[An epilogue taking after the short story entitled: Shooting Star]

When Snow Falls

“Shiki, do you want to catch a movie?” A girl said anxiously, picking up her pace a bit so that she wouldn’t get separated from her companion, hoping he’d look at her just once.

It was late in December, New Year’s Eve to be exact and the streets were flooded yet again with crowds of people in the streets, carrying boxes of treats or just enjoying the cool winter breeze that swept across the vicinity. Shiki shook his head in reply to the girl, not meaning to hurt her, and trudged forward, hurrying past brightly lit stores and well kept shops, sorrow clearly in his eyes despite the merriment that was going on around him.

How many years has it been since then? He suddenly thought but brushed the idea off his mind. There were better things to concern himself with and he racked his mind for reasons to satisfy himself of why he was feeling so down at such an occasion, maybe one can be his arranged marriage to a girl he doesn’t even want to be with. No, he thought, right now there was something far more important than that.

“Do you want to watch the stars?” The girl beside him said finally getting his attention.

Shiki looked up and showed a faint smile. There were not that many stars in the sky, it was just an endless night sky coated in deep purple clouds with a handful of stars scattered in the horizon. “I hate them.” He said.

The girl felt a little bothered, knowing that she must’ve stepped on another landmine. She tugged her scarf up to her flushed cheeks that grew red in the cold and scoured her mind for things to talk about. She had gone through almost all the topics she thought would interest him but each attempt to make him speak would only make the atmosphere around them heavier.

“Hey… If you hate me then say so.”

“It’s not you that I hate.” Shiki said feeling a little guilty.

His name was Shiki Caste, and of course by now you’d know him since he’s an international singing sensation that earned millions since his debut a few years back, but oblivious to the smiles he had plastered on his face during his concerts, he had a shattered heart, always in pain.

They crossed the street and stopped by at a dome shaped building. It was a very well kept planetarium years ago but sadly, it had to close down due to a change in management that struck uproar to the people working there. Shiki’s breathing formed small puffs of clouds as he opened the front door and stepped inside.

“Don’t you ever get tired of this place?” The girl quietly followed him inside.

It had always fascinated her that Shiki would go to such an abandoned place, and knowing that he’s quite of a high class in society, she would always wonder why he’d spend most of his days after tiring work on this rundown place.

“My life is here.” Shiki replied.

With his guitar strapped to his back, he made his way through dusty chairs and stopped after a few minutes of careful treading through the seats. Seat number 78 and 79; he brushed his fingers gently on the side of the seat as if he was looking at someone.

Someone, he loved.

“Look, I can understand your for being crazy.” The girl sighed. “But please, will you act like the idol you are?”

She shivered as she glanced around the place; not knowing whether she was disgusted or just plain disappointed at how Shiki would spend his time.

Her name was Eclaire, a tall model and the sworn fiancé of Shiki.

Was it love at first sight? Yes, she thought, for when they first met at a party a few years back, even in his sad expression she fell in love with the idol most girls were dead crazy for and with her upbringing and status, getting the guy she loved was not a problem.

“Just because I am famous now… it doesn’t mean I don't have the right to be sad."

“Fine, waste your life for all I care.” Eclaire fumed with anger as she sat on one of the empty seats, yanked her earphones out of her brand name bag and took out her mp3 player.

Shiki sighed and closed his eyes, remembering a blurred memory he scoured his mind for.

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“Shiki!”

A girl shouted as she ran to him. Her jet black hair tied up in the usual messy ponytail she has it in all the time and her face, again, was streaked with a silly smile.

This was his first love. Erian Pizarre.

“Your mother will get angry at you again.” Shiki pinched her nose and smiled.

“Don’t worry! I asked permission.” Erian grinned.

It was the winter of twelve years ago and it was Erian’s 8th birthday. In his memory, Shiki knows it was a truly happy occasion but he was restless, because he knew. He knew that Erian wasn’t telling him something and it was of utmost importance.

“Oh look, another one!” Erian stood up on the rooftop of Shiki’s home pointing at a star that just shot down from the sky.

It had always fascinated her. The picturesque scenes a cluster of stars in the dark evening sky could make, and the stories that could be told with each one, but what she enjoyed most of all was making wishes.

She would look for a shooting star, make a wish and her heart would thump loudly in her chest out of excitement, anticipating her wish to come true.

“Sit down!” Shiki held her hand tightly, afraid that she might slip and fall.

Erian was startled, but she sat down, knowing very well that Shiki only shouts at people when he’s worried about something.

“I’m sorry.” Erian mumbled, wiping a tear off her eye.

“No, I’m the one who should say that.” Shiki said just realizing that he has raised his voice and scared his childhood friend.

The night was cold and then out of the blue, snow started falling, melting on their hands that were outstretched to feel it drop and turn to water.

Shiki’s mom started calling for the both of them about going to bed and about how Erian could spend the night over with consent from her mother and father.

“That’s it!” Erian shouted; her face a wide grin.

“What?” Shiki was preparing to go down as he just opened the door on the rooftop’s floor leading them to the inside of the house.

