Disclaimer: I don't own Love Live.

Maki never had so much as a passing interest in archery. It always seemed so archaic and boring, lacking much of the excitement that more popular spectator sports had, not that Maki really watched any sports to begin with. But she could see the excitement in soccer, or the tension of a well played game of baseball, she just couldn't understand the allure of archery. It was a sport that came off as old fashioned, something that only the most traditional of Japanese youth would get involved in, and Umi's involvement in the craft seemed to further verify that assumption. At least until she found herself watching Umi practice for the first time.

The training area was deathly silent, the other members of the archery team all watching without so much as a whisper as Umi steadily pulled back on the string of her bow. Maki's eyes widened and her mouth threatened to fall open at the sight before her. Standing there with her bow drawn back, Umi had this regal air about her, one that exuded a feeling of both serenity and confidence unmatched by any of the other archers Maki had witnessed during the practice. She was taken aback by the sheer beauty of the young woman before her. She had known that Umi was beautiful since the day they met, but something about seeing her in her element like this just made it that much more apparent.

Calmly and without even the smallest of excess movements, Maki watched Umi release the arrow. It happened so quickly that all she heard was the loud thud against the circular target down range. Umi lowered her bow and took a deep breath before going to inspect her shot, Maki walking a little closer to get a better view herself. Sitting on the inner most ring of the target sat the arrow that the archer had just let loose.

Maki stayed for the entire practice, completely entranced as she watched Umi continue this routine time and time again. It seemed so surreal watching the commanding second-year be completely engrossed in archery. It was such a stark contrast to her regular day to day life with the friends that Maki knew the girl held close.

It was almost laughable really, trying to imagine Kotori and Honoka doing something like archery alongside Umi. Kotori seemed like to meek and bubbly a girl to ever get involved in something as traditional as archery, and Maki doubted Honoka could even get through a single day's worth of practice without either screaming in frustration, or running off to do something else entirely.

These thoughts were what lead Maki to this training room in the first place. She just couldn't understand how three drastically different people could form a friendship that even Maki herself had to admit seemed near unbreakable. Watching Umi practice today only exacerbated the issue, the archer seemed so confident with a bow in her hand, and the rest of the club all seemed to admire her.

So what did Umi see in her two childhood friends that Maki herself was missing? None of it seemed to add up to her. Umi seemed to be a young woman that one could admire, and Maki felt like her friendship with her fellow second-years seemed so out of place. Why couldn't she just make close friends with people in her club? What attracted such a striking young woman to two girls who she had almost nothing in common with? Maki couldn't understand just what made their relationship so special.

"So what did you think Maki?" Umi approached Maki, she had finished practice for the day and changed back into her uniform. "You've never watched me do archery before so I'm interested to hear what you think."

Maki stared back at the girl before her, she was back to the Umi she had come to know. A similar confident air about her, but without the bow in her hand, Umi lost that commanding presence.

"It was really different from what I expected," Maki's answer was vague.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Umi's question was accompanied with a small glare.

"I just expected it to be really boring, that's all," Umi wasn't satisfied with the answer, her glare not letting up. "I just got really caught up in it. You have such a big presence when you're practicing that it's hard to not pay attention."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Umi blushed along with her response and Maki chuckled.

The two fell into silence, Maki began lightly gnawing on her bottom lip, trying to find a sensitive way to bring up the topic she came to discuss. It was hard to bring up, she knew she couldn't tell Umi that she made the wrong choice picking her friends, or that maybe she'd be happier with people she could share her interests with. She also knew it was rude to question one's friendships, but the second-years' friendship was always something of an enigma to not only herself, but the rest of Muse as well. It was such a strong bond, but it seemed like it wasn't built on anything, no shared interests or anything like that, it was as though there were no foundation to it at all.

"Hey Umi. Can I ask you something?" Umi nodded in response. "Why are you friends with Kotori and Honoka?"

