Chapter Text
“I just need one thing,” Kasumi said as soon as the call connected.
“We didn’t even greet each other, and you’re already asking for a favor. How rude.” Karin sounded annoyed on the other end, though Kasumi had grown used to that tone of Karin’s over the past couple of months. “Also, with you it’s never just one thing.”
“I’m serious. I watched a recording of us dancing together, and one part bothered me.” The two of them danced together at Ai’s bar, Passion Fruit, and Rina recorded it, just like with all of Kasumi’s sets there. Kasumi sat down, rewatched it for the fourth time—for studying purposes, she told herself even though she watched Karin more than herself—and found a mistake. Of course she would notify Karin about it. “You’ll understand when you see it.”
“‘When I see it’? Why haven’t you sent it yet, then?” Kasumi didn’t know how to answer that. She hadn’t planned far enough ahead. “You want to come over.”
“W-Well, how else would we fix it?”
“One thing turns into two.” Kasumi groaned. She’d never admit that Karin was right about her, even though it was clear that, over the past few weeks, they learned more and more about each other. Kasumi knew there were downsides to the free dance lessons Karin gave her; she just didn’t know exactly what those downsides were until this conversation happened.
“Whatever. Can I come over or what?”
“There better not be more things when you get here.” Before she could respond, Kasumi heard the call disconnect. After saying words about Karin that a professional idol would never be heard saying, Kasumi grabbed the bag she’d already packed with workout clothes and headed to the door.
“Have fun,” Rina called from the couch in their living room. Kasumi wondered how much Rina knew of her intentions. Sure, she did want to spend time with Karin, but it was strictly for professional reasons. Kasumi tried explaining this to Rina over and over, but Rina just looked at her blankly each time, responding in one-word sentences that made Kasumi wonder if she really understood.
Instead of sitting down and explaining it again, Kasumi said from the door, “I’ll be back.” After all, Karin was waiting.
* * *
Kasumi arrived at Karin’s apartment, looked up and sighed. Why someone would want to live at the top of a giant building, Kasumi would never know. It meant excruciatingly long elevator rides every time she visited Karin. Despite that, Kasumi kept coming back.
After an eternity-and-a-half in the elevator, Kasumi went to Karin’s door and knocked. Karin opened it and welcomed Kasumi in.
“Even though you say that, I don’t feel welcome,” Kasumi said as she walked inside. She looked up at Karin. Kasumi cursed Karin’s genes. Being as tall and well-endowed as Karin was just unfair.
“I’m just being polite. I guess I shouldn’t expect you to understand that.” The two of them exchanged more pleasantries as sharp as the daggers they stared at each other. Kasumi broke the staring competition first as she headed to the empty room she and Karin usually practiced in. As much as Kasumi enjoyed slinging insults and malicious compliments at Karin, she did make this visit under the premise that they’d work on something. As soon as they entered that room, it was all business.
Karin was on the same page, it seemed, as she asked, “So what’s this mistake you’re talking about?” Kasumi pulled out her phone and opened the video of them dancing together on stage. She scrolled to the part of the song where they held each other.
“Right here. You’re kinda slow to grab back onto me. Now that I’m seeing it again, I do remember your stupid fingers jabbing into my side.”
“That was something I adjusted because you always missed it during practice.” Karin watched it again. “It’s crazy how your timing for that twirl into me was always off when we were in this room with no one watching, but when you have an audience you don’t mess up.”
“I perform better under pressure.” Kasumi puffed out her chest, ready to be praised.
“Well, you’re still not perfect,” Karin said as she kept playing the video. Kasumi made small mistakes all over, and Karin pointed each of them out, pausing on each. “Oof. That part.” In the video, Kasumi popped her elbow up a little too high, and Karin barely dodged it by backing away. It looked kinda cool in hindsight, but it could have ended in disaster.
Though there are times when Karin deserves an elbow to the face.
“What’s with that smirk?” Karin asked. After Kasumi shook her head back and forth, Karin continued, “Look, I didn’t expect you to nail the timing on that one part. But it’s hard to say I can trust you when I have to worry about dodging elbows.”
Maybe that was the problem. They didn’t trust each other. When Kasumi suggested it, Karin agreed. They quickly apologized for their mistakes and said they’d work on the performance.
The sun had set well beyond the horizon before Kasumi even arrived at Karin’s. Kasumi locked her phone and looked at the time. She looked at Karin. Silence hung in the air like an unfinished melody.
