"Your makeup is done. Please wait here until you're called."

"Ah, okay. Thank you!"

The woman gave Kashi a nod before exiting the room, leaving him alone. Sitting down in front of a mirror, the idol observed his reflection and examined his new look. It wasn't anything too drastic, the most prominent change was the ashy dark blue eyeshadow applied on the edge of his eyes.

Since school was closed for the week, Ichika swiftly arranged a photoshoot for Kashi and another idol. It was meant to be a promotional photo as the two will be collaborating for an album. It came off as a surprise, but Kashi knew that it'll be a good opportunity for both of them in terms of publicity. Plus, after looking through social media, he found out that a lot of his fans wanted to see him work with the other idol.

Genji Ryuu, that was his name. From what Kashi could find, he had recently gained popularity. And by gaining popularity, he gained a lot of it in a short period. Though he hasn't secured a dedicated fanbase like Kashi, he was definitely grabbing the internet's attention.

"I guess I can see his appeal..." Kashi mumbled before chuckling. "I bet (Y/n) would have no idea who he is."

Suddenly, his phone lit up. He had received a text message. And speak of the devil, it was one from you. Pleasantly surprised, a small smile was on his lips as he unlocked his phone. It was a picture of you. Kashi laughed softly in amusement. It was clear that it was taken without you knowing until it was too late. Your attempt at hiding your face with your hand caused it to look blurred.

"How cute." He chuckled.

Kashi's eyes widened and he placed his hand over his lips, cheeks growing warm. Did he just call you cute?

(Y/n) Oh my god please ignkre that photo

(Y/n) My mum took it. She said that she wanted to see how you were doing and asked for my phone to search you up. Did not think she'd pull this

Kashi No worries, haha! I'll keep this as blackmail ;)

(Y/n) Wait what

Kashi Kidding, kidding! Anyways, how are you doing? Sounds like you're having fun

(Y/n) Doing well. The cast is lowkey annoying though. It's nice to finally spend time wth my family. What about you?

Before Kashi sent his next text, he quickly took a mirror selfie.

Kashi I have a photo shoot soon! How do I look?

(Y/n) Woah. I just might become a fan

Kashi So you weren't already a fan? D:

(Y/n) Yeah

(Y/n) Oh, my mum is searching up your songs rn. Wait, she had her phone on the whole time? I was utterly bamboozled

Kashi I suddenly feel a little embarrassed, haha

Kashi Oh, I hear people coming. I'll text you later! C= C= C= C=┌( 'ー')┘

(Y/n) Yupp, make sure to send the details for our outing!

Distant footsteps slowly began drawing closer and before Kashi knew it, someone abruptly slammed the door open and shut before walking into the room and sitting down next to him. Though he was a little surprised at the presence, Kashi easily hid it with a friendly smile as he looked over to the person next to him.

He was someone with a bold and eye-catching appearance and looked to be around his age. Maybe a bit older? Short red hair in a two-block hairstyle paired with a messy fringe, skin a warm beige, sharp and intimidating rose pink eyes, and he was wearing a tank top that showed off his muscles; his appearance was a foil to Kashi's long blue hair, pale ivory skin, inviting and bubbly grey-blue eyes, and leaner physique. Oh, and to top it off, the redhead also had a moon crescent earring.

"I'm assuming you're Genji Ryuu?"

The male didn't respond immediately. Instead, he leaned back in his chair and propped his feet onto the table. Looking over to Kashi, he stared at him for a few seconds before finally responding.

"Who the hell––oh, right, right. I remember now." He took his leg off and spun his chair around, a grin on his face. "Alright then, let's talk business."

"Business?"

"C'mon, it's obvious that we're both doing this for exposure. Now, what should we do to gain even more attention?" A contemplative hum left him before he snapped his fingers, a mischievous look twinkling in his eyes. "Hey, let's say we date. I bet a ton of girls would love that."

...What?

