Idolish7: Center Stage

  Heavy huffs escaped Koharu’s lips as she jogged along, the cold morning air a welcome refresher from the heat that spread through her body as she carried herself along. It was still early enough to be a bit dark, but the approaching dawn gave the cityscape around her a benevolent glow she reveled in as she ran. The conditions were beautiful. Quiet, serene. She wouldn’t have traded it for anything.

    Koharu always found that a good workout was a great distraction for her when she found herself unable to fall back to sleep in the early mornings. It gave her the time to think, but prevented her from thinking too much. It was her time with herself and only herself. But sometimes even that seemed to get lonely.

    It was for this reason that Koharu took her chances, and chose to see if any of her favorite rising stars were awake and ready for the day. As luck would have it, Mitsuki wasn’t far behind in his response time. Koharu had agreed to run by their dorm to meet him so they could take advantage of the morning to get a bit more exercise in.

    As the IDOLiSH7 dorm came into view, Koharu began to slow herself to a stop. She paused, realizing this was the first time she had actually ever been to the place. She smirked to herself, a happy feeling flooding her as she thought about the small moments she had shared with them. A welcoming feeling overtook her as she thought back, realizing how important these boys had become to her in such a short amount of time.

    Wiping the sweat from her brow, Koharu approached the dorm, taking advantage of the slight pause by pulling her hair down from her ponytail in an attempt to fix the stands that had fallen in her face. As she walked closer, she took note of the figure standing not far from the door, her warm smile growing as Mitsuki came into view.

    “Morning starshine.” Koharu sang as she approached her friend, finally pulling her hair back and brushing any loose strands from her face. What a sight she must have been in all her messy glory. This was starting to seem like a running theme with her. “Ready to go?”

    Mitsuki smiled in return upon seeing her. “You look like you’re already off to a good start,” he examined, noting just how worn Koharu already looked. He had to admit, he was a bit surprised to see how toned she was considering how small she usually looked in her costumes and casual clothing.

    “Yeah, well there plenty more to be had, believe me.” Koharu laughed, motioning towards him before taking off running once more. The two jogged in silence for a time, simply enjoying the morning air as they did. None of the silence between them felt awkward, which was part of the reason Koharu felt so grateful to have Mitsuki around at moments like this. She never felt awkward with him around.

    Koharu took a moment to look to her side at the man running beside her. She was impressed by his stamina, as he too also seemed rather small in terms of initial appearance. She soon found herself laughing as she looked forward once again, Mitsuki questioning her action, “Whats gotten into you?”

    Koharu simply shook her head, replying between steps, “It’s just nice to see newcomers that are able to keep up with the vets.” Koharu gave him a teasing look to the side as they continued on.

    “That almost sounds like a challenge.” Mitsuki couldn’t help but smile at Koharu’s joking manner, baiting her into a continued action.

    Koharu slowed down a bit as they spoke, coming to a light stop with a gleam in her eye. Maybe he hadn’t known her for too long, but something told Mitsuki exactly what Koharu was thinking in that moment. It was a look of ‘we could make it one’. And soon, she did. “Race you into the park.” She let out a yell as she almost immediately took off after having stopped.

     

    The two adults fell heavily against the ground, gasping for air desperately between laughs and coughs. That final burst of sprinting had effectively worn them both down, but boy if it hadn’t been enjoyable.

    Koharu laughed once more after regaining her breath, rolling over onto her stomach as she did. “I’ll admit it: I’m impressed; not a lot of people can keep up with me like that. You play sports?”

    Mitsuki laughed in return, pushing himself up as he did, “Yeah well, I guess I’m just lucky to not be most people. And I used to play soccer a lot. Guess it’s paid off, ha.”

    “Well, it’s all been paying off. You’re good. Very, very good.” Koharu finally sat up herself, stretching lightly as she did.

    Mitsuki sighed, “I’m glad the practice has been paying off then.” He quickly plopped back down lazily as he spoke.

    “You seem like you practice a lot. More than the others at least.” Koharu leaned over to look Mitsuki in the face. “Not that it’s a bad thing. Just an observation.”

    The male rolled over onto his side, playing with the grass by his head as he did, “I don’t wanna drag anyone else behind. I have to practice. Keep getting better, stop riding everyone coattails.”

