How the hell were you already here?

Sitting in the front row seats (it came with the backstage tickets) with glow sticks that you bought on a whim (only blue ones, of course), and being a breath away from collapsing due to how anxious you felt as you waited for the performance to begin; yes, today was the day of Kashi and Genji's concert.

It goes to show that time truly did flow no matter how much you wished it slowed down.

Fortunately, Himari and Kai were also here. Unfortunately, their seats were much further away from yours. There goes your moral support.The people that sat close by you were a bunch of unfamiliar faces. Considering the fact that they managed to snag front row seats without using a cheat like you, they must be very dedicated fans.

You leaned back in your seat and let your thoughts detach you from your environment.

Yusei and Satoshi have no reasons, none that you know of, to harm Genji. However, it didn't hurt to be careful. You took some precautions before coming here.

Yusei isn't coming to the concert, I already confirmed that with him.

You literally made him take a selfie at the library just a few minutes ago. Yes, you were paranoid. At least you were able to confirm that he was, in fact, at the library. 'Concerts aren't my thing unless you'll be performing' was what Yusei responded through text. Then, he followed it up with 'or is this an excuse to see my face?' You left him to read after that.

Satoshi? You emailed him a task to do regarding the cultural festival and mentioned that it was best if the report was sent to you by tomorrow. 'I'm free tonight, so that's fine' was what he responded with. It wasn't a perfect plan, but it was something.

Kashi was your main source of anxiety. Everything pointed to him. So now you needed to figure out how Kashi would hurt Genji. You and Kei had a discussion and you recalled some important bits.

"So, why would Kashi hurt Genji-san... The only explanation is that it relates to the fact that he's my ex. Jealousy and stuff." You crossed your arms. "Now, the next question is how."

Kei was in the middle of preparing some snacks for you. He stopped to think for a moment.

"I don't think there's any use in figuring out the details, there are too many unpredictable factors," Kei said. "So, how about we focus on Genji-san himself?"

"What?"

"There needs to be a catalyst, right? What can Genji-san tell Utari-san, or maybe what can he do, that would lead to his death? If you can gain a solid idea, then you might be able to pinpoint when a conflict occurs."

You blinked. "You're good at this."

Kei chuckled bashfully. "Must be the all novels I've read."

Early into the game, Kashi was the first individual who caused a casualty. The fact that he pushed Himari off the roof was because she brought up his past, a past he wanted to hide. In what you assumed was in a fit of both panic and frustration, he acted rashly. There was no meticulous planning or prior intent to hurt her. Referring back to such an old memory was bizarre to you because of how much your relationship with Kashi has grown.

Though it wasn't incredibly accurate since it was only one incident, if you were to draw an assumption it'd be that Kashi was the type to be driven by emotions in the heat of the moment and do drastic things. It was easier to handle than Yusei in the sense that your brain wasn't fried trying to discern every minute detail, but it was also unpredictable. However, ironically, it can be very predictable as long as you figured things out as soon as possible.

If only you could surveillance Kashi for the entire concert. Obviously, you did not have the authority for that. The best you got was a chance to see him and Genji backstage during the concert's break and at the end.

Suddenly, the lights dimmed and darkness swept across the venue. Excited whispers surfaced, even you leaned forward in anticipation. A beautiful succession of blue and red lights then painted the stage and music dominated the venue, successfully creating an upbeat and lively environment. You almost caught yourself drumming your nails to the beat.

"It's starting!" A fan whispered excitedly.

"Oh my god, I might faint from excitement."

"If I end up making eye contact, I'm never washing my eyeballs ever again."

"Wait, how do you even wash your eyeballs––IWIDWKHQ THERE THEY ARE."

Not gonna lie, you were kind of invested in how that conversation would've played out. But alas, you decided to focus on the stage like everybody else.

