Hearts full of love – Chapter 4

Present

"So that's what happened." Maki slouched her shoulders and leaned backwards.

"And what about the misunderstanding?" Eli moved towards the edge of the sofa and turned to Maki.

"So everyday everyone would visit Umi and bring gifts and I would check up on her. Kotori stayed with Umi until she was fully healed."

"But...-

Eli put her hands on Maki's thighs. "But what?"

"Don't interrupt and let me continue."

Eli removed her hands and folded her arms. "Ok, but you have been rambling about other stuff and not the main part." She then looked at Maki and pouted.

"Because you need to listen to all of it." She started to twirl her hair for a bit and then suddenly paused.

"While Umi was in the process of healing she decided to contact you but couldn't so she asked Kotori to do so. When Kotori contacted you she said that you are busy and even after she told you that Umi is in a very bad condition she said that you said you aren't bothered she will heal soon and you need to concentrate on work than distraction" Maki added.

"That's a lie I didn't get any phone calls! I kept my phone with me so there is no way anyone else could say - so that means Kotori tricked my babe." Eli looked at Maki in surprise, her eyes wide open.

"True, but why? Anyway Umi was heartbroken and ended up deciding to date Kotori and dump you." Maki ended with a sarcastic laugh.

"However whenever she is near you she can't hold herself." She added.

Umi entered the room but no one noticed her, to make sure they see her she went in front of them with her hands on her hips. "I thought I could trust you not telling what happened to anyone." She tilted her head and crossed her arms.

Maki looked at Umi. She sat up straight and gave a small smile."I am sorry but I had to clear the misunderstanding and how come you are downstairs?"

"Kotori was having trouble sleeping so I helped her to it and to finish clearing up I came downstairs"

Eli looked at Umi and then at Maki again. "Oh yeah! Maki it's your fault that I didn't finish clearing up."

"W-what? What do you mean? I don't get it, you were eager to hear everything." Maki looked away with an apparent blush on her face and stood up.

Umi ignored the childish behaviour and went to kitchen and started to clean everything. Upon seeing this Eli pulled Maki with her and started to help Umi. After clearing everything up they went to sit down on the sofa to relax.

Eli sighed and looked at the pair. "I think it's a good thing we don't have work daily, I am thinking about a trip to the beach now."

Eli put her hand on her chin for a while and lost in thought after a bit more time she continued "Let's go to the beach...the day after tomorrow would be nice. The weather's fine and no one has work that day."

Maki nodded. "Let's, I will call the rest."

Umi turned to Maki. "We can stay at the vacation home. If it's alright with you Maki."

"Of course it is anything for you Umi." She ended with a smile.

Umi just smiled back at Maki but Eli didn't do the same she gave her a death glare and it forced Maki to change the conversation.

"S-so Eli you said that you would do something if Nico-Chan didn't take care of Umi. What did you say?"

"Oh that! Are you sure you want to know?" Eli smirked and folded her arms.

"Sure." Maki replied and Umi also seemed eager to know what her beloved would have done to Nico if she knew about her condition earlier.

"(Maybe washi washi by Nozomi? NO! I don't think so)" Umi thought to herself but then shaked her head to dismiss that thought.

"I told her that I will tell Nozomi that she was interested in her if she didn't take care of my darling." Eli placed her arm over Umi's shoulder and gave a peck on her cheek.

"WHAT?!" Maki moved to the edge of her seat and Umi turned towards Eli.

"Nico-Chan likes Nozomi!" Maki's face said it all. She seemed so surprised, not jealous or angry surprised but...genuinely eager-to-know surprise.

"Yeah but don't worry it was just a little crush. She loves you." Eli shook her hands in order to calm down the situation.

"I-I know, you don't need to remind me." Maki eased in her seat and sighed.

Umi glared at Eli and removed her arm from her shoulders. "Eli threatening Nico was rude and why did you do tell her to take care of me? I can take care of myself. If you want me to believe that you care about me after not calling me once or when Kotori called and you said those rude things, I don't believe you."

