Honoka: Oh my god, we're here!

Kotori: Honoka-chan? What do you mean, we've always been here?

Honoka: It's been at least a year since we've appeared!

Umi: Well, life gets in the way so it can't really be helped.

Chika: Ah! It's Muse! Riko-chan, hold me! *Faints*

Riko: Bweh?! Chika-chan, you're heavy! Did you eat too many mikans again?

Umi: Speaking of weight gain... *Glares at Honoka*

Honoka: Ahahaha... *Whistles innocently while scooting away from Umi*

You: Riko-chan, do you need help carrying Chika-chan?

Riko: No thanks, Chika-chan's not that heavy...

Kotori: Umi-chan! It says here that this is the last chapter for Headphones, Script, Record!...

Umi: ... I'm not surprised.

Nico: Hey! Did you guys seriously ignore Nico-nii?!

Maki: Nico-chan, you didn't even say a damn thing.

Nico: Yeah well, you guys should always be aware of my presence!

Maki: It's not like we're idols... We're just part of an anime studio that's breaking the laws of reality.

Yoshiko: Ku ku ku... The depths of hell will surely open its gates and welcome us as we party into oblivion...

Hanamaru: Yoshiko-chan, stop being so creepy zura.

Yoshiko: It's Yohane! Forget it, let's just move on so that everyone can move on! Zuramaru, end this section before hell-

Hanamaru: Fine fine, Enya doesn't own anything zura~

XXXXXX

"Heeeeey so... I kinda have a question for you guys..." Chika nervously asked over the phone, why was it that she had to be the one calling Maki anyways? It was Riko's phone, shouldn't she be the one doing it?

"What."

"Would you guys be cool if two of our friends joined us for the party?" Chika swore she heard a hellish screech over the phone, which was punctuated with glass smashing in the background. You and Riko were within distance, though they busied themselves in the cafe as they didn't wish to be responsible for whatever Chika would do. "Are you still there?"

"Hi! This is Hanayo, Maki-chan's currently busy sweeping up glass!"

"I'm legit scared that she's mad at me but since I've nothing to do with the glass... is it okay?"

"Um, sure! Wait, what did you ask-" Chika immediately hung up, she didn't want to prolong her agony longer than she needed to. Riko sighed in the background, disapproving her neighbour's actions. She shot a childish glare at the pianist, who chuckled back.

"I suppose we should inform Seira-san and Ria-san about the party then." Riko replied just as Ruby and Yoshiko entered the cafe, the latter yawning as she was up all night practicing her magic acts. "Ah, Ruby-chan! Perfect timing, could you inform Seira-san and Ria-san that they could join us for the Christmas party?"

"Will do!" Ruby went to inform the two sisters about the party while Chika attempted to sneak into the cafe's kitchen as she wanted to get a snack. Specifically a mikan snack. Unfortunately for her, three knives prevented her from doing so and scared her in the process.

"Holy mikans, how are there knives floating in mid-air?!"

"Behold! Yohane's sixth spell: Knife Guards!"

"Yoshiko-chan, put my knives down before someone gets hurt!"

"For the last time Lily, call me Yohane!"

XXXXXX

"It's an honest mistake, I swear!" Nozomi pleaded while Maki scowled back, sweeping up glass shards that was once an empty glass bottle. Hanayo gulped, not daring to budge an inch in fear that Maki would yell at her co-VA. Nozomi regretted choosing that moment to dispose of her bottles, she should've listened to her cards. "Nicocchi! Don't come closer! Yer gonna step on glass an' Maki-chan will yell at both of us!"

"I'm not gonna ask why the hell is there glass on the damn floor." Nico grumbled, crossing her arms as she waited for Maki to clean up. "We still haven't decided who's gonna drive them here."

"I mean, it's a toss up between ya an' Hanayo-chan. Ya wouldn't let Maki-chan here drive right?"

"I don't get it, I have a licence. I'm allowed to drive, why is it that I'm excluded?"

"M-Maki-chan, your driving leaves us worried! Also Nico-san, maybe we can split the number of people and both of us can drive?" Hanayo suggested, with Nico nodding in approval. They now have 11 people joining them for Christmas, so splitting them into two large cars was the only reasonable option. Another option was to have three cars, but none of them trusted Maki enough to come back unharmed. "That settles it, r-right?"