Kashi cheerfully waved at the crowd, his bright smile contagious as the twinkle in his eyes complimented the lighting. He walked with a bounce in his steps and the crowd screamed for him. Kashi was an idol, someone loved by many, someone who shone brightly on the stage. Seeing him as an idol on a stage that stood above you placed an invisible wall between you two.

Kashi's eyes searched for you. When he found you, he made a heart with his fingers and displayed it in your general direction. Fans almost died at that and the crowd only grew louder.

Then, it was Genji's turn. When he walked onto the stage, there wasn't a lick of nerves seen in his casual and relaxed demeanour. The redhead also didn't hesitate to blow kisses and throw winks at the crowd. Many fans swooned over him and yearned for Genji's attention. Just one glance from him was enough for it to be burned into a fan's memory forever.

The clothes on the idols were on the darker side; Kashi mainly wore dark blue whilst Genji's attire predominantly consisted of black. Genji had a few silver chains that complimented his sleeveless top. Kashi's pants were baggy and had belts hanging right above his knees. The shirt covered his arms and at certain angles or if he lifted his arm a too high, you could see his stomach.

Has Kashi been working out? I can see some clear definition.

The song began and the atmosphere was immediately set. A low sinister melody sinuously slithered around the venue, gently grabbing you by the chin and entrancing you in its devious tunes. The bright lights darkened; Genji's arrogant, but playful expression grew indifferent whilst Kashi's cheerful smile curved into a neutral frown.

The idols began singing. Their voices danced bewitchingly with the dark melody, voices hushed yet projected clearly. Everyone was on the edge of their seats, excited yet too stunned to make any noise. From what you could gather from the lyrics, you discerned that the song was something along the lines of a forbidden love.

Kashi's expressions melted into his voice and Genji's movements flowed seamlessly with the music; there was a story to be told. The atmosphere, the music, the voices––to be honest, it was amazing. You were captivated whether you wanted to be or not.

Whenever Kashi's eyes fell on you, you swore his smile grew brighter and his movements grew more confident.

"For myself, it feels lonely. If only, we could both be trapped inside a cage with the key in your grasp."

Kashi placed a hand to his chest, his eyes darkening. The red lights dimmed and the stage was predominantly dark blue.

"And I'd hope and pray that you choose to throw that key away. If not..."

The stage suddenly turned pitch black and the music halted for a moment. Kashi's next lines were delivered as a desperate whisper. For a moment there, even the darkness couldn't stop you from locking your eyes with his.

"I'll choose to treasure you and forget myself."

That sent a shiver down your spine. You even checked your arms for goosebumps. The lyrics had to have been managed by the agency since it was a performance with two idols. Yet, it felt so personal and directed to you. Was it because you knew about Kashi's feelings for you? Or was it because he said that he liked to focus on you when he performed?

When the song ended, an ocean of applauses flooded the room. You almost thought hands would break due to how hard some people were clapping. You didn't blame them. A part of your heart was captured by Kashi's performance.

I knew he was good, but seeing his concert in person is really something else.

Though you were momentarily swept away by exhilaration, you came back to your senses. You glanced around. People were too indulged in the euphoria from such a breathtaking performance to notice the fact that you weren't cheering at the top of your lungs.

But Kashi might.

The moment you had that thought, you accidentally made eye contact with Kashi. His smile grew wider. It looked like he was doing all he can to not directly wave at you.

Afterwards, familiar songs were performed. Fans sang along enthusiastically as the two idols stole everyone's attention. And when the concert finally reached its middle interlude, it was announced that the concert would be on pause for a break. Some fans eagerly chatted amongst themselves about the performance––you could already hear some pretty banger analysis on the first song––and others went for a bathroom break.

You snuck backstage and showed the security evidence of your authorization. Once you were let in, you searched for Kashi. Luckily for you, despite the busy and crowded backstage, you found him easily because he stood out so much. Kashi was chatting to a few staff members and his face lit up when he saw you.

"Who is that?" one of the staff members asked, following his gaze.

