Pairing: Umi X Hanayo

Chapter: Closer

Rating: K+

In which Umi runs away from Kotori and bumps into Hanayo.


Frantic footsteps could be heard echoing down the empty hallways.

Heart racing as she sped down the hallways, Umi ran for her dear life as she tried to think of a place where Kotori wouldn't look for her. She shivered when she recalled the dress that her childhood friend had shoved into her face. A cute light blue dress with pretty white flowery frills that Kotori just finished making and sewing. But the dress was too short.There was no way she could wear something so shameless! In a bid to escape her fate of being Kotori's unfortunate model of her latest design, Umi had immediately dropped the dress, much to Kotori's surprise, before she took off and escaped the sewing room.

"There's no way I can wear that!"

Umi continued running. She had faith in her stamina but she knew not to underestimate Kotori's ability to find her. Even when they were kids, Kotori always had the knack of finding her wherever she hid.

I have to find a place where she least expects me to hide...

There was only one place in Otonoki where Umi had always avoided as much as she could.

That one place that she knew Kotori wouldn't think of to look for her.

The aplacas' stable.


"There, there…" Hanayo cooed while stroking the snow white fur of the school's pet fondly as the alpaca grunted a pleased reply before munching on some hay that Hanayo had just fed him.

The brown alpaca beside him snorted, wanting attention too.

Hanayo giggled as she petted the smooth brown fur, running her fingers through her softness while the female alpaca bleated in contentment.

Ahhhhh~ They're so cute and their fur are so fluffy… Hanayo sighed blissfully, burying her face into the fluff of fur.

She was glad for the two alpacas that resided in the school. Sometimes when she was alone, when Rin or Maki were busy, or whenever she was feeling down, she'd drop by the stables to talk to the animals and feed them. Hanayo was a naturally shy person and wasn't used to expressing her feelings to others due to her own insecurities. She often had a bad habit of bottling everything up until Rin noticed something was wrong and forced it out of her.

However, when she joined Muse, though she was still shy, she had improved a little, gradually. She was able to voice her own opinions – that were taken into consideration seriously by her friends and when she needed help with the dance steps, Eli and Rin were always there for her. Maki had also tried to push Hanayo forward into feeling more confident and Hanayo was glad for her friends' existence in her life. If it weren't for Muse, she wouldn't have been who she was today.

"Everyone in Muse is really kind and nice…" Hanayo muttered, as she continued to absently pet the alpaca.

The alpaca grunted once – as if trying to agree with the brunette and to comfort her and Hanayo rewarded the brown female alpaca by stroking her neck affectionately.

Seconds passed when the alpaca started to grunt loudly in unease, as if sensing something or someone.

"What's wrong?" Hanayo furrowed her eyebrows, worried.

"H-Hanayo!" A frantic voice gasped as loud footsteps came closer and closer toward the stables.

"U-Umi-chan?!" Hanayo half-squeaked in surprise. Her usually calm and serene senior running hurriedly was such a rare sight.

"I'm sorry- but I need to hide here for a while!" Umi panted as she scanned the area nervously, as if on a look out.

"E-Eh?!"

"If Kotori comes by and asks for me, tell her I'm not here," Umi grasped Hanayo's shoulders tightly, her golden brown orbs burning into Hanayo's.

Hanayo froze at the intense gaze and nodded meekly, not before wincing slightly at how Umi's fingers were digging into her shoulder blades.

"A-Ah, I'm so sorry. It must've hurt," Umi's voice immediately softened, turning apologetic as she relaxed her grip.

"I-It's fine!" Hanayo blurted out, feeling blood rushing through her cheeks at the close proximity.

"Sorry…" Umi bowed before she disappeared into the stables where the alpacas were.

I wonder what happened…?

"Hanayo-chan!" Yet another familiar voice, this time more high-pitched came calling for her.

"Kotori-chan!"

"Have you seen Umi-chan?" Kotori asked sweetly. Too sweetly, in Hanayo's honest opinion. She wondered if Umi did something to upset the angel-like girl before her.

"N-No…" Hanayo lied, before wincing inwardly at how uncertain she sounded. Ahhhh, she wasn't really good at lying to people!

"Hmm is that so?" Kotori was a little suspicious but saw no reason to doubt Hanayo. Besides, Hanayo seemed a little surprised and overwhelmed that the taupe haired girl felt bad immediately. A soft grunt from the stables shifted Kotori's attention away from Hanayo as the second year started to fawn over the school pets instead.

Hanayo heaved a sigh of inward relief.

"In that case, I have to go off and look for Umi-chan," Kotori gave the alpacas one final pet before waving at the younger brunette as the older girl headed off in the opposite direction, presumably to the archery range in search of her childhood friend.

"Um…Umi-chan, Kotori-chan is gone," Hanayo peered into the stables, finding Umi curled up behind the brown alpaca.

Umi, covered in hay from head to toe stumbled out in a way unbecoming of a usually graceful image she held and sighed.

"Thank you, Hanayo. I'm so sorry for troubling you…"

"N-No, it's fine!" Hanayo smiled lightly before chuckling at the sight before her. Bits of hay were sticking out of Umi's hair, ruining her "dashing prince" image. She wondered what her classmates would say when if they saw their much admired "prince" like that.