    Koharu tilted her head lightly as she looked down at Mitsuki, a sympathetic look on her face. “There’s nothing wrong with being a bit behind you know. Some people don’t need practice. Others need all the help they can get. And there is nothing wrong with that, so long as you keep moving.” Koharu poked Mistuki’s forehead, as he sat up, her soft smile comforting in the moment. “Besides, you’re part of a group. A big family. No one can move forward without all the others. So don’t forget that everyone needs you.”

    Mitsuki couldn’t find words to reply to Koharu right then. It almost seemed like she was speaking from personal experience, but he couldn’t help but wonder, which side of the fence had she been on? Maybe it wasn’t his place to ask, but he couldn’t help but wonder.

    “So no pouting while I’m here, got it?” There was a comforting smile upon Koharu’s face as she stood up offering a hand down to Mitsuki. She wanted to help in more ways than one, and if helping him stand up, literally and figuratively, was the way to go about it, so be it.

    “You… really are something.” Mitsuki chuckled at Koharu’s resolve. She was a comforting presence, and he was grateful for the company. “Thanks Koharu,” he mused back, taking the hand she had offered.

     

    The pair took their sweet time walking back from their rather sudden run, tired, sweaty and worn, but content with the time they had. It was nice to just spend time so frivolously like this, musing about this and that and other things, even so early in the morning. Not a moment seemed to go by where, despite being tired, the two were not smiling or laughing. It was an amazing feeling.

    As the two approached the dorm, Mitsuki turned to give Koharu a curious look, ‘So, do you want to come in, get cleaned up? It’s the first time you’ve visited us at home after all!”

    Koharu couldn’t help but laugh at his enthusiasm. He was far from wrong, after all. This was indeed the first day she’d been to their home! “Alright, but I get the grand tour.” She laughed in response, ready to finally see the living quarters of the great IDOLiSH7.

    The pair made their way into the dorm quietly, careful to avoid disturbing anyone as they did. It didn’t seem necessary however, as almost everyone seemed very lively for it being so early in the morning. Almost everyone seemed to be up an about, though each at different energy levels, Yamoto in particular seeming less awake than all the rest.

    “Nii-san, Ito-san good-morning,” Iori greeted the two with a kindly smile as they walked in, quickly drawing the attention of the others.

    “Koharu-san! What a nice surprise, good morning!” Riku cheered in a happy manner, flashing a bright smile. It was somewhat strange to her, seeing just how closely he resembled Tenn, and considering the two sharing a similar expression. Still, it managed to light her up to a degree.

    “G’morning! I know this was sort of last minute so I apologize if I’m disturbing you at all,” Koharu put on a somewhat guilty look as she spoke.

    Yamoto chuckled tiredly at her response, not hesitating to speak his mind, “I think a disturbance is the last thing you’d ever be here. You’re a sight for sore eyes.”

    Koharu couldn’t help but laugh back, well aware that she was a sweaty mess “Keep working on that flattery. I’m pretty sure they only think I am right now is an eye-sore.”

    “No angel!” Nagi was quick to interrupt her, taking her hand in protest, “we are blessed by your presence on this day!” his sudden appearance drew a somewhat awkward yet sincere laugh from Koharu at his actions, finding it all somewhat endearing.

    “Nagi!” Mitsuki jumped on his bandmate in protest to his sudden inappropriate behavior, doing what he could to make the situation less awkward as he dragged his friend off.

    Yamoto and Iori let out a simple sigh together, both wielding looks that were the very definition of ‘don’t be rude.’

    “I apologize for the sudden outbursts Ito-san.” Iori bowed his head in response to his bandmates small antics.

    “There’s a lot of energy to be had around here.” A regretful smile crossed Yamoto’s face in response to all the goings on, including his own. Riku remained rather quiet but couldn’t help but laugh awkwardly, nodding in affirmation of the latter’s statements.

    “What’s with all the yelling?” A tired voice shifted everyone’s attention to Sogo and Tamaki, who had both just walked into the conversation. A smile crossed both their faces after observing Koharu, who simply smiled at their presence. “Ko-chan!” Tamaki cheered at her appearance.

    “Ito-san, it’s good to see you again.” Sogo smiled in response to her presence, the pair making their way to join the others.

    “And the last ones appear! It’s good to know that everyone survived the bar incidents.” Koharu laughed at the memories shared, “It sounds like everyone had a good time even into the next morning…”

    Her sudden accusation elicited a blush from Sogo and mixed looks from the others, some rather awkward, others teasing and knowing. “I think we’ve all recovered as well as we can.”Yamoto reassured.

