Last time on Love Live!: Umi and Maki had to restrain gay ass Eli from bidding for Nozomi while Tsubasa didn't hide her gay ass and went all out on Honoka, also Erena turns out to be gay and kind of an ass to Umi while Nico discovers that Maki is gay for her ass

"Elichi?"

Eli turned around, her expression lighting up. "Nozomi. I've been looking for you."

"You were?" Nozomi smiled at her. "I'm sorry, I had a first meet with my future date."

"Oh." Eli's expression fell. She held her elbows as she struggled with herself over what to say next. Did she want to know what kind of person Nozomi was going to go on a date with or did she want to live in blissful ignorance? But that was hardly possible since she was going to find out sooner or later. "So...what are they like?"

Nozomi hummed in thought, tapping her fingers against her chin. "Unexpected," she concluded with a grin.

"Eh?"

"I don't judge my fans but I have to admit that I did expect a certain sort," Nozomi said with a sheepish smile. "You will see soon enough, Elichi."

If there was one answer that could have made Eli feel even more troubled, then it was this. "Why can't you just tell me?" she asked, crossing her arms. "Are you keeping a secret from me?"

"Why would I?" Nozomi said with a chuckle, winking at her. "It's a surprise, Elichi. Now, don't you have an autograph session to get to in five minutes?"

"Nozomi," Eli complained, her voice sounding whiny and childish even to herself. "You know I don't like surprises."

Nozomi took Eli's hand and squeezed it. "But you like me. So you'll have to bear this one like everyone else. See you later, Elichi."

And with a cheeky grin, Nozomi let go of her hand, waving her goodbye before she walked away, leaving behind a stiff and frozen Eli.

"Kotori, there you are," Umi said in relief after having finally found her standing by a water dispenser.

"Umi-chan!" Kotori greeted, a smile spreading on her face. "Did you have fun? Would you like some water?"

"Yes, please." Umi sighed. "I'm not sure if I could call that fun. Eli and Maki can be surprisingly troublesome."

While filling a paper cup with water, Kotori turned her head to her. "Why? What happened?"

"You didn't notice?" Umi asked with a frown. "When Maki bid for Nico?"

"Oh, that," Kotori replied, handing the full cup of water to Umi, who accepted it with a quiet 'thank you'. "It wasn't really surprising, don't you think?"

"So you too," Umi muttered into her cup before taking a sip.

Kotori tilted her head. "Hm?"

"Anju said something along those lines too," Umi explained, closing her eyes to enjoy the cool water running down her dry throat. In the seconds she wasn't looking at her best friend, she missed the sad look crossing her face.

"You two seem to get along well."

Umi rubbed her eyes, feeling a bit tired from the auction event that had used up more of her energy than expected. "You think so? I still believe I could have left a better impression. I don't want the relation between A-Rise and µ's to suffer after today."

Clenching her fist, Kotori wanted to reply but was interrupted by a voice calling out, "Umi, what are you doing? The autograph session is about to start."

Maki waved at Umi to get moving, and the latter one downed the rest of her water in a hurry.

"I'm sorry, I need to go now," she said to Kotori, wiping at her mouth. "I'll text you later?"

Mustering up a smile, Kotori nodded and took the empty paper cup from Umi's hands. "I'll throw this away for you. Have fun!"

"Thank you," Umi smiled, briefly touching her best friend's arm before she hurried to catch up with Maki.

"Umi-chan," Kotori mumbled, staring after her until she was out sight. Then glancing down on the paper cup in her hands, she was tempted to use her thumb to trace the rim that Umi's lips had touched. But she managed to control herself, instead crumpling the paper cup with a clench of her fist before she let it fall into a nearby trash can.

Now that the auction was over and the autograph event for the Soldier Game Trio had started, Rin, Hanayo, Nico, Kotori and Nozomi were technically free to go now. The five of them didn't feel like going home though, partly because they wanted to wait up for the three girls giving autographs, partly because they still hadn't found Honoka.

Nico put her hands on her hips and gazed at her fellow members with a stern expression. "Rin, Hanayo, you check the restrooms. Kotori and Nozomi will check the dressing rooms backstage and I will ask around if someone's seen a dumbhead stumbling around."

"Yes General," Rin did a salute like a soldier, then grabbed Hanayo's hand and dashed off on her quest to find Honoka.

"W-wait, Rin-chan, slow down," Hanayo squeaked behind her, barely able to keep up with her without tripping over her feet.

"Maybe we should try calling her again?" Kotori suggested, not convinced that they would find Honoka if they searched for her without a clue. Their leader was known to be quick on her feet, always at another place by the time other people got to where she originally had been.

"It's no use if that idiot doesn't pick up," Nico replied, shaking her head. "Also, could you please stop playing with your cards, Nozomi, they're not helping."

Nozomi raised an eyebrow, waving with a card between her index and middle finger. "But this one tells me to either give Nicochi a good breast rub or call Kira Tsubasa on her phone."

Nico flinched, taking a step back and crossing her arms in front of her chest on instinct.

Kotori's expression lit up. "Nozomi-chan may be right."

"I hope you're talking about the second part," Nico growled.

"Um, yes...that Honoka-chan might be with her."

Nozomi put away her card with a sigh. "Ignoring half of my card's advice will cause an imbalance."

"How does it help our situation if I let you touch my breasts?" Nico hissed in irritation, ignoring Kotori's nervous attempt to stop them, "Guys..."

"But how does it hurt our situation if you do?" Nozomi asked with a finger placed on her chin like she was pondering a profound question.

"Oh my god, how does Eli even put up with you," Nico groaned, massaging her forehead in frustration. "You, be quiet for a moment. Kotori, do you have Tsubasa-san's number?"

But Kotori shook her head, apologetic.

"Great. Our only lead but we don't have the means to follow it," Nico muttered, turning her back on them. "Let's go back to our original plan. I'm going to ask around."

"O-okay," Kotori said with a hesitant nod, turning to her upperclassman. "Nozomi-chan?"

"Seems like we have no choice but to follow Nicochi's plan," Nozomi sighed.

They split up and began searching for their leader, who had vanished without a trace.

"Honoka-chaaan," Rin called out, her voice echoing in the empty restroom.

"I – I don't think she's here," Hanayo stuttered, uncomfortable in the dimly lit restroom since half of the lights seemed to be broken, the other half flickering weakly.

Rin pinched her nose with her fingers. "You're right. No one could take this smell for long."

They left the restroom of the second floor again, both taking deep breaths of the fresh air outside.

"This is pointless," Rin complained, crossing her arms behind her head. "Let's head back, I'm getting hungry. I'm in the mood for ramen."

"You're always in the mood for ramen, Rin-chan," Hanayo pointed out with a smile.

"True," Rin agreed, suddenly jumping toward Hanayo and throwing her arms around her in a tight embrace. "And I'm always in the mood for you!"

"R- Rin-chan..."

