"But I'm not an idol yet..." Ai Hoshino whispered, barely audible. "I'm just an ordinary girl..."
"Sakura~," Hiro Saitou called out again, lighthearted but persistent. "This sea bream's going to get cold and lose all its flavor. Help me out here, will you?"
Ai's cheeks flushed. "Can't you just put the bag down and grab one yourself?"
"It's too heavy," he said, voice half-pleading. "Once I set it down, I might not pick it back up again. Just one bite. Please?"
Ai avoided eye contact. She didn't want to get too close—not like this. Every time he pushed, she pulled away.
Hiro sighed, defeated. "Okay…"
He didn't complain. He just kept walking, same pace, no fuss. Still calm, even when she refused. He didn't pressure her.
Ai noticed. And even though her heart was pounding, she also realized something else.
He wasn't just messing around. He cared—more than she expected.
After a few deep breaths to calm her nerves, she finally reached into the bag, carefully pulled out a sea bream yakisaki, and jogged a little to catch up to him.
She held it up by the tail, the head nearly poking Hiro in the cheek.
He turned, grinned, and opened his mouth. "Ah~"
Ai hesitated for a second… then slowly, gently, he brought it to his lips.
He bit down.
The soft pastry burst with warmth—cheese filling oozing out and dripping onto Ai's fingers.
"Popping cheese...?"
Salty, gooey, and just sweet enough. The flavor caught him off guard.
Ai pulled the pastry back before he could bite off the whole thing, making him chew and swallow first.
"Wait… why does this taste like cheese?" he mumbled, confused.
Ai didn't answer. She just brought it up again for another bite.
The second feeding was smoother, and the third even more so. It still felt a little awkward—but kind of fun, too.
Once he was done, Ai pulled her hand back fast, wiped it with a tissue, and asked, "You full now?"
"Sakura, help me wipe my mouth," Hiro said, leaning toward her with puppy-dog eyes. "I can't focus like this."
Ai sighed, half-exasperated, half-amused. "Why do you eat like a five-year-old?"
"I am still a kid," Hiro said proudly, tilting his head.
Ai blinked, then grabbed a tissue and gently wiped his mouth. The moment her hand pulled away, she turned and walked ahead, fast.
"Hey, wait up!" Hiro called, scratching his head. "Was it something I said?"
He picked up the pace, but the heavy bag slowed him down. His arms were starting to ache.
Ahead, Ai had already stopped, watching him fall behind. She didn't say anything—just turned back when he caught up and started walking again, in sync with him now.
They didn't need to talk much.
But Hiro suddenly stopped, panting from the weight.
"I'll carry it with you," Ai offered.
"That's too much for you," Hiro replied. "I've already got noodle arms as it is."
"If you slowed down, it wouldn't be so hard."
Ai wasn't sure if he was pretending or genuinely exhausted. Maybe both.
"You're too proud," she said, lifting one side of the bag before he could stop her.
"You—!"
"How about you carry it and run ahead for once?" he challenged.
"No way," Ai said immediately. "I'm not weak. I'm strong. Stronger than you."
The way she emphasized "kid" stung just a bit.
"kid"
"You mad or something?" Hiro asked.
"Kids need to be patient," she muttered but stayed beside him this time.
After a short rest, they made their way toward the Berry Pro building, now carrying the bag together.
When they arrived, Hiro handed out the snacks like a welcome gift.
"Thanks for your hard work," he said to everyone. "She's a new idol and my classmate. Please take care of her."
Ai glanced around but started moving toward the dance studio.
"I'll go ahead and start warming up," she said casually.
"That won't work," Hiro said, blocking her path. "We need to make your debut presence known. A quick intro tour first."
Ai frowned. "Why?"
"You're going to work with these people. If they don't know your name or face, how are you going to bond with anyone? And snacks help break the ice."
Ai crossed her arms. "I'll give them gifts once I get paid."
"That's not how it works," Hiro said. "You don't get paid much in the beginning anyway. This is training time, and there's no paycheck yet."
Ai tilted her head. "What if they don't even like sweets?"
"It's not about the sweets—it's the thought that counts. Turning down a gift makes people feel awkward. And if you don't show you care, nobody's going to go out of their way for you."
Ai blinked.
Hiro wasn't just giving advice. He was preparing her for the world she was stepping into.
Being an idol wasn't just about being cute or dancing well.
It was about knowing how to win people over—sometimes with a smile, sometimes with a warm pastry.
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