"Chieri!"
Her name rang sharply through the classroom like a slap of cold water.
Chieri jolted upright in her seat. "Y-Yes, Madam…" she stammered, slowly rising. Her shoulders curled inward as if she were trying to disappear into herself.
Madam Hattori's stern eyes bore into her. "I told you to bring me the book this morning. Where is it?"
"I-I forgot it at home… I'm sorry..haha.."
Chieri forced an awkward laugh and smile, rubbing her hands together like it might soften the tension in the room.
'How could I forget about the book yesterday ?!' her thoughts screamed inside her head.
'I got distracted and went straight to bed…but before that…'
'What did I even do yesterday??'
'Is the book even in my house ?!'
"Excuses! Wh—"
Knock, knock
A sudden knock on the classroom door sliced through the rising tension.
Madam Hattori turned sharply. "Enter!" she barked, still brimming with frustration.
The door slid open to reveal a girl with soft brown curls tucked neatly behind a sky-blue headband. Her smile was gentle, the kind that instantly made the air feel lighter.
"Sorry for disturbing you, Madam Hattori. I've brought the file you asked for." the girl said politely, holding up a neatly clipped folder.
Madam Hattori's face shifted in a heartbeat—from stormy and rigid to calm and composed. "Ah, as expected from you. Thank you so much, Haru," she said, her voice dipped in warmth now.
She walked over and patted the girl's shoulder, a smile tugging at her lips. "You can go back to your class now."
"Madam, can I help my friend?" Haru said gently as she glanced over Chieri.
There was a beat of silence.
Madam Hattori blinked. Her brows furrowed, as though she couldn't quite understand what she'd just heard. "...Excuse me? Your friend..? "
"I want to help by paying the compensation fee for the book Chieri lost," Haru replied, voice steady and sincere.
The teacher looked genuinely taken aback. "O-oh… yeah, sure…I suppose..Just put the money on my table later"
Chieri's eyes widened in disbelief, glimmering like they had just caught sunlight for the first time in hours. To her, Haru stood tall and radiant—a savior, a goddess, a glowing miracle in a blue headband.
'Angel!! That's what everyone should refer to Haru as! She is an angel!!' she gushed inwardly, nearly bursting into glitter and tears.
Haru's eyes found Chieri's, and her expression softened.
Chieri couldn't help herself—she gave a big, goofy smile and threw her hands up, forming tiny hearts with her fingers.
Haru chuckled quietly and smiled back.
"Then, Madam, I'll excuse myself now," she said with a small bow.
"Uh… oh, yeah… sure," Madam Hattori said, seemingly still recovering from the surprise.
Madam Hattori returned to her seat at the front of the class as Haru turned and exited, waving a gentle goodbye to Chieri on her way out.
Chieri waved back with both hands, heart practically soaring out of her chest.
Some people are just born with wings.
.
.
.
.
The shrill ring of the school bell echoed through the halls, signaling the start of lunch break. Chairs scraped against the floor as students began pouring out of their seats, laughter and chatter bubbling in the air.
Chieri stayed behind, crouched beside her desk, rummaging through her bag with mild hunger in her eyes.
"Lunch box, lunch box…where is it?" she mumbled to herself, her fingers brushing past notebooks, a pen case, and some tissues until finally—got it. She tugged the bento box free with a little triumph.
But as she pulled it out, a sharp clatter rang out on the floor.
Something had fallen.
Startled, Chieri's eyes snapped toward the sound. Lying beside her feet was a familiar object: a jewel-toned CD case.
"…Eh?" she blinked, staring down in disbelief. "Why is this here?"
She tilted her head, brows furrowed. "I don't remember putting this in my bag though…"
Bending down, she picked it up carefully—ROMEO's CD album. Its glossy cover caught the light as she studied it with a puzzled expression. Then—
A light tap brushed her shoulder.
"Uwah!" Chieri flinched, spinning around with wide eyes.
Behind her stood Haru, smiling softly as if she hadn't just given Chieri a mini heart attack.
"Haru!" Chieri exclaimed, instantly grabbing her hand. "Thank you for paying for the book! I owe you a lot!"
