Chapter Text
Shu Itsuki hated wasting his time.
Time was a valuable resource, after all. There were plenty of things he could have been doing: perfectioning Valkyrie's next performance, working on a new dress for Madmoiselle, maybe, if he was lucky, he could even be enjoying a croissant from this new shop that had gotten popular over the last few days.
But instead of doing any of that, he sat idly with his arms crossed waiting for a meeting to start. And what made it all the worse was the reason it hadn't started yet:
Rinne Amagi was late.
Twenty-three minutes and fourty-seven seconds late, to be exact. Shu's gaze had been fixated on the clock for a while now, despite Mika's occasionally trying to spark up some conversation, he'd ultimately end up getting distracted by someone else, leaving Shu to ponder over his increased annoyance at the redhead on his own.
He could not fathom his time being wasted over him. Ever since the moment they met, Shu had decided Rinne Amagi was all he detested in a person: he lacked self awareness, tact, and common sense. He often seemed to skip practices in favor of lazying around or, even worse, wasting his (and in some cases his acquaintances') money on pointless gambling games.
And yet, he always seemed to have his way in the end, one way or another. Not only that, he thrived. His unit was rapidly gaining popularity, with him being the main attraction, fans fawning over him in every live. He'd say something stupid like "Lady Luck bein' on his side.", though Shu would use much less flattering terms.
Were it up to him, he'd have left the room long ago, but while Amagi was someone who'd often waste his time, Saegusa absolutely wasn't. Shu had his qualms about the man sure, but he had never been a bad directive. If he called for everyone to be present in a meeting, it was bound to he important, so Shu decided to stay, if only for a bit longer.
The wait came to an end as the office doors swang open as the leader of CrazyB made his long overdue appearance, followed closely by the other missing member. Niki apologized over and over again to everyone present for their delay, something about Rinne having stayed out late at a pachinko parlor and refusing to wake up, but the aforementioned didn't seem to be preocupied one bit, plopping himself onto one of the free chairs without a care in the world.
Everyone's eyes were on him, but much to Shu's dismay, it was his whom Rinne's decided to stare back at. And not satisfied with that, he winked at him, wearing one of his signature smiles that he'd put on stage for his fans. Such insolence, Shu thought, as he quickly averted his eyes, decided to not give the man any more of his undeserved attention.
"Well, since Mr. Amagi and Mr. Shiina finally decided to show up, the meeting can finally get started." Their names were pronounced with a certain hint of reprimend that completely went over Rinne's head, but made Niki sink into his chair. Dealing with the redhead during their sparce CRAFTMONSTERS' meetings was enough of a challenge, Shu couldn't even begin to imagine what Niki had to endure living with him. He wasn't sure if he felt more admiration or pity for the man.
"COSMIC PRODUCTION has been presented with a new project from the P-Association, the 'Shuffle Duo Show-off'. It consists of having all the idols in the agency form pairs and put on a special live performance, with a brand new song that blends the style of them both." Upon hearing the premise, the room erupted into excited chatter, everyone exchanging looks throughout the room, probably starting to consider candidates to form a pair with.
Shu however could not share the same enthusiasm. He was an artist first and foremost, a very picky one at that. For all the faults Mika could have, there was a reason he was the only person Shu felt truly comfortable working with, and that was the fact that Mika understood his work. He could see the artistry in each seam of their costumes, every step of their choreographies, every word in their lyrics. But now, he was expected to pair up with someone else who'd probably lack that vision, and make something in tandem, which also meant he wouldn't be completely free to realize his artistic vision.
Although, for as much as that bothered him, he was still a professional, and would work adequately with whoever was lucky enough to have him as his partner. Besides, while not perfect, there were one or two people present in the office whom Shu concluded shouldn't be too troublesome to work with.
"Now, I'm sure you're all excited to choose your partner, however. to obtain the results they intended, the P-Association has requested the pairs are formed randomly. So, for the sake of fairness, we'll be using these." Ibara picked up a small bowl next to him, containing a bunch of papers neatly folded into tiny squares. "Each paper is numbered from one to six, and the two people who draw the same number will be paired together. I trust the concept is easy enough to grasp, so let's not waste any more time and get to it."
Well, there went any and all chances Shu had to turn this situation to his favor. Leaving things up to luck made him anxious, especially for a situation where he could most certainly not tune out whoever he'd end up with. But he didn't really have any say in the matter, so he reluctantly took one of the small papers out of the bowl, unfolding it to reveal the number six.
