A/N: Obligatory disclaimer note. I don't own Love Live! and I don't own anything but what I write. Seriously, I'm getting tired of noting this, but I need to. XDDD

Anyways, after having posted a prologue for Pure Love Lens, doing an EriUmi and NozoEri shot and updating Lapis Lazuli with chapter 1, I finally finished an update for Love Marginal. I'm celebrating because after so long, it's done. Wow, it's taking me so long to write each update, but it gets really longer too, so you'd have to at least forgive me on my tardiness.

The drama's still up and we aren't going anywhere but forward, yep, so I won't say anything further. Let's go move on with the update, I'll see you at the end. I do hope you forgive me since this is a freshly finished update and I did give it a check, but I do know I won't catch all the mistakes. If you find them, tell me, or...just ignore them? I don't know, whatever floats your boat I guess? XDD

Chapter V

There was never anything to look forward to after classes, especially if and when it comes to heading to the Student Council room, not when a never ending mountain of papers and binders stacked on the table were there to greet them, just waiting for them to be touched and tackled. To think had they came early in the morning to work over on them and still, it remained too many that Eri herself would probably need the whole Muse members to count them for her. But that was just an exaggeration—or at least what she'd like to think of it as.

"The papers still pile up no matter how much we do a day, I wonder if we'll ever finish…" The blonde wonders out loud, placing her school bag on top of the table while her shoulders slumped in defeat. She eyed the stack of paper with narrowed azures, as if hoping that they could just magically disappear.

"You're right, but we shouldn't push ourselves too much either, okay Erichi?" The older girl behind Eri spoke in reminder, patting the blonde's shoulder comfortingly with a helpless expression on her face.

They both wanted to make do with not having to go through all these papers, but with new school activities springing out here and there, they had no option but to work as this was one of the joys of assuming the positions in the Student Council, although they gave quite great boosts to their entrance forms for university, it does come with time consuming and stamina taxing tasks.

"I know, but if we don't exert more time, I doubt the papers would ever lessen…" Raising both arms up in the air, Eri groaned before sighing and slumping down on her chair, pouting cutely. Her actions earning her a giggle from her companion before her hair got ruffled.

"Wai—Nozomi! What are you doing?" Eri squeaked, attempting to distance herself from the other girl's hand as to not mess up her hair, but before she could even wheel herself away to safety, Nozomi had already wrapped an arm around her shoulders and felt the older girl's front press on her back, the warmth from the purple head's body emitting even through the thickness of her school blazer.

It gave such a distinctive comforting feeling, like a mother's touch of a sort but it made Eri react different. Her heart pounded fast, cheeks warming up and a rosy pink took over. She suddenly felt too conscious of everything around her, what with the presence of her best friend behind her.

"You know Erichi, I worry about you. You're always overworking yourself that I just can't take my eyes off you," Nozomi whispered into the blonde's reddening ear; voice a tone deeper and huskier than usual, making Eri shiver for unknown reasons. It was as if the purple head's voice was caressing her skin, slowly, gently and teasingly, setting flames in their wake and making her feel fidgety and bothered.

And while Eri couldn't see what expression the purple head was making, she knew how serious the older girl meant those words as there were no room for arguments, especially when Nozomi's voice loses the playfulness it usually held. She was used to this, the sudden changes and the abruptness of her best friend, but the tone that she's using was making her shiver.

There was something in her words that Eri knew wasn't just plainly about worrying for her well-being—there was something strong, powerful and dangerous altogether in it, she just can't comprehend what this something was.

"N-Nozomi…?" Eri frowned, confusion and worry etched on her face as she grasped the end of Nozomi's blazer sleeves, gripping it tightly as she lowered her gaze, face flushed with unexplainable warmth trying to engulf her that it almost felt like she was on fire.

What exactly is going on? It felt like a sudden tension rose up.

But before it could stay any longer, it was immediately dispersed when she felt the weight of her best friend slowly lessen on her back, but along with it, the warmth also left, making Eri feel cold without her best friend's close proximity—the feeling of sudden longing clouded her heart at the lack of proximity.

Why though, Eri wondered with a frown of her own. It felt like she knew the answers herself, but it just didn't seem that clear enough for her.

"Take it easy okay? I wouldn't want to see you end up getting in big trouble~" The purple head said in sing-sang manner, interrupting the blonde's musing. The shrine maiden took a step back as she twirled around, the playful lilt of her voice coming back again, as if the seriousness she displayed was nothing but a figment of some person's imagination.

"What exactly do you take me for, Nozomi?" Eri looked over her shoulders as she sighed, ignoring her desire to reach for the older girl and to pull her close beside her for the warmth she longed for. The blonde mentally shrugs it off. It was probably because the Student Council room is cold. She should bring her sweater vest tomorrow, she thought with finality.