Haru let out a small chuckle, waving it off like it was nothing. But then, her eyes shifted toward the CD in Chieri's hands. She glanced at it… then at Chieri… and then past her shoulder, as if searching for someone behind her.
Her gaze finally returned to Chieri's.
"…Where is Mayu?" Haru asked.
"Oh!" Chieri clapped her hands lightly. "She can't come… she's busy taking care of her siblings."
Haru's lips pressed into a thin line. Her expression went still, unreadable. She stood there silently, eyes distant, almost as if she'd frozen in time.
"Hm? Haru?" Chieri tilted her head, waving a hand in front of her. "Hello…? Haru! Are you there?"
Haru blinked rapidly and snapped out of her daze.
"S-Sorry… I was thinking," she murmured.
"That's fine!" Chieri chirped, quickly changing the subject with a warm smile. "Well, do you want to eat together?"
Haru nodded, her soft smile returning.
Together, they made their way to the cafeteria, weaving through the sea of students. Chieri took a seat by the window and placed her lunchbox on the table then set the ROMEO CD album beside it.
She then unwrapped her lunchbox, the faint scent of tamagoyaki and rice wafting up in a comforting trail. She was about to dig in when Haru's voice broke through her focus.
"…What is that?" Haru asked, her gaze drifting curiously toward the glossy jewel-toned object sitting beside Chieri's lunch.
Chieri blinked, looking up at her friend. "Oh!" Her gaze shifted to the item in question. "It's a CD album!"
"CD… album?" Haru echoed the words, her brows pinching slightly in confusion.
She tilted her head in the smallest motion—graceful, curious, yet slightly hesitant. Haru, raised in a strict, well-mannered household where classical music and family traditions reigned, wasn't exactly well-versed in things like pop music or idols. To her, the whole idea was something foreign, maybe even a little frivolous. But Chieri's excitement made it seem oddly important.
"Yes, a CD album! " Chieri nodded, cheerful as she picked up her chopsticks. "I think it has a live perfomance recorded in it too. I haven't watched it all the way through yet."
She glanced at Haru, eyes sparkling. "Here, you can take a look!" She offered the case casually, one hand still holding her chopsticks while the other passed over the CD. "I found it in the old wardrobe inside my room yesterday."
Haru reached out and took the CD album into her hands, turning it over with delicate fingers. Her eyes scanned the cover slowly.
"…ROMEO?" she murmured, reading the title aloud. She flipped the case.
"Naoya… Junkichi… Hekima… Akira…" Her voice was soft, as if she were tasting each name curiously.
She looked up at Chieri with mild surprise. "Is this an idol group?"
Chieri, with a mouthful of rice, gave a bright nod. "Yeah! It's an idol group!" she said, after swallowing. "Do you want to watch it with me after school?"
There was a moment of pause—Haru looking at the CD again, then back at Chieri. The clamor of the cafeteria faded just a little between them. The question hung in the air like a spark waiting to catch.
.
.
.
.
The soft creak of the front door echoed through the quiet hallway as Chieri stepped inside.
"Pardon me for intruding.."
Haru's voice followed gently behind, polite and calm as she entered.
They both slipped off their shoes by the entrance. Chieri's were half-kicked off in her usual careless way, while Haru lined hers up neatly beside them.
Chieri walked further into the house, calling out lightly, "Grandma~ I'm home."
She slid open the door to the living room just enough to peek inside.
"Grandma?" she said again, glancing around.
There was no response.
Haru approached quietly from behind, her footsteps almost inaudible on the wooden floor.
Chieri turned around to face her. "I think she left to buy groceries," she said with a small shrug.
Then, without warning, she reached for Haru's hand and gently took it.
"Let's go!" she smiled, already heading toward the staircase.
Haru blinked, slightly caught off guard, but followed without resistance, letting herself be led up to Chieri's room.
.
.
The video starts playing on Chieri's laptop, the sounds of music filling the room as the concert begins. Both Chieri and Haru sit side by side, the energy from the screen immediately drawing them in.
Chieri, a bit unfamiliar with this whole idol concert thing, can't help but get drawn into the vivid stage lights and lively music.