There were twelve idols under COSPRO's mamagement, which, in turn, meant there'd be six pairs for the project, and he had just gotten the last number. He scanned the room as the others also stared at their pieces of paper, wondering who'd have his matching six. Was it Tomoe? One of the Aoi twins? Or maybe even...
No, it could not be. Even though the bees made up one third of the candidates pool, he could not be that unlucky to get paired up with any of them... could he?
"Very well, now that everyone has recieved a number, let's reveal the pairs!" Ibara turned to the whiteboard behind him, swiftly writing the numbers from one to six. "The two people with number one, raise your hands."
Following the command, Oukawa and Sazanami raised their hands, their faces morphing with excitement upon realizing. If Shu recalled correctly, they were roommates back in Seisoukan, so they had gotten lucky.
The second pair turned out to be Mika and Niki. That was at least a relief, while he had his opinions on Crazy:B in regards to idol work, he was certain that Shiina had a good heart, he'd treat Mika with care.
However, as more hands were raised and names were written on the whiteboard, the list of potential partners shrunk, until finally, him, as well as everybody else in the room, came to the same horrific realization.
"Then I guess, by process of elimination, this leaves Itsuki and Amagi as the sixth pair."
The room, which had previously been bustling with laughter and excitement, suddenly became quiet, only the sounds of the marker over the porcelain surface and some scattered whispers could be heard.
The tension could be cut with a knife as Shu's eyes met Rinne's again, the smugness and confidence they previously held seemed to have banished, replaced by utter bewilderment. For once, the redhead appeared to be at a loss for words. Shu however had something to say as soon as his partner was revealed.
"Saegusa, I demand a redreaw."
"Hm? No one ended up with someone from their unit, so I don't see a reason to do such a thing."
"Oh please, you can't possibly expect me to work with him!"
"Why yes, that's precisely what's expected of you. In fact, I'd even argue you two make for a prime example of what the P-Association wanted out of this project, with your radically different styles and personalities."
"But he's unbearable, and a total disaster, both in and out of work!"
"As if you were any better." Rinne scoffed, having had enough of being talked about as if he wasn't literally sitting in front of them.
"Excuse me? Do not compare me to the likes of yourself."
"Oh c'mon, have some self-awareness will ya'?" Rinne stood up from his seat, visibly annoyed. Shu never thought he was capable of getting offended in any way, he always appeared unbotheted. "You're always actin' as if yer better than anyone, when in reality yer' just some pretentious idiot!"
"Aren't you one to talk, acting as if you weren't a nuisance to everyone around you with that poor excuse of a 'cool guy' persona you carry!" Mimicking the redhead, Shu also stood up, hands slamming against the table. His face felt hot as his blood boiled with anger.
"At least I'm not some pompous asshole that's so full of himself he can't even hold a conversation without gettin' irritated!"
"You are utterly insufferable!"
"And you are a son of a bi--"
"Enough." The sudden slamming of a folder against the table was all it took to break them both out of the moment, their attention shifting once again to the deputy director. "Seriously, arguing like children in front of your colleagues, I'd expect you to retain at least some semblance of professionalism, especially you, Itsuki."
The callout had him shrinking a bit in place, he really had stooped so low as to bicker with Rinne of all people. Ibara was right, he should have known better, but how, when the redhead always seemed to find a way to get under his skin?
"The pairs shall remain as they are now. So you better get over yourselves and put and end to this petty feud already."
"Tsk, this is never gonna work." Rinne finally sat down once again, swaying his hand dejectedly.
"Hmph, that may be the one and only thing we ever agree on." Pushing the chair further, Shu turned on his heel and left, unwilling to spend another second in that room.
It had truly been a waste of time after all.
-----
"Oshi-san! Wait up!" Mika trailed behind him to the best of his abilities, but Shu's walking speed when he was mad proved to be impossibly fast. He tended to rack his brains, and recalling the infuriating sequence of events only served to speed his pace up more.
"I could switch partners with ya' if ya' wanted! I don't know much about Shiina-senpai, but he's gotta be better than Amagi-senpai, right?"
As tempting as the offer sounded, Shu wasn't about to take it. Traiding one pesky bee for another slightly less pesky bee didn't do much for him, but he would never allow Mika to end up alone with Rinne. He knew Crazy:B's leader had a knack for teasing them both, he didn't want his dear Mika to have to face the man on his own.
