Fourteen years and eleven months old.
That frail number, even for a typical short-life species, was only the very beginning of life.
But for Bai Heng, one of the Star Children, it already marked the end.
Yet, as he spoke this number, there wasn't a trace of fear on his face.
Death—something that countless powerful beings across the cosmos flee from in terror—was, in Bai Heng's eyes, nothing out of the ordinary.
Watching him like this, the already silent livestream chat grew even more somber.
--+--
Kiana: 「One last month… Counting the month he's already spent with Firefly, that means when he came to this planet and hired her as his guide, Bai Heng only had two months left to live...」
Pela: 「How could this be...」
Black Swan: 「A commodity in a trade, a life nearing its end… Yet in the face of all this, he can still smile, still lose himself in moments of joy with Firefly. Because from the moment he arrived on this planet, he had already accepted his fate...」
Himeko: 「Just as the name "Star Children" implies—brilliant as a shooting star, and just as fleeting. This is an inevitability they cannot escape...」
Stelle: 「Curse the lifespan trope! Damn this lifespan trope! Somebody hand me a blade! I'll give Bai Heng thirty years of mine! No—fifty!」
Silver Wolf: 「If it were really that easy to share, you might as well start a donation drive. We could each pitch in a year.」
Lumine: 「Speaking of which… Is Miss Firefly doing alright?」
Firefly: 「Mm… I'm fine...」
--+--
That was a lie!
Back at the Stellaron Hunter base.
In a dim, lightless room, Firefly's hand fell limply after sending that last message. She stared blankly at the smiling boy on the screen, lost in thought.
Just moments ago, when Bai Heng on screen laid bare his truth, fragmented images surged through Firefly's mind like old photos pulled from a dusty box.
She had seen those scattered scenes before.
They were moments of "her" on screen, experiences she had shared with Bai Heng in Penacony—
Scuffling playfully in the Clock Studios theme park, tossing water balloons at each other in the Hourglass Seas, laughing wildly hand-in-hand as they were chased by members of the Bloodhound Family…
Along with these images came an inexplicable ache in her chest.
Firefly didn't understand why these memories surfaced in her mind, nor the reason for this sorrow.
Why…?
Shouldn't these moments belong to a parallel world, or reside in some other memory bubble? They shouldn't have anything to do with her…
Why… Why did it hurt so much?
In the darkness, a glistening drop fell to the floor.
A tear from the silver-haired girl.
--+--
Even as the livestream's atmosphere grew somber, everyone had to face this unchangeable reality.
Their attention returned to the screen.
[14 years and 11 months—as you spoke this number, the girl's body trembled faintly. She lowered her head, making it hard for you to see her expression, but the way she bit her lip seemed to say everything.]
[You reached out, gently stroking her head, and said:]
"Sorry, uh… feels like I've apologized to you way too many times today." Bai Heng gave an awkward chuckle, his tone softening back to its usual gentleness. "But still, I really am sorry."
"You never should've had to carry something this heavy. It was only because of my own selfishness that I dragged you into all this."
"Selfishness…?" Firefly lifted her head, her beautiful eyes filled with confusion.
"Mhm…" Bai Heng glanced away almost sheepishly, unable to meet her gaze. "Star Children are drawn to beautiful things. On my first day in Penacony, the moment I saw you, I couldn't help but think…"
"How wonderful it would be to spend the last two months of my life with someone as lovely as you."
"So… I used a little trick to make you my guide…"
By the end, as if realizing how impure his motives might sound, Bai Heng shyly averted his eyes from the girl.
But Firefly didn't seem to catch what he meant by "a little trick." She tilted her head, her confusion only deepening.
Seeing her reaction, Bai Heng assumed she hadn't fully understood. He cleared his throat lightly and rephrased:
"If I were to put it more plainly, then…"
"It was love at first sight."
This time, Firefly understood.
Her petite frame shivered slightly. She stared blankly at Bai Heng, her fair, delicate cheeks flushing with a rosy hue she couldn't control.
But in the end, she couldn't form a response.
After all, it was all too sudden—so sudden that she didn't even know how to react.
If it were about feelings, her affection for Bai Heng was already at 90—she felt the same.
But faced with such direct words, Firefly still lacked the courage to respond.
It made sense. From the moment she was born into this world, she had spent her days confined to cold medical pods. Human connection had always been a distant luxury she could hardly afford. How could she possibly know how to respond to such an open confession now?
Her eyes darted around nervously as she scrambled for a way to reply.
But Bai Heng had already seen through her panic. A soft smile touched his lips as he placed a hand on her flustered shoulder and continued:
"I just wanted you to know how I feel. You don't have to respond."
"All I hope is that in this last month, you'll still be my guide."
With that, he extended his hand to her.
The chaos in her heart settled at his words. Firefly met his sincere, deep brown eyes and finally responded:
"Mm! In this last month, whether it's to the ends of this world or the edge of the universe, I'll go with you."
As her words faded, the girl took the boy's hand.
Just as Bai Heng had accepted everything about Firefly,
Firefly, too, chose to accept everything about Bai Heng.
But what she didn't know was—
A month is so short, too short to take in all the sights of a single city.
Yet a month can also be so long, long enough for a girl to remember it for the rest of her life.....
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.