Threads of Starlight

The message came at an unexpected time.

Selene sat in her office, the dim glow of her desk lamp casting long shadows across the designs scattered before her. The lines of fabric folds and embroidered constellations blurred as her mind drifted elsewhere. Inspiration had been fleeting lately—slipping through her fingers like water.

Her phone vibrated against the glass surface of her desk. She glanced at the screen.

Gaela.

She swiped to open the message.

Gaela: I’m curating an exhibit this weekend. You should come.
Selene: What’s the theme?
Gaela: Celestial mythology. Destiny. The stories written in the stars. Thought you’d find it interesting.
Selene: Sounds beautiful. Where?
Gaela: At the S Maison, Conrad Manila. 7 PM. I’ll send you an invite.

Selene’s fingers hovered over the screen.

An art exhibit. It had been a while since she’d attended one purely for enjoyment rather than networking. Lately, her world had revolved around deadlines, fabric shipments, and client meetings. But something about Gaela’s words struck a chord.

Celestial mythology. Destiny.

A familiar ache settled in her chest, one she couldn’t quite name.

Selene: I’ll be there.

She sighed, locking her phone. Maybe a night spent among the stars, painted or otherwise, would offer clarity.

The late afternoon sun hung low in the sky, painting the fields in hues of amber and gold. Aster wiped the sweat from her brow, exhaling as she surveyed the rows of crops. Another long day, but a good one.

Her phone buzzed in the pocket of her work overalls. She fished it out with one hand, barely glancing at the screen before answering. “Yo.”

Mirael’s voice blasted through the speaker. “You’re coming with us this weekend. No arguments.”

Aster pulled the phone slightly away from her ear, wincing. “To where?”

Janus’ voice filtered in, steadier but just as persistent. “Cyra’s playing at Gaela’s art exhibit. You’ll like it.”

Aster sighed, shifting her weight onto one leg. “You know I don’t really do art stuff.”

Mirael scoffed. “Please. It’s about the stars, destiny, all that deep emotional stuff. You’re literally the main character of that theme.”

Aster rolled her eyes. “I’m not—”

Janus cut in smoothly. “And Cyra’s playing a piano piece you might like.”

That gave Aster pause.

“…What’s she playing?” she asked, pretending to sound indifferent.

Mirael’s grin was practically audible. “You’ll find out if you come.”

Aster groaned, already regretting agreeing before she even said it.

“…Fine,” she muttered. “What time are you picking me up?”

Mirael let out a victorious whoop. “That’s the spirit! Saturday. 5:30 pm sharp. Don’t even think about ditching.”

Aster sighed, locking her phone.

A night at an art exhibit? Not exactly her usual scene.

But for some reason, she felt like she was supposed to be there.

The gallery was bathed in a soft, golden glow, the kind that made everything feel timeless. Chandeliers hung from the high ceilings, their dim lights mimicking constellations, casting shifting patterns over the polished marble floors. The air carried the faint scent of aged books and fresh lilies, which are Gaela’s signature choice for exhibits.

Aster stepped inside alongside Janus and Mirael, her hands tucked into her pockets, her gaze roaming over the celestial themed pieces that lined the walls. Massive canvases depicted galaxies in sweeping hues of violet and indigo, while glass sculptures twisted into the shapes of constellations, their edges catching the light like fragments of the night sky.

The centerpiece loomed at the far end of the gallery, an immersive installation of the Milky Way, where guests could step inside and be surrounded by an illusion of infinite stars. It shimmered with an ethereal glow, drawing in visitors like gravity itself.

Mirael let out a low whistle as she took in the sight. “Gaela really outdid herself this time,” she mused, tilting her head up to admire a suspended installation—hundreds of tiny lights arranged in a spiraling cascade, frozen mid-fall like a meteor shower.

Janus hummed in agreement, shifting her weight as she scanned the room. Then she nudged Aster. “See anything you like?”

Aster shrugged, though her gaze lingered on a particular painting, a lone figure standing beneath a vast sky, hand outstretched toward something unseen. A hollow ache curled in her chest, an unsettling sense of familiarity.

Before she could linger on the feeling, music drifted through the air.

A delicate, haunting melody. The first few notes of a piano piece threading through the soft murmurs of the crowd like it belonged there.

Mirael perked up. “Oh? Cyra’s already playing? Didn’t even give us a second to settle in.”

But Aster barely registered her words.

Something, no, someone had caught her attention from across the room.