    “I really hope so. You’ll need your wits about you if you’re ending up on Re:vale’s show.” Koharu had to admit she was excited to see how things were going to go for them.

    “So you’ve heard then?” Riku questioned curiously, a sudden tilt of the head making him almost look like a puppy.

    Koharu gave a nod in affirmation, leaning back on the counter, “Yeah, I heard from Yuki and Hikaru.”

    “So,” Yamoto jumped in with a somewhat mischievous look, “Are you going to tell us what to lookout for then?”

    “Koharu stood straight again before leaning over in a teasing manner, shaking her head “That would ruin the fun of it.”

    A small shiver ran down some spines at her words, but Koharu was well aware that everything would be in good and pure fun.

    Changing the subject rather suddenly, Iori jumped back in to make things less awkward. “But we’ve been rude! Can we get you anything to drink or eat at all while you’re here?”

    Koharu shook her head sorrowfully at his question, “Unfortunately I don’t have a lot of time. I have some places to be.” Koharu straightened herself up one more, facing Iori and Tamaki as she did, “But, I can at least walk you school boys to the station!”

    “That’s kind of you to offer Ito-san.” Iori once again bowed his head in response to Koharu’s statement.

    “Sweet! We get Ko-chan for a few more minutes.” Tamaki cheered lightly at the prospect, seeing somewhat more awake than he had previously been.

    Koharu took both the boys under her arms lightly and laughed “You just can’t seem to get rid of us, can you?” She led the pair towards the door, but released for a moment to give Sogo a knowing and genuine look before they left. “She had a good time Sogo. Don’t worry so much.” She reassured, not bothering to pause to observe the sudden surprise on his face.

    Koharu pushed the two younger members out the door before turning back to those remaining in her view and cheering “I’ll see you guys again soon! I’m sure it won’t be too long!” before quickly running out the door.

     

    Koharu and the two boys chatted frivolously as they walked, seeming to waste plenty of time as they did. It felt like no time at all before the trio had reached the station.

    “Already…” Tamaki began to pout as they walked, a downtrodden expression crossing his face as he cheeks puffed slightly.

    “Yotsuba-san…” Iori was somewhat prepared to lecture Tamaki on his sudden disrespectful mood shift, but found himself slightly disappointed by the prospect of leaving now.

    “Guys, don’t worry. Hika and I are only a call away you know,” Koharu laughed, “you just let us know when…” Koharu stopped herself short as they all approached the station, suddenly frozen in her tracks.

    Iori and Tamaki gave Koharu a quick and concerned glace as she stood staring blankly forward. “Ko-chan? Are you there…?” Tomaki asked, placing a hand on her head as he spoke.

    “Are you feeling well?” Iori quickly jumped at the situation himself, confused by Koharu’s sudden mood shift. “Do you need a doctor?”

    “Ahh…” Koharu pulled herself from her sudden trace, reazling she had just got to port nowhere. “No I’m fine I just…” Koharu gave the pair a reassuring smile before looking back forward at the source of her sudden change. Her sisters.

    The pair of boys quickly traced Koharu’s look towards the girls standing not far from them, suddenly having their own moment of recognition. The girls before them seemed to suddenly feel the three sets of eyes upon them, turning their heads to meet the stares. Almost instantly the expression of the younger of the two lit up as she pulled herself from her sister, running towards the trio. “Onee-chan!” she cheered, practically jumping on Koharu as soon as she met her. The sudden contact greatly confused Tamamki and Iori, but drew a bright smile from Koharu who quickly threw her arms back around her sister.

    “Ai!” Koharu cheered, lightly spinning her sister as they laughed, close holds upon one another as they did. The sudden contact still had the boys shocked to a degree, but they couldn’t help but smile at the sudden contact, though Tamaki’s look seemed to be one of a sad happiness. Still, one expression remained rather stoic in the entire situation, and that expression belonged to the other girl, who had finally chosen to approach the situation.

    “Onee-sama, this is a surprise.” She spoke, her tone respectful but somewhat tense, a small smile doing what it could to form on her face.

    “Hashira…” Koharu spoke softly, dropping her younger sister back onto the ground. She approached her sister rather slowly before pulling her into a quick and forceful hug. “Don’t be so formal with me. It’s good to see you, you know.”

    Hashira hesitated slightly, but returned her sister’s affections quickly before pulling away. Koharu gave her a sad look, but knew better than to push anything. “So you’re Ha-chan’s sister?” Tamaki’s look turned back to one of confusion as he gazed between the two.

