Her heart feels heavy.
Rin looks out the window of her classroom in her school, Otonokizaka High. As of right now, they have no teacher. Well, actually, she just cleaned the classroom. After all, she was the one who had cleaning duty in their class today. Hanayo offered to help but Rin oddly declined. And now, she is just sitting on her chair, observing the school from inside.
Her friends have been practicing for a while now, yet even though how much time has passed. She doesn't see any familiar looking figure exit the gate. She found it odd as well. There were still others in school besides her and the μ's. Rin didn't bother to check it out. She felt too out of it. Not like she couldn't prevent anything that was happening beforehand either.
Schree…k
Rin got her bag after standing up from her chair then returning it to the correct position. A small pink slip is in her hand.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
She knew what will happen after. Rin couldn't prevent it and knew this was inevitable. Chanting those same words one more time, she finally had the courage to get out of the classroom and meet up with her friends. But she didn't have to walk to the club room because as soon as she opened the door, eight worried faces appeared in front of her.
"Ah!" Rin exclaimed, surprised. "Oh, it's just you guys."
"Just you?" Nico emphasized, her suspicion level raised. "Were you expecting someone else?"
"I wasn't expecting some other person," Rin answered, her usual 'nya' at the end disappearing. "I…..just wasn't expecting you guys to be here."
Being as discreet as possible, Rin hid the pink slip in her pocket without any of them noticing.
"Is that so?" Eli asked, looking concerned. "You didn't come to practice today. Not that we have any competition coming up. We already won the second Love Live!."
"Plus the third years won't graduate now, they'll graduate next year," Honoka explained, Rin sighed. "I guess everyone knew that already…. That the school does four years now.."
"Something's bothering you Rin-chan," Umi said, her amber-brownish eyes looking into Rin's yellow eyes. "If you want to confide in us, please do."
"I don't have anything to hide actually…." Rin said, her voice slowly fading. "Well…maybe I do…"
"Well then say it already," Maki said impatiently.
"Well…I-I…" Rin said nervously before putting her hand in her pocket. But she didn't move her hand afterwards. "I can't say it."
"Why is that Rin-chan?" Kotori asked innocently that it hurt Rin a bit to do this. "We're all worried."
"Do you want a washi-washi to help you?" Nozomi asked, Rin shook her head while covering her chest.
"I-I don't need o-one Nozomi-chan," Rin answered, she held the small slip in her pocket tightly. "N-No…thank you.."
"Rin-chan," Hanayo said quietly. "Please, don't say that you're—"
Rin's eyes welled with tears as her lips quivered. As she closed her eyes, the tears she was holding him roll down her cheeks. She embraced Hanayo tightly, much to her friend's surprise.
"You're serious?!" Maki said angrily, kicking the wall beside the classroom door. "I thought it was just a joke!"
Maki looked so heartbroken. She sat against the wall and put her bag beside her. Maki slowly pulled her legs to her chest. The μ's stood there confused.
Rin stood up and looked at Nico but refused any eye contact.
"Oof!" Nico exclaimed in surprise as Rin hugged her tightly as well. "Rin-chan?"
"N-N-Nico…." Rin cried on her shoulder. "I-I'm so s-sorry!"
"Huh? What do you mean?" Nico asked, now really suspicious. "You didn't do anything to me."
"P-Please don't hate m-m-me…" Rin begged, Nico couldn't help but return the hug she hasn't returned. "But i-its inevitable n-n-now…"
"What is inevitable?" Honoka asked, her blue-ish eyes pleading for an answer. "Tell us Rin-chan! I beg of you!"
"I thought you would never leave…." Maki said, answering their question yet it was vague for the rest. "Why? Rin-chan? Why…."
"I c-couldn't do anything M-Maki-chan…" Rin explained, she realized that her other hand is still in her pocket. "I'm s-sorry everyone!"
Rin quickly put the small slip in Nico's pocket and ran through the halls in order to exit. They didn't stop her. Only if they knew what she put in Nico's pocket. Maybe they would've stopped her.
"I-I don't believe it….." Nico breathed, crumpling the paper given to her. "That brat!"
"Ahh! Nico-chan!" Hanayo panicked at her senior's behavior. "Maki-chan and I c-c-can explain!"
