Chapter 21 Ex-Girlfriend's Monologue and the Premonition of a Date

Ex-Girlfriend’s Monologue and the Premonition of a Date

Chiharu’s PoV

After class, the school was as lively as ever, with the sounds of students leaving their classrooms echoing through the hallways. But contrary to that liveliness, I was surrounded by emptiness. I used to walk home with friends, but now I couldn’t make eye contact with anyone and just wanted to leave as quickly as possible.

I had lost all my friends in class.

How did it come to this?

Was it because of how I treated Souta? Did that affect my friendships?

Since that day, my friends’ attitudes toward me had noticeably shifted.

Even during lunch, the friend I usually ate with made excuses like, “I have something to do,” and left me to eat alone.

What did I do wrong…?

As I wrestled with that thought, I dragged my heavy feet toward the school gate.

Admittedly, I might have been too emotional in the way I spoke to Souta.

But I only wanted to release the pain and sadness I was carrying.

Looking back, I lost everything after breaking up with Souta.

Akagi-senpai stopped contacting me, and even Souta’s sister started treating me coldly.

And now, my classmates had started excluding me.

Whose fault was this?

It wasn’t mine… It definitely wasn’t mine.

Then whose fault was it?

…Come to think of it, why was Shirasaki Kanade there when Souta broke up with me?

That memory suddenly surfaced.

She wasn’t even involved, yet she claimed to be watching neutrally. But when you think about it rationally, it doesn’t add up.

After the breakup, I often saw her chatting casually with Souta.

And Akagi-senpai even sent Shirasaki a DM, asking her out on a date.

She must have been seducing him behind my back.

Then she publicly exposed their interactions, painting herself as the victim.

If not for that, Akagi-senpai wouldn’t have been criticized by everyone.

That must be why he developed a distrust of women and started avoiding me.

I just know it—Shirasaki Kanade has feelings for Souta.

If that’s true, wouldn’t it shock her if I got back together with Souta?

Maybe I should try to reconcile with him.

Akagi-senpai tried to cheat on me, after all.

So this should be fine, right?

And that was when my next course of action became clear.

Weekend. Today was the PV shoot for the new Luminous Stars song I was helping with. The location was a massive studio on the city’s outskirts, and I was immediately awed by its size and the intricately designed set.

At the center was a huge circular stage surrounded by cameras. The stage’s reflective surface shimmered like a mirror under the lights.

In one dimly lit corner, cameramen, directors, and technical staff moved busily, creating an air of tense anticipation.

Nearby, the ten members of Luminous Stars were dressed in dazzling outfits, having their hair and makeup done. Their faces showed a mix of nerves and excitement for the upcoming shoot.

Amidst the commotion, producer Mika-san called out.

“Everyone, gather around for a moment~”

I watched from a little distance away.

Mika-san’s expression was serious, and the members seemed to sense that an important announcement was coming.

“Now that everyone’s here~. Actually, I have something big to tell you all.”

“Something big? What is it?”

Haruka-san, the group’s leader, asked.

“To get straight to the point, there’s a project underway to launch a new idol group as Luminous Stars’ official rivals.”

“Rivals? This is the first we’re hearing of it.”

Some members seemed visibly shaken by her words.

She had mentioned this to me in a prior meeting, but it was the first time the members were hearing it.

“I kept it a secret~ But I see this as a good opportunity. Luminous Stars has become so popular you’re called a national idol group. But maybe you’ve been getting a little too comfortable~”

“I don’t think that’s true…”

Personally, I didn’t think so either.

Everyone was working hard, of course…

But Mika-san might be right that the group had been feeling stagnant lately.

I’d noticed it too while working on recent songs.

As a group, they needed fresh motivation and goals.

Maybe now was the time for something to reignite their passion.

“Anyway, management has decided to create an official rival group. Oh, and I’ll be producing them.”

“Wait, does that mean you’re leaving us?”

“Don’t worry~ I’ll be handling both.”

“I see. Then that’s fine.”

The members seemed to trust Mika-san, who had been their producer since the group’s inception.

“Oh, and one more thing~ Since I’ll be busier, I’ve decided to bring in an assistant. Ten-cchi, come here~”

Suddenly, Mika-san called my name.

She motioned for me to come over, so I hurried toward her.

As I approached, I locked eyes with Shirasaki-san, who looked surprised.

She’d just come from backstage, where she’d been getting her makeup done.

“Wait, isn’t that guy…?”

Haruka-san (遥) recognized me and muttered.

“I’m sure you’ve all seen him at the recording studio before. This is Amagi Souta-kun, the one behind most of Luminous Stars’ recent hits under the stage name Amagi. Due to some circumstances, he’ll be observing your work from now on, so feel free to ask him for help!”

And just like that, I was suddenly introduced as their errand boy.

Mika-san had mentioned she’d find a way to get me more involved in the field, but this felt a bit abrupt. Still, since I was here to improve my songwriting and interact with the members, I resolved to do my share of grunt work.

“Um, just like Mika-san said, I’m here to help with anything, so please feel free to treat me like an errand boy!”

My self-introduction made Shirasaki-san burst into laughter.

She seemed to find it hilariously amusing.

“Alright then, I’ll take you up on that. If I run into any trouble, I’ll make sure to ask for your help! I like younger guys—they’re so cute.”

“Amane, don’t tease him like that~”

“I wasn’t teasing!”

The exchange was between Amane-san and Haruka-san.

Whether they were serious or not, their words felt reassuring.

Thanks to their warm welcome, the rest of the group quickly followed suit, and I was able to blend in more easily.

After the PV shoot ended, the studio lights dimmed, and the once bustling set turned eerily quiet. Back in the dressing room, the members looked exhausted but content.

At that moment, Amane-san approached me and whispered into my ear.

“Hey, Amagi-kun. Are you free this weekend?”

“Huh? What’s this about all of a sudden?”

“Want to go on a date with Onee-san?”

Wait… Amane-san just asked me out on a date!?

While I was still processing this, Shirasaki-san interjected from the side.

“Hold on, Amane-chan. What are you saying? That makes it sound like you’re going on a date alone with him…”

“Oh, sorry, sorry. Actually, I have plans to go out with Kanade-chan too, so why don’t you come along?”

“M-me?”

“Yeah, I want to buy a lot of clothes, and I think a guy’s opinion would be helpful.”

“O-okay… I understand.”

“Great! I’ll send you the details later, so let’s exchange contact information.”

And just like that, I ended up exchanging contact information with Amane-san.

But in that moment, I noticed Shirasaki-san quietly observing our interaction. Her gaze wasn’t her usual bright and cheerful one—it was sharp, almost piercing. The subtle pressure made me uneasy.

To think I’d be going out with two of Luminous Stars’ top members… Would I exhaust all my luck tomorrow and meet an untimely demise?

That was the honest thought that crossed my mind.