Yoshiko didn't know when she fell in love with Dia. It so gradual that she didn't even notice her feelings growing until one day Dia Kurosawa was all she could ever think about.

Why did it have to be Dia of all people? Dia was a third year, an upperclassman, student council president, and of a highly esteemed family of the town no less - practically the opposite of her. But Dia was also stunningly beautiful, smart, down to earth, ever proper… yet again the complete opposite of her.

For these reasons Yoshiko couldn't imagine it ever working out, but unfortunately one simply can't help who the heart chooses. Despite herself, Yoshiko was constantly stealing furtive glances at the girl and constantly daydreaming about her in the middle of class. She'd be desperate to be near her one day and desperate to avoid her the next. Whatever the reason, Dia was the one she loved.

The worst part of it all however was that Dia Kurosawa was one of her best friend's older sister. There was no way they could go out! That'd just be weird… right?

These were the matters that occupied Yoshiko's thoughts as she pressed the doorbell of the Kurosawa house and waited anxiously for someone to answer. It was late evening. Only a thin band of light rested over the horizon, and the crickets were chirping up a cacophony that did nothing to settle her mind.

Yoshiko rocked on her feet. She held a duffle bag of clothes in her hands. She was here for another sleepover with Ruby and Hanamaru. It was always at the Kurosawa's because her family's apartment was too small and Hanamaru's house… well, finding something entertaining to do was much harder with no internet.

While Yoshiko waited, she both prayed that Dia would be and wouldn't be the one to answer her at the door. Of course her stupid heart would love to relish in every opportunity these occasions gave her to be in Dia's presence, but Yoshiko didn't need her heart to be racing faster than a bullet train this evening when she was supposed to be enjoying time with her fellow first years. The dissonance between her head and heart was killing her.

But she had no time to think any further. At the sound of locks clicking and the doorknob jiggling Yoshiko froze in place. She held her breath, and the door swung open silently.

"Ah, Yoshiko-san, good evening." Just her luck, it was Dia again. "You're here for the sleepover, right?"

"Y-Yeah, thanks for having me over," Yoshiko stuttered. Her voice was small, but her heartbeat felt like it couldn't be any louder.

Dia was wearing a pink one-piece pajama. Her hair was tied in a into a ponytail and draped over one shoulder. Her smile was gentle, but utterly disarming. She looked so darn cute that Yoshiko could almost fall on her knees right then, raise her arms to the sky, and praise the very heavens she fell from for blessing her with all the chances she's had to see Dia like this.

But who knew just to what extent Dia thought her weird already, so she didn't.

Dia stepped aside to let her in. As Yoshiko stepped in and took off her shoes, Dia closed the door behind her.

"Make yourself at home. I trust you know your way around by now." Dia gave her a pat on the shoulder. "If you need me I'll be in my room as usual. You three have fun."

Yoshiko stared after Dia as she walked away down the hall. Once she disappeared from view, Yoshiko let herself lean against the wall. She squinted hard as she tried to will her heart to slow down.

She smelled so good! Yoshiko thought.

After a good moment, Yoshiko felt ready to see her fellow first year friends. She traversed a few hallways and quickly came upon Ruby's bedroom. Yoshiko threw the door open with a flair and struck her signature pose.

"Lament no further, faithful ones! For the fallen angel Yohane has come to reward your patience with her—hey!"

She had opened her eyes to an empty room, but immediately she heard Ruby's voice behind her.

"Yoshiko-chan! You're here!"

Yoshiko spun around, coming face to face with Ruby and Hanamaru, arms full of assorted snacks.

"Sorry, we were just in the kitchen getting more food," Hanamaru explained.

"Aww you ruined my entrance!"

The two only laughed in response and then pushed her inside.

The party was fun as always. Ruby kept a playlist of some of her favorite idol songs playing. Yoshiko always brought over a tablet with a couple of new games installed each time for Hanamaru to gush over. For a while, she was able to forget all the worries of her love life.

But as the night wore on and the excitements wore down, she found her mind wandering back to Dia more and more.

Yoshiko finished up a song on a rhythm game on her phone, and looked up at her friends. It was past midnight, and by now they all had settled into doing their own things. Yoshiko herself was sitting in a beanbag. Ruby was splayed on the floor not far in front of her, flipping through a magazine. Across the room from Ruby was Hanamaru, laying on her stomach in Ruby's bed, engrossed in a book.

