Author's Note:

I know it's been a long while since I've updated this, but I guess life got in the way - school, work, family, the usual. I'm not sure how, but I got back into my old idol fandoms recently and I wanted to finish what I started here. I know that eventually, I want to write my own fiction, but I don't think I have enough experience yet, and I think writing fanfiction is good practice. Plus, if I can finish even one fanfic I've written, then I can convince myself I can finish an original story. So I'm scheduling time in my days to write for this fanfic, and hopefully, I'll have it done within a few months. I don't know if anyone that has read this before will have been waiting around for an update or if it will get new readers since the ship is pretty obscure, but if you are reading this, thank you, and leave a quick review if you have time. Also, if you prefer AO3, I will be updating this story on there as well under the username Little_Details_That_Count.

Without further ado, enjoy!

Loading Love...

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A light flashed behind his unfeeling cyan eyes, disorienting him. He could just see a pretty face distorted in terror before him, light brown hair buffeted by the wind around it.

"I-I'm r-r-r-really sorry! P-p-p-please excuse me!"

With a swish of her dress and a series of quick clicks from her small heels, she was gone. The light flickered off as soon as it had lit.

His hand curled into a fist, pressing against his pounding chest.

'What...is this...'

'Ai-Ai~!'

"'Ey, Ai-Ai!"

That moment...

Ai blinked up at the pouting face of his fellow unit member, Kotobuki Reiji, the fuzzy images vanishing as his mind snapped to the present. Reiji had been staring at him in concern, his arms folded across his chest.

"What is it, Reiji?" he asked in his light, toneless voice. The brunet rubbed his own chin with two fingers.

"You don't normally space out like that," he commented. Tapping his finger against his cheek, he continued, "The last time you did that was when you were worried about STARISH getting disbanded." Ai narrowed his eyes at that, heat rising to his face inexplicably. "Did something happen?"

"Yes," Ai responded, with his regular robotic honesty. "My ocular receptors are malfunctioning." Reiji's eyes widened.

"You mean...your eyes?" he asked hesitantly. "Is everything blurry? How many fingers am I holding up?" Reiji raised several fingers, shoving his hand in the other idol's face.

"Four," Ai told him without missing a beat, pushing his hand away. "My eyesight is not blurry. Rather, I am repeatedly seeing an unusual but otherwise unremarkable event that occurred several weeks ago." Reiji raised his eyebrows at this response and plopped down on the couch next to him.

"Like a memory?" he asked curiously. Ai nodded. "What makes it 'unusual but otherwise unremarkable'?"

"The unremarkable part is that it is a memory of a girl that bumped into me on my way to a job for approximately 7.6 seconds. The unusual part is that my vision began to glow during the encounter and returned to normal after she ran away. And now my mind continues to replay that moment." Reiji seemed to be startled by this admission. He quickly overcame his shock, however, as he then grinned and clapped his hands.

"A girl, ehh~?" he teased. "You know love is forbidden for idols, Ai-Ai~" Ai narrowed his eyes at him once more, twitching. There's that heat again...

"Love? I do not know if you can call it that. Although it is true that I do not fully understand love, according to my data, two people have to be in a close relationship to be in love, whereas I only met her for 7.6 seconds. Of course, there is the phenomenon of so-called 'love at first sight,' but it is unlikely. So, there must be a malfunction in my ocular - " Reiji suddenly placed his hands on Ai's shoulders.

"Then it must be a crush, Ai-Ai~! It's only natural for a boy your age to start thinking of such things, of course. To be honest, I was worried you were too much of a perfect machine to get crushes, but I guess even pure professionals have their weaknesses~" Ai twitched again. Reiji was never made privy to the fact that he was a robot, and yet his descriptions of him were always so precise. How annoying, he thought. He was slightly curious about his suggestion, however.

"So my reaction is a symptom of attraction?" he asked, tilting his head to the side. It would be intriguing if that were the case - attraction was a feeling he had not yet experienced, so he would have something new to learn about. On the other hand, exploring it would be dangerous for his career, which was not something he wanted to risk. He was created to be an idol, after all - he knew nothing else.

Reiji nodded eagerly in response to his question.

