Chapter 36 The Encore Never Stops
The Encore Never Stops
Today was the day of Luminous Stars’ solo dome concert.
As a staff member assisting Mika-san, I watched the live performance from backstage.
The lights in the dome dimmed, and after a brief moment of silence, the stage lit up brilliantly.
At that moment, the audience’s cheers erupted, filling the vast space with a wave of sound so powerful it felt like it could shake the entire venue.
Tens of thousands of penlights swayed in the crowd, spreading like a shimmering sea of light.
On the stage, the members of Luminous Stars shone brightly under the dazzling lights. Among them, Shirasaki-san stood at the center, shining more radiantly than anyone else.
I was completely overwhelmed by the dazzling aura she exuded as she commanded the center of the stage.
When she raised her hand to energize the audience, the stage lights illuminated her even more, and the crowd responded with an ear-splitting cheer.
She’s as amazing as ever…
As I thought that while watching from the side, the concert flew by, ending with the final song after several hours.
With that, the concert was officially over.
However, breaking the script, the encore chants erupted.
“Encore! Encore!”
Just as it was decided to perform one more song to answer the audience’s demands, a problem arose.
“Huh? Kanade-chan isn’t here. Where did she go?”
Amane-san said as she looked around.
“I’ll go look for her.”
Apparently, Shirasaki-san had disappeared.
Passing by Amane-san, I hurriedly headed backstage, where no one else was around.
After searching for a while, I found her quietly standing in the shadows near the back door.
She seemed to be resting, catching her breath.
“Shirasaki-san.”
I called out softly. She replied in a small voice.
“It’s okay, Sou-kun. There’s no one around now, so you don’t have to call me ‘san,’ remember?”
Smiling gently, Kanade spoke to me like that.
The way she addressed me had changed, reflecting the shift in our relationship.
As lovers, we had started calling each other differently.
Kanade now called me by my name.
“That’s right. Still, I’ve been looking everywhere for you. They’re planning to do one more song for the encore.”
When I said that, Kanade looked at me with eyes that seemed to plead for something.
“Ugh. I’m so tired, but maybe I could manage the last song if you’d do something for me, Sou-kun.”
“…If it’s something I can do, I’ll do anything.”
“Really? Then, close your eyes for me.”
“Huh? That’s all you want?”
Expecting something more challenging, I was surprised but did as she asked.
I closed my eyes and waited, wondering what would happen next.
After a brief silence, I suddenly felt something soft brush against my lips.
Startled, I reflexively opened my eyes to see Kanade with a faint blush on her cheeks.
“J-just now…”
As I murmured, Kanade placed a finger on my lips and said,
“Did you think I kissed you? I just touched your lips with my finger, you know?”
She explained in a teasing tone, wearing a mischievous smile.
“Well, I’m going now.”
Kanade smiled shyly and jogged off, leaving the area.
Watching her retreating figure, I felt the lingering warmth on my lips.
No matter how I thought about it, I was certain it had been a kiss.
The faint sweet taste and damp sensation confirmed it.
Convinced that I had truly been kissed, I felt my body grow warm.
She was unexpectedly unpredictable, often doing bold things like this.
Kanade was everyone’s idol and, at the same time, the one who captivated me most in the world—
Backstage, the encore chants continued to echo.
Just like those cheers, I hoped our relationship would keep going.
That’s what I thought as I smiled quietly to myself.
Part I End.