A/N : Please note that this is a reallyyyy long chapter, twice the normal length. Happy new year btw!

Byeol sat at the edge of the cloud, looking over the earth. It was night again, which meant Baro would probably be asleep. That gave her time to enjoy the tranquillity of the night.

"Hey, still thinking about him?" Miryeon tapped on Byeol's shoulder lightly.

Byeol nodded. "He's my human. It's natural to think about him."

"You know what i mean."

"My heart still hurts sometimes... if that's what you mean."

"You need to get over it."

"I don't know how to.

""It's been 7 years, and you've already been assigned to another human."

"It seems longer than that."

"So this is how someone lovesick acts like, huh?" She gave a soft laugh.

"I'm not in the mood for jokes."

"Sorry."

"How have the boys been?"

"Fine. They're fine."

"Don't lie to me."

"I'm not. By the way, the Pristine Star wants to speak with you. Right now. Immediately."

"The Pristine Star? Why?"

"No idea."

Byeol felt her stomach churn. She wasn't going to lecture her on being absent-minded for the past 7 years, was she?

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The Celestial Palace was squeaking clean and glimmering brightly as always. Byeol entered the Pristine Star's office nervously.

"Have a seat." The Pristine Star smiled.

Byeol nodded meekly and did as she was told.

"I heard that you haven't been doing your job well recently." The Pristine Star said.

"Sort of."

"Is there a reason why?"

Byeol was silent.

"You miss your human, don't you?"

"I guess so."

"I heard from Miryeon that he took much care of you during the year you fell to earth."

"He did."

"And you miss him not only as a friend, but as something more than that. A lover, perhaps?"

"Yes." Her voice came out in a whisper.

"But you still decided to come back home. Why?"

"Because i missed everyone back here, my rightful home.

"The Pristine Star nodded. "I gave you permission to return once every year. Why haven't you?"

"What if i returned and decided not to come back? That thought scares me."

"You want to be here with us, but at the same time you want to be there with him too?"

"I know it's impossible. No one can have the best of both worlds."

"There is a way."

"There is?"

"You can either choose to erase all your memories of earth and your time spent down there, or you can choose to return, but you can never return. It's a small price to pay for becoming human."

"Becoming human?"

"Yes, it means you'll age as time passes. If you choose to return, i'm willing to let Miryeon watch over you as your star. Her duties will be passed on to someone else." The Pristine star smiled gently. "I know it's a tough choice to make, so you can take your time and get back to me later."

"No. I know what i want. I want to return to earth."

"Even if it means not seeing Miryeon forever?"

Byeol nodded.

"I respect your decision. Go and bid goodbye to Miryeon and return here. I'll send you down to earth."

"Thank you so much." Byeol smiled. "Thank you."

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"You're going back?" Miryeon asked, eyes wide with shock.

"I'm sorry." Byeol murmured. "I need to find out how they are."

"You really want to know? They're doing horrible. They blamed themselves for your disappearance. There was much tension everywhere, they soon decide to go their separate ways, even transferring schools so that they wouldn't see each other. Happy now?"

"That just makes me want to go all the more. I have to fix this. I started this mess, so i have to make it all better. I can't just destroy their friendship like this. I just hope you'll understand..." Byeol trailed off.

The look on Miryeon's face softened. "Sorry if i was too harsh. It's okay, go, go and make things better."

"But i won't come back."

"If it's what makes you happy, i'm fine with it. As much as i want you to stay, i know you'll be miserable forever. So go ahead. I'll be watching over you from the sky."

"I'll miss you."

"Me too." Miryeon pulled Byeol in for a hug. "Goodbye."

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Byeol's descent to earth was much more graceful than her first visit to earth. At least she was standing on her own two feet. She zoned out for a moment or two. The feel of the smooth polished boards beneath her feet immediately pulled her back to reality.

