful, her skin covered in intricate patterns and her body decorated with silver piercings.

She looked nothing like the broken, bullied creature from his past. But as he looked more closely, I saw Shin's eyes fixate on the specific shade of her gray-blue eyes, then on a tiny dark mole on the left side of her throat.

Then, Shin snapped back to reality, his breath catching sharply in his throat as his dark eyes completely widened.

"Yuki...?" he whispered, his voice cracking slightly with a sudden, raw wonder. "Is that... is that truly you?"

Hoshiko literally jumped for joy right on the concrete floor, her heavy leather boots clattering loudly against the stone as she let out a bright, triumphant laugh.

"Yes!! It's me! In flesh and ink!" she chirped happily, her arms throwing themselves out in a grand, theatrical gesture. "Though I suppose I've managed to completely shed that pathetic, beaten-dog look I used to carry through the school gates! Hah! Pink dresses didn't suit me at all, I guess."

"Ah well... I remembered almost everything, from the manga to the moment you said that your pen name would've been 'Hoshiko'. Ah... damn..." Shin smiled.

It looked like a beautiful and nostalgic reunion, but I still couldn't understand what was happening.

But, for some reason, I remembered Shin talking about a certain Yuki... but I couldn't remember when.

I dug deep into my mind to recall the exact moment where I heard her name until...

'Ah... I now remember... the girl he tried to befriend during middle school because she was lonely... Her name came out when he told me about his first kiss...' I thought, not remembering further details.

During their sweet reunion, I stood in the center of the pink-and-blue neon glare, watching the intense warmth radiating between them, feeling a heavy, suffocating wave of discomfort wrap its fingers around my chest.

I felt thoroughly out of place, like an uninvited stranger standing outside the borders of a shared history.

My stomach twisted into a tight, possessive knot.

"Oh... perfect..." I muttered flatly, my voice dropping into its driest, most sarcastic register as I crossed my arms tightly over the front of my hoodie.

Then, Hoshiko's sharp eyes immediately snapped to my face, noticing the dark, defensive feeling pulling across my features.

Her expression softened into a look of deep respect and affection; she knew what I was feeling.

"I'm so sorry, baby wolf," she said softly, stepping closer to my space with an earnest, pleading expression. "Can I please just borrow your boyfriend for a single, nostalgic embrace? Just a quick reunion hug! I swear I won't cross the safety line!"

I looked at her face, then down at Shin's calm, waiting profile. Ruining such a sweet reunion would've been bad, and this would've been a chance to see how much I could control my bad feelings.

So, I took a deep, slow preparation breath through my nose, forcing the territorial ghosts of my father's house back down into the dark.

I trusted Hoshiko; she was one of the incredibly few human beings in this world who had ever treated my soul with genuine care.

I loved her like a sister, and forcing a barrier between her and an old friend would be a disgusting, selfish choice.

I forced my lips to stretch into a small, reluctant smile, my voice carrying a sharp, playful warning.

"Fine. Go on," I grumbled, pointing a single finger at her nose. "But the hug is strictly limited to five seconds. If your arms remain locked around his torso for a single millisecond longer, I'm gonna kill you." I said, smiling mischievously.

"Thank you, you beautiful, terrifying creature!" Hoshiko laughed.

And then, she literally jumped on Shin, her lean frame launching forward as she threw her tattooed arms tightly around his neck, burying her face into the thick black wool of his sweater.

Shin didn't fumble; he accepted the hug with a calm, friendly warmth, his long arms patting her back in a brief, comforting cadence.

"I never, ever expected to see you again, Shin," she whispered into his shoulder, her voice cracking just a fraction with genuine emotion.

"Okay, okay...!" Shin chuckled.

During their hug, I felt someone painfully squeezing my heart, but... it wasn't unbearable. It felt... different, like I saw no malice.

After exactly four seconds, Hoshiko smoothly broke the physical connection, stepping back with a respectful margin to ensure my eyes didn't launch a missile.

Then, she leaned her hip against the leather piercing chair, and a dry, slightly bitter smirk touched her lips as she looked between the two of us.

