That night… Sakura couldn't sleep.
No matter how many times she turned to the left, then to the right… no matter how many times she closed her eyes and forced herself to relax…
Sleep just refused to come.
Her mind kept replaying the dinner.
Mina laughing.
Koharu smiling.
Koharu peeling shrimp.
Koharu feeding her.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Sakura groaned softly and buried her face into the pillow.
"Why am I even thinking about that…" she mumbled.
It wasn't like she liked Koharu.
No.
Absolutely not.
Koharu was scary.
Koharu was the same person who once controlled their careers, bought awards, and nearly destroyed everything.
Sakura should be careful around her.
She should keep distance.
She should remember everything that went wrong because of her.
But…
Sakura turned onto her back, staring at the ceiling.
"…Then why did it bother me?"
Her chest felt weird.
Not heavy.
Not painful.
Just… restless.
Because for the first time—
she didn't feel scared of Koharu.
Not completely.
Instead…
she felt something else.
Something unfamiliar.
Something she didn't want to name.
Sakura whispered softly into the empty room—
"…I wanted her to look at me."
The words felt strange.
Embarrassing.
Too honest.
She quickly covered her face with her hands.
"This is stupid," she muttered. "She was just being nice."
But her heart didn't agree.
Because it remembered something clearly—
Koharu used to look at her like she was the only person in the world.
And now…
she didn't.
And that change—
hurt more than it should.
Sakura sighed deeply.
"…I hate this."
She turned again.
Pulled the blanket over her head.
Closed her eyes.
Opened them again.
Still awake.
And just like that…
the whole night passed.
---
Morning — Meeting Room
The next morning felt like punishment.
Sakura sat in the meeting room, trying her best to stay awake while Koharu stood at the front, explaining details about their upcoming tour.
Schedules.
Cities.
Rehearsals.
Fan events.
Everything was perfectly organized.
Of course it was.
Because it was Koharu.
But Sakura…
was barely holding on.
She yawned.
Once.
Twice.
Then again.
Hana nudged her from the side. "Sakura… you okay?"
Sakura nodded weakly. "…Didn't sleep."
Aiko glanced at her briefly, then looked away, hiding a small smirk.
"Thinking too much?" Aiko whispered.
Sakura shot her a glare. "Shut up."
At the front, Koharu paused mid-sentence.
Her eyes shifted.
Just for a second.
Toward Sakura.
She noticed.
The tired eyes.
The slow blinking.
The way Sakura's head slightly dropped before she forced it back up.
Koharu's expression didn't change.
But her tone softened slightly.
"…We'll shorten the remaining points," she said calmly.
Rinn glanced at her, surprised.
Because Koharu… never shortened meetings.
But no one questioned it.
Within minutes, the meeting wrapped up.
"Details will be sent to your managers," Koharu finished. "You're dismissed."
Everyone stood up.
Stretching.
Yawning.
Chatting quietly.
Sakura blinked slowly…
and then—
her head dropped.
Silence.
Hana turned. "Sakura?"
No response.
Yuki leaned in. "…She fell asleep?"
Aiko raised a brow. "In a meeting? Bold."
Kairi whispered, "She didn't sleep all night…"
Koharu stepped forward slightly.
Her voice calm.
"You all can leave."
OG looked at each other.
Then quietly nodded.
Hana whispered, "Let's go…"
Yuki tiptoed like it mattered.
Aiko gave Sakura one last look—
then left without saying anything.
The door closed softly.
---
Just the Two of Them
The room became quiet.
Only the faint sound of papers shifting and the soft hum of the AC remained.
Sakura was still asleep on the chair, her head tilted slightly to the side, strands of her hair falling across her face.
She looked… peaceful.
Like she had finally escaped whatever was bothering her.
Koharu stood there for a moment.
Just watching.
Her eyes softened.
"…You really didn't sleep," she murmured quietly.
No response.
Of course.
Koharu walked back to her seat, picked up her file, and continued her work.
But…
her focus wasn't the same.
Every few seconds—
her eyes drifted back to Sakura.
The way her lips parted slightly as she breathed.
The way her shoulders relaxed.
The way she looked…
so unguarded.
Koharu looked away quickly.
"…Focus," she whispered to herself.
But it didn't work.
After a while, she sighed softly.
Stood up.
Walked toward Sakura.
She hesitated for a second.
Then slowly took off her jacket.
Carefully…
gently…
she placed it over Sakura's shoulders.
Making sure it didn't wake her.
Her fingers brushed Sakura's arm for a brief second.
Warm.
Koharu froze.
Then immediately pulled her hand back like she shouldn't have touched her at all.
Her gaze lingered.
Just for a moment.
"…Sleep well," she whispered.
Then she turned.
Picked up her files.
And walked out of the room.
The door closed softly behind her.
---
A Small Smile
Minutes passed.
The room remained quiet.
Sakura shifted slightly.
Her eyes slowly opened.
She blinked.
Confused.
Then she noticed—
the jacket.
Koharu's jacket.
Her fingers lightly touched the fabric.
Still warm.
Sakura sat up slowly.
Looked toward the door.
Empty.
She was alone.
A small smile appeared on her lips.
Unconsciously.
Soft.
"…Idiot," she whispered.
But there was no anger in her voice.
Only something warm.
Something quiet.
Something growing.
And for the first time since last night—
Sakura felt calm.
Like maybe…
just maybe…
she didn't need to understand everything yet.
Some feelings…
could just be felt.