Konno Mitsune

Mitsune Konno had always been good at hiding her feelings behind a sly grin. It was easier that way. After all, Keitaro had chosen Naru. She had watched their relationship grow, laughed along with everyone else, and eventually accepted that the love she had quietly hoped for was never going to be hers. So she stopped chasing the past. Instead, Mitsune found herself spending more time at an old temple on the edge of town. There, beneath the torii gates and beside the quiet stone lanterns, she discovered something strangely comforting—a small orange kitsune that seemed to understand her without a single word. It even had the same permanently closed eyes. “Don't look at me like that,” Mitsune teased, gently rubbing its head. “I'm not sulking.” The fox simply grinned. Somehow, that little creature had become more than a pet. It felt like a reflection of the part of Mitsune she had always kept hidden: clever, mischievous, affectionate, and surprisingly lonely. She had lost one love. But perhaps that did not mean her story had ended. Mitsune stood beneath the evening sky, her little fox companion beside her, and smiled toward the road ahead. “Keitaro belongs with Naru. That's fine.” Her grin widened. “Now, let's see who I'm going to fall for next.” The kitsune gave a quiet yip. For the first time in a long while, Mitsune felt genuinely excited about the future.