Disclaimer: Characters aren't mine :) Also, this story contains most of my headcanons O_O If you disagree with some of them, come talk to me in Tumblr or in here :D Let's discuss about it so that we could reach a compromise.
A/N: Errors are all mine. If you see one, come message me xD
She was, once again, annoyed by the sight in front of her. Piles of letters were jammed into her locker, making it really difficult to pull out her indoor shoes without the letters flying out. Eri was not used to this kind of attention. Ever since she became the Student Council Secretary two semesters ago, these incidents had become a normal occurrence.
She knew that she should feel flattered; however, with the rate the letters kept coming, her patience had also been thinning. Just last week, a boy confessed to her outside their school gates —she rejected him, of course— but, it caused quite a commotion. Her classmates wouldn't stop pestering her about the details until she got fed up and snapped at them. Luckily, Nozomi was passing by and saw the scene; she placated the situation and apologized on Eri's behalf, telling them that Eri was just having a bad day and didn't intend to be mean.
The only positive thing Eri got out of it was that it gave most of the students the idea that she was not interested in relationships at the moment. After all, she had other responsibilities and things to worry about. The number of confessions had decreased, but her fans were relentless and kept bugging her about trivial things; leaving her small gifts with notes attached to it, stating that they would continue to admire her from a distance; or sticking notes on her desk, telling her how cool she was at PE. Just the mere thought of their persistence was already making Eri irritable. She blew out a sigh and carefully extracted her shoes.
". . .that's quite a lot. We're not even halfway this semester."
Eri heard someone speak from behind. She turned around and saw Nozomi's classmate staring at her locker with mild irritation and maybe. . . envy? Eri wasn't really sure.
Is she annoyed by these things too? Eri thought. Their eyes met and Eri offered her a tentative smile.
In truth, Eri didn't know anything about the girl other than her name. Nozomi had just introduced Yazawa Nico to her three weeks ago. She was surprised at how quick Nozomi adapted, already making new friends in her class —not that it was difficult. After all, they only have three classes in their year. Nevertheless, it kind of made Eri feel left behind. It's not like Eri wasn't allowing Nozomi to be friends with the other students, but she couldn't deny that she was a little bit jealous by it. But mostly, she was relieved that Nozomi was opening up more to the people around her.
When they entered their second year in Otonokizaka, she and Nozomi were placed in different classes. It made Eri a bit nervous. She didn't like their separation because she was aware that she's not good at dealing with others, considering that her people skills were close to zero; she knew how awkward she was with other people aside from Nozomi. In spite of everything, Eri was glad that Nozomi still spends her lunch together with her, sometimes inviting —or rather, dragging— Nico with them. (The pig-tailed girl had always shown reluctance, but, one time, Eri saw her getting her lunchbox out even though Nozomi didn't say anything. Eri couldn't help but give Nico a knowing smile their whole lunch break.)
Their routine still hadn't changed. Nozomi would still always wait for Eri to finish her work in the Student Council —occasionally helping them even though she wasn't part of it— and go home together. It's not as though Nozomi wasn't offered a position back in their first year, she was the one who wasn't willing to join. She had reasoned out that it still wasn't her time and had given her supporters an innocent smile. They only looked at her sadly, but they didn't force her any further.
"I have no idea how they managed to insert these many inside." Eri said as she slowly shut her locker.
"Are you going to address all of that?" Nico looked at her curiously.
"I don't know what to say to all of them. I don't want to be mean, but I also don't want to keep their hopes up."
"Well, ignoring it is also an option. Although, that won't stop them from sending you gifts. If I were you, I'd probably just address all of it with the same content. You could politely decline and write them something along the lines of 'Sorry. I'm too busy with personal things and just want to enjoy my high school life without commitments'. That's what celebrities usually do when they write back to their fans."
". . .Celebrities?" Eri raised her eyebrows at Nico. Is she seriously advising me that?
"Yes. Have you not heard of them? Do you live under a rock?!" Nico cried out, sounding personally offended by Eri's ignorance. The blonde could only stare blankly at her, she didn't know if she should be offended by Nico's remark or not.
"Yes. I do know one thing or two about them. . .it's just that. . .you seem very knowledgeable about these things."
"Of course. I know at least this much, since I planned to become a professional idol in the future."
Seriously?
She observed Nico; the girl didn't have an ounce of uncertainty or dishonesty shown on her face; the only thing Eri could see was the passion and determination behind her red eyes.
So she's not really as haughty as I thought she was. . .she's just passionate and career-oriented. Eri's lips slowly lifted to form a small smile.
Nico scrunched her eyebrows at Eri, weirded out by her behavior. "Is something wrong with it?"
"No."
