Little Bird's Call
Pairing: Honoka x Kotori
Genre: Friendship/Romance
Disclaimer: I do not own Love Live or any of its characters.
Author's Note: It's not that Kotori's never shy, I just see her that way. Her adorable voice and such? That makes her so much cuter~! Ehehe~! A-anyways! This is for Miyuki-chan since I rarely do this series anyways. Hopefully, I'll keep this one going. I've been wracking my brains for a proper HonoKoto story. Haha~!
Enjoy~!
"G-good….morning…" Kotori says in front of the mirror one early morning. Her soft, squeaky voice is barely audible when she says that. It's her first day of High School after transferring from her old school. Due to her extreme shyness, Kotori was unable to make any friends in middle school. So, Kotori's mother decided it's best if they move to a new home and she saw that this school Otonokizaka Academy is in desperate need of a new Principal. So…Kotori's mother took this job, thus having her daughter attend this school as well.
And so here she is, on her first day, looking in the mirror, twirling around to see if her uniform fits and also is speaking properly when approaching people. She also has to introduce herself as well in front of the whole class, so that's going to be a bigger challenge. But she promised herself to make a few friends at least in this school since she failed to do so back then.
Grabbing her school bag, she heads downstairs to meet up with her mother, who is dressed in a female business uniform. She greets her and walks toward the kitchen to make herself some breakfast. Her mother smiles as she sips her coffee.
"Ready for your first day, honey?" she asks.
"Y-yes," Kotori replies as she turns to her mother. "I'm going to have a good year this time. I'm not going to get turned down again."
"That's a good attitude, Kotori~" her mother says as she stands up and pets her. "I knew you'd be able to stand back up."
Kotori giggles softly at being petted by her mother. This is the year where Kotori will try to shine and interact more with her classmates or other people at the school. Shortly after Minami walks back to the table, Kotori resumes on making her breakfast, which is eggs and toast and sits across from her mother once she cooked them. In just 15 minutes, after washing the dishes, Kotori and her mother get in the car and are on their way to the school. Kotori herself is anxious, but excited to start her new life at a new school.
Her mother parks the car and leaves Kotori on her own to go to her first class. However, the ash-brunette stops in the middle of the path, looking up at the large school in front of her. She breathes in the fresh air and breathes out. This is the fresh start of her journey to become a new person. At least, try to.
"I WILL make a few friends this year!" Kotori pumps her fists while talking to herself. "Nothing will stop me from-WAH!" Before she can finish, someone crashes into her, causing both of them to fall and some books scatter because of it.
"Ah! I'm so sorry!" a ginger haired girl cries as she hastily picks up the books she dropped.
Kotori picks up one notebook and holds it out to the ginger haired girl. "U-ummm...uhhh...h-here you go...miss..."
"Eh?" the ginger looks up at this cute looking ash-brunette, who has a shaking hand offering her notebook. " Oh, thank you~"
"N-no problem..." Kotori doesn't know why she's stuttering right now, but it's just a habit of hers due to her extreme shyness.
"Oh, man! I'm going to be so late!" the ginger haired girl checks her watch and panics. "So sorry for bumping into you like that! I gotta go! Thanks again!" With that, she dashes off without another word.
Kotori reaches out her arm, but lowers it, putting a fist to her chest. "Oh...it's not a...b-big deal..." She can feel her heart racing just from seeing that cute girl. Why is that exactly? She just bumped into her by accident right?
She checks her watch and panics as class is about to start in a few minutes. She dashes inside the school and looks for her proper class number and enters there. She finds a seat in the middle of the class room, sighing in relief. However, when she turns to her right, the same ginger haired girl is right next to her, panting in exhaustion from all that running.
"Ah...y-you again..." Kotori stutters.
"Hm? Oh! I never knew we'd run into each other again so quickly. Guess we're in the same class then, huh~?" the ginger says with a smile.
"Y-yes..." Kotori doesn't know what to say. The person she bumped into a few minutes ago...is actually in the same class as her?
A bluenette sits behind the ash-brunette. "Oh? Who's this girl right here?"
