A/N: Happy birthday to Umi and I hope I'm not the only one doing umimaki out there for the occasion, haha. I'm pretty busy recently but I do encourage anyone would post some umimaki too for these birthday dates!

This will be a two-part story, the next chapter will be released on … well, search the last lines :'D

Part one is mostly inspired by Fuyu ga Kureta Yokan. Do enjoy this!

Pairing: UmiMaki
Setting(s): Semi-canon. Adulthood timeline.

If Maki remembered clearly, she was the one who took the initiative.

She went and confess to the older girl about her feelings, back then when the graduation ceremony was held.

The blue-haired girl struggled to hide from the horde of girls hunting her blazer buttons (which already stripped down a few minutes after she left the auditorium). Instinctively, Maki pulled her from the crowds and both of them stay hidden inside the locked music room until the crowd died down.

The days when Muse ended already passed by year, the curtain already called, the music notes already closed forever, yet Nishikino Maki held her own hope high that time.

She confessed in the afternoon-lit music room where they spend their time together without anybody knowing.

Sometimes, morning was too bright for her.

"Good morning, Maki."

The call has become her wake-up alarm. As if on cue, she would look up, amber eyes stared back at her with those tender gaze which reserved only for her. Maki took her time to push herself forward, bumping and brushing their nose together.

"Morning."

A peck on the lips, slow and careful touches. Umi tried to move herself closer this time, wrapping herself to Maki's.

It already been months since the blue-haired renowned novelist moved under her roof. The neurosurgeon was surprised herself to find Sonoda Umi being so bold that time, after the times they were together without strong words of ties.

Between them, no word could express their feelings. No status like 'lovers' or 'girlfriends' necessary even though they were practically in a tight-knitted relationship.

"What time is it?"

"It's 8."

"Meaning you just slept for three hours?"

"H-How do you know?"

"I know you need to meet your manuscript deadline around this date," Maki squinted her eyes. "You do aware the risk of unhealthy sleep cycles, don't you?"

Umi laughed nervously, "Alright, I'll sleep later after I see you off, okay? D-Don't make that pout."

Maki pulled herself to get up and went to the bathroom. Her schedule said she would have an appointment with board directors around 10 before a surgery at 12, meaning she had more than enough time to enjoy her morning with her beloved over her favorite hot tea and toast.

Maki expected her senior would be all flustered and silent after the moment of confession, well, it turned as it should: Umi who was sitting beside Maki, whom twirling her hair and averting her gaze, only mouthed stuttering words in vocal chords.

It was for the best, it indeed was.

Then, unknown to her, gentle palm caressed her trembling hand which rested between them. Amber eyes peered to her in curiosity.

"Are you sure you're not choosing a wrong person?"

"How's your manuscript progressing?"

Maki sat down at the dining room, grabbing the nearby newspaper to read as Umi shuffled through the kitchen brewing some tea. The redhead preferred Western-style breakfast more than ever, but Umi threw Japanese-style on the table at times. There ever been some debate over the same calories and sugar intake between eating bread and eating rice, which eventually led to an agreement where they could switch to prepare breakfast.

"It turned out nicer than I expected," Umi replied with a relieved tone. "I hope I can send it right on the deadline this month."

Umi brought the tray contained teapot and respective cups shortly and they started to dig in their food, which composed in simple, staple breakfast with fried fish and miso soup.

"Is it your running series?"

"It's kind of a sequel following the last book before the next installment is up," she explained. "I hope it would be great."

"Your writing is always awesome, Umi."

Blush blossomed on the novelist's cheek, she coughed awkwardly before mouthing a little thank you as a reply.

"Speaking of which …" amber eyes rolled to see the wall clock. "Can you … spare some time now to play your piano?"

"Hmm?"

"I feel really inspired after seeing you play," it was Maki's turn to become red when Umi slipped her smile between sentences. "Can I?"

She wanted to add 'anything for you' but it would rather be too cheesy for her to say. "Sure."

Both of them left the dining room to the of living room where Maki's raven grand piano sat at the corner. Maki played her piano mostly on her day off, and sometimes by Umi's request. It brought nostalgia back in those days when they still composed songs together. At this time around, Maki would play classical songs, western songs and of course, Muse songs.

Umi took her place beside Maki on the piano stool as Maki began her prelude, humming along in process.

As much as Maki wanted to smack some sense to her senior's head, she replied with her warmest smile ever, "I don't want to lie to you, Umi."

The grip on her hand tightened, amber eyes never let go off of her amethyst that day.

A swell of anticipation warmed inside her, yet, nobody dared to move except to scratch lightly at each other's back of hand.

The redhead couldn't tune down her thuddering heartbeat, her spiraling mind, as well as her overflowing happiness. She tried to focus only on Umi, never intended to leave, to back down or to catch her breath.

(Umi, breathtaking as always.—she thought to herself as she examined the latter's eyelashes, the bright amber eyes of hers and her lips curved into a tender smile.)

"Can I take it as yes?" Maki repeated. The girl in front of her didn't flinch per se.

