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It was so strange, Haruka thought, how years ago, people were telling her that her smile was so weird, crooked, and blank, or that she didn’t know how to smile correctly as most people do. Those comments have affected her for a long while, even developed a complex because of it. How strange it truly was, how she found the power of a smile life-changing. When ASRUN was formed, she started smiling more because of the idol activities she was doing. She liked being an idol, loved being one. Being able to perform and share hope with other people.
However, there were many challenges and painful realizations she had to endure in her time in ASRUN, some had more lasting effects than most, but she felt like she was slowly getting better, like a calming sea after a disastrous and tumultuous storm crashing into the shore. It was thanks to everyone in MORE MORE JUMP!.
After finishing their recent one-man live, Haruka was filled with conviction that surely they will achieve incredible things in the future as MORE MORE JUMP!. ASRUN may have been her starting point but MORE MORE JUMP! must be her finish line.
She liked that thought very much.
Although she did deem it important to reconnect with her starting point. From time to time, at least.
It was a herculean task but somehow, someway, she managed to find a day when everyone has their schedules clear. At least in the morning. She had been wanting to see them for a while now and she had succeeded.
“I would like to thank all of you for being able to attend this small get-together. I know how busy you all are. It means a lot to me.”
“Haruka-kun, it’s been such a long time since we last saw each other. Of course, we would agree!”
“Besides, a reunion is long overdue, is it not?”
Haruka smiled widely at all of them, her fingers intertwined between the cup of coffee in her hands, a blush quietly making itself visible on her face.
It had been a while since she was with them. The last time Haruka was with them in the same room was the one from many months ago when they decided to disband. The memory still makes her bristle whenever she tries to think about it.
All five of them were in the same room once more after many months.
“MORE MORE JUMP! just finished its one-man live, yes?” Kiyo’s dark green hair hung shorter than their lipped smile while they sipped their soup. “I forgot to say my congratulations, Haruka.” Their squared glasses perched across their face, not as quite capturing their idol persona whose eyes were marred with light green contact lenses, blocking out the ethereal mix of brown and mint green. Haruka always considered them cynical and jaded but nonetheless, the both of them got along just fine, sort of like frenemies. There were a lot of disagreements though.
“Ah, don’t sound so happy for their success, Kiyo-kun, it’s like you’re jumping for joy, eh?” Shiori softly nudged them, sticking her tongue out at the taller ex-idol. “Haruka-kun’s head might get bigger because of that!”
Haruka narrowed her eyes playfully at Shiori, shaking her head before she directed her attention to Kiyo, “Kiyo, does this mean that you like me?”
“In your dreams, Haruka.”
“Ah, the infamous Haruka-kun and Kiyo-kun banter! How I have prayed for times like this to return!”
Shiori’s carefree personality reminded her too much of Minori and Saki combined. The freckles on her face stretched outward as she gave her signature smile. She had her hair in a loose braid today, the white camellias tangled in her fuchsia-tinted hair standing out, quite resembling the lilies Haruka always associated Minori with.
Kiyo rolled their eyes as they resumed eating their soup. The way Kiyo and Shiori acted around each other reminded Haruka of Shiho and Saki.
“Kiyo-chan and Shiori-chan,” Mai called out to them, laughing quietly as the paper towel in her hand wiped some residues of cake frosting on the side of her mouth. “You both are always so full of energy.”
Mai grew a little taller since the last time Haruka saw her but aside from that, there were no noticeable differences.
Shiori shuffled closer to Mai and threw an arm around her, surprising the younger girl.
“I missed you a lot, Mai-kun!”
A faint blush made its way on Mai’s face.
“Mai-kun, you’re too cute!”
Shiori giggled and booped Mai’s nose.
“Shiori-chan, you’re so close!”
“Shiori-san, come on, behave now,” the other person sitting next to Haruka spoke. “You’re making Mai-san too flustered.”
