"Star?" A-kun whispered, terrified by his voice.
She gazed at him, but with no spark in her eyes. The boy bit his lip, tears sliding down his cheeks. He shook, his vision blurry, and with great determination, he pushed his eyes toward the endless heavens.
"Fly high. Be happy among the stars." His hand caressed her still body, his throat almost choking on streams of his sorrow.
Then he remembered his last words to Star before they left. "It really was... lights out for her." He sobbed loudly, watching the starry sky, realizing this was his first time seeing the stars as well.
A-kun cried until his shawl was all soaked and yucky. He stared into the sky until his eyes burned and demanded to shut. But not even the closed eyelids could erase the image of Star staring up.
He coughed, sniffing, however, that couldn't convince his running nose. Insects buzzed around him as they settled in his back pocket. He realized a bit later that it was his phone vibrating.
With sticky fingers, he picked up the call.
"I'm sorry..." he whispered, unable to keep his tone steady.
"A-A-kun, what happened?" Mrs. Sato-san's cry came from the other side. "We returned late and found the barn opened, and you and Star were gone." Her voice filled with worry started another wave of cries on his end.
"Star is... Star is..." He couldn't say it. In the silence, Mrs. Sato-san heard her breath. After a long minute, he mustered the strength to continue. "She is at home. Star is home now."
Sobs came from the other side as the fleeting feeling settled inside Mrs. Sato-san's stomach. She expected this to come eventually, but no amount of time could prepare her.
They listened to each silent voice before Mrs. Sato-san asked, "Where are you? We'll pick you up."
"Outside of the city." He looked around, but the shadows didn't allow him to see anything specific. "It's a small hill with a tree. I don't know this place, but I'll send you coordinates."
"Alright. Wait a bit."
They hung up, and with trembling fingers, he searched his position, texting it. His hand collapsed on the ground, devoid of any strength.
With his other hand and a few sobs, he took down his shawl, covering Star's head. Then he waited, staring into the sky, until two light dots accompanied by a bumbling motor stopped nearby.
Mrs. Sato-san jumped out of the car without closing the door, dashing and hugging A-kun. "It's not your fault," she whispered before he could say a word. "We knew this would come." A-kun returned the hug, burrowing his head into her whitening hair.
Mr. Sato-san watched them, leaning against the open door. There was no need for light to look into his teary eyes. He closed the car as quietly as he could, joining the hugging figures.
"Thank you,"—He placed his hand on the boy's shoulder—"for being with her till the end."
He nodded, unable to say a word.
"She was a smart girl. You could see it in her eyes," he continued, and A-kun lifted his head.
Mrs. Sato-san did the same, standing up with teary eyes.
"This isn't a random place." A sad smile danced across the older man's face as he closed the distance to the tree, touching its bark. "She visited this tree once with us."
Mrs. Sato-san joined him, hugging him from behind. "This is where we kissed for the first time."
"We wanted to show her a happy place."
"I think she loved it here."
The boy nodded. "Yes, this hill is lovely." He turned his gaze to the stars, and the older couple did the same. "I would like to stay here for a few more minutes."
Their silence was all he needed. For moments that lasted for eternity but disappeared in the blink of an eye, A-kun stayed with Star before he had to go. His body was screaming with pain and agony, but nothing could take away the coldness in his heart.
On the way back, his head swayed back and forth as he fought the urge to fall asleep. Mr. Sato-san had to support him once A-kun left the car, otherwise he would collapse.
"Can I... stay overnight?" A-kun asked in a raspy voice.
"Of course."
"In the barn?"
"There is plenty of space." Mr. Sato-san smiled, but there was no happiness in his gesture.
He led the boy into the box, laying him on the heaps of straw, and before turning away, A-kun was soundly sleeping.
\\_(''>_<'')_//
The next day, Freya had to work harder than before. Being pushed back and forth, but never showing signs of breaking down. This time, she didn't send any sassy smiles or showed any emotions at all. A strange feeling settled in her stomach because of a dream she had the night before.
That would be ordinary if she had remembered any dream since she had lost her father. It filled her with incredible sadness and joy at the same moment, as she floated among shining dots. A shadow of a horse danced around her, jumping, leaping, and circling her, staying out of her reach.
She struggled to move closer, trying to grasp the silk mane between her fingers. When everything seemed lost, the stallion appeared in front of her, and she hugged it. The animal kissed her on the forehead and ran toward the lights above her.
Freya watched it, realizing she was staring at her ceiling. Her teary eyes soaked the pillow. She went to wash her face. Before returning to the bed, she peeked outside. But she could see only the dark sky, streetlamps, and deadly silent streets.
The morning came, draining more of her energy. She had enough, so she hid behind a huge box, sitting. Once she got the opportunity, she would check on Star and other horses.
Her phone beeped, frightening her. She took it out of a small bag around her waist, but it fell out of her fingers. She reached to get it, stopping. Freya gulped as her hand shook.
She picked the device, opening the message from Mrs. Sato-san. Cold sweat covered her, and she dashed from her hiding place, ignoring all shouts. She didn't stop until she got behind the school, unable to catch a breath. With shaky fingers, she read the text once more. "Can I speak with you? Give me a ring when you have a moment."
Mrs. Sato-san had never called her. They always exchanged quick messages. Her mind cut her from the outside world, and she dialed the number. A beep passed before the second one was interrupted in the middle.
"Freya-chan,"—Mrs. Sato-san's voice reminded her sweet fragrance, but the tint of sadness took away the soothing feeling—"Star... is free."
The girl collapsed on her knees, sobbing and crying out loud.
"She left happy. A-kun, the new helper, was with her for the entire time. They were stargazing."
The phone fell out of her hands as an uncontrollable stream of tears rained upon the grass. Star came on the same day she started to work there. It was like destiny brought them together.
They found a friend in each other, and she couldn't be there for Star at the moment she needed her the most.
"Don't be angry at yourself for your tears. That's how we let others know we care about them."
Freya grabbed the phone, hanging up. With vision obscured by tears and shaky fingers, she sent Mrs. Sato-san a message, "rganj xiu."
The elderly woman had no need for translation or Sherlock Holmes' services. In her heart, she knew the answer.
Freya cried for a few more minutes. Her running nose didn't let her smell anything for the next hour. She stayed in her hiding place, unable to lift her body. The pain of losing Star reminded her of the past she wished to move from.
She bit her lip, her scars burning like lava. She caressed it, sensing her father's hand on it. Why did his life have to end that way? Why him? What wrong did he do to deserve to die after saving her from flames?
A gentle breeze cooled her face, taking away a stray tear sliding down her cheek. She got up on her shaky legs, pins and needles shooting through her whole feet. No time for mourning.
She had to move forward.
For her father.
For her mother, who worked herself to death to support her.
For Star, who suffered the same fate but refused to linger on the ground.
With renewed strength, she returned to the stage. Her eyes red and swollen, but her head held high, watching the God above the clouds. The other girls steered away from her.
Ueno watched her like an eagle, but a smirk played on her face. "Enjoy your stay here in the short time you have left," she whispered to herself. "Tomorrow, I'll crush you."