Shiho hums thoughtfully for a moment, then grins conspiratorially and leans close to whisper in Akira's ear.

"We can do better than candy and gaming. Watch an anime with her here, something with a confident, sexy villainess, one who's right, maybe enemies to lovers too. And pick up takeout from a good pastry shop on the way over. Which anime, though..."

She pulls out her phone and opens a note file, then puts it away with a nod and whispers once more. "Taming Grace just got an anime release a few months ago. Watch that."

Akira nods thoughtfully. 

"Shiho's just given me a suprise for you. I don't know if it'll work entirely, but I'm going to try it. I'll come over... How about Wednesday?"

Ann smiles. "Ooh, a surprise? Sure, we can try it. And since you're coming over we can always do Dissidia if it doesn't work out."

"Trust me, I think you'll like this."

Akira shares a small smile with Shiho.

Shiho smiles back and nods. "Yeah, I'm pretty confident of the idea."

Akira checks the time again. It's only been a few minutes' conversation, but she really really doesn't want to be late.

It's now 09:38. It really has only been a few minutes.

Nervous girl. You are nowhere near late, moitié. T’en fais pas.

"... the longer I stay here, the more I'm going to turn into a nervous wreck worrying about train delays," Akira says after a moment. "I've still got like twenty minutes to spare, but it's hard to relax. I'd just feel better being closer to Shibuya."

"Poor thing," says Ann. "You've really worked yourself up tight about this, haven't you?"

"I don't like not working on problems that are solvable. It makes me wonder if they'll actually be solved."

"Is a thirty minute transit ride really a problem, though?"

Shiho smiles bittersweetly and squeezes Akira's hand. "No, but the stress about uncontrollable things happening to interfere with it is. Maybe pick a specific time you'll leave by, and check the transit app to see if there have been reports of delays?"

"Already did the first thing, but yeah, checking the transit app would be a good idea."

She opens it and checks. 

There are delays on the orange line from Nakano to Suidobashi, but nothing affecting the route from Yoyogi to Shibuya at all. The train she needs is running on-time and has been all day.

That's a little reassuring. 

She checks the time again. It's still 09:38. 

"... Got anything to kill seven minutes doing?" she asks Ann and Shiho. 

Ann laughs. "I dunno, if you're leaving that soon. Shiho, do you have anything more you wanted to say?"

"You look great, and I'm looking forward to hearing all about it, and to our date tomorrow night," Shiho says, smiling shyly.

"Yeah. I won't force you to hang around if you'd be more comfortable going now, it's not like we're going to discover the meaning of life in seven minutes." Her lips quirk up. "Just... have a good time, try and relax. You've got this."

Akira smiles. "Alright. Thanks for the chat, you two, and for reminding me of the snacks. I guess I'm off, then."

"Anytime."

And it's off to Shibuya with her, with a spring in her step. It's good to be doing something.

It's late enough in the morning that the trains aren't too crowded. She gets a couple appreciative glances as she walks through the station, too. Soon enough, she's in Shibuya station.

People are looking at her —

She hastens her step a little. She passes J of the M and Lapin Angellique and the side alley that Untouchable is down. 

She should get her bearings. Big Bang Burger is over there, and the movie theater is at the very end of central street. Cool, cool. 

She'll head into the movie theater and wait in the lobby someplace visible, that's the normal thing to do.

There are some shoppers on Central Street, and a few people in the lobby of the theater for matinées that start even earlier than the one she's seeing. The time is 10:09, according to the big digital clock in the lobby. There's a concession stand with drinks, snacks, and candy — including specialty popcorn flavors like caramel and chocolate, and some novelty items inspired by the movies currently showing — and a line of electronic kiosks selling movie tickets and letting people pick their seats. A rack on one wall offers free blankets for people who get cold in theaters, and cushions to sit on if the person in front of them is too tall.