Umi was made of surprise, it seemed.

Maki would never, ever, imagine; even in her wildest dreams for Sonoda Umi to close the gap between them with a press to her lips.

Indeed, it was short, too short, and Umi trembled when she let go. She looked like she did something worth to dig a deepest hole in her life, she was unsure and she wondered whether she done a right thing.

Maki's mouth left hanging open.

"S-Say something, will you?"

Umi's voice softened, albeit her amber was glaring to her.

"Oh. Uh. R-Right."

"I-I'm sorry, did I do something wrong?" she interrupted. "I-I, well, I—"

Maki gave Umi's hand another gentle squeeze.

"Don't be afraid, Umi, I'm not going anywhere." the composer said. "I … was so happy I can't form any words."

A silence followed and on the next seconds, they bursted out laughing.

[Did the feeling of love turned them into cowards?]

"I'll be back before dinner," the doctor said as she fixed her coat. "And I hope you fulfill your promise by resting before continuing your manuscript."

Umi chuckled at the wary tone, "No need to worry, I will."

"Remember when you were sick and I—"

"I-I'm sorry about that Maki, I will not be reckless with my health again," she clasped Maki's hands. "Umm, see you later."

The redhead neurosurgeon squeezed the novelist hand as it was about to retreat. Silence fell between them, making a room for Maki's hesitation. She eventually closed their distance together when Umi nodded slightly, pressing their lips together. One was never enough for them, they always did more and more pecks than necessary. Tension grew quickly as the press went longer and longer; exchange of endless kisses, moans of each other's name, and another form of desires altogether.

Breathless but fulfilled, Maki tucked stray hairs behind her lover's ear, cupping the burning cheek still as if not wanting to let the moment of beauty wasted.

"I will be going then."

They made the last bump to her forehead.

"Take care."

.

.

.

At the corner of her eye, she saw her, sitting all by her lonesome by the edge of hospital cafeteria, sipping something maybe coffee or anything related to the liquid of caffeine. At first, she was afraid to approach the red-haired woman clad in her white doctor suit with black bags below her amethyst eyes there, unsure about how or what to say.

"Kotori?"

And the ashen-haired woman was being caught staring.

Minami Kotori nodded at the doctor's call and eventually approached the doctor.

Nishikino Maki gestured for her old friend to sit on the unoccupied chair by her front. Kotori's guess was right, the doctor's coffee was there, black as night and smelt strong as ever. She faintly saw Maki's rigid expression relaxed by her arrival before reverting back to her stoic ones.

"Long time no see, Maki-chan."

"Has it been that long?"

Kotori bit her tongue unconsciously at the sentence. Maki watched Kotori in silence as she took another sip to her coffee.

"Well … you always here, right?" The doctor tapped on the table. "I'm sorry for my absence."

Amber eyes rolled, moved downwards. Kotori sighed at how the conversation went. She cursed, blamed inwardly to her shame of self of bringing her presence for Maki to know.

"I'm a coward, I know, Kotori."

"W-What are you talking about, Maki-chan?"

"I should've let her death become the best of me and neglected my work, just as how you guys always tell me to," Maki smiled bitterly. "I'm sure both Eli and Nico would punch my face when they saw me."

"Maki-chan—"

The doctor got up from her seat, the black liquid rippled inside the cup, left and abandoned as she took her wordless leave.

[Every month on the 15th, she would play Requiem.

No matter how busy, no matter how depressed she was, she would spend one moment in that day to press the keys of her beloved piano to execute the tune.—]

"—Maki-chan, wait!"

Maki heaved a weary sigh before she turned, hoping her senior would not spout another nonsense for trying to calm her head or something.

"Honoka-chan … I think she said she mistook bringing Umi-chan's bag with hers and she found this."

Kotori handed a white-colored book to her hand. Wrinkles were present here and there, also the page color already turned brown on the side, but the book was in a still good condition. Maki remembered about the manuscript Umi was talking about, and if her guess was right, this book was Umi's last work.

Small words printed on the center of the cover, thankfully, quite readable through all the blurs and smears.

The Premonition Winter Gave Me

She recalled the novel content to be a sequel to Umi's best-seller series, about a singer who tried to paint her own world of voice, accompanied by her comrades to an unknown world beyond; some kind of fantasy with a beautiful arrangement of poets and lyrics.

Carefully, she opened the first page of the novel, which was written manually and signed.

To the red flower out there,
I wish Summer never ends, but Winter is beautiful, just like you.
You're my sun; my warmth; my everything.
I do hope this suits you the most.

Her amethyst didn't cease to blink to see the opening. Her curiosity piqued as when she opened the last page, there was nothing ever written.

Even at another page—

—and to the last page.

Maki arched her brow, wondering and thinking whether Honoka was trying to pull some prank for her. Then again, she didn't bring herself to slam the book back to Kotori and briskly walked away, she closed the white book shut when suddenly pages began to crumble at her hands, leaving only the cover intact. An outline of an item was visible at the book's spine, which was concealed minutes ago.