"A very important guest!" The spring in Kashi's vibrant tone caught everyone off guard. "Sorry to cut the conversation short! I want to talk to her."

Kashi happily ran up to you. If you squinted, maybe you could see an imaginary tail wagging. Was this the same dude who displayed such bold movements and bewitching expressions on stage?

"(Y/n)! You're here. How was the concert?"

The stares of curiosity from staff members were enough to give you a third degree burn. Kashi noticed your discomfort immediately.

"Quick, follow me."

The idol grabbed your hand and led you to what looks to be a storeroom. There were a few empty boxes lying around; though, the room was clean and spacious. There was also some muffled chatter from outside, but it was quiet for the most part.

Suddenly, Kashi enveloped you into a big hug. Your face softly hit his chest at the gesture and you could smell the perfume he was wearing. You blinked in surprise before slowly returning his embrace.

"Not that I'm opposed to it or anything, but what's with the hug?"

"Why?" Kashi laughed. He pulled away and gave you a smile so bright you almost searched for sunglasses. "Isn't it obvious? I'm just so happy to see you!"

"But you're extremely happy. Is this a ploy to get me to buy your merch? It's almost working."

He snickered. "Of course not. It's because you were here for me! Seeing your captivated expression as you focused on me..." Kashi sighed dreamily. "Ahhh, I wish the camera was on you instead of me. I would love to replay the look on your face over and over again."

The idol pulled you into another hug and rested his chin on top of your head. A lovestruck look was in his eyes as he happily drank in your presence. You knew Kashi liked you, but he was clingier than usual here.

He must be really happy I was there for him.

You kind of understood the sentiment. Kashi told to you the apprehension and self doubts he felt during a concert. So, though you were anxious because of the game, you managed to feel an inkling of happiness that you were able to make Kashi feel better.

Key words: an inkling. You were more cautious what Kashi would do with his feelings of gratitude towards you.

There was a gentle pressure on your forehead. For some reason, Kashi placed his hand on it as if he was checking your temperature. Then, he leaned over to your face and kissed the back of his hand. It took you a moment to realise what just happened.

"Did you just indirectly kiss me on the forehead?"

"Sorry," Kashi mumbled. When he let go of you, you made note that the smile on his face made him look anything but sorry. "It's been so long since I've genuinely enjoyed performing in a concert. My mind was filled with you––uh, I mean."

Now a blush painted his cheeks. If it were any other situation, you would've teased him. Instead, your mind was running in circles figuring out how you would bring up Genji. You couldn't afford to waste more time.

"(Y/n)?" Kashi tilted his head. "Are you thinking about him?"

You almost flinched. "I mean––"

"Oh! I don't want to come off as mad. It's difficult to enjoy a concert your ex is in and I can imagine how conflicted you must feel at times. Of course you would be thinking of him. Though, I do wish your thoughts would be filled with me." Kashi giggled. "I loved how you focused on me during the concert. And the eye contact we made during my solo moment... I should stop myself there. Point is, if you need to vent, I'm here."

You were definitely feeling conflicted alright. Your heart yearned to be touched by Kashi's understanding, but your mind refused.

Kashi then leaned over to your ear, his lips just brushing it as he whispered. "And it's alright, you don't need to worry about Genji-san too much."

Alarm snapped your reflexes awake and you grabbed onto Kashi's arm. The idol flinched at your touch and his skin warmed up. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), you couldn't see what his expression was.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh!" He moved away from your face and showed you an innocent smile. There was still a faint blush on his cheeks. "Don't worry, I remembered what you said to me the other day. I didn't do anything reckless. I just meant that Genji-san be turning a new leaf."

"You're being really vague."

"You look really worried." Kashi frowned. "Am I that untrustworthy?"

"No, no." You internally prayed to whatever god was willing to listen to you that Kashi doesn't see through your lies. "Sorry if it came off like that. When it comes to Genji-san, my mind tends to overreact."

