When Shooting Stars Fall: Chapter 5
05 | Incineration
Late autumn’s evening breeze has already cast off the humidity of late summer, blowing unrestrained and carefree.
It’s already been about 24 hours since I last slept, lying in bed tossing and turning, unable to contain the excitement bouncing around in my heart. I can only wait, wait for the dark sky to quickly turn bright, then wait for the bright sky to turn darker again.
Finally, my alarm goes off on time in the early hours of the next morning.
The train starts and stops on its journey, before finally stopping at my station, yet it's still quite a distance from Skymirror Salt Lake. I walk towards my destination hastily, walking faster and faster until I start running. Finally, after running under the low slope of the moonlight and through the winding pathways, I finally see the dreamlike salt lake that is like the surface of a mirror.
And in the middle of the salt lake, under an unchanging tranquil starry sky, a familiar figure stands with his back facing me.
This is the first time I’ve seen Xavier without his school uniform, his figure harmoniously illuminated by moonlight. I can’t help but run towards him in , stepping onto the ankle-deep salt marsh.
Xavier turns his head back, the evening breeze sweeping a pleasant fragrance into my nostrils, clear and cool, just like the moonlight.
He grabs my hand and leads me to the pier built across the salt lake to sit down. While crossing my legs over the edge to swing them, I look left and right, thinking about something.
“No need to look, they didn't follow behind.”
“You finally managed to shake them off?”
“Mn.”
I vaguely sense an evasiveness in Xavier’s gaze, but soon, the light in his eyes become even brighter as they reflect .
“Didn't you arrange to meet me to see the meteor shower? Why are your thoughts on other people?”
Before I can open my mouth, a beam of starlight passes through the night sky, reflecting on the salt lake below.
“It's here!”
Instantly, Xavier and I raise our heads.
The inky night sky is dotted with constellations of different brightness. A cluster of meteors fall from it, and just as quickly. It’s followed by the second and third clusters appearing and disappearing— The entire world is within sight, as if Xavier and I are the last two people. And this meteor shower is a scene viewed only by the two of us.
I put both hands together, making a wish towards the shooting stars. When my eyes open, I see Xavier also making one.
I ask him what he had wished for, he shakes his head, and says he won't tell me.
Just like that, we sit here between Heaven and Earth, waiting until the night sky turns into a lavender before standing up.
“Wait— I have something I want to give you.”
I remember something, and pull open my bag’s zipper, pulling out a star tassel from within and raising it in front of Xavier. He's stunned for a moment, before taking the sword tassel and inspecting it, while asking me: “You made this?”
“Mhm… I know it looks a little ugly, but…”
“Looks good.” He interrupts me, and then returns the tassel to me. “Can you help me hang it up?”
I smile at Xavier for a bit, and hang the tassel onto his wooden sword. Finally, I take one last lingering glance towards the salt lake, wanting to pull him back the way we came, but unexpectedly, his feet come to a stop where he stands.
“What’s wrong?”
Xavier silently looks at me for a moment. “Can I hug you for a bit.”
“What?” I don’t think I’ve heard him clearly, and look into Xavier’s eyes, .
“I said, can I hug you for a moment?”
He repeats his words once more, his tone mild, flowing into my ears like wind.
Without waiting for my reaction, he takes a few steps closer, and then bends down and holds me around my waist, still in that calm and pristine manner. I am stunned for two seconds, my hands climbing up his back little by little…
So this is what an embrace with him is like.
“Thank you, my wish came true,” he says by my ear.
“Next time when there's a meteor shower, let's come together again,” he proposes once more, and I nod.
I deeply want time to just stop at this moment, and deeply hope this wish of mine can become reality.
I don't know whether it was Heaven punishing a greedy person, but ever since that night, my life also became just like a shooting star, falling down from its highest point.
05 | Incineration
Late autumn’s evening breeze has already cast off the humidity of late summer, blowing unrestrained and carefree.
It’s already been about 24 hours since I last slept, lying in bed tossing and turning, unable to contain the excitement bouncing around in my heart. I can only wait, wait for the dark sky to quickly turn bright, then wait for the bright sky to turn darker again.
Finally, my alarm goes off on time in the early hours of the next morning.
The train starts and stops on its journey, before finally stopping at my station, yet it's still quite a distance from Skymirror Salt Lake. I walk towards my destination hastily, walking faster and faster until I start running. Finally, after running under the low slope of the moonlight and through the winding pathways, I finally see the dreamlike salt lake that is like the surface of a mirror.
And in the middle of the salt lake, under an unchanging tranquil starry sky, a familiar figure stands with his back facing me.
This is the first time I’ve seen Shen Xinghui without his school uniform, his figure harmoniously illuminated by moonlight. I can’t help but run towards him in , stepping onto the ankle-deep salt marsh.
