“Hey Nobu, I don’t think I’ll be back till late, so don’t wait up,” Nanami said as she finished her makeup, applying the final touches of mascara and lip gloss.

“Yeah, no problem. I’m still unpacking, so I’ll be up all night probably,” Nobu replied, rummaging through a box of his belongings.

Nanami looked at herself in the mirror, turning to the side to get a full view of her outfit. She was wearing a stunning green satin dress that hugged her curves perfectly. The dress featured a draped bodice with thin straps and a daring slit that ran up her thigh, adding an elegant yet seductive touch.

“Damn, you look great. Where are you heading?” Nobu said, noticing her admiring herself in the mirror.

“Going to a private party. Akira invited me,” she replied, slipping on a pair of strappy gold heels.

“The band guy you’re dating?” Nobu teased.

“We are not dating. We’re just friends,” she said casually, adjusting a gold necklace that complemented her outfit. She also wore matching earrings and a delicate bracelet.

“Is he the guy you’ve been talking to at night?” Nobu asked, curiosity evident in his voice.

“No, that’s someone else,” Nanami said, smoothing down her dress.

“Fine, fine. I will be single alone,” Nobu said dramatically.

Nanami giggled at his words, taking one last look at her outfit. Her hair was styled in blonde braids that fell to her waist, adding a striking contrast to her dress. She picked up a gold clutch purse to complete her look.

“You’re going to knock them dead, Nanami,” Nobu said with a grin.

“Thanks, Nobu. I’ll see you later,” Nanami said, giving him a quick hug before heading out the door.

As she walked downstairs, she saw Akira waiting outside, leaning casually against his car. The moment he saw her, his eyes widened in admiration.

“Wow, Nanami, you look stunning,” Akira said, walking over to her and kissing the back of her hand.

“Thank you,” she replied, a blush creeping up her cheeks.

“Shall we?” he asked, opening the passenger door for her.

Nanami nodded and slipped into the car. Akira closed the door behind her and then got into the driver’s seat. The drive to the party was filled with a comfortable silence, punctuated by occasional small talk.

As they approached the venue, Akira glanced at her. “This party is a bit exclusive. It’s for up-and-coming musicians, so you’ll be meeting a lot of people tonight.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” Nanami said, her excitement bubbling just under the surface.

They arrived at a chic rooftop bar, the city skyline twinkling in the background. The venue was filled with stylishly dressed guests, all engaged in lively conversation. Music played softly in the background, creating a sophisticated yet relaxed atmosphere.

Akira parked the car and escorted Nanami inside. As they walked in, heads turned to admire Nanami’s stunning dress and radiant presence.

“Nanami! Over here!” called a familiar voice. It was Julie, the bassist of Dark Siren, waving enthusiastically.

Nanami and Akira made their way over to her. “Hey, Julie. It’s good to see you again,” Nanami said warmly.

Julie grinned. “You too! You look amazing. Come, meet some of the others.”

Julie introduced Nanami to a circle of musicians and industry professionals. Nanami felt a bit nervous at first, but the welcoming smiles and friendly conversation soon put her at ease.

“Nanami, this is Takashi, he’s a producer working with some really talented artists,” Julie said, introducing a tall man with glasses and a warm smile.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Takashi,” Nanami said, shaking his hand.

“The pleasure is mine, Nanami. Akira has told me a lot about you,” Takashi replied, his eyes twinkling with interest.

As the evening went on, Nanami mingled with various guests, enjoying the lively atmosphere and making new connections. Akira stayed close by, occasionally introducing her to notable figures in the music industry.

“You’re quite the social butterfly,” Akira said, leaning in close so she could hear him over the music.

Nanami laughed. “Just trying to make the most of the night.”

“Mission accomplished,” he said with a wink.

“Hey dude!” A man with short black hair approached Akira, shaking his hand enthusiastically. “Long time no see, how’s the band going?”

“What’s up, Ren,” Akira greeted him warmly. “Oh, this is my plus one, Nanami.”