Because the game highlighted him red.

"I was worried that if you did something, it could hurt you in the long run."

Murder won't exactly do wonders for your career.

"I didn't mean to doubt you, but reputation can be fickle. If drama starts between two idols, rumours may spread and things can blow out of proportion." You sighed. "Do I even make any sense?"

Kashi was quiet. You couldn't tell if he was mad or not, and miraculously managed to hold eye contact.

"You were worried about me?"

His voice was fragile, as if a small gust of wind would shatter it.

"The words of others affect you, don't they? I just... I don't want you to––you know."

After all, if word got out that Kashi harmed Genji, his career that he worked so hard to maintain at the expense of his mental health would be in shambles. As much as you feared the game, you also didn't want to see that happen. You still scared for Kashi.

The idol smiled softly at your words before gently taking his hands in yours.

"You know, opening up to you was one of the best decisions in my life." His voice was calm and genuine. And when he smiled at you, you were instantly reminded of just how much Kashi adored you. "I feel like you have more to say, but I won't force you. After all, your concern means the world."

Even in a heartfelt moment, Kashi's intuition was still scarily sharp.

"To answer your question, I had a talk with Genji-san. It didn't have to do with your past. Believe it or not, he still has bad habits. It had something to do with his tendency to run away from responsibilities. I got a little frustrated and it seems like my words are making him reflect a little."

Before you could get a word in, Kashi's phone rang. He begrudgingly answered the call. After a minute of conversation, Kashi sighed and turned to you.

"I need to go." He frowned. "Sorry, I wanted to spend more time with you. Want me to walk you out?"

Damn, I would've liked to have gotten a little more information.

"Sure."

Kashi escorted you out of the room. Before he could lead you back into the venue, you stopped him.

"I can take it from here. You're busy, right?"

Kashi's shoulder slumped. "But I wanted to spend more time with you..."

By walking with me for an extra five seconds?

"Oh! I know, I'll call you after the concert!" Kashi beamed. "Okay, have fun. Love you."

You were caught off guard. The way he said 'love you' so casually made it look like you two were lovers. Since when was Kashi so bold? The idol giggled at your baffled expression before waving goodbye and joining the crowd of people. You turned a corner and ensured you were out of his sights.

So, Kashi had a talk with Genji, huh? There was no penalty, so you can assume that no violence was involved. You needed to go see the redhead and get more information.

Now, how the hell were you going to find him?

"Are you (L/n)-san?"

You almost jumped at the voice. Almost, you thought Kashi had caught you hanging around. Instead, it was some staff member; a woman who seemed to be in her thirties.

"Yeah, that's me."

"Ichika-san told me about you. Do you need any help? You seemed to be in thought."

As much as you'd love to question the woman on what the heck Ichika said about you, you needed to get to Genji before the break ended.

"I was wondering where Genji-san is."

"That's easy! He should be in his room."

She proceeded to give you clear directions.

"You must be someone important, huh? Normally, we wouldn't let just anyone disturb him."

You strained a chuckle before thanking the woman. When you reached the room Genji was in, you took a deep breath before knocking.

"You can just barge in, y'know. I always do it to you."

"Really?"

You could imagine Genji blinking in confusion as he registered who the hell was talking to him.

"(L/n)-san? How––oh, right. You somehow managed to gain authorization backstage."

"Yeah. Can I come in?"

"Sure, I'm not doing anything special."

When you opened the door, you saw Genji reapplying eyeliner in front of the mirror. His eyes met yours in his reflection.

"I thought you'd have staff touch up your face," you said.

"I do a better job. Plus, I don't like people touching my face." Genji glanced over his shoulder. "What did you come here for? I doubt it's for my autograph."

"I want to ask a few things regarding Kashi."

"Dating advice?"

You narrowed your eyes and Genji quickly put his hands up in surrender.

"I'm down to talk. Have a seat."

