Chapter 4: Vanishing Twin on a Night of Falling Stars

"Could we see the much-talked-about partial lunar eclipse? The Three-Day, Two-Night Kids' Stargazing Camp!"

The only reason I attended that event was that my parents, unable to stand the sight of me neglecting my summer research project, had essentially dragged me there against my will.

At the time, I didn't give a damn about space or the stars.

The event, held in August, was organized by the local campground. The itinerary was simple: enjoy outdoor activities like barbecues during the day, listen to the staff lecture about the summer night sky in the evening, and—if you could manage to stay awake late enough—maybe catch a glimpse of the partial lunar eclipse.

It was the kind of event parents and children both appreciated; as long as you summarized what you did, your summer project was practically finished.

I met "that girl" on the second night of the event—the night of the predicted eclipse. It was just as the program was winding down, with the departure scheduled for the following morning.

The staff's lecture had concluded. The younger kids were already tucked away in their tents, and only a handful of us remained, rubbing sleepy eyes as we waited for the eclipse. I’d left my yawning parents behind in our tent and was standing outside alone, staring up at the moon, when I realized "she" was suddenly standing right beside me.

"Good evening. You're Ryuuichi, right?"

I felt a jolt of surprise at hearing a strange girl call my name. But then I remembered we’d all had to introduce ourselves on the first day, so it wasn't exactly a mystery how she knew it.

On the other hand, I didn't have a clue who she was. There were twenty families participating, and we all came from different schools. Since I didn't expect to ever see any of them again once the camp was over, I hadn't bothered to memorize anyone's name.

"Do you like space and the stars? I actually know quite a bit about them," the girl said with an easy, almost overfamiliar confidence.

True to her boast, she began to explain the eclipse unfolding before us. Her storytelling was far more vivid than the staff's dry lecture; just by listening to her, I could naturally visualize the orbital dance between the moon, the sun, and the Earth in my mind.

Her topics didn't stop at the eclipse; they expanded into the vastness of the universe.

"And you know," she continued, "if you find a new comet, you can name it after yourself. Isn't that amazing? Your name gets to fly through space forever... and ever. For hundreds, thousands of years—maybe even longer than a human life."

She looked about my age, yet I wondered how she knew all this. I didn't quite grasp why having your name live on was such a big deal, but I understood that she was saying something very... adult.

"What's the point of finding a new comet? It’s not like it's actually useful for anything," I snapped, my tone coming off blunter than I intended.

"I like to think that comets come close to Earth because they want someone to find them," she said, her profile silhouetted against the starlight as she smiled mysteriously. "Flying through the void all alone must be lonely. So, don't you want to be the one to find them?"

I felt like I’d been talked down to. Feeling a bit sour, I looked back up at the sky and suddenly noticed a tiny speck of light moving near the eclipsed moon.

"Look! That star! It’s moving fast! Is it a shooting star? Or maybe a comet!?" I shouted, feeling a surge of petty superiority at having spotted an anomaly before she did.

"Hehe. Nope. That's a satellite," she corrected me with a calm chuckle. "Comets aren't that easy to find."

My face flushed hot with embarrassment at my misplaced excitement. The look she gave me then was so infuriatingly gentle it stung.

"You and I have to say goodbye tonight... but someday, make sure you find me, okay?"

With those words, she pressed her lips against my left cheek.

Before I could even process what was happening, she turned and walked back toward her tent, leaving me standing there in a daze.

I touched my cheek; it felt like it was burning. But as the initial shock faded, a wave of frustration washed over me. I couldn't stand the thought of some random girl making a fool out of me.

I sprinted in the direction she’d disappeared and caught up in no time.

"H-Hey! Wait!"

I grabbed her shoulder, and she spun around with a look of genuine shock. Apparently, she hadn't expected me to chase her.

"W-What is it?" she asked.

In that moment, her "mature" aura vanished, replaced by the typical air of a girl her age. That gave me the opening to find my nerve.

"...I'll find you. I swear it. The comet, and you!"

Back then, I had no way of knowing how impossible a task that was. It was just a sore loser's boast—a declaration of war to satisfy my bruised ego because I couldn't let a girl have the last word.

"It’s a promise!"

I threw the words at her and bolted back to my tent without waiting for a reply.

The next morning, the campground staff handed us star-shaped keychains as souvenirs, and we headed home. I sat in the backseat of my father’s car, gripping that keychain so tight the points of the star dug into my palm for miles.

From that day on, I started studying space and the stars, all so I could meet "that girl" again. I wanted to discover an unknown comet and make her eat her words.

It all started from such a petty, impure motive.

At first, astronomical knowledge was merely a means to an end, but eventually, I began to realize the true allure of the cosmos. So, for better or worse, I am who I am today because of "her" influence.

I didn't realize it then, but perhaps that was my first love.

2

On the day of the training camp, our rendezvous point was the faculty parking lot at school.

Our plan was to haul the necessary equipment out of the clubroom, cram it into Inou-sensei's SUV, and set off for a campground located atop a mountain in another prefecture.

Technically, everyone in the Astronomy Club showed up on time.

Miharu was dressed for the elements in a khaki cardigan that wouldn't show dirt and black trekking pants. With her long sleeves and pants, she was well-prepared for the cold.

Kunitomo Yuria, on the other hand, was so obviously sick that a blind man could have seen it. Despite wearing layers of jackets, she was shivering uncontrollably. Her face behind her mask was deathly pale, and her eyes seemed to be wandering through some distant void. Honestly, it was a miracle she’d made it to the parking lot at all.

"As your advisor, I can't let you go on a trip in that condition," Inou-sensei said firmly, her usual jersey-clad relaxed demeanor replaced by professional concern the moment she saw Kunitomo.

Miharu chimed in immediately. "Sensei's right! You need to rest, Yuria. Look at how much you're sweating and shaking—you look like you just finished sprinting a full marathon!"

"...'M fine. Totally fine," Kunitomo croaked. "I... I like marathons..."

Her voice sounded like she’d aged eighty years overnight, raspy and thin as parchment. There was no way we could let her participate.

"Besides, your face is as pale as Spica in the constellation Virgo," I added, trying to show some concern in my own way.

"...I don't... really get that metaphor..." she wheezed.

"Regardless, you're staying home today," Sensei said, handling the situation with adult authority.

As the president, I had to harden my heart as well. "We appreciate the dedication, Kunitomo, but this is impossible. Just sit this one out and catch us next time."

"But... but... you'll be... short-handed..." Kunitomo stammered, still clearly reluctant to give up.

It was true that losing her would be a significant blow to our "war potential," but there was no helping it. I’d just have to work twice as hard to make up for it. Just as I was bracing myself for the extra labor—

"Oh, thank goodness. You haven't left yet."

Somehow, I felt like I’d known this was coming.

"Onee-chan?" Miharu blinked.

Sayuki-san appeared in the parking lot wearing a dark gray unisex jumper and denim long-pants that emphasized the length of her legs. It was a casual style that looked equally at home on city streets or in the great outdoors.

"Here, Miharu. You forgot this, didn't you? Weren't you going to use it for the camp?" Sayuki-san held out a small pouch with her fair hand.

Miharu’s eyes went wide. She frantically rummaged through her backpack, her face twisting into a comical expression of shock that practically came with its own thwack! sound effect.

"You're right! I totally forgot! Sorry, Onee-chan... I could’ve sworn I checked my bag before I left."

"I'm just glad I caught you in time. You're leaving now, right? Everyone, please be careful."

An awkward silence settled over the group after Sayuki-san’s words.

"Wait... I take it the mood isn't exactly 'jolly excursion'?" Sayuki-san said with a wry smile, sensing the tension. Her gaze swept the group and landed on Kunitomo. "Yuria-chan, you look terrible."

"I... I'm okay."

"But there's no point in pushing yourself until you collapse, is there?"

