"Can we really pull off a concert from up here?" Yasushi asked, looking down from the rooftop. Aya's team was already setting up the lighting system for the night's concert.
Saeko gave him a reassuring smile as she double-checked the equipment. "Absolutely. I handled all the permits with the authorities. As long as we stay within the noise limits, we're good until eight.
Kaito groaned. "Come on, where's the thrill if it's all perfectly legal?"
Sota, leaning back with a grin, shot a look of admiration toward Saeko.
"Seems like you can't grasp how badass it is to organize something this epic, yet Saeko's making it look effortless."
Saeko flushed, muttering something about needing to check on something as she walked off. She'd been acting noticeably awkward around Sota since that night, even Kaito could tell.
The past few weeks had been a whirlwind of planning and preparing, but now, everything was coming together. Their debut concert for the new single was about to begin and it was going to be insane, matching the intensity of the band itself.
Yumeko arrived with a full set of cameras and drones. They'd agreed that the footage from the show would double as the official music video of their new song they will perform here the first time. To make it perfect, she'd brought an entire team to capture every angle. Even the choreography and effects had been meticulously planned in advance.
As the crowd started to gather, buzzing with excitement, the energy was palpable. The small building below them was surrounded by fans, all eager for the show to begin. On the rooftop, everything was in place: the instruments were tuned, the performers were primed, and the crowd's roar only intensified as all the lights flickered and went out.
Total darkness.
Nothing but they were seen. Kaito's hair glowed in the dark, the special UV dye Aya had convinced him to try lightning up in neon blue. Yasushi's guitar came alive with LED strips, pulsating with the beat as he strummed the first accord. Sota's clothes were coated in phosphorescent material, making him a ghostly figure against the night sky. But the real showstopper was Tatsuya. His drum set was coated in flammable paint, and the moment he struck the first beat, vibrant flames shot up, illuminating the night in sync with the rhythm.
The crowd went wild.
Then, the floodlights exploded into life, beams of colour slicing through the darkness, painting the entire rooftop in a kaleidoscope of hues. The effect was mesmerizing.
And Sota? He was incredible.
With fearless precision, he moved on the edge of the rooftop, flipping and twisting as if gravity was an afterthought. From below, it was a breathtaking spectacle. He looked like he was defying the laws of physics.
The building itself wasn't too high, only around twenty feet. They had calculated that even a jump down was possible if executed right. But Sota had something more dangerous in mind.
The final song was approaching, their signature closing track. And tonight, Sota had planned the ultimate stunt.
With a deep breath, he stepped to the very edge of the rooftop, arms outstretched, feeling the rush of adrenaline flood his veins.
"Will you catch me if I fall?" he shouted the lyrics, his voice raw, his heart pounding.
A deafening roar answered him. The crowd understood the assignment and was ready for what was next. Below, a sea of hands, waiting, buzzing with anticipation.
And then, Sota let go.
Falling backward into the abyss.
For a moment, time slowed. Dozens of hands reached up, catching him, lifting him high, as he kept singing.
Aya was screaming beside her, half in shock, half in exhilaration. The energy, the music, the crowd. It was pure magic.
There was no doubt about it, this performance was bound to go viral and drawing major media attention.
They had done it.
The crowd kept cheering long after the last chord had been played, as if they weren't ready to go home.
"We would like to thank all of you for your hard work putting into this concert. Without you, it would have never succeeded," Yasushi said as he reunited with the others.
"So, are you all ready for the afterparty?" Kaito asked, his voice filled with excitement.
„Hell, yeah," Yumeko cheered.
Tatsuya pulled his girlfriend into a warm hug.
Only Sota stood restlessly, scanning the crowd.
"Where's Saeko?" he asked.
"Well, she had to head back home," Aya spoke up.
"Why? Can't her sister sleep without her?" Kaito grumbled.
"Turns out, Mitsuko got sick and needed her back home. She asked me to pass on her congratulations and tell you to have fun," Aya explained.
"Typical," Tatsuya snorted.
Kaito burst into laughter. "I'm not surprised. She's a hopeless case."
Sota visibly deflated.
"Come on, don't let it get to you," Kaito said, trying to cheer him up. "Look at the bright side."
Sota shot him a questioning look.
"Come on, she can't even spend a single night away from her family. There's no way she'd move abroad for Satoshi, not for money, not for love."
Tatsuya let out a low chuckle. "Kaito's got a point. Unless Satoshi moves back, there's zero chance of anything happening between them," he said, thinking out loud.
Aya froze for just a second, so brief no one else seemed to notice.
But Sota did.
She must know something.