Act 9: Quiet Resolve

One day before the play…

<— You free today?

A bubble with three dots appeared and disappeared a few times before a message was sent.

—> I’ll be free once I finish up this design. I’ve got a week before it’s due and I wanted to at least get the colors on it.

<— That’s alright. I just wanted to go out and buy some clothes.

There was a very long pause between that message I sent before she finally replied.

—> I’ll be at your place in 10.

Like she promised, Chiaki had arrived and began banging on my door before I even finished my piece of bread I was eating for breakfast.

The moment I opened it, she was panting heavily, I would’ve expected her clothes to be tossed together, but she had worn an eye-catching jacket that paired well with her brown pants that hugged her just right. Her black hair in a braid tucked behind her.

“Where…are we headed?” She managed as a loose hair strand fell in front of her face.

Though she asked me, I ended up reversing the question onto her. I hardly knew anything about where to buy good clothes, what fabric was softer, things I never really paid attention to. So Chiaki decided to head to a mall about 30 minutes out and begin our adventure.

Starfall Mall.

The last time I came here was to buy some running shoes that are still doing quite well.

The first store Chiaki dragged me into was one full of designer clothes. Reading the price of a pair of gloves was enough for me to drag her out and explain that I did not want to break the bank.

Taking that into consideration, she brought me somewhere more modest in price.

“So, what sort of style are you aiming for? Formal? Tryna pretty up for someone else?” She raised her eyebrows playfully.

“I just…wanted something that looked nice to wear at the show tomorrow.”

Chiaki put a hand on her chin as she gave me an up down. I could see her thinking hard, as even her eyebrows were scrunched together.

“I’ve got just the thing,” a smirk formed on her lips. “Come with me.”

She pulled me along by the sleeve into a boutique filled with clean silhouettes and muted colors. I watched as Chiaki effortlessly put together an outfit. A long brown coat over a black turtleneck and slacks, finished with a cream belt at the waist. The way she assembled it made it feel intentional, like she’d seen the result before I had.

“Alright, try this on.” She was fairly quick, which surprised me. I was expecting this impromptu shopping to at least take us half the day. I grabbed the outfit and headed to the nearest changing room.

Everything fit very nicely. The turtle neck wasn’t too tight, but I was starting to think it was a little overboard.

I know I asked for something simple and this is, but maybe it looks like I’m trying too hard to look…good. I frowned at the mirror inside.

Maybe Natsuki wouldn’t mind…I shook my head. For her to come up while I’m buying clothes makes it seem like I’m trying to change my style for her. Though I doubt I would be even able to see her. I simply just want to look nice, but this is such a drastic change from my usual style. I had to admit I did look good though, I was right to reach out to Chiaki. She made things much easier than I hoped.

Stepping out of the changing room, Chiaki was waiting patiently, arms crossed.

“How’s it look?”

She stared for a little bit, making me a little self-conscious about it. But her mouth curved upward into a bright smile like she was appreciating a work of art she’d created herself.

“Very nice,” she said with a satisfied hum. “The layers give you a more mature presence, and the belt grounds the whole look. It looks great!”

She tilted her head, studying my hair.

“Tomorrow, I’m fixing that too.”

It was an odd request but I just nodded my head. “Cool. Don’t worry, I want to at least add the finishing touches. Trust me, you already look fine in those clothes, but a hairstyle could also add to the style.”

I had the utmost trust in Chiaki. Besides my simplistic ponytail, sweater, and jogging pants combo that was kind of all I knew. So this was definitely a fitting change once in awhile. After she was done commenting on the look, I changed out of the outfit and bought everything she suggested. As the cash register lady passed me the bag of my new fit, I couldn’t help but feel a little excited about it.

“You know, I was surprised you called me over to go shopping with you. I never thought I’d see that day,” Chiaki was swooning. “I know you said you wanted to look nice for the show tomorrow, but I can't help but think there’s something else going on in that head of yours.”

I raised my hands defensively. “There really isn’t. Though… I guess Natsuki might’ve had some influence.”

Her brow lifted. “You’ve been pretty chummy with her lately. First-name basis, invitations to her show…” Her tone softened before it could turn sharp. “I won’t pry. Just…if you ever need to talk, I’m here.”

The sudden sincerity caught me off guard. Chiaki had always been like that, teasing one moment, quietly supportive the next.

To cap off the trip, we ducked into a small ramen shop and ate until we were full, the warmth settling into my chest along with the broth. As I stared into the steam curling from my bowl, one thought lingered clearly above the rest.

