A/N: Yohoooo! I'm supposed to write UmiMaki... but... Well, this happens. Sorry if it's a little... hmmm... confusing... I changed the plot... in middle of my writing.
Falling in love
isn't something we choose.
So, why
does it hurt so much?
Minami Kotori, µ's designer. She was walking on her way to their usual meeting place with a definitely sad aura surrounding around her, but soon faded as she reaches the place and saw Sonoda Umi, µ's lyricist. It wasn't that she's feeling something bad or she is feeling sick it was just she realize something terrible, worst thing ever in her life. No matter how many times she tries to get off it in her mind, she can't. Since that dream occur she can't think but of their red-haired junior. And she wouldn't show it to her friends, and mostly to her childhood friends. 'Falling inlove in someone who you aren't close with is hard. Why did I even fall inlove to her?' She thought. But it seems like she's just fooling herself, after all, who wouldn't fall inlove to someone like her? Her scarlet hair that perfectly matches her gorgeous amethyst eyes, smart, beautiful, she's a great pianist, and most of all µ's composer. Yes she is the µ's composer but they aren't close at all. They only talk to each other when needed.
"Goodmorning, Umi-chan!" Kotori shouted, running towards Umi.
"Good Morning, Kotori" replied Umi.
"So is Honoka-chan here yet?" Kotori asked. She might know the answer though.
"I think you're asking it wrong, Kotori. Let me rephase it for you, Do you think Honoka will be here already?" Umi jokingly said and at the same time she puts sarcasm in her words.
"Of course not." Kotori laughed off and check her phone to see if Honoka message her already.
"Honoka-chan will be here any minute." Kotori told Umi as she reads Honoka's message.
"Late as usual,huh." Umi sighed and turned around to see a ginger-haired girl running towards them.
"S-sorry Umi-chan! Kotori-chan! I woke up lateeeee." Honoka said while panting.
"Well, let's go to school now shall we? No one wants to be late right?" Kotori said while pouting to Umi, with Umi's scary aura around her.
Umi sighed "You always spoil her, Kotori." Kotori just smiled to Umi and they headed towards the school.
As soon they reached the school grounds, they saw the Hanayo and Rin. 'How come? Maki-chan isn't with them.' Kotori thought for a while. She felt sadness around her, she quickly brushed it off and ask the two first years.
"Good morning Rin-chan! Hanayo-chan!" Kotori greeted to the two of them.
"Owh! Good Morning Kotori-chan, Umi-chan, Honoka-chan nyaaaaaaaa" Rin greeted back.
"Good Morning!" Honoka, Hanayo, Umi greeted.
"How come? Maki-chan isn't with you." Kotori asked. Supposedly you'll be surprise if Kotori asked how's Maki, they're not-so-close-friends after all. But Kotori's such a worrywart so it's normal for her to worry over Maki.
"Hmmm. She's here a little earlier, but soon faded nya!" Rin answered with her hands on her chin as if remembering it so hard.
"It's not that, Kotori-chan. Maki-chan said she remembered something and decided to go in Music Room." Hanayo said and smiled.
"Oh, I see. Thanks Hanayo-chan, Rin-chan."
"Goodbye! We'll go to our classroom for now." Umi said.
"Goodbye guys!" Honoka shouted.
The three of them goes to their room. As soon as they reached their room the bell rangs.
'It's their PE today, huh' Kotori watched the 1st years as they've do in their PE lesson, winds blows out some leaves. Kotori sighed and tries to focus to their lesson, but it's impossible for her as long as the red-haired junior was within her sight. 'Why do falling inlove, is this hard?' Kotori asked herself, but deep inside, she knew the answer. It is just simple and straight, They're not close enough. When did she even got this feelings? They aren't close with each other anyway. It feels like if she just call her name, the feelings will burst out. She silently hums in her mind their first single- Love Marginal.
If I could just tell you my feelings
I wouldn't sigh and do things like write
That single name on the glass with my finger
I wish I could become crystal clear
As I stand in front of you as your friend
This throbbing in my chest that can't be kept hidden-
I don't want anyone to notice it
Return the person I was, with her heart on her sleeve
Even though we're friends, I'm in love with you
I can't hide it anymore, I can't forget about it
With the secret locked within me, I leaned against the window
Just how she wish the class come to an end. She felt tears forming in her eyes, why did she even remind herself of their first single? She slowly face her face into table, hoping on one would notice her. But it failed.
"Minami-san are you sick?" the teacher worriedly asked.
"H-headache." was all Kotori can say, her voice was cracking a little. If she speaks anymore she would probably burst into tears.
"Sonoda-san, please accompany her to clinic." the teacher said. Umi was about to stand up but Kotori rejects.
"No need, sensei. I can go by myself." Kotori quickly said. It shocked Umi but it quickly brushed off, she thinks, Kotori didn't just want to disturb her in studying.
"Okay"
Kotori heads to the nur- bathroom as she can. She let some of her tears to let go, but not all. Her childhood friends would be worried if they see her crying. But I guess her luck rans out. The least person she expected to see, is in front of her.
"Are you crying, Kotori?" without even looking, she recognize her. It was the red-haired junior she have fallen to. And part of the reason why she's crying right now.
"Maki-chan."
Maki slowly reaches Kotori's forehead. "You're burning, Kotori. Might be the reason why you're so red right now." Maki holds Kotori's hand to support her.
"I'll accompany you to infirmary." Maki said and Kotori's no place to reject because she's really having the headache right now.
"T-thanks, Maki-chan."
It was a slow walked to the infirmary, or Kotori feels so. Kotori doesn't know what to feel. To be sad or not. But she really wants this moment to last. And guess her luck comes again in the way. The nurse wasn't here so Maki takes the responsibilty. The two of them left alone in the infirmary.
