Kotori, I'm sorry...
After reading the message above one more time, Honoka Kosaka tucked her phone against her chest and buried her face against her knees.
"Even if I apologize now, it's already..."
Honoka Kosaka raised her head, her dejected eyes looking at the computer in front of her.
Playing on the screen was a silent performance by A-RISE. On that stage bathed in lights of every color, the performance at the peak of the nation had already become a thing of the past.
Honoka Kosaka watched them dance beneath the lights, and looked at the audience seats below.
They're amazing...
I can't catch up at all...
At that level...
The eyes that had once shone with the dream she was chasing had now lost that light, turning dull and lifeless.
"What... am I even doing...?"
The next day.
"Good morning."
"Good morning."
"Hey, hey, did you do the homework for second period today?"
The usual chatter filled the classroom, no different from any other day. The only exception was Honoka Kosaka, sitting by the window, lying on her desk with her head buried deep in her folded arms.
"Good morning." Mika's cheerful greeting came from ahead, with Hideko and Fumika, who were often together with her, following behind. But all they saw was Honoka Kosaka lying on her desk without reacting.
"She's asleep already?" Fumika said.
"I'm awake." Honoka Kosaka stretched her right hand out on the desk and gave them a weak wave.
"Honestly." Mika said helplessly.
Noticing again that something was different from usual, Hideko looked at Minami Kotori's seat and asked:
"Hey, is Kotori not with you today?"
"Yeah." Still lying on the desk, Honoka Kosaka gave a brief reply.
"I heard from Sonoda this morning that Kotori is going abroad to study, right?" Fumika asked.