CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Kei

Kei was observing the beautiful lady, as she positioned herself when Aella held the guitar. It was already, past 12 and they're still not sleepy. Aella has his full attention, especially the fact that he already heard her sweet voice.

"I composed this, so don't get your hopes up." Kei gave her a nod. He was staring at the young lady, containing her feelings. "Are you sure?"

"Never been so sure." Kei gave Aella a comforting smile. She nodded, and started strumming the strings of the guitar.

And it hit him. He knew, that the moment Aella, strummed the guitar, he realizes that his in denial feelings for Aella was useless. She's clueless about everything ... everything that Kei was feeling.

"After the rain, in the sky

I found the seven colors of the rainbow

I want to show you 

These feelings

As a thanks, for always smiling

The never-changing thoughts

Words (delivered), 

Hearts (resounding) 

Will be everywhere in the world

To the place where love'll return

and the light born from thankfulness

This warmth will definitely

Form a ring and surround us 

(Thank you for all my precious days)

Now I finally understand 

These fragments of happiness from everyone

I collected one by one

Will form here in our 

Precious days

Yesterday the flower buds

Opened to become tender flowers

Don't they seem to be laughing with the sun?

I wonder whose smile theirs resemble

Kind feelings

Wherever (they may be),

Giving (always)

No matter where in the world

To the person I want to see

And the joy that I am thankful for

There isn't a single thing I take for granted

For every day's a miracle

(Thank you for all my precious days)

With just a little of

The returning fragments, from the bottom of my heart

To bring everyone happiness

Is what I wish for our

Precious days."

Kei was strucked by Aella's talent both in instruments and singing. Not only she's blessed in beauty, height and brains, but she was also overflowing with talent – and Aella is standing in the ground. Not boasting everything she has.

Sure, she's a very blessed woman, since she's a daughter of rich family, both the Kisaragi and Kasugano. Other than those things, Aella was the one shaping herself, in to a polished diamond, not depending on the people around her.

Kei held his clothes, where his chest is. His heart was thumping really fast, and it felt like it was going to explode with too much happiness with it.

He find it too different from winning a very important match. It was like, more special and very deep in his heart. It was like, Aella's voice, face, smile, and even her physical appearance was engraved in his mind, heart and soul. She was like, an exceptional treasure that he wants to keep for himself.

Aella smiled at him, but it wasn't a full smile. It was like, a very faint and satisfied smile, which made his heart, crazier. She puts some of her hair strands behind her ear, and that made his mind, blank.

"How'd you like it? Though I think, it will fit better in piano." She cutely asked, and gave her own opinion about what she just did.

And there is Kei, staring at the manager, who once had the stoic expression. She might be innocent at some things, but it was one of the things that made her attractive.

"It was perfect. Do you have other composed songs in your phone?" Kei enthusiastically asked, as he wanted to hear more from her.

Aella smiled at him, and looked at her phone, to search for more lyrics that she composed. Kei was only, staring at her, and he was like, very full. He doesn't feel hungry, after all the conversation they had. He wasn't even feeling as slight feeling of being sleepy, since the wore she sang — the more he became interested.

"Accidentally I couldn't tell

I have a hidden secret

Where and how it started from

I can't remember but I stand toward you

Do you think like as me

I'm still wondering that a lot

A lot like love

If you are not sure

Just hug me without worrying

It's love if your heart is beating

If you are, will you confess me?

Around you, I'm beside you

Why are you pretending

That you don't know that and avoid me?

I was hiding my heartbeat sound

For fear of you listening

To the beating sound of my heart

As Aella ended her song, she gave the guitar to Kei. She pointed at him, and gestured that he should also play for her. It was obvious, that she wanted to hear some of his talents, and he gladly obligated.

It was for the lady he like, after all. And they were doing this for closure, and to have a trust between them. It was natural that an 'Ace' and 'Manager' should have an in denial trust between each other, since ... It has to be like that.

