A Star's Embrace

Tears of the Wanderer

The blazing heat that indicates Summer has rolled in completely was present for all to feel, and despite that, it didn't bother me. In fact, for how weird it may sound, the heat makes me happy since it means another day here, and new opportunities can also be found here.

"Ai please pay attention."

And with every new opportunity, a new sense of warmth can be found in this heat. "Oh come on, Archer-senpai! My sense of danger isn't bad at all!" 

"...I had to grab you over five minutes ago."

For some reason, I found his deadpan look to be extremely funny. "That just means that you cannot take your eyes off me! Granted, that is a given since you're walking with a Star!"

Even with that absolute truth, he didn't change his expression. No, to be more precise, he looked even more deadpanned. "Why yes, a "Star" that always makes a mess, and doesn't even clean it herself. A "Star" with a rotten personality that likes to take advantage of her fan's fragile heart."

"Excuse you! I do clean up after myself, thank you very much!"

"...That's what offended you?"

"Of course, it did! It makes me sound like a slob!"

"..."

His silence made me more funny than what he said. "Ignoring that clear disrespect. How's been therapy?"

"It's been great. They said that after a few more sessions, I should no longer need to take any more. However, they've also said I should stay here for another month until my paperwork gets sorted out." 

Ah yes, that dreadful paperwork that he showed me a week ago. I still don't understand how getting a new identity would be that daunting. "So that means you'll still be here on my due date."

I won't deny that part of me was excited at knowing that, however, part of me doesn't care since I'm still trying to figure out this enigma before them.

"If everything goes exactly as planned, then yes." With a smile that can assure anyone, he proclaimed those words.

Yet, for me, it looked disgusting because of how fake it looked.

(He's getting worse.)

I won't deny that it was hard to hide my grimace at this fact, and if I had failed, then no one could have blamed me for it.

In the past two months that I've met him, his condition is getting worse by the day. So much so, that even the nurses are noticing it. It even got to the point that Sensei tried to get him to talk, but as expected, it only backfired.

That was over three weeks ago, and since then, he has either dismissed or even outright ignored the blatant concerned looks from everyone. I can even say that he knows or has an idea of the "official" reason why I visit him constantly.

After all, the number of sarcastic comments he's said about fixing something paints a clear picture of what he thinks.

However, much to everyone's confusion, that has been the only thing he's done. No confrontations, not getting angry or annoyed by those looks, not even saying something negative about us at all.

He was only donning the same smile he always has while helping anyone out, which ironically, has caused almost everyone to be concerned. But for me, it just made him look disgusting.

So much so, that it even gets on my nerves every time I see his smile.

Ain't that ironic, the person who believes in lies has a form of love and enjoys giving out fake smiles, but despises the one this guy wears all the time.