A/N: Here I ammmm with a light-hearted new series bc working on my other work can sometimes rile my mind LOL Apologies if you're someone wo reads Threnody and hoped that I'd update that. I MEAN I WILL. SOON. Now then onto the chapter~

Chapter 1- Possibilities

"H-a-r-u-k-aaa~!" Tomochika sang out in a frustrated tone as she gently nudged her best friend's arm, in an attempt to wake her up. She was trying to do so for the past few minutes but Haruka didn't budge. The rosette's lips were slightly open, her chest rose and fell gently.

A small smile of victory dusted across Tomochika's lips when she saw Haruka stir, arms stretching. Her coral hair was tousled, her golden eyes were droopy . She yawned, rubbing her eyelids.

"Tomo..cha..n..?" She softly asked, rising slowly from the cot. She sat up and stretched again like a kitten. She blinked thrice, expecting to feel warm sunshine on her face and to hear the birds chirping like every other morning.

What she heard though, were waves. Powerful and strong, they carried a tune of their own as they swayed to the tune of the wind. She immediately got off her bed, still in pyjamas, running to her balcony and throwing the sliding windows open.

Her eyes widened. Here she stood facing the deep blue waters of the Mediterranean as the breeze kissed her face, blowing some of her hair into her eyes. She pushed back the unruly strands and gaped. How did she momentarily forget where she was?

Her fingers tightened along the railings as the ship sailed ahead. Winds roared as she laid her eyes upon the white foam upon the crests of the tides. Seagulls and albatrosses flew by. Tomochika giggled behind her.

"Looks like someone forgot her current location." The redhead winked playfully, petting Haruka's hair gently with a smile. The rosette smiled widely at her best friend.

"I did! I was so tired when we boarded last night that I didn't even realise that we'll be spending the next weeks here. I'm so scatterbrained." Haruka chuckled, breathing in the air of the sea. With a smile still on her face, she hopped into the bathroom in order to get ready for the day. Tomochika pulled out a dress for her from her suitcase along with a pendant.

"There was something I had to tell you Haruka." The rosette raised an eyebrow quizzically. Why did Tomochika sound so guilty? She poked her head out, her toothbrush in her mouth.

"You missed the ship tour today morning." Tomochika said with a strained smile. Haruka's jaw dropped as her toothbrush fell out of her mouth, hitting the floor with a plop. "EHHH?! But...but...but! I wanted to..." She trailed off, bending down to pick her toothbrush up.

"I know. I came to pick you, I even pushed you awake but you told me to go ahead and that you'll join me soon. I think you were talking in your sleep." Tomochika shook her head, raising the dress to give it a full look in the mirror.

"Oh...I remember now. I told you to not worry about me too..." Haruka mumbled before stuffing her pink toothbrush back into her mouth, brushing more vigorously. Her heart sank. She wanted to see the cruise's interiors before deciding what to do here.

"I think they'll have another tour." Tomochika offered reassuringly. "I got you a map of the place though." She grinned, taking the said pamphlet from her purse. Haruka resisted a squeal but she freshened up quickly, eager to have a look.

The shower was lukewarm but Haruka was still flushed, mainly due to excitement. Her eyes swept by the large sheet spread across the white linen of her bedsheets, observing every little detail.

She was wearing a yellow dress, the colour of buttercups and she put a butterfly necklace. Her dress flowed like a gown, making her feel like a princess. Tomochika always knew how to pick the right dress. She even put a light shade of rose lipstick on Haruka, insisting that she wanted to make her look prettier.

The redhead herself wore fashion on her body. She was dressed in a wine red sleeveless top paired with a light yellow coat which appeared to be a peach colour and elegant, sleek black pants. She put on diamond earrings and a bracelet along with white heels. Classy and neat. Tomochika managed to rock any kind of style.

"Amazing...there's even a ballroom here." Haruka remarked with awe, her fingertips tracing the map lightly. Tomochika nodded. "This is a pretty luxurious cruise. S.S. Gondola." Tomochika winced at the name but didn't comment further.

