Dark Siren got off stage and were immediately flooded by fans trying to talk to them. Akira looked around as if expectant.

"Are you looking for someone?" Julie asked, she was the bassist, her blonde hair was tied up in a messy bun held together with black hairpins.

".. No" he said before turning back to sign a few autographs.

Nanami stumbled out back, her breathing uneven and heavy, her heart feeling like it was about to leap out of her chest. She placed her hand on her chest leaning against the cold brick wall.

Her vision was spinning and she was finding it hard to breathe.

"Miss are you alright?"

Her body was shaking, her eyes fixed to her boots. Her mind felt like a whirlwind, thoughts spinning in and out.

"Miss?"

So many new emotions, overwhelming, she was drowning.

"Miss!"

She looked up, her eyes filled with tears, her eyes met those of a young man with brown hair, he looked worried.

"I-"

She couldn't talk, her body shut down and she collapsed.

Nanami woke up to the sterile white walls of a hospital room. Her head ached slightly, and she felt a bit disoriented. A nurse walked in, checking her chart.

"Good morning, dear. How are you feeling?" the nurse asked kindly.

"Better, I think. What happened?" Nanami asked, her voice still weak.

"You collapsed last night, luckily you met a nice young man who brought you in."

"Am I ok?" Nanami asked.

"You're ok, you just had a vasovagal episode, try to keep hydrated and well nourished."

Just then, a young man with striking blue hair and piercing eyes walked in, holding a drink.

"Hey, you're awake," he said, a hint of relief in his voice. "I brought you some water."

Nanami smiled weakly and took the drink. "Thank you. You saved me. What's your name?"

"Shin," he replied simply. Dark grey eyes and brown hair, he was wearing a distressed oversized sweater and skinny jeans. He looked too young to be out all night.

"Thank you so much.. Is it ok if I pay you back? I'm really grateful."

"You don't have to pay me back," Shin said, shaking his head.

Nanami didn't insist. She found the nurse and paid her medical fees before getting ready to leave

"I'm taking a taxi, is it ok if I pay for yours?" she asked the young boy. She didn't want him to be stuck here without money.

"No need, I've go no where to go." He has such a non-chalant attitude it saddened her.

"Then I'll give you money so you can stay at a hotel for a few days, it's the least I can do."

Her words chilled his heart, she was like every other woman.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Yes, as a thank you for helping me," Nanami insisted.

He accepted so Nanami asked at the reception for a good hotel nearby and promptly paid his stay as well as breakfast.

Shin watched silently as she got the keys and showed him to his room. On walking in his set down his bass and took off his jacket. But as he turned to thank her she had already left.

Shin stood in the small but clean hotel room, the door clicking shut behind him. He set his bag down on the bed and looked around, still trying to process everything that had happened.

He sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the door she had just left through. Why did she leave? He wondered if she would come back, if she was just going down to get something. But she didn't. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, feeling... Strange. For one he had gotten something completely free? Part of him felt like she would show up the next day and demand his time, but no. 5 days went by without a problem and he almost thought he would never see her again, until he met Nana.

Back in her apartment, Nanami flopped onto her bed, exhausted but content. She checked her phone and sent a quick text to Akira.

"Congratulations on your performance tonight! Sorry I couldn't stay longer. -Nanami"

After sending the text she stared at her phone for a few moments. Staring at Yasu's number. She didn't think about it, in that moment she wanted to speak to him again, so she called him.

The phone rang for what seemed like an ungodly amount of time. Her heartbeat was so loud it was the only thing she could hear alongside her phone ringing. Just as she was about to give up he picked up.

"Hello? It's Yasu."

"Hey Yasu? It's me.. Nanami." Her voice was quiet, as if speaking too loud would cause her phone to break. She wondered if he remembered her, whether she was just someone passing by.

"Hey Nanami, I was waiting for you to call."

He was waiting for her. A stupid smile spread a across her face, and on the other side of the phone stood Yasu.

He stood outside with a smoke in hand, "have you been alright?" he asked. It was their first call and he wasn't sure what to say. He wondered if she was like him, hesitating on making the first move. He was glad she called.

"Yeah, I'm alright. I... I just wanted to hear your voice," she admitted, her face flushing.

"I'm glad you called. I was starting to think you forgot about me," Yasu teased, a playful tone in his voice.

Nanami giggled nervously. "No way. How could I forget about you?"

"Well, you do have quite a lot of your plate," he said, his voice softening. "I was worried about you."