So far, no one seemed to have seen Honoka since her appearance on stage, and Nico was getting more and more impatient, decreasingly interested in finding the µ's leader. She had other things to worry about, far more important things. Like her upcoming date with Maki.

Nico could feel heat crawling up her neck at the mere thought of her and she furiously scratched herself there, wanting to get rid of it. But her irritated skin burned only brighter, and she gave up, choosing to suffer in silence because taking off her trademark pink cardigan was not an option.

"Maki-chan..." she murmured to herself.

Of all the times to come clean with her feelings, that girl had to do it in front of a big audience with cameras and journalists working for gossip magazines. Even if it was one of Nico's dreams to be the headline of a magazine someday, she hadn't imagined it this way. She didn't want to be the center of a scandal, even less if it could drag down the entire group.

What also worried her was Maki's lack of ability to deal with press and interviewers nagging her about personal stuff. Her unwillingness to cooperate as soon as she felt offended would only worsen the whole situation and cause the scandal to spread. If it was only Nico, she would be able to smile it away, sweeping the whole thing under the rug in one day.

Feeling a little bit lost, Nico pulled at the sleeve of her cardigan. She couldn't say she wasn't happy about Maki finally being honest with for her, she only wished it would have happened under different circumstances. Preferably in a more private setting where they didn't have to fear the public's reaction to something that should only concern them two.

But that wasn't even one of Nico's biggest worries. Despite the tough exterior Maki usually put up, she was sensitive to criticism and would shut down as soon as her comfort zone was breached, which was a very weak zone. If she was going to be confronted by reporters and paparazzi about today's decision on a daily basis, she might break under the pressure and start resenting herself for losing control of her feelings, deciding to punish herself by distancing herself from Nico.

And that was the last thing Nico wanted. God knew it was difficult enough for them two to overcome their pride and talk to each other without biting each others' heads off. The last thing they needed was another barrier between them.

Nico wanted to pull at her hair in frustration, but that would have ruined her hairstyle. Needing to vent somehow, she kicked the nearest trash can, immediately regretting it when it turned out to be sturdier than it looked.

"Ow, ow, ow," she whimpered, jumping on one leg, "Argh, shi-"

She stopped in her movements when she spotted an old man who had watched her. Wanting to snarl at the person for gaping, she remembered that she had an idol persona to upkeep, so she gave him a sweet and innocent smile.

"Kids these days," the old man sighed, shaking his head before continuing his way. He hadn't recognized Nico, thinking he had walked in on a middle schooler throwing a tantrum.

Nico's smile turned sour but she refrained herself from pointing out who she was because she didn't need another headline about her kicking innocent trash cans.

"This is all Maki-chan's fault," Nico grumbled, glaring at the trash can who had dared to hurt her foot.

"Hmpf. Tsubasa isn't answering her phone," Erena muttered, narrowing her eyes at her phone. "How rare to witness her being so unreliable."

"Maybe she got held up by fans," Anju suggested, not too worried about their missing leader. "You know this happens all the time. And if there was any problem, she would have already called, so don't worry."

"I'm not worried about her missing," Erena replied, letting her phone slip back into the pocket of her blazer. "I'm worried about not getting the chance to yell at her before all hell breaks loose tomorrow."

"Now, now," Anju chuckled, "I'm sure it will be fine, Erena-chan. She seemed happy."

Erena crossed her arms, reluctant about going easier on the A-Rise leader. "She put our reputation at risk. She knows to be more careful than that."

"Well, love does make people do strange things, don't you think?" Anju asked with a glint in her eyes.

"Love?" Erena furrowed her brows. "Isn't it rather too soon to speak of love between Tsubasa and Kousaka-san?"

Anju hummed and pretended to think about it before she shook her head. "Would you spend half a million Yen on someone you only moderately like?"

This was a strong point that Erena couldn't deny.

"So when we see her again, don't be too hard on her, okay?" Anju said, winking. "After all, you wouldn't want anyone to criticize you for following your heart, would you?"

Uncomfortable that the topic had become about her, Erena looked away. "At least I would be able to control myself."

"Mhm, you never know. If the person you like is available for a date and the chance of rejection is close to zero, then I think not many would be able to resist."

Erena gave Anju a side glance. "Then if you had a chance to bid for me, would you do it even though we're already dating?"

Taken aback, Anju took a second to read Erena's expression to understand where that question came from. Erena wasn't one to fish for affirmation and it wasn't like she needed to; she was treated like a goddess in UTX, she could hardly walk five steps somewhere without her gushing fangirls giggling at the mere sight of her. Though all three members of A-Rise enjoyed a high popularity within their own school, it was Erena who had garnered the biggest following of admirers among her classmates, her appeal lying not only in her looks but also in her cool demeanor.

This was a fact that Anju had come to accept, and most of the time, she was happy for her girlfriend. But it wasn't always easy to smile for her when pretty girls fought for her attention, having her surrounded within seconds and shoving presents into her face. Anju couldn't even tell which emotion dominated in those moments; was it jealousy because she feared that Erena would leave her for a gorgeous fan or was it envy because she somewhat wished to be surrounded by beautiful girls too?

Up until now, Anju had assumed that those feelings were something only she had to endure. But to realize that this might not be one-sided let her heart beat faster.

"Of course I would have," she said, her voice soft and quiet.

Unconvinced, Erena remained stubborn about avoiding her gaze. "And what if Sonoda-san was an option too?"

"Umi-san? Why would I -" Anju stopped herself, her eyes widening when she finally understood where Erena's insecurity came from. "Erena-chan... could it be that you misinterpreted a few things I did today?"

Erena faltered. "No?"

"Oh, you dummy," Anju sighed with a smile, happy about seeing this rare side of Erena. "You know I only admire Umi-san in a professional way. Her lyrics never fail to move me. I was rather hoping that you two could get along and exchange tips on songwriting, this is why I asked for her number because I know you're too proud to do so. A collaboration between A-Rise and µ's would be exciting, don't you think?"

"Oh." Erena's shoulders relaxed and she turned to Anju again, though still avoiding direct eye-contact. "You could have told me beforehand."

"Why, would it have changed anything?"

"Maybe." Now Erena had to think of a way to apologize to Umi without further embarrassing herself.

Anju giggled at the uncertainty Erena displayed. "You and Umi-san are a bit alike, I can see why you felt threatened. But you know I only love you, Erena-chan."

"I did not feel threatened by her," Erena was quick to retort, but then paused, a faint blush covering her cheeks when she processed the latter sentence. "You better," she added in a quiet voice, grabbing Anju by the hand and pulling her closer until their faces were centimeters apart.

Gazing up at glimmering eyes, Anju giggled beneath her breath.

"Come here, you," she whispered, looping her arms around Erena's neck and standing on her toes to kiss her on the lips.

Both didn't mind if Tsubasa decided not to show up at all.

It seemed like sitting on a park bench and drinking coffee had become their thing. While Honoka kept her gaze down on her drink, taking a sip every few seconds which showed her nervousness, Tsubasa was the more relaxed one of them two, not feeling the need to busy herself with drinking coffee.

