Location: Old Music Hall, Minato-ku — Midnight

  The night sky was filled with intimidating dark clouds. Although the rain had yet to fall, the atmosphere felt as if it was holding its breath, filling the space with a deep tension. The old building stood isolated among the towering structures, its walls showcasing scores and instruments that no longer played a note, evoking nostalgia for the past.

  In the middle of the hall, a small round table and five chairs were arranged — like a tiny stage awaiting the true drama to unfold.

  Fitran sat first, silent. His hand touched the table, but his mind drifted elsewhere. To every moment. Every smile. Every imperfect kiss that left a sweet ache.

  Surrounding the table, the palpable tension made each second feel as though it ticked by more slowly. Breaths taken filled the empty space with hope and anxiety. Fitran felt cold sweat running between his fingers, highlighting how important this night was for him and his friends.

  The first footsteps: Ruby

  She entered wearing a simple white dress. Her hair was braided into two, reminiscent of the past — when Aqua was still alive and the world felt predictable.

  Her delicate hands trembled softly as she held the dress, evoking a wave of nostalgia that stirred memories of happier times. As her eyes surveyed the hall, a sense of anxiety began to creep in, but she gathered her courage. “I am here… not as Aqua's sister, but as Ruby who wishes to live,” she spoke softly.

  Langkah kedua: Akane

  Rambutnya diikat ke belakang dengan rapi, mengenakan pakaian serba hitam yang membuatnya terlihat elegan namun misterius. Wajahnya tenang, tetapi matanya tajam, memancarkan kekuatan yang seolah baru saja ditulis ulang dalam skenario hidupnya.

  Saat melangkah masuk, aura ketegasan mengelilinginya. Seolah dia tidak hanya membawa diri, tetapi juga beban yang dalam. Ia menarik napas dalam-dalam, mencoba untuk tidak membiarkan bayangan masa lalu mengganggu setiap langkahnya. “Aku tidak akan menangis malam ini. Tapi jika aku kalah… aku ingin tahu alasannya.”

  Langkah ketiga: Kana

  Seragam idolnya masih melekat, tapi ia datang tanpa riasan. Wajah natural yang membuatnya tampak lebih rapuh… dan lebih manusia.

  As she entered the hall, a wave of vulnerability was evident on her face, making the environment feel warmer despite the chill of the night. Her eyes sparkled with anxiety. Each heartbeat seemed to echo in anticipation of the welcome, while her lips trembled, holding back the words she longed to speak.

  “I’m tired of being the main character in someone else's story,” she murmured. “Tonight, I want to speak as myself.”

  Final step: Mecho Cho

  He carried a small hourglass. His hair was damp from the mist. His voice was soft but melodic:

  “Time will keep moving… but our feelings have already arrived at the same place.”

  As Mecho spoke those words, an undeniable tension enveloped the room. Each of them felt the same weight, as if the delicate fingers of time were holding the span of hope and fear that constricted their chests. The sound of their heartbeats echoed in the silence, merging with breaths that dared not disturb the moment. Mecho himself appeared restless; his gaze transcended the flowing sand, as if searching for answers in a realm deeper than mere physicality.

  “I know we all love the same person,” Ruby spoke first. “But I also know that I don’t want us to hurt each other because of it.”

  Ruby's face seemed to quiver as she voiced those words. She gripped the edge of the table tightly, her fingers turning white with tension. In her gaze, there was a light trying to survive amidst the surrounding darkness. She felt the weight of all the unspoken sorrow, yet her spirit refused to fade. The sigh of her breath hinted at a mixture of feelings; a courage accompanied by doubt.

  Akane interjected, “That’s why we’re here. Not to attack each other... but to listen… for answers.”

  Akane's body felt rigid, yet within her was a turmoil longing for clarity. Every pitch of her voice was firm, but it concealed the pain she felt. Her eyes were sharp, as if they could penetrate the defenses of each heart, and she struggled to maintain a calm demeanor despite her mind racing with all the unexpected possibilities. She hoped that tonight would reveal a much more human side of everything.

  Kana placed the script she had written on the table. “I made this this morning. The title is: If I Am Loved, I Will Continue to Live. But I know this script will never get produced... if tonight I don’t find out your answers.”

  With trembling hands, Kana forced a bitter smile, a facade that concealed a profound depth of emotion. Beneath that cheerful expression lay an enduring pain, like a shadow that never fades. Her gaze wandered among her peers, hoping that the script she deemed her deepest hope would not remain just an empty piece of writing devoid of meaning. The peace she sought seemed to sway between the words spoken, and she knew tonight would be a defining moment for all her aspirations.

  Mecho smiled. “And I brought an hourglass. Because love isn’t about who comes first… but about who remains after everything stops.”

  The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Mecho’s statement lingered in the air, and the gentle tone of his voice provided warmth amidst the cold silence. It was as if time paused momentarily, all attention focused on the hourglass, showcasing a slow yet inevitable process. A dance of hope and longing unfolded between them, creating a space where only silence and feelings spoke.

  Fitran stood up.

  His gaze swept around, taking in each of them one by one.

  Ruby.

  With eyes filled with pain and hope, she had once lost everything yet still wanted to believe that love could rekindle the light.