"Mmhm, are you guys gonna rent cars or ask Elichi for her keys?" Nozomi asked, preparing her phone should the designated drivers wanted to borrow Eli's and Anju's cars. Hanayo and Nico glanced at each other, both unsure which was a better choice. Even though they could afford it, they didn't want to add on extra bills from car rental. Then again, both Eli's and Anju's cars most likely wouldn't be able to fit all of them.

"Let's just rent cars. Maybe a van or something, I dunno." Nico shrugged, it was easier to just rent cars than to plan how to fit all of them into two cars. Nozomi nodded, calling up a car rental company while she waited for Maki to finish sweeping up the glass. "Hey Maki-chan, are you done? Nico wants to do work."

"Shut up, and yeah I'm done. By the way Hanayo, what did you tell Takami-san?" Maki went over to a nearby dustbin and disposed the glass shards there, not bothering if they were recyclable or not. Nico yelled at her, hurling insults and swear words that went ignored by the scarlet-haired VA.

"Oh! I told her that it's fine! What did she ask anyways?" Maki let out a huge sigh, pinching her nose bridge as she punched a nearby wall. Hanayo winced, realising that she had accidentally agreed to something that would cause more problems for Muse Studios. "... Sorry?"

"Someone call Umi and tell her to get more food."

XXXXXX

"Seriously?! You could've told me this earlier Maki!" Umi yelled over the phone while the rest of her team went out to get food and drinks. They had initially planned to get them on Christmas Eve but as they feared that it would be too late by then, it was best to get them earlier. Except for mikans, they perished easily and as much as Umi wanted to stuff rotten fruit into Chika's mouth, they had to provide the freshest mikans to the best of their ability.

"They literally just called. And I wanted to say no but Hanayo accidentally said yes."

"How does one accidentally agree to something?!"

"She wasn't given any context and Takami-san hung up on her before she could clarify."

"Urgh. Fine, I'll text the rest." Umi hung up, grumbling as she texted her group about the update of plans.

Umi Sonoda: [Update: We have two more joining us for the party.]

Minamibirdie: [Oh you mean alisa-chan n yukiho-chan? We already know!]

Umi Sonoda: [Wait what?]

Minamibirdie: [Eli-chan didn't tell you?]

Umi Sonoda: [No she didn't.]

Yukihime: [So... you're talking about two other people that we don't know?]

Umi Sonoda: [They're Takami-san's friends.]

Kirakira: [Wow, she's popular]

Umi Sonoda: [Just get more supplies while I deal with communications.]

Minamibirdie: [Oh boy pray for eli-chan]

"Seriously Eli? You could've told me about this! I swear to god..." Umi muttered curses as she started to compose a message to Eli, resisting the urge to swear in chat.

Umi Sonoda: [A little bird told me that you've invited Alisa and Yukiho to our Christmas party.]

Eli Ayase: [Kotori told you?! I'm screwed aren't I?]

Umi Sonoda: [Shouldn't you run by me first?]

Eli Ayase: [Uh...]

Umi Sonoda: [Don't tell me you invited my parents.]

Umi Sonoda: [Things between me and them aren't the same as Maki, we're past salvaging.]

Eli Ayase: [So if I told you who else I invited, you won't get mad at me?]

Umi Sonoda: [No, I will. But at least I'll have an idea how much will we be spending.]

Eli Ayase: [Kotori's mother, Nico's whole family and Hanayo's parents... I think?]

Umi Sonoda: [You THINK?!]

Eli Ayase: [These are the people who will definitely be coming!]

Umi Sonoda: [Oh for crying out loud...]

Eli Ayase: [Oh and your parents just replied saying that they're attending]

Eli Ayase: [Whoops]

Umi Sonoda: [Stay where you are, I'll find you and then whoop you.]

XXXXXX

"Guys, I need to hide." Eli started as she searched for a hiding spot within the room they were using, bewildering Honoka and Rin. Erena had an amused smile on her face as she watched Eli frantically searching for somewhere to hide from Umi's wrath. "Umi's coming and she's out for my blood."

"Don't worry Eli-chan, she doesn't know that we're here!" Honoka declared, staying optimistic despite being aware of Umi's wrath. Rin audibly gulped, not a good sign for Eli.

"I... kinda told Umi-chan that we're in here nya?" Eli yelped, rushing to the corner nearest to the door. It was a good thing that the doors at Muse Studios swung inwards, and as long as the trio don't hint to Umi where she was, Eli figured that she could last long enough to run to Nozomi's office. Provided her knee didn't act up that is. Right on cue, the door slammed open, squishing Eli in the process. "U-Umi-chan! What brings you here nya?"