"To be entirely honest, I was completely convinced you'd be married to Kurone by now," she murmured, rolling her eyes. "Especially after that 'beautiful' thing she did in front of the entire class."

After her words, Shin let out a low, tired sigh, his hands sliding casually back into the pockets of his black cargo pants as his face returned to its steady, undisturbed register.

"Yeah," he answered flatly, his eyes sliding over to lock onto my features with an absolute, unvarnished devotion that instantly melted the remaining jealousy in my veins. "But that's all water under the bridge now. I'm currently under the hands of someone who cares about me, and I'm genuinely happy."

After his words, my heart did a sudden, weightless flip behind my ribs, a deep warmth spreading through my chest as I met his gaze.

But what he had just said triggered my curiosity. I remembered the moment Yuki's name came out of his mouth, but I didn't remember the exact event that happened. Or maybe I was still too focused on him to think about it.

"Wait a second," I cut in, my eyebrows knitting together as I looked between them. "I'm curious. What happened back then in front of the class?"

Shin turned his torso toward me, his expression softening as he prepared to speak. "Don't you remember, Akane? I'm sure that I had already told you what happened." 

"No. I don't." I said, my voice flat. "So, speak," I commanded.

Shin chuckled and said, "Yes, boss," before stretching his arms and taking a deep breath. "Well... do you recall that painfully shy, quiet girl? The classmate I tried to befriend before Kurone stepped in? Well... she is currently standing right in front of your face."

Then, the puzzle pieces instantly clicked together behind my eyes, the realization hitting my mind with a sharp clarity. I looked at Hoshiko, my jaw relaxing as the context settled into my thoughts.

"Yep..." Hoshiko continued, her voice dropping into a low, reflective rasp as she traced the edge of her black work counter. "On that damn day, I had finally gathered enough courage to bring that limited-edition volume down from my house. I wanted to read the chapters together with Shin during the lunch break. But the exact second we opened the first page, Kurone decided to march across the room. She shoved her body right into our space, wrapped her arms around Shin's neck, and violently kissed his lips right in front of the entire class."

Then, Hoshiko let out a short, hollow chuckle, though her gray-blue eyes remained entirely serious.

"After that 'beautiful' gesture that shocked the entire class, Kurone glared straight into my soul and screamed, 'He belongs exclusively to me! Get your filthy hands off him and go away! He's my future husband!' I swear, to this very day, that single interaction remains one of the most intensely traumatic events of my entire youth. The sheer humiliation was massive, because I couldn't look at everyone in the face ever again."

After her words, Shin let out a slow, heavy breath, his head lowering slightly as a genuine look of regret crossed his features. "I am still profoundly sorry for what happened back then, Yuki. The next days, I desperately searched for you to apologize for what happened, but you never cleared the school gates again after that morning."

"Yeah, well... I literally couldn't force my feet to cross the threshold of that building anymore," Hoshiko sighed, shrugging her shoulders with a practiced ease. "The anxiety was a suffocating weight. So, I made a definitive choice to completely abandon the classic school and focus exclusively on my artistic passion. And by pure, ridiculous luck, my parents actually managed to secure an admission test for me at an elite private art academy in Yokohama."

Then, she began to pace slowly through the moody workspace, her heavy boots making a quiet rhythm against the concrete as she approached an old wooden cabinet.

She reached inside, pulling out a thick, worn leather album filled with loose sketches and charcoal studies.

I stood perfectly still, my arms crossed over my hoodie as I listened to every single word.

For some unexplainable reason, the possessive madness that usually ruled my chest had completely vanished, replaced by a deep, relaxing comfort.

Hoshiko wasn't performing an idol mask, and she wasn't trying to steal Shin from me; she was completely opening her soul, sharing the raw, unpolished scars of her survival.

It was a language I understood perfectly. 

"When the head instructors at that academy saw the anatomy sheets in this portfolio," Hoshiko explained, a proud, sharp grin breaking over her face as she flipped the heavy pages open, "they bypassed the introductory classes entirely and sent me straight into the advanced master courses, despite the fact that I was the smallest girl in the room. Funny."