"I'm not so sure about that. But if you wanted to confess, you could've just said so." Kashi laughed, skillfully masking his surprise and reproachful feelings towards the suggestion.

Genji rolled his eyes. "Psh, boring. What, you have a girlfriend or something? No shame in that. I have a ton of tips and tricks on how to get away with it. Just come to me if you need help, I do this shit all the time."

"Must be an eventful life for you, huh?"

"Something needs to cure my boredom." He yawned. "Though, it gets annoying sometimes––no, scratch that. All the time. It's obvious that they only like me for my fame and looks. I also make it super clear that I'm only dating them for the heck of it. But guess what? They throw a huge fit when I break things off."

Though Genji's personality isn't exactly the most charming, Kashi can see himself getting along with him well enough to not cause any major conflict. He just needed to ensure that he practiced well so that he doesn't mess up the collaboration. Just the thought of making a mistake on stage made him feel nauseous.

...What if people compared our voices? A pit formed in Kashi's stomach at the prospect. What if Genji's part was much better than his? What if the crowd ends up ignoring him and only focused on Genji?

Ah, this way of thinking. He did it unconsciously.

"How you talk to yourself and what thoughts you accept to sit in your mind can impact how you view things. Depending on how you handle it, it can distort your views on things. Such as how if you always allow yourself to succumb to negativity it will be inevitable that you'll start to view yourself pessimistically without realising that it might just be all in your head. You'll adapt to those toxic thoughts and develop a very unhealthy mindset."

Kashi remembered your words. He agreed with them, but just because he agreed with them didn't mean that his way of thinking, the way of thinking that had been carved into his mind as a result of years of being exposed to a toxic environment, could just vanish.

If he was put into the same situation when he was younger, he'd be excited at the idea of creating new songs with another artist as it will allow for creative freedom and unique approaches to music. He wouldn't be anxious about all the things that could go wrong. He wouldn't feel a sense of dread.

Genji snapped his fingers in front of Kashi, pulling him out of his daze.

"Oi, don't go zoning out on me. I was talking to you."

"Oh, sorry. What were you saying?"

"Geez. Now I have to repeat myself. In a couple of months, I'll be attending the same school as you. Probably after exams." A devilish smile formed on his lips as he roughly patted Kashi on the shoulder. "I'll be counting on you to show me the ropes and to introduce me to a lot of girls."

"The student council would probably be doing that for you."

"Damn. What kind of people are they?"

"Well, the results haven't been announced yet. But I have an idea of who's going to make it." You came into his mind. "(L/n) (Y/n), you might've seen her on the news. I'm sure she'll be a fun tour guide."

For some reason, Genji's expression fell into a thoughtful one. "Ah, her."

"Do you know her?"

The redhead waved Kashi off dismissively. "Yeah. No one special, just an ex."

===



"Whoops, arrived a little early. Guess I'll just wait for Kashi."

It was officially the third day of your break. Spending time with your parents free from the stress of seeing Shichirou or Hayami was doing wonders for your mental health.

Two days ago you used the forgotten nostalgia feature for Tamashiro, Shin's mother. You wanted to smack yourself for not checking it out sooner when you found out how useful the information was for more contextual background on who the past (Y/n) was.

First off, Tamashiro met the previous (Y/n) when she was like at least twelve––not barely three. Though, knowing Tamashiro's personality, it was just her exaggerating. The two briefly met during a film session, interestingly enough. Well, Tamashiro did tell you that she was a tv producer so you weren't surprised. It wasn't anything complicated or too big of a deal, just a tour of your parent's bakery. You assumed it was during the time where both your parents and Tamashiro were still small in terms of public exposure.

Apparently, one of the crew members asked for the previous (Y/n) to demonstrate her baking capabilities. Though she was incredibly nervous, she agreed. To put it simply, it did not end well. Dropped pastries, a fire even started but thankfully your father sprung into action and put it out immediately, and (Y/n) was weeping the whole time.

