Disclaimer : I do not own Love Live! characters.
Enjoy~~
Eli slowly opened her eyes, in the dim light, she saw ceiling that not she usually see upon waking every morning, she think hard to remember where she was.
'It is my dream to climb Mount Fuji and paint the scenery from up there.'
'Ah yeah, its the lodging house before the summit of mount Fuji' She thought as she remembered 'her' dream.
Eli then checked her wrist watch, "It's still 3 AM."
"Eli-chan, you already awake." Honoka wakes beside the blonde as she rubbed her eyes.
"Yeah, I just awake." Eli pull her body up to sitting position "Sorry I made you accompany me this far."
"You just wake up and already apologizing." Honoka sighed, "I told you it doesn't matter Eli-chan."
"I'm waiting to snatch you after all." Honoka muttered lowly.
"hmm, did you say something?" Eli can't hear the mumbling clearly.
"No, nothing!" Honoka quickly denied it and change the topic, "Let's go, we must reach the summit before dawn."
"You're right Honoka." Eli replied with smile.
Eli reached her glasses on the side of the bed and put it on, before she went toward her rucksack.
They both reached their rucksack and pulled their headlamp and put it to their head, after checking other things they may need, they put on their rucksack and Honoka picked up her pilgrim staff before they went outside, on the outside already quite crowded with people who also want to reach the summit for sunrise.
"Are you alright Eli-chan? It's very dark here." Honoka worried about her friend.
"I'm fine, after that operation, somehow I never afraid of dark anymore."
"I see." Honoka replied.
"Let's go Honoka."
They start climbing the last mile of Mt Fuji climbing, in the dim light of headlamps, after almost 2 hours walking,
"Look, the summit already on sight." Eli said as she pointed her finger to the torii.
"Yeah." Honoka look behind them, "Look Eli-chan, the sunrise almost there." Honoka pointed toward the sky that start changing its color.
Eli turned back viewing the scenery Honoka pointed, "Let's reach the summit before the sunrise."
"Yeah!"
They finally reached the Torii, the land mark used as the entrance of the summit.
"Finally… we're here." Eli said as they stand in front of the monument.
"Eli-chan, the sunrise!"
"Let's go over there Honoka." Eli pointed to empty spot.
They watched the sunrise together with the other climbers.
"It's beautiful."
"Ah… it is."
"Watching from the highest place in japan really different from when we're in Maki-chan's summer house."
"Yeah."
Silence emerged between them as they captivated by the sunrise.
"Let's rest for a while there Honoka, you must be tired right."
"…"
"Honoka?"
"Ah… yeah."
"Do you know what I asked?"
"Having breakfast?"
"You're not listening at all Honoka." Eli laughed.
Honoka blushed and fell silent,
"Let's sit down over there, I'm quite tired for climbing Mount Fuji."
"Yeah, it's very tiring, but seeing the sunrise, it's like invigorating."
"You're right, but let's sit there and enjoy up here for a while."
"Uhm!"
They walked together to the empty bench, and they rest after day of climbing.
"Thank you Honoka, for accompany me here."
"Don't mention it, I also want to climb mount Fuji anyway."
"Still, thank you."
"Ah yeah, I forgot to get branding for the pilgrim staff." Honoka suddenly stand up.
"It seems the brand office is over there."
"I'll back soon." Honoka run toward the brand office.
"Be careful Honoka."
"Sa-te-toh." Eli stand up from the bench, walking toward the spot she stand to watch the sunrise,
"Do you see this Nozomi?" Eli said while putting her left eye between her index and middle finger, her left eye color not her birth color, the icy blue but instead a green emerald color one, the eye she received from her close friend that she loved.
Eli inflicted with abnormal eyes upon born, her eyes slowly losing its function to see and when she in high school, her left eye already in total darkness, that's the major reason she was afraid of darkness, She scared that someday light will leave her completely, then upon her mother recommendation, she enrolled at Otonokizaka high, a school that made for disabled people, founded by Minami group and Nishikino group as part of their social act, Minami group was big group that deals with many kind of business, and Nishikino group was big group of researchers and doctors, they held many patent of medical method and contributing many things in the improvement of Medical division.
