Disclaimer: Love Live not mine ^_^

"Nishikino-san." The first year stopped playing as she looked up from her spot on the piano to the person who called her.

"S-sonoda-sempai! W-what are you doing here? Don't you have practice or something?" Maki asked, surprised to see her senior. Umi gave the redhead a small smile as she slowly made her way towards the younger girl.

"I do, but I needed to do something first before anything else." Maki was a bit tense for having the bluenette so close to her and she blushed as she stared at her senior. She may be anti-social, but she's not deaf as to not hear her classmates gush over a certain blue-haired second year who's part of the Kyudo Club. It was the first time that they actually acknowledged each other face to face without anyone else with them.

"W-what is it? Do you need anything? Eeeh?!" Maki was startled when Umi suddenly bowed before her, then straightened up with a bright smile on her face. Maki was speechless.

"I seemed to not have properly thanked you for your help in composing that song. I know it's a sudden request, and you have every right to refuse, but for you to put your music into my lyrics is definitely praise-worthy. I'm really grateful! Oh, and I would also like to apologize in behalf of Honoka. I know she's a bit pushy, but thank you anyway for putting up with her." The younger girl's eyes widened.

"Uh, no, it's okay! But wait, you were the one who wrote those lyrics?!" Maki was not expecting that. Well, in hindsight, based on first impressions alone, it wasn't really surprising that Sonoda-sempai would be the one out of the three second years to be good enough with words as to write something that nice. Umi just blushed and looked down.

"W-well, I know it's a bit rough around the edges, but the end result is still pretty good, especially when you made it into a song. Although I didn't take into account that you may have had some difficulty interpreting it since I never really had the chance to revise it or anything, so I'm sorry for that." Maki just stared at the older girl for a bit then smiled. 'Huh. She's pretty cute when she's embarrassed like this.' The redhead caught herself and shook her head to try and stay back on topic.

"N-no! I mean, your lyrics are very nice, and I honestly enjoyed composing the music for it. I'm not really into pop music, but when I started composing on my own using your lyrics as basis, it's different somehow. A-and I just thought that, with how adamant Kousaka-sempai was about everything, that she was the one who wrote it. But now that I think about it, it really makes sense that those words came from you instead." Umi looked up to see a blushing redhead trying to act nonchalant, with her head to the side and fingers twirling strands of her hair. The bluenette just smiled at how adorable her junior is at that moment.

"Thank you, Nishikino-san. Well, I guess I already overstayed my welcome. I'll see you around then." As Umi was about to leave, Maki suddenly stood up and called to her. The bluenette looked back and looked at her junior curiously.

"Umm, i-if ever you decide to write something again, I-I guess I can take a look at it for you." In a softer voice, she continued, "A-and I believe it's better if you also share your input, because a composer and a lyricist works on a song better that way." Maki's face resembled a tomato at that point as she fiddled with her skirt. Umi smiled brightly and took a few steps until she was in front of the younger girl. She held up her hand for the other girl to shake. Maki just looked at it then back to her senior then tentatively lifted her own hand to the other, cheeks still blushing mad. 'Her hands are a bit calloused, but they're so warm and dainty.'

"I'd like that. It'll be an honor working with you, Nishikino-san."

"Maki."

"Huh?"

"You can call me Maki, since we'll be working together in the future, anyway." Umi's smile seemed to be permanently etched on her face that day.

"Then you may call me Umi then. Let's do our best, Maki." The bluenette gently squeezed Maki's hand before letting go.

"I better get going. I hope to see you around, Maki!" The redhead waved dumbly as her senior left, then sighed in contentment as she went back to the piano.

"See you soon, Umi-sempai." Happy music was heard all throughout the empty walls of the school that afternoon.

A/N: I am honestly having a bit of difficulty with my previous stories because my brain's all muddled up, so I decided to watch season 1 again for a quick burst of inspiration, and voila! This one shot just slammed into my head like a sledgehammer. Lol. Hope you like it! ^_^