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The city skyline glittered like a sea of stars, and Hoshimachi Suisei stood on the rooftop of a tall building, her arms resting on the cold metal railing. The night breeze toyed with her hair as she gazed at the vast expanse of the cosmos above her, where the real stars twinkled, far beyond the reach of human hands. She hummed softly to herself, the melody of a familiar tune filling her mind.
“‘Message from the stars,’ huh?” she muttered, her voice carried off by the wind. “Wouldn’t that be something…”
“Oi, Suichan!” Behind her, a voice pierced the stillness as Usada Pekora’s unmistakable tone echoed across the rooftop, loud and energetic as always. The sound of hurried footsteps followed, accompanied by the faint jingle of the keychain attached to her jacket. “You left the party to sulk up here, peko? What kind of idol ditches a celebration for a rooftop existential crisis?”
Suisei smiled to herself before turning around. “I wasn’t sulking. I just needed some air,” she replied smoothly, though her eyes softened at the sight of Pekora. The rabbit was as vibrant as ever, her pigtails bouncing with every step. In contrast to Suisei’s composed presence, Pekora practically radiated cute energy energy, her every movement brimming with life. It also helps that she was bunched up in a winter coat with jeans that hugged her legs tightly.
“Air, huh?” Pekora stepped closer, her arms crossed as she tilted her head. “Or are you waiting for a message from the stars, peko?”
Suisei’s smile widened. No, it must be a coincidence. No way Pekora has the same taste in music as she does. “Maybe I am. Who knows? The universe might decide to tell me something tonight.”
Pekora’s nose wrinkled, but her curiosity was evident. “What kind of message would you even want? ‘Congrats on being the coolest idol ever’? ‘You’re the best singer in the galaxy’?”
Suisei chuckled, shaking her head. “No, something bigger. Something... cosmic. Like a secret no one else knows.” She gestured vaguely toward the sky. “Don’t you ever wonder what’s out there?”
Pekora stared up at the stars, her ears twitching slightly. “Sometimes, I guess,” she admitted. “But I think I’d rather get a message from someone down here, peko. Stars are pretty, but they don’t laugh at your jokes or eat too much carrot cake with you.”
Suisei glanced at her, surprised by the uncharacteristic sincerity in Pekora’s voice. “You’re not wrong,” she said softly. “Messages from the stars are nice, but... I guess it’s better to share moments like this with someone who matters.”
Pekora looked at her, a smirk spreading across her face. “Are you saying I matter, peko?”
Suisei narrowed her eyes, her blush faintly visible under the pale moonlight. “Don’t let it go to your head, rabbit.”
“Too late,” Pekora teased, laughing. Her laughter was infectious, filling the quiet rooftop with warmth. For a moment, they stood in companionable silence, the stars above twinkling in their endless dance.
“Hey,” Pekora said suddenly, breaking the quiet. “If you could go up there—like, really go—would you?”
Suisei thought for a moment before shaking her head. “Not if it meant leaving everyone behind.”
Pekora’s grin turned mischievous. “You mean me, right? You’d miss me too much, peko?”
Suisei laughed, nudging her shoulder. “You’re impossible.”
“And you’re predictable!” Pekora teased, sticking her tongue out. But then her voice softened. “For real, though, you’re not alone, Suichan. If you ever feel like the stars aren’t giving you the answers you’re looking for, you’ve got me. Not cosmic or mysterious, but... I’m here, peko.”
Suisei’s breath caught for a moment, and she looked at Pekora, truly looked at her. There was something disarmingly genuine in the rabbit’s expression, and it struck Suisei in a way she hadn’t expected.
“Want to take a walk?” Pekora asked, shifting from one foot to the other. “You’re always up in your own galaxy, Suichan. Maybe we should bring you back to Earth a bit.”
Suisei raised an eyebrow. “And where are we going, exactly? It’s the middle of the night.”
Pekora puffed out her cheeks in an exaggerated pout, crossing her arms as she turned slightly away from Suisei. “Oi, I was trying to offer you something nice, peko! A cute little midnight stroll, just the two of us! But noooo, Suichan has to ruin the mood with her ‘where are we going’ nonsense.”
