Step into the Spotlight

Looks like I was right all along. The stadium is completely packed, proof that Sunayomi hasn't lost their edge. The energy in the air is electric, pulsing with excitement, as fans chatter and laugh, their voices blending into an overwhelming hum.

Every now and then, the murmur spikes into sudden bursts of cheers, rippling through the crowd like waves crashing against the shore. The stage—though still empty—feels alive, thrumming with the anticipation of what’s to come.

It's so loud… and it's slowly starting to get to me.

As I pushed my way through the crowded stadium area, my phone suddenly rang. The moment I saw who it is, I sighed and answered.

"Hey, Big Bro!" Nae's voice practically explodes through the speaker, filled with uncontainable enthusiasm.

I immediately pull the phone away from my ear at the screeching volume. "Goddammit, Nae. Don't scream into the phone. My ears are practically bleeding right now."

"Oh, quit your melodrama. It wasn't that bad. My voice is strikingly beautiful! You just don't wanna admit it. One day, I'll become an idol just like Sunayomi."

"...Uh-huh."

"Anyway! Where are you right now?"

"Where?" I repeat, raising an eyebrow. "I'm in Osaka, remember?"

"Psh~ I know that, idiot. I'm asking where you are in the stadium."

I pause. "The stadium? I'm... Wait, why are you asking?"

"Hehe, oops."

A bad feeling crept up my spine. My fingers tighten around my phone as I strain to hear the background noise on her end—booming voices, the unmistakable echo of a massive open venue.

"Nae..." I mutter, my voice low with suspicion. "Where are you right now...?"

And then, just as I approach the VIP section near the front of the stadium, I see someone frantically waving at me.

No... No, no, no. There's no way, right? It has to be someone else. Yeah, that's it. They’re waving at their friend or something. Nae can't be here. It's literally impossi—

Yet, as I stepped closer, my heart sank. Because standing there, grinning from ear to ear as if this wasn't absolutely insane, is her. Yozora Nae.

"Surprise!" she beamed.

At that moment, my mind traveled back in time to just fifteen minutes ago when Manager Na said, 'Get your ass in the VIP section. There's a surprise waiting for you.'

This was definitely a surprise, just not a pleasant one.

"Nae!" I exclaimed. "What are you doing here?! No, wait... How did you even get here? And why didn't you tell me?"

"Whoa, whoa, slow down, Big Bro," she said. "My noodle brain can only handle one question at a time."

"...Ugh. Okay. Let's start with how did you get here?"

"Ah! I got a call a couple of days ago. It was from an unknown number, so I was about to decline it. Good thing I didn't because it was freaking Mitsuki Mira! Her! Of Sunayomi! Calling MY phone!"

That horrendous witch... How did she even get her hands on Nae's phone number? I don't remember putting that anywhere, nor have I ever mentioned. There's no way she dug it up from out of nowhere, so that leaves...

"You guys... exchanged numbers at the mall...?" I mumbled, recalling our encounter with Mira a while ago.

"Yep! But don't worry! Despite my fanatic fan behavior, I have successfully refrained from bombarding her with messages. Heh! Pretty cool of me, right?"

"...The bare minimum is not spam a stranger you only just met."

"Yeah, but I'm me, so I'm cool."

"Hah. Sure. Alright, next question. Why the hell didn't you tell me?"

"Because Mitsuki wanted to keep it a secret."

What the... That Mira... I take it back. She's more than just a horrendous witch. She's... Nah, I'm not even gonna entertain the thought. Otherwise, she'll have my head.

"So, why—"

I was cut off when the stadium dimmed in an instant, plunging the crowd into darkness. A ripple of anticipation spread through the air, thick and almost tangible, as thousands of fans sucked in a collective breath.

"Oh~!" Nae gasped, her uncontrollable grin stretching wider. "Come, come! Sit down!"

She pulled my by the arm and plopped us down onto a couch.

Dang, this really is the VIP section. I didn't even notice the couches lying around. There was even enough space to walk around, which wasn't the case for everyone else.

Then—boom. A single spotlight cut through the void, followed by another, and another, painting the stage in streaks of white and gold. The familiar opening synth pulsed through the speakers, and the crowd erupted in a deafening roar.

I had seen this moment play out countless times before—watched from behind the scenes as the crew scrambled to adjust mics, cued the lights, and timed the visuals with near-perfect precision.

Hell, I was usually one of them, running around backstage, making sure everything was in place. I knew the routine, the order of things, the exact second when the girls would step onto the stage. But knowing wasn't the same as experiencing.

Then, through the thick mist of the stage fog, they emerged.

Sunayomi.

The crowd’s cheers hit a new peak, voices layering into one. The girls stood in formation, their silhouettes outlined against the flashing screens behind them. The energy shifted, tightened, held still for just a moment—then, with a synchronized flick of their hands, the music dropped.

And for the first time, I wasn't watching from the sidelines. I was here, watching them, witnessing the magic from the other side.

The stage was alive—a whirlwind of blinding lights, deafening cheers, and a sea of waving glow sticks painting the stadium in shifting colors. The bass reverberated through my chest, each beat syncing with the racing of my heart. But none of it mattered. Not the overwhelming noise, not the flashing strobes, not even the sheer number of people around me. Because all I could see… was them.

"Omg, omg~!" Nae squealed. "Look, Big Bro! Are you looking?!"

"...Yeah," I replied.

Yoko stood at the center, the undeniable leader, her voice smooth and unwavering, commanding the crowd with a single gesture. Her every movement was deliberate, refined—a testament to years of experience. Yet even now, I could see it, the fire in her eyes, the hunger to prove she still belonged here.

Mira, to her left, was all energy and confidence, her body moving to the beat with a natural ease, as if the rhythm itself flowed through her veins. She had always been bold, almost untouchable, but here, under these lights, she wasn't just bold—she was breathtaking.

Suzu's voice rang out, clear and bright, her smile shining even brighter. Despite the walls she built, the way she longed for something beyond this stage, here she was, giving herself to the music like she was born for it. And maybe she was.

Then there was Nabi, who had once shrunk from the spotlight, unsure, hesitant. But not now. Now, she was radiant, her voice carrying emotions she could never quite put into words offstage. She had always been gentle, kind—but right now, she was strong.

And me? I was nothing more than a bystander, lost in the beauty of it all. Yet, for a moment... I could've sworn they were looking directly at me.

"They're so freaking cool and pretty and amazing!" Nae continued her fangirlish remarks. "Say, this is your first time watching them from the stadium, right? Well? What do you think, Big Bro? Hm...? Big Bro?"

I couldn't reply. Although I could hear her, my mouth just... wouldn't move. And from the corner of my eye, I can see her staring at me with a smug smile.

"Ho~...?"

Normally, I'd say that she's misunderstanding, but this time... She's totally right.

Somewhere along the way, without realizing it, I had stopped seeing them as just idols. They weren't just Sunayomi. They weren’t just the girls I worked for. They weren’t just people I spent time with.

They were them. Suzu. Nabi. Yoko. Mira.

And I... I like them. Me. I... like them.

Maybe I had for a while now, but it was only in this moment, with the lights in my eyes and their voices filling my head, that I finally let myself accept it.

God... I'm so freaking screwed.