"She's amazing," Eri breathed, getting up with the rest of the club to give the dark-haired girl an standing ovation. Eri couldn't even describe how she was feeling in that moment. It was just… there are singers who can sing notes perfectly on pitch and have a flawless technique. But then, there were singers who, when they sang, just touched a place in the heart that wasn't there before. It was hard to explain. Harder to understand. Eri didn't understand it herself. Just. Wow.
"She is," Nico cheered, probably talking about an entirely different person.
When the applause died down, the bassist-turned-guitarist spoke into the microphone again. "Thanks everyone. Have a good night. We'll see you again in about a year." With that succinct farewell, she turned away and stepped off the stage, Maki and the drummer trailing behind her to meet up with Honoka and Kotori.
Eri made an impulsive decision. "I'm going to go talk to her," she announced, pushing off her seat. She padded down her clothes to smooth over any wrinkles and fiddled with her hair for a bit. Gah. She should have dressed up a bit more nicely! But no. It was just a night-out with Nozomi and Nico, Eri had thought. Hence, she simply through on a casual t-shirt and a pair of jeans.
"Wait what?! I'm coming with you then," Nico exclaimed. Despite her words of going 'with' Eri, she didn't hesitate to rush past Eri to arrive at Muse's table first.
Eri was about to follow after Nico when an hand caught her wrist and whirled her around.
"You're just going to leave me alone here?" Nozomi asked pointedly, not releasing her hold.
"Nozomi," Eri sighed, looking over at where Nico's short figure was now animatedly chatting with the band members, "You can come with us. It'll just be for a minute."
Nozomi's eyes narrowed and she let go, slumping back down in her seat. "Yeah. A minute of me watching you flirt with another girl."
Eri's lips pressed into a thin line, anger rising up and colouring her cheeks. "Okay. First of all, you broke up with me for no good reason. So you have absolutely zero right to be jealous right now. Secondly, you've watched me date other people before and you were totally fine—"
"Yeah, but they were guys," Nozomi cut in, rolling her eyes. "I didn't have a chance against them," Nozomi retorted, finishing off the last of her drink. "What does this mean anyways? Are you going back to girls now?"
"Nozomi!" Eri exclaimed. "I'm bi and always will be! Bi. As in bisexual. As in I like both sexes! Like I've been telling you for the past seven or so years!" Eri clenched her fists and struck her arm down through the air. "Forget it, I don't even know why I'm trying to explain this to you, again." Eri turned around, rolling her eyes, and started towards Muse's table.
"Wait, Eri," Nozomi called out, getting up.
Sighing, Eri stopped and waited.
"I'm sorry, you're right. I don't know what got into me. Stay, please?" Nozomi pleaded, batting her eyes and snaking her hand into Eri's. "I'll buy you another drink."
Eri remembered how easy it was to get lost in those playful eyes. But she was also very familiar with how much hurt those same eyes had caused.
"If you're flirting with me right now, you have to stop," Eri stated firmly. She resisted the urge to look past Nozomi to where Nico was. This was a serious conversation. Nozomi deserved her undivided attention.
Even if Eri's attention was slightly divided at the moment.
"I'm not," Nozomi protested. "I really do just want to hang with my best friend. I haven't seen you for weeks and knowing your schedule, we won't be able to meet up for a while after this."
Nico returned before Eri could decide. Nico was sporting a very wide smile on her face.
"Guess who has a date this Saturday?" Nico beamed, sitting back down in her seat with a very cocky expression and oblivious to the tension between Nozomi and Eri.
Consciously relaxing herself, Eri stepped away from Nozomi and towards Nico. "Hmm, you?" she asked, pretending to think about it.
"Yup," a self-satisfied Nico brushed a ponytail behind her shoulder. "You should have come along Eri, I could have given you some pointers. Not that they would have helped with Maki — she's held over heels for me already. But maybe you could have gotten Umi's number or something."
"Umi? Is that the bassist's name?" Eri's eyes lit up. Self-conscious, Eri's eyes flickered over to assess Nozomi's expression. Thankfully, Nozomi simply smiled.
"Yeah. Once again, I'm surprised you haven't heard of her. She goes to the same university as you," Nico tossed the information out casually. "I've got to start thinking of some date ideas. What do you guys think? A movie probably right?"
"She does? Is she in my year?" Eri asked, disregarding everything else Nico had said.
"A year below, I think," Nico sipped her drink. "A movie and then dinner right? That's classic?"
"What faculty?"
"How should I know?" Nico shot back, frowning at Eri. "Just ask her yourself."
"Right. Right. I'll go do that then," Eri nodded, pushing off the table and taking a deep breath. Umi. Goes to her university. That's a pretty good ice breaker topic.
"Eri," Nozomi spoke up just before Eri set off.
"What now, Nozomi?!" Eri snapped, slumping and extremely frustrated.
"I'm sorry," Nozomi apologized immediately, looking genuinely contrite. "But don't you have to get home? What time did you tell Hanayo you'd be getting back?"
Eri's eyes went immediately to her watch. It was after twelve. "What?! When did it get so late?" Eri snatched her bag and swung her coat over her shoulder. "I've got to go guys," Eri said before downing the last of her drink. "Sorry!"
Without waiting for a response, Eri walked briskly out of the club.
When she got home, she remembered that she didn't even get to talk to the bassist, and let out an existential sigh.
Well, there were more fish in the sea. Guess they just weren't meant to be.