Nico huffed and shook her head. She turned around and started walking in the direction of the classrooms, leaving Eri still smiling at her back.
"Someone's in a good mood. Did anything nice happen to you?"
Eri heard Nozomi speak beside her. She turned her head and looked at her friend. Nozomi was smiling at her, eyes shining brightly. Eri willed her heart to stop hammering in her chest and forced herself to breathe normally. She returned Nozomi's smile with one of her own. (Eri hoped it didn't come out as a grimace or anything of that sort.)
"Nothing. I just talked to Nico-chan. She's quite . . . interesting."
"She always brushes me off, but i think she's really nice." Nozomi said, looking at Nico's retreating form. When Nico turned around a corner, she directed her attention back at Eri.
"You have Student Council work later, right?"
"Yes. Why?"
"Just thought I'd accompany you so that we could go home together."
"The Student Council room is off limits to people who are not part of the council, you know?"
"I don't think the upperclassmen mind that much. Whenever I drop by, they hand me some of the council's paperwork. It's like I'm the unofficial Student Council Assistant. And besides, if I don't do that, you'll be buried with more paperwork and would probably spend the night in the room." Nozomi chortled, making Eri blush. She just couldn't argue back when it comes to Nozomi. The purple-head always had a retort to everything she says.
"Come on! We'll be late if we stay here for too long." Eri felt Nozomi take hold of her hand. Her breath hitched and she stiffened. What is she doing? Crap. Our hands are touching! What do I do? What should I do?
Nozomi proceeded to drag Eri towards the classrooms, but she looked back when Eri didn't budge.
". . .Erichi?"
Eri was startled when she heard Nozomi utter her name. She cleared her throat and gave Nozomi a close-lipped smile. "S-sorry. I just. . .remembered something. A-anyway, let's go."
Eri took a step forward and reluctantly released Nozomi's hand. They continued their walk in silence. The purple-head appeared nonchalant about what she did, as if it was the most normal thing to do; meanwhile, Eri was trying her best to control the erratic beating of her heart. Her mind wouldn't stop conjuring embarrassing scenarios involving Nozomi, her and handholding.
Once they reached the hallways leading to their classrooms, Nozomi tapped Eri in the shoulder, effectively jerking her out of her reverie. Nozomi smiled and muttered, "See you at lunch. I'll try to invite Nico-chan with us."
Eri nodded, giving Nozomi an appreciative smile in return. She bid Nozomi goodbye and entered her classroom. As much as she wanted to, Eri couldn't concentrate much on her lessons that morning, partially because her attention span had reached its limit, but, for the most part, it's because she couldn't stop thinking about the lingering sensation of Nozomi's hand in hers.
She just couldn't shake off the warm feeling the handhold elicited from her.
Four hours later, Eri heard the bell ring, indicating their lunch break. She gathered her things, put them inside her bag and pulled out her lunchbox. Even though she's a model student, she's still a person who could only process so many lessons before her mind went berserk. She stood up and headed for the door. When she exited their room, Nozomi was already outside, propped up against the wall as usual. (One time, she asked Nozomi why she's always waiting for her, but she only answered Eri with 'the teacher always dismissed us ten minutes early' and a shrug. Eri never bothered to question her about it again.)
"Are you never going to get tired of waiting for me every lunch? I can go to your room for a change of pace, you know?" Eri stated with a frown.
"I don't mind. I like seeing your pretending-to-listen face."
"W-what? I don't make that face!" Eri shrieked indignantly, earning her a laugh from a Nozomi.
"Sure you do."
"W-why are you even watching me, anyway?"
Nozomi lips twisted into a devious smirk. Eri observed the glint in her eyes, and she realized that she had played right into Nozomi's teasing. "Is it not allowed? Are you shy? If you are, I promise not to look at your adorable face anymore. But it would really be hard, considering that we always go home together."
"Urgh! Stop being such a smartass," Eri groaned, shutting her eyes in frustration. She opened them a minute later, and chose to ignore Nozomi's infernal smirk. It was then that she noticed what Nozomi was carrying.
"Why are you holding that?"
"This?" Nozomi replied, lifting what seemed to be a small bunch of letters, "I found it on my desk this morning. All of these were addressed to me, but the contents are mostly about Erichi. I wanted to ask you what to do about it."
". . .Really?"
"Yes. I've been receiving these kinds of letters for the past few weeks. It always contained things like, 'You and Ayase-san are so close. Please always take good care of her.' or 'Do you know what type of things Ayase-senpai likes?'," Nozomi stated, sniggering as she recalled the contents of the letters, "I don't know if I should reply to them or not, but you sure are popular, Erichi. I'm scared that these people will get angry at me for always taking your time. They'll probably take you away from me if I'm not careful enough."
