And you responded with a smile and a look in your eyes that made something in his chest stir.

Although before the conversation could proceed, his attention drifted to—what seemed to be a stick—sticking out from a colorful sash tied around your waist.

A noise he had never heard before fell from your lips as you pulled the sash away, grabbing what was inside before allowing it to snap back into place. Your voice was gentle as you addressed him with a simple 'Your Majesty' before explaining the treat in your hands.

He glanced at your expression for a brief second, studying the way your expression seemed to soften even more while the look in your eyes seemingly coerced him to take a step forward.

And he did just that.

He approached you, quiet but observant.

He watched every twitch of your body and the way you adjusted yourself into a comfortable position. He studied the way you lingered close to your unconscious companion, making sure your foot brushed against their arm.

When he got closer, your smile widened as you held out the treat. Explaining what it was before pressing the sugary treat against his lips.

His body grew rigid before he slowly opened his lips, biting down on the treat as he gently peeled the stick out of your loose grip.

Your eyes never left his figure, which made him want to squirm, as he chewed and relished the new delicious flavors that greeted his taste buds.

It was something he had never tasted before and…it was absolutely addictive.

From then on, he felt his chest stir more the longer he stayed by your side, watching how you interacted with others and how you glanced down at him.

Then, before he knew it, he found himself gravitating towards you more and more.

Only a couple of days had passed, and yet he couldn't stand not being around you. He couldn't bear the thought of your smile not being the first thing he saw in the mornings.

So, he sought you out. And, whenever he found you, he would cling to your sleeve, silently observing. Studying. Taking everything in.

And, when he would least expect it, you would temporarily brush his small hand off of your sleeve. His lips would part in shock every time, but before he could say anything, you intertwined your hands with his as a smile tugged at your lips.

His chest would stir, and he would squirm.

In just a couple of days, you had become someone important to him.

So…when 22 days passed, and it was time for you to leave to your original timeline, he couldn't come to terms with it.

He refused to live a life without you.

He couldn't bear seeing your smiles in the morning.

He didn't want to mourn the warmth and comfort your hands provided.

He didn't want you to leave, and he expressed it.

Just as you were about to leave, he clung to your arm, tugging your arm as he stubbornly pulled you away. He ignored the look of surprise that flickered across your face as he clung to you with all his might.

He could feel an unfamiliar sensation in his eyes—behind the mask that slowly consumed his face—that left him wondering what emotion he felt. But, as he watched you glance back at your companion and the way your gaze lingered on the woman with short brown hair, he knew.

You were going to leave him.

He was going to be alone again.

And that's when something fell from his eyes and slowly trailed down his pale cheeks. His lips trembled as his grip tightened. Stubbornly, he shook his head, his voice meek and pained as he begged you to stay before falling to his knees.

You watched it all happen with wide eyes before you followed him.

He refused to meet your gaze. Instead, he released his grip on your sleeve and pulled his legs to his chest. Noises he had never made before fell from his lips. He stuttered and struggled.

Then, he felt something warm envelop him, and his chest stirred once more.

There was an uncomfortable thrumming that made him squirm, unsure how to react to the way you wrapped him in your arms.

He hesitated, but you didn't mind. Instead, you held him closer, your trembling fingers digging into his small back.

And he was reminded how much younger and smaller he was compared to you.

The reminder of the differences between you and him made the tightness in his abdomen worse. It made his breath hitch in his throat as more tears streamed down his cheeks, clinging to his mask.

Whispering your name, he watched as you pulled back, your arms falling to your side as you flashed him a smile that left him speechless.

Then, a promise—that made him squirm and feel hopeful—fell from your lips, and he felt whole again.

He stared up at you before flinching when you enveloped his small, pale hands with your own, holding them close to your chest as your lips curled into a grin.

"Ten years from now, we will meet again, and I will save you. That is a promise."

Nodding, he silently watched as you approached your companions.

