Riho wasn't attempting to outrun me so I caught up with him easily. When I rendezvoused with him he was staring intently at the sky. I casually asked what he was looking at.
I received a somewhat dismissive "Nothing".
Dissatisfied with that answer, I began staring at the sky with him, looking where he was. Then I noticed. "The summer triangle is nothing, huh?" Riho turned to look at me, surprised, then back to the sky. "You're observant. Most people these days have no appreciation for celestial bodies."
"Appreciation? For their beauty?" I couldn't think of anything else he might have meant.
"That as well, but people don't appreciate their existence as much as they should. It's not entirely people's fault since most don't understand how important celestial bodies are. They don't just exist. Celestial bodies, every single one of them, functions. They do multiple things and have their own responsibilities. It's not at all a stretch to say that they govern the world beyond this planet."
I read books about the same concepts Riho mentioned when I was younger, but the books that covered celestial bodies from that perspective were few. Because those books came from my parents' collection of resources, I had an inkling that the books' contents were not worldly knowledge. Riho reminded me that the world is always bigger than you think it is, but I put that mental note aside to share an observation with him. "It isn't dark yet but the summer triangle is shining brighter than it does at night. It's also not summer, but it's as visible as it is then. It's as if because celestial bodies don't have voices, the summer triangle radiating itself is its way of screaming at the world. Not because it's angry, but because it's in pain."
Riho once again turned to look at me, this time in bewilderment. He stared at me like everything I said was spot on. I was just having some fun reading into the personification of stars, but the way he looked at me made me wonder just how profound his knowledge of celestial bodies was. "That's not all you noticed, is it?" He asked.
"I can clearly see Deneb and Altair," I began as I pointed to the two stars. "But unless my vision is failing, Vega is missing. I don't usually look at the sky to observe the stars, but I'm surprised I didn't notice something like this until now."
"You shouldn't be surprised." Riho stated. "Until a few weeks ago, Vega was there and the summer triangle was in its normal state. Astronomists and even astrologists worldwide are baffled, yet most people haven't even noticed the almost burning stars. At least you're among the few who care enough about stars to notice when they are suffering. I appreciate that, as do all of the stars- or rather, I'm sure they do. It seems I was wrong about you."
I sensed that inquiring about his last remark would open the gates for some hurtful words I'd rather not hear, but I asked "What do you mean?" anyway.
"After our initial meeting and our little bout, I assumed you were the type who goes into everything life throws at you headfirst with little consideration for others or the consequences of your actions. This conversation has shown me that I was too quick to judge you. The attention you've demonstrated for celestial bodies tells me that if you care even for that which most consider insignificant and beyond them, you surely care just as much for others around you and the world itself."
Hearing such praise was so rare for me that I was almost at a complete loss for words when he spoke so highly of me.
"Your first impression of me isn't entirely wrong. Many, if not most of my actions thus far were taken with selfish goals in mind and with little consideration for others or the consequences. But I've changed a lot recently, whether I like it or not. I've just been navigating life based on who I'm becoming as well as who I'd like to become, which isn't something I've figured out yet. I do care for others in some ways, which is something I couldn't say not too long ago. I try to care for others, though the ways I exercise that are far from conventional."
"Say what you want, but I think you're very caring and just not giving yourself enough credit. You will become someone great and the stars will align to guide you forward."
"Not to suddenly ruin the mood because I really appreciate your praise, but I truly do wonder where Vega went. It's not that she appears somewhere else from this location, or that she somehow moved to another place nearby. Vega is gone entirely. Like she got up and left."
Riho again looked at me. I couldn't tell if he was humoring me or if he thought I was on to something. I speculated "Maybe she became tired of only being able to see Altair for one day every year and left the heavens to be with him in the mortal world."
"But Vega's father brought Altair to the heavens, right? That's why he's still there."
"He did," I replied. "But while Vega was always a goddess who resided in the heavens, Altair was a mortal. When Vega's father placed the two in the sky as stars, Altair's soul and presence still resided in the mortal world. Vega's father's actions allowed Altair to cross the celestial bridge into the heavens to be with Vega for one day each year. Every day except that day each year, Altair resides in the mortal world living among the mortals. That's why you can see Altair in the sky even though he's not entirely there."
"And how do you know that?" Riho asked.
"I..." I had to ask myself the same question. "...I don't know. But I know I'm not wrong."
Riho looked like he made a revelation. "Will Altair go to see Vega again?" He asked.
"I know that he'll see her again when she returns to the heavens." I said, trying to be comforting. I could tell that Riho cared more for the two literal star crossed lovers than I did. I wasn't sure why, but I didn't question it and tried to give him peace of mind despite that he seemed happy at my answer, like he had peace of mind of his own- Like my answer gave him contentment and reassurance of something he had concern about.
"The question of where Vega went is still unanswered, but Altair will find her, just as we will find a cellphone store. Shall we get to that, Riho?"
"..."
"Riho?" My words weren't reaching him. He was in his own world, smiling at the sky. I let him be until he flashed a devious and - dare I say- idiotic grin. As someone who has been in such a state before, I worried what dangerous ideas were crossing his mind. "R.i.h.o."
"Oh, right, cellphone store. This way."
On we went.