"Don't be absurd!" exclaimed Eri, her words laced with panic. The thought of Nozomi getting mauled by Eri's admirers frightened the blonde. "That would never happen. It's not their place to tell me who I should and should not associate with. Also, I'm sure that no one understands me better than you do." Eri finished her sentence with a firm nod.
Nozomi gave Eri a cheeky grin, eyebrows arched in amusement. "Thanks Erichi. That's a really nice thing to say."
Eri's eyes went wide when she realized what came out of her mouth. She tried her best to control the blush from appearing on her face; not giving Nozomi any chance to tease her further, she continued speaking, "A-anyway, is Nico-chan coming with us?"
"No. She said she has other matters to do and left me to go to her clubroom."
". . . she's in a club?"
"She's the president of the School Idol Research Club. Although, i think she's the only member now. I kept inviting her to eat with us, but it seems that she sometimes wants to be alone."
"Only member? You need to have at least five members to form a club, right?"
"I don't know every detail, but she said the other members left."
"That's quite . . . lonely."
"That's what I thought too. . .I do believe nobody wants to be alone."
A loaded silence passed over them, both of them too absorbed in their own thoughts. Nozomi's statement made Eri study her; she was aware of the meaning behind her friend's words and she couldn't help but empathize with her. As an act of camaraderie, she grabbed Nozomi's hand and offered her a diminutive smile, conveying the words that she didn't have to say for Nozomi to understand: I'm here. You aren't alone.
Nozomi fixed her an unwavering gaze, and, after a while, her lips quirked up. She squeezed Eri's hand in return, appreciating the blonde's gesture. She lets go of Eri's hand and began her walk to their usual spot for lunch, the blonde following her from behind.
Later that afternoon, Eri spent her time engrossed in Student Council stuff. The third years had just started with their preparation for the university entrance exams, leaving her to do most of the paperwork since she holds the next highest position after the vice president; and being the responsible person she is, she opted to start with it as soon as possible.
She's alone inside the Student Council room, finishing up their work for the day since her first year companion left early due to a family emergency. Nozomi was supposed to accompany her, but she forgot to return something from the library and told Eri to go on ahead.
It's been an hour, why isn't Nozomi still here? Eri wondered, looking at the clock.
She went back to her documents, correcting some of the errors she saw, until she heard a knock; she looked up, anticipating Nozomi at the door.
"Come in."
The door opened, revealing someone Eri didn't expect to see. "Ah! Minami-senpai," she called out, surprised at the Student Council President's arrival.
"Sorry for disturbing you Eri-san. I was on my way to cram school, but, then, I decided to drop by since I wanted to see you and ask you a favour."
Eri arched her brow in question. The president smiled and continued speaking, "Is it alright to recommend you for the position of Student Council President? The turnover is in two months, but your duty won't start until the next semester, although you'll probably be given work during the summer break."
Minami sat on the desk in front of Eri and fiddled with the strap of her bag, giving Eri a pleading look as she went on with her speech, "Most of the third years think you're the one most suited for the position. It's up to you to choose who will be your Vice President, but we recommend someone whom you can trust and depend on."
Eri looked at the president incredulously. She didn't know what to do except open her mouth in shock. When she got the control of her jaw back, she stuttered out a weak response.
"I-i. . .should. . .but—"
"—we're not telling you to accept it right away, but we would like you to consider our proposal."
Minami gave Eri a curt nod and a smile before exiting the room. Eri was left to absorb the newfound information. She didn't realize she was staring blankly ahead until Nozomi entered the room yelling her excuse for being late. Nozomi looked at her curiously but Eri only gave her a frown and went back to her paperwork, trying to concentrate but failing to do so.
The president's words were swirling on the forefront of her mind.
Can I do it?
News spread out fast and the following weeks, everyone had already heard that Eri was recommended to be the next Student Council President. The next thing she knew, people kept approaching her to congratulate her or give her a pat on the back even though the election process still didn't start. It annoyed her to no end, but more than that, it put more pressure on her.
Eri tried her best to continue with her everyday activities. She acted normally in front of everyone, but she knew that she couldn't hide her overwhelming thoughts from herself. She couldn't conceal the doubts that were clawing at her mind. Being recommended by the majority to become the next Student Council President was a big deal for her, but she honestly believed that she couldn't do it. She just didn't trust herself enough to do things without failing in the end.
She's already done that in the past and she didn't want a repeat of everything.
She kept telling herself that she had to give her answer soon, but she didn't want to disappoint a lot of her peers because she decided to reject the offer. Her plan was only to join the Student Council for extra credentials, but becoming its President wasn't in her intention.
It would only be a way for people to know how much of a disappointment she really was.
She wouldn't want to subject herself with another humiliation.
