A/N: I managed to get this chapter out sooner than the last one, so I guess that's progress. Now I need to try and shrink the time between updates. Regardless, have more of Tsubasa and Kiria reflecting on their relationship. It's time for femslash!

Now that the people involved in the event were inside Fortuna, it was time to plan the logistics of how this broadcast would happen.

It did not take long into Itsuki's tenure as president to learn that even a simple meet and greet could quickly turn into a nightmare. First, you needed to reserve the venue itself, which involved picking a date that would bring in both the most revenue for Fortuna, but also line up with the entertainer's schedule. Then there would be rules to establish for the meet and greet, as well as security in case those rules were broken.

Being close friends with everyone at Fortuna Entertainment did make parts of this easier. Yet the most concerning part involved negotiating with someone that was effectively a stranger, like how he would need to talk with Mamori's manager about the script that had been sent over. It wasn't a phone call that he was particularly happy to make, but as the leader of Fortuna, this was his fight.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, President!" Mamori exclaimed, looking up at Itsuki. "If you're talking with my producer, I want to help in any way I can!"

"I suppose you would know your own show the best." Itsuki was sharp enough to know that if he didn't let Mamori help, she would only double down. Best to let Mamori do what she could.

Without further delay, Itsuki dialed the number of Mamori's manager, drawing on his inner strength for the conversation ahead.

While Itsuki made the phone call, Tsubasa and Kiria would take the chance of Mamori being out of earshot to discuss the script that had caused all this commotion. Even so, they would try to talk in whispers, to make absolutely sure this conversation would stay between the two of them.

"Even though I made a big show of confidence just now, I'm not actually all that sure what to do now," Tsubasa admitted, her cheeks pink from embarrassment. "It's not like I haven't done gravure shoots or the like, but I don't know how to feel about the idea of doing it on Mamori's show."

"I have my doubts as well, but if Miss Shimizaki sent us this script, we have to assume it will help Fortuna somehow." Even if Kiria didn't have the faintest idea how this situation would help anyone.

"We will have more direction once Itsuki finishes his conversation with the producer of Mamori's show." Tsubasa clenched her fists. "Still, we can't always rely on him! Even if he's the president now, we have to do our part!"

Kiria smiled to herself. If there was always something she could count on, it was Tsubasa's determination to keep moving forward no matter the problem she faced. Yet before the conversation could begin in earnest, Ayaha approached the both of them.

"If right now we're waiting for the President Aoi to finish his conversation with Mamori's producer, perhaps we could talk. It feels like it's been a while since I've spent quality time with my little sister." A playful smirk crossed Ayaha's face. "And there is something that's been on my mind."

Tsubasa could feel the heat rush to her cheeks. She had a feeling that Ayaha was about to tease her fiercely. "Weren't you supposed to get takeout for everyone, Ayaha?"

"I have already ordered the takeout, and am waiting for it to be ready for pick up later." Ayaha leaned in towards Tsubasa. "And there are a few things I want to know. Like when you finally got around to asking out Kiria."

Tsubasa's face went bright red and she started waving her hands in front of her face. "Do we really have to talk about that right now?"

"How do you already not know this?" Kiria asked, trying not to get too flustered as well.

"Work has kept both of us fairly busy. This is perhaps the first time in a while we've been able to spend time with each other outside of work," Ayaha answered. "And I'm not going to pass up the opportunity."

"You know I'm always glad to spend time with you doing anything," Tsubasa said, smiling at her sister. "And you're right, we haven't really gotten a moment to talk recently."

"Then there's no better time for you to catch me up on your relationship with Kiria," Ayaha said, causing Tsubasa to realize she had walked right into that one.

"I give up. I can't win against you, Ayaha," Tsubasa said, not actually all that upset. "I'll talk about it if it's okay with Kiria."

"We've already talked with Mamori about the early stages of our relationship. And after all, all of this is about us," Kiria pointed out. "If anything, I'm probably the best person to start this story."

After all, Kiria had talked about something similar with Mamori not too long ago, so it was easy to pick it back up. "I had begun to realize that my feelings for Tsubasa weren't platonic anymore. But I'm not the best at dealing with my feelings."

"Which made me notice that Kiria was acting weird. But I always get pretty tongue-tied around Kiria, so I wasn't the best at asking about it. So I kind of fumbled around for a while, until one day…"

As much as Tsubasa loved being an idol, it did leave little personal time. The more famous you became, the more likely that fans would find her out in public. Tsubasa truly loved all her fans, but she also valued the time she had to herself.