"It's rather funny how it's called a gondola when it really does not look like one..." Haruka chuckled nervously. The map boasted the fine extravagance that Saotome's newly built cruise would offer. Her breakfast was a simple English one but it was delicious and scrumptious, indicating the skill and prowess of the chefs aboard. She swore that she could still taste the succulent sausages and rich omelettes.

Her eyes drank in the surroundings of her room. The floor was carpeted in a rich shade of velvety blue. The wall right in front of her, facing her bed was black with a few silver songbirds painted at the top corner. The wall which her bed rested against, was white with black swirls towards the bottom corners. She had a round coffee table and two large, comfy couches.

There was an armoire beside a large mirror which also had an alabaster vanity cabinet with intricate blue knobs. Her bed was queen sized, one she had never slept in, and the cosiest place in the entire room. It had a silvery blue blanket and lily white bedsheets. It was like as she was living in an ocean-like palette herself.

"It is awesome, eh?" Tomochika interrupted her observing; Haruka nodded in agreement. "Can you believe that we have such a large pool on one of the decks?" She pointed with her finger on the map. "It's shaped like a flower petal! Or so, the guide had said." Tomochika sighed, obviously taken aback herself by the luxury.

"We also have an English and Japanese tea room, a solarium, a pub, and many many practice rooms for music and choreography!" The redhead listed, putting her palm on her forehead to feign that she had a headache and fell onto the bed with a plop.

"The President really went all out..." Haruka said with a smile. She traced the map with her fingers again. "Why did he call it a gondola?"

"I thought he'd name it something worthy of the luxury it leaks off." Tomochika said, sounding sarcastic. Haruka nodded approvingly. "Something like...Lunar or..um..Diamond..or King." She offered, her hands waving.

Tomochika snorted. "King indeed." She rolled to Haruka, resting her head on her lap. "Oh well! At least I can now cross out something from my bucket list!" She said, smirking like a cat which just received a bucket of cream.

Haruka's eyes drifted to the ocean and how magnificent the blue looked. "A bucket list?" She asked, meeting Tomochika's magenta eyes that posed a contrast to all the oceanic colours.

The redhead nodded enthusiastically. "Yup! Going on a luxurious Mediterranean cruise has always, ALWAYS been my dream!" Tomochika sighed dreamily. "I made a deal with the President. If we manage to sell three million copies of all our new CDs, he'd give us a good, well deserved break. I also suggested the cruise. Who knew that he'd actually keep his promise?" She recalled, laughing.

"It is a lovely ship." Haruka said. "A lovely break too." She added with a sigh. Tomochika poked her best friend's nose. "You've never thought about making a bucket list, Haruka?" She asked, her lips forming a little pout.

"Eh..no. I never had the time." She admitted, sighing again. "It would be nice though. It seems adventurous and fun." She smiled to herself, eyes closing as she tried to picture herself doing all the things she really wanted to do. Tomochika noticed her wistful and longing expression and inwardly frowned.

"It doesn't seem to be adventurous and fun! It IS adventurous and fun!" Tomochika grinned instead, getting off the bed to grab a big notepad and two pens. She knew just what to do. Haruka gave her a puzzled look, raising her eyebrows.

"Let's make you an insane bucket list with a deadline!" Tomochika announced victoriously and Haruka's eyes turned wide as saucers. "Ehhh?!" She gave her best friend a look that she hoped would be shocked and disapproving but Haruka couldn't stop the excitement and thrill coursing through her body. "Tomo-chan!" She whined.

"Don't "Tomo-chan" me! I know you've always wanted to have an adventure Haruka. That you've always wanted to experience that rush of adrenaline when you do something daring. You've always wished for it but you never reached out because you were afraid."

Her best friend was not going to take no for an answer. It wasn't like as if Haruka was going to refuse her either. Everything that Tomochika said there was true. She was curious but scared. Of what, she didn't know. This cruise might just be that opportunity she needs.