“You’re always no fun, Kaede-kun,” pouted Shiori before removing her arm around Mai and shifting her gaze to Haruka, “Haruka-kun, help me out here.”
Haruka merely shrugged at her and looked to Kaede, a disapproving expression on the ex-ASRUN member’s face. Her lavender hair flowed freely without the usual hair tie that hung it in a neat and clean ponytail during performances. There was a streak of blue that colored the side of Kaede’s hair, much reminiscent of that one eccentric friend Emu told her of. Kaede was the tallest member of ASRUN, next was Shiori, Haruka came in third, and Kiyo and Mai shared the same height. Haruka remembered how the idol used to tease her about their heights.
As much as Kaede annoyed her when they were starting out, she was a very kind and generous person, like a caring older sister but at the same time, incredibly calculating and has a serious edge, sort of like a mix of Airi and Shizuku when she thinks about it. She smiled to herself, thinking how delightful it would be if the three of them were ever to meet.
Kaede was one of the more laid-back people she knew when she entered the industry. Before Mai joined ASRUN, Haruka used to partner up with Kaede when it came to dancing. They’re also the ones who often come up with choreographies for their new songs. Safe to say, there was no dull moment whenever she and Kaede were together.
“It’s entirely strange no one has been bothering us since we arrived in this café,” Mai quipped. “I mean, there are only a few people here now but this is surprising.”
“With ASRUN long gone and no longer producing content,” Kiyo put a curved finger under their chin, looking over to a distance to think. “It seems our popularity has dwindled.”
“Ouch,” Shiori expressed, a hand to her chest. “Who knew we, some national top idols no less, were easily forgettable, eh?”
Once Shiori uttered those words, some invisible dark cloud shrouded her features as all of them looked amongst themselves, evident grimaces written on their faces. Haruka smiled grimly.
“Unfortunately, that’s the life of disbanded idol groups,” Kaede’s eyebrows twitched slightly after clearing her throat, quickly looking down at the pastry sweet in front of her before glancing back at the ex-ASRUN members, “We scramble endlessly to find jobs and footing if we wish to debut once more.”
Haruka didn’t know what to feel at that moment because she was also feeling the burn of trying to renovate a once successful image. ASRUN was incredibly famous, nationally accredited, and backed by a reputable agency, so it was easy for them to back then. Haruka knew how ASRUN’s disbandment would cause a ruckus but it’s that and done, then some other idol group would just debut next, forgetting them, their names, and their achievements in the process, just by the snap of an executive finger. Haruka acknowledged that at the very least.
Kaede, Kiyo, and Shiori were all individual idols signed under different companies whereas Mai was busy performing in her new troupe.
And Haruka had MORE MORE JUMP!.
A cheerful memory from their recent one-man live played before her. Her lips curled upward slightly.
There was still a long road to traverse and no doubt, there will be bumps the size of mountains that they would need to climb up to but she was determined to take their efforts one step at a time until they have reached their desired goal.
She heard Kaede sigh deeply next to her, “My deepest apologies for souring the mood, Haruka-san. I know you invited us to celebrate and reconnect.”
“Kaede, it’s fine,” Haruka waved her off, smiling sweetly at the idol. “It’s important we get to talk about things like this from time to time. Gives us a facet of reality as idols, you know?”
All of them nodded solemnly at each other.
“Speaking of idols,” beamed Shiori excitedly, a blithesome glint in her eyes. “Haruka-kun, when do we get to meet them?”
Haruka tilted her head, “Them?”
“Your new group!”
Kiyo smiled slightly, “Yes, I am very much looking forward to meeting your new group as well, Haruka.”
“It’s no fair Mai-kun got to watch your one-man live and we didn’t,” Shiori pouted once again.
“It was a very fantastic performance!” Mai agreed enthusiastically. “You should’ve been there! They were all sparkling on that stage!”
“You all were busy that day,” replied Haruka, sipping the last of her coffee from the mug. “I didn’t want to derail you from your idol activities. They might have been important.”
