Eternal Melody

"Because of me?" Sumire immediately guessed.

Yuhi nodded. "That moment, it was truly something like a painting. A drenched you, and yet the entire time, I was focused on how beautiful the rain droplets looked on your hair and how the aura around you seemed to radiate, how the background seemed like it was a wash of beautiful colors dancing around you.

It was exactly like the night when we first met, you standing in a single spot, and the aura around you was completely different. When I realized this, I understood. Ah, what I feel for you must really be love. In those moments, I was incredibly nervous. Something uncommon to me."

Sumire thought she could remain calm, but who knew reminiscing with him would end up like this? Her entire face reddened. T--this is embarrassing to listen to. But, Yuhi is being so serious with her right now. He is pouring his feelings out. No matter how embarrassed she is, she has to listen to the very end.

"It made me realize, ah, I am a normal guy after all. When you came to Tokyo, you transferred to my school and ended up sitting next to me. I found myself even more mesmerized—the habits you have in class. I noticed. You gradually moved your chair closer to mine so you could rest your head on my shoulders. You conveniently forgot your textbook despite being an organized person, so you could share it with me. Taping your pen and getting all frustrated when I didn't notice your signals of wanting to be held."

This, he remembers everything. No, he noticed everything.

"You sneakily trying to hold my hand whenever the teacher wasn't looking—getting all pouty whenever I spoke about another girl. You're determined expression whenever you were assigned homework or task—your hard-working attitude. You accompany people who are bullied and speak to them like normal in order to draw people in—not hesitating to stand up for those who are suffering. The amount of effort and thought she has for her friends. I love everything."

'Her sad expression, angry, calm, happy and the expressions she makes only for him. All of it.'

Her eyes widened when she heard something. It sounded like Yuhi's voice, but it came from her head?

Just now, what was that? He didn't say anything, right? Indeed after that ' I love everything,' there shouldn't have been anything else, and yet just now, she heard extra parts to his speech.

This isn't telepathy, right?

Sumire laughed at the thought. No, no- but then again, there exist people with evolved genetics. Individuals with powers that society cannot explain, it is possible, but if that is the case, he should have just said that part too.

Yuhi-san's sincere feelings towards her that's something she's known for a long time.

No matter how clueless she is with this stuff, how could she not realize how half his songs when he returned to Tokyo after they parted were for her?

There are many who use songs as messages, messages to convey the words they cannot say out loud. Terashima Yuhi is one of those singers. So it was clear to her that he still felt something for her. She already knew and yet heard all of this. She felt the warmth of his back disappear, and she was immediately pulled into his arms.

Really, what have you done to me? I don't remember being like this before."

Sumire laughed at his frustration. "Are you sure about that? You have loved me for a very long time, right?"

"True, but I had more self-control." He trailed off. "Well, forget it; it feels like you have been stringing me along from the very moment we met."

Sumire rolled her eyes when she heard those words. "Who was the one who took me to his home on the first meeting?"

"Technically, we met before when we were kids, but I suppose that was the first proper meeting since you don't remember."

He is mentioning it so casually now, even though he seemed reluctant to speak about it before. Sumire recalled what Shin told her. Perhaps Yuhi has already heard the news. If that is the case, then his behavior makes sense.

She drew away from his hold but slumped her body against his shoulder. Yuhi affectionately caressed her hair.

"Next month, I am going to be busy. I can already imagine Hino going spartan mode on me."

"Well, you only did entertainment industry work for two months, so you do not have much experience in the field despite being so skilled. So Hino will most likely give you hell at the start to make sure you catch up."

"I only care for singing jobs." Sumire did not want to lie about this. "But, I understand since I chose the career path of being an idol rather than a singer. I have to engage in other activities too."

"Relax, you have Hino as your manager. He is very familiar with the industry. If you tell him you prefer singing jobs, you will mainly get those."

"Is it that simple?" She did not have many experiences with managers. But based on her knowledge, normally, they take full control of their artist schedule after they decide on an image.

"It is because it's Hino."

Sumire could not miss the confidence behind his tone and her gaze softened. They truly do get along very well. Is it because she has also known Hino since she was younger, but she also felt a family bond with him.

No, no, saying this even in her head is far too cruel since Hino has feelings for her.

Sometimes she wonders how it ended up like this. How did she end up attracting so many guys when she had such a terrible personality? No, the biggest mystery to this was how did she get Terashima Yuhi to fall for her?

The first time he confessed to her, it truly felt like her heart would stop beating on the spot. How on earth is it possible for him to like her romantically? But, that serious gaze in his eyes. She could not dismiss it. There were times when she felt that he liked her more than other people, but she never concluded his feelings as love.

So when he confessed to her, she was in shock.

'I almost said yes.'

Right, she was so shocked by his confession that she almost agreed. When she looked into his eyes and realized it was real, she truly wanted to say yes. It took all her willpower to say no.

She cried all night after he left.

'But I did not want to be a hindrance to his future.' She knew if she wanted to, Yuhi would have taken him with her. However, back then, she did not have the status to match him. Even if Yuhi did not care for such things, she would not allow anybody too bad mouth him.

Despite her rejection and her refusal to see him for so long, they still ended up together. Her status in the entertainment industry is far worse now than it was before.

'I wasted so much time.' Sumire exhaled deeply. If she didn't reject him then, then she would not have met Sano.