"Hmm~ I see Erichi as a playful but troublesome little fox. I really just can't help but worry about what you do every time," Nozomi tapped her chin with a finger, looking thoughtfully at the blonde with gleaming emerald orbs, the teasing glint was hard to miss, especially the grin on the older girl's lips.

"So I'm reduced to a fox now, geez…"

"I don't think it's bad. Foxes are smart and flexible that it really says much about you."

"You're just trying to tame me here…" Eri shook her head, smiling helplessly at her companion. Sometimes Nozomi has too much fun teasing her; it makes Eri wonder if the purple head ever found pleasure in making her squirm or blush. She thinks she does, especially whenever she targets all of the Muse members.

Pausing for a moment, Nozomi blinked, glancing at Eri as if she had grown a head, much to the blonde's own confusion—but all too soon, the purple head's expression change back to a teasing one, with hints of mischief in the shrine maiden's eyes.

It didn't seem all too safe now, Eri thought as her eyebrow twitched.

"Tame, huh~? You did somehow reduce yourself… Should I give you a treat as a reward? Maybe I'll give you a pat on the head~"

"Wha—?! Ahh, mou! Nozomi!" Eri fumes, cheeks reddening as she fends away the purple head's hand from her head, knowing that Nozomi might decide to ruffle her hair again.

Scratch the idea. She definitely does find pleasure in teasing people.

The purple head merely giggles in response, a hand raised up as it covered her lips. It always ended up like this whenever she's with Nozomi. The older girl practically always teases her, making her flustered and embarrassed every time she gets the chance to do so. She wonders if she'd ever get tired of doing so, since it feels like Nozomi has a lot of things she can use against Eri.

It's frightening to even think of ever going up against Nozomi, considering how perceptive she is. The fact that she knows when something is going wrong and how to solve them sometimes awes her. Her friend's spiritual capabilities just amaze her each time she wields it, using her tarot cards and all—Eri finds it magical, and at the same time puzzling just how it all works, considering Nozomi's love for it.

She'd love to learn sometimes, but Nozomi would probably tease her if she asked the older girl to teach her about the ways of her tarot cards.

"Ah, by the way, have you sent your form, Erichi?"

The blonde looks at the purple head direction, stopping for a moment from writing the next paragraph to her report to shake her head before giving Nozomi a little silly grin of her own, one which the older girl can interpret as Eri's way of telling her that she has yet to accomplish it.

"I'm not alone for slacking a bit on my university form then," Nozomi smiles while taking a seat near the blonde after she picked up her own share of paperwork to compile, chuckling when the blonde gives her a half-hearted glare for her comment. But Nozomi stayed silent instead and merely offered her companion her usual cheerful smile.

"Since we haven't finished, we should drop it off together tomorrow after practice, do you want that, Nozomi?" Eri sighed, ignoring the fact that she couldn't come up with any counter argument on the fact that she has been slacking on that university form.

"It's okay with me, I still haven't sent mine either, and we can go grab some more studying materials on the way home afterwards since a new library opened just yesterday," The older girl offered, remembering that she has yet to introduce that library to the blonde.

Eri would certainly appreciate it, considering that she often loves to study ahead of time for exams and tests. Plus, she really did have to pick up some books to help her study for the university entrance exams. It's not like she can just go to a cram school after all, given that Nozomi had her part time job as a local shrine maiden and as the vice-president of Otonokizaka.

As if expecting it, Nozomi's expression turned gentle as she watched her best friend clap in glee, obviously pleased with her idea. Sometimes it was easy to please this friend of hers, the fact that she gets happy with the littlest of things can be quite the most attractive and cutest to Nozomi.

"That's a really good idea, we should definitely do that!"

"It's settled then," Nozomi giggles softly, pleased that she had somehow perked up Eri's mood considerably. Now if only Eri didn't always seem cute, it was hard not to tease her after all since she loved seeing her flustered.

"Ah, we have practice afterwards right though? I should go get these papers signed by the teachers while they're still around since you need them before submitting these to the chairwoman," The purple head waved the stack of paper she had picked up in emphasis.

Nodding, Eri gave her a grateful smile, glad to have the purple head around as her vice-president. She certainly knows how to handle everything impeccably.

"Thank you Nozomi, I really don't know what to do without you."

"You give me too much credit," Nozomi giggles again, waving a free hand nonchalantly at the blonde as she stood up from her seat to the door, carrying the said papers inside a clear folder.

Although seemingly unfazed from the outside, it can't be said the same inside the purple head's hampering heart due to Eri's earnest expression and the statement she had just uttered, but all the same, Nozomi tries not to look embarrassed, the blonde might misunderstand and tease her for that.

She doesn't like to be one-upped after all, considering that Nozomi can't really imagine herself being pushed to the corner.

