Xyrus's P.O.V.
I sat in front of my computer in the middle of the night, the cold glow of the dual monitors cutting through the dark bedroom. I was thinking of someone I loved. For a long time, I genuinely thought I had moved on from that day, but I was wrong.
It was an awful day, easily the worst day of my life, and the memories were suddenly clawing their way back to the surface.
I couldn't help it. My mind kept looping back to earlier this evening when Kyles had said the exact same words my first love used to say to me.
'Lovely stars.'
I could still clearly hear her soft, warm voice echoing in my mind, just as clearly as the day she had said it.
I stared blindly at her one and only picture saved on my desktop.
How could I forget her?
We were dating back in our high school days. I remember the afternoon I brought her to a place that I knew she would absolutely love—The Observatory Orbit & Space Museum.
She was smiling at me the whole time.
Even now, if I closed my eyes, I could still see her sparkling eyes, her excited movements, and the curve of her lips as she told me how much she really loved the place.
I groaned softly, leaning back in my chair.
How could I ever forget those green eyes of hers?
I didn't know what her current situation was, or where she even was in the world anymore.
"Where are you now?"
I whispered to the empty room.
I pulled a pillow tightly against my chest and buried my face into the fabric.
I wondered if it was still okay to cry at my age. Being a thirty-year-old man didn't mean I couldn't cry over something I used to love—and maybe, if I was being completely honest with myself, something I still loved.
Third Person's P.O.V.
The bedroom was filled with a heavy, gloomy aura. Outside, the nighttime wind swept through the open window, causing the dark curtains to blow violently against the wall. On the bedside table, the digital clock blinked its sharp blue light, silently marking the time: 3:54 AM.
Xyrus was still crying, his shoulders shaking slightly against the pillow. He had finished a bottle of beer earlier in the evening, and the alcohol had completely broken down his usual technical defenses, leaving him entirely vulnerable to the ghosts of his past.
Suddenly, his phone began to ring, the loud vibration rattling against the desk.
Ring, ring.
He didn't even bother checking the caller identity. Although the caller's name flashed brightly across the screen, Xyrus simply reached out, grabbed the device, and tossed it carelessly onto the mattress near his computer station. He didn't want to talk to anyone. He just pulled the pillow back over his face, the muffled sounds of his quiet tears filling the room.
Ring, ring.
The phone persisted, but he didn't have the energy to get up or answer it. He just stayed there in the dark, crying silently until exhaustion finally took over, and he passed out into a deep, dreamless sleep.
***
Morning arrived.
The sound of the morning wind blew the curtains into the room as bright sunlight streamed across the floor. Xyrus was still sleeping soundly right at his desk, his upper body slumped over the surface while tightly hugging his pillow.
Ring, ring.
His phone began to ring loudly once again, the continuous, aggressive vibration finally waking him from his deep sleep. He stretched his stiff arms, yawning heavily as he forced his aching body to stand up. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he dragged his feet over to his bed while carrying the pillow, tossing it back onto the unmade mattress.
He reached out to grab his phone, which was still ringing insistently in his palm. But just as he was about to press the screen to answer the call, the ringing abruptly stopped, and the display went completely black.
He tapped the screen to unlock it and checked the caller ID.
There were exactly 32 missed calls from Kyles.
"What time is it?" he muttered aloud, his voice raspy. He stared directly at his phone clock.
"Fuck," Xyrus cursed under his breath, his eyes widening as he rushed straight into his bathroom to get ready.
Pollen's P.O.V.
The sun was shining brightly against my skin. The atmosphere here was completely filled with peace and relaxation, a stark contrast to the noisy, crowded districts I had left behind in the lower city.
I arrived at the gate of Starry Nightsky Island, stopping dead in my tracks. Standing in front of me was an enormous golden gate that towered over the surrounding perimeter walls.
The security guards standing watch were incredibly strict. One of them stepped forward and told me to hand over my invitation card. I nervously gave it to them. After checking it three separate times under a scanner, he finally nodded, gave it back to me, and opened the heavy gate to let me pass.
Zachy and Leo had left shortly after I explicitly told them that I was going to be okay. Zachy had hugged me tightly, holding onto me for a long moment before they finally got back into the silver sedan and drove away.
"Miss Anderson?"
I jumped suddenly in surprise, a small gasp escaping my throat. Someone had called my name from right behind me.
I turned around to see a woman dressed in a crisp, formal hotel uniform standing a few feet away.
"Yes, it's me," I said, offering her a tentative smile. "Are you my guide?"
She shook her head gently.
"My apologies for the late introduction," she said, bowing her head slightly in a professional gesture.
"My name is Cleo, and I am the manager of the Starry Night Hotel."
She extended her hand toward the lush path ahead.
"Welcome to Starry Nightsky Island."
I shook her hand and politely smiled at her.
"Follow me, Miss Anderson," she instructed smoothly.
