Author Notes
:D Happy Birthday Nozomi~!
May you enjoy~
Kousaka Honoka was running to school. No, she was not late. She just got excited when her childhood friends that were waiting for her by the school gates entered her view.
"Kotori-chan~ Umi-chan~!" Honoka called out cheerfully with an equally energetic wave.
Her two childhood friends smiled at the approaching gingerhead who had so much energy despite it being so early in the morning.
Nozomi walking over from the opposite pavement smiled at her junior's positive nature when she heard the familiar, boisterous voice before she even saw the ginger.
The smile faded when said ginger avoids stepping on a relatively large pebble on the ground, but her feet slips and the bell of an approaching bicycle rang at Honoka to get away.
Honoka barely manages to spin on her heel and stumble backwards in a fall.
"Wooaahh-!"
Kotori catches her falling childhood friend's right hand while Umi holds Honoka's body to support her from falling any further.
"Ehehe~ ...Nice save, Kotori-chan...Umi-chan..." Honoka thanked her saviours sheepishly.
Umi's worried expression morphed into a stern one as she begun chiding Honoka about not running, then making sudden footing changes, losing her balance and almost losing her life.
Nozomi let a breath she was holding the moment Honoka almost stepped on the uneven pebble. "Thank goodness she's safe~"
It was time for lunch break, and since the weather was beautiful and warm, the three second years sat in the courtyard to eat.
Honoka was munching on her bread when she spots a head of purple passing by, and so she starts waving her arms excitedly.
"Nyozhomyu-chwuan~!"
Nozomi turns to see the excitable ginger, a wide grin naturally grew, and she raised her hand to return the wave.
"U- Gyu- E- Uuuu-" Honoka choked on the bread she was chewing and she broke into a coughing fit.
Kotori immediately patted and rubbed her childhood friend's back to soothe the food down, while Umi grabbed a bottle of water.
Once Honoka returned to breathing normally, Umi chided the gingerhead about not talking with her mouth full.
Nozomi's hand that was left suspended in the air when Honoka started choking lowered slowly.
"Honoka-chan...I'm glad you're okay..."
The end of school bell has rung for quite some time already, and Honoka was going down the staircase when she missed a step; stumbling down the remaining steps. Thankfully not a huge fall as she was near the bottom.
"Owwie..." Honoka rubbed the side of her knees which hit the ground first.
"Seems like today isn't your lucky day..." A gentle voice spoke and Honoka looked up to have purple enter her vision.
"Nozomi-chan!" Honoka greets happily from the ground she was sitting on.
Nozomi smiles sweetly at the gingerhead who was smiling like she didn't just fall from the stairs.
"You might come to dislike the 9th of June with the many life and death situations you've been experiencing today." Nozomi jested, though her smile saddened at the thought of Honoka saying she disliked today's date.
The unpleasant thought and feelings were all blown out the window when Honoka gave her an extra broad smile. "I love the 9th of June regardless of what happens! Because it's the day Nozomi-chan arrived!"
Honoka's blue orbs seemed to be sparkling as Nozomi giggled with a hand to her mouth. "Arrived? You make me sound like a monster~"
Honoka gave a big nod, her broad smile broadening. "Nozomi-chan is like an angel!"
"Only you think that way..." Nozomi grinned as warmth entered her heart and spread through her, reaching her soul. "But thank you..."
Honoka shakes her head from where she sat. "I can bet with you that at least six other people all agree with me!" An excited chuckle bubbled out of the gingerhead's huge smile.
"Six?" Nozomi assumed that Honoka would be referring to the rest of Muse, but that would make seven others. Was Honoka's math that bad?
Honoka lowered her head slightly with a sheepish smile. "Well...Maki-chan might get all dishonest and disagree with me... Ah! Nico-chan might too! So I guess I'm left with five?" Honoka looked crestfallen. "I'm sorry, Nozomi-chan..."
Nozomi stared at Honoka for a moment longer before giggling; thinking that if Honoka knows of and needs to worry about Maki and Nico's dishonest side too, those two need to do some reflecting. "Why are you apologizing, Honoka-chan?"
"Eh? Um...On their behalf..? Or, well, the number of people just decreased so..." Honoka pouted thoughtfully, feeling slightly lost from her rambling.
Nozomi smiled. "Honoka-chan, just having you think that way of me is enough happiness to fill me for a lifetime."
