“Ooh—”
Once again, Minase let out a voice of admiration.
On the dining table sat her curry and my miso pork soup, and in the center was a large plate of Caesar salad that Yukari had made afterward. Minase’s exclamation was clearly aimed at that.
However, there were only two servings on the table. Since the dining table was small—just right for someone living alone—that was all it could fit. The leftover portion—my share—was placed on the low table in the living room.
“Sakura, are you sure you’re okay eating over there?”
“I can still see you and hear you from here, so it’s fine.”
I replied to Minase, who sounded a little apologetic.
I was thinking of getting some Caesar salad later, but Yukari brought it over to me first.
“Here you go.”
“Thanks.”
She handed me a clear glass bowl—something that went perfectly with the salad. The portion was slightly larger than expected. Maybe because I’m a guy… or perhaps so I wouldn’t have to get up again and again.
“If you need more, just say so. I’ll get it for you.”
“It’s okay. I’ll grab it myself next time.”
And so, at eight in the evening, our slightly late dinner began.
The curry was every bit as delicious as Minase had confidently claimed it would be. Yukari’s Caesar salad, though she hadn’t planned on joining us, tasted steady and practiced—like she often helped cook at home.
My miso pork soup, on the other hand, didn’t have any special secret ingredients—it was just plain and ordinary. Still, I hoped they’d enjoy it as something you could only taste in someone else’s home. I watched the two of them for a while, and fortunately, neither seemed dissatisfied.
“Hey, Minase-san.”
Since dinner started, Minase and Yukari had been happily chatting away. They kept the conversation open so that even I—sitting farther away—could join in from time to time.
When there was a short pause, Yukari suddenly spoke up.
“I’ve already given up on BMX… I mean, I’ve accepted that I don’t need to ride anymore. But what about you?”
That was a question I wanted to ask too. Minase had practically come to Kazamigaoka for the drama club. But now that it wasn’t what she imagined it to be, how was she planning to spend the next two years of high school?
“Me? I haven’t given up or anything.”
“Then… are you planning to go back to the club someday?”
I asked from the living room.
“I told you before, Sakura. That’s not going to happen.”
Minase said it firmly, without hesitation.
“That’s why—I’m going to search.”
“Search?”
“Yeah. You know that saying, right? ‘Bloom where you’re planted.’ But I want to choose where I bloom.”
Ah, so that’s what she meant before.
It made sense. Doing your best where you are is a good thing—but that doesn’t mean you have to silently accept a bad environment. That’s why Minase left the drama club—to find a place where she could truly bloom.
“Besides, it’s part of a promise I made.”
“A promise?”
I tilted my head.
But Minase didn’t answer. Instead, she seemed to remember something else.
“Oh, right! Speaking of promises, I should contact Kyoka.”
“Ugh.”
An involuntary groan escaped my lips. …Seriously?
Minase picked up her phone, stood up, and walked into her room while fiddling with it. She didn’t close the door, though, so if I wanted, I could easily hear her voice.
“Who’s Kyoka?”
Yukari, unable to follow the flow of the conversation, scooted closer to me.
“You know ‘Nightmare Maria,’ right? She’s apparently friends with Sierra from that group. Kyoka’s her real name.”
“Wait—seriously?”
Yukari’s eyes widened.
“Yeah, they were classmates in the same entertainment school.”
I felt the same disbelief, but since Minase had boldly said she could even introduce me to her, it was probably true.
Soon, Minase came back out.
“Found her!”
She said cheerfully.
“She’s in Japan right now. And I managed to grab another friend too. Sakura, I wonder if you’ll recognize her?”
“W-wait, hold on a sec—”
Before I could even prepare myself, Minase shoved her phone toward me. Not that more time would’ve helped.
“Huh? A boy? I thought you said ‘Sakura,’ so I expected a girl.”
“Oh, you’re right!”
On the screen were two girls. One of them was definitely Sierra—the Japanese member of “Nightmare Maria.” Since she usually handled the MC spots on TV shows, even a casual fan like me recognized her. Her outfit and expression were more relaxed than usual—she looked like she was off-duty.
The other girl, though, I didn’t recognize. But the first impression that hit me was how dazzlingly “sparkly” she was. From her glamorous aura and how Minase spoke about her, I could tell she wasn’t an ordinary person either.
Both of them leaned close together, filling the frame.
“Mishio told us about you! You’re the one keeping her company, right?”
“Well…”
My vague answer wasn’t because I was being evasive—I was just nervous talking to a celebrity.
“Mishio always tries to do weird stuff, so don’t feel like you have to go along with her, okay? If she acts up, just tell her off, straight up!”
Sierra laughed brightly on the screen. It gave me a glimpse of how Minase was usually seen by her friends.