"It's the truth though. I really wouldn't know what to do with you," The blonde chuckles, a tinge of red on her cheeks flares her skin when Nozomi gives a quick glance at her direction, sending one last grateful smile at Nozomi before the blonde goes back with her workload for the day.

Taking this as her queue to leave, the Nozomi opens the door and steps out of the Student Council room, shutting it behind afterwards without saying any comeback response. How could she, when she's caught off-guard by the gentle look in the blonde's distinctive azures.

While Eri certainly had her moments of being sincere to a fault, being the one on the receiving end of Eri's pure thoughts and feelings of her leaves her flustered on the spot.

'…What was that, just now?' Nozomi frowns, lips pressed into a tight line, cupping her cheek and feeling warmth. She already knows she's blushing, but she'd beg to differ, not wanting to be caught like this.

It would certainly be embarrassing, much more than when the other members had found out that she keeps a picture of the whole members in her room. It had earned her a couple of teases from the other members and certainly after a nice good experience of getting the receiving end, Nozomi never wanted to be the one on that end afterwards.

Well, who exactly would? Considering that the other members wouldn't let up unless she scares them off with a threat to thoroughly give them a good massage on each of the members' chests.

She could faintly remember the horrified expressions of three other members.

Though probably threatening the blonde something like that would just earn her some scolding. Not that she'd attempt to grab her best friend's chest. Who knows what would happen to her poor heart if she did that.

'Wait…what am I thinking?!' Nozomi exclaims inside her head, cheeks even more redder due to where her thoughts were slowly going to. Slapping her hand to her already flushed cheeks, the purple head murmurs something under her breath and looks away, guilty.

In an effort to distract herself; Nozomi rubs her cheeks to rid it off its redness; hoping that it would fade away lest she walk around with a beet red face, but alas; all attempts failed and the rosy hue on her cheeks remained, just as Eri's words have etched itself inside her heart and mind. She'd probably thinking about it again when she's back in her apartment. Surely she would, considering how the silence of her own lonely abode gives her much leisure to think.

Shaking her head and sighing, Nozomi walks away, giving up all attempts.

It just doesn't seem any fairer anymore with how the blonde makes her heart work up a beat. Maybe next time she'd bend down to the blonde's will and submit herself to her bidding, though it's a big exaggeration—it might as well be the whole exact truth of how seriously she's become completely entangled.

"Mou, it really isn't fair that you can do this to me, Erichi…"

o=o=o=o

After classes were always a blessing, especially when there were club activities on a clear sunny day—that is if you were one of the ordinary students that didn't held positions in clubs or in the Student Council. Although sometimes their dancing practices were always extremely tiring, all the members cheerfully and energetically did their part, their bodies swaying to the beat of Eri's or Umi's claps as they all mentally counted their steps. For Honoka, dancing practices are exhilarating that instead of getting tired, it only served to fuel her blood with adrenaline, like someone had plugged a mini reactor and pumped energy inside her. Though she couldn't completely say that she's a professional dancer yet, as she does her own fair share of mistakes and mishaps, which she gets reprimanded for.

One exceptional faulty thing that often happens is that she's quick to change steps, sometimes they weren't in-time with the counts that their fellow Muse choreographers shouted. Honoka couldn't help it though; she'd have to agree that she gets too excitable herself, not that she can't get away with it.

Of course she could, not because she's the leader of Muse, but because she's continuously exerting effort to improve—that at least is what Eri and Umi has told her. She'd just has to keep up like that, or to move forward and correct that error, which is hard to do just as concentrating on her academic studies.

A certain blue haired best friend of hers would certain get angry at her again, if ever she knew, not that it was a secret anyways.

"Ahh… I get how strict Umi-chan can be, but sometimes I wish she'd tone it down. Sometimes she sounds like Mom," Honoka mused to herself with a silly grin on her lips, her left hand moving to wipe off the sweat dripping down her chin with a soft pink towel.

The ginger looks towards the direction of her blue haired best friend and merely shrugs, continuing to smile as she picks up her water jug, watching as she converses with Eri in amusement. Every now and then, the two would dance, occasionally making little revisions.

'They'll probably add those later on during polishing stage…'

The ginger took a swig of her water jug, turning away as she walked towards the little light green blanket they had stretched on the floor, kicking her rubber shoes off as she stepped on the cloth and took a seat on it, finding refuge from the heat of the sun with the shade provided there.

Currently at present they are on a twenty minute break, which was a miracle considering that Eri and Umi rarely give such a lengthy break time, mostly they would only offer a five to ten minute break then afterwards they'll continue their rigorous dance practice. Not that Honoka would complain about this break, as they do need to rest their legs, else they strain themselves too much and end up getting injured as their current dance steps were just too exhausting as it involved a lot of hopping and jumping.

