Volume 1 Chapter 2.1— The Two Idols in Her Class

The next morning, Yoko arrived at school with Ayaka.

After everything that had happened at the concert, Yoko hoped that school would give her a chance to forget about it.

She was wrong.

The moment she entered the classroom, several students turned toward her.

"Yoko!"

"Is that really you?"

"You're the girl from the concert, right?"

Yoko stopped in the doorway.

"Eh...?"

Ayaka immediately started laughing.

"Good morning, superstar."

"Don't call me that!"

"You were on every news channel this morning!"

Yoko covered her face.

"I don't want to talk about it..."

Ayaka grinned.

"Too late. You're famous now."

Yoko sighed.

"I didn't even know what I was doing."

"That's what makes it even more amazing!"

Several classmates gathered around them.

"How did you get onto the stage?"

"Was the angel-wing effect planned?"

"Are you joining Asterion?"

"I don't know!"

Yoko's face became increasingly red.

"It wasn't planned. I swear!"

Ayaka laughed.

"Everyone, give her some space. She's still trying to understand what happened herself."

Yoko looked gratefully at her.

"Thank you..."

"That's what best friends are for."

Then Yoko noticed something.

Two desks were empty.

She stared at them for a moment.

"Where are Naoki and Minoru?"

Ayaka looked toward the empty seats.

"They're absent."

"Both of them?"

"Yeah."

Yoko became quiet.

It felt strange.

Naoki and Minoru weren't strangers to the school.

They were two of the most recognizable students in their year—and two rising idols in Asterion.

Most students knew them long before Yoko ever met them.

But Yoko had only met them for the first time at the harbor.

She hadn't known they were idols.

She hadn't even known their names.

Their friendship, however, went back much further.

Naoki and Minoru had trained together for years.

They practiced singing and dancing together, performed on the same stages, and often helped each other when one of them struggled.

Naoki was energetic and sociable, always joking around during rehearsals.

Minoru was quieter and more serious, often the one who reminded Naoki to concentrate.

They were different, but somehow that difference made them work well together.

Yoko looked at their empty desks again.

"Do you think they're okay?"

Ayaka glanced at her.

"You're worried about them?"

"I'm just wondering."

"Both of them?"

Yoko hesitated.

"Yes."

Ayaka smiled knowingly.

"Sure."

Yoko immediately blushed.

"It's not like that!"

"I didn't say anything."

"You were thinking it!"

Ayaka laughed.

---

Meanwhile, somewhere else in the school, Naoki and Minoru were attending an early meeting related to Asterion's schedule.

Naoki looked at his phone.

"She's everywhere."

Minoru glanced at the screen.

Yoko's performance was playing on the news.

The two boys watched silently.

Naoki smiled.

"I still can't believe she sang like that."

Minoru remained quiet.

"Minoru?"

"Hm?"

"What do you think happened?"

Minoru looked at the screen.

"I don't know."

But something about Yoko's performance felt strangely familiar to him.

He couldn't explain why.

Naoki noticed his expression.

"You look worried."

"I'm fine."

"You sure?"

Minoru nodded.

"She's the girl from the harbor."

Naoki smiled.

"Yeah."

Then he remembered something.

"Actually, I owe her an apology."

Minoru looked at him.

"For almost falling into the sea?"

Naoki laughed.

"Exactly."

"You should probably thank her properly."

"I will."

Neither of them knew that Yoko was thinking about them at that exact moment.

---
Back in the classroom, the teacher entered.

"Everyone, please settle down."

The students returned to their seats.

Yoko tried to concentrate on the lesson.
But she couldn't.

She kept looking at the empty desks.

"Why are they absent?"

"And why do I feel like something is about to happen?"

Then the classroom door opened.

A professionally dressed man stood outside.

The teacher spoke with him briefly before turning toward the class.

"Yoko Kazesaki, someone is here to see you."

Yoko looked up.

"Me?"

The man stepped inside.

"My name is Haru Tachibana. I'm a producer from Asterion's agency."

The classroom immediately erupted.

"Asterion?!"

"Why is their producer here?"

Haru raised a hand.

"Please don't misunderstand. I'm here because of yesterday's incident."

Yoko froze.

"The concert..."

"Yes."

Ayaka immediately stood beside Yoko.

"What's going on?"

Haru calmly explained that the school had been contacted and that Yoko's parents would be informed before anything happened.
Ayaka still looked suspicious.

"You're not expecting her to go somewhere alone, are you?"

Haru smiled.

"No. I understand your concern."
Ayaka crossed her arms.

"Good."

Yoko looked at her best friend.

"Ayaka..."

"What?"

"You really are protective."

"Of course I am."

Yoko smiled despite herself.

For the first time that morning, she felt a little less frightened.

She still didn't know what was happening.

She still didn't understand the strange memories.

And she still didn't know why two boys she had only met yesterday seemed to be connected to a life she couldn't remember.

But one thing was certain.

Her ordinary school life was already beginning to disappear.

End of Chapter 2.1