Archive of Our Own

“Nene-chan…”

“Nene-chan~”

“Nene-chan!”

Nene jumped, the sudden voice startling her out of her thoughts. Her eyes widened, and she turned around, hand clutching at her chest. “A-aoi, you scared me!”

Aoi tilted her head, amusement running through her eyes. She glanced at the board behind Nene and giggled. “Sorry, Nene. But I did call your name three times. I’ve never seen you so distracted…what’s caught your attention?”

“M-my attention?” Nene squeaked, her cheeks flushed pink. She shifted from foot to foot, fingers fidgeting against each other.

“Mmm,” Aoi hummed, stepping closer to scan the board. Her eyes skimmed past the posters, flyers, and information cards, brows furrowed in concentration. “You’re too absorbed to be looking at nothing. Shall I take a guess?”

Nene waved her hands frantically. “It’s nothing that important, Aoi! Really!”

“Oh?” There was a gleam in her eyes. Nene cursed inwardly—she should’ve known denying it would make Aoi more suspicious. “I suppose that means I’ll just have to look a little harder~”

“Ugh, Aoi, you really don’t have to,” she whined. There was no doubt about it. The moment her eyes would land on the flyer, she would know.

“Looks to me like these are mostly about mid-year club recruitments…” Aoi hummed.

“Haha, yeah, just curious about all the different clubs that are still advertising.” Nene let out a nervous laugh. She tugged at Aoi’s sleeve and began to pull her in the opposite direction. “A-anyways, we should probably start heading back if we don’t want to be late for our next class.”

“Nene, lunch just started.”

“Oh. Right.”

Nene bit at her lips. Would she notice? Would she know? Suddenly, Aoi paused. Her gaze lingered on a specific poster on the board—one that advertised a certain club activity’s enrolment.

“Nene~”

She closed her eyes in resignation.

“Don’t—”

“The Astronomy Club?!” she squealed.

 “Aoi—!” She hissed. “Be quiet! Are you trying to announce it to the whole world?”

Aoi giggled, her shoulders shaking as she tried to keep her laughter in. “Sorry, Nene. I was just a little surprised.” She bumped their shoulder together, teasingly. “This wouldn’t have anything to do with a certain School Wonder, does it?”

Nene curled her fingers across her blazing cheeks and let out a noise that was somewhere between a whine and a squeak. “N-no, what makes you say that?”

“Oh, Nene, you do know that you’re not convincing anyone, right?” Aoi pried Nene’s fingers away from her face and gently squeezed her cheeks. “But I admit, you’re cute for trying.”

Nene darted her gaze away, cheeks flushing crimson red.

“But if you want me to answer your question.” Aoi hummed teasingly. She gently pulled the poster from the board and held it in front of Nene. “I recall a certain someone telling me about a mysterious boy…one who loved donuts and the stars.” She playfully tugged at the end of Nene’s hair. “I’m willing to bet this is about him, then.”

“…”

Aoi sighed and gave Nene an affectionate pat on the shoulder. “Don’t be so embarrassed, Nene. You want to know more about him, don’t you? About your Honourable Number Seven?”

“M-my—!” Nene whipped her head upwards, embarrassment curling across her face. She tried to splutter out a response but eventually turned silent.

Nodding once, she bowed her head down in defeat—Aoi thought she looked like a very cute tomato.

“Oh, Nene, you’re just so adorable,” She gave her a squeeze. “I admit, I’m a little jealous~ Honourable Number Seven should know just how lucky he is.”

“Aoiii,” Nene whined. “You’re embarrassing me.”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she giggled. “I couldn’t resist. Your reactions were simply too amusing.” She cleared her throat and pushed the laughter away. “Ahem, ahem. So, does this mean you’re planning to join the Astronomy Club?”

Nene shifted from one foot to the other. “I-I’m not too sure. I was just…curious, that’s all.” She looked at the poster, the little red rocket shooting towards the moon, the stars twinkling across the dark backdrop. An image of an excited Amane, or rather Hanako, lugging a heavy telescope around the school grounds flashed in her mind.

“It’s called the Perseids. And there happens to be a new moon tonight, so with the lower light, we should get a really good view of the stars. Of course, winter is usually better than summer for stargazing, but in the summer—”

“After all, Hanako, when he was still…well, you know. He loved the stars and the moon, didn’t he? And I want to know what about them he loves so much.” She didn’t say it, but they both knew.

When he was still alive.

Aoi looked at the wistful expression on her friend’s face. Tucking a stray strand behind Nene’s ear, Aoi handed the poster over. “I think you should sign up, Nene.”

Nene stared at the poster but didn’t take it just yet. “What if they ask? I don’t really know much about astronomy.”

“I’m sure it’ll be alright,” Aoi assured her. “After all, they’re there to teach you about the stars, right?

“…Right,” Nene said.

Aoi looked at the hesitation on her friend’s face and smiled. She wrapped their arms together and tugged on Nene. “Come on, let’s go to the club president right now.”

“N-now?” Nene asked, bewildered. “But I still haven’t made my mind up!”

“But Nene,” Aoi said innocently. “If you don’t make up your mind soon, you’ll miss the first stargazing event

Nene froze for a moment. “W-what are you talking about?”