"While I do enjoy your presence, Kousaka-san, I was under the impression you led me out here to talk?"

Honoka coughed, pounding herself on her chest when she had choked on her coffee. "Y-yes," she managed to get out, remembering what she had wanted to do in the first place. She cleared her throat, placing aside her can of coffee. "It's because – I just don't understand..."

Tsubasa tilted her head. "Hm?"

"When you bid for me, I was really happy. But also confused because...I...I don't think I'm worth that much," Honoka admitted in a quiet voice, rubbing her neck in nervousness. "Besides being the leader, I don't have any special traits. I'm clumsy and forgetful and sometimes I lose sight of my weight-"

"Kousaka-san," Tsubasa interrupted her, facing her with a stern look. "Don't sell yourself short. µ's wouldn't be where it is today without their strong leader. And I'm sure all your members will agree."

Ducking her head to hide her blush, Honoka glanced down on her wringing hands. "Th – thank you. I guess I haven't looked at it that way."

Still sensing some insecurity left in Honoka, Tsubasa added, "If it's any consolation, I do think you are worth every Yen I spent on you today." She paused when she realized that her words had an ambiguous sound to it. "Well, you know what I mean."

Honoka put her hands on her cheeks to cover the bright red color of her skin. It had been a while since someone complimented her and she had no idea how to react to that. She blamed Umi for this, how was she supposed to develop a healthy self-esteem if all she ever heard from her was that she had gained weight again or that she had forgotten to do her Student Council work again. It was tough being both the leader of µ's and the Student Council President of Otonokizaka, why couldn't she get more praise for that?

Pouting for all of two seconds, Honoka released a breath with a quiet sigh. She didn't really blame Umi. She was just not a tactful or smooth person at all. But there was one thing she was good at.

"Alright!" She exclaimed, jumping up from the bench with new-found energy, startling Tsubasa with her sudden mood shift. Honoka turned to the A-Rise leader and clenched her fist in determination, doing her favorite pose that signaled her will to fight. "I, Kousaka Honoka, will give my best to make that date worth every Yen! Prepare to be blown away!"

"I – I..." Once Tsubasa realized that this was the Honoka she knew and loved, her surprise faded. She smiled at her. "I'm looking forward to it."

Honoka was sleeping in the Student Council Room when Umi marched in, holding a bunch of magazines in her arms, followed by a nervous looking Kotori.

"Honoka," Umi growled at the sight of her lazy friend who seemed to have no care in the world, her mouth twitching to smiles in her sleep as drool dribbled down her chin.

"Umi-chan," Kotori reached out a hand in a weak attempt to stop Umi from doing what she knew was coming next.

Umi raised the magazines in the air and let them drop next to Honoka's head, startling her awake in an instant. With a high-pitched scream, she fell off her chair.

"W-wha- hah?" Her eyes still glassy and confused from sleep, Honoka stared up at Umi, who was glaring down at her.

"Where were you yesterday?" Umi inquired, her tone accusing. "How could you run at such an important time? Do you know what almost happened if Nozomi didn't -"

"Umi-chan," Kotori interjected, trying to get her to go easier on Honoka, whose expression turned more and more into one of a wounded puppy. "We can't do anything about what already happened, why don't we move on?"

"Kotori, you're being too soft to her," Umi replied, though her tone was less harsh toward her. Then, turning back to Honoka, she knocked on the table where the magazines were spread out. "Now, please explain yourself."

Honoka sniffled and got up from the ground. "Umi-chan, you're so mean..."

Sensing that this comment was the wrong answer, Kotori was quick to put a hand on Umi's arm to keep her from grabbing one of the magazines, rolling it up and hitting Honoka's head with it.

"Why – why don't you first tell us where you were after the auction? We were all worried when we couldn't find you," Kotori said, not releasing her grip on Umi's arm in case the latter one would lose her patience. Which was in truth just an excuse for Kotori to touch her.

Honoka gave them a sheepish grin, rubbing her neck in embarrassment, "I met up with Tsubasa-san after the auction. I'm sorry, guys, I know I shouldn't have run, but it was just … a shock to me and I blanked out. And when I got back to my senses, all I could think about was why Tsubasa-san bid so much for me and I had to know. So I asked her to meet me."

"Why right after?" Umi questioned, not feeling as much sympathy as Honoka had hoped for. "You two are going to meet on a date anyway. Why couldn't it wait?"

"Oh," Honoka muttered. "I forgot in that moment." She looked up with a pout. "Oh, come on, Umi-chan, you know I don't think that far into the future, I just couldn't wait another day to know."

Umi's right eye twitched. Kotori sighed.

"Honoka, I'm giving you three seconds to run because if I get you in my hands..." She didn't need to finish.

Honoka had sprinted off at the keyword 'run', knowing that Umi's wrath could be far more intimidating than her mother's or anyone else she had ever experienced.

Kotori sighed again. At least no one got hurt. "You shouldn't be too angry at her, Umi-chan. This is stressful for you too."

Walking to the windows in hopes that facing the clear blue sky would free her own troubled mind, Umi only saw her own frowning expression being reflected by the polished glass and she sighed.

"It's not like I want to be the one nagging, but if I don't, who else will?" She defended herself. "If you haven't read the headlines yet, then please do so, and then try to tell me I'm irrational for not worrying about Honoka."

After an unsure glance at Umi's back, Kotori turned her attention on the magazines. She picked up the first one. "Um...'A-Rise And µ's Up For A Collaboration – In The Bedroom?' Oh..."

Kotori could see why this headline would fill Umi with indignation, and she picked up a different one. "'So Money Can Buy Love After All'." She gasped. "How terrible!"

"Right?" Umi hissed, pounding her fist against the window. "These people have no shame. I read that article, and the whole text is just a whimsical interpretation of all the previous encounters between Tsubasa and Honoka. But that's not the worst part – the worst part is that the fans are going to believe every word that's written in there! This could be the start of a disaster, and Honoka is taking everything way too lightly."

"So you've read them too," a tired voice inserted, and Kotori and Umi startled at Eli's sudden appearance in the Student Council room. Clamped beneath her arm, the blonde carried her own set of magazines, and she threw them on top of the others from Umi.

"'Nicomaki Confirmed'," Kotori read the first headline that caught her attention, which was a title in bold capital letters over a candid picture of Maki and Nico during a concert. They were standing next to each other with no sign of mutual acknowledgment in any way, not in the form of a glance nor a touch, but framing their picture was a large heart and several smaller hearts in red and pink.

"Confirmed?" Umi repeated in confusion. "Nico and Maki confirmed – what...? What did they confirm? That makes no sense."

"Just read the article," Eli gestured to the magazine.

"Kotori?" Umi asked, since the other girl was nearer to the magazines.

