The world had changed in just three days.
Three long, endless days since Beru had vanished.
The once-lively hum of Sakura High now carried a faint undercurrent of unease — whispers in corridors, worried glances in classrooms, unanswered messages on glowing phone screens. Her desk in the classroom remained empty, her seat in the clubroom untouched. The telescope she always used sat silently in the corner, its lens cap still off, as though waiting for her to return and point it back toward the stars she loved so dearly.
For Haruto, every minute since that terrible afternoon felt like punishment.
He'd replayed the moment over and over again — her trembling voice, the glint of tears in her eyes, the echo of his cruel words: "What would you know about love?" Each repetition tore deeper, leaving behind only guilt and self-loathing. He hadn't just hurt Beru; he'd broken the one person who had always stood by him.
The morning of the third day, the club was called to the principal's office.
The atmosphere in the office was heavy, almost suffocating. The faint ticking of the wall clock seemed to stretch the silence between each breath. Haruto stood at the back with Luna, Souta, and Tadao, their faces pale and tense.
Beru's parents sat across from the principal — her mother's eyes were red from crying, her father's hands clenched tightly together.
The principal's voice was low, grave. "Beru has been missing for three days now," he said, looking from one student to the next. "Her parents have filed a report, and the police have been searching. We hoped… that perhaps one of you might know where she could've gone."
Luna's hands curled into fists. Souta glanced at Haruto, his jaw tightening.
The principal sighed, folding his hands on the desk. "She was last seen near the school gate that afternoon. No one has heard from her since. If you know anything—anything at all—please come forward."
Luna's composure finally cracked. "This is all Haruto's fault!" she shouted suddenly, her voice trembling.
Haruto flinched as if struck.
Luna turned away sharply, her eyes wet. "If you hadn't said those things—if you hadn't hurt her like that—she wouldn't have run away!"
"Luna!" Souta tried to calm her, but she shook him off and stormed out of the office.
The sound of the door slamming echoed like thunder in Haruto's chest.
He hesitated for only a moment before rushing after her. "Luna! Wait!"
Outside the office, Luna was pacing in the hallway, her breathing uneven.
"Luna…" Haruto began softly, guilt thick in his voice. "What did you mean by that? What did you mean it's my fault?"
She turned on him, eyes blazing with a mixture of anger and sorrow. "You really don't get it, do you?"
Haruto blinked, speechless.
"She cared about you more than anyone!" Luna said, her voice breaking. "She always looked out for you, always defended you, always—" She stopped herself, her fists trembling. "No. I can't tell you. It's something she has to say herself. But Haruto…" Her voice dropped to a whisper. "You were very wrong to hurt her."
The words hit harder than any blow. Haruto swallowed, his throat dry. "Then I'll make it right," he said quietly. "I'll find her. No matter what it takes."
Luna looked at him for a long moment, then turned away. "You'd better."
That evening, the Cosmic S.T.A.R. Club split up to search.
They combed through the city — from the narrow alleys behind the café she liked to the quiet park where she used to feed stray cats. Luna searched the library and bus stations, Souta questioned shopkeepers, and Tadao checked the riverbanks.
Haruto walked alone.
The streets were washed in a pale glow from the streetlights, the city's hum softened by the wind that whispered through the trees. His footsteps echoed on the pavement as he called her name again and again, voice growing hoarse.
"Beru! Where are you?"
No answer — only the rustle of leaves and the distant sound of traffic.
The longer he searched, the heavier the guilt grew. He thought about her smile, her laughter, the way she'd always stood by the telescope and waited for him to look up with her. And then the look on her face — that hurt, broken expression — when he'd accused her of not understanding love.
He wanted to take it back. Every word. Every second of his anger.
Hours passed. The city dimmed into silence, most lights flickering out one by one. Haruto's feet ached, but he didn't stop. His steps led him beyond the city's edge — down an old, overgrown path he hadn't walked in years.
And then he realized where he was.
The mountain trail.
The night wind carried the faint scent of pine and earth. The moonlight poured silver across the narrow trail that wound upward through the trees, and with each step, memories returned — fragments of laughter, distant voices, a time when life had been simpler.
This mountain had once been their secret place.
When they were children, he and Beru would climb it together on weekends. At the summit stood a massive old tree — ancient, its roots deep and sprawling, its branches reaching wide enough to hold the stars themselves.
They used to call it The Eternal Tree.
The first time they found it, Beru had told him it was where wishes reached the heavens fastest. He'd laughed at the idea, but she'd only smiled and said, "Then you'll see someday."
Now, years later, that same tree stood ahead — its silhouette vast against the moonlit sky.
