【Dream】

Sunlight bathed the room, stretching long shadows across the floor. The air conditioner hummed softly while Mitsuru rustled through some papers.

With a loud thud, Akira entered the room, darting straight to the long table in the middle. Sweat streaked down his flushed face, breath slightly heavy. He yanked out a chair and sat down. Nazuna entered a moment later and sat down far away from him.

Mitsuru glanced at the two boys; their expressions spoke it all. I think the dance practice didn't go well.

Akira rubbed a finger over his twitching eye. The idiot made me so mad; now it won't stop twitching.

Mitsuru sighed. "Did anything happen?"

"Yeah!" Nazuna jabbed a finger at Akira. "Mr Pretty Face is horrible at dancing."

Akira slammed his hand on the table, harder than he intended. "Huh? Your dancing was more horrible."

"Nazuna is a great dancer; that's what he is famous for." Mitsuru raised her eyebrow.

"See, he has no concept of good or bad dancing." Nazuna rolled his eyes. "So I was thinking, let's not include him in the MV."

Akira clenched his fists and shot up. "So teach me better; you are at fault, not me!" 

"Let's not argue." Mitsuru spoke in a raised voice, startling the boys. "I think with practice he might be able to do it."

"I am not saying he can't learn." Nazuna rubbed his temples. "We are short on time."

"Let's see what he can learn." Mitsuru settled the argument and walked up to the door. "Akira, come with me to the practice room?"

Akira stood and quietly followed Mitsuru. 

They entered the practice room, where he and Nazuna had argued earlier. Welcomed by the sharp reflection from the mirrored wall. 

Once inside. Akira took a deep breath and began complaining. He had bottled up a lot. "He kept insulting me and wasn't taking me seriously..."

"Akira." Mitsuru stopped, turned, and pressed her finger on his chest. "Isn't the professional world like this? If one of us falls behind, others will come stumbling down too."

"I-I know." He dropped his gaze. His frustration hadn't settled, but he couldn't argue with this.

"We will not include you in the MV if you can't learn." She let her words settle in. 

Akira sighed, annoyed. I can't lose composure. 

With a smile he began. "I will do my best. Though I was thinking maybe I don't have to learn the whole thing... teach me the parts where I am supposed to be the main spotlight."

"What do you mean?" Mitsuru tilted her head.

"This is an MV, right? the camera won't be on me all the time..."

"True... So you want the easy way out?"

"Why waste my time dwelling on the full thing when I should perfect my part to shine out? And I am really good with expressions; I can easily serve the face card."

"Well, that's..." She took a moment to think. "Let me discuss this with Nazuna and the manager. I have sent you the practice material; go through those until I am back."

She grabbed his hood, pulling him closer. "But we are practising until I am satisfied."

As soon as she left. He slumped onto the floor and pulled out his phone. Scrolling through the videos Mitsuru had sent, he picked one and played it. 

After watching once, he placed the phone in front of him, copying the dancer in the video. 

He clumsily followed each step until he bent and his back felt frozen. 

Sitting down, leaning his head against the mirror, he closed his eyes. Maybe I should have taken dance classes.

The door creaked open.

He sighed, expecting Mitsuru's voice scolding him for lazing around. 

"Hello. Are you new?"

He jerked upright; it wasn't Mitsuru's voice. It was calm, soft and strangely nostalgic.

Near the entrance stood a girl with long brown hair and bright green eyes. Her long floral skirt swayed gently with each step she took.

"Hey! I am Akira or Kyroxfun." He smirked, tilting his head. Where have I heard her before?

 Her eyes widened, she gasped.

"I am Jitsuko." She pointed at her chest. "Or Nyn_pi."

Akira froze. 

The golden light from the window kept pricking his eyes, but he couldn't stop staring. After six months, the two finally met in person. 

He scrambled to his feet and reached out his hand, though she was still a bit far. She took a step closer to him to take his hand. 

She flushed, lowering her gaze. "I hope you didn't have too high expectations for me....."

Her flustered face hit him harder than he expected. How could I expect anything more than this? 

He looked away. "Yes...I mean no...I mean, you are..."

"Well, you are certainly cute." She giggled.

"T-thank you." He noticed he hadn't let go of her hand. Bashfully, he pulled away; he wanted to slap himself for losing his composure. 

"I didn't know you were a shy one." She tilted her head as her hair slipped to her shoulder.

"N-no... That's not it..." He swallowed. Get a grip of yourself.  "I really wanted to meet you... It's like a dream... You are like a dream." He chuckled nervously; he noticed her wide eyes. "I-I wasn't trying to flirt..."

She burst into laughter and pinched his cheek. "Ahhhh...You are just like in your texts..."

Akira blushed and nervously rubbed the spot she pinched. 

The door opened, and Mitsuru walked in; on noticing Jitsuko, she rushed to her. Wrapping her arms around her, she squeezed Jitsuko. "You came? Why didn't you come to the meeting room?"

"I thought you guys were in here, and when I entered, I met Akira." 

Mitsuru turned to him. "Did you pinch his cheek? He is still rubbing it."

"Y-yes, she did." Akira pulled up his hood.

"Are you blushing?" Mitsuru chuckled. "Well, you aren't special; she treats everyone younger than her this way... or right... You aren't that young..." 

"I am sorry I forgot." Jitsuko laughed.

"He only looks like an idiot, but he is twenty, right?" Mitsuru smirked, patting his shoulder.

"I don't look like an idiot." Akira stuck out his tongue at Mitsuru. Finally his heart calmed down.

Jitsuko patted her head thoughtfully. "Though you are still two years younger."

Mitsuru pulled Akira closer. "Well, this meet and greet always happens; I need to help this brat learn some dancing."

Akira looked at Jitsuko. With a crooked smile he added. "I am good at dancing; I just mix a few steps."

Clearly lying.

Jitsuko giggled, "No need to feel bad. I am also not good at dancing."

Akira smiled. She has kind eyes, completely different from my aunt.