𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐚 𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐲 | 𝐤𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐨

46

"Do you know why I love the stars?" I asked, looking at the dark sky made brighter by the scattered pieces of twinkling lights.

"Is it because they are shiny and bright?" Mina asked back. We are sitting on the top of the narrow staircase leading up to the entrance of our apartment. This is our favorite hangout place. Yes, we may have been scolded a few hundred times about how we are blocking the way for other boarders but we couldn't care less.

"Sort of." I replied. "But it's mainly because they're just out there."

Mina chuckled. "You could only really see them at night though."

"Fair enough. They are always there, day or night but they shine the brightest at the darkest. They are just always there lingering around but at the darkest, they provide the brightest light." I spoke, a smile forming on my face as I watch a shooting star pass by.

"Isn't the sun a star too?" Mina asked. I gave her a blank look causing her to chuckle.

"You get what I mean." I said.

"I don't get you sometimes." Mina scoffed. "You're too smart. It feels like you and I see things differently."

I let out a soft laugh. "I don't get myself at times too. But these stars, I get them."

"What? You talk to them or something?" Mina joked. I nudged her.

"I feel like stars are like people. They're always there. You might not notice or sometimes you intentionally forget but they're always there. But of course, not all people who are always there are people who will always care. Some people are just... there. For some reason, they are in your bubble but it's not like you know them or they know you. But there are people who are different. Those people are my favorite stars. They are there in the calmest mornings of my life. But most importantly, they are there in my coldest and darkest evenings. And in those evenings, they shine bright for me. They willingly lend me their twinkling lights to brighten up my nights even if it will lead them to lose their shine the morning after. I look up to them and I immediately smile.  I wish I am also someone's favorite star."

"Ohh. I get it now." Mina stood up and stretched her arms. She looked up at the sea of stars before she turn to look at me. "So, am I one of your favorite stars? Because for me, you are one of mine."

I laughed. "Of course, you are one of my favorite stars so please keep on shining bright for me."

She chuckled before settling into the a beautiful smile.

Ah, I hope you keep your shine, my favorite star.

---
It was chaos. Amidst the continuous screaming, the quickened walking, the hearts beating, all I could hear was a defeaning silence. The kind of silence that I dread. I badly want to break it but I am too tired and drained. I blankly looked at the white-painted walls which screams melancholy and despair. A tear escaped my eye as I hugged myself. I let out a sob, this time there was no stopping.

"Mirae." The soft and familiar voice spoke. I felt Yoshinori sat beside me as he wrapped his arms around me, ever gentle and warm. It was comforting but I don't think any amount of comfort can fix me right now.

"What do I do now, Yoshinori." I spoke between sobs. "Mina... she's gone now. I didn't even get the chance to ask for forgiveness. She left without me telling her that I loved her so much and that I am sorry for everything. I was the cause of this. If I only..."

"If you only what, Mirae?" Yoshinori asked. "If you had only given me up to her? You are not responsible for people's happiness. You are only responsible for your own. You can not give everyone their happiness if it costs your own."

"But Mina, she only chose her happiness as well. That is why she did that. She was just after her happiness and I took that away from her. I got my happiness but how about hers?" I reasoned out.

"Yeah, but that happiness that she initially wanted was not the one that is for her. I was just not her happiness and I know at her dying moment, she knew it as well. I was not her happiness." Yoshinori said.

"Mina's happiness was you, Mirae." I stared at the ceiling, bursting into tears again. "Your friendship was her happiness. She thought that her love for me would bring her the happiness that she deserves but she forgot that she was the happiest when she was like the sister you never had. It's a shame that she only realized that when it's late but I know she ultimately found that happiness she yearned for. It's the happiness she felt when she knew you were always be her friend."

"So, I know it would be hard moving forward but you will soon be able to forgive yourself and I would also be also be able to do it myself. It is over now, Mirae." Yoshi cupped my cheeks and wiped my tears. He pulled me towards the window and opened it. He looked up at the sky and spoke. "Look at those stars, look at how they twinkle. Look at how beautiful they are. Think of them as your mother and as Mina. They are both shining bright for you. You are not alone. And whenever you feel alone, just look at the dark sky because there, you will find comfort in the twinkling lights."

He turned to me, his back against the window pane. The light of the stars shining behind him. He grabbed my hands and gently squeezed them.

"And here I am, although it's out of character..." He gave me a sheepish smile. "I will be your brightest star."

Ah, please keep your shine and don't fade away, my favorite star.

---
"Do you think I will always be your favorite star?" Mina asked as she drank her hot chocolate as we sat on the staircase again. It was such a cold night but for some reason, I didn't care at all.

"Yeah, you will always be." I answered with certainty.

Mina chuckled. "No, I don't think so."

My eyebrows scrunched in confusion. "Why?"

"I feel like you will find someone who will give you a brighter light." She smiled, looking at the star which is shining the brightest this particular night. She turned to look at me.

"When you find that person, I wouldn't mind taking a step back but always remember that I'll always shine for you because that is what the best of friends do."

---

I finally updated this book. It took me forever but I'm really finishing this book this week. And one more chapter will be posted before the epilogue.

After this book is completed, I will probably continue the Junkyu book or will start another one. It depends actually.

Anyway, thank you for the support. I read the comments on my free time and I'm really overwhelmed by the support so thank you again!!

Have a great day/night!!!