Hard Feelings by Tommy Gu

A Sequel to Midnight at the Love Hotel

School was out and all the students dispersed like a beige mist dissipating. The students were off to do after school activities or study at home. But after the teacher went back home, there were only 2 students left. "W-Whats the matter, Itsuki?" Tsubasa said. Itsuki's strange behavior was an aberration from his usual happy self, and she was concerned about his well being.

The sun's hue transmuted from a bright yellow, to a darker, more intense orange as the day transition from late afternoon, to early evening. "Nothing," Itsuki mumbled. But in his mind, he was feeling much more than that. He was feeling guilty about the euphoria he had with Kiria almost 5 months ago. But he could remember it like it was yesterday and right after class ended did he regret he had pleasure in its highest and most dangerous caliber. His mind was in a dilemma, pretend to act like everything was normal and move on, but have his sin of his guilty pleasure linger in him for the rest of his life, or confess to tubes, and risk shattering a bond forged and nurtured since childhood.

But it was obvious that telling the truth was the right thing to do. So Itsuki spoke a disclaimer, "Do you promise you won't get mad at me?" "Of course I won't, I'll never let you down!" Tsubasa replied snappily.

So Itsuki told the whole story, from when Itsuki went wild with Kiria at the love hotel. How the feeling gradually intensified with every passing moment in the near 5 months since. How he was having nightmares of people booing him in his performances and how they were throwing knives and maces, instead of tomatoes. Then revealing themselves as hostile mirages who attacked him nonstop without giving him a chance to defend himself. To visions of his career being ruined by a sex scandal with Kiria as his fame and pride inverted to infamy and shame.

Tsubasa, Itsuki's friend no matter what circumstances and no matter what mistakes he made, big and small, could only stand in shock to what she heard from him. "It's a good thing that your realize you felt you did something wrong.", she said in her ever soothing voice. "But you just simply did it out of good faith and Kiria wouldn't be mad at you. As for the nightmares, I think they're visions of the hostile mirages who want to undermine you."

Itsuki, thankful for Tsubasa's words and advice, was motivated to continue on.

Itsuki and Tsubasa looked at the sky. The sky shifted yet again, but this time it was a charcoal black dotted with thousands, perhaps millions of seemingly tiny, glittering jewels that are the stars that illuminate the night sky. There would still be more hostile mirages to fight, and still plenty of a journey left in the Idolasphere. But all Itsuki and Tsubasa wanted was rest, and together they sat on the long Hallway table, resting on each others shoulders as they dozed off to dreamland, their thoughts and bodies aligned. The world that surrounded them darkened as the wind billowed through the curtained windows facing them on the other side and the moonlight gave a soft, faint light to the halls and things around them.