"I close my eyes and the flashback starts..."
"I'm standing there...."
"On a balcony in summer air...."
"See the lights, see the party, the ball gowns....."
Listening to the girl's soft singing on stage, everyone present was captivated by her pure, unblemished voice without exception.
Unknowingly, images of sunshine, a young girl, lush green grass, and a castle surrounded by a sea of flowers bloomed in everyone's minds—a scene straight out of a fairy tale. The beautiful dreams and expectations buried deep within them since childhood surfaced before their eyes, carried by that youthful voice.
"Who are they?"
Someone in the crowd suddenly whispered. Gradually, the question spread through the packed crowd like a virus.
"That little girl's singing is so beautiful."
At this, an older sister, perhaps reminded of happy memories, gently wiped a tear from her cheek with the back of her hand and murmured.
"Yeah. Is she a foreigner? Her English is so standard."
The older brother accompanying her nodded in agreement, chiming in.
Still, it was natural for them to wonder if the girl on stage was foreign. After all, in Japan, while everyone studies English, only a select few elites speak it with such flawless pronunciation, unlike the so-called "Japanese English."
But that didn't matter right now. Everyone present was far more curious about the identities of the performers.
As the final note faded, the short, fairy tale-like song gently came to a close.
Looking at the audience immersed in the beautiful atmosphere, and hearing their praises for the singers, the Aragaki siblings on the small stage instinctively looked at each other.
Having fun, Ayase?
Yeah, so much fun, Big Brother.
After a simple exchange of looks, they shared a knowing smile.
Then, the siblings slowly stepped back from the small stage, planning to slip away while everyone was still lost in the moment.
To quietly leave.
However, just then.
A guy who had just recorded the performance and uploaded it online suddenly noticed a highly excited comment under his video.
「AAAAH! Isn't this the new song "Love Story" from Miyani-sensei's album!? OMG! It's Miyani-sensei! I just listened to the new album. Quick, tell us the address!!!」
"It's Miyani-sensei and Lady Yukihime!"
Watching his comment section instantly explode, the guy's eyes went wide as he shouted in disbelief.
"Everyone! The guitarist on stage is Miyani-sensei!!! And the singer is our Lady Yukihime!!"
The next second.
His words instantly ignited the atmosphere.
Most people's faces showed shock. They stared blankly at the guy who shouted, then turned their even more passionate gazes toward Miyahito and Ayase on stage.
"Miyani-sensei!!!"
"Lady Yukihime!!"
.....
In an instant, people threw all concerns about public image out the window, loudly chanting their stage names. Some who were standing closer even tried to rush toward the stage.
Seeing this, Miyahito and Ayase immediately stopped in their tracks.
Maki, who had already prepared for such a scenario, immediately turned and ordered her staff to maintain order.
Soon, the crowd began to calm down.
But a new problem emerged.
That is, Miyani—or rather, Aragaki Miyahito—who had only planned to sing one song and hadn't anticipated such "enthusiasm," couldn't just leave now.
Glancing at his manager below and reading her "See? I told you this idea wouldn't work" expression, Miyahito smiled bitterly.
Patting his sister's shoulder, he took the microphone from her, stepped forward slightly, and spoke into it.
"Hello everyone, I'm Miyani."
"AAAAH! It really is Miyani!!"
"I love you! Miyani-sensei!!"
"Miyani-sensei!!!"
"..."
Countless cheers echoed across the station plaza. Gradually, all the wild shouts and cheers merged into a single name.
That was.
"Miyani! Miyani! Miyani!"
"Yeah, I can feel everyone's enthusiasm. Thank you." Caught up in the atmosphere, Miyahito's voice naturally carried a hint of excitement.
His shift in tone only fueled the crowd further.
Seeing more and more people gathering, with a steady stream still pouring into the plaza, Miyahito glanced at Ayase, who was now standing to the side with Maki.
It's time to wrap this up, or it'll get out of hand.
Thinking this, Miyahito signaled the band behind him, then picked up the mic again.
"I'm sorry, I honestly didn't expect this many people today."
"I just planned to sing one song and leave, but you've all been so incredibly passionate."
Speaking while looking at the eagerly anticipating fans below, he took a deep breath and continued.
"Thank you so much for your support and love. But due to certain circumstances, I can only sing one more song for you."
As Miyahito's words fell, many in the crowd immediately voiced their reluctance to let him go.
"Eh! Don't leave so soon, Miyani-sensei!"
"We want to hear more of your singing! Please!!"
.....
Facing his fans' pleas, Miyahito, still wearing sunglasses, lifted a hand to pull down his mask, offered a smile, and spoke softly.
"I'm truly sorry. Even though I can't enjoy music with everyone for longer today..."
"...I'm still here. And I always will be."
Just then, as his gaze swept over the crowd, he suddenly spotted a familiar figure.
Could it be... Kasumigaoka Utaha? Senpai?
Seeing that familiar silhouette at the very back of the crowd, Miyahito couldn't help but pause for a moment.
But quickly, the scene he'd just witnessed earlier flashed through his mind, snapping him out of his daze.
Lowering his eyelids slightly, he tucked his turbulent emotions back into the depths of his heart.
Looking back up, Miyahito raised his voice, louder and more energized, addressing all the fans below.
"Let's enjoy today's final song together!"
"Until the End of the World!"
....
The time for one song passed in the blink of an eye.
Just as he had promised,
Miyahito quickly stepped down from the makeshift stage the moment the final notes of Until the End of the World faded.
With cover from Sakuragawa Agency staff and his manager, Nakamura Maki, he and his sister swiftly made their exit from the station plaza.
However, due to the impromptu concert, many attendees refused to disperse even after Miyahito had left.
In fact, even after some fans received online updates that "Miyani-sensei has already left the scene," crowds continued to pour toward the plaza.
This quickly caused traffic in the surrounding areas to grind to a halt, centering on the plaza.
Because of this, Maki, Miyahito, and Ayase, who had planned to drive away, were forced to take refuge in a nearby café instead.
At this moment, watching her phone screen go completely haywire as various social media platforms blasted headlines like "Surprise Miyani Concert at Tokyo Station Plaza!" and realizing she'd be the one cleaning up this mess, Nakamura Maki slowly lifted her head.
Her eyes, utterly drained of light, locked onto Miyahito, who sat across from her with his head down, afraid to speak.
Beside him, Ayase blatantly pretended she couldn't hear a thing.
"Miyani-sensei, I told you this would happen beforehand."
Maki's expression was deadpan as she spoke in a completely flat tone.
"Now that it's like this, what are we going to do? Miyani... no, Mr. Aragaki Miyahito?"
"I'm... really sorry..."
At a loss for words, Miyahito looked up and offered Maki an ingratiating smile.
"It won't happen again."
"You're planning a second time!?"
Instantly, Miyahito ducked his head, pulling a full ostrich maneuver.
"Mou, this has blown completely out of proportion."
Just thinking about the aftermath made Maki's head throb.
"I need to head back and discuss damage control with the President."
"For the next few days, you'd better lay low and avoid the spotlight, got it? Miyani-sensei... no, Mr. Aragaki... Miyahito."
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