Hoshiyuki's eyes slowly widened.
"Shiharu…? Shi… Shi… Shiharu?"
His voice trembled with disbelief the moment he woke from his light doze and met Shiharu's steady gaze.
"You… can see me?"
Shiharu held his stare, unsure where to even begin.
"What a strange question. Am I not supposed to see you?"
Hoshiyuki let out an awkward laugh and quickly looked away. Shiharu watched him in silence. The evasion only sharpened his curiosity—what exactly had happened to him?
"Hoshi."
"…Hm?"
He kept his eyes averted.
"Look at me."
Hoshiyuki reluctantly obeyed, lifting his gaze. It flickered sideways almost immediately.
"Keep your eyes on me."
Hoshiyuki exhaled softly.
"Hah… Fine."
He met Shiharu's eyes again, though the contact felt fragile.
"Is there a problem?"
"There's a huge problem," Shiharu answered, voice low and firm.
Hoshiyuki waited.
"You saved me when I fell into that lake, didn't you?"
Silence stretched between them. Then Hoshiyuki ran a translucent hand through his long golden hair, offering a faint, bittersweet smile.
"How smart of you. You figured it out."
"I didn't figure it out. I saw you right before I passed out."
Shiharu's tone sharpened.
"What happened after that?"
Hoshiyuki tried to look away again.
"Don't," Shiharu said quietly but sharply.
"I told you—eyes on me."
"You don't want to hear it."
Hoshiyuki's reply was curt, almost protective.
"It's me who wants to hear it. Not you who decides what I want. Don't speak for me."
Hoshiyuki's expression softened, a small, surprised smile touching his lips.
"You're handling things better than you used to."
He paused, then nodded once.
"Well… since you insist you want the truth, I'll give it to you. Nothing but the truth."
He drew a slow, unnecessary breath.
"I gave you my life because you died in that lake. That's why I'm in this ghostly form now. My mother performed the exchange. So… I'm no longer human."
Shiharu went utterly still.
After a long beat, he spoke again, voice barely above a whisper.
"Hoshi… if I remember correctly, your family is still searching for you. So which mother are you talking about?"
"My mother. My real mother." Hoshiyuki's gaze grew distant, wistful.
"You ever wondered why I never resembled anyone in that household? That's because they aren't my real family."
He looked straight at Shiharu now, green eyes luminous and ancient.
"I'm actually the youngest of three brothers. My true parents are the water god and goddess of this region. My brothers and I… we are guardian spirits."
"Guardian spirits…?"
Shiharu stared at him, voice barely above a whisper. A single wisteria blossom drifted down and settled gently in his dark hair.
"Mhm. It's a really long story." Hoshiyuki's gaze softened. "My mother can explain it far better than I ever could. She's lived for thousands of years—she watched this village come into being from nothing. She knows every secret it holds. Actually… I came into this world pretending to be human. For a reason."
The words from earlier echoed in Shiharu's mind.
"My entire existence is for you."
"You…" Shiharu's throat tightened. "What's the reason?"
Hoshiyuki fell silent again.
"You look handsome with that wisteria flower in your hair."
"Don't avoid the question."
"I'm only speaking the truth."
"Then answer me."
Hoshiyuki let out a soft, wistful laugh.
"What a curious cat." He shrugged lightly.
"I existed for someone… but they never even noticed me. How painful."
He floated upward in a slow, graceful arc, circling Shiharu once before coming to rest directly in front of him again, smiling that same gentle, heartbreaking smile.
Shiharu's head began to throb. His chest ached—his entire body felt heavy with guilt. Crushing, suffocating guilt. How had Hoshiyuki managed to keep smiling, to act so normal, while watching the person he loved choose someone else? Shiharu wanted to ask everything, to demand every detail, but the words would only confirm what Hoshiyuki already suspected—that Shiharu knew. That he understood exactly who that "someone" was. So he swallowed the questions and decided to search for answers on his own.
Hoshiyuki lifted both hands. In an instant, every flower in the garden burst into bloom—wisteria purple, golden sunflowers, emerald vines, snowy-white lilies, soft pink sakura—petals swirling upward on an invisible breeze, filling the air with an intoxicating, sweet fragrance. The colors danced like living light around them.
The pain in Shiharu's head and heart eased at once, as though the garden itself had soothed him.
Hoshiyuki rose slowly higher, arms spread, radiant and godlike.
"I will bless your new family," he said quietly. "They are my mother's worshippers. Your presence here will bring them good fortune, Shiharu."
He paused, green eyes luminous.
"My real name is Liriel. I hope… we can still be good friends."
A golden circle of light formed around him, shimmering and beautiful. In the center of it, his form shifted—melting into soft white fur, graceful limbs, pointed ears. When the light faded, a familiar white cat sat on the grass: Hoshiyuki's beloved companion from when he was human.
"Here. My cat. You can have her. She's been with me all this time… but she cannot exist in my world now."
The cat bounded forward with joyful chirps and leaped straight into Shiharu's arms. He caught her instinctively, fingers sinking into impossibly soft fur, too stunned to speak.
"Shouldn't your family represent the sun?" Shiharu asked after a moment, voice quiet. "I mean… golden. Ethereal."
Hoshiyuki smiled and reached out to ruffle Shiharu's hair—only for his hand to pass through. A flicker of sadness crossed his face.
"My brother was right after all. How sad."
He lowered his hand.
"But it's alright. Just being able to see each other despite the huge difference… is more than enough."
He drifted a little closer.
"My mother is the goddess of the sun. My father is the god of water. He doesn't carry the golden features most of my family does—his hair is silver, his eyes the deep blue of the ocean. As I said… it's a long story. Mother never fully explained it to me either. She simply chose to live in the water because of our family."
"Won't she… burn out if she exists there?"
Hoshiyuki's smile turned tender.
"She's married to water. They're deeply in love. Do you really think water would ever hurt her?"
He tilted his head.
"Besides, the others—Wind, Earth—they've all accepted her. She's like a mother to them all. You would love her. I think humans always have a reason or ulterior motives before saving someone, so I was waiting for you to ask why I saved you."
"I genuinely just decided not to ask. You would feel uncomfortable if I did, wouldn't you?"
Hoshiyuki smiled with a nod. "But aren't you curious?"
"I am curious about so many things... I have a lot of questions to ask too, but one step at a time. I feel like I would die if I eventually learn every mystery surrounding my life and me."