  As Ruby steadied her breath, the sound of her heartbeat became the only thing breaking the silence. She could feel the edges of her eyes wet, yet she fought to hold back the tears. The gentle sunlight filtering through the window highlighted her face, casting faint shadows on the wall. She bowed her head, but her mind continued to whirl, battling the pain gnawing at her heart.

  Akane.

  With a cold gaze that harbored lava. She wondered whether her feelings could be conquered… or if they had to be wrapped up and buried once again.

  Akane balanced herself in her chair, observing her fingers gripping the edge of the table. With each passing second, the tension within her escalated, like lava nearing the summit of a volcano. Her lips clenched, and her heart beat rapidly, pounding in an irregular rhythm as she tried to assess the depth of the turbulent emotions stirring within her.

  Kana.

  Exhausted from playing a character. She longed to be loved for being herself, not as the 'brilliant actress' that everyone admired.

  Kana released a deep breath, as if expelling all the emotional burdens she had carried for so long. A sharp pang pierced her heart when she thought of everyone who admired her as a 'character.' Around her, laughter and conversations echoed, yet she felt trapped in a bubble, unreachable by them. The light in her eyes shimmered, highlighting her struggle to be herself in front of a world that did not know her, creating a sense of loneliness amid the crowd.

  Ruby clenched her hands on her thighs, her fingers gently pressing against her scaly skin. Uncertainty reflected in her beautiful eyes, as if she was searching for answers amidst the crowd before they began to speak. Akane remained unblinking, her gaze conveying an overflowing tension, a fiery spirit hidden behind her calm demeanor. Kana bit her lip, the sound of her heartbeat echoing in her ears as she wondered how everything would turn out. Mecho turned to the hourglass, flipping it over. The grains of sand fell slowly, as if the remaining time was dwindling with each passing second.

  “When I arrived in this world, I never intended to stay. But you all made me… want to try.”

  She looked deeply into their eyes; every gaze that met hers stirred a whirlwind of emotions that were difficult to express. There was a mix of relief and doubt, as if she was searching for reassurance among those who had added color to her life.

  “I don’t know if I can reciprocate these feelings in the same way. But I know… each of you has touched a part of me that I didn’t even know existed.”

  Ruby softly asked, her voice trembling, “So… will you choose between us?”

  Fitran answered honestly, his voice filled with sincerity that made their hearts race:

  “If I have to choose one... I will hurt three hearts that have given me the world.”

  Kana stood, her body trembling slightly. “But if you don’t choose, all of us will break.”

  Mecho also rose, bringing her palms together, creating a sense of strength. “Then choose honestly. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just be sincere.”

  Lastly, Akane stood, her eyes shining with unwavering determination. “It’s not about who loves you the most. It's about who you can love without breaking them.”

  With a look of earnestness, Fitran gazed at them, striving to comprehend the silhouettes of their desires and hopes. He felt a warmth enveloping his heart, battling the endless turmoil in his mind, as he sought a way out of this difficult situation.

  “Give me one last moment. Not to keep you waiting, but to ensure my choice... does not leave behind irreparable ruins.”

  Ruby smiled faintly, hope sparkling in her eyes.

  “Then… make sure that when that day comes… I’m still…”

  He repeated, "Give me one last moment. Not to keep you waiting. But to ensure my choice... does not leave behind irreparable ruins.”

  He spoke those words with an emotionally charged tone, as if his words were clutching onto every flicker of hope that had yet to fade. His bright eyes radiated determination, even though a hint of doubt lingered within.

  Ruby smiled softly.

  “Then… make sure that when that day arrives… I’m still standing by your side.”

  Ruby bit her lip, her eyes shining with certainty. She could feel her heartbeat resonating with passion. In her heart, she knew she would fight to stay beside him, no matter what happened.

  Akane gazed straight ahead. “You get one night. But after that… don’t run away.”

  As she spoke, Akane took a small step forward, as if to assert her courage. This movement illustrated her determination to confront the truth, not just for herself, but for everyone else as well.

  Kana took a deep breath. “One night, one answer. No scripts. No poetry. Just one word: who.”

  Her voice was firm yet soft, almost as if she was issuing a command. She pressed a hand against her chest, feeling her heart race, torn between anxiety and hope. Thoughts of the future swirled in her mind, triggering waves of tension in the air.

  Mecho turned the small hourglass in her hands. “And when the sand runs out… so does the time to avoid it.”

  As Mecho moved the hourglass, the sound of falling grains of sand deepened the atmosphere. Each grain seemed to signify the precious moments slipping away, leaving a profound impression as she looked at her three friends, filled with a thousand unspoken messages in her hopeful gaze.

  They all stood up.

  One by one, they left the hall.

  The silence in the hall felt suffocating, their footsteps echoing, marking the end of a chapter. Their hearts trembled, bound by an unspoken agreement in the face of uncertainty.

  Ruby was the last to look back.

  “Tomorrow... we'll meet again. But this time, not as four chasing you, but as four waiting for you.”

  With her words, Ruby ignited hope among them, as if rebuilding a bridge over the chasm of doubt. She touched their hearts, reminding them that they would always have each other, no matter what happened next.

  Fitran gazed at the sky.

  A starless night.

  With vacant eyes, he tried to process everything that had just transpired. The darkness of the night seemed to reflect his confusion, and he knew… by the next night, he would have to decide who would be his light.

  In his mind, he envisioned the faces of his friends, every smile, and every buried feeling. Reflecting in the silence, he hoped to find answers among the lost stars.