Everyone has their own story. They have their own thoughts, which also makes them think how others think.#

Some people lives up to other's expectations, while others try to live their life without worrying much. Their ideals, goals and wishes often end up aligning however, and again gets severed.#

There is a really huge cycle of life, which we can't break free from. And the environment people grow up in defines their mindset and that pushes them towards a certain future.#

It was another winter. The temperatures were very low, snowing in Minato and many places around Tokyo.#

"Need gloves? I brought mine but I don't feel that cold."#

"It's totally okay! This much cold is nothing!"#

... And she ends her line with a sneeze. The girl in white rolls her eyes around and just hands over her gloves to the girl with light pink hair.#

"You'll catch a cold and I will get scolded by your manager because I brought you here."#

"It's okay, she won't scold you. She knows me well."#

"That doesn't mean you will shiver in cold just to act high."#

She sighed and facepalmed as she claimed that. Listening to her, she puts on the pink-white gloves.#

"Okay now?"#

"Yeah, yeah, princess..."#

"Don't call me that! I don't want people to know how spoiled I am!"#

"Huh?!"#

Both laughed in order. It was just a regular day for them, having hangouts and having fun together.#

"Do you think we can leave early today? Mira said she wanted to talk. And she also invited you! Specially!"#

She seemed perplexed in response to her.#

"Mira? And me? I don't even know who she is. You are the one dragging both of us into each other's topic."#

"Come on..!"#

She pounded on her back as she insisted her to join her later at her house.#

"Fine! Fine! So she returned to Japan recently? How is she doing?"#

"She brought a lot of gifts as always!"#

"That doesn't answer anything."#

"Exactly! I haven't met her after she returned."#

She let out a sigh again hearing that.#

"As free spirited as always."#

"As an idol should be!"#

After spending some time shopping and hanging around, they visited Mira together as they had planned.#

As she knocked on the apartment door, a girl with brown hair immediately opened it. The first thing she did was cling to the girl in white without even looking. The pink haired girl was busy with her phone behind the girl on white.#

"Aimi-chan! Wah, wool jacket! Warm!"#

The brown haired girl, possibly Mira shove her face into the warmth of the jacket.#

"H-hey! You got the wrong person!"#

"It's fine. Just let me be!"#

She looked at the pink haired girl, who used Aimi as her online name because it was her nickname.#

"You got it from her or she got it from you?"#

"Let's say we shared."#

She smiled as she said that. Or, that actually would be more like a smirk.#

Going through the hallway, Aimi sat on the bed without any delay.#

"Pardon my intrusion!"#

"Feel free to make yourself at home."#

The girl in white wanted to say something but refrained from saying that. She proceeded with something else.#

"What trope are we playing? A tsundere between two derederes? Oh wait, one probably a bit himedere."#

"You are calling yourself a tsundere? Oh, Kaede-san, right?"#

"That's what she calls me. And Kaede is fine!"#

She replied as both of them were playing with tail of Aimi's hair. Mira seemed surprised as she saw Kaede also doing it.#

"Eh? Are you picking up a fight with me to have Aimi all to yourself?!"#

"What is she? Someone's property?!"#

Mira laughed for quite some time. Kaede also couldn't help herself.#

"You are good at going with the pace!"#

"I honestly thought you would call it funny, and I'll wonder if that was a compliment or not."#

Kaede takes a deep breath before talking further.#

"This has been a wild introduction so far. Nice to meet you, Mira-san. Thank you for always taking care of our Aimi."#

"Good to meet you, Ka..ede?"#

"Yuzu Kaede"#

"Just Mira"#

While the introduction was going on, Aimi finally looked away from her phone.#

"You two are really in character."#

""Says who?""#

Both of them said simultaneously. Aimi raised her eyebrows and looked at them, quickly shifting the topic right after that.#

"Anyway, someone play the game with me."#

She paused as she took out her laptop from the bag and turned it on.#

"You can talk while we play."#

"That's rude, Aimi"#

While Kaede seemed to not like it, Mira insisted that it's okay.#

"It's fine. While I don't play games, she installed it on my laptop as well. You can use it. I will make some preparations and talk."#

