The Next Morning —
"You have to start with stamina." said Piyeon as he and the other girls run down hill.
Ruby and Mem-cho pants from behind as Kana tries to catch up.
After reaching the bottom, they continued to dance as Piyeon Ordered.
"White you're still exhausted, do your entire list three times! You want to have enough stamina to perform even when you're dead tired. That's very important. Don't forget to smile, of course."
After an 2 hours of dancing and running
Ruby, Kana and Mem-cho drops dead on the grass, dead tired, dried.
While Ruby was chasing her breath she noticed Airi's hand, offering her a water bottle and an ice cream. She turns head to Airi.
"You're all tired. Here, have some drink" Airi (Ai) said, smiling at them.
The next morning.
They did three more sets of running guided by Piyeon and Akira while dancing, guided by Airi (Ai)
Night had passed
Mem-cho marks their positions (In a paper) for the performance to practice it tomorrow
"Won't it be cool...if we turn around and switch places from the right side before the chorus if the song?"
Ruby's eyes lit up, smiling.
"That's a good idea."
Airi approaches them, looking unto their planning positions. She froze, amazed by Mem-cho's ability of foresighting.
"Woag, that works. I guess you can consider doing that."
Mem-cho scratches her head, blushing from the compliment.
"Hehe~ Well, thank you, Airi-sama."
Ruby then joins the planning, leaning in closer, pointing at the next position they'll be in.
"Then, the arrangement will be here..."
Ai looks up at the paper, thinking.
"Probably, we'll adjust it a little to the right"
Meanwhile — on he balcony, Kana stands alone
She looks down below the ground, confused, exhausted, jealous and amazed.
"How can they be so energetic like that?"
"Do you...regret being an idol?" Piyeon said.
Kana's eyes widened in shock, turning her head to Pyeon from behind.
"Piyeon-san."
Kana calms down, turning her head away slowly.
"No, I made that decision myself, after all."
She smiled, continuing —
"But I don't think I'm fit for the job. I don't feel like being an Idol, at all, let alone the lead girl."
Piyeon walks closer, standing beside her.
"But you're good at singing. Why are you so reluctant to be the lead girl?"
Kana replied sharply
"The lead girl is the face of the group, right? That's not a position for someone like me."
Piyeon tilts his head
"Someone like you? I think a girl named Kana Arima is amazing."
Kana laughs it off
"People only say that because it's polite, but they don't know anything at all."
She then gazed at Piyeon sharply.
"What do you know about me?"
Piyeons turns his head to Kana, replying...
"You're a hard worker who runs every morning and never missed your vocalization training. You have mixed feelings about your foul mouth. You'd rather see the work you're part of get praised instead of receiving the praise for yourself. You actually hate bell peppers."
Kana was caught off guard, covering her mouth. Blushing.
"What...? You really have been paying attention to me. I'm so happy..."
Kana looks away, smiling (Thoughts: That really hits the spot. Shoot! I've come to like Piyeon a little.)
She turns her head back to Pyeon
"Could you be my fan?"
"Yup." Pyeon replied.
Kana shouts, shocked
"What? No way."
She smiles further, looking at the stars
"Even now, I still have a fan, huh? I've never told the public about me hating bell peppers...but you noticed it."
"The truth is, I don't like them either." Pyeon replied.
Kana giggles excitingly.
"We're twins!"
Pyeon continues —
"Bell Peppers are just too strong. Every dish that has them will taste like bell peppers."
"Tell me about it! I forced myself to eat them when I sang the bell the bell peppers song, but now, I feel sick just looking at them." Kana replied, turning her head away in disgust.
Kana and Pyeon continues to chat, getting to know more about each other.
(Kana's thoughts mid conversation:
"Huh? It's actually fun to talk normally like this. Rate things to happen. I feel I can really like him. I should give up on Aqua and go for him instead? Plus, he makes a hundred million yen* a year, it's not impossible, is it?"
Ruby noticed Kana and Piyeon talking to each other at the balcony. She smiled, saying
"Piyeon is busy, but he comes every day for us. He really is nice, isn't he?"
Mem-cho nods, smiling
"Yup, He's completely different from the one I've seen in the videos!
For instance, I thought he looked really buff, but he surprisingly slender in person."
Airi (Ai) noticed heir conversation, she approached them and stared unto where they were staring too (Kana and Piyeon)
Mem-cho continues:
"His stature is pretty much the same as Aqu-tan, don't you think?"
Ruby laughs
"Hahaha. I'd laugh for the rest of my life if my brother ever made that duck voice!"
Airi pats their shoulders, smiling it off
"I'm pretty sure Aqua is not that type of person, is he?"
Mem-cho and Ruby laughs
Ruby:
"He definetely isn't."
Airi chuckles, walking away. She closed the door behind, sighing with a smile.
(Airi's thoughts: Ha Ha Ha, too bad...but it really is Aqua, Girls. Even I couldn't believe my own son is doing such humiliating job just for a conversation with Akira.)
The night after Akira punished Kana to jog 10 km.
Akira walks away the door but was blocked by Aqua.
Akira raises an eyebrow
"What is it?"
Aqua uncrosses his arms and walked closer to Akira.
"It seem you already know me. There's no surprise about that, considering you're somehow connected to Ai."
Akira's froze in shock. But he kept his comsure, keeping a call reply
"Why bring that up?"
Aqua stares upon his sharply and said,
"I'm assuming you're someone for Ai, but I lack concrete evidence since you two never meet again after that scandal, 16 years ago."
Akira looks at his watch before turning his head back to Aqua
"Make it quick."
Aqua walks closer, giving him an intense look.
"What are you to Ai? Who are you? I'm assuming you know it already. Miyako told me earlier that 16 years ago just after that scandal, Ichigo asked Ai why she asked your number and she simply said, 'Because he looked familiar.'
Yes, I know that Ai is seem to be very bad at recognizing people or even at names, but she won't be asking your number unless you've actually played an impact on her life before."
Akira raises his eyebrow.
"Are you...an obsessed fan perhaps? Who's still investigating about Ai's death even after 13 years?"
Akira's voice became sharp and deeper.
"Being an obsessed fan like that is not enough for me as a proof. Are you perhaps related to Ai? Let me ask you the same question, 'What are you to Ai and who are you to Ai?' "
Aqua's heart starts beating faster, fearing that their identity as Ai's children might be exposed
"Nothing. Just a fan."
Akira lowers his head — then leans his head closer, locking eyes unto Aqua.
" 'A fan.' Is that all you can really think of?"
Aqua starts sweating, he gulps.
Akira noticed that Aqua couldn't answer, he sighed.
"Pyeon said that he won't be able to come because he's in a vacation. Just in case, you take his place as the trainer for them as I give you the workouts."
Aqua was taken aback by the request, then answered
"And if I do...what will I have in return?"
Akira stiffens.
"I don't know..."
Aqua regained composure and finally took the courage to lock eyes unto Akira
"You'll give me information about who you are and your past relationship with Ai."
Akira's mouth shut, thinking (thoughts: If I answered 'alright.' Ai's identity from her children will be exposed, and not only that but they can potentially ruin the security I set up against Hikaru's tracking since for sure...Hikaru has some trackers to his son and daughter's phones.)
Akira took a long deep sharp sigh before saying
"We'll see."
Akira and Aqua shook hands.