"I've seen the way you look at me when you think I don't notice."

Pairing: Kotoumi

The mike stand twirled and ashen hair enveloped her, as she threw her arm up with a wonderful finish, the passionate gaze in her eyes sending chills down Umi's spine.

Yet those gold eyes never gave Umi even a passing glance, and Umi felt her heart clench, almost forgetting her own verse.

And all she could do was to whisper to the mike, "but, you see, I can't say it, I love you… I love you…"

The last phrase was uttered together with Kotori and she almost cried, because it was everything she wanted to hear.

At times Umi didn't know how to react, she never realized her childhood friend could be so temperamental.

What's with her getting to close to Hanayo?

All she wanted was to offer Kotori a cup of water yet she was brushed off with Kotori telling her she had to practice for love marginal, her childhood friend not even sparing her a glance.

She never thought she would get jealous of her junior, but an ugly feeling bubbled up inside when Kotori snuggled closer to Hanayo.

Her gut twisted when the grey haired girl leaned closer, whispering something to Hanayo, then both of them breaking into giggles.

It used to be her place and Umi couldn't help but feel as if she was replaced.

It was getting harder not to glance at Kotori, and she was performing worse during their duet.

Umi only had herself to blame, for writing the lyrics of anemone heart.

The words seemed to slice through her heart, and she wasn't sure if she could do this with Kotori anymore.

The last note rang through and she willed herself not to run away.

Umi stole another glance, and not disappointing, those golden eyes were never looking at her.

And for once, Umi gave in to her feelings, the mike stand crashing on the floor on her way out, covering the shouts of the other muse members.

Her legs never stopped and soon she found herself by the play ground they used to play in.

And every single thing reminded her of Kotori, the rusty chains of the swing, the abandoned slide and the tree that they had climbed.

Maybe if they had never met on that day she wouldn't be in so much pain.

There were light pats on the ground, and she willed herself not to think of Kotori, because that sounded very much like her footsteps.

"Umi-chan!"

But oh that sweet voice she could recognize it anywhere, her name on her lips sounded so perfectly harmonious.

It almost brought her to tears, she had missed Kotori calling her name.

How many days had it been, since Kotori had waged a cold war with her for no reason?

She grabbed her shirt, hoping that would somehow appease her aching heart, and it was getting harder to control the flooding in her eyes .

There was a hug from the back and she could feel Kotori's warm breath upon her neck, her mouth close to her ears whispering into them like how they used to.

"Why won't you say it?"

She had no words to say, the pounding in her ribcage was too loud, the echoes of Kotori's words ringing in her mind.

"Why won't you tell me you love me more than just a friend?"

"I-I don't…" And even her words don't sound convincing to her own ears.

"I've seen the way you look at me when you think I don't notice."

The fear and pain from just now struck her again.

"Because I'm only your childhood friend and I…"

And she was spun around like the mike stand, the passionate gaze in Kotori's eyes sending chills down her spine.

"If you can't say it…"

The lips on her mouth was soft like how she had imagined, wet because they were both crying and hot like how the auditorium was.

"Then I'll tell you…"

"I love you."