It was late spring. The streets of Tokyo were crowded and noisy as always. Especially in the mornings.

The girl appeared from the nearest train station, running down the street. No, none was chasing her. She was simply late from work. Not that her boss would scold her for being late a bit, but she hated being late!

She managed to avoid bumping into anyone. Till now…

She was just about to reach her destination when suddenly this man appeared in her way and she bumped into him, losing her balance. She almost fell back but the man grabbed her hand to prevent it.

-          Are you alright? – He asked her in English because it was pretty obvious that she wasn’t Japanese.

-          Hai, daijoubu desu – she answered in fluent Japanese as she looked up. Surprise gleamed in her blue eyes as she recognized the man in front of her. – Arigatou gozaimasu, Aiba-san! – She said with a bright smile and bowed.

-          Iie – Aiba said with a smile just as bright as hers though he was very surprised. Arashi was well-known around Japan, Asia and a bit in America, but this girl looked European where they were quite unknown, he thought. – Ano… - he started but the girl cut in:

-          Sumimasen, Aiba-san! I’m in a hurry – she said, then bowed again and run off.

Aiba watched as she rushed in the Day Care Center a few meters away.

He was Aiba Masaki so he was curious. Like this, he went to the care center’s gate and looked in. A wide smile appeared on his face when a few minutes later the girl came out to the playground with a handful of kids. They were laughing and chatting happily. She handled the kids very well, seems no problem that she was foreigner.

His ringing phone stopped his thoughts.

-          Moshi-moshi?... Hai, hai, I’m on my way, Sho-chan!

Aiba hang up. He looked at the girl one last time just when she looked at his direction and their glances met. She smiled brightly at him and waved then turned back to the little girl who was tugging her apron’s hem. Aiba smiled at the scene then turned and hurried to dance practice.

Today Aiba caught himself several times that he was thinking about the girl from the morning.

Right now Arashi had a break from practicing and they were all sitting in there dressing room and tried to regain some energy for the next few hours of dancing. Ohno and Nino was occupied the couch. Riida was eating his bento while Nino’s head was in his lap and the younger was playing with his DS as always. Jun was learning his lines for his upcoming dorama and Sho was reading his newspaper.

Or Aiba thought he’s doing that.

The truth was that Sho was observing Masaki who acted weird since his late arrival that morning. He was weirder than generally and it really bothered Sho. Right now, Aiba was sitting on the floor, unwittingly playing with his bottle of water. A smile was on his lips but his glance was dreamy, like what Riida has normally. Sho sighed deeply and put aside his papers.

-          Doushta, Masaki? – He asked as he sat down next to him.

Aiba jumped a bit at the other man’s presence.

-          Betsuni. What should be wrong? – He asked back with a typical Aiba-smile.

Sho just sighed again.

-          Masaki – he said with a warning tone.

-          Hai, hai – Aiba gave in. He quickly looked at their band mates who looked like pretty busy with their own things though Aiba didn’t want to discuss his thoughts with Sho here. – Let’s take a walk, Sho-chan!

Sho nodded and they silently left the dressing room.

-          Ne, Tia-chan!

-          Un – the girl just hummed to sign she’s listening while she finished her make-up.

-          Did you find someone at last? It was more than two years now… - said the other girl.

-          Hana-chan! – cried out the other girl, called Tia. – Why do you ask something like that?

-          Make-up – Hana explained and pointed at the make-up kit front of her friend.

-          Oh, that…

Tia blushed slightly that she was caught. It wasn’t on purpose. Only she couldn’t forget that morning accident whole day.

-          You really met someone! – Hana shrieked. – Who is he? – She asked desperate to know every detail.

-          It’s nothing like that! – Tia protested and blushed more.

-          Come on! Tell me, tell me! I won’t let you out here till you told me everything!

-          All right! – Tia sighed. – But promise that you won’t tell it anyone, okay?

-          Hai! Yakusoku! – Hana said smiling and stretched her pinky finger to Tia.

-          So, you met with her here, didn’t you? – Sho asked Aiba when they arrived to the Day Care Center.

-          Un – Aiba nodded, he smiled but looked a bit nervous.

-          All right, then, ganbatte! – Sho patted Aiba’s shoulder to encourage him then took his leave. He was sure that Masaki is grown up enough to handle his love-life alone.

-          Yosh – Aiba nodded to himself before stepped inside.

-          Ano, sumimasen… - he called the middle-aged woman behind the counter.

-          Hai, what can I help you? – She asked and turned around to face Aiba. – What can I do for you? – She repeated the question after a few minutes pause when Aiba remained silent.

-          Ano, I’m looking for someone… She might work here. I don’t know her name, but she’s European, I guess… - he said finally with a nervous smile.

-          Oh, that must be Tia-chan! – The middle-aged woman said with a smile.

-          I hope she is – Aiba said with a brighter smile. – Can I speak with her? Onegaishimasu! – He added with a slight bow.

