"Yeah, you can call me back." She heard the phone drop to the floor and Yellowtail curse and scramble to get it. "Sorry dropped my phone!" He said with a nervous laugh. "But for real?" He asked excitedly, "Yeah, long as I can call you too." Kai said jokingly, "Of course!" Yellowtail shouted as if he hadn't thought of that.

Kai held the phone away from her ear with a laugh, "Can I call you tomorrow?" Yellowtail asked, "Sure." Kai agreed and she heard a cheer of 'yes!' That was distant from the phone. "Awesome! Great! I'll talk to you tomorrow!" Yellowtail said excitedly on the phone, "Talk to you then." Kai said with a grin, she hung up after that and flopped to her side on the couch staring at her television. It'll take a while for her to process all of this, while she felt good now she was sure to have a panic attack soon. Kai's eyes widened and she sighed, "And there it is." She mumbled feeling the panic attack hit.

Some breathing exercises and a weighted blanket helped. After that, she took a shower and then headed to bed. That cycle continued for a while of her talking to Yellowtail over the phone or voice chat as they played only to have a panic attack later. It was so easy to let information slip out. She accidentally talked about how she lived in Emerald City. But Yellowtail let it slip that he lived in Akoya. Which explained a lot actually. Akoya was all the way over in Japan. She complimented him on his English which Yellowtail thanked her and then Kai decided to surprise him by using Japanese. Which Yellowtail freaked out over.

Kai had to explain to him that her stepmom was Japanese and had taught her that since she was little so she was fairly fluent. Yellowtail then insisted on having a full conversation with her in Japanese. Though he said some stuff she didn't understand. But he complimented her on knowing what she did. Kai then decided to ask if Yellowtail knew any other languages and he said French because one of his moms was French. Then Kai started speaking French at him and Yellowtail screamed. "How do you know that?!" Kai laughed, "I took French in high school! I was the president of the French club!" She told him.

It was so fun talking to him. Though sometimes they couldn't talk as much as they'd like. Yellowtail explained that he had work through most of the week. Which Kai understood, Sunshine Games had her doing a lot of things as well. She had also started taking writing classes online. She had found she liked scriptwriting quite a bit. As time went on Kai found herself doing voice acting as well. The fandom exploded when they heard her voice for the first time. While it made her happy, it also made her all the more scared to ever show her face.

Because she had more to lose now than ever. So Kai tried dieting, but as always she lost a few pounds but quickly plateaued. So she tried exercise which only led to her going to the hospital to exhausting herself too much for a couple of days. So badly she wanted to look like the alphas she saw in magazines and movies. But... No matter how hard she tried. She was still herself and her body was still how it was. Yellowtail went radio silent for a couple of months due to work which Kai actually appreciated. She didn't want to pretend to be happy while she was struggling so much.

All she could think about is how much she didn't want to go back to being alone. She didn't want to go back to working on the farm. She was tired of hiding among the horses and sheep. Maybe she was being too greedy, maybe she should just take her fifteen minutes of fame and ride it out. But so badly, so badly she wanted this to last. Just a little bit longer. It wasn't even so much the game. It was Yellowtail. She had fallen hard for him and she knew it. She got the feeling that he wanted to get closer. But she was scared. The last time he spoke she could tell he was just itching to talk to her face to face. Just hearing each other's voices would never be enough.

But Kai wanted to hold off for a little longer. A few more months passed and Kai worked more as a writer than she did play. The devs had her working on other storylines and quests liking her style. Then one day Kai got a call and it was from Yellowtail. "Em?" He asked, "Yeah?" She replied, "What are you doing right now?" Yellowtail asked, "Working mostly." Kai said typing away at her keyboard. "What's wrong?" Kai heard the upset tone in his voice. "I um..." She heard him sniffle.

"Would it be alright if we video chatted?" He asked softly. Kai paused she would normally felt panic but something told her that he needed to talk face to face. "Uhh well, just... Just don't be disappointed by what you see." Kai said softly. She took a deep breath, feeling nervous. There was no sense in getting dolled up. "What do you mean?" He asked confused, "Just... I'm not as pretty as you are." Kai explained. "... You think I'm pretty? You've never seen my face." Yellowtail seemed flustered hearing that. "I know you're pretty." Kai said with a small smile, "Well I know you're pretty too!" He insisted. Kai chuckled shallowly before hitting the video call button on her computer. She wasn't dressed in any certain special way. Her hair was recently re-dyed to pink as she liked it.