She held the album out, displaying a series of breathtaking, highly detailed anatomical drawings—the lines of bone and muscle captured with a fierce, cyber-goth precision that looked absolutely stunning under the neon light.

"And so, within a remarkably short timeline, I managed to construct a name for myself in the art sector. I've rapidly learned how to do tattoos and piercings, and I worked continuously until I saved enough funds to lock down the lease on this cul-de-sac and open this sanctuary a few months ago, thanks to a little behind-the-scenes assistance from my family. Of course... I went through a massive alteration to my personal style along the way, and..."

She brought her stride to a halt right beside my shoulder, reaching out her heavily tattooed right hand to gently, affectionately rest her palm against my shoulder.

"...this tiny, volatile wolf cub here eventually became the only friend I possess in this entire city. Throughout all these years, my brain was so fiercely focused on the artistic goals that I left zero time to cultivate ordinary human relationships. I didn't know how to talk to people. But then Akane walked through my door two years ago, looking for an escape."

Hoshiko's voice softened, her gray-blue eyes looking down at my face with a deep, sisterly warmth.

"That time, I was still in the learning phase, and, thanks to my parents, I was renting a small studio close by to perform my works. When you're a new tattoo artist, nobody is gonna trust you at first, and that's why I needed someone as a lab rat. And then, on a rainy day, this beautiful baby wolf stepped in." She said, smiling at me.

"Ah, yeah. I totally remember that day." I said, crossing my arms. "It was the day when I started smoking. I was feeling like shit because I had an argument with Kenji, and I didn't know where to go." I added.

"Ah, your brother? That blonde asshole?" Hoshiko said, "Definitely not my type," Hoshiko said, before throwing a glance at Shin. 

I pretended not to see it, but I saw Shin smiling for an instant.

*ahem* Hoshiko then cleared her throat, "So... In exchange for her friendship, I gifted her every single piece of silver and ink that is currently resting on her beautiful body. And I perfectly remember that the very first thing we did was that stunning gothic moth right along her collarbone. I remember Akane staring at the mirror, whispering that the design was something remarkably important to her survival."

Then, a sudden, fierce crimson flush rushed straight up to my cheeks, my face turning a vibrant pink under the neon glare as she exposed the secret.

I immediately looked down at my boots, my fingers bunching into the fabric of my pockets to hide my embarrassment.

Beside me, Shin didn't mock my reaction. He turned his head to look down at the line of my neck, a soft, incredibly warm and loving smile breaking across his handsome face as he listened to her words.

He knew exactly what that moth meant.

Then, Shin looked back at Hoshiko, his dark eyes filling with a profound, unvarnished gratitude.

"Thank you, Yuki," he said, his voice a low, sincere rumble that carried the solid weight of a promise. "Thank you for looking after Akane's safety during all this time. I am really happy to see that you've built such a beautiful home for your talent."

For a brief, unprecedented fraction of a second, a soft pink blush actually stained Hoshiko's cheeks, her confident posture faltering slightly under the intense, unvarnished sincerity of his words.

Guys like Shin were her absolute weakness. Hoshiko and I were like sisters; that's why I knew.

In that moment, I stepped forward immediately, my eyes flashing with a playful, sharp dominance as I reached up and fiercely pinched the soft skin of her cheek, interrupting the moment before her mind could wander into dangerous territory.

"Do not even dare to think about it, Hoshiko," I commanded through my teeth, my voice a dark, passive-aggressive purr. "This guy here is permanently under a locked contract."

"Oookaaaya...~" Hoshiko mumbled through my grip, her hands rising in a lazy gesture of surrender as she laughed out loud. "Got it, baby wolf! I promise that I won't do anything dangerous!"

Then, I released her cheek, stepping back to my position beside Shin's bicep, a satisfied smirk returning to my face.

The heavy atmosphere had completely dissipated, the layout of the room returning to its normal, comfortable cadence as Hoshiko clapped her black latex gloves together with a sharp snap.

"So!" she cheered, her eyes sparkling with a mischievous, dark amusement as she looked at Shin. "It appears my official test subject for today is none other than the legendary Shin Ishikawa himself. What specific operation does the young master need today?"