"Sorry I couldn't cook anything fancy right now," Nozomi apologized, regarding Eri for a while. "I didn't expect the sudden visit so I wasn't able to go grocery shopping. Would curry be okay?"
"Anything would be okay, really." Eri answered with a twist of her lips, but she was aware that her smile was unconvincing because Nozomi gave her a dubious look. They were currently hanging out inside Nozomi's apartment since Eri decided to skip the Student Council meeting for the day.
Earlier, When Eri asked if she could stay over, Nozomi fixed her a blank stare, but, in the end, she acquiesced. As much as Nozomi liked to, she didn't question Eri about her sudden plan because she knew that Eri was responsible enough to make decisions on her own.
Although, that didn't stop Nozomi from voicing out her concerns.
"If something's bothering you, you can tell me anything. . ."
Eri looked at her from the countertop, mulling over what her friend offered. She didn't open her mouth to speak, so Nozomi took it as a sign that the blonde didn't want to talk about her problems. Eri watched as her friend sighed and went back to preparing their dinner. She observed Nozomi as she began stirring the contents of the pot.
"Do you need help with things?" Eri asked.
"No. You're a guest, so just stay there until I'm done."
"But—"
"—continue arguing with me and I'll add Nori to your dish."
"It's not even included as an ingredient for curry!"
"Am I hearing someone complaining? Does that person want Nori in there food?"
Nozomi's statement made Eri abruptly shut her mouth. She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, directing a pout to Nozomi. The purple-head turned to her and gave her a smug grin and a wink. Eri rolled her eyes and stormed off, leaving Nozomi to laugh at her expense.
She tells me I'm stubborn, but she acts like a child sometimes. Eri thought, shaking her head.
Upon entering Nozomi's bedroom, the first thing she noticed was the new additions to Nozomi's decors. She approached the divider cabinet and took a look at the picture frames. Suddenly, her eyes lit up with recognition.
Most of the images she saw were candidly taken.
And most of it consisted of events that Eri had personally witnessed.
Ah! Our commemorative photo on Nozomi's first day in her apartment . . .and this was taken last New Year, when we first visited the shrine . . .Oh! This was when her parents came to visit last Christmas and surprised her. . .
Eri instantly smiled as she fondly recalled each memory. She picked up the last frame, which, for some reason, was placed one level higher from the rest.
It was of her and Nozomi.
Both of them wore a party hat with their faces covered in chocolate. Eri noted how happy both of them appeared, each making peace signs and grinning like idiots.
And this was taken when we celebrated my birthday. . .
Eri couldn't help but chuckle as the memory flashed in her mind, as clear as the day when it actually happened.
"Dessert is here!"
"You shouldn't spoil your sister too much, Arisa-chan."
"N-nozomi! That's really unfair. It's my birthday, after all."
"I'm just kidding."
"Geez. Stop teasing me. . . Ah! Nozomi, there's something on your face."
"Eh? W-where?"
"Here!"
"—W-what are you doing? Argh! My cheeks are all sticky now. . .stop laughing!"
"Y-your. . .your face. . .I-I can't—Argh! N-no. Don't straddle me! Nozomi! You're heavy! N-no— not my forehead! Arisa, help me!"
"You guys, please behave! Mom will get angry if she sees this mess."
She was pulled out of her musings when she heard a knock on the door. She swivelled her head to look at Nozomi and grinned lopsidedly.
"Dinner's ready." Nozomi said.
"I didn't know you have a thing for taking pictures. It's really cute." Eri teased, her eyes shining with mirth. She noticed how Nozomi's eyes went comically wide once she saw what Eri was holding. Nozomi's mouth opened and closed a few times, but no words came out; and if it's possible, Eri's grin became wider, reaching up to her ears.
It's payback time.
Eri roared with laughter when Nozomi turned on her back, dismissing Eri's mocking. The blonde could see how flushed Nozomi was and she delighted in the fact that for once, she made Nozomi speechless. When she settled down, Eri exited the bedroom and sat opposite Nozomi in the dining table. She couldn't keep the smile off her face, not only because of her sweet revenge against Nozomi, but also because she just found out how much Nozomi treasures their friendship.
Despite her uncertainties, at least she knew that one person considered her as someone important.
They ate their dinner in silence since Nozomi still refused to acknowledge Eri's presence. The blonde didn't mind it since it gave her time to ponder over certain things.
". . .Is my cooking bad?"
Eri looked up from her plate and blinked at Nozomi. "W-what?"
"You've been playing with your food. Is it bad?"
"N-no. Of course not! I was just thinking of. . .something."
Nozomi stared at her pensively. After a while, she blew out a sigh and muttered, "I don't normally pry into other people's business, but you've been spacing out quite a lot for the past few days. Do you want to talk about it?"