    “I didn’t know you guys went to school with my sister. Guess it’s a rather small world, isn’t it?” Koharu laughed, shaking her head as she gazed between the three, Ai also giving confused looks around.

    “I suppose it is… Ito suddenly makes a lot more sense now.” Iori himself laughed, but found himself looking back at Koharu, who looked rather down at the whole situation. She had talked about her sisters with such affections before, it was strange to see her look so downtrodden being with them now.

    “I… wish we could stay and talk but our train will be here soon and I need to get Ai to school too so…” Hashira quickly found herself retracting from everything, giving looks between all the people before her.

    “Oh.. oh yeah!” Koharu suddenly sang, a sad smile spreading across her face as she sisters backed off. “Don’t let me keep you all.” She laughed awkwardly, finding herself backing off slightly.

    “You have to visit soon Onee-chan!” Ai cheered at her Koharu, giving her sister another hug before being pulled back to Hashira.

    “I will, I promise. Now all of you, get going! Get education!” Koharu’s sudden cheerful mood was very shaky, as she pushed the boys towards the station, eager to get back home at this point to avoid any more awkwardness.

    Iori looked back at Koharu as she waved everyone off, well aware that there was more to the situation than Koharu and Hashira were letting on. It was none of his business, but somehow, he couldn’t help but be a bit worried.

     

    Koharu took a quick and cold shower after getting home, happy to wash off the sweat and stress of the early morning. She was already so tired, and the day had just begun. Still, she couldn’t give up just yet. She had things to be excited about! People to see, things to do! She needed her energy.

     Koharu quickly jumped up from her mirror after composing herself, happy to look a hundred times better than she had the last time she had seen Ryuu. Her face wasn’t nearly as red, her hair finally tamed and her clothing decent for the day. Still, she knew that none of it really mattered. Even at her lowest had had made her feel… so good about everything. Koharu began to walk around her room, slapping her face as she tried to gather herself for the day.

    Finally, Koharu worked herself up to leave her room, walking out into the living room to see Hikaru on the couch. “Ko-chan, good morning!” She cheered at the appearance of her partner. “Did you have a good run this morning?” She questioned, placing a cup down as she watched Koharu run around the living room to gather her purse and shoes.

    “Most definitely! It’s felt like ages since I’ve seen everyone.” She laughed, sitting down to put on her shoes. “It’ll be nice to meet up again. I know that there are some people who are most certainly as excited to see you as you are to see them.” Koharu teased, finishing slipping on her shoes as she leaned forward.”

    “Ko-chan…” Hikaru began to pout, trying to shake the blush off her face.

    “You are adorable. I’d tease you all day if I could.” Koharu laughed, standing up and stretching.

    “I know you would…” Hikaru sighed, but quickly regained herself, turning back to Koharu. “But I’m not the only one looking forward to seeing others. You’re going out to see Ryuu, right?”

    “Yeah. I told him I’d drop by!” Koharu responded cheerfully, shrugging her shoulder lightly as she did. As much as she teased Hikaru, she knew she was one to talk about being so excited and shy about seeing someone.

    “I don’t wanna keep you then! You have your own love to chase!” Hikaru laughed at Koharu’s sudden enthusiasm.

    Koharu was not about to be outdone, however, and managed to repress the blush she felt coming to her face. She knew Hikaru was right. She knew they were both facing the same inner turmoil. And she knew it was nice to have someone to share the stresses of it all with.

     

    Koharu and Hikaru said their good days as both left to proceed with their own plans. Koharu was determined to not be late this time. She couldn’t risk worrying Ryuu again like the fool she was! She already felt bad enough about everything from the other day and she was hell bound and determined to make it all up to him, whatever it took!

    Koharu made her way to the shoot location with a great deal of haste, eager to make the day better than the last few. It had been a while since she had been to a set of any kind with Ryuu, and she knew very little about what exactly the goings on for the day were. Regardless, he had asked her there, and it didn’t matter what the situation was. She was prepared to be there for him.

    There was a great deal of bustle on location, yet Ryuu’s mind was elsewhere. Location shoots were always touch and go, but thankfully, things had been running pretty smoothly so far. He felt somewhat secure knowing that for this one in particular, it wasn’t someone else’s brand he had to worry about, only his own. Still, that also had him riled up a bit. This image… it still wasn’t him at all! But it didn’t matter really. He did what he had to do for himself and his group. For the benefit of those around him. At least at the beach he was at home to a degree.

