Hey all! Thanks all who read, and especially to those who reviewed! I hope this chapter is okay...

Response to irinatags- Thank you so much! Your review really made me feel better! TY!

I do not own Aikatsu Stars!

~0~

Ako let out a deep breath, calming herself. Then, she pushed the doors of the cafe open, ready to get started with her shift. Ignoring the others and the heavy feeling in her chest, she quickly dressed into her uniform and was out in the cafe, setting the tables with the menus and fixing the chairs like usual.

"Ah! Morning Ako!" Yuzu waved at her.

Ako waved back, "Good morning, Yuzu."

Yuzu grinned wide, "Don't get too mad today!" She winked at Ako and then disappeared into the back.

Ako blinked, "Uh?" Shaking her head, she went back to preparing.

"Ako!" Someone else called. She also heard the cries of someone else after it.

Ako turned, "What is-" She stopped when she felt something cold wrap around her wrist. She gasped and looked down. A cuff. Around her left wrist. Her face turned red, "What is the meaning of this?" She glared at Laura.

Laura grinned and took step back, revealing Yume behind her, who was panting.

Ako's eyes widened, and her eyes shot down to the cuff again. Lo and behold, the other end was attached to Yume's right wrist. Ako shook with panic, repeating, "What is the meaning of this!"

Yume frowned, "Laura sprung this cuff on me too." She turned to Laura, "What are you doing Laura?"

Laura shrugged her hands, "You guys are going to get along today."

"That's staying on all day," Mahiru appeared.

"What?" Ako gasped.

"Koharu!" Yume gasped, "You too?"

Koharu smiled softly, "Yea. Sorry, Yume."

Ako crossed her arms, ignored the pull it had on Yume's arm, "No. I refuse. Take it off right now. How am I supposed to work?"

Laura grinned, "No can do, Ako. And don't worry about that, Yuzu approved of it."

Ako's eyes widened as she remembered Yuzu's words from earlier. She tightened her fists, "That Yuzu…" She muttered angrily.

Speaking of her, she popped out of the back, "Oy! It's opening time! Open that door!"

Ako panicked, "No! I can't work like this! Give me the key! Please!"

Yuzu tilted her head, "It's too late. I put it in the timer box. It'll only open at the end of the day!"

"No!" Ako screamed, but it was too late. Laura was opening the doors up.

Ako sent a withering glare over to Yume, who frowned back. Ako growled, then let her arm get pulled forward as she went to greet the entering customers. It was going to be a long day.

~0~

This arrangement was not working out. At all. So far, they had dropped 7 trays of food, had 3 arguments in the back about whose arm was more important, and a huge bruise on both of their respective wrists.

At the moment, Ako was crouched in front of a toilet stall, her arm halfway through the bottom, and a huge scowl on her face. "Are you done?" Ako snapped.

"No!" Yume called back.

Ako groaned and facepalmed with her free hand. At least she had that. "Can't you forget your privacy for this one minute? This would've been easier if you left the door open!"

"No thanks!" Yume retorted sharply.

"Well this isn't very comfortable for me!" Ako tugged at her arm for emphasis.

She smirked when she heard Yume shift.

"Cut that out! Just wait! I'm almost done."

Sure enough, Ako heard the toilet flush, and then the two of them awkwardly got out from their weird position around the stall.

Yume scrubbed her hands under the water, while Ako looked off with annoyance.

She heard Yume sigh and turn off the water, "You better wash your hands, too."

Ako rolled her eyes but took her advice and began washing her hands.

Yume played with her bangs with her free hand silently, then dropped her hand onto the counter, "Look, Ako, we have to figure a way to make this work out better. We can't keep dropping trays. I'm pretty sure Yuzu's keeping track and that she's going to take it out of our pay checks." Yume moaned sadly.

Ako scoffed, "Well, unlike you, I don't depend on my paycheck."

Yume sent her a surprised look, then shook her head, "You wouldn't ruin it for me, would you?"

Ako glanced at her through the corner of her eye, "Don't tempt me."

Yume gawked, "Unbelievable." She pulled away from the sink, pulling Ako along, "Let's get back to work."

The two of them went to the door while ignoring each other, but greeted the next customers at the same time.

"Welcome masters!"

"Welcome masters!"

"Huh? What's going on here?"

Yume glanced up in surprise, "O-Oh! We…"

Ako looked up at the speaker and her eyes widened. She jumped up, shoving Yume aside with her shoulder. "We're doing a bonding training!"