"..."

Kunitomo’s expression, already dim, seemed to lose even more luminosity.

"Say... if it's alright with everyone, would you mind if I took Yuria-chan's place?" Sayuki-san suggested. "My family went camping quite often, so I promise I won't be a total burden."

This was an offer I had to take. Besides, Kunitomo probably wouldn't agree to stay behind unless a replacement was provided; for all her gloom, she was surprisingly responsible.

"Yeah, I don't mind," I said. "Kunitomo, if Sayuki-san is coming, we'll manage. So don't worry and get some sleep."

Kunitomo turned her fever-blurred gaze back and forth between me and Sayuki-san. Finally, she bowed her head slowly toward Sayuki-san.

"...I'm sorry. Please... look after... the Astronomy Club."

She looked like a dying general entrusting his final wishes to a comrade after a clash with a mid-level boss.

With the matter settled, Sensei clapped her hands together sharply. "Alright! Before we head to the campsite, let's drop Kunitomo-chan off at her house."

Sayuki-san raised a hand. "Excuse me, Sensei. After we drop off Yuria-chan, could we stop by our place as well? I’d like to grab a few camping supplies of my own."

"Oh, right! Sayuki-chan is a last-minute addition, so of course you'll need your gear. No problem! Everyone, pile in!"

Following her lead, we stuffed our bags into the SUV's trunk and climbed inside. I took the passenger seat, while the three girls sat in the back, with Kunitomo sandwiched between the twins.

"Here you go, Prez."

Right before we started moving, Sensei suddenly called out and tossed something my way.

"What's this?"

"I mean, there's only one thing to do when you're in a car heading to a training camp, right?"

I looked down at the object. It was a karaoke microphone.

"You want me to sing? This isn't an elementary school field trip. Don't people usually wait until they hit the highway for this kind of 'car recreation'?"

"But Kunitomo-chan is only with us for a little while, isn't she? I want her to feel like she was part of the trip, even just for a bit. So come on, Prez—fire us up!"

Is she confusing 'Club President' with 'Party Planner'? I wondered. Still, the atmosphere in the back was currently as grim as a funeral. It was only natural to feel down after a sudden cancellation, and Kunitomo looked like a corpse, likely crushed by both her fever and her guilt.

If we dropped her off like this, everyone’s rhythm would be off for the rest of the trip. Maybe Sensei was right—I needed to force the energy up.

"Fine, fine. I get it."

"Ooh, that's what I like to hear! Don't worry, I’ve got the perfect track ready to go."

I’d never seen Sensei this hyped. Was she one of those people whose personality changed the moment they got behind the wheel?

The intro began to play through the car speakers. I recognized it instantly.

"...'Tentai Kansoku' by BUMP OF CHICKEN."

It was such a cliché that it was actually unexpected. But since I’d committed, I couldn't back down now, even if I wasn't entirely sure I remembered all the lyrics to the second verse.

"A-Alright, everyone! It’s time for the President's one-man live show! Let's hear some applause!"

"I hope you know you aren't allowed to clap, Sensei!" I barked as I saw her hands almost fly off the steering wheel. My heart nearly stopped.

Following Sensei's lead, a scattered, dry round of applause filled the car.

"Now that I think about it, this might be the first time I've heard you sing, Ryuuichi-kun," Miharu said, her eyes meeting mine in the rearview mirror. "We’re looking forward to it, right, Yuria?"

"...Yeah," Kunitomo whispered, slowly lifting her head.

Though her face was covered by her mask, she actually looked like she was having a little bit of fun. At least, I wanted to believe that wasn't just my imagination.

Sayuki-san also looked relieved as she watched Kunitomo regain a bit of spirit.

I wondered if Sayuki-san had anticipated all of this from the start. Had she known Kunitomo would be absent and timed her appearance perfectly to fill the gap? No, that was probably overthinking it.

But if it was intentional, what was her reason for going to such lengths to join us?

Her true intentions remained hidden behind that gentle smile of hers. It was like the far side of the moon—no matter how hard you stared, the things that were hidden remained out of sight.

Not just the hearts of others, but even my own.

3

After dropping Kunitomo off, we made a quick stop at the Asada sisters apartment to load Sayuki-san's gear before hitting the highway. We tore through tunnels and picked up fresh groceries at a local supermarket before winding our way up a series of switchbacks into the mountains.

"Wow! What a cute scarf!" Miharu cried out happily as she opened the gift Kunitomo had handed her during their goodbye.

"A cashmere scarf, huh? It’s going to get quite cold during the meteor shower, so it's good that it looks warm," Sayuki-san noted.

Miharu nodded vigorously and immediately wrapped it around her neck. "Yeah! It’s so toasty! ...Still, it feels like some kind of cosmic joke that the two of us are going to watch the Geminids—the twins meteor shower—together."

"Hehe, it really does."

"I wonder how long it's been since the two of us went camping? We used to go all the time on family trips."

I turned around in my seat to join the conversation. "You don't go anymore?"

"Well, with club activities and hanging out with friends, we can't exactly keep indulging Dad's hobbies forever," Miharu replied with a shrug.

"Poor Dad," Sayuki-san added. "He was so sad that no one would go with him after he bought all that new gear. I think he’s resorted to solo camping lately."

"Oh, really? I noticed he’s been heading out alone on weekends, but I didn't realize that's what he was doing," Miharu said, her voice sounding entirely uninterested.

I found myself imagining their father’s lonely back as he poked at a campfire all by himself. I couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy.

"Listen, Miharu," Sayuki-san said to her sister. "It’s a bit cruel to keep ignoring him like this. Why don't you start going with him again?"

Miharu immediately pulled a face. "Ugh, no way. Too much work. If you feel so bad, you do it, Onee-chan. You were always the one Dad praised for how efficiently you handled the prep work."

"It was the opposite, actually. Because I did everything myself without him having to teach me, he always looked a bit bored. When Dad goes camping, he wants someone he can lecture and someone who will praise him for how skilled he is. That makes you the perfect candidate, Miharu."

"You used to love camping too, didn't you, Onee-chan?" Miharu countered. "You were the one dragging the whole family along to this campsite or that one."

If their dad knew his daughters were treating looking after him like a chore to be traded off, he’d probably cry, I thought.

"In that case, why don't we find a middle ground and have Ryuuichi-kun go?" Sayuki-san suggested. "The two of you could have a real heart-to-heart, man-to-man."

"Wait, hold on! How is that a 'middle ground'!?" I stammered.

Sayuki-san gave me a meaningful, cryptic smile. "Why not? I mean, he might be your father-in-law someday, right?"

"O-Onee-chan! Stop it! You're embarrassing me!" A bright red Miharu began playfully thumping Sayuki-san’s shoulder.

Today, Sayuki-san was acting a lot like Kunitomo usually did. Was she trying to play matchmaker for us because Kunitomo couldn't be here?

As I watched Sayuki-san’s serene smile, the campsite finally came into view.

It was a place of lush natural beauty, nestled deep within the mountains. The high altitude and crisp air made for a clear sky, making it a popular spot for stargazing.

For me, it was also the memorable campground where I’d met "that girl", but my choosing it for this trip was mostly because it was relatively close to town. There was no deep intention behind it.

Well... maybe a tiny part of me hoped I might run into her again.

When we pulled into the parking lot, the vibration of the engine—which had been rattling our backsides for hours—finally ceased.

"Whoa! The sky is so close!" Miharu was the first one out of the car, looking straight up. "Mmm, the air tastes so good!"

She was visibly hyped, practically bouncing around like an excited puppy.

We shouldered our respective gear and headed toward the main grounds. The tent area was already dotted with tents of various sizes. Since the camp’s main draw was its starry sky and the Geminids were nearing their peak, most of the other guests seemed to be there for the same reason we were.

