A somewhat continuation of You're In Love. Set in the future after they finished high school and almost graduate from university.

I don't own Love Live

"I love you, Umi."

Umi stopped listening to whatever the singer was singing and looked at Maki. Heat crept up her cheeks and she was grateful the room was dark enough to cover her blush.

"That's too sudden, Maki."

Instead answering Umi, Maki preferred to give her attention to the man singing on stage. The singer was attractive, but he wasn't her beloved Sonoda Umi, so Maki finally relented to look at the said girl. Her little black dress, her lustrous hair that tied loosely over her shoulder, shining dully like a crow's wing, and the cool, blue air around her was more than enough to take Maki's breath away.

Likewise, Umi also had her eyes for Maki but the younger girl didn't seem to notice—or refused to notice. Probably both. After dating Maki for two years, Maki never failed to surprise her.

It's not like Maki hadn't taken her to a date before. In fact, Maki almost treated it like a sacred duty. She would take Umi to a date every weekend, and it was always different place each time. At first Umi was flustered at how Maki treat her. A date every week, a single rose placed neatly inside her locker, a stolen kiss when Maki visited her classroom, or a simple phone call in the middle of the night was one of the few things that Nishikino Maki did to swoon Sonoda Umi.

And yeah, Umi was swooned. More than once. Every time, frankly.

"Well, aren't you dense," Maki retorted with a slight smirk adorning her face.

Umi fend off the condescending comment. She sipped her drink, trying to stay calm. "Maybe if you're stop being so sarcastic all the time, I might understand what you're saying."

Maki closed her eyes and opened them, revealing the sparking desire within them. "Will you marry me?"

The glass in her hand almost slipped. Umi's thick lashes fluttered in a fit of shock and confusion. Unable to take more from those disarming eyes, Umi found the white tablecloth fascinating and began to fiddle with it.

A set of slender fingers cupped her face, thumb smoothing the skin on the back of her ear and Umi finally looked up. Soft light fell upon Maki's face, beautiful in all its secrecy, and Umi found herself falling over this woman all over again.

"What? I don't—"

The smirk changed into something more melancholic. It was too much for her heart to handle. "Yes, you do."

Umi slowly held Maki's hand close. Maki was warm, the kind of warm that had the power to render Umi weak on the knees. She wished she had prepared herself for this confrontation. If only she had rehearsed her lines well, she probably could conjure a better response.

"Talking about marriage in a place like this… You're crazy."

"People from university never visit this restaurant," Maki reassured. "This place is too fancy for their bloods anyway."

Umi didn't change her expression. "You can't ask me about marriage! It's—"

"Weird? Inappropriate?" Maki scoffed but still holding Umi's face in her hand. "Being in a homosexual relationship is still considered weird to society's standard, but that doesn't stop you from dating me. What makes marriage any different?"

Umi made a face, lips formed a straight, fine line.

Maki was naïve but ironically logical. She was blunt and somewhat had a standoffish view about almost everything. A bit unconventional, to put it simply. Sometimes she's rude and a bit of an idiot, but most of the time her blabbering was still logical and Maki would always proudly call it her ways to be romantic.

It's the science of Nishikino Maki. And Maki had the pleasure to make Umi blind with it.

"Marriage," Umi repeated, trying not to wince. She let go of Maki's hand and entwined their fingers together, soft lips kissing the knuckles, lingeringly on each bump. "I know you're blunt but to think you're going this far and asking me… Are you drunk already?"

Umi was always making Maki smile. Be it her strictness, complaints, or even embarrassment, Maki always found Umi as an amusing person. It was her charm and Maki admitted that's the reason she was so attracted to Umi in the first place.

"I never want someone as much as I want you in my life. It's a simple feeling, and I bet you understand that. And I also believe that you also feel the same for me, but who knows what's happening inside your pretty head now?" Maki kissed the back of Umi's hand, eyes never falter. Not even once. "I love you, Umi. So much, it makes me crazy."

