AN: I love the "sub-units are roommates" idea so here I am making a college AU about them. This will mainly be fluff/humor. It was meant to be a one-shot but more ideas came pouring in and now it's going to be much longer, possibly 40k? Other than that, I'll make sure everyone will get screen time, which will be hard so the updates might come slower than usual. I hope you decide to stick with me till the end!
"I'm leaving now, nya~" Rin announced as she put on her shoes and made a swift move to leave, hoping she was fast enough to slip by unnoticed. However, fate was not on her side and deemed she was too slow considering how Umi looked up from the newspaper she was reading and Nozomi's head popped up from her position at the couch within a split second.
"Where exactly will you be going?" Umi asked sternly with a suspicious look, making Rin pout with disappointment and annoyance; if she was faster she would've been able to skip the interrogation.
"Hm, I don't think our little Rin-chan is going anywhere that would raise any concern. Right Rin-chan?" Nozomi intervened with a mysterious smile as she got up and walked over to where Rin was, but the orange-haired girl still caught the underlying tone which basically read as "you better not be doing dumb shit".
"As if I'm going to do anything shameless!" Rin exclaimed with another pout, making Nozomi laugh at her cute reaction and ruffle her hair. Umi just gave her another hard look before going back to her newspaper. However, her lips held a hint of a smile, showing that she cared more than she let on.
It was always like this ever since Rin met Nozomi and Umi in middle school. The two had found Rin crying because she missed her friends back from her old town. The sight hit a bit too close to home for Nozomi, who had also felt the same feelings of loneliness until she became well acquainted with Umi's family.
Nozomi was the one who initiated contact, not wanting anyone to feel the same type of pain she felt when she was younger. Soon after, they became best friends despite being in different age groups and were inseparable. Rin was the playful and ever-supportive friend who never failed to make Nozomi and Umi smile whenever they were feeling down while Umi was the overprotective one, making sure that both Rin and Nozomi followed the rules and did their homework. On the other hand, Nozomi was the mediator who seemed to know whenever Rin or Umi had any troubles. However, that didn't stop the purple-haired senior from teasing her two best friends as much as she could which, unfortunately for the two, happened on a daily basis. Even more so now that the three were living together for college.
"Mou, I'm just going to go see Kayo-chin! I haven't seen her since elementary school, nya!" Rin explained with a huge grin, ecstatic at the thought of meeting up with her precious childhood friend, "When I bumped into her during the college tour, I got her number and address and she said she'll help me get a head start on our composition class, nya!" She started to bounced up and down with excitement; it had been, what, six or seven years since she'd last seen the brunette?
"Number and address? It looks like our little Rin-chan is quite the charmer." Nozomi teased and Umi looked back up from her newspaper to give Rin another strict look.
"Until Nozomi and I meet her, you are forbidden from dating her." Umi commanded, making Rin stop bouncing and blush with embarrassment.
"Nya? Kayo-chin and I aren't even like that Umi-chan! Geez, I'm gonna be late; I'll see you later for dinner! I hope we have some ramen, nya!" Rin responded brightly, a small blush adorning her cheeks. She quickly opened the door and left, waving and yelling goodbye all the while.
Nozomi let out a giggle when Umi just let out a noncommittal hum before going back to reading her newspaper; the blue-haired girl always tried to stay composed but when it came to the ones she loved, she always overreacted. Nozomi shook her head before she walked to the kitchen, looking for ingredients for the ramen that Rin wanted and started to brew some tea. She knew Umi would be disgruntled from Rin's dinner choice and that her favorite tea was the easiest way to calm her down.
"Are we really having ramen for dinner? Again?" Umi asked with a sigh as she put the newspaper down, making Nozomi grin; she was almost always correct with her predictions even without the help of her cards, "At least put more vegetables, that girl never eats healthy things."
"Well, it's going to be Rin-chan's first year in college soon so I want to spoil her a little bit. And don't worry, I'll add some extra veggies for our Rin-chan." Nozomi replied with a warm smile before it turned teasing, "But never mind that. I saw you staring at that one girl when we were helping out at the tour last week."
Nozomi laughed when Umi accidentally tore the newspaper she was reading. Why the younger girl was so old-fashioned astonished Nozomi, especially with the advanced technology the modern times had.
"What was her name again? I believe it was related to birds." Nozomi asked with hidden mischief; she knew her name but she wanted to tease Umi a bit more.
"…Kotori." Umi answered but her voice was muffled, making Nozomi turn around in curiosity. She just let out another amused giggle at the scene; Umi was as red as a tomato and her head was ungraciously slumped on the table.