He positioned himself, and started strumming guitar. Aella puts her arms across her chest, and leaned back on the chair.

He's hands was really sweaty, it must've his nervousness, kicking in. He was very moved and appreciated the things that Aella has, and now – he wanted to put his attention to the young lady. Alone.

"For the first time, my heartbeat is pulsing through my body

So don't look away from this moment of birth

Reach into the dream and grasp the melody

And let your heart cry out

In this world where there are no answers

I recognize the single ray of light

Something moves within my imagination

It's that unknown emotion that holds us together

Will you give it to me as we wander in our dreams?

Then open the door

And obtain all of the kiss' blessings."

As he ended that, they were both smiling. Even though, that it wasn't a full smile but they knew that their smile was coming from the bottom of their hearts. It was undeniably one of the satisfying moment for Kei.

Aella stood up, and walked towards the full size window, and sat on the floor to admire the peaceful night sky. She looked at Kei, asking permission if she can open the window, and Kei agreed.

Aella happily opened the window as cold wind entered the entire room. She just closed her eyes, and let the cold wind touch her skin and blow her rose gold hair. It was a very rare opportunity for Kei to see that peaceful face of their manager, so he had to grab his phone and take a photo of her.

There she was, seating on the floor, closed eyes and the beauty of her hair being blown by a very cold and peaceful wind.

When Aella opened her eyes, her usual beautiful eyes were beyond any words that anyone could describe. It was clear as water and it was very pleasant to stare at. Aella, looked at the young man, who turned the light off and puts the glass and pitcher they used on the proper place it should be.

After doing those, Kei properly puts back the guitar in its guitar case, and walks in the closet where the guitar is kept. Kei sat beside her as they stare at the very wonderful night sky filled with glittering stars.

The cold night was very pleasant as they stare at it. They were just sitting their, feeling the very cold wind. Even thought Kei and Aella were already wearing a sweater, it was still cold but they didn't mind since they liked the view.

"Do you know the story of that star?" Aella asks as she pointed at the stars. "That upside down looking chair star." She emphasized the structure of the star which made Kei look at it and even tried to connect the stars.

"No, what about it. Wait, let me get blanket." Kei hurriedly stood up to get the biggest blanket he has in his room, and takes it out with two pillows.

As he arrived in the living room, where Aella was sitting, he handed the two pillows and puts on her the blanket. He then sits beside her, and wraps himself with the blanket he brought, and gets the the other pillow from Aella.

"So, what is that constellation called?" Kei asks.

"That's called, Cassiopeia. About Cassiopeia ... Ethiopia's Queen Cassiopeia  was bragging that her daughter was more beautiful that a sea fairy. They say that she's being punished by the sea gods. Look at that once more," she puts her hand on his shoulder and slightly leans closer to him to point at the stars properly. "Doesn't it look like an upside down chair?"

"Now that you've mention it, it does look like an upside down chair." Kei said as he stared at the star but he was rather more distracted on Aella's hand on his shoulder.

"To teach her a lesson, to cast away her vanity ... They say that she is punished for half the day by being hung upside down from the sky." As Aella explained more about the constellation, Kei ended up staring at the young lady who was also into astronomy.

He was very amazed on how intelligent Aella was, and how amazing her personality is.

Aella slowly, shifts her gaze to Kei who was staring at her. Kei notices it, and slowly pulls himself a bit away from the young lady. He shifts his gaze to the sky, and remembered a story related to the constellation Aella just told him.

"Long ago, when I was much younger than I am now ... I once visited my father during his game, after not seeing him for some time." Aella stared at the young man, staring at the sky. "I boasted on how amazing I was, in one of my matches. He didn't praise me."

Aella puts her chin, on her knee then embraces it. She was just listening and understanding Kei, who was telling stories to her, somehow related to the story she told.

"He was rather happy, when one of his students told him that they lost. I was wondering, why'd he smile on someone who lost than his son, who won." Kei said as he extends his hand, attempting to reach the skies.

