They met again under a sky lit with floating lanterns.
Lena stood near the riverbank, her scarf dancing in the wind, lantern in hand. It had been years since she and Kai had come here together. Back then, they’d made a wish with every light they released—some silly, some secret, all sincere.
Now, the festival glowed the same, but Lena’s heart felt heavier.
She didn’t expect to see him again. But there he was, standing across the crowd, eyes searching until they met hers.
He walked over slowly, hands tucked into his coat pockets, that familiar half-smile on his lips.
“I saved a lantern,” he said softly.
“For what?” she asked.
“For us.”
They lit it together, their fingers brushing. The flame flickered, then steadied. Like them.
As it rose into the sky, Kai whispered, “I wished I’d see you again.”
Lena looked up, her voice just above a breath. “Me too.”
The lantern floated higher, carrying their wishes, their regrets, and maybe—just maybe—the beginning of something new.