Aoi grinned. She pointed to the poster that had yet to be taken. “Astronomy Club, Nene. Observing stars. At night.” She tilted her head, eyes sparkling with amusement. “Don’t tell me you didn’t see that—it’s in bold print right at the bottom.”

Nene felt her cheeks redden, and she began to splutter out a response. “No, it’s not like—I was just—I mean, I did see it, but it isn’t as if—I’m not—AOI!”

“Hmm?” Aoi blinked. Her face was blank, poised into a picture of perfect innocence. But she couldn’t fool Nene. The faintest trace of a smile lingered in the corner of her lips, and it was evident— she knew. She was hoping that Aoi wouldn’t notice, but Nene knew it was wishful thinking on her end; after all, nothing slipped past her friend’s sharp eyes.

You see, there was another reason why the Astronomy Club had sparked Nene’s interest. Yes, she wanted to know more about the stars and the moon. Yes, she wanted to understand Hanako—who he was as Amane and now as the ghost, Hanako. But also…

“Nene, what’s gotten you so flustered? I merely stated that there was a stargazing event. At school. Here. Tomorrow. At night. I’m not implying anything, at all!”

“Yes, you are!” Nene cried. She placed her hands against her cheeks, hoping that would cool them down.

“And…?” Aoi leaned in, eyes glinting with a subtle glee. “Am I right?”

Nene made a strangled noise. “I just—!”

“Wanted to spend more time with him?”

Nene’s face turned crimson red, the heat on her face hotter than should be humanly possible. She opened her mouth, closed it, and then opened it again. She couldn’t muster up a proper response.

“Hrmm, it’s alright, Nene,” Aoi hummed amusedly. “It’s natural to want to spend time with the person you like…isn’t it?”

“Yes, but…” Yashiro murmured, her gaze pointedly avoiding Aoi’s. “I don’t know. It just feels so…embarrassing.”

Aoi gave an affectionate sigh and tugged her arm. “Come on. Let’s go to the club president—she’s in Class 3-2, right?” Nene nodded wordlessly and let herself be pulled along. “We’ll get you signed up for the Astronomy Club, then you can know more about the stars that your Honourable Number Seven loves so much and sneak away to spend more time with him.”

“Aoi!”

The melodic sound of Aoi’s laugh filled the hallway, and Nene could only bury her face in her hand.

Nene pulled the red scarf around her neck and slowly let out a puff of air. She bit at her lips and took a step forward before pausing. Gripping the handle on the school gate, she glanced around.

Should she really go through with this? Of course, she had signed up—it was no easy effort, thanks to Aoi’s teasing—and had even told her parents that she would be back home late that night. But standing here now, in front of the school, she was suddenly made aware exactly what she was up to. Joining a club to spend more time with a boy?

Of course, it wasn’t as if Nene had never done that before. There was the Calligraphy Club, for upperclassman Hikari-senpai. The Photography Class for blonde-haired Seiji-san. Even the Track-and-Field Club—Nene shuddered to remember—with Masahiko-san. Track-and-Field!

But for Hanako?  Maybe she should have just stayed at home. It wasn’t too late to turn around, after all, this was just a trial period and—

“…Yashiro-san, is that you?”

Nene cursed under her breath. Too late

“H-Hayashi-senpai!” Nene turned around and plastered a smile across her face.

The club president waved to her cheerfully, dark blue telescope case slung behind her shoulder. “It’s so good to see you!” Hayashi said with a grateful smile on her face. She gestured for Nene to go ahead, and Nene had no choice but to comply. “You have no idea how happy I was to see another person had signed up for the Astronomy Club. I was afraid the evening outings would have put some people off. But when would you be able to see the constellations and the planets if not at night, right?”

“R-right,” she laughed, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly. “T-the time of the outings didn’t bother me at all. I just…love…looking at the…stars, heh.” Nene winced internally, guilt pricking at her conscience. Here was the club president, ecstatic at the chance of meeting someone who was supposedly passionate about astronomy—but instead, Nene was here with ulterior motives.

The chief motive was a school ghost who haunted the third stall of the girls’ bathroom.  

“The stars, huh?” Hayashi tipped her head back and stared at the night sky. “They really are beautiful. That was part of the reason why I decided to join the club when I first entered Kamome—the other being that my parents are astrophysicists.”

“A-astrophysicists...wow,” Nene gasped. The guilt in her stomach churned even more. Was it alright for her to even be here?

But the moment they stepped inside, all of Nene’s doubts disappeared. The familiar walls of the hallway and even the brown, classroom doors left ajar seemed to welcome her—almost like it was her second home. Her gaze drifted to the left, to the corridor where the girls’ bathroom would be, and Nene stared.

Without the hustle and bustle of the students and the excited chatter that came with daylight, Nene never realised just how lonely and quiet the school would be. And Hanako had to endure it, all by himself for fifty long, lonely years.

Nene’s heart twinged, a pained expression clouding over her face.

“…Nene?”

Startled, Nene placed a hand across her chest before turning around to face Hayashi. “Y-yes?”

