There was something serenely special, to Chika, about the moonlit beach at night. The area, which was usually bustling with life during the daytime, seemed to now stand still as if it existed only for her. The unobstructed brightness of the night sky illuminated the darkness of the waters below reflecting the moon and stars beautifully. A gentle, yet warm, breeze followed the calm ocean waves as they lapped up against the shoreline and tousled Chika's hair as it as it passed by.

Chika breathed in the crisp ocean air as she strolled, carefully hopping over remnants of sandcastles, small collections of shells and scribbled messages in the sand as if they were sweet memories belonging to someone else. With each inhalation, she savored a hint of salt emanating from the sea and permeating the air.

Despite having lived there all her life, Chika still managed to find beauty in the simplicity of Uchiura. She had practically grown up on this little beach alongside her peers, with its radiant, clear waters and majestic view of Mt. Fuji. It was no surprise that such scenery was the pride of her hometown and she made a conscious effort as she grew older to try and not to take it for granted.

For as long as she could remember, Chika had made it part of her routine to end her days singing beneath the stars. Although she herself was an extrovert, she greatly enjoyed these moments of solitude where she could be alone with her thoughts. She sang, not for an audience, but for herself. No performance costumes, no makeup, no exaggerated dance moves or smiles, she sang only out of pure enjoyment and love. It brought her peace.

Chika was already two years out of high school, though, her love for school idols had barely faded with time. What had changed over the years, however, was that she was much less loud about her interest now. In some ways she felt as if she were "too old" to indulge in such things, including having µ's posters plastered all over her walls. Chika may have grown older, but she managed to keep a certain sense of eager childishness about her. It was a quality many found endearing, however, Chika sometimes viewed this as one of her shortcomings. After all, having been the youngest of three girls she was often still treated as such.

Despite her idol days being behind her, Chika enjoyed reliving them in her head each night as she sang the chorus of "Snow Halation" to herself beneath the moon. She twirled on her bare foot in the sand, imagining instead that it was cold winter snow in Akihabara. Chika struck a pose as she landed her turn and giggled to herself. If she closed her eyes, she could almost recall µ's dance moves to the song from memory.

A bittersweet nostalgia rushed over Chika as her eyes drifted to where a flag once proudly waved, sporting "Love Live Victory" for all who visited to see. She was flooded with memories so beloved to her that they had almost become painful. If she allowed herself to fully succumb to reminiscing, she was afraid she may never stop her tears.

In a sense, being the leader of her school's idol group Aqours and winning the Love Live had been the highlight of Chika's life thus far. Finally getting the chance to shine with her best friends and immortalizing her precious high school's name was more rewarding than she ever could have imagined when she started out. Her classmates and her town had humbled Chika with their gratitude for what Aqours managed to accomplish, and the feeling was something she would carry with her for the rest of her life. Chika felt that she had made a difference in the lives of those she loved and in truth, she had. Although the group didn't go on to win another Love Live following their initial victory, more cherished memories were made along the way which she wouldn't trade for the world. Chika held her time with Aqours very close to her heart and thought about it often. She wondered if any of the other former members thought about it as much as she did, or if it was merely a piece of their pasts at this point.

Unlike many of her friends and classmates, Chika stayed in Uchiura after she graduated high school to work in her family's ryokan rather than attending a university. She had settled into her new role nicely and her natural skills seemed to serve her well professionally. Chika's overall energetic attitude and dedication to her work made her a valuable employee and one who's hard work never went unnoticed by her family and guests alike. Chika truly began to enjoy her work and finally began to earn the respect from her two older sisters that she so desperately longed for all her life.

As she remained in Uchiura, she watched as many others left the small town behind, but she knew that she would be there to greet them with open arms whenever they returned. After all, like the waves to the sand, the people of Uchiura were sure to return home at some point and Chika would be waiting for them when they did.

She wasn't jealous, per se, of her friends who left to further their studies or to travel, but she did miss many of the relationships she formed and felt a pang of sadness at the thought that they may go on to replace her with new friends. Once active on social media, Chika now found it overwhelming to try and keep up with the lives of her peers from afar. As time passed, contact between Chika and many of her friends seemed to dissipate. She worried about losing touch with them completely as they each went on to forge their own exciting new paths in the world. She couldn't help but feel as if hers was the only path that was destined to stay the same.

Drop, drop, drop.

Chika shivered and pulled her hoodie over her arms as a drop of rain snapped her back to reality. She attempted to swallow a lump that had formed in her throat as she blinked back tears that threatened to seep out. Chika shook her head as if to erase the memories and thoughts from her mind and instead did what she knew best when she felt like crying- she smiled. As she continued to fight back her tears with a grin, she remembered what her friends had taught her years ago.

"It's ok to cry."

Chika could almost feel their presence surrounding her again, comforting her. She longed for it more than she probably consciously realized.

"I miss them…I miss them so much." Chika finally admitted to herself.

She crouched down in the sand and pulled her hood over her head shielding her hair from the downpour. Chika exhaled this time allowing her tears to flow, mixing in with the rain. She was surprised at how much better she felt having released the pent-up tension and sadness which had been mounting for some time. Chika stood up and brushed the sand off her legs.

If anything could be said about Chika it was that she could accomplish just about anything when she put her mind to it. Why should maintaining the friendships she held so dear be any different? Chika brushed the remaining tears from her face, took a deep breath of ocean air and smiled with a familiar determination. She looked up at the night sky, stars now peeking out from behind clearing storm clouds, the moon embracing her in a shroud of white. She stood in that light and relished the stillness that surrounded her.

The rain had stopped.