Selene had just stepped in, moving with quiet grace as she took in the space. She wore an ivory dress that shimmered like the sky before dawn, its fabric catching the light as she moved. Maia and Stellaire flanked her, the latter already chattering animatedly about something, but Selene seemed barely aware of the conversation. Her gaze wandered slowly, almost instinctively, as if drawn by an unseen force.

And then—

Their eyes met.

The world around them didn’t stop. The music still played. The conversations still flowed. The chandelier lights still flickered. But something between them stilled. It wasn’t dramatic, but it was immediate. Like gravity shifting, like a puzzle piece snapping into place. Neither of them looked away. Neither of them moved.

Then, Cyra’s playing changed.

The melody eased into something familiar, something neither of them had heard in a long time yet recognized in an instant.

The opening notes of Rewrite the Stars floated through the air, light and longing.

Selene’s lips parted slightly. Aster exhaled.

And as if pulled by the same invisible thread, they started moving, both drawn toward the center of the exhibit.

The Milky Way installation stood like a gateway to another world. The moment they stepped inside, they were enveloped in a cascade of swirling galaxies, the walls and floor shifting into an endless expanse of stars. The constellations shimmered around them, moving as if alive, and for a fleeting second, it felt like they were drifting weightless in the vastness of the universe.

The music swelled.

Selene’s fingers twitched at her side. Without thinking, she whispered along, "What if we rewrite the stars?"

Aster barely realized she was doing the same.

It wasn’t loud.

It wasn’t planned.

But they had sung in sync.

The realization struck them both at the same time. Selene’s breath caught. Aster’s pulse skipped.

The moment stretched between them, delicate, fragile, weightless.

Then, almost unconsciously, their hands lifted.

A breath apart. A single heartbeat away from touching.

Across the room, Cyra’s fingers moved effortlessly over the piano keys, her expression calm but knowing.

Gaela, standing beside her, watched with quiet amusement, a soft smile playing at her lips.

And at the entrance of the exhibit, Mirael and Stellaire exchanged wide eyed looks before whipping back toward the scene unfolding before them.

Mirael was the first to break.

“Oh. My. God.”

Aster and Selene were still standing in the middle of the immersive Milky Way, the moment between them stretching longer than it should. The echoes of the song still lingered in the air, but neither of them spoke.

Neither of them could speak.

And then—

"HOLY SH—"

Stellaire’s voice shattered the silence, cutting through the atmosphere like a firework explosion.

Selene flinched, snapping her hand back, while Aster immediately straightened, as if someone had just caught her in the middle of a crime scene.

Maia let out a low whistle, shaking her head. “Well, that was something.”

Selene turned sharply. “What—no—it wasn’t—”

Gaela, standing nearby, chuckled softly. “I think the entire room would beg to differ.”

The immersive exhibit had drawn them all in, and at some point, their friends had naturally drifted closer. Not enough to intrude, but definitely enough to witness everything.

Across from them, Mirael had been gripping Janus’ sleeve so tightly that Janus finally sighed and pried her fingers off. “Mir, you’re cutting off my circulation.”

Mirael ignored her. “Did you see that?” she whisper-yelled. “Tell me you saw that.”

Janus exhaled, rubbing her temple. “We all saw it, Mir.”

Still buzzing with excitement, Mirael materialized beside Aster in record time, grinning like she had just witnessed the biggest plot twist of the century. “Sooo,” she drawled, “you wanna tell me why you and Selene just had a main character moment straight out of a romance movie?”

Aster blinked. “We did not—”

“Oh, you so did.” Mirael turned to Cyra, who had been watching quietly from the side. “Back me up here, Cy. That was insane, right?”

Cyra, ever composed, simply tilted her head. “It was… interesting.”

Mirael groaned. “Oh, come on. Interesting? That’s all you’ve got?”

Meanwhile, Selene was dealing with her own interrogation.

Maia crossed her arms, her usual cryptic smile in place. “You know, I had a feeling something like this would happen.”

Meanwhile, Stellaire was vibrating with the energy of someone who had just witnessed a celebrity scandal unfold live. “Did you guys hear that?! They were singing in sync! IN! SYNC!” She clutched Maia’s shoulders like she needed physical support. “That wasn’t just a coincidence. That was destiny smacking them in the face with a comet!”

Maia, ever the enigma, just smirked. “Fascinating, isn’t it?”

Selene buried her face in her hands. “It’s just a coincidence.”

Gaela gave her a knowing look. “If you say so.”