Kasumi wanted, desperately, to work on the parts they struggled on. Working on something fresh in her mind was much more effective than waiting for another day. But she also wanted to prove Karin wrong for once. One thing may have turned into two, but it didn’t need to go any further.
“A-Ahem. Looks like I brought my bag for nothing. I’ll be going now.” Kasumi grabbed her bag and walked to the door, all at a snail’s pace.
“Yeah, see you whenever you need another favor.” Kasumi growled at Karin, who stood up from the floor. Karin led Kasumi out of the room and towards the entrance. “What will I have tonight?” Kasumi heard Karin’s footsteps get further away. As she looked back, she saw Karin head into the kitchen.
Karin Asaka’s Kitchen Secrets. That’d be a fun headline for the magazines.
Kasumi jumped out from around the corner and said, “What are you snacking on right now?” Karin didn’t seem to react, as if she had already guessed Kasumi would check in on her.
“Who are you supposed to be? The diet police?” Karin turned to Kasumi with a bottle in her hands.
“Wine? Really?”
“Seems like a fine night to drink.”
“Who gets drunk on wine? Are you a psychopath?” Kasumi vaguely remembered hearing something about alcohol and one’s propensity for murder.
“I thought they drank gin.”
“You’re building a strong case for yourself.”
“Most of the time I drink vodka,” Karin stated. Kasumi also didn’t know how someone could only drink hard liquor, even though Karin said it was for dietary reasons. Vodka on good days and gin on bad days, Karin had told her during one of their many hangouts.
“So you’re only part crazy.”
“And you’re better for drinking Cosmos every night because they’re cute.” Cosmopolitans were cute. Kasumi would never deny the reason why she drank them.
“It’s called having an image. I figured you would know all about that.” Kasumi eyed the bottle of wine again. Maybe it was a fine night to drink.
Two things turn to three?
After shaking that thought away, Kasumi asked, “Why are you drinking wine, anyway? Just get your driver to take you to the convenience store if you’re out of gin.”
“I’m not out. My manager gives me wine bottles every time we land a new deal. I’ve been saving them for a boring night.” Karin brought out two more bottles.
“That looks like it’d ruin your diet.”
“Everything is fine in moderation,” Karin sang as she uncorked the first bottle.
“Moderation?” Kasumi asked as she counted the number of bottles out loud. “I don’t drink wine too often, but I’m pretty sure that’s enough liquor for five hangovers.”
“I’m not going to finish every bottle. Wine is for sipping. I suppose you don’t know that.”
“Of course I know that. I drink wine… if it’s there and someone’s offering.” Karin stopped in her tracks and looked at Kasumi.
“Hm. If you insist.” Karin brought out two glasses and poured, the dark red liquid filling each glass halfway. “Since you’re such a wine aficionado, you’d probably appreciate this.” Karin continued with the brand and the year, though Kasumi didn’t know what any of that meant.
“Well, it’s here and someone’s offering.” Kasumi grabbed a glass. Karin raised the other one towards Kasumi. They clinked them together and took sips of the wine. The wine was a dry Cabernet. Kasumi hated it. She ignored the taste as she saw Karin glancing at her. “Delicious.”
“I really love the subtle notes of vanilla and raspberry.” Kasumi nodded and hummed in agreement. “One might even say they aren’t even there, idiot,” Karin continued after a quick chuckle.
“Oh, shut up. Want to stand all night or can we sit?”
“All night?” Kasumi cursed herself for slipping up. “Did you pack pajamas in that bag of yours?”
“Hell no. Workout clothes.” However, they were comfortable enough to sleep in. Kasumi also wouldn’t be caught dead without a toothbrush. Sleeping over was a vague possibility, not a planned outcome. Kasumi just wanted to be prepared for anything.
As Kasumi ran through all those explanations in her head, Karin said, “I’m not airport security, Nakasu. Just throw it on the couch. That’s where you’ll be sleeping, after all.” Karin’s apartment had a few rooms but only one bedroom. The other rooms were converted into Karin’s study and the small dance studio.
Kasumi begrudgingly followed those instructions as Karin shooed her away from the kitchen. When she came back, she sat down on a stool next to Karin. They sipped their wine—quickly finishing their first glass and moving onto the next bottle, a pleasant, sweet red blend that Kasumi enjoyed—and chatted about whatever came to mind, making sure to insert little jabs at each other’s ego with each topic.
That was one thing Kasumi enjoyed about spending time with Karin. She’d never get bored with their talks because she could always find a chance to make a joke about something. Karin’s reactions and retorts were also entertaining. The two of them had grown so comfortable with each other that engaging in banter became second nature.