Almost everyone had binoculars around their necks, and it wasn't uncommon to see high-end cameras on tripods or telescopes set up in front of the tents. The equipment ranged from affordable consumer models to high-tech, expensive rigs that automatically tracked the stars—it was like an outdoor telescope convention.

"Alright, let's set up camp around here," Sayuki-san said, coming to a halt.

She’d found a relatively open spot with a gentle grassy slope. There were no overhanging branches to obstruct the view, making it ideal for observation.

"Agreed. Let's do it," I said, and we began dropping our gear.

Inou-sensei dropped her backpack with a particularly loud thud and collapsed onto the grass, limbs splayed out in an 'X' shape.

"Uuuugh, I'm beat. Sensei is all out of juice."

"Well, you did drive the whole way. Why don't you take a breather? The three of us can knock these tents out in no time."

"Ah, as expected of the Prez. You really get me," Sensei chirped happily. Honestly, I’d just given her a 'combat-ineffective' notice for the setup phase, but she didn't seem to mind.

"In that case, let's start with the girls' tent," Sayuki-san directed. "It’s larger and takes up more space. Miharu, can you help?"

"You bet! Just tell me what to do!" Miharu puffed out her chest, eager to be useful.

We began the setup. First was the women's tent. We unzipped the bags and started pulling out the fabric and the structural poles. Miharu looked surprised as the components were laid out.

"Whoa, it's pretty big, isn't it?"

"Apparently, it was bought back when the Astronomy Club had a decent number of members," I explained. "It’s a family-style tent that fits four people."

It was what’s known as a tunnel-style, two-room tent. It was spacious and sturdy, but a massive pain to assemble.

While Sayuki-san began assembling the poles with the ease of someone who’d done it a hundred times, Miharu stood there looking lost, darting back and forth without knowing where to start.

"Miharu, you're on peg duty with me," I said. "Thread these stake-looking things through the loops at the edge of the tent, then hit them into the ground with the hammer."

I demonstrated, driving a peg into the earth with a satisfying clink-clank.

"Got it!" Miharu chirped, looking thrilled to have a job.

We started driving pegs from opposite sides of the tent. I was used to it, so I had no trouble, but it seemed more difficult for a beginner like Miharu. The sound of her hammer was irregular, occasionally followed by a dull thud as she missed the peg entirely.

"Hey, you doing okay over there?" I called out to the other side of the fabric.

"F-Fine! Totally fine!"

Just as Miharu gave her brave reply, a sharp, unpleasant shriek reached my ears. "Eeeek!"

I dropped my hammer and sprinted around the tent.

Miharu was cradling her left hand, her eyes squeezed shut and her lips pressed into a tight line.

"Did you do it?" I asked.

"...I did it," she whispered.

She held out her hand. The tip of her left thumb was already turning a dull red. She’d clearly brought the hammer down on her thumb instead of the peg. It was a classic mistake—I’d done it myself. And man, did it hurt.

"Let me see."

"Huh? Wha—?"

I gently took her small left hand in mine. "Does it throb?"

"N-No, not at all. I just grazed it."

"Then why is your face so red? Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine, I told you! You're such a worrywart!" She huffed and pulled her hand away, looking oddly angry.

"Miharu? Is everything alright?" Sayuki-san walked over, her eyes immediately fixing on Miharu's hand.

"Geez, everyone’s overreacting! I just bumped it a little."

"Even so, you should probably ice it," Sayuki-san said firmly. "There’s a restroom just a short walk from here. Go run some cold water over it for a while."

"Ehh, I'm fine. I'm not a kid."

Despite Miharu's protests, Inou-sensei—who had appeared out of nowhere—shook her head. "I'm with your big sister on this one. It doesn't look too bad, but it's better to be safe and cool it down with clean water. Come on, Sensei will walk with you."

"...Fine," Miharu grumbled. She could be surprisingly stubborn, likely feeling guilty that she couldn't help with the tent anymore.

Sensing this, Sayuki-san made a suggestion. "In that case, after you've cooled your thumb, could you go fetch some firewood? We’ll need it for the campfire later, so we might as well get it ready."

Given a new task, Miharu finally looked satisfied and let Sensei lead her toward the restrooms.

"Was I really that clumsy back then?" Sayuki-san muttered, watching Miharu’s receding back with an exasperated expression. As she spoke, she was absently stroking her own left thumb, as if nursing a phantom pain.

She must have done the exact same thing in her first loop. She was remembering the sting.

"Miharu’s always been like that, as far as I can remember," I said. "She’s always serious and gives it her all, but she’s got a bit of a clumsy streak."

Though, in my opinion, that wasn't a flaw—it was one of the things that made her cute.

"...Ugh. So Ryuuichi-kun thought of me that way, too?" Sayuki-san covered her blushing cheeks with both hands. She looked embarrassed as if I were talking about her—which, I suppose, I technically was.

"Watching my past blunders feels like having someone dig up my most cringeworthy memories," she sighed.

"But I think you're very reliable now, Sayuki-san," I reassured her. "The way you handled the tent poles was a huge help. The past is the past, and the present is the present."

"That makes me feel a little better. I’ve been trying my best to make this 'second loop' better, in my own way."

"You should have more confidence. You've grown so much I can hardly believe you were ever like Miharu."

"Hehe, thank you. Well, let’s finish the tent before she gets back."

Sayuki-san picked up the hammer and peg Miharu had left behind and, true to her word, finished the job in a flash. It was hard to believe this was the future version of the girl who’d just smashed her own thumb. The pegs were driven deep at a perfect sixty-degree angle, and the guy-lines were taut, ensuring the tent wouldn't budge even in a stiff breeze. It was textbook-perfect.

"Seriously, that's impressive, Sayuki-san. We're all set now."

When I praised her, she gave a shy smile and looked away.

"Still, Miharu and Sensei are taking their time. I wonder where they went? The restroom isn't that far."

I looked in the direction they’d gone, but saw no sign of them.

"While they're gone... there's something I wanted to ask," I said.

"What is it?"

"Your participating in this camp... was it really a coincidence? Or did you set things up so it would happen this way?"

It was the question that had been gnawing at me the entire drive here.

"The latter," she admitted. "In my first loop, Yuria-chan also missed the trip due to a cold. I figured if I played my cards right, I could take her place. It went exactly as I expected."

"I knew it."

"Yes. I thought it would be better if I were close by to warn you."

"Warn me?" I repeated.

Sayuki-san turned to face me, her expression turning deadly serious. She held her hair against the mountain wind, her eyes piercing mine.

"Because this training camp... was the very first catalyst for you and "Miharu" to start drifting apart."

A chill, colder than the mountain air, slithered down my spine.

"What happened?"

"It’s simple, really. With Yuria-chan gone, we were short-handed. The prep for the camp and the observations fell behind schedule, and everything became a disorganized mess. We managed to see the meteor shower, but we didn't get a single decent record of it... You and the 'me' of that time were both deeply depressed by the failure."

As the president, I’d spent months planning and preparing for this. If it all went up in smoke, yeah, I’d probably be pretty devastated.

"That failure became a bitter memory between us," she continued. "After that, we felt awkward every time we tried to do a stargazing session."

"Really...?"

"Yes. From then on, you stopped entrusting me with any of the prep work."

"...Yeah, I can see the 'me' of the future doing that," I admitted.

If I started treating Miharu like a guest instead of a club member because I didn't trust her to help, she’d never feel like she belonged. It would have turned the Astronomy Club into a place of suffocating awkwardness. I could easily imagine it: me silently setting up cameras and telescopes while Miharu desperately tried to strike up a conversation to break the tension.

I didn't want this timeline to end up like that.

For all its faults, I liked the Astronomy Club the way it was now. I didn't hate the chaotic time we spent together—teaching the clumsy Miharu the ropes, celebrating together when we finally caught a glimpse of a blurry star, while Kunitomo poked fun at us from the sidelines.

