A Comet in the Night Sky

“What’s wrong, Cecil?”

“It’s just… sorry. It suddenly hit me again how strange and wonderful it is that we’re a couple.”

“…….”

“I mean, until just a few months ago, we promised to be friends for life. But now…”

Michael leaned in and placed a sweet peck on my cheek.

“Now we’ve become lovers for life instead.”

My face grew even hotter.

“But I don’t want to stop here. I hope that one day, we’ll become a married couple for life.”

“T-that… I think that’s a bit too early.”

“What? You’re the one who brought up marriage first, Cecil.”

I purposely spoke with a huff.

“We’re lovers now, isn’t that enough? Why are you so greedy?”

Michael whispered as he kissed my other cheek.

“So… do you hate it?”

“…….”

I really couldn’t win against Michael, no matter what I said. When I couldn’t find my voice and simply shook my head, Michael draped his arm over my shoulder.

“Cecil, I’m so happy right now.”

“……Me too.”

We leaned against each other, gazing endlessly at the park scenery.

Children running around, a vendor selling cotton candy, a mother walking while holding her child’s hand. It was a common sight you could see anywhere, but in this moment, it was the most beautiful landscape in the world. Michael surely felt the same way, didn’t he?

We sat in the park like that for thirty minutes before heading to the restaurant I had scouted out earlier. Two plates of perfectly seared steaks were set before us. Michael naturally pulled my plate toward him to cut it, and I quickly took his plate to do the same.

Cutting all the meat in advance technically goes against etiquette, but this wasn’t a formal event, and there was no one else around. Having finished slicing each other’s meat, we both took a large bite of steak.

“The meat is so tender.”

“I know. Maybe it’s because you cut it into bite-sized pieces for me, Cecil.”

“No, it’s because the chef here is talented.”

Ah, I’m really full. I haven’t even finished half the steak, but I feel like I don’t need to eat anymore. However, Michael would worry if I stopped now, so I forced myself to finish.

After stuffing down the steak and even the accompanying salad, I gave a bright smile to Michael, who was watching me with a satisfied expression.

“By the way, what did you talk about with Senior Serman?”

“Oh, right.”

I had met with Senior Serman, hadn’t I? I had completely forgotten because I was having such a good time with Michael. I’m such a shameless fellow—receiving such a grand gift from Senior Serman and then forgetting.

“Senior Serman bought me clothes.”

“Clothes?”

“Yeah. He picked out only the most expensive things. When I asked why, he said it was a gift to celebrate my fresh start.”

“…….”

“Oh, and Michael. There’s something I really want to ask you… Huh? Michael, what’s wrong?”

Michael had put down his fork and was staring at me with a serious face.

“Will you really be okay?”

“……Ah.”

Not this again. I also put down my fork.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine. Senior Serman promised to teach me everything from A to Z. He’s actually very kind. To think he’d help someone as lacking as me with such sincerity.”

“Cecil. Senior Serman is not the type of person to step in unless there’s a benefit. There must be a reason he’s helping you to that extent.”

“Michael, it’s okay. I already know that.”

Senior Serman likely intends to use me—someone favored by the Library Department professor—to completely take control of the department.

Honestly, I still don’t understand why Senior Fernando and Senior Serman are trying so hard to seize control. Even if you take over and get the professor’s favor, it just means more work. It’s not like controlling the Library Department gives your home country a strategic advantage.

“Is it for the reputation and the connections after all?”

“That’s part of it, but I think it’s mostly competitive spirit.”

Michael placed the fork back in my hand and spoke calmly.

“In life, you eventually meet at least one person where you think, ‘I don’t care about others, but I absolutely have to beat that person.’ Senior Fernando and Senior Serman are probably that to each other.”

“I suppose. Even the usually calm and mature Senior Serman screams his head off trying not to lose even the smallest thing to Senior Fernando.”

I nibbled the last piece of steak and swallowed.

“Michael, do you have a rival like that?”

“Hmm.”

Michael rested his chin on his hand and smiled brightly.

“I’m sure you’ll find out as you stay by my side.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? You know I’m not popular.”

“You’re going to be, from now on.”

“……Well, I guess. Just hanging around Senior Serman will make the kids see me differently. Oh, right. Michael, I really wanted to ask you something.”

“What is it?”

“How do you feel if I have physical contact with other people? Does it make you feel bad?”

“Where did this come from all of a sudden?”

“Well, in group life, you might hold hands with a friend, or put an arm around their shoulder, or even hug. Being with Senior Serman today made me curious.”

“Did the Senior touch you?”

“Yeah, he grabbed my shoulder while buying the clothes.”

“Hmm, I think grabbing a shoulder is fine.”

“I’m okay with other people grabbing your shoulder, too.”

“But maybe it’s because this is my first relationship? I don’t know where the line is between ‘okay’ and ‘a problem.’”

“It’s the same for me.”

