Hello so, here is chapter 4. Things are going to pick up soon, a bit more drama. More Anju/Maki time

I don't own LoveLive

Chapter 4

After Maki's breakdown in the kitchen Anju had insisted that they should sit down on the couch in the living room. Maki had been sitting on the couch her sobs were now dying down, Anju continued to pat her back trying her best to give as much comfort as she can to the younger girl.

"I-I'm in l-love with N-Nozomi" Maki finally managed to speak, she hardly knew Anju but the horrible feeling of sorrow was eating her inside she had to at least talked about it to someone. Nozomi and Eri were the closest to her but it's not like she can talk to them about this. After them was Hanayo and Rin but knowing the two it wouldn't end well, Hanayo was sweet and kind if she saw Maki crying she'll probably hold her and cry with her then Rin would probably do the same.

Anju listened to Maki confessed her feeling for her group mate, knowing U's it probably didn't end in the red head's favor, considering Nozomi was completely attached to Ayase Eri. The connection she saw between the two was like Tsubasa and Erena, it was painfully real to Anju. She didn't need to be in the group to know that Nozomi was infatuated with the blond Russian of U's.

"but E-Eli..." Maki continued "I-I thought I could stand a chance… b-b-but I was just fooling myself" Maki finished through gritted teeth and a fresh set of tears staining her face.

Anju pulled the girl in another embrace, unlike her Maki had the guts to fight for her love she admired that about the girl. She merely stood and willingly gave away the one she loved without even saying a word of her affection. "I… I understand Maki" Anju admitted, Maki pulled back from the embrace to give Anju a questioning look.

Anju gave her a sad smile "I was in loved with someone too" Anju closed her eyes, it was a few months back and although she had move on the memory was still sometimes painful "and it didn't end in my favor either… unlike you though I wasn't brave enough to fight for her, let alone tell her…"

Maki wiped the few tears that were still on her faceand stilled her breathing "B-brave? I think it was just stupid" Maki hated it, putting herself up front like that, she hated that she thought she could win, she hated that she had hope, where did that hope got her now she was just a crying mess in the arms of a practical stranger. If she had not stood her ground maybe she could have walked away from her feelings for Nozomi.

"Do you regret it?" Anju asked.

The question stopped Maki from her loathsome thoughts, did she regret attempting to fighting for Nozomi? Did I? I know i hate how I feel now... but... She wasn't sure. "I… I don't know"

"Maki at least you had closure"

Maki didn't quite understand what Anju meant, wasn't it better to have just kept quiet. Anju didn't confess to whoever she was in loved with, and she seemed to have handled it better.

Anju sensing Maki's confusion, she continued talking "I lost Erena to Tsubasa, I watched the one I loved be taken from me without a fight. I… I kept it all to myself and I coped all on my own" Anju was starting to feel tears trying to escape her eyes. "For the first month was the toughest… I constantly asked myself 'what could have been if I had just tried to tell her?' because I was too afraid to tell her I had to act like nothing was wrong… even though I was falling apart inside. The nights I spent crying myself to sleep..." Anju finished with few tears falling from her eyes.

"Even if you did tell her, it would still have been with Tsubasa" Maki reasoned, what was the point if Erena was already with someone else.

"That's true" Anju agreed "But at least I would have known for sure and I wouldn't have spent asking myself 'What if' I could have focused on moving on"

"but…" Maki wanted to argue, it didn't really made any sense to her.

"It's just regrets Maki" Anju wiped the tears from her face and gave a weak smile to Maki "Though I managed to get pass all of them, I just wished I was able to talk it out."

Maki stared at Anju there was a little part of her that realized that if she had stayed quiet then, she would have had to pretend nothing was wrong and to be honest she didn't know how well would that turn out for her. Having closure… for now she decided to leave it at that, talking to Anju made her feel a little better. Perhaps it because Anju went through heartbreak as her that she could feel more connected to her now.