"Being weak," Aella starts, as she closes her eyes. "means there's room for you to improve and be stronger. If you're already strong enough, you'll have to push yourself to have rooms for improvement."

"Aella." He states her name. She smiled and opened her eyes, then stares at his olive green orbs who was also staring at her purple galaxy.

"That might be the reason of your dad, that's why he didn't praise you." She stated then looked away. "Plus, you were pretty arrogant when you were young. Your dad must've known the story of Cassiopeia and had an idea to punish you being hung upside down tied on the chair." She suddenly laughs the words she muttered.

Kei shook his head, and lazily smiled on the young lady while she was laughing. He was just wondering, why he didn't notice this young lady beside him when they were in third year middle school and the first year of high school.

"When will you change you hair color?" Kei asks out of nowhere. Aella pursed her lips, and looked like she was in deep agony of thinking her hairstyle.

"Maybe, blue or purple mermaid hair color." She says. Kei chuckles on her response, since he was definitely thinking of something not that very catchy hair color. "Why'd you ask?"

"Your original hair color?"

"Brown. Then, when I was in fifth grade, I kind made it black with vermilion." She answered as she grabbed some of her hair strands.

'Black with vermilion? That was the color of her hair with the photo coach Takahashi showed us.'

Kei thought about it. Ever since Aella was young, she was trying to make herself peculiar to make herself noticed. But not in a bad way of being noticed, or what.

"What's the purpose of coloring you hair?" Kei asks as he stares on Aella's Rose Gold hair. Soon, she'll change it, so he has to engrave it in his mind, on how beautiful her hair is, matching with Aella's purple galaxy.

"I don't have any good reason for that." She somehow gave Kei a faint smile. Kei nods on her, then shifts his gaze to the skies. "How 'bout you? You have piercing on, both of your ears. The difference is, your right ear has two earring holes." She said while looking at his ears.

"Ah, yeah. I had it pierced when I was in second year middle school. It was just, kinda to improve my looks." He answered while touching his ears. Aella nodded on his response.

Another deafening silence happened once again in that room. It was just a soothing evening where they were just admiring the beauty of the night sky.

"Shouldn't you sleep, Kei-kun? We have early training later." Aella suddenly ruins the moment where they weren't thinking of something that will ruin the mood, and she just did.

Kei heaved a sigh before looking at her. He gave Aella a deadpan look before scoffing. Aella just gave a small laugh to the young man who was acting like a small kid being told by his mother to go to bed now.

"Not until you tell me, three more constellation stories and one song." Aella groaned on Kei's condition. Aella knows some of the constellation stories, but Cassiopeia was the one who taught her to always keep her toes on the ground after flying so high.

"Hmm," she looks at the night sky and remembers a stories of constellations about love. She wasn't really a fan of those, but it was "a legend about Altair and Vega. Are you familiar with them?" She asked.

"Huh?"

Aella suddenly gives a small laugh. "Tanabata Story? Not familiar?"

"Oh, yeah. I know that, but you said different names earlier."

"I did. Well, there are various versions of these stories. Princess Orihime, is represented by Vega, would weave beautiful clothing alongside the heavenly river, known as the Milky Way. Because Orihime spent most of her time weaving, she became very sad and felt that she would never find love. Her father, who was God of the Heavens, knew of a good young man who lived just across the Milky Way. His name was Hikoboshi, a cow herder. And is represented by Altair. In the story of Tanabata, the two fell in love instantly. However, their love for each other was so deep that they neglected their duties. Orihime stopped weaving and Hikoboshi's cows wandered the heavens." She told as Kei listened to her.

She was just amazing as she is whenever she plays or admiring the night skies, telling stories or singing. She doesn't have any flaws, yet she was keeping herself on humble.

"According to the story of Tanabata, the God of the Heavens became very angry and forbade the two lovers to be together. But he was also the father of Orihime and loved her deeply. To make her happy, he arranged that they could meet up once a year if Orihime returned to her weaving." Aella added.