She looked around the room she was in, and saw thousands of constellation photographs, and tons of instruments for studying stars.There was an overturned photo frame sitting on the study table. She flipped it over. 

It was the first and last christmas present she had given Baro.

She turned, but tripped over a large box sitting in the middle of nowhere. Opening the box, she gasped. All her old belongings were in there. Her clothes, shoes, everything.

"This must be Sunwoo oppa's place." She murmured to herself. A gust of wind blew through the windows and she felt herself shiver. The cold reminded her that she was no longer a star. She put on a thick coat and her old pair of shoes and left to find Baro.

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"Hyung, have you seen Miffy?" Gongchan called out from behind the counter.

"No." Baro stretched lazily. "Remind me again why we run a pet store?"

"Because Byeol loves animals and might turn up here one day." Gongchan said sadly.

"It's been 7 years. Maybe she forgot about us."

"Byeol wouldn't forget us."

"What if she has?"

Gongchan sighed, and watched as a woman argued with a co-worker. "I think you should go out for some fresh air, i'll handle that fussy lady." 

"Thanks." Baro gave Gongchan a small smile and headed outside. 

Gongchan was the only one who had taken things positively since Byeol left. He suggested starting a pet shop because Byeol loved animals, but everyone had turned him down. If Gongchan hadn't bugged him for an entire month, he wouldn't have given in.

The air outside was cold and crisp. He had been so busy attending to customers all day that he didn't have the time for a small breather at all.He sat himself down on a bench and watched as the first batch of snow drifted to the ground. He help his hand out and caught one on the tip of his fingers. He saw someone approaching from a distance. She looked so shockingly familiar.He immediately turned away and went back into the store. 

"Have you dealt with that lady yet?" He asked Gongchan.

"Yeah. She couldn't decide between a dog or a cat so i gave her a guinea pig instead." Gongchan shrugged nonchantly.

After several minutes, the bell on the door dinged, indicating the presence of a customer.

"Welco-" Gongchan's jaw dropped. "Hyung, turn around now!"

"Why?" Baro turned and saw a familiar face smiling at him. The cup he was holding slipped from his hands onto the ground, and smashed into thousands of fragments.

"Hi." Byeol smiled. "It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

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Gongchan brought 3 mugs of hot chocolate from the kitchen and set them down on the table. "How have you been?" He asked Byeol.

"Fine, i guess. I heard you guys got separated because of me." She sighed.

"Sort of." Gongchan murmured. "Maybe it's time to call them all back for a reunion."

A pure white cat nuzzled up to Byeol and she smiled. "This one's a beauty."

"That's Miffy." Gongchan grinned. "Aren't her blue eyes gorgeous?"

Byeol nodded and took a quick glance at Baro, who suddenly seemed to distant.

"I'll go call the others right now. You two can sit in awkward silence. Bye." Gongchan ran out but popped his head back in and said, "That last part's meant to be a joke. You're not really going to sit in awkward silence, are you? Never mind." He laughed nervously and ran off.

"I sort of appeared at your place just now." Byeol decided to break the uncomfortable silence. "Why do you still have all those constellation stuff and telescopes?"

"Star-gazing still is my hobby even after you left."

There was silence again.

"You hate me for leaving, don't you?"

"Would it have killed you to tell me beforehand?"

"It was difficult enough making a choice. I didn't have the heart to tell you i was leaving."

"Neither did you tell me you would be gone for 7 years. Do you know how much i suffered?"

Byeol watched as his hands curled into fists. "You think i didn't suffer? Do you have any idea how much it hurt me to leave you and the others behind? Do you think you're the only one who was hurt?"

"Then why did you leave in the first place?!" Baro stood up angrily. "You think a letter can make it up that easily?!"

Byeol stood up too. "My family's up there! My rightful home, my birthplace they're all up there! Why can't you just understand that! I gave up being a star for you. I gave up my life, my family up there, and came back here just so i could see you again, and all you do is blame me for making you suffer? You're not the only one who suffered!" 

