Miyuki in Tokyo

Once again, Miyuki found herself on the overcrowded train headed for Tokyo. She had been looking forward to spending the day with Jin again all week, and couldn’t help feeling a surge of enthusiasm.

I’m about an hour away, she texted him. A thumbs up responded less than a minute later.

Even though being with Jin was the most important thing to her, her thoughts always wandered back to what Komi had told her a few days ago.

“There’s something you need to know about this year’s Idol Awards. Not every singer will make it to the final day. Starting this year, there are going to be a few elimination rounds. All I know is that you’ll be paired into teams for one of them,” Komi had said.

“How does she know all that…?” Miyuki muttered to herself. “Elimination? Teams? This is all different from last year…” A deep breath helped to refocus her mind. “If that’s true, then I have to do my best so Jin can see me on stage for the final performance.”

As the train grew closer to Tokyo, she reviewed her plan for the day in her mind. More than anything, she wanted her music to capture Jin’s heart. Therefore, the highlight of her plan was karaoke, where she would sing one of her own songs.

Her stomach lurched as the train hit the brakes to stop at a station. Outside the window was the station where she had said goodbye to Jin the previous week. People crowded underneath the covered station, filling the benches while dozens of others stood around, waiting for the train to empty.

A ding signaled the doors to slide open, revealing more of the outside world. Cool wind rushed into the train, killing the stuffy heat caused by the passengers’ body heat. She took a step into the fresh air and took a deep breath following a stretch. Not wasting any time, she hurried down the street to find Jin’s house.

There were many civilians walking down the street, but due to Miyuki’s expert disguise, no one was able to recognize her. This time, she added lens-free glasses to her costume. In her mind, it was the ultimate cover. Combined with her cap and oversized coat, she would be unidentifiable.

The excitement within her bubbled over once Jin’s home came into view. Tingles marionetted her body to bounce against her will. She took a deep breath to relax herself, standing in awkward silence in front of Jin’s door until she was somewhat calm.

Knock, knock, knock. Miyuki took a step back and waited with a smile for Jin to be revealed.

It wasn’t long before she heard the door click and swing open. On the other side of the door stood Jin in blue-and-white soccer getup.

“You’re here a little bit earlier than I expected,” he said.

She bowed her head in greeting. ““I texted you an hour ago how long it’d take me to get here.”

“I was out with Yuu doing soccer practice. I don’t have my phone with me when we practice, sorry. It’s nice to see you again, Miyuki. I do have one question though.”

“Yes?” She asked.

“What's with the glasses?”

“Ah, that…” She giggled. “I can’t have people knowing I’m going to your house. I’m famous, remember? That’d cause issues for both of us.” She clasped her hands behind her back and leaned forward. “Do you like this look?”

“It’s a little odd.” He stepped to the side and motioned her to come in. When she was fully inside, he closed the door behind her. “So… I’m assuming you have a plan for today?”

“Yep!” She grinned. “I was thinking we could go out for some karaoke. Sound good?”

“Karaoke?” Jin scratched the back of his head. “If you want to, then sure. I’ve never really gone before, and I doubt it’s something I’d be interested in doing often.”

“You don’t think it’d be fun to get a free, private performance from a famous idol?” She teased.

“Not particularly,” he replied, turning Miyuki’s smirk into a pout. “But witnessing a friend’s talent in person does sound nice.”

Blush turned Miyuki into a rose. “R-really?”

“Yeah. I do have to change, so wait here for a minute. We can head out once I’m ready,” Jin turned and hurried down the hall, leaving Miyuki to herself.

It appeared that other than Miyuki and Jin, the house was empty. Making herself at home, she dropped onto the couch she had sat on when she first saw Jin since they were kids. The soft cushions dipped under her weight, providing a comfortable seat.

One of the bookshelves that lined the wall to her left had a shelf full of trophies. Curiosity overcame Miyuki, and she approached the trophy shelf. Each golden trophy was a different shape, but all of them included a soccer ball in the design. The black plaque on the front of each trophy all read phrases such as Jin Iwazaki, Player of the Year or Sakarumi High Soccer Team–National Champions, or Nanagi Junior High Soccer Team–Regional Tournament, 1st Place. Miyuki counted nine trophies on the shelf. She wondered, given how skilled he was in soccer, if he would pursue soccer as a career once he graduated.

“Alright, I’m ready,” Jin’s voice sounded from behind her.

Miyuki spun around to face him. His new outfit consisted of a blue button-up shirt and tan slacks. “Wow, you look nice. Are you treating this as a proper date?”

Jin sighed. “No. I just want to look nice when I go out.”

“I wish I could look nice when I go out with you,” Miyuki frowned. “Maybe next time I can bring my normal clothes with me and wear them while I’m inside.”

“Do what you want,” he shrugged. “Are you ready?”

“As always,” she walked over to the doorway next to Jin. Before Jin could open the door, however, she spoke. “Hey, Jin?”

“Hmm?” He paused with his hand on the doorknob.

“When you watched my performance, how did you feel?”

“I told you last week, didn’t I? I thought it was nice.” He twisted the knob and pulled the door open.

“That’s not what I meant,” she said. “What did you feel?”

“What did I feel?” He thought for a moment. “To be honest, I was shocked. I didn’t expect to see you performing on video like that. On top of that, something about the song you sang felt like you were speaking to me.”

Miyuki’s serious expression transformed into a joyful one. “I was hoping it would reach you like that! That makes me happy.” She jumped forward and wrapped her arms around his. “Now, let’s do some karaoke!”