Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to 'Love Live!'

"I still can't believe that we actually got the last spot," Eli remarked, the rest of the group still excited about it.

Earlier in the day, µ's showed up to the spot selection for the Love Live finals. They all agreed that the one to actually pull their number should be Nico, their club president.

Luckily, Nico managed to select the last performance spot of the evening, so now µ's could possibly make the greatest impact.

"I know, right? You should all thank me," Nico replied haughtily, still feeling a bit smug about the whole ordeal.

A few of them laughed bashfully due to Nico's actions, then Umi started to fidget a bit in her seat due to nervousness.

"It does come with a lot of pressure, though…" Umi reminded the energetic group, and they thought about it for a moment.

Last Love Live, A-RISE stood on that stage and made history as the winners. They weren't given the chance to do that this time after losing to µ's.

Now, everyone in µ's wanted to honor the wishes of A-RISE. They were told to win Love Live, and that's exactly what they all aimed to do. But could they actually…

Just then, a loud sound shook the rest of them out of their thoughts, and they turned their heads to see Honoka with her hands on the table.

"It'll be fine! This way, we can make sure everyone knows µ's! We'll get to be the last group everyone sees, and we'll get to sing for everyone!" Honoka tried her best to convince the rest of them, but then Maki brought up a good point.

"Well, the last group would actually be the encore by the winners…"

Honoka tripped up for a moment as she was suddenly reminded of the rule, but she quickly shook her head.

"Then we'll just have to win!" she decided earnestly, and the rest of the group showed a relaxed smile at her words.

Eli then clapped her hands together to get the group's attention.

"Alright, let's practice!" she quickly announced, and the rest of the group energetically stood up from their seats to follow her.

…

For the most part, practice was like usual. Though there was a somewhat sad mood hanging over all of them. They all put on their best smiles, but what they realized earlier kept resurfacing in their thoughts.

This was their last practice session as µ's.

During a break from practice, Honoka had a gloomy expression on her face as she watched the other groups. Hanayo, Rin and Maki were having a fun conversation, and Eli and Nozomi were humoring Nico by trying out Nico's signature pose.

It seemed like such a happy scene, but Honoka couldn't help but getting a bit depressed as she watched it.

Just then, Kotori sat down next to Honoka, then wrapped her arms around her as she pulled Honoka into a hug.

"E-Eh?! Kotori-chan?" Honoka gave Kotori a surprised look, but Kotori just pulled Honoka even closer.

"No getting sad, Honoka-chan," Kotori whispered.

Honoka smiled softly in Kotori's embrace, then looked down to the ground.

"Mhm."

Umi sat down on the other side of Honoka, then looked to the other groups just like Honoka did.

"It's still hard to believe it though," Umi empathized with Honoka.

Kotori wasn't having it though, as she looked at Umi with a small frown.

"Ah! Is Umi-chan sad too?" she said with suspicion, and Umi leaned back a bit, feeling like she was in danger.

"Huh?! N-No, I wasn't-"

"I think she is!" Honoka quickly agreed with Kotori, then reached her arms out and pulled Umi into the hug as well.

"Hey! Stop!" Umi desperately tried to get out of the hold, but now that Kotori changed her hold so now that she was hugging both Honoka and Umi, escape was impossible.

Just then, the other groups noticed the scene that was happening.

"That looks fun, nya!" Rin said excitedly as she rushed over to them, and Hanayo quickly followed.

Maki and Nico didn't join in immediately, so they had to be gently pushed by Nozomi and Eli.

Soon enough, everyone in µ's was engaged in a giant group hug.

…

After practice, they were all walking together toward the school's gate. They all understood that they needed to separate at some point, but they still refused to walk across the crosswalk even after the light turned green.

"We'll never go home at this rate," Nico complained, but she didn't move either.

"I know, but…" Hanayo didn't want the moment to end just yet.

The group stood in silence for a few more moments, then Honoka turned to face all of them.

"I have an idea!" she said enthusiastically, and the rest of µ's gave her a curious look.

…

Due to Honoka's suggestion, the group arrived at the steps of the nearby shrine to pray.

"It felt like just yesterday we climbed these…" Nozomi playfully reminisced, and Maki sighed quietly at the absurdity.

