It was a dream,
a dream which should have lasted longer.

"Ayumu."

Her name reached out to her once.

"Ayumu."

And then once more, but despite the endless callings of her name, the girl was utterly oblivious as to where they came from. It was often like this, she'd continuously hear her name out of the blue, perhaps it was all in my head she would think, but in the end, she was always left clueless.

Instead of clinging onto the questions arising in her mind, she went about her day with numerous tasks assigned to her, one after the other, by her teachers. Although she was exhausted, the timid female lacked the courage to decline the responsibilities.

"Of course," those words undoubtedly would have escaped the tip of her tongue as the adults piled the several books into the safety of her arms.

Day after day, the same questions pierced her, whether it be from the adults or other students for homework. Day after day, the same fake smile plastered on her face went unnoticed by many.

However there was one place that the female had taken a liking in, in which that place welcomed her everyday after her duties, in which it was the only place she felt herself at ease. Unknowingly, the female would spend minutes, hours there as she would allow her surroundings to captivate and take her mind wholly.

The fountain.

It wasn't that she despised her home, in fact she loved her mother dearly. It was more to the idea that she loved the slight cold breeze hitting every inch of her exposed skin. She loved as her long hair cascaded down her back, occasionally being tossed from side to side by the wind. She loved the freedom she was entitled to during her stay; no questions, no people, simply just the tiny ripples in the water forming across the surface.

Although, today was different...

The girl was pacing herself towards the fountain, her head hung low in an attempt to not make any eye contact with passing people. She grasped onto the straps of her bag tightly only to relax as she allowed her eyes to lift upwards for a fraction of a second. There, a distant figure was situated, facing the fountain.

"Oh," was all she could say while her eyebrows furrowed slightly upon the unexpected visitor. It surprised her that someone else had finally taken notice of the fountain, as she did. But it has always been me, just me she thought.

Naturally she was nervous, she came to toss in a coin and make a wish, but the new person made her uneasy. She hesitated to close the distance between her and her destination, but finally she eventually made her way towards it.

Step after step, she found herself standing side by side next to the other person. She breathed in and out to calm herself down. Besides it is a public place, and everyone has access to the fountain, of course other people would come.

Nevertheless, she closed her eyes tight and held the coin firmly between her fingers. Making a wish, she kissed it lightly for luck and threw the coin in the water. A small splash was created, and she smiled in satisfaction. Then she watched as it sank down, until it was out of sight.

And then...

"What did you wish for?" A question that momentarily stopped the female's heart. Her eyes were fixed open and a continuous ringing sound was resonating in her ears. Turning her head slightly to the right, she was met with an eye smile, an eye smile so bright it reminded her of a star. Her mouth was gaped open while the other waited for her to reply back.

"I-uh," she was left speechless. It was a stranger after all, what was she supposed to say anyways? Don't dreams come true if you don't tell anyone what it is?

"Oh my name is Hoshi by the way," he blurted, supposedly to break the awkward silence between the two. Hoshi? He was literally a star she thought. The female shook away her thoughts lightly. Feeling conscious of her current behaviour, she smiled and felt the need to reply back politely.

"Nice to meet you Hoshi. Um-my name is-"

At this moment, the sky held a soft blue hue, the sun shone brightly which accompanied the sky, and the cherry blossoms were soon to bloom. Birds in the background chirped and sang songs and there was distant chatter from the people in range. She watched as his lips parted, only to have her heart shattered again.

"No need, I already know your name... Ayumu..."