Then, Shin pulled his hands out of his cargo pockets, a calm, steady smirk touching his lips as he gave a single nod.

"I came down here to get an earring," he answered easily.

After his words, Hoshiko's lips pulled into a wide, thoroughly mischievous smirk under the glowing neon tubes, her gaze tracking the sharp line of his jawbone.

"Oh... perfect," she whispered, her voice dropping into a teasing register. "I was just thinking that a silver loop would look absolutely divine against your skin. It's going to give you the perfect amount of edge to match your girlfriend's terrifying aura."

I immediately stepped forward again, my fingers reaching up to fiercely pinch her other cheek with an absolute, possessive speed.

"I am watching you, Hoshiko," I warned flatly, though a genuine smile broke through my mask.

"Ouch! Okay, okay! I'm initiating the sterilization now!" she giggled, turning around to grab the medical tools as the chapter closed on the warm, neon-lit sanctuary of our shared past...

(Akane's PoV)

—

"Are you... Shin Ishikawa?"

The silence that followed Hoshiko's sudden, breathless question was absolute.

Shin remained entirely motionless, his right hand still suspended in the empty space between them, and his fingers frozen mid-air.

His eyes widened with a quiet, unadulterated confusion, his brow pulling into a sharp knot as his mind scrambled to process the sudden revelation of his full identity.

Beside him, I felt my eyes narrow into two razor-sharp slits, and my fingers clenching so hard around the leather strap of my bag that the stitching bit into my palm.

The ancient, possessive feeling in my gut began to hum with a dangerous intensity.

'How does she know his name? Hoshiko was completely disconnected from the rest of the world; she belonged to a darker, hidden sector of the city. There was zero logical reason for her to know him.'

Then, after a few instants, Shin shifted his weight, his voice dropping into a low, uncertain rumble that broke the heavy quiet.

"How... how do you know who I am?"

After Shin's question, Hoshiko didn't answer with words right away. Instead, an expression of pure, unbridled joy broke across her features, her dark gray-blue eyes lighting up with an explosive, brilliant energy that completely melted her cool, untouchable artistic persona.

Then, she let out a soft, breathless laugh and lifted her right arm, her cyber-style ink catching the neon glow as she pointed toward the high shelves near the back counter.

"Look directly behind you, up on the top right rack!" she directed, her voice trembling with intense excitement.

Shin and I moved our heads in unison, our gazes tracking the line of her finger toward the upper wooden shelf, where a series of rare art books and framed prints were meticulously arranged.

Resting right in the center, displayed behind a protective glass casing, was a pristine, limited-edition volume of a dark fantasy manga about vampires.

The bold, stylized kanji on the spine read: 'Azrael, Born To End The Night.'

The moment Shin's eyes fell on the cover, I saw a profound, sudden shift across his features.

It was as if a hidden floodgate had violently cracked open behind his brow, a wave of ancient, buried memories rushing straight to the surface of his face.

Then, Shin looked back at Hoshiko, his gaze intense and thoroughly analytical as he scanned the details of her face.

The girl standing before us was bold, confident, and stunningly beautiful, her skin covered in intricate patterns and her body decorated with silver piercings.

She looked nothing like the broken, bullied creature from his past. But as he looked more closely, I saw Shin's eyes fixate on the specific shade of her gray-blue eyes, then on a tiny dark mole on the left side of her throat.

Then, Shin snapped back to reality, his breath catching sharply in his throat as his dark eyes completely widened.

"Yuki...?" he whispered, his voice cracking slightly with a sudden, raw wonder. "Is that... is that truly you?"

Hoshiko literally jumped for joy right on the concrete floor, her heavy leather boots clattering loudly against the stone as she let out a bright, triumphant laugh.

"Yes!! It's me! In flesh and ink!" she chirped happily, her arms throwing themselves out in a grand, theatrical gesture. "Though I suppose I've managed to completely shed that pathetic, beaten-dog look I used to carry through the school gates! Hah! Pink dresses didn't suit me at all, I guess."

