The Moon and Stars as Witness

“T-Thank you for walking me home,” Mia told Wes. “And s-sorry about leaving you earlier.”

It was the first time she spoke since he offered to accompany her. They were treading a pavement lit by streetlights, side by side, both as silent as the night until those words. It took her this long to remember the incident in the café and muster the courage to bring it up.

‘I was planning to apologize once I found him, but I was so nervous when I confessed that I didn't even get to mention it!’ She hung her head low, shamed by her forgetfulness yet again.

“I’m sorry, too. I wasn’t able to ask you regarding that,” he said, making her perk back up in surprise. “Are you okay? You were… Something must’ve happened for you to react that way.”

Her hands and lips quivered before she replied, “Um, that’s… I saw some f-faces I didn’t expect to see... No, the truth is… I-I knew they were coming, but I wanted to stay for you, so…”

His eyes narrowed slightly, glinting under the faint city glow. She barely explained a thing, yet he appeared as though he already had the gist of it. He probably just knew her that well, and seeing him care, she felt encouraged to tell more.

“You’re a-aware by now how I get a-anxious around people, sometimes even when talking to someone I l-like,” she admitted, her cheeks warming and his gaze softening at the last part. “In particular cases, it gets…worse. But I’d like to believe it’s not as bad as when I was a child, and I… I-I’m working hard to get better.”

“You’re strong, Mia. I only wish you didn’t have to go through all that,” he muttered as he reached for her hand and held it in his, making her blush more. “And I wouldn’t have minded, you know. If you told me you couldn’t wait for me because of those people, I would’ve done it differently. Besides, you’re the one I planned to ask out.”

She paused at the reminder, then gaped. “T-That! Wes, h-how could you?”

“What?” he laughed.

“You made me believe you still wanted to date Ms. Alice! So, I… I-I was…”

Tears welled up in her eyes for the nth time that day, immediately throwing him into a panic.

She was still sensitive about the topic, and also a bit upset with him for deceiving her. But as he stopped in his tracks and tugged her closer to him so he could cradle her face in comfort, the feeling dissolved into a tender, fluttering heat that led to her surrender. He was just too irresistible, she knew from the day they met, and even more now that they were together.

‘Together… We’re really together…’

Her first confession. Her first boyfriend. Her first relationship.

It felt like a dream, but everything about this moment told her it was real.

The evening smelled of wet leaves and a tinge of sweetness. A cold gust of wind blew and compelled them to huddle closer for warmth. People and vehicles passed by in the distance, yet all seemed hushed except for the calm, fuzzy tether of Wes's presence.

“Mia, forgive me,” he said with a sincerely apologetic look as he rested his forehead against hers. “I shouldn’t have made assumptions. It wasn’t my intention to trick you, and if you’d actually think about it, I never once mentioned another girl’s name. You’re the only one in my mind this entire time.”

“S-Since when?”

“Hmm… From the second you gave me your handkerchief.”

“T-T-That way back?!”

Laughter and smiles were shared under the night sky, where the moon and stars served as the sole witnesses, shrouding the new couple’s budding romance in a thin veil of secrets.

---

Wes tried to look inconspicuous as he entered the backstage and found the organized chaos taking place.

Tonight was his cousin’s first performance in a while. Claire Ashthorne, a prodigious pianist and composer with a remarkable command of precision and passion that left audiences captivated with every chord—she was a rare talent. Many in the music industry were inspired by the woman.

Since Wes was an event sponsor and a family member, his attendance was anticipated, but he somehow also found himself conducting a final check with the crew.

‘Seth must’ve snitched on me to Claire,’ he thought begrudgingly. ‘That guy suspects I’m going to sneak out if I’m not somewhere people can see me. To be fair, I did spend a whole day outside. But that doesn’t mean I'm slacking off and neglecting my duties just to goof around.’

He’d been busy with certain matters—for instance, with three individuals.

Probing into people’s private affairs when it’s not necessary was uncharacteristic of him. However, he had labelled them as targets demanding scrutiny after their recent behavior.

Caution and curiosity drove him to divulge a jarring trail that wound through shady backstreets and clandestine exchanges. Eventually, it led to one of the city’s underground nightspots.

Alice Quin, Gwen Jackes, and Lucy Aceron met not too long ago in a club rumored to be a den of illicit dealings.

‘Most of the students in Mia’s school come from middle-class households, but Ms. Jackes and Ms. Aceron manage to enjoy a luxurious lifestyle despite not being as well-off as Ms. Quin,’ he pondered while weaving around a stack of props. ‘If they’re involved in that place’s dodgy business… Those two might pose a bigger threat to Mia than I thought. I need to keep an eye on them from this point onwards.’

“Hey! Could anyone grab me the stool?” a stagehand called out from the left wing, but as Wes hefted the chair, he almost dropped to the floor. “Ah! Mr. Ashthorne! You don’t have to!”

“Wait, did somebody just…?” Another crew member peeked from behind a riser. “It is him!”

“Wes Ashthorne in the flesh?!”

“Woah! Why is that celebrity here?”

“Oh, right! Ms. Claire is an Ashthorne, too.”

From that moment on, everything Wes tried to do became a performance in itself.

He went to straighten a music sheet, and suddenly, people hovered nearby either to assist or watch. He bent to check a cable, and someone quietly snapped a photo with their phone. He asked to talk with the manager, and the rest of the group rushed over to listen attentively.

“Please, don’t mind me. I’m just helping out.” He tried to fend them off, but they were already bustling.

Used to applause and attention, now, his mere existence could transform the backstage into a flurry of excitement and awe. Sometimes, being famous wasn’t about being in the spotlight. There were days he just had to survive the storm behind the scenes, though it was never his plan to step foot in it.

A soft knock echoed through the side door, causing Wes to turn to find a girl holding a bouquet of mixed seasonal flowers, her head lowered almost in apology for getting caught up in the bedlam.

“Uh… D-D-Delivery for Ms. Claire Ashthorne?”

'That's...!' He hurried forward, but then instinctively hid behind a curtain when she raised her head, his heart skipping a beat. ‘Mia?!’

“You got the place wrong. In the dressing room.”

“O-Oh, umm… Sorry, where is…?”

The crew that had been so polite and accommodating to Wes did not spare even a minute to guide Mia.

He understood they had tasks to carry out, but this still left a bad taste in his mouth. She appeared lost, and he could tell how much she struggled before getting here with such a crowd.

Not wasting another second, he emerged from his hiding spot and exited the room using a different door. Thankfully, no one noticed. Now out of their sights, he put a mask on his face and made his way to the other corridor where she had been.

Giddying exhilaration coursed through Wes as he ran to catch up to Mia, having not expected to reunite with the love of his life today of all these days.

“Mia!”