“Not too important to watch you go back on stage again!” Shiori exclaimed. “You know! Since the last time we saw each other!”
“Last time we saw each other was,” Kaede trailed off, and memories of Haruka’s retirement and its reason suddenly came flooding back to her. She managed to swallow a breath before shaking her head quickly.
“Was a mess,” Haruka completed. “Me, specifically.”
The table grew quiet.
“Haruka-chan, I—”
“Hey,” Haruka quickly looked to Mai, putting a hand over Mai’s tightly clasped ones on the table. “We’ve gone over this before, yeah? I’m getting better now.”
Mai looked apprehensive at first before her features softened a bit from the comforting way Haruka was looking at her.
“Thanks to my new group,” smiled Haruka to herself, catching the way her former idolmates were looking at her fondly (and with some hint of worry). “I owe them a lot.”
“I, for one, am glad you have them in your life, Haruka-san,” Kaede told her. “You look happier.”
Haruka felt happier and more relieved.
“Ditto,” replied Kiyo.
“Enough talking about how much they mean to you and more showing!”
Haruka chuckled and shook her head.
“They can’t meet you here, unfortunately,” there were groans and a prolonged whine coming from Shiori that followed. “Well, two of them can’t since they are currently busy with school. Being older than us by a year means having more workload.”
A sight of warm orange flashed in her eyes as she beamed, “One is available though.”
“I’m fine with meeting just one,” Kaede smiled. “Do you think you can call her?”
“Yup! Me too!” Shiori added energetically.
“Me as well,” Kiyo nodded.
“I think they’re going to love Minori-chan,” Mai replied, grinning at Haruka.
“Minori is definitely going to have a field day with this,” chuckled Haruka as memories of extensive rambles and rants about ASRUN from the newbie idol unfolded quite rapidly in Haruka’s mind. “She actually works in this café.”
“What!?” Shiori’s eyes widened with excitement. “So, we get to meet her today!?”
“Yeah, if ever your schedule and her shift allow us to,” Haruka checks her wristwatch. “Her shift begins in a couple of minutes. She should arrive soon.”
“Can you tell us about her?” Kaede asked, her eyes glimmering with intrigued intent, “You seem so animated when talking about her, Haruka-san.”
Haruka felt her ears warm up at the unnecessary comment Kaede made, coupled with the amused tinge swimming in the other idol’s tone but she supposes it was to be expected. An told her about it before so her former groupmates whom she used to be close to are bound to notice it as well.
“I would also ask you what Shizuku-kun and Airi-kun are like since I am a big fan of their works,” began Shiori. “But this Minori character, I want to know more about her.”
“Wait,” Kiyo quickly straightened their glasses and looked at Haruka, “This is the newbie idol, right?”
“Ah! The one I asked you about before when you first started?” Kaede asked as Haruka nodded in response. “I’ve been more curious about her. People have been raving about her on SNS after your one-man live. I saw a clip of her performance. She was sparkling.”
Inwardly, Haruka was celebrating, excited at the very prospect of it. People have been talking about Minori. She knew Minori was the star of the stage that day, the fans and the spotlight adored her, as did she. Haruka needed to be careful too. She doesn’t want Minori to leave her behind.
“Now, what to say about Minori,” murmured Haruka before she felt an unwarned smile simpered itself on her lips. “She has a cute smile.”
“A what now?” Kaede asked, sounding flabbergasted.
“A cute smile,” Haruka repeated. “I used to struggle to smile before so to see someone smiling like that, so effortlessly and without fail, I can’t help but look and admire. It’s very bright and cheerful, it’s almost too blinding, but it’s a smile that can capture many hearts whenever she performs. I can attest to that.”
There was a silence that blanketed the entire table and the rest of the ex-ASRUN members were looking at her with incredulous expressions splayed all over their faces (except for Mai who seemed like she was already familiar with what Haruka just said), and Haruka swore she could hear every blink of their eyes. She doesn’t know what she must have said wrong. She merely described Minori in the same manner she describes her every time a close acquaintance asks about the other idol.