"Well, I wouldn't call it a symptom, per se." The older idol crossed his arms, looking at Ai in a meaningful way that reminded him of a sensei addressing a student. "Attraction is not a disease, you know - it's a perfectly natural feeling." Although Ai was annoyed by Reiji's tone, he reluctantly accepted his words, as he would know better about human emotions than him. "So tell me - was she really pretty? Give me details, Ai-Ai~! I know idols can't date, but we can at least indulge a little in such things - you know, man-to-man. You, Ran-Ran and Myu-chan are normally no fun when it comes to stuff like this. Your hearts are all completely cold~, and it makes Rei-chan sad." Ai focused intently for a few seconds, thinking back to the girl that ran into him.

"Pretty?" he articulated. Reiji nodded, leaning towards him with a huge grin. Ai blinked rapidly. "Ah. She had nice skin and a symmetrical face, features that are considered aesthetically-pleasing by the majority of human beings."

Reiji stumbled backward in surprise, a bead of sweat dripping off his temple. After recovering from the initial shock, he smacked his forehead and dragged his palm down over his eyes in frustration. Ai furrowed his brows in confusion.

"Geez, Ai-Ai, that's so...generic," Reiji sighed with a shake of his head. "You know, normally when a person is attracted to someone - even just physically - there's usually a specific feature or several that make them attractive to them, like...a cute nose, or big round eyes. Everyone's tastes are different, so even if a person is conventionally attractive, not everyone will be attracted to them. So, what I'm saying is there must be something about her that made her stand out to you."

Ai blinked rapidly again, trying to think about what it was he liked specifically about the girl's appearance. His data banks came up blank.

"There wasn't anything that looked different about her. Actually, aside from the features I mentioned, she was plain. Light brown hair in a standard bob cut, light brown eyes, slightly shorter than average height. Thinking about it more objectively, my reaction to her seems illogical. I am surprised." He turned back to Reiji, expecting him to look disappointed, but he simply smiled in a way that people would call 'gentle.'

"So you have more traditional, so-called 'simple' tastes. Heh, I'm surprised myself - I was imagining only some kind of exotic woman would catch the eye of our detached Ai-Ai - but I'm happy. Ah~, you seem more endearing now! Oh, but Ai-Ai, you really shouldn't call a girl plain! It's not good manners, plus every girl is beautiful in her own way." Ai wrinkled his nose at Reiji. He didn't feel judged for his apparent attraction to an 'ordinary' type of woman, but he didn't appreciate being seen as cute for it.

"I regret telling you anything about this," Ai murmured. Reiji whined in protest.

"Aw, don't be like that! Rei-chan is so, so happy you confided in him! Ah, now I want to know who this woman is...!"

"According to my data, she is an idol from 765 Production Agency: Hagiwara Yukiho."

"Y-Yukipo?!" Reiji suddenly exclaimed. His face flickered between shock and solemnity for a few seconds, which confused Ai, as his programming had difficulty keeping up with the quick subtle changes in expression. It made it difficult to discern what he was feeling - not that it was ever particularly easy to read Reiji. His eyelids fell halfway over his eyes as he murmured to himself quietly. "But she was...his..." The brunet shook his head, and soon his face relaxed into its typical expression of cheerfulness. "Ah, I've worked with her before. She has a very cute personal charm, so I wouldn't call her plain. But, ah..." The brunet snapped his fingers. "She does have a problem."

"Problem?" Ai asked unblinkingly. Reiji sighed, casting his hand over his eyes.

"She has a severe phobia of men. We could hardly get through a photoshoot together. I tried to calm her down, but my efforts just made her anxiety worse, which was unfortunate. The photographers, in the end, were forced to take pictures of us in separate rooms, and the editors solved the problem with photoshop."

"Oh. I know. My data tells me she has had a fear of males since she was eight years old. Her heart was palpitating and she released sweat at an abnormally high rate when she bumped into me."

"It's a shame," Reiji sighed. "It must be hard to make your way in the world when half its population terrifies you to tears, especially as an idol - and a popular one at that. I admire her bravery in making it so far in this business in spite of that." Ai continued to stare at him without a flicker of emotion.

