Hushed Confession Pt. 1

For a while, we walked along the edge of the river, eventually reaching a bridge. The moon is out, and it's nice and chilly. For me, this is the ideal setting for a late night walk.

Earlier, the girls said they needed to have a private discussion, so Nae and I have been walking ahead while they straggled behind. I could tell they were locked in a deep conversation, but we weren't close enough for me to hear it.

"So this is how you've been living your life, huh?" Nae chuckled. "I'm a bit jealous."

"Nothing to be jealous of," I scoffed. "It's just loud."

"Hah. You say that, and yet, you agreed to sing."

"Is that suppose say something?"

"Duh." She pointed at me. "You never do things you don't wanna do. If it's too much of a hassle, then nope. If you absolutely hate the idea, then nope. Yet, at the snap of their fingers, you did exactly what they said like a good little boy."

"...Prepare to get smacked."

"Eh?! W-wait!"

Before I could reach up, Yoko called out my name from behind. "Noa."

"Ah. Yeah? What's—"

I turned to see all four of them standing in front of me. It was... a very familiar sight that reminded me of when I first met them.

"W-what is it, Yoko?" I asked.

She stepped forward, reaching into her purse. A small rustle, and then she pulled out a stack of papers stapled at the top.

Once again, another familiar sight.

"This..." I mumbled.

"Did you already forget?" Yoko teased, waving it slightly. "I thought you were looking forward to this day."

It was my contract, the one that tied me to them for three months. The one that had felt like a chain around my neck when I first saw it.

But now, looking at it again... It felt different.

"Today marks the end of your three-month contract period," Yoko said, her voice softer now. "So... This it it, Noa. You're officially free to go."

Her words echoed in my head, but it didn't bring the relief I expected. I stared at the contract, my fingers twitching slightly.

This was what I wanted, wasn't it? No more chaos. No more stress. No more getting dragged into their ridiculous antics.

So then why... Why did my chest feel so damn tight?

Mira let out a scoff, crossing her arms. "You keep staring at that thing like it's a death sentence. What, getting cold feet now? If you keep hesitating, I might start thinking you actually want to stay."

"...I just... forgot, I guess."

"Yeah, sure. Cuz that's how it goes, right? Time flies when you're having fun? Feels like just yesterday you and I met in that washroom. Thought you were some perverted stalker trying to do weird shit to me. Good times, huh?"

I let out a short laugh. "Hah. Not me, that's for sure."

"Right? But..." She exhaled, rubbing the back of her neck. "I guess all good things have to end eventually. As sad as I am about losing you, we'll survive. We'll find another assistant—one that hopefully isn't as much of a pain in the ass as you."

Her words were meant to tease... so why did they make my heart sink? Before I could dwell on it, a sudden warmth enveloped me.

Nabi had thrown her arms around me, holding me tight.

"Nabi—?"

"Thank you, Noa," she whispered, her voice trembling. "For bearing with us. I know it wasn't easy. I know we made things hard for you. But you stayed. Even when you didn't have to, you tried to the best of your ability. For us. You helped us... more than you realize."

"And wouldn’t you know it," Suzu chimed in with a wobbly smile. "Even though you were so stubborn and moody at first, you pulled through. Best assistant we ever had—and trust me, we had a lot."

She forced a small laugh, but her voice shook.

"To be honest, I'm kind of worried now. What if we never find anyone as good as you? But... it’s okay. We'll... We'll manage. All we need to do is... i-is..."

Her lips quivered. Her shoulders tensed. And then, her breath hitched. Tears welled in her eyes before spilling down her cheeks.

"S-Suzu..." I mumbled.

She quickly lifted a hand to her mouth, trying to hold it in, but she couldn't.

"I... I'm sorry, Noa," she muttered, shaking her head. "I don't know why I'm... I mean, I do know, but... I didn't want to show it..."

Even Mira turned away, her lips pressed together, her jaw tight. The same Mira who always had a sharp remark or retort was silent.

"We agreed to keep our emotions in check, didn't we, Suzu?" she mumbled.

"S-Shut up, Mira!" Suzu choked out. "I'm still tipsy, so I'm super sensitive right now!"

I stood there, frozen. This is real. She's really crying. And wasn't just her. All of them seemed like they were on the verge of tears... over me. Why?

I'm not anyone special. I'm not some incredible person. I'm just a guy who happened to be in the wrong place at the right time, but why does it feel so much more than that?

Three months ago, I had convinced myself that this was just a job. That I was just here to finish the contract and that was it. Once it was over, I'd walk away without looking back.

That's what I thought, but now, looking at them now, I can stay true to that. It was never gonna be that simple, and to be honest... I don't think I want that anymore.

I let out a slow breath, steadying myself before gently pushing Nabi away.

"You know... this whole thing was such a weird experience." My voice came out softer than I expected. I swallowed and forced a chuckle. "I mean, who would've thought? Some random guy like me, suddenly playing assistant for one of the most famous girl groups in the world?"

I looked at them—at the girls who had dragged me through absolute hell these past three months.

"It was kind of stressful. Definitely way too much for me to handle. But at the same time, it was also..."

The word sat on the tip of my tongue, hesitant, stubborn—like the part of me that still refused to admit just how much this all meant to me.

"Hah... It was fun."

Their faces were unreadable, watching me with an intensity that made my chest feel impossibly tight.

Damn, I didn't think this would be so hard to say, but it's now or never. I have to tell them how I really feel. Otherwise, I'm gonna regret it for the rest of my life. 

"And... meeting all of you..." My throat tightened. "It was one of the best things to ever happen to me. I mean that. I really do. S-so... I guess what I’m trying to say is..."

I took the contract from Yoko's hands. Held it for just a moment. Then, I handed it back.

"I enjoyed my time here, and I wanna keep doing so. That's why... I'd like to continue working as Sunayomi's assistant."

The air seemed to freeze. My chest was pounding, and I had no idea if it was from nerves or the sheer weight of what I'd just done. But there's no turning back now.

"T-that's only if... you'll have me."

I've been thinking about this for a while, longer than I wanna admit. Like they've been telling me, it's not a bad gig at all. Easy work, good pay, and above all... them.

I want to stay because they are here. Because in this chaotic and ridiculous world of their's—I had found something I never thought I'd have.

Something real.

As they stand there now, stunned and flustered, I can only hope they weren't thinking I'm weird for wanting to stay. And more than anything...

I hope they take me back.