Shen Xinghui turns his head back, the evening breeze sweeping a pleasant fragrance into my nostrils, clear and cool, just like the moonlight.
He grabs my hand and leads me to the pier built across the salt lake to sit down. While crossing my legs over the edge to swing them, I look left and right, thinking about something.
“No need to look, they didn't follow behind.”
“You finally managed to shake them off?”
“Mn.”
I vaguely sense an evasiveness in Shen Xinghui's gaze, but soon, the light in his eyes become even brighter as they reflect .
“Didn't you arrange to meet me to see the meteor shower? Why are your thoughts on other people?”
Before I can open my mouth, a beam of starlight passes through the night sky, reflecting on the salt lake below.
“It's here!”
Instantly, Shen Xinghui and I raise our heads.
The inky night sky is dotted with constellations of different brightness. A cluster of meteors fall from it, and just as quickly. It’s followed by the second and third clusters appearing and disappearing— The entire world is within sight, as if Shen Xinghui and I are the last two people. And this meteor shower is a scene viewed only by the two of us.
I put both hands together, making a wish towards the shooting stars. When my eyes open, I see Shen Xinghui also making one.
I ask him what he had wished for, he shakes his head, and says he won't tell me.
Just like that, we sit here between Heaven and Earth, waiting until the night sky turns into a lavender before standing up.
“Wait— I have something I want to give you.”
I remember something, and pull open my bag’s zipper, pulling out a star tassel from within and raising it in front of Shen Xinghui. He's stunned for a moment, before taking the sword tassel and inspecting it, while asking me: “You made this?”
“Mhm… I know it looks a little ugly, but…”
“Looks good.” He interrupts me, and then returns the tassel to me. “Can you help me hang it up?”
I smile at Shen Xinghui for a bit, and hang the tassel onto his wooden sword. Finally, I take one last lingering glance towards the salt lake, wanting to pull him back the way we came, but unexpectedly, his feet come to a stop where he stands.
“What’s wrong?”
Shen Xinghui silently looks at me for a moment. “Can I hug you for a bit.”
“What?” I don’t think I’ve heard him clearly, and look into Shen Xinghui’s eyes, .
“I said, can I hug you for a moment?”
He repeats his words once more, his tone mild, flowing into my ears like wind.
Without waiting for my reaction, he takes a few steps closer, and then bends down and holds me around my waist, still in that calm and pristine manner. I am stunned for two seconds, my hands climbing up his back little by little…
So this is what an embrace with him is like.
“Thank you, my wish came true,” he says by my ear.
“Next time when there's a meteor shower, let's come together again,” he proposes once more, and I nod.
I deeply want time to just stop at this moment, and deeply hope this wish of mine can become reality.
I don't know whether it was Heaven punishing a greedy person, but ever since that night, my life also became just like a shooting star, falling down from its highest point.
05 | Incineration
The late autumn wind blows away the last of the humid summer, carefree in its passing.
It has almost been 24 hours since I last slept. I lie in bed tossing and turning, unable to steady my restless heart. I can only wait for the darkened sky to light up again, and then wait for the brightened sky to darken once more.
Then, my alarm rings in the early hours of the next morning.
The train ride is bumpy. After it stops at the station, I'm still a long way from Skymirror Salt Flat. As I walk, I go from a stroll to a run. Running across the moonlit slope and through the winding path, I finally see the mirror-like lake that's akin to a shard of a dream.
And standing in the center of the flat, underneath the still starry sky, is a familiar figure.
This is the first time I've seen Xavier without his uniform. His figure is perfectly illuminated by the moonlight. I hurry to him, stepping into the water that doesn't even reach my ankles.
Xavier turns, the breeze bringing a sweet, cool, refreshing scent reminiscent of moonlight to me.
He grabs my hand unexpectedly, taking me to the trestle bridge to sit. I sit with one leg over the other, swinging them over the edge. I remember something and begin to look around.
Xavier sits down next to me. Then, as though he can read my mind, he says, "You don't have to check. They're not here."
"Truly? You got rid of them?"
"Yes."
I vaguely sense Xavier's gaze being a little evasive, but quickly, his eyes become even brighter from the light reflected on the ground.
"Why are you thinking about others when you requested I watch the meteor shower with you?"
Before I can answer, a star flies across the salt flat's reflection.
"It's starting!"
Xavier and I look up at the same time.
The dark, inky sky is illuminated by various colors. Clusters of stars light up the sky one after the other, appearing and disappearing. It's as if only Xavier and I exist in this world, and only the two of us see this meteor shower.
I clasp my hands and make a wish. When I open my eyes, I see Xavier is also doing the same thing.
I ask what he wished for, but he shakes his head and says he can't tell me.
We sit there, between heaven and earth, until the sky turns lilac. Then we stand up.
"Wait, I have something I want to give you."
