Chapter 77: Under the Cold Night Sky

The cold spring breeze swept through the quiet streets of Tokyo as Kaede stood outside Celestial's dormitory, her breath visible in the chilly night air. It was nearly 10:30 PM, but worry for Mirei left her restless. After their emotional phone call, Kaede couldn't sit still. She was sure Mirei was crying somewhere, and the thought gnawed at her.

Pulling her jacket tighter around herself, she sent another text:

"Mirei, please let me know if you're okay."

Minutes passed with no reply. Kaede tried calling, but the line went straight to voicemail. Frustration and anxiety coiled in her chest. She knew Mirei wasn't angry—Mirei never got angry. But she was proud, too proud to let others see her hurt.

"She's probably blaming herself again…" Kaede whispered, pacing back and forth. She imagined Mirei, sitting alone somewhere, wrestling with her emotions. It hurt to think that she might be suffering in silence.

Half an hour passed. Then another. Kaede shivered as the night deepened, wrapping her arms around herself for warmth. Still no sign of Mirei. Exhausted, she finally sank down near the dorm's gate, hugging her knees as her eyes grew heavy.

---

Meanwhile, at the Agency Rooftop...

Mirei stirred at the soft touch of a hand gently shaking her shoulder. Blinking through blurry eyes, she found herself staring up at Minami, whose expression was etched with concern.

"Mirei… what are you doing here?" Minami whispered, her voice low but firm.

Mirei sat up abruptly, quickly rubbing her face. "Minami...? What... what time is it?"

"It's past midnight," Minami answered with a sigh. "Were you sleeping out here? You'll catch your death in this cold... And..." she hesitated, studying Mirei's puffy, red-rimmed eyes. "Have you... been crying?"

Mirei forced a laugh, masking her vulnerability. "What? No! It must be the wind or something... ha...ha..." Her voice wavered, betraying her facade. "Thanks for waking me up, though... I'd have frozen out here."

Minami frowned but said nothing, letting Mirei gather her things. As they walked back inside the agency building, Minami's worried gaze never left her.

"Where's everyone else?" Mirei asked, pretending nothing was wrong.

"They already went home. I stayed back to check on you," Minami explained softly.

Mirei exhaled a small breath of relief. "That's good... at least they're resting properly."

The quiet that followed was heavy. Minami bit her lip, debating whether to speak her mind. Finally, she couldn't hold back any longer.

"Mirei... I wish you'd be more honest... at least with me."

Mirei froze, her eyes widening. "What... what do you mean?"

"I mean... you're always trying to carry everything alone. You're our leader, yes, but that doesn't mean you have to suffer by yourself," Minami said, her voice trembling with frustration. "We're in this together, Mirei. We're a team, not just on stage... but off it too."

Mirei opened her mouth to respond, but words failed her. She felt something crack inside, the walls she had built trembling under the weight of her exhaustion and guilt.

"Let's just go home... You need to rest." Minami sighed, turning to leave.

Before she could take another step, Mirei grabbed her hand, holding it tightly. Minami gasped, spinning back to face her.

Mirei's lips trembled, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I... I'm sorry..." she whispered, her voice breaking. "I tried... I really tried... but I... I just—"

Minami stepped closer, gently cupping Mirei's face, her thumb brushing away the tears spilling down her cheeks. Mirei finally let go, her body shaking with silent sobs as Minami pulled her into a protective embrace.

"It's okay," Minami whispered, holding her tightly. "It's okay to cry... you don't have to be strong all the time."

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." Mirei repeated, clutching Minami's jacket desperately.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Minami murmured, stroking her hair gently. "You're human, Mirei. You're allowed to feel. You don't have to carry this alone anymore... I'm here."

As Minami held Mirei, feeling the warmth of her trembling frame, something stirred deep within her. This wasn't just sympathy or concern—it was something far more profound. Seeing Mirei's vulnerability, her quiet strength even in her broken state, made Minami's heart ache.

"I... want to protect her..." Minami realized, tightening her arms around Mirei. It wasn't just out of duty or friendship—she cared deeply for Mirei, perhaps far more than she had ever admitted to herself.

Mirei let herself be held, releasing the pain she had bottled up inside. In that quiet moment, she realized she didn't have to be invincible—at least not when someone cared enough to catch her when she fell.

---

*Back at Celestial's Dorm Entrance...*

Minami held Mirei's hand as they walked home, her thumb gently stroking Mirei's knuckles to soothe her. The silence between them was no longer heavy—it was comforting.

"You're not alone, Mirei," Minami repeated softly as they reached the dorm gate. Mirei nodded quietly, offering a small, grateful smile.

But as they approached the dorm, Mirei froze in place. Her breath hitched when she saw a familiar figure rising from where she sat slumped against the gate.

"...Kaede?" Mirei stammered, eyes wide with shock.

Kaede rubbed her tired eyes as she slowly stood up, her gaze locking with Mirei's. Relief flooded her, but her chest tightened when she noticed Minami still holding Mirei's hand.

Her smile faltered for just a second—a bitter twist of jealousy she quickly brushed aside. Mirei's well-being came first. Nothing else mattered.

"I... I was worried," Kaede admitted, her voice trembling slightly. "I couldn't... I couldn't just stay home."

Minami felt the unspoken tension in the air, quietly observing the shared look between the two. She gave Mirei's hand a light squeeze before letting go.

"I'll head inside... Goodnight, Mirei," Minami said gently, offering a small nod before stepping inside the dorm, leaving the two alone. "Thank you... Minami, goodnight." Mirei replied her.

Mirei still hadn't moved, her expression unreadable. Kaede took a tentative step closer.

Mirei stared at her, guilt and longing swirling in her gaze. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to—"

"You don't have to explain," Kaede interrupted gently. "I'm just glad you're here... and safe."

"I'm glad... you're home," Kaede whispered.

Mirei's lips trembled, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "You waited... for me... all this time?"

Kaede nodded

Under the quiet Tokyo night sky, the distance between them slowly disappeared. Mirei took a shaky breath, her heart pounding—but this time, it felt... warm. Safe.