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A sigh spilled from Wataru as he peeked outside the window. Tonight rain pouring hard again, just like this past days. Ren who just came out from his room noticed how gloomy Wataru and approached him.
"It's raining again." Ren spoke softly as to not startled Wataru. He nodded a little, eyes still glued to outside scenery.
"It's been a week since I last saw clear night sky."
Ren shifted his gaze to Wataru. He understood well how much Wataru loves star gazing, it's one of his source of inspiration to wrote lyric. But since it's already rainy season, rain pouring almost everyday around noon. Cloudy night covering the stars, dampening Wataru's mood.
"I hope it's sunny tomorrow. At least I hope the rain poured in morning so we can see starry sky again." Wataru smiled hopefully at Ren's wish, while also praying for the same thing inside his heart.
But no matter how hard they pray, no matter how many teru teru bozu they hang, rain cloud still covering all the stars. Now all Argonavis members started worrying about their star-lover friends.
"I heard him sighed loudly while peeking through window again tonight, as expected we can't let this continue!"
Yuuto held a meeting in his room, which he gave title as "URGENT MEETING -How to Stop This Night Rain so Wataru Can See Starry Sky Again!-". The participants is none other than Yuuto, Rio, Banri, Ren and Ponchan, who tailed Ren to Yuuto's room.
"Well I get your intention, but we've done everything we can do, you know? Don't you see how many teru teru bozu hanging in this house?" Banri sighing as he fold his arms. Yuuto grunting, losing his word to reply. Of course all members hung teru teru bozu in their own room, and Yuuto's room is probably the one who had the most teru teru bozu. Everyone is room thinking hard for a solution.
Suddenly Ren's eyes lit, imaginary light bulb shining over his head. "The how about we decorate this house with lots of stars!"
Yuuto and Banri made a surprised face after Ren told his idea. "Ren, nice idea!! We can hang blue wallpaper in living room and hang lots of star shaped paper to replicate starry sky! It may not resemble the real starry sky, but I'm sure Wataru would get cheered up a bit!" Yuuto shaked Ren's shoulder hard, excited by the idea.
"Hmm, but it sounds like a time-consuming plan." Yuuto stopped shaking Ren at Banri's remark. "We're busy with university and band activities, do you think we have time to make it? And after we used it, where should we store it?"
Now Yuuto and Ren— and somehow, ponchan too— hung their head gloomily like a scolded puppy. "No, no, I'm not mad at your idea and excitement, I think it's a good idea too. I just try to think about it realistically okay?" Banri patted three heads, trying to reassuring them. "What about you Rio-kun? Any idea?"
Rio who had been silent since beginning mumbling in small voice, finally show a smile. "I agree with Nanahoshi's idea."
As Banri opened his mouth, Rio held his hand, gesturing Banri to stop. "I understand your point too Shiroishi, don't worry. If you all let me handle this, I'll make sure this plan to cheer Matoba success. So will you entrust this to me and wait?"
Yuuto, Ren and Banri exchanged gaze at Rio's word, but eventually agreed to let him handled this plan.
***
Another rainy night. Wataru just stared to outside with shoulder hanged low. Not even a single protest came out, he gave up already. Yuuto, Ren and Banri silently watching Wataru from behind the wall, they already ran out of idea to cheer Wataru again.
"What are you all doing? Imitating totem or something?" The three jumped in unison, surprised by a low voice behind them.
"Ge- geez Rio, don't sneak on us like that!! I almost got a heart attack!" Yuuto tried to steady his breath and heartbeat. Rio lightly say sorry to three of them and shifted his gaze to Wataru.
"Rather than sneaking on Matoba like this, why don't you just approach and talk to him?"
"I... don't know what else to do to cheer Wataru. It's like everything we said won't affect him." Ren sounded dejected.
Rio smile triumphantly while lifting a box in front of his friends. "Don't worry, I got everything covered already."
"Tha- that box...?!?!"
***
"Wataru!"
Called by Yuuto, Wataru turn his head to source of voice. Ren and Banri smiled bitterly at how dead Wataru's expression right now, as if he lost all faith in this world.
"Che- cheer up, dude! Looking gloomy like this is not like you at all." Even if Yuuto tried to sounds cheerful, he knew it wouldn't work. Rio sighed and took a step.
"Matoba, cheer up already. Being gloomy won't stop the rain like miracle." Wataru shot a gaze sharper than dagger to Rio. If he were a cat, he probably so ready to scratched Rio's calm face. "I know this is not exactly what you want, but you should bear with this until the rain stop."
Wataru's eyes rounded at box that Rio just put in table. It's a small stars projector. He lifted his head and found his friends smiling at him.
"When Goryo rounded us up to discuss how to cheer you, Nanahoshi gave an idea to make small planetarium. I have an acquaintance who sold this kind of thing back in Hakodate, I asked them to sent it to me."
"Wataru," Ren finally came out from behind Yuuto. "Until the rain stop, you can use this projector to see stars and galaxy. I hope it can lift your mood even a little."
Wataru saw his friends face one by one, all of them clearly waiting for his response. While he kept looking outside waiting for the rain to stopped, his friends had been doing their best in their own way to cheer him. He drowned himself in frustration while he had friends who genuinely worried and cared about him. He smiled at the realization, the burden in his heart somehown lighten by the thought that everyone cared of him.
"I'm sorry for worrying you all, all this time I only focused to rain outside while I have you all here with me." For the first time in a while they saw Wataru's genuine smile. "And thank you. I appreciate your thoughtfulness."
Everyone replied him with relieved smile. "Then you can use this now! Enjoy your stars to your fullest!" Banri patted Wataru's shoulder in friendly manner. "We'll be back to our room so—"
"Wait!" Yuuto, Ren, Rio and Banri stopped at their track when Wataru called them out. Wataru fidgeting the box in his hand, before finally lift his head to look at them. "Um, if you guys don't mind, I wanna try this projector... no, I wanna see this stars together with you all. You guys have time?"
Four of them stunned at Wataru's invitation, and the next second their face lit happily in unison.
"My acquaintance said that those projector has lots of scenery variation, we can try them all tonight."
"Are we going to do star gazing together? I'll be back to get my jacket first!"
"Woof!♪"
"Oh we sure need blanket too since it's gonna be a chill night. Anyone want a cup of hot milk?"
"Alright boys, let's go back to our room and prepare first! Jacket, blanket, milk, snacks, everything! We're gonna have some fun tonight!"
The quiet living room soon filled with warm laughter of five boys and a puppy. The rain still pouring down outside, but the cold and lonely feeling washed away as they shared stories under their own starry sky.