I hold one CD in each hand. “Arashi or Ayu…”

“Arashi’s definitely the better choice,” a boy says to me. I spin around to see someone I’ve never met before.

“Um, who are you?” I ask.

“Oh, uh…”

“Do I know you? Or do you spend the day standing in the store and giving suggestions to all the customers?”

“Neither,” he smirks. “I just thought I’d tell you that Arashi is better than Ayumi Hamasaki.”

“Too bad. I’m buying Ayu’s CD,” I tell him defiantly. He gives me a look that says he doesn’t really care. “Weird…” I mumble to myself as I walk over to the check-out counter. The woman gives me a sympathetic look as she rings up the CD.

“I’m sorry about that boy. He’s been telling everyone that looks at Arashi CDs to buy them.”

“Really? I’m gonna go tell him off,” I state. The woman just looks at me and sighs.

“Hey, you,” I call.

“What?” he asks. “Did you decide to buy the Arashi CD instead?”

“No. I came to tell you to leave people alone and let them buy what they want! OK?”

“Why?”

“Just do it!” I yell.

“Sheesh. For a girl, you’re pretty scary,” he mumbles.

“What’d you say?” I challenge.

“I said for a girl you’re pretty scary! You’ll never get a boyfriend this way!”

“Oh, just shut up, would ya?”

“Hey, you’re not from here, are you?”

“What kind of question is that?!”

“Well, you’re from America, right?”

“Hm?” I ask, raising an eyebrow. “And you know this how?”

“You’re Japanese is horrible.”

“Excuse me! I’ll have you know that Japanese is my first language!”

“Then you’re English must be really horrible,” he chuckled. I roll my eyes at him and make a disgusted face.

“I’m sure your English is perfect,” I reply in a mock sweet tone. He just shakes his head and pulls out a piece of paper. He scribbles something on it.

“Here,” he hands it to me.

“What’s this?” I ask, glancing at what appears to be a phone number.

“I’ve gotta go. Call me and we can finish this argument later,” he says, winking.

“Whatever,” I answer, scowling at him. He smirks and walks out of the store, not taking a single glance back at me.

***

I wasn’t gonna call him. I swear. But I was sooo curious. So I picked up my phone and punched in the numbers angrily.

“Hello?” he answers.

“Hey.”

“who is it?”

“Um… you never asked for my name. You just handed me your number, remember?”

“Oh yeah. So what is your name?”

“What’s yours?”

“If I tell you will you tell me?”

“What are you, a five year-old?” I scowl.

“No,” he sighs. “I’m Sakurai,” he says.

“Ok. I’m Riko.”

“Nice to meet you,” he responds, voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Yeah, yeah. So why were you trying to make me buy that Arashi CD?”

“You still haven’t figured it out?” Sakurai sighs. “Well, I guess I have to come out and tell you. Even though I pretty much already did. Who knew you American girls were so dense?”

“Excuse me? Wait, never mind I said that. Just tell me.”

“I’m Sakurai Sho.”

“So?” I kept my voice uncaring even though I was screaming on the inside. ‘Oh my GOD! The Sakurai Sho?! Omg!!!’ Of course, I wasn’t going to say that to him.

“So?! Sakurai Sho. From Arashi.”

“You’re pretty arrogant, hm?”

“What?!”

“You expect me to be in love with you now or something?”

“Well… I expected a better reaction. Especially since you were looking at an Arashi CD in that store.”

“I… Oh. Sorry,” I apologize heartlessly.

“Hey, instead of being sarcastic over the phone, how about you meet me in front of that music store in 20 minutes?”

“Sure,” I agree. ‘crap, that was too eager,’ I scold myself.

“See ya,” Sho says then hangs up. I change and re-do my hair and make-up slowly. I leave the house 15 minutes later and take almost 10 to walk to the store.

“You’re late,” he says.

“I know.”

“Are you trying to be hard-to-get ‘cause you think I’ll think it’s y or something?” he demands, anger rising in his voice.

“Not really.”

“Then what are you trying to do?”

“I dunno,” I admit, shrugging. “I truly don’t have any idea.”

“Ok then. How about dinner tonight?”

“You’re pretty eager,” I mumble.

“How about it?”

“Fine. But on one condition.”

“What is it?”

“Stop trying to act cool. You’re just fine without trying.”

“I wasn’t trying to,” he huffs.

“You just naturally act unnaturally cool?”

“Sure.”

“Whatever.”

“Since we’re going on a date, you should be nicer to me,” Sho tells me, his voice dropping to a low, y tone.

“I’ll think about it,” I mutter.

“Ok, so I’ll come get you around… say, 6ish?”

“Do you even know where I live?”

“Nope.”

“Good luck then.”

“Just meet me here again.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah,” Sho says, shrugging.

“Why don’t we just start our date now?” I suggest.

“Oh, who’s trying to hard to be cool now?” Sakurai chuckles. I roll my eyes and sigh. Sho grabs my arm and starts leading me off into the city streets.