"Can't believe they didn't cut it out..." You furrowed your eyebrows. "But thankfully it didn't get that much publicity so it didn't become something big." You glanced over to the bakery right across the street to see that it was the one under your parents' business. "The bakery was just a small business back then. If that happened now, then it'll be a different case."

Tamashiro was in charge of the whole thing, so you felt a little skeptical towards her since she left all that in when it would obviously destroy (Y/n)'s self-esteem. But you then remembered her offer to help you regarding the whole Hayami situation and her trusting you to take Shin to the daycare. Concluding that maybe those gestures were her trying to make up for her actions, you didn't immediately feel hostile towards her. Confronting her about the situation was probably the best move.

"Sorry! Did you wait long?"

An unbuttoned oversized black plaid shirt with a plain white shirt underneath, brown eyes, short black hair covered with a black cap, and long black jeans; a perplexed look crossed your expression at the unfamiliar individual.

"Uh, I'm sorry. Who are you?"

"Oh!" A familiar euphonious laugh left him. "It's me, Kashi!"

"Ohhhh." You eyed him closer. "Wow, okay. Now I feel dumb. How the hell did you trick me with a wig and contacts?"

The male smiled brightly and tapped his cap. "Well, this kind of hides my face. Plus, I'm usually really bright in appearance."

"True. I was waiting for your iconic braided blue hair to show up. You look like you can easily blend in a crowd if you wanted to," you said. "So, why the change?"

"I guess I just didn't want to be recognised. It'll interrupt our time together."

"How thoughtful of you. Then, let's get going."

"Sure! But are you sure you wanna go to the arcade? Your arm is still in a cast."

"I'll be fine. Plus, I need an excuse if you kick my ass in all the games."

While walking, the conversations jumped from topic to topic. Somehow along the lines you agreed to him that you'd introduce him to your parents. You just hoped that your mother wouldn't make any unnecessary comments about being in a relationship with him. But knowing her, that's not going to happen.

"You read romance books?"

Kashi laughed sheepishly. "Did that come off as that much of a surprise? Actually, I––"

Suddenly, the male paused and you did the same. "Uh, what's wrong?"

He took in a deep breath before gently exhaling. "There's a cat."

You followed his gaze and spotted an extremely fluffy cat. Oh my god. You wanted to pet it so badly. You took a few steps forward and made eye contact with it. Surprisingly, it slowly approached your way and you excitedly crouched down. However, when the cat looked at Kashi, it suddenly hissed and ran away. Baffled, you stood up and looked over to him.

He sighed, a small disappointed frown on his lips. "Ah, it happened again..."

"...Do cats hate you?"

"Let's not talk about it."

Kashi seemed a little down after that so you suggested a mini detour to quickly buy him something. Though he was confused, he agreed to wait outside while you went inside the store. You laughed when his eyes lit up at the fact that you bought matching cat face-masks.

After some back and forth arguing with you insisting that he didn't need to pay you back and Kashi urging you to take the money, he bought you a drink and threw it at you. The argument was settled.

Arriving at the arcade, your eyes widened in awe at how busy it was. The place was mainly crowded with young adults, but you could spot a few students here and there. An ocean of neon lights filled your vision and an overwhelming amount of flashy games were displayed.

It was an understatement to say that you were excited.

After purchasing a card and putting money in it, you eagerly turned to Kashi. "Okay, okay. What do you wanna do first? What about that rhythm game over there?"

Kashi smiled at your enthusiasm. "(Y/n), that game needs two hands."

"How much faith do you have in me to do well with one?"

The idol pointed to a person playing it. You watched their movements, baffled. How the hell can someone's hand go that fast? Was that humanly possible??

"Kay, never mind. Then, what's that?"

Kashi looked over to see what you pointed at. "Oh! That's a DDR machine."

"A what?"

"You don't know what it is?"

