[The Next Night]
They debuted as Vivelune—a semi-virtual music group using 2D avatars to represent each member. Rouge, Orion, Flavian, Aziel, Soren, Emric. They debuted with a 'high school' theme and gained popularity when they switched to a 'royalty' theme for their next album. Their growth was fast, to the point that they even established their own agency. But during their golden era, one member—Soren—was rumored to be cheating on his wife. The agency responded, and Soren admitted it.
He went on hiatus to calm the fans' anger. When things started to settle down, he was given a chance to return—but it didn't last. After that, he was never seen again. Seeing his inactive social media, no longer followed by the agency, confirmed the truth. Not long after, the agency released a statement: Soren was no longer under Vivelune's management.
Some were devastated, some let go of him, and some were even relieved. But me? I felt all three. I was sad, yet I knew I had to let him go. Angry, but part of me was thankful. Even if he had stayed, how could he show his face again? The hate would've never stopped. The agency did the right thing by letting him go.
[Creeaak] (sound of a door opening)
☔ "Oh, welcome home!"
🌊 /startled and annoyed
☔ "Look, I know you told me to leave this morning, but I really—"
☔ (her eyes.. teary)
🌊 /holding back tears
I've tried so hard to make peace with my feelings. It took years to truly accept his disappearance. Years to say "it's okay" without hearing his voice, without seeing him. Years to accept that Vivelune was no longer a six-member group. And now, all of a sudden, out of nowhere, he shows up—saying all these things with that voice... the voice that hasn't changed at all. That cruel voice that stirs up every memory, every emotion. He's so cruel.
☔ "You... can yell at me now."
☔ "I mean, I'm right here, in front of you."
No—if he keeps holding both my hands like this... I can't...
☔ "Let out all your anger on me."
☔ "Punch me, slap me, kick me if you want!"
Just shut up... That voice I missed. Those memories I buried. That rage that's been waiting. I pushed him hard. Forced him to stay away from me.
🌊 "You bastard."
🌊 "You disappear out of nowhere, and then suddenly reappear?"
🌊 "Suddenly you have a wife? And a child?"
🌊 "AND SUDDENLY you cheat on her??"
🌊 "WHAT DO YOU WANT!?"
🌊 "You just show up in front of me with that beautiful voice!"
🌊 "Why would God give such a beautiful voice to a jerk like you?"
🌊 "Do you know? I cried for you day and night, hoping you'd come back, even as a soloist. I thought I'd support you all over again if you reappeared."
🌊 "But you didn't. All your social media went silent. Then gone. Like you vanished from the earth. And it made me think again: 'Ah... he should face the consequences of being such a scumbag.' DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD I CRIED AFTER SAYING THAT?"
🌊 "Why... did you lie to us? You said you wanted to make people happy with your songs! YOU SAID YOU'D KEEP MAKING MUSIC TO MAKE PEOPLE HAPPY!"
🌊 "You said, 'Please keep supporting us'..."
🌊 "HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO SUPPORT YOU WHEN YOU'RE NOT EVEN HERE?"
🌊 "UGH, I'M SO STUPID FOR STILL IDOLIZING YOU!"
☔ "Y-Yorumi, don't hurt yourself—"
🌊 "LET GO OF ME!"
☔ "No, no... I'm sorry." /hugs
He hugged me. My heart felt both overjoyed and fragile. My emotions were overflowing. Even after 10 years since his disappearance, I still listen to Vivelune's songs with all six members. It just doesn't feel like Vivelune with only five. Does he understand that feeling? Does he realize how deeply his words once bound someone?
There was no use struggling. No matter how hard I tried to push him away, he held me tightly, stopping me from hurting myself. I was exhausted. After crying my heart out, I fell asleep without saying a word to him. The next morning, I left for work without acknowledging his presence.
But when I was about to head home from the bistrot, an old woman approached me right in front of it and asked about someone named Yugazane Senei.
👵 "You really don't know? B-But I saw you talking to him here a few days ago."
👵 "He hasn't come home since... I'm worried."
🌊 "A few days ago..."
🌊 "Was he tall? Messy short hair?"
👵 "Ahh yes, yes!"
👵 "Oh, I have a photo—here it is."
🌊 (Oh my God...)
🌊 "Excuse me, but are you family?"
👵 "N-No, he just rents an apartment."
🌊 "OH! Are you the landlady?"
👵 "Yes! So if you know where Senei is, please tell him to come home."
And in that moment, I knew. I wanted to see how he had been living all this time. But after seeing his room, I regretted that decision. It was heavy. It felt like... ugh. I held my breath for a moment. It triggered me. My chest tightened. I put down the rope—and called 'Senei' to come home.
☔ [Hello, who is this?]
🌊 "It's me."
☔ [Yorumi!? How—]
🌊 "Come home, Senei."
☔ [!?..]
🌊 "Oh, and bring some cleaning tools. I'm waiting for you here."
Of course it was that bastard who picked up. He's already drained so much of my emotions. What's next?