Beyond the Constellations

"Are you okay?" A gentle voice drifted on the wind, its soft cadence as delicate as the rustling leaves.

Arata slowly stood up from where he had been lying, his eyes flicking toward the source of the voice. The wind stirred, almost as if it were trying to draw his attention.

And then, there she was.

His gaze was drawn to an unfamiliar figure—a girl standing before him, her dark hair cascading past her shoulders. Her skin, pale as moonlight, seemed to glow faintly in the darkness of the night.

Starstruck by the sight, Arata was at a loss for words.

Embarrassment flooded him, and he grabbed his bag, eager to leave. 

But then, amidst the cold of the night, he felt a warm sensation on his left hand. Flustered, he turned quickly, only to find her holding his hand and standing just behind him.

"Your body is covered in bruises," she said gently, a hint of worry lacing her voice. "What happened to you?"

Arata quickly pulled his sleeve down, his gaze avoiding hers. "It's nothing," he replied, his voice a little stiff. "I appreciate your concern, but I'll be fine. I should get going."

She stepped forward, her words almost catching in her throat. "Hey, wait..." But she hesitated.

Later that night, Arata hurried home, barely glancing at his phone. He rushed through the hallway, doing his best to avoid anyone noticing him.

Just as he was about to enter his apartment, he froze. His aunt was standing by the front door, waiting.

Surprised, he walked over to her and asked, "What are you doing here?"

Without a word, his aunt immediately raised his sleeve, her expression filled with concern. "Oh, Arata, did they come for you again?" she asked, in a worried voice.

He quickly brushed off her question, shaking his head. "No, no, it's nothing. I just tripped on my way up here."

His aunt didn't seem convinced. "_Don't lie to me, Arata._" She sighed, her eyes softening but firm. "Do you have any medical supplies inside?"

Without waiting for a response, she stepped past him into his apartment, determined to treat his bruises.

The next morning approaches, the blinds filtering the sun, casting a soft light around Arata's appartment. He stirred slightly, groaning in pain as the soreness from the night before made itself known. "I can still feel what happened last night," he muttered, his voice rough with the remnants of sleep.

This is a great moment of reflection and emotion! I've made a few adjustments to refine the flow and capture both his embarrassment and the hint of regret. Here's the revised version:

As he sat down, a sudden thought struck him. The murky memory of the girl from last night—the one who had tried to help him. A flush of embarrassment washed over him, and he buried his face in his pillow, groaning.

But as the initial embarrassment faded, a quiet sense of regret lingered. He hadn't even asked for her name

With a wince, he pushed himself up and shuffled toward the dining area, hoping to find something to eat. As he approached the table, his eyes landed on a note.

Arata picked the piece of paper up and read the note, "Good morning Arata, this is your aunt, by the time your reading this I'm already at home I just want to remind you to change your bandages okay? clean your wounds, even if they're small still wash them or else it'll get infected, also I made you breakfast just check the fridge okay."

With a gentle smile on his face, Arata opened the fridge and quickly grabbed the breakfast his aunt had prepared for him.

"_Ugh,_ my head hurts so much… I really don't want to go to school today."

He groaned, forcing himself to his feet as he began to get ready, each motion more sluggish than the last.

He grabbed his bike and pedaled toward Kogosei High. As he checked his phone, he was surpirsed. His aunt had been calling him nonstop last night. He frowned, wondering why he hadn't noticed. But then, his eyes widened as he realized the time—he was late for school.

Without thinking, he pushed harder on the pedals, the bike tires humming beneath him as he raced to school.

Without a single thought in his head, Arata swerved to avoid a person, almost running them over. "_Sorry!_" he shouted, but as he quickly glanced back, something felt off. The person seemed… familiar.

He hesitated, deciding to look back once more. But the sunlight hit him at the wrong angle, blinding him for a moment. All he could make out was the silhouette of someone who looked strangely like someone he had met before.

"Forget it" He said. Arata arrived at his school and quickly ran to his room, he tried to sneak in but was caught by his teacher."Good morning, Arata-kun," the teacher greeted with a soft smile, noticing the hurried look on his face. "It seems you're running a bit late today, huh? I trust everything's alright?"

"Ah, yes, teacher, sorry for running in late. It won't happen again." Arata quickly apologized, and his teacher nodded in approval, resuming the lesson.

