“All those stars have a reason.”

Hyukjae heard that quote once or twice in his time on Earth. Some would say that when one passes away, that’s where they would go. Others would argue that stars are there to wish on when they pass by. Some say the stars are just stars and there’s no deeper meaning to it.

But that quote hits Hyukjae differently because he knows that it's true. He knows that those stars in the sky are there and fulfilling their own duties in the universe. He knows because he used to be one.

But out of nowhere, he just fell. He found himself waking up in a crater on the ground, suddenly seemingly human and without his abilities as one of the stars. Hyukjae spent days screaming at the sky, begging for it to take him back, asking for an explanation, calling his friends, his family, his lover — but no one would answer him. After some time, he had to try and continue to live. He had to look for a shelter, a way to feed himself, to clothe himself, to survive.

He had to survive if he wanted to go back. It’s been 50 years since he landed on Earth. He’s not even sure how fast that is for other stars. Somehow, he didn’t seem to age, and he looks at that fact with the hope that this was all a mistake. That he wasn’t meant to fall.

He doesn’t know of any other cases like him. He doesn’t know why stars would fall, and he doesn’t mean those shooting stars or whatever the humans' sciences came up with.

But he goes out to the field every night. He managed to find a place for himself in the countryside, where everything is clearer in the sky and the stars shine brighter. He stares up at them, another quote echoing in his head.

“You are down there alone, the stars seemed to say to him. And we are up here, in our constellations, together.”

He prays for the billionth time, a habit he picked up from the humans. He prays he stops being alone. And he prays to return back to where he truly belongs. Up there in the sky with the rest of them. With the one he loves.

But the sky remained silent. It doesn’t answer prayers. It only starts to brighten up as the new day starts and the sun begins to rise.

So Hyukjae packed up his things and turned to walk back to his house.

He will try again tomorrow.

~~~

Up in the sky, one of the stars has been slowly dimming. He had quickly noticed his lover had disappeared, and he had no idea where to find him.

“It’s going to be fine.” Leeteuk, one of the first stars in the universe, said with certainty, his words offering comfort.

“We’ll help you.” Heechul, one of the brightest of all stars, gathered the young star in his arms, offering some light to counter the darkness. “We’ll find him. I promise.”

“I want him back,” Donghae cried out. He felt and looked weaker, but determination slowly started building in his eyes. “I don’t care about anything else. I just want Hyukjae back!”