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The characters belong to Naoko Takeuchi, I'm just using them because I love them.
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Catch a falling star
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My breath was visible in front of my eyes, letting me know how cold the air covering the city was on this night, this special night.
I walked, and walked, and walked. Far, far away.
Life gets complicated and I felt apart from this world, because nothing here makes sense to me, and nothing here can replace my home. My nonexistent home.
Seiya was lost in the banality of Christmas decorations, following as a dazzled child the insistence of that girl he has a crush on. And when I thought that Taiki would bring some sense, he only launched into long lectures about this planet's traditions, suddenly finding some fun in the subject.
And then there was me. Tired of this place, its people, its noise, desperately needing some calm, and a place where maybe I'd be able to watch the stars. The same ones that were once closer, but now barely visible in the night sky.
I needed to feel that was not all lost. I needed to know that this desperation, this melancholy, could leave me for good.
Of course, I didn't want it to be that this Christmas thing, or the people on this planet, were responsible for cheering me. I wanted to know that the universe worked, took form, and the pieces would get back into place. That it would get me back to my place.
I arrived at an isolated place by the wharf, resting on the rails while looking out at the darkness of the night. Here the sky wasn't full of artificial lights.
Where was the light that was supposed to be by our side? We were lost, wrapped in artificial lights on stages, singing our secret messages, but receiving only garbage back.
And nothing, no answers, no hope.
'Where are you?' I whispered, closing my eyes, in search of some answers inside of me.
The silence was all there was. A couple of minutes passed, just silence…
I breathed deeply, not wanting to release my inner search. And then there was the loud shriek of Christmas music blaring from behind back, startling me.
I instantly spun around, expecting some imminent danger and wanting to be prepared. But what I saw there was Minako, trying to silence her phone.
"Sorry, they were all day calling me, from home." She offered in excuse. What was she doing here? Was she following me? Can't I have one damn moment of peace?
"How have you found me? You can't stop being a psychopath for one day, can you?' I complained.
She smiled, that crafty smile she has when she's has something in her hands. But she remained silent, which was something totally out of character.
I decided to ignore her, and turned back to what I was doing before, and hoping she would see that I wanted to be alone.
"I had heard Seiya talking about you, that you were discouraged. And when I was going towards your apartment to bring you some cookies, I saw you going out." She reported.
Meaning yes, she had followed me.
Bug. Damned, obstinate bug.
"I am not interested in any, so you can go away." I told her, trying to not falter.
"I think you know I won't." She warned me. "I have a mission, and as you know, I can't leave a mission." She walked closer, leaning next to me, making me look at her again.
I sighed, hoping she'd finish speaking her mind and leave.
She looked up to the skies, and as I glanced at her, I noticed something special. Her face was full of calm, that peace that I couldn't find in myself. She was in a situation as complicated as mine, but she looked so different. Minako was happy.
"I found out something much more wonderful than Christmas tonight." She said, still looking up, before focused her eyes on me, totally determined. "Do you remember that there's still hope?"
"I'm not in the mood for some Christmas talk." I replied.
"I'm not talking about Christmas. I'm talking about what you don't see. I didn't follow you to ask you for an autograph, a photo, a song, or your underwear." She stopped and laughed; I don't want to know what exactly Minako was thinking, about my underwear. "Well, the point is that I brought you a gift."
"There's a mail box you can put it in. Right along with all the rest of the thousands annoying girls who follow us." I kindly suggested.
"It is not a fan gift. But a gift from a friend. Perhaps, someone slightly more than just a friend." She winked one eye. "If you allow me to give it to you, then I promise to go away." She offered. And as it looked like a fair deal, I agreed.
Minako smiled happily, and she took my hand, almost making me jump to avoid her touch. But I had to admit that she has force, and I couldn't come undone. So I accepted that I was going to allow her to give me whatever it was that she was trying to give me.
She stretched out her hand along with mine, pointing to the blackened sky filled with brilliant stars.