"I'll ask the principal if I can accompany you here. So I'll leave you for a while. Be sure to rest 'kay?" Maki said and asked the principal to take care of Kotori. As soon Maki leaves the infirmary, Kotori felt her body relaxed. But now her heart is beating so fast. Knowing that Maki will take care of her. 'What a terrible timing, my fever. You've attacked me when the nurse not here and when Maki-chan was the one who notice me. Why she's in the bathroom? She didn't even need to use the restroom.'
"Well I need to rest. I'll just sleep for a while."
After hours of her sleep or well probably just 2 hours of her sleep, she found herself a towel in her head, warmth quickly spread in her hand, she looks to it, founding Maki, asleep, holding her hands. Her face quickly reddened. But she remain frozen or rather, she don't know how to act. Maki is holding her hand. She quickly reminded herself that, that Maki holds her hand, who doesn't initiate contact to everyone except when needed or if she shows her honest self, sometimes.
Maki yawned and slowly raised her head. "Hmmm, are you ok now, Kotori?" Maki asked half-awake. She rubs her eyes and removed her hand that holds Kotori's hand. She closed the gap between them and put her head to Kotori's head, checking her fever. Kotori who just turned her face in different shades of red was unable to move. Like earlier her fast heartbeat quickly fasten, unable to hear Maki's voice, but instead busy in her own thoughts. 'Hngggg. I can feel her breath. W-wait she's so close to me. What if she hears my hearbeat, beating so fast? What is this happiness I can feel? Earlier, I think I want to burst in tears, but now that I feel we're so close, plus she's taking care of me, I think all of sadness goes away and replaced with happiness.'
"You're okay now, Kotori. But if you like, you can still get a little bit rest. I'll just tell to Honoka and Umi that you won't be able to attend the afternoon class." Maki explained and put the thermometer in the table.
"Hey, Kotori are you listening?"
"Ummm Y-yes. I-i guess I'll just sleep here for a while." Kotori said with a smile. Maki just looked away to hide her flustered face.
"Good to know. I'll them now and I'll ask my teacher if I can stay here for a while. You don't want to be alone and be bored to death, aren't ya?" Maki wasn't sure why she's saying this. After all, she isn't the best person to be an accompany. But with Kotori, maybe she can be honest to her self for a little while.
"Hahahaha. I guess so. Don't take to long then, Maki-chan!" Kotori's sweet laugh and smile brought a warmth into Maki.
"Sure. I'll be going now."
Few minutes later, Maki came back. Due to her scores, well the teacher allowed Maki to accompany Kotori to the infirmary. Before she the room, she asked something to herself. 'Why did I even choose to accompany Kotori? If I can just ask Honoka or Umi. Well it's not like I'll tell them now. Besides, I ask Kotori that I'll be the one to accompany her.' Soon as Maki came back to infirmary she found Kotori on bed, sleeping. She found herself staring at Kotori, Maki, decides to read her book, disturbing herself. Minutes later, she also found herself drifting to sleep.
"Kotori, wake up." Maki softly shake Kotori's shoulder to wake her up. Surprisingly, Maki was the one who wake up first.
"H-h-hmmm. M-Maki-chan!?" Kotori stated in shocked.
Maki laughed a little before she replied, "Seriously, what's with the shocked face, Kotori?"
"N-nothing. By the way, what time is it already?" Kotori asked. Maki put her hands into her chin 'Don't make that face. It makes me fall inlove harder.' Kotori painfully thought. But quickly brushed off to Maki's reply.
"Hmmm a little bit before last period starts," a flushed face was shown to Maki "I-i fall asleep too. Sorry for not waking you up earlier." Maki looked away, flustered.
"It's okay at all. Let's eat now!" Kotori sweetly smiled at flustered Maki. No matter how painful it hurts, how painful she have realized, just one look at Maki, it disappears.
"Whats with that? I don't get you at all." Maki mumbled. It doesn't reach Kotori's sense of hearings.
"What did you say, Maki-chan?"
"I-it's nothing. Let's eat?"
"Sure."
After they eat Maki, they immediately go to their clubroom. As expected, they were the first one to arrived. Well classes are not yet finished. After they cu- I mean Kotori being a sick and Maki being her care taker they almost spend the school day together. Though there aren't much talking, Kotori felt little close to her, or she thinks.
For instance,
all of it was a wrong choice,
it is wrong to fall in love
in someone you've never close with.
Days have passed since their last interactions, well yes. They're talking but when just needed, unlike the time Kotori got sick and Maki take care of her. This time they were back from being a friend who only talks to each other when needed. Kotori decided to go in their school garden to rest her mind for a while before going home. Yet she was met by unexpected situation. Her mouth hang open, a tear she didn't realized that formed in her eyes. She turned away and started to run. She doesn't need to know where she'll go, she will run until her feet hurts, until she forget what she saw. She had expected it. So why does it hurt her so much? She tried to laugh it of but instead, tears will flow. Kotori saw Nico and Maki almost kissing, their face were so close to each other. Rain falls, she find shelter to go, she was wet.
They said you always meet the one you'll love in rain. What a cliche thing, Kotori thought. She felt something warm around her.
"What are you doing here, Kotori?" Maki asked, "Your home is far away from here, right?" She felt Maki's worried eyes in her.
Kotori stands up and hugs Maki, which surprised Maki but didn't reject the skinship anyway. 'What a cliche thing' Kotori thought for a while, 'It's not a bad feeling though'. Kotori cried in front of Maki, Maki returned the hug. Somehow, she knew the reason why Kotori's crying, deep inside, she felt the same way.
"Come on, I'll take you home."
"Thanks, Maki-chan."
"I-it's nothing." Maki looked away, hiding her blushing face.
They shared umbrella and holds each other hand to share their warmth to each other.