The first time his eyes find her, she is clothed in the finest silk dress with delicate embellishments and a ring of sapphires encircle her neck. She floats away, as if on air, as a man twirls her around the polished marbled floor. He cannot tear his gaze away from the crinkles that form at the corners of her eyes when she smiles to all those who speak to her. He finds himself leaning in to catch the bells that trickle from her glossy pink lips, and, suddenly, he tumbles forward, falling to his knees before her. His heart ceases its rhythm when she graces him with a smile and offers her delicate hand to help him up. Words escape him when their eyes meet and he falls into their starlit depths. He knows he must always find her, no matter how many lives he is forced to live.

The second time his eyes find her, she is clothed in dull, worn clothes. The dreary sky spills thick flecks of snow upon her shivering shoulders while she hurries down the sidewalk. The world has grown, expanding borders and erasing others. The skies of cities now hold soot instead of pure white flakes. Yet, there are many who struggle to live. He follows quietly behind her, blending in with the other bodies shaking to stay warm. They eye his expensive, warm coat. He pays them no mind; he only has eyes for her. Where is she going? Why does she not have a coat? His brows knit together in worry. She drops from his sight and he panics, but as he pushes through the masses they open up to show her collapsed on the muddied banks of snow. He rushes over, easily slipping off his coat and laying it over her. The soft crinkles that once adorned her eyes are now deep wrinkles, earned from working tirelessly day and night to earn a meager wage. He calls to her, using her old name, the only one he has known. Her eyes flutter open and his heart sinks. The stars have dulled.

The third time his eyes find her, she is clothed in a crisp white shirt, hair pulled into a bun, and a black apron hangs loosely over her front. He watches her from the far side of the café, sipping slowly on the iced Americano she prepared for him. She looks tired, but happy. She smiles at all the customers and fulfills their orders with ease. His heart sings to him, urging him to spend this life with her. He laughs silently to himself; maybe he will. He finishes his coffee and notices the café has thinned out. He closes the book in his hand and tucks it under his arm. She looks up at him when he approaches the counter, her smile warming every fiber in his nervous body. The stars shimmer and grow in number. He takes his order from her and slips a small piece of paper in her hands. She raises an eyebrow at the paper, but he is already turning away, a smile spread wide across his face. He has found his stars, and this time he will hold onto them forever.