She wondered why Shiori was grinning at her at what she could describe was like a sly fox about to pounce on an innocent prey.
“That was totally not what I was expecting you would say,” Kiyo sounded thrown off-guard but there was an entertained delight present in their voice.
“What Kiyo said,” Kaede chuckled disbelievingly. “Now I really can’t wait to meet her.”
“You have no idea what I even hear from Haruka-chan every time,” Mai murmured from next to her, and Haruka’s brows creased.
“What does that supposed to mean?”
“If I didn’t know any better,” there was a mischievous hilt in Shiori’s voice and Haruka felt a splinter of exaggerated doom enclose around her, like every time the way Shiori was about to begin teasing her in the past. “I’d say you were smitten, Haruka-kun.”
What?
“Smitten?” Haruka repeated, sputtering the word out, causing the rest of the group to glance pointedly at her, all of them wearing the same teasing looks.
“I’m not smitten,” she raised her hands in her defense. “I’m just describing what I see.”
“So, whenever you see Minori-san’s smile, you see something that can capture hearts?” Kaede raised an eyebrow at her, the taller idol’s smirk widening.
“Well, yeah,” shrugged Haruka before looking back at Mai, the other girl giving her an incredulous look, as if she grew another head. “Mai can back me up here. She was at the one-man live so she knows what I’m talking about.”
“No, thank you,” Mai shook her head rather aggressively it almost fell off her neck. “You’re on your own, Haruka-chan.”
Haruka gave her a confused look.
“The question is,” Haruka was more than surprised that Kiyo was participating in this conversation. “Has she captured yours?”
It was obvious they were teasing her but a strange feeling surged through Haruka like electricity running through an uncut livewire after Kiyo asked that question. It was a gentle and cozy inkling, reminiscent of a kind and forgiving spring after a long cold winter’s war. She felt it once, no, multiple times before. The most reeling one was when Minori grabbed her hand and brought her back to the stage that fateful day.
She pondered for a minute, genuinely taking the question as it was, dancing around those words as if it were another perfectly and elegantly choreographed dance routine she needed to master.
“Maybe she did,” she eventually settled with but then she frowned, realizing that answer is not enough to give justice or barely anything to what Minori did for her.
“Maybe?”
“Yeah,” a warm and comforting sensation enfolded against her chest when she said the word out loud. “She did. She really did.”
There was that feeling again. She shook it off as quickly as it came.
“Let’s give her a minute,” she heard Kaede chuckle beside her and Haruka grew only more confused.
“What other things should we know about Minori-kun besides her ‘smile that captures hearts’?” Shiori’s teasing hilt was still there.
Haruka hummed thoughtfully, “She is very good at copying choreographies. She has the passion of an idol unlike any other,” she paused, smiling sincerely at her own words. “She’s very hardworking and determined, and she never gives up easily. They’re the traits I love most about her.”
Maybe Haruka was fumbling at her words, she wasn’t so sure as she continued to speak and spoke of whatever thought rings through her head about the other idol. Maybe the word vomit was natural whenever one asks her about Minori.
“She sounds really interesting,” Kiyo told her, their glasses left atop the table. Haruka must have not noticed them removing it.
Shiori nodded, a fond smile on her face, “Yeah, I cannot wait to meet her. I think we’re going to be best friends!”
“And you seem to like her a lot as well,” Kaede added. “I’m sure Minori-san is a fantastic person and an even more fantastic idol based on what you have just said.”
Haruka grinned, “She’d faint on the spot when they hear all of you singing such praise for her.”
She swore she heard Mai whisper something along the lines of “you were literally just doing that” but she decided against answering it. The air conditioner in the café was making too many constipated sounds letting out that cool air for her to make out that whisper anyway.
“Why is that?” Shiori asked.