With the blessings of a long resting time, Honoka makes her way to where their school bags lied, or rather, crawls slowly to it, easily spotting her childhood friend sitting on the blankets under the shade provided by the wall just by the near corner. The brunette wore a blank expression, but one with a faraway look on her face. Perking up in curiosity, the ginger walks towards the brunette and tries to catch her attention by calling her name. It seemed though that she hadn't heard her when her best friend idly went to poke through her phone.

"Kotori-chan!" Honoka called again, this time a bit louder than the first while shaking the brunette, hoping to gain her undivided attention.

It eventually worked, but Honoka had expected her best friend to react with a squeak and not by calmly regarding her with a smile that didn't even seem to reach her eyes. Why Honoka could even tell is mostly because she's never seen the brunette ever fake a smile. Every smile she gives would always be genuine. It was Kotori's nature to be honest to a fault, and this, this smile was something the ginger didn't like.

It gave Honoka immense distraught.

"Hmm? What's wrong, Honoka-chan?" Kotori asked politely, putting away her towel and jug. Honoka's eyes watching the brunette's every movement, as if it would give her any clues as to what had made her child hood best friend broad.

Honoka ponders for a moment whether she'd ask the brunette straightforward about what she wanted to ask. She probably should, considering that it isn't like her at all to keep her thoughts hidden for too long, because it is, Kotori would eventually pick something up from her actions and read her. The brunette could do it just as well as Umi, but it only happens occasionally, but while the brunette maybe smart and a good role model student; she isn't as analytic, sharp and strict as their other best friend, making Kotori her would-be ally. Sometimes she does…betray her, more or less giving the ginger away to their blue haired best friend to punish, but that happens less. At least from what she can remember.

In all honesty, sometimes Honoka herself wonders how it would be if Kotori were to get angry. She never has seen her angry before, mostly it would Umi's rage that she's facing while Kotori would console her wounded soul with her gentle reassurance. But then again, even if she is a little curious on how would the brunette would be if she were angered, Honoka definitely didn't want that to happen.

As it is, even if Kotori is gentle and kind, she doesn't want to stretch her luck to find out what it would be like to receive the brunette's temper. She'd probably be scary, or unforgiving, given that she never gets angry.

Gulping nervously, Honoka looks away from the curious gaze of the brunette to look at the three first years reviewing the dance steps. She'd rather not look Kotori in the eye when she asks, than to see a different kind of emotion flashing in her usual kind golden orbs.

"Well, you see, I was wondering…did you, by any chance, get into an argument with Umi-chan?" Honoka mumbles, twiddling with the cap of her water jug in pure nervousness.

"Why…do you think so?" Kotori answers with a pause, as if hesitant to give the question. It doesn't answer her question, but Honoka isn't one to call out the brunette for that. She probably seemed suspicious to Kotori's eyes, which she needs to clear—Honoka did not need her best friend to misunderstand her.

"I saw you earlier looking really sad, especially whenever you looked at Umi-chan. I just wanted to know if something bad happened," The ginger explained, glancing at the brunette's direction every now and then, hoping that she hasn't stepped on a landmine.

Kotori, unable to maintain her focus on Honoka, bows her head and nods mechanically, as if to show the ginger that she heard her. Something felt off just from there, and the atmosphere is tense and awkward, but Honoka couldn't pick that up, especially not when all her senses were preoccupied with wanting to know about Kotori's side of things.

"There's nothing wrong, Honoka-chan. Me and Umi-chan, we didn't fight. It's nothing," The brunette responses finally to the answer after a few seconds of contemplation. Why it took long, Honoka herself was curious. Maybe she had just constructed her statement wrong, or maybe Kotori was just thinking about how absurd her question was and how Honoka had come up with that question.

However, that wouldn't do. Just that wouldn't do at all.

"Are you sure? I feel like there's something bothering you though, Kotori-chan," Honoka continues on, pressing for more answers. She takes a sit beside the brunette, putting down her jug on her left side while she leaned on the wall and attempted to seem relaxed in the curious watch of her childhood best friend's eyes.

"Really, there's nothing. But thank you for worrying about me, Honoka-chan," Kotori stares at her best friend with a small smile, and before Honoka could even fully analyse the brunette's expression, Kotori had by then turned away to greet the other members who approached them.

Unable to continue on questioning her childhood friend, Honoka gives up and converses casually with the other members for the remainder of the time before Kotori stands up and breaks the conversation with a troubled smile upon opening her phone and reading something from it.

"What's wrong, Kotori-chan?" Hanayo asks, blinking in confusion, Kotori smiling nervously as she slid her phone to her skirt pocket.

"I just remember; I need to help out at the café today. Today's a busy time for the café you see," Kotori explains, earning a few worried questions and inquiring responses from the other members, including Rin's suggestion that they all went out to help her. But Kotori being her selfless self; didn't want to burden the others with the issues of her job and politely declined it the offer, before she excused herself to get permission from Eri.

