I'm a failure.

Those three words rolled around over and over in Riko's mind as she walked down the halls of Otonokizaka High. She kept her head down and her eyes to the floor in case anyone passed by. She could still see the image of the piano looming in front of her on the stage, her fingers frozen in the air, her mind blank. On that stage, in front of everyone, for the first time in her life, Riko Sakurauchi had been unable to play her beloved instrument.

She hurried on to her destination, the music room. The Light Music Club didn't meet today, so it would be empty. It was her refuge and her sanctuary, the place she could always go when she needed to clear her head. It was the only place where she might find the answers that she desperately needed.

As she approached the door, she became aware of a sound coming from within. Riko frowned. Was someone already inside? She'd been coming to this room after school all year whenever the Light Music Club wasn't using it, and no one else had ever been there. Why today, of all days?

She stopped at the door, unsure what to do. It wasn't like she could just go in and ask the person to get out, and she wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone. She was about to turn and leave when the music inside got louder and reached her ears:

Cheers for the love! I'm glad to be here, our present exists right here...

Riko was instantly enchanted. She moved closer to the door to hear more of this beautiful song and perhaps see whoever was responsible. She caught a glimpse of red locks of hair, but even when she was pressed right up against the door, the piano obscured most of the view and the mystery pianist had their head down. Riko contented herself with listening to the music, and for a moment she forgot about all her troubles. She stood there for the duration of the whole song, lost in its magic, and when it was over she couldn't help but applaud.

The person inside–Riko briefly noted that it was a young woman–looked up and made eye contact, and Riko realized her mistake. It felt as if those piercing amethyst eyes were staring at her very soul. She stepped away, and was about to take off running, when the woman cocked an eyebrow and waved her in. Knowing she was caught, Riko braced herself and entered the room.

"Hey there," the woman said, smiling at her.

Riko immediately bowed. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to intrude, I was just passing by and I heard you playing and it was really amazing and–"

"That's alright," the woman said with a chuckle, "if anything I'm the one intruding. I graduated a long time ago, I shouldn't even be here anymore."

Riko slowly straightened up. "You used to be a student here too, then?" she asked. She studied this mystery pianist, her shoulder-length red hair and her sharp but slightly tired eyes, and tried to picture her in the Otonokizaka High uniform. Despite the woman's words, it didn't seem like she was old enough to have been out of high school for long. In fact, Riko felt like she'd seen someone like this before.

She realized then that the room had been silent for a while. "Um, sorry, should I not have asked?"

The woman blinked, apparently having been lost in her own thoughts. "Oh! It's fine, I'm just not used to...being asked that question." Riko wasn't sure what that even meant, but she didn't say anything. "Yeah, I was a student here at Otonokizaka."

Silence reigned again. Riko fidgeted, unsure what to say or do. Luckily, the woman spoke up again, "Hey, do you play the piano?"

"Yes!" Riko quickly replied, and then remembered what had just happened in the auditorium. Her gaze fell to the floor. "Or, well, I did..." She didn't feel like explaining it to this person, especially since she barely understood it herself. She loved music, she loved the piano and the viola, and she loved the feeling that ran through her whenever she played them. But recently, she'd lost that feeling. No matter how well her fingers danced across the keys or pulled the bow along the strings, she felt empty. The music sounded empty, too. Lifeless. And now it had left her completely, leaving a pit of paralyzing despair in its place. Where had it gone? What was it she was missing?

Riko felt a hand on her shoulder, bringing her back to reality. "You'll find your answer," the woman said. Riko looked up with wide eyes, wondering if this person could read minds. "You might need someone's help, but that day will come. Just stay strong until then, and when you do find it, I want you to fight for it. Be sure that you don't miss that opportunity when it comes. Don't be afraid to reach out for it, even if it seems like it's too far at first."

Riko took a moment to take in her words, before nodding and wiping her eyes. The woman gave her a small smile and started walking to the door. Riko wondered if she should say goodbye, or thank you, or something, and then realized that she hadn't even gotten her name. She turned around.

"Ah, excuse me, could I have your name?"

The woman stopped at the door. "Maki. Nishikino Maki. What about you?"

"Riko. Sakurauchi Riko."

The woman turned to face her and smiled at her again. "That's a pretty name. Good luck with everything, Riko. I'll be rooting for you."

Maki looked around the lavish private lounge. She'd thought the third Love Live at the Tokyo Dome had been fancy, but clearly in the five years since μ's had retired, the growth of the school idol scene had allowed the competition to reach astounding levels of production value. They even had the money to spare on this luxurious room. Maki wasn't sure what it was for, but it was currently holding her and the rest of the members of μ's, who had all agreed to come watch the special 5th Anniversary Winter Love Live in person. Or almost in person. The event organizers had pointed out that μ's presence in the crowd might cause quite the distraction, so they were offered the special backstage lounge instead, with a gigantic screen that would display the stage proceedings.

Even though it was the finals, there were still a lot of groups that had made it to that stage. It was impressive, really, and Maki could see just how hard they'd all worked to get there just from the strength of their performances. But her attention was most captured by the last group to take the stage, a group of nine called Aqours. She recognized the one with long, light pink hair. It was the girl she met that one time at her old school, though this group didn't seem to be from Otonokizaka.

"Whoa, they look really good!" Honoka exclaimed.

"You've been saying that about every group, Honoka," Umi pointed out.

"Well of course, everyone's been great so far! But these girls...these girls are special, you know? There's something about them!"

Maki watched Riko intently, searching for any sign of the insecurity and despair she saw in that music room. "They look like they can perform, but I wonder if they're strong enough..."

