Have I ever mentioned about my favorite color? It's blue! Thus, welcome to another bunch of oneshots with the two who represent the blue color in μ's!

Enjoy my dear readers!

Disclaimer: I don't own Love Live!

Title : Hard work goes unnoticed

Rating : K+

Genres : Humor and Friendship

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As always, Umi is being reliable. Not only to her childhood friends, but also with her upperclassman.

Eli is the type of person who doesn't want to bother the others by her own problem. Completely the opposite of Honoka, who has always been dragging me and Kotori into her outrageous ideas. No matter how much Kotori and I want to reject, in the end, we always ended up doing those ideas of her. But, no regrets have ever hit us. For example, once she made us climbing a tree only to see a sunset. I must accept that it was a beautiful one, but it was too much for girls on that age, climbing a tree I mean. And recently, she decided to make a school idol group on our school and she invited us to join. Again, we rejected at first, but the outcome was the same. We accepted it nonetheless. I thought every people who got convinced by Honoka would be in the same situation with us. Yet, there was this one person who was rejecting it over and over.

Otonokizaka was in a dire situation with its closure announcement. That was where Honoka came up with the idea of the idol thing. True enough, if popularity in our school was raising, it would be canceled. Well, yes it has already canceled. But then, the President of the Otonokizaka's Student Council rejected her idea. It was Eli. As the Student Council President, of course she also wanted to save the school. Yet she rejected by doing it in Honoka's way. She said that the students should not interfere and let her handle that. Honoka tried to convince her (along with the other members) but still didn't go well. That's when I noticed that I was wrong about thinking that nobody could reject Honoka's idea or plan or something like that.

I remembered the time I tried to talk to her about it. But Eli still didn't waver on her stubbornness. Even though in the end, she did join with μ's (which was most likely thanks to Nozomi).

I guess I must clarify my opinion about Eli. Eli is the type of person who doesn't want to share her problem with anyone else. Despite the fact that her problem could be everyone's problem too. Which also could be my problem. And of course, it can be solved easier with everyone's help. And I do, want to be the part of it.

"Excuse me." I said as I knocked the door of the Student Council's Office.

"Come in." I heard the other replied me with her usual and composed tone. I came in just like the girl told me.

"Good afternoon, Eli." I said as I closed the door behind me.

Eli looked up to see the person who greeted her, "Good afternoon.. wait, Umi?"

Walking towards an empty seat, I gave her a smile, "Yes, it's me."

"But why?" Eli asked as she stood up. Her tone was a bit high until I flinched for a moment. Her expression was somewhat weird with her wrinkled forehead.

I wonder if I'm bothering her?

Eli noticed my stopped movement and widened her eyes, "Ah, sorry.."

I only let a small sigh, "It's fine. But Eli, I can go back if you don't want me to bother you." I said, putting a weary smile on my face. Which was on purpose. And it worked effectively.

"No, Umi, I..." Eli spluttered those words with the confused look. She was looked like a lost little lamb. Cute yet laughable. Until I even couldn't hold my laughter. As I ended up giggling, Eli grunted at me.

"You know that was surprisingly mean of you, Umi." Eli sat back, composing herself to work again. I still could see the fainted red color on her face, a proof from her being so worked up.. or maybe I should say worried a bit too much from that joke.

Guess it was really mean of me.

"Sorry Eli." I apologized to her. Eli could only sigh in defeat.

"Nevermind, why don't you take a seat?" She gestured me to do so.

"You know that a guest should always ask for a permission or until she/he is already given the permission to do something by the house owner." I said, slowly sitting myself.

Eli chuckled, "What's that? So I'm the house owner now?"

"From our situation.. I guess yes?" I raised an eyebrow and Eli nodded in agreement.

"But I didn't remember to give you a permission to tease me, Umi."

I startled, "Y- Yes, you didn't."

"You just crossed out from your own rule you know~" She said playfully. I found that Eli doing that was surprisingly adorable and..

Cute.

"Yeah, I clearly did that, ahaha."

...Seriously what was that awful laugh. Not to mention I also disgrace Sonoda's ways of living. Father, I'm sorry.

Eli giggled to me, finding out that I was clearly on the defeated side. But thanks to this, the atmosphere seemed to be much more relaxed at that time. Even I nearly forget for what purpose I came. Luckily, Eli's question made me snapped out from it.

"So, why did you come?" She asked, getting to the main point.

"Do I need a reason to help you?" Eli blinked, then she showed me a smile, the one that expressing relief.

"No you don't. Then one more question."

"What is it?"

"How did you find out?" She rested her head on her steady right hand. Curiosity could be heard from her way of asking.

I smiled to her, "Eli, hard work always goes unnoticed, you know. Besides, your reasoning for these two days was weird in many ways. I mean, your reasons itself wasn't weird, but you were acting weird when giving it. Like, your voice was shaking and you rushed out as if you wanted to avoid us."

"That much?" Eli asked, surprised on finding herself as a terrible actress.

"Yep, and I figured that this was the reason you skipped out practice for the past two days." I stated proudly. But I still couldn't ignore the guilty feelings I had on myself. Since the part of me knowing Eli might be here was because of Nozomi who informed me, not by my own.

Ugh, I'm sorry Eli, I lied. And Father, I will atone my sins later, but please forgive your daughter for now.

"Is that so?" Eli's words was clearly a question. But she said it like she didn't need an answer from it. I looked up to see what kind of expression she was making, only to find the smiling Eli, who was looking at me with those warm icy eyes of her. I wonder how did the warmth flow through the air into me, since I figured that my cheeks was heated up.

"Y- Yes it is." I said nervously.

W- What? Does she know that I'm lying? Or is it..

Eli giggled, I didn't know why but it made me puzzled by various thoughts. Whether she noticed my sin, until she gave me that cunning smile of her. Or maybe there was more meanings on it.

"Umi-chan you silly~" Again, I was confused what did she mean by it. And also..

'Chan'?!

But whatever what was the case, Eli sounded so adorable when she called me like that. I didn't know that being mocked could bring such happiness.

...

In the end, I did help her out with her works. And the times went on, until we both noticed that it was time to go home. Packing our bag, we exited the office and walked side by side.

"Say, Umi."

"Yes?"

"Will you help me out the next time I need it?" She asked. I looked at her and seeing the calm face of her. It was the usual Eli, the cool and charming Student Council President of Otonokizaka. Who was beside me, asking whether I would help her or not when she needed it.

I couldn't help but smile at her. "Of course."

Eli smiled back at me, just when I thought that was the end of our conversation until we depart and saying goodbye to each other, she added, "Right, there's no way that you'd reject me, right?"

She moved one step ahead in front of me and leaned her face closer.

Again! That sly smile of her! And president, you're way too close!

"Y- Yes." I said, still backing off from her by force of the 'way too close' reasoning on my case.

"Horosho, Umi sure is kind~"

I sighed, "Honestly, do you think I can say no to that?"

Eli only giggled. And we started to walk again.

And then on the way I figured that maybe, even if Eli didn't ask for it, I would always come to her. Also maybe I would somehow still come to her, even without asking for Nozomi's help. Accomplishing my mission, I redo my opinion on Eli again. Eli is the type who won't bother people by helping out her problems. Except until one insisted to do so. And deep within my heart, I always hope that I'm that one person.

Yep, that's the end of it. Short, eh? Even after my long absence on this website...

I do apologize for not updating on my stories! Yes, national exam has ended, but I need to prepare myself for the entrance exam for college. I will try to update whenever I have the time. So basically.. forgiven? Tehee~! *kicked*

As always, reviews are welcomed.

Thanks for reading, till next time.