He knew he had to let you go. He was aware that your comforting yet addicting warmth was going to leave with you, but he couldn’t come to terms with it, at least not now.

Although right when you were about to leave, he rushed forward and held your hand in his. He pressed it against his small chest and stared up at you. His trembling lips parted as he promised to see you again, and when he did, he would give you a code for you and you alone.

It was something secret you were going to share with him.

And all you did in response was nod as a smile graced your lips once more.

Then, you were gone without a trace. Sent back to the future. Now, he had to wait.

He had to make sure he grew and became a man who could protect you.

So, he trained and learned everything he could. Of course, his observer helped with his education without complaint. She would appear with a neutral expression before showing him everything he wanted to know, although the knowledge was basic.

And on July 7th, from then on, he paid Earth a visit in the hope of seeing you again, and time and time again he was disappointed.

But with the years that passed, his memory worsened until sadly, he could no longer remember your name nor how you looked. Only the warmth you had provided and that enamoring smile of yours.

Every year, he watched as a different woman approached his domain, bowing her head as three men lingered behind her. And every time, he knew she wasn't his weaver.

So, he sobbed.

On every July 7th, he cried until he had to depart to his life of solitude, wishing to see his weaver again.

After 10 years, he saw a familiar figure.

A woman with short brown hair bowed before him. Her voice was soft as she addressed him with respect. But his gaze lingered on you.

He studied the way you bowed before him, forehead pressed against the back of your hands.

You lingered in that position before straightening your back and meeting his burning gaze with one of indifference.

You felt familiar to him. Almost like he had seen those eyes before, but no matter how much he tried to reminisce, he couldn't remember.

But he felt something in his chest stir.

Were you his weaver?

Were you the one that he found himself yearning for?

He chose to believe you were.

So he stayed within his domain, mentally noting the time as he gazed out the window. But, as the day progressed with no sign of completion, he felt his chest tighten.

You weren't his weaver.

You weren't the person he had been searching and pining over for 10 years.

So he wept.

He went back and accepted his fate.

He was going to become one with the great one, allowing his mind and heart to merge with the others.

But he still found himself yearning to see his weaver one last time.

To feel their warmth and see that radiant smile once more.

But alas, it could not be.

His eyes fluttered closed behind his mask, accepting his fate.

At first he felt nothing. Then, he felt light and free of burden as he abandoned his body and heart. He felt his emotions—that he was still discovering—slowly be consumed and tuned into fuel. Into material that could help teach his predecessor.

He felt his consciousness slowly fade and merge with those before him. Their memories became his, and his became theirs.

And yet, the next thing he knew, he was a child once more.

He stood outside the place he considered home, staring at the sand that stretched for miles.

And for a brief moment, he thought of his gold-hearted weaver before he felt a thrumming in his head that made him wince. He staggered towards the generic pristine white building, an unfamiliar noise falling from his lips. But the moment he stepped inside, it went away and so did everything that differentiated him from those before him.

And the cycle repeated.

He met you and, despite being a child at the time, he fell for your charm in a few days. He would stick close to your side, desperate to feel you close to him. He would cling to your beautiful traditional outfit, holding the thin silk of your sleeves between his fingers. And, despite the jealous burning gaze of one of your companions, he stayed close. Relishing the warmth and comfort he felt by your side.

Then, he would feel that same pain once more.

The aching in his chest.

The emptiness.

The burning in his abdomen.

And the tears.

For 10 years, he cried at the gap in his memories. At the desperation to see you again. At the way he yearned to see someone who was locked behind a hazy wall. One that he could not break no matter how hard he tried.

For 10 years, he felt a pain in his chest as he watched weavers approach him, each different from the last. Then, you came along once more.

A woman with brown hair sticking close to your side, and with every cycle, you were accompanied by someone different.

And every time, you failed, and he wept.

The secret riddle that he had shared with his gold-hearted weaver was yet to be solved.

Then, he would be consumed and join those before him before another cycle began.

And every time, his memory of the past would be erased, starting with a clean slate.

