Ch. 6: A Kind Person
Beyond the curtain of the quiet room, the stars whispered to each other.
The light of the chandelier flickered, casting a shadow over Ster's face from his long eyelashes.
Ster: "…why are you mad?"
OO: "How could you do this…!?"
Ster: "There wasn't anything else to do. You saved me. So I should thank you. You were shivering with cold. I wanted to warm you up. There was a crying child. I wanted to help her. You said you liked things that are fleeting, like flowers, so I wanted to give you a flower that wouldn't wilt. …I don't know how else to make people happy other than granting wishes. That's always how I've been."
OO: "Ster…"
I couldn't do anything to stop the tears from falling.
Ster: "Why are you crying? Will you smile if I make you more flowers? Or should I make you more falling stars?"
He slowly extended his finger and wiped at the tears on my cheek.
The coldness of his fingers clamped even more firmly on my heart.
Ster: "I'll make more…-"
OO: "Stop! Ster…please, stop. If that little girl, if I… had known that our wishes were in exchange for your life, do you think we'd have been happy? Did you ever think that maybe everyone would have been more delighted to see you happy rather than having their wishes granted?"
Ster: "…I never thought of it that way."
OO: "Ster…"
[CHOICE]
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Gently take his hand (SUN)
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Touch his cheek (MOON)
OO: "Ster…what is your wish?"
Ster: "What am I supposed to do…! No one ever taught me another way. Wouldn't anyone be happy to have their wish granted? Didn't you smile when yours was too?"
He tightly clutched at the Stardust Clock pendant in his hand.
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Ster: "I committed it to memory so it won't disappear…so it's fine."
Ster: "Do you like flowers?"
OO: "Yes."
Ster: "Even though they die?"
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Ster's words once again sounded in my mind.
Will Ster…disappear?
The ground swam beneath me, and everything sounded very far away.
Ster: "What is your wish? How can I make you stop crying?"
My wish…?
I could hear his voice in the distance…
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Ster: "Release it into the night sky with a wish. Just one. No matter what it is, it will come true. It's thanks for waking me up."
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Any wish…?
He was kinder than anyone else. But just now, that made me quite sad.
My wish…
Grasping the necklace around my neck, I held the shining fallen star in my right hand.
I gently took his hand, and his shoulders trembled slightly.
Ster: "Why are you looking at me like that?"
I touched his cheek as he peered into my eyes.
Ster: "Please don't cry…"