Suisei opened her mouth to retort, but Pekora wasn’t done. She huffed dramatically, her ears twitching with irritation. “Fine, I’ll just walk out onto the street alone like a tragic rabbit in some sad idol ballad. Maybe the stars will pity me and send me a message to cheer me up, peko!”
Suisei blinked, taken aback by Pekora’s sudden theatrics. But as the rabbit stomped one foot in mock frustration and began to shuffle toward the staircase, Suisei felt a pang of guilt. She couldn’t help but laugh softly, though, the sight of Pekora’s exaggerated sulking tugging at her heart.
“Alright, alright,” Suisei said, stepping forward and gently grabbing Pekora’s wrist. Her voice was warm, a teasing smile playing on her lips. “I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t mean to ruin the moment.”
Pekora stopped mid-dramatic shuffle, glancing back at Suisei with narrowed eyes. “You better mean it, peko,” she muttered, though the twitch at the corner of her mouth betrayed her fading annoyance.
“I do,” Suisei replied sincerely, letting go of Pekora’s wrist and offering her an apologetic smile. “I couldn’t resist teasing you a little, but I’m glad you invited me. Let’s go.”
Pekora’s pout melted into a grin almost immediately. “Heh, I knew you’d come around, Suichan! You just can’t resist me, can you, peko?”
Suisei rolled her eyes, but her smile stayed as she followed Pekora down the staircase. “Sure, we’ll go with that. Lead the way, my tragic rabbit heroine.”
The rabbit idol let out a triumphant laugh, her ears perking up as she practically skipped down the stairs. Suisei trailed after her, shaking her head fondly. She’d never admit it out loud, but the thought of missing out on Pekora’s company had been enough to sway her completely. After all, if the stars weren’t sending messages, maybe a mischievous rabbit was just as good.
With a sigh that held more affection than exasperation, Suisei followed Pekora down the rooftop stairs and onto the quiet streets. The city was alive but subdued, its hum softened by the lateness of the hour. The two wandered aimlessly, their conversation meandering as freely as their path.
“Do you think the stars can actually send messages?” Suisei asked at one point, her gaze flickering upward again.
“If they can, they’d probably just say, ‘Oi, stop staring at us and live your life, peko!’” Pekora quipped, earning a laugh from Suisei.
They found themselves by a small park, where fairy lights strung between trees created their own constellation. Pekora plopped onto a bench and patted the spot beside her. Suisei sat down, the tension in her shoulders easing as she let Pekora’s carefree energy wash over her.
Pekora suddenly pulled out her phone, tapping through a playlist. “Hey, I’ve got a song for this moment!” she declared, her voice brimming with excitement. She hit play, and the opening notes of Message from the Stars by Rah Band filled the air.
Suisei’s eyebrows shot up. “You have this on your playlist?”
“Of course! I overheard you listening to it, peko!” Pekora replied, swaying slightly to the beat. “Come on, Suichan, sing with me!”
Suisei hesitated for a moment, then smiled. “You’re lucky I know the words.”
Their voices blended under the night sky, Pekora’s cheerful tone complementing Suisei’s smooth, melodic voice. It didn’t sound as good as it could be given their adequate grasp of English, however the song’s dreamy rhythm wrapped around them, turning the park into their own private stage. For a brief moment, it felt as if the stars really were sending a message—one of connection, joy, and shared moments that made life shine.
As the final notes faded, Pekora leaned back, her grin softening into something more subdued. “You know, Suichan, the stars might not talk, but I think moments like this are their way of saying, ‘You’re doing okay.’”
Suisei glanced at her, a small, genuine smile playing on her lips. “That’s surprisingly insightful for you.”
“Hey! I can be deep, peko!” Pekora protested, though her laughter quickly returned. “Now, how about we grab some snacks? I’m starving after all that emotional bonding.”
Suisei stood, offering Pekora a hand. “Let’s go, then. But you’re paying.”
“Deal!” Pekora chirped, grabbing Suisei’s hand and tugging her toward the nearest convenience store.
As they walked, their hands brushing occasionally, Suisei couldn’t help but glance up at the stars one last time. Maybe the universe didn’t need to send a message when she already had everything she needed right beside her.
The stars twinkled on, silent but knowing, as two idols laughed and wandered through the city below, their bond shining brighter than anything in the sky.