    Still, he was worried about how others might start to see all this… eroticism. Others he says but he knows where a vast majority of the concerns lie. He knew Koharu saw him as he was, who he really was, but still had his concerns that all that might change one day. He just wanted to stay true to himself, to his group, and to her. All his loved ones.

    Ryuu shivered lightly at the thought, barely realizing what he run through his mind. Loved. Why did she come to mind with those thoughts? Maybe there was a sense of denial in it, but somewhere, he knew what he felt, and that what he felt was real. He just wasn’t exactly sure how to handle it.

    Thankfully, work wouldn’t let him handle it right now, let alone think of it. He had things to do, enjoyable or not. Ryuu jumped at the holler of his name, realizing he had no time to mope about all this. However, as he made his way to set up for more photos, he couldn’t help but catch a glance at a figure making its way on set. A wide and warm smile spread across his face as he watched Koharu was energetically at him. He found himself quickly waving back before getting back to it.

    Koharu didn’t mind waiting on Ryuu. She enjoyed watching him work. She enjoyed just watching him. It was enthralling to a point. Despite how shy the man could be, despite how reserved and unexperienced, he seemed so at home with all of this. He was just… a natural charmer. And Koharu wasn’t the only one to notice.

    “It just comes to him, doesn’t it?” Koharu jumped slightly as a voice interrupted her thought process. Looking beside her, she took notice of a man who had joined her in watching Ryuu. He was well dressed and composed. A professional air about him which could only bring Koharu to assume he was… someone important? Yet something seemed really familiar about him in a way.

    Even as confused and unsure as she was, Koharu was far from disagreeing with him. Giving the man a short smile before turning back to watch Ryuu again, she nodded her head firmly. “He’s a natural charmer. It’s part of what makes him so good at his job.”

    “It’s just something the two of you share in common, I suppose.” The man reaffirmed, finding himself laughing as he looked between the two idols, his expression almost analytical.

    Koharu was prepared to turn and question the man’s statement, but found him vanishing almost as suddenly as he had appeared. Left confused, Koharu found herself wondering exactly what that was about. And why was that face so familiar? It’s not like he made her uncomfortable, just confused.

    Well, it didn’t matter at that point. It didn’t really make any difference. Koharu instead decided to turn her attention back towards Ryuu and the shoot, observing as everyone prepared to take a break once more. Koharu was happy to see it, ready to actually be able to talk to her friend, but found herself pausing as she further examined the set. There were other models involved in some of the shots, which wasn’t exactly surprising. It happened from time to time, as extras were needed. Unfortunately, sometimes they seemed a bit pushy, and this? Looked like it was one of those times.

    Koharu watched as a very uncomfortable Ryuu began conversing with one of the women who he had been shooting with, a hand clinging to his arm as she leaned in too close for comfort. It was clear that the enjoyment of the conversation was not mutual, as Koharu hadn’t seen Ryuu bend back that far in a while. The unwanted attempts at flirtation drove a frustration in Koharu as she found herself fuming to a degree. She hated seeing her friends in situations like this, especially considering it seemed to happen to Ryuu in particular so often. Still, this anger was to different degree. She hated seeing someone clinging to him in such a way, it was inappropriate and… she just didn’t like it. What was she, jealous?

    Regardless, she wasn’t about to sit and let him continue to be uncomfortable. She knew what she had to do. With an otherworldly calmness, Koharu made her way to pick up a hose that had been sitting not far from where the others were. Without a second thought, Koharu turned towards the duo and fired. She felt bad that Ryuu was being caught in the crossfire, but she knew he’d live

    The pair let out light grasps as they both retracted, Ryuu finally free from the grasps of the woman beside him. In a fit of frustration, she glanced over towards Koharu with a solid look of anger on her face, crying out at her “What the hell?!”

    Koharu only smiled in response, waving the hose to the side as she tiled her head in an almost mocking way. “Sorry!” she cried out cheerfully, “you were looking a bit dry for the beach!” Koharu laughed, but her glare was harsh and defensive, and more than enough to send the other woman away.

    Ryuu stood dumbfounded at what he just happened as he watched the woman storm off to get herself cleaned up. He turned to Koharu as she threw the hose to the side, shooting a nasty look in the direction she had gone before turning and finally approaching Ryuu. “What was that about?” He questioned in concern and confusion, a hint of relief also entering his voice.

