Two Lives

CHAPTER - 1

Coming onto the stage had always made me nervous, but at the same time, it felt like a dream come true. It was hard to explain that feeling. Excitement and fear blended together until I couldn’t tell where one ended and the other began.

Those thoughts kept running through my head as I sang for this tiny crowd, maybe fifteen or twenty people at most. Some sat quietly, others watched with polite curiosity, but all of them were there to listen, and that alone made my heart beat a little faster.

It wasn’t anything big, just a small venue in my local area.

At least, that was how it used to be.

Somewhere along the way, my voice started reaching farther than I thought it could. My fanbase grew, and I realized I wasn’t just singing for whoever happened to be there anymore.

Now, even small performances carried a different weight. People remembered my name. Some followed my music. And without noticing when it happened, I had become… relevant.

I loved this growing fame, but I still had to continue my studies and keep everything moving side by side.

“Hey, Kana, wake up.”

I jolted slightly. “Huh? What’s up?” I muttered, still half-asleep.

“You had a gig last night, didn’t you?” my friend asked.

“Yeah…” I yawned. “I got back pretty late and barely slept. I can’t wait for this day to end so I can finally crash.”

She laughed. “You really are living two lives, huh?”

“I think this is just the beginning, and I’m already exhausted,” I replied with a hint of playfulness.

“Wait until you start seeing yourself on billboards. These sleepless nights will feel worth it, haha.”

I blinked, taken aback. “Aren’t we going a bit too far?”

“Well, if you haven’t noticed, your first album has already passed over a hundred thousand streams.”

“I even heard it being played in a cafe the other day,” my other friend chimed in.

“Wow, I wasn’t aware of that,” I admitted, a bit surprised. Last I checked it was only at something-thousand streams… when did it blow up? I thought to myself.

I don’t think I’m that popular, but even a little fame makes me stand out, especially among my own classmates. You learn to be more careful about who you trust, because you never know their true intentions. Do they really want to be close to you, or just brag about knowing a public figure? One misplaced word, and it could be the end for me.

I don’t like acting high and mighty just because I have some recognition. When people ask for anything, I always try to be as nice and kind as I can.

Of course, being an ordinary student might have meant more freedom, more relaxation when it came to trust and making friends. Many people hesitate to approach me, so sometimes it can be a bit lonely. Thankfully, I have Hikari and Minori as close friends who’ve been with me through thick and thin since middle school. I can trust them completely.

And then there are the rules. Being affiliated with Yukari Records means maintaining a good and pure image for public reasons. But those rules also allow me to chase my dream, so it’s a trade-off I’m willing to accept.

Some days, I can’t believe that this is my life. It feels like a dream I might wake up from at any moment.

“Wanna hang out with us today?” asked Hikari.

“You know that she can’t really hang out publicly,” Minori interjected.

“Yeah… you know how it is,” I said, laughing a little awkwardly to mask my disappointment.

“Oh yeah, sorry, I forgot,” said Hikari.

“You can be such a forgetful airhead, haha,” I teased.

“You know how she is,” Minori said, rolling her eyes playfully.

Minori got a text and her face lit up. “I’ll be heading out with Ryuji, so see you girls later!”

“Well, she’s lucky, finding love so easily,” said Hikari, almost sounding a bit jealous.

“Haha… yeah,” I replied faintly.

I can’t even let myself dwell on thoughts like that, it would create too many issues for me and my dreams.

I’m not falling in love anytime soon, anyway. I’ll keep chasing the dream of becoming a star and reach it one day, no matter what it takes. I’ll make sure the world knows who Kana Kobayashi is.

END CHAPTER-1