Yellowtail answered after a moment looking away from the screen on his phone as he pulled some headphones in. He then turned to face the phone and Kai's jaw dropped. Yellowtail was Claude Sato a popular actor in Japan Kai had heard about him from her Stepmom and sister watching dramas he was in. He froze staring at her as well, he looked like he had been crying. "Your hair is pink!" He exclaimed with wide eyes, "That's the first thing you notice!" Kai exclaimed covering her face. "No! Don't cover your face!" He whined, Kai, sighed and uncovered her face. Yellowtail or Claude grinned, "You're so cute!" He exclaimed, Kai, felt her face heat up. "I thought you said you weren't going to be pretty!" He exclaimed in faux anger.

Kai groaned, "You're just saying that!" She whined, "You're gorgeous!" She added feeling like her face was on fire. She looked up to see Claude's face just as red as hers. "Yeah... Not... Not everyone thinks that." He said softly. "What's up Tails?" Kai asked softly, he got up and walked some ways before getting into a car. He sat in the driver's seat and his eyes slowly turned red before he started crying. "My agency wants to put me on a diet!" He sobbed, "I got blamed for the ratings dropping because I gained a pound or two." He whimpered.

"What?" Kai asked, he looked up and stared at the camera. "You already know who I am." He said softly, "I... Yeah... I do... But... That's not why I said 'what' Tails." Kai stumbled over her words.  "It's messed up that they'd blame you for the drop in ratings!" Kai insisted with an angry face. "Yeah well, that's being a star in Japan." Yellowtail sniffled wiping his eyes. "I know I must sound like I have a terrible life." He laughed bitterly. "No, I know, my mom and sister follow idol news from Japan. A lot of that is really messed up. I'm so sorry you have to deal with that." She said sympathetically. Yellowtail smiled softly and rested his head on the steering wheel. "I love talking to you Em. You always make me feel heard." He said softly.

Kai smiled and then spoke, "My name is Kai Warren." She said, Claude, perked up hearing that. "I thought since I knew your name. You should know mine." She said embarrassed. "Kai." Claude said with a large smile on his face. "Don't just say it!" Kai shrieked with a red face. Claude laughed and covered his mouth with both of his hands. "This makes me so happy!" He said excitedly. "Kai is such the perfect name for you!" Claude was starting to sound more like his usual self. "Well, Claude is a pretty good fit for you too," Kai remarked casually, she looked over hearing nothing from Claude, and saw his face completely pink.

"You can't just say it so casually!" He exclaimed shaking his phone. "You're going to kill me!" "You said mine first!" "Your voice is cuter than mine! I feel like I'm going to die!" "Don't be overdramatic Claude!" "Stop Kai!" Both of them let out loud cries as they covered their ears before laughing. "You've made me just as loud as you are! You've ruined me!" Kai said dramatically with a laugh. Claude smiled, "I like that you trust me enough to be loud." He said with a grin. "You sound like a psychologist." Kai deadpanned. "Well, my French mom is one so hah!"

The two of them were quiet for a moment, and Claude sighed. "Thank you, Kai." He said sweetly, "I needed to see your face today." He said hugging himself. "I'm glad I could help," Kai said sheepishly, this had gone... Better than expected. "Would it be alright if we did this more?" Kai decided it initiate this time. Claude's eyes widened, "Absolutely! Yes! I can't go a day without seeing your face now! You've created a monster!" He said dramatically. Kai laughed, "Same to you." She said a bit shyly, "Oh so you think me? An actor? Is pretty? The shock I feel! Honestly." Claude joked, "Wow!" Kai laughed, "You are a monster!" She joked.

Claude's cheeks were tinted with pink and he looked like he wanted to say something. He covered his face and leaned back with a groan. "Now I just want to see you in person!" He screamed into his hands. Kai's eyes widened, "What? Already?" She said exasperated. Claude still wanted to get closer to her? Kai wasn't sure how to feel about that. Knowing he was a celebrity now, she wondered if that was okay. She had heard some horror stories. "Yes! I want to hug you!" Claude insisted with fire in his eyes. Kai laughed, "I am pretty huggable." She said easily. Her friends in high school always fought over who got to hug her first goodbye.

Of course, that was before Samatha came in and convinced everyone that Kai was the problem. But Samatha was pretty and popular. So everyone listened and Kai was left alone. It all seemed so ridiculous now looking back. But high-school drama seemed so serious when she was in the middle of it. She always heard people say high school was some of the best years of her life but... Honestly, Kai was glad it was over.