"I doubt Saegusa would allow it, this, unfortunately, is my burden to bear. Although, of course, I have no intention of going through with such a foolish proposal. Amagi seemed similarly disinterested, so I take it we've both made up our minds."
"But wouldn't it affect Valkyrie if ya didn't show up?"
Shu stopped dead on his tracks, resulting in Mika bumping into him, almost knocking them both down. While the younger went into an endless barrage of apologies in any and all ways he knew, the gears in Shu's mind were turning.
Kagehira was right. If the Producer was behind this, it would most certainly be marketed to hell and back. Fans would eagerly await to see a new performance from them, even more so with the fresh change of pace. If he were to decline, what image would he be giving to the world? That Shu Itsuki from Valkyrie was a quitter? Incompetent? A failure?
No, under no circumstances could that happen. He was not about to let some project destroy all their efforts in shaping Valkyrie's image into what it was today. Even if he had to put up with Rinne Amagi to mantain it, the so be it.
How though? This meant he'd have to look for him, talk him into wanting to do the project... what could they even aspire to do together anyways? Valkyrie and Crazy:B had no easy common ground for Shu to even have an inkling of an idea.
There was no use thinking so far ahead. For now, he'd need to steel himself and prepare to commit one of the most embarassing acts of his life: beg Rinne Amagi to work with him.
-----
Rinne drained the glass in his hand, smashing it against the counter as a slow exhale slipped past his lips. "Pour me another one, Niki."
"Why are you acting like a drunkard now? It's just soda." In spite of his disappointed tone, Niki still fulfilled the request, returning shortly after with a freshly served glass. "You better pay for these too, you already owe Cinnamon a lot, you know?"
"Yeah, yeah, I know. I'll be sure to pay you on time." The redhead took another sip, furrowing his brows as he stared at the fizzing liquid in the glass, shaking it gently.
"You're acting real odd." Was it that obvious? Rinne would normally pride himself on his ability to hide his worries, but it clearly was failing him today. "Is this because of the joint project?"
"I just don't get why it always has to end like this. I'm always tryin' my best to act nice to Shu-Kun, but no matter what I do he'll always yell at me or get annoyed."
"Your best?" Niki raised an eyebrow as he sliced some strawberries. "If that's your best, then you're pretty awful at it!"
"Just as awful as you are at bein' a source of comfort? Yer supposed to help me here Niki, not beat me while I'm down!"
"I'm just trying to be honest! I'd love to offer some kind of helpful advice, but I can't think of anything. You and Itsuki just seem to be like oil and water."
"What does that mean?"
"Water and oil don't blend together, no matter what you do, how much you stir, they'll remain separated." Sensing Rinne's curiosity, Niki quickly filled another glass with water, pouring a few drops of oil in it, mixing them gently with a spoon. "See?"
"Is there really no way?"
"Yup, absolutely impossible! You can try if you want, but you better clean the glass yourself afterwards!" With that said, Niki disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Rinne alone with his little experiment.
He stirred, stirred, and stirred, but just as Niki had said, the water and oil remained completely separated from each other.
"Impossible, huh?" As he kept going, it only continued to prove it was a futile effort. But... when had impossible' ever stopped Rinne Amagi? Going against all odds was his thing.
There had to be a way to make it work, to make Shu and him work... and he had just gotten an idea on how to do it. It was very crazy, very risky... very Rinne.
-----
"Yo, Shu-kun! Good mornin'!" Hearing that specific nickname, paired with that sly tone made nearly makes him choke on his tea. It could only be one person approaching from behind.
"Amagi? What are you doing here?" While he didn't have a mirror to verify, Rinne's sudden halt and slight change of expression indicated he must have not been wearing the most pleasant expression, so he tried to relax and force out something resembling a smile. "I did not think you'd want to talk with me after yesterday."
In reality, yesterday's altercation had already left Rinne's mind completely. A sheepish grin crept over his face as the memories flooded back. "Huh? You mean 'cause of our little argument? Nah, it's cool. We both were sorta heated up in the moment, so I get it."
"Still... I'd like to offer an apology. It wasn't right of me to demean you like that in front of everyone."
Be it the softness in Shu's voice, him apologizing, or the fact that both were directed at him, Rinne found himself not quite sure how to proceed. "Guess I also owe ya' an apology for callin' ya nasty stuff, don't I? Heh, if Vice Prez hadn't stepped in, I'd have even called ya a son of a--"
Shu gave a polite cough, trying his best to impede the vulgarity to leave the other man's mouth. "No need to repeat it, I remember clearly. Whatever, apologies accepted and out of the way, since you're here, I think we should discuss the project situation."