“It’s alright if you need to go to the bathroom first,” Hayashi said, smiling understandingly. “We’ll just be setting up near the school roof—feel free to come when you’re ready.”

Warmth crept across Nene’s cheeks, but she only gave an embarrassed and grateful nod. It was better for Hayashi-senpai to think that. After all, explaining that she was pining after a ghost boy who haunted the school bathroom would have been far more complicated.

As soon as Hayashi-senpai was out of eyeshot, Nene began to walk towards the girls’ bathroom. Despite the nerves in her stomach, she couldn’t help but feel a flutter of excitement.

How would Hanako react to seeing her? Would his eyes light up in surprise? Tackle her into a hug like he always did—as if he couldn’t bear to have even one moment apart from her? Or would his head tilt, eyes soften, heart be endeared at the sight of her there to meet him?

Nene’s face began to burn again. She shook her head and willed the image of Hanako out of her head. Focus, Nene, she scolded herself.

Stepping gingerly into the girls’ bathroom, Nene took a deep breath. She opened her mouth to gently call his name and then—stopped.

He was already there. Sitting by the windowsill, his legs drawn up to his chest as he stared at the night sky above. The moonlight spilled across the coloured paned windows, through his translucent body, and onto the wooden floorboards.

Nene stared at him, and a surge of tenderness rose inside of her. Sitting there, his body hunched into a small ball, he didn’t look like the leader of the Seven Mysteries, the all-powerful Honourable Number Seven.

Instead, he just looked like a boy.

Hanako.

Her Hanako.

His amber eyes flicked towards her direction, and they widened in surprise. His legs slipped from his grasp, and he stumbled out of the windowsill.

“Y-yashiro?!” He squeaked out, hand coming up to fix his lopsided hat.

Nene blinked, suddenly brought back to reality. She smiled sheepishly at him. “S-surprise?”

“Surprise?” His brows furrowed in confusion. He floated closer to her and held her face in his hands—almost as if he couldn’t believe she was really there—and looked into her eyes. “What are you doing here? Classes have finished, you know?” He took on a stern expression and playfully pinched her cheeks. “Don’t tell me you’ve decided to live a life of delinquency? Take it from me—it’s not worth it, at all.”

Nene squirmed under his gaze and swatted at his hands. She hoped the warmth from her cheeks wouldn’t be too noticeable. “D-delinquency? Hanako, what are you talking about? I’ll have you know that I’m here on perfectly reasonable business!”

He removed her from his grasp and floated around her, observing her closely as though the answer would be written all over her.  

“Well, you’re dressed pretty warmly, which means you did intend to come out here at night,” he mused. “But I don’t know why you would be here. The only ones that come here after hours are the janitors and the occasional club activity.” He tilted his head and gave her a teasing smile.” But you’re in the Gardening Club. And I don’t think you’ve secretly joined another one, right, Yashiro?”

Nene stayed silent, and Hanako’s eyes widened. “You did?! Yashiro, why didn’t you tell me?” He tugged on the scarf around her neck, and the end began to unravel slightly. “What is it? What’d you join?”

Nene brought her scarf up and tucked it back around her neck. “…Astronomy Club…” she muttered quietly, almost hoping that he wouldn’t hear her.

But he did.

Hanako stopped floating, and his legs gingerly touched the floor. He lowered the front of his cap and swallowed hard. “Oh… the Astronomy Club?”

“Mmm,” Nene murmured. There really was no need for her to wear a scarf, but she tightened it around her, nonetheless. “They have regular after-school meetings to, you know, look at the sky. That’s why…I’m here.”

“Regular meetings after school…” Hanako repeated her words quietly. “And will you be staying? In the Astronomy Club?”

Warmth crept up Nene’s cheeks. “If I like it,” she mumbled. “I’m just here on a trial period.”  She tugged on his sleeve shyly, and he finally met her eyes. “Would…would you like to come with me? I…I don’t know much about astronomy, and well, back then, you…seemed to know a lot.”

He stared at her hand silently, as if debating her words, before looking back up at her again. His eyes softened, and he gently removed her fingers from her sleeve before intertwining them with his—the chill of his fingers a contrast to her warmth. “You know, I can never say no to you.”

They were still holding hands when they finally arrived at the rooftop. The slight autumn breeze ruffled through their hair when they pushed the door open, and Nene let out a small shiver. The other members were busily chattering to each other, setting up telescopes, and consulting their constellation pamphlets. Hayashi-senpai turned around and waved excitedly to Nene, gesturing for her to come over.

“Yashiro-san! Over here!”

“Hayashi-senpai,” Nene said with a smile.

The hand in hers loosened as the boy beside her looked at all the students, excitedly murmuring to themselves, and it took all of Nene’s self-restraint to keep her eyes on the club president instead of turning her head to catch a glimpse of Hanako’s expression.

“We’re just setting up some telescopes around the area.” Hayashi looked up, her hands busily adjusting the tripod of her white telescope. Once the last leg pulled with a click, she stood up with a grunt, dusting the front of her skirt. “This one’s mine, but the school does offer some that are free for the Astronomy Club to use. I’ve saved one—this one in the black bag over here—for you.”

