𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐈 𝐒𝐄𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 ᵈⁱˢᶜᵒⁿᵗⁱⁿᵘᵉᵈ

Chapter 5

9 Years Ago
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Currently, it was the middle of the night and everyone was asleep.

Well, everyone but little miss (Y/n), at least.

Slowly opening her eyes, the said ravenette turned her head to face across her bedroom to see if her twin was actually asleep. And, thankfully, she was, making (Y/n) smile and quickly (but quietly) kick her blankets off and throw her legs over the side of her bed. Once her bare feet met the floorboards, she made sure to glance up at Yí one last time — just to make sure.

Yí yawned in her sleep and turned to her side; to where her back was facing (Y/n), who giggled when she heard a particularly loud snore leave Yí's lips.

But, (Y/n) was quick to put her giggling to a stop and continue her way towards the door. She couldn't waist time now; not when they were about to send them up into the air once again, just like they did every year.

The door to (Y/n)'s bedroom opened with an awfully loud creak, making (Y/n) cringe and pull her head back into her room. She needed to make sure she had a running start in case someone heard the commotion and decided to check it out.

After a moment of waiting, though, (Y/n) soon stuck her head out her door again and looked down the hall. She could still hear her father's snoring, as well as her Nai Nai's, and she most certainly couldn't hear any of her mother's movements to indicate that the woman had indeed woken up.

They were still asleep.

(Y/n) grinned and quickly stepped out of her room before silently closing her door again behind her. Thankfully, it made no creaking sound this time.

This is it, (Y/n) thought to herself with excitement as she quietly ran over to the window in the living room, her grin never leaving her face.

They'll be here soon!

Minutes that ran by agonizingly slow passed, and (Y/n) found herself still intensely staring up into the starry sky of the night; her cheek rested in the palm of her hand as she awaited for the lights that were yet to come.

And then, as if on cue, a single lantern suddenly rose up from behind one of the buildings ahead of the one the (L/n) family lived in, and (Y/n) let out a delighted gasp as she watched it rise higher and higher into the air.

It was finally starting.

One by one, beautiful lanterns with differnt and creative designs painted on them rose high above into the air, and (Y/n) could only watch them with amazement and wonder as they lit up the night sky.

But then, slowly, a single lantern began to descend downward, making (Y/n) gasp and watch it fall towards her with worry in her eyes.

"Oh, no...!" the little girl whispered, sticking her hands out and catching the lantern in them successfully before bringing it closer to her inside. "Are you lost?" she asked, gently running her fingers against the yellow — almost golden — paper the lantern was made out of.

Soon, though, the girl's hands stopped moving, and she released a quieter gasp when she saw the beautiful image of what looked to be a dragon painted on the lantern in black.

"Whoa..." Softly grazing her fingertips against the already dried up paint, she felt a warm smile graze her lips as she recalled what her father had told her and Yí a few nights ago; of the ancestors they had that rode dragons bigger than even a blue whale; of the heartbreaking wars they were forced to fight in because others couldn't accept those different from them; of the man — who was apparently a very great (both literally and physically) grandfather of hers — that changed the ways of his people with just a single touch.