It was true, that was the excuse they were giving anyone who asked about their cuff together.

Subaru's eyebrows raised, and Ako smiled happily, being able to speak to her dear Subaru directly for the first time!

"... I see."

"Let me get you to a table!" Ako smiled, swooping her arms over dramatically. She pulled Yume along and led them to a table.

The four boys settled down in the seats then looked over the menu.

Ako smiled sweetly down at Subaru, "Might I suggest the Exciting Sprinkle cake?"

Subaru hummed, then shook his head, "Nah. How about the Heart Skip cupcake?"

Ako let out an embarrassed smile, "O-Of course!"

Yume nodded, scratching it down on her pad, Ako's arm tugging along with it, "What flavor?"

"Vanilla," Subaru replied.

The rest of them made their orders, and Yume and Ako went off to the kitchen.

Ako swooned over Subaru while they served the other customers. When they went back to retrieve M4's orders, Yume pulled the tray into her grasp.

Ako gasped, "Just what are you doing? I'm taking that!" She hissed. Taking her paws out, she shoved at Yume in attempt to get the tray.

However, Yume yelped and lost her balance, the tray falling from her grip and crashing to the ground.

"Do I hear the eighth tray?" Ms. Anna peaked out of the kitchen.

"Eight?" Mr. Dave stepped beside her, "I thought they were at nine?"

Yume straightened herself lowering her head at the two, "Sorry for the trouble."

Ms. Anna waved her hand, "Clean it up, and we'll get the replacement for you two."

Ako lowered her head too, and then the two went to retrieve the broom and mop again that day.

They didn't speak to each other, but worked together to get the mess cleaned up quickly.

Ako narrowed her eyes up at Yume, "I'm taking the tray this time."

Yume sighed, "Fine, whatever."

Ako nodded and thought she heard Yume mutter something else, but ignored it, as the order was ready again. Ako pulled Yume's arm with hers and took the tray. Yume was forced along with her as she lead them to M4's table.

Ako smiled cheerfully, placing Subaru's dish down first, "Here you go!"

She then placed Nozomu's and Asahis dishes down, then Kanata's Exciting Sprinkle cake down while sending him a glance with narrowed eyes when their eyes met.

Ignoring him, she turned almost directly towards Subaru, clutching the empty tray in front of her, "Is there anything else I can get you?"

Subaru glanced away at the others, "Um… no. I think we're good here. Thanks."

Ako smiled wide, nodding, "Sure thing. Thank you for visiting us!"

Subaru nodded, then looked at Yume, "Good luck with... all that, tomato."

Yume turned red, "I told you not to-!"

Ako yanked her away by the wrist, leaving the table.

"Ow!" Yume cried, "Can you stop doing that? I've got a major bruise on my wrist now…" she moaned.

Ako lifted her own wrist to Yume's face, showing the darkness underneath the cuff, "And I don't?"

"What's your problem?" Yume finally asked.

Ako grit her teeth, pulling away from her, "Can we just get back to work?"

She didn't let Yume respond, going to the next customers in the cafe, ending the conversation.

~0~

Ako sighed and sat down at the nearest bench.

Yume followed suit, sitting down beside her with a sigh.

"What a terrible day…" Ako moaned.

They had managed to drop 4 more trays, equalling to 12 dropped trays in the whole day.

"I agree," Yume said.

Ako huffed, "That's a first."

Yume pursed her lips. The two of them were silent.

Ako heaved a sigh, remembering Yume's words from the bathroom, "I… I would be able to take the responsibility for all of our dropped trays."

Yume turned her gaze to Ako, her eyes wide, "...Really?"

Ako crossed her arms and nodded.

Yume was silent. Then she said, "Why the change of heart?"

Ako stiffened and turned away, "I don't understand what you're talking about."

Yume sighed, then Ako felt her turn her way, "Can we start over? Hi, I'm Yume."

Ako glanced over her shoulder at the blonde, raising an eyebrow. She had her hand held out and was smiling at Ako. Ako straightened, "No thanks," She turned back.

"Look, Ako…" Yume began, "I don't want to fight with you anymore. Can we get over whatever it is that's offended you?"

Ako tensed, "You don't even know what it is!"

"Something about M4, isn't it?" Yume guessed, "You wanted their table didn't you? Sorry, that I got to it."

Ako was silent. Yume sounded sincere in her words. After mulling over it for a couple of moments, Ako heaved a sigh, turning back to Yume, "Fine. You are kinda annoying, so we can call a truce."