"Ah!" Kotori jumps a little and turns toward the girl behind her. "I'm...I'm just a new girl. K-Kotori Minami."
"Ah, I see. My name's Umi Sonoda," the blue haired girl replies. "Pleased to meet you."
"Hey, hey!" the ginger haired girl waves her arms up and down wildly. "Don't forget about me!" She holds out her hand. "I'm Honoka Kousaka! Let's get along, Kotori-chan~!"
Kotori gently and carefully grips Honoka's hand. Her touch is so soft and smooth. "Yes...let's...H-Honoka-chan...~!" She can't believe it. Was her prayers finally answered already? As if the Heavens just gave her a miracle unexpectedly. And that's a good thing indeed.
"Ehehe~! Kotori-chan! That's a cute name for a cute girl like you!" Honoka comments.
"C-c-cute!?" Kotori blushes heavily and hands her head down to hide it. "I'm...c-cute?"
Honoka giggles. "You're silly, Kotori-chan! You're definitely cute...on the outside and inside. No doubt about it~"
"Honoka, she's all red," Umi says. "Maybe you're overwhelming her too much."
"Eh!? Is she gonna faint!?" Honoka cries in alarm. She grabs Kotori by the shoulders. "Don't worry, Kotori-chan! I'll perform CPR or something to make you live again!"
"Honoka, you're just overwhelming her even more!" Umi cries.
"Huh?" Honoka looks back and forth from Umi to an almost fainting Kotori. "Oh, no! Is she unconscious now!? Right when we're starting class too!"
"You should stop overwhelming her, that's how to solve it!" Umi shouts.
"Ahhhh….alright, alright!" Honoka lets go of Kotori and turns around towards the front. "I wanna talk to her some more…"
"Well, we'll have the time during lunch," Umi says as she sits down to grab her stuff.
Kotori just remains in her seat, her face feeling like a hot stove. She's never been spoken to…nor touched by anyone. But this girl…Honoka Kousaka…she just did those two things for the first time in her life. This day just keeps on getting better and better…if it weren't for her heart racing a million miles an hour and her face heating up at every contact with Honoka. The teacher arrives in the classroom as soon as the bell rings and announces that the seats that they are in right now are their permanent seats for the rest of the year. Kotori feels like jumping for joy. She just picked this seat out of random without even knowing Honoka is there and it's her permanent seat for the rest of the year, meaning she can look and talk to Honoka whenever she has the time.
Several periods later, it's finally lunch time and Honoka immediately scoots her desk towards Kotori's.
"Let's eat lunch together~!" Honoka offers.
"We can't have you eating by yourself, you know," Umi says as she takes out her bento. "Everyone else has found somebody except you."
"Umi-chan…Honoka-chan…" Kotori looks back and forth at her two friends with a happy smile. "Th-thank you so much~!"
This day is so much better right now. She never expected any of this on her first day, but it makes her very, very happy. Maybe making friends is sort of easier than she thought. The three of them eat their lunch together for the rest of the period until afternoon classes start. However, Kotori is having a hard time listening to the teacher as she keeps on stealing glances at the ginger, who is staring at the window. Who knew that this girl could be this cute and energetic? She already admires these traits about her. What else could be so great about this girl?
And in no time at all, the school day ends and everyone gets up to go home. Kotori gets her stuff inside her school bag when Honoka approaches her.
"Kotori-chan!" the ginger says.
"Y-yes…?" the ash-brunette says.
"See ya tomorrow!"
"O-oh…see ya…t-tomorrow," Kotori replies with a small wave.
Honoka giggles and runs off with Umi following her, not without saying good-bye to her new friend as well. Kotori waves and lowers her hand. She has made 2 friends already on her first day. This is truly the best day ever~!
**Next Day**
Up and ready to go, the ash-brunette hops down the stairs to make herself some breakfast again. Her mother sips on her coffee and giggles.
"You're in a good mood~" Minami says. "Must be that new friend you've been thinking about since yesterday."