Maki buried her head in her hands as soon as the words left her mouth, she wasn't sure if there was a worse way to bring up this topic. She had asked the question as if it were some crazy thought that the three of them could ever really be friends.

To Maki's surprise, her question was met with quiet laughter. Maki took her head out of her hands and was shocked to see Umi staring back at her, a small smile present on her face.

"You know you aren't the first person to ask me that. Though they normally don't phrase it in such a rude way," Maki quickly mumbled out an apology before allowing Umi to continue. "Well what did you want to know."

Umi's expression lacked any hint of anger or frustration, instead Maki was meet with an almost inviting look that made her feel comfortable.

"I guess I just don't get it," Umi quirked an eyebrow, Maki faltered slightly. "I mean you're all so different. Kotori is really nice, but she's so quiet and can never stand up for herself when she needs to. Honoka is a huge idiot that pulls people along into whatever idea she has in that moment. And then there's you. You're smart, responsible, and really enjoy things like archery and traditional Japanese stuff. No matter how I look at it, I just don't see how you three even became friends in the first place, let alone how you guys got as close as you did."

"I'm not as great as you seem to think I am," Umi's response was immediate, it seemed like it had been said many times before. "I have just as many faults as the two of them do."

Maki knew that was true, she had been able to witness them first hand. Umi had a horrible case of stage fright, a deep rooted fear in anything that she deemed indecent, and was a stickler for the rules. Maki never really thought of any of these things as major flaws, just fears and traits that lots of different people possess, especially someone as traditional as Maki knew Umi to be. Her shortcomings seemed so minor in comparison to Kotori's indecision and lack of confidence, Honoka's selfishness and lack of foresight, or Maki's own inability to be open with her feelings.

"No you don't!" Maki's voice was forceful, Umi's eyes widened in shock. "Sure you get embarrassed sometimes, and sometimes you can be a little harsh on people. But compared to Honoka and Kotori, you seem almost perfect."

"You don't think very highly of Honoka and Kotori. Do you?" Umi's words were sharp and Maki recoiled at her tone

Maki feared that she may have been overstepping her bounds. Umi was very protective of her two close friends, everyone knew that, and Maki thought that maybe she had gone to far.

"I didn't mean it like that. Honoka and Kotori are both important friends to me as well," for Maki that was the truth. Even with all their flaws, everyone in Muse was irreplaceable to her. "I just don't get it," she slumped her shoulders in defeat, she was just going to make the situation worse if she kept talking.

"I know you didn't mean anything bad by it," Umi went back to the same inviting expression she had before, Maki let out a sigh of relief. "And you're right about those two. Kotori can be indecisive and sometimes she hurts people close to her because of it. And Honoka never really asks for anyone's opinion on anything, if she thinks it's a good idea she's going to drag you along whether you like it or not."

Maki looked on at Umi who now smiled a small nostalgic smile that seemed so out of place as she rattled on about her best friend's flaws.

"But I'm just as bad as both of them," Umi continued on. "Sure, I get embarrassed easily, and it took me some time before I got comfortable being on stage in those skimpy outfits. But when I say I have flaws, those aren't what I mean Maki."

Maki tried to get a read on Umi's emotions, she seemed almost apprehensive to continue on. Maki felt as though she were witnessing a side to Umi that only Honoka and Kotori had likely ever seen.

"I've never been very good at making friends," Umi started. "I was always to scared to go play with other kids so I never made any friends when I was younger. I'd always watch the other kids on the playground during recess or when my parents would drop me off at the park. It was the two of them that first came up to me to try and get me to play, but I always said no since I was so scared of making new friends, and I didn't know what it meant to even have friends," Umi chuckled. "But you know how Honoka is. She would not leave me alone for a minute, always trying to get me to play together with her and Kotori. Everyday I'd say no until one day they both just took me by the arms and dragged me onto the playground. I remember playing with them the whole day, and we've been close friends ever since."