Haruka could refuse her. She could say that she'd rather work or that she's too nervous and scared. She could also pretend to faint out of fright but the notepad in Tomochika's hand was calling out to her. It tempted her with the prospective of more. All she had to do was reach out. Maybe she could actually clech something she wanted. She could try to do things that she always dreamed of.

Tomochika held out a pen and the notepad, an inviting smirk plastered on her face in anticipation. She was expecting Haruka's answer to her silent offer. Haruka felt her mind order her to refuse as sometimes Tomochika did want to do crazy things.

If Tomochika gave her a list that she wanted to Haruka to try, the rosette might collapse! Her mind made sense but she felt her heart tug. How would it be to take a risk? She breathed shakily, her hands seemed to curl into a fist.

Tomochika frowned. She knew Haruka was afraid and that so many things seemed to pass by in her friend's shimmering golden-green eyes. She could see the excitement but another emotion present in equal amounts was hesitation. She retreated her outstretched arm with the pen and notepad but at the last moment, Haruka accepted it, taking the two items. The redhead made no effort to mask her surprise.

"Haruka..." Was all she could say.

"You're right...I've always seen you go get what you long for Tomo-chan. This cruise is one of those things." Tomochika didn't reply, scooting closer to Haruka.

"I...I want to try out something new. Something different. I think this cruise may just be a chance for me. I don't have anything to work on and..." She bit her lip. "I don't want to be bored here..." She mumbled.

She didn't like how mundane she was. She longed to be more daring and bold, like Tomochika but always chickened out. She enjoyed making music and thinking up of compositions but in her spare time, she always dreamed about what else she could do. She did get tired of baking, gardening and other things in her daily routine. She longed to be more adventurous. To try something different. To laugh like a maniac after doing something daring. To feel the hairs on her arm stand up with the thrill a person received. To live and experience instead of imagining.

She smiled sadly. Alas, she was too afraid. And now Tomo-chan stood there, offering her a chance to take the leap. Her hands clenched around the notepad. "There..have been things that I want to do..." She whispered, Tomochika leaned closer to hear her better. "But...I want to do different things too.." She muttered in a susurrate and Tomochika gave her an excited smile.

"I shall help then! I could give you ten daring things to do!" She said with a playful smirk. Haruka chuckled. "Yes please. Nothing too daring though..." She said shyly, biting her lip.

"Too bad. I was thinking of putting pole-dancing and skinny dipping as two of those items." Tomochika confessed with a mock pout.

"Tomo-chan!" Haruka scolded, her voice turning shriller with shock.

Tomochika winked. "Just kidding." Haruka pouted in reply. "It's not funny." She croaked, ignoring that little jolt of electricity at the mention of things from the dark side. She admitted to herself that she didn't have the guts to try out something that looked so...forbidden. Despite how thrilling it would be.

"There are pole-dancing classes here. I might give them a try." Tomochika confided with a devilish smirk. "Now then~" She gushed, her expression filled with anticipation. "Let's make your list!"

The first few things that Haruka wanted to do came quite easily. She set her hand to the paper, the pen making scratching sounds as she wrote down her tasks.

Play the piano in the grand theatre
Dance a waltz in the ballroom
Try the titanic pose
Make a croquembouche in the ship's kitchens
Visit the pets section aboard

She pondered on what to do next. Her eyes flew to Tomochika who was thinking of ten moderately tingling goals for Haruka to complete. Excitement flushed through the rosette's veins as she wondered what her best friend would give. The deadline was obvious. She'd have to complete these within the next thirteen weeks. That is, before the trip ended. The map was lying on her pillow and she reached out for it, looking at the places where they would stop.

Cannes
Nice
Barcelona
Florence
Venice
Naples
Athens
Santorini
Mykonos

The next few things that she wanted to do were inspired by the locations. She scribbled them down, smiling to herself.