"Mm-hmm! Mm-hmm!" Kotori told her mother the news and she was very happy about her daughter finally making some friends. "She's just so…cute and energetic~! I want to see her again~"
"Well, finish your breakfast first and then we'll leave, okay?" the mother tells her. "She'll be there once we get there as well."
Kotori nods again. She quickly makes breakfast, eats it all and then gets ready for school. Then after driving to the school, Kotori goes up to the front of the school again and there is no sign of Honoka yet.
"Hmmm…is she not coming or is she late again?" Kotori says to herself. "I don't want to wait around too long. Class is staring in 10 minutes." She looks around again for any signs of Honoka, but no luck.
Just then, a pair of arms hug her from behind, making her squeak.
"Good morning, Kotori-chan~!" the ginger greets excitedly. "Miss me~?"
"M-miss you? We've met yesterday…" Kotori says.
"You know what I mean~"
"U-ummm….uhhh…y-yeah I guess…" Honestly, Kotori longed to meet this girl again since yesterday. There are so many things to talk to Honoka about, but she doesn't know where to start. But Honoka doesn't seem to care about that and just wants to be good friends.
"Well, what are we waiting for~?" Honoka says, hugging the shy ash-brunette. "Let's go to class together~!"
"R-really?"
"Yes, really! Now, come on!" The happy ginger tugs on Kotori's arm as they walk towards the school.
The ash-brunette is a blushing mess again as she is being gently dragged by Honoka through many people who are walking by. This couldn't be a dream because it's all too real. The two of them are actually walking to class together. No one has ever done that with her before in her life. Miracles just keep on happening for her whenever Honoka's around. The other girls are stopping and staring at the two just walking by them, but the ginger doesn't care in the slightest. She's much too happy to notice. She has Kotori by her side.
Once they enter the classroom, the two sit on their desks immediately and two seconds later, Umi walks in.
"You seem lively today," she says as she gets out her materials.
"We got to meet each other again~!" Honoka says.
Umi chuckles. "Well, you two practically will meet each other every day, so it's not so bad."
"That's it~!" As if an idea pops in her head, she goes right in front of the shy girl. "Kotori-chan! Exchange phone numbers with me!"
"A-already?" Kotori is super surprised by this offer.
"Yes! We can ask each other to hang out, text each other…anything~!" Honoka twirls around happily as she says this.
"O-okay…" Kotori says as she takes out her phone.
Both of them exchange numbers and Honoka holds it up excitedly.
"Yaaaaay~! I got Kotori-chan's number~!" she cheers.
Kotori blushes as she just eyes the phone number she just punched in. "I got Honoka-chan…in my contacts for the first time…"
"Excuse me," Umi says as she gently taps Kotori's shoulder. "May I have your number as well?"
"Ah! Oh, y-yes! Of course!" Kotori replies.
The two of them exchange phone numbers and just in time, the teacher arrives as soon as the bell rings. Lectures start right away and Honoka slumps down on her chair, head on her desk and lets out a soft sigh. Kotori giggles softly at this. She can tell that the ginger doesn't like lectures and wants lunch time to come. Kotori feels the same way, but education is more important. But she can't help but steal glances at the ginger. She looks so cute when she's like that. Umi wants to face palm herself since Honoka's trying to slack off. The lectures go on for the entire period until it's over. Honoka sighs dramatically and gets up off her seat.
"Finally! On to another subject!" the ginger says. "These lectures are so boring!"
"But they're beneficial," Umi states. "You wouldn't want to get held back now, would you?"
"No, you're right about that," Honoka says.
Classes come and go for the next few periods until lunch finally arrives. Honoka stretches out her arms and moves her desk toward Kotori and Umi's, get their bentos out and start eating.
"Second day and you're still into eating sweets?" Umi says.
"My mom runs a bakery anyways~" Honoka says. "So it's fine if I take one of the products for a little taste test~"
"Eh!?" Kotori is very surprised to hear that her friend has a mother that runs a bakery. "Y-your mother…runs her own bakery?"
"Yep! And that said bakery is also my own home~!" Honoka says. "Say! Why don't you come by my house some time~? We'll have lots of fun!"