"Ah, yes," Kotori picked up the magazine and turned to the page where the article about Nico and Maki was printed. "Um...'Attention, dear Nicomaki fans, we have big news for you! As you all know, the hottest school idol group at the moment, µ's, held a date auction for the very first time yesterday and you won't believe the things that happened! Idol Daily followed everything up close and gathered hot information for you fans in hopes of living up to the title of the most trendy and up-to-date school idol magazine.'"

"If you don't mind skipping that paragraph, Kotori," Umi said, impatient to hear what all the fuss was about.

"Hm," Kotori skimmed the article until she found the main message, "'As the bid for Yazawa slowly came to an end, Nishikino did the one thing we were all secretly hoping for – she stood up for her girl and made the final bid, winning her back in one strike! 400,000 Yen was Nishikino ready to offer to protect her relationship. And how much is this information worth for us? Priceless.'"

Kotori stopped reading there because the rest of the text delved further into Nico's and Maki's non-existent romantic relationship, and she didn't think Umi wanted to hear more.

"I didn't know their fans viewed them like that..." Kotori said, somewhat fascinated.

"There's a lot about our fans that you don't want to know," Eli remarked in a dry tone.

Umi closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Are there any other headlines I should be aware of?"

"Hm, let's see...there's one more about Honoka-chan...and one about Maki-chan again...and one about..." Kotori trailed off when her throat dried up in an instant. Beneath a picture of Tsubasa and Honoka, placed in the bottom right corner as a side story, was a snapshot of Anju leaning against Umi and whispering in her ear with a coy smile. 'Flirting, Flirting, Non-Stop We're Flirting' was the small title. Kotori buried that magazine beneath the other ones. "No, those were the last ones."

"Good, we don't need more."

Silence engulfed the room as none of the three µ's members were in the mood to play Honoka's optimistic role of telling everyone that it would get better. They were all lost in their own troubled thoughts, they all had their own worries to quell.

"I'm going to archery practice," Umi said after a glance at the clock, remembering her other after school commitment besides dance practice. She walked over to the table decked with her and Eli's magazines, intending to throw them away on her way to the archery club, but Kotori scooped them up first.

"I will throw these away for you, Umi-chan," she said, mustering up a convincing a smile, "You go to your practice. And have fun!"

"Oh, thank you, Kotori," Umi smiled, feeling herself relaxing at the sight of a smiling Kotori. The wrinkle between her eyebrows disappeared, her shoulders felt lighter. "You always wish me to have fun while others tell me to do my best. This is how I know you always put me first." Starting to blush but not stopping here, Umi continued in a quieter voice, "I'm sorry if I have been too strict with you and Honoka lately, but you two are my best friends, and I don't want anything bad happen to you. I hope one day Honoka will understand too."

"Of – of course," Kotori replied, clutching the magazines with her arms, pressing them against her chest. "Not many can do that like you. You are a strong person, Umi-chan, and everybody can see that...it's very attractive to a lot of people."

"W-what are you saying," Umi stammered, her eyes avoiding Kotori's and then landing on the wall clock. "I have to get going now. I wish you to have fun for the rest of the day too."

And as she passed Eli on her hurried walk out of the room with her head ducked, she gave her a mumbled, "Have a nice day."

"Only nice?" Eli muttered, raising an eyebrow. She shook her head and sighed, turning to Kotori.

"So why did you hide it?"

Frozen in shock at being called out with no warning, the magazines slipped through Kotori's slack arms and scattered on the floor. One particular magazine came to a stop right at Eli's feet. It was the one covering Anju's and Umi's story.

"I...I..."

Kotori let herself fall on a chair, covering her face in her hands. "I don't know. Maybe I didn't want to put Umi-chan in a bad situation...or maybe I just didn't want to find out if it's true."

"Hey," Eli said quietly, walking over to the second year and putting her arm around her shoulder. "It shouldn't be my place to tell you but...if you ever decide to tell Umi how you feel about her, I can guarantee you that you will not be disappointed."

Looking up with vulnerable eyes, Kotori asked in a tiny voice, "Really? How do you know?"

"Er, let's say we had a lot of time to talk during the auction yesterday," Eli replied, trying to keep it as uncomplicated as possible. "And from the way she talked about you, I'm pretty sure you have nothing to fear. Trust me. Maki can attest to that too if you want."

Kotori wanted to believe her, but it was difficult not to doubt that statement if she hadn't been the one hear it from Umi herself. She couldn't imagine Umi confessing her romantic interest, couldn't imagine her talking about it with Eli and Maki because that was the same girl who would flush at any mention of a romantic topic. Even as children, when Honoka and Kotori had tried to talk about their crushes with Umi, the latter one would get flustered, and refuse to listen.

"Kotori," Eli gave her an encouraging smile. "Once the date event is over, why don't you give her a chance to prove your worries wrong?"

Her confident expression and tone managed to fight off some of Kotori's insecurity, and the younger girl released a long breath. For now, she was going to believe her.

She leaned against Eli, searching for comfort in the third year who often felt like a big sister to her. "I'm sorry, Eli-chan, I didn't mean to drag you into this. All I seem to do is depend on others."

"That's not true," Eli said with a head shake, squeezing Kotori in a gentle gesture, "and there's nothing wrong with relying on others once in a while. That's what friends are for. Actually, I would feel bad if you felt like you couldn't trust me, and I'm sure that's how Honoka and the others also feel."

Kotori answered with a shy nod.

Deciding to comfort the younger girl a little bit longer, Eli stroke her hair in a soothing manner and hummed a light melody. Doing this reminded her of comforting her little sister Arisa sometimes, and she suddenly felt aware of the big sister role she played for almost everyone in µ's except for Nozomi. Even Nico, who refused to be seen and treated as younger than her because of her looks, felt like a younger sibling to Eli so that her natural instinct to protect and tease her kicked in.

Being the older sister who offered comfort was a role she was used to and took with pride, but what if she was the one who needed words of encouragement and faith? She had always been judged as intelligent, talented and independent so no one had ever thought about asking her if she had weaknesses too. Pictured as a strong character, aloof at times, she had never been associated with the attributes of insecure and afraid. But that was exactly how she had been before she had joined µ's. Still sometimes was. And nobody seemed to think about her like that.

Except for Nozomi. She had seen through her right from the start. Had known when Eli hadn't been honest with herself, had been the one to call her out on not doing what she actually wanted. Though Nozomi didn't treat Eli as a fragile being either, she also knew she wasn't as tough as everyone believed, and she could understand the simple fact that Eli was human after all with her own little insecurities and fears.

If there was anyone Eli could talk to about her thoughts and troubles, then it would be Nozomi. But what if the only person able to offer a solution was actually the reason of the problem?

"Maki-chan...you look scary..."

Rin held on to Hanayo, who looked just as afraid of Maki's dark expression.

"M-Maybe you shouldn't keep reading," Hanayo suggested with a trembling voice, carefully reaching for the magazine in Maki's hands, but Maki reacted by sliding back with her chair to get out of range, her narrowed eyes not wavering from the double page feature on her and Nico's 'love story'.