"W-What are you laughing at?" The tips of the bluentte's ears reddened in embarrassment.

"You have hay in your hair," Hanayo replied, still giggling slightly before leaning forward and tiptoeing, reaching for the stray hay.

"H-Hanayo…?" Umi could feel herself blushing at the sudden closeness just as she felt her junior's hand smoothing out her hair.

"I-uh I mean, there's hay in your hair so I…" Hanayo's voice trailed off, quickly retracting her hand as a similar blush tinted her cheeks.

"T-Thank you," Umi murmured.

"Why were you running away from Kotori-chan?" Hanayo finally asked.

"Kotori…wanted me to wear a really really short dress…" Umi admitted, shuddering as she recalled the frilly blue dress that Kotori had almost forced her to wear. Kotori had insisted that she'd look really cute in the dress but Umi begged to differ. There was no way someone like her could look cute in such a dress. Besides, it's just too short!

"I-I think Umi-chan would look cute in any dress though," Hanayo said shyly, averting her gaze.

"R-Really?" Umi couldn't contain another blush as she scratched her cheek, embarrassed. She wasn't really used to being called "cute" by others besides her two childhood friends. She didn't think she was cute after all. She thought that she'd look better in pants and in a kimono - but definitely not short frilly dresses as Kotori had claimed. Besides, she didn't feel comfortable wearing such short outfits. She felt too self-conscious for that especially having her thighs exposed. It had always taken a lot of convincing from Kotori and bribery from Honoka (Homura's manjuus were really delicious after all) for Umi to be in a short dress or mini skirt for their live. Despite being used to it (given that she didn't really have a choice and was always outvoted), she still felt uneasy if she had to be the only one wearing it.

Hanayo nodded, albeit too enthusiastically with a huge smile. "Umi-chan is really cute after all!" Hanayo insisted.

Umi could feel her cheeks burning furiously.

"Umi-chan would look great in almost any type of outfits," Hanayo continued.

"R-Really...?"

"Yes!" The younger girl nodded, "That's because-" Before Hanayo could finish her sentence, she felt a shove against her, causing her to trip as the younger girl started to fall.

"Hanayo!" Alarmed, Umi immediately reached out on instinct, her reflexes kicking in.

"Ah-" The brunette started to flail and would have fallen onto the ground headfirst if not for Umi's quick reflexes.

Umi immediately heaved a sigh of relief when Hanayo was safe in her arms.

Hanayo's heart was thundering against her chest, both from fear and the close proximity they were in. She could only stare into the pools of golden brown that enraptured her helplessly as those orbs ensnared her.

Umi-chan's eyes are really beautiful... Hanayo couldn't help but think, awestruck at the breathtaking sight before her. The faint blush on that painted the older girl's cheeks was complemented the dark tresses of hair that cascaded smoothly onto the bluentte's back and Umi had looked almost prince-like given their position.

Now I understand why my classmates were talking about. Umi-chan is so...dashing.

"H-Hanayo? Are you fine?" The worried tone of her senior's voice cut through Hanayo's lost and dazed thoughts as Umi brought her face closer to her junior, worried that the younger girl might've hurt herself from the fall.

"I-I'm f-fine!" Hanayo sputtered, choking in between her words, utterly embarrassed yet unable to look away from the mesmerising gold and blue that graced her presence. Her face was probably really red now and the longer they stayed in the position, the longer Hanayo didn't want Umi to let go. She didn't want this magical moment to break.

"Hanayo...?" Umi furrowed her eyebrows, still unconvinced. Hanayo's face was also really red. Was she falling sick?

"I-I'm sorry and t-thank you for saving me!" Hanayo managed to stammer out.

"It's fine," Umi smiled gently, her radiant smile sending Hanayo's face ablaze as her heart made a quick dash, butterflies starting to grow in her stomach.

"Can you stand?" Umi asked softly.

"Y-Yes..." Hanayo squeaked out to which Umi nodded and carefully let go of the younger girl she was holding.

"I-I'm sorry, I must be really heavy-"

"Hanayo. It's okay." Umi rested her hand on the younger girl's head, ruffling it slightly, "My arms are strong since I'm trained in martial arts and archery. This was nothing." Umi tactfully decided not to add that the younger girl should probably stop eating so much riceballs during practices. Seeing the already dejected look on her junior's face was enough to tug at the older girl's heartstrings and she didn't want Hanayo to feel even worse.

"Ah..."

"It's already time. Shall we head to practice together then?" Umi asked.

Hanayo nodded and was rewarded with another smile from Umi as the duo headed back to the school, not realising that the one who pushed Hanayo was actually the brown alpaca back in the stables, who had wanted to chase the two humans away.


A/N:

Ending is abrupt I know. I like the thought of Umi senpai taking really good care of Hanayo kouhai. Like Umi being protective and gentle on the adorable Pana. Though Pana can certainly turn the tables and be somewhat aggressive when she gets more confident.

Umi definitely looks really good in a kimono. I want to see her in cool khaki pants in casual style too. More like Umi can pull of many styles: cute, cool, sexy, beautiful, traditional etc.

Next: Kotori X Hanayo!

Stay tuned!