Aster, on the other hand, was still fighting the same battle.

Mirael raised a brow. “So, coincidence, huh?”

Aster exhaled sharply. “That’s what I said.”

Janus hummed. “Funny how the universe keeps throwing coincidences at you two.”

Aster shot her a look. “Not you too.”

Mirael clapped her hands together, grinning. “You know what? We should celebrate. This is the closest thing to a confession we’ve gotten from you two.”

Selene gaped. “It wasn’t a confession!”

Maia chuckled. “Not yet, anyway.”

Stellaire suddenly gasped, dramatically clutching her chest. “Wait, wait—does this mean we’re getting a love story arc?”

Selene turned to Gaela for help, but Gaela just smiled knowingly.

Across the room, Aster met Cyra’s eyes, silently pleading for backup.

Cyra merely offered a small, amused shrug. “Fate does work in unexpected ways.”

Aster groaned. “Not you too.”

And just like that, the teasing spiraled into chaos, the room buzzing with laughter, jokes, and knowing smiles.

But even in the midst of it all, amid the noise, the flustered denials, and the relentless teasing, Aster and Selene found their gazes drifting back to each other.

And for a moment, it felt like they were the only two people standing in the stars.

The air inside the exhibit still thrummed with the lingering magic of the immersive installation. Aster and Selene had since stepped away from the glowing galaxy of lights, but the weight of the moment lingered between them, unspoken yet undeniable.

Mirael, never one to let a charged moment pass without commentary, folded her arms and gave Aster a knowing look. “So… that happened.”

Aster exhaled, rubbing the back of her neck as she avoided her friend’s smirk. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Maia hummed thoughtfully, leaning in just as Selene rejoined their group. “I think what Mirael means is that we just witnessed a cosmic alignment.”

Janus snorted. “That’s one way to put it.”

Selene, still slightly dazed from the moment inside the installation, cleared her throat. “It was… beautiful,” she admitted softly, and though she meant the art, there was something in her tone that made Maia and Stellaire exchange a glance.

“Oh, speaking of beautiful things,” Mirael cut in, snapping her fingers. “I’ve been meaning to bring this up. Sagada’s supposed to be one of the best places to stargaze, especially this time of the year.”

Gaela, who had been quietly observing the conversation with a small, knowing smile, finally spoke. “You’re referring to the Lyrid meteor shower, aren’t you?”

At that, Maia’s face lit up. “Yes! It peaks in late April, and if the skies are clear, you can see at least eighteen meteors per hour.” She turned to Selene and Aster, her gaze alight with excitement. “You two would love it.”

Selene tilted her head, intrigued. “I’ve never actually gone stargazing before—not properly, at least.”

Aster, who had been silently listening, found herself speaking before she even thought about it. “It’s different when you’re away from city lights. The sky looks endless.”

For a brief moment, their gazes met again, and something unspoken passed between them, a quiet pull, a recognition neither could name.

Janus, ever the practical one, raised a brow. “Wait, are we planning a trip now?”

Stellaire threw an arm around Maia’s shoulders dramatically. “Sounds like it! What’s the point of talking about a meteor shower if we’re not gonna go see it?”

Cyra, who had been listening with a faint smile, finally chimed in. “It would be nice to go together.”

Aster hesitated, feeling the weight of too many eyes on her, but before she could say anything, Mirael clapped a hand on her shoulder. “Come on, Aster. You can’t say no to a once a year celestial event.”

“And,” Maia added, directing a teasing look at Selene, “it’s practically written in the stars.”

Selene laughed lightly, shaking her head. “I suppose it would be a shame to miss it.”

Aster sighed in surrender, though there was the faintest hint of a smile on her lips. “Fine. But if we’re doing this, we’re doing it right. No one complains about the cold when we’re up there.”

Mirael grinned. “That’s the spirit.”

As their group buzzed with anticipation, Cyra and Gaela exchanged a quiet glance, their soft smiles mirroring each other’s thoughts. This was how it was meant to unfold, not forced, not rushed. Just the natural course of things, like stars drawn into alignment.

Outside, the night stretched vast and infinite, as if the universe itself was waiting for them to look up.

As the conversation continued around them, Aster and Selene found themselves stepping away from the main group, almost unconsciously drawn toward the edge of the exhibit hall. The ambient glow of the Milky Way installation cast soft, shifting light across their faces, making their expressions unreadable, yet, in this quiet pocket of space, the world seemed to still.