There, she met with various people with their various disability, though there also enrolled normal people that few in numbers, Honoka was one of them, apparently she enrolled there because of her childhood friends, Minami Kotori, granddaughter of Minami group's leader and daughter of Otonokizaka high's pricipal, and Sonoda Umi also enrolled. Kotori also the same as Honoka, but her other friend Umi has hearing impairment and because of that, they already expert in sign language, not only Umi, they also help other that have hearing impairment like Umi.
But, she interested in single person, Toujou Nozomi, someone who can paint a beautiful painting using her mouth and feet. At first, she ashamed with her condition, but not anymore, after she saw the artworks of people like her, she knew it's her calling to paint.
They were classmate at first, Eli was kind of cold to other people around her, make her difficult to interact, during her first art class, she was paired to Nozomi, they were asked to draw person in front of them. She belittled Nozomi at first, how can a handless person draw, she thought at that time while sighing. Nozomi knew being belittled, she challenged Eli to drawing contest with wide grin and Eli lost miserably, since bet included, Eli has to treat Nozomi something she wanted, and that is parfait. They went to café near the school, and start learning about each other while they talk and Eli has to feeding Nozomi since her condition was bit difficult to eat parfait, After they finished, Eli escort Nozomi home, she greeted Nozomi's parent and introduced herself and they start as friend by tomorrow.
Eli chosen to be a president council, and from there, she comes to know about Minami childhood team and Nishikino childhood team, Minami team consist of Honoka, Kotori and Umi. Nishikino team consist of Nishikino Maki, daughter and successor to be of Nishikino group, but accident happen and she lost her left leg, she always like to spent her time playing piano in music class whenever no one use it. Koizumi Hanayo, a girl with burn marks over half of her body who always excited when it was involved her favorite Idol, Yazawa Nico, currently number 1 idol in japan. She got burns when she was in elementary school when her home burned down by gas explosion, and the last Hoshizora Rin, she lost both of her legs when she tried to save Maki from accident, but its ended in failure, she lost both of her legs, and Maki lost her left leg, she always said, at least we both still alive and Even she lost her legs, her passion for running never die out. She still running using prosthetic legs, she has two sets, one designed for running, and the other for daily lives and has shape like real legs and she always covered it with high knee socks.
Time went fast because she surrounded by these people, but she noticed, day by day, her other eye also start losing it light. By the time of she became third year, her right eye became much worse, but at some point the total darkness she expected never came, though weaken, her eyes still can see but have to be supported by glasses with quite thick lens on one side.
When almost graduation, Eli found out that, Nozomi also has heart failure not only armless. She visited her every day, until her last moment. In her last will, Nozomi wishes for all of her working organs to be donated to someone who needed them, and specifically her eyes donated for Eli because using current technology of Nishikino group, it was possible to replace the eyeball, not just the cornea, but the rejection rate is very high, and very few case of low rate rejection.
Eli undergo the eye operation to replace her left eye with Nozomi's, Maki's mother, the best doctor of Nishikino was one in charge of her, she was amazed that there's not even a reaction of rejection when she test the compatibility, because compatibility of eyes are far worse than other organs, even if you can received other organs, it is possible that the eyes can't be received, and it was her first time seeing it and maybe will be the only case.
The operation alone took time almost 2 days and a half because of the many nerve has to be connected, few specialist doctor alternately to work on the operation and its ended up with success. For few weeks after operation, both of her eyes are closed by bandages, it make her anxious because of her fear being in the dark but can't helped it as they said even though the other eye is fine, they close it because it will stimulate the operated eyes to move and obstruct the recovery. Her friend would visit her every day with different combination, but that everyday Honoka always present.
