|MaNan OS| Stars and Fireflies [AU]

So ummm.. I don't really know what this is.. it's KY2 but it's not... the characters and their backstory, their thoughts and the words are the same because their connection is so magical I didn't want to tamper with that.. only the context is different.. you will understand if you dare to read further.. at your own risk, peepz!

STARS AND FIREFLIES

She loved birthdays.. such special occasions.. a celebration of life.. an entire day dedicated to the miracle of one's own existence.. whether it was her own or anyone else's that she knew of, birthdays always made her smile.. and filled her heart with joy.. Fun, frolic, gifts and wishes.. what was not to love?

Today was his birthday. Should she wish him?

He hated birthdays.. just didn't get the deal about it.. what was so great about the day you were born anyway? Every minute new life was being added to the planet, as if that was cause for celebration.. he himself could never recall a single birthday, even as a kid, when someone had him feel special for being a part of their life. And he hated being reminded, that he wasn't.. not really.. not to anyone.. because no one knew the 'real' him anyway.. which was why he hated being wished.

Scotch, solitude and a starry sky in the middle of nowhere lying on the hood of his car.. that was all the celebration he ever wanted. Almost midnight, he sighed, simply enjoying the peace and quiet he rarely let himself have.. Usually, being alone in the dark terrified him but not when he had his beloved stars..

The sudden buzzing of his phone interrupted his thoughts.. incoming message.. a picture of.. Was that a starlit night sky? He squinted to get a better look and noticed the text below 'Happy Birthday. May you have a bright year ahead.' That was all. No name.

All his friends knew better than to wish him and he had no 'family' to speak of, so who could this be? His own curiosity annoyed him but he disliked not knowing. Someone had sent him the stars after all. He couldn't just ignore it. Fine, let's get this over with. Who is this?' he sent back.

The loud message tone startled her out of the doze she'd fallen into sitting at her desk. It was late, the place was empty and she was tired after such a long day. No wonder she'd almost fallen asleep, she thought as she blinked wearily and checked her phone. She frowned, surprised. She hadn't been expecting a response. Whatever glimpses she'd managed to catch of him earlier that day, he'd seemed like a pretty popular guy.. so she'd expected her message to get lost in a sea of birthday greetings.. how had he even noticed this one? She had no idea how to respond though. Maybe silence was best for now.. she'd explain everything tomorrow with a clear head when she felt more alert and would be able to make sense.

He continued to glare angrily at his phone for the next fifteen minutes but it remained stubbornly silent.. no replies.. no calls. Finally impatient, his impulsiveness ruling him as always, he called the unknown number.. for better or worse, he just needed to KNOW..

Oh, he was calling, now what? Should she answer? Or just ignore it? Well, it was his birthday.. wouldn't it be rude to not pick up? Even as she stood there, hand hovering indecisively over the phone, it stopped ringing. Guess I don't have to worry anymore for now. She wondered why she sounded disappointed.

A minute later, her phone was ringing again and this time she didn't think twice.. "Hello?" she answered tentatively..

A female voice.. she sounded young too.. if this was another 'fan girl', he was going to lose his cool and give her hell for disturbing him when he all he wanted was to be left alone.. "Who is this? And how did you know it was my birthday?"

"Ummm Hi.. yeah.. about that.. you left your ID card at the cafe today. I work there part time in the evenings and I found it while cleaning up. I was going to call you tomorrow anyway to let you know when I noticed it was your birthday. So I thought, might as well wish you. I mean one can never have too many of those, can they?"

Okay he didn't know what he'd been expecting but it wasn't this. All the angry words died on his lips.. He hated being wished but he wasn't about to tell a stranger that. Unsure how to respond, he finally went with, "Why'd you send me the stars?"

Stars???', she asked sounded horrified. "Those aren't stars. Those are fireflies. I just love fireflies. They are so tiny, and yet they constantly fight the darkness, brightening the world around them with their own light. They give me hope to never give up in life. Stars?'', she scoffed, "I would never send you stars. I hate them. Loathe and detest them. I just want to crush and destroy them if I could".

She had stunned him again. That was twice now in the past two minutes alone. The fierceness in that sweet voice, where was that coming from? Flabbergasted, he questioned, "Wait. You don't like stars? But why? I just love them.. Look at how pretty how they are.. always shining selflessly.. lighting up the night sky.. they're so beautiful.."

"You like them?", there was wonder in her voice now and for some unknown reason, that made him smile.

"Yes I do. They give me hope too." What was he saying? He never said things like that. Hope? Really? How drunk was he already?

"Okay", she replied softly, sounding lost in thought.

"Okay?" That was all? She wasn't going to argue or disagree or actually he didn't even know what he wanted her to say.. or why he even wanted to know what she was thinking.. but whatever.. fine then.. "Okay!"

"You know, new ideas are a good thing. We just need to familiarize our ourselves with the changes is all.. then they don't seem so shocking", she continued in that gentle tone of hers..

He didn't know if she was speaking to herself or to him, but she sounded wiser than her years and each word of hers felt like they were meant just for him. This girl was confusing him, intriguing him, beguiling him and he didn't even know her! He needed to stop this right now before she disarmed him completely.

"I don't like change. It can't be controlled and I don't trust new things. It's not easy to change me", he finished in a stern voice and cut the call before he could give in to the temptation to stay on the line and spend the entire night talking to this fascinating woman.

Did he just hang up on her? Without so much as a goodbye? Aiyappa, what was wrong with this guy? But she smiled anyway.. because he'd made her feel differently towards something she thought she'd always hate for the rest of her life.. he'd freed her from her own hatred and he didn't even know it..

So he likes stars, she reminisced as she walked back home, alone yet completely at peace with the starry sky overhead... she knew just the gift for him.. she'd seen it in the curio shop next door a while back.. this star lamp.. it was a small thing but she felt certain he'd like it.. maybe she could leave it with his ID card for him to pick up whenever he came by since she wasn't around in the day.. she liked making people happy and it could be her way of saying thank you.. Yes, she was going to do it.. the first (well second if you count that birthday wish) impulsive thing she'd be doing in.. well.. forever.. something about him.. he made her feel alive and she didn't know why.. one day the fireflies would tell her.. but not yet..

He continued to smile as he stared at the dark screen of his phone.. he felt dazed, like he'd been hit by lightning.. but it wasn't painful, more like feeling alive again after being frozen in the dark for so long.. He was still struggling to untangle all his jumbled thoughts when he noticed something glowing out of the corner of his eye and he turned his head in shock.. were those.. actual fireflies? So many of them, sparkling and shining all around him.. She was right, they were brilliant.. but what a strange co-incidence.. he just didn't understand.. not yet.. but one day he would..

P.S: This is a product of my boring sunday and KY2 withdrawal.. 😆😆😆

So that's all for now folks! Hope you didn't suffer too much.. All comments, criticisms, arguments, suggestions, ideas etc. are always welcome. Feel free to be as blunt and brutal as you like..

Originally posted by: annboleyn

13thwish I missed you. Hope all is well.

This is very clever writing. The interplay by referencing is really very clever ( can't come up with a synonym for clever).

Please do some more interweaving. No names but the identity shines through just like the stars and fireflies.

I really enjoyed their convo in the music room when he is alluding to her being his biggest fan. I would love if you write that scenario as well Cleverly...

Much love.