The cycles repeated. Every time, ending the same way, but this time, it changed.

Of course, he met you once more as a child and clung to you. He embraced and wept over you for the first time. You gave him a heart.

And when 10 years passed, he saw you once more and felt that familiar sense of familiarity not only towards you and the woman with brown hair, but also towards the men who lingered beside you. His gaze traveled across all of them before lingering on you.

Although this time, you were different. It wasn't like he could remember you in this cycle or in the last.

But you had a gentle look in your eyes. Your expression was warm, welcoming, and it made his chest stir as his heart thrummed with life.

The moment the scroll left his hands, he watched you leave, patiently waiting for the results. His breath hitched in his throat as he stared out his window, watching as the beautiful clear water rippled as the wisteria petals briefly grazed its surface. He listened to the laughing and eccentric voices of those partaking in the festivities.

And with only a couple of hours left, there was no progress, and he could feel his tears well up in his eyes behind his mask. His lips trembled as he tried to fight back his sobs, but alas, it was a struggle. He let them free. The warm tears streamed down his cheeks, and small sobs fell from his pale lips.

When he heard the doors open, he turned his head to spare your group a look, ignoring their worried shouts as he questioned why he was crying. He murmured his inquiries out loud as he hovered a hand over his chest before lowering his face into his sleeves.

He heard your group shuffle about before filing out of the room, taking their warmth with them and leaving something comforting behind.

Sniffling, he lifted his head, and the first thing he saw was your sympathetic gaze and comforting smile. He couldn't help but flinch, itching to wipe away his tears, but it was a bit hard considering the mask that had practically merged with his face.

"Are you okay, Your Majesty?" Your voice was gentle as you slowly yet hesitantly approached him. Your fingers dug into the fabric of your ceremonial robes as the smile that danced on your lips widened.

With another sniffle, he nodded, his voice caught in his throat while his body shuddered. A wave of an unknown yet familiar feeling traveled down his spine before spreading across his limbs. He wanted to respond, but he couldn't. So, all he could do was watch as you approached.

With a teary gaze, he watched as you grabbed a pouch from the sash around your waist. You tugged at the drawstrings before pulling out a stick of vibrant strawberries coated in a thin layer of glistening melted sugar.

"Maybe this could cheer you up, Your Majesty," You whispered as you held one out to him, trying to coax him into taking it with a small grin.

And he hesitated.

He didn't know why… How could he?

This moment felt familiar, and he didn't know why.

Maybe…he had a similar interaction with his gold-hearted weaver.

So, he accepted the treat, albeit a bit hesitantly. He held it up to his face, twisting it as he studied its glistening shell. Then his gaze shifted back to you as a small giggle fell from your lips. His heart thrummed with life once more, breathless at the beautiful, familiar, and gentle sound.

If he could, he could listen to it all day.

"(Name)!"

A hum rumbled in your chest as you briefly glanced at the sliding doors. Then, as you glanced back at him, you smiled once more. An emotion he wasn't familiar with flickered in your eyes before you bowed your head. Your voice was gentle as you bid him goodbye before leaving.

And since then, he sat in his spot, staring at the coated strawberries with intrigue before pressing the treat against his mask. His eyes fluttered closed as he imagined himself savoring the sugary treat. He flinched when he felt something detach from his face and land on his lap.

He was shocked but didn't waste a second. He sank his teeth into the strawberry, listening to the satisfying crunch as he bit down. His mouth burst with new yet familiar flavors that left him humming with joy, the sorrow he felt before long forgotten.

Once he finished his treat, he placed his mask back on, ignoring the sensation of it fusing with his face. He merely let out a small sigh as his eyes drifted to the windows once more. He stared out into the scenery, watching as his surroundings were slowly painted with the colors of the setting sun.

He counted the minutes to himself silently, his fingers curling into his clothes as he watched the moon take its place in the starry sky. His heart quickened while his abdomen churned uncomfortably. He felt tears prickle his eyes once more until he felt a sharp pain in his head.

