Idolish7: Center Stage
Chapter 1
How long had the sun been up? Had it been out when she awoke? It was difficult to tell just how long she’d been awake. Koharu never could seem to even out her sleeping habits. Everything was too unpredictable. Life was just too unpredictable. Buts that’s part of what made it interesting, right? Besides, it was nothing some coffee and a book couldn’t fix. It also gave her time to get ready, and boy did she feel like she needed it today. Koharu turned to look out the nearest window, a smile on her face but a light sigh telling that there was more to it.
Koharu Ito. Member of Virtue and Idol with an Ice Queen aura. That’s what shes told to be, anyway. At least half of it was true. Koharu was in fact an Idol, and a good one at that. Together with her close friend and dorm mate Hikaru, they were dominating the Idol world. It wasn’t really that surprising either. The girls, were, of course, good at what they did. Hikaru was, by every meaning of the phrase, the ideal girl. Cute, passionate and driven, her mere existence was a blessing to those around her. That was only part of it, of course, as the girl was beyond talented, her voice and skills as an idol beyond a level of captivating.
As for Koharu? Well, maybe she didn’t think much of herself at times, but that didn’t stop the truth from existing. Koharu was, by all accounts, an enigma in the best way possible. Elegant and poised when she needed to be, and hyper and erratic in her spare time, Koharu always seemed to have an air of cheer about her that blew holes in her cool composed image. Her charismatic attitude just seemed to draw people in, whether she knew it or not. Her attitude combined with her own vocals and dancing, and Hikaru’s abilities as well, made the pair a force to be admired.
Still, powerful friends helped. Virtue had debuted some two years prior under Yaotome Productions. It was in no small part due to them that Virtue had made it so far. It was tough work, but worked the girls loved doing. Still, Koharu often wondered whether she was deserving of such a station. She had indeed worked hard to get where she was, but this didn’t stop the doubts from flooding from other sources.
The sounds of movement soon pulled Koharu from her thoughts as she noticed Hikaru finally up and about. She smiled watching her friend shuffle around, knowing how excited she was for the day. The girls were gearing up to meet a fairly new group of male Idols: IDOLiSH7. Both girls had been captivated by their talents, and had heard good things about them. Each boy had his own unique talent and appeal, and Koharu couldn’t help but admire how devoted they were to their work, and how passionate they were about… well everything they did! Still, Koharu knew well that Hikaru was the most excited. She had been watching one of the sub-units in particular like a hawk. MEZZO” had debuted before the rest of them, and had clearly hit Hikaru’s attention like a freight train. Koharu loved seeing her friend light up when they were brought up, and it was evident there was an attraction to one of the members on Hikaru’s part…
Washing out her cup as she watched her friend finish getting ready, Koharu called out to Hikaru “Ready to go Hika chan?”
She watched her friends head pop up as she rushed towards the door, “Yeah sorry, just let me get my shoes on!”
Koharu couldn’t help but stifle a laugh. Hikaru really was excitable about the whole situation, wasn’t she? And rightfully so. It made Koharu happy to see her friend happy. Still, she couldn’t help but ask, “Nervous about today?” Knowing full well that Hikaru was ecstatic about metting the guys, especially Mezzo”.
“N-not really, I just have a hard time keeping composure around a bunch of attractive guys…” Hikaru turned a faint shade of red as the two made theier way out the door.
“Yeah well you are an idol too, I’m sure some of them will be nervous meeting us as well remember.” Koharu added, reassuring Hikaru. The whole situation was as nerve wracking as it was exciting for the both of them. Koharu just seemed a bit better at hiding her nerves.
“True, I know they are fans of TRIGGER, but I can’t help but wonder if they are also fans of VIRTUE…” That was a good question. Had they heard of the girls? It was definitely possible. Whether they were fans or not? That was another matter entirely. Still, Koharu was determined to remain positive. To be honest, TRIGGER was one of the main reason’s Koharu was so interested in the group. They seemed to have the highest of hopes for the boys, and Koharu couldn’t help but find herself rooting for them as well.
“Well I’m sure we will find out, I think it will be fun seeing their reactions. Want to play a prank on them?” Koharu questioned with a sly wink accompanying her usual smirk.