Nanami extended her hand to Ren, who was dressed sharply in a suit with an obvious lock around his neck. “Lovely to meet you,” she said with a friendly smile.

Ren took her hand and shook it firmly. “Nice to meet you too."

"So, your band is…?”

"Trapnest," Ren replied with a proud grin.

Nanami’s eyes widened in recognition. “Trapnest? Wow, I’ve heard your music! It’s amazing!”

Ren chuckled. “Thanks, we’ve been working hard. So, how do you know Akira?”

“We met at one of his gigs,” Nanami explained. “He’s been really kind in introducing me to this scene.”

“That’s Akira for you,” Ren said, giving Akira a playful nudge. “Always looking out for others.”

Ren’s eyes shifted to the crowd. “I see some other folks I need to catch up with, but it was great meeting you, Nanami. Akira, let’s catch up later.”

“Absolutely,” Akira agreed, clapping Ren on the shoulder. “Take care, man.”

As Ren moved away, Nanami turned to Akira. “Ren seems really nice. And Trapnest! I can’t believe I just met someone from Trapnest.”

Akira grinned. “Yeah, Ren’s a great guy. He’s been in the industry for a while and knows his stuff.”

“Evening, everyone!” the host stood on stage, his voice booming through the speakers. The crowd quieted down, turning their attention to the stage. “Tonight, we’ve gathered the best in the industry, and to shake things up, we’ll be having a competition for the best duo performance. That will be the entertainment for the night.”

Excited whispers spread through the crowd. Nanami felt a thrill of anticipation, eager to see the performances. The host continued, “We’ll be calling out duos to perform, and they’ll each get a chance to showcase their talents. Without further ado, let’s start with the first duo.”

Nanami’s eyes widened with excitement as the host called out the names. “Ren Honjo and Reira Serizawa.”

“Trapnest!” Nanami whispered to Akira, her eyes sparkling. “We’re going to hear Trapnest live!”

Akira smiled at her enthusiasm, but before she could say more, the host continued, “And next, Akira Sato and Nanami Yamamoto.”

Nanami froze, her excitement turning into shock. She looked at Akira, who seemed remarkably calm. “What? Us?” she stammered. The next few names were called out but she couldn’t focus on that.

“Hey calm down, it’s just for fun don’t worry.” He said, but she was freaking out. How could she go on stage after the Reira Serizawa? What the fuck was she even meant to sing?

The performance by Ren and Reira was heavenly, as expected.

By the time she was on stage, she felt her stomach churn. She wanted to throw up.

“Hey, hey.” Akira’s voice kept her grounded. “It’s okay, just look at me.” Her eyes were full of fear, and he could see that. “Just sing with me, okay?” he said softly.

Nanami nodded as the crowd clapped for them. Akira picked up his guitar and strummed the opening chords his gaze steady and reassuring.

She kept her eyes on his, her voice wavering.

“When you hold me in the street and you kiss me on the dance floor..” Her voice was shaky and breathy, her hands were trembling around the mic, but he smiled at her. “I wish that it could be like that, why can't it be like that? Cause I’m yours.”

Akira picked up the next verse, his voice suiting her perfectly.

She took a deep breath and continued, her voice growing a little steadier.

As they moved into the chorus, Nanami felt a shift within herself. The music began to flow through her, dissolving her fear. Her voice grew stronger, more confident with each word.

The crowd seemed to fade away, leaving just her and Akira. She sang with growing passion, her voice blending beautifully with his guitar. By the time they reached the second verse, she was fully immersed in the song, her voice clear and powerful.

Ren watched from the sidelines, a glass of wine in hand. “Looks like Reira has some serious competition” he murmured to himself, his eyes never leaving her.

Beside him, Takumi whistled softly. “You think they’re together?” he asked, his interest piqued.

“Dude, no.” Ren stopped him in his tracks, “bro code.”

“Yeah yeah, whatever.”

When the final note lingered in the air, the crowd erupted in applause. Nanami, overwhelmed by the intensity of the experience, ran off stage once she had the opportunity to. She found herself in the hallway, trying to calm her racing heart. She had never felt anything like this before.