I hastily unzip my bag. I pull out a sword tassel with a star-shaped charm and hold it up to Xavier's face. He's shocked, then takes it from me.
"Did you make this yourself?" he asks.
"I did... I know it's sort of ugly, but-"
"It looks good." He interrupts me, and then hands the tassel back. "Can you help me put it on?"
I smile at Xavier and put the tassel on his sword. I give one last look, full of longing, to the salt flat. I try to drag him back the way we came, but I notice he stopped moving.
"What's wrong?"
Xavier quietly stares at me. "Can I hug you?"
"What?" Thinking I misheard him, I look into his eyes for confirmation.
"Can I hug you?"
He repeats himself. His tone is soft, fluttering to my ears like the wind.
Before I can react, he takes a few steps closer and leans down to hug me, all in one motion executed with calm precision. I'm stunned. Then, my hands slowly climb up his back.
So, this is what it feels like to hug him.
"Thank you. My wish came true," he whispers into my ear.
"Next time there's a meteor shower, let's visit this place again." I nod.
I wish time stopped at this moment, and I hope my wish can come true.
But was this the price I had to pay for my selfishness? Ever since that night, which was the brightest point of my life, everything became fleeting, fading like a shooting star.
05 | 燃烧
可我没有想到，还没等到我向着流星许愿，我的心脏就开始不安分了。
深秋的晚风已经褪去了夏末的潮湿，吹得很潇洒。
我几乎已经二十四小时没有睡着了，躺在床上辗转反侧，按捺不住自己躁动雀跃的心。我只能等待，等待暗下的天能够赶快亮起来，等待亮起来的天再次黑下去。
终于，我的闹铃在第二天凌晨准时响起。
列车走走停停，开了一路，终于在终点站停下，却离天镜盐湖有一段距离。我朝着目的地快步走去，走着走着又变成跑。最后跑过月光下的矮坡，穿过弯弯绕绕的小道，我终于见到那片梦想地，犹如镜面一般的盐湖。
而在那片盐湖的正中央，那片仍旧平静的星空下，一个熟悉的身影正背对着我。
这是我第一次见到不穿学院制服的沈星回，他的身影被月色照得融融的。我迫不急待地跑上前，踩上只没过脚踝的盐沼。
沈星回回过头，晚风裹挟着一股好闻的香气钻进我的鼻腔，清清冷冷，像月光一样。
他抓住我的手，引着我走到一旁横筑在盐湖上的栈桥坐下。我一边交叉晃悠着腿，一边想起了什么，左顾右盼。
“不用找了，他们没有跟来。”
“你终于摆脱他们了？”
“嗯。”
我隐约觉得沈星回的目光似有些闪躲，但很快，他眼里的光又被天地映得更亮了几分：
“不是约我来看流星？怎么心思在别人身上。”
还没等我开口，脚下盐湖倒映出的夜空，正划过第一束星光。
“来了！”
瞬间，我和沈星回齐齐抬起头。
墨色的夜空中点缀着明暗不同的星群，一束流星从中坠下来，又很快结束。接着是第二束、第三束，出现又消失——目光所及的整片天地里，仿佛只有我和沈星回两个人，这片流星雨，是只有我和他两个人看到的风景。
我双手合十，向流星许下我的愿望。睁开眼的时候，看到沈星回也在许愿。
我问他许了什么愿望，他摇摇头，说不告诉我。
我们就这样坐在这天地之间，等到远处的夜空泛起淡紫色才站起来。
“等等——我有东西要给你。”
我想起了什么，拉开包的拉链，从里面拽出一只星星剑穗，举到沈星回的面前。他先是一愣，然后接过剑穗看了又看，问我：“你做的？”
“嗯……我知道是有点不好看，但是……”
“好看。”他打断我，然后将剑穗递还给我，“能不能帮我挂起来？”
我冲沈星回笑了一下，将剑穗挂在他的木剑上，最后留恋地看了一眼这片盐湖，便想拉着他往回走，却不料他的脚步停在了原地。
“怎么了？”
沈星回沉默地看着我片刻。“可不可以抱一下你。”
“什么？” 我以为自己没听清，看向沈星回的眼睛，又向他确认了一遍。
“我说，我可以抱你一下吗。”
他又重复了一遍，语气淡淡的，像风一样飘进我的耳朵里。
还没等我反应过来，他就靠近了几步，然后弯下腰拥住我，还是那个平静又利落的样子。我愣了两秒，手一点点攀上了他的脊背——
原来和他的拥抱是这样子的。
“谢谢你，我的愿望实现了。”他在我耳边说道。
“下次有流星的时候，我们再一起来这里吧。”他又提议，我点头。
我多想时间就能停留在这一刻，多想我的愿望也能够实现。
可不知道是不是上天惩罚贪心的人，自那夜之后，我的生活也如同流星一样，从最顶点划落了。
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