"Hey, Honoka…" Maki calls out, as soon as the other members and brunette were out of sight, it was probably the redhead's way of not divulging anything that could surely grow seeds of doubt in the other members minds, especially to Hanayo, Rin and Nico. They would surely be worried and that wasn't something that she didn't want to occur.

"Did you ask—"

Honoka immediately knew what Maki wanted to talk about the moment she heard the next few words parting from her lips and had decided to cut off the redhead's question with the answer that younger girl needed to hear. Saying it herself though, Honoka isn't sure if there really isn't anything at all to worry about, but she doesn't want to make room for doubts, especially not with her best friend.

"—I did. Kotori-chan said nothing is bothering her," Honoka looks at the redhead, who was now looking at her with a frown.

Taking in the response, Maki settles down and looks away from Honoka after giving her a quick deciphering look.

"I see..."

A sigh comes out of the redhead's parted lips; it was as if she had also expected Honoka to say that as well and that itself makes the ginger more anxious. There definitely something bad in the way that Maki seemed to look disappointed, she had secretly hope that it wasn't her. It wasn't that easy to please the redhead when her moods sour after all.

"I don't want to give you a reason to doubt Kotori-chan, but from what I can tell from this, she probably lied to you," Maki said in a low voice while she glanced at the direction of where the brunette was talking to Eri apologetically, frantically bowing her head while Eri tried to reassure the other girl. Honoka was also following Maki's line of sight, watching as Kotori waved goodbye to everyone and left the rooftop hurriedly.

The ginger shook her head at the redhead's words, frowning. There's no way, she wouldn't want to think of it that way, and she denied it, verbally, just like she would when she didn't want to accept the truth.

"Kotori-chan would never do—"

"—You don't really need to take my words, it's my interpretation at the very least," The younger girl interrupted her, nonchalantly waving a hand to Honoka's direction, as if not wanting to make the troubled second year worry more.

Though in truth, Maki already knew that her words had substance in it.

There was definitely something going on and it was something that Kotori didn't plan on telling to anyone soon. It was as if the brunette had wanted to hide it, for how long though there's no such reassurance whether she can safely hide it, all that's definite here from Maki's perception is that Kotori was hiding something big from them. She wasn't as hard to read as Nozomi after all, given that the brunette wore her heart on her sleeves just as Honoka and Rin does.

She had been secretly monitoring Kotori and Honoka the very moment they initiated a conversation as discreetly as possible, it wasn't that Honoka told her that she'd immediately ask the her best friend, truthfully enough, Maki was in a big surprise when the ginger immediately asked the moment she got a chance. She actually thought Honoka would ask a few days later or so, but then again, Honoka was a straightforward and curious person.

Expressions and actions alone were enough to dictate Kotori's unease, and the way her eyes too were shifting a bit was already enough to take suspicions, after all, Kotori isn't good at hiding her worries, much less act. If she were to compare, the way she tried to pass through Honoka's question was akin to dusting the dirt under the rug.

It reminds Maki of how utterly unconvincing a certain raven's acting skills were, it was cringe worthy enough to make a video camera run out of battery. She just wants to forget how ridiculous that plan was too, hopefully nothing like that happens again.

Honoka having been reduced into quiet contemplation, looks at the sky, maybe by chance hoping that an answer would form in those almost stagnant white clouds in that sea of blue hues. Maki doesn't bother her anymore, having already stood up to give the older girl some time to think and comprehend her words.

Reaching up for the half-full water jug beside her, Honoka takes a quick swig before nodding to herself, an idea now already forming inside her head for her next action.

If there's room for doubts, then she has to clear it up and what better way to do that is to ask the other party.

Certainly, someone as perceptive as Umi might know, at least that's what she's hoping for because if she didn't, then there really is room for more doubts and worries. She just hopes that whatever it is, it's not something that would leave them all vulnerable and hurt again.

o=o=o=o

Hurried footsteps clicked on concrete floor, the sound bouncing inside the walls of the second year hallway as the brunette walked briskly, hoping no one would run up and talk to her. Right now wasn't the time. She wasn't in the right state to be talking to anyone right now.

Not when she's starting to raise suspicions.

Kotori hadn't expected for Honoka to ask her, much less to be caught looking at the blue haired archer by her. Truthfully, it had made her restless, had her ginger best friend been more perceptive, she would have been able to see through everything that Kotori had been hiding just by reading her eyes. Had she not made any reason to be able to leave practice early, surely the questioning would start again. Honoka after all liked to have her answers, being persistent was one of her best friend's quality after all.

She loves everything else that makes Honoka herself, but Kotori just doesn't want to be caught yet. She still doesn't know how to tell her, much less she'd respond to her best friend's concern and how Honoka would react to finding out about her falling in love with a girl, much less their childhood friend.