    “I saw you. You were uncomfortable Ryuu. And don’t even try to tell me you weren’t!” Koharu wagged a finger at him before he had any chance to respond, “It looks like I managed to show up just in time…. For once.”

    A relieved expression crossed Ryuu’s face as he glanced down at Koharu. “Thanks…” He stated softly, obviously very thankful for her help, but also disappointed she had to see that to begin with. This was exactly what he feared, he didn’t want her seeing him... as his image!

    “It’s okay to say no sometimes, Ryuu.” Koharu reassured him, a gentle and sympathetic expression crossing her face. Koharu walked a bit away to grab a towel before returning to the taller man. She reached up, tossing the towel over his head and giving his head a light drying, the smile never leaving her face. She carefully pulled his head down to level with her own a bit more, wanting to be able to look into his eyes a bit closer. A light blush crossed both their faces as she did, both forgetting where they were to focus on this moment in time. “You’re safe here with me, you know? So why don’t you give me a smile. A real one. A “you” smile.”

    Ryuu found himself laughing lightly, somehow not embarrassed by the whole situation. It was never hard for her to pull a smile from him. He closed his eyes for a moment, to regain himself, before opening them once more, and flashing a smile of pure gentleness and innocence. “There he is…” Koharu muttered, wiping some of the water from his face as the two continued to look at one another.

    “And there it is. The chemistry is undeniable!” Koharu and Ryuu flew about fifty feet back at the sudden introduction of a new voice into their conversation. Wow had they forgotten where they were! The two sat recovering from a panic as the voice who had interrupted them let out a heavy laugh “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”

    “Coulda fooled me!” Koharu belted out, glancing back up to find herself looking at the man who had earlier disappeared from her view. “Who are you?” she finally found herself asking, agitated by his sudden appearance right then.

    “I shouldn’t be surprised you don’t recognize me. We only met a select few time!” Koharu was only increasingly confused by the man’s statement. Granted he did look familiar, but that could mean just about anything. “My name is Hano. Goro Hano.”

    The name did, in fact ring a bell. Koharu narrowed her eyes in an almost comical way, wagging her index finger at Hano as she spoke. “You… you worked on a lot of my mom’s advertisements when she was an actress, didn’t you?” Koharu found herself smiling once more. It was always nice to be reunited with a friendly face, even if they had only met once or twice.

    “You hit the nail right on the head. I worked with you mother plenty back in the day.” Hano pulled a card from his pocket and handed it to Koharu, “And now, I’d like the pleasure of working with you and Tsunashi.” Koharu gave the man a confused look as he spoke, Ryuu also finally being pulled from his sudden fright at the mention of his name.

    Ryuu approached the pair to stand behind Koharu, who promptly handed the card back up to him as he approached. “I remember that name. You were part of a mention of an advertisement and endorsement you wanted me to be part of, right?” Ryuu looked away from the paper in his hand to glance over at the man standing before him and Koharu.

    “That’s right.” He reaffirmed with a smile, “We were all in agreements but needed just… one more person to make everything perfect. Good chemistry and all. And I think you and Koharu have excellent chemistry.”

    “I can’t tell if you’re asking me to be in an ad or trying to set us up on a date.” Koharu joked, though her face remained rather straight and confused. Ryuu, however, choked lightly at her mention, unable to take the joke at first.

    Hano only laughed at her statement, shaking his head. “I’ve been told you two have always worked well together, and seeing you both in person, I’m convinced there’s no better duo for this. I even spoke to your managers preemptively about things, and everyone agrees it’s a great idea.”

    “I’m not about to argue with what out managers think is a good idea,” Koharu began, looking up to get some degree of agreement from Ryuu, who was still a bit dazed, “but would it be possible to know exactly what we’re looking at?”

    “It’s an ad for a pair of fragrances and the idea behind it is ahh…” Hano’s sudden pause was all Koharu needed to know where this was going, feeling a sudden fit of embarrassment coming to her face already. “Rather sultry and erotic. And you two... well you fit the bill well and you work well together.

    Realizing what the idea meant, both idols felt a degree of heat coming to their faces. They wouldn’t help but have rather… sensual thoughts running through the mind at the mention of all this. Still, somehow, both couldn’t help but grateful that it was the other they’d be with if they did in fact follow through with all this. Was it a sense of comfort? Or possessiveness even?

    Koharu turned back and up to look at Ryuu, who had still been standing behind her in a daze. She had to admit him standing so close was not helping her focus. “Well? What do you think?” She questioned, a blush forming on her ears as she did.