Selene tilted her head slightly, eyes flickering between the stars surrounding them and the person standing beside her. "You know," she murmured, voice just above a whisper, "I never thought an art exhibit would make me feel this... weightless."

Aster glanced at her, the corner of her lips twitching in amusement. "Weightless?"

Selene let out a soft breath, hugging her arms as if trying to ground herself. "It’s like… standing in the middle of something infinite but feeling like I belong in it. Like I’ve been here before."

Aster didn’t respond right away. Instead, she turned her gaze upward, watching as the stars above them shimmered and shifted with the movement of the installation. The silence between them wasn’t awkward, it was charged, expectant.

Then, barely above the hum of the music, Aster spoke. "Maybe you have."

Selene's breath hitched. She turned to Aster, searching her face, but the other woman wasn’t looking at her, she was still watching the stars, an unreadable expression on her face.

Something in Selene’s chest twisted. She didn’t know why, but standing here beside Aster, surrounded by an endless stretch of stars, made her heart feel... full. Like something was slipping into place, something she hadn’t even realized was missing.

Without thinking, she reached out, her fingers brushing lightly against the fabric of Aster’s sleeve. It was a fleeting touch, a barely-there moment, but it was enough.

Aster finally looked at her. Their eyes met, and for a second—just one—they stood still, caught in something neither of them had the words for.

Then, a voice shattered the quiet.

"Guys! So, about that meteor shower—" Mirael’s voice rang out from across the hall, full of excitement.

Selene and Aster blinked, stepping back just as quickly as they had gravitated toward each other. Whatever had just passed between them dissolved into the air, unspoken but lingering.

Aster cleared her throat. Selene tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

They turned back toward their friends, and just like that, the moment slipped away.

But the feeling remained.

And neither of them could ignore it.

The hum of the van’s engine blended with the soft strumming of an acoustic guitar playing through the speakers. The road stretched ahead, winding through the mountains, the evening sky shifting into lighter shades of blue as they made their way to Sagada.

The trip had started hours ago, and after the initial excitement of boarding the van where Stellaire and Mirael had fought over the best seats, Janus had immediately claimed the window to sleep, and Maia had nearly forgotten her charger. They had settled into a quiet rhythm.

Aster sat toward the back, her elbow resting against the window, watching as the trees blurred past. Across from her, Selene was flipping through a travel book about Sagada, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the images of limestone cliffs and sea of clouds.

"You always research before a trip?" Aster asked, her voice low enough that it didn’t disturb the others.

Selene glanced up, as if surprised Aster had spoken to her first. Then, she smiled. "Only when I want to make sure I don’t miss something important." She tapped a page. "Like this Sumaguing Cave. They call it the 'Big Cave' because of the formations inside."

Aster nodded. "Been there before. The rocks look like melted candle wax."

Selene’s eyes lit up with interest. "Really? What else do you remember?"

Aster tilted her head, thinking. "The air is damp, but it’s cool. Some parts of the cave are slippery, but if you take your time, it’s manageable." She hesitated before adding, "And the silence. It’s different. Heavy, but not in a bad way. Just… vast."

Selene listened intently, as if she were committing every word to memory.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The only sound between them was the music playing softly in the background, and the quiet laughter of their friends up front.

Then, Stellaire suddenly turned in her seat, her voice breaking through the stillness. "Okay, confession time! Who here actually believes in fate?"

Mirael groaned. "We’re really doing this now?"

"Yes, because we’re about to watch a meteor shower, and if that’s not peak destiny energy, I don’t know what is." Stellaire folded her arms dramatically. "Come on, be honest."

Maia smirked. "You just want someone to say something romantic, don’t you?"

Stellaire didn’t even try to deny it. "Obviously."

Janus, without opening her eyes, muttered, "Nope. Coincidences exist."

Gaela shrugged. "I think some things are meant to happen, but we still have choices."

Mirael pointed at her. "Good answer. Balanced."

Stellaire turned to Aster and Selene, a mischievous glint in her eye. "What about you two?"

Selene blinked. "Me?"

"You both," Stellaire clarified, clearly enjoying herself. "Since you’re the ones who keep magically bumping into each other."

Aster chuckled, shaking her head. "That’s called being in the same circle of friends."

"But doesn’t it feel a little like the universe is pushing you together?" Stellaire pressed.

Aster and Selene exchanged glances.

And in that moment, something unspoken passed between them.

A thread of recognition. A flicker of déjà vu.

Neither of them answered right away.

