I sighed as I looked at the dying embers of my fire. Blast it! Why didn't she come tonight? I turned around to stare up at her window, the bedroom window of my beloved. I argued with myself in my head, I shouldn't be stalking her like that…but it wasn't stalking, my tent was set up right below her window, purely on chance, and I was making sure she was okay… I admitted to myself that I wasn't just curious about her safety, I was missing her company…

Every day for the past week, she had come out of the house to share a sweet potato with me at sunset. And after that we sat and talked, keeping warm by my small fire, long until the stars had come out. And for a few brief, sweet moments we sat, together, our sides pressed together as we stared up at all the stars of the Milky Way together. I savored those moments. I could feel her arm, pressing up against mine. I could feel the heat flowing off of her, and I could see the wonder that she got in her eyes every time she gazed up at the starry sky. But it was all too short for me, and much too soon she had to go back inside, but not before giving me a brief hug. I hated her leaving more than anything else.

I muttered to myself as I looked at the two sweet potatoes, cooling under the dying coals. Sunset had already come and gone, and the stars which she loved were already out and shining bright. The moon was waxing, not quite full but close. It lent everything a silvery, glowing quality. I decided that I would try and talk to her, see what had happened. Sitting here grumbling to myself would do me no good, and I was curious beside the point, I stood up and fixed my belt, and went hesitantly up to the door. I gulped, and went to knock. But before I could, I blushed and withdrew my hand. If she hadn't come out tonight, it surely meant that she didn't want to be bothered…didn't it? Steeling my nerves, I finally brought up my courage enough to knock on the door. After only a few seconds I heard her stir in her darkened bedroom, and come running down the stairs.

As my darling Natsumi opened the door, I was, as always, captured by her breathtaking beauty. But something marred her perfect face. Her seashell-pink cheeks were flushed, and there were a few tears trailing down them, leaving small trails that glistened white in the soft moonlight. I gasped as I saw her. "N-Natsumi!? What happened? Are you okay?"