Biting back a groan, he lifted a trembling, pale hand and pressed it against his throbbing forehead. His fingers dug into his mask as he tried to even his breathing.

His eyes fluttered close, and for a moment, he saw your face.

He saw your slumbering figure.

He remembered the way you looked at him when he was younger.

And then he remembered the tears as he held your arm while shouting a promise.

He remembered everything.

The cycles.

The pain.

And…you.

You were his gold-hearted weaver. And you kept your promise.

You solved his riddle and went back in time to the first day you met him.

Holding back tears, he waited patiently for your arrival. And the moment he heard the doors slam open, he rushed to his feet. He ignored the loud exclamations of your companions and searched for you. His heart thrummed erratically as—what he determined was anxiety—flooded his body. He held his hands close to his chest as he searched. He studied each face until you finally made yourself known with a small smile and tired eyes.

He called your name as he rushed to you, pulling you into his chest, wrapping his arms around your back.

Unlike back then, your back wasn't larger than his. Your arms didn't consume him. Now, he was the one who could easily swallow your body whole with his trembling arms.

He relished the warmth that radiated from your body and the comfort it brought.

His lips trembled as he uttered your name like a broken record, his grip tightening as he buried his head in the crook of your neck.

And you hesitated before you pulled him closer. Your fingers dug into the fabric of his clothing designed to resemble yours. His faux title fell from your lips in a whisper, making him shiver as his grip tightened even more.

For once, he felt whole.

He felt satisfied.

Although, to his disappointment, he was dragged away from you by your scowling companion. His gaze burned with jealousy and disgust. It was almost a habit of his.

Whenever he held onto you when he was younger, he would always swoop in and pull him away, grumbling something to himself. But he paid no mind to it. All that mattered was you.

And when you voiced your promise once more with a smile, he felt himself practically melt as he resisted the urge to pull you into another embrace. He listened as you tried to come up with a possible plan or solution to avoid his fate, and it made his body warm and his fingers twitch.

But he forced himself to glance away and observe the women who had stayed by his side since the very day he opened his eyes. He studied the brief, gentle look that settled on her face as she watched you. Her lips curled into a foreign smile before she glanced at him. The moment her eyes met his, her eyes widened briefly before softening.

The next thing he knew, you reached for his hand, drawing his attention back to you. He ignored the jealous glare that burned into his mask, opting to commit himself to you and you alone in that moment.

He intertwined his fingers with yours, allowing his pale thumb to caress your knuckles as he listened to the plan everyone had agreed on. He had yet to say something, opting to study your face and commit every inch of it to memory.

Quietly, he let you tug him out of his domain, his gaze flickering down to your intertwined hands. He studied the way his larger hands easily swallowed yours, but also the way you held him as if he was the most important and delicate thing in the world. Usually, he would've been upset at that mere assumption, but with you, he welcomed it.

If it was you, he could be anything.

"We will save you, I promise." Your voice was soft as you repeated the promise you had first uttered 10 years ago. He couldn't see your face, but he didn't need to. The way your grip tightened around his and the tightness of your shoulder told him everything he needed to know.

And, as you stood on the pier, staring up at the beautiful night sky, he couldn't help but be in awe. His grip around your hand tightened momentarily. He drowned out the panicked chatter of students around him, dedicating his attention to this moment. He took everything in, yet ignored those that displeased him. He committed the beautiful scenery to memory before turning to look at you. He was left in awe at your beauty. The same beauty he had fallen for as a child.

The way the moonlight highlighted your features was ethereal. Your skin practically glowed with the pale streaks of light and the faint reflection of the water. And the way branches of wisteria fell over you made it even better.

Of course, your expression reflected your worry and anxiety. He understood why, but no matter what face you made, you were beautiful to him. You were his world. You were the person who changed him. You made him feel like a human. You made him feel like he had a chance at life just like everyone else.