Tears ran down her face like a cascading waterfall. "Is that really all you have to say to me? After 7 years?" She choked the last sentence out, before barging out of the shop.

"Byeol wait!" Baro called out, but it was too late.

Gongchan came strolling in leisurely, but stopped in his tracks. "Hyung... surely you didn't make her cry and run away again, did you?"

Baro didn't reply, but his crestfallen look said everything.

"Hyung! She finally came back after 7 years, and all you can do is lecture her?" Gongchan shook his head. "I'm going after her."

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"Byeol! Byeol, wait up!" Gongchan caught up to Byeol and pulled her back. "Where are you going?"

"Anywhere i can. If i'd known he was going to blame me, i wouldn't have given up everything." She sighed, wiping away her tears.

"You... gave up everything?"

"I even gave up being a star just to return here."

"So you're human?"

"I can definitely feel cold now."

"I really missed you so much!" Gongchan gave her a big hug. "You broke your promise! Don't you ever walk out on us like this again!"

"What 'us'? I bet you're the only person who cares right now. The others surely must hate me too." Tears fell again.

"They don't." He smiled and wiped her tears away. "I just called them and they're ecstatic. They'll be over any minute now." He looked around. "There they are! Look, there's Sandeul hyung, CNU hyung and Jinyoung hyung!"

Sure enough, the 3 boys were running towards her at top speed.

"Byeol!" They screamed and hugged her with so much force that she fell backwards.

"Guys, get off me." She laughed and pushed them off.

"Where's Baro?" Sandeul asked.

Byeol's face immediately fell.

"It's good to see you again, you little imp." Jinyoung ruffled her hair, much to her annoyance.

"Oppa." She pouted and soothed her hair back in place. "You're all working now?"

CNU nodded. "7 years is a long time."

"You're not leaving again, are you?" Sandeul asked, seeming a little afraid.

"I'm not. Not now, not ever." She smiled.

"Promise?" Gongchan held out his pinky.

"I promise." She pinky-promised him.

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"Wow, you guys didn't sell this place?" Byeol looked around in awe.

"It's too precious to us." Sandeul grinned. "We take turns to clean this place up."

"Ahem. Baro hyung has something to say to you." Gongchan pushed Baro forward.

"We'll be back soon." Jinyoung smiled and ushered everyone out.

Baro fiddled with his collar uncomfortably. "About just now... I'm sorry. I was just shocked to see you again. I didn't realise it must have torn you apart to leave us."

Byeol gave a small smile. "How are you enjoying working at that pet store?"

"I wouldn't be there if Gongchan hadn't pestered me like crazy. You gotta thank that kid."

Byeol laughed. "You still don't know yet, do you?"

"Know what?"

"Come sit beside me, i'm cold."

Baro sat down beside Byeol obediently. It took awhile before his mind actually processed all that information. "Wait... you feel cold? I thought stars-"

"I'm not a star. Not anymore. Didn't you catch what i said when i had an outburst just now?"

"But...why?"

"It was the only way to return to earth."

"So you can never go back?" Byeol shook her head. 

"I shouldn't have flared up at you just now, i'm really sorry, i should have-"

"It doesn't matter now. What matters is that i'm back here. With you." She smiled.

Baro pulled her closer to him, as she nestled her head in his chest, and wrapped his arms around her. "Thank you... for coming back. Even thought you're not a star anymore, you'll always be my star, my fallen star."

•••END•••

Happy New Year!! I hope you guys have enjoyed reading my fanfic ^^ Thank you for supporting me from the beginning to the end. 

Sad to say, i'll be taking a break from writing this year, so you'll only hear from me in 2016. In the meantime, if you have any ideas you'd like to share with me, just drop me a message or comment on any of the stories i've written. I'll gladly consider these ideas, and maybe write a new fanfic.

That's all from me folks. May you all have a fruitful and wonderful year ahead! ^^