Eri stared at worried turquoise eyes.
Well, she could easily read me and I know I couldn't hide this for too long. . .But what if she disapproves?. . .No. I should just tell her. Nozomi wouldn't get angry with something like this, right? Eri contemplated, looking at Nozomi anxiously.
She shakily exhales a breath and admiited, "I. . .I don't think. . .I'm ready to become the next Student Council President."
She felt her throat tighten, but she still continued speaking.
"Everyone already assumes that I'll win but I don't think I could take the responsibility. . ." Eri trailed off, swallowing her nervousness. She observed as Nozomi regarded her with an unreadable look. Her hands started twitching, so she closed her eyes and clasped her hands tightly to stop it from shaking. Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm herself and opened her eyes a while later, meeting Nozomi's gaze dead on.
Nozomi still looked at her blankly, making Eri more anxious.
Is she angry?
She felt the pounding in her chest increase in its pace.
She's probably disappointed with me.
Her lips started to quiver.
What should I do?
Finally, she heard Nozomi speak.
"Are you not ready? Or are you scared? There's a difference."
Eri opened her mouth to reason out, her excuse already at the tip of her tongue. But when Nozomi's words sank in, she paused.
. . .I don't know. She thought, averting her eyes.
She clenched her teeth to prevent the tears that were threatening to come out of her eyes.
"I-I don't think I'm capable enough to do it. What if. . .what if I'll fail? I don't want to disappoint anyone."
". . .then, just answer this question. . .are you willing to do it?"
Eri looked back and studied Nozomi, finding nothing but sincerity and admiration behind turquoise orbs. She let go of the breath she didn't know she was holding in. The nervousness that consumed her a while ago started to leave her body and was replaced by a rush of warmth and relief.
She blinked once.
Twice.
She felt the hot liquid cascade down her face.
I-I want to try. . .Of course. . .I wouldn't want to miss this opportunity. . .
Willing her heart to stop its frantic beating, she closed her eyes. When she opened them later, the sight in front of her made her catch her breath.
Nozomi was smiling affectionately at her.
"I don't have the right to tell you what to do, since it's basically still your choice, but know that no matter what you choose, I'm right behind you. That's what friends do, right? I'll make sure that you won't push yourself too hard and be the doting friend whom you will eventually find annoying."
Eri couldn't help but chuckle at Nozomi's words while wiping at her eyes. She scrunched her face and stuck her tongue out playfully, which made Nozomi shake her head, muttering 'crybaby' under her breath. After their bantering, Eri's expression became serious. She replayed the words that the President told her when she was inside the Student Council room.
A person whom I can trust and depend on. Eri mused, the corners of her mouth slowly lifting upwards.
"Nozomi, will you be my Vice-President?"
Nozomi's eyebrows shoot up to her hairline, but eventually, she grinned. Eri thought her grin could probably rival the sun with its intensity.
". . .Of course. I promised you, didn't I?"
She has a way of simplifying things for me. . .she's really an enigma.
Eri gave her a close-lipped smile as she leaned forward, putting her head on top of her hand. Looking at Nozomi through her lashes, she whispered, "You know, anyone would be lucky to have you."
She noticed how the light behind Nozomi's eyes dimmed slightly. She took note of the smile Nozomi directed back.
It didn't quite reach her eyes.
". . .but I don't want just anyone."
Eri felt the pain and sadness that Nozomi's sentence implied. Before Eri could ask about it, Nozomi quickly stood up and went to the fridge, leaving the blonde to wonder about the meaning behind her words.
As the night progressed, Eri observed the purple-head, but she didn't notice anything different from the way Nozomi normally acted. She still made fun of Eri when an opportunity presented itself. She would still maintain eye contact and talk to her as though nothing really happened. They would still laugh about nonsensical things that Nozomi always brought up.
So Eri dismissed what Nozomi said at the table, thinking that it was just Nozomi being her usual cryptic self.
She didn't realize that there was a very slight change in their dynamics.
Because Nozomi avoided any form of physical contact with her that night.
When June rolled in, Eri found herself busier than before. Her student council duties, coupled with the preparation for the upcoming elections, occupied most of her time. Since she accepted the recommendation and announced her and Nozomi's candidacy, people had been buzzing with excitement. They wouldn't stop discussing how perfect Eri and Nozomi's tandem was. They were both ecstatic about the positive response of the crowd, but in exchange, their time spent together had also lessened because of it.
"Why are you alone?"
Nozomi turned to the sound of someone's voice. "Ah! Nico-chan."
Nico was staring at her, eyebrows raised in curiosity.
"Erichi is in a meeting right now. She told me to go on ahead without her since it would probably take a while." Nozomi answered, smiling, "How about you?"
