As soon as the train screeched to a halt, Mimi clutched the edge of Koushiro's sleeve, tugging him along. "It's not far from here," she promised, her heels clicking against the pavement.
Any response Koushiro attempted to formulate was lost in the noise of the train station, the pair weaving through the crowd with a practiced ease. With an urgency he had never seen, Koushiro allowed himself to be dragged through the busy streets, the ends of Mimi's hair tickling his cheeks.
Comfortable silence stretched between them. The night air had begun to cool, but his face remained uncomfortably warm, Mimi's proximity staining Koushiro's cheeks a brilliant red. As long as her back was turned, he made no effort to hide.
Turning down a corner, Mimi came to an abrupt stop. Her grip loosened on the sleeve of his shirt, hair nearly whipping Koushiro in the face as she spun around.
"Are you sure you're okay with this?"
Koushiro eyed their destination curiously, the exterior of an upper class hotel painting a beautiful background behind his date for the evening.
Anxiously, Mimi chewed on her bottom lip. A light breeze cooled the heat that resided on Koushiro's face, his resolve firm.
"I wouldn't have said yes if I didn't want to help you out. Don't be so nervous - you thrive at impressing people." He could only hope that the smile that inched its way onto his face was reassuring.
The corners of Mimi's mouth twitch upwards, a deep breath steadying her nerves. "Let's do this." Twirling back around, confidence emanated from her frame as she opened the lobby doors.
The hotel bustled with activity, residents and event-goers milling in every nook and cranny. Mimi's pulse thrummed in her veins.
"What exactly am I expected to do?" Koushiro asked. It was difficult to hear him above the noise of the crowd. He dutifully followed her through the throngs of people, a respectable distance between them.
"I mean," Mimi began, glancing briefly over her shoulder, "For this event, I'm expected to bring a boyfriend, so I guess we just act all lovey-dovey, probably?" With her focus forward, Mimi couldn't see the alarm in Koushiro's eyes.
Koushiro's jaw momentarily went slack. "And what exactly does that entail?"
A polished finger pushed the elevator button, Mimi's heel tapping in impatience. The doors clicked open, a swarm of passerbys filing out.
Quickly, the doors shut behind them, the pair finally alone. Koushiro's grip tightened around the strap of his briefcase, his nerves palpable.
"Don't freak out," Mimi reassured. "Just hang around me for the rest of the night. If we sit down, pull my chair out for me. Try to seem interested in what I have to say, and if necessary, rest your hand on my back while I talk. Just typical partner things, that's all."
Her eyes looked up at his in earnest, a silent 'thank you' f or Koushiro's efforts.
"This is all too vague for me. A plan like this has too many variables ; there are too many ways in which this could go wrong. I think I need boundaries, just so that neither of us overstep what the other is comfortable with."
Mimi pressed another button, the elevator roaring to life. Piano music crackled through the small speakers as Koushiro eyed her expectantly.
"Honestly, I haven't been on a date in so long that I don't really remember what couples even do . As long as we don't kiss, I think I'm fine with most anything."
Her companion choked, his face stained a brilliant red. "I was just talking about hand-holding, but I'm glad to see that you still cut straight to the chase."
It was Mimi's turn to flush in embarrassment. Before the air had a chance to grow thick, the elevator door chimed open, the pair stepping directly into a large banquet hall.
Waiters hurried back and forth, trays of drinks teetering precariously on the flat of their palms. The low hum of conversation was obscured by music that spilled softly from the speakers in the corners of the room.
Just as Mimi turned to get Koushiro's attention, a body collided into her side. A hand instinctively grabbing onto her date's arm. "I knew you would make it!" An all-too-familiar voice squealed.
"Mimi?" Koushiro asked, uncertainty laced in his voice. His warm hands steadied her, concern etched into his brow. For the first time, Mimi noticed the faint dusting of freckles that spilled across his cheeks, his eyelashes longer than her own.
Her sudden rise of panic subsided, grip on her partner loosening. "Oh, it's just you Hina."
"I see you took me seriously when I told you to bring a ' smoking date' ." Hina took a step back, a smirk playing on her lips.
To Mimi's chagrin, the social media manager raked her eyes over Koushiro's form, the other woman's smirk melding into something predatory.
Mimi rolled her eyes, her mouth opening of its own violation. "Could you not look at my date like you want to jump his bones? Besides, aren't there interviews that we should be preparing for?" Behind her, Koushiro snickered.
"I'm harmless , darling. It's obvious that…" Hina trailed off, gesturing vaguely until Mimi provided her date's name. "It's obvious that Koushiro is completely smitten with you."
Mimi's heart unexpectedly leapt into her throat, a strange anticipation quickening her pulse.