“She used to be a big ASRUN fan.”
The other three members of the group looked at each other, bewildered at the new information, before beaming brightly, Kiyo’s usual smile breaking out into a grin, one they usually wear when they meet fans.
“Oh, I definitely can’t wait to meet her now,” giggled Shiori. “And how about sending her a wink and a flying kiss? You won’t get jealous, right?”
“She’d love that but I think she’d black out immediately,” Haruka laughed as her eyes widened slightly.
Wait, what?
“Jealous?” Haruka followed up, confused once more.
“Oh, Haruka-kun.” Shiori’s voice was a mix of teasing and understanding.
“And let me take a guess,” Kiyo began as they raised an eyebrow at Haruka. “Minori’s favorite ASRUN member was you.”
Haruka felt the sides of her neck heat up as she released a quiet single chuckle, casting her gaze on the table.
“That should answer your question, Kiyo-san,” laughed Kaede.
“Indeed it does,” a whiff of amusement was present in Kiyo’s voice.
Haruka used to doubt herself when she was starting out, in more ways than one, whether if she was actually giving hope to people and if what she was doing was of any use.
Then, she stumbled upon this unsuspecting girl dancing on the rooftop while she was searching for a place to read, telling her that she did reach her, that she did give her hope, that she inspired her to hope for a better tomorrow, and made her believe that she reached thousands more, despite the insecurities Haruka had.
Haruka could not see her being an idol without her. Without all of them.
Minori, Shizuku, and Airi brought her her dream and hope back. She grips them tightly as if her life depended on them.
“She’s brooding again,” Kaede’s teasing tone and incessant poking of her cheek broke her out of her thoughts, frowning at the taller idol playfully.
“I don’t brood,” retorted Haruka.
“You do,” Kiyo chimed.
“For the first time in forever, I agree with Kiyo-kun and Kaede-kun on this one.”
Haruka looked to the other person next to her, “Mai? A little help, please?”
Mai shrugged at her, looking apologetically (or not), “Sorry, Haruka-chan. I don’t think I can help you out here. I agree with them. You do brood a lot.”
“I shouldn’t have invited you here if you all just planned to tease me,” she pouted.
“That’s because we love you so much, Haruka-kun!” Shiori connected both of her hands to make a heart shape and directed them toward Haruka. “Isn’t that right, guys?”
Mai gave her an unsure thumbs up, Kiyo let out a prolonged hum as if deeply contemplating the question, and the same went along with Kaede.
Haruka narrowed her eyes at them before they broke out into laughs. As much as she wanted to maintain the feigned annoyance for much longer, she could not help but chuckle along with them. There were some unpleasant experiences she’d rather forget, sure, but she was with ASRUN for a long time and she did have some fond memories with the other members that cannot be easily erased, memories which she greatly cherished and treasured.
The bell atop the entrance door of the vibrantly blue café rang loudly as the wooden birch door swung open in such a haste, making the six other people in the establishment look at the sudden disruption.
“Ah! I’m so sorry I’m late!”
She certainly knew how to make a spectacular entrance.
Perching her arm on the top of her chair, Haruka followed the direction of the person who just arrived with her gaze, watching as she scrambles to get everything in order once she reaches behind the counter, tripping a bit along the way. Haruka can feel her smile curling upwards more than it usually does.
“I’m guessing that energetic and passionate ball of sunshine is your Minori-san,” Kaede asked before she returned to her previous position.
Minori slipped behind the counter and Haruka wanted to quickly run to her and help her out but the other girl managed, keeping her well-placed smile in a rather worried expression.
“She’s very graceful.”
Haruka laughed affectionately at the deadpan in Kiyo’s words, “Yeah, she is.”
From where they were seated, Haruka could make out Minori’s franticness, who seemed to be explaining everything to her manager, who was mostly wearing an amused expression at the entire ordeal. After a few moments or so, Minori seemed to have found her bearings and was now wearing the apron she uses in the café.