Nene let go of Hanako’s hand to carry the long telescope case. She blinked. It was lighter than she thought it would be. “Thank you, Hayashi-senpai.”

“Of course!” Hayashi beamed. “Now, this model is targeted towards beginners, so the assembly is easy enough, and the instruction manual’s just inside the case. But I also know how daunting it can be to set up your very first telescope, so feel free to call me anytime you need my help.”

“I think I’ll try to set it up by myself,” Nene said. She hesitated for a moment before clearing her throat. “A-actually, I was wondering if it was alright if I could…go somewhere a little quieter. To stargaze.”

“All by yourself?” Hayashi blinked in surprise.

Nene nodded shyly. She tried to fight the burning that crept up to her cheeks and to the back of her neck as Hanako looked at her. Her heart pounded against her chest, and she found that she couldn’t make herself look at him.  

“Are you sure?” Knitting her brows together, Hayashi’s mouth settled into a small frown. “I can call the others to join you, you know. I would hate for you to be left out like that.”

“I-It’s not like that,” Yashiro stuttered, the flush on her cheeks darkening to a crimson red. “I won’t be lonely, really. I just…like to have some…time to myself.” She blurted out loud, almost as a final effort to save face. “If I get lonely, I’ll come join the rest of you, I promise!”

“Well, I do understand the feeling of wanting to be alone at times, and as long as you stay within the area…” Nene bit at her lips and crossed her fingers. “…I suppose it’ll be alright.”

“Thank you so much, Hayashi-senpai!” Nene looked at her gratefully. “I’ll make sure to stay close by, and I promise to run back to you if I need help with anything.”

Hayashi’s shoulders dropped in resignation, and she let out an affectionate sigh. “Alright, alright. Don’t worry, I trust you, Yashiro-san. Anyway, this is supposed to be fun, and me constantly nagging and worrying for you would defeat that purpose.” She handed her a pamphlet and a checklist. “These are the constellations and stars that can be spotted tonight—try your best to spot as many as you can, but don’t worry if you can’t find them all. The important thing is to enjoy yourself. Right?”

Nene adjusted the strap of the telescope case across her shoulder and nodded. “Right.”

Hanako trailed behind Nene thoughtfully, his gaze flickering between Nene and the telescope that lay across her shoulders. “So,” he said, clearing his throat. “Astronomy, huh?” He surged forward to match her pace, opting to walk on his feet instead of floating beside her.

Nene looked to her side, glancing at him briefly before forcing her gaze forward, the embarrassment curling in her stomach. “Y-yeah. Astronomy. Studying stars, planets, the universe…all that.”

Hanako chuckled. “I know what astronomy is, Yashiro.”

“Right,” Nene answered meekly.

She didn’t know what was wrong with her today—she just couldn’t find the right words to say. Her fingers curled tighter around the strap that she was holding, and she sped up her pace, hoping to find a quiet spot to settle—and hopefully distract Hanako from asking any more questions. She turned round a corner, and her eyes brightened. They were far enough that the chatter of the other club members was now but a small hum in the background.

“This looks like a good spot, Hanako.” Nene nodded. She walked over to the spot briskly before gently laying the case on the floor.

“Mmm, yeah, quiet.” Hanako grinned. “Like you wanted, right?”

“H-huh? Ack—Hanako!”

Hanako cupped Nene’s face in the palm of his hands—her own, which had been busily arranging the tripod, now stood still by her sides. He pinched her cheeks, gently tugging them outwards. An affectionate smile made its way onto his face, and he leaned closer—close enough for Nene to count his individual lashes.

“But what should I do?” he teased. “My dear assistant wants to spend the night stargazing by herself. I am, but a humble wish-granting supernatural and, as duty would have me bound, I have no choice but to grant this simple wish of hers.”

“Hanako!” He watched with delight as Nene’s lovely face bloomed into a soft pink.

“But you heard her.” He blinked innocently. “She said that she wanted some time to herself.”

“You’re teasing me!”

“I would never,” Hanako said solemnly. “I am a gracious and courteous man. I’m simply repeating what I had heard.” He paused for a moment. “Unless…I was mistaken?”

“…”

“Was I?”

“Urk, fine!” Nene whined. She brought her hands up to shield her face. “I joined the Astronomy Club because I wanted to spend more time with you, and they offered after-school nightly outings! Happy?!”

Hanako didn’t answer. For one dreadful moment, it was silent—the pounding of her heart the only sound that she could hear. Slowly, she peeked through the gaps between her fingers to glance at Hanako.

His cap had been lowered to hide his face, but Nene could see the splotch of red that was creeping up from his neck. Lowering her hands, she stared at him agape. “W-why are you embarrassed? You were the one who asked!”

“I didn’t think you were going to say that,” he murmured.

Nene could only stare. She really didn’t get him. Realising that was all she was going to get out of him, she turned back to setting up the tripod. Hopefully, by the time the telescope was properly placed, the chill of the wind would have cooled her burning cheeks.

She couldn’t blame him—she could never—but Hanako really did tend to push things aside without any regard for an explanation.

She frowned and looked at the instruction manual. No matter how hard she tried, the accessory tray would not line up with the notches on the tripod. Wrinkling her nose, she let out a huff.