"Actually, we did that today," she corrected Nozomi, who then gave her a quick wink in response.

They climbed the steps, then lined up at the shrine to make their wish.

"I hope we're not making too many wishes…" Umi said quietly as she worried, and Eli laughed a bit.

"I don't think you need to worry about that," she said confidently, then glanced to Nozomi, who quickly nodded.

"It's not a problem," she agreed, just as confident.

"Huh? Why?" Hanayo asked curiously, not understanding the vague responses to Umi's question.

Rin glanced to Hanayo, surprised.

"Huh? You don't get it, Kayo-chin?"

Hanayo shook her head, feeling a bit silly at being left out of the loop.

"Ah, I get it," Maki suddenly chimed in after she thought about it a bit.

"So that's it," Umi was able to piece it together as well as she retracted her question.

Slowly, the group all came to understand the answer.

They may not have used the same exact words, but they all surely wished for the same thing.

After they finished, the group talked for a bit longer.

Honoka's suggestion was so that they could feel satisfied with today and meet at Love Live tomorrow, but they were all still reluctant to separate.

Suddenly, a familiar voice made them all look back toward the steps of the shrine.

"Oh, it's you girls."

Their eyes rested on Tsubasa, the one who called out to them, along with Anju and Erena.

"A-RISE?!" Nico greeted them with shock. Even though she's interacted with them a lot since Honoka got into a relationship with Tsubasa, she still couldn't get used to meeting all of them.

"Hi~" Anju replied playfully as she waved at them, then the three of them started to walk toward µ's.

"Making a wish?" Erena guessed what they were doing there, and everyone in µ's slowly nodded in response.

"Is that why you're here too?" Kotori asked innocently with a tilt of her head, and Tsubasa smiled softly.

"That's right."

As the members of A-RISE walked toward the shrine, Honoka stopped them for a moment.

"What are you wishing for?" she asked curiously, but Anju quickly stepped forward and gently covered Honoka's mouth with a hand.

"Not telling," she said with a smirk, and Tsubasa and Erena shrugged in response.

Though with this timing, it was obvious what they were wishing for.

…

After A-RISE finished wishing, they picked up on the fact that µ's didn't want to separate. They laughed a bit, as it reminded them of their own experience.

Erena suggested that µ's should do what they did at that time, to simply stay at the school overnight.

With Kotori's mother's permission, they were able to organize the overnight stay.

After spreading out the beds, they discovered that they could only fit nine into the room. Which would normally be fine, but…

"We're here!" Anju enthusiastically greeted µ's as she opened the door to their clubroom. Erena and Tsubasa poked their heads in as well with small smiles.

However, the members of µ's had conflicted expressions.

"We're happy that you're here, but…" Eli sighed softly.

"We only have space for nine beds," Umi finished the sentence for her, feeling a bit guilty that they invited A-RISE without making sure there was enough room beforehand.

Tsubasa, Anju and Erena walked inside the room, then looked down at all of the bedrolls, deep in thought.

Tsubasa smirked as she suddenly got an idea.

"Well, I can always sleep with Honoka-" she started, but was immediately cut off by Umi's glare.

"Absolutely not," Umi quickly denied the suggestion, and Tsubasa pouted a bit as Anju giggled.

"Well, what are we going to do then?" Erena asked seriously, wondering if they would have to leave.

The group searched for a solution for a moment, then Umi glanced to Kotori.

"Kotori," she signaled, hoping Kotori would immediately understand her intentions, and Kotori nodded with a smile.

"Honoka-chan!" she called out happily, and Honoka looked at her curiously.

"Huh? Wha-" Honoka started to ask, but was softly brought to the ground by Umi and Kotori.

"Eh?! Kotori-chan?! Umi-chan?!" Honoka was confused as she looked at both of them, who were smiling.

The three of them were somehow able to fit into one bed, so now there were two open spots.

Anju quickly warmed up to the idea, and brought Erena down to the ground as well, and they both showed that they could fit into one bed.

Now there was a spare bed for Tsubasa, and no one had to leave.

However, Tsubasa stared at Umi and Kotori with dissatisfaction.

"So, you two can sleep with her just fine, but it's not okay for me?" she asked playfully, but Eli immediately folded her own arms.