And, if push came to shove, he would readily give up everything and accept his fate if it meant protecting you.

The whirring of the machine unfortunately stripped his attention away from you and towards the sky. He watched as the device made by those before him hovered over your figures. Its singular red eye glowed menacingly as it watched every movement he made. It studied the way his hand tightened around yours, and the way he leaned closer to you, as if he was chasing your warmth and comfort.

He watched, anxiously, as your companions tried to tug it away from him. Their panicked yells and curses echoed around them, but he didn't care. He appreciated their efforts, but he needed to focus on mentally preparing himself for a losing battle.

The grip he had on your hand tightened even more as he watched it escape from your companion's grasp. His breath hitched in his throat momentarily before escaping as a resigned sigh. A small smile tugged at his lips as he faced you, tugging you closer.

When your wide and worried eyes met his, he felt like he could melt on the spot. So many years and cycles he had spent waiting for his memories to return. He spent a decade yearning for someone who was lost to time and now…here you were. In front of him. You existed, and you cared for him. Probably not the same way he cared about you, but regardless, he knew you cared at least on a deeper level.

"(Name)…" Your name was foreign on his tongue but felt so right.

A shocked noise left your lips as he pulled you closer to him, his arms trembling as his thin, pale fingers dug into the fabric of your back. You listened to the way he let out a shaky breath as he buried his head into your shoulder.

He was much older and taller than he was 10 years ago, and yet…at this moment he still looked like the frightened and lonely child from before.

"Thank you for everything, (Name). Thank you for keeping our promise and…" Trailing off, his voice softened as he slowly pulled away, his grip on you loosening. He raised a trembling hand to your face, cupping your cheeks as he memorized your face for what felt like the last time. Behind his mask, his lips trembled as he caressed the apples of your cheeks before continuing, "…for giving me a heart. Thanks to you, I feel alive. I feel human." Before you had a chance to place your hand over his, he pulled you into another embrace, inhaling your sweet scent.

"I'm happy I got to see you again…"

Pulling away from the embrace, he ignored the way his heart cried out for you and the burning tears that bubbled in his eyes. Instead, he focused on the machine that slowly got closer in a taunting manner. He knew it was watching him and relaying everything to the Core Matrix, and it annoyed him.

So, with a small exhale, he drew out his wooden sword and stood in front of you protectively. He eyed the machine, waiting with bated breath for it to attack, but it never did. It floated there, watching him before lurching to the side when something landed on its face.

Flinching, he watched as one of your companions pressed your twin blades against its metallic frame, slicing through it easily. His lips parted in shock, his wooden sword lowering to his side before his gaze flickered towards you. He flinched when he noticed your teary eyes and trembling lips.

His own lips trembled as he faced you fully, studying every inch of your face once more, his attention never once straying from you even as the Core Matrix faded into existence. He ignored its robotic voice and focused on the way you slowly approached him, a trembling hand reaching for him.

Lifting his own, he intertwined his hands with yours. His nails briefly grazed the back of your hand as he pulled you closer. He watched as your lips parted, trying to utter his title only for it to be replaced with a strange noise.

A smile tugged at his lips as he watched your eyes explore his body, making sure he was still there, that he was okay. And it made his heart beat erratically as a warm yet pleasant feeling lingered in his abdomen. He whispered your name before pulling you into another embrace, melting against your comforting yet addicting warmth.

He ignored the glare that burned holes into the back of his head. It wasn't important.

He didn't care for the tip of the blade that grazed his back or the venomous voice that ordered him to get away from you.

Because he knew that in the end, you chose him, even if you didn't mean to.

And, as the minutes ticked by and he mentally prepared himself for his departure, his grip tightened. He didn't want to let you go. He didn't want to leave and wait another year to see you again. He knew that the moment he went back home, he would be living in solitude, staring out into the plain horizon while yearning to see you again. He knew that he cared for you in a way that made him want to stay by your side forever. He wanted to devote himself to you and only you, but he couldn't.