In all her fifteen years of living, Yashiro Nene had never been interested in telescopes and astronomy. So, what exactly was she doing here?

With a frustrated sigh, she turned around, hoping to ask Hayashi-senpai for help, when suddenly a pair of hands slipped in between her arms from behind. Nene stiffened at the contact.

“Are you having trouble setting it up?” His breath, despite being dead, was warm and tickled her ear. A shiver ran down her spine. She felt a small pressure on her back as he leaned over her shoulder.

“M-mhm,” Nene stuttered.

He brushed his fingers against hers, gently taking the accessory tray from her hands and sliding it in against the legs of the tripod.

“There we go,” he murmured softly. “I think you just need to put the optical tube in now.”

“Optical tube…right...” Nene tried to wriggle out of his grasp to reach the tube on the floor—her mind too keenly aware of the boy behind her. But Hanako wouldn’t let her. His arms began to wrap around her waist, and Nene held her breath.  

“H-Hanako?”

“…”

“The eyepiece, Hanako, I need to—”

Hanako’s hold on her tightened. Nene’s eyes widened, and her heart began to hammer loudly. He had dropped his head against the back of her neck, burying his face in her hair.

“…thank you,” he murmured softly—his breath ghosting across her nape. “For joining the club. For spending this time with me. It made me…really happy.”

Nene blinked. Then her eyes softened. She leaned back to look up at the night sky and rested her hands on top of Hanako’s.

“Of course,” she said gently.

“Hanako, this paper tells us a list of constellations that appear during autumn. Does this mean that different constellations appear with each season?”

Dragging his eyes away from the sky, Hanako quickly glanced at the paper that Nene was holding. His shoulder lightly brushed against hers when he moved.

“Mmm, sort of,” Hanako said. “They don’t ‘disappear’ when the seasons change. It’s more like…we move.”

“Move?”

“Yeah,” he tilted his head back. “The earth moves around the sun, and when the seasons change and the days lengthen, the night side ends up facing different parts of space.”

Nene blinked slowly.

“The constellations are always there,” he tried again, seeing the perplexed look on her face. “But depending on the season, there are some that we can’t see because the light of the sun hides them.”

“Ohh.” Nene nodded. “That makes sense.”

 “During winter,” he continued, despite himself. “The nights are longer, and the air is clearer. Many people prefer to stargaze during then. It’s also when Orion shows up.”

“Orion…” Nene said thoughtfully. She was surprised at how easily Hanako could talk about the stars and the constellations—but then again, he was like that too. Back then. In Shijima’s painting.

Nene drew her knees close and rested her chin on top of them. Lowering the eyepiece of the telescope, she peered through it and let out a soft gasp. Each star in the night sky was shining with more clarity than she had ever seen. Clusters formed shapes, trails, and wisps of light stretched out, and planets and rocky shapes stood out against the dark backdrop. It was truly beautiful.

“What constellation should I look out for?” Nene asked, breathless.

Hanako looked at her, a soft expression clear across his face. “I think one of them is Delphinus. Look for a cluster of five stars—it almost looks like a kite in the sky.”

For a moment, it was quiet. Nene was wholly focused on the task in front of her. Then suddenly her shoulders drew up in excitement. “Oh! Oh! I think I see it! A cluster of five stars, with the last hanging further below?”

“Yeah,” Hanako laughed. “That’s the one.”

“Wow!” Nene turned back around, her eyes shining with awe and wonder. “This is actually really fun. I can see why you really like this sort of stuff, Hanako.”

Hanako rubbed the back of his neck. “I-is that so?”

“Mmm,” Nene nodded enthusiastically. “It’s so amazing, getting to see them in so much detail. It's like, I can reach out and hold them in the palm of my hands.”

He turned his gaze towards the stars, and the expression on his face was unreadable. “Yeah. It really is wonderful.”

Nene stared at him. He was wearing it again. That melancholic expression on his face. The one he wore whenever he thought about his past—about his life as Amane.

A breeze quickly brushed past them, and Nene gave an involuntary shiver. She picked up the end of her scarf to tighten it around her neck again. Then suddenly, her eyes brightened. Nene tried to unravel it from her neck as discreetly as she could, but her movements grabbed Hanako’s attention. He turned to look at her, then blinked in surprise when she began wrapping it around his neck.

“Yashiro, what are you—”

“It’s getting cold,” she said simply. Nene was glad that she had picked a long scarf to wear that day.

“Yashiro, I’m dead.” His brows furrowed. “I don’t feel cold, remember?”

“Just,” she murmured, placing the other end of her scarf around her neck. “Let me do this. Please?”

The scarf was now wrapped around both of them, the fabric brushing against Hanako’s cheek, the scent of her soft, floral detergent filling the air around him. Although Hanako couldn’t feel the chill of the air, her warmth was unmistakably there. Hanako hesitated before sighing—he was always so weak to her.

“Alright,” he replied quietly.

Nene beamed at his response, and Hanako thought, even with all the constellations, the moon, and the universe illuminating around them, nothing else seemed to shine as bright as her. She sidled up close to him, their shoulders practically merging with one another.

“Tell me more,” she said. “About Delphinus. And the other constellations.”