However, their playful banter often walked the dangerous line between joking and flirting. Kasumi didn’t know Karin’s intentions but figured it was alright as long as neither of them got the wrong idea. She told herself that, but she’d gotten the wrong idea over and over again. Karin was obscenely talented at being sexy and flirty, and Kasumi’s heart would skip a beat whenever Karin dropped one-liners. Kasumi would retaliate in kind, but she thought she seemed childish when compared to Karin.
After one devastating kiss Karin blew Kasumi’s way (as part of Karin’s claim that she could win over an audience in ways Kasumi couldn’t), Kasumi muttered, “It’s a surprise you’ve only dated one person with those skills of yours.” As soon as Karin’s expression shifted, Kasumi continued, “Ah, my bad.”
“No, it’s alright. I already told Ayumu everything, so I guess I can tell you.” Karin explained her past with Emma. How they were best-friends-turned-lovers during their final year in high school, how Emma left the country to start working near her family in Switzerland, and how Karin started the fight between them that ended their relationship.
“Damn. I’m sorry,” Kasumi said as Karin finished her story. Karin took a sip and shook her head.
“The reason why I explained all that is to say: I have dated people other than Emma. I’ve been through more first dates than I can count on my hands—a couple one night stands, too—but those relationships never last for one reason or another. That’s my fault, really. I’m usually the one who ends things before they can get super serious.
“I don’t think I loved anyone I’ve dated after Emma. No one has ever really made me feel like she did.” Karin’s gaze went far past Kasumi now.
“Maybe because you never gave them a chance to make you feel that way.” Karin hummed at Kasumi’s suggestion.
“Maybe.” Kasumi watched as Karin visibly came back to the present. “In any case, I’m happy with where I’m at right now. It’s not like I need to be in a relationship.”
Those words, though sounding perfectly fine when they came out of Karin’s mouth, held a tinge of bitterness in them.
Instead of calling Karin out on it, Kasumi decided to lighten the mood and said, “Yeah, I’m sure you’re happy. You can use all that extra time to check yourself out in your mirror.” Karin chuckled at the suggestion.
“You’re not entirely wrong. The people I’ve dated don’t have the same attention to detail I have. Or, instead of pointing things out, they’d just say I look great.” Karin took another sip of wine while glancing at Kasumi.
When don’t you look great?
“You’re looking pretty sloppy right now, Asaka.” Kasumi proceeded to point out the wrinkles in Karin’s clothes. “Definitely not photo-ready.”
“What if it’s a candid shot? Karin Asaka during her daily life.” Karin sent a subtle smile in Kasumi's direction.
“Perfectly sloppy, then.”
“So I do look great?”
“Not the words I used.”
“When did you get so good at avoiding the truth?” The two of them laughed and sipped more of their wine. Kasumi enjoyed finishing the glass, and Karin poured them more from the same bottle. “You like it?”
“Yeah, don’t you?”
“It’s way too sweet for wine.”
“Great. We can argue on even more things when it comes to taste.” They both sipped at their wine. Kasumi started feeling a little buzz, but she was nowhere near drunk. She was glad both of them could handle their liquor. It’d be a shame if either of them got too drunk too quickly.
Kasumi was having fun. Even when the conversation shifted to more serious topics, and they cut down on their joking, it was still enjoyable. Karin was an onion with many layers—and she was tall and lumbering like an ogre, too.
As Kasumi inwardly laughed at the Shrek reference she made, Karin asked, “What about you, Kasumi? I can’t believe you’ve never dated anyone before.”
“Why can’t you believe that? I’m too cute to never have been in a relationship, huh?” Karin paused at Kasumi’s question. “Please flatter me. I’m waiting.”
“Sure. You’re ‘too cute.’” Kasumi wondered if Karin could sound any less convincing. Karin continued, “I wanna hear your story.”
“Don’t act like you don’t believe that answer.” Karin shrugged. Kasumi thought of withholding the truth. It would be so easy. At the same time, Karin just opened up to her, so Kasumi should repay the favor. Karin wasn’t one to gossip, anyway.
“I mean, you know how I felt about Nico-senpai. I thought, maybe if I kept holding onto those feelings, there’d be one day when it paid off. We talked from time to time after high school. She kept me updated on the big events, like when she signed with her first agency. I guess… every time we talked, I fell in love all over again.
“Six whole years holding onto hope, along with trying my best to become an idol she’d admire as well, for what? Now she’s dating that future doctor or whatever. Someone who’s not even involved in the idol scene.” Kasumi explained how her approach was all wrong. It didn’t matter if she became an amazing idol or not, at least when it came to Nico falling in love with her. “You can’t make people fall in love with you just by accomplishing things.”
