Chapter 18 — The Last Concert

The streets surrounding the Grand Starlight Stadium were overflowing with people. Thousands of excited fans slowly moved through the security checkpoints, and everywhere Sakura looked, she saw shirts, glow sticks, banners, and towels decorated with the smiling face of Fluffy Star, the world's number one idol.

Many of the fans wore fluffy white cat ears, just like the ones she wore during her performances.

"I can't believe today's finally here!"

"I heard she's performing a brand-new song!"

"My daughter has been waiting months for this concert!"

The excitement was contagious.

Hidden among the crowd, Sakura quietly walked with the hood of a pink sweatshirt pulled low over her face. Nobody recognized her as she kept her head lowered and slipped past hundreds of her own fans.

Eventually, she reached a private entrance guarded by stadium staff. The moment they saw her, they quickly opened the door.

"Miss Sakura!"

"Welcome!"

"Everyone's waiting for you!"

She offered them a small, polite smile before stepping inside.

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Inside, the backstage area buzzed with activity. Technicians hurried through the hallways carrying equipment, stage crew checked microphones, and costume assistants rushed between dressing rooms.

Sakura's manager immediately approached her carrying a thick clipboard.

"Perfect timing."

As they walked through the corridor, the manager rapidly reviewed the evening's schedule.

"Opening greeting."

"First song."

"Thirty-second sponsor message."

"Second performance."

"Costume change."

"Interview segment."

"Encore..."

The words slowly blurred together.

Sakura simply nodded.

"...Understood."

Her thoughts were somewhere else entirely.

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Hours passed, and soon the dressing room became quiet.

Sakura now wore Fluffy Star's signature stage outfit: a white-and-pink idol dress decorated with ribbons and sparkling stars, with fluffy white cat ears resting atop her long pink hair.

She stood before the mirror and, for several long seconds, simply stared at her own reflection. No knock came at the door, and no one interrupted her thoughts.

Then—

Her phone vibrated.

The caller ID read:

Saki.

Sakura immediately answered.

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"...Hello?"

On the other side came Saki's familiar voice.

"I'm outside."

Sakura blinked.

"What?"

"I'm guarding the stadium."

Outside, Golden Braver stood beside dozens of military soldiers positioned around every entrance. Fans excitedly pointed toward her from behind the security lines.

"The Golden Braver is here!"

"She's protecting the concert!"

"I knew Fluffy Star was amazing!"

Ignoring the crowd, Saki smiled into the communicator.

"Don't worry about anything."

"Just focus on your performance."

"We'll handle the rest."

Sakura quietly smiled.

"...Thank you."

Silence lingered between them before Sakura spoke again, much more softly.

"...Saki."

"After tonight..."

"...Could you..."

"...let me help look for Taichi and Roland?"

For several seconds, Saki didn't answer.

Finally, she sighed gently.

"...No."

"You leave that to Endou and me."

"We'll find them."

"I promise."

Those words were meant to comfort her.

Instead, a sharp pain settled deep inside Sakura's chest.

"...Okay..."

A knock interrupted them.

"Miss Sakura!"

"Five minutes until curtain!"

Saki heard it through the phone.

"That's your cue."

She smiled.

"Good luck."

"...Thank you."

The call ended, and the room fell silent once again.

Sakura stared at the black screen of her phone.

Her grip tightened around it.

Her teeth clenched.

Then, unable to hold back her frustration any longer, Sakura let out an angry scream and hurled the phone across the room—

"AAAGH!"

CRASH!!

Her phone struck the dressing-room mirror, sending shattered glass across the floor.

Sakura stood frozen as her breathing became quick and uneven. Several long seconds passed before she slowly closed her eyes.

"...I'm sorry..."

She knelt down and picked up the broken phone.

Then she forced her familiar smile back onto her face.

By the time she stood, Fluffy Star had returned.

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Backstage, the dancers gathered behind her. Their black dresses sparkled beneath the stage lights, and everyone smiled with excitement.

Only Sakura's smile was fake.

The announcer's booming voice echoed throughout the stadium.

"Ladies and gentlemen!"

"Please welcome..."

"The one..."

"The only..."

"FLUFFY STAR!!"

The stadium exploded with cheers.

Thousands of glow sticks illuminated the darkness as voices shook the entire building.

"FLUFFY STAR!!"

"WE LOVE YOU!!"

Sakura stepped onto the stage and waved gracefully. The roar became even louder.

Standing before the microphone, she smiled brightly.

"Thank you all so much for coming tonight!"

The audience erupted again.

"I'm truly grateful that we can all spend this wonderful evening together."

She looked across the sea of smiling faces.

"I hope all of you treasure your friends..."

"...and never lose hope."

Her voice softened.

"This first song..."

"...is dedicated to someone very special to me."

A bright smile.

Spiky red hair.

Taichi.

I hope...

Wherever you are...

You can still hear me.

The audience applauded wildly as the dancers behind Sakura took their positions.

The music was about to begin.

Then—

Every light inside the stadium went out.

Darkness swallowed everything.

Gasps spread throughout the audience.

"...What happened?"

"Power outage?"

"Is this part of the show?"

Some fans laughed while others looked around nervously.

One dancer whispered jokingly,

"I think somebody hit the wrong switch."

Sakura didn't laugh.

Something felt wrong.

Normally, security staff would already be running across the stage.

Instead, there was nothing.

The silence felt unnatural.

Then a single spotlight descended from the ceiling.

Every eye in the stadium turned toward it.

A lone figure stood beneath the light.

She was a young woman with impossibly long crimson twin ponytails, dressed in a black sailor-style school uniform with a crimson ribbon. Her skin was pale, her eyes narrowed into delighted crescents, and stretching impossibly wide across her face was a grin far too large to belong to any human.

Every movement she made was exaggeratedly graceful and feminine, almost like an actress performing for the audience. She twirled a microphone between her fingers before catching it effortlessly.

Sakura's entire body froze.

Her eyes widened.

Her...

The Witch of Greed.

Greed cheerfully waved to the audience.

"Good evening, everyone!"

Many spectators nervously laughed, assuming she was part of the performance.

Greed skipped happily across the stage, passing directly between the frozen dancers. She even gave one of them a playful pat on the shoulder before spinning around.

Her delighted smile never wavered.

"What a beautiful night!"

"I'm soooo happy you all came!"

She stopped beside Sakura.

Without looking at her, she spoke into the microphone like a professional presenter.

"Tonight..."

"...our adorable Fluffy Star..."

"...the lovely Pink Braver..."

"...will perform her very last concert."

The audience fell silent.

Some exchanged confused glances.

Sakura couldn't move.

Greed slowly turned her head until those delighted narrow eyes locked onto Sakura's horrified face.

Then her smile somehow became even wider.

"Oh!"

"I almost forgot the biggest announcement!"

She clapped excitedly.

"Tonight you'll also witness..."

"...the wonderful debut..."

She spread her arms dramatically toward the darkness behind the stage.

"...of the Witch of Wrath!"

The stadium became deathly silent.

And Sakura felt her blood run cold.