"Hey Ruby, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what's up?"

"Why is it always Dia that answers the door? And not you?"

Ruby looked up from her magazine and blinked. "Huh, I don't know… whenever we hear the doorbell she always volunteers to get it."

"Oh… really?" Yoshiko of course didn't want to read into things, but despite her better judgement her hopeful heart immediately forced into her head the thought that Dia always answered the door because she wanted to be the one to greet her.

"That kinda came out of nowhere," Hanamaru said, a questioning look on her face. "Why do you ask?

"Huh? N-No reason! I just... noticed that, is all."

"Hmm?" Hanamaru then gave her a smug grin that told her she knew it all. "I get the feeling you're hiding something."

Dang it Zuramaru, why do you always see right through me!?

"I'm not—I don't know what you're talking about!" Yoshiko said, her voice squeaking higher than she intended.

"I've suspected something for a while now." Hanamaru closed her book and sat up. "C'mon, Yoshiko-chan, out with it."

Ruby looked back and forth between them, bewilderment on her face at this secret something between her friends that she didn't know of.

"Whatever it is, it's okay, Yoshiko-chan," Ruby said. "We're friends, you can tell us."

No Ruby, you're the one person I can't tell!

But here she was doing it anyway. Yoshiko let out a long sigh in defeat.

"Okay, fine! There is something. It's…" Yoshiko felt the heat in her cheeks flare. She could only bring herself to stare at the carpet. "It's Dia…"

"Dia…?"

"Yeah, I… I kinda… I-kinda-like-her-I-guess." Yoshiko barely managed to mumble out the last part, but they heard her well enough.

"Knew it!" Hanamaru sing-song'ed.

"You mean… like like her?" Ruby asked, her voice quiet.

"Y-Yeah…"

Ruby scooted closer. "So... you want to go on dates and stuff?"

"Sure yeah..."

"And you want to hold her hand?"

"Yeah...?"

"And you want to hug her? And ki—"

"Stop! Yes, okay? Yes! I'm hopeless! Let's not talk about it anymore." Yoshiko turned away and threw herself over the beanbag to hide her burning face.

"You really are our fallen angel, aren't you?" Hanamaru said, walking to Yoshiko and patting her on the back. "And I was expecting a 'You would dare think the great Yohane enamored of a mere mortal?!' by now."

"Hmph, she is no mortal. She must be an angel of the highest class!" Yoshiko then sighed, and said quietly, "Even if she isn't... were this fallen angel with someone like her, she would not mind staying on this earth."

Hanamaru and Ruby shared a look, and they knew then that this wasn't just a fleeting infatuation. That she would say such a thing out loud - it was clear Yoshiko was completely head-over-heels in love.

"You really like her, don't you, Yoshiko-chan?" Ruby said.

"You… don't mind, Ruby?"

Ruby shook her head. "Not at all. Actually, I'd be happy if my sister and my best friend were together."

Yoshiko couldn't help but smile a little then. Hearing that was a small comfort. After all, that her feelings for Dia would complicate her friendship with Ruby was one of the big worries she had.

"You should tell her," Hanamaru said.

"What!?" Yoshiko whipped around. "There's no way I can do that!"

As if it was that simple! Yet Hanamaru said it so nonchalantly. Forget revealing her crush to Ruby - the one person she truly, absolutely couldn't tell was Dia.

"Why not? Are you afraid she'd reject you?"

"Well yeah! Who wouldn't be?" Yoshiko's voice grew soft again. "And I mean… I wouldn't know what to say."

"Well you'll never know unless you try. Don't worry, we'll help you. Ruby! Paper and pencil!" Hanamaru went to drag a low table over from across the room, and in a flash they were seated around it, ready to brainstorm.

"Now, let's think about what Yoshiko-chan should say."

"I'm not going to say anything!"

"Maybe she can write it in a letter!" Ruby suggested.

"That's a great idea!" Hanamaru began scribbling on her sheet. "How about what you said before: You must be an angel of the highest class!"

"N-No! That's embarrassing!"

"Or, Were this fallen angel with someone like you, I would not mind staying on this earth."

"No! No Yohane in this!"

"No Yohane!?" Hanamaru and Ruby gasped.

