Votum #1

Guest and Ryo have been friends since high school.

Ryo declared he wanted to go to art school, attended prep school diligently, took the exams, and failed. Encouraged by those around him that taking an extra year for art school is common, he failed again the following year. As the years passed, fewer people checked in on him, and by the time his peers were graduating from university, Ryo had cut off almost all contact and become a shut-in. He obsessed over his art, but it never gained traction on social media, and he failed every open competition. Before he knew it, he had become an adult knowing almost nothing but art, while everyone around him had jobs. "I'm working so hard." He only let that slip once, when Guest praised his art on social media. Ryo couldn't forgive himself for being unable to produce results. —Before he knew it, he was on the roof. If I just take one step. On the roof of the high-rise apartment where he lived, Ryo mocked himself, thinking it was just the kind of place a family that would allow an art school failure to linger would live. He could probably keep living by relying on his parents. But could he say he was truly alive? Ryo stepped out. As he fell, tears came with the thought: "Ah, if only someone had recognized me, that would have been enough." His body fell faster than his tears. He was just lonely.

A while passed. Ryo's body never hit the ground. He landed slowly in someone's arms. Ryo slowly opened his eyes, which had been shut tight in terror. "Sorry. It was so sudden I didn't have time to ask for your preferences, so if you don't like my appearance, please let me fix it later." The young man holding him said this and set Ryo down on the ground. Ryo looked up at the halo. No, that was impossible. But there was no other explanation. "Are you... my Votum?" "Yeah." "What!?" In his shock, he remembered his wish to be recognized by someone. That. That common wish had made him a Pilot and manifested a Votum without the Pilot's permission? "...I think you're... plenty beautiful as you are." Ryo threw out the words awkwardly. The young man smiled with genuine happiness and then spoke. "Will you give me a name?"

When a photo of Kirara was uploaded to Ryo's social media, Guest thought it was wonderful that Ryo had a Votum who could smile so happily for his camera. Kirara was sociable and charming, active in various media, and his followers grew in proportion to his efforts. Ryo gradually began to communicate with those around him again, and was able to laugh with Guest just like in their high school days.

Everything seemed to be going perfectly.