Lying side by side on the same bed, Kaede’s back faced Mirei’s. The dim sunlight from the window cast a soft glow in the quiet room, highlighting the unspoken tension between them.

“Mirei…” Kaede’s voice was calm but hesitant.

“Hm?” Mirei responded, her voice barely above a whisper.

Kaede hesitated before continuing. “What do you mean by saying sorry?”

Silence followed. A long, suffocating silence.

Mirei’s heart pounded in her chest. She wanted to tell Kaede everything. She wanted to apologize for breaking up with her so suddenly, for shutting her out, for pretending as if they were strangers. She wanted to confess that she had never stopped thinking about her, that she still loved her.

But now wasn’t the time.

Her fingers gripped the fabric of the bedsheet tightly. She could feel her throat closing up, her emotions welling to the surface, threatening to spill over.

Kaede, still facing the other way, let out a quiet whisper. “I was just… confused…”

Mirei took a deep breath. She turned onto her side, facing Kaede’s back. Her voice trembled as she spoke, “I’m… I’m sorry… for pushing you away…”

Kaede’s body stiffened slightly. She hadn’t expected that.

“I-I didn’t mean—” Mirei’s breath hitched. A sharp pang of regret coiled in her chest. The memories, the pain, the loneliness, everything hit her all at once. Her breathing became uneven, and before she realized it, tears were streaming down her face.

Kaede turned around instantly, her eyes widening in shock as she saw Mirei struggling to breathe properly.

“Mirei…?!”

Mirei squeezed her eyes shut, trying to regain control, but it was useless. Her emotions had completely taken over.

Without hesitation, Kaede reached out and pulled Mirei into an embrace.

“It’s okay… Take your time…” Kaede whispered, her voice soft and soothing.

Mirei’s entire body tensed at first, but the warmth of Kaede’s arms melted away her defenses. Her sobs became muffled against Kaede’s shoulder, and she clung to her, gripping the fabric of Kaede’s hoodie tightly.

For a long while, neither of them spoke. Kaede just held her, gently patting her back, letting Mirei release everything she had been holding in.

Eventually, Mirei pulled away slightly, her face burning with embarrassment. “S-Sorry… That was really pathetic, huh…”

Kaede shook her head with a small smile. “You always bottle things up. It’s okay to cry sometime, you know.”

Mirei felt her heart ache at Kaede’s kindness. After everything she did to Kaede, Kaede was still here, still comforting her. She felt undeserving of it.

Kaede noticed Mirei’s expression and decided not to push her for answers. Instead, she turned around again, facing the wall, giving Mirei some space.

Mirei stared at her back, her fingers twitching as if she wanted to reach out and touch her. Why are you hesitating, Mirei? You’re such a coward. Her heart ached with frustration. She wanted to tell Kaede everything.

A few moments of silence passed before Kaede spoke again. “Mirei… can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

Kaede hesitated for a second before asking, “Are you being close to me again today because it’s all an act for the cameras and the show?”

Mirei’s eyes widened slightly. So that’s what Kaede was thinking…

Mirei let out a deep sigh before answering. “No… all of this isn’t an act.”

Kaede blinked, surprised.

Mirei’s voice softened. “I… I really want to be close to you again.”

Kaede’s heart skipped a beat. There it was again—that feeling, that warmth.

She turned around fully this time, facing Mirei. “You really mean that?”

Mirei nodded. “I do.”

Kaede felt her chest tighten. There were so many questions she wanted to ask. Why now? Why after everything? What changed? But she knew Mirei wasn’t ready to answer all of them yet.

“I see…” Kaede muttered. “Well… that’s a relief.”

Mirei’s lips curled into a small smile. “What’s the ‘relief’ part?”

Kaede looked away, a faint blush creeping up her cheeks. “Well… a relief is a relief.”

Mirei chuckled at that. “What kind of answer is that?”

Kaede smirked slightly. “A relief that you want to stay close to me again. You even blocked me...”

Mirei’s face turned red. “I-I… I’m really sorry about that…” She murmured, flustered. “But I unblocked you already…”

Kaede let out an exaggerated sigh. “Well...”

“…Kaede,” Mirei said, her voice quieter this time. “I-I need to talk to you after these shoot finishes. Please…”

Kaede turned her head slightly. “Okay.”

Mirei swallowed hard and continued, “I want to tell you everything. I’m sorry I made you wait… but now isn’t the right time.”

Kaede nodded, as if she understood. “I know… I’ll wait.”

Mirei gazed at Kaede’s face for a moment, noticing the dark circles under her eyes. “Kaede… Did you not sleep well last night? You have big eyebags.”

Kaede raised an eyebrow. “Look who’s talking.”

Mirei laughed. “Looks like we were both thinking and nervous about the same thing.”

Kaede chuckled. “Yeah…”

A comfortable silence fell between them.

“Let’s take a nap before the next schedule starts,” Kaede suggested.

Mirei nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”

They laid back down, their backs facing each other again. But this time, the silence between them wasn’t heavy with tension—it was light, almost peaceful.

For the first time in a long while, they felt like they were finally starting to understand each other again.