"Ah well... I remembered almost everything, from the manga to the moment you said that your pen name would've been 'Hoshiko'. Ah... damn..." Shin smiled.

It looked like a beautiful and nostalgic reunion, but I still couldn't understand what was happening.

But, for some reason, I remembered Shin talking about a certain Yuki... but I couldn't remember when.

I dug deep into my mind to recall the exact moment where I heard her name until...

'Ah... I now remember... the girl he tried to befriend during middle school because she was lonely... Her name came out when he told me about his first kiss...' I thought, not remembering further details.

During their sweet reunion, I stood in the center of the pink-and-blue neon glare, watching the intense warmth radiating between them, feeling a heavy, suffocating wave of discomfort wrap its fingers around my chest.

I felt thoroughly out of place, like an uninvited stranger standing outside the borders of a shared history.

My stomach twisted into a tight, possessive knot.

"Oh... perfect..." I muttered flatly, my voice dropping into its driest, most sarcastic register as I crossed my arms tightly over the front of my hoodie.

Then, Hoshiko's sharp eyes immediately snapped to my face, noticing the dark, defensive feeling pulling across my features.

Her expression softened into a look of deep respect and affection; she knew what I was feeling.

"I'm so sorry, baby wolf," she said softly, stepping closer to my space with an earnest, pleading expression. "Can I please just borrow your boyfriend for a single, nostalgic embrace? Just a quick reunion hug! I swear I won't cross the safety line!"

I looked at her face, then down at Shin's calm, waiting profile. Ruining such a sweet reunion would've been bad, and this would've been a chance to see how much I could control my bad feelings.

So, I took a deep, slow preparation breath through my nose, forcing the territorial ghosts of my father's house back down into the dark.

I trusted Hoshiko; she was one of the incredibly few human beings in this world who had ever treated my soul with genuine care.

I loved her like a sister, and forcing a barrier between her and an old friend would be a disgusting, selfish choice.

I forced my lips to stretch into a small, reluctant smile, my voice carrying a sharp, playful warning.

"Fine. Go on," I grumbled, pointing a single finger at her nose. "But the hug is strictly limited to five seconds. If your arms remain locked around his torso for a single millisecond longer, I'm gonna kill you." I said, smiling mischievously.

"Thank you, you beautiful, terrifying creature!" Hoshiko laughed.

And then, she literally jumped on Shin, her lean frame launching forward as she threw her tattooed arms tightly around his neck, burying her face into the thick black wool of his sweater.

Shin didn't fumble; he accepted the hug with a calm, friendly warmth, his long arms patting her back in a brief, comforting cadence.

"I never, ever expected to see you again, Shin," she whispered into his shoulder, her voice cracking just a fraction with genuine emotion.

"Okay, okay...!" Shin chuckled.

During their hug, I felt someone painfully squeezing my heart, but... it wasn't unbearable. It felt... different, like I saw no malice.

After exactly four seconds, Hoshiko smoothly broke the physical connection, stepping back with a respectful margin to ensure my eyes didn't launch a missile.

Then, she leaned her hip against the leather piercing chair, and a dry, slightly bitter smirk touched her lips as she looked between the two of us.

"To be entirely honest, I was completely convinced you'd be married to Kurone by now," she murmured, rolling her eyes. "Especially after that 'beautiful' thing she did in front of the entire class."

After her words, Shin let out a low, tired sigh, his hands sliding casually back into the pockets of his black cargo pants as his face returned to its steady, undisturbed register.

"Yeah," he answered flatly, his eyes sliding over to lock onto my features with an absolute, unvarnished devotion that instantly melted the remaining jealousy in my veins. "But that's all water under the bridge now. I'm currently under the hands of someone who cares about me, and I'm genuinely happy."

After his words, my heart did a sudden, weightless flip behind my ribs, a deep warmth spreading through my chest as I met his gaze.

But what he had just said triggered my curiosity. I remembered the moment Yuki's name came out of his mouth, but I didn't remember the exact event that happened. Or maybe I was still too focused on him to think about it.

"Wait a second," I cut in, my eyebrows knitting together as I looked between them. "I'm curious. What happened back then in front of the class?"