"What should we do?" Rin whispered to Hanayo, nervous about their friend exploding in rage because she had been reading the magazine in silence for over ten minutes now though the article could be finished in five. This meant that she was still in the phase of processing the text, but once her brain understood that this was no illusion or a bad dream, Rin and Hanayo feared an uncontrollable reaction.

"I – I don't know," Hanayo flinched when Maki moved in her seat, feeling her gloomy aura grow with every second, "S-somebody save us..."

Maki slammed the magazine on the table and her two friends let out a startled scream.

"Maki-chan?"

Her face was bright red, whether from rage or embarrassment, Rin and Hanayo couldn't tell, but Maki seemed to be too overwhelmed to speak, staring at the magazine that had framed a picture of her and Nico with a heart.

"What the hell," she finally managed to press out between gritted teeth, "I don't get it at all. We're not even looking at each other in this picture. How did they find out that I -"

When she realized what she was doing, she stopped herself by biting herself on her tongue, grimacing at the pain. "Ow..."

But even without finishing her sentence, Rin and Hanayo didn't have to guess about what she had wanted to say. They shared a knowing look.

"Maki-chan, these kind of speculations are normal for idols," Hanayo said, trying to calm her down. "You can't let that get to you. I'm sure Nico-chan would tell you the same."

Maki's head jerked slightly at the mention of Nico's name, which didn't go unnoticed.

"That's right," Rin added quickly, having realized Maki's weak point, "Nico-chan would want you to be calm about it."

Maki let out a long breath and pressed the palm of her hands to her eyes, massaging them lightly. "Fine, I'm calm, I'm calm. I know it's not going to make a difference if I'm angry about it so I might as well accept it."

"That's the way to go, Maki-chan," Rin cheered. "You have other things to worry about anyway."

Alarmed by where this topic was heading, Hanayo wanted to signal Rin that changing the conversation into that direction wasn't a good idea, but the damage was done.

"Other things to worry about?" Maki scrunched up her face. "Like...?"

"Like your date with Nico-chan," Rin answered in a matter-of-fact tone. "What are you two planning to do?"

Hanayo held her breath.

"That's...that's none of your business," Maki spluttered, reacting far more agitated than she had been about the article in the gossip magazine.

Rin carefully watched Maki's flustered expression before she stated, "You don't have any plans yet, do you."

"Of course I have," Maki countered, more out of reflex than conviction because just like Rin had said, she hadn't been able to come up with anything for her date. Whenever she tried to sit down and organize something, she would find her own thoughts wandering off and keeping her from being productive.

She just wanted to pick a nice restaurant for them to dine at without thinking about how much better Nico's cooking tasted. And she would give anything to be able to choose an outfit without clearing her whole wardrobe and staring at herself in the mirror for hours with a self-critical look. Why was it so hard for her to make one single decision without questioning her whole life-style?

"So, let's hear it," Rin said, suppressing a knowing grin. Maki was so easy to read.

Maki looked like she had been given the instruction to list up a chemical formula that would cure cancer. She had no idea what to say.

Her knowledge on date ideas was limited to dinner and movies. Since she avoided sappy romance movies and TV shows the best she could, changing the channels with a disgusted grimace whenever it came on television, she hardly knew anything about what was considered a romantic setting. If Maki had to choose a place where she felt most comfortable, it would be the music studio in her home, but there was no way she could do that. Besides, she would easily get lost in her music, forgetting about anyone else in the room, which wasn't very ideal considering that Nico wasn't someone who took being ignored lightly.

"Maki-chan!" Rin waved a hand in front of her face to get her attention back. "So you don't have any plans after all."

"I said I do, I just don't feel like sharing," Maki muttered, crossing her arms.

"Rin-chan, if Maki-chan doesn't want to share, then she doesn't have to," Hanayo said, putting her hand over Rin's.

"But..." Rin protested, too curious about the developments between Maki and Nico to let that chance go. "We are Maki-chan's friends, right? If she can't talk about it with us, then does that mean that Maki-chan doesn't trust us? That we aren't reliable? Does that make us bad friends?"

Her method of causing Maki to feel guilty worked; the redhead looked torn for a few seconds before she let out a sigh and admitted with a grimace, "Fine, I don't have anything planned. Yet."

"Eh?" Hanayo exclaimed, startling Rin next to her, who hadn't been surprised by this revelation at all. "The date is tomorrow and you have nothing planned? This is bad news..."

Maki rolled her eyes, running a hand through her hair. "I don't need you to tell me."

"Then...then what are you going to do?"

"I already asked myself that a thousand times," Maki muttered in a grumpy voice. Then, pulling at her hair in frustration, she whined, "Ah, geez, I'm just going to cancel it, I can't do it. It's impossible."

"No, you can't!" Rin and Hanayo exclaimed at the same time, sitting up straight in their seats and staring at Maki with such a serious look that the latter one leaned back in her chair as a defensive reaction.

"Eh?"

"You can't," Hanayo repeated with force, resembling the personality she had when she was researching idols. "Nico-chan will be absolutely devastated if you do that."

"You will break her heart!" Rin continued. "You absolutely can't cancel that date."

The two had leaned forward so much that Maki felt uncomfortable with how close they were to her face. She flicked them both on the forehead, making them groan in pain and fall back against the backrest of their chairs.

"I'm not going to cancel it. I only said that because I was frustrated."

Hanayo and Rin breathed out a sigh of relief.

Maki cleared her throat, playing with a strand of her hair when she asked as casually as she could, "So...would it really break Nico-chan's heart if I cancel?"

Rin and Hanayo shared a blank look. Turning to Maki again, Rin replied in a dry tone, "Maki-chan, you're talented in a lot of areas, but sometimes, you can be really dumb."

"Hah?"

Rin managed to dodge Maki's hand that had been aiming for her head, and undeterred, she continued, "Even I can see that Nico-chan and Maki-chan are special to each other, so it must be really obvious – so you must be really dumb not to see it too."

"Rin..." Maki growled, trying to hit her but she couldn't reach her and after half a minute of flailing arms, she gave up. She turned to Hanayo. "Do you think the same?"

"Eh? Me?" Hanayo didn't want to answer at first, but then she slowly nodded under Maki's demanding gaze.

Maki couldn't believe this. She closed her eyes and covered them with her right hand, face flushing as she muttered, "The whole nation knows but I don't." She threw her hands up in frustration. "What else did I miss? That pigs can fly? That Santa isn't real? Or that you two have been secretly dating the whole time?"

"Um," Rin and Hanayo glanced at each other. "Well, pigs still can't fly..."

Maki's eyes widened, staring between the two girls sitting opposite of her. "No way...so you two are actually dating! I knew it, I just knew – wait a moment..." She faltered. "Why didn't you deny the Santa part too?"

"If I solve this equation for x and plug it in the second equation, I will get y, and then I'll...and then..."

"And then...?"