If Kei would bring her on a date, she would definitely appreciate a Planetarium Date of something that relates to sky. Or maybe a volleyball date. Or a date where she can cuddle with too much dogs.

"Okay, one story done. Next would be,"  she once again stares the sky, and hums. "Ah, The Lost Pleiad." She told as she smiles on the words she muttered.

"Nope. Not familiar."

Aella chuckles then shakes her head. "The Pleiades are called the Seven Sisters, even though most naked eye observers see only six. One is that Merope is hiding her face. Unlike her sisters, she is the only goddess in the family to marry a mortal and she isn't respected for it. Neither is Merope's husband represented in the sky. For he is Sisyphus, condemned by Zeus to forever roll a stone up a hill in Hades only to watch it roll down again when he almost gets it to the top." She sadly tells her story.

Even Kei noticed on how Aella's emotions changed when she told the story. Clearly, it was a forbidden love, and some of the Gods, doesn't accept love from a mortal and gods.

"Well, the last one would be ... Orion and the Pleiades. There's a story about the great hunter Orion falling in love with the seven sisters. He was after them for 12 years. Zeus turned him and them into stars. Orion can chase the Pleiades forever, but he can't ever catch them. — You'll find Orion also high in the sky at sunset this time of year, a little east of the sisters. He'll follow them across the celestial dome to beyond the horizon."

Kei realized on how Aella loves talking about these things. All you have to do was to appreciate these things, since she never had people beside her, that has the same age as her.

Kei's phone buzzed, multiple times, and excused himself to Aella. He stood up and went to the bathroom to calm his beating heart. All this time, while Aella was telling stories, his heart was really thumping crazy.

Well, sitting beside the woman you admire is something that shouldn't be lightly. His mind is about to go blank since he can feel Aella's body heat and his body is reacting to it.

He checked his phone, and it came from his teammates.

"Aren't they suppose to be asleep already?" He asked, then suddenly hits his forehead lightly. "Says the one who's still awake."

01:03AM

From Akira: @Kei are you asleep?

From Ouji: I think he's asleep.

From Kido: So nothing happened? ಠ_ಠ

From Hayata: What are you implying @Kido?

From Kido: @Hayata just wanted to know if there are improvements between them.

From Kenji: No, they're awake.

From Akira: @Kenji for reaaaal?! (✯ᴗ✯)

From Kenji: @Akira Yes. They're talking about something related to stars. I can hear them, since my room is beside his.

From Ouji: HE'S HEREEEE! @Kei WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE?!

From Kei: We are just talking about the constellations.

From Kido: @Kei Since the time we left?! Don't you have any other topics?

From Kei: No. We played Drinking Roulette, minus the inappropriate topics.

From Hayata: @Kei What else? (~￣³￣)~

From Kei: She played guitar and she sang for me.

From Kenji: FOR REAL?!

From Kei: Yes. As of the moment, she's waiting by the window. Waiting for me.

From Akira: @Kei Oh, you're now excused! Have a Wonderful Morning! ( ꈍᴗꈍ)

From Kei: Very Well.

Kei walked back to the open window, and sees Aella still staring at the wonderful nigh sky. She was humming happily and it was a very wonderful time for him to snap a picture of her.

He opens his camera application on his phone, and takes a picture of her once again. After taking a picture, he was debating himself to make it as his wallpaper, but to be safe – He didn't change it.

He sits beside Aella, and was fond about it. He likes sitting beside her now, it was like one of his comfort zone, aside from volleyball.

Aella was serene, like always. She never makes an unneeded action, and so it makes it one of her flawless personality. She was just there, sitting, and effortlessly making a big impact on Kei's heart, mind and soul.

"Polaris."

Aella states out of nowhere, and then smiles. Kei notices it, and then smiles with her too. Suddenly, he remembers a song titled 'Polaris', takes his risk to sing it for her.

"Everyday, in your pretty eyes

It is filled with a bright starlight, did you know?

