A/N: This started as an idea for a second year OT3 oneshot, but it somehow turned into this angsty drama thing. Sorry Honoka, and I make Kotori seem like a bit of a bad person, so sorry Kotori.
Disclaimer: I don't own Love Live.
Honoka had thought things were going well in her relationship with Kotori. She confessed to Kotori after she brought her back from the airport and Kotori accepted. She always thought that they both loved each other. They would go out and Honoka always thought they would have a good time, whether they would go to a movie or have a simple dinner date, she always thought that Kotori returned her feelings, why else would Kotori accept her confession.
One thing that bothered Honoka at the start of her relationship with Kotori, was how she should act around Umi. Honoka had known about Umi's feelings for Kotori for some time, and she always felt like maybe she was taking Kotori away from Umi, and that maybe she was just being selfish again. But it wasn't her fault that Umi never had the courage to confess and she did. It wasn't her fault that Kotori accepted her feelings. Honoka always felt that she deserved to be happy just as much as Umi did, and sure she felt bad that it was at her friends expense, but Kotori accepted her confession and she thought that they were happily in love.
At least, that's what Honoka had wanted believe about their relationship, but that was before she began to notice some things. It was subtle at first, the small little touches here and there, or the small glint in her eyes that Kotori got whenever Umi would talk to her. These weren't things that Honoka payed to much attention to and wrote it off as close friendship. After all, Honoka and Kotori were in love with each other, why would any of these things matter anyway?
It quickly started to become more obvious to Honoka. Kotori would try and spend as much time around Umi as she could. Kotori would invite Umi to come along when the two of them would try and go on dates together, or when Kotori would spend time at Honoka's home she would attempt to find any excuse she could to invite Umi over as well. It almost started to feel like Kotori didn't want to spend any time alone with her, and that she was really only interested in being around Honoka as a friend.
When all of this started Honoka tried to deny it and simply pass it off as wanting to stay close with a dear friend, because Honoka felt the same way. She didn't want her relationship with Kotori to get in the way of her friendship with Umi, but for Kotori it was different, and Honoka started to catch on.
When Honoka finally realized why Kotori was acting the way she was, it hurt so much. Honoka loved Kotori and she always believed that her feelings were being reciprocated, but when she really started to think about it, she knew that that simply wasn't the case. It became clear that Kotori had feelings for Umi, and that Honoka was the one standing in the way of the two.
The only thing Honoka could do was wonder why. Why, would Kotori accept her confession if she never had feelings for her in the first place. It never made any sense to her, and now it just seemed so cruel. To be in a relationship with another person, when they so obviously had feelings for someone else hurt Honoka so much. It made everything that they had done together since they started dating feel so hollow. All the dates, the hugs, the kisses, and the time spent together, it all felt so empty now.
Honoka knew what she had to do to try and get rid of this feeling. She knew that she simply had to end it at some point. She had to treat it like pulling off a band aid, if you go slow it's just going to hurt more in the long run. But if you pull it off quickly, it will hurt a lot, but only for a short amount of time. Honoka knew that the earlier she ended this hollow relationship, the sooner she could deal with the hurt that she knew was going to come, and maybe she could take solace in the fact that the girl she loved was finally with someone she truly loved.
It had been another afternoon of Eli and Nozomi training the second years to prepare them to take over the student council. It went by smoothly with Honoka trying her best to learn from Eli on what it takes to be student council president, while Nozomi taught both Kotori and Umi how to support her when she needed it, while also learning the proper ways to do different kinds of work expected of student council members.
The lessons went by quickly and everyone had decided to leave together and all made their way to the front gate of the school.
"Well I think I'm going to head home. I'll see you guys later, and thanks for helping us." Umi said as she gave a quick bow to her seniors.
"Don't worry about it so much Umi. We just want to make sure that we leave the student council in good hands after we leave." Eli responded
"Than I'll see you guys later." Umi started to make her way out the gate but was quickly stopped as Kotori spoke up.
"I thought we were going to Honoka-chan's house after this?"
Honoka couldn't help but notice the small hint of anticipation as Kotori looked at Umi.
"I figured you and Honoka would want some time alone once in a while, so don't worry about me I'll just head home."
"It's alright Umi-chan your our friend. I'm sure that Honoka-chan wouldn't mind, right?" Kotori turned to Honoka and gave her a pleading look hoping for an answer.
Honoka couldn't help but notice the hint of desperation in Kotori's voice, it almost seemed like she wasn't trying to hide it anymore and Honoka was having a hard time dealing with it.
"Of course I wouldn't mind. You know you're always welcome Umi-chan." Honoka the best smile she could muster given the situation.
"Don't worry about it. You two just have fun tonight.."
With that Umi turned toward the gate and started to make her way home. Honoka looked over to Kotori who was obviously distraught at Umi not wanting to spend time together with them. That pain she'd been feeling in her heart recently started to resurface as she saw Kotori's eyes follow Umi as she made her way down the street. Honoka made up her mind to finally just put all of this to rest and finally end this.
"You know you can go after her if you want Kotori-chan." Honoka said in a hurt tone that caused everyone to stop.
"W-What do you mean Honoka-chan?" Kotori didn't meet Honoka's eyes and she simply looked down at the ground.