Yoshiko fidgeted shyly with her fingers. "I… I want to do it normally."

"Aww, that's sweet." Hanamaru patted Yoshiko on her head. "So you do want to do it then?"

"Wait—"

"Hey, isn't Valentine's day coming soon?" Ruby said.

"You're right!" Hanamaru slammed both palms on the table. "It's the perfect opportunity! You can confess with homemade chocolates…"

"... and flowers and teddy bears and balloons…" Ruby and Hanamaru's eyes sparkled as they each painted their own fantasies in their minds.

"Guys!" Yohane shook their shoulders.

Ruby snapped out of it first. "You're right… we need to think about what Dia would want."

"Lucky you, Yoshiko-chan, we've got a secret weapon right here! Ruby would know Dia the best!"

"Hm…" Ruby scrunched her eyebrows in thought. Despite herself, Yoshiko breathlessly awaited Ruby's response. "I think she'd want something simple. Whenever I give her gifts for her birthday, she tells me it's the thought that counts, and that she'll love anything I get her."

"That's because it's you, Ruby." Yoshiko flopped backwards onto the beanbag. "That doesn't help me at all."

"Back to the drawing board," Hanamaru said. "Hey Ruby, do you still have that knitting kit?"

In resignation Yoshiko got up, rolled out her sleeping bag next to Ruby's bed, and slipped inside. "Ugh, you two make plans all you want, I guess. I don't want any more to do with this."

"I bet you wish you were sleeping in Dia's room right now, huh?"

A new rush of heat erupted on her cheeks, and Yoshiko turned away. "S-Shut up, Zuramaru! I'm sleeping!"

"Goodnight, Yoshiko-chan!" Ruby said.

"Night, Ruby."

The lights went out, and Yoshiko tried her hardest to fall asleep. But between Hanamaru and Ruby's mischievous whispers and giggles as they planned her confession by nightlight, and her head swimming with different heart-pounding scenarios, it was one of the most restless nights she ever had.

Dia's eye twitched. It was the middle of lunch hour, and normally she would have thoroughly occupied herself in the student council room. However, today seemed to be an exception. A small envelope was on her desk to greet her when she sat down, and inside was a short but startling note.

It was this note that Kanan and Mari were now reading in their classroom. They sat across from her at a makeshift table made from their desks.

"Well?" Dia asked. "What do you think?"

"It's complete nonsense to me," Kanan said. "Is this supposed to be a Valentine?"

"There's obviously some secret meaning behind it," Mari said. "But exactly what that is beats me."

"Hmph, that's exactly what I wanted you two to say." Dia snatched the slip of paper from their hands. "This note was clearly meant for me, and me alone."

Considering it was Valentine's day, she had expected a typical love letter (ignoring the fact that somehow the person snuck into the student council room while it was locked). Dia had received love letters before, so she was ready to read it, give a curt reply, and be done with it. It's not that she didn't care for romance, but rather she simply couldn't make herself return feelings for a stranger.

She wasn't the kind that could begin a process of friendship under the backdrop of courtship either. No, a more natural friendship has to come first. However, it was clear that this secret admirer was already more than a mere stranger.

"Outside a maze of this invisible substance, only revealed by truest light, blooms a once familiar fallow field. From southern Words proceeds the first such rays. Find the source, and with it, the garden's path."

"Wait, so you know what it means?" Kanan asked.

"I have a good guess, and that's why I'm even bothering to give it my time."

Mari threw herself forward. "Well tell us!"

Dia gave a smug grin, and slammed her palm down on the table. "This could only be a reference to the lyrics of Eli Ayase and Nozomi Tojo's famous duet, Garasu no Hanazono!"

Mari and Kanan shared a look, clearly lost.

"Come on! An invisible substance? Glass! Normally you see right through it unless in the right light! And..." She was met with a blank expressions still. "Okay listen, it's something only I'd get, and whoever sent this knows that! And they want me to find them."

"But how?"

"They left a hint - from 'southern words'. That's the part I still don't understand though…"

"Well, I don't see why you would even want to—"

Dia sprung up from her seat. "I GOT IT!"

"Dia!?" Kanan flinched in surprise.

"I'm sorry, I-I have to go," Dia said, already shuffling towards the door. "I'll be back soon… maybe. If anyone comes to the student council room... uh… tell them I'm busy!"