    “If it’s with you then… I mean, if you’re comfortable with it! Not that it wouldn’t be fun to do it with you... well not it but--! Just—I’m fine with the ad if you are!” Ryuu felt himself falling into a panic once more, unable to actually form a decent sentence and causing Koharu to fall back into an even blush.

    Koharu began slapping her face as she glanced back over at Hano, who had been watching with amusement the entire time. “Well… if everything has been talked about already… I don’t see why not. I guess we’re in!”

    “That’s great to hear!” Hano smiled at Koharu’s response, nodding his head happily. ‘I look forward to working with you both! It’ll be a reminder of older time. I’ll be in touch!” After confirming things, Hano quickly took his leave, leaving Koharu and Ryuu more than a little confused and embarrassed, realizing what exactly they had gotten themselves into.

    “Well… that’s a thing I suppose.” Koharu waved Hano off, unable to bring herself to turn around. It was awkwardly quiet for a moment, the only sound around them the chatter of various set workers moving about. Koharu could feel Ryuu still standing behind her, heat radiating off his chest. She felt like she could almost hear his heartbeat, and she had to admit, it had her own going quite quickly at this point as well. Did he realize how close he was?

    Koharu turned her head to look back at Ryuu finally, pulling away slightly as she did. He himself seemed lost in a daze this time, his own mind likely considering the situation. He had a light blush about him and a shy but lost smile as he continued to stare off without a word. Koharu gave him a concerned look, placing a hand on his arm to once again gain his attention. Snapping back to reality, Ryuu gazed down at her thoughtfully, the blush still lingering but fading into a kindly one as he smiled. “Ahh, sorry. I think I lost myself a bit there.”

     

    Once Koharu and Ryuu had managed to recompose themselves, the rest of the day seemed to carry on as normal. When Ryuu had finally been released from his work binds, it had already gotten decently late, and he wasn’t about to let Koharu wander home on her own. Offering once again to see her back, the two set off to return to their humble abodes.

    Despite the recovery they had had during the shoot, it had once again become somewhat awkwardly quiet on the way back. Ryuu seemed a bit lost out somewhere in another world in a similar way that Koharu had been just a few days before. His sudden lost composure caused Koharu to show a degree of concern, finally breaking the silence to question him as they walked, well aware of just what was likely to be on his mind. “Are you… okay with all of this?”

    Ryuu felt himself jump a bit at her sudden question, realizing only then just how quiet everything had been. “What do you mean?” He replied, gazing down at Koharu, who had her gaze focused ahead of her, her look somewhat sad.

    “I just…” Koharu craned her neck to look up towards the dark sky for a moment as she thought, “you don’t seem like you’re very eager to be doing this... with me.” She finally elected to look over at Ryuu, who had a sudden confused look upon his face. She spoke lightly, a hint of concern on her breath “You’re not upset about this or anything, are you? Or, you know, with me?”

    Ryuu recoiled at her words in shock, “N-no! Of course not! I could never be upset with you!” He wasn’t lying of course. It was true he was nervous, but he could never be upset with Koharu, she hadn’t done anything. “I always love working with you! I’m just… not the greatest with this stuff, that’s all! It’s just nerves…” He reassured her, but he knew that was only half the issue. In reality, he was nervous because of her. Not because he was mad at her or anything, but because he cared about her. A lot. And working on something seen as so… sensual with her? Well, he was worried about what she may come to think of him. And if he’d even be able to keep himself under control.

    “You’re a natural charmer you know.” Koharu threw her two cents in as she looked back forward, a shy smile forming on her face. “I think you’re great at everything you do. And I’m sure this will be no different.” Koharu was just as worried about all this as he was, but she wasn’t about to let him see that. She wanted him to know that she was looking forward to their time together, as she always did, and that no amount of awkwardness would change that.

    Koharu’s dorm had soon came into view, and it wasn’t long before the pair were directly in front of it. But a simple goodbye wasn’t going to do this time. With a hop in her step, Koharu jumped forward, stopping directly in front of Ryuu as she smiled up at him brightly. “Ryunosuke, I look forward to working with you. We’ll take good care of one another.”

    Ryuu stood dumbfounded for a moment as he looked over Koharu. Her face and smile, it all seemed so genuine without a hint of resignation. It put him to shame almost for feeling as he did. She looked so happy, so precious, even beautiful in a way, and her smile was nothing if not contagious. Ryuu smiled gently in return, the smile one of pure contentment and gentleness, “Yes! Let’s be good to one another, Koharu.”