"Your version of 'sleeping' is a bit different, Tsubasa-san," Eli reminded her simply, and Tsubasa and Honoka couldn't help but blush as they remembered that scene.

Tsubasa couldn't possibly argue against that, so she reluctantly agreed on sleeping in the spare bed.

After talking for a bit more, Honoka and Tsubasa joined Nico and Hanayo in cooking for the group.

They all had a fun time for a few more hours, then fell asleep.

...

Well, expect for two of them.

Honoka slowly wiggled out of Kotori and Umi's hold on her, and successfully managed to not wake them up as she left her spot.

She quietly crept out of the clubroom, then opened the door of the nearby classroom.

"I was starting to think you weren't going to come," Tsubasa said simply as she glanced to the doorway, and Honoka closed the sliding door behind her as she walked in.

"Sorry! Kotori-chan really had me stuck there…" Honoka sighed softly, then the two of them giggled happily.

Honoka walked over to the desk that Tsubasa was sitting on top of, then looked to her with a smile.

Tsubasa slowly reached a hand out, then tucked some of Honoka's hair behind her ear as she held her cheek.

"Are you nervous?"

Honoka moved her eyes to the ground, then nodded.

"A little," she admitted quietly.

All of their practice has led up to tomorrow's Love Live. This was also the last chance for Eli, Nozomi and Nico. She was insanely worried and couldn't stop thinking about how they would all feel if they lost.

Some tiny part of her thought back to when she had her accident during the first Love Live. In the end, the rest of µ's didn't hold it against her, but maybe if they lost tomorrow…

As Honoka was deep in thought, Tsubasa removed her hand, then hopped down from the desk.

She wrapped her arms around Honoka's waist, then brought their bodies close as she looked into Honoka's eyes.

"You'll do just fine, trust me. Anju, Erena and I have been with you girls practicing, and we know your performance will be amazing," she said without a trace of doubt.

It's not just because Honoka was her girlfriend, or because A-RISE was friends with µ's. µ's was good enough to beat them in the preliminary finals, and after practicing with them more, all of A-RISE agreed that µ's would most likely win it all.

All nine of them were extremely talented and had more passion for being school idols than any other group competing.

"But-!" Honoka tried to refute it, but she was cut off as Tsubasa's lips met hers.

Tsubasa broke the kiss shortly after.

"No buts. You have to believe in yourself and everyone else. I know you can do it," Tsubasa said simply, and there was no more room for Honoka to talk back.

Honoka eventually smiled as well. All of her nervousness was cleared away by Tsubasa, so now she just had to do the best she could on that stage tomorrow.

"Thank you, Tsubasa-chan. Now I-" Honoka started to explain that she should be going back to bed, but Tsubasa quickly walked forward while holding onto Honoka, and soon enough, Honoka had her back to the wall.

"T-Tsubasa-chan…?" Honoka asked with confusion as she looked at Tsubasa, who now had a smirk on her face.

"We're not done yet," she said mischievously, and Honoka swallowed subconsciously.

"Ehh…?" she murmured in embarrassment as she blushed and averted her gaze.

Tsubasa moved her arms away from Honoka's waist, and she instead grabbed both of Honoka's hands and held them above her head, against the wall.

"I know you were busy with practice, but…" Tsubasa started, then leaned closer, their faces only a few inches apart.

"I was lonely," she teased, and Honoka looked back at Tsubasa with nervousness.

"I'm sorry…" Honoka earnestly apologized, which made Tsubasa laugh softly.

"Sorry, I was just messing with you. I know you couldn't help it," she explained seriously, and Honoka breathed a sigh of relief, glad that she didn't make Tsubasa upset.

"Then I-"

"But I really do want to make up for it now," Tsubasa cut her off with a grin.

Honoka became nervous again, but for a different reason this time.

…

Tsubasa and Honoka managed to control themselves, and didn't take their midnight rendezvous any further than kissing.

The next day, µ's split up from A-RISE, as they needed to be at the venue early. All of A-RISE understood, as they understood well just how early the staff expected groups to show up for the finals.

All of µ's stood side-by-side as they looked up at the entrance for the venue, then mentally prepared themselves as they walked past the signs.

Today, they would perform at the Love Live finals.