"I-I can't concentrate if you're breathing down my neck, Nozomi."

"You have a lot of excuses for not being able to concentrate, Nicochi," Nozomi said in a disapproving tone, pulling at Nico's ear before her hand got slapped away. "Sometimes it's the heat, other times it's the cold. Yesterday you couldn't get serious because you were studying alone and now that I'm here to help, I'm bothering you."

"You're not helping, you're just groping me from behind whenever I get something wrong, and yes, that is bothersome as hell," Nico complained. She banged her head against the desk and remained lying on it. "I give up. Once I become a super idol, I don't even need math... maybe only to count all the money I have."

Nozomi poked at Nico's head, but got no physical reaction except for a, "Stop it."

"You're not going to be a good role model for your fans, Nicochi," Nozomi said, using one of Nico's twintails to tickle her neck.

"Nozomiii," Nico whined, but she was too tired from studying to stop her friend from teasing her, squirming helplessly under the tickle attack.

"What are your fans going to say if they saw you giving up this easily," Nozomi wondered out loud, "Wordlevel super idol Yazawa Nico being defeated by a math equation..."

"Urgh..."

"And her defeated body has the grace of a dying … pig."

"Urgh!" Nico sat up straight in her seat again, brushed off Nozomi's hand that had been playing with her twintails and said, "Fine, fine, I'm over it. I'll try again."

"That's the spirit," Nozomi said with a smile and pointed to the math problem they were currently stuck on. "So, once you have your x and your y, what are you going to do with them?"

"I'm going to..." Nico squinted at the equation but nothing became clearer to her. In fact, she was sure that the numbers and variables were mocking her, lined up in a way that made no sense and caused her to question her intelligence. "I'm going to have to …. burn this stupid book with its stupid equations and –"

Nico screamed when two hands that were not her own grabbed her breasts from behind.

"You knew this would happen," Nozomi said with a smug grin, "I always warn you, but you don't seem to learn. But maybe it's because you want this?"

"Like hell I would," Nico growled, trying to shake Nozomi off her, but she was trapped in her chair. "You're just way too obsessed with my breasts...stop it!"

Nozomi snickered and let go. "There's nothing wrong with appreciating the female body."

Worn out from the punishment, Nico's head rested on the desk again. Her upper body twitched once in a while from the aftershock. "Then why don't you go appreciate Eli's body," Nico muttered in a lifeless tone, her breasts still tingling. "She has more to grab on too."

Nozomi paused, her playful mood faded. "Elichi?" she asked with an awkward laugh. "I can't do that."

Nico turned her head, her face now lying on the desk with her right cheek pressed against it, and she glared up at Nozomi. "What, only me? I feel flattered, thanks. But no thanks. Next time you have the urge to touch boobs, touch hers. I'm done."

"Now, now," Nozomi said with an unsteady laugh, rubbing her neck sheepishly, "you seem to have the wrong idea of me -"

"Wait a minute," Nico pushed herself off the desk and narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "Why are you acting all awkward out of sudden..." Realization dawned on her face. "Oh, don't tell me that you..." She snickered, clapping her hands together in delight. "I get it! I so get it! Oh, this is just hilarious."

"Eh?" Nozomi took a step back. "Nicochi, what are you talking about?"

A smug grin spread on Nico's face as she stood up. And then, in one dramatic motion, Nico swung her right arm and pointed her index finger straight at Nozomi's nose, making her squint at it in apprehension.

"You, Tojo Nozomi, are using me to fulfill your actual desire of touching Eli's breasts!" She announced triumphantly like she had convicted Nozomi of a crime in front of a grand court. "Ah, I always felt like I got caught up between a married couple when I was alone with you two..."

"Married?" A faint blush covered Nozomi's cheeks. "Nicochi, you're saying strange things..."

"No, no, I've got it all figured out," Nico said self-confidently, tipping herself on the head as a gesture of her brilliance. "Oh, you're a sly one, always telling others to be honest with themselves and listen to their hearts, but you yourself can't even admit what you want."

Nozomi opened her mouth, searching for words to defend herself, but there were none. It was the truth.

She turned away to hide her insecure expression from Nico.

"It's because I know exactly what's stopping me from my dreams that I help others not to do the same mistake." Her voice became quiet. "I wish I could judge my own situation with the same impartiality that I judge others with, but it's impossible to judge myself objectively."

Silence filled the room when Nico knew no immediate reply. Neither did Nozomi expect one. She kept her back turned to Nico, not wanting her to see her troubled expression because she was sure that her face was like an open book right now.

"I'm lost when it comes to reading myself and my own emotions. I can do that for others, but I can't do it for myself. Ironic, isn't it?"

"Then let me do that for you."

It was the serious tone and deeper pitch of Nico's voice that made Nozomi turn around in surprise, forgetting her resolve not to be seen during a vulnerable moment.

There were no traces of smugness left on Nico's expression, instead replaced by a genuine and mature look, which was a rare sight for Nozomi. She wondered how often Nico let this side of hers show.

"I know what it feels like," Nico admitted, talking in a voice that was the opposite of the high-pitched and sweet voice she usually used to express her idol persona. "I can't judge my own situation either. I'm afraid of interpreting too much into something that's not there, I don't want to end up believing in something that's not real."

Nozomi's heart ached at the bitter undertone Nico talked with.

"Nicochi..."

"You know, when I had that school idol group in my first year, I was so emotionally invested in it that I thought everyone else in my group was too. But when they all quit, one by one, I realized that I was just living in my own delusions. I couldn't read their feelings at all." Nico pulled at the sleeves of her pink cardigan until her hands were hidden. "I don't want that to happen to me again. Not with...not with her."

She didn't have to say a name for Nozomi to know who she was talking about.

"I want you to help me get it right this time," Nico said quietly, looking to the side. "And I will help you too."

Nozomi could see bits of pain and insecurity from the past lingering in Nico's eyes, and it made her question why she had never noticed it before. How long had Nico already struggled with this memory, did she still blame herself for what had happened two years ago? Was that why she had adopted a specific idol persona that always acted like she was the best because she had once felt like the worst? So maybe Nico only ever talked about getting to the top because she knew what being at the bottom felt like.

Nozomi took two long strides and engulfed Nico in a tight hug, putting her chin on the shorter girl's shoulder.

"Wha- Nozomi," Nico choked out, breathless from being held so tightly, "air..."

Nozomi loosened her hold a bit but didn't let go, squeezing the tiny girl in her arms. "I think I like hugging you more than rubbing your breasts."

"I'm...glad," Nico managed to get out. She had stopped struggling and just accepted the bone-crashing hug, looping her arms around Nozomi's waist. Fighting against the hug would only use up more oxygen she urgently needed. And hugging Nozomi felt kind of nice too.

"You know, Nicochi, you've grown a lot since you joined µ's," Nozomi whispered with a smile, her eyes closed as she snuggled against her classmate.

"What are you talking about, I'm still shorter than all of you," Nico muttered, feeling herself relax in the embrace.