-          Gomen, but she already left for today…

-          Oh… - Aiba was obviously disappointed and turned around to leave.

-          Kedo! – The woman added. – She always goes to the café at the end of the street. She must be there at this time – she said with a quick glance to the clock.

Aiba’s face lit up when he heard this.

-          Arigatou gozaimasu! – He said cheerfully then run out the Day Care Center.

-          Sumimasen, can I sit here?

Tia sat at a table next to the window and watched the people on the street with mug in her hands.

When she heard the voice she looked up. Her eyes grew wide in surprise when she saw who called her.

-          S… sure… - she stuttered a bit nervous and blushed.

Aiba smiled brightly at this and sat down. For a few minutes they sat in – surprisingly – comfortable silence while Tia glued her eyes to her coffee and Aiba simply watched her smiling.

-          Ano… Arigatou for your help in the morning – Tia said when she felt she must say something at last.

-          Iie, Tia-chan – he shook his head.

Tia looked up quickly when she heard her own name from Aiba’s mouth and stared at him.

-          Tia-chan… This is your name, isn’t it? – He asked still smiling but a bit unsure.

-          More or less… - she said with a slight smile.

-          What do you mean? – Aiba asked curious.

-          Tristiana desu. But it was too difficult and long so my colleagues shortened it to Tia…

-          Ti… ru… nani?... – Aiba muttered as he tried to say her name but failed.

Tia laughed softly and shook her head. She took a pen from her bag then wrote her name with katakana on a piece of paper.

-          It’s something like this… - she said.

Tia gave the paper to Aiba. Their fingers brushed lightly when Aiba took it and the girl quickly pulled back her hand like she burnt it.

-          Like I said… it’s quite difficult… - she said blushing.

Aiba looked at the nicely written katakana line then looked up at her.

-          So can I call you Tia-chan too? – He asked smiling brightly.

-          Sure, if you wish or anything you feel like… - she said smiling and shrugged.

-          So can you tell me what are you doing here, in Tokyo? – Aiba asked. – I mean, it’s pretty obvious that you’re not Japanese though you speak our language very well – he added.

-          I live here for two years already… maybe a bit more – she said nonchalantly.

-          All by yourself? Suggoi! Ah, I know now! Can I call you Yuuki-chan? – He asked smiling.

-          Yuuki-chan? Nande? – She asked back confused.

-          ‘Cause you must be very brave to live all alone in a different country, far from your home… - he said with sparkling eyes.

-          It’s not quite that… Anyway… this is my home now – she said in a serious tone, and then she looked at her watch. – Yabai! I have to go now if I don’t want to be late again! – She realized. – Anyway, it was nice to meet you again, Aiba-san! – She said as she stood up and bowed to him. – Ja ne! – She said brightly smiling then rushed out of the café.

-          How was it? – Sho asked Aiba when the Miracle Boy arrived to the Jimusho next day.

-          How was what? – Nino asked who felt he has to know everything about his band mates’ private life.

-          Betsuni – Aiba said but the grin on his face tells something else. Though Nino couldn’t see it because he was too busy press furiously the buttons on his DS.

Sho just smiled back at his best friend and decided to ask his questions another, without Nino, time. Till that time he only hoped that Aiba’s grin means it went well.

-          Did he find you?

The question got Tia unguarded when she arrived to the Day Care Center the next morning.

-          Who found me? – she asked confused.

-          AIBA MASAKI! – Her boss whispered the name mysteriously.

Tia blushed at it.

-          So he found you. I’m glad then. I was afraid that you may left till he reaches the café – with this she turned back to the list of the kids’ name that might be in the Care Center that day.

Tia opened her mouth to say something but she couldn’t find the words so she just shook her head and went to the changing room.

-          Kusami-san told me you had a date with AIBA MASAKI! – Hana shrieked when her friend stepped into the room.

-          DETO JANAI! – Tia cried out.

She can’t do it to her boss but she can do to her friend and co-worker.

-          Then what was it if it wasn’t a date? – Hana asked with a satisfied smirk knowing that Tia can’t answer to it properly.

-          It was… it just happened… we met and drank a coffee… and talked… - Tia stuttered blushing furiously.

-          In other words it was a date – Hana said victorious. – At least you gave him your number or e-mail, didn’t you?

-          I didn’t – Tia shook her head and she knew this made her friend a great disappointment.

Ever since Tia came to Japan and started to work at the Day Care Center, Hana tried to hook up with someone. They turned to be friends pretty quickly and Hana knew her story after a few days they first met. It was a real record ‘cause Tia was much closed when it comes to her past life. So it could be understandable if Hana disappointed why her friend left such a great chance!

-          I guess it can’t be helped now… Unless I stroll straight into Jhonny Kitagawa’s office and announce that I want to meet Arashi’s Miracle Boy – Tia said with a fake smile and left the changing room.

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