Eat ice cream in Florence (gelato)
See a sunset on a Greek island
Go on an actual gondola
Try paella, tapas and sangria at Barcelona
Visit the Parthenon and Acropolis in Athens

Tomochika's chest warmed with happiness when she saw Haruka scribbling down her heart's wishes onto that sheet of paper. It would be an ordinary thing to someone else but to Haruka, those were her dreams. She chuckled to herself before jotting down the last item on her list of tasks for Haruka.

The rosette bit her lip as she wrote down the two final things which were something she couldn't bring herself to admit out loud.

Try a makeover
Write a song for myself.

She read out the first ten items on her list to Tomochika who nodded, acknowledging every task. She was right. She couldn't bring herself to say out the last two items.

"A croquembouche eh?" Tomochika stared at her. Haruka nodded. "I've never got a chance to make one back at home. It requires too many ingredients and so much work." The rosette sighed.

"And eat gelato in Florence. Cute." Tomochika chuckled. "I didn't know there was a pets section on board though."

"Its there." Haruka pointed in the map. Tomochika tapped the pen on her lips. "Hmmm."

"Tomo-chan." Haruka smiled at her, anticipation thumping in her heart, signalling her to read out her set of tasks for Haruka.

Tomochika cleared her throat, her eyes glittering with humour as she read out what she wrote.

Attend the jewellery making class on board
Go surfing
Participate in La Tomatina at Barcelona
Attend a massage class aboard
Go on the fashion runaway along with Tomochika in Cannes
Try six different types of alcohol
Go scuba diving
Learn to salsa
Participate in the karaoke competition on board
Kiss someone on the Eiffel Tower

"KISS SOMEONE?!" Haruka shrieked, dropping the paper. Suddenly, all of the items mentioned by Tomochika earlier seemed to be far more easier. She would walk on a runway in Cannes and shimmy her hips for a salsa but kiss someone?! Was Tomo-chan out of her mind?!

"Tomo-chan, I can't!" Haruka objected, blushing as red as her best friend's cherry locks. Tomochika tsked with a smirk.

"You can kiss yourself if you want but you have to kiss on the Eiffel Tower!" Tomochika gushed, stars twinkling in her magenta eyes. "Wouldn't that just be so romantic though, Haruka?!" She squealed and Haruka looked away. It would be very romantic.

"But..." She tried to protest but Tomochika smirked. "So you only seem to have an issue with the last task. Meaning you're totally cool with the rest!"

"Ummm..." Haruka pouted, but her eyes didn't betray the little tingles that seemed to make her feel more..alive. "Alright. I'll try. No promises about the kissing though." She conceded and Tomochika clapped excitedly.

"Now we're talking! I can circle the location of the rooms for all the class activities you want to do on board! Oh, Haruka you have no idea how proud I am of you for trying something new!" She pulled the rosette in for a tight hug, nuzzling her pink cheeks. Haruka laughed nervously.

"I can't believe I'm doing this..." She clasped her hands together.

Her eyes returned to the sea as she opened the windows, feeling the sea breeze again. She sighed happily as she let the air play with her hair, cooling her suddenly warm cheeks. She felt so...free. So adventurous. She laughed, the wind carrying the musical sound over the waves.

Tomochika stood behind her. The redhead forgot to mention one thing. The two of them aren't the only people from the agency aboard Saotome's gondola. Ringo was their tour guide today morning. Tomochika smirked. The boys are here too, Haruka. Imagine their looks when they see you chasing the items on your list!

She giggled along with Haruka. Well, isn't this going to be a dreamy summer? Who knows what could happen up here? Saotome isn't aboard to monitor us so in a way, his stupid no-love rule holds no meaning. The boys don't know that you're here, dear. I'm just waiting for when they'll notice you! Who knows this list might just bring you closer to them?

The waves brushed against the ship as it sailed forth, into a new path filled with adventure. Haruka smiled softly to herself. These were her desires.

And she was going to fulfil them.

A/N: So then, what do you think about this? See the connection between the list and our boys~? ;)) Do leave a review!

~Gemma