She leans forward, eyes wide as she watches the performers, who exude that cool, Y2K style—slick hair, sharp suits, and those confident movements that make the whole performance feel so alive. The crowd's cheers mix with the music, creating an atmosphere that feels almost electric.
Haru, though composed as always, finds herself caught up in the rhythm too. She'd never been exposed to anything like this—this whole world of idols, concerts, and fan interactions was new to her.
But as the performance unfolds, she finds herself instinctively relaxing. Her eyes follow the members of ROMEO, intrigued by their stage presence, their ease with the crowd.
She can't deny it; there's something magnetic about them, something that keeps her eyes locked on the screen.
The music pulses through the room. Chieri, who's never really paid attention to idol groups before, is swept up in the excitement. She can't help but smile as the group hits all their choreography perfectly, and the audience's response makes it all feel so real.
The excitement from the concert is contagious, and without thinking, Chieri sways slightly in her seat, caught up in the fun of it all.
Haru's expression softens, her usual composure slipping as she becomes more engaged. For the first time, she feels the energy of a concert, the rush of music and live performance, and it's a side of the world she'd never experienced.
She watches the performers with admiration, noticing how they interact with the audience, how they make everyone feel included. It's a different kind of world,, one that Haru isn't used to, but she's captivated nonetheless.
As the concert reaches its peak, Chieri's laughter fills the air at a playful moment from one of the members. Haru glances at her, noticing the joy on her face, and realizes just how much she's enjoying this too. It's a simple connection, one that ties both of them to this moment in front of the screen.Then,
CLICK.
The sound of the front door downstairs.
"Ah" Chieri jumps to her feet.
"My grandma is back!"
She rushes to the door, pulling it open quickly.
"I'll be right back!" she says over her shoulder with a smile.
"Just watch it without me!"
The door shuts.
Haru is left alone, staring at the door silent for a moment as the music from Chieri's laptop continues.
But then,
.
.
"Naoya! Naoya! Naoya! Naoya!"
The crowd's chant bursts from the laptop speakers, loud and full of energy.
Haru's head turns instinctively back toward the screen.
The camera, swaying with the rhythm of the crowd, zooms across the audience—then lands, almost purposefully, on a fan holding up a bright sign: "Taira Naoya".
Just as quickly, the shot cuts back to the performer on stage. Naoya, flashing a playful smirk under the stage lights, raises one hand to the cheering fans.
Haru stiffens. Her brows draw together.
"…Taira… Naoya?" she murmurs, barely audible.
A strange feeling settles in her chest.
Her gaze drifts slightly—drawn now to the desk beside her. There, half-buried under a pencil case and a hair clip, sits one of Chieri's school books. Her name is neatly printed on the cover:
"Taira Chieri".
Haru stares.
Then, slowly, her eyes return to the screen. She doesn't blink. The concert continues, but her thoughts have already started to drift elsewhere—quiet, but unmistakably stirred.
The door creaked open.
Chieri stepped in, brushing her hair behind her ear with one hand. "Sorry~! Did I make you wait? I was helping my grandma," she said, walking back toward the desk.
Haru turned to look at her. Her lips parted, as if to say something—but nothing came out. She stayed silent, watching as Chieri settled back into the seat beside her with ease, unaware.
"I'm gonna rewind the video back~!" Chieri chimed, reaching for the trackpad and dragging the cursor along the playback bar.
"Where did I last watch it? Was it here?" she murmured, scanning the time stamp with a tilted head.
"Found it!" She let go of the slider, letting the footage resume from a spot she vaguely remembered.
Just as the video started playing again, Haru's voice came out—sharp and sudden. "Chieri!"
Chieri turned to her, surprised. "Hm?" Her finger paused the video.
But Haru didn't answer. Her eyes were locked on the screen.
The image had frozen on the exact moment: the concert crowd, wild and electric, and right in the center—a fan holding up a sign that read "Taira Naoya."
Chieri followed her gaze.
She blinked. Her cheerful expression fell away.
Her mouth opened slightly, but no words came out.
Both of them stared at the screen, still.No one had expected this.
To be continued