"I-I'm—I'm not alone. My friends just left a while ago!" Nico screeched indignantly. Nozomi looked around her, discovering that they were the only ones in the vicinity. She furrowed her eyebrows; she was sure that when she arrived earlier, the locker area was already empty. She looked back at Nico who was smiling hesitantly at her.
She decided to not call Nico out on her lie and shoved her indoor shoes insider the locker.
Everyone has their reasons for doing things. Nozomi justified, closing her locker.
She hoisted her bag onto her shoulders and directed her attention back at Nico. "Do you want to go home together? I don't want to walk alone."
"D-do I want to? Really? I-I mean, you should be grateful I'm accompanying you on your way home." Nico scoffed, shaking her head slowly. She appeared casual about it, but Nozomi saw the slight twitch in her jaw. She narrowed her eyes, taking note of how Nico's eyes shined akin to excitement.
She smiled to herself.
She's like Eri in certain ways.
On their way home, Nico and Nozomi talked about random things. The purple-head noticed how Nico burned with passion at the mention of idols. The pig-tailed girl proceeded to animatedly discuss about what's trending in the idol world until Nozomi's sure her ears were bleeding. She found out that the short girl wanted to pursue a career as an idol, even though a lot of people think it's hopeless and dumb. Nozomi admired how persevering Nico was, so, in turn, she shared some things about herself.
"I can't believe you're socially inept." Nico commented, squinting her eyes at Nozomi. She crossed her arms over her chest and continued, "You were always smiling in the classroom and people always approached you for tarot readings. I thought you had a lot of friends."
"I really don't know if I could call them that."
"Well, at least you have someone you could always go home with and you considered as your friend." Nico responded as a matter of fact. ". . .people find me annoying, so they probably don't consider me as one."
Nico acted as if she didn't care, but, Nozomi was certain she didn't imagine hearing a dejected tone somewhere in Nico's words. She smiled sadly, somewhat knowing how Nico felt.
"If it makes a difference. . .I, umm, don't find you annoying. Overbearing, yes. Egotistic, very. . .but never annoying." Nozomi mumbled.
The shocked look Nico directed at her made the purple-head smirk. Nico opened her mouth to counter what Nozomi said, but no words came out. Eventually, she coughed to cover up her mistake, leading Nozomi to continue speaking confidently.
"Sometimes, I think Erichi finds me unbearable too, since I easily rile her up. Although she gets angry, she still puts up with my antics." Nozomi laughed, remembering the times when Eri would stop talking to her because of frustration, "Isn't that how friendship is supposed to work? Two people accepting each other's flaws wholeheartedly. Showing each other what's holding them back and helping them not to repeat the same mistakes again."
She gave Nico a genuine smile. The short girl could only stare blankly at her.
"You're really. . .something else, Nozomi."
She witnessed as Nico's lips slowly lifted to form a smile.
Probably, the most honest smile Nozomi had ever seen on her.
They continued their walk in a more amicable atmosphere. They talked about the upcoming Student Council elections —'Don't worry, you guys have my vote. I'll make sure you guys win even if I have to rig the ballots' 'Nicochi, you'll get expelled if you do that'— and other school stuff until Nico had to part ways with her. They told their goodbyes; Nozomi watched as Nico enthusiastically waved her hands at her and started walking to the opposite side of the road. She took note of the bounce in Nico's steps, and Nozomi couldn't help but feel amused.
She was definitely certain that Nico's claim was wrong.
At least two people consider her as a friend.
Even if the pig-tailed girl remained oblivious to their offer of friendship.
And continued her refusal to eat lunch together with them.
"Nicochi, I have to go on ahead now. I need to go to the Student Council room since Erichi's still doing some paperwork. I promised her I'd wait for her there." Nozomi said as she stood up from her chair and strode to the door.
She had just finished helping Nico with their homework. She found out two days ago that Nico was having problems with certain subjects— Nico vehemently denied it, but Nozomi saw how badly she performed in their latest exam when the teachers gave them their papers back. Nico insisted that she didn't need any help, but Nozomi wouldn't take no for an answer. (She threatened the short girl that she would grope her breasts if she continued to reject.)
Nico looked up from the computer and gazed at her. "Do you always do that?"
Nozomi stopped and turned to her, eyebrows raised in question. "Do what?"
"Take care of Eri? She's not a child, you know."
"Sometimes, she acts like one."
"Geez, that's not what I meant and you know it."
". . .If no one tells her to take a break, she would most likely exhaust herself too much and end up getting sick."
Nico narrowed her eyes.
"Don't you realize that, maybe, you're. . .I don't know. . .nagging at her too much? Don't you think she'd get suffocated or something?"