He shouldn't.

You were human, and he was not.

He was bound to live a life longer than your own.

And yet, he still wanted to be with you. He wanted to grow old with you. He didn't…he didn't want to leave you on the same day he got you back.

"I don't want to leave…"

"I know."

"I barely got you back."

"I know."

Tears poured from his eyes as he tightened his grip. A shaky breath escaped his lips as he fought the urge to take you with him.

"I'm going to be alone again."

"Yes… I know." Your voice was meek as you rubbed his back, leaning your head against his as you silently listened to the noises he made. You listened to the way he sniffled and the small sobs that escaped his lips. You could feel your own eyes burn with tears as you thought back to the young boy who flung to your arm as he cried, begging you to stay. "But, Sky King, we'll see each other again, won't we?"

"…yes."

"Exactly." Tightening your grip, you flashed Jin a small disapproving glance. "Every year on July 7th, I will come back and visit you, even when I graduate."

Sniffling, he slowly pulled away and sought your hands. "You promise…?"

With a nod and a small grin, you responded, "I promise."

"No. 369, it's time."

"I know…" He grumbled before letting out a small sigh. He slowly let go of one of your hands and reached for your face. He cupped your cheek once more and scanned your face, studying every emotion in those beautiful eyes of yours and every micro-expression you made. Then, his eyes flickered down to your lips.

He loved you.

He truly did.

And he hoped that some part of you loved him back, even if it wasn't the same way he loved you.

He cherished you.

Worshiped you.

You were his entire world and the reason why he escaped his fate.

You were the one who gave him a heart that beats for you and you alone.

So, despite his better judgment, he leaned forward and pressed the bottom half of his mask against your inviting lips. His eyes fluttered closed, imagining the way your lips would feel against him and silently hoping his mask would fall off and grant him his deepest desire. But alas, it didn't. So, all he could do was imagine the warmth of your lips against his.

Surprised shouts echoed around them, but he didn't care. Why would he?

"No.369."

Humming, he pulled away, brushing the apple of your cheeks with his thumb as he stared down at you. He studied the expression you made and took note of the sudden flare of heat that tickled the pads of his hands.

"My gold-hearted weaver…I will come back to you." He whispered before slowly separating himself from you, despite the voice in his head telling him to bring you with him.

And, just as it was one minute away from midnight, he made sure to flash you one last smile, even if you couldn't see it.

"I love you."

His confession was the last words he said before he disappeared into the night sky, his observer by his side.

He adored you, but he could not stay.

Even so, no matter how much time has passed, he will continue to love you. You were the one who gave him a heart and the only one who could lay claim to it.

Even if another cycle were to happen, he would hope to confess and hold you once more.

Yes, but not just MC.

The riddles were based on all the festival games and activities that MC and her friends showed the Sky Prince when they traveled back in time. Because of that, only MC and the friends who experienced those memories could truly understand and solve them.

The whole point was to make sure the right people found him, not just anyone. If a random Darkwick student had solved the riddles before MC arrived, it would've defeated the entire purpose.

So the riddles served two purposes:

to reunite the Sky King with the people he met 10 years ago

to ensure only that specific group could reach him

2. If the Sky King created the riddles to reunite with MC, how does that work in SS1 when they hadn't met yet?

This is actually explained in SS2.

The ghouls ask why the Sky King and the Observer didn't simply tell everyone who they were looking for instead of hiding everything behind riddles.

The answer is because, at that point in the timeline, MC and her friends hadn't traveled back yet.

Time travel in Lost Star works like a closed loop. The Sky Prince meets MC in the past, but the Sky King can only remember who she is after that trip actually happens.

Before the time travel, he knows there are people he's supposed to meet, but he doesn't know their names or faces.

Think of it like a canon event (as Lucas refers here as "fixed event"). Until that event happens, those memories can't exist.

That's also why SS1 plays out differently. Since MC and the others never traveled back in that route, they never met the Sky Prince. Without those shared memories, neither side could recognize the other or solve the riddles.

