The Weight of Chance

CHAPTER-6

The elevator hummed softly as it carried me up.

I watched the numbers change, one by one, reflected faintly in the metal doors. For a second, I saw myself layered over them, older than I felt, more tired than I wanted to admit.

I remembered the first time I’d come here.

I’d been nervous then too, but it had been the good kind. The kind that felt like standing at the edge of something big.

Now it just felt like standing still.

The room was quieter than I expected.

We shared the usual greetings and we discussed how well the last release did, which was a good thing I think at least.

They let me sit there for a moment after I finished talking, like they were waiting for something to settle.

Then one of them smiled.

“We didn’t call you in to talk about cutting ties,” she said.

I stiffened.

“We called you in because an opportunity came up.”

I looked up slowly.

“A collaboration,” the other added. “A feature.”

The word didn’t land right away. It hovered between us, it felt unreal.

“With who?” I asked.

They said the name.

For a second, I thought I’d misheard.

“That’s…” I started, then stopped. My mouth felt dry. “Are you sure she asked for me?.”

She shook her head. “Yes.”

My hands curled in my lap, heart suddenly loud in my ears.

“She asked for you specifically,” she continued. “She heard one of your earlier tracks. Liked the tone. The restraint.”

Restraint.

I’d always thought that was a flaw.

“When?” I asked quietly.

“Soon,” she said. “If you want it.”

I leaned back in my chair, staring at the ceiling.

For the first time in a long while, the future didn’t feel like a wall.

I exhaled, slow and careful.

“I want it,” I said, before I could talk myself out of it.

They exchanged a look, not surprised, but relieved.

“There will be expectations,” one of them said. “Schedules. Visibility. Pressure.”

I nodded. I already knew.

“I’ve been under pressure for a while,” I replied.

“We’ll set up a call,” she said. “She wants to talk before anything’s finalized.”

A call.

The word made my stomach flip.

After that they told me I was free to go for today and honestly my legs were feeling shaky.

While I walked outside the building

The air felt colder than usual, sharp against my skin, as if the city itself was reminding me this was real.

I thought to myself “…someone I’d looked up to, and now I was going to sing with her.”

I had to keep it together to make sure I stay professional instead of acting like a fangirl.

Every step I took outside the building seemed heavier than the one before. What if I’m still not good enough?

The word echoed in my mind like a warning bell.

I’d been living in this industry for years. Five years of chasing shadows and somehow, despite everything, here I was, offered a collaboration I never dared imagine.

Despite this big chance, it gnawed at me from the inside. I’d never felt stakes this high

This is my chance, my opportunity. If I miss it or mess up I’ve got no one else to blame but myself.

I arrived at my apartment and kept the news to myself, a secret. Even if I failed, no one would know but me. I chuckled at the absurdity of that thought, tired but alive with a spark I hadn’t felt in years.

The day of the meeting arrived, and I could barely contain my excitement.

When I finally met her in person, my heart beat so hard I thought she could hear it.

“I listened to your songs a few times,” Akane said, her tone soft and deliberate, “and honestly, your voice… it’s calming. Easy to listen to.”

“Thank you,” I said, choosing my words carefully. Shyness pinned me down like a weight.

“I thought, why not let others hear this amazing voice?” she continued. “I’ve had a featured song sitting for a while; perfect for someone like you.”

Just being near her was awe-inspiring. Her praise sent me soaring, higher than I’d been in years. I might not ever come down.

Anything I was about to say, I reconsidered at least ten times before it came out.

“Guess I got lucky, huh?” I said, awkward, smiling despite myself.

“Destiny has to write itself, somehow,” she laughed, warm and genuine.

She must have noticed my shaky voice — she tried, gently, to lighten the mood.

“Well, I hope you’re available next Monday. We’re going to do the first recording,” she said.
“My team will send you the lyrics, your part, and the back track to practice until then,” she added.

“Alright,” I replied, trying to sound confident. “I’ll do my best. I hope this will be a good song.”

“I’ll see you at the studio then,” she said as she stood to leave.
Before she reached the door, she turned with a smile. “I’m counting on you.”

I smiled back, though my chest tightened. Pressure and expectation, I felt it all, doubled.

Later, it was already 9 PM. The park was almost empty, the night cool against my skin. I sat on a bench, letting the events of the last two days sink in, from the meeting with Akane to the sudden rush of opportunity. My mind was still buzzing, my chest tight with both excitement and fear.

A soft voice broke through my thoughts.
“Hey… all good?”

I looked up and froze slightly. Issei, holding a can of cold brew, was standing there with an awkward smile. My stomach flipped.

“You seem exhausted,” he said, stepping closer. “Also… I didn’t know how else to approach you.”

He handed me the drink, and I took it with a shaky laugh.
“Thanks,” I said. “And you don’t need to be so formal with me. We’re friends, right?”

His eyes widened slightly at the word, as if that surprised him.
“Did I say something wrong?” I asked.

“No, it’s just… I didn’t realize you’d befriended so many people,” he admitted sheepishly. “And honestly, I haven’t seen you with anyone besides Minori.”

I chuckled, the sound light but tired.
“Perks of being somewhat known, I guess. People tend to keep a distance,” I said, sarcasm hiding the truth. “But yeah… friends are rare.”

He laughed, and it was warm, easy, the kind of laugh that made the corner of your chest lift without you realizing it. I watched him, thinking back to the way Minori always spoke of him, the way he’d stayed with her despite how busy he seemed, the quiet honesty he’d shown me a few days ago that had stuck with me like an anchor.

Even in the short time I’d known him, I realized something I hadn’t fully admitted to myself before. I admired him. More than that, I felt… drawn to him. Not because of anything flashy or showy, but because he saw people as they were and treated them like they mattered.

And now, here he was, seeing me like I was just another person on a park bench. And I could see the kindness in his ways. That simple thought made my chest tighten in a way I hadn’t expected.

“Thanks for this,” I said quietly, lifting the can.

He smiled. “Anytime. You looked like you needed it.”

And in that moment, despite the weight of the week, the looming pressure of the collaboration, and the fear that I might somehow mess it all up, I let myself feel a small spark of something else… Something steady in a world that often felt like it was spinning too fast.

END CHAPTER-6