Selene looked away first, a soft smile playing at her lips. "I think… some things are worth paying attention to. Whether they’re fate or not."

Aster hummed, considering her words. "Yeah," she said finally. "I think so too."

Mirael made a sound of approval. "That was smooth."

Janus sighed. "That was dangerously close to romantic."

Stellaire clutched her chest. "That was perfect."

The van erupted into laughter, the topic shifting before anyone could dwell on it too much. But Aster and Selene…

They still felt it. That quiet pull. That sense of something more.

And as the van continued its journey through the winding roads, with the stars beginning to peek through the sky, neither of them could shake the feeling that maybe, just maybe, some things really were written in the stars.

The van rumbled to a stop, tires crunching against gravel as they finally reached their lodging. Outside, the late afternoon sky stretched in soft hues of gold and blue, the sun beginning its slow descent behind the towering pine trees. The air was refreshingly cool, carrying the scent of damp earth and pine needles, so different from the city’s chaos.

One by one, they spilled out of the van. Mirael was the first to groan dramatically, stretching her arms overhead. “Eight hours in a van should be illegal. My spine has officially resigned.”

Janus scoffed, adjusting her bag. “You slept for half the trip.”

“Excuse me, power napping is a survival skill,” Mirael replied, unbothered.

Selene stepped out next, inhaling deeply as she took in the breathtaking landscape. The cool breeze against her skin, the stillness of the mountains, it was a kind of quiet she hadn’t realized she missed.

“This place is beautiful,” she murmured, mostly to herself.

“You haven’t even seen the stars yet,” Maia chimed in, her gaze knowing.

Before Selene could respond, Stellaire’s voice rang from the back of the van. “Help! I’m trapped between these damn bags. If I die, tell the world I was fabulous.”

Aster, still seated towards the back, rolled her eyes but reached over to pull one of the bags aside, effortlessly freeing Stellaire. “You were saying?”

Stellaire placed a hand over her chest. “You saved me. I am forever in your debt, oh mighty farm girl.”

Aster ignored her, finally stepping out of the van and stretching her arms with a low sigh. The cool air felt good against her skin, soothing after the long ride.

That was when Mirael, standing at the edge of the hill, took a deep breath, spread her arms dramatically, and shouted into the vastness—

“AYOKO NAAAA! PAGOD NA PAGOD NA AKO! AYOKO NAAAA!”

Her voice echoed dramatically into the mountains.

The group burst into laughter.

Janus shook her head. “Oh no.”

Selene chuckled, recognizing the iconic That Thing Called Tadhana reference immediately.

Mirael turned, pointing accusingly at Janus. “Ikaw, Janus! Hindi ba ako sapat?”

Stellaire, ever the performer, dramatically placed a hand on Mirael’s shoulder. “Huwag mo na siyang balikan, bes. Dito sa Sagada, matututo kang magmahal ulit.”

The laughter only grew louder. Even Aster, who had initially rolled her eyes, shook her head with a small smirk, muttering, “You guys are impossible.”

Selene, still giggling, shook her head. “I can’t believe you two planned that.”

“Planned?” Mirael gasped. “This is my soul speaking.”

“More like your inner marupok speaking,” Cyra deadpanned.

“Wow. Betrayal,” Mirael huffed, crossing her arms.

Gaela, who had been quietly observing, finally chuckled. “Come on, let’s check in.”

The group grabbed their bags and made their way toward the lodge, still laughing as they walked. Selene felt the lightness of the moment settle into her bones. The trip was just beginning, but something told her this was going to be unforgettable.

And just as they stepped onto the wooden porch, she felt it again, that fleeting, unspoken connection. She turned her head slightly. Aster was walking beside her, looking ahead, seemingly lost in thought. Their gazes didn’t meet this time. But somehow, Selene felt the pull anyway. Maybe it was nothing. Maybe it was everything.

But right now, she was okay with not knowing just yet.

The lodging was a rustic but cozy wooden house nestled at the edge of a hill. The balcony overlooked a valley below, and in the distance, mist curled between the mountain ridges. A warm, golden glow spilled from the windows, inviting and homey.

Inside, the owner, a kind elderly woman, greeted them with a warm smile. “Welcome. You must all be tired from the trip. Come in, make yourselves comfortable.”

The group shuffled inside, taking in the simple but charming interior. The scent of wood and faint traces of brewed coffee filled the air.

“We’ve prepared the family room for you,” Aling Rosa continued, leading them to a spacious area with wooden bunk beds and thick blankets. “The temperature drops at night, so keep warm.”

