Chapter 61: Jiro
The flashing lights blurred into a kaleidoscope of color as I took my final bow. The roar of the crowd, a tsunami of adoration, washed over me. Another sold-out concert, another night living the J-Pop dream. But behind the glittering costumes and meticulously choreographed moves, a quiet vulnerability hummed. I wasn't just Kyoka Jiro, the idol on stage, but a girl with a heart that beat a little faster whenever two particular people were near.
Denki and Shinso. My bodyguards, my best friends, my anchors in this whirlwind life. We'd been inseparable since our days at UA, forging a bond stronger than any security protocol. They understood the pressure, the loneliness, the constant scrutiny that came with being in the spotlight. They were my safe haven.
This morning, however, my safe haven had transformed into something a little… dangerous.
I padded down the hallway of my apartment, still half-asleep, craving a cup of coffee. The rhythmic clang of metal stopped me short. Peeking into the gym, I saw them.
Denki, glistening with sweat, was bench-pressing what looked like a 375 pound weight. Shinso, his usual stoic expression etched with concentration, was spotting him. The sight of their toned muscles, the focused intensity in their eyes... it hit me like a jolt of electricity. My face flushed a fiery red. I hadn't realized how… well, attractive they were.
Denki caught my eye. A playful grin stretched across his face as he finished his set. He stood, flexing his biceps, and sauntered towards me. "Morning, sleepyhead! Enjoying the view?" he teased, his voice laced with playful arrogance.
My blush deepened. I stammered, trying to find a witty retort, but all that came out was a pathetic squeak.
Shinso, ever the voice of reason, stepped in. He smacked Denki on the back of the head. "Don't harass her, you idiot. She probably just wants coffee."
I burst out laughing, the tension deflating. "Thanks, Shinso. You're a lifesaver."
The incident replayed in my mind for days. I found myself inexplicably flustered around them. A simple touch, a shared glance, sent my heart racing. I'd catch myself staring, lost in the subtle curve of Shinso's jaw or the way Denki's eyes sparkled when he cracked a joke. Was this… was this what having a crush felt like? And not just on one of them, but on both of them? The idea was both terrifying and exhilarating.
Shinso, with his unnervingly perceptive nature, seemed to notice the change in my behavior. He'd been giving me these knowing looks, his lips twitching as if suppressing a smile. It was unsettling, but also… intriguing.
One evening, I was in my room, trying to work on a new song, but my thoughts kept drifting back to those two. My guitar lay untouched in my lap, a silent witness to my internal turmoil. A soft knock echoed through the room.
"Come in," I mumbled, my voice barely a whisper.
Shinso entered, his expression serious. He closed the door behind him and leaned against it, his gaze fixed on mine. The air in the room crackled with an unspoken tension.
"Jiro," he began, his voice low and deliberate, "I've noticed you've been… different lately. More distracted, more… flustered. Is everything alright?"
My palms started to sweat. How could I possibly explain this? How could I confess to having feelings for my two best friends, my bodyguards, the people I relied on most in the world?
I took a deep breath and met his gaze. "I… I don't know how to say this," I stammered, "but I think… I think I might… have feelings for you. And… and Denki."
The words hung in the air, a fragile confession that could shatter our carefully constructed world. Shinso didn't react immediately. He simply stared at me, his dark eyes unreadable. The silence stretched, each second feeling like an eternity.
Then, a ghost of a smile touched his lips. He pushed himself off the door and walked towards me. He knelt beside me, taking my hand in his. His touch was surprisingly gentle, sending shivers down my spine.
"I suspected as much," he murmured. "And to be honest, Jiro… I have feelings for you too."
The relief that washed over me was almost overwhelming. Tears pricked at my eyes. Before I could say anything, he leaned in and kissed me. It was a soft, hesitant kiss at first, testing the waters. But as I responded, my own feelings surging to the surface, the kiss deepened, becoming more passionate, more demanding.
The world seemed to tilt on its axis. I was kissing Shinso, admitting feelings I'd kept buried for so long. It was both terrifying and incredibly liberating.
Suddenly, the door swung open. Denki stood there, frozen in the doorway, his eyes wide with shock. He looked from Shinso to me, then back again. The silence was deafening.
I pulled away from Shinso, my heart pounding in my chest. This was it. The moment everything fell apart.
But then, a slow smile spread across Denki's face. He looked at me, his eyes sparkling with mischief, and then at Shinso, a shared understanding passing between them.
"Well, this is certainly… interesting," he said, his voice laced with amusement. "Mind if I join the party?"
Before I could even process his words, he stepped into the room, his gaze fixed on me. He knelt down beside me, mirroring Shinso's position, and leaned in.
And then he kissed me.
His kiss was different from Shinso's. It was playful, electric, full of the same energy that crackled around him. It was a kiss that promised fun, excitement, and a whole lot of trouble.
I closed my eyes, lost in the sensation. Two kisses, two different men, both vying for my attention. It was surreal, overwhelming, and utterly intoxicating.
When he pulled back, I was breathless. I looked from Denki to Shinso, my heart overflowing with a mixture of confusion, excitement, and a whole lot of… something else.
"So," I managed to say, my voice trembling slightly, "what happens now?"
Denki grinned, his eyes sparkling with mischief. He looked at Shinso, and they exchanged a knowing glance.
"Now," Denki said, "the fun begins."
And he was right. That night marked the beginning of something new, something unconventional, something that defied all expectations. It was the beginning of a love story that was both complicated and beautiful, a story that was just starting to unfold. It was a terrifying, exhilarating, and utterly unforgettable start. The life of a J-Pop idol was already a whirlwind, but now, with Denki and Shinso by my side, it was about to become a whole lot more interesting.