“Now you are starting to sound like Momo!” Koharu couldn’t help but laugh. She really wasn’t wrong. It was nice for the girls to feel so excited for something, and Koharu was happy for Hikaru. She knew how much she liked MEZZO”, and couldn’t help but poke fun at her friend and her mini crush on one of the members: Sogo Osaka. It was evident that Hikaru really liked the guy, even if, at that point, just because she appreciated his voice and good looks. There was also the resemblance Hikaru thought he held to her favorite little ghost, Spook!.
The girls continued their banter back and forth, sharing many a word and a laugh. However, seeing Hikaru’s little crush brought things to Koharu’s mind as well. About her feelings and relationships, especially with the aforementioned male Idol group, TRIGGER. TRIGGER had come under Yaotome Productions within the last year, and quickly made their own way to the top of the charts. The guys of the group were extremely close to Koharu and Hikaru, and always seemed to be around when the girls needed them most. Hikaru was extremely close to Tenn, of that, there was no question. Koharu couldn’t help but laugh at the two’s relationship. Despite being his senior, Hikaru still seemed rather intimidated by Tenn, and rightfully so. He was, by all means, perfect, not to mention his straightforwardness. Still, there was a close friendship there. That was undeniable. Koharu even found herself afraid of him at times, but she never really let it show. She thought of him more in a way of a younger brother, especially since he reminded her of her own sister.
Then there was Gaku. Koharu held a very close relationship with Gaku, and counted him among her closest friends. The two had formed a level of platonic love with one another, and Koharu even dared to call him brotherly with her. It was his devotion to his family, and his understanding of her own situation that made Gaku such an approachable person to Koharu, and she felt like she owed him a great deal. She honestly probably wouldn’t have made it as far as she did without his and Hikaru’s support. But at the end of the day, there was always one person that Koharu’s mind seemed to wander to
“What about you? How do you feel about all this? Hikaru’s voice pulled Koharu out of her mini-trance, shaking her head before looking at her friend.
“What do you mean?” Koharu questioned, her usual grin falling back into place.
“You haven’t really said much on your thoughts. Are you nervous too? Looking forward to things? You can tell me!” Hikaru’s attitude and sweet demeanor really did make Koharu feel like she could spill anything.
“Maybe not nervous. Anxious maybe? The guys seem really talented, and very pretty,” Koharu gave Hikaru a knowing look, but continued before the girl could say anything, “but you never really know what a persons like behind closed doors. I guess we’ll see who they really are soon, right? That’s what matters after all.”
“Who they really are, huh?” Hikaru returned Koharu’s knowing look. “Thinking of anyone in particular that fits that description?” She questioned, full aware of exactly who was always on Koharu’s mind.
“I assure you completely that I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Koharu replied in an almost comical tone, eliciting a slight laugh from Koharu’s dormmate.
“Aww, but I know you better than that! You always have this… spark in your eye when you’re thinking about him, after all.” Hikaru smiled, her sweet accusation acting as a callout for Koharu to face reality. She wasn’t wrong after all.
Him. Not even a name had to be said for Koharu to know exactly who Hikaru was referring to. Ryuunosuke. It hadn’t taken long for Koharu to warm up to Ryuunosuke after meeting him. The dangerous, ero ero beast was nothing like advertised. Sure, he was good at what he did and boy did the appearance fit, especially since Ryuu was far from bad looking, but his gentle demeanor and dedication to his family was an entirely different story. Ryuu was one of the most genuine, friendly, and honest people that Koharu had ever met, and boy, was that a rare sight in the entertainment industry. Sure, he might have been frozen stiff at first, but after warming up to one another, it was hard for Koharu not to be drawn to him. His warm aura made her feel safe around him and her feelings had gone… beyond a sense of friendship. Still, she was afraid to say anything.
Koharu couldn’t help but shake her head. It was easier for her to remain in denial than risk scandal, or worse, ruining one of the best friendships she ever had. Koharu smiled down at her friend reassuringly, but a teasing look was in her eyes. “Don’t you worry about me, Hika-chan. Just put your mind to using that cute disposition of yours to finally snag yourself a guy!”
Koharu laughed as she watched her friend turn a shade of red akin to a tomato, her pout evident, “Would you stop that!”
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Finishing up an interview not long after arriving, the girls were finally prepared come face to face with the boys they had waited so long, or what felt like so long, to meet, and heard so much about. Koharu had to admit she was a bit nervous. TRIGGER had talked these guys up something fierce, and the buzz about them was incredible. Koharu, however, kew full well she could handle herself. She was more concerned about Hikaru, who, despite seeming calm and collected, she was convinced was nervous as all hell.
