Comet Lover (コメット愛好家) - short story

Chapter 1: The Day We Met

The hum of the planetarium projector filled the silence as the lights dimmed, and the artificial stars blinked into existence above me. It wasn't my first time here, but something about this visit felt different. Maybe it was the seat I picked-far in the back, away from the usual chatter-or maybe it was fate, waiting to unfold.

"Is this seat taken?"

I looked up, startled. A girl with short hair and a curious smile stood beside me. Her presence felt warm, like a ray of sunlight in the middle of the dark cosmos projected around us.

"Uh, no. Go ahead." I gestured awkwardly to the seat beside me. She sat down without hesitation, her movements light and easy.

As the show began, the stars above us came alive, weaving tales of ancient constellations and distant galaxies. I noticed her leaning forward, completely absorbed in the sky above.

"Isn't it beautiful?" she whispered, her voice barely louder than the narrator's.

"Yeah," I replied, though my eyes weren't on the stars anymore. They were on her-the way her face glowed under the soft light of the cosmos, the way her eyes sparkled with wonder.

We didn't talk much after that, but when the show ended, she turned to me with that same curious smile.

"Do you believe in fate?" she asked out of nowhere.

I blinked, caught off guard. "Uh... I'm not sure. Why?"

She laughed, a soft sound that felt like a melody. "Because I think I was meant to sit here today. I'm Emi, by the way."

"Ren," I replied, still processing her words.

"Well, Ren," she said, standing up and brushing off her skirt, "if we meet again, maybe that's fate too."

And just like that, she walked away, leaving me with nothing but the faint scent of lavender and the lingering sound of her laughter.

Chapter 2: Chasing Comets

We did meet again-three months later. I had almost forgotten about her, thinking our brief encounter was nothing more than a strange coincidence. But there she was, standing outside the planetarium, staring up at the promotional banner for the upcoming comet viewing.

"You're here again," she said when she spotted me, her eyes lighting up as if I were an old friend.

"I could say the same about you," I replied, trying to sound casual but failing miserably.

She grinned and pointed to the banner. "The comet's coming next month. It only appears once every ten years. You should come."

"Are you inviting me?"

"Maybe," she teased. "Or maybe I'll just happen to see you there."

And so, a month later, I found myself sitting beside her again, watching as the comet streaked across the dome. It was breathtaking, a trail of light cutting through the darkness like a fleeting wish.

"Did you make a wish?" she asked, turning to me. Her voice was soft, almost hesitant.

"I don't need to," I said, surprised by my own honesty. "I'm happy right now."

Her smile faltered for a moment, but she quickly masked it with a laugh. "That's a good answer."

But as the comet faded from view, I couldn't shake the feeling that something about her was just as fleeting.

Chapter 3: Like a Comet

Emi disappeared from my life just as suddenly as she had entered it. One day, she was there, with her curious smiles and endless questions about the universe. The next, she was gone, leaving behind nothing but a note scribbled on the back of a planetarium ticket.