A/N: Written as a Night on Fic Mountain 2016 exchange gift for RasberryHeaven.
Hanayo stared at the dim light of her cellphone. Businessmen and women passed by her on the street in bustling motion while she waited for Rin to join her. But, for once, her thoughts were distracted.
Hanayo shielded her eyes against the fierce ray of sunlight between the nearby buildings and squinted at her phone.
Yet again, the headline on the news site practically screeched "Angry Fan Attack! Idol is slashed at a Handshaking Event!" No matter how many times she saw a story like this appear out of the blue, Hanayo's stomach always did a queasy flip-flop.
Idol attacks were frequent, but this one had attracted more attention than the usual.
Hanayo had seen the same type of news story a few weeks ago on another site. The season for attacks was ripe in the summer when emotions could rile up easily, and the stories would just keep spewing in droves.
With the sheer audacity fresh and fuming, a rabid, obsessive fan had brought a knife to an idol event and managed to slash her in the arm. Luckily, her manager had bravely thrown himself in harm's way to protect her and fended the attacker off, but the damage had sent her to the hospital nonetheless.
Hanayo shivered, clutching the red phone case under her palms closer. Her palms were sweating. By that point her phone screen had decidedly turned itself off, and she all the more relieved. She pushed her glasses up higher on the bridge of her nose with her forefingers. Just to give herself something to feel less upset. Fankly, she was repulsed a self-declared fan would go that far to hurt someone he had once claimed to cherish and respect. After a moment, she swallowed her nauseous and once again skimmed the page for any other bits of detail she might have missed.
At first she did not realize the looming shadow closing in before her. At first the presence kept to themselves, but a careful arm and friendly snaked around her waist. Hanayo squeaked in alarm and temporarily lost the grip of her phone case.
Rin's hand shot out just in time to capture the phone before it faceplanted against the sidewalk's concrete. Smiling brightly to apologize for frightening, she handed the phone back to Hanayo's loose grip, firmly plopping it back in her palm.
"What are you looking at? Can I see?" Rin asked eagerly, glancing over her shoulder. She blinked curiously between Hanayo's closed fingers at the screen.
Hanayo bristled. She clumsily pulled her phone closer to her, somehow terrified Rin would have to find out the ugly truth. Sure, maybe it was something Rin could have heard anywhere else, but… but….!
"It's, um… Another idol incident." She scrolled up to show the picture of the idol's smiling face. Kawashima Saori's face was accented by a braid of black hair and flowery petals. Nothing based on the picture would indicate she had been injured. "She wasn't that popular of an idol. She's new and trying to make a name for herself, but she was in a secret relationship that only became public after an onlooker snapped a photo shot outside her apartment. The picture went viral and shook up the fandom."
Rin's face scrunched up. Sour, she nuzzled her cheek into Hanayo's shoulder, then shook her head in disgust.
"People shouldn't do things like that," Rin sniffed with a shake of her head. "That's just mean and horrible. What did she do to deserve something like that if she just wanted to live her life happily the way she wanted to? It wasn't anyone's business."
Hanayo nodded. Rin's words were true, but she still could not shake a little bit of anxiety. "The guy thought she was making a big mistake because it was ruining her image. He brought a weapon to the event because he thought she was in l—love with him."
Love. That was not love. At all.
Something cold and slimy surged in her stomach and crawled up to her chest. She had never thought a person could be so cruel to an idol. After all, idols always smiled through the pain and suffering, and did their best under the extreme pressure to keep everyone upbeat with their songs.
It was unthinkable he could go that far. If anything like that happened to Rin, Hanayo would not know what she would do about it.
Wait… Rin...
Could that ever happen to Rin if she became a serious idol one day?
"I hope they catch him. Where should we go?" Rin asked eagerly. "I was thinking we could go shopping before we go for dinner!"
Hanayo had had a bunch of ideas planned before reading the article. She had been so excited for their date. Though… she frowned, contemplative expression in place. To be out with so many people that could see them. Would one day… would she have to give this up one day, freely walking around with Rin? Would someone notice them together and want to break them up?
A lightbulb seemed to flash above Rin's head. She gripped at Hanayo's shoulder like an excited child ready to enter a candy shop. "We could go look at the kittens in the nearby petshop! Let's go look at how cute they are today, Kayo-chin! Pleeease?"
Kittens. Kittens were soft and cute. Kittens were soft and innocent. Except for their sharp claws, Hanayo liked the idea of the quiet little petstore Rin usually frequented.
Hanayo blushed and pocketed her phone. Rin was still hugging her tightly around the middle now, begging her, but she smiled indulgently. Rin loved to visit her friends at the petshop even if she never bought anything and sometimes that got them scolded. "Okay," she relented, "but this time we can't stay more than fifteen minutes."