"Where's Eli?" Umi seethed, glaring at her colleagues. Erena shrugged, while Honoka and Rin did their best to keep poker faces. They weren't doing a good job at it, since Umi approached them menacingly. Eli crept out from her hiding spot, and made a mad dash out of the room before either Honoka or Rin blurted out that Eli had been hiding behind the door. "Where. Is. She?"

"She just left." Erena replied, taking some heat off the two women. She was telling the truth anyways, Eli did run off the moment she could. Umi snarled in her direction, clearly incensed by whatever Eli had done. 'Woah, why is she so damn angry?'

"So you three won't mind if I search this room?" It was a question, but it sounded like an order on Umi's part. The three women obliged, not wanting to bear the brunt of the scriptwriter's fury. She started her search, scattering papers and flipping tables in the process. "Damn it! Honoka, lend me your phone."

"No!" Honoka courageously replied, but backed down seconds later as Umi cracked her knuckles. Whimpering, she surrendered her phone to Umi, who started to message Eli under the guise of Honoka. 'I'm sorry Eli-chan.'

Honkersnbread: [elichan!]

Honkersnbread: [umichan left the rm!]

Honkersbread: [what did u do to her though?]

Eli Ayase: [I invited her parents...?]

Honkersnbread: [elichan i love u but u rlly messed up]

Eli Ayase: [I KNOW THAT]

Honkersbread: [where r u hiding anyways? r u safe?]

Eli Ayase: [Honoka?]

Honkersbread: [elichan!]

Honkersbread: [wait why r we calling each others names?]

Eli Ayase: [I wanted to ask how much did the melon bread sold near the station cost, then we started the name calling]

Honkersnbread: [oh thats easy, its 210 yen!]

Eli Ayase: [Thought you could trick me Umi?]

Honkersnbread: [... you know Honoka has her GPS tracker on set to track you right?]

Honkersnbread: [You better stay in Nozomi's office, or else.]

"Here you go." Umi tossed the phone back to Honoka, who barely caught it. "Thanks for your help Honoka, good luck to your part for the party."

"Umi-chan, wait!" Umi ignored her friend, storming out of the room with murder in her amber eyes. Rin whimpered as Erena sighed, they were never going to complete their performance in time. "Guys, I think I screwed up big time."

XXXXXX

"Kotori-san!" Kotori glanced over her shoulder, only turning as she realised who called out to her. Running towards her on that winter day was a woman with short auburn hair, with turquoise eyes brimming with excitement. "It's been so long, how have you been doing?"

"Yukiho-chan! I'm doing fine, what about you?" Yukiho grinned back in response, which could only mean good things for her. Tsubasa and Anju were nearby, watching the exchange without any context. A blonde woman ran up to Yukiho, catching her breath once she had successfully caught up to them. "Hi there, are you a friend of Yukiho-chan?"

"Yes! I'm Alisa Ayase, it's a pleasure to meet you!" The three employees' eyes widened upon hearing her name, they didn't expect to meet Eli's younger sister on a random winter day and certainly not in Akihabara. "I'm Yuki-chan's girlfriend!"

"Is there something about the Kosakas or is it just coincidence?" Tsubasa whispered to Anju, who shrugged in response. One thing was for sure, Eli wouldn't go around introducing herself as Honoka's girlfriend right off the bat. The reverse was more likely to happen after all.

"Kotori-san, is onee-chan doing alright at Muse Studios?"

"She is, didn't Eli-chan visit the store a while back?"

"Yeah, but things could've changed. Anyways, I was surprised when she invited us to the Christmas party."

"Eli-chan invited Alisa-chan to the party?" Kotori asked in disbelief, hurriedly hiding her disbelief before Alisa commented about it. "We're under impression that you were in Russia."

"I'm planning to be a ballet instructor in Japan! That way, I get to see my sister more!"

"That's wonderful, I'm sure we'll be seeing each other often." Kotori said, hoping that it was obvious that they had to get going and buy more food. Umi had just called her, shrieking about how Eli invited more people than what they were told and her parents were in attendance. Luckily for her, Alisa and Yukiho had other plans and were soon on their way. "Tsubasa-chan, Anju-chan, let's continue!"

"About that... my arms feel like they're about to break."

"Same here, and I would very much like both my arms to be intact Kotori-san."

"Fine, just an hour more okay?"

"What?!"

XXXXXX

"Is Eli-chan alive?" Kotori asked as she entered the building with numerous plastic bags on each arm, with Tsubasa and Anju trudging behind her. How the animator had so much energy was beyond them. "We bought enough to feed an army. Hopefully. Oh, and enough to restock the company's fridge!"