Eli never even wondered why Honoka come to visit her every day, when the bandages finally removed from her eyes, she officially became the first artificial heterochromia that new eye really worked. After Dr. Nishikino and her assistant nurse, the one she first saw was Honoka, she felt something different after she saw Honoka back then.
And it's been two years after the operation, in order to repay Nozomi for her eye, Eli tried to fulfill her dream together with Honoka.
"Eli-chan!" Honoka running to her while raising her staff.
Eli turned around, "Honoka… you already finish collecting the stamp?"
"Yeah, look here." Honoka showed her staff.
"Harasho."
"Let's eat breakfast there Eli-chan and do encirclement of basin after that." Honoka said as she pointed toward the building beside the stamp office
"Encirclement of basin?" Eli tilted her head.
"Yeah, we walk the surrounding of the middle crater, I saw a map in front of brand office."
"I see, let's check them later."
"Yeah."
They went and eat breakfast there, not much chatter between them expect praising the food they eat up there.
Eli eating a bit faster than Honoka, after she finished she went to the map route for encircle the basin.
Not long after Honoka came out from the cafeteria and joined Eli.
"Eli-chan…"
"You finally finished Honoka."
"It doesn't take long you know."
Eli chuckled, "I know, look here, which route we should take?"
"It seems its one way route from the south, so we not crossed each other on the road." Honoka explained to Eli.
"How do you know Honoka?" Eli asked Honoka as she seems have knowledge.
"I asked the cafeteria uncle." Honoka nonchalantly answered.
"Is that so… Are you alright if we go now or you wanted to rest more before we proceed?"
"I'm alright already, if we rest more our legs will be more sore and make us lazy to do this."
"You're right, let's go."
"Uhn!"
"Ne Eli-chan, Walking like this feels like we walking among the cloud."
"Yeah."
They arrived at an crater.
"Eli-chan, looks there." Honoka said as she pointed to the crater.
"It's beautiful, no wonder she want to draw here."
"…" Honoka frowned, knowing who Eli means, she quickly put smile again when Eli turned to her.
"Let's go Eli-chan." Honoka start walking toward next destination.
"Be careful with your footing Honoka." Eli warned her.
"Don't worry Eli-chan, I wi—Whoa…" Honoka splendidly slipped and almost fall forward.
"Just after I told you to be careful." Eli giggled.
Honoka laughed.
"Are you alright Honoka?"
"I'm fine, I'm fine."
"Here, hold my hand so you not slipped again." Eli said as she offered her hand to Honoka.
"Thank you Eli-chan…" Honoka blushed as she took Eli's hand.
They arrived at a temple in the summit. They offer their gratitude for safe ascend. After the scenery they arrived in post office.
"Unbelievable, they have post office here…" Eli amazed seeing the post office.
"It seems we can send letter from here."
"Let's send letter for our friends, they must be surprised when they received the letter."
"Yeah, we didn't tell them anything about this after all."
"I've been meaning to asked this Eli-chan, why me?" Honoka finally asked the question she held as they climb, "Umi-chan should be a better choice it is not?"
"I don't know, my feeling tell me that I should bring you, not Umi."
"eh?" Honoka's face became hot.
"Let's write them for everyone, we should split the work." Eli took five postcards and give two pieces to Honoka.
"Honoka, you write for Umi and Kotori, I do the rest."
"Yeah."
After they finished writing the letters, they put it in the mailbox outside of the office.
"Umi surely will be jealous if she received the letter." Eli giggled,
"You're right, who knows what will happen to me." Honoka sighed.
"Let's go Honoka, our next destination is Ken-ga-mine, the highest peak." Eli said as she pointed to the highest ground of Mount Fuji.
"Yeah."
They walked the path to the Ken-ga-mine, its not very far from the post office, since most people are slowly enjoying the scenery, the travel time stretched.
Half hour later, they already at stairs to the highest peak.
"We're finally arrived here Honoka." Eli said as she combing her hair with her fingers as the wind fluttering them.