“You ready?” Koharu questioned, glancing over at Hikaru was a knowing look on her face. Hikaru smiled and nodded in return, as the two pushed through the door as their manager, Kenji, announced them.
“Hi IDOLiSH7, it’s nice to meet you, we’re both looking forward to working with you!” chhered, smiling brightly as she looked over the small crowd. She had to admit, everyone looked better in person, if that were humanly possible. They were also less intimidating, somehow. And others were… smaller than she had imagined.
“It really is a pleasure to meet you guys, I’m a big fan of both IDOLiSH7 and MEZZO”, I’m really looking forward to working with you!” Hikaru stated, smiling sweetly. Koharu gave an invisable glance her way, somewhat concerned for her nerves but knowing she was a professional. She was excited, and nervous, but she’d be alright. Hopefully.
After some moments of humorous banter and introductions to the boys, the girls made an effort to talk shop for the show ahead. Hikaru seemed to fall right into place with the boys, as expected, and Koharu could tell she was starting to relax a bit. That was, at least, until her innocence got her into a degree of situation. Hikaru’s interactions with Sogo had warranted a degree of teasing from some of the others, something of which Koharu herself was not innocent of. Still, Koharu did her best to deflect some of the heat, despite how precious the whole situation was.
The girls had little trouble bonding with the boys as a whole, even finding little trouble peeling out one of Riku’s secrets fairly early one, noting the similarities between Riku and Tenn, who had turned out to be twins as it were. The talks ended on an extremely high note, as plans for everyone to meet up again outside of work were struck up, with Hikaru even managing to strike a date, or rather, “friendly-outing” with Sogo that very afternoon.
After the preperations for the following day’s show was complete, Koharu turned to Hikaru, “Don’t be out too late now!~ You’ll worry me.” Koharu teased, giving her a light smile as Hikaru turned a shade of pink once more.
“I- I won’t be! It’s just coffee, remember.” Hikaru protested as she continued blushing.
Koharu just laughed, giving her a slight nudge. “Well either way, don’t stand here talking to me. Your date is waiting.” Koharu motioned towards Sogo who was patiently waiting for Hikaru.
“Hes not—We’re just friendly!” hikaru protested once more, turning and walking towards the boy waiting on her. Koharu only laughed as she saw them off. They were cute, and it wasn’t hard to tell that there was definitely something there.
Turning back, Koharu gathered herself to prepare to leave, unsure of exactly what she was planning to do for the rest of the day. She wasn’t particularly fond of being on her own, but she didn’t mind it when she had to be.
Koharu simply shrugged to herself, but a voice rang out behind her as she finished gathering up her things, calling her attention once more. “Ito-san!~”
Koharu turned to see the voice belonged to Mitsuki, who was standing along with his brother, Iori, who spoke. “Ito-san, we just wanted to tank you again for today. It’s been an honor to make your acquaintance.”
“Please, the honor is all ours! We should be thanking you all for agreeing to this. It’s not every day we’re able to host such amazing rising stars, after all.” Koharu gleamed at the two boys.
“You’re far too kind, Ito-san.” Replied, a slight smile on his face as he gave a slight bow towards Koharu.
“We’ll be in your care, Ito-san!” Mitsuki gleamed, following in his brother’s actions.
“Please, it’s just Koharu. Ito-san makes me sound like my parents.” Koharu smiled, stifling a chuckle at the two’s politeness. “And you two remind me too much of my own siblings to be acting so formally. You seem to have an excellent relationship, I’m jealous you get to work together so closely.”
“It is nice to be able to work with family so closely, especially Nii-san. Are you quite close with your own siblings, if you don’t mind my asking?” Iori questioned.
“I am! My middle sister is about your and Tamaki-kun’s age actually. I just wish I had as much time to spend with my siblings as you two seem to.” Koharu let out a light sigh, but a smile soon returned to her face. “But I think things will certainly be more busy now that we have you guys around!”
“We’ll do our best to keep you busy, Koharu! I know Yamato-san, Sogo and I are excited to out drinking with you soon!” Mitsuki’s cheer couldn’t help but put a smile on Koharu’s face.
“You are such a ray of sunshine! How could I not be excited for this. The show, drinking, everything! Koharu laughed, her smile seeming to reel everyone in. It was one of the things she was best at. Koharu just seemed to radiate charisma, it was hard for people not to feel comfortable around her.