"Finally nya! Eli-chan never restocks the fridge!" Rin cheered, it had been so long since the fridge was restocked. In fact, she and a few others were sneaking food out from Maki's personal fridge which they were sure that Maki herself was aware of. Umi was still seething at Eli, who was most probably beaten up and left alone in Nozomi's office. "Kayo-chan! Did you hear? We don't have to ransack Maki-chan's fridge anymore!"

"Thank god, my own fridge's running out of food too." Maki was relieved, she didn't know how long her food would last among six people including her. Hanayo nodded, satisfied that everyone would be getting food and they didn't have to beg her to smuggle food from Maki's fridge. Not that Maki minded, it was all Eli's fault really. "Rin, how did your group's discussion go?"

"We decided to heck it and not entertain the guests. There's too many anyways so we doubt they'll get bored."

"Wow, that's lazy even for Elichi. Or maybe she invited so many people just to prevent yer group from makin' a fool in front of 'em."

"Whatever, at least I don't have to be a clown on Christmas." Erena was the most relieved among the four who was supposed to come up with plans to entertain their guests, she really didn't want to become some lame meme and be remembered for all the wrong reasons. "Oh, I almost forgot. The anime will be screened on Christmas, so I guess we can have a viewing party or something."

"That's a great idea! We can watch the anime while we bask in nostalgia!"

"Honoka-chan, I don't think most of us have good memories when we first started out..."

"I, for one, dread seeing my parents after so long." Umi remarked, her grand plan to forever avoid her parents dashed by Eli's well-meaning invite. Maki patted Umi's shoulder, she understood the anxiety and worry Umi was dealing with given that they were in similar situations. Well, Maki was on better terms with her mother but the empathy was still there. "What about you Kotori? You haven't talked to her in years right?"

"A-Ahaha... I'm not sure how I should go about it myself, but I think things will be fine between us." Kotori hadn't spoken to her mother for years, not because she hated her mother or anything. She just didn't know how to interact without touching on her mother's nerves, which was the divorce. Thinking back on it, Kotori had understood that she was no better than Umi and Maki, just that she ran away from her mother emotionally while her friends did so literally. "Honoka-chan, when was the last time you visited your family?"

"Eh? Um... It's not that I don't wanna... I just didn't have time to do so... and maybe I'm still kinda ashamed that I gambled everything away? It's complicated." Hanayo didn't say anything, she already knew that compared to her colleagues, she was fortunate to have strong ties with her parents as well as a drama-free life. However, she learnt that just because others had their own troubles, it didn't mean that she should look down on them or pity them. They were just like her, only with different experiences than the ones she experienced. "Where's Nico-chan?"

"She went to the hospital a while ago, heard that her mother's gettin' out today." Nozomi made a mental note to apologise to Nico about saying that her mother was one foot in the grave, she had avoided talking about it when they were in Uchiura and she was fairly confident that Nico still resented her for it. She shuffled her tarot card deck, drawing the top card. Nozomi couldn't help smiling as she turned the card over, it gave her hope that she could still turn things around. 'The Star. I guess fate's tellin' me that I should take that leap eh?'

XXXXXX

Umi sighed to herself for the umpteenth time as she paced around the living room, anxiously waiting for her parents to arrive. Hanayo and Nico had long left for Uchiura, and wouldn't be back in at least two hours. Maki had headed to Hanayo's house to visit as well as escort her parents to Nishikino residence, while Nozomi decided to visit the Yazawas for reasons Umi didn't know. Kotori decided to visit her mother instead of waiting for her to arrive, she didn't want to make the party more awkward than it would already be with the Sonodas. Honoka went over to her family's confectionery store with Eli, with the intent to formally introduce her as her girlfriend. After that, they would return with their younger sisters. A-RISE went out an hour ago, citing that they wanted to an A-RISE Christmas tradition that none of them elaborated on. That left Rin, who was watching her girlfriend pace around the living room.

"... It's gonna be okay nya." Rin didn't know that for sure, but all she could do was to offer Umi comfort. Even if they ended up being hollow depending on how the Sonodas reacted. Umi's amber eyes softened, her worries rearing its ugly head as the doorbell rang. She hoped it was one of her colleagues ringing the doorbell to get either Umi or Rin to open up, only Maki had the key after all. She steeled herself, opening the door and coming face to face with the two people she had hoped to not see. "W-Welcome nya! You two are early!"

