She couldn't pinpoint the exact moment that she fell in love with her, but she knew that now was the right time to confess her feelings.

Maki sat alone on the piano in the music room. Club activities have ended and the music room was filled with the twilight color of the sun setting. She left a note in her crush's bag before quickly leaving and coming here.

Maki stood up and stared out the window, student's finishing up their club activities were walking home together and she could see her friends from the idol club walking home as well.

Her focus was broken when she heard a knock and the sliding of a door from behind her. She turned around in anticipation of it being the one she admired.

It was Umi, "Maki? I got your note, what did you want to talk about?" she stepped in closer to Maki until she was in the middle of the room. She noticed a few music sheets laid out on the piano, "Do you need help with the music?"

Maki shook her head and took a deep breath. She calmed her beating heart and stepped in closer towards Umi. When she was ready, she looked Umi right in the eyes and spoke up, "Umi, I really, really like you and it would make me the happiest person in the world if you would date me!"

She said it all in one go and watched as Umi jumped back in embarrassment, "W-What? No way! I had no idea you felt this way about me."

Maki nodded and fought her own embarrassment, she knew if she let it win, she wouldn't be able to convince Umi that she was serious, "I mean it, I really love you..."

Umi stood still trying to find out how to answer to Maki, "I-I don't know how to respond, this has never happened to me before..."

Maki stayed firm, "Please go out with me."

Umi blushed redder than a tomato and looked down, "I-if you're fine with me..."

Maki's body was instantly overcome with a warm and fuzzy feeling, she felt like she was about to cry and jump around in complete joy, "R-Really?!" Maki almost couldn't control herself.

Umi shyly nodded, "Mhmm..."

Maki ran up and hugged Umi, "I'm so happy," she started to tear up, "I get to date someone as amazing as you."

"I'm not that great," Umi blushed and awkwardly hugged Maki back.

She shook her head in response, "You inspire me to compose and try my best for μ's."

Umi scratched her cheek, "Really? Thanks... I guess."

Maki blushed before she asked the next question, "I-If you don't mind... can we walk home together and... hold hands?"

Umi smiled at the child-like request, "Sure."

The two entangled their hands together and walked home. They decided on keeping their relationship a secret from everyone else in μ's since it could cause a disruption in the group. It was Umi's suggestion, but Maki agreed. If the other members found out that they were dating now, it would cause some sort of drama.

Umi and Maki spent a lot of time together ever since that day, not only were they dating, but they were also a team when it came to the music of μ's. During lunch breaks they would sit together in the music room and eat while Maki composed and Umi worked on the lyrics. During the weekends, they would visit each other's homes and discuss their music there. Of course, they did get a little lovey dovey, but since Umi wasn't too great at romance, it was mild.

The two sat together in the music room while everyone else was up on the roof practicing, "Hey Umi, how does this sound?"

Maki started playing the piano and repeated the lyrics that Umi had written down. They were the lyrics to No Brand Girls and Umi quietly sang along too.

"It's coming out nicely, it always seems like you know exactly what my mind does," Umi stated.

"Maybe it's because I love you so much," Maki teased.

"M-Makiiii," Umi yelled her name to get her to stop.

"I know, I know," Maki giggled and kissed Umi's cheek which left her as a blushing mess. She enjoyed teasing Umi like this, the way she breaks down into an adorable mess compared to her usual demeanor made Maki love her more.

Maki took a deep breath for fresh air and looked around the music room. As usual, it was dimly lit and the only source of light would come from the windows. The only two inhabitants were Umi and Maki and the silence was calming.

"You know... Whenever we're together like this, I feel like we're in our own little world," Maki started out of the blue.

"What do you mean?" Umi asked.

"When we're together like this, I completely forget about everything else. It feels like I'm dreaming about a world where it's just the two of us making music and loving each other. Except this is reality, and it's happening everyday," Maki looked down at her fingers on the piano and smiled, "and it fills me with this feeling of happiness I have never felt before."

She watched as another hand glided over and set itself over hers, she turned to look at Umi who had a serious face, "What is it, Umi?"

