My Boyfriend is a Heavenly Body | Ongoing

Chapter 3

Louise

Ever since I was a child I was always enthralled by the sight of a sky full of stars. I was so amazed of the fact that even though the sky's so dark and they're so far away they were able to shine. 

I usually go with my grandfather to watch the stars, to stargaze. He always carries his ridiculously big yet surprisingly wonderful telescope. As a kid, I never stopped asking grandpa about the stars and about his telescope.

"Grandpa, how come the stars shine so brightly? Are they made up of candies?" I always asked curiously. I never stopped asking until I was satisfied with the answer.

Out of all the nights that we stargazed, there was this one night that will always have a place in my heart. It was a starry night like no other, stars twinkle as if they are smiling. Once again, I asked grandpa who was busy eyeing the sky with his telescope.

"Grandpa, how come the stars can shine even though they are so small? And how come that telescope makes things so big?" I asked, voice filled with wonder and curiousness.

Grandpa took one deep breath and stared at the stars with eyes full of wonder and joy. 

"Louise, ever heard the story of how you were born?" he replied. 

His rusted voice sent chills to my spine and it was like the stars were listening also. I nodded, grandpa told me a lot of stories but I never heard of this one. He exhaled and stared at the stars with eyes shining bright enough to compete with the heavenly bodies.

"Your mom and your dad always wanted a child but it seemed that God didn't want them to have any. They lost hope and thought of giving up until they decided to go stargazing. This was the exact same spot," he chuckled, voice filled with rust and oldness. 

"That night, they saw a shooting star. They both chuckled at the idea of wishing on a shooting star. It seemed silly, but they figured there was no harm in trying. Both of them closed their eyes and simultaneously wished to have a child. And then a year later, we have received a gift from the stars and it was you, Louise," he paused, still staring at the sky vacantly. 

"Louise, always remember that it's always the little things that makes things big. Thanks to the stars, we have you." He shifted his stare to my eyes, his eyes, hues of blue like the planet Neptune. He placed his hands onto my head and gave my hair a warm shake. Even though it was hard for him, he sat to equalize our height gap.

"Even though that you were so small, the joy that you gave to all of us at home when you were born was really overwhelming, just like the tallest mountain!" My young eyes sparkled with wonder. 

I didn't understand the whole idea of how small things make things big by then because I was still a kid but I was so happy and inspired by my grandfather that night. 

But I never imagined that it will be the last.

Morning after that night, the whole house was filled with grief. I rushed downstairs to see my mom crying and my dad on the phone panicking. On the couch, there lays my grandpa sleeping. I rushed toward mother and asked what happened. 

"Your grandpa is now in heaven, sweetie." She replied hugging me tightly as tears flooded her eyes.

I gazed at my grandpa's face and instead of feeling sadness, I felt overwhelmingly calm. My grandpa died in his sleep, face tranquil and soul in piece. I know my grandpa died happy, and I will never forget the stories he told and that night. He awakened my love for stars and a starry night reminds me of grandpa.