As Arata slumped into his seat, he suddenly realized—he had forgotten to bring his textbooks. A wave of frustration and panic washed over him.

He buried his face in his hands, trying to will the disappointment away, but then—

A quiet giggle broke through the tension, coming from his seatmate.

Arata's head snapped to the source of the sound. His eyes landed on a girl sitting in the next to him, her expression one of quiet amusement. The giggle seemed to catch her off guard too, as she quickly looked flustered.

He suddenly realized it was his classmate, [[Nozomi Hoshino]] without hesitation, he blurted out, "Hey, uh, can I borrow your textbook?"

She turned to him with a gentle smile, as if she was a star twinkling in this dark void Arata was living in. Without a single thought, her voice light and teasing. "Sure, Arata-kun," she said, handing over the book. "Just don't forget it next time, okay?"

"Thank you so much, Nozomi-san!" Arata said, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders.

Nozomi raised an eyebrow, looking at him with a curious expression. "Are you crying?" she asked, a playful smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

Arata blinked, caught off guard. "N-no, I'm not crying!" he quickly corrected, his face turning slightly red. "I'm just… happy you saved me from another scolding."

"You owe me lunch, okay?" Nozomi said with a teasing grin.

Arata quickly nodded in agreement, still feeling the relief from not getting caught without his textbooks. He turned to his notebook and started jotting down notes, focusing on the class to avoid any more embarrassing moments.

Finally, after what felt like forever, the bell rang, signaling lunch time.

Arata's gaze drifted toward the window, his mind wander. He couldn't help but think about Nozomi. She was one of the few who had ever shown him genuine kindness. They had met last year, and since then, Nozomi had become an unexpected friend in his life.

Nozomi Hoshino was the quiet type. She didn't talk much to others, keeping mostly to herself. Even so, there was something about her—an unspoken presence—that made her stand out. Guys from their school often took notice of her, but Nozomi didn't seem to care for the attention. She was never one to seek the spotlight, yet somehow, it found her.

Despite her reserved nature, she wasn't the kind of person to let someone struggle alone. Whether it was protecting him from the bullies who seemed to target him or simply being there when he needed help, she'd always had his back. At first, he had thought it was just coincidence, or maybe even pity, or maybe she's just being kind. But over time, it became clear. Nozomi wasn't the type to offer help out of obligation—she did it because she genuinely cared.

Her kindness wasn't loud or overbearing. It was a quiet, steady force. Nozomi had an easy smile that could light up any room, and even in moments of discomfort, she had a way of making him feel like everything would be okay.

It wasn't just her actions, though—there was something about her presence that calmed him. As though no matter how lost he felt, she could always help him find his way back.

"Helloooo? Is anyone there?" a voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts.

"Arata-kun, you okay?" Nozomi's concerned voice pulled him back to the present. He blinked, realizing he had been zoning out.

"Hey, you promised me lunch, remember?" Nozomi said, her lips forming a pout. "Stop ignoring me! Come on, let's go already," she added, tugging gently at his arm.

"Okay, okay, geez, I was just thinking about some things," Arata mumbled, shaking his head as he followed Nozomi toward the cafeteria.

As they walked through the hallway, a few classmates couldn't help but glance in their direction. Whispers passed between them—soft enough to be unnoticed by Arata, but loud enough for others to catch.

_"Isn't that Nozomi Hoshino with Arata? You know, the guy who's always getting picked on?"_

_"Yeah, it's kinda weird... I mean, she's so popular with the guys, and yet she still choose to hang out with him."_

They exchanged looks, their curiosity piqued. It wasn't often that someone like Nozomi, who had such a quiet but magnetic presence, was seen hanging out with someone like Arata—someone who had been more or less invisible to most of the school.

"Oh, maybe she's just using Arata. There's no way Nozomi is actually interested in him, right?" one of them snickered.

They all laughed quietly, not bothering to hide their amusement, as they exchanged knowing glances.

Their words stung, but Arata didn't hear them. He was too busy chatting with Nozomi, unaware of the whispers swirling behind him. He just felt... comfortable around her, as if, for once, someone didn't see him as the target of their jokes

As Arata and Nozomi made their way to the cafeteria, Arata's phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out quickly, glancing at the screen. It was a message from his cousin, **Hikari Hawase**.

