Ch. 3: A Moment in Eternity
The pure-white snow absorbed the light of the stars…-.
As we walked, I realized this planet was actually quite small.
OO: "Look, it's a snowman."
I stopped, spying a small snowman on top of a stump.
Ster: "Snowman?"
OO: "You don't know what a snowman is? It's like this…-"
I made one and Ster looked down at it indifferently.
Ster: "What is that misshapen thing?"
OO: "M-misshapen…!? Well then, you try making one."
I sulked a little as Ster elegantly got to his knees, then in the blink of an eye he'd made two perfectly round spheres.
He's way better than me…
He had copied what I'd done in making the head, and yet no matter how I looked at it, he had made a snowman far cuter than the one I'd done.
Ster: "It's not hard. You're just surprisingly clumsy."
…!
[CHOICE]
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I am not (SUN)
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I guess so (MOON)
I looked away, embarrassed, and Ster took my misshapen snowman from my hand.
OO: "?"
Then in exchange, he put his beautiful snowman in the palm of my hand and once again started walking.
Are we trading them…?
OO: "Are you sure I can have it?"
Ster: "It'll melt soon anyway."
OO: "Thank you."
For some reason I felt happy, and I couldn't stop myself from smiling.
Seeing me like that, Ster also smiled.
OO: "…"
It's that smile again…
I placed my hand over my chest and took a breath when…
Ster: "…there it is. Over there."
Ster pointed at someone through the snow.
A girl?
We approached the little girl, alone and squatting in the snow.
Ster: "What's wrong?"
Ster spoke to her, and the girl appeared startled as she lifted her head.
Girl: "Who are you?"
Three little rabbits darted into the front of the girl's coat.
Ster knelt down in the snow at eye level with the girl and spoke to her kindly.
Ster: "You don't have to be afraid. I'm Ster, Prince of the Meteobel Royal Family. I came to grant your wish."
Girl: "Um…you're a prince that grants wishes?"
Ster: "That's right."
At that moment, the girl's eyes started to sparkle.
Girl: "You know, I have to move, to a faraway place. So my wish is for them."
Three rabbits poked their heads out of the coat for Ster to see.
Girl: "I was told I can't bring them with me. But if I'm gone, they'll freeze in the snow."
Large tears fell from the girl's eyes.
Girl: "Prince…"
Ster: "…"
Ster rested his hand on the little girls' head, then brought forth a shooting star.
He then spoke the girl's wish to the star, and the hourglass at his chest shone…-.
Girl: "Wow…!"
After the dazzling light had vanished, a flower field spread out around our feet.
In the distance I could see the snow still falling, but in this spot it was miraculously warm.
OO: "How beautiful…"
The rabbits leaped out of the girl's coat and hopped around the flower field in delight.
Ster: "…will this make you feel better about leaving?"
Girl: "Yeah! Thank you!"
Ster: "Sure."
The girl smiled as she spoke, then chased after the rabbits in excitement.
Ster's smile was kinder than I'd ever seen as he watched the girl.
He's a nice person…I'm really glad he can make people smile.
Ster's smile warmed my heart, but also pained it…
Ster: "…I'd forgotten."
I looked up suddenly as he spoke to me.
He was looking at my misshapen snowman, melted at his feet.
It melted because it got warm all of a sudden…
OO: "But this one's alright."
I held out the beautiful snowman that Ster had made, but he calmly shook his head.
Ster: "…it's alright."
Saying as much, he took the snowman from my hand and gently placed it next to the melted one.
OO: "??"
Ster looked at the snowmen for some time, then slowly closed his eyes.
He opened them again after a while, and turned away from the snowmen.
Ster: "Let's go."
OO: "Eh? But the snowmen…?"
Ster: "It's fine."
Then he looked at the girl as she ran around with the rabbits, just like he'd looked at the snowmen…
Ster: "I committed it to memory so it won't disappear…so it's fine."
OO: "Eh…?"
His words were swallowed up by the night sky, and for some reason I felt uneasy.
Rather than asking again, I deeply breathed in the scent of the flowers carried on the breeze.
OO: "…it smells nice."
I spoke and smiled at Ster, who had once again fallen to silence.
Ster: "Do you like flowers?"
OO: "Yes."
Ster: "Even though they die?"
[CHOICE]
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I love them (SUN)
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That's why they're beautiful (MOON)
Ster: "Come on, we really do have to go."
OO: "Eh? But we haven't said goodbye to the girl."
Ster: "The falling stars are coming."
OO: "…alright."
Ster didn't look back.
Seeing him from behind, I felt an indescribable pain.
OO: "I-I am not."
Ster: "Really? But your spheres look more like eggs."
Ster seemed amused as he looked at the snowman I'd made.
OO: "I still love them."
Ster: "…I see."
For some reason, there was a pained look in Ster's eyes.
OO: "I think that's what makes them beautiful."
Ster: "You're…a strange one."
I saw a faint smile play on his lips.
OO: "I guess so…"
Ster: "…did I hurt your feelings?"
Ster appeared slightly troubled and looked at the snowman I'd made.