So soft, yet sharp and minty.

I wonder. Is this how 'he' feels..?

7 years ago...

In Milky Way High School...

"Hey, hey! Mercury! let's go play!" a young boy's voice echoed from afar.

"Ok! Wait up, Galilei! Don't hurt yourself by running too fast!" Fourteen-year-old Mercury dashed towards that echo.

The Sun glared down on us from above. Wind rippled the freshly-cut grass of the field of High School.

Galilei stopped, looking up. A large white Parthenon-like building decorated with majestic gold outlines stood in his way.

"Oh.. I accidentally ended up at the school again.." Galilei awkwardly muttered.

"No way.. You're too obsessed with school! You're a school-holic! Take some breaks!" Mercury teased, circling around her best friend.

"But, if I do, then there's no one left to keep the Planets in-check and to report to the Sun! I have a lot of work, you know! I'm only taking an off break because Earth decided he wanted to torture Sun with the workload, that sadist.."

"Be grateful. That sadist has a lot on his plate, too!

But yes, I agree, that annoying sadist. How did he even become like that?!"

"I think it has to di with this thing called 'pollution..' After taking one look at the suffering of the creatures on Earth covered with that pollution he decided that 'the Earth is not beautiful, therefore it is' or something.."

"Hey, don't take quotes from K**o's J**r**y!"

"Sorry.." Galilei grinned sheepishly.

"So.." Mercury continued.

"Anything fun circling around lately? Like who Venus's new boyfriend is, or something?"

"Venus always has a new boyfriend. That type of news isn't even considered gossip anymore. How about you? Have you gotten a boyfriend yet?" Mercury teased.

"Sorry, but I'm not interested in boys. Also, I'm too old to like anyone, anyways.. Today's my 28th birthday, you know."

Yes, Galilei's twenty-eighth birthday.

The day everything went wrong.