-Don't touch it.
-Why not?
-Because if you touch a star, it'll
fall.
-Oh...I guess that can't be good.
*************************************
"Usagi...are you okay?" Rei asked
as she placed her hand on Usagi's shoulder.
Usagi looked up at Rei and smiled
slightly. "Yeah...I'm fine."
"Usagi..." Rei said with her eyes
wide with sympathy. "Don't lie."
"No. Really. I'm fine." Usagi felt
her eyes burn with fresh tears ready to pour down her face. "Everything's..okay
as always."
Rei wrapped her arm around Usagi
and brought her close. "Usagi...everything's not okay..."
*************************************
-Why does it matter if a star falls?
It's just a star. There's plenty more of them in the sky.
- It matters if the star is important
to you.
- Oh.
*************************************
"Remember," She heard Makoto's voice
loud and clear in her mind. "It's important to take the next step. You
can't stay like this forever. It isn't healthy."
Of course. Makoto would now. Makoto
had gone through this too...except hers was different.
"Take the next step." Usagi repeated
to herself as she walked down the Hino Shrine's steps. "It's important
to take the next step." Eyes heavy, the tears flowed from them. "I...can't.
I ...can't." wept Usagi. "It's too hard."
*************************************
- Where do the stars go when they
fall?
- I don't know.
*************************************
She sat down on the street corner.
Wiping some of the tears from her sapphire eyes, she mumbled to herself.
"I knew this would happen eventually....just...just...not so soon."
It's important to take the next step.
Usagi nodded. "I know...I know...but
I can't just forget..." She sniffled and wiped her hand across her eyes.
You can't stay like this forever.
"Yes I can!" Usagi responded to her
thoughts by screaming. Ignoring the looks of the passing people, Usagi
went on "It's better this way.... For me and...for him."
It isn't healthy.
*************************************
- Say, do you love me?
- Of course.
- For how long?
- As long as there are stars.
*************************************
"Poor Usagi..." Minako said as she
looked out the window at the setting sun. "She's been so down ever...ever
since then."
Makoto sighed. "Well, I gave her
some advice."
Minako nodded. "Yeah, but I guess
the best thing we can do is be there for her when she needs us."
"Forever."
*************************************
- Then you'll love me forever.
- Hmm...how's that?
- Because stars last forever.
- True.
- Forever then?
- But what if all the stars fall?
Then where would we be?
- Even if stars fall, they still
last forever.
- Forever then. I'll love you forever.
*************************************
Usagi stood up and walked down the
street. Memories blurred in her mind, mainly memories of that night that
they had shared watching the stars in each other's arms. She smiled
at the memory. It was so comforting to think of that instead of....instead
of...what happened the morning after.
The sun had almost completely set
and faded distant lights could be seen rising in the sky.
*************************************
- If I leave...
- Don't be silly, you'll never leave.
- Stars do.
- Stars also last forever.
*************************************
It had happened so fast.
Rain poured down from the skies as
he ran across 10th street. Then like a speeding bullet, it hit him and
he fell down on to the slick road.
They never said he would make it
but she had held his hand the whole time, praying and wishing for him.
He died in less than five hours.
*************************************
- But if I do leave...don't worry,
we'll meet again.
- Why are you talking like this?
- I don't know...I guess the stars
are getting to me.
*************************************
Usagi finally arrived at her planned
destination. She placed her hand on the iron entry gates and with a strong
pull, she opened them. Carefully and quietly, she stepped inside and shut
the gates as if not to disturb anything.
She looked at her surroundings and
then up to the starry night sky. Wrapping her arms around herself, Usagi
said. "I wish I had came earlier...then this wouldn't be so creepy...."
Stone angels and giant tombs surrounded her and she shook a little. "Must
be brave...must be brave...must be brave." She repeated to herself. "You're
doing this for him."
She walked down the shadow path,
passing old broken tombstones and dying bonquets of flowers left for the
dead. Usagi sped up.
She reached the end of the cemetery
after seemingly endless miles of headstones. There in the back lied his
grave.
It's important to take the next step.
Usagi breathed a heavy sigh and slowly
moved forward. Step by step, the closer she came to it.
You can't stay like this forever.
She reached her hand out. Shaking,
she placed it on top of the stone.
It isn't healthy.
"Chiba Mamoru." She read the inscription
softly. "Always and forever."
She bent down sitting next to the
tombstone and wrapped her arms around it. "That's right." She whispered
as tears streamed from her eyes. "Forever."
*************************************
- Just like a star, even if it falls.
- Forever.
*************************************