"I... I'm sorry," I said. "It sounds like the future version of me was a real jerk to you."

Sayuki-san let out a little giggle, which helped ease my guilt a bit.

"You don't need to apologize, Ryuuichi-kun. The 'you' who is standing here right now hasn't done anything wrong."

"But if I were in that situation, I’d probably do the exact same thing. It’s not much of an apology, but I promise... I won't let it turn out like the future did."

"I'm counting on you."

"Hey! Sorry to keep you waiting!"

Miharu came marching back, her earlier gloom completely vanished.

"Sorry we're late! I iced my finger, so it's all better now. More importantly, I got the firewood like you asked! And look! I got a ton of it!"

She boasted with a "Ta-da!" holding a massive armload of wood.

In her arms was a mountain of branches and twigs of varying sizes. But looking closer, I noticed quite a few of them still had green leaves attached.

A bad feeling settled in my gut. I glanced at Sayuki-san, who was looking back at me with the exact same sense of dread.

Sayuki-san took a single branch from Miharu's pile and spoke with a heavy sigh. "Miharu... where did you get all this wood?"

"Huh? I picked it up in the woods nearby, obviously! This is enough to get a really big fire going, right? Sensei and I worked really hard to gather it!"

Behind her, Sensei puffed out her chest a little. "Seriously, my back is killing me. But if it's for my cute students' memories, a little labor is nothing!"

"Man... I thought so," I muttered, slapping my forehead.

Sayuki-san delivered the bad news as gently as she could. "Um, Miharu... when I asked you to 'get' firewood, I didn't mean go out and gather it. I meant buy it from the camp office. They sell seasoned wood there."

Miharu’s eyes went wide. "Wait... what!? They sell it!?"

"I'm sorry. I should have been clearer," Sayuki-san apologized.

There had been a big sign at the entrance that said "Firewood for Sale", but apparently, Miharu and Sensei had both completely missed it.

"But still! We gathered all this for free, so we saved money, right?"

"Unfortunately, Miharu, everything you gathered is green wood. It’s freshly broken and hasn't dried out. If wood has moisture in it, it won't burn well. Even if you do get it to light, it'll just produce a huge amount of smoke and annoy all the other campers. We can't really use this."

"Noooooo!"

Miharu, who had tried so hard to make up for her earlier failure only to have it blow up in her face again, looked like she’d just been told the world was ending. Her eyes practically turned into white voids of shock.

She really was the most clumsily tragic person I knew.

Her strength left her, and the bundle of green wood she’d worked so hard to gather fell to her feet with a series of dull, hollow thuds.

The sound echoed through the campsite, a lonely monument to her misplaced effort.

In the end, we just bought the firewood from the administrative office.

The logs provided by the campsite were thoroughly dried, and they burned beautifully in the fire pit, draped in a flickering shroud of orange light.

“...And after we went through all that trouble to gather those branches,” Inou-sensei grumbled to herself. She was sitting with her knees hugged to her chest in front of the fire, sulking over the fact that our hard work had turned out to be a total waste of effort.

Paying no mind to our dejected teacher, the three of us pressed on with the dinner preparations. That said, the task was simple enough: we just had to alternate pieces of American beef shoulder and colorful vegetables onto skewers.

Since they were high-class young ladies, Miharu and Sayuki-san had initially requested domestic wagyu when we were at the supermarket, but I’d vetoed that for budgetary reasons. Besides, when it comes to a barbecue, American beef feels more authentic than wagyu anyway.

“Hmm. If we had more time, I could’ve marinated these in a salted malt sauce to make them really tender,” Miharu said, holding up a loaded skewer with a look of lingering dissatisfaction. She really did love her cooking.

“The main event of this trip is the Geminid meteor shower, not the food,” I reminded her. “If we spend too much time on the meal and miss the peak observation window, we’ll have our priorities backward.”

“I know that, but still...”

“Then how about this?”

The moment Sayuki-san spoke, a spoon was suddenly shoved into my mouth.

The utensil was pulled back with a slick schlorp, leaving a liquid with a refreshing tang and a hint of sweetness on my tongue.

It was... actually really good.

Satisfied by my reaction, Sayuki-san puffed out her impressive chest with a look of triumph.

“I chopped up the canned pineapple we bought for dessert and mixed it into the barbecue sauce. Even a short soak should let the pineapple enzymes tenderize the meat a bit. Don't you think we have time for that much, Ryuuichi-kun?”

I’d noticed her mixing various seasonings on a paper plate and wondered what she was up to. So that was it.

“If it makes the food better without taking up much time, I'm all for it. That works for you too, right, Miharu?”

I expected an enthusiastic "Of course!" in response, but Miharu remained silent.

“What’s wrong? Not happy with it?” I asked.

“...That’s the spoon you were using to taste-test, Onee-chan,” Miharu muttered. Her eyes were fixed—almost glaring—at the spoon in Sayuki-san’s hand, the very one she had just used to feed me the sauce.

At the mention of it, Sayuki-san feigned surprise, covering her mouth with her hand.

“Oh. Now that you mention it, I suppose it was. I’m sorry, Ryuuichi-kun. It seems I’ve made you have an indirect kiss with me.”

There wasn't a hint of genuine apology in her smile.

“N-No, it’s fine. I’m not worried about it,” I stammered. Despite my words, I could feel my face turning a deep, shameful crimson.

“Ryuuichi-kun! Taste this too! Here!”

“Calm down, Miharu! I can’t taste anything if you’re just pointing an empty skewer at me! Stop it! Don't lunge at me like a fencer!”

Ignoring our chaos, Sayuki-san scooped up another bit of her homemade sauce and took a sip herself.

“Mmm. Delicious.”

After a bit of back-and-forth, we finished the barbecue prep while the sun was still up. It was a bit early for dinner, but since we had our astronomical observations ahead of us, we had to eat while we could.

Fat dripped from the skewers onto the grill, causing the charcoal below to flare up with a sharp pop. The savory aroma of searing meat and caramelized sauce filled the air, stimulating my stomach.

“Alright, everyone, got your meat? Let’s eat.”

“Bon appétit!”

The others joined in on my signal, and the barbecue began in earnest.

“Wow, this is great!” Inou-sensei chirped, having been the first to dig into a finished skewer. She nodded with deep satisfaction. “I’ll be honest, I wasn't expecting much from cheap meat, but the balance between tenderness and chewiness is just right.”

I followed suit and took a bite. It turned out Sensei’s food review was spot on. Since it was lean meat, it had a certain firmness, but it wasn't the low-quality, rubbery kind that you could chew forever without progress. Instead, the more I chewed, the more a wild, savory umami filled my mouth.

“That’s thanks to the pineapple barbecue sauce,” I noted. “It really did tenderize the meat nicely.”

Sayuki-san and Miharu were using chopsticks to carefully remove the meat from their skewers, nibbling on the pieces with refined grace. Eating like that sort of defeats the purpose of the skewer, but I wondered if they even realized that.

“Yes. It’s a bit firm, but for a barbecue, this level of texture is quite nice,” Sayuki-san agreed with a nod. It seemed it had passed her test.

On the other hand, Miharu’s expression remained clouded as she stared down at her plate.

“What’s up, Miharu? Not enough for you? Want more meat?”

“O-Oh, no. Not at all! I think it turned out amazingly well considering how little time we had. You’re incredible, Onee-chan. As your little sister, I’m practically bursting with pride. I think I’ll have another!”

Miharu snapped her head up and forced a bright smile, hurriedly reaching for a new skewer.

Eventually, once the fire had died down, we all pitched in to clean up.

Since this campsite prided itself on its starlit views, there were almost no streetlights to interfere with the night sky. Once the sun went down, it would be pitch black. We had to finish the cleanup while the last embers of the sunset still lingered.