"What do you mean by that, Maki-chan?" Rin asked. Maki didn't answer, instead silently observing the girls on the screen as they sang their first song.

It became even more interesting when, for their second song, Riko did not stand with the others in their formation but instead went to a piano that was set up at the back of the stage. She bowed, shared a nod with the leader-Hanayo said her name was Takami Chika-and sat down on the piano bench. It seemed she would be playing the piano for this instead of singing or dancing, something no other group had done. Maki was impressed. Even they hadn't thought of that one.

But then, suddenly, she felt it. Maybe it was her experience as a pianist. Maybe it was because she, too, had had her moments of crippling fear and doubt that left her completely helpless. Whatever the reason, Maki sensed the moment coming before it even happened. She stood up, her mouth hanging open in a silent scream for the girl.

"What's wrong, Maki-chan?" she barely registered someone asking. Half a second later, too subtle for most people to pick up, Maki heard-or rather, didn't hear-the first note that was missed. And then the second, and the third. Her feet moved faster than she could think, and by the time everyone else realized that onstage, Riko had frozen up on the piano, Maki had already ran out the door.

As Maki's mind caught up to her, she realized that there wasn't really anything she could do for the younger girl, she barely even knew her. Still, she had to do something. The thought of that girl making a mistake and freezing up on that stage in front of everyone-especially after what she sensed in her during their meeting in the music room that one time-was unbearable. Especially with all the clamor that Maki could hear even from the backstage halls.

Maki suddenly realized just what that noise was. It was Aqours' song, with the piano playing underneath their voices. Her feet slowed to a stop as she took in the beautiful and soothing melody. The music wasn't as graceful or refined as it should have been, but she could feel the raw emotion in them too. Maki turned her head to a screen above them, showing a view of the stage. Chika must've gone to comfort and support her friend, as the orange-haired girl was returning to her position.

"Maki-chan?" Honoka called out. Everyone must've caught up to her.

Maki kept her eyes on the screen. The whole audience was shining in a beautiful light pink, as if sakura trees had blossomed right there in the stands. "Hey, you know what I said earlier? ...I was wrong." The camera zoomed in on Riko as she let the last note ring out, her face full of lingering sorrow and shame, but also happiness from the overwhelming support, not just from the audience, but from her teammates. As soon as they could break the ending pose for the song, the eight other members of Aqours glanced at Riko. Wiping away her tears, she gave them a smile and a nod.

Maki smiled too. "They're going to be alright."

As Aqours made their way backstage, Riko noticed someone standing idly in a side hallway, as if waiting for someone. Riko excused herself from the group and made her way over.

"Looks like you found your answer," the woman said. Nishikino Maki. Riko knew who she was now, of course. She recognized the rest of μ's behind her as well. Chika had talked at considerable length about all the members, and Riko didn't think she could forget the one she had met that fateful day. She wondered if she should have been more excited that she had had a conversation with the legendary idol Nishikino Maki, but Riko really couldn't see her as anything other than the amazing pianist she met on the day of her biggest failure.

"Did you know it would be like this?" Riko asked her.

Maki shrugged. "I wasn't expecting you to follow in my footsteps or anything, but I had a feeling."

Riko smiled. "Well, I didn't find this path on my own."

Maki nodded. "So it seems. You had me worried for a second there, you know."

Someone from the rest of μ's-it sounded like Nico-yelled out, "'Worried' my ass, Maki almost ran onstage as soon as she heard you miss the first note." The redhead made a face, but didn't say anything to deny it.

Riko momentarily grimaced at the fresh memory of her failure, but she found it in her to laugh at the diminutive woman exposing just how much the older musician cared even for someone who was essentially a stranger to her. "That's kind of you, Nishikino-san. I was afraid too, but it turns out there's no need. I've found some truly amazing friends to fall back on when I need help. It's thanks to them. And you, as well. I don't know where I'd be if you hadn't given me that talk, Nishikino-san."

Maki scoffed. "I just told you to hang in there. It's your friends and teammates that did all the work." She glanced at Honoka. "Especially whichever one talked you into this whole idol business," she added.

"Rikoooo! Come onnn!" A voice called from behind Riko.

The young idol turned around and saw Chika running up to her. "Well, here she is now."

"Hey Riko, come on we have to go! Who are you–ahh!" Chika gasped, the question dying in her throat, having gotten close enough to see the answer.

Maki laughed. "You must be Takami Chika. Take care of Riko, okay? And Riko? You can just call me Maki." She waved and turned to join the rest of her group.

Chika seemed to be caught between excited and bewildered, and it took her a moment to recover enough to speak coherently. "An assignment from Nishikino Maki herself?! Okay, Riko! You heard her! Are you feeling alright? Do you need anything?"

"I don't think that's what she meant, Chika. The way you normally are is enough."

"Are you sure?"

Riko nodded. "Now come on, let's go get changed and go home." She looked down at the outfit she was in. She was used to the kinds of things they wore as school idols now, but sometimes she was still amazed that she'd ended up doing something like this. She looked at her friend, the one who had dragged her into it. The one who had pulled her in to the world of idols, from her ordinary high school life into this chaotic mess.

The one who had, twice now, pulled her from her darkness and back into the light.

"Hey, Chika?"

"What is it?"

Riko closed her eyes. "I need to thank you. For showing me this dream of yours. For helping me reach out for something that seemed too far away." She turned to face her friend. "Thank you for saving me."

Oops, it's been a while since I last posted anything...here's something, though!

I had the idea for a story of Riko meeting Maki after her failed piano recital several months ago, but I wasn't fully satisfied with what came out so it never left my folder. After hearing about what happened at Aqours' First Live though, I got inspired to return to this story. This is for you, Rikako!