Maki and Eli just stared at each other then Umi then again started staring at each other again.

Maki shook her head and looked at Eli. "She doesn't know."

"Yeah I will take care of it."

"Be my guest I am now going upstairs and to sleep." Maki got up and started to leave.

"Thank you for today and Maki let Nico rest for at least today ok?" Maki turned towards Eli but Eli just winked and started giggling.

"S-shut u-up." Maki left with an apparent blush on her face.

Umi hid her face in her hands and started blushing furiously. "Oh now I get what you meant when you said that to Maki."

"Aw my pure princess. Now, can I borrow your kiss? I promise I will give it back." Eli started giggling again.

"Too much cheese Eli."

"But I just thought your lips look lonely and that maybe they would like to meet mine." Eli said with a pout.

Umi sighed. "You will never learn."

Eli went closer to Umi and placed her hands on her shoulder. "And I never got to know about the bomb really! Or I would have left everything and came back."

"If you don't believe me look at my phone history here. I called you 500 times in 5 months and I used to receive one call every month from Kotori that you were busy." She added.

"Huh? How can that be you didn't know what happened?"

"Not until Maki told me just now." Eli rested her head on Umi shoulder and folded her arms around her neck.

"And you received only 5 calls but what about those things you said to Kotori."

"I am sorry to say but Kotori tricked you and you believed her and didn't trust my love for you."

Umi removed Eli's hands and looked her in the eyes. "Eli do you seriously think that I didn't know Kotori is tricking me. I am her childhood friend and an elite officer."

"What do you mean?"

"When you started to date Nozomi you still came to me. I was just testing if you still love me."

"Then why can't you break up with Kotori?" Eli started pouting again.

"Because I am in debt and something seems wrong I want to help Kotori with it. She must have a reason behind for tricking me."

"I will help but that means you still have my heart." Eli smiled and poked Umi's chest, where her heart is.

"Of course, now come here." Umi opened up her arms, inviting Eli to join her in an embrace.

Eli obeyed her and hugged her. They stayed in that position for while before Eli started to tug Umi's hoodie in hopes of getting a kiss but was unsuccessful because Umi gave her a peck on her forehead.

"Patience brings rewards." Umi smiled towards her, still holding her in her arms.

"Now time for something romantic Eli, if I got to rearrange the alphabet I would put U and I together"

"Thank you." Eli blushed and hugged Umi again.

Umi accepted her for a bit before saying "Now let's go get some sleep."

They went upstairs holding each other's hands. When they had to part Eli kissed Umi on the cheek, said good night and went inside her room. Umi watched the door closed and placed her hand on her cheek while smiling then also went into her room before whispering 'Eli'.

When Umi went inside her room she found Kotori sleeping so she decided to caress her head and go to bed. When Eli went inside the room she saw Nozomi sleeping with her book on her chest so she decided to remove the book and place it on the side table. After that she lifted the blanket to cover Nozomi and went to sleep herself.

Next morning – in Nico and Maki's room

Light shone upon Nico who seemed to have been hugging Maki close all night and the red hair seemed to have accepted it without hesitation. She carefully woke up to make sure Maki doesn't wake up because of her.

"I hate to admit but she does look cuter than the great Nico-nii." Nico said to herself while looking at Maki who was sleeping peacefully.

She then went to the bath room to have a shower but when she came out she saw that Maki was already up rubbing her eyes.

"Sorry, did I wake you up princess?"

"No, I woke up because I couldn't find Nico-Chan's warmth next to me" Maki spoke in a groggy voice, proving she was still half asleep.

"Good morning." Nico turned around near the cupboard and opened her bathrobe.

"G-good m-morning." Maki looked away with an embarrassed face.

"Why are you stuttering in the morning?" Nico asked while picking up her clothes from the table.

