Young Star

"I think this should be enough."

I'm handed two packs of panties and two bras all resting atop a notebook. The packs each have two colours, the first with white and blue while the second has white and red. The bras are white and blue to create matching sets. I wince when I look at the price, but I can't help but wonder just how much I can get away with.

"Is two bras enough? Don't girls also switch out their underwear every day?"

"A layman's question, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised."

She is back to an almost emotionless gaze as she looks up at me with reddened eyes. The image from before feels like a dream that ended too soon. Now that I'm awake, I get a girl with arms crossed looking at me like I'm not worth answering.

"Mira can rewear them for two or three days, but try to avoid more than that. You sounded big by saying to not worry about the price, but I'm sure that you're on a tight budget."

"I-I mean, we are…"

I glance at the rabbit that is bouncing around between displays of bras with different sizes, patterns, and colours.

"But I was at least a little serious. I don't mind skipping a few meals if I need to."

I have no idea what face she's making, but I feel her turn and join me in watching Mira frolicking off to the side. I'm not sure why, but Mira is already taking up all of my attention despite only being here for a couple of days. This girl must be feeling it too, this unusual power that little rabbit carries.

"I see."

It's a simple response, but her voice carries something else. That cold breeze stemming from either suspicion or simply indifference is no longer present. When I glance down, I only see her white hair. However, I already know that her frown isn't there.

"Seriously, thanks for the help. I don't think we could have done it without you."

"It's ridiculous that you even tried something like buying underwear without help."

"Hahaha…I have no excuses…"

Well, I do have excuses, but I can't exactly say them. It's a miracle that things didn't go worse given the strategy that I was going to settle on. We saved time, money, and energy all thanks to…

"I'm Noa, but I'm sure you already know that by now. What's your name?"

The girl in white takes a few steps forward and turns towards me with her hands resting together behind her back. Long white hair waves in the air before sweeping away to connect our gazes. The lights of the store briefly reflect across the red lenses obscuring the true nature of her eyes.

"Stella."

Words disappear from my mind as I stare at the girl in front of me. How I've been able to hold proper conversations with a girl this attractive is beyond me. Well, I probably have Mira to thank for that. I'd like to think that resistance to women has increased after receiving only the most intense training by her hands. This kind of moment would have been impossible for the me that lived a couple days ago.

"That's an interesting name."

"That's the best response you could think of?"

"Hahaha…sorry…"

Of course, I won't be perfect. However, I can't say that I mind that look of hers designed for staring at an idiot. Guys really are simple creatures. A cute girl is all that it takes to satisfy us sometimes.

I push these useless thoughts out of my head and face Stella.

"Is there any way I can repay you for this?"

"I didn't do anything worth getting hung up on."

She shrugs me off, but I continue pressing.

"Maybe, but I still want to thank you somehow. I can't do much, but just a favour I should be able to do something about."

Like usual, I can't tell what is going on in her head. However, she's staying silent instead of completely shutting down my offer. In the end, her eyes land back on Mira.

"Just take good care of her. That's all I can ask."

"Don't worry, that was always the plan."

I'm about to end things there when an idea pops into my mind. Mira really hogs all of the attention to herself.

"How about I let you come and visit Mira every once in a while?"

"Huh!?"

That's a pitch I haven't heard from her before. Stella immediately looks back at me with widened eyes and even Mira becomes distracted from her activity.

"We won't really be all that busy most of the time, so you can check on her. I'm sure Mira would enjoy it as well."

"Ah…I'm not sure about that…"

A blue head pops in between us and seems to throw off Stella's thoughts.

"You're coming to visit!?"

"I-I'm not sure yet…"

"You should! It'll be fun!"

Unable to withstand the sudden surge of energy and pure cuteness of Mira, Stella gives in. She may be sighing, but her expression is anything but upset.

"Not today, but I can definitely visit some other time."

"Really? Yay!"

"I guess that's a deal."

I shift the items to one arm and pull out my phone. Only a few seconds later do my contacts gain a new entry, one that makes my heart race just to think about. When Ed hears about how I got a girl's number, he's going to tie me to a pole and torture me to death with a baseball bat.

"Stella?"

The girl in white looks up from having just placed her phone back in her purse. I swallow nervously and let out one of the last concerns plaguing my mind.

"There is still a lot I don't know about taking care of Mira. Is it alright if I consult you on matters relating to her that I'm not equipped to handle?"

I expected a rejection or some kind of confusion. One could look at this as a guy finding an excuse to talk more to a girl. Considering her previous attitude with me, that wouldn't be an unusual conclusion for her to reach. However, I receive none of that suspicion. In its place is an annoyed glare from the side of her face as she turns away.

"You had better contact me! I can't have you making Mira do weird things!"

"Hahaha! I'll try not to bother you too much."

My shoulders relax as a massive weight seems to have been lifted off of them. Mira may not be a conventional girl by any means, but she needs to adapt into one in order to smoothly live in our society. In the back of my mind, I could always feel a slight itch that my lack of knowledge would cause problems for the both of us. These problems are even worse for Mira, who would have nobody to correct my potentially fatal mistakes. I was going to try my best regardless, but now I have no excuses. I'll make sure Mira can live here peacefully.

Stella points at the notebook in my hand.

"It's probably time for me to head out. I do happen to be very busy."

"Ah, sorry for taking up your time. We also have some extra stops to make. Thanks again for your help."

"Don't worry about it."

After returning her items, I call over to Mira and we start making our way to checkout. I expect Stella to be right behind us, but the girl in white still hasn't moved from the lines of underwear. I have the decency to walk away silently, but the rabbit next to me didn't anticipate us parting so soon.

"Stella, you're not leaving too?"

"Sorry, Mira. I still have some things to grab."

She turns and meets Mira at eye level, which is to say at her normal standing height.

"I'll see you again soon. Noa will let you know when I'm coming."

"Alright! It's a promise!"

"It's a promise."

* * * * *

The girl watches as Noa and Mira depart on the other side of her red lenses.

"What an interesting little creature."

Stella is back to examining the packs of underwear, but her eyes aren't exactly paying attention to the items. They're looking somewhere close, deep into her own memories. Maybe there she can find the answer to her own unusual behaviour.

"Did I look like that too?"

An image appears in the centre of her mind, an image of herself. The snow white hair is the same, albeit much shorter than it is now. So too are the white garments beneath her jacket present, the jacket was a much later addition. However, this isn't the same girl with a cold stare and an indifference to the world around her. There is a wonder behind those eyes. The red lenses are still there, but they aren't warding her from the rest of the world.

"How many years have passed since then…not that I've gotten any taller…"

Stella directs her attention back to the wall of underwear. Seeing colours with a constant red tint used to be a challenge, but she's more than used to it by now.

Her eyes wander before landing on a familiar package, one she had just handed to the young man from before. The white and red fabric peeks out from the plastic sporting the number of the size she needs.

"'They look cool', huh…"

Stella hears the voice of that cute rabbit. Before she realises it, her hands now hold the package of red and white.

"So annoying…"

She curses her own emotions as she makes her own way to checkout.