Rin pouted. A mock feign of offense, Rin almost whined, "Aww, but why?"
Hanayo tapped her on the nose. "Last time we stayed for an entire two hours," Hanayo reminded with a small giggle, remembering Rin's dejected look when Hanayo had finally put her foot down and dragged her out by the school uniform collar. "The owner was giving us the evil eye, and we shouldn't inconvenience him so often."
"But I can't help it, nya~! I always want to visit my kitty friends even if he doesn't like me. They need me," Rin protested. She started walking towards the direction of the petstore with a toothy grin.
"Because you can understand them so well?" Hanayo asked. An alarm bell went off in her mind —people were watching, and Rin, adorably but clingy, was holding onto her without a single care in the world. Still, he followed alongside her, eyes uncurtaining scanning down the street.
Why was she so upset? No one would hurt Rin for hugging her. But… what if someone wanted to? Would it be better to prepare herself for the world's harsh view on purity with another girl sooner rather than later?
After all, if one man could barely stand the sight of his favorite idol with another and saw red for his selfis reasons, how would any fan act towards her precious Rin?
Rin shook her head. "No, the kittens are my family. I love seeing them grow up every day, and they must feel so lonely when they see so many people come and leave them. They're my family. I want to know when each of them gets a wonderful home to go to, because that makes me the happiest!" Completely unabashed, she scratched her cheek thoughtfully. "And I can give them all kinds of advice since they're so young. I love being the older sister type, nya!"
To anyone else, Rin would sound ridiculous. Cats were a part of the "cute" appeal, though . Cats, dogs, rabbits —all of those animals and more were great for photo shoots or generally postable selfies on Twitter. But Rin took it a step further.
Would anyone think that was strange if they found out? If they thought Hanayo was with someone who took cats too seriously?
No… that was purely, utterly wrong.
Cats were cute, and so was Rin.
Honestly, Rin was impossible and silly. Sometimes, though, Hanayo swore she could talk to cats and that would have been an amazing power. Even time Rin purred back to a kitten, the kitten's eyes widened adorably. The kitten purred back appreciatively, and Hanayo would giggle until her stomach hurt.
The owner would never let his kittens go to bad handlers, but Rin had a burning urge to see them grow up properly, and Hanayo had no doubt the kittens loved her company. Hanayo simply shook her head as Rin rounded the last few corners to the petshop.
Still, Hanayo could not help but allow her eyes to wander. She glanced across the crosswalk at the passerby. Most people went along their business without glancing her or Rin's way. Normally, she never really minded that Rin held her hand to keep her close like was she was at that moment—Hanayo did fall behind her in the crowds, and she didn't want a reenactment of a similar case a few weeks ago where she had lost track of her for a full ten minutes in the busy evening rush.
Rin was her lifeline back. Hanayo always found her footing when Rin was with her.
From the corner of her eye, she noticed a group of girls walk next to them at the crosswalk. None of them seemed to be looking her way while they chatted excitedly to themselves. Hanayo tried to sidestep them because some of them came too close to her without any regard for her or Rin's personal space, as if the sidewalk actually was a red carpet and they expected them to simply move aside. And it really did not surprise Hanay when one of the girls did bump into her shoulder. Hanayo had to keep herself from staggering into Rin's side.
Rin's attention was elsewhere at a sign across the street flashing with food. Meanwhile, Hanayo's eyes locked with the girl who bumped directly into her.
The gave her a sharp look and turned up her nose in distaste. She heaved up an orange designer bag on her shoulder, smirking at her almost tiredly. Hanayo was almost intimidated by how expensive her clothes and makeup looked, but she held firm and kept her lips sealed. Still, Hanayo was not completely silent towards her thoughts and voiced her anger with a glare.
As if she wanted to slap that glare off her face, the girl eyes spotted Hanayo's hand connected to Rin's, and she seemed to scoff under her breath. As soon as the lights switched, she stomped across the street, giving Hanayo a scathing look over her shoulder. Just as the girl left, Hanayo noticed a picture of a pretty male idol she didn't recognize on the back of her bag.
Shocked, Hanayo's mouth turned into an O of disbelief. She stopped right in her tracks. As Rin started to walk, her arm instantly snapped back towards Hanayo. Hanayo held onto her hand quietly, not really sure how she should react.
The girl had not really done anything, per se. But she had been rude, and she had indirectly insulted Rin to her face with resentment and bitterness that Hanayo had not gotten out of her way in time. And Hanayo wanted to do something about that —she had a very burning desire to do that —but that little echo in the back of her head reminded her that she could not allow Rin to get hurt because she was reckless.
Still, that girl had been a fan of an idol, too. And even though she probably did not know them, she had been able to guess what she was to Rin and judged her —just like that man from the handshake stabbing.
