Sayuri remained silent throughout that night. She chose to sleep on the couch. Jun couldn't sleep at all. He stayed awake watching her the entire night until he couldn't take it anymore, grabbed his jacket, and left.
Sayuri, who was awake, saw him leaving from the corner of her eye and broke down crying, curling up and hugging her knees.
Jun rode his motorcycle with no direction, no fear. The cold wind carried away his tears with every movement of the bike.
Finally, he stopped in front of the park, watching the sunrise while an overwhelming guilt pressed heavily on his soul.
Ding Dong!
Sayuri got up and opened the door. Yume was standing there, and the moment she saw her friend, she already knew something had happened.
"Damn... what happened, girl?"
Sayuri hugged her tightly and cried again while telling everything that had happened—the smell, the call, everything. Yume was stunned and couldn't believe it.
"Jun would never do anything to hurt you... he loves you, Say..."
"Then explain to me why he was with her? Why did she answer..."
"There must be an explanation, girl," Yume said, holding Sayuri's face. "Jun is crazy about you."
Sayuri lowered her head and whispered:
"I know..."
Yume's phone vibrated.
"Damn... I have to go... I've got a lunch with my parents..."
Sayuri wiped her tears with her fingers.
"Go, Yume. I'll be fine..."
"Are you sure? I can stay... I'd love to skip that lunch," she said, making Sayuri let out a small laugh.
"Go. I'll be fine."
Sayuri closed the door and looked around the apartment, everything they had built together. She took a deep breath and started tidying up a few things when the door suddenly opened. Jun walked in looking defeated, ashamed. She looked at him, and before he could say anything, she hugged him tightly.
"Don't say anything... just hug me... and don't ever let go of me again..."
He hugged her back so tightly it made her let out a small sound of pain.
"Love..."
After a few hours, everything seemed to be resolved between them, but Sayuri said she wouldn't go back to the studio while that girl was there, because she didn't know what she might do.
Yume, already fed up with everything, walked into the studio where she saw Usagui laughing as if nothing had happened. That made her blood boil.
"Man, don't you ever get tired of that stupid laugh?"
Everyone was shocked by her aggressive tone.
"Calm down, Yume," Kenji said.
"Calm down nothing, that idiot..."
Usagui interrupted:
"Not an idiot..."
"Yes, an idiot. You have no idea how much you ruined Sayuri's most important day."
"Me? I didn't do anything..."
"Hold on, Yume... don't exaggerate..."
"Shut up, Kenji!!" she breathed out. "But I won't get stressed anymore. I'll just say one thing: they're doing fine."
Usagui understood exactly what Yume meant and smiled provocatively.
"Oh... good then..."
After a week, the demo tracks were finally ready and Usagui sent them to her father.
"Done. Now we just wait for feedback."
Jun asked without looking at Usagui how long it would take.
"Ah, Jun... a few hours or at most a day," she said, placing a hand on his leg.
Jun stood up and gently pushed her away.
"I'm going home. Sayuri is waiting for me. Kenji, let me know if anything comes up."
On the way, Jun stopped at a seafood restaurant and bought some shrimp, Sayuri's favorite dish. They were trying to get back into their routine, Jun making an effort to make things right, and Sayuri living with a constant fear of losing him, though she didn't show it.
The next day, while Jun was at work, he received a message from Kenji.
I've got news. See you at the studio.
Later.
Before entering the studio, Jun called Sayuri.
"Hello?"
"Hi, love..."
"Everything okay, Jun?"
Silence...
"Jun?"
He breathed in, looking at the stars.
"I just wanted to hear your voice... love... look out the window..."
"I'm looking."
"Look how the stars shine... that's our sky... I love you so much..."
Sayuri placed her hand on her chest, feeling an unexplained anxiety.
"I love you too."
Kenji appeared on the balcony.
"Jun, come here!"
"I'll hang up, love. Talk later."
"Bye..."
Inside, Kenji was smiling, and Usagui was there too. Jun opened the mini fridge and grabbed a beer.
"Jun, you're not going to believe this," Kenji said excitedly.
Jun took a sip and sat on the couch, not paying much attention, until Usagui spoke.
"You're going to record an album with TK."
Jun stood up so fast he spilled the beer all over the floor.
"No way!! Seriously?"
"Haha," Kenji laughed. "Bro, finally..."
He hugged Jun, who hugged him back.
"Finally!!"
Usagui couldn't stop smiling. She even hugged Jun briefly and whispered in his ear:
"You deserve this so much, my Jun..."
He swallowed hard and gently pushed her away, grabbing another beer.
"So when do we start recording?"
Kenji looked at Usagui, and she answered:
"Well, we have to be in Tokyo on Monday."
"What?" he asked, confused.
"Yes... the studio is there, where the album will be recorded..."
"But..."
Kenji interrupted:
"Dude, it's a professional studio. Everything we need, plus promotion... it's going to be amazing."
Jun leaned his head back, thinking. Then he looked forward again and took a sip.
"I need to check if Sayuri can come..."
Usagui, already annoyed by hearing that name, said firmly:
"Jun, this isn't a couple's trip. It's an album recording. You won't have time for her..."
"How long?"
"A few months?"
"Months?"
Usagui stepped closer:
"If she loves you, she'll understand and be happy for your dream..."
"I need to talk to her first... don't say anything, okay?"
"Okay," Kenji said.
Jun didn't tell Sayuri that night. He wanted to talk to her calmly the next day.
He said goodbye in the morning and went to work as usual. Sayuri, still unemployed after graduating, stayed home. While cleaning a photo frame, she accidentally dropped it. When she picked it up, the photo had torn in half, separating them.
"I loved this photo..." she murmured.
Mike started barking loudly, bringing her back.
"Okay, Mike, I know. Come on, let's go for a walk."
She put the leash on him and went to the square. She looked at the sky, people running, children playing, checked the time, and realized Jun would finish work soon. She decided to stop by a bakery to buy his favorite sweet.
As she left with the bags, she came face to face with Usagui.
"Hey," she greeted. "It's been a while."
Sayuri swallowed hard.
"Hi."
Trying not to stay, she said she was late and had to go, but before she could leave, Usagui called her.
"Sayuri... I'm so happy for Jun... it's a dream coming true, right... you must be happy for him too..."
She stopped, confused.
"What are you talking about?"
Usagui smiled.
"Well, Hi is going to Tokyo with me..."