"B-because I can see you through the mirror"

Nico quickly placed her clothes along with her inner wear on the table which was near the cupboard and closed her bathrobe. When she turned around she saw that Maki was red but was still staring at her...actually her bathrobe.

"Quit staring!"

"But you look hot and you are turning me on." Maki kept on innocently staring at her.

Nico held both of the sides of her bathrobe close to show no skin on the chest area because this is where Maki has been staring for a while.

"STOP!" Nico was so embarrassed she almost begged Maki to look away.

"I am going downstairs to prepare breakfast today go away and get freshen up" Nico added with a full blown blush on her face.

"You are going downstairs in your robe?"

"That's why I am telling you to leave BAKA! So I can change" Nico tried to get Maki out with a blush on her face but it did take a while to do so. After getting rid of a certain someone she got dressed and went downstairs to prepare breakfast.

Meanwhile in other rooms everyone was sleeping peacefully but when the aroma of the food got spread Kotori and Nozomi woke up in their respective rooms and hurried to the bathroom to get ready so that they can have breakfast later.

Now the remaining ones who didn't come downstairs yet were 'The Tsundere Tomato', 'The Pure Princess' and 'The Cool Diva'. Maki was surprisingly taking long in the bathroom, Umi was still sleeping and so was Eli. As the bright light shone Umi woke up without trouble because she is a morning person however Eli was fidgeting in bed and Maki got out of the bathroom and started to get ready but when she was about to go out she received a notification about her email that she didn't read the file 'What happened today?' so she sat down to read what cases and clients came to her hospital.

Umi woke up and went to get ready. After she got dressed she tried to make her way downstairs but found that Eli's room's door was a bit open. She tried to close it but she heard a familiar groan so she decided to enter the room. She saw Eli moving around her bed, at first she found it cute then remembered Eli is not a morning person and has trouble to get up.

"Eli." Umi whispered as she made her way towards her blonde.

"Seriously, you can never get used to morning" she continued as she sat on the bed and placed her hand on Eli and started to caress her blond locks lovingly.

"U-Umi." Eli woke up and seemed to have been surprised on what Umi was doing next to her.

"Good Morning" Umi smiled towards Eli and started caressing her golden locks again.

"Good morning babe." Eli woke up and placed her head on Umi's chest and tightened her hands around her waist.

"Are you happy to see me here?" Umi stopped caressing but kept her hand on Eli's head.

"Yes I am." Eli was genuinely content to see Umi by her side in the morning.

"Today Nico-Chan is cooking us breakfast so get ready. I will wait for you here"

"Really, what's on the menu then?" Eli asked as she loosened her grip and tried to sit straight.

"I am not sure"

"I know it's..." Eli got off of bed before answering to Umi.

"What is it?" Umi asked in curiosity.

"It's ME-N-U" Eli went inside the bathroom after saying that.

"Silly Eli" Umi said as she got up while smiling.

After a few while Eli came out in her bathrobe but failed to find Umi. When she looked around she saw that her bed was neat and tidy and everything in her room placed properly. She smiled to herself while opening her bathrobe and letting it fall on the floor thinking that Umi went downstairs.

Eli didn't know that Umi was under the bed and when she tried to come out she saw Eli's bathrobe on the floor. She was half undressed with a bottom inner wear perfectly worn but the upper inner wear unhooked. She seems to have been trying her best to wear it but she couldn't hook it.

"I'll help you." Umi took the hook in her hand and started hooking the bra.

"U-UMI!" Eli's blush got redder and redder.

"It's not tight is it?" Umi asked after hooking the bra but also seemed to have been blushing, not as much as Eli though.

"It's perfect." Eli turned around her face still red and looked at Umi.

"Umi I didn't knew you could be this embarrassing and watch me shamelessly from under the bed" She continued in a teasing tone and placed her hands around Umi's neck.

Umi gripped on Eli's waist and pulled her close. "I dropped my ring that you gave me and it went under the bed and you were taking long to clasp your...thing...so I thought I would help you."

"And it's not shameless to watch the person you love get dressed is it?" she continued while blushing and looked away.