"...No?" Was it some super obvious thing that you were supposed to know about? "I live under a rock."

Kashi shook his head. "No, no. Don't worry. Want me to show you how it works? It's not every day that the machine is vacant."

You shrugged. "Sure. Why not?"

Kashi explained the basics and you gulped when he mentioned that it was a dance machine. It was one thing you having zero clues of your dancing capabilities, but having to do it alongside a literal idol was asking to be embarrassed.

"Will you be okay? Your arm––"

"Just...pick the easiest song and put it on the easiest level for me. Thanks."

He nodded. "Gotcha. Don't push yourself."

When Kashi started the game, one arrow slowly moved down the screen and you already wanted to recoil in intimidation. You mentally prayed that you were a famous dancer in your past life. Who knows? Maybe you'll even beat Kashi.

"..."

"..."

So, you got an F.

Internally screaming inside, you hurriedly urged for the machine to go to the next stage so people passing by couldn't see the bold F flashing on the screen alongside the A+ on Kashi's. To make it worse, he chose the hardest level and he didn't even break a sweat.

"Hm, did I choose the wrong level by accident?" he mumbled innocently to himself.

The audacity.

Okay, okay. That was a warm up. I'll do better on my next attempts.

You received an F on both two attempts.

"Don't worry about it, (Y/n)! Your movements are restricted because of your cast," Kashi assured.

You coughed. "Mhm, yes. All because of this cast. I wasn't even trying because I was afraid that I would injure myself."

Obviously, he knew you were lying. But he laughed and went along with it anyway. You were about to get down from the machine since your turns were over, but Kashi's one was still going. Apparently, since he did so well in his three rounds, he gets a bonus one. He selected the hardest song and the hardest difficulty. You whistled in intrigue and waited on the side to spectate.

You weren't surprised to see him nailing all the moves. How can someone dance fast and look good simultaneously? He garnered quite a crowd as well. Thankfully, no one seemed to recognise who he was, but that didn't stop girls––heck, even guys––from looking at him in awe. You knew that being proficient at dancing was a given as an idol, but man he was good.

Kashi's eyes momentarily landed on you and a proud smile lit up his face as he finished off the last move. It was then he realised that he had attracted an audience and a hint of pink dusted his cheeks in embarrassment as people applauded him. However, you caught a hint of discomfort behind his bashful smile. You pushed past the crowd, took him by the hand, and led him out. Before turning your head to the front, you saw his eyes widened in surprise.

After finding a less populated spot, you stopped. "Hey, Kashi. Did you do your nails yourself?" you asked.

A little caught off guard with the sudden topic, he was a little dilatory in giving a response. "Yeah, I did! Do you like them?"

You nodded before looking at your own. "Hm. Maybe I should also do mine?"

"Would you like me to do them for you? There's a shop nearby where we can buy nail polish."

His eyes were twinkling in excitement and he looked as if he was ready to bolt out of the arcade and buy the nail polish right this second; to an extent, he reminded you of a puppy. There was no way you could say no to him.

"Alright, let's get out of here."

After purchasing the materials, you found a peaceful area with a vacant bench and decided to get your nails done there. After making yourself comfortable, Kashi gently took your hands into his. You couldn't help but notice how soft his hold was and lowkey wouldn't mind if he took his time doing your nails.

The male hummed a quiet tune as he went to work. You silently watched him, mind wandering to what happened just a few moments ago. Though you hesitated, you made up your mind that you were going to ask him about it.

"...Feel free to shut me down if you don't want to answer. But do you want to tell me more about back there?" you asked. "When the people crowded around you."

Kashi didn't seem bothered by your question. "It's... complicated." He looked to be conflicted where to elaborate or not. "Don't get me wrong, playing with you was super fun! But seeing a crowd of people looking at me, even if it was for something small, brought back certain memories. I'm probably––no, I know I'm overthinking it, but it felt like the gazes on me were judgemental and critical. Like they were waiting for me to make some sort of mistake."

