Mirei leaned against Kaede, her voice soft but laden with the exhaustion of her relentless schedule. They sat cross-legged on the floor of Mirei's room, Kaede's bag of goodies from the convenience store strewn about them.
"So, Chasing Stardust's second album drops on March 28th, huh? That's exciting," Mirei said, her tone tinged with pride for her girlfriend.
Kaede nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Yeah, we're pretty nervous, though. The pressure's on after the first one did so well. What about you? What's next for Celestial?"
Mirei hesitated, then sighed. "Our third album releases in early April."
Kaede's jaw dropped. "Wait, what? It's only been three months since Shine On!!"
"Tell me about it," Mirei replied with a weary chuckle. "Ever since Shine On! exploded, it's been non-stop. Interviews, promotions, recording, rehearsals, TV shows, festivals... It's like there's no time to breathe."
"No wonder you got sick," Kaede said, concern etched into her face.
Mirei's smile faltered, and her voice quivered slightly. "It's my fault, though. I should've taken better care of myself. I'm the leader, Kaede. If I'm not strong enough, I hold Celestial back. The other girls… they work so hard, and I—"
Her words broke off, a teardrop trailing down her cheek.
Kaede's heart clenched. She reached over, pulling Mirei into a tight embrace. "Stop," she said gently, her voice firm but full of warmth. "Mirei, it's not your fault. Getting sick doesn't mean you're weak or a bad leader. It just means you're human. You're not a machine, and no one expects you to be."
Mirei buried her face in Kaede's shoulder, her hands clutching at Kaede's back as though anchoring herself. "But I—"
"No buts," Kaede interrupted softly. "Everyone in Celestial looks up to you, not because you're perfect but because you're you. And I… I love you for the same reason."
The words hung in the air for a moment, and Mirei's quiet sniffles subsided.
"Thank you," Mirei whispered, her voice muffled against Kaede's sweater.
They stayed like that for a while, sitting on the floor, Kaede's arms wrapped protectively around Mirei. Slowly, the tension in Mirei's body eased, and Kaede leaned back to look into her eyes.
"Better?" she asked.
Mirei nodded, a small but genuine smile on her lips.
---
Dinner was a simple affair—sandwiches, fruit, and a warm cup of tea. Mirei, though still pale, seemed more like herself as she teased Kaede about the mismatched snacks she'd brought.
"You bought three different kinds of fruit but forgot bread for the sandwiches?" Mirei giggled, taking a bite.
"I was in a rush!" Kaede protested, laughing along. "And I wasn't exactly planning a gourmet meal!"
After they cleaned up, Mirei stretched out on Kaede's lap, sighing contentedly. "This is nice," she murmured, her voice soft with drowsiness.
Kaede ran her fingers through Mirei's hair, smiling down at her. "Yeah, it is."
Mirei opened one eye lazily, a playful glint in her gaze. "Do you remember the first time you kissed me?"
Kaede's cheeks immediately turned crimson. "Y-You're bringing that up now?"
Mirei grinned. "Of course. You were so flustered, stammering about how you 'lost control.' It was adorable."
"I-I wasn't that bad!" Kaede protested, though her voice betrayed her embarrassment.
"You totally were," Mirei teased. "I thought it was the cutest thing ever. It made me want to protect you… and hold you… and maybe tease you a little."
Kaede covered her face with her hands. "You're impossible."
"But you love me for it," Mirei quipped, sticking out her tongue.
Kaede peeked through her fingers, her expression softening. "Yeah, I do. And honestly… thank you for taking the lead back then. If you hadn't, I don't think we'd be here now."
Mirei's teasing expression melted into something more tender. "Kaede, I'd take the lead a hundred times over if it means being with you."
Kaede chuckled, her embarrassment fading. "You're such a sap."
"Only for you," Mirei replied, closing her eyes.
The room fell quiet except for the sound of Mirei's soft breathing. Her body relaxed completely, her face serene as she drifted off to sleep. Kaede smiled down at her, her heart full.
---
Without realizing it, Kaede had dozed off too, her head lolling against the wall. A sudden noise from the front door jolted her awake.
Voices echoed down the hallway, growing louder with each passing second. Kaede's eyes flew to the clock. 9:15 PM.
"Shoot!" she whispered, her heart racing. Mirei was still sound asleep on her lap, blissfully unaware of the chaos about to unfold.
Kaede carefully shifted Mirei off her lap and onto a pillow, moving with the precision of a bomb defusal expert. She tiptoed to the door, her pulse pounding as the voices grew nearer.
"Mirei? Are you awake?"
The doorknob rattled.
Kaede froze, her mind racing. She lunged for the lock, twisting it just as the knob turned from the other side.
Click.
The door was locked.
"Phew," Kaede exhaled, pressing her ear against the door to listen.
"Mirei? You in there?"
Kaede's panic returned full force. What do I do? What do I do?
She darted back to Mirei, who stirred slightly but didn't wake. Kaede whispered urgently, "Mirei! Wake up! Someone's at the door!"
Mirei mumbled something incoherent, her head burrowing deeper into the pillow.
The voices outside grew more insistent. "Is she asleep? Should we check?"
Kaede's eyes widened. Oh no, oh no, oh no! She glanced around the room, searching for a hiding spot, but it was too late.
The doorknob jiggled again, this time more forcefully.
"Mirei, wake up!" Kaede hissed, shaking her shoulder.
Mirei finally opened her eyes, blinking groggily. "Hmm? What's going on?"
"Someone's at the door!" Kaede whispered frantically.
Mirei sat up, her sleepy expression replaced with alarm. She motioned for Kaede to stay quiet, then called out, her voice hoarse but steady. "I'm fine! I'm just resting!"
"Are you sure?" one of the voices asked. "We brought you some soup."
Kaede's stomach flipped. Soup? Really? Now?!
"Thank you!" Mirei replied. "But I'll get it later. I'm really tired."
There was a pause.
"Alright, feel better soon," the voice finally said, followed by the sound of footsteps retreating.
Kaede sagged against the wall, her legs weak with relief.
Mirei turned to her, a mischievous smile creeping onto her face despite the situation. "Well, that was close."
Kaede glared at her. "Close? Mirei, my heart almost exploded!"
Mirei giggled, pulling Kaede into a hug. "You're adorable."
Kaede groaned, burying her face in Mirei's shoulder. "You're crazy."
"And you love me for it," Mirei teased, her voice warm with affection.
Kaede sighed, a reluctant smile tugging at her lips. "Yeah… I do."
As the tension dissolved into laughter, Kaede couldn't help but think that, crazy as it was, she wouldn't trade this moment for anything.