Life moved on, as it always did, though it felt like time had slowed for both Kaede and Mirei. Days blurred into nights, weeks passed, yet the ache in their hearts remained as fresh as the moment they parted. They each buried themselves in their work, hoping that distraction might dull the pain. Mirei especially immersed herself in the demanding world of idol life, practicing relentlessly, almost as if trying to erase her thoughts with sheer exhaustion. For her, it was the only way to survive.

  No one in their circles knew of the breakup except Mirei’s manager and one other person: Minami.

  It was July 8th when Mirei was called into an unexpected meeting. She was confused when her manager summoned her but dutifully made her way to the room. When she arrived, she found Minami already seated, her expression calm but tinged with concern. Mirei’s heart sank.

  “Minami? What’s this about?” Mirei asked cautiously, her voice steady but her mind racing.

  Her manager leaned forward, her tone firm and businesslike. “Mirei, the management has decided on your punishment.”

  “Punishment?” Mirei echoed, a knot forming in her stomach.

  “The leader position will be transferred from you to Minami,” the manager said bluntly. Mirei’s breath hitched. The words hit her like a blow, but she remained silent.

  “And,” the manager continued, “the first solo commercial shoot we had pnned for you will be reassigned to another member.”

  Mirei’s lips parted slightly in shock, but she quickly composed herself. She had no defense, no way to argue. These were the consequences of her actions, consequences she couldn’t run from.

  “I understand,” Mirei said softly, bowing her head.

  Minami, sitting across from her, shifted uncomfortably. “I’ll do my best,” she said, her voice tentative but sincere. “Please support me too.” She bowed politely, though the concern in her eyes lingered.

  Mirei managed a weak smile, though it didn’t reach her eyes. “Of course. I’m sorry for causing this situation. I’ll do my best too, from now on.”

  The manager’s voice turned sharp, leaving no room for debate. “We hope you’ve learned from this, Mirei. Take this as a warning. No more reckless behavior in the future.”

  “Yes, ma’am. Thank you for your trust in me,” Mirei replied, bowing again.

  “And one st thing,” the manager added, her tone dropping to a near whisper. “Let’s keep this under wraps. No one else among the members or staff needs to know. Understood?”

  “Understood,” Mirei and Minami said in unison.

  The meeting ended, and Mirei returned to her packed schedule. The days were grueling, but she embraced the relentless pace. Minami, however, couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. She wanted to talk to Mirei, to ask what had really happened. She knew about the breakup, but she didn’t understand how it all unfolded or how the agency had found out. Mirei, on the other hand, was acting tough, as if nothing had happened. She hadn’t shed a single tear in front of anyone—not even Minami.

  That night, Mirei sat in her dimly lit room, her phone resting heavily in her hand. Her thumb hovered over Kaede’s name in her messages. A familiar ache rose in her chest as she scrolled through the unanswered texts Kaede had sent her since their breakup.

  “Kaede… why are you making this so hard?” Mirei whispered to herself, her voice trembling.

  The texts were simple but devastating. Are you okay? Are you eating well? Each one a knife twisting in Mirei’s heart. She wanted to respond. She wanted to tell Kaede that she missed her, that she wasn’t okay either. But she knew she couldn’t. She had to let Kaede move on.

  Her fingers hovered over the block button. She hesitated, her heart screaming at her to stop, but her mind insisted it was for the best. With a deep, shaky breath, she pressed the button. Kaede’s name disappeared from her contacts.

  Mirei pced her phone facedown on the table and buried her face in her hands. Silent sobs wracked her body.

  ---

  Meanwhile, in the cramped rehearsal studio of Chasing Stardust, Kaede was far from her usual self. Her bandmates Yukina and Risa had noticed her growing distance. For over a week, Kaede had barely spoken during rehearsals, her focus slipping. Instead, she would stare off into space, her eyes dull and unfocused.

  “Kaede,” Yukina said gently one afternoon, pulling her aside. “What’s going on? You’re not yourself tely.”

  Kaede hesitated, her gaze dropping to the floor. “It’s nothing,” she mumbled.

  “It’s not nothing,” Risa chimed in, her voice unusually serious. “We’re your friends. You can tell us.”

  After a long silence, Kaede finally broke down. “Mirei and I… we broke up,” she confessed, her voice barely audible.

  “What?” Yukina gasped.

  Kaede nodded, tears forming in her eyes. “She… she said I deserve someone better. But I don’t understand. I don’t want someone better. I only want her.”

  Risa’s expression twisted with guilt. “Kaede, is this because of me? Because of that night-”

  “No,” Kaede said firmly, shaking her head. “It’s not your fault, Risa. It was just… I don't know... I guess we’re from different worlds after all.”

  Yukina pced a comforting hand on Kaede’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Kaede. I can’t imagine how hard this must be for you.”

  Risa opened her mouth to say more, but Kaede quickly changed the subject, forcing a weak smile. “Let’s focus on our music, okay? That’s what matters right now.”

  ---

  That night, Kaede sat alone in her room, staring at her phone. She scrolled through the unanswered messages she had sent to Mirei.

  Are you okay? I hope you’re eating well.

  She sighed, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. “Should I just stop? Am I bothering her now?” she whispered to herself.

  With trembling hands, she typed one final message. I hope you’re doing okay. Please take care of yourself.

  When she pressed send, she noticed something strange. The message didn’t go through. It was marked as pending.

  Kaede frowned, waiting a few minutes before trying again. But it didn’t work. Slowly, the realization dawned on her. Mirei had blocked her.

  Her chest tightened, and tears spilled over as she stared at her screen. “This is really the end, huh?” she whispered, her voice breaking.

  ---

  The pain of a breakup lingered like a shadow, haunting both Mirei and Kaede as they tried to move forward. The world didn’t stop for their heartbreak, and life carried on, indifferent to their suffering. But no matter how much they tried to bury their feelings, the wounds remained, raw and unhealed.

  Both were broken, yet both continued to endure, their hearts longing for the connection they had lost.