Yume's face lit up, "Really?"

Ako held out her hand to shake.

Yume grabbed it with both of her own, shaking it rapidly, "We'll be best friends, Ako! You won't regret it!"

Ako yelped, "I said it was a truce! Not a declaration of friendship!"

Yume ignored her, leaping into the air, "This is great! Now that we're all okay, we should definitely hang out more outside of work!"

Ako's jaw dropped, "What?"

Yume ran off to the back, and Ako was forced to follow, since their hands were still chained together.

"Everyone! It's all okay now! Ako and I are going to get along!" Yume cried out happily, after bursting into the locker room.

Laura, Mahiru, and Koharu all had surprised expressions.

"I… I didn't think it would happen," Laura stated.

"With the way you two were all day, I thought so too," Mahiru nodded.

Koharu smiled softly, "I'm glad."

Yume nodded, "Yup! And now, we should plan our first hangout!"

"I did not agree to this!" Ako cut in.

Yume turned to her with wide, excited eyes, "We'll have a blast together! Come on, Koharu and I will take you all shopping!"

"Shopping?" Mahiru was the one to ask, interest in her tone.

"Yes," Koharu answered, then looked at Ako, "Doesn't that sound like fun?"

Ako frowned in thought, as they all stared at her in silence, "Well… I suppose it would be a different experience than usual…"

"Alright!" Yume cheered, "We're gonna have so much fun!"

Laura grinned, "This is getting me going!"

The door squeaked open, a voice calling out, "Knock knock!"

"Yuzu!" Yume greeted.

Yuzu waved, "Hi hi, Yume and Ako! I've got the key!"

Ako sighed, "Finally."

Yuzu grinned, stepping between them to unlock the cuffs. They fell gracefully from their wrists.

Ako sighed in relief, rubbing her bruised wrist, noticing Yume do the same.

"Also!" Yuzu continued, "I've got your bill from all the messes you made today!" She held out a paper at them.

Yume took the paper, reading it silently. She paled, "T-Two hundred dollars?" She shouted.

Ako's eyes widened and she snatched the paper from Yume's hands, reading it herself. She too, turned white, "Th-that's a lot…"

Yuzu smiled, "Yup! Now, we can take that as cash, or we can set up a payment plan…"

Yume's mouth flopped open and closed, as she was unable to respond.

Ako rolled her eyes, tucking the paper into her pocket, "Don't worry, I'll pay for it."

Yume swirled to her, "I can't let you do that!"

Ako turned sideways, "Yea well… it's mostly my fault," she muttered. "Just leave it!" She called loudly, stomping off to her locker, leaving the others to laugh at her and Yume's interaction.

~0~

Ako massaged her wrist, soothing the ache. A soft smile graced her face, as she thought about her day. It hadn't turned out so bad, after all. Plus, she was finally able to get to talk to Subaru! That was something to be proud of.

Her cheeks tinged pink at all the possibilities this brought. She giggled happily.

"Still dreaming?"

Ako's eyes flew up, and she gasped in surprise. Her eyes narrowed, "What does it matter to you?" She walked ahead, passing the corner where he stood. He started walking beside her, causing her to frown deeper, "Why are you following me?"

Kanata rolled his eyes, glancing at her, "Please. I happen to be going this way. Not because of you."

Ako stiffened in embarrassment, "R-Right…"

Kanata leaned away, "Your act back then? It was unimpressive."

Ako turned red, "What did you say?" She screeched. Her paws came out, and she lunged at him.

He sidestepped her smoothly, emitting a laugh, "Maybe dial the fangirl down. That would get his attention," Kanata added. He turned away, "See ya." With that, he turned the corner to walk off.

Ako regained her balance and scowled towards his back, "And why would I take your advice?" He ignored her, leaving Ako in a grumpy mood. "That jerk," she muttered bitterly, "ruined my mood…"

However, she took a moment to process his words. Was it possible that she was too sweet on Subaru?

She paused.

Nah, not likely. It was probably just awkward because Yume was attached to her wrist. Her dear Subaru was most likely being polite, as expected!

Ako clasped her hands together, swooning.

Yea, there was no way that that was the case.

~0~

Weeeelll I'm working on chapter 10 now, but I got so! stumped! on the end of chapter 9 -_- Luckily tho, I was able to find a version that I like. You'll have to wait and see what it's about! XP

Thanks for reading, and don't forget to leave a review! ^^