Storm in Lover

A 'Love Live! School Idol Project' fanfiction by Yuuki.


Eli didn't know how she did it, but somehow she arrived at the school before anyone else did. It was strange, considering she didn't get any sleep at all the night before. All the blame was on Umi and her stupid love song.

Love song.

Eli groaned, cursing herself for her inability to stop the blush that was working its way up to her cheeks and ears. Damn.

She absentmindedly opened her shoebox while wondering how she should face Umi today. Okay, technically, nothing happened between them; Umi gave her a song lyric while slipping out about something, but that was all. There was no confession, no hug, no kiss—as much as Eli wished it to happen—nothing.

But that exactly what confused her. Nothing happened, so what it made her and Umi now?

The kind of like she had for Umi was different from the ones she had for the rest of μ's, and she knew it. Umi, after all, caught her attention since their very first confrontation before she joined μ's. But that was all. As for what she should have to do now, she hadn't even the slightest clue.

As clever as she was, she was hopeless about romance.

She could just ask Umi, of course. But what if the bluenette actually didn't mean anything? What if it was all in her mind? What if she just misheard everything? Asking Umi would be a clear confession, and if by any chance she just misinterpreted things, Eli could break everything they had. She didn't want it.

As the more reasons surfaced, the more Eli realized she didn't change at all. She was still a coward who couldn't take the first step by herself.

A pile of letters that fell to her feet pulled her wandering mind back. Sighing, she started to pick the letters before realized someone else was already helping her on it. The girl was kneeling beside her while picking the letters. The deep blue hair told her who was it.

Eli gasped. Half of her intention going to school this early was to avoid Umi, to be honest. "U-Umi?" she called out panicky. "What are you doing here this early?"

Umi chose to pick all the letters before giving an answer. "Good morning, Eli," she said while giving the letters to Eli. "Archery club starts the morning practice this early in the morning," she continued.

"Ah, I see." Eli tried to sound normal but her heart betrayed her; it pounded like crazy. Unsure about what to do, Eli pretended to check her shoe box while secretly peeking at Umi, observing the junior's expression. She felt a pang of disappointment when she saw Umi didn't look nervous. The junior was calm and collected as usual. Maybe it was really just a misunderstanding after all.

They spent a minute in silence before Umi finally opened her mouth. "Eli, about our song-"

Eli slightly slammed her shoe box closed before cutting Umi off, "I-I need to go to the student council room! See you at practice!" Without waiting for Umi's answer, the blonde quickly walk away from the shoe locker.

Eli decided to run away because right after Umi started talking, she knew she wasn't ready to talk about it now; about the song and all its implications. She was afraid that things won't go her way. For the second time this morning, she was reminded that she was a coward, after all.

If only Eli looked back, she could see Umi's sad and disappointed gaze directed at her.

But she didn't.


The next two days was too awkward for Eli to practice normally. She avoided Umi as much as she could because she still not sure about what to do.

It seemed the rest of μ's also caught the awkward tension between them because now she found herself trapped by Nozomi in the student council room. Behind the spiritual girl was a certain redhead.

"What's this?" Eli asked after Nozomi locked the door, although she was almost sure they wanted to talk about her problem with Umi.

"Oh, nothing," Nozomi replied lightly. "Someone wants to talk to you. I'm just bringing her here and make sure you'll listen."

"Maki?"

Maki dragged a chair and put it in front of Eli's desk while Nozomi sat on her vice-president chair. "Okay let's make it short. You know why we're here, don't you?"

Eli sighed. Lies won't do her any good. "Kind of."

"I don't really know what's happened between the two of you, but let me tell you. The longer you drag out this problem, it'll affect μ's eventually."

Eli leaned to her chair before closing her eyes. She took time before saying, "Yeah, Love Live is-"

"I'm not talking about that." Maki tapped her foot impatiently, forcing Eli to open her eyes again and look at Maki. "You're missing the point. Frankly, I don't really care about Love Live. The problem is simpler than that. Umi, our friend, is sad because you keep avoiding her."

"Is she?"

Maki arched an eyebrow at the question, clearly feeling that it was a dumb question. "She sighs about once in five seconds and it annoys the hell out of me, especially when we're supposed to write a new song."

"But you said you didn't care about Love Live?"

