[The Past: Four Years Ago]
The world was too quiet.
For a thirteen-year-old boy, silence wasn't peaceful; it was heavy. It felt like thick dust settling over the furniture in a house where the laughter had died along with his mother. In the next room, the clinking of glass told me my father was busy with another bottle, drowning out the reality of a son he no longer cared to look at.
I reached out with a trembling hand and turned the phone then find any radio station on website. Static filled the room, a chaotic white noise that matched the mess inside my head. Then, I found it.
"Good evening, lonely stars. You're listening to Miracle Radio Station. This is Star, and I'll be your light in the dark tonight."
The voice was like silk. It was warm, charismatic, and so incredibly soft that it felt like a hand resting on my shoulder. For the first time since the funeral, I breathed. That voice became my secret sanctuary, the only thing that told me I wasn't invisible.
But miracles, by definition, don't last forever. One night, the frequency went dead. The station vanished, and "Star" disappeared into the night, leaving me alone in the silence once again.
[Present Day: Kamakura High School]
"Hey, Rin-chan! Did you hear the one about the guy who fell into a giant bowl of miso soup?"
I turned toward my classmates, flashing a grin that I had spent years perfecting in front of a mirror. It was the grin of a guy who didn't have a care in the world.
"No, what happened?" a girl from the front row asked, leaning in eagerly.
"He became a soop-er star!" I struck a ridiculous pose, squinting my eyes and giving a double thumbs-up.
The classroom erupted. Some groaned at the sheer dryness of the joke, others laughed because I was Aoi Izumi- the handsome, smart, and 'perfectly goofy' ace of the class.
"Izumi, you're seriously an idiot," Sato, my best friend, laughed while shaking his head. "How do you keep a straight face with those jokes?"
"It's a talent, Sato. A very, very handsome talent." I replied with a cynical wink, making the girls giggle again.
Inside, I was counting the seconds until I could leave. My chest felt hollow. Every laugh from the crowd was reminder of the 'mask' I wore-the funny, perfect nephew who lived with his aunt and uncle, the boy who never complained, the boy who was always fine. In reality, I was just a tired actor performing in a play that never ended.
After school, I sought refuge on the rooftop. I leaned against the railing, looking out at the horizon. The wind was cool, but it couldn't blow away the feeling of isolation.
Suddenly, the school's PA system gave a sharp, metallic screech. SCREEEEE-
I winced, covering my ears. "Great, the audio system is acting up again," I muttered.
Then, a sound came through the speakers. A soft thud, the rustle of paper, and hesitant breath.
"U-Um... Testing... One, two... Can you hear my voice?"
My heart stopped.
My breath hitched in my throat, and for a moment, the world around me blurred. The tone, the gentle vibration of the vowels, the way the voice seemed to wrap around the air... it was impossible. But I knew it. I had memorized it over a thousand lonely nights.
"Star?" I whispered, my voice cracking.
Without thinking, I turned and bolted. I didn't care about looking 'cool' or 'perfect' anymore. I sprinted down the stairs, my shoes thudding against the linoleum. My heart was a drum, beating one name over and over. Star. Star. Star.
I reached the old wing of the school, where the Audio Club room was tucked away in a dusty corner. I didn't knock. I grabbed the handle and shoved the door open with a loud BANG!
"Star! Is it you?" I shouted, gasping for air.
The room was filled with the smell of old electronics and dust. But I wasn't alone. Four pairs of eyes stared at me in absolute shock.
At the center of the room, a girl with long, silky black hair and eyes that shimmered like rubies-red with a hint of white-was frozen with a microphone in her hand. She looked like she wanted to melt into the floor.
"Eh... EHHHHH?!" I-Izumi-kun?!" the girl stammered, her face turning a bright crimson. She was Shinobu Yuki, a girl known for being cheerful but notoriously clumsy.
To her left, a girl with twin tails and a sharp gaze crossed her arms. Sakura Takahashi. "What the heck, Izumi? Have you finally lost your last brain cell?"
In the corner, a small, quiet girl huddled in an oversized hoodie, looking like a startled cat. Rikko Inoue. She didn't speak; she just stared at me with wide, unblinking eyes.
Finally, standing by the window was the elegant Shiina Amane, who gave a soft, mysterious smile. "My, my. The perfect prince looks a bit out of breath."
I stood there, my chest heaving, looking at the four of them. One of them had just spoken into that mic. One of them had the voice that saved me. But as I looked at their confused faces, I realized the mystery was only just beginning.
I straightened my blazer, trying to pull my mask back into place, but it was too late. My hands were still shaking.
"I...I want to join," I blurted out, my voice surprisingly firm. "I'm joining the Audio Club."
"Excuse me?" Sakura barked. "We don't need a comedian. We need people who know how to handle a soundboard."
"Then teach me," I countered, stepping further into the room, past the threshold of my old life and into their world. "I'm good with scripts, I can handle a crowd, and apparently..." I glanced at the microphone, "...I have a lot to learn about miracles."
The room went silent. The echo of the 'Miracle' had led me here, but now I had to find out which one of these girl was the star that had been shining in my darkness for four long years.