Maki saw a shimmer in Umi's eyes as she finished her story of the beginnings of the second-years' friendship. It was a side to Umi that she had never known about. It was hard to imagine her as anything but the strong and confident, if easily embarrassed, young woman she saw before her. But it explained why she held her two friends so dearly.

"So you're right," Maki looked on at Umi as she continued. "We're nothing alike at all. Sometimes I'm too strict, Kotori can be caring to a fault, and Honoka never knows when to stop rushing ahead. But that's what makes our friendship so special."

"I don't get it?" Maki asked with a tilt of her head. "So because you're all different, that's what makes you guys so close?"

"Exactly," Maki's face was still scrunched up in confusion, so Umi continued. "Think about it like this. Honoka is always rushing ahead making sure all three of us experience new things, while Kotori and I keep her from stumbling. Kotori is always making sure all three of us are happy, while Honoka and I offer her our own courage when she needs it. And I'm there to make sure nobody gets hurt along the way, while Kotori and Honoka give me my most important friendship."

Umi stopped her explanation and everything started to click for Maki. What made their friendship special wasn't that they were similar, instead it was how they complemented one another that made their friendship so enduring.

"I think I get it now," Maki mumbled and Umi hummed her approval.

"It's not that different from you, Rin, and Hanayo,"

"But you three have been together for years," Maki saw the resemblance, but she didn't think it was as strong a connection as the second-years. "They're my friends, but we haven't known each other that long."

"Every friendship starts out new. You've just got to be willing to make things work."

"You've really thought about this a lot."

"Those two are very important to me, so I guess I've spent a good amount of time thinking about it over the years," Umi gathered the rest of her belongings. "Well I have to go Maki. I have a student council president that needs tutoring in math, and the person helping her right now won't be able to keep her on track for very long." Umi was standing near the exit. "I hope what I told you helps answer some of your questions."

"It did."

With a wave Umi left, leaving Maki to process their conversation. She now felt like she could understand how they had made their friendship work, but not just that, she felt like she had a better understanding of how to make friendships in general work. It was obvious that Umi had put large amounts of time into thinking about her friendship with Kotori and Honoka, probably because of how difficult it was for her to make friends in the past.

Pulling her bag over her shoulder, Maki left the archery training area.

Maki never learned how to sew when she was younger, she never had the need to, but something about watching Kotori stitch together one their outfits for an upcoming concert was incredibly relaxing. Maki had thought being drafted as Kotori's aide for this set of outfits would be monotonous and boring, but all she felt was relaxation.

Something about Kotori's demeanor as she stitched away was very inviting and warm. Maki knew that Kotori was kind and very gentle, always making sure that everyone in the group was happy. It was so easy to let your guard down around the designer and feel as though you were completely safe. It was such a stark contrast from the commanding aura that Umi had while holding a bow, or the relentless energy from Honoka when she was performing on stage.

Maybe it was the room they were in. It was much more plain than she imagined it would be. Simple solid colored walls, a small table in the center, and a bed sitting off to the side. The only things standing out were the large amounts of different materials and sewing equipment strewn about on the table and piled up on the floor in a corner of the room.

Sitting at the table in the middle of Kotori's room, Maki felt content to sit by and watch Kotori work, offering her help whenever it was needed.

"Could you hand me that please," Kotori pointed at a one of the many rolls of fabric strewn about the table.

"Of course," Maki reached over the table trying to grab the requested item, instead knocking a bunch of the clutter off the table and onto the ground.

Maki quickly let out an apology as she frantically started picking up all of the different materials she knocked on the floor.

"It's alright Maki," Kotori's response was calm, Maki couldn't detect even the slightest hint of annoyance.

The last piece of clutter sitting on the floor was new issue of a monthly fashion magazine. Picking it up and inspecting the front cover, as far as Maki could tell it was the same as any other month. Advertising for the latest trends and different types of advice to help make someone seem as stylish as possible.

"I didn't know you liked fashion," Kotori's eyes shimmered with a faint sense of excitement.

