When Love Blossoms
Spring in Japan is beautiful. With the Sakura trees blossoming. The flower petals fluttering away whenever the wind breeze leaving a trail of scent that help to refresh people mind.
As a person who's majoring in photography in the university, of course, it's pretty logical to go out and try to snap several picture and that's exactly what Ayase Eli is doing. But even though with the beautiful scenery in front of her, she couldn't help but scowl.
For the 7th time today, a couple ruin her landscape shots. Things really started to get on her nerves. Why can't these couples occupy one part of the park, and leave the rest for a single wanderer like her? Are they aware that their public affection despite how romantic it looks is kind of disturbing for someone like her?
What's making it worse is seeing Eli fiddling with her camera, her brain is trying to calculate whether cropping the picture to get the couple away from her almost perfect shot, the guy who's not pretty tall but not short either approached her.
"Excuse me, would you help me to take a photo of me and my girlfriend?"
Somehow, despite her clear annoyance, she nodded her head and proceed to help the couple in love.
After making sure the couple got what they wanted, both of them bid their thanks and Eli make her way to the other part of the park. She basically circling the park, with her camera is in one hand, and tripod on the other.
She was deciding to give up and go home, she could try going to this park tomorrow or the next day. Even though she doesn't want to do it, she still needs to, since this is a spring themed assignment that one of the lecturer gave and Ayase Eli is the perfect student who's always got the task done.
Since spring is here and our country is known for the Sakura, I want you to submit a Sakura-themed photo book in one month.
Eli grumbled upon remembering the words that her lecturer said. A part of her cursed how she had neglecting to start the photo shoot hunt from the day after the assignment is given. Now with the deadline getting near, she really had no choice other than try to make the best of every situation that she's in. Shooing a couple from their dates would be rude, but she could ask one of the couples for help and model for her.
That's actually a pretty win-win solution.
But looking at them being lovey-dovey is enough to make her stomach churn in disgust.
Her best friend Nozomi would laugh at her if she knows about the problem that Eli is facing right now. It's not a secret among that Eli avoid anything that concerns love like a plague.
The reason is simple, Ayase Eli thinks that love is just an illusion. Sooner or later they'd get bored and started to yell at each other and later leave each other broken.
There's a saying that you need to get hurt in order to reach the happiness but from what she saw love works in the opposite way. Now isn't it just horrible? Eli doesn't get why people even bother with such thing.
Eli sighed as she sat on the nearest bench and started to fold her tripod and put it in her backpack. She noticed another girl sat on the bench across of the one that she's sitting right now, scribbling on a note on her hand as she sometimes averted her eyes from the little book and look up, before getting back to scribbling again.
The wind breeze as the girl dark hair flutter in response, with the pinkish-white Sakura petals, flew around her, the girl lips curled into a gentle smile as she places one of her hand the end of her skirt that almost goes up because of the wind.
Eli readied her camera, hoping for the wind to pass by again.
When it did, she took several pictures.
Unfortunately, she forgot to silent her camera and it did make quite a loud capturing sound, making the other girl in picture aware of Eli deeds.
Eli really wanted to blend with the park pavement when the girl look straight into her eyes in surprise, her warm brown eyes clashed against Eli's blue ones.
"A-a, so-sorry. I hope you don't mind. It was beautiful. The scenery I mean…But, you- too is beautiful." Eli stuttered, she could feel the heat starting to reach her face.
The girl across of her stared with her mouth agape, her ears redden in embarrassment.
"I-it's fine. T-thanks."
Eli smiled sheepishly trying to figure out what else that she needs to say to get out from the awkward atmosphere that somehow feels like choking her.
"Would you like to see it?"
"Sorry? What were you saying?"
"The photos that I've taken," Eli replied.
"Ah-sure." The blue haired replied, both of them stood up at the same time, luring back the awkward moment that has passed a few seconds ago.
Eli chuckled in order relieve the tension that she's feeling. Somehow it doesn't help. They ended up walking to each other and met in the middle of the pavement.
Eli showed the girl the picture, she actually hasn't checked them properly, but it was beautiful just as expected. The girl leaned in closer to Eli, trying to see the camera screen clearly. With their distance Eli could smell her faint sweet but refreshing scent. Up close the girl look even more beautiful and cute and the way she tucked her stray strand of hair behind her ear is simply mesmerizing.
"It's really beautiful. You're a good photographer." She said the gentle smile appeared on her lips once more.
Eli realized that she had been staring without saying anything.
"Thanks. Actually, I was wondering if you can help me with something" Eli averted her gaze in the end of her sentence, suddenly feeling shy which is actually not Ayase Eli at all.
She really is not being her usual confident self and now started to pray to get her old self back.
"Which is?"
"I have this university assignment about Sakura-themed photos. It'd be an honor if you want to model for me."
"W-why me?" the blue haired stuttered in embarrassment, her ears goes red once more. It was really cute.
"It's okay if you don't want to." Eli felt like she's cheating with her cheap guilt tripping trick.
"I'd love to. It just-" The girl sighed. "If you're okay with me."
And of course, the girl fall into it, much to her advantage.
"Stop degrading yourself, have you seen those photos? You're perfect."
"N-no. You're more beautiful than me. You should be the one in front of the camera."
Eli laughed to get over her embarrassment upon hearing the answer. She held out her hand.
"I'm Ayase Eli. It's really nice to meet you."
"Sonoda Umi. Nice to meet you too, Ayase-san," she politely shook Eli's hand.
The way she introduced herself is calming, in a perfect pace, and full of composure. The way she said her Eli's enough to make the blonde heart skipped a beat. Her warm hand felt really soft too.
