She likes her.
She doesn't know that she likes her.
o o o
Everyone's life is different.
Their work life, social life and love life.
Yet, there are two people's love life that are similar. Lovers.
Ayase Eri knew that at one point in time, she will fall madly in love, settle down peacefully and start a family. However, she did not know who this partner was.
Life works in mysterious manners. You never know who you are going to meet, who you are going to befriend and who you are going to fall in love with. The latter made the blonde crack her head. The thinking and agony she went through could amount to serving the whole school a cup of brain juice each. Not that anyone would drink it. But still, that was how much she thought about that person and the blend of an array feelings that struck her. Yet, one feeling remained dominant amongst the crowd, bliss.
She could not precisely describe it. It was a feeling where she felt both positive and negative emotions. She felt excitement when walking towards her classroom, thrill when she was talking to her and euphoria when she hears her angelic laughter because of herself. It was pure joy if she made her happy. Yet, when she does not see her, she feels a sense of longing and when she sees her smiling so tenderly at others, she feels jealousy consuming her whole body. However, she was truly glad that she had met that girl.
Dabbling at her thoughts, she tuned off from her economics lecture, only to be rudely jabbed out of her thoughts by a smile that had a mischievous connotation.
She grunted. Ignoring the disturbance, she promptly took down notes from the lecture.
Another jab.
She growled, continuing her motion of scribbling economic terms onto her lecture book.
Yet another jab.
"Nozomi! You-" She whispered harshly, glaring at the smiling girl who was about to attempt to attack the blonde. However, she was stopped mid-way and was returned by an annoyed shout, "Nozomi! Stop it!"
"Ayase-san, you stop it." The professor stated sternly to the embarrassment of the girl.
Eri could only recline into her seat, cowering from the giggles of her course mates. She flushed ten shades redder before frowning at Nozomi.
o o o
She hummed as she waited for her lover in the cafeteria. She took this time to think of what she could tease her lover with, there were a thousand matters that could easily cause the girl to glow crimson red. Amidst the thoughts, their past emerged first among the rest.
The memories adorned a smile on the blonde's face. She rested her head on her palm, allowing herself to be swept away by nostalgia.
o o o
Arisa was speaking animatedly with one of Honoka's accomplice. She could pick out keywords like muse and idols. The scene irked her. She did not approve of these so called idols. They were merely amateurs and yet put on such a big front, such pretentious people.
She frowned.
"You..." The blonde started.
"Student council president." The girl replied with a tinge of shock.
o o o
As the bluenette headed towards the school cafeteria, she caught a glimpse of a couple resting comfortably at a nearby bench on the campus. The pair were enjoying each other's company in silence as they wrapped a long scarf around them. Their cheeks were slightly red either from the cold or embarrassment. Probably the latter of having committed such an act of affection that had earned some giggles from the public. She could not possibly imagine doing that with Eri.
She glanced at the can they were holding.
"Oden"
o o o
It was around the same period of time as when she had first spoken to Eri.
'The student council president's sister is a fan...' She thought only to be interrupted by Arisa handing a can of oden to her.
She questioned the sight before her, "Oden?"
"Arisa, that's not a drink." She informed the girl gently who let out a gasp and was sent off to purchase proper drinks this time round.
"We've lived overseas for a long time," She explained as her expression morphed into a stern one, "My grandmother is Russian."
'Russian huh... That explains her blonde hair and blue eyes.' She noted mentally.
Yet, more importantly she noticed the blonde's abrupt change in tone and behaviour.
She had utilized a gentle tone when communicating with her sister and her expression softened significantly. It was a side of the student council president that she did not know about. She was famous for being a strict and dutiful president. However, she did not show this side of her to anyone, there was only the serious tone and frown she had on when speaking to her.
The archer had learnt some facts of her student council president today, bringing a smile to her lips.
She had learnt that the student council president was a kind person at heart. Someone that was so patient and radiated such care towards her family members would not be a bad person... Or so her parents said. Filiality and concern for her family was what Umi's parents said to look out for in a partner. Not that she was looking for a partner like Eri.
A small blush emerged. Umi shook her head vigorously in an attempt to curb the vile thoughts away.
But she was conflicted as to why Eri was that harsh with her. Frustrated, Umi wanted to obtain her approval. She chased after the blonde, exclaiming agitatedly, "Why do you not approve of us?"
"You do not have the right to criticize us."
o o o
Thinking back about it, Eri sure was strange. Why did she not inform her of her right to criticize them immediately because of her past as a famous ballerina, she even had to ask Nozomi about it!
Geez, Eri sure was troublesome. Well, she still is up to today. What a worrisome child...
Umi started giggling upon recounting the numerous incidents where Eri clung onto her tightly in the dark. If only the students knew of Eri's phobia of darkness...
She briskly walked towards the table that was occupied by the blonde who was still lost in her thoughts. It did not look like she would recover anytime soon.
The bluenette took this opportunity to observe her. The sharp features, golden tresses splayed around her face and her blissful smile she wore. She could feel a few specks of pink dusting her cheeks.
"I didn't know that Umi-chan was so bold~" A teasing voice interrupted.
"N-Nozomi!" The bluenette cried in surprise and afraid that the girl had seen what she was doing.
"Hmm? Umi? Nozomi?" The blonde muttered as she recovered from her thoughts.
"Umi-chan was..." She started while smirking.
"Uwaah! Nozomi!" The bluenette interrupted hastily, flailing her arms in the air.
"Umi was...?" Eri questioned, half-asleep and rubbing the sleep dust off her teal orbs.
The girl snickered. Umi was frightened and appealed to Nozomi silently to not reveal of her actions.