With that she was out the door.

Dia walked briskly through the halls, just short of running. She headed towards the southern end of the school, because that's where the library was. "Words" - as in the books - what else could it be? Was it Hanamaru who sent the note then?

Dia suspected it was one from Aqours, since they were her only friends, and so the only ones who would know of her obsession with Muse. She knew it couldn't be Kanan or Mari though. They weren't the type for such cryptic messages. Besides, Kanan and Mari were already dating.

She couldn't ignore the slight possibility that it was a weird stalker though, but something in her gut told her it couldn't be, and that meant she had to give a proper answer.

The thought terrified her and excited her. Of course she loved every member of Aqours deeply, but to think that one of them held romantic feelings for her…

Dia pushed open the doors to the library and stepped inside.

"Ah, Dia-san!" Hanamaru waved from behind the checkout counter. "It seems you figured out the clue!"

Dia walked over, breathing hard from her near-run. "Hanamaru-san… are you…?"

Hanamaru giggled and shook her head. "Nope, today I'm only a guide to point you in the right direction."

"Oh… alright then."

Dia didn't know how she would have felt if Hanamaru were the one who sent it. Being Ruby's closest friend since childhood meant that she was a very familiar face to the Kurosawa family. To Dia, she was almost like another little sister.

"What's next then?"

"First, a question. It's okay if you get this one wrong." Hanamaru reached under the counter and produced a notecard. "Look at all these books around you. What is one crucial thing that every author needs in order to write a story?"

"To write a story?" Dia echoed.

The first things that came to her mind were practical things - knowledge of grammar, of literary devices, lots of practice - but she knew Hanamaru was looking for something deeper, more fundamental. After some thought, she answered.

"Imagination."

"That's right!" Hanamaru said, clapping. "You'll see that your admirer abounds in creativity and imagination."

"I see…"

"Do you have an idea who it is? If you're right I'll lead you to them right away."

Well, if it wasn't Hanamaru, Mari, or Kanan, and it couldn't be Ruby, then that narrowed it down to four other members. According to Hanamaru, this person had creativity and imagination.

Well, everyone in Aqours has those traits in her opinion. How else could Riko create all their songs? And Chika, the lyrics? And You and Yoshiko, their costumes? Dia was proud of the group's lot of talents.

So as of now, she couldn't say for sure.

"No, I think I'll wait until I have more clues first."

"Alrighty! You'll find your next clue in the music room then."

Dia made to leave, but quickly turned back. "Hanamaru-san, before I go, a question if I may?"

"Yes?"

"Why all this extravagance for a simple confession?"

"It was my idea!" Hanamaru giggled. "They wanted something simple, but I insisted on something fun… fun, and that would reveal their best traits before they confessed for real."

"Is that it?"

"Yup! In the end we compromised!"

"Right…" Dia nodded slowly. If this was a compromise, then she wondered what the original plan was. "Well, good day then, Hanamaru-san."

"Bye bye!"

Dia sped through the halls once again. She drew stares with how fast she navigated the corridors, but Dia didn't care anymore. The music room was all the way on the other side of the school, and lunch break only lasted so long after all. Mostly though, she really wanted to know who her admirer was.

"They wanted something simple." Hanamaru had said. Did that mean her admirer was someone modest? Was it Riko?

Or perhaps… they wanted so exactly because they normally weren't. Somehow, Yoshiko came immediately to her mind, and it was enough to slow her pace.

What if it was Yoshiko? Yoshiko was the epitome of extravagance in their group. She should be the least likely to want something simple… yet perhaps that's exactly why she wasn't.

As empirically-oriented as she was, Dia trusted her intuition too.

She was at the music room now. Dia threw open the doors.

"Ruby?" Across the room, sitting at the bench in front of the piano was her little sister.

"Dia, I'm glad you made it!" Ruby got up and went to give her older sister a hug.

Dia was always glad to see her sister, but at that moment she was also disappointed that she couldn't eliminate another possibility.

"I'm sorry we're making you go through all this trouble."

"No worries, Ruby," Dia said, patting her head. "I'm actually enjoying myself a bit, if not a bit hasty to see them now."

Ruby then separated from her, a serious expression on her face.