"Explain what?!" Nico asked angrily that it made Hanayo even more nervous. Nico then showed to the rest what it is after trying to make it not so crumpled. "What is this?!"
"What does it look like?!" Maki asked irritated. "I'm sorry but what do you think does it look like?!"
"A resignation slip…." Eli said, blinking her eyes multiple times. "But why?"
"Did I go wrong again?" Honoka asked, worried. "I did something wrong again didn't I? Tell me! What did I do wrong?"
"Honoka-chan…." Hanayo said softly. "It isn't your fault."
"Yes it is!" Honoka insisted on taking the blame. "She wouldn't have left if I noticed her attitude for the past few days!"
"We could've talked to her about it…" Nozomi added, Honoka nodded. "μ's is nine members only."
"You haven't explained this thing!" Nico exclaimed, Maki and Hanayo stayed silent. "I don't understand! How come you never told us of this?!"
"Yeah, it looked obvious you two knew but why did you never talked to us about it?" Umi asked, they stayed silent again. "We could've avoided this altogether."
"Couldn't we just run after Rin-chan?" Kotori suggested, they all shook their heads. "Oh okay.."
"Why didn't you just tell us?!" Nico demanded, angry. "First Rin-chan leaves then we all realize that you two knew everything all along! Explain this—"
"IT IS NOT OUR FAULT!" Hanayo screamed painfully. "You think we knew she was going to actually leave?! Maki couldn't believe the news and I was hoping it was all a joke!"
"We didn't want her to leave!" Maki added, looking down to avoid looks from her friends. "We tried talking to her parents. We tried to talk to Rin and use her own opinions to change her parents' minds! We tried everything. Yet it all FAILED!"
In her anger, Maki threw a nearby pencil. With it breaking in two pieces as it hit the actual classroom's walls. Much to the other μ's surprise.
"We didn't want to burden you! We didn't want anyone else to know because Rin asked us not to tell you! Yes, we tried to ask her parents to change their mind. Yes, we did everything we can to make Rin-chan stay. But yes, it all failed in the end," Hanayo explained, standing still. "All those attempts which could've prevented Rin from leaving and transferring schools were proved otherwise. Don't think we know why they wanted her to transfer either. We don't know why she will be transferring."
"Rin…is transferring schools?" Kotori asked, Maki and Hanayo nodded. "So…what do we do now?"
"But Maki-chan, Hanayo-chan, we would've helped you," Eli said, causing the two to feel guilty. "We understand your consideration but μ's is all of us. Not just a select few."
"We're sorry," Maki apologized, she got her bag and stood up. "I'll be heading home now."
"So will I," Hanayo said, her bag in hand as she and Maki went home. But they went opposite directions instead of going together.
—
Rin panted as she reached the Otonoki's gates. Her heart felt heavier than usual. Maybe that's because she lied to her friends about her departure. Maybe it's because she's leaving. Maybe it's because….
"Rin-chan!" her mother called, smiling widely. A small grey-ish car pulled up along the road. "Come on! We need to fix your things for your transfer in the new school! Be sure to do well in our new neighborhood as well okay?"
Rin walked towards the car, slowly. In front of her is memories of her and her friends. Rin smiled and clenched her fist to hold back her emotions. She couldn't break down here. At least, that's what she is telling herself.
"I will!" Rin said, running towards the car now that she has regained her composure. "Wait up mama!"
As the car grew closer, Rin's heart felt heavier. Once she was at the car, that was when her heart felt the heaviest. She opened the door and put her bag in the back seat then closed the door.
Her mother started the engine again as Rin took one last look at Otonokizaka High. Two figures came into her view as the car took her away. She would recognize those two anywhere.
But then again, her heart felt heavy.
Maybe it's because the two friends she cared for the most, the two friends who were her peers, the two friends who accepted her, is now being left behind.
By her.
And she couldn't do anything to subside their pain.
I'm sorry.
—
Before you ask, why did Rin transfer out of Otonokizaka?
Well, her parents needed to transfer homes and once they found a suitable home, they tried to find a new school for Rin and like what is said earlier, they found one. Rin heard of the news and told her peers, (Maki and Hanayo) about it. Of course, Rin was unsure because they didn't transfer yet. But one day, her parents finally said that they are moving out. So here's this story.
^^ If this explanation is vague or difficult to understand then just think of Nozomi's situation when she was younger. (Darn, could've just said that..)