“Nah, nothing like that’s happened yet.”
Sure, the “We Quit the Club Alliance” might count as something weird—but to me, it wasn’t something I wanted to walk away from.
“Really? A boy who says that is pretty rare. Take care of Mishio, okay? And if anything happens, don’t hesitate to reach out.”
That said a lot about how they saw Minase—clearly a handful, but loved.
“Hey, Sakura-kun, what about me? Do you know who I am? It might be a little hard for boys.”
This time, the girl I didn’t recognize nudged Sierra aside and asked eagerly.
I tried to come up with a reply. Not to guess her name—just something polite enough not to offend her.
“Sera!”
Yukari suddenly shouted beside me. She seemed to know who the girl was and quickly came over to join the conversation.
“Wait—Sera!?”
“Bingo!”
The girl snapped her fingers with a clear, ringing sound.
“Who’s that?”
“A model. A high school model—she’s often in fashion magazines.”
I whispered to Yukari, who cupped her mouth to answer quietly. …Ah, that explained the glittering aura.
“So, Sera-san, you’re also Minase’s friend?”
“Yup! We were classmates too. Kyoka suddenly came back to Japan, so we were hanging out together.”
“That’s… amazing,” Yukari breathed out, clearly overwhelmed.
“By the way, you’re really pretty! I was shocked! What’s your name?”
“Ah, um… I’m Koreda Yukari.”
Yukari, looking flustered under Sera’s bright gaze, managed to answer.
She often introduced herself that way—“Yukari” instead of “Murasakiko”—since people usually misheard her given name and made her repeat it.
“Okay, Yukari-chan then! I’ll send you some of my designed items later—try them out, yeah?”
“Wha—really!?”
“Of course! Just give your address to Mishio later.”
Looks like she really took a liking to Yukari. Their conversation went on without me, which honestly was a relief. I wasn’t exactly outgoing enough to chat casually with famous girls I’d just met.
“Alright, let’s wrap it up for today.”
Sierra finally took the lead to end the call.
“Sakura-kun looks kinda overwhelmed. Let’s all hang out next time!”
“Sure—if the chance comes up.”
Just as I was starting to feel out of place among the trio’s high-energy conversation, it ended with goodbyes all around.
I handed the phone back to Minase, who exchanged a few more words before ending the call.
“I can’t believe Minase-san knows such famous people. And two of them!”
Yukari said, still buzzing with excitement.
“Hmm, actually, I think there’s one more.”
“One more?”
I looked at Minase questioningly.
“You know Yozora?”
“Wait—Yozora? That Yozora!?”
Yozora—the online sensation. The faceless singer who appeared out of nowhere about a year ago, captivating everyone with her incredible voice while never showing her face. People called her “the faceless songstress.”
“Yozora-chan was one of us too. She had the best singing voice out of everyone, but she wasn’t good at controlling her facial expressions during performances. So she gave up debuting through the school and went independent like she is now.”
Yukari and I exchanged stunned looks.
“She probably would’ve shown up if it was just me, but since the other two were there, she held back. Oh, by the way, she’s super cute—it’s honestly a waste that she hides her face.”
So she’d been hiding quietly all this time, huh?
“Don’t tell anyone, okay?”
“Like I could. Seriously, what kind of lineup did your class have? That’s insane.”
Sierra—the Japanese member of a K-pop girl group, *Nightmare Maria*. Sera—the model who turned her style into a brand. And Yozora—the faceless diva with a voice that shook the internet.
That’s a ridiculous group of talent.
And among them was Minase, who had once competed alongside these people. She was incredible in her own right.
Neither the entertainment school nor the Kazamigaoka drama club was her true stage—but somewhere out there, her place to bloom definitely existed. There had to be.
When I looked back, Minase had already set down her phone and started eating again.
“You two want more miso soup?”
I asked, picking up my bowl.
I’d made plenty of soup—enough for all three of us to have seconds with leftovers to spare. I could figure out what to do with the rest later.
“I’ll take some.”
“Me too.”
Both Yukari and Minase replied.
Even though they were closer to the pot than I was, I somehow felt like refilling it was my role.
“I really like your miso soup, Sakura. It’s delicious.”
“That makes me happy to hear.”
I turned on the stove to reheat the pot.
Now that I thought about it, this was the first time I’d ever cooked for someone else. Maybe I should call my mom later and ask for some cooking tips.
After that, just like we planned, we watched the drama marathon until morning.
Minase, who had been looking forward to it, was naturally having a blast. Yukari, to my surprise, got really into it too. As for me, I kept getting attacked by waves of drowsiness, and every time, Minase would nudge me awake.
Post a Comment