Maki quickly unwrapped the hard cover without any second thought, a silver necklace came out from its captive grace.

At the end of the necklace, she found a plain silver ring attached.

Maki checked carefully to see whether the mysterious ring voiced any details. She caught a glimpse of thin engravement on the ring, she traced the outline carefully to get images whatever the ring was hiding.

"Nishikino Maki … Sonoda Umi."

The ring fell from her grasp as her knees hit the floor, tears streaming from her eyes.

Umi was—

.

.

.

[Every month on the 15th, she would play Requiem.

No matter how busy, no matter how depressed she was, she would spend one moment in that day to press the keys of her beloved piano to execute the tune.

She will never falter until the end of the song, she never will. It was, she thought to herself, the least she could do to remember her and the biggest thing she could do to forget her.—]

At times, she would stare at her phone with such empty gaze, fiddling over the last call logs and last messages, which was dated exactly one year ago.

"Where are you now, Umi?"

"I'm on my train with Honoka and Kotori now, the trip sure was fun and fascinating. I think it was good to refresh my mind before working on my next novel."

"I'm sorry I can't come with you, I—"

"It's okay, Maki, it's okay. We can go over here together if you want someday."

Wide smile, along with blushes on her cheek were apparent, "Err, Umi?"

"Yes?"

(I miss you.) (Can we talk some more?) (Can I see you now?) (Do you mind if I kissed my phone now in a place of you?) "I-It's nothing, have a safe trip, okay?"

.

.

.

March 15th, one year of death anniversary of her beloved.

Everything struck her like a torrent of tidal waves; everything looked as if it was a beginning but it was ending too quick for her to bear.

The train experienced a huge crash because of the missing tracks and it fell into the sea below. About fifty people were saved from the incident and the rest of passengers, after three months of searching, was reported to be MIA.

Both Kousaka Honoka and Minami Kotori needed various therapy before they could finally walk normally while her other friend was in the list of MIA passengers.

Sonoda Umi was gone; just like bubbles—without warning, without saying anything.

It was the day when Maki cursed her life for eternity and she began to lock herself away from everyone; and she even stopped coming to work.

She didn't want a pity, she didn't want anything but—

"Pull yourself together!"

A slap across her face landed straight when she opened the door to greet Nico, Nozomi and Eli back then. Rin and Hanayo were there to give her hug attack thereafter. They told her to get over it already, to move and to carry on.

The first months after the incident, Maki would always wake up in the middle of night as if she was listening voices she longed, hearing footsteps she wanted, to only meet an endless void occupied beside her. She would cry until the dawn breaks, clutching at the vacant spot inside her heart.

Umi, she called.

Umi, she screamed.

Umi, she wanted to feel her even just for one more time.

Even though she couldn't cry anymore after months passed, she didn't need to mourn a lot, but thinking back, her heart ached all the same.

She missed her warmth, her solemn voice, her gentle gaze, her—

The Requiem came to a halt. She dropped herself down, sobbing quietly to and hugged her cold body. Silver ring gleamed under the moonlight without its pair, Nishikino Maki cried for the longest after a year.

She reclined back to her seat, glancing at the wall clock to see how much time left before her shift's over. She already finished checking post-operation patient and with no schedule of surgery today, the neurosurgeon practically free until end of the day. The redhead only needed to wait for five minutes more, she would be able to go home and take some rest.

Maki examined the ring on her finger, softly tracing at names engraved there.

A month passed like a gust of wind. Oddly, heavy pang on her chest already gone as if nothing had happened. She didn't feel like waiting of someone who won't return anymore, Maki was calm and composed than her unstable self a month ago, although, she kept playing Requiem at the promised time of 15th every month.

Four days went by quickly after the Requiem this month, the spring atmosphere was already on its fullest.

She closed her eyes, letting herself lean casually on her chair and hearing clock ticked bit by bit.

"Dr. Nishikino? A patient wishes to consult with you now," the nurse on the other side of door knocked. "It's already past your designated time, should I tell the patient to go back tomorrow or to see another doctor?"

Maki opened her eyes, sighed as she saw the clock now. It was just as the nurse said, her work time was up, she could move this late patient to another neurosurgeon out there as she wished. She shook her head slowly, diminishing the initial thought; she was free, why bother to make the patient wait, right?

"Give me the records and let the patient in."

The nurse was a senior there, so she thought when she saw wrinkles on the latter's face. Her hands were full with green-colored envelopes of medical records. The doctor hoped the current patient's condition was not as bad as the mountain of records said. Usually, someone with piled up notes like that tended to have degenerative illness, moved from another hospital, or have different kinds of symptoms at once.

After piling up the notes beside room's desk, the nurse urged the said patient in, letting her sitting across redhead neurosurgeon.

Maki couldn't cease to blink, her world seemed to be turning into a deafening silence.

The patient had her forehead bandaged, as well as parts of her exposed lower arm and along her neck.

"She wanted to consult regarding her frequent headache, doctor," the nurse deciphered. "Her name is Umi."

[to be continued – 04/19 ; keyword: Aki no Anata no Sora Tooku.]