"I'm okay, really. Just a bit overwhelmed. Last night was... intense," she said, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Intense in a good way, I hope," Yasu replied, his voice warm. "I've been thinking about you a lot, Nanami."

Nanami's heart skipped a beat. "Really? I've been thinking about you too. I wanted to thank you for that day. You were so accommodating."

"Kindness suits me, don't you think?" Yasu said, chuckling. "But seriously, I'm glad I could help. You're someone worth helping."

Her face felt hot. "Yasu, last night I realized something... I think I want to get into music."

"Do you now?"

"Yes! I saw the Dark Sirens live and it felt electrifying. Whenever I'm listening to music I feel alive. I had to ask myself what the hell have I been doing all my life, why am I just realizing how amazing it is? I love every bit of it, singing, dancing, screaming in the audience. I feel like a maiden in love."

"I mean, I was surprised you weren't that into music considering you have quite a natural talent in singing."

His comment caught her off guard, "ah – really?"

"I'm surprised no one told you, your voice is quite distinct."

"Haha, thanks Yasu, you're making me blush."

"I wish I could see that," he said, his voice dropping to a low tone. "You must look adorable right now."

"!!!" Her heart nearly stopped, that was out of nowhere and uncalled for? But why was she struggling to speak, he had utterly silences her..

"Nanami?" His voice came from the other side of the phone.

"Stop it," she said, quietly. "You're making me embarrassed."

"Good," Yasu replied, taking a drag from his cigarette. "I like making you feel special. Because you are special, Nanami."

Her heart fluttered at his words, she wondered if this was something he told all his women. "You're really something, Yasu. You know that?"

"I could say the same about you," he said. "You can call me anytime, you know."

"Really? You mean that?" she asked, a bit surprised.

"Of course. I'm always here for you," Yasu said, his voice gentle.

"Thank you for being here. I really appreciate it," she said softly.

"Anytime, Nanami. " he replied, his voice filled with sincerity.

Nanami hung up, she closed her eyes, a smile on her lips, and drifted off to sleep.

Nanami stepped into the electronics store, the bell above the door jingling on arrival. She wore a black crop top with long sleeves paired with a white mini and a large black belt. Her black platform boots added a few inches to her height, and her long, blonde braids were styled in two ponytails.

She walked over to the computer section, her eyes scanning the various models on display. A young sales associate, probably in his mid-twenties, noticed her and approached.

"Hello, miss. Can I help you with anything today?" he asked, a friendly smile on his face, though his eyes held a flicker of interest.

"Hi, yes. I'm looking to buy a new computer," Nanami replied, returning his smile. "Something good for school."

"Sure thing. We have a few models that might interest you," he said, leading her to a row of computers. "This one here is quite popular. It's got a decent processor and plenty of storage."

Nanami nodded. "Sounds good. What about this one?" she asked, pointing to another model with a sleeker design.

"Oh, that's a bit more high-end. It has better graphics and more RAM, so it would run way smoother, it's on the expensive end though," the salesperson explained.

Her fingers lightly tapped the keys of the second computer. "I think I'll go with this one," she decided.

"Excellent choice," the salesperson said, beaming. "Let me get the delivery ready for you."

As he went to prepare her purchase, Nanami wandered around the store, looking at other gadgets. She couldn't help but notice a few stares from other customers, a reminder that she was still somewhat out of place here.

Once the salesperson returned she paid and gave her address for delivery.

Next on her list were textbooks. She entered a nearby bookstore, the smell of fresh paper and ink greeting her. She made her way to the academic section, scanning the shelves for the books she needed.

An older woman, the store clerk, approached her. "Can I help you find something, dear?"

"Yes, please. I'm looking for these textbooks," Nanami said, handing over a list of titles.

The clerk adjusted her glasses and scanned the list. "Ah, these are for university courses, yes? We have most of these in stock. Let me show you."

Nanami followed the clerk as she expertly navigated the aisles, pulling books from the shelves. "Here we are. Is there anything else you need?"

"No, this is perfect. Thank you so much," Nanami replied, "can I pay for them to be delivered?".

"Of course! Just let me get it sorted out," the clerk said kindly.

After paying for her textbooks, Nanami left the bookstore and headed to her final destination: the furniture store. The store was quaint and filled with charming pieces that gave it a retro feel. She just needed a desk lamp.

