“It’s live,” he whispered, pointing to the upload bar on the Arewanmu music portal.
Hikari walked out of the booth and looked at her reflection in the glass. For the first time, she didn't see a girl waiting for her turn. She saw a girl who had taken it. “It’s live,” he whispered, pointing to the upload
As the chorus peaked, Hikari closed her eyes. She saw the rainy Tokyo streets where she’d hummed melodies into her phone at 3:00 AM. She felt the sting of the countless auditions where she was told she was "too much" or "not enough." In this song, she was exactly the right amount of herself. She saw a girl who had taken it
The world was finally listening to the sound of , and Hikari Kodama was no longer anyone’s shadow. She felt the sting of the countless auditions