"But Senpai.."
"It'll be fun, I promise!"
The messy-haired brunette pulled me to an empty classroom, and made me sit.
I stared at her, not expecting anything to happen.
I had dismissed it as a joke when Sawakiguchi-senpai randomly picked me for a project.
It probably wasn't a project at all. It was probably a joke.
Senpai had just pulled me from my club activities, of which I was the only member, and assumed I wasn't doing anything.
Well, I was.
And yet she didn't listen to me.
The room we were in seemed nothing out of the ordinary to me, except for the occupant who had brought me here.
"Juumonji-san, right? Heya!"
She greeted me like a little child would.
I politely bowed from my seat in return.
"Yes. Hello, Senpai. Is there any reason for you bringing me here?"
Cheerful demeanors are everlasting, it seems. I didn't feel compelled to relelase the same level of enthusiasm bubbling inside, almost about to burst.
A wide smile broke from her lips, and she said, "Well, I created something for my astronomy club. It's just a decoration, though.. a paper star! Do you like it?"
She handed to me something small and shiny.
"What's this?"
I turned the paper star around on my palm.
There really is no meaning to this, is there?
"It's something I made. I thought you might need something to cheer you up!"
...
"I am perfectly happy. There is no need for your concern."
Of course, that was a lie.
..but how did she know?
"Eh~ but I brought you all the way here to show you.."
Hm?
She must have noticed my curious expression, for she answered me, "You see, Juumonji-kun," she beamed, shutting the blinds and darkening the room, "there is one thing that I enjoy,"
Suddenly, in the darkness, a holographic projector that sat in the middle of the room was switched on.
I gasped.
Hundreds of shiny white dots revolved around the room like a slow dance of soft lights.
"Stars..." was all I could muster.
"Yup. Pretty, aren't they? Made 'em myself!"
She's .. unexpectedly good at these things..
"Impressed by my skills?"
I.. I..
All I could manage was a small nod.
She pointed at one corner of the room, "That's Orionis! It has three stars that make a straight line, see?"
Oh yeah.. it does..
"And that's the Big dipper! It looks like a pail! Cool, huh?"
It is!
"And that really bright one is Polaris!"
Woah..
It was amazing.. I had never really found the time to observe the sky at night.. and here she recreated something I had never really taken much notice of.
I heard her laugh behind her hand.
"What?"
"No.. it's just that it's the first time I saw your eyes sparkle like that!"
.. sparkle?
Like.. like how Eru does it?
I sparkle?!
"Aw man, now it's gone! But I saw it. It was there for a few seconds- That sparkle!"
I..
"No one ever told me that before.."
She beamed.
"Just like the stars!" She spread her arms wide and gestured to the tiny dots circling around the room.
I had found myself smiling, and this time I didn't hide it.