“I’ll take care of the trash and the dishes!” Miharu declared, clutching a bulging trash bag and a stack of used tableware. “Ryuuichi-kun, you go ahead and start the observation prep with Onee-chan.”

“You can’t carry all that by yourself, can you?” I asked.

“It’s fine! I’ve been training, remember?”

Without listening to my protest, she practically sprinted toward the washing area as if she were trying to escape.

“Why is she in such a rush?”

“She probably feels like she hasn't been useful enough,” Sayuki-san mused. “I think she’s trying to find a way to contribute.”

That sounded like her.

As I watched Miharu disappear into the distance, Inou-sensei suddenly stood up.

“In that case, I’ll go check on her. You don't need three people just to set up the gear, anyway.”

“Thanks, Sensei. I appreciate it.”

“Well then, let’s get to work ourselves,” Sayuki-san said. “Ryuuichi-kun, could you bring out the equatorial mount first?”

And so, Sayuki-san and I began setting up the astrophotography cameras in front of the tent. The people around us were also busily preparing, frequently glancing up at the sky in anticipation. You could feel the excitement bubbling just beneath the surface throughout the campsite.

A faint tint of madder red still clung to the western horizon. I pointed my phone’s stargazing app at the gradient sky to confirm the radiant point of the Geminid meteor shower. I aimed the DSLR on its tripod in that direction, adjusted the sensitivity and angle, and finished the setup.

Even without my instructions, Sayuki-san moved with practiced efficiency, and we finished earlier than expected.

We were ready for the meteors to start falling at any moment.

The failure of the "first loop" that Sayuki-san had feared—we should have successfully avoided it now.

We’d had our share of trouble today. If Sayuki-san hadn't been here as an extra hand, we might have ended up following the exact same path to failure.

“We’ll make it in time for the shoot now,” she said.

“It’s all thanks to you coming along to help, Sayuki-san. Thank you.”

“You're very welcome. To be able to have a second chance at today... I’m relieved as well.”

Sayuki-san looked over the cameras and telescopes with a nostalgic, wistful gaze.

But I still had one thing left to do.

The main event of the day.

Giving Miharu her birthday present.

I had the gift ready. Now it was just a matter of when. Ideally, it would be more romantic to give it to her when we were alone, away from the others.

“Oh? Miharu-chan hasn't come back yet?”

While I was lost in my internal debate, Inou-sensei returned, looking around the site.

“No, not yet. Weren't you going to check on her, Sensei?”

“Yeah. We were doing the dishes together for a bit, but she finished first, so I sent her back ahead of me. That must have been ten minutes ago.”

It shouldn't have taken that long to get from the washing station to the tent.

“Maybe she took a detour?” Inou-sensei tilted her head, arms crossed.

“Do you have any idea where she might be?” I asked Sayuki-san.

She let her gaze wander for a moment before answering. “...Probably the thicket nearby.”

Inou-sensei let out a small gasp of surprise. “What? Even if there's still a little light, it's pretty dark and creepy in those woods right now. I wouldn't call it a good spot for a stroll.”

“She likes dim places like that,” Sayuki-san explained. “There’s no foot traffic over there, so it’s the perfect spot when she wants to be alone. I’m sure that’s where she feels most comfortable right now. She’s probably there.”

She spoke as if she’d been there herself before.

I wondered if the same thing had happened to Sayuki-san during her first loop. Based on what I'd heard, that training camp had been quite awkward; maybe she had gone to those woods to mope by herself back then.

If the current Miharu was there, too...

“I’ll go look for her,” I decided.

I stepped back into the tent and slung my knapsack over my shoulder—the one containing the present. I hoped giving this to her would cheer her up, even just a little.

“Sorry, I’ll be right back,” I told Inou-sensei and Sayuki-san, leaving them with their worried expressions as I headed toward the thicket.

The soles of my sneakers made a crisp crunch-crunch sound as I crushed fallen leaves. It was proof that I’d left the manicured grass of the campsite and stepped into the untamed woods.

The grove, filled with coniferous trees, was shrouded in a gloomy atmosphere, the light of the setting sun failing to reach its depths. While it had been fairly busy with hikers during the day, there wasn't a soul in sight now that it had grown dark.

I used my phone’s light as a flashlight and scanned the area.

“Miharu! Are you here?!”

My shout didn't echo; it was swallowed by the depths of the forest.

Was she really here? Just as I began to worry that my hunch was wrong, a familiar figure appeared.

“Ryuuichi-kun? What are you doing here?”

Miharu poked her head out from behind a tree, and I felt a surge of relief.

“That’s my line. It’s going to get pitch black soon. It’s dangerous to be in these woods without any streetlights.”

“A-Ahaha, is it that late already? Sorry. I didn't mean to make you come all the way out here to get me.”

She gave me a forced, artificial smile.

“Is there a reason you were out here by yourself?” I asked.

“...Not really. Come on, let’s get back to the tent.”

Miharu tried to brush it off, taking my hand to lead me out of the woods.

But I stayed rooted to the spot.

“Ryuuichi-kun? Come on, we have to go...”

“Before that, there’s something I want to give you.”

“Eh?”

Miharu’s face clouded over with a hint of anxiety.

To clear that expression away, I opened my bag. I’d been carrying all sorts of things today—camping gear, astronomical equipment—but this was the heaviest and most precious item of them all.

I’d spent so much time thinking about what to give her for this exact moment.

After all my agonizing, I pulled out the gift I’d finally settled on, my hands trembling slightly with nerves.

“Miharu, happy birthday.”

As I held out the present, Miharu stared at it, blinking in confusion.

“...Is this... a stuffed animal?”

Exactly as she said—I’d prepared a large teddy bear.

“Yeah. I thought it might be a bit childish, but when we went to the department store together, you kept saying how cute they were, so I thought you might like it.”

I found myself rambling, making excuses.

Meanwhile, Miharu continued to stare at the bear with a dazed expression. Her arms hung limp at her sides, and she made no move to take it.

“Did you... not like it?” I asked tentatively.

“N-No! I love it! I’m so happy! Thank you!”

Miharu’s hands shot out, taking the bear from me and hugging it tight against her chest. The bear’s large head partially hid Miharu’s small, blushing face.

“...”

Wait, why was she silent again?

Did she actually hate it?

Anxiety began to well up inside me like a flood, and my mind started to spiral into a panic.

“I-I’m so sorry!” Miharu suddenly blurted out, bowing her head deeply.

“Wait, what? Am I being dumped?”

“N-No! It’s just... I was thinking such horrible things. I was sulking, and I felt so guilty toward you, Ryuuichi-kun...”

Miharu buried her face in the back of the bear’s head to hide her blushing cheeks, her words tumbling out in a rushed, disjointed stream.

“Wait, slow down. Just explain it to me from the beginning.”

“...Ever since you met my Onee-chan, it felt like the two of you were getting closer and closer... Even today, you were perfectly in sync. And then when Yuria gave me her present, she whispered that you’d consulted my Onee-chan about my gift, too...”

Miharu continued, her fingers fiddling with the end of the red muffler Yuria had given her.

“I thought... at this rate, Onee-chan was going to take you away from me. That’s why I tried so hard to impress you today, but nothing went right. I started feeling like Onee-chan was the one who actually deserved to be your girlfriend, and I just got depressed on my own.”

I see. So that was why she’d been so much more energetic than usual.

“I thought if you gave me a present you’d picked out with her, I wouldn't be able to be happy about it. So, I decided that once I got my birthday present from you... I was going to break up with you for good.”

I remembered the expression on Miharu’s face just before I’d handed her the gift.

Was that the face of a girl who had resolved to end things with me?

Knowing I’d pushed her that far made my chest tighten with pain.

“But... you gave me a present you chose yourself, and it made me so happy...”