"Yeah, we finally arrived at the highest ground of Japan." Honoka said when they arrived at the stone monument.
"Thank you Honoka, I certainly can't arrived this far without you."
"You certainly don't need me to do this Eli-chan." Honoka muttered.
"Did you say something?"
"Nothing."
"Can you wait me for a while?" Eli said as she put her rucksack down.
"Sure."
Eli took out a blank canvas for drawing and a pencil, she then sit a bit at the edge, Eli remove her glasses and put it to her pocket and then she close her right eye, and put the pencil straight up in front of her left eye.
"Your dream finally fulfilled Nozomi, sorry my drawing sucks so I will not draw anything, and thank you for your eye." Eli muttered to herself.
"You're welcome Elicchi." Unexpected reply came to her head.
Eli widen her eyes in surprised as she hear her crush voice, she then looking right and left to confirmed it, but no one expect her and Honoka there.
"Eli-chan what's wrong?" Honoka asked as she saw Eli's behaviour.
"Nothing Honoka, It's only my imagination." Eli replied her.
Honoka frowned as she heard Eli's reply "So you imagined her." She muttered.
"There's no way she will be here." Eli shook her head.
"Good morning Elicchi..."
"Is that really you Nozomi?" Eli asked in her mind.
"Yeah, it's me, I finally able to speak to you, because right now, you're in the most spiritual place in the world."
"But, this is maybe final chance we can speak Elicchi… So I will keep it short" Nozomi paused for little while
"Forget me, Elicchi."
"What do you mean by that Nozomi?"
"There's no way i could forget you."
"I mean not literally, You should start seeing your surrounding with our eyes, that's the reason I gave you my eyes."
"I don't understand."
"Do you remember who the first you saw after Dr. Nishikino?"
"Honoka?"
"Do you ever think why Honoka-chan went to visit you every day, cheering on you to recover, and now she even accompanied you to climb mount Fuji?"
"…"
"She loves you, Elicchi, but you just took her kindness for granted."
"You can't let her stay jealous to a dead person."
"Yeah, I know Nozomi, I intent to pursue her after I repay you for your eye, ever since I received your eye, I started to see Honoka in different way, well, maybe because it's your way to see her."
"If I know it will be like this, I should talk about other things." Nozomi sighed.
"Good luck Elicchi."
"Yeah, thank you Nozomi for telling me Honoka's feeling, it made me feel easier."
"It's because you're too dense, Elicchi, this time, I really must go…"
"I'll see you again later Nozomi."
"I will be waiting for everyone Elicchi, good luck with Honoka-chan, bye."
"Farewell Nozomi."
"Eli-chan, are you alright, why are you crying?" Honoka worried that Eli suddenly cry.
"Eh, I'm crying?" Eli checked her cheek, only her left cheek was wet, she wiped them and stand up to face Honoka.
"Ne Honoka, don't you have anything you wanted to say to me?" Eli suddenly said.
"What's that Eli-chan, I don't understand you."
"If you never told me, I will never know you know."
Honoka suddenly understand what she meant. "…You're so unfair Eli-chan…"
"Do you know Honoka, just now I speak with Nozomi."
Honoka couldn't believe what she just heard, "Eli-chan, are you got fever or lightheaded, because thin air?"
"No, it's really happening you know."
"…Then, what kind of thing you spoke with her?"
"Not telling." Eli put her index finger in front of her mouth, "Not before you tell me what you wanted to tell me."
"...I love you…" Honoka muttered.
"I can't hear you Honoka, speak louder." She said even though she could hear it.
"I love you Eli-chan!" Honoka shouted.
Eli pulled Honoka into a hug.
"I'm sorry Honoka, I took your kindness for granted and take advantage of your feeling without realizing it." Eli apologized.
"You should not be sorry, because I love Eli-chan that always concentrate on one thing and forget the others, and I too should be sorry to you, I took advanced on you after Nozomi-chan is gone." Tears start rolling from Honoka's eyes.
