Kiss me before I fade
Chapter 1: The Moon That Learned to Laugh
The night sky had always belonged to him.
Libulan drifted barefoot across the heavens, silver robes trailing like liquid starlight behind him. The moon followed his every movement, glowing brighter when he smiled, dimming when he grew quiet. Below, the world slept—unaware that their dreams were being gently watched over by a god who had never once stepped among them.
He had everything.
And yet… he was lonely.
“Another night,” Libulan whispered, spinning slowly in the vast sky. Starlight gathered at his fingertips, forming tiny glowing orbs that floated like fireflies around him. He laughed softly, though the sound echoed too much in the emptiness.
Even the stars could not laugh back.
Curious, he lowered himself closer to the earth than he ever had before. The clouds parted for him, revealing a quiet forest bathed in moonlight. It shimmered like something out of a dream—soft, glowing, alive.
Libulan tilted his head.
“How beautiful…”
He reached out, letting a strand of his light fall gently to the ground.
The moment it touched the earth—
The forest lit up.
Flowers bloomed instantly, glowing white and silver. Fireflies gathered, dancing in spirals of light. A small river reflected the moon so perfectly it looked like a second sky had been born below.
Libulan’s eyes widened, then—
he laughed.
A real laugh this time. Bright. Warm. Alive.
“Oh… so this is what it feels like,” he murmured, stepping down into the forest.
For the first time in eternity, the Moon Deity touched the world.
Grass brushed against his feet, cool and soft. The air smelled sweet, filled with night-blooming flowers. Every step he took left faint traces of glowing light, like the earth itself welcomed him.
He twirled once, then twice—carefree, weightless.
“I think… I like it here.”
A soft breeze passed through the trees, as if agreeing.
Libulan wandered deeper, fascinated by everything—leaves, water, even the quiet hum of life hidden in the dark. He crouched
beside the river, watching his reflection ripple.
“You’re not alone tonight,” he told himself, smiling at the water.
But then—
The air changed.
It wasn’t cold.
It wasn’t dark.
But something… shifted.
Libulan stilled.
“…Hello?” he called gently.
No answer.
Only silence.
For a moment, he almost brushed it off as imagination—until a shadow moved at the edge of the trees.
Not frightening.
Not threatening.
Just… there.
Watching.
Libulan stood slowly, his silver light instinctively glowing brighter. “Who’s there?” he asked, softer this time, more curious than afraid.
The shadow didn’t come closer.
But it didn’t leave either.
It lingered… like it was unsure.
Libulan took a small step forward. Then another.
“You don’t have to hide,” he said, his voice kind. “I won’t hurt you.”
The wind stilled.
The forest held its breath.
And then—
From the darkness, a figure began to form.
Tall.
Quiet.
Wrapped in something deeper than night itself.
Libulan’s heart fluttered—not in fear, but in something unfamiliar.
Something new.
The figure did not speak.
But for the first time in eternity…
Libulan felt like he wasn’t alone anymore.
And somewhere, far above them—
The moon shone brighter than it ever had before.
