A/N It's the final day of CoAi Week. I'm both sad (I'll miss the flood of CoAi goodness!) and happy (finally, the prompts are ending! XD) but this has been an experience.

This piece is the longest I've written. I will be queueing the parts (six and then an epilogue), and I hope you enjoy reading them! Will only tell which AU this is on the sixth part (otherwise you'll guess what happens easily then!), if you can't guess it by the first one! XD

Also, tried to write this as crack, but I think 'twas not meant to be...

Chapter 1: Wish I

It's Miyano Shiho's birthday today. She's been waiting for this day; she'll see her sister again after what feels like forever. But she's on her third cup of coffee and Akemi still hasn't come. They won't let Shiho call her. She's worried sick, but she blames the too-quick beating of her heart to coffee. As long as she's here, they won't hurt her sister, and she's been nothing but obedient. As long as she gets results. And she does. No use worrying since when her sister does come and she sees, Akemi will just tease her that the only thing she gains every year is a wrinkle.

The waitress approaches her table, but Shiho only acknowledges her when she speaks. Holding a strawberry shortcake, the waitress greets her a happy birthday. She further explains that Akemi told them to give her the cake if she's over three hours late. Shiho thanks the waitress and only then realizes the time. She'll have to go soon.

She stares at the candle on the cake. It's been a long time since she's felt so heavy. She closes her eyes and wishes she wouldn't feel this alone anymore. But she won't let her sister know she's moping, so she bites her lip, shuts lonely Shiho inside and opens her eyes. She plasters a smile on her face. It's a cute cake, and her sister made sure to add a tiny chocolate cartoon puppy detail. The smile becomes easier to keep.

It's half past six. She closes her eyes again takes a deep breath and blows the candle. She opens her eyes. She places the cake carefully on the table, but she feels a hard stare. She looks to her left and she almost jumps—she hadn't felt anything up until now and the man who was staring was standing right next to her table. Gin would be disappointed. She shrugs off the thought.

"Excuse me?" She never liked being stared at, but she isn't one to fold. Especially not today.

The man keeps staring at her like she's grown another head. He's about her age, taller than average, and looks better than average if he weren't so creepy, staring like that, she thinks. But he has questionable fashion, she adds, because who wears a bright blue suit with a bright red bowtie in this restaurant? Perhaps a performer, or a cosplayer with that almost comical cowlick and that...

Feeling uncomfortable, her gaze travels back to his face, and their eyes lock for a second. She doesn't like it. But she doesn't turn away. "If you value your normal life, leave. I am not interested." She turns and forces her eyes forward, away from him. When she wished she wasn't so alone, she didn't wish for a stalker.

The man raises his eyebrows, and replies, "You called me here."

"I don't need your pickup lines, stalker-san."

"Stalker?!"

She feels vaguely smug, breaking his intent gaze on her with that incredulous look on his face. She still hopes he'll leave her alone though. For both their sakes. "Yes, so please leave before the police or something worse comes after you."

She looks to the window to her right, no black car yet, but they must be keeping watch. In a second, however, she feels the weight of his gaze gone. She turns cautiously to her left, and he is nowhere. She doesn't bother to look for him, though it unsettles her she didn't sense him leave.

She feels a chill, and she looks back across the street. A few moments later, the familiar black Porsche is there for her. Her senses are fine, she concludes.

She takes one last look at the cake, then gestures for the waitress. It's time to go.