"You really are on the same wavelength, aren't you? What are you? Siblings? I never heard about it."#

Hearing Kaede's statement, Mira replied with a smile.#

"We are just friends. Well, she's younger so she deserves the pampering."#

"And now you sound like a big sister."#

Mira laughed at Kaede's claim and left the bedroom in a bit.#

They helped themselves with gaming together. Mira also sat next to them after her work was over and observed their faces full of attention.#

"So Kaede is also a content creator? VTuber?"#

As Mira took a sip of tea after asking the question, Aimi replied to her before Kaede could.#

"She is! Well, she mostly sings though!"#

"It's nothing important. What about you?" Kaede added, while staring at Aimi.#

"I am just an audience. As for job, I work as a mediator for the embassy in another country so I am mostly there."#

Aimi put down the controller and looked seriously at Kaede. Kaede, feeling uncomfortable, stared at her with an annoyed expression.#

"She's actually a big deal."#

Kaede let her neck loose to lean her head forward in disappointment.#

"I get that! What's so serious about it?!"#

Following that, both Aimi and Mira laughed. Seeing them, Kaede added more to her lines.#

"Am I getting teased by you two out of nowhere?"#

Mira addressed her concern by her reply.#

"Of course... Not... Right Aimi-chan?"#

Aimi stayed silent with a bright smile on her face. Kaede facepalmed with a defeated expression.#

"Anyway, Kaede-san. What do you call your hair color? Blond or yellow?"#

Kaede showed a little confusion in answer to her question. She followed up with another question of her own.#

"Don't they give color of hair special names? Blond, brunette, ginger, auburn, raven?"#

"Wah, you know a lot of names!"#

"Well, I had the same question when I was younger. But later was faced with the same answer. My hair is pure yellow but you call it blond because it's hair."#

"I learned something new today, thank you! It's either all black or brown where I stay."#

"I think you call brown hair brunette."#

They continue to have some random topics for conversation until Aimi feels tired playing games.#

"Oh, Aimi-chan! I wanted ask you something!"#

Aimi spread her hands on the floor as she said it.#

"What is it, Mira?"#

"Can you guide someone a bit about VTubing? He recently got pulled in and was aspiring to be one himself."#

"He? A boy? What kind of relationship so you have with him?"#

Mira giggled hearing her question.#

"He's the same age as Ema. You think I will go with him?"#

"Oh! Interesting! From the other country? Does he know any Japanese?"#

Kaede seemed unimpressed by her enthusiasm while asking that.#

"He knows a few phrases only. But he knows English."#

Kaede smiled hearing that.#

"See, I saw that coming. And Aimi doesn't know any Eng..."#

"Sure thing!" Aimi replied interfering her.#

Kaede, once again defeated by Aimi's actions, stayed silent. Aimi continued.#

"Add us online later! It's getting late so we should return home."#

"That's one line of wisdom" Kaede said in comment.#

"Well, I am surprised you two are always outside so close to each other despite the lockdown. Take care and don't get sick."#

After packing up, both left her apartment.#

"Visit again soon! Make sure to bring Kaede with you as well!"#

"Of course!"#

Kaede sighed as they walked on the road with barely any people nearby. Her breath was visible in the cold, while Aimi had her neck and mouth wrapped by a muffler Mira forced her with.#

"She's a very fun person. Today was good as well. Although I am feeling cold now."#

"Want to share the muffler? It's too long." Aimi tried to speak under, by raising the muffler up.#

"Sure" Kaede laughed.#

Kaede left Aimi under her apartment, and walked to her house alone. Both reached home safely.#

Aimi stepped out of the elevator on the rooftop, staring at the sky full of stars. She got a ping on her phone, a friend request notification upon checking her screen with a wallpaper of a festive night.#

It is just the beginning of a story that's a small part of everyone's life. Hoshizora Aimi keeps looking at the sky for a little longer, wondering how this story will unfold.#