Today was one of those rare times, when the owner of Cafe Seiren made sure the place was nice and empty when Tsubasa entered. She had only meant to swing by for a quick bite, but shortly after Kiria walked in.

"It looks like we had the same idea," Kiria said, a small smile on her face. "This is the only place that serves coffee the way I like it."

"H-hey, Kiria! So sice to nee you today! I mean, nice to see you today!" Tsubasa could already feel her face turning red. Kiria always made her feel so funny inside. "Then let's enjoy this time together, and order something together!"

Kiria was amenable to this, and so the two ladies sat down at a table. A waitress came by to take their orders.

"I would like a Honey Cafe Au Lait," Kiria said. Tsubasa gasped upon hearing this, which naturally confused Kiria.

"That's what I'm going to order too!" Tsubasa exclaimed. "I didn't know we had the same favorite drink!"

"I didn't know either until just now. But that makes ordering easier," Kiria said, a small smile on her face. Both ladies ordered their drink, and the waitress left.

An awkward silence settled not longer after. Tsubasa could swear that they usually had an easier time talking with each other, but for some reason Kiria couldn't look her in the eyes.

Thinking about it, Kiria had been more withdrawn in general, and Tsubasa had no idea why. She thought her duo career with Kiria was going well, but this new development had her concerned.

In an effort to break the silence, Tsubasa decided to find the first topic she could think of, and settled on their mutual favorite drink. "You know, it made me happy to learn we have the same taste in drinks. Makes me feel a little bit closer to you!"

"I hadn't expected to learn that today." Kiria had her hands folded in front of her, and her eyes were focused on them. "Then again, I suppose it makes sense that I haven't learned everything about you yet."

Kiria still seemed subdued, but the fact that she was talking was encouraging to Tsubasa.

"I mentioned before that your music is what helped me. So when I got to meet you for the first time, it felt like a dream come true!" Tsubasa could tell she was rambling, but she didn't want to lose this momentum. "But getting to really know you has been even better! Like, you aren't just someone I hear on the radio, or see on the television. You're probably one of my closest friends now!"

"It's been a bit of a whirlwind, hasn't it? For the start of my career, it's only been myself, Touma, and Maiko. My relationship with them has been purely professional. Then one day, you and Itsuki showed up out of the blue." Kiria had a fond smile on her face. "I lent you some aid from one idol to another, when you began your career. But you rose so fast, it's almost a little frightening."

"Oh, I can't take all the credit! Itsuki helped give me that push I needed to audition as an idol in the first place," Tsubasa said bashfully. "And having your support made me want to give it my all!"

Tsubasa thought this would be encouraging words for Kiria to hear, but the older woman seemed to retreat even further into herself. "We discussed this after the wrap up party for the makeup commercial. Yet as of late, I can't help but wonder what will become of our collaboration."

Now Tsubasa was confused. It felt like they had settled on pushing each other to higher and higher heights when they last talked. Yet now Kiria seemed very unsure of herself. Tsubasa wasn't the smartest, but she was smart enough to arrive at a conclusion- something had changed between that conversation and this meeting today.

Any further thoughts were interrupted when the waiter returned, placing a cup of Honey Cafe Au Lait in front of both of them. Tsubasa took the chance to take a sip, the sweet liquid perking up her mood.

"If there's anything troubling you, you can tell me! I told you that I wanted to help others, and I could start with you," Tsubasa said cheerfully. "C'mon, aren't we here to step away from being idols for a change?"

"We are, aren't we?" Kiria sipped her own drink, to gather her thoughts. "But I suppose I'm not sure just what we are, outside of being idols."

"Eh?" Now that caught Tsubasa off guard. She never thought too deeply about her bond with Kiria outside of their shared career. Tsubasa deeply admired Kiria, of course, saw her as everything Tsubasa aspired to be as an idol.

Yet the Kiria in front of her right now, dressed in casual clothes and not wearing any makeup, was making Tsubasa's heart skip a beat. It feels like… seeing Kiria like this is what I've wanted for the longest time.

This realization brought into focus everything that Tsubasa had done for the past year. From the moment that she realized she could be in the same idol agency as Kiria, all of Tsubasa's efforts were to be around her. Get to know the older idol, compete against her, but also support her in anything and everything.

Tsubasa's feelings for Kiria had evolved from admiring the older woman from a distance to an aching, young love. Yet that feeling had a tinge of selfishness- here Kiria was, talking about her issues, and yet all Tsubasa could focus on was her own heart.