“I kinda know what you mean.” Karin explained how people would say they were in love with her, when they didn’t really know her. They only knew of her fame and accomplishments. “That’s not real love.”
“Exactly why I said it was the wrong approach.”
“You two wouldn’t be in the same situation as my misguided fans, though. You did know each other.”
“Yeah. I even became an idol because of her. Even though it started because of a little crush… I really love singing and dancing. I’m grateful I met her.” The two of them were silent for a while.
Kasumi had never said those words about Nico out loud. Conversations alone with Karin tended to end up with one of them spilling secrets. She felt a lot better now that she put her feelings into words.
“Anyway, I’ve given up on that. Besides, I want to be an idol. Everyone knows idols can’t date,” Kasumi said after taking a long drink. Karin even raised her eyebrows when Kasumi’s lips were on her glass for more than a second.
“On the bright side, you can use that extra time well, too.”
“Yeah, I guess I could spend it… fixing my dance partner’s mistakes.” Even though Karin shook her head back and forth at that sentence, a smile played upon her lips. “Cheers.”
“To?” Karin asked as she raised her glass.
“To being single,” Kasumi said. Karin nodded and repeated Kasumi’s words. The two of them clinked glasses and finished off their wine.
Karin popped open the last bottle. It was another type of red wine—Zinfandel, Karin called it while emphasizing each syllable—and it tasted neither too sweet nor too dry. Kasumi was buzzed enough to the point where the taste didn’t really matter, anyway.
Kasumi enjoyed both the wine and the silence. It felt like their conversation about relationships had reached a satisfying conclusion. Now she sat there, not knowing what to talk about or whether they needed to. As much fun as it was doing their normal back-and-forth, just sitting in Karin’s company was also nice in its own way.
Karin broke the silence first, saying, “Speaking of using our time, I have an idea.” Before Kasumi could ask about it, Karin stood up and walked towards her room. Kasumi swirled the wine in her glass around—maybe she’d seem like a wine person if she copied what they did—as she waited.
After a couple of minutes, Karin returned with a speaker and her phone in hand. Some music would be nice, Kasumi thought. Karin brought it over to the living room. Kasumi followed with their glasses of wine. Karin stood next to the little coffee table. Without saying anything, the two of them moved the table towards the large windows overlooking Shibuya. Kasumi picked the wine glasses up from the floor and put them on the table. Karin shut the curtains, obscuring them from the view of any onlookers from the many tall buildings in the city.
“What are we doing?” Kasumi asked as Karin set up the speaker on the table.
“Let’s dance.”
“Are you sober enough to remember all the fixes we talked about?” Kasumi wasn’t.
“Hell no. But we had issues with teamwork, right? Maybe we just need to dance more together to fix that.” Kasumi didn’t know if she agreed, but she didn’t complain about it.
“Why not?” Kasumi thought about what they could do in their drunken states. “Slow dance with me.”
“Already on it.” Kasumi walked over to the table and eyed the playlist Karin put on.
“Slow Love Songs.” How matter-of-fact.
As Kasumi was thinking of how simple and straightforward the playlist name was—much unlike the woman who created the playlist—the music came on. Kasumi hummed as she started swaying to the rhythm. Karin followed suit, even grabbing their glasses to the beat. Kasumi snorted when she saw that.
The two of them took more sips of wine. When they had placed their glasses back on the table, Karin wrapped her arms around Kasumi, resting her hands on the small of Kasumi’s back. Kasumi reached up with her arms. The warmth Kasumi felt was as intoxicating as the liquor. Karin smelled like lavender and wine, and Kasumi bathed in it as they swayed together.
“I’ll lead,” Karin said.
“Lead what? I thought we were just going to do this all night.”
“Wouldn’t that be boring?” Kasumi agreed in theory. But if being held by Karin was “boring,” Kasumi wouldn’t mind being bored the rest of her life.
Shit.
Kasumi knew she was attracted to Karin. She had been for a while now. It wasn’t her fault Karin was hot, and successful, and caring, and passionate. The list went on and on, growing each time they spent time together. Kasumi had even written it all down in her diary, checklist style, as if Karin had to meet all those qualifications in order for Kasumi to even give her a chance. In Kasumi’s head, another box had been created and checked at the same time: great at holding her.
Or maybe I just want to be in her arms.
Kasumi didn’t want to think about that much longer. She already knew where she stood in this relationship. Besides, she and Karin had just agreed on being better off single.