I couldn’t wait for the show tomorrow.

~~~

A restless feeling settled in my chest as I watched the minute hand inch closer to the start of Natsuki’s show. Chiaki and I had arrived early, yet the front of the theatre was already crowded, voices overlapping in excited hums. This venue was different from the last. Newer, brighter, almost regal in its presentation.

Staff handed out small posters as the doors opened. I accepted one absentmindedly, only to stop short when I saw it. Natsuki stood at the center of the image, dressed in a gown that felt straight out of a fairy tale, elegant and untouchable.

“Oh my gosh, she looks incredible,” Chiaki whispered, clutching the poster to her chest like it was treasure. “I’ve never seen her in something like this. This is going to be huge.”

Inside, the theatre opened up into something far grander than the one before. The set pieces visible beyond the curtains looked intricate, purposeful—nothing felt decorative for the sake of it. This production carried weight, and I felt my anticipation rise with every step.

As we scanned the rows of red seats for ours, my gaze drifted toward the side of the stage. Just beyond the curtain, a glimpse of golden hair caught the light.

My breath hitched.

I wondered if she ever felt nervous before stepping out there. The thought barely had time to linger before I shook it away. Of course she did. She’d worked too hard for this not to feel it.

Even after all my races, I still felt my pulse spike before the starting gun. Standing in front of a crowd never really gets easier.

Chiaki found our seats and sat down right away, mindful of the people already settling in behind us. Dead center. Natsuki had not been exaggerating. This really was the best view in the house.

“Y Yukina?!”

I turned at the familiar voice. Benio was leaning over the back of the seat, grinning wide. “You’re actually here? I did not think you would actually come. Or did Chiaki drag you along?”

“Actually,” Chiaki said calmly, “Yukina had the tickets.”

Benio snapped her gaze back to me. “No way. Were you secretly a fan the whole time?”

I ignored her and looked at the guy beside her. “Let me guess. You did not have a choice.”

Tatsumi laughed. “She begged. Cried, even. You should have seen her after practice.”

“Shut up,” Benio hissed, then paused, eyes scanning me. “Wow. I do not think I have ever seen you dressed this nicely.”

“Right back at you,” I replied, as I brushed back the braid Chiaki had done for me this morning.

Benio wore a neat gray button up tucked into black slacks, her hair unchanged but polished. Tatsumi looked just as put together in a quarter zip jacket and khakis. It felt strange seeing them outside of practice without sweat or spikes, and judging by their glances, they were thinking the same about me.

We traded a few more quiet remarks as the remaining seats filled. Then the house lights dimmed.

I straightened in my seat, my focus sharpening. Whatever happened next, I did not want to miss a single second of her on that stage

The sharp click of heels against the stage floor carried through the theater, and the crowd fell quiet as if a veil had been drawn over us. A woman in a pale blue dress stepped into the light, every movement deliberate, every pause measured. Her golden hair was pinned up in a style from another era, elegant and restrained.

I knew her as Koba Natsuki.

But the moment she opened her mouth, she became someone else entirely.

Her voice filled the space with a richness that held me still. Each line, each turn of her body, was intentional, refined to perfection. I could not look away. I had seen the work behind this, the long rehearsals, the repetition, the exhaustion she hid behind a smile. To witness the result now felt almost overwhelming.

This was what it meant to give yourself fully to something.

My breath caught when she spoke a line I recognized. The very first one I had heard her practice back in Aozora Park. Back then it had been raw, searching. Now it was polished, unbound. I felt my hands loosen in my lap, tension draining as something steadier took its place.

Then the male lead stepped into the light, and heat crept up my neck despite myself. I forced the feeling down, reminding myself where I was, what this was. This was her stage. Her world.

As the story neared its end, my shoulders sagged with the realization that it would soon be over. I found myself wishing, selfishly, that I could stay here forever, watching her exist in the place she was meant to be. 

She had not simply been born for the stage. 

She had fought for it. 

Earned every second of this.

And she had won.

The final scene unfolded, my eyes fixed on her as she faced the man before her. A dangerous thought crossed my mind. What if I were standing there instead?

Her next words cut through me before I could chase it away.

“You are my light.”

Her gaze lifted, and for the briefest moment, those green eyes seemed to find mine. I did not look away.

“You who have walked beside me through this journey. There is nothing I want more than for you to remain by my side.”

My chest tightened.

“I want you.”

The words rang through me, leaving me breathless, overheated, as if something deeply personal had been spoken aloud. I shook my head quickly, grounding myself.

It was part of the play. Nothing more.

And yet.

When I looked again, her attention had returned to her partner’s hand in hers, the illusion settling back into place.

Had I imagined it?

I lifted a hand to my mouth, unable to stop the smile spreading across my face.

Watching her like this, standing so confidently in her world, something inside me shifted. It was not envy. It was not longing.

It was resolve.

I wanted to become someone who could stand beside her, not just admire her from the dark.

And for the second time, that desire felt powerful enough to carry me forward.