Chapter 2

Fumbling around with my phone, I almost dropped it at the sight of her name. Ichigo had called me while I was in the bath and I didn't pick up! I started to become increasingly worried. What if she thought I was ignoring her and came to the conclusion I didn't want to talk to her?

My heart began to race. Should I call her back now or would she think I'm clingy? Surely if I did it later she would think I was too busy to talk to her and feel unwanted. My finger hovered over the call button, my finger shaking slightly.

You can do this, Mizuki! It's just Ichigo.

For a moment longer, my finger continued to hover over the call button. I knew there was nothing to be afraid of, but my mind couldn't help but jump to a million conclusions about what Ichigo thought. Reluctantly, I tapped the call button and waited anxiously.

Brrring, brriing, brrring, brrring...

...And the ringing stopped.

"Hello?" Ichigo spoke.

My heart skipped a beat at the sound of her voice.

"Hey Ichigo!" I squeaked a little too excitedly.

"Oh, hello Mizuki-san! I actually just called you."

"Yeah, I saw. I was in the bath, I'm sorry about that."

"It's okay! How have you been?"

"I've been well actually! I missed talking to you. I was surprised you still had my number!"

I could hear Ichigo's familiar old laugh over the phone.

"I would never lose your number, Mizuki-san!" She told me. "After all, you're the person I look up to most and I could never forget you. It feels just like yesterday we were on stage together, too."

I laughed, grinning ear to ear. It really was just like yesterday. I vividly remember performing Idol Katsudou with her in the beginning of her idol career.

"Those days are over, unfortunately. I wanted you to take my place because I knew how hard you were working and I was all burnt out from Aikatsu."

"I'm so grateful we got to stand on stage together! But actually, I did have a question regarding Aikatsu."

I swallowed. I hope it wasn't something bad. Surely she doesn't remember how awkwardly I confessed to her!

"What is it, Ichigo?" I whispered into the phone, swallowing hard.

"Would you stand on stage with me once more, Mizuki-san?"

I paused. I suddenly couldn't speak.

"Hello?" Ichigo spoke again, worry enveloping her voice

"I'm here, sorry. I was just thinking," I managed to reply.

She wants to stand on stage with me again? But I haven't danced in ages! I gave up my idol career and became a model for a popular magazine that was sold all around Japan. I became increasingly worried about how my performance with Ichigo would be, and surely by now she would have passed my level.

"Um-" I began.

"It's okay if you don't want to, Mizuki-san. I know you gave up being an idol for a reason."

"No, it's not that! It's just…"

"I haven't danced in ages. I'm worried you might have overcome me," I laughed nervously.

Ichigo went silent and let out a hearty laugh.

"You know I could never overcome your skills!"

"I know you could have. You have a lot of potential, Ichigo."

Ichigo laughed again and replied, "Not as much as you do."

My heart began to flutter. She's complimenting me like she used to when we were students at Starlight Academy. She always idolized me and really looked up to me. That was one of Ichigo's faults, she could never see the bad in me. When I told her several years ago that I used to eat ice cream after working out sometimes, she looked so surprised. I'm just a person that happened to be an idol at the time.

"Anyway," she started, "we're having a reunion at Starlight Academy next month. I wanted to perform with you!"

"Thank you. I'd love to perform with you, Ichigo."

Ichigo gasped.

"Really, Mizuki-san? Yay! I'm really going to look forward to it. Are you free tomorrow morning?"

"Yes, for a while before I go to work. I head to work around 9am. Would you like to meet up at Starlight around 6am?"

"Of course! I'll see you then. Bye!"

"Bye!"

I pressed the end call button and held my phone close to my chest. My heart was racing with excitement! I get to perform with Ichigo again. Ichigo of all people!

I took my phone back into my bedroom and placed it on my nightstand just incase Ichigo wanted to call or text me again. I sprung into bed and mushed my face into the pillow laying on top of my purple sheets. I rolled over onto my back and crossed my arms over my head, smiling and letting out a sigh.

I can't believe Ichigo called me.

That night, I had trouble falling asleep. All I could think about was Ichigo, Ichigo, Ichigo. I was so excited to be able to perform with her again that my heart wouldn't stop racing and neither would my mind. I flopped side to side hour after hour. What song would we perform together? What sort of coords will we wear? Those sort of thoughts began to envelop my mind up until around three o'clock in the morning, when my body finally began to relax and fell into a relatively short sleep.