"I have no fears of my own, so it is not something I can relate to," he replied flatly, looking down at the ground. "Even something like 'stage fright,' a feeling that is common in our industry, is not one I have ever felt myself, not even when I first debuted. If you practiced your routine well enough, you should not be afraid when you go up on stage. Fear is irrational, more likely to hold you back than otherwise, so I do not think it serves any purpose. My data says that it helps people recognize danger, but it seems like you could do that more easily without becoming afraid since anxiety prevents you from assessing a situation clearly. Indeed, many flawed decisions were made in history because of fear. I do not understand it at all. So, it is a bit annoying that I would be attracted to an anxious person. Although she is successful as she is now, wouldn't she be even more successful if she wasn't so fearful?" He looked back down at Reiji now, seeing him cringe, but he had no immediate response to his question. Just as I thought. "Anyway, I will fix this 'attraction' so it will not be a nuisance anymore. Now, if only I could do that with people..."

Reiji jumped slightly and slowly backed away, raising his hands up defensively as Ai pierced him with his expressionless eyes. They stood silently for several seconds, with the happy-go-lucky idol shifting uncomfortably under Ai's vacant gaze.

"I have work to do," the mysterious idol spoke, finally blinking, which made Reiji release the breath he'd been holding. Without looking back or saying goodbye, Ai walked away. Reiji scratched the back of his head and heaved a great sigh.

"Geez, Ai-Ai, I really felt cold air coming from you!" he said to himself while shaking his mop of curls. He watched Ai's back as he left the room, stroking his nonexistent beard absentmindedly. "But a nuisance, huh? I wonder..."

"Reiji, you have a creepy look on your face." Reiji turned to see Ranmaru seated on the couch with his bass guitar, where he had been quietly tuning it during their exchange. The curly-haired idol threw his hands in the air.

"Ehh?! Ran-Ran, that's no fair! You couldn't even see me from where you're sitting!" he protested in a whining voice.

"I don't need to look at you to know when you're up to no good." Reiji clapped his hands against his cheeks.

"Ehh~? Ran-Ran, have you been watching me so closely that you know me so well?" Ranmaru tossed him a fierce glare over his shoulder.

"Don't flatter yourself," the rock idol scoffed. "You normally have a creepy look on your face, so it's easy to guess." Reiji chuckled, crossing his arms behind his head.

"I think you're just too shy to admit you've been paying attention to me~ But that's okay, Ran-Ran, I got the message!" Ranmaru turned back to his bass.

"Here's a message: You're a moron," he muttered, plucking a string as he cranked the tuner. Reiji waved one of his hands flippantly at him.

"Good talk, Ran-Ran!"

Reiji faced away from his grumpy unit partner with a determined gleam in his gray eyes.

It's decided, he thought.

"Do you really think she's ready for this?"

"I...it will be hard for her. But she'll never grow if she doesn't face her fears and take a few risks."

"In any case, we shouldn't force her to do anything she doesn't want to. Her phobia will become worse if she is exposed to it unwillingly."

"Of course. We'll have to ask for her decision then."

The sound of the door creaking open interrupted their conversation.

"Ah, Yukiho."

The timid idol stood in the threshold with her mouth formed into an 'o' shape. She had been standing behind the door for the last minute, wondering what it was that warranted such a curious discussion. 'Her phobia'...Could they have been talking about me? She lowered her head shamefully at the thought.

"Good morning, Producer, Takagi-shachou, Ritsuko-san," she greeted in her soft voice. They stared at her with such concerned expressions that it made her fidget. "U-um, is there something wrong?" The Producer smiled gently at her.

"Well, we just got a really good job offer for you," he told her. Her eyes lit up at this information.

"F-for me? Oh, thank you very much!" Yukiho bowed heavily. "I-I don't know if I deserve it, b-but I will do my best." Then, as a certain realization dawned on her, she raised her head. "But, um, why are you worried, if it's a good job?"

"Well - " Ritsuko started. She sighed, walking over to place a hand on Yukiho's shoulder. "It will be out of your comfort zone - we're just not sure by how much." Yukiho straightened at this admission. Out of my comfort zone? Uuuhh, that sounds scary! But...

