Following the developments after Chapter 165 of the "Oshi no Ko" manga series, this extra chapter focuses on the reactions and emotional states of the original members of B-Komachi.
It was a cold winter day. The sky was slowly darkening, city lights flickering to life one by one. On TV, the news might have seemed like just another story to the average viewer. But for some, it reopened the deepest wounds of the past.
Cameras turned toward a police officer. A long-unsolved case was finally being officially closed.
"Today, the Ai Hoshino murder case, which has occupied the public for years, is formally being closed. Based on the investigation and recent developments, the key individuals behind the incident have been identified: Fuyuko Niino and Hikaru Kamiki. These individuals played a direct role in Ai Hoshino's tragic death. Arrests have been made, and the case is now ready to be officially closed."
The announcement reverberated throughout the country. Televisions, social media, news sites-everyone was talking about it. But no one felt the weight of those words more deeply than the original members of B-Komachi.
Takamine had just made herself a warm cup of tea after a long day. She sat in front of the TV, trying to unwind. Suddenly, old footage of Ai on stage appeared. The newscaster's voice echoed faintly. She reached for the remote to raise the volume. As she listened, her hands began to tremble. The teacup barely stayed in her grasp.
"...Niino...?" she whispered.
Memories long buried on dusty shelves in her mind came rushing back. Backstage laughter, late-night eye contact... and now, this horrifying truth.
She froze for a moment. Then took a deep breath and clenched her fists.
"All these years... and now this?"
Watanabe was watching TV with her child. As they flipped through the channels, the news suddenly broke. Her eyes locked onto the screen. Her body froze.
"Mom, are you okay?" asked her child.
She forced a smile.
"Yes, sweetheart... just a little dizzy."
But inside, a storm was brewing. She had left the stage behind years ago to build a quiet life. But the past had found her again.
Meimei had just finished her performance and was removing her makeup in the dressing room. She reached for her phone. The notification box was overflowing.
"Did you see this?"
"Fuyuko Niino... wasn't she your stage partner?"
Her heart began to race. She opened the news. Her eyes scanned the lines, but her brain couldn't process them. Slowly, she set her phone on the table. Closed her eyes. Took a deep breath.
"How... is this possible?"
Aril stumbled upon the news while scrolling through social media. At first, she thought it was fake. But the source was reliable.
"This... has to be a joke..."
Kyun, upon seeing the screen, froze. Her phone slipped from her hands.
"Niino... how could you do this?"
In different places, at the same time, the former members of B-Komachi faced the same truth.
In the days following the announcement, phones rang silently, messages were sent quietly. Finally, Takamine sent a group message:
"I think it's time we met again. What do you say?"
"If anyone's up for it, let's meet at a café."
They hadn't spoken in years. But the moment they saw that message, they all instinctively felt the same thing: We should go.
The weather was cold, the café windows fogged. As they each entered, years of distance hung between them. Sitting around the table, silence filled the air. No one knew how to begin.
Meimei broke the silence first.
"I don't even know what to say... So many years have passed. But Fuyuko... I still can't believe it."
Takamine took a deep breath.
"Yeah, Meimei. It's hard to believe. But looking back now... everything was right in front of us. Remember that outburst in the dressing room? The way Ryosuke looked at Ai? Niino acting strange now and then. We always brushed it off as jealousy."
Watanabe nodded.
"If we had known back then... would anything have changed?"
Another silence. No one could meet each other's eyes.
Then Kyun spoke in a whisper.
"Ai would never blame us. She'd smile and say, 'Let it go, it's over now.' But we... we can't let it go."
The words hung heavy in the air.
Aril closed her eyes.
"Ai... she was always stronger than us. Now we have to be strong too."The meeting lasted until their coffees turned cold. But none of it felt like comfort.
They left the café one by one. Each of them returned to face their own burdens from the past.
Takamine reached into her bag. She pulled out an old hair clip from the B-Komachi days. She looked up at the sky. A cold wind brushed her skin.
"Maybe... we were too late from the start."
And she walked on.
The End.