"There's a song…" she started.
A song?
"I don't want to hear Christmas songs!" I complained
"Will you shut your mouth? It is not a Christmas song." She indicated, so I allowed her to continue. "It is a song that says perhaps the love will touch your shoulder in some starless night, and that perhaps you will sit down alone, but there's only one way of being safe in these moments." She looked at me again, making sure that I would not separate my eyes from her. "To catch a falling star, and put it in your pocket, save it for a rainy day, and never let it fade away." She finished.
I remained in silence, not understanding. Not wanting to understand.
"Do you know the last time I saw a falling star?" She whispered. "When you came here. And your arriving was a hope, a hope that didn't fade away. It is just such a shame that the star can't trust in himself." She told me, her voice melancholic now.
"I'm not a star. That's just what all the stupid fans think." I stated in excuse, evading what she was saying entirely, knowing where she was going…
"Would you stop doing that, Yaten? It's me, and you know what I'm talking about." She stated directly.
Minako is so insidious. As if she couldn't understand that I don't want to speak at all. Some time ago, I had ended up talking to her. But she will not get that right now.
"Were they not calling you, from your home? Why are you not there? I thought Christmas was important to you." I turned the topic away, thinking about how to make her give up.
"Out there, somewhere in the sky, you are going to find your own star. Maybe not a falling one, maybe an immortal star. You just need a light going back, but you really need to trust that there's still light." She insisted.
"Why are you doing this?" I needed to know.
"Because we can't let your star die." She smiled. "I kept, somehow, the star that came to me that night. You are my star." She took my hand harder, reminding me we were still touching. "You know where it is, and when you understand that, it will be easier."
"Who?" I asked. How could she know? How could she feel it? Then maybe I got it. She, after all, was the one who has the power of love, of light, and somehow, she could perceive feelings.
"You know who. She's here." She says, pointing my heart.
And she was right. Even when the princess wasn't with us, she will be always in our hearts. Sometimes it was just hard not seeing her, not knowing if she was safe. Maybe Minako was happy because her princess was with her, and safe for now?
I needed to know why she…
"Why do you look so happy?" I asked.
"Because I put all my heart into being happy. We have to give it our all, right? You need to do it, too." Was she scolding me?
I wanted to reply, give her reasons, so she could stop talking nonsense. But her words were relief, and truth. I felt frustrated because I couldn't respond.
I saw my breath from my lips, when I sighed, and then looked around, in the cold night. Everything here wasn't familiar to me, but maybe I still have in myself what is familiar.
She searched for something in her pocket, wrapping it in her hand, to put it in mine.
It was a keychain with a star on it. A brilliant star.
"This is my gift to you. Please take care of it." She asked. "Now I'm leaving." She says, letting go of my hand, and turning to walk away.
I looked the small object in my hand, so insignificant and cheap. But so full of meaning after all her babbling mouth had told me.
I was debating between looking for answers, after so much defeat and waiting, or trying to understand that we just had to keep on fighting for our target, for our everything...
There I had my star, the one that Minako gave me, not wanting to let me fade away. I had at least to give her the satisfaction of achieving her mission.
"Minako!" I shouted, hoping that she could hear me. She turned back, looking curious, and hurried back to me.
She was standing in front of me, breathing fast, expectant about what was I was going to say.
"Stay with me and watch the stars?" I offered.
"I think I caught a very brilliant star, just now." She answered with a smile.
There again was happiness, not permanent nor covering everything, but giving strength and hope. Perhaps wasn't so bad admit it sometimes.
We remained next to one other, with our eyes in the sky, perhaps looking for a falling star to appear, though the silly object in my pocket was enough for me. Minako can say things completely full of sense, and strength, sometimes.
"It is a little cold. Will you hold me, Yaten?" She asked.
Also, Minako always takes advantage of everything. And that would never change.
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Hi! I'm not native english, but this was edited but my dear friend Anastasia, who is.
A little experiment =D Merry Christmas!
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