Chapter 76: Whispers Through the Night

The next day brought a momentary lull in Celestial's relentless schedule, though promotions still loomed on the horizon. Meanwhile, Kaede's own band, Chasing Stardust, wrapped up their final promotional show for their latest album. As the sunset bathed the city in warm hues, Kaede sat with Risa and Yukina backstage, feeling both relief and fatigue.

"These promotions really drained me," Risa groaned, stretching her arms over her head.

"Same," Yukina added. "But we did well. Let's hope the numbers reflect that."

Kaede nodded absently, her mind drifting elsewhere. Ever since she'd last messaged Mirei, she hadn't heard from her again. Her chest tightened at the thought.

"Kaede, you okay?" Yukina asked, noticing her distant expression.

"Yeah... just tired," Kaede forced a smile. "I think I'll head home early."

Bidding them farewell, Kaede hurried home, a quiet excitement bubbling within her. With her own promotions done, she could finally catch up on Celestial's latest appearances. The thought of seeing Mirei's familiar face filled her with warmth.

---

On her way home, she stopped by a nearby supermarket. As she browsed through the aisles, a familiar melody played overhead — Celestial's newest hit from Starry Night. Her heart swelled with pride. Hearing the public hum along to Mirei's voice made her smile.

But her joy was short-lived.

Near the snack aisle, a group of high school girls chatted loudly.

"Did you see that awful university performance Celestial did?" one girl sneered.

"Yeah, they sounded terrible! Can't believe they're still popular," another scoffed.

"Mirei's supposed to be this 'perfect leader,' but she was the worst that night."

Kaede froze, her hands tightening into fists. How could they talk about her like that?

Ignoring the sting in her chest, she rushed through her shopping and hurried back to her apartment. The second she set her bags down, she opened her laptop and searched for Celestial's university performance.

---

The screen lit up with their live stage under harsh, windy conditions. The gusts were relentless, blowing their hair and microphones, scattering their voices in the wind. Despite their best efforts, some notes were strained, and the usual sparkle in their performance felt dulled.

The comments were brutal.

"Worst performance ever."

"Celestial's washed up."

"Fake idols who can't even sing live."

Her heart pounded. The hate spread like wildfire, even reaching trending tags on social media. It was merciless and unrelenting.

Kaede's hands trembled as she grabbed her phone. Without thinking, she typed:

"Mirei, what are you doing now? Can I call you?"

Minutes passed before her phone buzzed.

"I'm still at the practice room… but wait, I'll go somewhere I can be alone. I'll call you in a bit."

Kaede's chest ached. It was almost 10pm... She's still practicing? Even after all this...?

---

A moment after, her phone rang. She answered immediately.

"Hello? Mirei… are you okay?" Kaede asked, her voice trembling.

There was a long pause. Then came Mirei's familiar voice — strained, yet trying to sound upbeat.

"Hey, Kaede... of course I'm okay! Why wouldn't I be?" she laughed awkwardly.

Kaede's brow furrowed. "Mirei... please, don't act tough with me."

Silence stretched between them before Mirei let out a shaky breath. "Ah... you already saw it, huh?"

"Yes."

"We were... really bad that day," Mirei admitted, her voice wavering. "We couldn't hit the notes, couldn't keep up... It was embarrassing."

Kaede clenched her fists. "No... You weren't bad, Mirei."

"But we were!" Mirei snapped, surprising both of them. "We let everyone down. We deserved those hate."

"Mirei, stop." Kaede's voice was firm but gentle. "No one deserves that kind of hate — not you, not your members. Constructive criticism is one thing, but this... these was vile. They're just hating."

"They're right, though..." Mirei whispered. "We failed... I failed. I was supposed to lead... and I—"

Kaede's heart shattered at her broken tone.

"You didn't fail." Kaede's voice trembled, fierce and tender all at once. "You gave everything you had. You faced impossible odds and still stood tall. You're not giving up — you'll rise stronger and be even better next time. That's what matters."

Mirei's breath hitched on the other end. "...Thanks, Kaede." Her voice broke slightly, trembling. "But... I'm sorry Kaede... I let you down... I embarrassed you too..."

"Don't you ever say that." Kaede's voice shook with emotion. "I'm proud of you... proud of everything you've accomplished. One bad performance doesn't change how talented or hardworking you are."

There was a long silence. Kaede could almost hear Mirei struggling to hold back her tears.

"Mirei... you're not okay, are you?"

A strangled sound escaped Mirei's lips before she hurriedly spoke. "S-Sorry... I think my manager's calling for me. I-I have to go. See you Kaede."

Before Kaede could respond, the line went dead.

Kaede sigh

---

Meanwhile on the rooftop of her agency's building, Mirei collapsed against the cold railing, trembling as sobs wracked her body. The pressure, the expectations, the endless hate — it crushed her like a tidal wave.

Why wasn't she strong enough?

Under the dark, starless sky, she wept... alone.