Kaede, Yukina, and Risa arrived at the bustling Music Station studio at 11 a.m., sharp and full of nervous energy. The trio knew the stakes; this was their chance to showcase "Fragment of Us" to the entire nation. As newbies, they were allotted an early rehearsal slot to ensure everything was perfect.

A staff member greeted them with a clipboard in hand. “Chasing Stardust, you’ll have your rehearsal in 15 minutes.”

“Understood. Thank you so much!” Yukina replied, bowing politely, with Risa and Kaede following suit.

The three stepped onto the main stage for the first time, the iconic Music Station set sprawling before them. Bright spotlights illuminated the polished floor, and massive LED screens loomed overhead, ready to display their every move.

“This… this is unreal,” Risa whispered, her eyes wide.

“I’ve only ever seen this on TV,” Yukina added, her voice full of awe. “And now, we’re here.”

Kaede took a deep breath, steadying herself. Her mind was a whirlwind of emotions—not just about the performance, but the looming reality of possibly seeing Mirei again.

---

After their rehearsal, the trio returned to their shared waiting room, one of several assigned to smaller or newer artists. Risa couldn’t contain her excitement when she saw the list of performers for the show.

“There’s Flower Gum here! Oh my God, I’m such a huge fan of them!” she squealed, practically bouncing in place.

Kaede chuckled at her friend’s enthusiasm. “You might actually get to meet them, you know.”

“Meet them?” Risa’s excitement quickly turned into a nervous meltdown. “No, no, no. I can’t do that! What if I embarrass myself? What if I say something stupid? Oh no, I’m not ready for this!”

Yukina smirked and patted Risa on the shoulder. “Relax, you’ll be fine. Just breathe.”

Kaede, distracted, scanned the performer list again, her heart sinking when she saw Celestial’s name confirmed. Mirei would be here too.

She turned to her friends, her voice hesitant. “Hey, do you think I should… greet Mirei? Or should I just avoid her altogether?”

Yukina and Risa exchanged looks.

“I think you should greet her,” Yukina finally said. “At least to thank her for everything—inviting us to her concert, dancing to our song… it’s the polite thing to do.”

“But only if you feel ready,” Risa added. “You need to prepare yourself, Kaede.”

Kaede nodded, appreciating their advice. “You’re right. I’ll try… if I get the chance.”

---

Their room door swung open, and in walked Flower Gum, one of the day’s acts.

Risa froze mid-breath, her eyes wide like a deer in headlights. Kaede and Yukina immediately stood and bowed to greet the group, but Risa remained utterly frozen.

“Risa, bow!” Kaede whispered sharply, nudging her friend’s arm.

Yukina, sighing, grabbed Risa’s shoulders and forcibly pushed her into a bow, eliciting a muffled squeak from Risa. The Flower Gum members chuckled at the sight, clearly amused by the fangirling.

When Risa finally snapped out of her daze, she gasped dramatically and blurted out, “I—I’m your biggest fan! Your music inspired me to become a musician!”

The group’s vocalist smiled warmly. “That’s so sweet of you to say. Don’t be nervous—we’re just people, too.”

Risa turned bright red, fumbling over her words, while Kaede and Yukina laughed softly at their friend’s starstruck behavior.

---

By 4 p.m., it was time for final preparations. The trio was in the makeup room, where stylists worked on their hair and outfits. Yukina leaned back in her chair, fighting off sleep.

“Kaede, can you grab me a coffee? I’m dying here,” she said groggily.

“Sure,” Kaede replied, her own makeup already finished. She turned to Risa. “Want one too?”

“Please! Thank you!” Risa chimed, giving her a thumbs-up.

Kaede stepped out into the hallway, her nerves temporarily calmed by the task at hand. The halls were lively, with staff and artists bustling about, but Kaede kept her head down, focused on finding the nearest vending machine.

As she turned a corner, she suddenly collided with someone carrying a cup of water. The liquid splashed onto Kaede’s outfit, soaking part of her sleeve.

“I’m so sorry!” the person exclaimed, fumbling with napkins to help clean up.

“It’s okay, really,” Kaede said, brushing it off. But as their eyes met, both froze in place.

It was Mirei.

The air between them turned heavy as the realization hit. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the silence louder than any words could have been.

Kaede’s heart raced. She hadn’t seen Mirei in person since their breakup, and now here they were, face to face in the most unexpected and awkward way. Mirei looked as pretty and cute as always, making Kaede feel like she was meeting her idol all over again, just like the first time she saw Mirei on stage as an idol.

Mirei’s expression was unreadable, though a flicker of nervousness passed through her eyes. “Kaede…” she finally said, her voice soft.

“Mirei…” Kaede replied, equally quiet.

Both seemed unsure of what to do next. Kaede’s mind raced with things she wanted to say—questions, apologies, everything she’d bottled up—but the words wouldn’t come.

“I didn’t mean to…” Mirei gestured to the water stain on Kaede’s sleeve, her voice faltering.

“It’s fine. Just an accident,” Kaede said quickly, trying to ease the tension.

An uncomfortable silence settled over them again, neither knowing how to bridge the gap that had grown between them. Kaede wanted to say so much—to ask how Mirei had been, to thank her for supporting Chasing Stardust—but fear held her back.

Mirei, on the other hand, struggled to maintain her composed exterior. Her heart ached seeing Kaede up close again, knowing how much she missed her. But she reminded herself of the walls she had built, the act she had to uphold to protect them both.

“I should go,” Mirei finally said, her voice cool and distant. “Good luck with your performance tonight.”

Kaede blinked, surprised by Mirei’s tone. “Thanks… you too,” she replied, her voice tinged with disappointment.

Without another word, Mirei turned to leave, but suddenly Kaede instinctively grabbed her hand, surprising Mirei with the sudden touch.

Realizing she had crossed a boundary without thinking, Kaede quickly apologized, her voice trembling. "I'm sorry—I didn’t mean to do anything weird," she said softly, her cheeks flushed. "I just... wanted to thank you for the concert invitation and for supporting our new song." With that, Kaede bowed deeply, then hurried away, her heart pounding uncontrollably as Mirei stood frozen in place.

As Mirei disappeared around the corner, Kaede let out a shaky breath, her hands trembling slightly.

“That could’ve gone better…” she murmured to herself before forcing herself to refocus. She still had a show to perform.

Unbeknownst to her, Mirei stopped around the corner, leaning against the wall to steady herself. Her own heart was pounding, her carefully maintained facade cracking ever so slightly.

“Get it together, Mirei,” she whispered, trying to compose herself. “You can’t let her see you like this.”

But deep down, she couldn’t deny the lingering ache in her heart or the memories of what they once had.

---

The clock ticked closer to 6 p.m., and the stage was set. Both Chasing Stardust and Celestial would soon find themselves under the same spotlight, their paths crossing once again in a way neither had fully prepared for.