“Let’s make a promise!” Erian yanked him away from the door.

“Okay, but let’s hurry up.”

“When I go.” Erian smiled. “You’ll know I’m there when snow starts to fall, to comfort you!”

“Go where?” Shiki laughed, messing up her hair.

“When I go.” His friend repeated. “We’ll be together forever!”

Shiki just laughed at her and teased his friend about being overly dramatic, and they both laughed until they got down and went to bed; but if only Shiki knew then… that Erian actually meant for him to treasure those words because the world is forever changing and with it the people in your life may change as well.

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“Welcome back to earth.” Eclaire said a tone of irritation clear on her voice.

She was standing in front of Shiki, her arms crossed and in her eyes a look of anger. There was nothing more she can stand than staying at a dirt filled place considering the family she grew up in, but what bothered her more was Shiki who always seemed distant to her even though they were engaged.

“You can just go home if you want to.” Shiki sighed.

“I don’t get you?!” Eclaire shouted. “I’m your fiancé, why aren’t you paying attention to me?!”

“I can’t force myself to like someone I don’t!” Shiki was near shouting.
“How dare you!” Eclaire raised her hand and with a split second she slapped Shiki’s face. “Learn to face the facts! You’re stupid love died! She died and left you! Why can’t you just accept that?!”

“No matter how many times you tell me that…” Shiki stood up. “You can’t change the fact that I still love her!”

“You and I are engaged and I won’t ever let you go!” Shiki’s fiancé grabbed his hand, took off the ring he was wearing and threw it as far as she could. “Erian deserved to die!”

Every word Eclaire said stung him. Shiki knew that Erian was gone as she died from cancer in his arms around this time of the year 2 years ago, but for someone to badmouth someone he loved was something he just can’t let pass by.

“Don’t you dare talk about her that way.”

“What? It’s true isn’t it?” Eclaire shouted. “Erian is gone, dead, for heaven’s sake forget a low life like her!”

With that, Eclaire sped off and left the planetarium, her tears streaming down her face as she left, running back to her home. She was angry that after all this time, Shiki who was supposed to be only looking at her didn’t even pay her attention and there was only one name she can think of that made Shiki this way.

Erian Pizarre.

“Erian…” Shiki sighed, trying to look for the ring Eclaire threw away.

It was one of his most important treasures –the ring he gave to Erian had a pair that he wore and he never took it off, well, until Eclaire threw it away. He searched for it even as an hour passed by because it was only in this way that he felt close to Erian then he stopped then cried.

He swore over his life that he would never love another aside from his childhood friend but how come now he was suddenly engaged with a girl he desperately tried to get away from? A girl he despised to the very core, but this engagement would ruin not him but his parents so he decided to keep it.

“I miss you.” Shiki cried as he looked up and saw a shooting star on the planetarium’s replica of the night sky.

He had fame and money and everything that a person could ever ask for, but in his life there was a missing puzzle piece that he lost forever and could never get back.

Shiki’s hands were bleeding and covered with dust, his clothes also clinging to dust like his hands and at his back was strapped his guitar in its case. It was now 11:55 in the evening and that meant in a span of a few minutes, another year shall come to a close and another year shall open its doors.

He spent more than two hours looking for the ring but he couldn’t find it so in despair, he finally went outside of the planetarium, hoping to continue his search for the ring the next day.

Shiki stared up at the sky outside, his eyes red from crying and his hands shaking from the wounds he got earlier from searching at his most prized possession which has now been lost.

Shooting star, I’ll chase after you
No matter where you go
This love of mine, is only yours
And no one else alone

In the middle of the busy streets filled with people, Shiki cried as he sang the last words of his song. His only way of telling Erian that he missed her and an apology for having himself agree on the engagement between him and Eclaire.

Shiki smiled as he looked up at the sky; remembering the night that he and Erian just slipped in bed after making that promise up in the rooftop.

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“I like you Shiki.” Erian held his hand as they were getting ready to sleep.

Shiki looked away, trying to hide his embarrassment. He thought, Erian was just saying things again and this could be normal for her to say, but for him to hear it was kind of awkward since he didn’t know when it started; but he knew… that he liked Erian more than a friend.

His mother just went in a minute ago to bid them sweet dreams and to turn on the heater as the night was cold. The windows were locked shut and they were under cozy blankets sharing the same bed like they usually do being the childhood friends they are.

“I really like you.” Erian said grinning. “So when you find someone else you like more than me.”

“Stop joking.” Shiki said as he turned to face her. Trying to fake a laugh but he was happy.

“When the day comes that you find someone else you like more than me.”
Erian repeated, squeezing his hand. "Just like snow..."

“I will support you no matter what decision you make!”

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Admittedly, it was a childish love, but both Shiki and Erian knew that it was more than that.

“Erian… I’m pitiful aren’t I?” Shiki said looking up at the cold winter sky, forcing himself to smile.

Then it fell…

To be followed by another, and another, until the whole street was basking in its natural beauty.

Snow started falling.