"I'm fine here," you replied. "Moving on, I have a question. What do you think Kashi thinks of you?"

"Totally not out of the blue at all." Genji chuckled. "What do you think? After all, I'm the ex of his crush. An ex who did some pretty not-so-good things."

You didn't appreciate how Genji talked to you, but you couldn't afford to waste time starting unnecessary arguments.

"What? Are you worried that he'd like you too much? That he'll depend on you?"

You blinked. Wait, what? That was literally it. Well, the last part didn't come to mind, but Genji was basically correct.

"Did Kashi give off that impression when he talked to you?"

"Not really." Genji glanced off to the side, contemplating whether or not he wanted to say his next words. "That's what happened between you and I, wasn't it? I just assume what I know."

You froze. Did the past (Y/n) show signs of possessiveness?

That... I can see that, actually.

"Hm... You're clearly her, but why do I feel like you're someone else standing in front of me? People can change, but this is just too much." Genji stared at you. In response, you narrowed your eyes. "I don't know what you're trying to do, and I have a feeling you won't be telling me any details. You might want these, then. Just make sure to return it to me at the end of the concert."

The redhead threw you a set of keys and said, "You can open some locked doors with these."

"That's totally not out of the blue and extremely confusing..."

The thought of Kashi locking Genji somewhere did cross your mind. Your idea was to somehow break the door down or scream something that'd make Kashi hesitate. Keys? That made your life easier. You were incredibly baffled on how well this was going.

"Wait, do you actually think–"

Before you could finish your sentence, someone suddenly placed their hands on your shoulder from behind and pulled you close to their chest. You looked up and were met with a pair of grey-blue eyes.

"(Y/n)~" Kashi smiled. "What are you doing here?"

Thankfully, his hold on you was gentle. You stepped away from Kashi and said, "I wanted to speak to Genji-san a bit."

"Normally I would be frustrated, what's there more to say to someone like him?" He pouted. "But I understand. Are you done now?"

Shoot, you wanted to ask if Genji thought that Kashi would do something to him. That way, you could've organised better precautions for the redhead. You could ask Kashi to step out and continue the conversation, but what if he eavesdroppes?

"Yeah, I'm done."

"Cool! I came here to let him know that we'll be continuing our performance soon. You should also get going, (Y/n)."

Luckily, Kashi was taking this better than you thought. It was probably thanks to the talk you had with him the other day in your room.

"I'll be there in a minute," Genji said. "Just have some touching up to do."

"Okay." Wow. Hearing how bland Kashi's voice was when responding to Genji made you do a double take. "C'mon, (Y/n). Let's leave him be."



===



And that's the end of the concert.

It felt like the front row seat to such an exhilarating performance was wasted because of how much you kept zoning out as you tried to figure out how the heck Kashi was going to hurt Genji. Kashi confronted Genji, then what? Kashi already seemed accepting of your involvement with Genji. Or was he just acting? You didn't want to doubt him like that, but your emotions couldn't catch up with your thoughts.

Or maybe your speculations were off and Genji ended up dying outside of this event? A part of you relaxed because you wouldn't have to deal with it tonight, but you also tensed because that meant you needed to continue to be wary of Kashi.

"There will be a quick Q&A session before the concert concludes."

You finally snapped out of your thoughts at the sound of Kashi's voice. There will be a what now? This came as a shocker to fans as well. Phew, so it wasn't because you were completely oblivious. Wait. There were like a bajillion people in this concert. How were they going to do a Q&A?

"Ohh, so that's why he tweeted to wear or bring something distinguishable!" The girl next to you said to her friend. "It's to get picked easier."

Well, your question was just answered. This Q&A session was definitely a perfect opportunity to pull something, so you remained attentive.

A fan from the back was chosen. She was holding up a huge plush of Kashi. Those things existed? A staff member gave her the microphone and she almost squealed.

"Utari-san! What was working with Genji-san like?"