“I certainly hope you can hold your alcohol.” Yamato approached to join the three in conversation, the remaining three not far behind him.
“I’m not the one you need to worry about.” Koharu winked, and put a finger to her lips in a hushing, yet teasing manner.
“”It’s a shame the rest of us can’t join you! It seems like it would have been fun.” Riku sighed lightly, earning a small but firm pat from Koharu.
“You guys have to visit more, though.” Tamaki almost demanded, a somewhat puppy-like look on his face as he looked over Koharu.
“Don’t be rude.” Yamato gave Tamaki an exasperated look.
“You have a desert date with Hika-chan, plus she’s rather fond of everyone here as well, So I’m sure you’ll be seeing her. As for me? Well, you guys are just so charming, how could I stay away? After all, you remind me of my youngest sister in a way, Tamaki-kun.”
“Yes! How could we go on without seeing these beautiful angels?” Nagi cheered brightly, earning a slight kick from Mitsuki
“Worry not, we have other events and get together to look forward to for all of us. Don’t think you’re getting rid of us easily, after all. Hika-chan seems quite taken with you guys, and I have to admit, so am I.” Koharu fidgeted with her hand a bit, looking over the guys, and taking them in once more. “I have to admit, I was a bit worried, coming here. You never known what you’re gonna get in the entertainment world, what’s just a face and all that. But I can tell, you’re good people.”
“We’re looking forward to a long and entertaining relationship with you guys! I can tell it’s going to be an adventure.” Mitsuki gave Koharu a cheerful smile, which she quickly returned.
“You seem to have gotten past your nerves, Nii-san. It must be exciting collaborating with VIRTUE while you’re such a big fan.” Iori gave his brother a look, noting how elated he still seemed about the whole situation.
“W-Well, it’s true! I am a fan, but this is technically still business, right?” Mitsuki blushed a bit, a small pout on his face. He turned back to Koharu in a voidance of any further humiliation. “But what are you going to do now?”
Koharu had to think for a moment, unsure of exactly whats she was going to do now. She hadn’t really given it much thought, especially since she figured she’d be on her way home with Hikaru. “I…. I’m not sure. Now that my better half is gone, I guess I don’t really have any plans for the afternoon.
“Maybe we could all get some food or something now! Since you’re not busy?” Mitsuki jumped at the chance to continue to get to know her.
“We could go find some street food!” Tamaki also jumped at the opportunity, but seemingly more out of a desire for food than anything else.
“As long as we aren’t imposing, of course? We don’t want to hold you up after all.” Iori interjected.
Koharu simply smirked, giving a slight nod. “That sounds like it would be fun!” she exclaimed, turning to her side to rummage through her bag. “Just let me…. Hmm.”
“Is there something wrong?” Riku asked in a fairly concerned tone, seeing the smile fall from Koharu’s face, if only for a brief moment.
“My girl! A frown doesn’t suit you!” Nagi interjected, also aware of the sudden confusion on her face.
Koharu only laughed fairly awkwardly, shaking her head. “It’s not that. I just… seem to have forgotten my wallet, is all. I think I might have left it at Yaotome Production last night while I was taking care of some work. I should… probably go get that.”
“That’s too bad. But I guess theres always next time?” Yamato gave Koharu a light smirk as she glanced over everyone.
“Definitely!” Koharu cheered brightly, nodding her head vigorously.
Koharu waved everyone else off as she began her trek back to Yaotome Productions. She was beating herself up a bit. There went her chance for some quality company. Oh well, it looked like she’d be alone after all.
As the building came into her view, Koharu began to pick up her pace to a jog, slightly concerned by the fact that she could not for the life of her remember where she actually left her wallet. As Koharu entered the building, she took a rather sharp turn – that is, a sharp turn into another body. Koharu cursed herself as she landed square on her ass brushing herself off before looking up to apologize. “S-sorry!”
“You’re in an awfully big hurry.” A smile once again plastered Koharu’s face as she looked up to meet the looks of both Gaku and Tenn. What timing!
“You need to pay more attention to where you’re going.”Tenn stated in a lecturing voice as Gaku gave a hand to pull Koharu up off the floor.
“Yeah, I know, thanks mom.” Koharu teased, eliciting a smirk from Tenn.
“What are you doing here anyway, Ko? I thought you had show preparations with IDOLiSH7?” Gaku gave Koharu’s presences a questioning glance.