"It's not if it's Umi who is watching and it's makes me happy that you still have my ring" Eli placed her head on Umi's shoulder and smiled to herself.

"Ok, now let's get you dressed."

Eli nodded and sprayed her deodorant on before letting Umi dress her. Umi picked up Eli's shirt from the side table and helped her to get it on. Eli wore her jeans on her own and then Umi took Eli's hand and made her sit on the stool in front of the dressing table.

"Today I want to tie your hair Eli."

"Ok as you wish."

Umi straightened her hair, sprayed Eli's favourite hair spray on and combed up her hair. As Umi was tying her hair Eli put on her make-up. She made sure that she put on light make-up just the way Umi likes because she still wants her face to look natural then heavily made up. This is also a plus point in her model career as she looks natural but beautiful at the same time due to light make-up and her originally gorgeous self.

Umi then presented her hand with a warm smile. Eli took her hand and got up from her seat. When they got out of the room they bumped into Maki and Nico.

"Oh from the same room huh? And holding hands, I am jealous" Nico said with a big grin.

Eli and Umi freed their hands and looked everywhere but Nico while having a blush creep up on their cheeks.

"Nico-Chan I will be going downstairs first. Eli, Umi I will wait downstairs. Let's have breakfast together today" Maki smiled and then went downstairs.

"Soooo, how did everything get to this? Won't you tell the great Nico-Nico-nii?" Nico managed to pull her puppy dog eyes and looked at the pair.

"I don't know what you mean." Eli laughed awkwardly. She then scratched her cheek as she looked at Nico.

"I thought you were downstairs Nico preparing breakfast how come you are upstairs?" Umi didn't realise that everything was prepared already.

"I already made breakfast and Nozomi, Kotori and I have eaten too. I came to check on Maki because when I was about to prepare breakfast she was in the bathroom but didn't come downstairs earlier."

"So what happened?" Eli gave a confused look but in her mind she fist pumped because she knew she was changing the whole topic.

"She got caught up in reading her 'what happened today?' e-mail." Nico curled her forefinger and index finger on both hands to exaggerate on 'what happened today?

"Isn't that the file which explains the activities and cases in the hospital? Maki receives it when she doesn't attend the hospital, kind of like to update Maki on what's happening in her hospital?"

"Yeah spot on Umi! But you still haven't answered why did you two come from the same room while holding hands?" Eli facepalmed and Umi sighed.

"That's...Maki is waiting I must go downstairs" Eli hurriedly left.

"Come on Nico lets go downstairs. I am really very hungry." Umi awkwardly managed to blurt out and started to make her way downstairs. Nico just giggled and followed Umi downstairs.

When they arrived they saw Nozomi and Kotori on the sofa chilling while watching a movie.

"Isn't it too early for a romantic movie?" They heard Eli ask the same question that was running inside their heads.

Kotori teared up and tugged Nozomi's sleeves "Nozomi-Chan look they are about to kiss."

"Late comers quite down a bit this is the last scene." Nozomi turned towards looking like she was so enjoying the movie very much.

"Don't stare so much geez, absolutely shameless!" Upon hearing this Eli went towards Umi and whispered into her ears

"Oh my, the one who hid under the bed to watch me is teaching about shame"

Umi blushed, ignored the comment and went toward the dining table. Nico gave a knowing smile and said

"Shall we go too then?"

"But you already had your breakfast"

"I am just coming to serve." Eli grabbed Eli's arm and pulled her towards the kitchen.

On the dining table Umi sat next to Maki pouting. When Eli came she saw that she will have to sit next to Maki or in front of Umi and Maki so she decided the second option was better.

"I am sorry Umi please stop pouting." Eli sat down and tried to place her hand over Umi's but she pulled away.

"I am not pouting!"

Maki and Eli laughed at the sudden reaction but went quiet when Nico came with their breakfast. After eating their breakfast they went into the living room to sit as a group and have some fun.