“I don’t know…that sounds like a lot of work,” he jokingly trailed off.

“I like hearing you talk.” Nene fidgeted with her fingers. “’ C-cuz you know so much more than me, and um, I, uh…y-yeah.”

Hanako’s face was warm, but he picked up the pamphlet, nonetheless. “Alright, then. I’ll try my best.” He cleared his throat and looked back at the sky. “Delphinus the Dolphin. It’s one of the constellations that reside beside the Summer Triangle asterism—beneath Deneb and Altair. Some people say that Delphinus almost looks like it’s ‘diving’ within the Summer Triangle asterism—which I suppose, is pretty fitting for a dol…”

Hanako’s voice wavered mid-sentence. Nene lowered her head, softly resting it on top of his left shoulder. She slipped her arm through his elbows, wrapping her arm around his. Leaning in close, she intertwined their fingers together and gently nudged him to continue.

“Are you falling asleep on me now, Yashiro?” he murmured. “Am I boring you?”

“I won’t fall asleep,” she said, somehow pressing her body closer to his. “Keep talking.”

He squeezed their fingers together and adjusted his shoulder so she wouldn’t have to crane her neck uncomfortably. “Although it's one of the smallest constellations, its diamond shape makes it really easy to spot. Another constellation that you can look out for is Andromeda the Princess. That constellation belongs to the Andromeda galaxy—the closest one to ours. Some say…”

There was something so soothing and comforting in his voice. She’s always loved hearing him talk. He rarely did—talk about himself and his interests, that is…almost like he was too afraid to let anyone know the real him. So, hearing him unabashedly talk now…It made something tender bloom in Nene’s chest.

It was also warm, sitting beside him.

So, so warm.

And Nene’s eyes were just so heavy.

Nene woke up to the feeling of a hand gently combing through her hair. Slowly, up and down, fingers running through her locks. It was tender, almost hesitant, and it made Nene want to sink deeper into that comforting feeling. To close her eyes and stay right where she was.

Belatedly, Nene realised that she was now lying on her side—her head no longer resting on Hanako’s shoulder. Nene slowly opened her eyes and was met with the golden buttons of his gakuran. Turning her head as subtly as she could, she peered up at Hanako.

His gaze was fixed on the sky, his golden-amber eyes reflecting the twinkling lights above. His face was pensive, his expression far away—as though he had already slipped among the stars. He had taken his hat off, letting the wind flutter the messy locks of his hair against the breeze.

And despite the wind pulling at the ends of his fringe, Nene didn’t feel the cold at all. While she was asleep, he had summoned his cloak and wrapped it around her, like a blanket to shield her from the world.

She stared at him, her heart full of longing.

“You could take a picture, you know,” he said. He didn’t look at her, but the corner of his lips had tugged up into a small smile. “I think it’ll last longer.”

Nene didn’t say anything. Instead, she brought her hand up to his cheek. The hand that had been carding through her hair faltered, and he finally dropped his gaze to look at her.

“Yashiro?”

She pressed her thumb against the red and white seal on his face and gently stroked it. A small red patch began to grow beneath the pad of her thumb. Hanako blinked, not expecting the sudden contact.

“You’re warm,” she murmured.

He gave her an amused smile. “Am I?”

“Mmm,” she said. Her hand remained on his face—almost like she wanted to etch the features on his face into her memories. “Warm. And pretty. Your eyes—they’re like the moon.”

His face, which had been a small pink, now bloomed into a deep rouge. Hanako’s eyes widened, and when he spoke, it wasn’t without stumbling.

“W-what, huh—?”

Nene finally dropped her hand from his face. But only so she could shift closer and wrap her arms around his waist. She buried her head against his stomach and held him tightly. Hanako stiffened, his hands hovering in the air before slowly settling on top of her shoulders.

The fabric of his gakuran was soft. He didn’t carry a scent—he couldn’t—but there was something strangely comforting about his warmth. About his presence. His touch. She pressed closer and wondered.

If things were different.

If she had more time.

If he were alive…

Would she be able to hear his heartbeat? Thumping beneath her ear as he breathed. Warm. Real. Alive…?

The universe was cruel.

Here she was, in the arms of the boy she loved. The arms of the boy who loved her. And yet, they couldn’t be further apart. Her fingers tightened the fabric of his uniform.

“…I love you,” she mumbled softly, her words muffled against his clothes. She almost hoped that he wouldn’t hear it.

But he did.

He froze. The hand on her shoulder twitched, and his breathing became staggered. Nene kept her eyes squeezed shut. She didn’t want to look at him right now. Slowly, he tilted his head back and took a deep breath.

He adjusted the cloak around her shoulders and brushed the strands of her hair to see her face more clearly. His hand settled on her jaw, his fingers curling against the back of her neck. He leaned down, lips brushing just above her forehead, lingering before he let their foreheads touch. He closed his eyes, his heart full of everything he wanted to—but could never—say.

“I know,” he said softly.

After a moment’s silence, they finally returned to stargazing. Nene sitting by the telescope again, the cloak around her shoulders quietly rustling against the wind, and Hanako sitting close beside her,

“It feels a little nostalgic, doesn’t it, Hanako-kun?” Nene said, clearing her throat and putting a light air to her voice.