"S-sure! I'd be happy to!" Kotori can't believe Honoka is offering to invite her to her house already. It's like the ginger is giving everything the ash-brunette couldn't have before and she knew it.
Umi smiles and eats one of her food. "She loves showing off her bakery."
"What? It's just to attract more customers~" Honoka says as she eats a bagel. "The business runs smoothly, but I just want to show it off anyways. My mother is a great baker, by the way~!"
Hearing all this makes Kotori want to go there already. "Ah….ummmm…Honoka-chan?"
"Yes~?"
"W-would you mind if…ummm….you take me to your bakery? I'm actually curious now." the shy girl says.
Honoka smiles brightly and immediately hugs the ash-brunette. "Yes! Yes, you can, Kotori-chan! You'll LOVE the delicious pastries~!"
Kotori becomes a blushing mess, and finds it hard for her to breathe. Umi slams her hands on the desk as she stands up.
"Honoka! You're overwhelming her again!" she cries.
Honoka turns toward the ash-brunette, who just fainted in her arms. "Oh, no! Kotori-chan! Please wake up!"
**Later**
Finally school is over and almost all of the girls are out of the school except for Kotori. She is waiting for Honoka so that they can walk together to her home/bakery. The waiting excites her too much. She really wants to go and taste some of her mother's pastries. And speak of the devil, here comes the ginger running towards the shy ash-brunette from the halls.
"So sorry! Were you waiting long?" she asks.
"N-no…I just got here," Kotori replies.
"Ah, good. Say, why don't we do something before we leave? Come with me~!" Honoka takes her friend's hand and heads toward the school gates in front of the sign. She holds up her phone as she wraps an arm around Kotori's shoulder. "Say cheese~!"
Kotori has a few seconds to react and smiles the best she can. The camera flashes and Honoka looks at her phone to see the photo she took.
"Perfect~!" she says. "I'll send it to your phone. That'll be a token of our friendship~!"
Kotori slowly takes out her phone as soon as Honoka sends the pic. She stares at the photo of the two of them together. Compared to back then, this year seems to be totally different. It's good. It's very good, but…why is she shedding tears?
"AH! K-Kotori-chan! Was the photo that bad!?" Honoka cries in alarm.
Kotori shakes her head as she tries to wipe the endless tears. "N-no. I'm just…s-so happy. I can't stop crying. The first two days being friends with you…it felt like a miracle!" She clutches the phone to her chest and cries softly. "Y-you see…I-I wasn't used to making friends because of my extreme shyness, thus…it was leaving me lonely for a long time. But….but you…you don't seem to see any of that and saw me as a person. And that makes me so…h-happy!" She tries to wipe the tears again, but they keep coming. She can't help herself, really. The day she finally wants to be make friends has come true for her.
Honoka gently embraces the shy girl. "There, there. It's okay. I don't think you're THAT shy at all. I just saw how cute you were and thought I'd talk to you. And honestly, it's a lot of fun to be around you. You're kind, sweet and very cute. Umi-chan thinks so too. So don't worry. You're not alone anymore."
"H-Honoka-chan…" Kotori returns the embrace as she continues to cry. For the first time in her life, she's never cried like this, except for back then when she's rejected from making friends. She's held everything back from all that until someone came into her life and made it bloom again.
The crying ceases after about 5 minutes and the two pull away. Honoka smiles and wipes a tear from her eye.
"Feel better?" the ginger asks.
"Y-yes. I feel a lot better thanks to you~" Kotori answers.
"Great! Let's go to the bakery~!" Honoka holds out her hand.
Kotori nods and gently takes her hand, walking with her new friend.
A/N: What do you think, everyone? I know this is not Kotori's character, but I just LOVE shy girls~! They're so cute! Y-yeah, Hanayo's one of them, but I just want to change things around, you know? Mix it up a little, as I always say. Hehehe~!
A-anyways! Long and detailed reviews, everyone! Hope you all enjoyed this chapter, especially you, Miyuki-chan~! I know you wanted HonoKoto from me for a while, so here it is~!
Have a nice day!