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There was a time long ago when the princess Hitoka would weave by the starry river, and had not a moment of release. She would weave clothes every day, for it pleased her mother, the great Sky Queen. Her only entertainment was to watch the stars shimmer and glow within the rippling waves of the river.
That is, until she met him.
A young cowherd wandered past her one day with a distraught and almost panicked look on his face, his eyes darting everywhere. She watched him for a moment, then set aside her fabrics and stood up. "Is something wrong?"
The boy jumped, not realizing she was there, and gave her a sheepish smile. "I, uh, lost a cow from my herd. I followed it across the river, but then I lost sight of it...."
"Oh, I know this side of the river really well! I can help you, if you want!" Hitoka offered, eager to take a break from her weaving.
The boy stared at her for a moment, then his face lit up like a shooting star. "Really?! Thanks! I'm Hinata Shouyou, by the way."
"I'm Yachi Hitoka," she gave him a smile, and realized a moment too late what she had just said.
"The princess?!" Hinata gaped at her, but seemed more excited than anything. "That's so cool! It's nice to meet you, Princess Hitoka!"
"You don't have to call me that! Really!" she waved her hands frantically, and surprisingly enough, Hinata nodded.
"Okay! Where's some good hiding places, Hitoka? Maybe my cow ran there!"
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It didn't take too long to find the rebel cow, hidden away behind tall stalks of bamboo. She was a little thing, barely more than a calf, and Hinata quickly looped a leash onto her and lead her out of the forest like a puppy, telling her how dangerous it was to run away and how far he had to run to keep up with her. Hitoka couldn't help but smile at how gentle he was with the cow, acting as if she were a human child.
"You talk to her like a real kid," she spoke her thoughts aloud.
Hinata turned to her and blinked his eyes, looking mildly shocked. "Oh. Wait, really? Huh....it's probably because I have a little sister. I kind of talk to her the same way."
"You do?! Aw, that sounds so nice! I don't have any siblings....it's only me and my mother, and she's often too busy to spend much time with me...." Hitoka shook her head, not wanting to darken the mood. "It's fine, though! I get why she works so much. It takes a lot of effort to care for a whole universe."
Hinata thought for a moment. "Well, if you're feeling bored, maybe you can visit my family sometime! We don't live that far, right across the river."
"I'd love to!" Hitoka exclaimed, but then her heart sank. "Oh...wait. I don't think I can go that far. It's my job to weave fabrics for the people here, and I've already taken too long today...."
"Maybe I can visit you, then! I'll bring my cows, so that won't be a problem." Hinata stroked the little cow on the back for emphasis, and she mooed what sounded like an agreement. "Think of it as thanks for helping me find her!"
Hitoka marveled at the redheaded boy in front of her. He would really go out of his way to see her, someone he just met, again? "That....sounds nice! Thanks, Shouyou."
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Shouyou seemed to appear every time she felt lonely, with a big grin and a new, interesting story to tell. They would walk alongside the river for hours at a time, accompanied by only the sounds of the gently moving water. The cowherder took great interest in what she liked. She would regale him with tales about the universe and weaving and how the stars wither away and are reborn, all things her mother had taught her at a young age. It was nice to have someone who listened with such a genuine shine in his eyes, eating up every word she gave him.
"Sometimes I wish I could leave my cows behind, just for a little bit," he admitted on one such walk.
"How come?"
"'Cause if I did, I could explore the whole universe!" Shouyou spread his arms out wide, and Hitoka giggled. "I wonder how far and fast I could run, when I'm not tied to my herd..."
Hitoka thought about that for a moment—she had never questioned what it would be like to do something different, something other than weaving by the shore. "I think I'd like to explore the universe, too. But I have my place here, and I can't abandon it..."
She sighed, watching the stars ripple and blur beneath the waves, like the soft glow of lanterns. Hinata was silent—most likely lost in thought—until finally he announced, "Well...maybe someday, we won't be so busy with our jobs. And then we can travel the universe together!"
"Huh?" Hitoka raised her head to meet his eyes, and she felt a sort of happiness rise in her chest. "Together? That....actually sounds really fun!"
"Right?!" He gave her a wide grin, the same warm smile she had grown so fond of lately.
Shouyou reminded her a lot of the sun. He sparkled like the radiant dawn, so bright and cheerful—and it made Hitoka's heart flutter and murmur with a joy so unique, she wondered what it could be.
Love.
The stars seemed to echo.
You're in love with that boy.
There was a loud shriek of terror behind them, breaking Hitoka out of her thoughts. "What was that?!"
Hinata's face fell, and he looked around in panic, so similar to when they had first met. "Huh?! Where did my herd go?! Ohhh no, this is bad! Sorry, I've gotta go!"
"I'll come, too!" Hitoka grabbed his hand, which sent her heart into a frenzy—Shouyou returned her grip with a smile and took off through the fields, Hitoka racing as fast as she could after.
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As it turned out, the source of the shriek was a farmer, fighting off a hungry cow with a handful of wheat. "Stay back! Those crops are for the winter! Oh, Sky Queen, where did you come from?!"
"That's my cow! So sorry!" Hinata jerked to a stop, causing Hitoka to crash into his back, and bowed his head. "I'll take my herd back with me now!"
Hitoka re-centered herself and looked around the farmland, her eyes growing wider the longer she searched. Black and white cows dotted the fields, trailing all the way to the bamboo forests, all munching on prized wheat and bending fences in an effort to reach the food. "Uhh.....Shouyou? I think that might be easier said than done..."
He looked up from his hungry cow and followed her gaze, only for his jaw to drop dramatically. ".....Whoops."
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Hitoka lowered her gaze as she and Hinata stood in front of her mother with a horde of angry farmers behind them, all grumbling about the ruined harvest. The little cow she met that one day stood next to Shouyou with a stem of wheat hanging out of her mouth.
Queen Madoka sighed, sounding far too tired for all of this. "So the reason you haven't finished your weaving is because of this cowherd? Hitoka, I'm glad you found someone you get along with, but that fabric is important....how else will our people stay warm during the winter?"
Hitoka lowered her head farther, feeling her gut sink to her feet. She couldn't help but feel like this was all her fault....and yet, beside her, Shouyou looked even more remorseful. The winter would be much harsher because of them.
"I just...." Shouyou mumbled softly. "Wanted to talk with her more. She seemed lonely, and I liked spending time with her.....I didn't mean for my cows to eat everything."
The Sky Queen let out another great sigh, but a smile grew on her face. "How about this—You two will spend the rest of the year doing your duties, and on the seventh day of the seventh month, you will meet again. You can do whatever you please on that day. Does that sound agreeable?"
It was....harsh but fair, Hitoka knew. Time meant different for those in the sky, as endless and predictable as the rising of the sun and moon. It wouldn't be terrible.
"Maybe...." Hitoka turned to Shouyou and his little cow. "When we see each other again, we can go on an adventure. Explore the universe, like we said."
Shouyou stared at her for a second, his eyes gleaming, and then broke into a vibrant smile. "Yeah! That sounds great."
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There was a time long ago when the princess Hitoka would weave by the starry river, and had not a moment of release. But one day she met a kind and cheerful cowherd, who changed her world. Every year, they would meet again, and spend the precious day together—sometimes they would visit new places, or pet Shouyou's cows, or play with his little sister. And sometimes, they would walk alongside the river and tell stories to one another, just like they used to.
And to this very day, she thinks of him as she weaves, and that cherished day when they will reunite once a cloudless summer.