"Oh, yeah, that's exactly what I came here for! Actually, I had an amazin' idea yesterday, somethin' to help us get this thing done."
"Y-You do? Well, color me surprised! What is this grand idea, then?"
Without any prior warning or sign to clue him in, Rinne clasped Shu's hands in his, offering his most charming smile and softest stare. "Go on a date with me, Shu-kun."
Shu immidiately swatted Rinne's hands away, irritation flashing in his eyes as a light blush spread across his face. Just when he thought his boldness couldn't go any further, he dares to ask such a thing!
"What nonsense are you spouting?! Ugh, I should have guessed you'd make use of this opportunity to ridicule me, why did I expect you to take this with any degree of seriousnes?!"
"Hey, I'm bein' serious here!" Rinne pressed his palms together, eyes and voice pleading. "Please just hear me out before shunnin' me, 'kay?"
"I'm giving you exactly one more chance, but if you say even one thing I consider to be a stupidity, I'm taking my leave and never giving you the time of day again, so tread your words carefully, Amagi."
"S-Shit, no pressaure, yeah?" The redhead chuckled nervously, Shu's glaring eyes piercing into him. "Alright, listen. What's the key to good cooperation?" He let a few seconds pass by, half-expecting an answer. "Trust! You trust Mii-tan a lot, just like I trust my bees. But that's what's lackin' between us! Because we don't know each other very well, we can't work together properly."
"... Go on."
"What are dates for, if not getting to know the other person? Yakno', spendin' a nice time together, bondin' n' stuff. That's what we need!"
Everything Rinne was saying was true, technically. Ignorning the fact that dates, more often than not, have a romantic connotation, Shu nodded lightly, giving the other permission to continue speaking.
"So, I came up with a brilliant idea: we'll plan one date each. You plan an' 'All 'bout Shu-kun' date, and I'll plan an' 'All about Rinne-chan' date to take each other on. After we do that, we decide on what to do with the project. Sound good?"
Seconds seemed to turn into eternities, for all his bravado, Rinne was on the verge of shaking. This stupid plan he had conjured up had already gotten this far, he just hoped it'd stick the landing.
"... Very well."
"H-Huh...?! Wait, forreal?!" His jaw dropped as his eyes widened, in absolute disbelief of the words he had just heard. "I was prepared to have ya' reject me and havin' to beg over n' over!"
"I can't believe I'm agreeing to one of your baffling plans myself, but your logic was sound... in a way. It's not as if I had any better ideas myself. If this is all we have, might as well give it a shot."
"Oh Shu-kun, you've just made me the happiest man on Earth! I could almost kiss ya'!" Rinne wiped away some non-existant tears, but his comment only served to make Shu take a few steps back.
"Don't you even dare."
He was most certain he wouldn't, but this was Rinne Amagi, and he had shown in multiple times he was extremely unpredictable. He wouldn't take any chances.
"Right, right, that's gotta wait for the date~!" There it was again, that shit-eating grin. Cocky Amagi was the most unbearable type of Amagi.
"You're making me regret my decision, Amagi." Shu deadpanned, making Rinne ease up on the teasing. While he had, miraculously, managed to convince Shu, he still felt like he was walking on eggshells. If he were to anger him in any way, the whole operation would be shut down in the blink of an eye.
"Heh, tell ya' what, how 'bout we do your date first? Be the one in the comfort zone 'n all, I'll adapt to anythin' you plan. Deal?"
Rinne extended his hand aiming for a handshake, a gesture Shu ultimately accepted after letting out a heavy sigh.
"... Fine, but I'll probably need a few days to plan it, so you'll have to wait."
"I don't mind one bit, I'm sure you'll make it worth the wait, right?" Finally releasing the pink-haired man's hand, Rinne flashed one last of his signature smiles. "I'll be waiting for your text, Shu-kun~!"
And like that, the leader of Crazy:B turned around, hands lazily resting on the pockets of his jacket, as he took his leave. Shu's eyes remained fixed on his back until his figure was out of sight.
He sat down at the small couch, reaching to grab his cup of tea which had gone cold a long time ago. Staring at his distorted reflection on the liquid, he sighed once more. Planning a date for himself and Rinne Amagi certainly wasn't in his plans for the day.
Just what had he gotten himself into?