As he drew closer, he heard something.
A voice.
Faint, trembling, carried on the wind.
"…Why… why do I feel like this? I love him so much… even when he doesn't notice me… even when he's with someone else…"
Haruto froze.
That voice — he knew it.
His breath hitched as he followed the sound, each step slower, quieter. The branches swayed gently above him, whispering like old ghosts.
"…my heart still belongs to him…"
He stepped around the old tree — and saw her.
Beru sat at its base, knees drawn to her chest, arms wrapped tightly around them. Her hair fluttered in the night breeze, her face buried in her arms as she spoke softly to the air.
"I've loved you for so long, Haruto… more than anyone could know. Every laugh we shared, every moment together… it's all with you in my heart. And I've stayed silent, because I thought… I thought you could never feel the same…"
Her voice cracked. "But I can't hide it anymore. I… I love you."
Haruto's heart stopped.
The world around him seemed to fade — the wind, the rustling leaves, even the distant city lights — all vanished into silence.
He stepped forward slowly, his voice barely above a whisper. "Beru…"
Her head snapped up. Her eyes widened — swollen and red from crying. "Haruto…"
He took another step forward, his heart pounding. "Was that… true? Everything you just said?"
Beru's lips trembled. She turned away, trying to wipe her tears, her shoulders shaking. "You shouldn't be here…" she murmured. "You shouldn't have heard that."
"I had to find you," Haruto said softly. "I've been searching everywhere."
He crouched slightly to meet her eyes, his voice gentle but desperate. "Please… tell me. Was it true?"
She hesitated — for a long, fragile moment. Then, slowly, she nodded.
"I love you, Haruto," she whispered, her words breaking. "I always have. Even when you were with Saya… even when you ignored me… I couldn't stop."
Tears streamed down her cheeks again. "I stayed silent because I wanted to protect you — because I thought loving you would just make things harder for both of us. But when you said I didn't understand love… it felt like my heart shattered."
Haruto's chest tightened, guilt and warmth twisting together painfully.
He reached out and took her trembling hands in his. "Beru… I'm sorry," he said, his voice cracking. "I was angry and lost. I didn't mean what I said. You were right — I didn't understand love. Not until now."
Beru looked up, startled.
Haruto smiled faintly through the tears welling in his own eyes. "I think I… I also like you. No — I love you. I just didn't realize it until I lost you. Even when I was with Saya, I kept worrying about you, thinking about you, missing you. And when you were gone… everything felt empty."
Beru covered her mouth, a sob escaping her.
Haruto brushed a strand of hair from her face, his fingers trembling. "You were always there, Beru. Every time I laughed, every time I looked up at the stars — you were part of it. I just… didn't see it soon enough."
A small, broken laugh left her lips. "You're such an idiot."
He laughed weakly, relief washing over him. "Yeah… I guess I am."
She sniffled, smiling faintly through her tears.
Then Haruto leaned closer, his voice soft as moonlight. "But if you'll let me… I want to make it up to you. I don't ever want to hurt you again."
Beru looked into his eyes — truly looked — and saw the sincerity there, the regret and affection all tangled together.
Her heart, bruised and heavy for so long, began to lighten.
Slowly, she nodded.
And in that quiet moment beneath the old tree, surrounded by the night and the whispering wind, Haruto leaned in and pressed his lips softly to hers.
The kiss was gentle — hesitant, trembling — but it carried the weight of everything they'd never said.
When they finally pulled apart, Beru's tears had stopped. Her cheeks glowed faintly in the moonlight.
"I named a star after you," she whispered, her voice tender.
Haruto blinked. "You did?"
She smiled shyly, resting her head on his shoulder. "The night before you fought with me… I discovered a new light in the sky. I called it Haruto Star."
Haruto chuckled softly, wrapping an arm around her. "Then I'll make sure I shine for you — always."
They sat there together beneath the ancient tree, watching the city lights below shimmer like tiny constellations. Above them, the stars blinked through drifting clouds, and somewhere among them, a golden one burned brighter than the rest.
For a long time, neither of them spoke.
They simply existed — two souls beneath the sky, hearts finally beating in rhythm again.
And in that sacred stillness, surrounded by the echoes of their childhood and the promise of tomorrow, Haruto whispered, "You know… maybe this tree really does grant wishes."
Beru smiled softly. "Maybe it does. Because mine finally came true."
The wind rustled through the branches, carrying their laughter into the night — and the old tree, guardian of countless memories, stood silently above them, its leaves whispering blessings for the two hearts reunited beneath its shade.
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To be continued...