"Umi was... Her stomach growled." She spat out flatly much to the chagrin of the bluenette.
Well, she did not reveal her embarrassing actions but this was not much better... She peeped at Eri who was containing her laughter.
"Eri!" She hissed as cheeks were painted with different hues of red.
The blonde burst into laughter the moment her lover carried such an adorable expression. The whole cafeteria's population diverted their attention towards her. Well not she cared anyways since this was the second time today that she had garnered such a huge mass of attention of her. However, the bluenette was otherwise. She hid her face in embarrassment and tried to shrink her body as much as possible.
Laughter melted into a sequence of giggles as the blonde observed her absolutely adorable lover.
"Sometimes, I wonder if you were truly the same Eri as the one I've met that was merely the student council president to me." The bluenette droned as she glared daggers at her lover who was deep in contemplation upon hearing her words.
"The one and only. " Eri smirked.
"But Umi, you're the one who changed me."
o o o
There was something about the girl that intrigued Ayase Eri.
She fell into deep thought.
What exactly triggered her interest?
She had to admit. The girl was rather attractive. The mass of blue silky tresses flowing down her straight back or her golden amber orbs. The way she would blush and stutter once a wave of embarrassment overwhelmed her. She sometimes question her habit of observing the girl. It's just that no matter how much she tried, all her effort evaporated once the girl smiled.
Maybe that was the smile that made her fall in love with her.
The blonde thought hard in the student council room.
She spun her pen aimlessly as she mentally listed down all of the possible reasons why she was in love with the bluenette. Peeping from her stack of paperwork, she glanced at her helper who was arranging her tarot cards silently. Maybe she could ask her?
No, scratch that.
That girl would definitely tease the hell out of her. Anyone but that girl. Eri has known Toujo Nozomi for almost three full years and is fully aware of the girl's teasing prowess. She would not be able to live another day without any harassment from her friend.
Poking her pen at her forehead, she grimaced over the possible outcomes.
"What is it Erichi?" The girl spoke.
"N-N-N-Nothin-g-g!" Eri exclaimed agitatedly as she waved her hands vigorously to dismiss the girl.
"But you've been staring at me for a long time." She reaffirmed her statement to the dismay of the blonde.
"N-not at all. You're being overly conscious..." Eri fumbled for an excuse to please her friend, praying for her to accept it.
She fiddled with the pen in her palm. Eri tried to hold a neutral expression as best as she could, her lips pursing and her arctic orbs squinting at the suddenly amusing stationary in front of her.
"Eri, you've been very... Intimate with that pen... Perhaps you were thinking of a certain junior?" Nozomi stated with a hint of playfulness and a sly smile coating her face.
"W-W-W-What might y-you be talking N-Nozomi! I don't have a single clue as to what j-junior you might be talking about!" Eri now half-shouted as she uncapped the pen and scribbled furiously, the blue ink flowing smoothly.
Silence enveloped the room and Eri thought that the spiritual girl has lost interest in the topic. She slowly relaxed, her shoulders recovering their original position after shooting up stiffly from surprise and her sleek fingers lessening the grip of the pen.
"Umi-chan sure is cute~"
The sound of a falling chair could be heard from the student council room.
o o o
Ayase Eri, seventeen years old, has Russian blood, student council president, in love with a certain archer.
The blonde overheated. The thought that she had included that last part while planning her testimony was inconceivable. Her brain must have melted due to the unwavering summer heat. That must be it. She affirmed herself as she pulled herself together.
Proceeding to the glass window to let in some fresh air, she opened the window. However, she noticed that from that window's angle, she had a clear bird's eye view of the archery training area.
The smooth sound of a swift arrow traveling could be heard clearly. The producer of such an accurate sound was none other than the target of her affection.
Eri grinned to herself. She learned towards the view to have a sharper view of the archer focusing on her practice. This was one of the reasons why she had fall in love with that girl.
The charismatic aura Umi had when focusing on a task and how she paid full attention on it, unwilling to accept anything less than perfect. That was the stubborn side that Eri loved too.
Another precise shot was fired. The bluenette decided to take a break and gulped down a mouthful of water while heading towards the window to take a breather. There, she locked eyes with the blonde.
She had flushed red as her bottle slipped from her palms.
Then, there was the flip side of that usual mature aura the girl had. It was when she blushed from embarrassment. The adorable expression she would put on and how her lips quivered as her face was coloured scarlet red. It was the most diabetes-inducing scene Eri had ever seen and will probably always be.
She could recall how the girl had stepped up and requested her to teach the members dancing techniques after realizing the blonde's ability. That was a side of Umi that Eri had admired. The bravery and courage to improve. She had thought that what she felt for the bluenette was merely admiration but after a few more realizations of how she had always had her gaze fixed on Umi made her realize that her feelings might not be so simple.
Ayase Eri has fallen in love with Sonoda Umi.
She smiled and waved at the bluenette cheerfully.
Sadly, the girl was so deeply embarrassed that upon seeing Eri waving at her, she slipped and fell.
Well, there was that slightly clumsy side of Umi that she loved as well.
o o o
A/n: In order to commemorate the official release of Storm In Lover, I've written this quite some time back. The song lyrics are just so... Scrumptious? It really gave me a hefty dose of EriUmi. Mimorin's and Nanjolno's voice is just heavenly together. Also, the release of G(yoza)arasu no Hanazono is another event worthy of celebration. Nanjolno and Kussun. :3
Will probably be a two shot or at most 3~4 chapters and beware, probably slow updates. I'll most likely finish this before updating my other stories. Also, I'll be writing more EriUmi one shots. Exams are a chore. Second chapter 1/4 written.
ERIUMI SHIPPERS UNITE.