Is. . .that so? Nozomi wondered, reflecting on her interactions with her blonde friend.
When Nico noticed the somber mood Nozomi adapted, she took back what she said, "I-it's not a bad thing, really. I actually quite admire your dedication to her. It's like you're her girlfriend or something."
Nozomi's eyes went wide when she heard Nico's throwaway comment. She knew Nico didn't mean anything by it, but her heart couldn't help but skip a beat.
Screw her hopeful heart.
Reality was far from rainbows and sunshine.
She had already learned that from her past experiences.
"O-our r-relationship isn't like that at all!" She stuttered, darting her gaze away.
. . .since relationships like that wouldn't end well and It's usually one-sided, she added solemnly.
Nico raised her eyebrows, but she didn't react any further. It gave Nozomi the chance to avoid saying anything that may give away her real feelings.
"A-anyway, I need to go now. See you tomorrow, Nicochi." Nozomi stammered, hurriedly exiting the room. She exhaled a sigh of relief as she closed the door behind her. She leaned against it and clutched at her chest, feeling the fast beating of her heart.
I never knew that Nico was perceptive.
Once she was relatively calm, she took off towards the Student Council room. She kept repeating Nico's words in her mind; she wasn't paying much attention to her surroundings, so it led her to bump into someone. She tumbled backwards and fell on the floor.
"S-sorry."
Nozomi looked up and saw a blue-haired girl staring down at her with her hand extended. She grabbed the proffered hand and let the girl pull her up.
She smiled and assured, "No. It wasn't really your fault. I didn't see you."
The girl still looked concerned, but, after a bit, she bowed and sauntered away, leaving Nozomi to dust her skirt off some dirt.
When she looked around, she realized that she had already reached her destination. She moved to the nearby door and knocked at it thrice. She waited patiently, but no one answered. Finding it strange, she turned the knob slowly and opened the door.
"Sorry for the intrusion." Nozomi whispered as she surveyed the room; it was empty except for Eri who was alone in the far side of the room with her head down on the desk. The corners of her lips turned upwards and she quietly tiptoed inside.
Once she reached Eri's side, her hand quickly covered her mouth to prevent the laugh from escaping her lips.
Eri was sleeping.
She watched as Eri's chest rose and fell with slow and quiet breathing. Half of her face was framed by her long blonde hair, hiding her from the harsh afternoon glow. She took note of how Eri's face was free from any crease. It was far different from her usual furrowed brows and intimidating looks.
She's so peaceful.
After a minute, she felt her face heating up. She realized that she was staring at Eri for too long with an idiotic smile plastered on her face. She mentally slapped herself.
Control yourself, Nozomi! She chastised, shaking her head.
She directed her attention back at her sleeping friend, contemplating whether she should wake her up or not. Eri was obviously tired from all her duties and Nozomi didn't want to be the one to disrupt her sleep. She sighed, finally deciding on waiting for Eri to wake up on her own. She grabbed a nearby chair and carefully plopped herself onto it. She scanned the table; a stack of papers were neatly piled up beside the blonde and her laptop was left open.
Suddenly, an idea hit her.
She yanked her phone out of her pocket and opened its camera application. She stepped forward, trying to get a better angle to capture Eri's magnificence. Once she was satisfied, she snapped a picture.
A bright light flashed around the room.
"N-nozomi?"
Crap.
Nozomi lowered her phone, smiling at Eri sheepishly. "Sorry for waking you."
She watched as Eri groggily sat up straight and rubbed at her eyes. Nozomi couldn't help but find it adorable. She resisted the urge to take another picture.
Why is she so cute?
"Geez, if you're going to take a picture of me, at least take one of me when I'm awake."
Nozomi's eyebrows quirked, she knew the blonde wouldn't normally say something like that. She observed Eri; the girl's eyes were still glazed over. She couldn't prevent the chuckle that escaped her lips. At the sound of it, Eri looked at her, but didn't say anything.
Then, she did something unexpected.
She leaned close, making Nozomi's heart stop beating.
What is she doing?
Nozomi's eyes kept darting from Eri to their surroundings.
She's still half-asleep. She's not aware of what she's doing.
When Eri extended her hand, Nozomi freezed.
I've seen this in movies before. My body won't move. Of all times, why now?
She shut her eyes, preparing herself for the inevitable.
She waited patiently.
Five seconds.
Four.
Three.
Two.
One.
She felt the tug at her collar.
"Your bow's crooked."
Her imagination was shattered.
. . .what?
Nozomi slowly opened her eyes.
Eri was fixing her bow.
She didn't know if she was relieved or disappointed.
"Ha Ha Ha. Y-yeah. I-I bumped into someone earlier. I must have not noticed it."
Eri looked up at her. "That's unusual. You're not the type to be clumsy."