"I'm not. I was just looking at the cover," Maki saw Kotori's eyes dim and she felt a small a small pang of guilt at getting Kotori's hopes up, but she figured it was better than lying.

"That's too bad," any sadness that Kotori had melted away as she went back to working on the outfits, humming a soft tune as she went along.

Taking one last look at the magazine before tossing it back into the table, Maki saw a small blurb on the bottom right corner of the cover. It talked about an opportunity to study fashion under some famous figure in the industry, saying that it could make someone's dreams in fashion come true.

Maki read the bit of information over and over, glancing a couple of times at the girl in the room with her. Her talk with Umi the other day replaying in her mind, along with the one time she almost witnessed the end of a near perfect friendship.

Anyone that knew her knew that it was Kotori's dream to one day work in the field of fashion. She always talked about how she loved making cute outfits for everyone to wear, and that she loved designing them. But when she had gotten her opportunity to study abroad and work toward her dream, she gave it up. Not without some serious drama, but in the end she stayed and put her dream on hold in order to stay with, not only Honoka and Umi, but the rest of Muse as well.

Maki had always been happy that she stayed, but a small part of her wondered if It was what Kotori really wanted. She knew that if she were presented with an offer to study music abroad, she wouldn't hesitate in taking that offer. It was difficult for her to see someone put their dreams on hold just to maintain some friendships. It would hurt to leave your friends, but she thought it would be worth it if it would help build toward your dreams.

That's why it was hard for Maki to understand why Kotori had chosen to stay. She understood that friendship was important, especially after her talk with Umi, but weren't you supposed to always pursue your dreams? Wasn't that what what parents always told their children?

"Can I ask you something Kotori," Kotori tilted her head to the side, inviting Maki's question. "It might be a little personal, but I hope you don't mind," Maki couldn't meet the other girl's eyes and blushed.

"Sure Maki," Kotori set her sewing materials down. "You can ask me whatever you want."

Maki tried to swallow down the lump in her throat. She knew she almost made a big mistake in her wording the other day when she'd asked Umi a sensitive question. She didn't want to make the same mistake twice.

"It's about when you were going to leave to study abroad," Maki noticed Kotori falter at the mention of the event. Nobody in Muse really mentioned it much after the fact, but she was trying to understand the second-years' friendship better, and she thought this might help. "Do you ever regret not going?"

"No," Kotori's answer was quick, but her voice faltered slightly as if there was something more to her answer that she couldn't get out.

"Are you sure?" Maki continued to press.

Kotori sat still for a moment, looking to Maki as if she were upset about something, or at least as outwardly upset as Kotori could get about anything. Maki felt a tinge of guilt, she knew that Kotori wasn't all that comfortable with her line of questioning, but she had to understand how someone could just throw away a chance at achieving their future dreams.

"Yes I'm sure," the answer was again quick, but the sense of trepidation in her voice was deeper. "Everyone always asks me this and I always tell them that I think I made the right choice."

"But you threw away a chance at following your dream!" Maki slammed her hands down into the table, letting her temper get the best of her. "You had the chance to do what you've always loved and you threw it away. You threw away your future dreams, and for what, to sit here and play around with your friends."

Maki regretted her harsh words as she watched Kotori continue to retreat into herself. It wasn't much of a surprise that the girl in front of her didn't take confrontation well, and the guilt gnawed at the pit of her stomach as she watched Kotori shrink further and further. But she needed to do this, if Kotori truly didn't regret giving up a chance at her dreams, Maki had to know why.

"I-I did give up a chance at my dream," Kotori's voice was meek helping to quell some of Maki's anger, but fill her with regret at having let her temper loose. "I know I did, and I know I disappointed some people by not taking the offer."

Kotori was on the verge of tears and part of Maki was telling her to make the girl stop. It was causing obvious pain, but Maki wanted to hear this, she had to understand what could drive someone to turn their back on such a great opportunity. She had to know if Kotori's friendships were really worth giving up such an opportunity.