Hanako blinked, turning his head to glance at her.

“S-stargazing, that is,” Nene clarified. “I-I mean, the last time we did something like this…”

“Was in number Four’s boundary,” Hanako hummed.

“Y-yeah…” Nene said. She waved her hands around, beginning to ramble. “I was really surprised, back then. And then there was stuff with Tsukasa-kun and Shijima, but—! I also really enjoyed it.”

“You did?” Hanako asked, surprised.

“Yeah,” Nene said, drawing her knees to her chest. “It was…nice. Getting to live a life like that.”

“Yashiro…”

“And the stargazing was fun too!” Nene continued, cutting him off. “Although it wasn’t exactly real, we got to see the Perseids. That was the first time I’ve ever seen a meteor shower, you know.” She paused and smiled to herself. “I’m glad it was with you.”

For a moment, it was silent.

“Yeah, me too,” Hanako said after a while. Nene glanced at him. His eyes were light and pensive, his thoughts far away where she couldn’t reach. What was he thinking about, she wondered.

He tilted his head back slightly, gazing up at the sky above them. A faint breeze brushed past, making the leaves rustle and whisper in the night. Nene followed his gaze for a second, but her attention quickly drifted back to him instead.

Suddenly, a strong gust of wind passed them.

“Ah—!” Nene squeezed her eyes shut, lifting her arms instinctively to shield her face as the wind whipped her hair around wildly. “What was that?!”

The wind left as quickly as it came, and with it, the melancholic atmosphere around them.

Hanako turned his head to look at Nene and crinkled his nose in amusement. He placed his cheek against the palm of his hand and quietly snickered. One of Nene’s stray strands had flown across her face, and he reached out, curling his fingers around it before giving it a light tug.

“You look like you just fought a hurricane and lost.”

“H-huh?” Nene’s hands flew up to her hair, embarrassment curling across her cheeks. She desperately attempted to make her hair look more presentable. “What do you mean?”

“Nothing~” Hanako sang. “I think it looks cute. Like a couple of baby birds might decide to nest there.”

“Hanako!” Nene whined. She began to comb the knots that formed at the ends of her hair and pouted. After the countless hours she had spent twisting the little ends of her hair too. Gone, ruined, just like that. Sighing, she gathered her hair in a bunch and turned to Hanako. “Does it look better now?”

Hanako leaned in, studying her with a serious look on his face. “Hmmm...” Gently, he pried her hands away, letting her hair fall back into place.

“Urk—Hanako! The wind’s just going to—”

“Can I?”

“H-huh?” Nene blinked.  

His cheeks warmed ever so slightly, but his fingers reached out, hovering just above her hair like he wasn’t sure if he should touch it. “Can I fix it?”

“M-my hair?”

Hanako nodded.

For a moment, neither of them moved. Then, slowly, hesitantly, Nene turned around, pushing her hair away from her face. She sat there patiently still, and Hanako’s lips tugged up into a soft smile. He stood up, dusting the front of his pants before settling behind her.

Nene sat still, her back stiff and her hands folded politely in her lap. He was close. Close enough for his knee to bump into her back if she leaned back ever so slightly. Silently, Hanako gathered a section of her hair between his fingers, his touch tender and careful as he smoothed the tangles out.

“…You really let it get tangled,” he murmured.

“That was hardly my fault,” Nene protested.

Hanako snickered, “Tsk tsk. Sounds like an excuse to me.”

“Hanako! If you’re going to keep making fun of me, I might as well just fix it myself,” she pouted. Swatting him away with her hands, she let out a small, indignant huff. But Hanako clasped her fingers in between his and gently settled them on her lap.

“Alright, alright,” he laughed brightly. “I’ll stop teasing.”

“I hope so,” Nene mumbled.

He brought his hand back up, humming quietly under his breath as his fingers quickly worked through her hair, locks slipping into each other.

“You’re surprisingly good at this,” Nene said, her voice hushed, like she was afraid that speaking any louder would break the moment.

“What can I say? I’m full of surprises,” he said, amusement colouring his voice. His fingers tugged on a tangled knot, and Nene winced slightly. “Ah—sorry, I’ll be more careful.”

“No, no, it’s alright. It didn’t hurt,” Nene assured him.

He didn’t say anything. Instead, his fingers moved even more slowly. The pads of his thumbs and his knuckles lightly brushed against the back of her neck as he combed through her hair, causing a faint shiver to run down Nene’s spine. It was hypnotic, and Nene’s eyes fluttered shut, instinctively relaxing against his touch.

“You should get back to stargazing,” Hanako murmured, his tone teasing. “Isn’t that what you signed up for? Or did you forget about that already?”

Nene opened her eyes at the sound of his voice, cheeks reddening. “I didn’t forget. And I was stargazing.”

“Hmmm, I don’t know~ What would your precious senpai think if she saw you like this?” His fingers brushed against her cheek as he gathered the last stray strands. “Canoodling instead of learning. My, how scandalous.”

“C-ca—!” Nene felt the heat rise quickly. “I am no—Hanako!”