"W-well, that's - that's why I became an idol. To change...to become more confident in myself. A-and, I've already come this far. S-so if this will take me further, then please, let me take the job!"

The three adults stood in shock for a moment before relaxing. Takagi chuckled.

"You've gained a lot more spirit since you first came here," the President remarked. Yukiho beamed at the compliment.

"Thank you," she replied, forcing herself not to stutter. Lifting her chin stiffly, she continued, "So, what's the job?" Ritsuko handed her a pamphlet.

"You'll be modeling spring fashions for a magazine with Mikaze Ai from Shining Agency." Yukiho smiled.

"Ah, Mikaze Ai?" she asked. Ritsuko exchanged nervous glances with the Producer before he looked at Yukiho.

"Mikaze Ai is a member of the idol group Quartet Night. This is...him." Producer handed her a magazine with the male idol on the cover of it. His cool eyes stared up at her from the page with an air of melancholy. Yukiho froze.

"H-h-h-him?!" she squeaked. "A-as in, a...a..." Ritsuko blew out a breath from her pursed lips.

"A teenaged boy, yes," she admitted. "He's around your age." The Producer smiled apologetically while Yukiho began to shiver.

"He and his group are extremely popular and experienced idols. They were selected to enter the contest for the first music group to perform at the next Triple S event - which will be hosted in Japan for the first time in 50 years, as you probably know. Actually, I think you had a job with Kotobuki Reiji a while ago. He was still a solo idol at that point, however." Sweat quickly began to bead up and slide down Yukiho's face at the mention of that particular idol.

"K-K-K-Kotobuki-san?!" she shrieked, taking a step back. "I don't have to work with him too, do I?!"

"No!" the Producer assured her quickly. By this time, however, she had already pulled out her shovel.

"I-I-I'm going to dig a hole a-and b-b-bury myself!" Yukiho exclaimed.

"Yukiho!" The three adults rushed to her side, attempting to pry the shovel from her hands before she could dig a hole through the office floor. Otonashi Kotori, the office secretary, entered the group chuckling at that moment with a pile of paperwork in her arms.

"Yukiho-san had a fright due to Kotobuki-san's friendly personality," she remembered aloud. Clenching her fist, Kotori continued with hearts in her eyes. "It was undoubtedly cute! Straight out of a shoujo manga! Ha~h..." The secretary sighed, her cheeks tinted pink. The Producer placed a hand on Yukiho's trembling shoulder.

"It'll be okay, Yukiho," he told her. "From what I've seen, Mikaze-san is nothing like Kotobuki-san. He seems like more of an introvert, so he probably won't try to engage you, and just focus on getting the job done." Yukiho glanced up at him with tear-filled eyes.

"O-okay," she replied, wiping her face.

"As Takagi-shachou said, we won't make you do anything you don't want to," Ritsuko spoke up sincerely. "It's entirely up to you." Yukiho stared at the floor while scratching her arm, her eyes narrowed in thought.

It's a great offer, and I've already done many jobs like that. Yet I still haven't successfully finished a job with a male idol - the last one with Kotobuki-san was a disaster. Also...I've met him before, haven't I? I was scared of him then. But will it be the same again? Now that I think about it, haven't I seen him much longer ago? I can't remember...

Yukiho sighed, her breath lifting her bangs from her forehead. Wrapping her arms around her chest, she tilted her chin up to see their expectant faces.

"Well...wh-when 765Pro had our first concert... I remember having to stand up and sing in front of all those village men. And it was scary then, too... but I managed somehow. It was a success. Although it was some time ago now, but maybe...m-maybe this will be like then."

They were all startled by her words.

"Th-this must be a test. So, I have to take this chance. I-I have to continue to face my fears, or else I won't have accomplished anything!" Yukiho rested her arms at her sides, holding her gaze towards the ground as she slowly curled her fingers. She flinched as Takagi began to laugh and gave her a hearty pat on the shoulder. Everyone else turned their surprised faces towards him.

"There's that spirit. You will do well, Yukiho-kun." Eyes widening, a smile spread across the mousy idol's face.

"Thank you!"

I won't let you down, she promised internally.