_"Hey, you free later after school? Mom wanted to invite you over for dinner."_

Arata's fingers hovered over the screen as he typed a quick reply. "Yeah, sure, sounds good."

He tucked his phone back into his pocket, trying not to let his mind wander to the growing weight of what he knew was coming. Hikari's family had always been close, but the invitation today felt different somehow.

As Arata and Nozomi sat down at their usual table in the cafeteria, there was a strange tension weighing the air, something different about Nozomi. Her eyes seemed distant, as though she were lost in thought.

Arata glanced at her, sensing the shift. "Hey, you okay?" he asked, his voice soft.

Nozomi hesitated for a moment before looking up at him, her expression serious but not unfriendly. "I've been meaning to tell you something," she said slowly. "It's... about me. About my family."

Arata raised an eyebrow, a little confused. "What about your them?"

She sighed. "Well... my parents decided to move to Osaka." Nozomi paused, letting the words sink in. "We're leaving in a few days."

Arata blinked, surprised. He hadn't seen this coming. "Wait, what? You're moving... to Osaka?" His voice faltered just a little, still processing what she'd just said.

Arata leaned back slightly, the shock settling in. Words wouldn't leave his mouth—he had so much to say, but nothing came out.

The quiet between them felt heavier now, and Arata's mind began to race. _Why hadn't she mentioned this before?_ Why did it feel like everything was changing all at once? She was the only one who had my back. Why _her_ out of all people? Why? Why?

Arata's thoughts whirled in confusion. He felt an overwhelming urge to say something, but his throat tightened, as if there's something blocking it. What was he supposed to say to her now? Everything felt off, like the world had tilted in the wrong direction. 

Nozomi was the only person who had been there for him, even when the world had seemed like it was closing in. She was always there when he needed someone to listen.He'd thought their friendship was just... simple, maybe even fragile. But now, with her moving away, everything about their time together felt unfinished.

Nozomi's voice cut through the haze of his thoughts.

"Sorry I hadn't told you earlier… I just wanted to enjoy our time before it lasted."

The words hung in the air, and Arata couldn't speak. He could only stare at her. Nozomi's smile was faint, but it held something bittersweet, as if she had been carrying this knowledge for so long and was finally letting it slip free.

Arata felt like his heart crumbled. He felt selfish. Nozomi had been so kind to him, and now, she was leaving. He hadn't even asked her why. _Why didn't she tell me sooner?_

"I… I don't know what to say," Arata finally mumbled, his voice coming out softer than he intended.

He wanted to reach out, to say something to make it feel less like a goodbye, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Nozomi was already a step ahead of him, her eyes still soft with that same quiet kindness.

"What's going to happen now?" he asked, more to himself than to her.

Nozomi hesitated before speaking, her voice quieter this time. "I'll still be here until the end of the week… but after that… I don't know."

Nozomi gave him a faint smile, trying to make it light, but Arata could see the sadness hiding behind her eyes. "We should go," she said softly, standing up from the table.

Arata followed, though his body felt like it was moving on its own. The space between them felt so larger than before. He could still hear the hum of the cafeteria in the distance, but the world felt quieter, as if he were standing on the edge of something.

Nozomi was quiet, but her gaze flicked toward him. She didn't say anything, just sat there, letting the silence between them settle. Arata noticed how her eyes seemed distant now, like her mind was elsewhere.

Finally, Nozomi broke the silence again. "Arata," she said, her voice sounded so close and yet so far.

He looked up, feeling like he'd been caught in the middle of a moment he couldn't escape. Nozomi seemed to struggle with her words for a moment, and then she sighed, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear.

"I'm really sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to just spring this on you."

Arata opened his mouth to say something, but the words didn't come. Instead, he gave her a small, tight-lipped smile. There was so much he wanted to ask, so much he wanted to say, but he didn't know where to start.

_She's leaving. She's really leaving._

And then, a voice behind them spoke up, a familiar one. "Hey, are you two just gonna stand there all day?"

Arata turned to see one of his classmates standing nearby, grinning as he looked between Arata and Nozomi. The voice cut through the tension in a way that made Arata feel suddenly exposed. It wasn't just Nozomi he was concerned about now—it was the whispers that were bound to follow.