Without another word, the manager led them towards the back of the room, a small crowd of people already gathered.
"These will be your sponsors," Hina clarified over her shoulder, navigating the cramped room with ease. Mimi gave a little jump, the unfamiliar pressure of Koushiro's hand at the small of her back unnerving.
"You alright?" he whispered, warm breath ghosting over the shell of her ear. Trusting her voice wasn't an option; instead, Mimi nodded meekly.
Hina babbled on about the other guests, her words falling on deaf ears. All too soon, Koushiro withdrew his palm, the group bowing in greeting.
The sponsors were comprised of aging investors, company representatives that would lend Mimi products to subtly endorse within her content. Success depended heavily on Mimi's traction, on whether or not the general public cared for her opinion. As of late, disappointment had been wrinkling at their brows.
"Ah, Mimi, it's great to see you again." An elderly woman only offered a paper-crepe smile, her expression otherwise disinterested. The woman's name was lost in the tangle of Mimi's nerves, the young girl greeting her in kind.
The woman's crinkly gaze settled on Koushiro, a twinkle shimmering underneath the fluorescent lights. "Ah, I see you've finally taken our suggestions seriously. Maybe you should apologize for your negligence and introduce us to your new beau."
A brilliant flush crawled up Mimi's neck, Hina's smile unusually stiff. "Please, excuse me," Mimi managed.
Beside her, Koushiro only smiled. "Mimi is very passionate about her work. I hope you forgive her for letting our introductions fall by the wayside. You may call me Koushiro; my partner has told me a lot about you." His smile was bright, oozing with charisma as Mimi sheepishly laughed at his side.
His confidence set the sponsors at ease, earning a few chuckles from the gentlemen of the group. Residual warmth coated Mimi's cheeks, words dried up in her throat. Though it was her responsibility to entertain the very people that paid her bills, there was something comforting in the way her date took charge of the situation.
Conversation flowed back and forth, Koushiro seemingly at ease. Absent-mindedly, his body turned towards her own, close enough that the smell of his cologne washed over her.. In the months they had been apart, her date had managed to become so effortlessly suave .
Mimi couldn't explain the strange fluttering in her stomach, but nodded along as Koushiro gestured wildly with his hands. Even Hina seemed to be transfixed on the way his face lit up, his dark eyes practically dancing underneath the fluorescents.
"If only you were the person we are supposed to endorse," one of the gentlemen chuckled.
Hina tittered along respectfully, her gaze weighing heavily on Mimi's flushed frame.
"Mimi is full of personality, sir. It's only natural that her boyfriend would be a crowd pleaser."
Wrinkles formed at the corners of the man's mouth, knuckles tightening around his glass.
"I am not here to interview the boyfriend . I am here to determine whether or not your client is capable of selling the products we expect her to."
Mimi's heart sank down into her stomach, mouth suddenly dry. Koushiro's proximity had unnerved her; Mimi hadn't realized how silent she had been. Apologies bubbled up, pouring from her lips. "I'm sorry if I've given you that impression, sir, but I can assure you that -"
"Enough." His sudden cutoff shocked even Hina, the normally poised manager stiff with shock.
Mimi swallowed the lump in her throat. "Sir, I promise -"
"I said enough ." The man's jaw tense, his steely gaze shifting from Mimi to her manager. "As for you, Hina, I suggest that you stop wasting my time with these flimsy, incompetent girls."
The remnants of Mimi's tenacity crumbled, her heart cracking in her chest. Despite the cruelness of his words, the gentleman had been correct. Her website had been declining for months, the meeting with potential sponsors her last chance at reviving her impact.
Hina remained silent under the scrutiny. Slowly, the sponsors trickled out, disappearing back into the crowd. Shame colored Mimi's cheeks.
As the elderly gentleman turned to leave, Koushiro's arm found its place around Mimi's shoulders, pulling her into the side of his coat.
"You're wrong." Koushiro said. Around them, people still laughed and danced and ate. The party continued on as normal, no one aware of how Mimi's heart shattered inside of her chest.
No one, that is, except Koushiro.
The gentleman halted in place, his back faced firmly towards the pair.
"You're wrong," Koushiro tried again, his voice steady. "Mimi is intelligent in ways that I am unable to fathom. If you had taken the time to get to know her , you would have found that she exhibits every good quality that a person can possess." With Mimi under his arm, Koushiro angled towards the exit. "I will never be able to understand how I am lucky enough to call her my friend. Have a great night."
With Koushiro's words hanging in the air, the pair left. Hina did her best to flag them down, to convince them to stay and apologize, but Mimi shook her head.
Out in the cool night air once again, she curled into the weight of Koushiro's embrace, allowing the comfort of his embrace to momentarily calm her fears.
