“Not just beautiful, though--the stars are like the trees in the forest, alive and breathing. And they're watching me.” 
― Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore

Sirius

Kim Jongin (Kai), Choi Jinri (Sulli)

There was a time when Jongin and Jinri liked running away from their dance practice routines (—and reality), hiding on the rooftop, gazing at the sky; trying to find the brightest star there, and talking about the most random thing (“how’s your cat, Jinri?” “Well, my cat is still ugly. Just like you.”) to the most important thing (“What if Mr.Jung finds out that we’re hiding here? We’re so dead.” “We were already dead, Jongin. We were.”).

That time, they were just Kim Jongin and Choi Jinri, two people who liked to dream higher than the Namsan Tower, ready to pull their hands when someone almost fell to the ground.

“Jinri-ah.”

“Uh-huh?”

“If I win first at the music program, what do you want to do?”

“I want us stargazing at the rooftop once again. Just like the old days.”

“Just like the old days.”

“And, trying to find the star which shines brighter than the other.”

“I told you, Jinri. Every star is just the same.”

“It isn’t. And, we will find it. Trust me.”

“Okay, then.”

“Don’t forget to bring ice cream, okay? Victoria Unnie always warns me not to eat too much ice cream, but you know how I really like it.”

“You don’t like it, you literally obsess with it!”

“Shut up.”

“Haha. So, you promise?”

“I promise.”

“Okay, deal, then.”

Silence.

“I miss you, Jongin.”

“I miss you too, Jinri.”

Click.

As the time passed, the grip between their hands started loosening, the word I miss you was rarely said, thrice in a day phone call started becoming twice in a month phone call to once in a year text message.

Because, this time, they’re not only Kim Jongin and Choi Jinri. He is everyone’s Kai and she is everyone’s Sulli.

***

Jongin sat on the sofa, facing the trophy EXO just won today at Music Bank. They finally made it, their first trophy. Yet, he didn’t feel complete.

“I want us stargazing at the rooftop once again. Just like the old days.”

Those words kept flying around his brain. He didn’t know what to do. He and Jinri wasn’t like they used to be. No matter how close they were, the term of sunbae-hoobae would always be the gap they hardly jump. No matter how close they were, everything just didn’t feel right.

And, he needed to make it right.

He ran to to the kitchen, opened the fridge and stole three cups of vanilla ice cream (I’m sorry, Sehun. I promise I will buy you another ones next time). He ran out of the apartment to the SM building with a plastic of ice creams in his right hand. He didn’t know how fast he ran, but he could feel he was out of breath once he reached the rooftop.

(Does she still remember the promise?)

Once he entered the rooftop, there she was. Standing in front of him is a girl with untied black hair, wearing blue sweater he gave on her 15^th birthday. Standing in front of him is Choi Jinri.

“Hey.”

“Ah, hey.”

“Congratulation, Jongin-ah.”

“Thanks.”

Silence.

“Jinri-ah. I think I find the brightest star now.”

“Where?”

“It is standing right in front of me.”

She smiled.

Deep down in their hearts, they were still Kim Jongin and Choi Jinri, the brightest star in each other’s hearts.

Woot, this story gives me "same vibe" with my other story eventhough it's quite different in here and that story (which reminds me that I haven't updated the story for loooong time.) Gonna go back studying again and comments are appreciated! Thank you for reading! P.S: Sirius is the brightest star in the night, that's why the title is like that haha.