Akira soon joined her, his expression worried. “Nanami, are you okay?”

She turned to him, tears in her eyes. For a moment, Akira’s worry deepened, fearing she was upset. But then she smiled, and he saw the joy in her eyes.

“I’m so happy,” she said, her voice trembling with emotion. “I’ve never felt like that before. It was incredible.”

Akira let out a breath his body relaxing. He was afraid he had pushed her a bit too much. He smiled and gently wiped a tear from her cheek. He sat next to her, his back to the wall, he took off his blazer to cover her up. They sat there in silence for a few moments before she spoke.

“Hey Akira?”

“Hmm?”

“I think I want to sing.” 

Nanami hummed as she walked up the last flight of stairs, feeling like she had grown wings. It was liberating. She had her heels in hand, her body twirling with every step. She felt drunk, but she wasn’t. The night’s performance had left her exhilarated, and the excitement still buzzed in her veins.

“I’m home!” she called as she unlocked the door.

“Welcome back, Nanami-chan!” Two distinct voices called out in unison. She was met with Nobu and… “Shin!?” The brown-haired kid had dyed his hair blue.

“Haha... Welcome back! You look great, Nanami-chan!” Shin said, grinning.

“Thank you, but what are you doing here?” she asked curiously, looking between the two.

Nobu spoke up, “Shin didn’t have a place to go, so I was just wondering if he could stay here… I’ll cover his rent and stuff!”

“Oh, of course he can stay. You don’t have to pay rent, Shin, but how come you’re not going home?” she asked, her concern evident.

Shin shrugged nonchalantly. “I don’t have a home to go to.”

Nanami’s heart softened. “I mean, you can stay here as long as you want! I don’t mind.” It didn’t matter to her; she wasn’t home often anyway.

Shin looked at her gratefully. “Thanks, Nanami. I really appreciate it.”

“No problem at all,” she said with a warm smile. “Make yourself at home.”

Nanami went back to humming and twirling around all the way to her room leaving the boys confused.

“Is she drunk?”

“I think she’s just really happy.”

“I wonder what happened.”

Nobu looked at shin, a glint in his eye. “So there’s two men, the first one is a vocalist and apparent he’s romantic romantic, that’s the one she saw tonight.”

Shin listened intently.

“The second guy seems to be long distance, they talk on the phone all the time but he doesn’t visit, personally I think the vocalist will win.”

“What? The phone guy is dedicated! Sounds like he’ll win.” Shin countered.

“You don’t get it Shin, a woman’s heart is moved by actions! Not words!”

“What are you guys talking about?” Nanami asked stepping out for a bit.

“Nothing!” They both said immediately.

Yasu glanced at his wristwatch, the minute hand ticking slowly as he waited at the airport. The buzz of travellers and the occasional announcements over the PA system created a constant hum of activity around him. He leaned against a pillar, his eyes scanning the crowd.

After what felt like an eternity, he finally saw her. Nanami came through from arrivals, her face lighting up the moment she spotted him. She ran towards him, her hair bouncing with each step.

"Yasu!" she called out, throwing herself into his arms for a hug.

Yasu held her close, she was wearing an oversized dark green hoodie that fell mid-thigh, paired with black shorts that peeked out just beneath the hem. Her hair was in a high ponytail. She looked effortlessly cute and comfortable.

"Hey, beautiful," he said with a smirk, his tone flirtatious. "Missed me?"

Nanami pulled back slightly, a smirk on her face. "Of course I did, Yasu."

Yasu couldn't help but tease her a bit more. "You know, if I’d known you’d look this good, I would’ve picked you up sooner."

Nanami’s felt warm, and she playfully swatted his arm. "Stop it, Yasu. I’m literally just wearing a hoodie.”

"And?” he replied, his eyes twinkling. "I like seeing you in anything."

She bit her lip, trying to contain her smile. It was the last week before classes start, so she decided to fly out to see him.

“Shall we?” he asked taking her luggage in his left hand. She hooked her arm around his right and they left the airport.