"What is it about us that you're not sure about?" Tsubasa asked, even as she could feel her cheeks grow hot.

Kiria paused again, looking down into her drink. "Say we stopped being idols tomorrow. What would you do from there?"

"What would I do? I guess I would find a way to keep spreading joy to people," Tsubasa said, considering the question. "Maybe I could become a television personality! We could host a talk show together or something!"

"You want me to be there with you?" Kiria asked. Her tone seemed to be surprised, and almost… afraid?

Uh oh. Was that too much? "Only if you want to be there, of course! I'm not pressuring you into anything," Tsubasa said quickly. "But I enjoy being around you, Kiria! Even if I stopped being an idol one day, I'd still want to be with you!"

It took a second for Tsubasa to realize she might have come on too strong near the end there. "I mean, when I say 'with you', I mean physically speaking! Not that I'm saying I want to be there all day, but that any second I spend with you is one I cherish!"

For the first time since entering the cafe, Kiria smiled, giggling softly. "You've never been one to hide your emotions, have you?"

"It's because I want to share my feelings with everyone with my singing, and I guess that spills over into how I act all the time." Tsubasa said, her face bright red. "But you already knew that, didn't you?"

"I feel as if I know Tsubasa the idol pretty well by now. But for the Tsubasa I have in front of me…" Even as Kiria's hands clenched nervously, she looked Tsubasa in the eyes. "I think I would like more days like this. Where we can leave behind our careers, and spend time with each other."

It sounded like Kiria was implying that she wanted to go on dates with Tsubasa. In fact, are we on a date right now? It just sort of happened like this, but it feels like this could be a date. The very idea made the already flustered Tsubasa completely dizzy.

The only reason that Tsubasa didn't open her mouth to confirm it is because she knew it was possible she was reading too much into this. Tsubasa really did cherish her bond with Kiria. She didn't want to do anything to ruin it.

On the other hand, if the smallest chance existed that they both felt the same way, Tsubasa wanted to know for sure. After all, isn't that how Tsubasa had reached this point, both as an idol and as a person? By taking a leap of faith?

"Tsubasa?" Kiria asked, her expression becoming apprehensive.

If I don't say anything, Kiria's going to think I don't like what she is saying! I just have to throw caution to the wind!

"If you want to learn more about me, there's a few things I can tell you right now," Tsubasa said, her hands gripping her cup of coffee so that they wouldn't shake. "My favorite type of clothing is a warm cardigan. My mother is a photographer, and my dad is a salaryman. I love cats."

Kiria listened intently, even leaning closely to hear every word. This was the perfect opportunity for Tsubasa to truly say everything she felt.

"When I first began listening to your music, I admired you as an idol, and aspired to be you! So of course I was happy when I realized I could be your friend too!" Tsubasa could tell she was rambling again, but she wasn't going to stop now. "But I think I've lallen in fove with you! I mean, fallen in love with you!"

Kiria's cheeks went bright red- yet, she didn't seem that surprised. "I admit, I suspected that might be the case. Like I said, you've never been one to hide how you feel. What I didn't expect is that I would start falling for you too."

It took a moment for Tsubasa to even process the words she heard. Even then, she wondered if she could have possibly misheard. It left Tsubasa completely speechless. When the younger woman finally found her words, it was to ask, "Did I die and go to heaven?"

"Not that I'm aware of," Kiria said dryly. Then she smiled fondly at Tsubasa. "Somehow, those reactions are just as endearing now as it was when we first met."

Even as Tsubasa felt her heart flutter because of Kiria's words, she also knew the significance- they'd both shared their feelings towards each other. No longer being just fellow idols, and more than being friends. But feeling a level of adoration and affection towards each other that transcended all of that.

So Tsubasa knew which words to speak next. That would bring this conversation full circle, but also push it in a new direction. A coda to their relationship, if you would.

"I don't know what happens next. And I know I have so much to learn, and so much more to grow as a person. But…" Tsubasa reached over, and clasped Kiria's hands into her own. "We're doing this because we want to know more about each other, right? Then let's do it again. Let's meet up like this a lot in the future! And if we keep feeling like this towards each other, then we can figure out where we want to take it from there!"

"You're saying that… we go on more dates?" Kiria asked, to be absolutely sure.

"Yeah, exactly! We were talking about having time to ourselves that didn't involve being an idol, right? Then some of that time could be dedicated to spending time with each other!" Tsubasa's free time was a precious commodity, but she would use it to spend time with Kiria in a heartbeat.

