Chapter 21: The Undying Star

The day after the revelation—the doorbell rang.

Ding-dong.

A sound I somehow dreaded hearing. "Could it be her?" I muttered, my pulse quickening. Behind me, Shouta was practically a statue in the living room. He wasn't ready. His idol was coming. And the fact that made reality even harder to swallow? His idol was his own flesh and blood.

The bell rang again, longer this time.

"I’m coming!" I finally called out. I stepped forward, twisted the handle, and as the door swung open—she was there. Without warning.

"Kengo-Oniichan!"

In an instant, she collided with me, wrapping her arms around my neck. Tight. Warm. Way too tight. Shouta’s jaw hit the floor.

"It’s been so long! I’ve missed you and Hitomi-san so much!"

"Kanon—I mean, Hoshimiya—it’s not polite to just lung at people like that!" I protested, struggling for air.

"Oops! My bad! Force of habit!" She didn't let go. "By the way, Kengo-nii, you’ve gotten even more handsome. Do you have a girlfriend yet?"

I went stiff. What kind of opening question is that for a family reunion?

"Kanon, it’s not nice to pester your brother the moment you see him," a woman spoke from behind her. Her manager. Green hair, brown eyes, glasses, and dressed in a clinical, professional suit.

"Sorry..." Kanon said softly, finally pulling back.

"It’s fine. Hoshimiya-chan probably just missed us a lot," I said, trying to de-escalate the tension.

"Oni-chan!"

Second hug. Stronger.

"Kanon-chan... can't... breathe...!" I wheezed. Fortunately, Hitomi arrived to save the day.

"Wah, Hoshimiya-chan, you’re finally here. Welcome home!"

Kanon immediately tackled Hitomi with a hug too. "You’re still so cute! I just want to pinch your cheeks again."

Hitomi smiled gently. I exchanged a look of mutual understanding with the manager. And just like that, Kanon and her manager were officially part of the Room 205 ecosystem.

"Anyway, where’s Shouta-kun? I missed him too!"

"Ah, Shouta-kun... unfortunately, he’s not home from school yet," I lied through my teeth. In reality, he was barricaded in his room, begging for his existence to remain a secret.

"Oni-chan, I know you’re lying. You can’t fool Kanon, you know."

Eh? How did she know?

Kanon strolled casually through the apartment and swung his bedroom door open. "Shouta-kun, what are you doing in here?"

Shouta couldn't even form words. His face was a shade of red that shouldn't be biologically possible.

"Kanon-chan, actually, Shouta is a huge fan of yours. A total fanatic," I explained.

"Really?" she beamed. Shouta looked like he was about to experience total organ failure.

That night, we ate together. Hitomi asked about the shoot, and Kanon explained she was filming a new drama nearby. We laughed like a normal big family. I don't follow the idol world, but Kanon Hoshimiya was different. Her pink hair was too loud to ignore. Her golden eyes sparkled under the ceiling lights.

She knew how to stand so the light loved her. She knew how to smile so everyone felt seen. Professional. Trained. Stable. That was my first impression. On TV, she was a star that never flickered.

But—every time the conversation lingered too long on her... there was a gap. A fraction of a second where her smile faltered before resetting to perfection. A tiny glitch. Almost invisible. Maybe it was a coincidence. Or maybe I was overanalyzing. People who live too long in the spotlight usually learn one thing—how to look perfectly fine.

The next morning, I went out for groceries. Shouta was still in a state of shock, hiding in his room.

"Oni-chan, can I come with you?"

I turned and nearly tripped. The pink hair was gone. It was now jet black and long. So, the pink was a dye-job all along.

"Did you get permission from your manager? You'll get in trouble if you're spotted."

"It's fine! She cleared me for this look."

We walked toward the supermarket. Along the way, people stared. "Wow, they look so sweet together, like newlyweds." "Young people these days are so bold with their affection."

What are you people talking about? She's my cousin! I groaned internally.

But my footsteps suddenly died. My body turned to ice. In front of the supermarket—stood Kurumi. And she had just dropped a plastic bag full of vegetables.

K-Kurumi... dammit. I forgot she messaged me this morning about grocery shopping together!

"K-Kengo... who is she?" Kurumi murmured, her voice trembling.

"Kurumi, stay calm. I can explain."

"I can't believe it... you're out with another girl!"

"I told you, it's a misunderstanding!"

"Oni-chan, who is this?" Kanon asked, tilting her head innocently.

"Oni-chan?" Kurumi repeated slowly. "Are you... his girlfriend?"

"If I am, what's it to you?" Kurumi snapped, her jealousy flaring into a sudden burst of courage.

Kanon immediately grabbed my arm, clinging tight. "No way. Kengo-Oniichan is mine, and I’ve already promised to marry him!"

"Oi, don't say things like that!" I yelled.

Good grief. Why is my life turning into a cliché rom-com misunderstanding?

"If you want to marry him, you’ll have to go through me first! What have you even done for Kengo anyway?" Kurumi challenged, her chin held high.

Kanon went quiet for a beat. "Kengo and I have walked together and held hands plenty of times. What about you?"

"Both of you, stop! This is embarrassing!" I shouted, but I was invisible to them.

"Oni-chan stays with me! I won't let you near him again!" Kanon pulled one arm. Kurumi pulled the other.

"He’s mine!" "No, mine!"

That morning, I was officially a protagonist in a two-heroine war. But behind the embarrassment, something else made me uneasy. Kanon’s words.

"I've already promised to marry him."

Her tone hadn't sounded like a joke. And for some reason, I felt her arrival wasn't just a family visit. The Undying Star didn't come here for no reason. And maybe... I wasn't ready to know why