Any further conversation was stopped by a faint sound of a phone, Maki recognized that tone it was her parent's ring tone. Maki stood up and hurried back to Anju's room to retrieve it, her parents probably wanted to know how she was doing. Anju watched the girl leave, she silently wondered what Maki will do next. Being in the same group as the girl you loved and her lover wasn't going to be easy. She's going to have a hard time that's for sure… Anju didn't know why but in that moment she decided that was going to support Maki, she was going to be what she didn't have when she was lost and heartbroken.

meanwhile

"Onee-chan!" Arisa called from the kitchen she had tried her best to make breakfast for her sister and Nozomi. Yesterday when the two girls' arrived, they had both obviously been crying and her sister had an ugly red mark on her left cheek. She had tried to ask what happened but her sister brushed it off and head straight to bed with Nozomi in tow. "Onee-chan! Nozomi-Onee-san!" Aris called again time this time she made her way to her sister's room when there was still no answer she knocked at the door and called again. When they still didn't answer Arisa quietly opened the door and peeked her head inside.

What she show wasn't really enough to scar her, it did however confirmed her assumptions on her sister's sexuality. Her sister laid on her back while Nozomi was practically on top of her, resting her head on Eri's chest, Eri had her arms wrapped around Nozomi keeping her in a protective embrace. They were rather cute together and she really wouldn't mind having Nozomi as her real sister. Walking in as quietly as she could Arisa took a photo of the girls no doubt her sister would be interested on seeing this later, for now though a few more minute on sleep probably wouldn't hurt them.

"Yes I'm okay papa" Maki answered the concerned man over the phone "You don't have to send anyone to get me. Once the rain slows down I'll head home" Maki told her Dad, sometimes she couldn't believe how overprotective her dad can be. "I'll be careful, okay, bye. I love you and mama too" Maki finally hung up, she tapped her phone a few more times to check the weather. Anju had been nice enough to take care of her Maki didn't really want to overstay her welcome.

While Maki was busy looking at her phone Anju knocked at the door and it slowly opened "Maki I forgot to mention that your uniformed had been dried"

"Ah thanks" Maki skimmed the news report about the current storm, it was considerably weaker than it was last night and it looked like traffic had return to normal. "I think I'll be going soon, the storm is already passing" Maki stated

Anju only nodded to Maki "Your uniform is in the room next to the bathroom if you want to change"

"Uhm…" Maki looked at the clothes she was currently wearing, she wanted to offer to wash it but she thought it would be weird to take them when Anju can just wash them as soon as she left.

"You can just leave my clothes in there" Anju smiled realizing what Maki was contemplating. "I can wash them"

Maki nodded and exited the room following the same path she walked last night. She quickly changed into her uniformed and made her way back to Anju's room to get her things, which was just her phone and her still semi wet bag at least her books were somewhat dried inside. When she was done she told Anju she would be leaving and made her way to the front door

Anju followed Maki to the front door of the house "Do you have everything with you?" Anju asked making sure Maki didn't leave behind any of her things.

"Yeah" Maki answered "uhm… t-thank you again…" Maki blushed and averted eye contact with Anju.

"You're welcome. Oh may I borrow your phone Maki?" Anju requested

"uhm… okay?" Maki didn't really give it much thought she handed Anju her phone and watch the girl tap on it

"Here, I put my number in, if you ever need anything please don't hesitate to call" Anju only smiled at Maki as she handed the phone back to its owner who now had a blush that rivaled her hair. "Oh! Wait! one more thing" Anju opened the small closet door by the entrance and retrieved a red umbrella "You should take this" she offered "wouldn't want to find you drenched in the streets again" Anju joked, which only made Maki blush even more if it was possible.

Maki grabbed the offered umbrella and begun to exit the house, but before she was fully out she looked at Anju one last time "thank you again… you uh… helped me a lot… not just from the storm but with my problems too" Maki Thanked her one last time and quickly left the house, not waiting for what Anju might have to say. Anju just smiled at the close door Nishikino Maki was one cute girl, their interaction was brief but she hoped that the girl can consider her a friend.

Thanks for reading, I'll be updating the next chapter soon!