"What did you say?"

She averted her gaze clearly embarrassed still. "I couldn't answer him. It took me by surprise after all."

She didn't answer? But doesn't that mean, it's okay for him to keep on loving her? With the idea of marriage in mind? Kou wonders if she knows the extent to not answering. However since it's Mimi, she's probably had a lot of time to think it through since then.

Atsuroyan will get a real answer sooner or later. If Ryou is the first one to see logic followed by Nakura. Then it'll mirror the same way with them too.

Just like he said to Ran, even now he loves her a great deal. When she looks like this, all defenceless and innocent, he wants to devour her in the same manner as before. Back in high school when their bodies were so close together and he could feel her warmth..

Kou shook his head. 'I need to forget about those times already. Mimi is not the same as she was back then. I haven't brought it up either because I know how she feels about it.'

"I see. That's alright."

"Kou?"

"This is you Mimi, I trust your judgement."

"You really shouldn't. It did catch me of guard, and the reason I didn't answer is mainly because I don't think I can right now. When I first came here I could handle love and care from Yuhi. But now that has changed. I want to be careful with my words. I want to turn Atsuro down properly."

Yu-yu is amazing. How did he do this?

"Mimi say, I have to ask. What would you do if you didn't have any talent?"

"If I didn't have talent?" Sumire trails off. "Let's see, I think that in itself would be fun. I like to sing after all and you remember? I didn't really have any plans on debuting before. I just wanted to sing."

Right he recalled that very well, the redhead Kai kept coming around to the school to visit her after all.

"There's more to life than just talent."

Ah she --

Sumire smiles. "I've told plenty of people this already I'm sure but your life won't be interesting just because you have talent. By getting involved with others and making memories, hope, which is more important than talent, is born. "

'Hope' huh?

"Kou?"

"I was just thinking that it's exactly like you to say something like that Mimi."

"Kou, you don't think so too?"

"Well it depends on the results in the end…"

Sumire shook her head, "Believe in yourself… If you don't have that… it doesn't matter how many talents you have, you still won't be able to hold your head up high."

"And if you have doubts?"

"I don't think belief and doubt are necessarily opposites.If there's no room for doubt, then there's no reason to believe, is there? If you want to believe in someone…you need to overcome doubt first. Belief without doubt…is simply a lie. I'm the same as you Kou, I don't want to doubt anyone but sometimes it's necessary."

"Just like how lies are necessary?"

Sumire nodded. "Everything happens for a reason."

"Then what about what happened between us?"

Kou quickly covered his mouth but Sumire already heard it.

"I see, you've wanted to ask me about that for awhile."

"Uh Mimi forget it, it's the day of your live and-"

Sumire shook her head. "I think it's fine if we talk about this now. Back then I was very lonely and Kou you were the only one who noticed that."

"I should have come up with a better solution."

"I will be truthful with you Kou, you weren't the only one."

Huh?

"I mean you heard right? There were rumours about me fooling around with a design student."

Kou paused. It is not like he didn't suspect those rumours to be true. After all there were times where she didn't meet with him. Moreover there was that time he was in town and caught her going to a hotel with a man with silver hair.

"Mimi, did you tell Yuhi about-"

"How could I tell him about Toh?" Sumire placed her hands over her head. "Ahh, what am I going to do?"

"What's wrong Mimi? Yu-Yu will understand."

"I know he will. But Toh is returning to Japan soon."

Huh? Uh- Kou looked at her with a concerned expression. "I have to ask, did you two end-"

"No."

So this is why she keeps dodging the issue.

"Tell me when he comes back to the country, I will come with you."

Sumire nodded. "Mm thanks I appreciate it." She suddenly hunched down onto the ground. "Urgh I feel sick after all."

"Mimi-" Kou sentence fell short when a flash of black rushed past him and patted her back.

"Easy there, it's alright. Calm down Sumire, I am right here."

At those words Sumire turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Did you hear that?"

"I heard it, but it's fine. Even if he comes here nothing will change, you love me right?"

"I love you."

Kou's gaze softened at the sight. These two are truly perfect together. For awhile he was concerned but there is no need to. Mimi will be fine if she is with Yu-Yu but he wonders about the other guys who like her. Will they calmly stay put?

..

Star Rise Stadium

At the venue Takahashi Yumi was already there but she wasn't practicing, she was talking to a man with platinum blonde coloured hair.

"Soujiro!"

"It seems I arrived too early."

Sumire laughed softly. "You did. There is still a few hours left. Are you going to stay?"

"If you do not mind me watching your rehearsal."

"Of course not! Ah I have to practice for a bit, I'll talk to you later." Sumire tugged on Yuhi's sleeve. "You have to help me."

"Right."

With those words said the two quickly followed Takhashi Yumi onto the stage, which left him alone with Makoto Soujiro. For a moment neither of them said anything.

"I was not aware that you were close with her."

"I haven't attended to my duties in awhile. At this rate I am considered an outcast from the elite circle." Kou commented. "But that is fine already, I don't need it anymore."

He doesn't need the wealth of his family, he already has enough money to survive.

"Did you know about her?"

"A little."

'She spoke about it a lot after they did it. She spoke about how much she disliked anything to do with elites.' Kou could clearly remember the lonely expression on her face when she said those words.

He wonders how much this man knows about Sumire. To what extent does he like her? Yu-yu seems to be very concerned about him.

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