The morning sun filtered through the curtains as Kaede sat on the edge of her bed, pulling her socks on absentmindedly. Her mind wasn't on school; it was on Mirei. A soft smile tugged at her lips as she thought about what had happened the previous night. Mirei had broken up with Kouki, finally free of the toxic relationship. Kaede wasn't sure how she should feel about it, but a part of her, a bigger part than she wanted to admit, was relieved.
After all, now that Kouki was out of the picture, maybe she and Mirei could start walking to school together again. The idea warmed her from the inside out, even though she knew it was selfish. Mirei had always wanted to walk with her, even when she was with Kouki, but Kaede had backed off, not wanting to intrude on their relationship. She had seen how Kouki's face would tense up whenever Mirei suggested they walk together, and Kaede want to respect their relationship.
Kaede grabbed her bag and bounded down the stairs, excitement bubbling in her chest. She paused at the door, considering for a moment.
She hesitated only for a second before her feet carried her to Mirei's door. Before she could change her mind, Kaede rang the bell. A few moments later, Mirei stepped out, looking as radiant as ever. Her short, bob hair was neatly styled, her uniform pressed and immaculate. There was not a hint of last night's emotional storm in her expression.
"Morning, Kaede!" Mirei greeted, her usual cheerful tone intact, as if nothing had happened.
Kaede blinked, taken aback by how well Mirei was holding herself together. Is this how she stayed composed as an idol? she wondered. Even when faced with so much emotional turmoil, Mirei was able to put on a smile and move forward with grace. It was impressive, but Kaede couldn't help but worry a little. She studied Mirei's face, searching for any cracks beneath the surface, but there were none.
"Good morning!" Kaede replied, a little more cheerful than she had intended. "Are you ready to head to school together?"
Mirei grinned, a glimmer of relief flickering in her eyes. "Of course! I missed walking with you, you know." She playfully bumped her shoulder against Kaede's, and they started walking down the street, falling back into their old rhythm.
As they walked, the conversation between them flowed as naturally as it always had. They laughed, joked, and gossiped about random things. It was like old times, before Kouki had come between them.
Eventually, Kaede worked up the courage to bring up something that had been on her mind since last night. She took a deep breath. "Hey, Mirei... I was thinking... I've been playing guitar a lot lately, and I had this idea. How would you feel about, well, singing while I play?"
Mirei's eyes lit up, her usual energy returning in full force. "Oh my God, yes! You know I love singing, right? I tell you I always wanted to be an idol. This sounds like so much fun!"
Kaede's heart skipped a beat at her enthusiasm. "Really? That's awesome! I was thinking maybe tonight? I'm off work at 7pm, so if you want to come over around 8pm, we can try it out."
Mirei nodded eagerly. "Definitely! I have dance practice after school, I'll come over as soon as I'm done. I can't wait!"
The rest of the school day was a blur for Kaede. Her mind kept drifting back to the thought of playing guitar while Mirei sang. She could already imagine how beautiful it would be, hearing Mirei's voice fill the room. And the idea of her performing just for Kaede, in private, without a crowd—it was something she had never imagined possible.
She grinned to herself at the thought, but her excitement made it impossible to concentrate. During her shift at the café, she kept squealing under her breath, imagining Mirei's voice in harmony with her guitar. At one point, she let out a particularly high-pitched squeak while wiping down a table.
"Everything alright?" a customer asked, giving her a weird look from across the room.
Kaede quickly straightened up, her face flushing red as she stammered, "Oh! Y-yeah! I'm fine, totally fine!" She shot them a nervous grin before hurriedly returning to her work. She could feel the stares lingering on her, and she mentally kicked herself for not being more composed.
I really need to calm down...
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, her shift ended. Kaede hurried home, heart pounding in anticipation. By the time the clock struck 8, she was pacing by the door, waiting for Mirei to arrive. Just as she was about to sit down, the doorbell rang. Kaede bolted to the door before her mom could even make a move.
"I got it!" she shouted, practically flying down the stairs. She yanked the door open, breathless but beaming.
"Hey," Mirei said with a bright smile. She looked a little tired from her dance practice, but still as stunning as ever.
"Come on in!" Kaede stepped aside, her excitement bubbling up again. "Let's get started!"
They made their way to Kaede's room, where her guitar was already propped up against the wall, waiting. Mirei glanced around the room, her eyes landing on the guitar, and she smiled.
"You're really into this, huh?"
Kaede nodded, feeling a bit shy now that the moment had arrived. "Yeah, I guess I am. I've been practicing a lot, and I thought... it'd be fun if we did something together."
Mirei sat down on Kaede's bed, stretching her arms out with a relaxed sigh. "Sounds perfect. What song do you want to start with?"
Kaede thought for a moment before suggesting a popular pop song they both liked. "How about that one? It's pretty simple, but fun."
"Perfect," Mirei agreed.
Before they began, Kaede hesitated, her fingers lightly brushing over the strings of her guitar. "Hey, uh... do you mind if I record this? You know, just to keep it as a memory?"
Mirei smiled warmly, nodding. "Of course! I think that's a great idea."
Kaede set up her phone, propping it on her desk to capture the moment. She settled onto the floor with her guitar and began strumming the familiar chords, her heart racing with anticipation.
Mirei's voice filled the room, soft at first but quickly gaining strength as she matched her tone to the rhythm of Kaede's guitar. The sound washed over Kaede like a wave, warm and soothing. She hadn't realized how much she had missed hearing Mirei's voice until now.
It wasn't as polished as it had been when Mirei was in Celestial, but the rawness of it made it even more beautiful in Kaede's eyes. Every note carried a bit of vulnerability, a softness that Kaede had never heard in Mirei's idol days. It was pure, honest, and incredibly moving.
By the time they finished the song, Kaede felt a strange wetness on her cheeks. She blinked in surprise, quickly wiping at her eyes, but it was too late—Mirei had noticed.
"Kaede?" Mirei asked, her brow furrowed in confusion. "Are you... crying?"
Kaede's face flushed with embarrassment, and she quickly tried to play it off. "W-what? No! I mean... maybe a little, but it's just because... your voice is so beautiful!" She let out a nervous laugh, wiping away the last of her tears. "It's one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard."
Mirei, usually so confident and playful, actually looked a bit flustered. She let out a shy laugh, scratching the back of her head. "Wow, thanks, Kaede. But, uh, I don't think my voice is worth that many tears! Haha..." she joked, trying to ease the tension.
Kaede laughed too, feeling a little more at ease. "Well, I guess it is to me."
They shared a warm, lighthearted moment before diving into more songs, the room filled with music and laughter. For the first time in a long while, Kaede felt completely at peace. This was what she had missed—just being with Mirei, sharing something special.
As the night wore on, they finally calling it a day after a few hours. Mirei left with a promise to do it again soon, and Kaede, lying in bed afterward, couldn't stop smiling.