Her forehead creased with fascination as the piece of paper was being folded patiently by her friend. What was once a long strip of blue paper, had turned into a puffed out small star as the girl she calls Saa-chan proudly holds it in between her chubby little fingers with a grin.

“Here, this is yours.”

“Really? I… can have it?”

“Mm!” She smiled, puffing her chest out. “I can make thousands of it in a day.”

The little girl nodded with agape, holding the little star lightly as if it will crumble if she handles it just a tad roughly. They watch silently as the younger twirls the star on her palm, having their own thoughts about the small little thing.

“Papa taught me this.”

“Uncle did?”

“Yeah.” Little Sana rolled on her back, the other followed suit as they face the open window of their supposedly secret tree hut.

“He said I should wish upon the stars if I want something. But, you know... stars are so far away, how can my thoughts reach them just by thinking about it? You get it?”

The younger one merely nod in agreement, not really sure what it meant, but she do get it in some way.

“So papa said to write my thoughts in a strip of paper like this, and fold it into a star. That way, the fairy would bring it to the stars above when they come at night.”

“W-Wait... fairy?”

“Oh, don’t worry. They’re harmless. I’ve met once.”

“Eh?!”

“That’s a story for later.” Sana waved it off, before taking the star from her friend’s hand and point it outwards toward the sky.

“You miss your mom and dad, right?”

The little girl was silent, thinking for a while before shrugging. “I… guess so?”

“What with that reaction? You should miss them!”

She chortles when she received a slap from her frowning friend, “Fine, fine.” She smiled while looking up at the sky. “I do miss them... so much.”

She whispered the last words but Sana caught it nonetheless, taking the former’s hand in hers and entwining their fingers together.

“Whenever you miss your mom and dad, make a star for each of them. Then, put it in a jar on the table. The fairy will come at night and send the thoughts to them.”

“Will it work on a living person, too?”

“Of course! Well… I guess? But who knows? You should try it!”

She nodded, a cute dimple showing on her left cheek. “I will!”

She gently the big transparent jar filled with stars of all kinds of purples, hoping her deep, unspoken thoughts will reach the person she’s currently missing. A hand clutches a spot above her chest where her heart is, the thudding slowly disappears as if it is losing life, losing light and numbness is all it wants.

Sana is all she wants.

Sana is all she needs.

To live, to breathe, to be alive.

But no, Sana is not hers, never hers.

Sana belongs to the people deserving of her love, deserving of giving her the love... and she was never one. Their love line never crossed, never will.

The chiming of her phone alarm break her reveries of imaginary desire buried deep in her heart.

A message pops up, signalling her shift at the hospital will start in half an hour.

Taking a deep breath, she straightens her slump back. Reaching for her sling bag and jacket, she steps out of the dark room towards the cold crisp air of January night. Puffs of breath visible as she lets out a deep sigh. Turning on her heels, she drags her own weight to fill in the work for tonight, and hopefully, gives her the strength to forget all the sorrows trailing along her black shadow.

“Love works in a miracle way, so have patience, dear... Love will find its way to you, soon.”