Chapter 17

Misaki automatically grabbed Emi's arm to stop her from getting closer to the man staring at the apartment.

"Misa-nee? What's wrong?" Emi frowned and saw her eyes on the man. "Do you know him? Is he dangerous?" Emi stepped back.

"I'm not sure..." I can't tell if it's the same man or not. I think they're similar in height, and they both have a hood up with a hat on.

The man turned, and Misaki braced herself.

"Run if you have to," she whispered to her little sister.

"O-okay, but you're running too, right?"

He spotted them and waved. "Misa!" he called out.

Wait, that voice. Misaki sighed, her shoulders slouching as her knees nearly gave out.

"He knows you? Do we need to run? Wait a second." Emi tapped her chin as she thought. "He sounds super familiar."

He approached them. "Sorry for showing up out of nowhere..." His eyes, hidden behind sunglasses, trailed over to her sister.

Emi's eyes lit up. "He totally sounds like Ren—"

Misaki clamped her free hand over her sister's mouth. "Don't say it," she whispered. "Got it?"

Emi nodded, so Misaki pulled her hand away. "Does that mean it really is him?" Emi couldn't hide her excitement, bouncing up and down as she bit her lip.

"Emi, inside now, please."

"Wait, you're not going to let me meet him?"

"We're all going inside." Can't talk out here. Misaki gripped her bags tight and rushed toward him.

"Hey, what were you girls up to?" Ren eyed their bags.

"Let's go." Misaki grabbed his hand without thinking and pulled him along.

"Here, I'll take your bags." Ren freed up her other hand so she could unlock the apartment entrance for them, smiling all the while because of their clasped hands.

Emi's eyes sparkled as she stared up at him from the side, wishing he'd take the disguise off.

Inside, they headed into the recently fixed elevator.

"Oh!" Misaki gasped and pulled her hand away from Ren's. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have dragged you around." Can't believe I took his hand like that. I could've told him to follow me.

"Aw," Ren pouted, his hand missing hers already. "Don't apologize for holding my hand; I quite enjoyed it. Now that it's free, I'll help with your bags, too." Ren held his hand out to Emi, who squealed and handed her bags over.

Enjoyed it? Misaki gripped her hands in front of her as her cheeks warmed.

"Such a gentleman." Emi giggled, still bouncing as she resisted the urge to jump at him for a hug.

After the short elevator ride, the three headed into Misaki's apartment.

"Where should I leave these?" Ren asked.

"You can drop them off in my room for now. I'll get started on tea." Misaki leaned close to Emi. "Please stay calm," she whispered and headed into the kitchen, afraid to take her mask off because of her pink cheeks.

"But..." Emi stared, wide-eyed, as Ren dropped the bags in Misaki's bedroom. "He just went into... Wait, you let him into your room?" Her jaw hung open. "W-what's going on between you two?"

Ren came back to the living room and took his disguise off, dropping it on the coffee table. "You are the spitting image of Misaki during her training years. You must be Emi, if I remember correctly." Ren bowed and took Emi's hand, kissing the back of it.

Oh no! She's going to explode after that!

"Oh! I-I... You know who I am?! And you kissed my hand?" Emi smiled wider than ever before. "I can't believe this! I must be dreaming." She sank back onto the couch behind her.

So much for staying calm. "I'm surprised you remembered her name." Misaki approached them while she waited for the water to heat. "I don't think I've mentioned it recently."

"You used to talk about her during our training days. If anything, it seemed like you wanted to be an idol for her." Ren smiled and sat on the same couch as Emi, leaving the space in the middle for Misaki.

He remembered from way back then?

"Ahem," Emi cleared her throat. "There're a few things I need explanations about, but first things first: is it too much to ask for an autograph?" Emi pulled out a small notebook and a pen from her purse. "Oh, I also got a new poster; maybe that would be better."

"Of course, it's not too much. And I'll sign both if you want me to." Ren winked at Emi, and she nearly fainted.

"Oh my." She held her hand over her racing heart. "I can't believe this." She handed over the notebook.

Ren signed it: To Emi, keep dreaming. Ren Hayase.

"Thank you so much. I'll treasure this forever."

"I'm sorry I didn't mention my sister is a superfan." Misaki sighed and brought over the tea for all three of them, setting it on the coffee table.

"Sorry for what? I love my fans."

"Can I ask something?" Emi leaned closer.

"What is it, Emi?" Ren asked.

She held herself back from squealing at the sound of Ren saying her name. "W-what's going on between you two? Are you two... you know?" She couldn't help but think about how he went into her bedroom without a second thought, or how he called her Misa with such familiarity.

"No," Misaki said right away and went back into the kitchen to set up their fried chicken on plates.

"Maybe someday," Ren sighed, watching her walk away.

Did he just...? Nope. Don't go down that road. It won't do any good.

Emi clapped and bounced on the couch. "I could totally ship you two," Emi whispered to Ren, giving him a thumbs-up.

"That so?" Ren smirked, the lightest of pink tingeing his cheeks.

"Hey, want to see something cool we picked up at the mall?" Emi asked, her eyes sparkling.

"Sure."

Emi rushed into Misaki's bedroom and returned with the three plushies she'd picked up, plus a poster of Hayase for him to sign. "This one is you." Emi held up her Ren plush. "Here's Shun, and this one is Misaki."

Ren's eyes lit up. "A Misa plush? May I?"

Emi handed her over.

"Didn't know there was one around, or I would've already picked one up." He chuckled. "Any chance there's more than one?"

"Sadly, no. I got the last one there. I'd offer her up to you, but something tells me you'll end up seeing my sister more than I do, so I need her more."

"You're probably right. Thanks for at least thinking about it."

"What are you two chatting about?" Misaki rounded the coffee table to set down plates of chicken and fries to share. What is she doing there? She spotted the plush Misaki sitting on Ren's lap, his arms around her.

"Hope you don't mind little Misa is visiting me right now." Ren couldn't fight back his smile.

Her pulse skipped a beat. Of all the things to say in front of my sister...

"She looks comfortable," Emi said as she did the same with the Ren and Shun plushies.

"Well, don't get them dirty while we eat." Misaki sat on the floor across from them.

"Why are you sitting over there? There's space here." Ren patted the space beside him on the couch.

"I'm fine here."

"At least switch with me; I can sit on the floor instead."

She held up her hand. "Just stay there. By the way, did you stop by for something?" Misaki asked and bit into a piece of crispy fried chicken.

"Well, I was just checking up on you. No one answered when I buzzed your apartment, so I tried your phone, and it went to voicemail, which worried me more."

I turned it off to go shopping uninterrupted.

"That's so sweet!" Emi popped a piece of chicken in her mouth to hide her grin.

"Especially after that photo popped up, not that I've seen anyone identify it as you." Ren glanced at Emi, unsure if she knew.

"Photo? Oh! That was you? No one knows who it is, as far as I've seen. Is that why you were so cautious of Ren when you first saw him? Since we couldn't tell who it was at first?" Emi asked and took a bite.

Misaki froze with a fresh piece of chicken halfway to her open mouth.

"Wait, did something happen?" Ren asked.

"Nope, nothing happened. Please excuse me; I have to use the bathroom." She dropped the piece of chicken and fled to the bathroom nearby.

Dammit. Why'd she have to bring that up?