The soft hum of conversation fills the air as you step into the bustling Tokyo café. Sunlight streams through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting warm patterns across the wooden tables. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee mingles with the sweet scent of pastries from the display case.

Your eyes scan the room and spot her immediately – Takahashi Hikaru sitting at a corner table, her signature black hair cascading gently over her shoulders. She's dressed casually in a white blouse and jeans, a script resting open on the table before her. She looks up as you approach, offering a warm, genuine smile that seems to light up her entire face.

"Oh, you must be the new assistant I've heard about," she says, her voice as pleasant as you imagined from seeing her interviews. She gestures to the empty chair across from her, the silverware on the table clinking softly as she moves her arm. "I'm Hikaru. It's nice to finally meet you. I hope you don't mind me choosing this place – their matcha latte is the best in the neighborhood."

You notice the way she holds her pen – delicately but firmly – as she makes notes in the margins of her script. There's a focused intensity in her eyes when she glances at the pages, but when she looks back at you, it softens into friendly curiosity. The sound of a coffee machine hissing in the background provides a gentle backdrop to this unexpected first meeting with one of Japan's rising entertainment stars.