“...How can you tell I chose it?” I asked, genuinely curious.

Miharu gave a small, soft giggle.

“It’s obvious. If Onee-chan had given you advice, she would never have let you pick a stuffed animal. She would’ve suggested cosmetics or gloves or something.”

She was exactly right.

“Sorry I’m a boyfriend with no sense for gifts.”

“T-That’s not it! The fact that you agonized over it, thought about it, and chose this just for me from among so many options... it makes me so, so happy... That’s why... I still want to be your girlfriend. ...Is that okay?”

Finally, Miharu looked up. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were brimming with a few stray tears. Those moist eyes gazed up at me, searching.

“I should be the one asking you that,” I said.

“...Yeah. Thank you. I’m really sorry for thinking such awful things.”

“I’m the one who should apologize. To be honest, I was going to follow Sayuki-san’s advice. But then I realized it wouldn't really be a present from me...”

Just before I’d made the choice, Kunitomo’s face had flashed through my mind. Remembering how much care she’d put into even the wrapping paper and ribbons for Miharu’s gift, I realized it wasn't about what I gave, but the feelings I put into it.

“And I’m sorry for ignoring you and getting lost in conversation with Sayuki-san. I had no idea you were struggling that much...”

“Hehe, well, it can’t be helped. Even without my sisterly bias, Onee-chan is beautiful, she gets along with you, and she was a great support today.” Miharu chuckled softly.

“Yeah, I can’t deny that. She’s fun to talk to, reliable, and a good person.”

“And her boobs are big, too.”

“...”

“Right?”

The pressure from her gaze was intense.

“...Yes.”

I cleared my throat and tried to steer the conversation back.

“I mean, Sayuki-san is certainly like a first-magnitude star, the brightest thing in the night sky. You can’t help but notice her. But that’s all. ...I want to stay by your side and keep watching you, Miharu—the one who's always shining with everything she's got.”

The target of a telescope isn't always the brightest star.

In fact, it’s often the stars that are hard to see with the naked eye that capture your interest. You find yourself wondering where they are tonight, how much they’re shining, and you lose track of time because you can't stop looking.

To me, that was Asada Miharu.

“T-That... well... thank you.”

“...Miharu, you're the kind of person who can work 1.41 times harder than anyone else. I need someone like that by my side.”

“1.41 times? Isn't that a weirdly specific number?” Miharu looked at me skeptically.

“No, listen. If an object traveling at First Cosmic Velocity increases its speed by 1.41 times, it reaches enough speed to shake off the Earth’s gravity and travel far away. But nobody notices that. Everyone is so focused on just maintaining First Cosmic Velocity that they can’t escape Earth’s orbit; they just keep going in circles. ...That’s why you’re amazing, Miharu.”

The reason I’d accepted Miharu’s confession was that I was drawn to that part of her.

I’d hoped that she might be the one to take me somewhere new—to lead me away from 'that girl' in my memories who I was still clinging to.

“I-I don't really get it, but I can tell you’re trying to compliment me.”

Miharu hugged the teddy bear tighter, looking embarrassed.

“So... I want you to be my girlfriend, now and always.”

Having put my feelings into words, I was suddenly overcome with bashfulness. But looking away now would be dishonest. I kept my eyes locked on Miharu’s.

Miharu stared back at me as if to confirm my feelings. Our gazes locked for a long moment, until finally, she gave a small nod.

“...Yes. I may be a bit clumsy, but I look forward to being with you.”

There was nothing left separating us now. Without either of us saying a word, we drew closer.

The silence of the woods seemed to deepen around us.

Miharu’s eyes were moist as she looked at me, her trembling lips slightly parted.

Drawn in by an invisible force, I leaned toward her. Our breaths mingled, melting together, and just as our lips were about to touch—

“Miharu—? Ryuuichi-kun? Are you there—?”

With the sound of rustling leaves, Sayuki-san shattered the silence.

In that instant, the force that had been drawing our lips together reversed, turning into a repulsion like identical magnetic poles, snapping our bodies apart.

Miharu practically flew backward about three meters.

“S-Onee-chan! Long time no see!”

Having put a massive distance between us, Miharu put on a wildly unnatural act.

As always, she was terrible at playing it cool. I wasn't one to talk, though.

Sayuki-san would surely figure out what we were about to do in an instant. She was definitely going to tease us.

“Miharu? That stuffed animal...?”

But my prediction was wrong.

Sayuki-san was staring at the bear in Miharu’s arms, her eyes wide with shock.

Come to think of it, I hadn't told Sayuki-san that I’d switched Miharu’s present back to the teddy bear. This sight must have been entirely unexpected for her.

“T-This is my birthday present from Ryuuichi-kun. Isn't it cute?”

As Miharu held out the bear, Sayuki-san remained speechless for a while.

“...I see. That’s wonderful, Miharu. Now, let’s both hurry back to the tent. The celestial show is about to begin.”

“Y-You’re right! We have to hurry!”

“Y-Yeah!”

I felt a slight pang of regret for our lost private moment, but there was nothing to be done now that Sayuki-san had arrived.

Miharu and I shared a small, awkward smile. Then, without a word, we took each other's hands and scrambled out of the thicket before the darkness could completely consume us.

When we got back to the tent, Inou-sensei was sitting in a camp chair, wrapped in a blanket and warming herself by the fire.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“Ah, just in time. The stars are starting to come out.”

Sensei pointed to the eastern sky, where tiny grains of light were scattered about. Diamond dust floating against a black velvet backdrop. Miharu gasped at the sight—a crystal-clear view that could never be seen in the hazy city sky.

“Wow... it’s beautiful.”

Her wide eyes were shining just as brightly as the stars above.

I pointed to the brightest star in the night sky.

“The one that’s shining the most over there is Sirius, in the constellation Canis Major. To the naked eye, Sirius looks like a single star, but it’s actually a binary star system where two stars orbit each other. Systems like that are sometimes called double stars or twin stars.”

“...Hehe. Did you hear that, Onee-chan? Twin stars.”

Miharu looked at the brightest fixed star in the winter sky with deep emotion before turning to her twin sister.

“Yes, I know,” Sayuki-san replied. “Though even if you call them twin stars, those two are completely different in size and brightness. The primary star, Sirius A, is bright enough to see with the naked eye, but the companion, Sirius B, is so dim you can’t see it without a telescope.”

“Hmm. So they aren't alike at all. Kind of like us.”

Hearing Sayuki-san’s explanation, Miharu looked back up at the sky with a sense of kinship.

Beside her, I pointed again.

When I was little, I was the one being taught by 'that girl,' but now I was the one doing the teaching. Realizing how much I’d grown made me feel a little proud.

“The red light shining above Sirius is Betelgeuse in Orion. If you connect those two and find the point that completes a triangle, that’s Procyon in Canis Minor. Those three make up the Winter Triangle.”

“Wait, wait! Tell me one more time!”

Miharu leaned in close to get a better look at where I was pointing.

“See that one there?”

“Mmm? That one?”

My fingertips and hers brushed lightly in the air.

At the end of our fingers was the exact same star.

“Yeah, that’s it.”

“Then that one and that one make the triangle!”

“The constellation Gemini is to the left of that triangle. The meteors will be radiating from that area, so it’s best to just keep a relaxed gaze on that general region.”

“Got it! Looking at the real sky really gets me pumped up!”

Miharu and I lay down on a leisure sheet spread over the grass to take in the wide view of the night sky. The people around us were also settled in chairs or on mats, everyone looking up. The entire campsite was wrapped in a romantic atmosphere.

Now we just had to wait for the meteor shower. In the midst of that quiet anticipation, Sayuki-san’s worried voice rang out.

“Ryuuichi-kun. The camera battery is low. It might not last another five minutes.”

“Wait, really?”

I jumped up and checked the camera. Just as she said, the battery icon was flashing red.

