Nozomi bent over to pull up her socks over her thighs; the temperature outside was dropping and Winter would be on its way soon. She knocked on the door to Eli's apartment, adjusting her bag on her shoulder while she waited for an answer. Eli's little sister opened the door, and Nozomi smiled at her. Alisa stepped to the side, letting her step in. "She's in her room doing some last minute packing," she said, giving her a hug. Nozomi nodded her thanks and slipped her shoes off before making her way over to Eli's bedroom. Alisa put her headphones on as she jumped back onto the couch, watching Muse videos on her iPod.

Nozomi nudged Eli's bedroom door open, standing in the doorway. Eli looked up from the framed picture of her as a young ballerina. "Oh, Nozomi. Is it time to go already?" She smiled sadly at her best friend, "Yes, it is." Eli stuffed the picture frame in her suitcase and zipped it shut; she pulled on her peacoat and wrapped a fuzzy white scarf around her neck. "Okay," she said, taking a deep breath. "I'm ready."

Eli was going to America to study abroad, and Nozomi offered to drive her to the airport and see her off. While she was traveling to a foreign country to go to college for law and politics, Nozomi was stuck at home taking care of the temple for another year. The two had just recently graduated high school, and ended their idol group Muse, which actually became successful. But that's over now; it was fun while it lasted.

Eli gave Alisa one last big hug before finally leaving. Eli and Nozomi walked down to Nozomi's car, climbing in and immediately turning the seat heaters all the way up; Eli's suitcase and carry-on bag both thrown to the back seat. "Thanks for taking me to the airport," Eli said, rubbing her hands together and breathing into them. Nozomi smiled at her, a pain hitting her chest.

Nozomi pulled out of the parking lot and they were soon on the packed highway. She stole a few glances at Eli, noticing she let her hair down today. The blonde had grown these past couple months; she really looked like a college student. The features of her face were more mature and defined, and her legs had been toned. Her breasts filled out and curvaceous hips completed her beautiful hourglass shape. Nozomi still felt like a young high schooler; awkward and immature.

It took about half an hour for them to reach the airport parking lot. Nozomi held onto to Eli's carry-on bag for her as they made their way inside. Going through the security procedures felt as if it'd never end. There was almost a panic when Eli went through the metal detector and a loud warning noise went off. Everyone was relieved that it was just her belt, and not a gun.

After paying for the suitcase and validating their passports, Eli and Nozomi exhaustedly slumped into two of the seats by the gates. Nozomi checked the time on her cellphone, and realized Eli's flight would be leaving in the next twenty minutes. "Eli-cci?" she asked, forcing herself to sit up. "Are you hungry?" Eli sat up too, twisting side to side to crack her back. "Yeah, I think I could go for a snack. Is it alright if I get some magazines too? I'll need something to keep myself occupied on the plane ride." Nozomi smiled and nodded at her, getting off of the chair and pulling on Eli's arms to help her stand up. They walked down to the food stands, where there was a variety of different things to eat. They eventually decided that McDonald's would have to do. "I need to save as much money as possible for when I'm buying textbooks. The Dollar Menu isn't too bad, right?" Nozomi chuckled at her.

With only about ten minutes left from standing in that ridiculously long order line, Nozomi had never savored a fast food meal this much before. A greasy hamburger, an order of Chicken McNuggets, and a large soda to share really wasn't that memorable. The fact that it was with Eli was what made it special. The last meal they'd eat together in a long time.

Eli stood up from the restaurant chair and brushed the crumbs from her dress. "I only have about five minutes left. I should go." Nozomi stood up after her and threw their trash away. She could feel her heart beating against her chest as she walked with Eli to the gate. Nozomi handed her her carry-on bag and a couple magazines. "Call me when you get there, and make sure to make some friends." She smiled weakly at her. "Don't forget to check in with me once in a while, okay? But make your studies your first priority! And-" Eli laughed, her face lighting up. "I'll be fine, Nozomi." She pulled her in for a tight hug, "I'll miss you too." Nozomi felt tense, but then relaxed and wrapped her arms around Eli.

After a few moments, the two reluctantly let go. Nozomi watched Eli as she walked through the tunnel that connected to the plane. She continued to stand there until she couldn't see her anymore. With a heavy heart, she took her time getting back to her car in the parking lot. Sitting in the driver's seat, she tightened her hands on the steering wheel but didn't start the car. For a few minutes, she sat staring down at her legs in silence; tears slowly trickling down her cheeks. She squeezed her eyes shut, which only made her cry harder. She thought back to their last minute together; the way she laughed, and the way she said she'd miss her.

It was only four years, but already Nozomi felt trapped and alone. She was still stuck at home, while Eli was going out and doing something with her life; she was really growing up. The other girls from Muse were her friends too, but Eli was different. And now she was on a plane flying across the world.

She turned the key in the ignition, and drove home.

A/N: Ah, hello! This is just a little something I wrote. This is my first time putting my work out there, so I hope you like it :) I do have some more chapters for this, but I'm not sure if I will upload those as well. Anyway, thank you so much for reading and I hope you have a wonderful day xx