Nozomi gulped. All the tension just left her body, leaving her in a fumbling mess. She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself.
"I was r-rounding the corner and didn't see her coming." She answered back. There was still a nervous lilt to her tone, so she cleared her throat, "A-anyway, you shouldn't sleep here. It isn't good for your body."
"I just took a nap for a bit. Besides, I just finished all the paperwork, so give me a break and stop lecturing me." Eri reasoned, reclining on her chair.
Nozomi didn't expect the displeased tone that coated Eri's voice. Again, Nico's words replayed in her mind. She couldn't get rid of the feeling that Eri's somewhat mad at her.
"Am I clingy?" She bursted without thought.
"Huh?" Eri did a double take at her, seemingly awake now, "What made you say that?"
"Nico told me that I may be suffocating you since I'm nagging at you too much. Are you annoyed by me?"
"N-no. In contrast, I appreciate your efforts."
"Then why are you. . .irritated?"
She watched as Eri sighed and rubbed at her temples. Nozomi tilted her head, concern marring her features. Finally, Eri spoke up.
"Because you told me you would accompany me this afternoon. I waited for two hours but you didn't show up. I was supposed to give you something, and, then I fell asleep."
"I was helping Nico with her assignments. . ." Nozomi trailed off, guilty for making Eri wait.
"I know. I was just being irrational. . .I'm sorry"
Eri flashed her an apologetic smile. She got up and went to to other side of the room. Nozomi looked at Eri closely as she pulled something out of her bag (she couldn't see what it was because Eri was blocking the view). Then, the quarter-Russian turned around, hiding something behind her back. She slowly walked towards Nozomi.
"Here."
Eri handed her a neatly wrapped box. She raised her eyebrows and observed the blonde. Eri was fidgeting and Nozomi could see the blush on her face. She smiled quizzically, finding Eri's actions endearing but unexpected. She wondered why Eri was giving her a box, but the blonde's next words answered her question.
"Happy Birthday."
Nozomi was stunned. She could only stare at Eri with astonishment.
"Knowing you, you probably forgot it's your birthday today."
. . .so that's why she's unusually irritated. She probably thought that I stood her up.
"I know you said that you don't celebrate your birthday much, but I find that unacceptable. I couldn't find the time to buy you a decent gift but I hope you liked what I got you."
Nozomi accepted the present, giving Eri a wide grin in return. She actually never expected the blonde to remember her birthday since she, herself, forgot about it. She unwrapped her gift, revealing an object Nozomi didn't expect to receive in a million years.
She laughed.
"A picture frame? Really?"
"I-If y-you don't like it, then I'm taking it back," Eri stuttered, blushing harder, "I saw your photo collection back when I last visited and I just thought that, maybe, you'd like this because you seem to like taking pictures and—"
"—it's a really thoughtful gift, Erichi." Nozomi cut Eri's ramblings and directed a loving smile at her. She stood up and hugged Eri to thank her. When she leaned back, the wide smile Eri gave her made up for her foolish assumption earlier.
God, why are you so likeable Erichi? You're making it really hard for me to control myself.
"Do you want to head to a dessert shop before we go home? My treat. It's my birthday, after all." Nozomi asked, carefully placing her gift inside her bag.
"Sure. I wouldn't want to miss out on free food."
"You think you're funny, don't you?"
"Of course. I learned it from the best."
Dun Dun Dun Dun. . . I'm sorry for the late update -_- (Please don't kill me guys _) I only got to introduce Nico in here, because I love the third year trio so much (and probs Umi? but it was only to a certain degree O_O) Anyway, if you were confused about the timeline, here's a summary:
1st sem – April –late July/early August
SUMMER BREAK
2nd sem – Early September – late December
WINTER BREAK
3rd sem - 2nd week January – Early March
I found out that Japan has a trimester system. I was confused about it at first lol. Honoka became the Student Council President in the 2nd semester of her second year xD Eri became the Secretary on her first year (2nd sem). So that's it xD Also, regarding the name of the President, Minami is her first name. Kotori has no older sister (in this fic, anyways :D)
Also, QUICK SURVEY:
1.) Is it alright to skim over the events that happened in the anime? (I would not go into details, but I'll still include things that I think are important in my story.) I don't want to include all of it because I wouldn't want to drag the story too much. I just want them to reach college 'coz that's when the plot thickens lol.
2.) What do you think are the names for Nozomi's dad? And also Eri's? (They play a certain part in the future haha)
Thanks for reviewing/favorites/follows. It fuels my urge to write xD Also, shout out to agent-dragicorn for asking me the name of Nozomi's mom. It made me rack my brain for an acceptable name. We ended up with Akemi Tojo in case you guys were wondering.
