For the next few months, Kaede and Mirei returned to their old, peaceful routine. School days passed in a blur, filled with laughter, casual conversations, and the comforting presence of one another. Even though things had changed since the day Mirei broke up with Kouki, they found new rhythms to settle into, one of which included singing and playing guitar together. Every time they did, Kaede would bring out her phone to record their sessions. It was something she cherished, like preserving little fragments of happiness.
One evening, as they walked home from school, Mirei suddenly turned to Kaede with a grin, her eyes twinkling with excitement. "Hey, guess what?" she began.
Kaede blinked, curious. "What?"
Mirei's smile grew wider. "Starlight Entertainment is holding auditions."
Kaede stopped in her tracks, her mind spinning. Starlight Entertainment? It was a familiar name, but… she had searched everything she could about Celestial in this world, and there was nothing—no record of the group, no past performances, nothing. In this version of reality, Starlight Entertainment is a big agency, but they were only known for solo singers.
"Wait, what?" Kaede managed to say, trying to keep up with her racing thoughts.
Mirei seemed to catch on to Kaede's confusion and added with a playful wink, "It's true! They're planning to form their first idol girlgroup and are opening auditions for trainees."
Kaede felt a wave of surprise wash over her. "An idol girlgroup…? Starlight is actually doing that?"
"Yeah!" Mirei nodded excitedly, almost like she was answering Kaede's thoughts. "I'm gonna give it a try."
Kaede blinked again. Mirei was always confident, and her passion for singing never faded, but the idea of her stepping back into the world of idols sent Kaede's thoughts spinning. "Wait, when is this audition?"
Mirei pulled out her phone, scrolling through some information. "Hmm, let me see… Oh! It's 3 weeks from today, right here in our town!"
"In 3 weeks?!" Kaede's voice echoed her surprise. "That's… soon."
"Yep!" Mirei's grin was infectious. She seemed completely unbothered by the pressure of it all, but Kaede felt her stomach twist with a mixture of excitement and anxiety. Mirei had been an idol before, in another world, and now she was getting the chance to live that life again.
Kaede, with a smile, said, "You want me to go with you? Like… accompany you to the audition?"
Mirei chuckled. "Sure! Or, you know…" She leaned in closer, her eyes playful. "Maybe you wanna join too?"
Kaede's jaw nearly dropped. "Me?"
"Why not?" Mirei nudged her lightly. "You're good at music too! You love playing guitar, and you've always been into idol groups. Maybe it's your chance to shine!"
Kaede felt her face flush. Her love for music was no secret—Mirei had seen her enthusiasm countless times during their practice sessions. But the idea of her standing in the spotlight, performing in front of crowds, being the center of attention—it was overwhelming. She couldn't picture herself in that role.
"I mean…" Kaede hesitated, nervously scratching the back of her head. "I've never really thought about being in the spotlight like that…"
Mirei grinned. "You never know until you try, right? Could be fun!"
Kaede forced a smile, her mind swirling with uncertainty. "I'll… I'll think about it."
Mirei seemed satisfied with that answer, smiling as they continued walking. But Kaede's thoughts lingered on the subject. She couldn't help but wonder—if Mirei auditioned, would it lead her down the same path as before? In the previous world, Mirei had become a trainee for Starlight Entertainment at seventeen, just like now. She had trained for two years before debuting as the member of Celestial at nineteen. Celestial's rise to popularity was meteoric, and it was largely due to Starlight being such a prominent agency with immense resources.
The timeline matched up too perfectly for Kaede's comfort. Mirei was now seventeen, the same age as when she became a trainee before. Was it just a coincidence? Or was Mirei destined to follow the same fate in this world as well?
Kaede's mind wandered to darker thoughts—the eventual fate of Mirei in her old world. The tragedy. Could it happen again? No… Kaede shook her head, trying to dismiss the idea. Things were different now. Kaede hadn't been bullied at school like before. Her school changed into an all girls school. Beside in the previous world Kaede and Mirei has 4 years gap, Kaede was seventeen and Mirei was twenty one but now they're the same age.
Some things changed, but some things is stay the same...
But still…
As they walked in silence, Kaede stole a glance at Mirei. The usual carefree expression on Mirei's face was there, but Kaede couldn't shake her growing concern. Was she overthinking things? Or was there a reason to be cautious?
Kaede's heart felt heavy with uncertainty, but she forced a smile, pushing away the doubts for now. Mirei was happy, and that was what mattered most. Honestly Kaede also hope to see Mirei to shine on the stage again.
They continued on their way, chatting about lighter topics, but Kaede couldn't fully escape the thoughts circling in her mind. If Mirei joined Starlight Entertainment and pursued a career as an idol once again, what did that mean for her future?
And what did it mean for Kaede?