Kaede was getting ready for school as usual, adjusting her school uniform and combing her short black hair in front of the mirror. Everything felt strangely normal despite the lingering confusion she'd been feeling since waking up in this new reality where Mirei, her idol crush, was now just a regular classmate. She hadn't figured out how or why this had happened, but she decided to just go along with it for now. At least Mirei was alive.
Arriving at school, Kaede was lost in her thoughts when she heard hurried footsteps behind her. She glanced over her shoulder just in time to see Mirei stomping toward her, a clear look of annoyance on her cute, delicate features. Her bobbed brown hair bounced with every step.
"Kaede!" Mirei called out, her voice sharp.
Kaede blinked, confused as to why Mirei sounded upset. When she reached her, Mirei placed her hands on her hips and glared up at Kaede. Despite the frustration on Mirei's face, Kaede couldn't help but find her adorable. It was a strange feeling, seeing her like this in such an ordinary school setting.
"Why did you leave me behind?" Mirei demanded, her cheeks puffing out slightly. "You always walk with me to school. What's gotten into you?"
Kaede blinked again. "Uh, leave you? What do you mean?"
Mirei groaned in exasperation. "Seriously, Kaede? Are you even listening to yourself? We've been walking to school together every day for a year now! And today you just—" She flailed her arms around, trying to make sense of Kaede's behavior. "—left me behind!"
Kaede scratched the back of her head, not sure how to respond. "Is that so?" she mumbled, awkwardly.
"Is that so?!" Mirei mocked, throwing her hands up in the air. "What do you mean, 'Is that so?' Kaede, what's going on in that head of yours? You've been acting weird since yesterday!"
Kaede tried to suppress a grin. Mirei's frustration was kind of cute in its own way. But before Mirei could yell at her more, the teacher entered the classroom, signaling the start of class. Kaede sighed in relief, glad to avoid any more interrogation for now.
The day dragged on as usual. Kaede found it hard to focus on the lessons, her mind still stuck on this new version of her life. She was in her usual high school, but the whole place was an all-girls school now, and Mirei, the leader of Celestial, was no longer an idol but just a classmate and friend.
Boring as the class was, Kaede almost dozed off several times, her head bobbing as she struggled to keep her eyes open. Every now and then, she'd glance over at Mirei, who still seemed a little grumpy from the morning incident. Kaede felt a bit guilty for confusing her but had no idea how to explain everything without sounding insane.
After what felt like an eternity, the school day finally ended. Kaede packed up her things, and as she did, she noticed Mirei was still giving her the cold shoulder. Feeling bad, Kaede decided to break the ice.
"Hey, Mirei," she began, trying to sound casual. "Wanna grab a coffee sometime? My treat."
Mirei shot her a sideways glance, still a little miffed. "Not today. I've got dance club practice."
"Dance club?" Kaede repeated, raising an eyebrow. That sounded a little too familiar. She remembered Mirei's dance skills from her idol days. "You're in the dance club, huh?"
"Yeah," Mirei replied with a smirk. "Why? Surprised?"
Kaede chuckled, though she felt a pang in her chest. "Not really. I always thought you'd be into something like that."
"Of course," Mirei said, flipping her hair playfully. "I've got moves. You should come watch me sometime."
Kaede paused, realizing that she hadn't seen Mirei dance in what felt like ages, not since she'd idolized her as the leader of Celestial. Maybe watching her in this new reality would stir up some old feelings, though it also brought back memories of the news she wanted to forget—the news of Mirei's death.
Still, curiosity got the better of her. "Actually, I might come by after school to watch. If that's cool with you."
Mirei shrugged, a playful glint in her eyes. "Do whatever you want, stalker."
Kaede blushed, feeling a bit embarrassed, but she gave a quick nod. "I'll swing by then. Oh, and let me know when you're free for that coffee."
Mirei grinned, finally dropping her earlier frustration. "You better keep that promise, Kaede. I won't forget."
Kaede gave a small salute and watched Mirei leave the classroom.
After school, Kaede wandered over to the dance club room, where she found Mirei practicing with her teammates. She leaned against the doorway, trying to be subtle as she watched. Mirei moved with such grace, her body in perfect sync with the music. Even as a regular high school girl, she had that same star power, that same presence that made Kaede's heart race when she'd first seen her perform as the leader of Celestial.
Kaede couldn't help but smile as she watched, though it made her miss Celestial more. Seeing Mirei like this made her want to listen to their music again, to relive the memories she had of them. But as far as she knew, Celestial didn't even exist here.
Suddenly, Mirei turned, catching Kaede staring at her. She raised an eyebrow and walked over. "You've been lurking there for a while. What's up with you?"
Kaede stammered, caught off guard. "Uh, nothing. I was just…you know, watching you."
Mirei crossed her arms, a teasing grin on her face. "Aww, are you admiring me again, Kaede? You really are my number one fan, huh?"
Kaede blushed furiously, trying to come up with an excuse. "N-No, I just—uh, I wanted to see what the dance club was like."
"Sure, sure," Mirei teased, nudging her playfully. "If you're that interested, why not join us? We're actually short on members."
Kaede's eyes widened. "M-Me? In the dance club? No way. I'm way too clumsy for that."
Mirei chuckled. "I'll teach you, don't worry. You'll be a pro in no time."
Kaede shook her head, trying to avoid getting roped into anything. "I'll think about it."
"Well, you know where to find me if you change your mind," Mirei said with a wink before heading back to practice.
Kaede waved goodbye, her mind swirling with mixed feelings. She just needed to figure out how to keep up with this strange new life, one step at a time.