Whispers of The Stars

Chapter 1

The surrounding area is now tinged with warm red and orange tones as the evening sun sets. Mariani and Agus, two high school teenagers sitting silently next to each other as though they don't know what to say to each other, with a gentle wind blowing through their hair.

For pupils in form five, this marks the end of the school year and the end of their academic day.

Mariani, one of them, sighed. She started to open her mouth, she had been biting her lower lip without realising, which had caused it to turn red.

She said, "I actually just wanted to say good bye."

Agus was taken aback, but the shock hardly registered on his face for a minute because he had spent years controlling his emotions.

"Okay"

Agus feels that he will regret not asking more questions at this time. He could have simply ended the talk there, as he usually does, to irritate Mariani, but at that moment he was simply unable to do so.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

He looked up at Mariani as he asked the question, and even Mariani saw the small frown on his face. She looked down, seeing an expression on Agus's face that she had not anticipated. She had expected some playful remarks, all these years being friends with each other there were never a serious conversation with this fella.

"I'm leaving town, I will be living with my aunt. Got kicked out from the house you see, haha" Mariani made an attempt to lighten the atmosphere, but it seemed like things got much more uncomfortable.

Mariani didn't dare to look at Agus's face.

"What about SPM?" Agus questioned. That seems like a fair thing to raise, considering that they attend a private boarding school and will take their major national exam the following year. Mariani finally mustered the bravery to glance into Agus's face and flinched.

"I plan to take the exam at a public government school that is close to my aunt's house after enrolling there."

"Oh"

Agus's expression softened, and he turned to face the open courtyard to the side in an attempt to control his thoughts and words. He remained silent throughout, and for some reason, the strong, unfamiliar feelings caused his hands to start gripping his pants in which creases were formed due to the pressure.

"When are you leaving?"

"Today, my aunt is already here. Just needed to settle some documents in the office"

"..." Agus was in lost of words, what should he do? What can he do? He doesn't know and the victims of his conflicts is none other but his poor pants in which the grip is tighten that his knuckles started to redden.

Despite not knowing what to do in this situation, Mariani, who had been watching Agus the entire time, reached out and took hold of his reddening hands. Agus was taken aback by Mariani's abrupt move, but she only tightened her hold.

Mariani let out a chuckle, she found the situation somewhat amusing.

"I suppose this is a good thing? Because of our family issues, we are no longer needed to compete."

The chill of the evening air began to flush their cheeks.

Agus is feeling a lot more helpless than he was before. He doesn't know what to do, so he just closes the distance between his forehead and Mariani's in the hopes that she will be able to comprehend how he is feeling.

When others saw this scenario, they would assume that the two individuals were a couple that couldn't let go of each other, but in actuality, they were competing families who had been at odds for quite so time now.

While Mariani is the youngest daughter of SAM Sdn Bhd, Agus is the sole heir to Windham Corp. Both companies are well-known in their respective fields. Since these businesses have been at odds since the beginning, it is not unexpected that the toxic culture of viewing one another as competitors will also be passed down to the children.

Surprisingly enough, though, Agus and Mariani get along well with one another. Sure, they get competitive sometimes, but they do consider each other friends, because one thing that unites them: they both hate their family's problems.

Agus is still torn; he was unable to ask as to whether they will ever meet again because of what exactly they are. Friends? Perhaps, but is that exactly the case? Do they really qualify as friends if they've never spoken to each other outside of school? He is completely at a loss for what to do.

With a sigh, Mariani drew back her body and rose to her feet, ending the quiet momentarily as they released hands. Agus turned automatically to face Mariani still in dazed by the abrupt changes.

"It's likely that we won't see one other again... I will not be attending the annual dinners or the fancy events." Huffing, Mariani remarked, "Not a promise, simply that it's my resolution for the time being."

"You just got kicked out from the house, right? Why should you even need to go to these troublesome things anyway?"

Mariani let out a sheepish laugh and huffed a sigh again.

"I didn't really get kicked out, I kind of just made a racket out the situation and propose to my dad to live with my aunt in the countryside"

"You with your rebellious wit"

"Hey! I mean, it worked? I was able to move out of that hellish house and start a new life! That's what matters, is it not? My life span shortens every time I have to get dressed up for an occasion, and having to act like a proper lady is incredibly annoying!"

Laughing, Agus replied, "Well, I guess you have a point there. You never liked that type of thing anyway."

They both laughed at that.

"I believe it's better for you to go right now."

I don't know if I could let you leave if you remain here any longer, he whispered in his heart, his eyes softening. These were the words he could not bring himself to say out loud. Agus do harbor some affections towards Mariani but given the situation between them he decided to just keep his feelings locked deep within his heart.

Mariani just hummed in agreement, then she let out a little oh and her hand reach down to her hidden pocket between the flaps of her skirt. She pulled out a sealed envelope and gave it to Agus.

"This is a goodbye present from me to you"

Agus was about to open up the envelope and Mariani stopped him. "Open it in your room... or when I leave! It's embarrassing..."

"What? You wrote me a love letter or something?"

Mariani struck Agus on the top of the head with her knuckles, causing him to groan in pain. Mariani's comebacks have always been a little aggressive.

"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" She proclaimed.

"AND I'M LEAVING! BYE! DON'T MISS ME TOO MUCH!"

She walked away from Agus with a stomping gait. Seeing her shadow dwindle farther away from him, Agus simply chuckled at her.

His lips curved a little as he studied the envelope and instinctually, he brings the envelope to his lips and a look of sorrow visibly painted on his face.

"but what to do? I will miss you... badly."

Agus just sat there with his feelings for a while until the surrounding is blacken by the night.

+++

Author's note: lol don't expect to much from me, I like to write and post incomplete stories in hope to have the motivation to write the rest but most of the time I will just abandon it hshshshshsh