"I really did want to go and start working toward becoming a real designer," Kotori's voice was strangled as she tried to explain herself. Maki figured that it wasn't often that Kotori was open like this. "But having to leave all of my friends behind scared me."

"So you gave up just so you could stay with your friends and be comfortable?" Maki's question was more of an accusation, she couldn't understand it.

"I did," Kotori regained some of her confidence. "And I think I made the right choice."

Maki didn't answer in fear that she might have let loose more hurtful words at Kotori's frustrating answer. Instead she just tilted her head to the side and urged Kotori to elaborate.

"I thought about it a lot you know. I didn't just make this choice randomly."

"Then why give it up?" Maki didn't want to hear about some excuses or anything like that. She wanted to know why Kotori thought her friends were more important than her dream.

"I didn't think it was worth it," Kotori's answer was vague Maki leaned forward to urge her to continue. "I didn't think it was worth it to follow my dreams if I knew I wouldn't be happy along the way. I knew that leaving all of my friends behind wouldn't make me happy, especially if that meant leaving Honoka and Umi, even if leaving them would help me become a professional designer someday. Just the thought of leaving those two behind for scared me, and I didn't want that. They're too important to me, and I think I can find another way to follow my dream."

Things were beginning to make sense for Maki. Kotori held her friendships higher than she did her future, and while it was something Maki might not understand, it seemed to make sense to Kotori.

"So your friends are more important than your dreams?" Maki gently questioned, not wanting to upset the girl who had just begun regaining her confidence.

"I guess you could say that," Kotori smiled at Maki. "Not that I didn't want to go, but when Honoka came to the airport and stopped me, I just knew that I'd be happiest here with Honoka, Umi, and the rest of Muse."

The smile Kotori gave made everything click into place for Maki. Dreams were important things to strive for, and one should do their best to make them come true, but if that means losing your own happiness in the process then it might not be worth it. That is what Maki thought Kotori was trying to explain in her own way, and it really made sense. Especially now that Maki had everyone in Muse that she could call a friends, the idea of leaving them behind and being alone again was terrifying, and no amount of piano practice would be able to quell those fears if they came to be.

"I think I get it now," Maki looked at Kotori's inviting smile and returned one of her own. "And I'm sorry for prying like that, and saying some rude things."

"it's fine Maki," Kotori went back to stitching the piece of cloth she held throughout the conversation. "I hope I was able to help with whatever you needed."

"You did. Thank you."

Maki relaxed back into the calming atmosphere that Kotori gave off as the designer continued to toil away at the outfit before her, continuing to hum a faint tune.

Maki had no idea what she was getting into when she asked to spend the afternoon with Honoka. She just wanted to have a talk but it seemed that Honoka wanted none of that.

It all started out innocently enough. Honoka wanted to visit some stores and get Maki's opinion on a couple of different outfits, and force Maki into a couple of things that she thought would look good on her, and they almost never did.

Maki could have handled a bit of shopping with the excitable girl, but she learned quickly that the word moderation wasn't in Honoka's vocabulary.

She was being pulled from store to store, Honoka handing her some accessory that she thought was cute before running off and finding something else to hold her attention. The arcade came next and it seemed Honoka had no intentions of letting up. Going from game to game with Maki in tow, not stopping until she could get whatever small prize she was after, and forcing Maki to play some of the games along with her.

It was exhausting and Maki was relieved to finally be able to catch her breath on a nearby bench, while Honoka ran off mentioning something about getting food. She leaned back with her head tilted toward the sky and closed her eyes, happy for the small moment of peace.

For all the exhaustion of the day, Maki let a smile creep onto her face. Even though she was thoroughly beat from the day's excursion, Maki could admit to herself that she had fun. She figured it was just how Honoka was, even when the leader of Muse was being annoyingly energetic, everyone one around her couldn't help but get sucked in and have a good time alongside her. Today help serve as a stark reminder in just how different Honoka was from her childhood friends.

"Here you go Maki."