“You're right. Why did it drain so fast? I’m sure I charged it fully.”

I hurried back to the tent to grab the spare battery. In astrophotography, the camera needs to be on for long periods, so the battery drain is intense. I’d prepared spares for exactly this scenario.

I removed the cover and swapped the battery. This should have fixed it.

“Huh? No way. The battery icon is still red.”

Worse still, the screen finally went dark, and the camera became completely unresponsive. I tried taking the battery out and putting it back in several times, but nothing changed.

“W-What happened?!” Miharu leaned over, looking just as shaken as I was.

I had one suspicion.

“...Remember the rooftop observation the other day when it rained? It got pretty wet then. Maybe it’s broken because of that.”

“No way!”

“This camera is an old model that’s been passed down through the Astronomy Club for generations. It wouldn't be surprising if the rain finally did it in.”

“I-I’m so sorry. I thought I’d wiped it down really well...” Miharu’s face went pale, as if she were the one who had broken it.

“No, you did a great job wiping it. Some moisture must have seeped into the internals before that. Don't worry about it. Besides, even without a DSLR, modern smartphones can take decent enough photos if you get the settings right.”

I wasn't just trying to comfort her; I meant it. If we were trying to capture an undiscovered comet, it would be a different story, but tonight was just for the memories.

But Miharu, consumed by guilt, looked like she was about to burst into tears. My words weren't reaching her at all.

“I’m so sorry. Really, I’m so sorry. It’s my fault.”

Her voice, filled with genuine anguish, was painful to hear.

I had a bad feeling.

Was this the "prophecy" Sayuki-san had mentioned?

I felt like her warning—that this training camp would be the catalyst for our breakup—was about to come true right here and now.

This was our biggest crisis of the day.

What should I do? Comfort her? But right now, nothing I said seemed likely to stop her tears. And it wasn't like I could just manifest a replacement DSLR out of thin air...

“In that case, do you want to use the camera I brought?”

Every eye in the vicinity snapped to Sayuki-san.

“Actually, I borrowed my father’s camera.”

“Where is it?!” I jumped at the offer like a drowning man reaching for a life raft.

“It’s in Sensei’s car, so I can go grab it right away. Sensei, may I borrow the keys?”

“Of course. But you certainly brought that along at a convenient time, didn't you?”

As Inou-sensei handed over the keys, she voiced the obvious question. Sayuki-san gave me a private, knowing smile.

“Let’s just say I had a bit of a premonition.”

“I’ll go with you,” I said. “It’s too dangerous for a girl to go back to the parking lot alone in the dark.”

“I’ll go too!” Miharu added.

“Thank you. But I’ll have Ryuuichi-kun help me; Miharu, you stay here,” Sayuki-san said firmly.

“But...”

“You go wash your face while you wait. Look at you, your eyes are all swollen from crying. You’re not a child anymore.”

Sayuki-san wiped away Miharu’s tears with a handkerchief, coaxing her like a big sister dealing with a much younger sibling.

Faced with that, Miharu couldn't argue. Her face, after being scrubbed with the handkerchief, was a mixture of embarrassment and apology.

“U-Um... okay. Thanks, Onee-chan.”

And so, Sayuki-san and I left the tent and headed toward the parking lot.

With every step, the presence of other people faded. Everyone else was likely gathered in the open tent areas, waiting for the Geminids.

“You knew this was going to happen, didn't you?” I asked.

Sayuki-san, walking beside me, gave a small smile. “Yes. I’ve experienced it once before, after all.”

We reached the empty parking lot and made our way to Sensei’s SUV, guided by the faint ambient light. She opened the rear hatch and pulled a camera bag from the trunk. When I checked the contents, it was a DSLR far more high-end than the Astronomy Club’s equipment.

“This is a lifesaver. This will put Miharu’s mind at ease.”

“I’m just glad today won't end up being a sad memory for the two of you. And it seems you were able to give her the present successfully, too.”

She turned a soft, gentle smile toward me, and I hurriedly bowed my head.

“Ah... I—I’m sorry.”

“Whatever for?”

“Well, you went out of your way to help me pick out a gift, but I ended up not giving it to her.”

“You shouldn’t let it bother you. Miharu was happy in the end, wasn't she? That's what matters.”

I couldn't detect even a trace of anger in her smile.

Relief washed over me, but then a realization suddenly struck me.

“Um, Sayuki-san? Happy birthday to you, too.”

“Eh?”

“You’re Miharu’s twin sister, so today is your birthday as well. So, congratulations. ...If you’d like, I’d like to give those gloves we bought to you. Would you accept them?”

“Those? For me?”

“Yes. I mean... I know it’s terribly rude to give you a hand-me-down present, so to speak. But back then, it looked like you really wanted them... and they looked so good on you when you tried them on.”

“...”

Her expression clouded over as she fell into a melancholy silence.

“I’m sorry, that was incredibly insensitive of me! I’ll get you something proper another time!”

“...If that's the case, there is something I want.”

Suddenly, her gaze pierced through me.

“What is it?”

“The teddy bear.”

For a moment, I couldn't process what she’d said.

“B-but you said that was childish...”

“I did. It is childish, and tacky, and... far too immature for a high school girl. But for the ‘me’ of the first loop, it was irreplaceable. That’s why I was secretly hoping that if the current Miharu received a different gift, I might be able to have it instead.”

“Why would you go that far...?”

“Because I was the one who received that bear in the first loop. I couldn't stand the thought of it ending up in someone else's hands. If I lose even that, I’ll no longer be "Miharu" anymore. I’ll lose the right to be Ryuuichi-kun’s girlfriend.”

“...”

I hadn't noticed.

I never imagined that Sayuki-san actually wanted that bear.

Was the reason she advised me to pick a different gift simply because she wanted to claim the original one for herself?

Sayuki-san’s pleading gaze locked onto mine. It was more feverish than usual—hot enough to leave a burn.

“I love you, Ryuuichi-kun. That’s why, even in this second loop, I wanted to be your girlfriend... I’ve thought of nothing else for a very long time.”

“A very long time?”

What was she talking about? Since we met? Since she entered high school?

As if reading the questions swirling in my head, Sayuki-san answered.

“...Since the very moment my second life began.”

“You mean... since you were born?”

“Yes. I’ve been working hard since the day I was born, just so you could find me one day—so I could become your perfect girlfriend.”

She gave a shy, self-deprecating smile.

I recalled the stories Miharu and Kunitomo had told me about Sayuki-san as a child.

How she always carried a parasol for UV protection, how she excelled in both sports and academics to stay at the top of her class, how she even did specialized exercises for her figure, and her sudden interest in astronomy.

Was all of it... just to catch my eye in high school?

“Even so... do you still choose that Miharu over me?”

My heart wavered for a split second.

This person had come all this way, through an entire lifetime, just to be my lover once more.

I felt myself being swept away by her emotions, but a vision of Miharu’s smile flashed through my mind, and I held my ground.

“...In the end, the one who is my girlfriend right now... is Miharu.”

“And what about the comet? Weren't you going to find the comet and reunite with the girl from your first love?”

The question sent a faint ripple through my heart.

For a moment, I felt as if I could hear that girl’s voice calling from somewhere far away.

But the feeling vanished just as quickly.

“The desire to see "that girl" was real. But now, I have Miharu. I’ve realized that there’s someone I need to cherish more than a girl from my memories.”

As Sayuki-san had said before, that had likely been my first love.

But I had no regrets. I could keep those memories beautiful, tucked away safely in a treasure chest in my heart.

Reading my resolve, Sayuki-san wore a lonely smile.

“I see. So it turns out like that after all.”

“Yes. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. This is the choice you made, Ryuuichi-kun.”

Sayuki-san looked up at the starry sky. It looked as though she was trying to hold back tears.

I didn't know what to say.