She doesn't want to lose her, Honoka is her very first friend and she cherishes her cheerful disposition and how she finds good in every little thing, no matter how bad the situation is at times. It's the same feeling she feels about not wanting to lose Umi and the weight of trying to control these happening has proven to be more tasking than usual given that all she ever does is alarm them with worries.

"I have to stop making them worry…" Kotori bites her bottom lip; the brunette pausing her descend down the stairs.

Lowering her gaze down her feet, the takes out her phone from her skirt pocket, pushing the power button the monitor lights up and shows a picture of her, Umi and Honoka, all of them smiling in the picture. It was the picture that the three of them agreed on taking during their summer camp, it was a memorable time, it was happy then, and her feelings hadn't really been getting in the way just until recently.

If only she had denied its existence a bit longer, maybe she'd be living in peaceful obliviousness.

Heaving a long sigh, Kotori turns off her phone and puts it back inside her pocket before turning towards the small window nearby, watching the sun slowly set with conflicted golden orbs that spoke of insecurity, fear and sadness.

"If only it was possible to choose, just when and who you'd fall in love with…"

o=o=o=o

Practices soon reached to an end for the day, it finishing with a firm agreement of another session for tomorrow before everyone parted ways from another after the very brief meeting in the club room. The first to leave early being Nico as she had to excused herself for an appointment she firmly didn't want to mention in detail. The first years also went off, leaving just the two second years and the two third years left together to walk to their destinations.

The walk together was anything but serious. It was casual, fun with a bit of teasing from one person to the other, the type that you probably wouldn't see much between a senior and a junior given that in Otonokizaka their prioritize over formalities and respect for those a year or two higher than them.

Muse operated differently, which meant that no member was allowed to go formal and that everyone must speak casually to one another that had by them worked well in serving to bridge the communication and bond gaps between each year. It was what made the Idol Research club a club to envy for others due to their strong bond and friendliness to each other, but that in itself was special.

When the four reached their destinations, they soon parted way with Eri and Nozomi heading back to the Student Council room to finish up their paper works for the day while Honoka and Umi went to give their class journal to their class adviser, as both of them were assigned to be the class monitor for the day.

After dropping the journal to the teacher's lounge, the two decided to head home and this time it was just the two of them now, Honoka noted in her mind. The other day it had only been Kotori and Umi who were together, now it was her that replaced their childhood friend. It almost felt like they can't even go home with the three of them together anymore.

Frankly enough, Honoka never even heard Kotori say that she had to work today as she would often tell either her or Umi about it. It might have sprung up out of nowhere, yes she had given that option a thought, but somehow it felt different—maybe she was just thinking too much and doubting Kotori's sincerity given due to Maki's own personal opinion about the brunette's statement.

"Practice sure ended fulfilling to day. If we keep up with this kind of pace, we'll eventually be able to release a new PV in no time," Umi pointed out thoughtfully with a proud smile on her face, but when Honoka didn't give any much spontaneous cheers and her own brand of energetic response, the older girl gave a side glance to the ginger beside her, whom was lost in thoughts.

"Honoka?" The older of the two second years called out, worry evident in her tone as she reached for the ginger's shoulder and gave her a tap, startling Honoka and abruptly cutting off her train of thoughts.

"Eh? Ah, Umi-chan, what's wrong?" The ginger smiled at Umi, scratching her cheek nervously at having been caught off guard by her childhood best friend. The archer-lyricist raised an eyebrow and shook her head, sighing before regarding the ginger with a blank stare.

"Don't tell me your mind is drifting somewhere far away again…"

"Umi-chan's really sharp. I'm sorry I was just thinking about something," Honoka giggles sheepishly, looking away from the sharp amber orbs that stared at her inquisitively.

"What were you thinking about?" Umi asks, as if pressing for more, curiosity having piqued up due to Honoka's somewhat distressed facial expression upon her question. But it wasn't that Honoka was going to deny giving her answers, this was exactly what she wanted her best friend to do—to ask her, and maybe then she would also be able to ask Umi for answers herself.

"About Kotori-chan, and what Maki-chan told me."

"Maki? Did something bad happen between you three?" An eyebrow immediately rose up, with Umi worriedly glancing from the younger girl then back to the path in front of them.

"No. It isn't that. Maki-chan just told me…well, implied that Kotori-chan's hiding something," The ginger carefully tried to pick her words, hoping not to put tension in something she isn't exactly sure of. But no matter how she'd say it otherwise, the archer already had become just as equally worried as she is now.

"What, do you mean?" Umi asks, lowering her voice while all the same stopping from walking any further as she tried to comprehend Honoka's statement because of the absurdity in it. The ginger also stops walking and completely faces her older best friend, seeing the sudden conflict in those normally clear ambers.

Clearly, both of them were thinking the same thing. It was just completely and utterly impossible for Kotori to lie because she isn't that kind of person.