“We did. We wrapped up, and Hika had… other plans. Plus, I forgot my wallet. Hand to come back here to get it.” Koharu explained, giving a nonchalant shrug.
“That’s probably why Ryuu was looking for you then. He said he had something of yours. He should still be back that way.” Tenn made a gesture from where he and Gaku had come.
“Thanks! I better catch him, then. I’ll talk to you guys later! Sorry for assaulting you, Gakkun!~” Koharu called back as she ran forward once again, ignoring Tenn’s previous warnings.
Gaku and Tenn could only sigh in reaction. Koharu and Ryuu would have to come to terms with one another one of these days.
As Koharu turned yet another corner, she finally caught a glance of who she had been looking for. “Ryuu!” she blurted out, starling the taller man.
Ryuu glanced around a bit before his gaze settled on the sources of the voice, a gentle smile plastering his face. “Ko-chan!” He answered back, making his way over to meet her. “What are you doing here? I thought you had show work?”
“Well, I did! We just finished up. I came because I realized I had left my wallet here last night.” Koharu answered, a light pink gracing her face. Even just being near him had Koharu’s heart going, not that she really showed it.
“Oh yeah! I found it last night. I was going to call you, but I didn’t want to disturb you. I know you’ve had a busy couple of days after all.” Ryuu took out Koharu’s wallet, handing it to her with a smile still plastered across his face. Koharu couldn’t help but turn a bit redder as she glanced up at him. He really was so different from how… well almost everyone saw him. Koharu couldn’t help but feel blessed to know the true face of this gentle giant.
The struggle was far from one sided. It was obvious to all save for Koharu that Ryuu struggled to keep his composure around Koharu half the time. Hell, he was terrified of her the first time they met! He thought she was supposed to be composed and cool, but it wasn’t long before he was overtaken with her down to earth personality and friendly disposition. However, much like in Koharu’s case, it wasn’t long until he had begun to feel beyond their friendship. It was a feeling he wasn’t extremely sure how to handle, and so he did what he could to hide it away, not that it really seemed to help.
“Thank you Ryuu, I really appreciate it. One of these days I’ll learn not to lose my wallet. Or my phone. Or my keys…” Koharu couldn’t help but sigh at her own ignorance. She really needed to get her life together, even Yuki was more composed about these things than she was.
“As long as you don’t lose me, you’ll be fine!” Ryuu stated rather nonchalantly, unaware of exactly what he had just said. Koharu couldn’t find words to reply, which was rare for her, turning a shade of red she hadn’t been in a long time.
Ryuu was confused for a moment as to why Koharu was suddenly a tomato lost for words, but after processing what he had said, he quickly made effort to rectify his statement, shooting a shade red even deeper than Koharu was, if that was somehow possible. “I MEAN u-us! Gaku and Tenn and Hikaru and myself! We always find your stuff! WE, all of us, are here for you! A-anyway, wheres Hikaru? Did she go home?”
“No, she uh, made other plans.” Koharu decided it was best not to speak too much about what had happened, or about how she suspected her friend might feel. It was, after all, not really her business to tell. “It looks like it’s just me! Ha…”
Ryuu paused for a moment, seemingly processing the situation, before giving himself a self-assuring nod. “Since neither of us are busy, are you up for a drink? It’s been a while since we’ve actually had one together alone.”
“Trying to get me alone now, huh?” Koharu grinned shyly, a teasing look in her eye masking her accelerating heart-rate.
“I-I just meant it’d be nice! To drink! Not particularly with you. Not that I don’t enjoy drinking with you, I just—“ Ryuu quickly tried to recover from his word choice, his own heart picking up.
Koharu just laughed, giving him a light tap “I know what you meant Ryuu, I’m just teasing. I’d love to grab a drink with you! It’d be nice to have the company. I enjoy yours.”
Ryuu really felt like he needed that drink right now, he could barely keep himself together. He could never tell if her actions were sincere, or if she was just being friendly. She just seemed like a natural tease at times, around near everyone she was close to, from Gaku to Yuki. Still, that was the key thing. Those she was closeto. She treated him like she treated those she seemed closest to, but in a different way at times. Maybe he didn’t realize it then, but Koharu’s sincerities were much more focused around him. He was who she was most comfortable with, and that made her much more embarrassed about the things she said at times. Ryuu was just often too red and oblivious himself to realize it.