“Should we call her over?” Shiori asked, excitement in her voice.
“I think we should wait until she notices us by herself,” Kiyo replied. “Which surprisingly she hasn’t yet since there are only a few people in this café.”
Haruka nodded and grinned.
Shiori exclaimed, “Quick, everyone, pretend you’re reading something.”
“We don’t have anything to read here,” Kaede said.
“The menus,” Kiyo told her as they handed out the foldable menus placed near their side of the table to everyone else.
“Why exactly are we pretending to read?” Mai asked Shiori.
Opening the copy of her menu, Shiori said, “To surprise her when she comes around the table.”
Haruka merely shook her head, entirely amused at Shiori’s idea but opened the menu regardless, hiding her face from the counter’s view.
“How would she even come around the table when—”
“Does table number five need any refill or water!?” Haruka heard Minori’s lively request resound around the café.
Shiori giggled, “There’s your answer, Kiyo-kun.”
Kaede cleared her throat, “Uh, yes! Just one cup of joe, please!”
Haruka laughed at Kaede’s failed attempt to disguise her voice but thankfully, Minori doesn’t seem to have recognized it.
“Coming right up!” Minori answered before picking up a thermos from the counter.
“‘Cup of joe?’ What the hell was that, Kaede?”
“It’s literally coffee, Kiyo-san.”
“You could have just used the word ‘coffee’.”
“Like that makes a difference.”
“It does make a difference.”
“Everyone…” Haruka tried to intervene.
“Can you two please stop arguing about coffee semantics before I lose my mind!?”
Thank God for Shiori.
“Everyone!” Mai called out to them, trying to put their banter to rest. “Minori-chan is getting near the table!”
Haruka wondered why she even was in on their antics, even if she did find all of it very entertaining.
So, she put down her menu, revealing her face, and she appreciated the way the approaching brunette halted in surprise as a wide grin stretched on her lips, her eyes shimmering in delight.
“Haruka-chan!”
Haruka heard hushed protests from the other three people on the table aside from Mai but she quietly waved them off, silently telling them that she doesn’t need to do any of that. Propping up an elbow over the table, she put her chin under the back of her hand as she looked at Minori.
“Hey, Minori,” she smiled.
“I didn’t know you would be here,” said Minori before the brunette finally approached the table, her eyes widened a bit in realization, “And you have friends with you.”
“Just some people I found across the street and decided to take in,” she said before she winced in pain when she felt someone across her kick her on her leg. She was certain it was Kiyo.
“Haruka-chan, that’s very mean,” Minori frowned at her, giving her a look of disapproval, although there was a trace of amusement in her eyes.
“I’m only kidding,” she shook her head in chuckles. “They’re just some friends I’m catching up with.”
“That’s nice!” Minori said, grinning at her. “I hope you guys are having fun so far and are enjoying the café.”
There were quiet murmurs and Haruka honestly thought they could not get any more pathetic.
“What are you doing here?”
The words left her mouth without giving it a second thought. Her own mouth hung agape ever so slightly and she wanted to smack Kaede’s head beside her for giggling at a more than acceptable volume (she deserved it, either way, she thought.)
“I work here,” Minori answered, confusion and amusement laced in her voice.
Shiori contains a near-hysterical laugh and was failing beautifully, and even Mai put her head down to conceal her laughter. Seriously, how has Minori not recognized them yet? Even with their noses buried deep into the glossy surface of the café menu, a pathetic attempt to keep their front up.
“Right, of course,” she cleared her throat.
“Well, one of them also asked for a cup of coffee so I’m here to deliver,” she raised the blue thermos in her hand before she looked back to the people sitting in front of her, smiling quizzically, “Your friends seem to be so invested in the café’s menu. I could give some recommendations if they’re having a hard time choosing what to order.”
Haruka figured this would be the perfect time for Kaede to reveal herself. She glanced at the taller idol beside her and gave her a quick nod, grinning.
