The interview aired nationwide.
OG sat side by side, dressed simply, faces softer than before—less polished, more real. The host smiled warmly. "You've been through a lot. Many people thought OG would give up. But you didn't. How did you keep going?"
Hana spoke first. "There were days we wanted to stop. Honestly, more than once."
Yuki nodded. "But every time, we reminded ourselves why we started."
Kairi smiled faintly. "Even when everything felt like it was falling apart, we still had each other."
Aiko glanced at Sakura. "And we never lost motivation. We just… held on."
The host turned to Sakura. "You were the leader everyone talked about during that time. Was there a moment that gave you strength?"
Sakura hesitated, then smiled gently.
"There was," she said. "I went to a temple one night. I was overwhelmed, scared, and honestly very tired. I prayed—not for success, but for my members' happiness."
The studio grew quiet.
"And when I looked up," Sakura continued, "there was a stranger. She handed me a tissue… and a chocolate. She said I needed it more than her."
She laughed softly. "It was such a small thing. But it felt like a sign. Like… someone was telling me not to give up."
The host smiled. "That's beautiful."
Sakura nodded. "I don't know who she was. But I'm grateful."
Miles away, Koharu nearly spilled her drink.
She stared at the screen, frozen—then broke into a wide, almost breathless smile.
"She remembered," Koharu whispered. "She really remembered."
Her heart felt light, floating somewhere near the ceiling. Sakura's words replayed in her mind again and again. A stranger. A chocolate. A sign.
Koharu hugged the mug of hot chocolate closer, eyes shining. "You're welcome, Kura."
Beside her, the secretary watched in silence, then slowly rolled her eyes.
Cloud nine, she thought. Absolutely cloud nine.
Koharu replayed the clip, her fingers brushing the screen once more, pride and affection mixing dangerously in her chest.
She didn't hear the warning bells.
All she heard was Sakura's voice—soft, thankful, unaware of how far her words had reached.
And how tightly they had wrapped around someone who was no longer just watching from afar.