Chapter 1
“Come, let’s dance under the moon.”
You said as you stood up, reaching your hand towards Casper who was sitting beside you.
The two of you were at the edge of a cliff, the only light was the moon and the stars above the two of you, and the lights of the festival area that was below the cliff.
Casper, sitting beside you, blushed before looking away, as if trying to hide the redness on his cheeks. Embarrassment or happiness? He didn’t know which. Maybe both. He then whispered, voice soft and quiet, as if trying to not be heard. “I don’t know how to dance…”
You tilted your head, trying to make out what he was trying to say. His voice was too soft that it was hard for you to hear it. When you finally realized what he said, you burst out laughing.
Casper, now feeling more embarrassed than earlier, continued looking away, pulling his knees to his chest, trying to make himself look smaller in your gaze. Which makes him more adorable in your eyes, making you wish you have a camera to capture this moment. “S-Shut up… Stop laughing.”
“Hehehe. Sorry.” You said, trying to stop laughing. “It’s just, the way you said it.”
After a while of you trying to stop laughing, you finally managed to stop. You wiped the tears that formed on your eyes from laughing too much. You then turned to him, a soft smile on your lips.
“Come on, let’s dance.” You said as you knelt beside him.
“I told you; I don’t know how.” Casper said, finally looking at you, his cheeks red in embarrassment.
You smiled as you took his hand on yours, pulling him up to stand in front of you. “Then I’ll teach you.”
Casper hesitated, his gaze flickering between your hand and the moonlit ground beneath you both. His heart pounded—was it from nerves or the warmth in your eyes?
Swallowing his uncertainty, he slowly placed his hand in yours. His fingers trembled slightly, but you only held on tighter, reassuringly.
“Just follow my lead,” you said, taking a small step closer. The silver glow of the moon bathed you both, and with a soft chuckle, you added, “Even if we stumble, at least we’ll do it together.”
Casper exhaled a small, breathless laugh, his embarrassment melting into something warmer—something sweeter.
“Alright,” he murmured, finally meeting your gaze. “Lead the way.”
You nodded as you started moving, your feet moving in practiced grace, contrasting the rough and clearly beginner steps of his.
The two of you danced underneath the moon and the stars, feet bare, letting you both feel the grass and soil beneath your feet.
After a few minutes of silently dancing, you starting to hum a gentle melody, in tune with your steps.
“Why are you humming?” He asked as he continued to try to dance, almost stumbling slightly as you pulled him closer to you.
“Because I want to dance with you with music.” You said as you gripped his hand tightly as the two of you spun around.
After a few minutes of dancing, Casper finally started to get the hang of it, managing to dance with you with ease.
“You’re getting the hang of this. For a beginner, that’s quite fast.” You said as he spun you around.
Casper smiled as he pulled you closer to him. “I have a great teacher.”
“Is that all you can say to me?” You asked as the two of you continued to dance.
“Among other things.” He said before stopping. “Back in the underworld, there are no such things as this, festivals, dancing with partners, and many more.”
Casper, now feeling a bit more confident in his dance, placed both of his hands on your waist and lifted you and spun you to the air, making you yelp sightly, before placing you back down on the ground and continued to waltz underneath the moonlight and stars.
“A little warning next time.” You said as you playfully hit his shoulder.
He only laughed as he pulled you closer as the two of you continued to dance. “Sorry, sunshine. I thought it was a great time to so it.”
Silence filled the space between the two of you. But it was a comfortable silence. A reaper and a human. A disaster waiting to happen.
Just then, the silence was broken by the sounds of fireworks launching. The two of you looked up, just in time for the fireworks to burst into several different colors.
“Beautiful. Isn’t it?” You asked as you looked at him as he watched in silence and awe.
“Indeed.” He said, nodding his head, not taking his eyes away from the colorful display. “No matter how many times I see this, it always amazes me.”
He then turned to look at you, cheeks red and lips curled in a smile. “Thank you.”
“No need to thank me, Cas.” You said as you smiled softly, your face being illuminated by the grand display above the two of you.
“I love you.” Said Casper, pulling you close to him.
“I love you too.” You said as you wrapped your arms around his neck.
He then placed a hand on your cheek, gently caressing it with his thumb, before pulling you into a passionate kiss.
The moment was soft and intimate, with the moon and stars the only ones to witness the scene. In the mind of the two of you was the wish for this moment to last and have more moments like this.
The night was illuminated by the moon and stars above. Casper was sitting on the edge of the cliff, looking at the festival below.
It has been a tradition of his to come here every festival.
He looked up to the sky before looking beside him, expecting to see the love of his life. Yet the spot beside him remained empty no matter how many times he turned to look.
It’s been years since it happened. You taking away the taint from him when he was suffering from soul sickness, causing you lose the last shards of your soul. Him watching you helplessly die in his arms. Listening to as you whispered your last “I love you” to him. Watching you lose the shine in your eyes that was uniquely yours. Listening to your heart as it made it last beat.
Yet every year, every time it was the festival, he goes to this exact same spot, this spot on the edge of the cliff, trying to relive the moment when the two of you were one and happy. Trying to relive the moment when the two of you first and last danced underneath the moon and stars, wishing for it to happen once again. Something he yearns yet can no longer have.
Even after your death, he continued learning how to dance. As if wanting to get better at it. As if silently wishing that you’ll magically appear once he gets better.
He looked up to the sky, looking at the moon and the stars, the only ones who got to witness their shared moments and ones who only know of their love for each other.
He then stood up, looking at the festival, taking a deep breath, trying to keep his mind from wandering too far.
“Come, let’s dance under the moon.” He said as he reached out his hand in thin air, tears streaming down his cheeks. Dancing underneath the stars and the moonlight with practiced ease that makes you think he’s been dancing all his life. Dancing on his own.
But in his mind and heart, you were with him.