Anyone would fall for you

I'm so worried

Stick close to me

Shine on my dark path

Like a ray of light in a tunnel

Filled with hope —"

Kei suddenly holds Aella's very feminine, small hands. Her nails were well manicured, and well taken care of. Not a single spot of ink had gotten on her hands, as they wrote earlier in their mini game.

"— Once I fall into you, I can't get out

Even your child-like eye smile

I think of it all day

To the small and beautiful you

I have something to say —"

Kei continues to play with her hand, as she was letting her to play with it. It was really new to her, but suddenly pulling her hand would really sound rude to the young man.

"— I search search for you

I miss you

So I'm wandering without rest

No matter how far apart we are

I see the shining you

(I just want you)

(I just like you)

(I just love)

Always stay in the same spot

You are my shining star

The starlight in the sky

It's like your eyes

Even without any other light

I think I can live well

If only you remain

In this world

It'll be so bright

So there's nothing that I lack now

I wish no one knew a goddess like you

It would be safe

If only I knew you

Once I fall into you, I can't snap out of it

Even your lemon-like voice

I think of it all day

To the small and beautiful you

I have something to say

I search search for you

I miss you

So I'm wandering without rest

No matter how far apart we are

I see the shining you

(I just want you)

(I just like you)

(I just love)

Always stay in the same spot

You are my shining star

Our own space travels, fly high

Our own space travels, shall we leave?

(Wanna go with me?)

I search search for you

I miss you

So I'm wandering without rest

No matter how far apart we are

I see the shining you

(I just want you)

(I just like you)

(I just love)

Always stay in the same spot

You are my shining star."

Kei stopped singing and sees a flustered young woman. As you can slightly see a pink tint on her cheeks. Aella was staring at him as he sang, and he noticed that he was also holding her hands, tightly.

Aella didn't even complain on their closeness. She just smiled and looked back to the night sky.

"Your hands are warm." She said. Kei smiled and nodded as a response. "It's my turn to sing right?" She asked, and Kei nodded again. She gives him a slight smile.

"Rainbows after the rain and valiantly blooming flowers spread colour about;

I fell in love with you that day, as you gazed up at the crimson sky.

Not even an instantaneous frame,

Of this dramatic film will fade... 'cause I'll carve it all into my heart.

It was you, it was you! The one who made me realize;

If we can make even the darkness shine, it will become a starry sky.

Stop hiding your sadness behind a smile,

'Cause every one of these twinkling stars will shine upon you.

The morning light I greeted, having forgotten to even sleep, was stingingly bright,

But even the tenseness carried by my headache subsided when I saw you.

A silent romantic;

Like sugar melting into black tea, as your voice swirls throughout my body.

It was you, it was you! The one who gave me this smile;

If we can make even tears shine, they'll become shooting stars.

Your hand has been hurt, but don't ever let go again;

From a sky filled with wishes, tomorrow will come.

The light that led me was you, and I was pulled along into a run;

Before I knew it, we were beginning to cross paths: now's the time!

If we can shine here..

It was you, it was you! The one who made me realize;

If we can make even the darkness shine, it will become a starry sky.

Stop hiding your sadness behind a smile,

'Cause every one of these twinkling stars will shine upon you.

Is the answer always born of coincidence? Necessity?The path we can choose is what will end up as our fate;

The hopes and concerns you clutched so tightly will surely move us forward to become one with the light."

__

Songs used:

✓ Precious, Aikatsu©

✓ A Lot Like Love, Baek A-yeon (백아연)©

✓ Kiss of the Alice Blue, Aikatsu©

✓ Polaris, ASTRO©

✓ Hikaru Nara, Goose House©

You can find the stories of the constellations that was said in the story here :)))

✓http://www.skycaramba.com/blog/2014/02/09/love-legends-in-astronomy/✓https://wattention.com/the-story-of-tanabata/

Have fun reading! Stay Safeee!

💖