“That won’t be necessary,” Kaede’s flowing and fairly haughty voice answered and Haruka rolled her eyes at that tone— it was the one Kaede always used whenever she was trying to impress someone.
(Like that one time a fellow idol group visited their group and everyone in ASRUN, along with some managerial positions that looked like they wanted to be somewhere other than there, had to succumb to Kaede’s attempts in impressing the other group’s leader. Haruka thought it was a failure; Kaede saw it differently. It’s still a heated debate up to this day.)
Minori frowned, “But you guys look like you’re having a hard time—”
Kaede put down her menu, giving Minori a toothy smile.
“I’ll still take the coffee though.”
It happened beautifully, like a divine plot unfolding in Shakespearean proportions.
Minori’s eyes widened comically, in a slow wayward fashion. Haruka relished such an adorable reaction.
A long gasp was drawn out of Minori to the point where it looked like her lungs were going to pop right out of her mouth. Too long for Haruka’s liking that she ended up containing her laughs from escaping her lips (to which she knew she was failing miserably), and some of the other people in the café were already looking at them.
Kiyo and Shiori followed afterward and the latter even had the audacity to greet “Hi, Minori-kun” with a wink, stressing out every syllable. Haruka and Mai only shook their heads endearingly at how their ex-groupmates were acting.
“Kaede-chan? From ASRUN!?” How Minori uttered Kaede’s name was like an excited whimper, her volume increasing with each word. “Shiori-chan!? Kiyo-chan!? You’re here too, Mai-chan!?”
“Minori,” Haruka giggled. “Meet my friends. I think you might know them though.”
Mai stared at her disapprovingly at that dreary attempt of a joke.
Minori almost looked like she was going to pass out.
“Haruka-kun has told us amazing things about you,” Shiori winked at her again.
“She did!?”
Minori seemed to be all over the place yet she stood perfectly still, the thermos’s handle grip tightening in her hand, and she seemed to be buzzing. With joy and excitement, Haruka thinks. Minori’s gaze was alternating between all of them, trying to jabber up some incoherences Haruka was pretty sure she understood since she was always there to listen attentively whenever Minori rants about her favorite idols.
Eventually, she settled her sights on Haruka, and although her face was very flushed, she gave Haruka a glare, barely sinister if you ask Haruka.
Now, that confused Haruka the most. That’s never happened before.
“Haruka-chan, you big dummy! How dare you do this to me!?”
There was a quick moment of silence.
Suddenly, she felt like everyone in the café was looking at her as if she had been convicted of a heinous crime. Not her former groupmates though, who seemed to be enjoying the entire interaction nonetheless.
Haruka was aghast.
The other four members looked at her and they were all trying their best not to laugh at that unusual reaction. Shiori was biting her lip rather harshly and Kiyo put a hand to cover their mouth, and Kaede was merely observing the interaction, an interested smirk on her face.
“Me?” She driveled out. “What did I do?”
“It’s what you didn’t do!”
Haruka blinked, “What?”
“You didn’t tell me ASRUN was here!” She started fixing her hair in a frenzy (which was already pretty much fixed and fit, according to Haruka) with her free hand, the thermos shaking in her other one, “I didn’t have time to prepare! I look like a mess!” She started patting down her apron which didn’t really show any signs of coffee stains or pastry crumbs Haruka thought Minori was scrubbing away.
“No, you don’t,” laughed Haruka. “You always look nice and pretty, Minori.”
Minori stopped whatever she was doing immediately the moment Haruka spoke those words.
She heard Kaede whistle.
“Damn, Haruka-kun,” Shiori started fanning herself in a fancy and dramatic fashion, “That’s bad! Really bad for everyone’s feelings!”
“Always such a cool person, Haruka,” laughed Kiyo.
Minori glared at her once more, another tint of pink loomed over her cheeks and it looked like she was fighting a smile more than anything.
“Now’s not the time to mess with my heart, Haruka-chan, you evil, evil person!”