The sound of his laughter filled the air, boyish and full of delight. Picking up the hair tie on her wrist, he carefully looped it around her braid and secured it with a tug. He turned to face her, eyes crinkling in amusement, but Nene refused to meet his gaze. She angled her body away, lips formed into a pout. Hanako tilted his head, watching her for a heartbeat.

“Yashiro,” he hummed. “Are you ignoring me, now?”

“…”

“Hmmm?” Before she could move away, he had cupped her face in his hands, fingers gently pulling her face towards him. She finally met his gaze, and his amber-coloured eyes lit up, pleased. “There you are. I want to see my handiwork too, you know.”

Nene’s pout deepened, and she squirmed under his touch.

Hanako laughed. “Alright, alright. Sorry,” he said, not sounding sorry at all. He playfully pulled her cheeks outwards, leaning in close with a teasing glint in his eyes. “Will you forgive me, my dearest Yashiro?”

“I—”

The words caught in her throat. He was closer than she realised. Close enough for his breath to ghost over her lips. Hanako’s smile faltered for a second as Nene blinked. Once. Twice.

“Ah…”

Hanako wasn’t laughing anymore. He had gone silent, his eyes quietly holding her gaze. Nene’s heart pounded loudly against her chest, and almost against her will, like a magnet, her eyes flickered down. It was quiet, and neither of them moved—the gentle hum of the other student’s chatter the only sound they could hear. His hold on her cheeks loosened, almost as if he was going to pull away, and so Nene, almost in a panic, grabbed hold of the front of his gakuran.

Hanako blinked. He looked at Nene, eyes searching hers. “Yashiro…”

And before she could change her mind, she leaned in closer, closing her eyes to press her lips softly against his. Hanako’s eyes widened, but just as quickly, he responded, eyes fluttering shut. One hand settled on the small of her back, gently pulling her closer; the other cupped the back of her neck, his thumb rubbing slow circles beneath her jaw.

Nene gripped the front of his uniform tightly and tilted her head as she kissed him more deeply, like she couldn’t get enough of him.

Like she didn’t have the time to.

Hanako sighed softly against her lips, his hold on her tightening before he reluctantly pulled away, forehead resting against hers. Nene’s face warmed as he looked at her, and yet, she couldn’t help but feel tears pricking at the corner of her eyes. Hanako’s eyes widened, and he gently brushed the tear away with his thumb.

“Was it that bad?” he murmured teasingly, though a flicker of concern betrayed him.

Nene smiled and shook her head, wrapping her arms around his back and burying her face in his neck. “No, I’m just…” she trailed off, tightening her hold on him instead.  

Hanako blinked, his heart softening as his eyes crinkled with affection. For a moment, they stayed like that, quietly holding each other in their embrace.

“Yashiro,” Hanako hummed, his voice rumbled against her.

She made a noise in response, but she didn’t look up, and instead kept her head buried against his neck. Hanako’s eyes flickered down, and he smiled softly. Carding his fingers through her hair, he nudged her gently, gesturing for her to look at him.

“Yashiro…”

“…”

“Yashiro~” he smiled. “Won’t you look at me?”

Nene only shook her head.

For a second, he was quiet, face pensive as he looked at the night sky. Then, his eyes lit up, a hint of mischief dancing across them.

“Well,” Hanako said lightly. “If you’re not going to let go of me…”

Before she could react, he dipped his head and pressed a quick kiss just below her ear.

Nene jolted. “H-Hanako—!” She pulled away on instinct, cheeks reddening and eyes widening. For a second, it was silent, and then Nene pushed his chest away. “W-what was that!?”

Hanako laughed and held her face to keep her still. Quickly, his lips brushed against her cheeks. Left. Then right.

Nene squirmed. “Wait—!”

He cut her off with a kiss on the tip of her nose, breaking into quiet laughter as he fondly peppered kisses along her face. Nene tried to pull away, but her protests turned into giggles instead.

“Hanako, hold on!” she laughed, eyes scrunching shut as he planted a kiss on each eyelid.

Finally, he stopped, and she opened her eyes and looked at him. Her cheeks were flushed, and her hair was slightly tousled, strands of her hair slipping from the braid he had just made. Her eyes were sparkling with exhilaration, and on her lips, a giggle escaped.

Hanako’s eyes softened, and he smiled. “You’re finally looking at me.”

“I don’t think I had much of a choice,” she giggled.

He brushed strands of her hair back and leaned in closer, looking deep into her eyes. “Nene…” he murmured.

She looked up and quietly sucked in a breath. His amber eyes softened at the bashful look on her face. Tentatively, she raised a hand and placed it on his cheek. It was cool to the touch, and he instinctively leaned against it. Nene rubbed her thumb across his cheekbone, and his eyes fluttered shut at the touch. Leaning her forehead against his, Nene smiled to herself. More deliberately this time, she leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. Hanako sighed against her mouth and immediately relaxed against her.

When they pulled away, Nene blinked up at him shyly. Hanako looked at her, eyes quickly searching hers. Then, without a word, he pulled her into his arms.

“I really am glad,” he murmured against her shoulder. “That you’re here. With me.”

Nene blinked. “I am too,” she whispered, tightening her hold on him.