A bittersweet chuckle left him. "I know. It sounds stupid. It's just... I can't help but feel this way. Crazy, isn't it? I'm an idol, yet when I see a crowd of people I feel like hiding immediately. Usually, before my concerts I find myself wanting to throw up."

You offered a sympathetic look, but you didn't say anything.

"There are times where it's different, like at the daycare. I didn't sing for the sake of meeting expectations or because I had to, I sang because I found it fun, because I wanted to share what I have created with others. I wish I could always be like that no matter where I perform.

It's selfish, isn't it? There are people who show up to my concert excited about my music and there are people who admire me, but I can't even give them a genuine performance. I never feel like I'm present on stage. If people found out underneath the upbeat and cheerful performances was someone who just wanted to get the song over and done with, what would they think?"

There was a brief silence.

"It hurts." His voice cracked for a moment and he took in a shaky breath to compose himself. "I fought so hard so that I could be in a position where my voice could be heard. I have a fanbase and I'm offered countless opportunities. I can do what I always wanted ever since I was young; to sing so people could find comfort in my music. Even if it's only a momentary moment of happiness, I hoped that my songs can make someone feel better.

But whenever I sing, it all feels meaningless. I do it for the sake of my idol career, not because I'm having fun or because I'm trying to send a message. Even after staying up countless nights perfecting my voice, practicing my dance choreography until I collapsed, forcing a smile at the horrible people I met, holding back my tongue even when I was wronged––it all feels so meaningless."

Kashi stopped himself. "Sorry, you don't need to hear this." He finished off your nails and smiled. "How do they look?"

You were speechless after hearing his words, sympathy tugging your heart. Examining your hands, a pleased hum flowed from your lips. They were painted in your favourite colour accompanied with a nice floral design in white. The strokes were done meticulously and you commended Kashi for his abilities.

"Perfect. They'll take a while to dry." You glanced over to him. "Wanna chat for a bit?"

It was an invitation for him to keep talking. You may not have any words of advice to offer that'll miraculously solve his problems, but you will listen to him without judgment. Kashi caught onto it and he nodded, shifting in his seat and making himself comfortable. Then, he began talking.

Sometimes he'd feel like a regular teen saying how he wishes his parents would be home more often and sometimes he'd feel like a mature adult talking about how he dealt with working in the entertainment industry. You doubted he ever had an opportunity to vent his emotions or an opportunity to just be himself, so no matter what he said or how often he might jump from topic to topic, you listened closely.

"Hey, Kashi. Can I ask something?"

"What is it?"

"Why do you remain in the industry? Is there some sort of contract that makes you obligated to?"

The male shook his head and showed you a despondent smile. "...I have thought about quitting multiple times, but I feel like if I did that... I wouldn't be worth anything anymore. Also, a lot of controversy and drama will arise, which I don't want. Back then I didn't quit because I thought if I just worked hard enough, I'll eventually be happy. Now? I'm in a position where it's too complicated for me to quit. So, no. I'm not obligated to. The industry just has me wrapped around their finger."

You nodded. Thinking back to his past and how manipulative Ichika was, you couldn't even begin to imagine what kind of environment Kashi was exposed to when he was younger. If only you had the ability to stop him from taking on this path much earlier on, maybe right now he would still be singing with passion.

"I...I might not be able to fully understand where you're coming from. After all, hearing it through words doesn't come close to the real thing. But I hope I can help by at least listening to you. Even if it's midnight, if you're having bad thoughts, please call me––I'll yell at you for any self-deprecating thoughts," you said, adding in a small chuckle to lighten the mood. "I'm glad that you trust me and allowed me in on your feelings. So... I don't want you to feel alone. You're amazing, Kashi. And I'm not sure how often people say this but, good job." You smiled and looked him in the eyes. "You've worked hard. I know you say that you don't feel like what you're doing has meaning, but I can see how much effort you're putting into everything."

