Mirei took a deep breath as she stood backstage, her heart pounding with a mix of anticipation and nerves. The muffled sounds of fans chanting “Celestial! Celestial!” filled the massive venue, creating an electric atmosphere. It was moments like these that reminded Mirei why she pursued her dream. But tonight, her heart felt heavier than usual.

  As she waited for the show to start, her thoughts drifted to earlier that month. She vividly remembered passing by Kaede's apartment. Every time she walked by, the lights were off, and Mirei couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness. Kaede’s absence weighed on her, more than she wanted to admit.

  One morning, fate had intervened. Mirei had bumped into Yukina outside the apartment. It was awkward at first—Mirei had no idea what to say. But Yukina had broken the silence with a warm greeting.

  “Morning, Mirei!” Yukina had said, her voice slightly nervous.

  Mirei had smiled. “Hi, Yukina. Nice to see you."

  Gathering her resolve, Mirei handed over three beautifully designed invitations. “Our first concert is coming up soon. I’d love it if you, Risa, and Kaede could come and support us. It would mean a lot.”

  Yukina had accepted them with a smile. “Thank you, Mirei. We’ll be there for sure. Good luck with the concert!”

  That memory fueled Mirei as she stepped onstage. "I really hope Kaede comes tonight," Mirei whispered to herself, clutching the star-shaped lucky charm she once received from Kaede.

  The lights dimmed, and the crowd erupted into deafening cheers. The opening beats of their first song thundered through the venue, and Mirei’s worries melted away.

  ---

  In the audience, Kaede, Yukina, and Risa were equally overwhelmed.

  “Wow! They’re even more stunning in person!” Yukina whispered, her eyes glued to the stage.

  “Their energy is insane!” Risa added, waving her glow stick wildly.

  Kaede, however, couldn’t utter a word. Her eyes were fixed on Mirei, who shone like a star under the spotlight. Her heart raced as if it would burst from her chest.

  ---

  After two dazzling performances, the group paused for their first talk segment. The leader, Minami, led the greeting. “1, 2, hello, we are Celestial!”

  The audience roared in response, and the group members took turns expressing their gratitude.

  “Thank you, Dreamers, for being with us from the start,” Mirei said, her voice steady yet heartfelt. “Tonight is special because it’s not just our first concert—it’s the culmination of all our dreams and your unwavering support.”

  The fans screamed louder, with some shouting decrations of love.

  Kaede felt her chest tighten at Mirei’s words. She’s incredible.

  ---

  As Celestial delivered yet another fwless performance, Yukina leaned over to Kaede and Risa, whispering in awe, "Can you believe how amazing they are? The synchronization, the energy—this must have taken crazy amount of practice, even more back than to our trainee days."

  Risa nodded, her eyes glued to the stage. "It's like they're on a completely different level from us. I can't even imagine the kind of discipline they’ve had to maintain all this time."

  Kaede, however, stayed quiet, her gaze fixed on Mirei's every move. Watching her sing and dance with such confidence and grace, Kaede felt a pang of inadequacy. "Mirei... she's unbelievable," she muttered, almost to herself. "How did she grow so much while I stayed the same? I feel... left behind."

  Yukina, captivated by Mirei's breathtaking performance, leaned toward Kaede and muttered in awe, "To think that person was your ex-girlfriend is crazy."

  Kaede chuckled softly, her gaze fixed on the stage. "Right? Somehow, it feels surreal now," she replied, her voice tinged with a bittersweet tone. "It’s like she’s someone completely out of my reach."

  As the concert continued, Kaede found herself swept away by the performances. Risa, however, had other pns.

  “It’s time,” Risa whispered, nudging Kaede.

  “Time for what?” Kaede asked warily.

  “THE BANNER!” Risa hissed, pulling out the massive creation she had made. The bold letters spelling out Kaede Loves Mirei were impossible to miss.

  “Put that away!” Kaede said, her face burning with embarrassment.

  “Absolutely not! We need to make sure Mirei notices us!” Risa decred, determined.

  Yukina tried to mediate. “You two, stop arguing. People are staring!”

  In their commotion, they missed another key moment onstage, much to Kaede’s frustration. “This is all your fault, Risa!”

  But Risa was undeterred. “You’ll thank me ter!”

  ---

  Back onstage, Mirei poured her heart into each performance, but she couldn’t shake the feeling of disappointment. She had scanned the crowd multiple times, hoping to catch a glimpse of Kaede, but the sea of fans made it nearly impossible.

  As they moved into their final talk segment, Mirei’s heart sank. Maybe she didn’t come after all, she thought, masking her emotions with a professional smile.

  But then, something caught her eye—a bold, bright banner.

  Kaede Loves Mirei.

  Her breath hitched as she looked closer. There they were—Risa waving the banner like her life depended on it, Yukina shouting Mirei’s name, and…Kaede.

  Kaede stood beside her friends, trying to calm them down, but Mirei could see the unmistakable flush on her cheeks. Mirei’s lips curved into a genuine smile, and she waved directly at them.

  “She noticed us!” Risa screamed, jumping up and down.

  “Kaede, look! She’s looking at us!” Yukina added.

  Kaede turned toward the stage, her eyes meeting Mirei’s. In that moment, time seemed to freeze. Without thinking, Kaede waved back frantically, a huge grin spreading across her face.

  ---

  When it was Mirei’s turn to speak during the final ment, she stepped forward, her voice trembling slightly with emotion.

  “Hi, everyone. I’m Mirei,” she began, and the audience erupted into cheers.

  “First, I want to thank you, Dreamers, for your unwavering support. From our debut to today, you’ve been with us every step of the way. This concert isn’t just our achievement—it’s yours too.”

  The crowd roared, but Mirei’s gaze lingered on Kaede.

  “There have been tough times, moments when we doubted ourselves. But knowing you were there kept us going,” Mirei continued, her voice breaking slightly. “Each and every one of you is precious to us.”

  Kaede felt a lump in her throat as Mirei paused, visibly emotional.

  “Sometimes, life feels impossible. But I want you to know—no matter how hard it gets, promise me you’re doing your best, and that’s enough. I’m proud of you."

  Mirei smiled warmly at Kaede, her voice steady yet filled with emotion as she spoke, "We might not always be together, but let's always support each other from now on, no matter where we are. Thank you Dreamers! I love you!"

  As Mirei finished, tears streamed down her face, mirrored by Kaede, who quickly tried to wipe them away.

  “Are you crying?” Risa teased, nudging Kaede.

  “Shut up,” Kaede muttered, her voice thick with emotion.

  ---

  The concert ended with a spectacur encore, leaving the audience buzzing with energy. As they left the venue, Risa and Yukina couldn’t stop talking about the show.

  “Did you see Mirei’s expression? She was definitely looking at us!” Risa said, practically bouncing with excitement.

  “She even smiled at Kaede,” Yukina added with a sly grin.

  Kaede tried to brush it off, but the truth was, her heart was still racing. Mirei’s words, her smile, her presence—it was all too much to process.

  As they walked back to the station, Kaede gnced at the sky, a faint smile on her lips. For the first time in a long while, she felt something she hadn’t: hope and determination.

  Thank you, Mirei, I will also work hard too, she thought, clutching the memory close to her heart.