"We take punctuality very seriously miss." A man with navy blue hair and piercing amber eyes replied, his tone sharp with tension as he glared at Umi. A woman beside him, basically Umi's lookalike save for the few wrinkles on her face, lightly swatted the man's arm as she sent him a warning look. "... You look healthy."

"... Thank you." Umi's voice cracked, her determination wavering as she confronted her parents. Rin could only watch helplessly as her girlfriend faced her parents, Rin was in no position to butt in and the tense atmosphere served as a clear reminder. "I was surprised to hear that you've accepted."

"Your father and I wanted to speak with you." Umi's mother started, her words calm and measured as she faced her daughter with a neutral expression. "We haven't seen you in years."

"Are you still wasting your life away writing silly fan fiction?" Umi's father growled, earning himself another swat. From what Rin had observed, Mrs Sonoda was sincere in making peace with her daughter while Mr Sonoda... she hoped that he just had a tough love approach towards Umi, not like it made things any better. Umi said nothing, and even though her back was facing Rin, the latter could visualise the twitch in one of Umi's eyebrows as she restrained herself from punching her father. "... Have you at least found a man?"

"We've talked about this, I'll never like men the way you want me to."

"This isn't what society expects of you."

"To hell with society then." With that, Umi turned her back on her parents, a hateful look burning in her eyes as she left the living room. "Rin, would you kindly make our guests comfortable while they wait for the party to officially start?"

"N-Nya." Rin gulped, did Umi really just leave her alone with her parents? She had always imagined the meet the parents to be intimidating when she was in high school, but certainly not like that. She turned to the Sonodas, both of them eyeing her uncomfortably. "N-Nice to meetcha?"

"Hmph."

"What my husband meant to say is 'likewise'." Mrs Sonoda bowed, forcing her husband to do the same. Rin couldn't help but to leap off the sofa and bow at a 90 degree angle, she recalled Umi mentioning that her parents were both traditional and proper. "We apologise for making such a scene."

"Nya?! Um... no worries nya...?"

"What is your position here?" Rin blinked, was Mrs Sonoda trying to make conversation with her? She was scared stiff, mostly due to Mr Sonoda. She gulped, hoping her answer wouldn't offend the more agreeable Sonoda.

"R-Rin's a voice actress nya."

"And our daughter?"

"She writes the scripts for the anime we produce..." The man glared at Rin, as though she had just insulted him. She straightened her back, bracing herself for a tirade of scolding from him. Thankfully, Mrs Sonoda glared at her husband and he reluctantly backed down.

"So she's pursuing a literary career then?"

"I guess?" Rin was saved when the doorbell sounded once more, prompting her to greet whoever was at the door. A wave of relief crashed as Kotori stood at the door, with an older Kotori lookalike standing behind her. "Kotori-chan! You brought a clone nya!"

"Haha, that's my mother! And I see that... ohhhhhh boy." Kotori had initially greeted her friend warmly, but soon changed her tune the moment she locked eyes with the two Sonodas. "They're already here...? How did Umi-chan take it?"

"Kotori, would you be so kind and enter the house first? It's too cold out here." Kotori mumbled an apology and entered the house, with the lookalike following closely behind. The older woman scrunched up her nose as she stood face to face with Mr Sonoda, who held the same sentiment towards her. "I see that you're here too."

"Kotori-chan... do they hate each other nya...?" Rin brought Kotori aside and whispered, with the graphic artist nodding briskly. Her mother was the principal of the high school they attended, and she did not have a positive impression of Umi's father. Her mother was fine, although her way of showing affection was too closed off even for Umi. "Oh nya... Does Umi-chan get along with your mother nya?"

"Better than her own parents, where is she anyways?"

"No idea, she left after arguing with her father nya..."

"This party's off to a rough start..."

XXXXXX

"Nozomi-san, thank you for being such a great friend to Nico. You've no idea how much she speaks about you! She talks about you more than she talks about her girlfriend!" Nozomi had a tight smile on her face as Nico's mother rambled on about how her eldest daughter talked so highly of her, Nozomi was unable to believe that Nico thought of her so highly especially after what she had said to her before their Uchiura trip. Nico's siblings walked behind them, with Cocoro watching her sister's debut anime, Cocoa talking to a friend over the phone and Cotaro studying a Science textbook. "I'm so relieved that she's been enjoying herself at work."