Nozomi chuckled. "You know what I mean."

"Maybe," Nico mumbled. "Unless you're talking about my breasts again."

Nozomi pouted. "So I have this kind of image to you now?"

"Well, maybe if you just stopped grabbing them for fun, I wouldn't have to associate you with the image of a pervert. You really need to get together with Eli already."

A beat of silence, then, "That sentence doesn't have a lot of impact considering that it comes from someone sitting in the same boat."

Nico thought about countering that statement, but she paused and sighed. "True."

Narrowing her eyes to focus on the bull's eye, Umi took a deep breath as she pulled at the string of her bow with a steady hand. After considering wind speed and distance, she calculated the angle of her bow, readjusting when she found herself aiming too low.

Her body was as still as a statue when she waited for the right moment to release her arrow.

"Umi-chan, the date was so much fun, I agreed to go on another! I think we're meant for each other!"

The arrow sizzled through the air and missed its target, instead hitting the wall and creating a small dent in it.

"No," Umi whispered, looking at her trembling right hand.

"You missed?" The other members in her archery club stopped their own training, too surprised to witness their best archer miss the entire target. Umi was known to hit the bull's eye four out of five times, and even her worst results didn't go beyond the red ring.

"I had something in my eye," Umi stammered, too embarrassed to admit that she had been distracted by a horrible thought.

She forced herself to stay calm, waiting for everyone to get back to their own practice before she raised her bow again. Taking long deep breaths to clear her mind and regulate her heart beat, she told herself not to get worked up over something that hadn't even happened yet. The date was tomorrow. Everything was fine for now. Kotori wasn't going to go on a second date with anyone.

"Umi-chan, I think I ... I think I love them! They're not just a fan to me anymore."

"Noo!" And before the arrow even hit anything, Umi already knew she had missed. She dropped her bow, holding her head in frustration. "I can't let myself think about this..."

"Sonoda-san, are you alright?"

Worried club members gathered around her, quick to offer her a bottle of water and a towel. "Do you not feel well?"

"I'm – I'm fine, thank you," she muttered, accepting both with a weak smile. "I think I'm going home early today. Please excuse me."

"Of course! Get well soon!"

After changing back into her school uniform, her motions slow and sluggish, Umi walked out of the school with a tired expression. She knew she wouldn't be able to rest until all this was over. Until she was sure that Kotori had no intentions of seeing her date again. It wasn't like she wanted to be this insecure about it, she really wished her rational side would come to its senses and comfort her, but right now, her head was filled with various dreadful scenarios of Kotori leaving her for a stranger.

"Umi-san!"

Umi looked up in surprise.

"Oh, Arisa," she said, mustering up a small smile for the middle school girl who had been one of her earliest fans. "Are you waiting for your sister?"

The younger girl nodded with a bright smile, looking up at Umi with such sparkly eyes that it almost made her feel uncomfortable because this girl believed in her so much while Umi couldn't do the same at all.

"I read about the auction," Arisa said, excited, "and I want you to know that I would have bid for you if I were a millionaire!" She faltered when she remembered something. "But a date with Umi-san wasn't even up for auction."

It never failed to surprise Umi how different the Ayase sisters were. Though Eli had opened up a lot since she had joined µ's, she probably would never reach the level of honesty her little sister had.

"You're a good girl, Arisa," Umi chuckled, patting the short blonde on her head, making her grin in happiness. "I'm glad you passed the entry exam for Otonikazaka, you'll make a great addition to our school."

"Really?" Arisa's eyes glimmered with hope and excitement. "Then Umi-san will become my upperclassman..." She suddenly took a deep bow. "Please take care of me."

"A – Arisa," overwhelmed, Umi quickly touched Arisa's shoulder to make her stand straight again. "You're not my underclassman yet..."

"What's going on?"

Both Umi and Arisa turned to the source of the voice.

"Eli," Umi nodded to her while Arisa happily greeted her sister with a hug.

"Can we walk home together?" Arisa asked, glancing between Eli and Umi with a hopeful look.

"Sure."

Eli and Umi walked side by side while Arisa bounced in front of them, humming a cheerful tone to herself.

"What were you doing with my sister?" Eli said out of the corner of her mouth, giving Umi a suspicious glance.

"Eh?" Umi stared at the blonde with a confused expression. "We were having a conversation while waiting for you."

There was a delay in Eli's reply when she watched Arisa stopping on the way to pet a dog, but then she turned to Umi with a serious look, "What did she mean with she will be in your care? What are you two planning? What aren't you telling me?"

"Eh- eh?" While Umi understood now what Eli meant, she also kind of didn't understand at all. "Whatever shameful illusion you have, we most certainly did not converse about that. She only said she was looking forward to enrolling in Otonikazaka and having me as her upperclassman."

"Oh," Eli muttered, rubbing her neck in embarrassment. She had gotten ahead of herself again, this was Umi she was talking about. But as an older sister, her protectiveness was a habit difficult to suppress.

"Honestly," Umi sighed, "I don't get what you were thinking. Arisa is just a child."

Eli let out a noncommittal hum, her gaze landing on her little sister. She didn't want to point out the fact that the age difference between Arisa and Umi was the same as between Maki and Nico. She also wasn't going to enlighten Umi about Arisa's idol crush on her if the second year was too oblivious to notice herself.

In Eli's opinion, her worries were justified. Right now, Arisa might look like a little child to Umi, but 14 year old Eli had also been a short girl with a soft and round face before puberty sharpened her facial features with maturity, gave her long slender legs and blessed her with curves of an underwear model. It was only logical that Arisa would soon follow her example, becoming a true Ayase woman around her 16th birthday like her sister, mother and grandmother who had all gone through the same ritual as they shared the same gene.

And once Arisa had shed her childlike image, there would be nothing holding her back to pursue her greatest dream – that would be the µ's member Sonoda Umi. Who was completely unaware of it.

Eli felt like punching Umi for something she wasn't to blame for. She knew she was being irrational, but who could guarantee her that Umi wasn't going to give in to her little sister once Eli had graduated and was nowhere around to keep an eye on them? Arisa could be quite persuasive if she wanted, having mastered the art of an innocent puppy look at a very young age, and Eli dreaded the power she would have once puberty turned this sweet girl into a woman.

"Ow!"

Umi rubbed her left arm, staring at Eli in disbelief. "Did you just pinch me? Why did you pinch me?"

Eli's dark expression made Umi take a step away from her. "You have to stay faithful to Kotori."

"Hah?"

Umi didn't get an explanation or even the chance to process it all when Eli jabbed her pointer finger into Umi's shoulder, saying in a threatening voice, "Even if I've graduated, I will find out."

"Eli, I don't understand what you're saying," Umi said, getting more and more uncomfortable with Eli's growing sinister aura. The worst part was that she didn't know what she had done to evoke it.

Eli stared at Umi for a couple more seconds before she finally seemed to wake up from her trance. She released a deep breath and sighed.