"Arata and Nozomi, huh? Kinda surprising, don't you think?" another voice chimed in from across the room. A couple of their classmates were exchanging looks, their words loud enough to catch Arata's attention. He caught snippets of their conversation, all centered on the fact that Nozomi, the quiet, almost ethereal girl, was hanging out with someone like him—the guy who'd most likely would get picked on.

He wanted to ignore them, to shut it all out, but he couldn't. Not today.

But Nozomi only shrugged, as if she hadn't heard a word. "Let them talk," she muttered under her breath, but Arata caught the subtle, almost invisible tension in her shoulders.

The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch, but the weight of the moment didn't lift. If anything, it made everything feel more pressing, more complicated.

"I guess we'll talk about this later," he said awkwardly, avoiding her gaze as he made his way toward the classroom.

The hours that followed felt like a blur. Arata barely registered the lessons, his mind occupied with thoughts of Nozomi leaving. The class seemed to drag on forever, the clock ticking painfully slowly.

When the final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, Arata felt like he had just come out of a daze.

As he gathered his things, he turned to Nozomi, his stomach a knot of unease. "Hey, I, uh... I have to go to dinner with my family, I'm gonna go now" he said, his voice quieter than usual. "But, I'll text you when I get home, okay?"

Nozomi nodded, her gaze soft but still distant, as if she were somewhere else entirely. "Oh I see... Take care of yourself, okay?"

Arata gave her a small smile, though it felt heavy. "You too, Nozomi."

He hesitated for a second, watching her face, before turning and heading for the door. The weight of their earlier conversation was still hanging in the air, but there was nothing more to say right now.

As Arata walked through the halls, heading toward the exit, the thought of Nozomi moving still clung to him like a weight on his chest. The dark void he lived in felt suddenly darker, and emptier, as if the one person who had always been there for him was slipping through his fingers.

He tried to shake it off, to focus on the dinner with his family.

As he made his way to his bike, the road felt longer than usual, as if the distance between him and everything that had grown. 

"I'll text her when I get home," he muttered to himself, but the thought of a text message felt hollow. Words couldn't fill the space that was suddenly growing between them.

He arrived at his Aunt and Uncle's house. 

The usual warmth of the place didn't seem to lift his spirits tonight. He stepped inside, the door clicking shut behind him, and was immediately greeted by his cousin, Hikari.

"Sup, Arata? How's it going? You look sad," Hikari said, leaning against the doorway with a observant look, his eyes scanning Arata's face.

Arata blinked, startled out of his thoughts. He managed a weak smile but couldn't hide the fatigue in his expression. "Oh, uh... yeah. Just tired, I guess."

Hikari raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Tired, huh? You sure it's just that? You've been kinda out of it lately. You know, I'm pretty good at reading people, Arata." He grinned, as if proud of his ability to analyze everyone around him. "Something on your mind?"

Arata didn't know how to explain it how could he? Nozomi's leaving, everything feeling uncertain, like the world was suddenly shifting in a way he couldn't control—it was all too much. Instead of saying any of that, he just shrugged.

"It's nothing," Arata muttered, his eyes drifting to the floor. "Don't worry about it."

Hikari was quiet for a beat, then shook his head, a smirk still on his lips. "Whatever, man. You'll tell me when you're ready."

He clapped Arata on the shoulder, more out of habit than anything else. "Come on , dinner's almost ready. Mom's got your favorite tonight."

Arata nodded, trying to focus on the familiar comfort of being here, with his family. But even as they walked into the dining room, the feeling of something slipping away never fully left his chest.

Hikari led Arata into the dining room, but before they could sit down, Hikari paused and glanced at his phone. "Oh, hold on. My parents wanted to tell you something."

Arata raised an eyebrow, confused. "What's up?"

Hikari put his phone away and gave him a casual look. "They were talking earlier about something—they wanted to invite you to come with us to move to Osaka. My mom's been saying it for a while, but they wanted to bring it up in person."

Arata froze for a moment, the words catching him off guard. "Wait, you mean… to Osaka?" he asked, still processing the idea.

Hikari nodded, his face briefly turning serious. "Yeah, they thought it might be good for you to get away . A change of scenery, you know? Plus, they're worried about you... since you've been dealing with all that stuff at school."