Claude seemed to have caught on to her dower mood and opened his mouth to say something just as the window was tapped on. "Claude! Get your butt back on set!" She heard a woman off-screen shout at him. Claude sighed roughly, "Duty calls." He mumbled clearly unhappy. "Can I call later?" He asked. "CLAUDE!" The woman shouted his name again. Kai smiled, "Of course." Claude's eyes lit up and he grinned. "Great! I have something to look forward to." He said before waving goodbye and hanging up.

Kai got back to working still processing what just happened, she felt her face slowly get red and she groaned. Why did that go so well?! There was literally no change in his behavior! Kai flopped her burning face on her desk and groaned, "You're killing me." She whimpered trying to taper her expectations. Yellowtail-- or Claude... He was a sweet and friendly guy. It's not like he just spent the last hour and a half flirting with her! But he did seem like he hated his job. Kai huffed before sitting up, well she'd be a good friend to him and listen to his problems.

After all, that's what they were. Friends.

Right?

Kai got her first draft done and submitted by the evening. She had gotten out of the shower and dressed. She was in the middle of drying her hair when she got a video call. Picking up her phone she answered it. "Kai-?" Claude asked seeing Kai's hair up in a towel hat. "Hey! I just got out of the shower." Kai said grinning, "Oh." Claude said in a small voice. "How... How do girls do that hat thing by the way?" He asked curiously. "You wrap your hair in the towel and flip it over the back," Kai explained. "Really? Does it work with short hair?" He asked, "Not really. I mean it can, but it's easier to have the extra hair." She explained before getting up. "Where are we going?" Claude asked, "Bathroom, I got to dry my hair." Kai replied.

Kai turned on her drying brush which Claude was enthralled with. "It dries as it brushes?!" He shouted, "Yeah." Kai said laughing, finally, her hair was dry and bouncy and Claude whistled. "Cotten Candy hair!" He teased with a grin. Kai smiled and rolled her eyes, it looked like Claude was laying in his bed. "Did shooting end early today?" She asked knowing it was probably the middle of the day for him. "Yeah, there was an incident with a couple of the other actors." He replied vaguely, Kai decided not to ask in case it violated any NDAs that Claude could be under.

"Gotcha." She said giving him a thumbs up. She headed to her bed and flopped down. "Of course you have pink blankets!" Claude laughed, "My sheets are purple." Kai joked wiggling her eyebrows. She showed off her sheets that were pastel purple. "Oooh." Claude awed at the purple sheets. "What color are yours?" Kai asked grinning, Claude smiled at her. "You'll have to come to see them in person." He said smugly. Kai's eyes widened, that sort of sounded. 

She shook her head. "Are you inviting me on a sleepover?" She asked deciding that it didn't mean the way it sounded. Claude pursed his lips together for a moment. "Of sorts." He mumbled looking a little frustrated. Kai tilted her head to the side confused but said nothing.

"So how's Vivi?" Kai said changing the subject, Claude perked up, "She's right here!" He said turning the camera Kai saw the little poodle laying across his lap. "Hi, Vivi!" Kai greeted, the poodle's eyes opened suddenly, she wagged her tail. "Aw, what a sweetie." Kai cooed. "What about me?" Claude asked turning the camera back to him. "Um..." Kai made a fake disgusted face, "Kai!" Claude whined, "Fine. Fine. You're sweet too." Kai said in a playful voice. The two of them talked about a little bit of everything that night before falling asleep on video chat.

This created a new habit. Months after, every night. They would call each other so when they fell asleep they were on a call together. "You snore. You know." Kai remarked as she typed away on her computer. "I do not!" Claude insisted, "You do." Kai retorted, before glancing at her phone, "but not in a bad way." She added. She was more relaxed talking to him she had been worried for so long about what Claude would think of how she looked. But he didn't say anything negative at all. He did call Cotten candy head. But that was just in good fun.

Claude perked up, "What do you mean?" He asked, "It's really soft. It's cute." Kai said thoughtlessly, she glanced at the screen just to see Claude bury his face into his pillow. He looked happy for some reason. "You know... The current season is ending it's filming soon. Next week even..." Claude remarked nervously. "I was wondering if you... I mean, we don't have to..." He stumbled over his words. "What?" Kai asked curiously. "Would you like it if I visited?" Claude blurted out. "Visit me?" Kai asked, Claude, sat up in his bed and nodded. "Yeah!"