Eli realized that she has been holding Sonoda's hand the entire time.
"Shall we start now?" Eli said, breaking their hand contacts and threw her gaze around, wondering which kind of picture would suit the other girl perfectly.
"Sure."
Eli took a lot of photos, a little bit too much than what she needed, but she's not regretting it. After they're done, both of them found a place under one of the sakura trees. Umi is fiddling with the camera, carefully checking the photos one by one.
"Thank you very much, Umi. You technically save my mark from hitting the dirt." Eli said.
"It's fine. I was just surprised when you asked me to do it. So you study photography? That's cool."
"It's actually quite tiring, but yes it really fun. What about you, Umi?"
Eli was a little bit too late to realize that she called the other girl with her given name.
"I hope you don't mind me. But if you do-"
"It's fine, really. I don't mind. Would you mind if I call you Eli-chan?" Umi interrupted before she could finish her sentence.
"Just 'Eli' is fine."
"Okay then, just Eli." Umi joked. Eli laughed in response, the blue haired followed shortly afterward. Sonoda Umi laughs is really beautiful too, she doesn't snort between them and it's not too loud either.
Eli realized that from the moment she saw her, she has been pretty much fawning over the other girl.
Is this what they called being in love?
She doesn't know the answer to that, but she's sure that the fluttering feelings that she felt starting to get worse in every second.
"Well, about the answer to your question. I'm majoring in English literature but I'm also working as a songwriter." The girl explained, then proceed to lay down next to Eli.
"So earlier, you were working on a lyric?" Eli asked, remembering how Umi was busy scribbling on her note back to their first encounter.
"Yes."
"Did I disturb you? I'm really sorry." Eli started to apologize.
"No, you weren't. Being with you actually inspires me."
Both of them stay in silent once more, she realized that the awkwardness is fading away from them. Instead, Eli found the silence with the sound of spring breeze calm her. She averted her gaze to the face laying beside her. Umi looked back at her, their gaze locked into each other.
"Eli, would you like to take another picture, but this time with the two of us?" She said that with a really low volume that it came out like mere whispers.
"Sure." Eli nodded.
Then Umi held the camera in front of them and click the shutter.
"It probably came out horrible, I'm not a photographer like you," Umi said as she checked the picture.
"People don't really take a selfie with DSLR in the first place," Eli said to her, trying to contain her laugh.
The picture was out of focus and Umi hands probably was shaking when she took it. When Umi's fingers moved to touch the delete button, Eli stopped her, enveloping Umi's hand in the process.
"It's okay, leave it be. Let's take another one."
Eli pulled out her phone from her pocket. Then proceed to snap several photos with the other girl. After that, Umi took several photos with her own phone as well.
They showed each other the photos, making sure the other party is fine with how it turns out. Eli isn't actually fond of selfies since she thinks that's a really cheap and unskilled way of taking pictures. But something inside her aching to print those and put it on a frame. Well, she'd even make a photo book out of it and she's sure she won't be regretting a thing.
"Umi, thank you very much for your time today. Can I get your contacts? I will send you a copy of that photo book once it's done."
"Sure."
Both exchange their phone and add themselves to the contact lists. Eli realized that she wanted to spend more time with the girl.
"Are you free after this?" Eli suddenly blurted out.
She really wants to smack their own head when Umi seems to be surprised by her question. Eli hoped the other girl wouldn't think that she's too persuasive and say no.
"Sorry. I can't." Umi replied apologetically.
Even though she realized that the chances the other girl saying no is really high, since Eli really did pop that question out of nowhere. But she couldn't help to feel a little bit disappointed.
"It's not that I don't want to spend time with you. I have evening class today. But I'm free tomorrow."
"Tomorrow will be perfect." Eli answered enthusiastically, "actually I know this amazing restaurant, I'm thinking of taking you there for a lunch date."
"That would be wonderful."
Eli just realized that she really did say lunch date.
"B-but it's fine if you don't want it to be a lunch date." Eli started to stutter, afraid that she was crossing the line with calling it a date.
"I'm okay with it. I mean. I'd love to go on dates with you, Eli." Umi said, looking anywhere but Eli.
"So it's a date then."
Eli was grinning. She really had no idea what's going to happen to both of them. Perhaps this is just her optimistic brain taking a hold of her, but it feels like a lot of good things is waiting ahead for both of them
Eli really had to correct herself for thinking that love is just a mere illusion. It was real. It successfully made her making a fool out of herself in just one day and all because the girl in front of her, with her shy but cool attitude, with her dark blue hair and warm brown eyes.
There's another thing that Eli never really consider before but now is sure of. Love in a first sight truly exists. It took her breath away, it steal her focus and demand her attention. And Eli wouldn't say that she hates the fluttering feelings that she felt whenever Umi is near.
Love will make people happy but get hurt in the end.
Eli decided to change that. She decided that she'll start believing in happy endings. After all, she's Ayase Eli. Some of her friends always joked that she can do almost everything, that's why Eli will make this a challenge for her to complete.
To have her happy ending with a beautiful girl she met in a park filled with sakura tree.
~Fin~
A/n:
Love Live! and its characters belongs to its respective creators and I thank them for everything.
Hello, this is the first fanfic of Love Live that I have finished. I really want to write something from the first time I got into Love Live, but never seem to be able to complete it. Now with the final live is over, I could finally do it :')
It's quite rushed and English is not my mother language either so I apologize for my mistakes.
I always love spring themed stories and first meeting, that's why I combine both of them in this one. Probably there are people who already got ahead of me and written stories with a similar theme. But I hope you can enjoy this one too.
Don't hesitate to tell me what do you think in the review section, I love them very much.