Honoka returned to being happy 110 percent as she smiled broadly. "Ehehe~"
Honoka tried to get back up on her feet but being seated on her legs for too long, those legs fell asleep and so Honoka loses her balance.
"Wah-"
Saving Honoka from yet another fall this day was none other than Nozomi; right beside the klutzy gingerhead.
"Careful there, Honoka-chan~" Nozomi grinned as she held her junior by the ginger's upper body before lowering it to her waist.
"Ehehe~ Thanks for saving me, Nozomi-chan. You're really my angel!" Honoka giggled after her exclamation.
Nozomi laughed along. "All in a day's work, Honoka-chan~"
Honoka took Nozomi's hand in hers and tugged her towards the clubroom.
"Where are we going?" Nozomi didn't mind following quietly but curiosity got the better of her.
Honoka turned her head; a massive smile that still managed to come off as adorable faced Nozomi which made the purplenette feel a sense of excitement bubbling within her.
"To where everyone is waiting for you, Nozomi-chan!" Honoka added a wink as she quickened her pace.
Nozomi didn't know when, but a wide smile was stuck on her face as she gladly allowed Honoka to pull her along to wherever.
Once they reached the clubroom, party cheers and birthday wishes rang in Nozomi's ears as the sight of her eight bestfriends with bright, broad smiles greeted her.
Honoka ushered the star of today further into the room.
Laughter echoed, sweet snacks and even the smell of meat floated around the room, while warmth; a simple feeling of warmth wrapped around Nozomi, because on this day, she's reminded that she has found wonderful friends and she does not have to feel alone anymore.
Slight dampness was felt on Nozomi's cheeks.
"Nozomi! Why are you crying?!" Nico exclaimed.
Nozomi moved a hand to her face to confirm her tears trickling down and her smile widened. "This are...happy tears...Thank you, everyone...for this lovely surprise party." Nozomi sniffled while everyone smiled warmly at how touched they managed to make the birthday girl feel.
"Those aren't normal tears! These are tears of an angel! So make sure to capture this scene, Kotori-chan!" Honoka smiled broadly as she ordered today's camerawoman.
"Mmph! I'm on it, Honoka-chan!" Kotori answered as she snapped away with her camera in hand.
"If Nozomi's an angel, I'm a goddess!" Nico announced, her hands to her hips and a huge smirk.
"Sure, you are." Came Maki's sarcastic respond, though she was smiling widely; it's not like she wants to damper the happy mood, Nico was asking for it.
"Here you go, Nozomi." Umi handed the crying purplenette her handkerchief.
"Thank you...Umi-chan..." Nozomi dabbed away her tears, though it seemed to flow endlessly.
"Let's all party, nya~!" Rin cheered as she grabbed an unused party popper and let it loose.
Hanayo giggled and picked up a plate of rice balls. "Nozomi-chan...I made this with everyone...there are some surprise onigiri too...I hope you get them..."
Nozomi accepted the plate. "Usually surprise foods are dangerous, and you want me to get them, Hanayo-chan?" Nozomi teasingly questioned.
"Ah...They..." Hanayo stuttered as she forgot about that fact.
Eli placed a comforting hand on Hanayo's shoulder. "We made the surprise with 'something to make Nozomi happy' in mind, Nozomi." Eli explained with a smile and mirth in her eyes.
Nozomi giggled. "You're so sweet, Hanayo-chan~ Thank you~"
"Ah, it's, um, Honoka-chan's idea, so...the credit should go to her..." Hanayo peeked over to the gingerhead who was chatting happily with Rin.
And Nozomi did the same, somehow everyone followed and eight pair of eyes were on the gingerhead.
"Um..?" Honoka sweatdropped at the attention and drop of volume.
"Honoka-chan." Nozomi started.
"Y-Yes?" Honoka straightened her back instinctively.
Nozomi stifled a giggle as she walked closer to the gingerhead. "Thank you for planning this for me." Nozomi wore a blissful smile that made Honoka smile the same.
"Anything for you, Nozomi-chan!" Honoka jumped Nozomi into a ginormous hug which the purplenette laughed into.
Author Notes
Mm~~ X'D
Happy Birthday, Nozomi-chan~ ^v^
I think I was stuck between 'This is a NozoHono story' and 'This is a Muse is a tightknit group of friends' and so they got combined. Hehe~ ^V^
I hope everyone enjoyed the story~ And love 9th Of June too~ XP
Leave a comment if you like~ X'3 (Or Nozomi will washi washi you! X'D Or she won't, if you like being washi washi-ed. OwO)