Thirty minutes after Kaede's collapse, the pain in her ankle hadn't subsided, each throb a reminder of her mistake. Mirei hovered beside her, face tight with worry, watching as Kaede gritted her teeth and tried to stand.
"I'm fine," Kaede muttered, her determination evident. She shifted her weight onto her injured ankle, but her leg immediately gave way, and she stumbled forward. Mirei was quick to catch her, her grip firm but gentle.
"Kaede, stop," Mirei's voice was sharp, laced with a frustration that barely masked her worry. "You can't keep pushing like this. Look what it's doing to you!"
When Kaede started to protest, Mirei shook her head, firmly wrapping an arm around her. "We're going to the hospital. No excuses this time."
As they made their way out, Mirei requested a short leave from the manager, who hesitated but ultimately gave a nod, perhaps sensing the urgency in Mirei's voice. They left in silence, both their minds spinning with worry over what the doctor might say.
The air in the car was thick with unspoken fears, neither daring to voice what they both knew—the chance that Kaede's injury could put her future as a trainee, as an idol, at risk. Kaede stared out the window, desperately trying to keep her emotions in check, while Mirei kept glancing over, her hands clenched tightly in her lap.
After what felt like an eternity, they finally arrived at the hospital. Kaede held her breath as the doctor examined her ankle, his expression growing more serious with each moment. After a few silent minutes, he looked up, the disappointment clear in his eyes.
"Kaede, I have to be honest with you. Your fracture hasn't healed properly," he began, his tone firm but sympathetic. "In fact, it's worsened. You've been overusing it, and now the inflammation is severe. You'll need several months of rest—no dancing, no intensive training, absolutely no strain on that ankle."
Kaede felt as if the ground had slipped away from under her. "Several…months?" she repeated, her voice barely a whisper. Her dream flashed before her eyes, each step she'd taken, each sacrifice she'd made, feeling like it had been for nothing. Her thoughts spiraled, and a crushing sense of hopelessness washed over her. Maybe I'm just not meant to be an idol.
Mirei's expression mirrored Kaede's shock. She swallowed hard, her hand instinctively reaching for Kaede's. She had always envisioned debuting with Kaede by her side, but now she felt helpless, unable to do anything to change the situation or ease her girlfriend's pain.
After the doctor finished his instructions, they were directed to the hospital lobby to wait for a car back to the agency. Kaede sat with her head bowed, avoiding Mirei's gaze, her hands resting limply on her lap. She expected Mirei to be scolding her, teasing her, telling her off for being so reckless. But when she finally glanced up, she was startled to see a tear slip down Mirei's cheek.
Mirei quickly turned her head, brushing tears at her cheek, but Kaede had already noticed. Her chest tightened as she realized how deeply Mirei was affected. Kaede clenched her fists, feeling a mix of guilt and sadness. "I'm sorry, Mirei," she whispered, her voice trembling.
Mirei turned to her, her face a mixture of sadness and confusion.
"I'm sorry I made you worry so much," Kaede continued, her gaze fixed on the floor. "But… please don't cry for me, Mirei. It hurts me to see you like this."
For a moment, Mirei's eyes softened, but she quickly shifted her expression, brushing away her tears as she forced a small smile. "Cry? I'm not crying, you're just full of yourself, Kaede," she said, letting out an awkward laugh that didn't quite reach her eyes.
Kaede sighed, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on her. "I just…I hope you'll focus more on your own training. I don't want to be a burden to you, especially now, with everything so close…" Her voice trailed off, and she felt the sting of tears she was holding back.
Mirei's expression shifted, and before Kaede could react, Mirei took Kaede's face in her hands, her gaze intense. "Kaede, you idiot!" Mirei's voice was both fierce and trembling with emotion, and Kaede stared back at her, taken aback.
"How could you even say that?" Mirei's voice softened, her hands gentle against Kaede's cheeks. "You'll never be a burden to me. Not now, not ever. We're in this together. Yes, being an idol is my dream…but you're an important person to me, Kaede. You're my priority too, you idiot."
Kaede's heart skipped a beat, her cheeks warming as Mirei's words sank in. She felt a wave of guilt and relief wash over her. "I'm…I'm so sorry, Mirei," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Mirei let out a small sigh, her face softening, though she still seemed to hold onto a bit of her frustration. "You and your apologies… honestly, Kaede," she muttered, though a mischievous glint began to appear in her eyes. She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a playful whisper. "You're lucky we're in public, you know. If we weren't, I'd kiss you right here. And I wouldn't let you go until I felt like it."
Kaede's eyes widened, her face flushing bright red as Mirei's teasing smile widened. She felt a shiver run down her spine, and despite the situation, a small smile found its way onto her lips. "Mirei, you're…you're impossible," she mumbled, but she felt warmth spread through her chest, a gentle reminder of the love and support Mirei always offered her.
"Maybe," Mirei replied with a wink, her hand resting on Kaede's. "But you make it so easy to be impossible around you."
For a moment, the weight of their struggles seemed to lift, and Kaede allowed herself to simply breathe, taking comfort in Mirei's presence. The ache in her ankle was still there, and her heart was heavy with the knowledge of the long road ahead, but sitting beside Mirei, she felt a spark of hope. Maybe, with Mirei by her side, she could find the strength to keep going.