She knew she should tell Rin what the girl had done, or the angry look her eyes. Rin would protect her from anything and reassure her that she should be strong… but…
Rin shouldn't have to be involved with her problems. Not if those problems got Rin hurt. Hanayo could never handle that.
A tear slowly formed at the corner of her eye. The thought of Rin being hurt made Hanayo squeeze her eyes shut. Maybe it wasn't their relationship that had annoyed the girl, but Hanayo knew the girl could be like any disgruntled fan and cause trouble.
"Kayo-chin, are you okay? What's wrong?" Rin asked. Her grip increased, and she hugged Hanayo against her. She peered at Hanayo critically. Without hesitating, she wiped away one of her tears, puzzled. "I'm sorry… you don't have to go the petstore if you don't want to. We can go to the arcade, if that's what you want to do." Rin was quick to come up with other ideas, and Hanayo could see them flicker across her face before she was able to suggest them.
Rin kept her words particularly light and inviting. Yet again, she was amazing in the best way to Hanayo. Wherever Rin wanted to go, Hanayo always wanted to go with her.
"Y—Yeah, I'm fine," Hanayo promised. She relaxed quickly and let her hands drop to her sides. The girl was gone now, but her silent disapproval still rang in her head like pots clanging together. "Sorry, I just… I thought something flew under my glasses."
"Flew under your glasses…?" Rin asked, tilting her head.
Rin did not seem convinced. Still, she grinned impishly and dragged Hanayo along with her at a slower pace. After all, she probably thought kittens would make her feel better in no time flat. Hanayo was grateful she seemed to catch the hint but didn't ask about it right away.
Meanwhile, Hanayo's mind grinded a mile a minute.
After all, none of µ's had to worry about terrifying fans for a few simple reasons. The Love Live exposed them mostly to girls in their age group, and the girls at their school were their support to keep the school afloat. Noe one at Otonokizuka wanted µ's to fail, or feel burned for their good deeds.
But in the real world of cutthroat idols, creepier fans crawled out of the woodwork without restraint. Sure, there would be bodyguards and special clearance, but that meant nothing if someone would bring a knife to a simple autograph signing.
Such deeming of "inpurity" might have to be something she would need to prepare for in the future if she and Rin stayed this close. And… Hanayo was sure she always wanted to be this close to Rin and never abandon her no matter what.
What would she do if one of her fans decided Rin wasn't good enough for her? Who even had that daring, insensitive attitude? But Kawashima Saori's fan had not seen through to all her hard work. That fan had only seen the surface, and their selfish desires. Standing right now, she had no qualms with Rin as her girlfriend—never.
But other people… other people could…
But, Hanayo decided, this was one thing Hanayo was absolutely positive about. No one could change her mind that she was wrong, or that Rin was wrong for her.
Hanayo didn't need anyone to choose her romantic partner, and it was likewise frightening to think that anyone would be obsessed enough with her to take that matter in their own hands. Sometimes fans could be delusional over the most mundane scandals. No one better than Nico helped keep Hanayo posted on that front.
Hanayo was not even listening when barks and meows suddenly drew her thoughts from sadder means. Entering the petstore, Rin's delight was clear. She flew towards the playpen with kittens located at the back of the shop. Kneeling down next to them, she only let go of Hanayo's hand to scratch a white kitten behind its floppy black ear.
Rin practically beamed with pride like a mother lioness. "Look, look! Isn't she cute?"
Hanayo stared deeply at the kitten's soft yellow eyes. Black stripes ran down a white coat, making her distinct from the brown and black kittens in the pen. Rin carefully raised it in her hands, and raised it higher to nudge her nose into its hair. The kitten pawed at Hanayo's face until Rin hugged it gently against her chest.
Hanayo's brain did a backturn, and she blinked curiously. "How do you know it's a she?" she sputtered. Rin would just know these things without any real clues, and Hanayo sometimes wondered if she bluffed. Seeing Rin so happy began to make her feel less stressed, and Hanayo lightly poked it between the eyes. The kitten purred.
"Because she reminds me of Kayo-chin," Rin stated matter-of-factly.
A blink. "How?" Hanayo asked, bewildered.
Rin titled her head towards the ceiling, scratching the kitten back. "I think… because she's so cute…" This did not seem to be a good enough reason for Rin, however. Hanayo was adorable and she always told her that. Yet, something was missing. Her cheeks puffed out in seriousness, dissatisfied. "But it's just that. She's cute, but when we came in a minute ago I noticed she was all by herself."
"I'm not all by myself," Hanayo said quizzically. She could be shy but she really was not one to stay all by herself whenever she had the chance with Rin. "I have you, and the others in µ's to talk to."