“Oi, Hanasato-san! What are you doing over there?”
Minori visibly flinched at the sound of her manager’s voice bellowing out from behind the counter. With all the ruckus their table has been making (it was mostly Shiori and Minori but regardless), she expected to be reprimanded sooner than later.
“Uh, yes! I’m just doing my job! Don’t mind me!”
“Are you really?” Haruka raised an eyebrow at her.
Minori narrowed her eyes at her and made a sound in which Haruka could make out was sneering menacingly.
Cute.
Minori wobbled over to Kaede’s side and poured coffee into the taller idol’s empty mug and the idol beamed at her with such cheerfulness, Haruka was sure Minori would trip.
“I can’t believe Kaede-chan smiled at me!” Minori squealed before looking over to the rest of the people at the table, “I can’t believe all of you are here! I’m going insane! This is one for the history books!”
Nothing warmed Haruka’s heart more than Minori’s cheeriness afflicting all of them. She knew they’d like her and they do.
“We’d love to stay and chat with you until you finish your shift,” Kiyo smiled at her before they took out their phone, scrolling through a to-do list, before looking back to Minori, a dejected purse of their lips. “But alas, I have idol activities I need to attend to later on.”
Shiori groaned out loud, “Me too. Stupid wrong timings!”
“Same,” sighed Kaede disdainfully. She raised a hopeful eyebrow at Minori, “Some other time then?”
Minori bit her lip to hide a poorly concealed squeal and nodded eagerly.
“Hey, can I get a refill here?”
A table near the counter called out to her.
“Will be there in a few seconds!” Minori replied courtly, stumbling over her words.
“Excuse me,” Minori quickly squeezed her way through the tables beside, trying to abate her flustered expression. Haruka felt both sides of her cheeks aching slightly but it was a good type of ache. She had been smiling for a while now.
Before Minori goes to the table requesting her, she turns around to face Haruka.
“Are we still on for later in the afternoon?”
Haruka beamed brightly, “I won’t miss a chance to visit an oceanarium with penguins.”
Minori threw her a quick wink and smile before turning around and walking to where she was requested.
It’s either Minori has been polishing up her stage presence or she wanted, and Haruka quotes her, messing with Haruka’s heart because if it was the latter, it was working effectively. More than effectively. In an instant, she felt her cheeks being set ablaze.
Shiori seemed to have caught that act.
“You really are smitten, Haruka-kun,” Shiori threw a small piece of leftover bread at her, perfectly hitting her dead on the nose, “It’s so cute.”
Haruka scrunched up her nose and was about to reply but Kiyo beat her to it, “She is such an illuminating person. Going to be blunt here, she doesn’t have the usual idol aura as you do but there’s more something about her that I can’t pinpoint. I can see why you like her so much.”
Haruka felt a billow of relief and pride overcome her, “Good that you know. More people will know of her soon.”
“That,” Kaede chuckled. “I’m sure it will happen.”
Haruka knew it would happen.
Finishing their one-man live, she still has a long way to go with them, with MORE MORE JUMP!. She looked at everyone at the table, they were chattering amongst themselves about different topics, and Haruka felt a bittersweet emotion run over her.
There were happy conversations sneaked in between their choreographies in that giant dance hall and there were laughs shared as they recorded their songs in the studios. Haruka couldn’t easily forget all of those.
ASRUN was the past— it wasn’t easy for all of them but being with the group somehow assuaged the difficulties of everything that came before them. MORE MORE JUMP! is her present and future— she was able to grow with them, teach herself to carefully undo unhealthy habits, and learn new things she wouldn’t have discovered in ASRUN. There was more to do and more oceans to swim across.
However she looked at it, she was grateful for both of them. She was grateful for ASRUN. They made a part of her life fulfilling. She wasn’t going to forget that so easily.
With a silent giggle, she whispered to herself, “Thanks for coming into my life, everyone.”