Paz Marquez-Benitez' masterpiece "Dead Stars" a short story that was written in third person's point of view in 1925, presents the lost love/lost heart, and emotions in any relationships that may exist in this world mostly in the life of people that are going through marriage, also Alfredo's responsibility considering the fact that he was engaged to Esperanza when he felt something for Julia and people are expecting their marriage. The story clearly depicted forbidden love and the journey of Alfredo, who withheld the feelings for years of marriage with Esperanza until he finally met Julia again.
From the title itself "ππ¦π’π₯ ππ΅π’π³π΄", when a star dies, it leaves some remnant behind but eventually vanishes. Just like what happened between Alfredo ang Julia. Time helped the two of them heal and realize their faults (especially Alfredo realizing his true feelings) and after years, they know in their hearts that it's over and the remnant that the dead stars left finally vanishes. (Although I don't like the thought of Alfredo's action because it's considered cheating) But it's the theme of the story and it represents the uncommon things that can possibly happen in love. It's how they viewed it through their time. It's good that the characters actually grew and made themselves better.
"Sometimes things are better left unsaid" a quote from Jubin Jomon similar to the thought of the Dead Stars which stand in for things that exists but are never expressed. The things that has happened in the past stays in the past and will be never reminisce. The light in the remnant of their dead stars slowly faded from time to time until they realize that their stars both died already.
The narrative short story Dead Stars by Paz is not just a normal love story that is common and mired with qoutidian details. It evinced how a normal person deals with and conquers things that people like them in their time are facing. It's deep (the theme and the message of the story) and it contains figurative languages that made it more interesting to read.