    Koharu smiled as she and Ryuu said their goodbyes for the night, watching his back kindly as he walked off. She wasn’t sure how long she just stood there, watching him, and she didn’t care. She was alone, with him, even if only in her thoughts at that very moment.

    Koharu eventually elected to finally make her way into the dorm, shutting the door behind her and letting out a heavy sigh that consisted of a mixture of relief and happiness. She felt a shudder run through her body as she slouched forward, running a hand over her face as she continued to think on everything that had happened.

    “You’re back!” Hikaru smiled at the sound of the doors closing, making her way to see her dormmate. However, her face turned to one of concern as she observed Koharu leaning against the door in a rather slumpish position. “Did everything go okay?” She questioned with a concerned smile.

    A wave of relief washed over Hikaru’s face as Koharu smiled up to her with a genuinely satisfied smile. Straightening herself up, Koharu approached her dormmate. Placing her hands on her shoulders, she spoke in a light and passionate tone, “Couldn’t have been better.”

    The pair made way to sit down on the couch, and Koharu mused to Hikaru about the events of the day, the pair laughing as she regaled everything from the excitement to the awkwardness of her experiences. “I wish I could say that I was surprised you’d attack someone with a hose like that,” Hikaru laughed at the mere thought of Koharu getting so on edge, “But it really does sound like something you’d do.” Koharu was a very defensive friend, and Hikaru knew it. She always had her friend’s backs, especially when it came to Ryuu and Hikaru, and it was honestly one of her more endearing qualities.

    “”Attacked” is such a strong word. It’s more akin to… dissuaded her from being so direct with people.” Koharu leaned back as she thought to prior events, her earlier frustration at the subject having faded into a devilish smile.

    “At least it managed to earn you some more bonding time with Ryuu.” Hikaru laughed at Koharu’s expression and enthusiasm on the subject. Still, despite Koharu’s relaxed mood, there was a lingering thought in her mind, and Hikaru knew it. “But seriously, how do you feel about this advertisement? Given how you’re feelings with Ryuu already are, I mean.”

    “I’m not sure I follow.” Koharu did what she could to evade the topic, worried about letting her nerves spill out all over the place again. “It’s just a job, you know? Nothing to dig too deeply into. We’re both professionals, after all!”

    “Oh, don’t give me that! We both know how you feel about him, and working with him on something so, umm, sexy I guess? You’ve got to be at least excited? Nervous? Something!” Hikaru knew Koharu better than that, and was not prepared to let her live in denial. Koharu certainly didn’t let Hikaru live her own affections for Sogo down. In fact, she encouraged them. The least Hikaru could seem to do was return the favor at points, because she knew that no one where was getting anywhere by themselves.

    Koharu leaned pulled herself from the back of the couch, leaning forward was an analytical expression on her face. It wasn’t a mask that lasted for long, however, as Koharu began to think about how she really did feel about all this. With a hard thump, Koharu leaned back at the couch again, grabbing a pillow and shoving it towards her face to hide the bright red color that had consumed it. “I’m a damn mess Hika-chan. I’m nervous, he’s nervous… He’s denying it but I know something is bothering him about this!”

    ‘Do you wanna know what I think?” Hikaru scooted closer towards Koharu, prying the pillow from her face as she glanced at her slumped dormmate, “I think he’s just nervous because he cares about you so much.” Koharu gave Hikaru a genuine look, her face relaxing once more as the red began draining itself. “You two should relax together, spend more time together! You’ll never get anywhere for feel any better about it if you don’t.”

    Koharu sat up once more, running a hand down her face and letting out a large breath. “You’re right… thanks Hika-chan. Here I am supposed to be composed.” Koharu glanced over Hikaru as the two sat smiling at one another, another teasing grin finding it’s way to her face. “so then, when are you going to start taking your own advice?” She asked with a hum in her voice.

    Hikaru shot bright red and didn’t hesitate to swing the pillow she had taken from Koharu right back at her. “Ko-chan!!” she bellowed out in an embarrassed tone. Koharu couldn’t help but laugh at her friend as he onslaught continued, the pair soon almost doubled over from a lack of breathe from laughter. Despite all the troubles, all the conflicts and confusion, it was nice for the pair to have somewhere to go at the end of the day to talk about all their problems. After all, it seemed like they really needed all the help they could get.