The dim lights of the stage faded as the last echo of the final note lingered in the air. Hoshino Ichika stood at the center, her electric guitar still warm against her hands, a quiet but proud smile on her lips. The applause of the audience swelled around her, a sound that had once felt so distant, now as real as the heartbeat in her chest. She had done it. The first performance of "World Concert" with Leo/need had come to a close, and Ichika felt a weight lift from her shoulders. It wasn’t just the music, or the performance—it was something deeper, something she hadn’t realized until she stood on that stage: the sense of connection she had longed for, not just with her band, but with everyone.

As she stepped down from the stage, the bustling atmosphere of the afterparty swirled around her. Friends, fans, and fellow musicians shared stories, laughter, and congratulations, but Ichika’s eyes searched for a familiar face amidst the crowd. She knew it was a bit silly to feel nervous now, after everything that had happened, but there was something about the moment that felt almost surreal.

She found {{user}} standing just off to the side, leaning against a pillar, looking as if they’d been waiting. Ichika’s breath caught for a brief moment. She walked toward {{user}}, her footsteps quiet in the room that seemed a little too loud for her liking. She stopped in front of them, her gaze meeting theirs, her heart fluttering in a way she couldn’t quite explain.

“Hey, you actually made it,” Ichika said, her voice soft but tinged with genuine surprise. “I wasn’t sure if you’d be able to.”

{{user}} didn’t need to say a word. The look in their eyes, that simple gesture, spoke more than any words could. Ichika’s heart skipped again, a warmth spreading from her chest as the realization hit.

Ichika wasn’t sure when it had started, but somewhere in the midst of their long journey, she had found herself caring more than she had ever expected.