"She brings smiles to us, it's our honour to have her with us." Nozomi was apprehensive about taking the train to the party, but she knew that the Yazawas didn't have much money despite Nico sending almost all her earnings to them. As long as Mrs Yazawa didn't strain herself like how she did in her youth, she was free to live life as she pleased. "Nicocchi's... a really good friend, an' I wouldn't be where I am now without her."

"You're such a flatterer Nozomi-san! I can see why my daughter took a shine to you back in high school!"

"Yay?" Nozomi didn't know how to respond, she was sure that Nico viewed her as a frenemy most of the time. Besides, Eli got along with Nico better than her. "We're almost reachin' the station, an' it'll be a fifteen minutes walk from there."

"Oh, Nozomi. Didn't expect to be on the same train as you." Maki approached her, excusing herself from Hanayo's parents before walking towards her. She bowed slightly at the Yazawas, indicating her acknowledgement of their presence. They all smiled, save for Cotaro who made a noise in response. Not that Maki would hold it against him, he was busy studying for finals after all. "Did you hear from the rest yet?"

"My phone died a while back an' I forgot my charger at your place."

"You better mean my parents' place and not the studio because if it's the latter so help me-"

"Shh! There are kids here!"

"Nico-chan's siblings are practically adults in their own rights."

"We're still kids at heart!"

"See? Don't taint their innocence!"

"Or what? You'll washi-washi me?"

"Ah yes, Nico did mention her first timed getting a washi-washi." Mrs Yazawa recounted, a smile full of nostalgia bubbling. "She... didn't enjoy it as much as she thought she would."

"Yikes, Nico-chan was dumb even back as a teen huh?"

XXXXXX

"It's snow! So much snow! And I'm freezing here!" Were Chika's words the moment she exited the warm van Nico drove to the party location. Nico rolled her eyes, what was she expecting, a mild breeze? The rest shivered the moment they stepped out of the van, not used to Tokyo winters. Riko stepped out of the van Hanayo drove, taking in a deep breath and exhaling shortly after. She wouldn't admit it, but she missed the stinging cold of Tokyo. Sure, she enjoyed the milder winters of Uchiura... but she preferred the harsh cold Tokyo had to offer. "Riko-chan, aren't you cold?"

"I told you to dress appropriately! Not dress what you think Tokyo is!" At first Riko decided to intervene in her friends' clothing choices, but Hanayo and Nico arrived earlier than they had expected. Not only that, Nico insisted that they wore whatever they had on to Tokyo, much to Riko's dismay. At least her other friends had some semblance of fashion dignity, which couldn't be said for her employees, girlfriend and best friend. Only Seira and Ria were dressed lightly, though that was because Tokyo winters were nothing to Hokkaido. "Anyways, thank you Koizumi-san and sorry again for the last minute request."

"It's no trouble at all!"

"Duh, Umi's the one dealing with the hard part. Speaking of her..." Nico pulled out her phone and scrolled through the group chat, wincing at the messages she missed.

Umi Sonoda: [Does anyone know how to murder someone and get away with it?]

Erena Todo: [Not going to ask...]

Honkersnbread: [that bad huh?]

Honkersnbread: [wait isnt it bad for u to text while they r still here?]

Umi Sonoda: [I left Rin with them.]

Honkersbread: [bruh whats wrong with u]

Kirakira: [I agree, what's wrong with you?!]

Tsunderequeen: [How about you kick them out?]

Honkersnbread: [any other ideas]

Yukihime: [Kill them with kindness?]

Umi Sonoda: [This is a Sonoda you're talking about, duty will always take precedence before kindness.]

Eli Ayase: [Or maybe invite them to sit down and serve them some drinks while Rin deals with them?]

Eli Ayase: [Nozomi, what do you think?]

Umi Sonoda: [I hear Kotori downstairs.]

Umi Sonoda: [Her mother is now yelling at my father.]

Umi Sonoda: [This brings me joy.]

Tsunderequeen: [Spotted Nozomi with Nico-chan's family, going over now]

Honkersnbread: [cant believe u actually left rinchan with scary dad]

Honkersnbread: [wait do they still like yukcy sweet?]

Umi Sonoda: [Knowing them, I'm confident that they still like traditional sweets.]

Eli Ayase: [Honoka's begging her father for lots of manju]

Umi Sonoda: [Tell him that I'll pay for the manju, Honoka has the right idea.]

Kirakira: [You're going to bribe your parents?]

Tsunderequeen: [Nozomi didn't charge her damn phone!]

Yukihime: [Why am I not surprised?]

