She gasps, "[Y/n]!" She rushes over and embraces you.
"I knew it was you, how have you been?"
Uta pouts as she pulls away to fix her hat and sunglasses. You could only laugh since it's not your fault the disguise was easy to see through. Then again, you have known her since you went to middle school together, perhaps you recognized her better than others.
"My cover could've been blown because of you," she said, dodging the original question.
"My bad." You held your hands up, chuckling as she glanced around paranoid. "Look if you're that worried, here."
Uta yelped in surprise as you swung your big [f/c] jacket over her shoulders. Her pale cheeks began glowing red when she glanced away in a tsundere manner. "You didn't need to do that."
"You're welcome." You grin, linking your arms together and start walking. "Where ya headin'? I'll walk ya there."
"Hmm, fine. But don't expect me to buy you anything."
"Why would I expect you to buy me anything?" You give her a weird look. "I'm just walking you there."
"O-oh..." Uta retracted her tongue and thought for an answer. "Well, who would walk someone somewhere without wanting a treat out of it?"
"Uh, hello, maybe I just want to hang out with you," you replied. "What kind of friends have you been hanging around? It's not good to hang around the bad crowd, you're better than that, you know what I'm saying."
Uta stared at you. How long has it been since someone saw her as a person? Days, weeks, months, years? You act the same as you did when you were in the same class with her, casual, chill, you're the reason she went through that tomboy phase. Now she's an idol, a person you see everywhere, yet you see her. Just her.
Uta glances away, blinking to grasp reality. She hadn't realized how tiring the route was...
"Hey, you good?" You ask, noticing her spacing out.
"no- Yeah, I'm good." She pats your arm. "It's just been a while since I had... you around. It's nice."
She smiles. Smiling to mask the pain. Smiling to hold her tongue back. Her pride too strong to show you how tired she is of the idol life. Her pride too strong to let her call out to you, tell you how much she lost herself to fame to the point she can hardly recognize who is looking back in the mirror.