There's something magnetic in a way Maki call her name No constraints, no hesitance. All of Umi's knowledge on human emotions was worthless when it came to Maki. This girl was too good at playing with people's hearts, and it would need a good amount of effort to read what Maki had in mind. Nothing made sense when it came to Maki. It terrified her.

"I know," the answer presented itself in a low voice. Maki had reassured her that nobody from the university would come here yet she's acting she had surveillance cameras pointing at her.

"Really?"

"If this asking game is all we're going to do, just you playing tricks on me, then I don't want any part of it!"

When Maki didn't give any response, Umi took this as her cue to leave. Maki wasn't being fair to her. No, Maki was never fair in this relationship. She was never honest, preferred to take action with little explanation. And now, with Maki suddenly asked her to get married…

Umi never understood the logic behind all that. And, truthfully, she had grown tired of it.

She got the elevator almost got inside when the door quickly shut.

Maki's hand remained on the wall, hot breath caressing Umi's bare neck.

"I don't know how I'm supposed to say this to you." Her perfectly manicured nails scribbled indiscernible words on bare side of Umi's back, assaulting her sensitive senses with her gentle touches. "I know I'm not fair. I left you in the dark, but there's no choice for me. I'm… scared."

"What makes you scared?"

Maki sighed, her chin nestled snugly on Umi's shoulder— a privilege that Maki could proudly call it as hers.

"So many things. The present, future…" Maki mumbled. For once, her voice didn't sound smug at all. "But most of all I'm so scared of losing you to someone else."

"That's a baseless accusation, Maki."

"You still love Honoka."

Maki didn't say it with jealousy. Her voice had turned soft, and Umi wince at how fragile it sounded. Maki was strong, but her strength was no more than façade, and Umi knew better.

The side of Maki's face was hidden behind the shadows; her right eyes flashed with something Umi couldn't comprehend. Maki didn't say anything anymore, probably scared of making anymore mistake. Umi leaned to Maki, just an inch closer, just to see the profile of this stubborn woman as Maki gave her a cold stare in return. Even when angry, Maki was still beautiful.

Maki did many things to her. It made her want to do something stupid like kissing her senselessly.

"I've been thinking about it lately," Umi said firmly, the tip of her nail created a line over Maki's defined cheekbone. "About what I feel for Honoka… what I feel for you."

Again, Maki didn't give any response.

"I have loved Honoka since I was fourteen. She was a part of me that I can't let go easily." Her eyes were focused on the redness of Maki's lips. Her finger landed on Maki's lower lip, pressing down until it parted. "And then you came."

Maki grabbed Umi's hand that's on her lips, holding it firmly.

"If Honoka showed up right now and told you she loved you, would you come with her?"

Umi went back to staring at the floor and Maki decided not to push the matter. Maybe it's best Umi didn't answer her.

They could still hear the male singer voice singing in the background; his rich, colorful voice added that solemn acoustic between the two, creating a thick nuance that starting to unsettle Maki. That man wasn't to blame, Maki chose this place thus she brought this herself. Another foolishness that was born from mere insecurity.

"I'm confused," Umi answered with an obvious exhaustion.

"You're making excuse again."

"This argument is making me tired. Just try to believe me for once. Please."

Umi grabbed Maki by the wrist, mouth opened but nothing came out. She wanted to say it and yet she didn't know what to say. Unable to look at Maki's face, she looked down too look at their entwined fingers.

"Because I always think that I will love Honoka forever, but then you came." It was pure instinct, really. She pulled Maki close, the tip of her nose brushed Maki's chin. Bodies pressed together and Umi suddenly got nervous. Nervous and yet so very sure

"And you changed everything."

She kissed Maki on the lips, slowly, hesitantly. And when Maki leaned closer, Umi opened her mouth to kiss her deeper and felt Maki's heart press into her.

Closer and closer.

#

She might not have the look of it, but Sonoda Umi was actually a small person. Maki knew it from experience. The room was dark, but as Maki roamed her hands along the curves of Umi's body, she realized that Umi hadn't changed at all.

