Haruna was surprised at herself that she was actually meeting with the two strangers she just met yesterday. She was already on her way to the said coffee shop and she was even fifteen minutes early to the said time.

I hope I won’t regret this. She puffed out as soon as she was in front of the shop. She looked nervously inside of it first and seeing that it has only few customers, she went inside and sat on an empty table.

She doesn’t know if it was because she was nervous or just plainly getting impatient that she kept on looking at her watch. Every time the door opened too, she would whip her head to its direction but would only be disappointed. The waiter already asked for her order too and told him that she’s still waiting for someone. She asked him to come back when they came already.

Thirty minutes have passed since Haruna got there but there were still no signs of Mami and Tomomi. Damn, I knew it. I shouldn’t have come. She told herself and feeling awkward sitting alone at that table, she stood up and headed for the door just to be greeted by two persons fighting each other.

“I told you, names are for later! We haven’t even practice yet and now you’re making titles and stuff!”

“But it is cool! Just imagine the name of our crew, Fluffy Bunny. Aaw! So cute!”

"Heck no! I will not join a crew with a lame name like that! I would accept it if it’s Badass Kitty or Melon Pyaann~. Those are awesome!"

 “Those names are worse! What kind of name is that?”

“Hey! Yours is worse too! Ajujuman…I mean, what is that?!”

“Err, kinda span of moment thing. But it is cute and awesome!"

“Nope, it’s not. I would rather – Oh, hi Haruna! Where are you going?”

Haruna was glued to the floor, jaw dropped, as she watched the two banters about some names and she had troubled understanding them. But it made her realize something, it would be best not to join the crew that the two were making.

“Uhm, I was just…err…going…aah…” Haruna began stuttering as she thinks of a way out but she didn’t think on time because Tomomi wrapped her arms around her and started pulling her back to the table she was sitting on awhile ago.

“Well, no need to go anywhere! We’re here so we need to start with business right away!” Tomomi cheerfully said and Haruna couldn’t help but to stay and join the two for lunch and she wished that that was only thing she will be joining them.

Once they were settled on their seats, the waiter approached them and took their orders.

“I’ll be having Raspberry Vacherin and Iced Mocha.” Haruna politely said.

“Mine’s Blueberry cheesecake and Orange Mango Smoothie.” Mami told him.

“For me, one strawberry shortcake, cappuccino brownies and Vanilla Bean Cream Frap please.” Tomomi said and with that the waiter left them to get their orders.

“Neh, Mami, Haruna, can you pay mine for now? My money’s not enough.  Promise I’ll pay you back.” Tomomi whispered at them and Mami looked at her incredulously.

“What?! Then you should have ordered less!”

“But I always wanted to try cappuccino brownies, and I can’t pass up with strawberry shortcake. STRAWBERRIES! Strawberry is a must for me!” Tomomi pleaded. Mami looked at her annoyingly but then she let out a sigh.

"Oh Fine! Just don’t do it often.” Mami roughly said and then slumped on her seat.

 “Thanks!” Tomomi happily said to her and started chanting a strawberry song under her breath.

Mami only nodded in acknowledgement and then she pulled a Nintendo DS on her pocket and started playing. Her mood totally changed as she concentrated on her game.

Haruna only watched the two like they were some rare species. She let out a huge sigh as she watched Tomomi’s childishness and Mami’s rough personality. Haruna had already figure out Tomomi’s personality just from watching her the day before. She just couldn’t believe that Tomomi’s fitting the description Haruna have pictured of her from just one meeting. Her eyes wandered then to Mami. To describe her, well, Haruna thought that she’s still a mystery. When she first met her, she was polite and nice to talk to with a bit of boyishness on her and now, she’s a bit rough and argues with Tomomi like there’s no tomorrow. And then her mood changes quickly.

Haruna shook her head from her confusing thoughts and decided to start whatever business they should really be doing now even though she was still reluctant to be with them.

“So…Let’s get down to business. Any ideas we can do to start?” Haruna asked them and they’ve both stopped on what they’re doing and remembered why they were sitting there.

“Oh..right…” Mami said and tucked her console back to her bag.

“Hmm, how about getting to know each other first.” Tomomi suggested and the two only looked dumbfounded to her.

“Why?” Mami asked.

Tomomi rolled her eyes on her and let out a sigh before explaining it to her. “We’re going to dance as a team. Don’t you think we should know each other even for a bit so we could know our differences and know how to deal with each other?”

“Right.” Mami nodded her head to her and slumped on her chair once more.

“You start.” She grinned at her and looked expectantly on what she was about to say. Tomomi frowned and stared at her.

“Why me?” She asked fumingly but that only made Mami’s grin get wider.