Nozomi laughed, "Oh, Elichi. You know it's just her being tsun. The translation for that must be 'I don't like to see Umi like that'. Right, Maki-chan?" Maki grumbled out a protest but she nodded nevertheless. Nozomi smiled. "And I'm sure it's not only Maki-chan who thinks like that."

"Well, sorry..."

"Honestly, if you don't like her, just say so," Maki shook her head. "Of course, she'd be hurt, but you know Umi well, don't you? She knows every action has consequences. Avoiding her like this only hurts her more."

"Yeah, you're ri- Wait, you said you don't know the problem!"

"I don't," Maki rolled her eyes. "But it's easy to guess."

"Too easy," Nozomi chimed in, grinning.

"Okay, okay," Eli growled. "Well, I think your guess is a bit off the mark. This becomes a problem because I like her."

Nozomi tilted her head in confusion. "Wait, didn't she confess to you?"

"No." Eli shook her head before leaning to her chair again. "And don't ask me about it. I'm not in the mood to explain it."

Nozomi and Maki looked at each other before reaching a silent agreement to drop the topic off.

"One advice before we go," Nozomi said as she and Maki stood up. "I know you're dense and awkward about things like this. But remember, Umi has it worse than you."

"In other words," Maki added, "it's all up to you to make or break it."


Nozomi and Maki left her alone after that, but not before telling her that there was no practice today. Honoka's decision, they said. Just as Maki said, it seemed the rest of the members had already known something happened between her and Umi.

After spending some more time thinking about what Nozomi and Maki had said, Eli decided it was enough of her cowardice. It was the time to solve the problem. Moreover, avoiding Umi wasn't only hurt the junior; it hurt her just the same, if not worse.

So she took her phone out, texting Umi to made sure Umi waited for her after school.

Elichika: Can we meet somewhere after school?
Elichika: There's something we need to talk.


Somehow Umi asked to meet at the cafe where Kotori and Honoka worked at. Well, actually wherever was fine with Eli, but she couldn't help but cower in fear under the pair's smiles and cold eyes. It was a clear 'Mess with our best friends and it'd be the end of your sorry life.'

She couldn't imagine both of them talk like that, but that was what their eyes said. Scary.

Umi entered the cafe not too long after Eli's drink came. "Sorry for making you wait," she apologized right after she arrived at their table.

"It's okay."

After that both of them just sat in silence, trying their hardest to not meet each other's eyes. Not even Kotori—who brought Umi her drink—could break the silence.

Well, until finally, Umi got enough of it. "I'm sorry. It seems things became awkward because of me."

"No," Eli quickly refuted it. "It was my fault. I'm sorry."

Umi smiled at it. "Then let's just forget about it."

"I agree." Eli nodded gladly.


They stayed at the cafe for the next hour and talked about μ's' practices. Eli didn't really pay any attention to the topic though. She just happy the problem was resolved, and she could spend time with Umi. Although she still didn't know what was their relationship now, it could be delayed for later.

That was what Eli thought until Umi talked about their song. "About the song the other day, I'd already asked Nozomi to replace me. You can ask her later for the detail."

"Wait, what?" Eli seemed bewildered.

"It seems you don't want to have a duet with me, and I think you and Nozomi suit the song better," Umi explained while refusing to meet Eli's eyes. She ran her finger on her cup unconsciously while staring out of the window.

After hearing that, Eli realized that nothing was actually resolved. The junior must took Eli actions the past days as a form of refusal. What she meant with 'let's forget about it' was 'let's just forget about everything'.

It made her recalled Nozomi's words instantly.

I know you're dense and awkward about things like this. But remember, Umi has it worse than you.

If she let the things as it was now, in the chance that Umi might have a feeling for her, everything would be over before it even began. Eli was wrong, apparently; there was no later.

"Umi, listen," Eli said, her tone was serious. It caught Umi attention and made the girl look Eli at the eyes. After making sure Umi was looking at her, Eli continued, "We can talk about the song later, but before that, there's a misunderstanding that I have to straighten out."

Umi blinked. "I'm listening."

"For what it's worth," Eli breathed out, "I like you."


A/N

- Because it seems some of you like it and want to see the continuation, here we go. Enjoy!

- I'm still working on (Soldier Games) and (Comiket, Fallen Angles, and a Piano). I hope I can update Soldier Game next week.