Umi had great legs, not too skinny with well-defined calves leading to long curved thighs. When Maki kissed her knee, bumps began to appear on Umi's skin, something to indicate that Umi was affected by the gesture. Maki's lips pressed on the side of Umi's thigh, biting at the tender flesh—higher and higher until she could smell the musky fragrant she's familiar with. Her ears perked at the sudden gasp and a hand that's closing around the back of her skull.

Maki slowly looked up, noticing that Umi was looking directly at her. The light sharpened the outline of her face, the clear desire within those eyes, and her bare body that's already glistening with sweat.

This girl was perfection.

"Maki…" Umi husked. She pulled Maki to her. Maki wasn't resisting.

She drew her lips to Maki, closing the gap. Eyes opened wide, mouth lingering in uncertainty.

Maki sighed, eyes locked on Umi's swollen lips. She touched Umi's cheek, caressing it with so much gentleness before pulling the woman closer. Her lips pressed on Umi firmly, lovingly. Maki felt it again—the feeling of falling down endlessly every time she realized how much in love she was with Umi.

"Maki… Maki…" was all Umi able to say. She couldn't breathe properly because Maki didn't stop kissing her.

She was paralyzed, stuck in between wanting more and fear. Maki was giving her too much love that Umi wasn't sure she could ever handle it. Her arms looped around Maki, embracing her tightly for dear life. Her body responded at Maki's touches like that girl had a complete control on her.

At first, Umi tried to stay calm, to have some self-control but Maki was more than happy to break her down. It was like a spark, buzzing through her and rendering her helpless, and Maki always had this effect on her. Every damn time. When Maki teased the waistband of her underwear with her thumb, Umi held her breath, fingers gripping Maki's hair tighter.

The grin on Maki's face was wicked before she dipped down to retrieve her prize.

"Try to scream more, okay Umi-chan?"

Her body felt like it's on fire. Her heart was threatening to come off from its veins by the way it's beating. Everything was too much but it was never enough… no, it would never be enough. Maki was there, holding her, making love to her until Umi could feel nothing but the existence of Nishikino Maki.

And yes. Umi did scream loudly that night.

#

Watching Umi get dressed in the morning was never a pleasant experience for Maki. Eyes peeking from the heap of tangled sheets, Maki pouted at the sight in front of her.

"It's Sunday," she finally spoke although her face was half-buried on the pillow. "You're too early, Umi."

Umi didn't answer, or chose not to answer, as she zipped her little black dress.

The behavior only ticked Maki off. Huffing, the redhead sat down on the bed and dragged her body. Maki's arm wasn't that long but she could easily reach Umi and pulled the woman close to her, forcing her to sit down on the bed.

"Umi," Maki mumbled, voice torn with irritation as well as helpless plea. "Don't go."

"Now you're just acting like a child. I need to check the dojo."

The redhead shook her head.

"Just stay here," Maki said, flinching at how weak she sounded, but she didn't know what else she could say. She had thrown away her pride in the moment she fell in love. "Don't go. Please…"

Umi's grip slackened. She understood. She also hated to be alone.

"I won't go anywhere."

Maki's eyes flashed relief as she looked up at Umi, but it didn't last long and they were soon return to their defensive state Umi had grown to love.

"Yeah," Maki retaliated, trying to sound aloof although she knew that's just an excuse. She hugged Umi tighter, inhaling the familiar scent of Umi that smelled like, well, ocean, and kissed the back of Umi's neck. "Because your place is here with me."

If Umi was still the same person as she was two years ago, she'd probably scold Maki for acting like a child. But Umi wasn't the same person anymore, not after she decided to open her heart for Nishikino Maki.

Turning around, Umi held Maki's cheek, taking her time to observe the younger girl. And when Umi smile, the real one, the smile that's meant only for her, Maki knew she's falling with the same person all over again.

"I love you too."