Arata felt a strange twist in his stomach. He had always thought of his aunt and uncle as a second family to him, but this was different. Going to Osaka? It felt like an invitation to escape—both from the suffocating silence of his home and, maybe, from the reality of Nozomi's departure.

He stood there for a beat longer than he meant to, trying to hide the conflicted emotions rushing through him. "I... I'll think about it," he said, finally. He wasn't sure if it was the right answer, but it was all he could manage in that moment.

Hikari gave him a small nod, his usual grin returning. "Cool, man. No rush. But you should talk to them after dinner."

Arata followed him into the dining room, but his thoughts still lingered on Osaka.

Dinner passed in a blur.

"Arata," his uncle started, his voice a little softer than usual. "We were serious about the move to Osaka. If you want to join us, you don't need to make a decision right away, but we want you to know it's an option."

He looked down at his hands, feeling the weight of the offer and the growing distance between him and everything he knew. "Aunt, Uncle. Are you sure you really want to take me with you?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

His uncle, usually the more serious one, nodded immediately, a soft, encouraging smile on his face. "Of course we do, Arata. You're family. We want what's best for you, no matter what."

His Aunt also gives a gentle smile.

Arata took a deep breath, his chest tight. The finality of the offer settled around him, and he couldn't deny that it felt like a chance to escape, to finally start over. He nodded slowly, his voice steadier now. "Alright... I'll accept your invitation. Thank you, Aunt, Uncle. I'm really grateful for the chance you're giving me."

A warmth, a sense of joy and comfort, suddenly flooded Arata like the weight he'd been carrying for so long was finally starting to lift. With a soft smile, he stood up, giving them both a final nod. "Thank you for today. I'm heading back to my apartment now. I'll see you soon," he said to his Uncle, Aunt, and Hikari

Overwhelmed with joy, Arata rushed back to his apartment, to process everything that had just happened. The news was still sinking in, but the excitement fueled his every step as he made his way home.

As Arata reached his apartment, the night had already settled in. He wasn't sure if Nozomi was still awake, but he decided to text her anyway. Pulling out his phone, he saw a message from her waiting.

_"Sorry for earlier... I didn't mean to ruin your day. I just hope you'll still consider me your friend after everything that happened."_

His heart sank a little, and without thinking, he quickly typed a response.

_"No, don't worry about that. It's okay. Nothing's changed between us, really. I promise. Today was just... a lot, but I'm fine. You don't need to apologize."_

He paused, then added,

"I get why you were upset. I wasn't exactly clear about a lot of things. But what happened today... it doesn't change how I feel about you. You're still my friend, Nozomi."

Arata's phone buzzed almost immediately after he sent his message. It was from Nozomi.

_"I'm glad you feel that way."_

Arata let out a quiet sigh of relief, his chest lightening at her words. It felt like the tension from earlier was slowly starting to fade, replaced by a sense of understanding.

Arata hesitated for a moment before adding, _"Hey, are you free right now? I want to tell you something face to face. I know it's kinda late, but if you can't, we can just do it tomorrow."_

He stared at the screen for a moment, waiting for her reply.

_"Sure, I can meet you right now."_

He quickly typed back, "Okay, I'll be there in a few." His heart raced again, but this time it was excitement, not nerves. He rushed grabbed his jacket, and put on his shoes, and headed out the door. He wasn't sure exactly what he was going to say, but somehow, he knew that this conversation was going to be different.

Arata arrived, his heart pounding in his chest. The cool night air brushed against his skin as he walked across the quiet road.

When he reached the little play ground, he spotted her immediately. Nozomi was sitting on the swing, gently rocking back and forth, her head tilted up toward the sky. The stars shimmered above her, casting a faint glow across her face. She was alone, her expression was serene.

The wind swayed the trees softly, and the crickets sang in the distance, their lullaby almost peaceful against the heavy silence that hung between them.

He hesitated for a moment. But then, he took a step forward, his shoes crunching against the gravel.

"Nozomi…"

She turned her gaze to him, her eyes shining like a paradise beyond his reach. In the soft glow of the night, they seemed to reflect the stars themselves, like an endless sky full of untold stories.

The world felt like it stopped, like everything else faded away, leaving just the two of us in this quiet moment

And then she smiled, as warm as the spring. It was the kind of smile that could melt the chill in your bones, the kind that made everything seem a little brighter.