"That sounds lovely." Now Kiria seemed embarrassed. "This will be the first time I've ever dated anyone, so I apologize in advance for any mistakes I make."

"This will be the first time I ever dated anyone too! So if anything, I should be the one apologizing for my inexperience!" Tsubasa said, bowing her head. "I hope you don't mind if I rely on you a little!"

"I may end up relying on you a little as well." Then, something occurred to Kiria. "But for now, we have to keep this a secret. We still have our careers to think about."

"Then it's a good thing that this is an empty cafe! Well, empty except for…" Tsubasa looked around, and saw the waitress that had served them their drinks.

"I didn't listen to a single word of your conversation," the waitress said, winking at Tsubasa and Kiria. "It's the least I could do for my favorite idols."

"Everyone in this cafe is so kind to us. The owner cleared the cafe for us, and now you're helping us too," Tsubasa said, smiling gratefully at the waitress. "Is there anything we can do in return?"

"Fortuna Entertainment brings us more customers than we know what to do with. So if anything, consider this me repaying you." The waitress curtsied, then retreated deeper into the cafe.

"This almost felt like a first date. Not how I would have planned it," Kiria said. "But then, maybe it's for the best that this wasn't planned. We might have never said all this out loud if we kept trying to make it perfect."

That stuck with Tsubasa. The beginning of this new relationship definitely hadn't been perfect. But they already pursued an image of perfection as idols. Being able to drop their guards, and be their authentic, messy selves- that's what these dates would be about.

"Somehow, it doesn't surprise me that you managed to stumble your way into a relationship without really thinking about it," Ayaha said, trying to hold back laughter.

"Oh shush, Ayaha." But Tsubasa's tone had no annoyance when saying that. "Still, that waitress really did keep it a secret the whole time! It shows how we have wonderful friends outside Fortuna!"

This trip down memory lane did make something stick out to Kiria. "We've kept our dates separate from our career as idols. But we can't do that anymore- with this announcement, we're going to sacrifice that secrecy."

"We probably couldn't have kept that up forever, but I'm still going to miss it," Tsubasa admitted. "Still, we decided on doing this after talking it out, so we have to go into it with no regrets!"

Kiria had also enjoyed those days when she could leave behind her idol career, and spend time with Tsubasa wherever struck their fancy. But it didn't have to be seen as a bad thing- simply a new phase of their relationship.

"Now that I've finished listening to your story, I probably should order some takeout for everything," Ayaha said, shifting into her more professional demeanor. "I have to support my little sister."

As Ayaha began browsing on her phone for food to order, Itsuki and Mamori approached the group. They both had a frown on their face.

"I tried to convince Mamori's manager to put the broadcast on hold, just for the time being so that we can figure out what to do with Maiko's script," Itsuki explained. "But he didn't budge. He told us that he already lined up the airing slot and advertisers, so the broadcast is going to happen no matter what."

"That's not a surprise. It's the sort of background negotiation that fans never see: what looks like a show that is producing episodes without effort is in fact a production that has been running for weeks before a season ever airs," Kiria said. She looked away bashfully when everyone else stared at her. "Whenever Maiko would get drunk, these sorts of details would be what she'd complain about first."

"I'm the president of Fortuna now. I should have seen this coming," Itsuki said, looking frustrated at himself. "Now what are we going to do?"

"You might be a new president, but I believe in you!" Tsubasa said to Itsuki in a reassuring tone. "I know that whatever you decide will be the right choice!"

"We can't expect you to shoulder the burden alone, either. I will share more of what I learned about the entertainment industry from Maiko," Kiria said, already directing her attention to the cabinet where she knew there were records about Maiko's tenure as president.

"If the broadcast date can't be moved, then we have to do our best in the time we have," Mamori said, a determined expression on his face. "It's at the end of the week, right? Then we need to rehearse and work on this show until we can present something we call all be proud of!"

The adults in the room all winced. They knew that Mamori meant well, but she had not been allowed to lay eyes on the script. So Mamori wasn't aware that putting her words into action would be so much harder than it sounds.

A/N:Next chapter will be one that focuses on the entire Oribe family. It was wasted potential in Tokyo Mirage Sessions, how Ayaha kind of fades into the background and we never hear about their parents, and how they react to all that's happened. So that will be the next trip into the past. This has been Orion Fowl, and thank you for visiting my Corner of Romance.