He shook his head. “Not weird. Necessary.”
The neon of Shibuya blurred into streaks as Riku stepped out of the studio, heart still racing from the last chorus. The crowd’s roar lived in his chest like an echo he couldn’t quite chase away. Tonight they had called him cold, untouchable — the “ikemen” everyone wanted but no one reached. He smiled for the cameras, a practiced curve that hid more than it revealed. ikemen desu ne dramacool top
The rain faded. Neon gave way to stars. The city had a way of making strangers feel like the only two people in a crowded world — and for once Riku liked not fitting the role everyone expected. He wanted to be more than an image: someone who could laugh off the cameras, miss a cue, make mistakes. He shook his head
When their paths crossed in that rain-slicked moment, it was an accident of timing and an umbrella he offered without thinking. She looked up, startled, then laughed — not the internet’s pointed critique but a warm, human sound. He hesitated, surprised by how much it steadied him. The crowd’s roar lived in his chest like
Across the street, a smaller café pulsed with a different kind of light. Inside, Hana nursed her tea and scrolled through a forum thread where strangers traded subtitled clips and whispered theories about the band. She’d watched them grow from YouTube covers to sold-out arenas; she loved their voices, their stories, and the fragile sincerity under Riku’s facade.