“I think it’s going to be interesting on what you’re about to say.” She said honestly to her.

“And why did you assume that?”

“For someone who was trying to make a crew’s name into Ajujuman, I was wondering what you’re thinking.” Mami raised a brow challenging Tomomi.

“That’s it! Let’s settle this outside!” Tomomi hit the table hard and stood up dragging Mami with her.

“Let’s go then!” Mami said and pulled her arm roughly to Tomomi’s hands.

“Both of you, shut up!” Haruna shouted and brought down her fist on their heads. The two yelped in pain and sat down instantly as a tear started forming in their eyes.

“Seriously?! The moment I’ve seen you two, you were already trying to bite off each other’s head! What are you, some grade school kids?!” She fumed at them but they only rubbed their aching head and mouthed their apologies softly to her.

Haruna glared at the two for awhile and was only distracted when the waiter came with their order.

“H-Here’s your order, ma’am.” He cautiously said and clearly, he saw what has happened on their table.

“Thank you.” Haruna muttered and her smile was back to her face.

“Yay! Food’s here!” Tomomi enthusiastically said, recovering from her fear to Haruna and took her food right away.

Mami looked incredulously at the girl beside her and thought how fast she could recover easily but she was more than surprised on Haruna’s actions. She can be violent in an instant and it doesn’t seem like her.

Haruna, on the other hand, let out a sigh for losing her cool like that, and shook her head as she watched Tomomi eats happily on her food. She was perplexed on how easily the girl can be pleased. Then her eyes caught Mami, staring at her like she was studying her so she got self-conscious right away.

“W-What?” She asked and fixed her hair like it was the reason she was staring intently at her.

“Nothing. I was just thinking, that’s all.” She shrugged and took the food and drank her beverage.

“Okay…” Haruna muttered but still looked puzzled on Mami. They’ve ate silently afterwards and no one bothered to talk.

“So, we should go to an arcade after this.” Mami suddenly suggested when the silence was too much for her already.

“Why should we?” Haruna asked her. Whatever direction the two were thinking, she cannot follow it anymore.

“We should try their new game there. The dance something or sort of. The one with the motion detector thing.” Mami told them and was trying to describe the new game that was installed in the arcade just around the corner.

“Oh. That game! The one which you follow the one dancing on the screen!” Tomomi chimed in excitement and Mami only nodded.

“Yep. That one. I forgot the name but it would be fun and we could practice on that one too.” Mami told them. Haruna thought that it is a great idea and a step for them to forming a dance crew.

“That’s a nice idea. I’m in.” She smiled at them which they’ve both returned at her.

“Cool then.” Mami muttered and finished the last bits of her food.

Once they were done with their food, they’ve headed out the shop and started making their way on the arcade where the new game was installed. Mami looked excitedly at the games in front of her and was ready to play every one of it if only Haruna didn’t mention their original plan on coming there. Reluctantly, she looked longingly at the different games in front of her and headed to the game she suggested awhile ago.

Tomomi bought the tokens for them already and started getting ready to play the game.

“Ready?” She asked enthusiastically to the two and they’ve both nodded. Tomomi chose the song carefully and when she found what she was looking for, she pressed the button and hurriedly went beside Mami and Haruna.

“Players, in your position!” The machine told them and they’ve walked at their designated places.

“In 3, 2, 1….Dance off!” The game started and so they’ve started dancing fluidly.

Tomomi chose a song from a famous male idol group but even though that was the case, the three were able to follow the steps gracefully. Without them knowing, a crowd was already forming around them as they’ve watched them move.

The song was fast and the dance was exhausting. If an inexperienced dancer chose it, for sure, he or she will give up in an instant. Fortunately, the girls didn’t and they even kept up with it. But even so, they’re breathes became rugged and sweat started forming on their brow.

They were seriously playing like a pro that when they’ve stopped dancing, the crowd applauded to their performance. They were shock with the sudden applause and even more stunned when they’ve finally noticed the huge crowd around them. They bowed their heads and murmured their thanks to the crowd, a bit embarrassed, but they’ve enjoyed the attention they’ve suddenly been given.

“I think this crew might work out, after all.” Mami whispered to them when the crowd has dispersed. The two nodded in agreement and smiled at her words.

“I guess we just need to work hard for it,” Haruna muttered after awhile, “Right Mami? Tomomi?” Haruna looked at her companions but they were gone in an instant.

“Eh? Tomomi?! Mami?!” She shouted but the two didn’t answer her call. Haruna panicked and started looking for them in a jam packed arcade but she just couldn’t see them. “Where did those two go?” She asked herself as she looked around. Then she heard a high pitched voice from her right and saw Tomomi and Mami playing Guitar Hero.