Shin turned his torso toward me, his expression softening as he prepared to speak. "Don't you remember, Akane? I'm sure that I had already told you what happened." 

"No. I don't." I said, my voice flat. "So, speak," I commanded.

Shin chuckled and said, "Yes, boss," before stretching his arms and taking a deep breath. "Well... do you recall that painfully shy, quiet girl? The classmate I tried to befriend before Kurone stepped in? Well... she is currently standing right in front of your face."

Then, the puzzle pieces instantly clicked together behind my eyes, the realization hitting my mind with a sharp clarity. I looked at Hoshiko, my jaw relaxing as the context settled into my thoughts.

"Yep..." Hoshiko continued, her voice dropping into a low, reflective rasp as she traced the edge of her black work counter. "On that damn day, I had finally gathered enough courage to bring that limited-edition volume down from my house. I wanted to read the chapters together with Shin during the lunch break. But the exact second we opened the first page, Kurone decided to march across the room. She shoved her body right into our space, wrapped her arms around Shin's neck, and violently kissed his lips right in front of the entire class."

Then, Hoshiko let out a short, hollow chuckle, though her gray-blue eyes remained entirely serious.

"After that 'beautiful' gesture that shocked the entire class, Kurone glared straight into my soul and screamed, 'He belongs exclusively to me! Get your filthy hands off him and go away! He's my future husband!' I swear, to this very day, that single interaction remains one of the most intensely traumatic events of my entire youth. The sheer humiliation was massive, because I couldn't look at everyone in the face ever again."

After her words, Shin let out a slow, heavy breath, his head lowering slightly as a genuine look of regret crossed his features. "I am still profoundly sorry for what happened back then, Yuki. The next days, I desperately searched for you to apologize for what happened, but you never cleared the school gates again after that morning."

"Yeah, well... I literally couldn't force my feet to cross the threshold of that building anymore," Hoshiko sighed, shrugging her shoulders with a practiced ease. "The anxiety was a suffocating weight. So, I made a definitive choice to completely abandon the classic school and focus exclusively on my artistic passion. And by pure, ridiculous luck, my parents actually managed to secure an admission test for me at an elite private art academy in Yokohama."

Then, she began to pace slowly through the moody workspace, her heavy boots making a quiet rhythm against the concrete as she approached an old wooden cabinet.

She reached inside, pulling out a thick, worn leather album filled with loose sketches and charcoal studies.

I stood perfectly still, my arms crossed over my hoodie as I listened to every single word.

For some unexplainable reason, the possessive madness that usually ruled my chest had completely vanished, replaced by a deep, relaxing comfort.

Hoshiko wasn't performing an idol mask, and she wasn't trying to steal Shin from me; she was completely opening her soul, sharing the raw, unpolished scars of her survival.

It was a language I understood perfectly. 

"When the head instructors at that academy saw the anatomy sheets in this portfolio," Hoshiko explained, a proud, sharp grin breaking over her face as she flipped the heavy pages open, "they bypassed the introductory classes entirely and sent me straight into the advanced master courses, despite the fact that I was the smallest girl in the room. Funny."

She held the album out, displaying a series of breathtaking, highly detailed anatomical drawings—the lines of bone and muscle captured with a fierce, cyber-goth precision that looked absolutely stunning under the neon light.

"And so, within a remarkably short timeline, I managed to construct a name for myself in the art sector. I've rapidly learned how to do tattoos and piercings, and I worked continuously until I saved enough funds to lock down the lease on this cul-de-sac and open this sanctuary a few months ago, thanks to a little behind-the-scenes assistance from my family. Of course... I went through a massive alteration to my personal style along the way, and..."

She brought her stride to a halt right beside my shoulder, reaching out her heavily tattooed right hand to gently, affectionately rest her palm against my shoulder.

"...this tiny, volatile wolf cub here eventually became the only friend I possess in this entire city. Throughout all these years, my brain was so fiercely focused on the artistic goals that I left zero time to cultivate ordinary human relationships. I didn't know how to talk to people. But then Akane walked through my door two years ago, looking for an escape."