True, Kotori might hide things from them, just like what she did before, but she wasn't the type to lie. It just didn't seem right, and it was hard to believe, Honoka herself knew that because even she still doesn't want to take Maki's words as a possibility. She doesn't want to doubt Kotori, not now, not ever.

"I asked Kotori-chan if something was troubling her early in practice. She told me that nothing was bothering her, but…Maki-chan, she told me that Kotori-chan might probably be lying to me," Honoka mumbled quietly, low enough for only the two of them to hear but even then, Umi can still hear the faint distress in the ginger's voice.

"I can't seem to follow where this started though," Umi looks away from Honoka to lean on the wall, running a hand through her hair to soothe and ease the tension she's feeling.

"Did you notice Kotori-chan acting off lately?" Honoka asks seriously, and rarely was she ever serious, it was mostly on just rare occasions and this, was one of them. Fairly enough, the ginger didn't seem any better than Umi either is at that moment.

"That's, well, yes. It was yesterday…"

"And today, did you notice anything?"

"Kotori…she's much quieter than she normally is. I don't think, we should think ahead though. Kotori probably is just in deep thoughts," Umi shook her head, clearly wanting to just end the conversation there.

"Deep thoughts concerning about what, Umi-chan? Kotori only acted like that before when she almost left for Japan, but this… What exactly do you think is she thinking of?" The ginger urged and pressed more, hoping that Umi would supply her more information. She didn't want to stop there. It felt like they might be able to find out if they were to continue on pressing deeper, but if only it were really that easy.

Sure, they might be able to reveal the first two words in the sentence, but even then, the rest would still remain hidden from them even if they were to try and retrace those circumstances when the brunette acted a bit out of her normal self. They needed more clues and they needed to start compiling it now as it seemed that Kotori isn't going to tell them anything anytime sooner, but with that, it would also increase their doubts on their best friend and it was by far the worst thing they can ever do to each other—to find suspicion in the other.

"That's…I don't know. Do you really think that Kotori lied to you?" Umi, having given up in getting away from this subject, sighed and crossed her arms. She didn't look at Honoka's direction though, she didn't want to know what her best friend's expression is yet, knowing that if she were to see the ginger's disheartened expression, it would strongly affect her.

Their trust maybe strong now due to their long term friendship, but with the recent end of events concerning Kotori's near departure happening, it had left them a small dent in their strong faith for one another.

They could deny it and say it that it's just worry, but both Honoka and Umi knows is that it is doubt and they can't hide it under just the pretense of worry.

"I don't want to think she did. But I do feel like there's something off. I can't push aside this feeling of worrying."

"I know I may not be the most perceptive out of the three of us, but I want to start making an effort to know your feelings. I don't want to be too selfish that I'd end up hurting you two again…" Honoka admits in a strong firm voice, reminding Umi of the tone that Honoka used when they both were talking to one another in the auditorium before Kotori's flight, it had made her look at her best friend for a momentary before she looked away.

She would have wanted to comment on the part of Honoka's effort in understanding them, but she doesn't. Umi might have wanted to try making the mood light, to say anything, even a retort or a tease, but the atmosphere seemed too thick for her to say anything smart in response to the ginger's pure.

"I…can agree that Kotori seems off and I do also believe that she isn't the type to do that, but I can't think of any reason why because she never told us anything that's troubling her," The archer supplements her own opinion, but even then that would still not lessen their forming doubt.

"Well, I was actually thinking earlier that you and Kotori-chan might have fought…did you?" Honoka sighs, falling back to a serious expression as she met the blue haired girl's gaze.

"Of course not, why would you even think of that? You know of all people, Honoka, that I won't fight Kotori, there's no way I could ever possibly harbour any ill-feelings for her …" Umi frowning deeper, unable to comprehend where Honoka was going with this line of thought. It almost felt that the ginger was trying to boggle her out of her mind with worry, and it was worrying very slowly, but it was the very truth, she didn't do anything, at least from what Umi knows in her own perspective.

Honoka smiles, but it doesn't reach up to her eyes. She knows that Umi's being truthful to her, but it just doesn't fit at all. It doesn't fit was she saw earlier.

"I know that, but why did Kotori-chan look at Umi-chan with such a sad expression?"

o=o=o=o

Now back in the Student Council room after taking a break from paperwork due to idol practices, the two third years soon fell into complete silence once they had resumed their work again, writing and reading over papers and the like, each both hoping to reduce the papers that were filling the top of their desks before they eventually gave up halfway through the stack and decided to resume it for tomorrow again once it was getting darker outside.

Stretching her arms, Nozomi opens the small window, letting the evening breeze tickle her skin and ease her fatigue with the feeling of calm serenity of this silence, having been used to the noise of footsteps, chattering and giggling from other students.

