Peace and Quiet

"Hey! Look!" Suguha exclaimed as she pointed at a nearby shop. "Bubble tea!"

"Should we grab one?" Natsume asked.

"Obviously! We can't just not grab a cup when it's right there. Right, Yozora? Yozora?"

The girls turned around and saw trailing behind them lazily.

"Oh. Were you talking to me?" I asked.

"Yeah, no, it's not like she said your name twice," Mitsuki muttered.

"My bad. I didn't sleep that much last night."

"How come? We got back pretty early from the hotpot restaurant. Should've given you plenty of time to sleep."

"I don't sleep early. Remember?"

"Figures..."

"Come along, Yozora," Yoshino smiled. "We shouldn't straggle too far behind."

"Coming."

For the past couple of days, Sunayomi has been touring the city. Of course, they had to wear their disguises, but that was a given. And as their assistant, I had to tag along wherever they went. I don't really mind, though. At least, not anymore.

The girls paused at the entrance of a shop, peeking through the window. It looked a bit busy, not packed, but just enough to make me hesitate.

"Oh, wow. Yeah, no. I'm not going in there," I said.

"Eh? It's not even that bad," Suguha mumbled. "Ever seen a full stadium before? Happens all the time during our concerts."

"Yeah, well, that's different. I'm usually backstage doing my own thing."

"Wait... You don't... watch our show?" Natsume asked.

"Nope."

Mitsuki cracked her knuckles with a menacing smile. "For some reason, I feel like punching you."

"...Why...?"

"Just cause."

I walked over to the side and leaned my back against the wall.

"I'll just wait out here," I said. "No matter what you say, I'm not going in."

"Tch... You didn't seem so bothered at the restaurant yesterday, but fine! Whatever!" Suguha shouted. "Let's go, Nabi. We don't need him anyway."

"O-okay..." Natsume replied.

As the two entered the shop, leaving Mitsuki and Yoshino.

"I didn't think she'd be that bothered about this," Yoshino chuckled. "I'll stay here with Yozora, Mira. Can you go in and make sure those two don't get into any trouble?"

"I was going to anyway. You two want anything while I'm at it?"

"Jasmine Green Tea will do for me. And you, Yozora?"

"Um..." I said. "Thai Tea, I guess."

"Got it," Mitsuki said. "I'll be right back."

With that, she joined the others at the counter. I glanced inside, watching them place their orders. The cashier seemed unfazed, like he was just dealing with any other customers. I couldn’t help but wonder if he had any idea he was serving three of Japan’s biggest idols. No fuss, no second glances—he was either incredibly cool under pressure, or he was completely clueless.

"Thai Tea, huh?" Yoshino scoffed. "You ordered the same thing the first time we sat down for a drink together. Remember that?"

"Oh yeah. That one guy tried to hit on you. It was kind of funny how he kept trying to push it, as if he had a chance with Yoshino Yoko of Sunayomi."

"To be fair, it's not like he knew."

"Yeah. It was my first official day as Sunayomi's assistant. Didn't think I'd be chaperoning a bunch of children."

"Hehe, watch it, Yozora. You might think we're children, but we can easily overtake you."

"Hah. I know."

Suddenly, our heads turned when we head a trio of friends discussing about Sunayomi. From the looks of it, it seems like they're fans.

"Nah, you're playing," one of them said. "Ain't no way you think Suguha is better than Natsume. The vocals are not even close!"

"That's some cap, and you know it," the second one scoffed. "Natsume is great and all, but come on. Mitsuki is just... Ah~ a freaking queen."

I let out a slight chuckle. "If only they knew that Sunayomi was standing right here. They'd freak out, huh?"

"...I wouldn't be so sure," Yoshino replied, though... her tone had noticeably shifted.

"At least they're pulling their own wait," the third one snickered. "Meanwhile, Yoshino is just there."

"Oh, don't even start with that. She's not even as bad as everyone is making her out to be."

"Nah, but it's just funny, seeing all the comments online roasting her for no reason. She's the oldest, and she was part of a disbanded idol group way back then. I think her career is basically done, no?"

What the hell…? How can they say all this? There's nothing special about these guys. Just a bunch of self-entitled assholes who think it's okay to talk shit about someone they don't even know—someone who has done way more than all of them combined.

Hah. I can't believe this. For the first time in a long while, I could feel myself getting angry, and it's not just a quick irk. This is real, unfiltered anger.

I took a step forward, but before I could even react, Yoshino had latched onto my arm. Just as I was about to ask why she was stopping me, I paused.

"Don't do anything rash, Yozora," she muttered.

"What? Why?"

"It's not worth it. Just... leave it."

"And how do you expect me to do that? They're talking shit about you when you're standing right there. Are you okay with that?"

"...It's not like they know."

"Still—"

"Yozora."

Right when we made eye contact, my anger began to fade. Her eyes were vacant, her mouth set in a straight line, and she seemed to have exhausted all her emotions. She looked... defeated.

"I'm an idol, a person who is seen and judged by all," she said. "No matter what I do, there will always be someone who has an issue with me. Sometimes, they feel the need to voice it. Whether I like it or not, that's something I have to live with.

"...That's not fair to you. You're doing so much more than them, and yet..."

"It was never fair to begin with. That's just the way it goes."

"I don't like it."

Yoshino let out a soft giggle as she let go of my arm. "I didn't ask. So, as your boss, I'm telling you to drop it. Otherwise, you'll look like a shameful fan who gets mad just because someone talked smack about their favorite celebrity. Wouldn't that be embarrassing?"

"Wha... This is different!"

"Oh? How so?"

"B-because..."

Crap. My heart's racing, but not because of what those guys said. It's because of what I'm currently thinking, torn between whether I should just be upfront with Yoshino. I’ve never had a problem being honest, but... this time feels different. It’s unsettling, and I knew exactly why.

"I know you personally now," I said. "I'm not speaking out for you as a fan. I'm speaking out as someone who knows what you really are. And what those guys said? That's not what you are. At all."

"Aha..." Yoshino mumbled. "What am I going to do with you, Yozora?"

The moment she lifted her head, everything else seemed to dissolve. My senses narrowed to just her. Her presence eclipsed the bustling street and the cold air. The noise faded into the background, replaced by a warm, enveloping calmness. There was only Yoshino, standing there with that smile, and for a brief moment, nothing else seemed to matter.

"I don't think I've ever met anyone like you," she chuckled softly. "I thought you didn't like being around people."

"I... I d-don't..."

"And yet, here you are, standing up for me despite everything. It's almost like you’re willing to face the whole crowd for me. Hehe... You're quite the enigma, Yozora. You know that, right?"

My mouth felt like it had frozen. By now, I should've deflected with a clever remark or brushed it off with a laugh. Instead, I found myself unable to utter a single word. All I could do was stare at her, caught in the gravity of the moment.

"Drinks are here!" Suguha shouted as she popped up in between us.

"Here you go, Yozora," Natsume smiled as she handed me my cup.

"Thanks."

The girls continued their walk through the plaza, with me trailing behind. Each time Yoshino glanced back at me, I felt a strange jolt in my chest, like a quiet pulse that refused to be ignored.

Damn it... This is not good for me at all.