Those thoughts faded as Kasumi focused on matching Karin’s movements. They danced like spouses at weddings. Every time they separated and came back together, Kasumi felt electricity throughout her entire body. When they went back to swaying, all Kasumi could think about was the friction between them.
I need to get used to this if we’re ever gonna dance again.
It was unprofessional, Kasumi told herself, feeling like a match striking a matchbox every time they pressed against each other. Dance partners shouldn’t catch feelings each time they dance. There was no way they could work together properly if that was the case.
And yet, there Kasumi was. She looked up at Karin, wondering how she was holding up.
Karin looked straight at Kasumi the entire time. Kasumi wanted to drown in those ocean-blue eyes. She broke the stare first. Her gaze traveled to Karin’s lips. They were covered in a lovely dark red. So lovely that Kasumi wouldn’t mind smashing her lips into them.
Wait. She wasn’t wearing that earlier.
“Lipstick,” Kasumi said. Karin froze at the word.
“A-Ah, yeah it’s a new one.” Kasumi swore she’d seen it before on Karin. “Do you… I mean… what do you think about it?” Obviously it looked incredible on Karin. That wasn’t the point.
“Why are you wearing lipstick in the first place? Don’t tell me you put it on for me.”
“N-No way in hell,” Karin spat out. Kasumi raised an eyebrow, silently asking for elaboration. “I… was thinking of going to a party tonight and wearing it there. Since you came over I haven't had a chance. So I tried it on.”
“Bullshit. If I wasn’t here, you’d be in your office reading magazines all night.” Karin glared at Kasumi.
“... Shut up.” Karin stepped away to the beat. Kasumi let out a chuckle and twirled, her fingertips stuck together with Karin’s like magnets.
“There’s a headline for you: Only her friends know Karin Asaka is a loner.” Karin took control of Kasumi’s hand and pulled her back in. Their bodies squeezed together. Karin’s other hand pressed against the small of Kasumi’s back, as if Karin wanted to pull her impossibly closer. Heat bloomed in Kasumi’s chest like a flower in the springtime, and—as much as she wanted to make an excuse to herself—she knew it wasn’t just the alcohol.
“Wrong.” Karin dipped Kasumi and brought her face closer. “I’m not alone now, am I?” Karin’s low voice vibrated through Kasumi, like how certain song sections would send shivers all over her skin. “You caught me. It’s for you.”
“W-Why?”
“To draw your attention.” Kasumi didn’t understand. Karin must have seen that because she continued, “I want to kiss you, Kasumi.”
That kiss didn’t come immediately. Kasumi asked, ”Are you waiting for me to give you permission?”
“I’ve heard too many horror stories from other models. Plus… I want to do this right.”
“After all that talk about being single?” Despite Kasumi asking a question giving the impression that she didn’t want to kiss Karin, she didn’t back away.
“We don’t have to date. It’d just be one kiss.” Another lie. Even Kasumi knew that was wrong.
“You do know it’s never just one thing with me, Karin,” Kasumi said, thinking about the night they had.
“I do.” The two of them stood up together without letting each other go. Their hips moved to the music. Kasumi could feel Karin’s hot breaths against her face. “One mistake led to two friends sharing three bottles of wine—”
“Which leads to?”
“Foreplay?” Kasumi held back a yelp as Karin moved her hands to Kasumi’s hips.
“Would it kill you to be less sexual?”
“Right now? Maybe.” Kasumi scoffed. Karin moved her face closer.
“I was going to suggest, ‘Staying up until four in the morning.’” Kasumi whispered those words as if someone was listening to them, waiting for something scoop-worthy to be said.
“Those things aren’t mutually exclusive,” Karin whispered right back.
“You’d be asking for permission all night.” Karin hummed as Kasumi moved her hands up to Karin’s shoulders.
“Not if you beg me for more.” Kasumi’s breath hitched. She watched Karin’s lips curve into a smirk.
“Shut up and kiss me already.” Karin obliged in an instant, her lips pressing against Kasumi, warm and hungry.
Karin pulled away before kissing Kasumi again. Because it was Kasumi’s first time kissing someone, she let Karin take the lead for now. She made it her mission to learn as much as she could by matching Karin.
When prompted, Kasumi opened her lips to make way for Karin’s tongue.
Their kisses resembled their conversations, with back-and-forth battles for who was taking the lead, pauses to listen and give each other exactly what they wanted, and moments where one of them completely gave in to the other.
Kasumi knew it was only a matter of time before the kisses led to more.
After all, one thing leads to another.