Beneath the fading stars

{I'm really sorry for the previous chapter release, that was a draft but I by mistake published it. This is the modified and corrected chapter. Please enjoy}

Months had passed since the night Li Wei and Zhang Jun reaffirmed their bond beneath the starry sky. Their relationship was far from perfect, but like constellations navigating the vastness of space, they had learned to find each other despite the darkness.

But life, much like the universe, was unpredictable.

Their last year of high school was filled with overwhelming choices—college applications, family expectations, and the uncertain future ahead. Li Wei was determined to chase her dream of studying astronomy, while Zhang Jun, despite his quiet love for the stars, faced mounting pressure from his family to enter the business world.

At first, they found ways to balance their responsibilities and their time together. Late-night study sessions turned into whispered conversations about the cosmos, stolen glances in class became moments of silent encouragement, and weekends were spent on their secret hilltop, looking up at the night sky and dreaming of the future.

But reality was relentless. Zhang Jun’s father started calling him to more business meetings, expecting him to learn about the company’s affairs. Li Wei, on the other hand, was overwhelmed with entrance exam preparations and scholarship applications. The once-frequent meetings at their hilltop became scarce. Their messages turned shorter, their late-night calls became less frequent.

One evening, after another exhausting day, Zhang Jun waited for Li Wei near her house, hoping for just a moment together. When she finally arrived, tired yet still glowing with excitement from an astronomy competition she had just attended, he felt a sharp pang in his heart. She was moving forward, reaching for her dreams, while he felt stuck, dragged into a future he did not want.

“You look happy,” he said with a small smile, but there was a trace of sadness in his eyes.

“I am,” she admitted. “I won first place today. It was incredible, Zhang Jun. I got to meet real astronomers!”

Her excitement was contagious, but Zhang Jun struggled to hold onto his smile. “I’m proud of you,” he said sincerely, yet something in his voice made her pause.

“Are you okay?” she asked, stepping closer.

He hesitated, then let out a heavy sigh. “I don’t know, Li Wei. Every day, I feel like I’m being pulled away from the things I love. From you, from the stars, from what I really want to do.”

Li Wei’s heart clenched. She had known he was struggling, but hearing it aloud made it real. “Then don’t let them decide for you,” she urged. “Fight for what you want, Zhang Jun.”

He looked at her, admiration and longing mixing in his gaze. “It’s not that easy.”

“Neither is chasing the stars,” she said with a sad smile. “But I’d rather fight for something I love than regret not trying.”

He reached for her hand, squeezing it gently. “What if I lose everything?”

She squeezed back. “Then I’ll be right here.”

In that moment, under the dim glow of streetlights, they silently promised each other that they would try. Try to hold on, try to fight for their dreams, and try to stay together.

But as the weeks passed, the weight of expectations grew heavier. Zhang Jun’s father made it clear that defying him was not an option. Li Wei’s studies consumed her time, leaving little room for anything else.

The night before their graduation, they met at their hilltop once again. The sky was as breathtaking as ever, but a strange sadness hung between them.

“We made it,” Li Wei said, trying to sound cheerful.

Zhang Jun nodded, gazing at the endless sky. “Yeah. We did.”

Silence stretched between them before he finally spoke the words he had been dreading. “Li Wei, what if we end up in different worlds?”

She swallowed the lump in her throat. “Then we make our own sky,” she whispered, forcing a smile.

Yet, even as she said it, doubt flickered in her eyes like a star on the verge of fading.

Their love had always been written in the stars. But would it be strong enough to survive when the universe pulled them apart?

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