The school buzzed with excitement as students gathered in small groups, chattering about the upcoming school trip. Desks were pulled together, and the classroom was filled with a mix of eager voices and laughter.
"I heard this year's trip is going to be even better than last year's!" Kyomi said, leaning forward excitedly.
"Yeah! We're staying overnight too, right? I hope the rooms are fun," Ito added, crossing his arms.
"Where are we going again?" Axel asked casually, looking at Emi, who had the itinerary in her hands.
Emi smiled and tapped the paper, "It's a winter retreat this time. We'll have a mix of outdoor activities—snow games, sightseeing, and even a hot spring visit!"
"A hot spring?" Ito smirked, nudging Axel. "That's going to be interesting."
Axel rolled his eyes, while Kyomi shot Ito a playful glare. "Don't get any weird ideas."
The conversation drifted into excitement over food, room arrangements, and what to pack. But in the midst of the lively discussion, a student nearby suddenly mentioned something that caught everyone's attention—
"Hey, has anyone listened to the LumeNoir's latest song? It's been trending everywhere!"
Just like that, the topic shifted, and before Emi could react, Kyomi jumped in eagerly—
"Oh yeah! They're seriously blowing up! I keep seeing people trying to figure out who they are!"
As the school trip and Christmas event' discussion procedes, the buzz around the LumeNoir only grows.Kyomi, full of excitement, brings up the topic in class.
"Have you guys been keeping up with the LumeNoir? Their new song is trending everywhere! People are obsessed with figuring out who they are!"
Ito, nodding eagerly, adds, "Yeah, even during the festival, so many people said Emi's voice sounded just like the singer from the duo. It's crazy how similar they are."
Everyone agrees, reminiscing about Emi's breathtaking performance during the festival. As expected, Emi just laughs it off, brushing aside the comparisons like she always does. But this time, Axel watches her closely. Something about the way she reacts—just the tiniest pause, a barely noticeable shift in her expression—makes him uneasy. It's like she's hiding something.
That small doubt in Axel's mind lingers, and when he listens to the LumeNoir's songs again, it only strengthens. The voice, the emotion behind the lyrics, the way the melodies feel—there's something unmistakably familiar about it. And then there's Emi's reaction every time they're brought up. It's subtle, but Axel has always been perceptive.
One day in class, a new song by the LumeNoir plays on someone's phone, and a student casually says, "I swear, if Emi and that mystery singer ever did a duet, we wouldn't be able to tell them apart."
Emi, as usual, laughs it off. But Axel catches something—an almost imperceptible tension in her smile. His suspicion grows. Could it really be Emi?
Later, Axel goes out with Ito, just a casual outing. They walk around, visit a few places, and enjoy the evening. But as they head back, Axel unexpectedly comes across Emi at a small shop. She's selecting something, her focus so deep that she doesn't notice him at first.
"Need some help?" Axel asks.
Emi looks up, startled, before giving a small, sheepish smile. "Oh… yeah, I guess I'm being too indecisive."
They spend some time together, talking, laughing, and eventually sit down for dessert. It's a quiet moment, away from the usual group setting. There's a warmth between them, something almost unspoken.
And then, Emi says something—something simple, yet layered with meaning. "You always notice the little things, don't you?"
Axel blinks. "Huh?"
She just smiles, a little softer than usual, as she takes a bite of her dessert. "Never mind."
It's such a fleeting moment, but it lingers in Axel's mind.
A week later, a new song by the LumeNoir is released. It instantly gains attention, but for Axel, it's something else entirely.
The tune feels oddly familiar. Not just because of the singer's voice, but because… it mirrors that night. The words, though written differently, capture the small details of that evening—how she hesitated in the shop, the way she spoke to him, the quiet emotions between them.
It's as if the moment was taken and woven into lyrics, transformed into music.
Axel stares at his phone, listening intently. His heartbeat quickens.
"There's no way this is just coincidence."
But even if he's convinced now, there's no real proof. And exposing her isn't an option. Whoever the LumeNoir really is, they chose to remain hidden for a reason. Fame, judgment, public attention—it could change everything for them.
And if Emi really is one of them… it's her decision to reveal, not his.
Still, the thought won't leave him alone.
It was another ordinary day at school—or at least it should have been. Axel couldn't shake the feeling ever since the latest LumeNoir song was released. The melody, the lyrics… it was too specific, too familiar. And Emi's reaction? It was subtle, but he caught it. The slight pause, the way her fingers tensed just a little before brushing it off.
Now, as they sat together during a free period, the usual flow of conversation had taken an interesting turn.
"You've been spacing out a lot lately, Axel," Emi remarked, tapping her pencil against her notebook with a small smirk. "Thinking too hard about something?"
"Me? Overthinking? Please." Axel scoffed, leaning back in his chair. He glanced at her, eyes sharp with amusement. "Though, if I were overthinking, maybe it's because something's just… not adding up."
Emi tilted her head, feigning innocence. "Oh? Like what?"
"Oh, I don't know," Axel mused, pretending to be deep in thought. "Maybe how a certain someone's voice sounds a little too familiar to a certain anonymous singer."
For just a split second, Emi froze—but she recovered quickly, offering a playful grin. "Axel, are you accusing me of something?"
"Not at all." He shrugged, the corners of his lips twitching up. "Just pointing out some… interesting coincidences."
Kyomi, who had been casually eavesdropping, smirked. "Wow, Axel. You really are overthinking this."
"See? Even Kyomi thinks so," Emi added, her smirk growing as she leaned slightly closer. "Maybe you should just relax a little instead of playing detective."
Ito chuckled from the other side. "Nah, let him overthink. It's fun to watch him struggle."
Axel narrowed his eyes at them. "You're all enjoying this way too much."
Emi gave him a satisfied smile, eyes twinkling mischievously. "Maybe you're just bad at keeping up."
Axel felt an odd mix of amusement and frustration. Emi was definitely hiding something—but pushing too hard might just make her slip further away. Fine, if she wanted to play games, he'd play along.
"Oh, don't worry, Emi," he said smoothly, resting his chin on his hand. "I'm just getting started."
For the first time, Emi hesitated—not enough for anyone else to notice, but Axel saw it. Just a flicker of something in her expression before she rolled her eyes and changed the subject.
But Axel smirked. This wasn't over.
Despite Emi's efforts to keep LumeNoir a secret, something about her had changed. It was in the way she reacted whenever their name was brought up—the smallest flicker of hesitation in her eyes, the way her lips would part as if she wanted to say something, only to close again. It was barely noticeable, something no one else seemed to catch.
No one except Axel.
At first, he thought it was just his mind playing tricks on him. But after spending enough time around Emi, after hearing her sing, after listening to LumeNoir's songs over and over—he couldn't shake the feeling. Their melodies carried an unmistakable familiarity, their lyrics strangely resonant, as if they were telling a story only Emi could know.
And now, watching her as Kyomi and the others raved about the duo's newest release, he saw it again—that fleeting, almost imperceptible shift in her expression. A quiet amusement, a hint of something softer… relief?
Why would she be relieved?
Axel narrowed his eyes slightly, resting his chin on his hand. He could press her about it, bring it up in front of everyone. But would that be fair? If Emi was really involved, she had her reasons for keeping it a secret. Exposing her now wouldn't change anything.
Still, something about the way she looked at him—like she was waiting, like she wanted him to figure it out—made his heart beat just a little faster.
Maybe she wasn't hiding from him at all.
Maybe she was leading him toward the truth in her own way.
And for some reason, that thought alone made Axel smile.