(Rem's POV)
The wind rushed past me as I ran, the cool evening air tingling against my skin. My heart pounded, not from exhaustion, but from the sheer exhilaration of the chase. The soft crunch of grass beneath my sneakers mixed with the rhythmic patter of lighter footsteps behind me.
"Maki-tan! Faster! We're almost there!" I called out, my voice brimming with excitement.
I glanced back, grinning at the sight of her—Tamaki, always so proper and poised, her long, midnight-black hair usually pinned into an elegant bun, now flowing freely behind her as she ran. She looked different like this—less like the girl burdened by expectations and more like a child just having fun.
She huffed, determined, her small hands clenched into fists as she pushed herself to keep up with me. I laughed, turning forward again as the playground came into view. The bouncing castle at the far end stood tall, its bright colors almost glowing in the light of the setting sun.
By the time we reached the top, our breaths were heavy, our little chests rising and falling rapidly. But we made it. And as we sat there, the world beneath us felt distant, the worries of the day swallowed by the golden hues of the evening sky.
"See?" I declared proudly, stretching my arms wide as if presenting a grand masterpiece. "Told you this place had the best view! It's totally breathtaking, right?"
Tamaki was quiet for a moment. Then, with a soft smile, she nodded. "It's beautiful… Kotsu."
I turned to her, catching the way the sunlight painted her delicate features in warm shades of gold. Her usually sharp, intelligent eyes held a gentleness I rarely saw.
For some reason, that made me happy.
I let out a small chuckle before flopping back onto the bouncy surface, arms folded behind my head. "Hey, no matter what happens…" I started, staring at the sky as the colors deepened into richer shades of orange and pink. "I'll always try to get you out more often to have fun like this. Every once in a while."
She blinked, looking at me curiously. "Why?"
"Because…" I turned my head slightly, meeting her gaze, my grin softening into something more genuine. "It gets lonely all alone at the top, doesn't it?"
For a long moment, she didn't say anything. But then, slowly, her expression changed—her eyes widening just slightly before something unreadable flickered across them.
The sun dipped lower, shadows stretching across the playground. And in that quiet moment, as we sat together, a promise was made.
One that I would never forget.