“Makikihingi na rin po kami ng mainit na tsaa para kay Mirael,” Stellaire teased. “Para sa kanyang nadudurog na puso.”

Mirael rolled her eyes. “Excuse me? Manhid na ako.”

Selene, laughing softly, glanced at Aster only to find her already looking back.

It wasn’t intentional, the way their gazes locked. It wasn’t planned, nor was it something grand. But for a fleeting second, it felt like something.

There was something in Aster’s eyes, something unreadable yet oddly familiar. It lingered just for a moment, before Aster blinked and looked away.

She cleared her throat. “Uh, we should pick beds.”

Selene nodded, suddenly aware of the warmth creeping up her neck. “Yeah. Good idea.”

Mirael and Stellaire’s banter continued in the background, but Aster and Selene had already stepped into something quieter, something unspoken. Neither of them said it out loud, but they were both beginning to notice it, the way the distance between them seemed to shrink, little by little.

And maybe, just maybe, they weren’t trying as hard to fight it anymore.

The lodge had settled into a comfortable quiet. The others were still inside, sifting through their bags, arguing over bed arrangements, or laughing over Stellaire’s exaggerated horror at the lack of room service. But outside, beneath the deepening indigo sky, the world felt still.

Aster hadn’t planned on stepping out. She just needed a moment, a breath away from the noise, the unfamiliar closeness of shared space. She leaned against the wooden balcony railing, inhaling deeply, letting the crisp mountain air cool the warmth still clinging to her skin from the long ride.

The stars above were sharpening now, pinpricks of silver against a vast, endless sky.

Then, the wooden door creaked.

Aster turned her head just as Selene stepped outside.

She wasn’t looking at Aster at first, her gaze drawn upward. The glow from the lodge’s lanterns softened her features, casting a golden halo along the curve of her jaw, the slope of her nose. Against the starlit backdrop, she looked almost... unreal. Like she belonged to the night sky itself.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then—

“They weren’t lying,” Selene murmured. “The stars really do look different here.”

Aster exhaled a quiet chuckle. “Told you.”

Selene tilted her head slightly, a small smile forming. “You didn’t actually tell me that.”

Aster faltered. She hadn’t, had she? And yet, somehow, it still felt like something she had said before.

Selene moved closer, resting her arms on the railing beside her. “Maia mentioned a meteor shower soon,” she continued, voice softer now. “Have you ever seen one?”

Aster hesitated. “I think so.”

Selene turned, intrigued. “You think so?”

Aster’s fingers curled against the wood. “It’s weird. I can’t remember a specific time, but… sometimes, I feel like I’ve seen thousands.” She exhaled, shaking her head as if trying to shake off the thought. “Sounds ridiculous.”

Selene didn’t laugh. She didn’t tease. She just looked at Aster, her expression unreadable, as if she were searching for something beneath the words.

“No,” she said. “It doesn’t.”

Aster met her gaze for just a second too long.

Mistake.

Because there was something in the way Selene was looking at her, something that felt like recognition. Like searching. Like longing.

Aster’s breath caught. She turned her head away first.

Selene hesitated but didn’t press. She simply let the silence stretch, the night filling the spaces between them.

Aster focused on the sky, grounding herself in the steady rhythm of her breathing. But her pulse was anything but steady.

Then—

A whisper. Soft. Almost fragile.

"Altaira."

Aster’s heart stopped. The name slid through the quiet like a thread of wind, slipping into the spaces between her ribs. It wasn’t her name. And yet, it was. Something inside her reacted, something deep and instinctive. It curled into her bones, pressed against the edge of her mind like a memory just out of reach.

She turned sharply to Selene, pulse quickening. But Selene wasn’t looking at her. Her eyes had fluttered shut, her breathing slow and even.

Aster swallowed.

Had she… imagined it?

She clenched her hands against the railing, trying to ignore the way her fingers trembled. It didn’t make sense. None of this made sense. And yet, when Selene shifted slightly, the corner of her sleeve brushing against Aster’s wrist, warmth sparked through her skin.

Aster let out a slow breath, forcing herself to look away.

Above them, the sky stretched wide, infinite. The stars blinked down, ancient and knowing.

Inside, laughter echoed softly from their friends, the world carrying on as if nothing had changed.

But for Aster, standing in the quiet, with a name she didn’t know settling into her chest and Selene beside her, close enough to touch—

Everything suddenly felt different.

And she had no idea why.