“You cheated! Another game!” Tomomi yelled angrily and Mami matched it with her own voice too.

“What?! Since when can we cheat in these games?!” Mamy yelled back and the two went on another round of bickering.

Haruna looked at them hopelessly and doesn’t get how they ended up being like this on the first place.

“Let’s settle this on another game!” Tomomi said, rolling her sleeves up to her elbow and made her way to another game.

“Sure! Taiko it is then! I’m so gonna beat you in this.” Mami smirked and started stretching her neck and fingers before grabbing the pair of stick provided on the game.

“Ready? Go!” Haruna heard the game started and watched as the two beat the hell out of the drums in front of them, not even giving each other a chance to win.

“Am I really going to be alright with this two?” She asked awfully at herself and just shook her head in defeat. All the happy feelings she felt after their dance flew off the window instantly.

~*~*~*~

Meanwhile, in a record company…

“Kaichou! Why didn’t you stop Fujie and his band from leaving?! They were the last one that we have!” A woman burst out suddenly from the door of the president’s office.

The president of the company looked up from her readings and stare at the intrusion her secretary just made.

“So what if I didn’t.” She said boringly before fixing her glasses back to her eyes and focused it on what she was reading.

The woman, who turned out to be her secretary, angrily went to her and pulled the papers she was reading making her to focus her attention only to her.

“Can’t you see the dilemma we’re in right now?! We’re going to close at this rate! We don’t have any talents in this company and how do you think we would be able to manage the expenses just by keeping this building?” The woman told her. She was already getting worried about being jobless but the president doesn’t even flinch at her words.

“Even if I stop them, they would not succeed in this kind of world.” The president told her simply and grabbed her papers back from the woman’s hold and started reading again.

“How can you say that? They are talented! Although there’s a lot to be fixed but they surely could improve if we help them.” The woman reasoned out but the president only let out a sigh of irritation and finally putting her papers down to the table.

She looked at her secretary for a moment and stood up so they were now on an eye level. The secretary cringed instantly but she didn’t stepped back when the president leaned in closer to her.

“Chouko-san, you must know, to survive in this kind of world, a person must be willing to sacrifice everything. Passion is a key ingredient in success and not just only the talented guidance of the company would make a group famous.” The president told her. Chouko felt dried up in an instant.

“Fujie and his band don’t have that passion I was looking for. Nor the quality to capture a person’s heart in that matter.” Chouko saw a smile on the president’s face. She shivered at it, not knowing the reason on what suddenly amused the president.

“But I’m positive right now that I’ll be finding a group of people who have those qualities so don’t fret. Let me do my work.” The president told her and sat back to her chair before grabbing the paper on the table and resuming her reading.

“W-Why are you so sure?” Chouko asked, a bit confused and intimidated by the president.

“Because I’m Yuuto Haruka. Anything is possible with me.” Chouko was taken aback from her words but knew that she meant what she had said. To say it blantly, Chouko find her president eccentric in many ways and a narcissist. She couldn’t argue with her though because she always does her work well which Chouko finds astonishing to watch, although her methods are quiet odd.

Chouko sighed in defeat, knowing she couldn’t change Haruka’s mind from stopping Fujie and his band. She sat on the chair parallel to Haruka’s table and looked boringly at Haruka.

“So what now? You’ve promised your dad that you’ll be introducing him a boy band at the end of the year that could match his famous talents, Seraphim.” Chouko saw Haruka cringed at the sudden mention of her dad and the band he had successfully produced but Chouko was too confused and too worried on what will be they’re fate right now to bother on Haruka’s feelings. She knew that was a sensitive subject that as much as possible, Haruka doesn’t want to talk about but this is not the time to show mercy on her as she didn’t show mercy on her too awhile ago.

“I will. Just wait, I’ll find those guys and make them famous.” Haruka confidently said and stared at her papers once more.

“Well, if you say so. I trust you enough to be able to stay with you this far.” Chouko told her and stood up from her seat.

“Thank you and I’m happy that you have stayed with me.” Haruka told her with a smile on her face which Chouko returned.

“Sure. It also gives me plenty of time doing nothing because you were so kind enough to have nothing to manage.” She sarcastically said and went towards the door of her office.

  “Do you want another tea?” She asked before going out and saw Haruka glanced at the piled tea cups on her table already.

  “Sure, just to keep you from doing something.” She smirked and let her eyes wander at her papers again.

“One hot tea coming right up.” Chouko said, finally going out and making her way to the kitchen.

“I hope those guys she was looking for were just nearby.” She sighed out not knowing that they will be meeting up with them soon enough.