Surprisingly enough, nothing remotely extreme occurred, apart from the usual banters between a certain third year raven and a first year redhead occurred early during Muse practice. It wasn't like she wasn't used to them, she just finds it funny that they can even speak to one another without barbs in their sentences, and to think that those two are secretly best friends.

Giggling softly, Nozomi sighs and heaves a deep breath. Today would become tomorrow soon in the next few hours remaining for the evening and the fortune for the day would change, being used to reading the fortunes for the next day, Nozomi decides to take out her deck of tarot cards from her bag and pulled out one from the stack.

Although she isn't one to expect good fortune every time, Nozomi didn't also want to expect bad fortune either, but upon flipping her tarot card and seeing the image it held, alarms immediately rang inside the purple head's head. The card she had drawn out was the Tower on upright position; it's one of the major arcana from her deck and rarely did it ever appear in her readings until just now.

"This card…" Nozomi narrows her eyes, the look in her eyes turning hard and dark. The card that she held definitely meant bad news.

Eri, having just finished packing her stuff in her bag, approached the older girl and tapped her shoulder, unaware of the conflict the purple head was feeling and this promptly interrupted Nozomi from her thoughts.

"Are you ready to go Nozomi?" Eri smiles as she gestures to the door, not noticing the conflicted look the purple head had earlier due to Nozomi hiding her worry behind a smile, while praying to the deities for Eri not noticing it. It would be hard to say anything to her best friend, much less explain something which cause she doesn't know as of yet.

"Mhm, let's go home, Erichi," Nozomi beams at the blonde, placing her deck back to her bag, but not without giving one last glance at it before she closes her bag and heads out of the Student Council room, running to catch up with the quarter-Russian's pace.

Responses:

Major Mike Powell III - You don't need to apologize. I didn't give a heads up that I'd be appearing again with an update after all, so no worries.

It's cute? Really, thanks, I never really bother planning how if it's cute or not, I just work on it. Good thing it worked that way. I'd hate to make the opening dramatic between Nozomi and Eri, it's ill-timed if I did. Hahaha. XD Ehh, I wonder about that, but thank you that you find how Kotori's feelings grew off to be interesting, I'd probably just laugh off since it's just the same cliches that I just got from my classmates and friends.

Well, if Major didn't feel bad for Kotori then it would prove that I'm doing something wrong with my fic, and since you do, I'm quite happy it's working well for my side. Oh no worries, Honoka won't end up alone, unless someone can't bare with her and leaves her in a tight bind. Like let's say Maki goes full tsun and walks away from Honoka and avoid her for the whole remainder for their school year. XDDDD

Kotori not having a break from drama is my, well, to say it, enjoyment. I like seeing characters on the rough side, even though it's very saddening, I just can't help but be amused.

Yes, Honoka has some of that genius moments that rarely happens though, and that is something you'd definitely want seeing more often, Umi would definitely wish it was, she'd have less worries and less work, but it does seem she won't have anything left to do, so no. But wouldn't it be great if Honoka did seemed more serious more often? XDD

And thank you for the two comments, Major Mike. :)

Nelura - Well, KotoUmi is my main focus, but I will shift from time to time with HonoMaki and NozoEri.

Dash24zappshift - Thank you. :)

windyheartsnsd - I'm sorry I went missing during that time, I'm not really on hiatus, maybe semi-hiatus? Well, that's still a hiatus...I'm sorry for that.

I do write my ideas down, I also make outlines, I just don't really have the time to do them. If I do, there's no inspiration, it's hard to write when you aren't feeling up for it. It makes writing a chapter seem like a chore, which I don't want because it would give very poor quality results.

I can't guarantee that I will be able to update frequently, but I don't want to abandon this fic of course. And no worries for the long comment, I like long comments. Thank you! :)

devilhamster - Ah yes, thank you for pointing that out. I was really tired when I did this chapter and the proofreading. I appreciate that. Hahaha, and sorry for that little mistake. Thank you once again for point that out. :)

A/N: Well, now that's done. This chapter is longer than Lapis Lazuli chapter 1, ranging from 7,422 words. Seriously, it just gets longer and longer, I wonder if I'll hit a 10k here. Let's see.

Suspicions are still up in the air, Honoka and Maki aren't the only one who's worried not. I mean earlier Umi is worried, but it was more of taking time to let Kotori tell her instead, but now that Honoka has told her something that she won't be able to just ignore, how will Umi react to that? And what exactly is that bad news the tarot card that Nozomi drew what was referring to? That's like something I need to answer in the updates.

Anyways, I'd just love to say that I have chapter 6, 7 and 8 for Love Marginal in outline. Yes, there's outline already, hooray, so it might be easier for me to write an update now. I don't know if it'll make a difference, hopefully it does but I'm doubting it since I'm on my Finals this term, ugh...

With all these said, I'll see you next update, ciao!