Hoshiko's voice softened, her gray-blue eyes looking down at my face with a deep, sisterly warmth.

"That time, I was still in the learning phase, and, thanks to my parents, I was renting a small studio close by to perform my works. When you're a new tattoo artist, nobody is gonna trust you at first, and that's why I needed someone as a lab rat. And then, on a rainy day, this beautiful baby wolf stepped in." She said, smiling at me.

"Ah, yeah. I totally remember that day." I said, crossing my arms. "It was the day when I started smoking. I was feeling like shit because I had an argument with Kenji, and I didn't know where to go." I added.

"Ah, your brother? That blonde asshole?" Hoshiko said, "Definitely not my type," Hoshiko said, before throwing a glance at Shin. 

I pretended not to see it, but I saw Shin smiling for an instant.

*ahem* Hoshiko then cleared her throat, "So... In exchange for her friendship, I gifted her every single piece of silver and ink that is currently resting on her beautiful body. And I perfectly remember that the very first thing we did was that stunning gothic moth right along her collarbone. I remember Akane staring at the mirror, whispering that the design was something remarkably important to her survival."

Then, a sudden, fierce crimson flush rushed straight up to my cheeks, my face turning a vibrant pink under the neon glare as she exposed the secret.

I immediately looked down at my boots, my fingers bunching into the fabric of my pockets to hide my embarrassment.

Beside me, Shin didn't mock my reaction. He turned his head to look down at the line of my neck, a soft, incredibly warm and loving smile breaking across his handsome face as he listened to her words.

He knew exactly what that moth meant.

Then, Shin looked back at Hoshiko, his dark eyes filling with a profound, unvarnished gratitude.

"Thank you, Yuki," he said, his voice a low, sincere rumble that carried the solid weight of a promise. "Thank you for looking after Akane's safety during all this time. I am really happy to see that you've built such a beautiful home for your talent."

For a brief, unprecedented fraction of a second, a soft pink blush actually stained Hoshiko's cheeks, her confident posture faltering slightly under the intense, unvarnished sincerity of his words.

Guys like Shin were her absolute weakness. Hoshiko and I were like sisters; that's why I knew.

In that moment, I stepped forward immediately, my eyes flashing with a playful, sharp dominance as I reached up and fiercely pinched the soft skin of her cheek, interrupting the moment before her mind could wander into dangerous territory.

"Do not even dare to think about it, Hoshiko," I commanded through my teeth, my voice a dark, passive-aggressive purr. "This guy here is permanently under a locked contract."

"Oookaaaya...~" Hoshiko mumbled through my grip, her hands rising in a lazy gesture of surrender as she laughed out loud. "Got it, baby wolf! I promise that I won't do anything dangerous!"

Then, I released her cheek, stepping back to my position beside Shin's bicep, a satisfied smirk returning to my face.

The heavy atmosphere had completely dissipated, the layout of the room returning to its normal, comfortable cadence as Hoshiko clapped her black latex gloves together with a sharp snap.

"So!" she cheered, her eyes sparkling with a mischievous, dark amusement as she looked at Shin. "It appears my official test subject for today is none other than the legendary Shin Ishikawa himself. What specific operation does the young master need today?"

Then, Shin pulled his hands out of his cargo pockets, a calm, steady smirk touching his lips as he gave a single nod.

"I came down here to get an earring," he answered easily.

After his words, Hoshiko's lips pulled into a wide, thoroughly mischievous smirk under the glowing neon tubes, her gaze tracking the sharp line of his jawbone.

"Oh... perfect," she whispered, her voice dropping into a teasing register. "I was just thinking that a silver loop would look absolutely divine against your skin. It's going to give you the perfect amount of edge to match your girlfriend's terrifying aura."

I immediately stepped forward again, my fingers reaching up to fiercely pinch her other cheek with an absolute, possessive speed.

"I am watching you, Hoshiko," I warned flatly, though a genuine smile broke through my mask.

"Ouch! Okay, okay! I'm initiating the sterilization now!" she giggled, turning around to grab the medical tools as the chapter closed on the warm, neon-lit sanctuary of our shared past...