Umi brought her face in closer to Maki's, "I feel the same way."

Her face inched closer and Maki closed her eyes in anticipation. Umi leaned forward until their lips met and they finally shared their first kiss. It wasn't like anything that they have felt before. The softness of their lips, the taste of each other's lip balm, the happiness that warmed them up created something that only they could feel.

"Hey Maki, Umi, are you two done yet?" A voice yelled out.

The two widened their eyes in surprise and quickly separated just in time before the door slid open. It was Honoka, "Hey, we're almost done with practice, are you sure you two don't want to jo-" Honoka paused for a second before continuing, "Why are you two so red? Are you sick?"

"Just a little sick," Maki answered.

"I must have caught it from Maki," Umi added.

Honoka leaned against the doorway, "That would make sense, you two have been spending a lot of time together lately."

"W-what do you mean?" Umi sputtered.

"Just that you two have been working really hard on our songs," Honoka gave Umi a strange look.

"Oh... Yeah, sorry. My brain's a little fried," Umi told a white lie.

"Anyways, are you two going to come up to practice?" Honoka asked once again.

"We're only halfway done, we'll join next time," Maki answered.

"Okay then, see you two tomorrow!" Honoka slid the door shut and skipped down the hallway.

Umi clutched her chest and took a deep breath, "That was close..."

Maki rested her head against Umi's shoulder, "I'm glad you're my girlfriend."

Umi smiled when she heard those words, "Me too... Come on, let's get back to work."

Time passed and everything finally started settling down after the incident with Kotori. The group planned for another training camp at one of Maki's summer homes and today was the day.

The group arrived at Maki's summer home and began unpacking, of course there were distractions such as Honoka, Rin and Nico wanting to go off and goof around. Umi wanted to actually get some training done, but she had carefully set up a plan so that they could enjoy their time and work simultaneously.

The group decided to let Umi, Maki and Kotori split up into their own rooms to get their work done. Umi sat alone in her room, she couldn't come up with any lyrics at all, "I want to be with Maki..." she mumbled to herself.

Umi got up and left a message on her desk. She snuck out and made her way down the stairs carefully to find Maki. She peeked around the corner to see her girlfriend sitting at the piano. Usually by now, Maki would have been playing, but it seems like she was having trouble just like Umi was.

She carefully snuck behind Maki and took a deep breath, "An opening!" Umi thrusted her hands forward and wrapped them around Maki's waist. She began twiddling her fingers and poked into Maki's body.

"Uweh! Umi?! S-stop! That tickles!" Maki wiggled around on the piano bench and tried to escape Umi's assault.

"Ahhh Umi stop, please!" Maki struggled to get her words out between her laughing, "I can't breathe!"

Umi gave Maki one last good tickle attack and eased up on her. Maki was bent over on the piano keys trying to catch her breath, "Geez... what was that for?"

"You looked like you were having trouble so I did something fun," Umi explained.

"How much did you get done?" Maki asked.

"Umm..." Umi struggled to find a quick lie.

"Umi..." Maki turned around on the piano bench and started wiggling her fingers with malicious intent.

"I wrote quite a bit, I promise!" Umi tried to escape but Maki pounced on her like a panther. She had Umi on the floor struggling to escape from her tickle attack.

"How does it feel to be on the receiving end, huh?!" Maki showed Umi no mercy. The piano room was filled with Umi's uncontrollable laughter and crying.

"I-I'm sorry Maki! Please stop!" Umi begged, she was starting to feel tears welling up from being tickled so much.

"Only on one condition," Maki stated while she continued to tickle Umi.

"What is it?" Umi was willing and eager to get Maki to stop.

"Kiss me," Maki demanded.

"W-what? No wa-" Umi felt Maki's tickles become more aggressive and it caused her to burst into a muffled laughter, "Fine! Fine!"

Umi grabbed a hold of Maki's hands and pulled her down, their lips met and they shared a loving kiss.

"Umi? Maki? Are you down there?" they heard a light voice call.