Nyanyanya: [ok im not vibing with the adults right now]

Minamibirdie: [Rin-chan, you're an adult yourself...]

Nyanyanya: [do they hv sexual tension or smth?]

Nyanyanya: [cuz if they do its crazy]

Honkersnbread: [oof i hope not]

Honkersnbread: [kinda weird knowing that our parents have sex]

Umi Sonoda: [Honoka, those are mine and Kotori's, not yours.]

Nyanyanya: [i hear car sounds!]

Minamibirdie: [This is going to be a fun party~]

Yukihime: [That's sarcasm isn't it?]

Minamibirdie: [Unless chika-san's good at diffusing arguments...?]

Niconiconii: [wtf hv u losers been doing]

Niconiconii: [stop the damn fight before our ACTUAL guests come in!]

Ricericepana: [It's a long journey, but we're all good!]

Kirakira: [Oh you poor innocent soul...]

Niconiconii: [im just gonna let them run wild so bra urselves]

Minamibirdie: [What do you mean by bra ourselves?]

"Thanks for inviting us!" Chika burst through the door, the lock getting lockpicked by Yoshiko as none of them answered the door. The two squabbling adults turned to face the arriving guests, shock evident on their faces as they streamed in. From a corner, Kotori and Rin heaved sighs of relief. "Rin-chan! And Kotori-chan too!"

'Thank god for them, I don't want to deal with this at all (nya)...'

XXXXXX

"Hour one, and nobody has started anything that warrants getting kicked out." Maki abruptly said, startling Hanayo. They decided to let the guests roam free, as long as they stayed on the first floor. Thanks to Chika's infectious energy as well as Seira's ability to command attention, their parents were kept at bay. Apart from Hanayo's parents, Rin was enough to entertain them. The rest mingled amongst themselves, occasionally entering an argument about something trivial that could easily be solved once someone level-headed intervened. Maki leant against Hanayo, her shoulder gently nudging Hanayo's. "It takes me back to last year."

"You mean last year's Christmas party?"

"Nope, the day you started at Muse Studios. It was... more chaotic than usual, not like today of course. But that was one of the days that's unforgettable."

"Maki-chan? Do you think Umi-san will be able to reconcile with her parents?" They glanced at Umi, who was interacting with her mother. Her father was nowhere to be seen, possibly leaving the party early without anyone noticing. From what they saw, they both had polite smiles which at worst, was a mere civil conversation both were obliged to have as family.

"Maybe? It's up to them really." Maki could feel herself shoved by someone, earning themselves a glare from the scarlet-haired woman. The person who shoved Maki flipped her off, her ruby eyes glaring at Maki. "Nico-chan, of course it's you."

"The hell you mean by that?" Nico scowled, her short stature getting herself overwhelmed by the taller guests as well as friends. Not only that, it was packed and thus making it harder for her to breathe. "Damn it, feels hot and stuffy in here."

"Isn't Nozomi looking for you?"

"Nozoboobs? Yeah, but I have to get the hell outta here if I wanna talk to her." Nico gasped, pushing through the guests as she made her way out of the house where Nozomi was waiting for her. Maki didn't understand why Nozomi would want to talk to Nico outside when she could always do so upstairs, she certainly didn't ban the second floor for her colleagues.

"Maki-chan, should we get the TV set up? The anime's starting right?" Hanayo asked, reminding Maki of the plan the company agreed to in replacement of the original idea for entertainment which was basically nothing. Maki waved at Eli, trying to catch her attention. She failed, however she managed to grab another person's attention.

"Maki, what is it?" Tsubasa weaved through the guests, approaching them with ease. Unlike Nico who hated crowds, she didn't mind being trapped in one as she was small enough to squeeze past people. Maki pointed at the large television, hoping that Tsubasa would get the hint. She nodded, wondering when would they start preparing for the final episode. "Hey everyone, we're going to be watching the last episode of Hanayo Koizumi's debut anime!"

"Not how I would go about it, but damn it's effective." Maki commented as all the guests started to crowd near the television, with the nearest person being 40 centimetres away from the screen. There weren't enough seats to accommodate all of them, and the one remaining seat was reserved for Nico as everyone knew that her height was an issue. Maki and Hanayo stood at the back with Mrs Sonoda, Umi and Rin as they waited for the final episode to air. Nico and Nozomi burst into the house using the key Nozomi had borrowed from Maki. "Nico-chan, we saved a seat for you at the front."

"Really? Thanks." Nico made her way to her seat, while Nozomi chose to sit on the floor as there wasn't anywhere she could stand apart from in front of the people sitting in front of the sofa. "Heck off Nozoboobs!"

