The sun rose into the sky like a painting, its warm glow stretching across H. City, spilling softly through the windows of Song Meiqi's apartment.
She stood by the kitchen counter, quietly arranging the food she had packed the night before. Her gaze wandered to the living room, where Si Haoran sat on the couch, eyes fixed on his phone.
"Haoran, I made you braised chicken and tomato eggs. There's also some salad and sandwiches for later," Meiqi called out, her voice light and clear.
"And there are fruits in the fridge if you get hungry," she added, watching the back of his head.
Haoran, still caught up in the middle of a game, gave a vague nod—barely acknowledging her words.
A flicker of disappointment crossed her face at his reaction, but she said nothing. Instead, she let out a quiet breath, then turned and headed to her bedroom to pack for their trip.
A moment later…
After getting everything ready, Meiqi quietly sat down beside her boyfriend—who was still glued to his phone.
She watched him in silence, her gaze tracing the familiar lines of his face—from his soft, full lips to the gentle slope of his nose, and finally to the eyes that once made her heart race.
He was still as handsome as the first time she met him. And yet, something in her eyes shifted—subtle, but unmistakable. A quiet unease tugged at her chest.
Maybe she was just overthinking things… but ever since she came back two weeks ago, he'd felt a little more distant. A little colder.
"Haoran…" she called softly, his name barely more than a whisper.
He didn't respond at first, still focused on his screen, until her next words caught his attention.
"After the concert ends… let's go on a vacation." She paused, her gaze flickering down before meeting his eyes again. "Just the two of us… one night together."
A flush crept into her cheeks, the unspoken meaning behind her words hanging gently in the air.
Si Haoran turned to her, momentarily stunned. He wasn't expecting it—not from Meiqi. But he knew exactly what she meant.
And in that moment, excitement surged through him, chasing away whatever thoughts he'd been carrying.
Song Meiqi caught the flicker of anticipation in his eyes and felt a wave of relief wash over her.
'Maybe that's it,' she told herself. 'Maybe he's been distant because… we haven't taken that step yet.'
But even as the thought passed through her mind, a quiet voice deep inside whispered the truth—
She still wasn't ready.
By noon, the group's flight soared out of H. City, bound for Country J—the 45th stop on their Bloom Beyond World Tour.
In the cabin, the girls sat quietly—some asleep, others listening to music or gazing out at the clouds. Each city left its own mark, but for Song Meiqi, this stop felt different. Heavier somehow, though she couldn't say why.
Fast Forward, the day of the show finally arrived.
Fireworks burst across the night sky as confetti rained down, coating the stage in a shimmer of color. A sea of Bloomis jumped in unison, their lightsticks swaying like waves in the dark.
Everbloom lit up the stage as they performed their latest hit song, "Shout Out," an electrifying track pulsing with upbeat trap-pop energy.
Dressed in glittering red, the five members of Everbloom commanded the stage like stars born to shine. Each step they took was in perfect sync, their movements sharp yet graceful, exuding confidence that drew cheers from every corner of the arena.
Under the shifting lights and sparkling confetti, their eyes glimmered with emotion—pride, passion, and the thrill of performing. Beneath the glow of the spotlights, they didn't just look beautiful—they looked unstoppable.
Everbloom's Bloom Beyond World Tour had taken them across 15 countries in Asia, Europe, and North America. This was their sixth-to-last stop, a nearly two-and-a-half-hour show with 25 songs, including new tracks and solo stages.
Yet even near the end, they performed with the same fire as ever—reminding everyone why they were one of the best.
Song Meiqi steadied her breath as she hit the final high note of the night, closing their last song with grace. A wave of emotion swept through the crowd—Bloomis cheered with admiration, but a quiet sense of sadness lingered, knowing the show had come to an end.
After the concert, the girls returned to their hotel, worn out from the night's high.
Song Meiqi sank into bed, body aching, but her heart still aglow. The cheers, the smiles, the sea of lightsticks—they lingered in her mind like a dream.
A faint smile curved her lips as she lay still, letting the warmth settle quietly around her.
Just then, the silence broke with a soft ping from her phone lying beside her. Meiqi turned her head lazily, the sheets rustling as she shifted—but she didn't bother reaching for it.
Then a message lit up her screen.
"You said you loved me."
Her breath caught.
A chill crept over her, like a bucket of cold water pouring down her back. She blinked, the warmth from earlier fading fast.
Another message followed.
"So that's who you replaced me with?"
Then came a photo. Blurry, grainy—but unmistakable.
It was her and Si Haoran, seated across from each other at a restaurant.