Kashi didn't respond, his gaze fixated on you. He looked like he had a lot to say, but didn't know where to start. Your eyes widened in surprise when his eyes became glassy. The male was shocked himself and he quickly brought his hands up to his eyes and frantically wiped away the tears that were starting to spill.

"A-ah, um. Sorry. I just––I'm so happy." He took a moment to collect himself before facing you. "You're the first person I've ranted to in a while. When I was younger, many people have approached me and said that they were willing to listen. But all they would do is show me a look of pity, say something along the lines of 'you'll be okay, I believe in you', then never touch the subject again.

"You listen to my words and you don't just feel sympathy in the moment and then put it in the back of your mind. I was thankful when you pulled me out of the crowd before. I feel like you genuinely pay attention and care. So, (Y/n), I can't thank you enough."

You were taken back when an appreciative smile graced his lips. The way his expression lightened in gratitude made you more emotional than it should've. Suddenly, he stood up and stretched his arms over his head. A content sigh left his lips.

"Hey, are your nails done yet?"

You nodded and showed them off. "I'm basically a model now."

He laughed. "I have no arguments there."

The two of you decided that it was a good time to head home. Your drawn-out sigh at the idea of walking home was enough of an indicator for Kashi to suggest taking the train. He laughed in amusement at how quick you were to agree.

Sitting by the window, you made yourself comfortable on the train seat. Kashi then tapped you on the shoulder.

"(Y/n), can I ask you something?"

"What's up?"

He took out his phone and showed you an image of an unfamiliar redhead. The first impression you got from seeing him was someone confident––maybe too confident. It was definitely because of the smirk on his face. But of course, you won't deny that he did look attractive.

"Do you know who this is?"

You raised an eyebrow. "I don't think so? Why?"

For some reason, Kashi seemed happy with your response. "Oh, I'll be working with him pretty soon. I was just curious if you knew who he was."

"Ohh, he's an idol. I think you should know by now that there was no way I would recognise him."

He chuckled. "That's true. Hey, would you like to listen to some music? The train ride will be a little long."

"Sure. You better have good tastes because I'm going to be really blunt if I don't like it."

Kashi took out a pair of earphones and you shared one earbud each. The male put on a peaceful instrumental. You weren't some music expert so you couldn't identify all the instruments in it, all you knew was that the violin was the main one.

"I can't wait to take off this wig when I get home," Kashi mumbled, a small yawn leaving his lips.

Since he was right next to you, you noticed that he had faint dark circles under his eyes. Though you were pretty worn out from today, Kashi appeared to be way more exhausted than you. You wondered if he was working before coming to hang out with you.

"You look tired. Wanna sleep on my shoulder?"

The idol fluttered his eyes in surprise and a small blush formed on his cheeks. You laughed quietly at his flustered state.

"No need to feel shy. The offer's on the table if you need it."

There was a peaceful silence on the train and you saw from the corner of your eye the idol starting to gradually close his eyes. It was a little endearing seeing him trying his best to stay awake, but you also felt bad since he probably doesn't get enough sleep considering how he needed to both balance school and his idol career. When he made eye contact with you, you shuffled closer to him and your eyes looked to your shoulder.

Eventually, he gave in. A final yawn left him and his head softly landed on your shoulder.

"...(Y/n)?"

His voice was drowsy and volume barely above a whisper.

"Yeah?"

There was a short pause. "...Someday, I'd like to write a song just for you."

Before you could ask him to elaborate, he was already peacefully sleeping. You looked down at him, lips curving up into a fond smile. Looking out the window, you whispered, "I'm looking forward to it."





A/n: Sorry for disappearing on y'all like that, but now I'm back! This chapter was super fun to write, especially the arcade scene. Kashi is really growing on me now. Hopefully this serves as a good come back chapter lmao