As for why the Sky King specifically chose to travel to Hotarubi, I actually don't think it's that complicated.

My guess is that MC and her friends simply told the Sky Prince about Darkwick and Hotarubi during their time together. They already introduced him to the Star Festival and all the activities, so it wouldn't be surprising if they also mentioned where they came from.

On top of that, the Sky King's civilization is far more technologically advanced than Earth. The Observer can gather information about Earth almost instantly, so if the Sky Prince learned the names "Darkwick" or "Hotarubi" the Observer could easily look them up and locate them.

So when the Sky Prince eventually became the Sky King, he already knew exactly where he needed to go. He traveled to Earth, specifically to Hotarubi, and waited for the day MC and her friends would finally arrive and solve the riddles.

On how he still knows that in SS1 then I'll explain in (3)

3. Why was the Sky King crying in SS1?

I think there are two reasons.

First, even though he couldn't remember MC specifically, he still knew he'd come to Earth for someone important. He could feel that something was missing, but he couldn't figure out what it was.

Second, he knew MC was running out of time because of her curse.

(they told the Sky Prince in the SS2 so maybe his subconscious still remember that)

He can only visit Earth once a year. If that year's festival ended without the riddles being solved, then he'd lose his only chance to find the person he came for before her curse claimed her.

That's why the moment feels so heartbreaking. He knows this might be his last opportunity, but he doesn't understand why he can't find the person he's searching for.

My theory is that integration also plays a role, just like in SS2. If he returned to his planet without fulfilling his purpose, he'd likely be integrated and lose his chance to come back to Earth.

In SS2, after everything is resolved, the Core Matrix allows him to continue observing Earth. That's why he can stay for the rest of the festival and even promises to keep researching MC's curse after he returns home.

4. What's the significance of the Wings of the Heavenly Maiden?

Canonically, it's a rare artifact kept at Hotarubi.

During the Star Festival, it's supposed to be used in the Kagura performance, but it's stolen by the student possessed by the Mask anomaly disguised as Lyca.

In SS1, Subaru mentions that everything lost during the festival was eventually recovered except the wings.

At the end of the event, the Sky King is also recorded as a "lost anomaly." It suggests they always belonged to him.

If that's true, then the wings symbolize the Sky King's protection over Hotarubi.

So in SS1:

the King is lost

the wings are lost

Hotarubi loses his protection

In SS2, the opposite happens. The King is reunited with everyone, keeps the wings, and even promises he'll continue visiting Earth. The report still marks him as "lost" but the ghouls and MC know he'll return. That's basically their little secret.

This next part is just my own theory.

We know someone sabotaged the events of SS1.

If MC and the ghouls failed to solve the riddles, then they would never travel back in time. Without that time loop, the Sky Prince never meets them, so the Sky King has no reason to keep returning to Earth.

In other words, breaking the loop means Earth loses the Sky King's protection.

That would explain why someone tried so hard to prevent everything from coming together in SS1.

In SS2, that sabotage becomes much harder. Dionysia's artisans return, Mio strengthens security, Clockwork anomalies are scattered around the area, and both Tohma and Alan are present during the festival. On top of that, the ceasefire between Vagastrom and Frostheim makes it much more difficult for a spy to interfere.

One more thing I find interesting is the real-world inspiration behind the Wings of the Heavenly Maiden.

In the original legend, a heavenly maiden's robe or wings are stolen, preventing her from returning to heaven.

That makes me wonder if the stolen wings in Lost Star are meant to parallel the Sky King's situation. Without them, perhaps he couldn't properly return home or travel freely between Earth and his planet.

Or, if you prefer a more symbolic interpretation, the wings simply represent the bridge between the two worlds.

In SS1, that bridge is never completed because the time loop fails.

In SS2, MC and the ghouls successfully complete the loop, allowing the Sky King and Earth to reconnect. In that sense, the wings become a symbol of the bond they restored.