While I hesitated, Sayuki-san took a small, deep breath and turned back to me.

Her face now wore nothing but her usual gentle smile; no trace of tears remained.

“...Well then, as the girl who just got rejected, let me give you a return gift for my birthday.”

“N-no, I couldn't possibly accept anything.”

Ignoring my protest, Sayuki-san stepped toward me soundlessly.

Before I even had time to tense up at the sudden proximity, her face was inches from mine, and her lips touched my left cheek.

A spark seemed to ignite on my cheek, which had been chilled to the bone by the midwinter cold.

It was a soft, warm sensation.

She had kissed me. I could feel the silhouette of her lips with startling clarity.

They were sweet, and slightly damp.

“...!”

My heart gave a violent throb at the mere touch. It was as if something deep inside me had suddenly burst.

The sensation of that one moment from that summer—the one I had tried so hard to forget—came rushing back.

In reality, Sayuki-san’s face slowly pulled away.

Then, she left behind a single sentence that lingered like an afterglow.

"“...And yet, I told you to find me one day.”"

The words whispered in my ear made my breath hitch.

The sweet lingering sensation remained, but the impact of those words was cold and sharp, piercing my chest.

“Sa-Sayuki-san?”

When I called her name with a trembling voice, she smiled—a bit shyly, yet with a hint of provocation.

That expression overlapped perfectly with the smile of that girl.

“The girl you met at the campsite... was actually me.”

Truth be told, I had suspected it at times.

Her knowledge of astronomy, her mature demeanor, that bewitching smile, those eyes that seemed to see through everything... there were too many similarities to the girl in my memories.

“B-but, when I showed you the commemorative keyholder, you said you didn't know it!”

“I'm sorry. At that time, I really didn't.”

“T-then it couldn't have been you. If you were at the campsite then, you would have been part of the event.”

As I desperately tried to deny it, Sayuki-san watched me with a look of pity.

“That’s where you’re wrong. I was at that campsite on a family trip. We weren't participants in the event, so neither I nor Miharu received that souvenir.”

“...Ah.”

Now that I thought about it, it was obvious.

I had assumed that girl was part of the event, but it wasn't strange at all for other people to be visiting the campsite at the same time.

“Th-then, I really met you back then?”

“Yes. ...And here I was, waiting for you to find me on your own. Honestly, you're so dense.”

The grown-up version of that girl laughed regretfully.

“...It wasn't a coincidence that we met back then, was it?”

At my question, Sayuki-san looked down slightly, a shadow falling over her face like a lunar eclipse.

After a long moment of hesitation, she nodded.

“Yes.”

I had a feeling that was the case.

“In the first loop, you told me about how you met a girl who knew a lot about space during your summer vacation in elementary school. I knew that was your first love, and that you were chasing a comet just to see her again. ...So, in the second loop, I twisted history. I decided I would play the role of "that girl".”

Sayuki-san had said it before.

You can't change the grand flow of time. All you can do is change the cast of characters.

I see. She had already put that into practice.

Sayuki-san had replaced my first love.

Was the reason she went along with her father’s camping trips as a child just so she could meet me?

Sayuki-san’s words from moments ago echoed in my head.

“I’ve been working hard since the day I was born, just so you could find me one day—so I could become your perfect girlfriend.”

It was exactly as she said. From the very beginning until now, hadn't Sayuki-san’s entire second life been a life dedicated to me?

In order to be united with me eventually, she had spent her whole life making every effort and laying every piece of groundwork.

The blurry image of that girl in my memories suddenly snapped into focus, as if a telescope had finally found its mark. It was, without a doubt, Sayuki.

“But why... why go that far for someone like me...?”

“...Because, for me, there is only you, Ryuuichi-kun.”

As she looked up at me, she gave a weak, fragile smile.

It was an expression I had seen only moments ago.

She was the spitting image of the Miharu I had seen in the woods.

The anxious smile Miharu had worn when she tried to break up with me because she felt we were a poor match, and the smile Sayuki wore now, overlapped with terrifying precision.

“My life in this second loop is completely different from when I was ‘Miharu.’ It was only after I lost my precious friends that I realized how important that life as ‘Miharu’ truly was. But it’s too late for regrets. ...The only thing I have left now is you.”

Her voice was quiet, yet it carried the weight of a scream.

Then, as if collapsing, Sayuki-san fell against me.

I caught her instinctively, but her weight was so surprisingly light that I was terrified she might disappear like melting snow against my body heat.

“...I’m sorry. I’m so unfair, aren't I...?”

As she spoke, tears began to track down her cheeks.

The falling tears sparkled with a heartbreaking brilliance as they flowed one after another. Just like the Geminid meteor shower we were about to look up at.

I started to wrap my arms around her trembling back, but stopped at the last possible second.

Is this okay? Truly?

“...I didn't want to... part ways with you like that. ...That’s why I just had to—I absolutely had to start over... and then...”

After that, Sayuki-san’s voice failed her.

She was talking about a future I didn't know. Her first loop.

I didn't know what had happened then. But looking at her sobbing like this, I could guess that our relationship had met a truly tragic end.

That was why she was trying to fix it in this second life. All while resisting the restorative force of time.

I had thought Sayuki-san was someone who shared no resemblance to Miharu, even if she claimed to have been her.

But I was wrong.

Sayuki-san was... undoubtedly, "Miharu".

Awkward, hardworking, earnest, and always thinking of me.

The Miharu who tried so hard to be useful during the camp but ended up spinning her wheels.

The Sayuki who spent her entire life trying to become my lover again in this second loop.

I couldn't distinguish between the two. In front of me, the Miharu of the second loop was crying.

That was the only way I could see it.

Hadn't I just told the current Miharu?

That I wanted her to be my girlfriend, now and forever.

If Sayuki-san was Miharu’s ‘forever’...

“...Ryuuichi-kun.”

She called my name as if clinging to it. Simultaneously, her face slowly drew closer.

I knew that her lips weren't aiming for my cheek this time.

I knew, and I didn't stop her. I didn't even try.

And then, I finally called her by that name.

“..."Miharu".”

There was nothing left to block us.

“! Ryuuichi-kun!”

Sayuki cried out my name through her tears as her lips met mine.

A fresh, soft sensation. My first kiss tasted like tears.

The moment our lips overlapped lasted less than a second before we slowly pulled apart.

“...”

Time stood still as our gazes intertwined.

Once the brief pause ended, Sayuki was the one to seek more.

Her face, flushed with a hidden fever, closed in on me all at once. She wrapped her arms firmly around my neck as if she never intended to let go.

Our lips met again. But this wasn't the innocent, feather-light kiss from before.

It was rough, ravenous—an adult's kiss, accompanied by the wet, sticky sound of lingering contact. I let her do as she pleased, allowing my lips and tongue to be drawn into hers.

I didn't know when to breathe. As I gasped for air, I ended up swallowing her saliva, too. I imagine she did the same.

When we finally grew breathless and parted for a mere second, a thread of silver stretched between us. The bridge of saliva connecting our mouths reflected the starlight in the darkness, floating like the Milky Way.

And then we leaned in once more, drowning in the kiss.

I had thought that if I could reunite with that girl, I would be able to cleanly sever the gravity of my memories.

The reality was the opposite. By reuniting, I had been trapped by an even more powerful force.

In the first place, I had been caught by Sayuki ever since that summer vacation. Perhaps there had never been a way to escape.

The arms Sayuki had wrapped around my back were stronger than a black hole, refusing to let go. The way her lips clung to mine, seeking me even more fiercely, betrayed an obsession that had left reason far behind.

To be needed this much by someone... the joy of it far outweighed the fear.

Abandoning myself to Sayuki—who was both that girl and Miharu—and sinking into the depths with her felt irresistibly good.

Above us, the Winter Triangle twinkled as if mocking my foolishness.