Chapter 70

〈 Chapter 70 〉 Stella (2)

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#4

I flinched and stepped back.

"You really scared me, Stella."

"Sorry. I didn't realize you were so focused on the stars that you didn't notice me at all. I guess I couldn't help it..."

Indeed, I was so engrossed in stargazing that I didn't hear a single sound around me. Stella, who had somehow ended up beside me, covered her mouth with her hand. Her long eyelids curved into a beautiful half-moon.

"You looked like a character from an old fairy tale."

"…Is that a compliment?"

It felt like she was teasing me.

Old fairy tales are for kids, right?

I don't know how I looked to Stella while I was gazing at the constellations, lost in emotion. Feeling a bit embarrassed, I awkwardly lowered my hand.

"Maybe?"

"What does 'maybe' mean? Are you teasing me?"

Stella chuckled.

"No, I'm not. It's just that the timing was perfect. I came out of the dormitory to look at the stars and saw you. The first thought that came to my mind was that it was like a fairy tale. Your presence made it feel like a different world. Anyway, it's a compliment. Yes, it is."

You are definitely teasing me. I shot a playful glance at Stella, who was laughing.

More importantly, do you always act like this only when we're alone? It's not that it's bad, but sometimes when I meet Stella in public, she always speaks shyly, and I find it hard to get used to. Of course, knowing Stella's secret, this side of her seems more like her true self.

"Can I sit next to you?"

"Sure."

I made space on the bench. Sliding my bottom to the side, I gave her room, and Stella gently sat down in the remaining space.

"…Aren't you cold?"

"Not at all. Why?"

"I just thought you looked cold. I was going to offer you my jacket."

Stella was wearing a blue dress and a white cardigan. White socks and slippers. Her bare legs, illuminated by the moonlight, looked very pale.

"It's a pleasantly cool evening. I'm not cold at all. …And it feels a bit strange to hear you say that."

"…It's just basic manners, you know."

In the past, we would have immediately taken each other's clothes if we were cold. We might have even wrestled. We never actually came to blows, but we often bickered, much like I did with Alphen. It's been so long that I don't remember everything.

"You know how to be considerate. You've really grown up, Eijo."

"…Think about how much time has passed. And it's not just me; you've grown up a lot too."

"But I haven't grown much in height, have I?"

Stella placed her hand on the top of her head and drew a straight line toward me. Her movement stopped near my neck. There was a noticeable difference in our seated heights. Actually, before I became this way, I might have been shorter than Stella. But there's no need to mention that.

"It's not just your body that has grown."

"Um… That's true."

Compared to our mischievous days, we have really grown a lot. People grow with every significant event they experience, and it's been about ten years since then.

…But I feel like I've regressed compared to when I was a child. In the end, I've become more mature. I'm aware that I'm growing into an adult.

I repeated Stella's words from earlier.

"You said you came out to look at the stars?"

"Yeah. The weather is nice today."

Indeed, the stars were particularly clear tonight.

I stared blankly ahead and muttered.

"You still love the stars."

Stella was the one who first taught me how to look at constellations. She didn't just explain it with words; she pointed out the stars in the sky and personally showed me the beauty of the night sky. Thanks to her, I learned how to look at the stars. Even after we parted ways as children, I sometimes looked up related books.

"Yeah."

Stella answered briefly.

Then she asked me.

"Do you still like them?"

It was a gentle question.

"I do. They're beautiful. Looking at them makes me feel calm. Besides, if I didn't like them, I wouldn't be here."

"Yeah, that's true."

The Spring Triangle. The Spring Great Curve. I had memorized the constellations I found earlier. The twinkling stars left a lingering afterimage.

The silence with Stella was peaceful and comfortable. Sitting on the same bench, gazing at the stars with a beautiful girl on a late night, this is as dreamy as it gets. Except, the person next to me is not Stella but Alphen, a cheerful boy with black hair. Or rather, a girl in disguise. A faint smile escaped me.

"…Why are you smiling?"

"It's just that… I still can't believe it. I really thought you were a guy."

Sometimes I wonder.

Maybe Stella really had a twin brother, and I heard my story from him. It's a far-fetched and absurd story, but it's not entirely impossible.

Stella playfully nudged my shoulder, as if asking what I was talking about. A faint blush of embarrassment appeared on her face, bringing back memories of those days. See? I'm still not used to it. The gap is too big.

"Would you have preferred if I had stayed a guy?"

When Stella asked, I thought for a moment and shook my head.

"No, not really. You look great the way you are. You and Alphen seem like completely different people. I keep thinking you might have a twin brother."