The two decided to head out as so to avoid letting the rest of the blood in their bodies run to their face by continuing their current line of conversation. It was a nice day to be walking anywhere in general, even if it was getting later. The two chatted about everything and anything under the sun as they walked, the chemistry coming along as easily as it ever had. They seemed to near melt into one another’s company when they were together like this. Nothing bothered them, they didn’t have to think about the troubles around them. They were just… there. Together. Two friends. Two friends who felt a degree more than that, but were too afraid to say anything.
After arriving at their destination, the two found their own little corner of the bar to continue living in their own little corner of the world. The two had decided to be careful with their drinking tonight, as they both had things to do the following day. It wouldn’t be wise to end up smashed the night before, and end up with a nasty hangover the morning after.
“So have you been lately? I know both VIRTUE and TRIGGER have been busy, we hardly seem to see each other anymore.” Ryuu turned to Koharu, taking a small drink as he watched her fidget with the bracelet on her wrist.
“The others not proving to be as perfect of drinking buddies, huh?” Koharu gave Ryuu a teasing look, eliciting an awkward laugh from him before getting back to the question at hand, “We’ve been good. Hard at work, pushing boundaries of the world, captivating the hearts of millions! Concerts, dramas, movies, you name it! VIRTUE has had our work cut out for us.”
Ryuu put a light grip on Koharu’s shoulder, silently calling for her to look at him, a gentle smile gracing his face. “That’s what the professional in you wants to say. But how is the real Koharu doing?”
Ryuu had caught Koharu by surprise. The smile fell from her face for a moment, and was replaced by a look of shock, but it quickly melted away into a gentle smile to match the one looking at her. There he went again, making her feel safe, secure, and comfortable. “I’m… a lot better with you around.”
Ryuu was unable to tell if it was the alcohol or Koharu talking at that point, as the red on her face was rather distracting, so Ryuu decided to take that “you” as everyone, no matter how badly he wanted to assume it was directly meant for him. Little did he know how directly for him it was. He began to flush himself, stifling a laugh before looking towards the clock. “I-it’s starting to get a bit late, and we’ve already drank quite a bit.. maybe it’d be a good idea to call it for the night?”
“Oh, uh, yeah. Yeah, you’re right.” Koharu looked away again, a bit disappointed, but refused to let him see that.
“I’ll.. see that you get home, at least!” Ryuu assured her, aware that their time together was regretfully short. As Koharu nodded in agreement, the two made their way back out into the streets. The night had come, and it was a rather peaceful one at that. The air was almost romantic. At least, it would have been had either of the two been honest with themselves.
The trip back was quiet and rather short, but somewhat comforting. It was’t long until Koharu’s dorm came into view, and the two realize it was time to part for the day. Koharu turned to look up at Ryuu with a smile on her face, “Thanks again for today Ryuu. It really has been too long. We’ll have to do this again sometime soon.”
Ryuu nodded to her in agreement, grinning like an idiot, “Definitely! It’s been too long since we’ve spent time together like this.” He paused once again, and flushed a bit as he thought. Nodding his head once more, the smile returned to his face, though it was mixed in with the red in his cheeks. “Maybe we could have dinner together sometime too? It’s been too long since that as well.”
“Well…” Koharu paused, looking to the side as she pondered. It was a worrying glance for Ryuu at first, but he was reassured once her smiling face was again focused on him. “Only if you cook! I know you’re good at it.”
Ryuu smiled like an idiot once more, and gave her a nod in agreement. “It’s a date then!” But, upon seeing Koharu flush once more he soon realized what he had said, quickly waving his hands in defense. “Deal! It’s a deal, I mean!” He began backing up in an attempt to leave, motioning behind him. “I should… probably go.”
Koharu watched him begin to walk off, but began wrestling with her own impulses. She had so many things she wanted to say, but just couldn’t. But who said she had to say anything? Maybe it was the alcohol talking to her, but in a moment of impulse, she ran after him, giving him a strong embrace from behind, sending fire through the both of them. Ryuu looked down to see her clinging tightly to him, if only for a split moment. That split moment, however, seemed like an eternity to them.
Before she let go, Koharu let out a light whisper into Ryuu’s back, “Thank you.” Before Ryuu could say anything in return, Koharu took off running, turning to wave at him one last time before making her way into her home, slamming the door behind her. Both were left dumbstruck, but, in a way, they felt like tonight was the start of just what they had been looking for.