The two quickly stopped and scrambled to look natural. Maki fixed herself up and took a seat on the piano bench and Umi laid against the couch that was against the wall.

Kotori appeared from around the corner and saw the two, "I thought we were working alone?"

"I couldn't think of anything so I came to ask Maki for help," Umi explained.

Maki turned to face Kotori and shrugged, "I've got nothing either."

Kotori breathed a sigh of relief and clutched her chest, "Thank god, I'm not the only one..."

The three shared a mutual sigh with their inability to create. They eventually ended up huddled together outside.

After the girls decided to split off into groups and do their own little expeditions and training, Umi and Maki were separated.

Maki sighed while she ate the potato Nico just cooked, "I wish I could eat one of these with Umi..." she thought to herself. She finished her potato and brushed off her hands, "I'm going to go back to the house to work on the song," Maki announced as she got up.

"Okay, be careful on your way back," Nico called out.

Umi on the other hand was hiking through the forest back to the house because of Nozomi's suggestion, "I hope Maki is going to be there..."

Maki arrived at the home first and took a step inside. Umi arrived at the same time as Kotori and they went in together.

"Oh, hey you two," Maki greeted them.

"Hey Maki," they said in unison.

"I think I have some sort of an idea for how the song will sound," Maki continued.

"I sort of do too for the lyrics," Umi replied.

"I have an idea for costumes," Kotori added.

The three of them went to work for the remainder of the night. It was reaching the late hours and Umi noticed that Kotori had fallen asleep on the couch. She nudged Maki so she could take a look, "Hey, Kotori's asleep."

Maki giggled, "She looks so adorable like that."

Umi puffed her cheeks after Maki's commentary.

"What? Of course you're cuter," Maki kissed Umi's cheek to get her to stop, "How are the lyrics coming along?"

Umi blushed and held the notebook close to her chest, "T-they're fine..."

"Can I see?" Maki held out her hand but Umi refused, "Don't tell me you didn't even start..." Maki raised her hands and wiggled her fingers to intimidate Umi.

"N-no, I finished them, but they're embarrassing..." she blushed and held the notebook tight.

"Come on, I'm your girlfriend, you can show me," Maki tugged on the notebook lightly until Umi gave up. She read the title out loud, "Yume no Tobira..."

She read through the lyrics until she reached a certain part, she paused and read them aloud,

"When I was tired, you encouraged me; your smile is the best.
And so, I'm advancing little by little.
The key to excitement is right here."

Umi blushed profusely and hid her face, "U-Umi what's wrong?" Maki asked.

She peered through her fingers and spoke, "Isn't it kind of cheesy?"

"No not at all! These lyrics are great!" Maki encouraged.

Umi stared at her own lap before quietly mumbling, "...I wrote this for you."

"What as that?" Maki could barely hear her, "You wrote them for who?"

"You!" Umi raised her voice slightly and looked up at Maki.

"...You wrote this for me?" she looked over the lyrics again and started to draw the lines, "Umi..."

"You're always expressing how much you love me, so this my way of showing you how much I love you..." Umi mumbled her words.

"Umi..." Maki hugged Umi tightly, "I love you."

"I love you too, Maki," Umi wrapped her arms around Maki's back.

The two sat in silence in each other's arms, leaving their minds to wander about each other. It was the same feeling that they had whenever they were alone, even though Kotori was asleep just a few meters away from them.

Umi smiled at the thought. She didn't know what the future would hold, she didn't know if μ's would still be together. She was uncertain of her future career, and she wasn't sure how things would end up after she graduates.

All she knows is that she wants to stay in this small little world with Maki. She wants to share more memories together, she wanted to create new ones. She wanted to laugh, cry, and be there for Maki when she was hurt.

She wanted to explore new experiences with her, reminisce about their high school days. She could see the two of them living together in their own home, parenting their beautiful children. All of this raced through Umi's mind, and she was sure that Maki felt the same way.

The future is uncertain for the two of them, but they both knew that they wanted to be together in their own little world.