Maki opened her eyes and brought her head down, seeing Honoka standing in front of her, a small white ice cream cone held in her outstretched hand and her usual radiant smile glowing in the afternoon sunset.

"I didn't know what kind you like, but I thought vanilla was a safe choice," Honoka smiled, taking a few licks of her own pink cone. Maki assumed it was strawberry flavored.

"Thanks," Maki lazily took the cone, taking a few tastes. "This is really good."

"Isn't it. It's from this small ice cream shop that I go to with Umi and Kotori all the time."

Maki watched Honoka sloppily attack her ice cream, making a mess of pink around her lips.

"You're making a mess."

"Hehe sorry," Honoka stopped her attack, taking out a napkin and wiping her face clean before digging back in. "So what did you wanna talk about Maki?" Honoka's question coming in between bites of her treat.

"I talked to Umi and Kotori recently," Maki stated, slowly licking at her cone.

"Oh really, about what?"

"Well we talked a bit about your friendship," Honoka gave a look that said she didn't understand, Maki sighed. "I mean about your friendship with Kotori and Umi."

"Oh," Honoka took a second to process the new information. "Well what did they say?"

"They said you three are really close."

"Well of course we are," Honoka's eyes shimmered, Maki found herself being drawn in. "We are going to be together forever."

Honoka's statement was sudden, but Maki found herself buying into the completely baseless declaration. There was something about the way Honoka said it without any hint of doubt that made her believe. It was a part of Honoka that Maki had gotten used to seeing, and it was the one that brought all of Muse together. When Honoka found something she enjoyed or something she was invested in, she would exude this charisma that could draw anyone in, and Maki was no exception.

But even with Honoka's conviction, Maki thought back to her earlier conversation with Kotori and how close they really had come to breaking apart. Maki wondered if that thought had ever crossed Honoka's mind.

"How can you be so sure?" Maki's voice was weak, It was hard to question Honoka when she got like this, but she felt she should try. It was the last part of her second-year puzzle.

"Because I won't let it happen," Honoka answered with a smile that didn't quite match up with her words.

"But what happens when you graduate," Maki was struggling to keep going as Honoka continued staring with her cheerful expression. "You all might not end up going to the same university, and you might just go different ways."

"Well I don't know what going to happen when we graduate," Honoka's uncertain words were in sharp contrast to her cheery demeanor. "I just know that whatever happens we will be together."

There it was again, Honoka's blind optimism paired with her natural charisma. Maki wanted to continue questioning, to find out if maybe Honoka had some deep rooted fear about the future, but she figured it really didn't matter. Because sitting and listening to Honoka's unwavering certainty of her friendships' future made Maki buy into it as well. It didn't matter what happened in the future because Maki knew if Honoka wanted them together they would be, and she would have Umi and Kotori alongside her every step of the way.

"Well it's getting late," Honoka finished off the last of her come and got up from the bench, spinning around on her heel with a big flourish to face Maki. "Thanks for inviting me out today. I had a lot of fun."

"I umm… had fun to," Maki looked to the side and took a small bite out her cone, she always had a hard time being honest, especially with someone as straightforward as the girl in front of her. "And thanks for answering my weird questions."

"Of course Maki," Honoka grinned. "And don't worry, what I said wasn't just about Kotori and Umi. It was about everyone in Muse too." Honoka turned around and started skipping off. "Bye bye Maki."

Maki waved at Honoka's retreating figure, lips curled into a tight smile. It was moments like that where Maki remembered why Honoka was their leader. All those grand declarations of friendship and such certainty in an unknown future, but if Honoka believed she could make their friendships last, than Maki would just have to believe her. Almost nothing could stand in the way of Honoka when she had something on her mind, but if she did happen to stumble, than there were two people close by ready to pick her up at a moment's notice.

Maki slowly got up from the bench, tossing the last of the vanilla cone into her mouth. Doing a quick stretch, she started on her path home with a smile on her face and an occasional skip to her step.

A/N: Just a look at friendship as a whole with a focus on the second-years, not much more to it than that.