It was October 26th. The festival day had finally arrived. Despite a gloomy start with rain drenching the grounds, the skies began to clear as the sun climbed higher, casting a warm glow over the festival site. By 11 a.m., the rain had stopped.

"Thank goodness the rain’s gone. Performing in wet clothes would’ve been a nightmare," Risa sighed in relief, stretching her arms.

Kaede checked the schedule pinned backstage and scanned through the performers. Her eyes naturally searched for Celestial’s time slot. "8:10 p.m.," she murmured to herself, her lips curling into a small smile. "Nice, I’ll have plenty of time to watch them."

Risa peeked over her shoulder, squinting at the schedule. "Whoa, Celestial’s the last act? That’s wild!"

Yukina nodded knowingly. "They’re the biggest name here for today. Makes sense to save the best for last."

Kaede added, "The final performer usually draws the biggest crowd. It’s a way to keep people hooked until the very end."

"Wow," Risa breathed in awe. "They’re on a whole different level, huh?"

Yukina smirked. "Someday, we’ll get there too."

"Definitely," Kaede agreed, her voice carrying determination.

With hours to spare before their own performance at 3 p.m., Yukina proposed exploring the festival grounds. "Let’s take a walk and maybe catch some performances. Oh, and grab snacks. Snacks at festivals just hit differently."

Risa’s eyes sparkled. "Finally, someone who understands the joy of festival food!"

Kaede chuckled. "You’re adorable, Risa. Let’s go before you get too excited."

Risa turned beet red at Kaede’s comment, quickly darting ahead to hide her flustered face. "H-Hey, I’m not adorable!"

Yukina sighed, watching the two. "Kaede really doesn’t realize how clueless she is, does she?"

As they wandered the vibrant festival, they caught glimpses of other artists performing and sampled various foods from stalls. Some fans even recognized them, waving and snapping pictures from a distance. It wasn’t a massive crowd, but the trio felt a growing sense of pride and gratitude.

Suddenly, they noticed a massive crowd gathering near a corner of the grounds. Curious, they approached and found themselves at a photo booth where Celestial was holding a quick fan event.

"It’s them..." Kaede whispered, her heart skipping a beat as she spotted Mirei among the group.

"They’re really on another level," Yukina muttered, her voice tinged with admiration.

Risa nodded in agreement, though her focus quickly shifted to Mirei’s striking presence. "She’s even more stunning in person..."

Kaede couldn’t tear her eyes away. The sight of Mirei laughing and interacting with fans sent a pang through her chest—a mixture of pride, longing, and something she couldn’t quite name.

As time slipped away, the girls realized it was nearly 1 p.m. They hurried back to the backstage area to prepare. Their schedule was tight, and without a large crew to assist them, they handled most of the preparations themselves.

By 2:40 p.m., they were finally ready, standing backstage and awaiting their turn.

"Alright, we’ve got this," Risa said, clenching her fists in determination.

Kaede smiled nervously. Her heart raced, not just from the anticipation of performing but also from the possibility that Mirei might be watching.

---

Meanwhile, Mirei had wrapped up Celestial’s commitments for the afternoon. She found herself with a small window of free time and decided to check out the performances.

"Would it be alright if I watched one of the sets?" Mirei asked her manager.

Her manager hesitated but ultimately agreed. "Just make sure to take a bodyguard with you. We can’t risk you getting mobbed by fans."

Mirei nodded and slipped away, heading toward the stage where Chasing Stardust was set to perform. As she arrived at the artist viewing area, Kaede’s voice filled the air.

Mirei’s breath hitched. She watched as Kaede stood at the center of the stage, radiating energy and confidence. Her heart swelled with pride and a bittersweet ache. She’s come so far, Mirei thought, her eyes never leaving Kaede.

The crowd cheered enthusiastically as Chasing Stardust performed their second song. Mirei couldn’t help but smile. Kaede looked so free and happy, as if the weight of the world had lifted from her shoulders.

Then came the final song. Kaede stepped forward, microphone in hand.

"We have a special guest joining us today," Kaede announced, her voice carrying over the crowd.

Mirei furrowed her brows. A guest?

The crowd roared with excitement as Kaede called out, "Kana, please come to the stage!"

A petite girl with long, vibrant hair bounded onto the stage, radiating excitement. She hugged Kaede and waving to Yukina and Risa enthusiastically before waving to the crowd.

"Hello, everyone! I’m Kana Serizawa! Nice to meet you all!" Kana exclaimed, her energy infectious.

From her spot in the viewing area, Mirei’s chest tightened. Kana Serizawa? Who is she? A pang of jealousy stabbed through her as she watched Kana interact so effortlessly with Kaede.

Kana’s bubbly personality lit up the stage, and she quickly fell into sync with Chasing Stardust as they performed their hit song together. The chemistry between Kana and Kaede didn’t go unnoticed by Mirei, who felt an unfamiliar bitterness rise within her.

As the song ended and the crowd erupted into applause, Mirei found herself clenching her fists. She didn’t understand why the sight of Kaede and Kana together affected her so deeply.

Mirei turned to leave, unable to watch any longer. As she walked away, she whispered to herself, "What are you doing, Mirei? You chose this distance... so why does it hurt so much?"

Onstage, Kaede beamed as she thanked the crowd for their support. Her eyes scanned the audience, hoping—just for a moment—to spot Mirei.

As Chasing Stardust exited the stage, Kaede felt a lingering unease she couldn’t quite place. For all the excitement and joy of their performance, a part of her couldn’t shake the feeling that something—or someone—was missing.