"Sorry, Umi, I don't know what's gotten into me," Eli apologized. "Maybe I've become sensitive to people I love getting taken away from me."

Her explanation didn't help to clear up Umi's confusion at all, making her think that something terrible had happened in Eli's past involving kidnapped family members. And how was Umi connected to this?

Sensing the big question mark looming over Umi's head, Eli decided to be honest with her because there was no one else in µ's she could talk this with. "It's just that I'm still worried about tomorrow. Nozomi won't tell me anything about her date. She's never insisted on keeping a secret from me before, so why would she do it now about something so little? Am I being paranoid?"

Umi didn't know an immediate answer, too surprised by Eli initiating a conversation about something so private. Both were clumsy and awkward in the romance department, and neither of them liked to be the first one to ask for help, so Eli had to be feeling quite troubled if she managed to suppress her embarrassment and talk to Umi about it.

Aware of the hurdle that Eli had overcome, Umi would give any help she could offer though she knew she wasn't one bit wiser than her upperclassman.

"I think it's natural that you are worried about it," she said, her tone soft. "I couldn't concentrate during archery practice at all because I was worrying about the outcome of tomorrow too."

They fell silent, walking in an unhurried pace and watching Arisa lead the way in the front. The middle school girl seemed to be content with walking with the two older girls without talking to them, just enjoying the presence of her two greatest role models. She was happy that her big sister got along so well with Umi now, knowing that the two didn't have the best start when they first walked home together a year ago.

When Arisa spotted another dog and chased after it to pet it, Eli and Umi chuckled in amusement, glad to see the younger girl so energetic.

"You should follow Arisa's example," Umi said, "she chases after the things she wants without a second thought."

"And this is how she gets hurt half of the time," Eli replied just when Arisa tripped and fell. "Arisa!"

Eli and Umi hurried to the younger girl, but she was already standing again. "I'm fine. I'm not hurt, see?"

She showed the palm of her hands which were a little bit red but had no scratches. "Oh, that dog's still there!" She ran off again, not reacting to her sister's warning calls.

"Honestly, that girl," Eli shook her head with a sigh, picking up the school bag that Arisa had dropped.

"I still think there's a lot you can learn from her," Umi said. "Though she already fell once, she keeps running."

"Umi," Eli inserted impatiently, "you can't compare her situation with mine. If I trip and fall, it's going to take a lot more than band-aids to fix me."

"So you're letting that fear control you?"

The two had stopped walking, facing each other with a frown.

"Why do I have to hear that from you?" Eli said, feeling irritation seeping in her expression. "I don't see you doing anything to get closer to Kotori. You're not doing anything to chase after what you want either, and yet here you are, trying to lecture me."

Umi's cheeks reddened when she realized the double standard she had caught herself in, but she didn't back down, raising her chin in a challenging manner. "It's because someone has to. Someone always has to play the unpopular role of being the rational voice. But it's never because they want to or because they think they are rational beings themselves, but because otherwise, nothing would ever move forward."

"But no one's asking for you to play that role, Umi!" Eli countered, stepping closer to Umi in her agitated state. "No one asked for you to take that role, expecting you to be voice of reason whenever they need it. Why don't you follow your own advice first before you give them to others?

Umi's eyes filled up with anger and hurt as she stared at Eli. She put her clenched fist to her heart, pounding herself there. "You think I chose that role for myself?" She whispered. "You know what I didn't ask for? To feel so responsible for everything and everyone all the time. I wished I could care less too so I could focus more on my own happiness than trying to protect everyone else's. I don't even want to lecture anyone because I know it's repetitive and annoying, but if I don't, I fear they're going to make a mistake that will ruin their happiness. I'm as tired of scolding Honoka as she is. I'm as tired of talking about this as you are."

Eli's irritation faded, replaced by concern. "Umi..."

"Onee-chan! Umi-san!" Arisa came bouncing their way, holding two drink cans. "I got you a drink and I think I got it right this time! Lemon soda."

She offered them proudly to her sister and her future upperclassman, but lowered her arms when she noticed the tension between the two older girls. "Is something wrong?"

"No," Eli mustered up a smile for her sister, and Umi played along, smiling too.

"Thank you, that's very considerate of you," Umi said, accepting the drink with a grateful nod.

Arisa knew that they were pretending for her sake, but she chose not to point it out because they had their reasons if they didn't want to talk about it. Instead, she hoped to lighten the mood by changing the topic.

"I got to pet that dog," she said with a happy grin. "When I grow up, I want to have a Shiba Inu too, just like Yukiho-chan. Maybe with Yukiho-chan! Since she's already an expert..."

"I'm sure Yukiho-chan would be delighted," Umi said, laughing when Arisa's eyes sparkled with a hopeful look. "Honoka says that she mentions you a lot in her future plans. Besides losing weight."

Arisa blushed, smiling happily. "Thank you for telling me! Now I finally have something to tease her about."

"Er..." That was not what Umi had intended, and she wanted to tell Arisa so, but the younger girl had run off again, this time to call her best friend on the phone.

"That reminded me of something Nozomi would do. Meddling in other people's lives, prodding them to go along the direction of happiness."

Umi glanced at the blonde, unsure whether they were continuing where they had left off or pretending that nothing had happened.

Eli gave her a soft smile. Then, after clearing her throat, she said in an apologetic tone, "I'm sorry, Umi. I was ignorant. I've never thought about it that way. But I guess everyone has their own burden to shoulder, and sometimes that burden can't be seen by everyone."

Umi let out a long breath, relieved that they seemed to be going back to normal. "It's okay. I didn't mean to lose control."

"No, I'm glad you did," Eli said, putting a hand on Umi's shoulder. "Because if you didn't, I still wouldn't be any wiser about how it really feels like for you." She squeezed her shoulder. "Even if it's not a role you chose for yourself, it's a role that no one else can fulfill better than you, Umi. And I hope you continue to be the voice of reason in our group."

Chuckling weakly, Umi replied, "It doesn't seem like I have any other choice, do I?"

"Maybe not," Eli answered, "but you have so many choices in other parts of your life. Starting with the choice of your actions. What are you planning to do tomorrow?"

"Eh?" Overwhelmed by the different turn each of Eli's sentences had taken, Umi was slow to reply. "Tomorrow? Nothing in particular...maybe some activities that will distract me from thinking about the fan dates..."

"No, this is not how we're going to do this," Eli shook her head.

"We?"

Eli nodded with grim determination. "We will stop being inactive, starting tomorrow. Because all this time, we were hoping for the best while watching from the distance. But we won't get anywhere like this, it's time to actually move forward. What do you think, Umi?"

Umi took her time to read Eli's expression, and when she saw that the blonde was a hundred percent serious about what she was saying, she nodded. "I agree. Because we keep telling each other to go after what we want but none of us has moved from their place. And this attitude is going to tie us down."

Eli took a deep breath.

"Today's the last day we're allowed to be cowards. Tomorrow, everything changes."