"C'mon Nicocchi, lemme have this will ya?"

"Both of you, cool it." Eli sighed, intervening in her two best friends' argument. The last thing she wanted was for Alisa to learn all the curse words from Nico's foul mouth, though she was sure that Kotori would teach her those words some time in the future.

"Hanayo, how does it feel to witness the final episode of your first anime?" Umi suddenly asked, they had five minutes to go before the episode aired. Hanayo mulled over the question, there were so many things she wanted to say but she didn't know if she had enough time to summarise them all. Rin beamed at her best friend, while Hanayo's parents gave her a fond look from where they were standing.

"I think..." Hanayo started, four minutes to go before the episode aired. It really felt like that to her, she didn't know what she would be getting herself into when she first started last year. She remembered herself getting nervous as she stood outside the the studio just before Rin brought her in, her fateful meeting with Maki that ended up with them crashing, and not forgetting getting to know her colleagues better over the past year. There were so many events that helped shaped who she was, and because of them she fell for Maki. "It feels like the ending to a chapter of my life and the beginning of a new one."

"Well, I sort of get that. Life can be like an anime series, only ours doesn't necessarily have to end." Maki added, squeezing her girlfriend's hand as the channel started to count down to the episode's airing. 30 seconds left before the episode started, 28 seconds left before the memories she made with Hanayo were on show for the audience to see. "Hanayo?"

"Yes?" Maki pressed her lips to Hanayo's springy cheeks, with Rin cheering them on while Umi was scandalised enough to inform them that the kiss was a shameless display of affection. Hanayo's parents bemoaned that their daughter was finally grown up, and the three veterans joined in. The women from Uchiura cheered along with Rin, save for Dia and Ria, who shook their heads as the rest smiled in response. Hanayo couldn't help but to smile foolishly, she was giddy from excitement thanks to the the final episode.

"I love you."

"I love you too Maki-chan."

XXXXXX

Tsubasa: Wait, that's it?

Anju: It could've gone a lot worse you know?

Erena: Agreed. There may be better ways to wrap this story up, but this was reasonable.

Dia: Seriously? The two of you can't possibly be satisfied with such an ending!

Kanan: It can't be helped, the author lost most interest in this fandom.

Mari: That's right! It's a miracle that she remembers the ending even after two years!

Ruby: I-I think it's a bit rushed...

Dia: That's exactly right Ruby! What happened to the interactions between us and them?

Nozomi: Weeeell, to prevent any more pain, she decided to tie up some loose ends.

Eli: There could be more depth about our pasts since it's supposed to tie up loose ends, but not giving you a reunion with your parents is a good idea.

Nozomi: Ew, I don't wanna see 'em an' I doubt ya can contact 'em anyways.

Rin: Aw man, Rin wants some screen time with Kayo-chin nya!

Hanayo: R-Rin-chan, this story features me with Maki-chan though...?

Nozomi: And I see that Rin-chan has a new hair colour~

Rin: Nooooo don't remind me!

Tsubasa: Use some conditioner, your hair looks kind of dry.

Anju: Gotta agree with Tsu-chan here.

Erena: Or you could just chop your hair off?

Kanan: Todo-san, I'm pretty sure her hair's already short enough as it is...

Mari: Man, it took us four years to get to where we are now huh?

Eli: It feels nostalgic... yet bittersweet since this is Enya's last story on this site.

Anju: Hey you know what? Since this is Hanayo-san's story, she should be the one ending it!

Tsubasa: You're right, Maki was the one who started us off in the first chapter so it makes sense for Hanayo-san to end off our final chapter.

Everyone but Hanayo: Agreed!

Hanayo: S-Someone save meeeee!

Rin: You can do it Kayo-chin, we believe in you nya!

Hanayo: A-Alright... *Takes a deep breath*

Hanayo: It has been a long time since HSR has been updated, and if you've read this story from start to the end, Enya-chan wants to sincerely thank you for supporting her. The final chapter may be anti-climatic to you, but she has done her best to end this story of on a decent note even though she no longer has as much interest in the Love Live franchise as much as she did in 2014. Not forgetting that it has been two years since she updated this story, which means that she has forgotten how the story went and had to string together whatever she wrote in the past with continuous re-reading. While she's no longer writing for this fandom, Enya-chan is forever thankful for the readers who had read this story regardless or not they're still active on this site. With that being said...

Everyone: Thank you for reading!