Hachi was behind the counter, her face lighting up when she saw Nanami walk in. "Nanami! What brings you here?"

"Hey, Hachi! I didn't know you work here? I need to buy a desk lamp. Got any recommendations?" Nanami asked, smiling.

"Absolutely! We've got some new arrivals that I think you'll love. Come on, I'll show you," Hachi said, leading Nanami through the store.

They stopped at a display of cute lamps. "These would look great in your living room. They're stylish and functional," Hachi suggested.

Nanami ran her hand over the red strawberry lamp, It was genuinely cute. "I love these."

"Me too! I was thinking of buying them too!" Hachi said, her chirpy attitude was contagious.

"I'll take it. Thanks, Hachi."

"No problem!" Hachi said, finalizing the order.

"By the way Hachi, are you free later this week?" Nanami got the courage to ask, she knew they weren't close but she wanted to be. "Wanna go shopping?"

Hachi squealed jumping in excitement, "of course Nanami! I love shopping! I get off work at 6pm, I can meet you in the apartment to figure out when we're both free."

Nanami stood anxiously at the door to apartment 707, waiting for a response. When it finally swung open, Hachi's smiling face greeted her.

"Nanami! Come on in!" Hachi said cheerfully, stepping aside to let her in.

To Nanami's surprise, Nana was also there, a magazine in hand at the table. "Hey, Nanami," she greeted with a casual wave.

"Hi, Nana," Nanami replied, feeling a bit awkward.

Before the awkwardness could settle, Nobu burst into the room, his eyes lighting up when he saw Nanami. "Nanami! Hey, I remember you from the other night!"

Nanami smiled, relieved by the interruption. "Hey, Nobu. It's good to see you again."

"Come sit with us," Nobu said, motioning to the table. "We were just talking about the band."

Nanami took a seat next to Hachi. "How's everything going with Black Stones?" she asked.

"We're looking for a bassist and a drummer," Nana said. "It's been tough finding the right people."

Nanami's mind flashed to Shin with his bass guitar. "I might know someone who plays the bass."

Nobu perked up. "Really? That would be awesome. We've been struggling to find someone who fits our vibe."

They continued chatting, the conversation flowing easily. Nobu started sharing stories about Nana from high school, much to her annoyance.

"Nana was such a rebel," Nobu said with a laugh. "Always getting into trouble. Remember the time you skipped class to perform at that underground gig?"

Nana rolled her eyes but smiled. "Yeah, and we got caught by the principal. Totally worth it."

Hachi giggled. "I can totally see that."

As the evening progressed, Nanami turned to Nobu. "Have you found a place to crash yet?"

Nobu shook his head. "Not yet. I'm still looking."

Nanami thought for a moment before offering, "You know, I have a three-bedroom apartment. I was thinking of making one of the rooms my study, but you could split the rent with me if you want."

Nobu's face lit up. "Really? That would be amazing! I'd love to."

"It's settled then," Nanami said with a smile. "You can move in whenever you're ready."

Hachi clapped her hands in excitement. "This is great! We're all becoming neighbours."

"By the way, Hachi," Nanami said, turning to her. "Is Saturday ok for you?"

"Yes of course! Nana do you wanna join us? We're going shopping."

Nana shook her head. "Sorry Hachi, I don't have the money to burn."

Hachi pouted. "Come on, Nana. It'll be fun."

"How do you have so much money to spare anyway?" Nana asked.

"I always have money for shopping!" Hachi insisted.

"Yeah right." Nana said rolling her eyes.

Shin lounged in his hotel room, idly strumming his bass guitar. He was lost in his thoughts when the phone on the bedside table rang. He hesitated for a moment before picking it up.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Shin. It's Nanami."

Shin's eyes widened in surprise. "Nanami? How did you get this number?"

"I called the desk at the hotel," she explained. "I just wanted to ask, are you looking for a band?"

Shin's shock turned to curiosity. "Um sure?"

"I know someone looking for a bassist. You should speak to the girl at the furniture store. Her name is Nana," Nanami said.

Shin was intrigued. "Sure, I can do that."

"Alright! Tell me if you get in!" Nanami said. "Good luck."

Shin hesitated for a moment before asking, "Do you ever plan on coming back to the hotel?"

Nanami sounded puzzled. "No, why would I?"

"... Never mind. Thanks, Nanami. I'll check out the band."

"Okay, take care," Nanami said before ending the call.

Shin stared at the phone for a moment, his heart feeling strangely warm.