"It was an interesting experience for sure." Kashi sighed. It was far more angelic than the sighs he does around you. Fans almost doubled over at how heavenly it sounded. "I miss the days where my life was peaceful."

Genji grinned. "Glad to be here to make your life more exciting."

Laughter arose from the crowd. Huh. It was interesting to think that the public's perception of the two idols' dynamic were so different from the truth.

When it was time for the next question, many items and hands were raised. There was someone who even held up a huge blue flag and began waving it around. You furrowed your eyebrows. You admired that individual's boldness.

"Wait a goddamn minute."

It was Kai.

When did he bring in a flag?? You literally arrived at the concert with him and Himari!

The brunet was handed a microphone, unsurprisingly. Kai had the biggest grin and you could see Himari next to him hiding her face.

"A question for Genji-san. What kind of person do you think will make a good friend?"

Kai was a fan of Kashi and hated Genji, so you wondered why he asked the redhead a question.

"Ohh, good one. The obvious answer would be: someone who's personality meshes well with mine." Genji drummed his nails, which were painted black, against the bottom of the microphone. "Light-hearted bickering is always fun. It's also important to have someone who would call you out when you're being a pain in the ass."

Some people from the crowd chuckled at Genji's wording.

"The last part is a good point," Kashi followed up. "I have a question for you myself, actually. You mentioned calling out. Have you done something in the past that you wished someone called you out on?"

You raised an eyebrow. Kashi was trying to pull something, wasn't he? He had your past in mind, didn't he? It was what your instincts screamed at you.

He said he wouldn't intervene, so why is he...?

Genji's eyes glazed over in your direction for a moment before he responded with, "Well, hasn't everyone?"

You were reminded of Kei's words.

"I don't think there's any use in figuring out the details, there are too many unpredictable factors," Kei said. "So, how about we focus on Genji-san himself?"

Genji was accepting of his faults, to an extent. Doesn't excuse him for what he did, of course. So, if he was willing to admit what he did was wrong, would he be willing to take action to make up for it? Such as... Exposing himself to the public?

Okay, there was a picture of what was going on, but it was still blurry. How does that link to Genji's death?

"True." Kashi nodded. "Let's move onto the next question."

Another individual was picked.

"Genji-san, there have been some rumours that you were a playboy before you became an idol. What do you have to say about that?"

The venue grew tense. What started off as a lighthearted Q&A between an idol and their fans has become more of a conference between a suspect and doubtful reporters.

You looked at Kashi. Here was your theory. Through his question, Kashi sparked a flicker of curiosity within the crowd of Genji's past. That must've piqued some interests and gave some people courage to bring up rumours. Kashi was good at manipulating a crowd. You've experienced that during the early stages of the game, and you were reminded of it again now.

"I was," Genji replied simply. "And... I hurt some people, especially one person in particular."

Confused murmurs scattered across the crowd whilst you were internally screaming at Genji to shut up. The Q&A was still ongoing, people were going to continue to question Genji. And eventually, he'll spill more details than you'd like. Redemption? Justice being served? Maybe the previous (Y/n) would've wanted this, maybe she would've hated this. Either way, you needed to stop what's going on because it was most likely what Kashi was trying to accomplish.

You needed to break this momentum and snap the string of questions that would soon flow. With vigour, you raised your hand and stared at Genji dead in the eye. He kept his gaze fixated away from your general direction. Kashi did the same. You scoffed under your breath at that.

Why wasn't Ichika making any moves to stop this? Wouldn't this jeopardise Genji's career?

What to do...

You should probably leave now. The moment the Q&A session comes to an end, the crowd would be unruly. It'll be hard to reach backstage. Would some people around you suspect something was off? Maybe. But that was the least of your worries.

You stood up. And just as you were about to leave the seats, you made eye contact with Kashi. His gaze held a world's amount of concern, but you swore you saw a flicker of satisfaction.