"Sonoda Umi, if your mother saw you right now…" Nozomi started with a smirk, making Umi straighten her form once again. She shot Nozomi a glare before getting up to put away the newspaper she was done reading.
"Do not look so smug, Nozomi. You had to learn those traditions with me as well."
"Hm? But I didn't mind it at all. After all, I got to see a cute girl do it with me too." Nozomi responded with a wink and Umi blushed, wondering how she wasn't resistant to flirting after being with someone like Nozomi ever since she was a child.
Umi officially met Nozomi when she was in the third grade, making Nozomi a fourth grader. Nozomi's parents had to travel a lot for their work and saw the terrible effect it had on Nozomi. Not wanting their daughter to feel lonely anymore, the Toujous had her stay with the Sonodas, who were good friends due to their old times together in school. And so, whenever Nozomi's parents had to leave for a long period of time, which happened quite often, Nozomi slept over at Umi's house and pretty much learned whatever Umi was learning such as calligraphy and archery, though she wasn't the best at it. Of course Nozomi missed her parents dearly but not having to move to a different school and having someone she could call her best friend made it worth it. That, and she received weekly letters whenever her parents were gone.
"I brewed your favorite tea, Umi-chan. Don't be so grumpy." Nozomi added with a cheeky grin and Umi sighed, getting up and pouring herself a cup. She felt herself relax as she took a sip and briefly wondered if the conversation about Kotori was over.
"You've got to introduce me to her though. Didn't you tell me you had her for composition last school year? And now you two have that communications class together." Nozomi continued as her smile became mischievous and Umi inwardly groaned; she spoke, or in this case thought, too soon. "It seems the gods are on your side this year."
"Nozomi, stop teasing me. As if you could do better with the Ayase." Umi retorted and Nozomi only grinned wider in return.
"Ayase-san isn't as cold as everyone puts her to be. Just like you Umi-chan~ You can be quite mean sometimes." Nozomi replied cheekily and Umi gave up. With one last glare, Umi sat down on the couch in the living room and turned on the television Nozomi's parents had gotten for them, effectively tuning Nozomi out.
It wasn't that Umi was indifferent to others; they just gave her too much attention and Umi found later on that acting aloof led to less confessions. Not to mention, she thought it was polite to be straight to the point, even if it made the other person cry which in her defense, only happened once.
Okay, maybe twice.
...to the same girl.
Umi ended up going out on one date with that girl so she could back off for a bit, but it turned for the worse when she caught her stealing her used napkins. And so, this concludes the story of how Umi decided that she wouldn't be too nice when it came to strangers. Oh, and also how she filed for her very first restraining order.
But Umi could care less if the school saw her as the strict, reserved beauty that was (somewhat) unapproachable; she had more important things to worry about.
First, she had to keep an eye on Nozomi, who always got in trouble for pulling pranks. Now she also had to watch Rin, who was always quick on her feet. And if Nozomi was the prankster and Rin was uncatchable, then that meant that their pranks would be twice as devastating. Umi shuddered at the memory of when Nozomi and Rin had somehow placed plastic cups full with water all over the floors in their high school. As in everywhere. Even the classrooms, clubrooms, and principal's office were affected. Needless to say, school was delayed for hours while Nozomi and Rin weren't punished due to the lack of evidence.
Then, there was the issue of the ashen-haired girl with glistening amber eyes that seemed to take over most of Umi's thoughts ever since she met her. She had such an adorable smile, beautiful laugh, wonderful voice, ample body frame—
'—Get a hold of it Umi!' Umi inwardly stopped herself from thinking any more about how gorgeous Kotori was. If she couldn't handle thinking about her, then she wouldn't be able to handle being in the same class with her. It was a miracle as to how Umi aced composition class with her; Kotori was such a beautiful distraction. With a deep sigh, Umi absentmindedly switched the channels.
It was going to be a tough new school year for her.
AN: Sorry about Umi being a bit overbearing; it's the result of having to take care of not one but two pranksters. You can expect something happening with Nozomi and Rin, but not anytime soon unfortunately. In the next chapter, Bibi will be revealedi!
Important Side Note: I'm basing the college educational system on the American one because I don't know how the other nations work. Usually, during the first two years students take a bunch of prerequisite classes as well as some that deal with their major while the last two years focus more on whatever major the students have.
To makes things easier, the classes the first years will share are composition while the second years will have communications. Nozomi and Eli will share advanced composition for reasons which will be revealed next chapter while Nico shares Food Studies with Hanayo and Honoka.
As always, any criticisms are much appreciated! Ideas are too :D