Eli removed herself from Honoka.
"Nozomi told me to forget her." Eli said as she wiped Honoka's tear.
"eh...?"
"Not literally, but she told me to redirect my love for her to another special person for me."
"And you will accept it as it is?" Honoka started frowning.
"Yes, after all I already have special person in my heart."
"then do I know this person?" Honoka putting sad face, tears start to welled up.
"Of course, you met this person every day after all, do you need another description?" Eli started teasing Honoka.
"Yes, please." Honoka said heavily.
"this person is kind, dedicated, a bit airhead, and the most important, this person smile is enough to brighten the days."
"kind, dedicated, a bit airhead, and smile that can brighten the day…. Arisa-chan..?"
"That's wrong and I'm not into that!" Eli quickly denied it.
"Then who?" Honoka asked, "I can take it if it's Arisa-chan you know." she still insisted on the i****t material.
"Like I said I'm not into that!" Eli laughed after denied it, "You're just as dense as me and you also always focused with something until you even can't see yourself."
"Eeh?"
Eli kissed Honoka on her cheek, making the latter's face red.
"Since we're both dense, how about we tell each other everything, so there's no misunderstanding between us?"
"Eli-chan…"
Honoka leaned closer to Eli and plant her lips on the blonde's lips, just a few seconds they part from each other.
"First kiss get!" Honoka excitedly said.
"How can you be sure, it was my first?"
"Nozomi-chan told me, you and her never kissed before, so I assume it's your first."
Now I can't tell her, that its not my first…
"Eli-chan, why are you sweating?" Honoka asked as she saw Eli sweating like crazy.
"I-it's kind of hot here." Eli give excuse.
"Yeah, it's getting little hot, how about we descend now?"
"Good idea, I put this canvas back to my bags before we leave."
"Yeah."
Eli put her glasses on and quickly put the canvas and the stationery back to her rucksack.
"Let's go Honoka."
"Eli-chan… Can we hold hands?" Honoka fidgeting as she asked Eli.
"Sure." Eli quickly replied
They hold their hands along the road until they back to the starting point of the summit.
Thank you for reading my story, please review it if you like :)
A/N : Torii, mentioned in this story is a gate made from wood or stone, usually built as entrance to temples or sacred place in japan.
Credits
- Love Live! (Of course!)
- Yama no susume, 2nd season (for Mount Fuji's scenes.)
- Katawa Shoujo (for characters disabled traits.)
Little bonus below :)
Enjoy~~
Omake
Few weeks later,
Humming can be heard from the second floor's room of Homura, the eldest daughter hummed inside her room as she prepared for her first date after officially became couple with her heart desire, Ayase Eli.
"First date with Eli-chan~~~" Honoka excited with her first date. "I wonder what I should wear?" she took many clothes from her dresser.
In the midst of choosing her clothes, her smartphone ringing.
"I wonder if it is Eli-chan…" Honoka reached her phone she left on the bed.
She read the sender name and suddenly has a bad feeling.
"Umi-chan… Why I have a bad feeling about this…"
Honoka carefully opened the message from Umi and proved her bad feeling.
Sender : Umi-chan
Sub : -
Honoka, can we talk for a bit? :)
"This is bad… Umi-chan used emoticon!"
Another message came to her phone before she even reacted.
Sender : Umi-chan
Sub : -
Don't bother to run Honoka, I already in front of the stairs. :)
After Honoka read the message, she casted her phone aside and she took out a photo that she took with Eli in front of the torii at the summit from under her pillow, she pressed it to her chest with both hands.
"Sorry Eli-chan, I will be waiting for you on the other side with Nozomi-chan." she said as she waiting her grim reaper.
Her room door slammed open, revealing Umi that smiling from ear to ear but it seems her eyes are full of bloodlust, and Kotori smiled wryly behind her, both of them bringing a postcard, the ones they sent from the post office at the top of mount Fuji.