"…Is that a compliment?"

"Maybe?"

It is a compliment, but I shrugged my shoulders, just like Stella did earlier. Stella sighed deeply and then smiled shyly.

"…You've changed a lot too. To think you've grown up so handsomely and we'd meet here by chance. It's nice to see you, but I'm still in a daze. Is it really you, Eijo?"

"Yeah. Unfortunately, it's me."

I can't believe it either. That I'm me now.

Is it even right to say I've 'grown up' to look like this? Since it's my body, I guess it counts as growth.

I finally got the body I always wanted, but there are some unexpected inconveniences… or not. Apart from the uncomfortable feeling of easily taking someone else's kindness, this body is quite useful in almost every aspect.

"You've changed a lot too, Eijo."

"Yeah, I have."

Actually, it's not just the dramatic change in my body. I've changed a lot, as Stella said, mostly in a mental sense.

When I first met Alphen near the coast of the southern empire, I was a surprisingly innocent and delicate boy.

Of course, that's natural for a child. After all, at that age, there's no reason to be bitter about the world. It's inevitable to think we've changed a lot. We've lived through more time since then than we did back then.

Stella suddenly spoke.

"Eijo."

"Yeah?"

"I don't know if you remember… but I said I wanted to show you the constellations of a different season next time, not just summer."

That's right. I remember having that conversation when I parted ways with Alphen before returning home. Nodding silently, I looked up at the dark sky, and Stella followed suit.

"One down. Spring."

"…"

It seemed like Stella was lost in memories.

"You'll see them all the time soon enough."

Spring, summer, autumn, and winter.

We'll go through the four seasons together, five times.

Suddenly, I continued.

"Is this what you wanted to show me?"

"Huh?"

"Last time, you said you had something to show me. Did you mean the spring constellations?"

"Oh… No, it's something else."

"What is it?"

"I'll tell you later. The place and timing are a bit tricky. It's not super important, so don't get your hopes up."

That just makes me more curious. But since she said she'd tell me later, I didn't press further.

A moment of silence passed.

"Hey, Eijo. Did you know?"

"…?"

In the deep night, Stella, who was sitting next to me and slowly swinging her legs, suddenly spoke.

"Stars have been guiding people since ancient times. They've been objects of faith and worship, and many people still believe in the fate that stars bring. I'm one of them."

"Are you talking about astrology?"

"Hmm, similar but a bit different. Anyway, you know about astrology?"

"I've read some books on it."

"Really? Anyway…"

Stella had a look that suggested it was hard to explain.

"Since I was a child, stars have helped me a lot. When I was lost in the forest, when I needed something to trust and rely on, when my future was completely unpredictable… the stars always came to me. I used to think I was approaching the stars, but now I don't."

What does she mean?

Stella's gentle voice, like a lullaby, was strangely addictive, and I found myself deeply immersed. As I focused on her words, she suddenly turned her head toward me.

"Once every fixed period, I can hear the voice of the stars. And the stars show me a lot. Sometimes even people's fates."

Her silver eyes reflected the moonlight.

"Here, it's called 'future sight.'"

The short but powerful resonance penetrated deep inside me.

Future sight. Literally, it means seeing the future. Fate and the future are realms that humans cannot reach. Occasionally, rumors circulate about the pope's descendants or saintly women predicting human affairs through divine revelations, but the details are unknown.

Surprised, I asked blankly.

"…You can see the future?"

"A little? Just a little bit."

Stella continued.

"Stars are quite shy and don't show everything. Sometimes they show me completely irrelevant fates. If I want to see the fate of a specific group or individual, they might show it, but they can be quite capricious. Especially if it's an important fate, it can be even more unpredictable."

Stella, who was saying something incredible so casually.

It didn't seem like she was lying, and the mysterious atmosphere of the word 'stars' seemed to fit her perfectly. Without a hint of doubt, I asked.

"…Could you do this in the past?"

Or did you just not tell me?

Stella shook her head.

"Not when we first met."

"Then when did you start…?"

"Hmm…"

Stella placed her hand on the skirt of her dress, which covered her thighs. She fidgeted with her hands and looked down. Her side face was obscured by her silver hair, but it seemed like she was speaking in a beautiful but solemn voice.

"The first time the stars spoke to me was probably not long after we parted ways."

About ten years ago.

Stella said.

"While running away, not knowing anything, I was almost killed on the front lines. That's when the stars came to me."

"…"

"Ultimately, I survived, but thanks to that, I was also able to save the head of the family… that is, my adoptive father."

As she continued,

I couldn't find any words to say.

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