Chapter 70: Breaking the Tension

It was the evening of March 26, and Mirei found herself pacing around her room, sighing for what felt like the hundredth time. Tomorrow was Minami's birthday, and the group had a livestream planned to celebrate it. Normally, Mirei would look forward to events like this, but the tension with Minami had been gnawing at her for weeks. Since the accidental kiss, Minami had been avoiding her, barely speaking unless absolutely necessary. Mirei couldn't let that awkwardness spill over onto the livestream — the fans would pick up on it immediately.

The other matter weighing on her mind was Kaede. In just two days, Chasing Stardust's second album would be released, and Mirei couldn't contain her excitement. She decided to call Kaede, needing a distraction from her worries.

The phone rang twice before Kaede picked up.

"Hey, Mirei," Kaede's soft voice greeted her.

"Kaede!" Mirei perked up instantly. "Guess what? In two days, your album drops, and I'm going to the store first thing in the morning to buy 50 copies!"

"Fifty?!" Kaede laughed. "Are you insane? You don't need to do that! One copy is enough, Mirei."

"One copy? No way! I'll buy enough for everyone I know! I'll give them to strangers if I have to!" Mirei declared, her voice brimming with determination.

Kaede chuckled again, the sound warm and comforting. "You're crazy, you know that? Just listening to the music and enjoying it is enough for me. Maybe promote it a little if you feel like it."

"Promote it a little?" Mirei scoffed. "I'm going to tell the world about your music!"

Kaede's laughter continued, but before she could respond, Mirei heard someone calling her name in the background. She pouted.

"Ugh, someone's calling me. I don't want to go," Mirei whined. "I wish I could just talk to you forever. Or better yet, meet you."

Kaede smiled, even though Mirei couldn't see it. "I miss you too. But we both have things to do. Let's do our best for now, okay? Take care."

Mirei sighed dramatically. "Fine, fine. I'll call you later then. Love you, Kaede!"

"Love you too," Kaede replied softly before hanging up.

Mirei stared at her phone for a moment, feeling a little better. Kaede always had that effect on her.

---

Back on set, Mirei found herself sighing again as she spotted Minami across the room. The tension between them was exhausting. Ayumi noticed her friend's forlorn expression and leaned closer.

"What are you sighing about this time?" Ayumi asked, her voice laced with curiosity.

Mirei hesitated before admitting, "It's Minami."

Ayumi raised an eyebrow, unsurprised. "Still awkward after… that?"

Mirei nodded glumly. "It's been three weeks. We're not fighting, but… I don't know. Tomorrow's her birthday, and we have the livestream. I don't want things to be awkward in front of the fans."

Ayumi sighed as well, understanding Mirei's predicament. "You're right. It'll be obvious if you two don't settle things. Maybe it's time to confront her directly."

Mirei considered Ayumi's words. "Yeah… I think you're right. I'll try to talk to her tonight."

Ayumi smiled and teased, "Stop pouting like that. You're too cute when you do that — it's distracting."

Mirei laughed and playfully swatted Ayumi. "Stop teasing me! I'm being serious here."

"Good luck," Ayumi said with a wink.

---

Later that evening, after a long day of photoshoots, Mirei lingered outside the building, waiting for Minami to finish. The other members had already left, and Minami was the last one still on set.

At last, Minami emerged, looking tired but relieved to be done for the day. She paused when she saw Mirei standing in front of the building.

"Hey, Minami," Mirei greeted her with a soft, friendly voice.

Minami hesitated before replying, "Hey… Mirei."

An awkward silence hung between them. Minami finally broke it. "Why are you still here?"

Mirei smiled gently. "I'm waiting for you, actually. I wanted to talk."

Minami blinked in surprise, her cheeks heating up. She quickly averted her gaze, confused by her own reaction. "Why am I blushing?" she thought.

"Talk about what?" Minami asked, her voice quieter than usual.

Mirei stepped closer and gently took Minami's hand, her expression earnest. "Please, Minami… can we talk? I don't want this tension between us anymore."

Minami hesitated, torn between wanting to avoid the conversation and the undeniable sincerity in Mirei's eyes. She glanced at Mirei's face, only to quickly look away again. "Why does she have to be so cute?"

Feeling Minami's reluctance, Mirei gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Please," she repeated, her voice almost a whisper.

Minami sighed, her resolve crumbling. "Okay… okay. Can you not squeeze my hand so hard, though?" she stammered, pulling her hand back.

Mirei tilted her head, confused by Minami's flustered behavior. "We've casually held hands before… why does she sound upset now?" she wondered.

Deciding to lighten the mood, Mirei grinned and said, "Thanks, Minami! Come on, let me treat you to some ramen. My treat!"

Minami blinked in surprise. "Ramen?"

"Yep! Let's go!" Mirei said cheerfully, grabbing Minami's arm and gently tugging her along. She was determined to fix things, one step at a time.

---

The two found a quiet ramen stall nearby and settled into a corner booth. Mirei ordered for both of them, knowing Minami's usual preferences.

As they waited for their food, Mirei spoke up. "Minami, about what happened… I'm really sorry."

Minami stiffened but didn't respond immediately.

"It was an accident, I know," Mirei continued, her voice steady. "But I hate that it's made things weird between us. You're one of my closest friends and a precious member, Minami. I don't want to lose that."

Minami sighed, her shoulders relaxing slightly. "I know it wasn't your fault, Mirei. And I'm not mad at you."

"Then why are you avoiding me?" Mirei asked gently.

Minami hesitated, her hands fidgeting with the edge of her napkin. Finally, she admitted, "I guess… I didn't know how to act around you after that. It just felt… strange."

Mirei nodded, understanding. "I get that. But you don't have to feel that way, Minami. We've been through so much together. I don't want one silly accident to ruin our friendship."

Minami looked up at Mirei, her expression softening. "You're right. I've been acting childish about this. I'm sorry."

Mirei smiled warmly. "It's okay. Let's just put it behind us, okay?"

Minami nodded, a small smile finally gracing her lips. "Okay."

As they ate, the tension between them seemed to dissolve, replaced by the warmth of their familiar friendship.

---

Later that night, as Minami lay in bed, she replayed the evening in her mind. She remembered the way Mirei had smiled at her, the way she had held her hand so earnestly and the kiss... Minami shook her head immediately.

"Why does she affect me like this?" Minami wondered.

The truth was unsettling but undeniable: somewhere deep down, she start to realized she might have feelings for Mirei. But the thought terrified her, and she knew she can't say it aloud. For now, it would remain a secret, locked away in her heart.