It wasn't my intention for my eyes to catch her thought bubble, but as our hands parted, a soft lavender hue hovered briefly above her head:
'She's pretty and looks so young.'
The unexpected compliment instantly flushed my cheeks, and for a moment, I felt completely shy. I quickly avoided her gaze, staring down at my shoes to hide my embarrassment.
Cleo turned and walked in front of me to guide me along the way, and I quickly followed her inside, taking in the beautiful, serene sights of the resort as we moved deeper into paradise.
As I walked along the lush, paved pathway, I carefully listened to Cleo as she guided me toward the heart of the resort.
The visual layout of Starry Nightsky Island was breathtaking, specifically engineered to look like an untouched tropical sanctuary.
On our left, the vast, crystal-blue ocean stretched out until it met the horizon, its calm waves gently lapping against a wide shore of pristine white sand. Thick rows of vibrant green palm trees fringed the beach, their leaves rustling softly in the coastal breeze. Nestled further up the highest hill of the island sat a massive, state-of-the-art observatory structure. Its grand, reflective silver dome gleamed under the morning sun, housing a world-class telescope explicitly designed for stargazing away from the heavy smog of the lower districts.
Directly ahead stood the main building of the Starry Night Hotel, a beautiful architectural masterpiece blending modern minimalist glass walls with warm, rustic stone arches.
Cleo led me through the towering glass entrance and into the grand hotel lobby. The space was incredibly wide, featuring high ceilings and polished marble floors that reflected the bright morning light. As we walked past the front desk, a row of impeccably dressed staff members bowed politely, offering me a synchronized welcome.
We arrived at the second floor of the main building, stepping out into a wide, carpeted corridor. The hallway seemed to stretch on forever, lined with dozens of heavy oak doors leading to various luxury suites.
Cleo walked briskly down the hall until she stopped in front of a room near the very end, sliding a gold-accented key card into the electronic lock. The mechanism clicked open with a quiet beep, and she gestured for me to step inside.
The room was stunning, but Cleo immediately walked through the space to guide me through its features, pointing toward a sleek, modern bathroom on the right before turning toward a king-sized bed covered in crisp, white linens.
"Your luggage has already been brought up by the bellhop, Miss Anderson," Cleo said, turning to face me with a polite, professional posture.
"Please, feel free to rest for a while since you just got here after a long transit ride. I will return to tour you through the rest of the facility in exactly an hour."
"Thank you, Cleo," I replied, offering her a soft smile.
"The room is beautiful."
"It is our absolute pleasure to have you here," Cleo answered warmly.
"If you need anything at all before our tour, simply dial zero on the bedside console."
With a polite bow, she stepped out of the suite and closed the heavy door, leaving me completely alone in the quiet luxury of the room.
I stood still for a moment, just looking around the room, before sitting on the edge of the plush bed to test the mattress. The silence was absolute.
Driven by curiosity, I stood up and headed straight towards the wide glass window at the far end of the suite. I opened the window, and a sudden, strong gust of ocean wind rushed into the room, brushing firmly against my face. My hair instantly became messy, blowing wildly across my eyes.
I looked down toward the beach, using my hand to fix my hair, smoothing the stray strands back from my face and tucking them neatly behind my ears.
The view from the second floor was staggering. You could see the vast ocean clearly from here, the sunlight dancing across the water like scattered diamonds. The brilliant white sand looked completely untouched, framed perfectly by the emerald-green trees swaying in the wind. A flock of white sea birds flew past the window, chirping softly as they glided over the water. It felt like an entirely different world—a perfectly warm and peaceful environment.
But a strange thought crossed my mind as I stared at the empty coastline.
'Why is no one here except for the staff?'
Thinking back to when Cleo was guiding me through the path and the lobby, I realized I hadn't seen a single other tourist or guest.
'Maybe they are all staying over in the private villa buildings on the other side of the hill,' I reasoned to myself, trying to dismiss the weird sense of isolation.
I leaned my forearms on the window frame, supporting my chin in my hands as I looked around the beautiful landscape once again. Slowly, the rhythmic sound of the distant waves began calming my heart, washing away the tight, lingering anxiety that usually choked my chest in the crowded city. The complete silence and the raw beauty of the surroundings felt like a heavy blanket of comfort.
"If only I could live here forever," I whispered to myself. I smiled faintly, letting out a soft, relaxed sigh before turning away from the view and heading back to the bed to sit down.
Deciding to stay productive, I pulled my heavy suitcase closer and started unpacking my belongings. I unzipped the bags and carefully carried my blouses and dresses over to the closet, hanging the clothes neatly on the wooden hangers.
Afterward, I carried my small travel pouch into the luxurious bathroom. I pulled out my favorite lavender soap, setting it carefully into the porcelain dish by the sink, before neatly organizing my toothbrush, skincare bottles, and hairbrush along the wide marble counter.