"Exactly!" Rin perked up instantly. "I saw her slowly approaching the other kittens. They weren't looking at her, but she wanted to make herself known to her friends, and she looked so determined to get their attention." Rin glanced at Hanayo with a fire blazing in the center of her eyes. "I know! Just like your dream to be an idol one day, right? That's why being a school idol is helping you so much. You're slowly creeping towards your goal. Just like this kitten, you're taking all the right steps to make it to the top one day."
"I'm not—" Hanayo started weakly.
"Of course you are! Don't be so sad, because I can't wait to see it!" Rin tapped the kitten's paw on Hanayo's nose just like Hanayo had done to her earlier. "And there's no ifs, ands, buts about that. I won't ever leave your side, okay? A cat is loyal until the end to her best friend, nya~"
"Nya!" the kitten agreed with cute smile. She headbutted Hanayo's cheek.
Hanayo's vision went blurry. She wanted to reach up—she was sure her glasses had gotten smoked up from the surge of emotion—but it was just another hot tear that fell down her cheek. This one was not out of fear, however; a pool of happiness rocketed through her entire body and she could barely think of what to do with it all.
What had Hanayo done? How could she even think that Rin would be better elsewhere for even a second? Rin was… loyal and amazing and the purest person Hanayo had ever met in her entire life.
The kitten was Hanayo, and Rin always wanted to see the kitten grow up and become a beautiful cat… just like Hanayo would be a beautiful idol one day.
Rin frowned, showing Hanayo's up and down behavior had finally concerned her too much. She dropped the kitten back in the pen, and lightly stroked a brown kitten with a white spot on its forehead. "Why are you crying? That's the second time now. Did I do something wrong?" Her eyebrows scrunched up, genuinely worried.
Of course Rin had not done anything wrong. How could she even blame herself at all? How could Hanayo blame her and not feel ashamed that she had let her worry about even one minute? Rin was the most kind-hearted and wonderful person she had ever known in her entire life from childhood!
And Rin was worried that she had done something wrong. Hanayo just wanted to squeeze Rin tightly and not let go, ever.
Now, she felt so stupid for ever doubting Rin's ability to take care of herself in the first place. Rin was her everything. And no matter what, Rin went the extra mile for her to make her happy. She thought of her, and followed her, and kept her happy. Every so often she paid too much attention to the kittens, but… that was just another thing Hanayo loved about her.
When the time came, the two of them would figure out everything. Together. If she would ever have a relationship with anyone, she wanted it to be Rin. Rin would go down fighting like lion for her cubs if she was ever in danger. To make Rin seem like less than a fighter was almost an insult. In fact, doing so would be even worse than the snobby girl's assessment on the street corner.
"No, it's just… I think that's touching. And… I'll tell you later, okay?" Hanayo asked.
She locked eyes with Rin. Rin held her gaze for a minute as if checking if she should let it go for now or demand an answer. Still concerned about whatever Hanayo was hiding, her friend's shoulders slumped. She smiled understandingly.
"Okay," Rin said, "but just don't be upset anymore today."
Smiling back, Hanayo pulled out her phone to check the time. After all, she had to keep her word for only fifteen minutes. She gasped. "It's already six! And wait…" Hanayo's eyes widened and her voice hitched. "Oh, no! I forgot, we have to go meet the others for dinner today."
Rin's head shot up. "Huh? That was today?"
"Yeah! I can't believe I forgot and we would have gone shopping and ditched them on accident." Hanayo laughed slightly. Maybe being near Rin really was too amazing sometimes. "Let's go meet the others, okay?" Hanayo asked tentative.
Sighing sadly, Rin stood up. "I already have to leave these young ones… but I'll come back, I promise!" Rin saluted to the kittens. "I want to order fish!" The man at the cash register cringed at how loud she yelled. Rin smiled sheerpishly. "Sorry… but we have to go. C'mon!"
Rin's fingers clasped Hanayo's. Hanayo was once again dragged out through the front door without a second thought, the ringing of the bell shrilling echoing behind them in the street. Hanayo wavered of her feet but somehow managed to keep pace.
"Rin-chan, slow down. I can't keep up!" Hanayo panted. Her feet skidded on the pavement. To keep herself from falling, she reached out to grab Rin's shoulder.
"No way!" Rin laughed merrily, tugging her friend along beside her. She sent a wink over her shoulder and a goofy smile. "Honoka will just start eating if we don't get there on time. And I won't let you fall no matter how fast I go!"
And Hanayo knew that Rin would keep her word on that. Rin would never let her fall. Into the future, if she ever did became a serious idol, she wanted Rin cheering for her at the sidelines. One day, she wanted Rin watching her grow into the most beautiful idol in the world. No one else's pair of eyes on her was more important.