Kotori had an a bit of an idea as to what Honoka meant, and it was one of her biggest fears. She'd been trying to prepare herself for what would happen if Honoka learned about her growing feelings for Umi. She knew that she would never want to hurt Honoka, but if she had found out about her growing love for Umi than the damage had probably already been done, and she simply had to accept that she was going to seriously hurt her closest friend.
"If you really want to spend time with Umi-chan, I wont try and stop you." Honoka's vision started to blur as tears were now threatening to fall at any moment.
"Are you sure you're okay with this Honoka-chan?"
Kotori had noticed that Honoka's eyes were beginning to water and she felt a wave of guilt wash over her. She knew that this moment would happen sooner or later, but she never expected it to be as hard as it was to watch Honoka's heart break right in front of her.
"No I'm not sure. But you and I both know that this was going to happen sooner or later, and I guess I'd just like to get it over with." Honoka took a deep breath in an attempt to compose herself, "so if you want to go after Umi-chan I'll let you go." Tears were now starting to stream down Honoka's face as she simply looked at Kotori awaiting her reply.
Both Nozomi and Eli started to understand what was happening and made their way over to Honoka's side prepared to comfort her once Kotori gave her answer.
"I'm really sorry Honoka-chan. I never wanted to hurt you like this, you still are a precious friend to me." Kotori began to feel her own tears come on as she watched Honoka start to sob. "I guess this had to happen sooner or later. I really am so sorry Honoka-chan, for everything."
Once Kotori finished she turned around and began to make her way down the same path that Umi had taken earlier. She knew that her presence around Honoka now would only make things worse than they already were.
"Are you gonna be alright Honoka-chan?" Nozomi whispered into Honoka's ear as she began to gently rub her back offering whatever comfort she could, while Eli was doing the same.
"I-I don't know." Honoka's voice was strained from the sobs, "I knew this was going to happen, but it still hurts so much."
"It's alright Honoka were right here with you." Eli said in a soft voice doing her best to try and calm her down.
A few minutes went by as the two seniors did their best to comfort Honoka as she simply cried. They both realized this wasn't the best place to be doing something like this.
"Why don't you come over to my appartment and you can let everything out when we get there? This isn't the best place to be crying like this." Nozomi asked hoping she could get Honoka out of such a public place so she could simply let everything out.
"O-Okay, and thanks."
"You don't have to thank us Honoka. After what you just went through you need as much support as you can get, and me and Nozomi will both be right here with you."
Honoka didn't say anything and pulled both of the third years into a quick hug before they began to make their way to Nozomi's appartment. On the way there Honoka could barely hold back her emotions as the group of three started to get odd looks from passersby, but Eli and Nozomi didn't mind and simply continued to comfort the girl all the way to their destination.
Once they finally arrived the three of them all made their way to Nozomi's room were they sat on the bed with Eli and Nozomi sitting on opposite sides of Honoka.
Honoka simple leaned onto Nozomi's and began to cry while Nozomi's whispered words to try and make her feel better. Eli simply sat to the side and rubbed circles on Honoka's back, doing all that she could to try and make her feel just a tiny bit better.
"You know, a small part of me hoped she wouldn't leave and that she would stay." Honoka choked out in between sobs. "But I guess it really wasn't meant to be was it. I wonder if I ever would have been good enough to begin with."
Both Eli and Nozomi were taken off guard by what Honoka had just said. It was such a far cry from her usual cheer and radiance.
"Don't you ever think like that Honoka!" Eli was quick to yell out. "Your a wonderful person, and anyone would be lucky to have someone even half as great as you."
"Elicchi is right you know, and I think what happened today proved it." Nozomi added as she ran her fingers through Honoka's hair in an attempt to make her feel better.
Honoka didn't respond immediately and simply continued to cry into Nozomi's shoulder. Once she finally calmed down enough to speak she looked up at Nozomi.
"What do you mean what happened today proved it? I just lost the girl I love to my best friend. How could that prove I'm a good person?" Honoka said as she attempted to wipe her eyes clean of some tears.
"You did something incredibly selfless today Honoka-chan, and I hope Kotori-chan and Umi-chan realize what an amazing friend they have." Nozomi simply smiled back down at Honoka as she finished.
"Do you really think that."
"Yes me and Nozomi both think that. I don't know if anyone else would have been able to give up someone they love like you did, you really are a great person Honoka, I hope you understand that."
Honoka didn't answer and simply buried her head back into Nozomi's shoulder before speaking up again.
"Is it alright if I stay here a bit longer."
"You can stay here as long as you want Honoka-chan."
"Thank you."
Honoka simply began to cry again while her seniors were doing their best to comfort her. Honoka wasn't sure if she made the right decision ending it the way she did, but she was glad she had people with her. With their help she knew that maybe some day this wound would heal, but for know she would simply let everything out hoping that some day would come sooner rather than later.
A/N: Wow this ended up being kinda short and wasn't supposed to be like this at all, but here it is and I hope that someone out there was able to enjoy this.
So this is marked as complete but I really am not a fan of sad endings like this. So if people would wanna see this continued in some way I'm pretty interested in continuing this. The way I'm thinking of continuing this now would include a pretty rare threesome pairing that I kinda wanna write, and I already did some hinting at it in this oneshot so let me know how you would feel about that.