“Should we ask Ronia? He has a fiancée.”

“If we ask Ronia, he’ll probably say, ‘Why are you guys analyzing even things like that?’”

“We definitely seem to be overthinking it.”

“But we can’t help it.”

I spoke while staring down at my empty plate.

“I’m afraid I might unconsciously do something that hurts you.”

What if he thinks I’m pathetic for being like this? I was worrying, but Michael looked impressed.

“Wow, that’s so amazing.”

“……What is?”

“Our thoughts are always exactly the same.”

Michael took my hand, looking genuinely happy.

“I feel the same way. It’s much better than fighting over trivial things later.”

“Really?”

“It feels like destiny.”

Just then, Michael checked the clock on the wall and gripped my hand.

“Oh, it’s about to start. Let’s go out, quick.”

“Huh? What is?”

“You’ll know when we get there.”

Michael paid the bill while holding my hand and led me out of the restaurant. As I followed him in a daze, the crowd began to grow thicker.

Is there an event today? The moment I thought that—Phiew!—with a loud whistle, brilliant fireworks exploded in the sky. Cheers erupted from the crowd simultaneously. I stared blankly at the sky and muttered.

“I’ve never seen fireworks before.”

“Well, now you have.”

Michael wrapped his arm around my shoulder and kissed the top of my head. But I couldn’t take my eyes off the sky. The colorful sparks were too beautiful.

“Cecil?”

While gazing endlessly at the sky, my eyes suddenly filled with tears. I stubbornly kept my eyes fixed upward, unmoving.

I thought I had experienced many things since reincarnating into this world, but there were still so many things I hadn’t done. That fact suddenly made me feel fearful and sorrowful. Michael patted my shoulder and whispered.

“Let’s make sure to go to the sea this summer break.”

“…….”

“And let’s watch fireworks one more time. We’ll eat lots of delicious food, too.”

I wiped my tears with my fist and nodded.

“Yeah, let’s definitely do that.”

I answered as if making a vow to myself, then turned my gaze back to the sky. I didn’t want to miss a single moment of my first fireworks display. The flowers blooming in the sky were truly beautiful. Just like the comets in the astrology book I had once borrowed from Ronia.

But then, a memory suddenly surfaced.

—Hye-sung. You are a precious child who appeared to us like a comet.

The tears that had momentarily stopped began to flow again.

—I love you more than anyone in the world, Hye-sung.

While watching fireworks for the first time, for the first time, I recalled a memory of being loved instead of memories of despising my past self.

Seo Hye-sung.

That was my name in my previous life. I sat at my desk, where a lamp was lit.

“…….”

I had been convinced that because my past self was “stupid,” I surely hadn’t received any love from my parents. But that wasn’t it. The reason I had clung so much to my parents in this life and acted like a spoiled child was because my body remembered how happy it felt to be loved by parents.

“……So I didn’t grow up in such a bad environment after all.”

Starting from that first memory, other memories began to surface one by one. The memory of my past parents sitting me on their laps to read fairy tales, the memory of them traveling all over to find toys for me, and even the memory of them worrying about me even as they passed away in a car accident.

Tears poured out uncontrollably.

“……This is unbelievable.”

There were people who loved me, even when I was that slow. My heart swelled at that fact. I tightly hugged my pillow.

How could both my parents from the previous life and this life be such good people?

I whispered words to them that would never reach their ears.

“Thank you, truly thank you. And I love you.”

I cried like that for a long time, expressing my gratitude to both sets of parents. I cried until I could barely see, and thanks to that, my heart finally calmed down. I gulped down some water. Then, I said one last thing.

“Thank you so much……”

The smiles of both parents still lingered vividly in my mind. My motivation, which was already burning, flared up even brighter. For the sake of those who loved me so much, I will perfectly improve my reputation and graduate from the academy with everyone’s blessings.

To do that, I first need to learn how to smile beautifully, just as Senior Serman said. Let’s start right now. I found a hand mirror in the drawer. While working hard to lift the corners of my mouth in the mirror, a sudden question arose.

Then, who was the person who bullied me so much?

My family loved me even when I was slow, so who on earth was that person to hate me so much? They were probably the one who prevented me from going to the sea, too. What exactly was my relationship with that person?

—I only have you, and you only have me.

Suddenly, a wave of nausea surged up. I hurriedly covered my mouth, forgetting I was even holding the mirror. The hand mirror fell onto the bed.

—This is all because you’re dull and stupid.

—You still don’t know that important thing? You’re really stupid. Is your head just filled with rocks?

—Stupid brat. You don’t even deserve to eat.

These were all memories that suddenly jumped out to torment me. But that person in my memories, even while despising me…

—See? I’m the only one who looks after you, right?

…would kindly hand me my favorite cheesecake. My stomach churned. Still covering my mouth with my hand, I muttered.

“Who on earth are you?”

Who on earth are you, to stay by my side while hating my “stupid” self so much?