"Well, I'll give you the next clue right away then." Ruby cleared her throat. "Here's my riddle: Musicians in this room practice everyday. What's something that every person needs to pursue a hobby seriously?"

Dia smiled. "Ah, I know. It's passion - you have to have a deep love for what you do."

"That's correct! I knew you'd get it right, Dia!"

"This was an easy one. I know because it's just like how we in Aqours practice our dances everyday on the roof."

"That's very true," Ruby said. "I love that every one of us has so much passion… but I think you'll find that your admirer's is unique."

"Unique?"

"Right. While I think all of us has great creativity, imagination, passion, dedication… I believe this person's is one-of-a-kind, and I hope you'll see that too, Dia."

Right then, Yoshiko came to her mind again. Perhaps it was because Ruby had been spending a lot of time together with the girl, and by extension so had Dia. Either way, Ruby's description was very fitting.

Dia agreed with what her sister said. Everyone in Aqours shares those traits. So what would be the point of pointing them out unless it were something truly special? As Dia thought more and more about Yoshiko, she realized that perhaps Ruby was right about her too.

"I know that look," Ruby said. "And I think I know what it means too."

Dia laughed and opened her arms for another hug. "And what do you see, Ruby?"

"Well, I'm sure Hanamaru asked you too. Would you like to take a guess who your admirer is?"

"And if I get it right, you'll take me to her?"

"Yup."

"Then yes, I have a guess."

Hanamaru was waiting for them when they reached the top of the stairs, guarding the door to the rooftop.

"Oh! Looks like Dia figured it out."

"I did," Dia said with a proud smile, although as confidently as she presented outwardly, she was as anxious as she ever was on the inside. Who knew Yoshiko fancied her? And furthermore, how did she feel about Yoshiko? Because now she had to give a reply.

"You might be wondering why we're taking you to her early just because you guessed right," Hanamaru said.

"I suppose it did occur to me."

"It's because if you guessed her," Ruby said. "Then that might mean she was already on your mind!"

"Eh!?" She felt like somehow the logic was misplaced there, but regardless Dia felt a blush rising.

"So now, we hope you'll keep that in mind when you talk to her!" Hanamaru and Ruby grabbed the door handle. "Okay, here we go!"

When Dia stepped out onto the roof, she saw Yoshiko, standing by the railing, with her back to her. She looked so deep in thought that she didn't notice as Dia walked up to her.

The door slam shut behind her, and Yoshiko whipped around at the noise.

"D-Dia! You're here…" Yoshiko shyly looked away. "That was fast…"

Her eyes wandered, landing anywhere besides the girl in front of her. She wriggled her toes nervously in her shoes, and fidgeted with her hands and the items she held behind her. She took deep breaths in an attempt to calm her accelerating heartbeat, because she had to say something! They'd been standing silently for ages! But every time she opened her mouth, fear clamped it shut again.

Meanwhile Dia patiently waited for her to continue, and finally Yoshiko, face beet-red, thrusted a notecard and a small box of chocolates towards her in defeat.

Dia took them into her hands carefully, and saw on it three stanzas written in surprisingly delicate handwriting:

"Roses are red
Violets are blue
My love is a Diamond
Beauty through and through

Were I a fallen angel
Once I thought it true
But now I see that truly
The angel on earth is you

To express my whole affections
A single day won't do
So would you grant this fallen one
A lifetime spent as two?"

"Yoshiko-san…" Dia said as she looked up from the paper.

"I-I like you Dia!" Yoshiko stuttered out, her voice harsher than she meant it to be. "Ruby and Hanamaru insisted I tell you so…"

Already short of breath, Yoshiko inhaled deeply before finishing.

"So would you allow me the favor… of being your girlfriend?"

Yoshiko finally looked up at her directly, and saw that was Dia blushing too!

"I must admit," Dia said, brushing a hand through her hair absentmindedly. "You were the person I least expected at first. But that's just another thing unique about you… I'm flattered… and happy."

It was then that Dia recalled all the moments - when she seemed to run into Yoshiko by chance in the school halls, when Yoshiko would volunteer to partner with her during practices - and in those moments, the feeling of endearment she felt.

So Dia answered, "I would gladly."

"R-Really!?" Yoshiko gasped.

"Yes, you have a real charm about you, Yoshiko-san," Dia said with a small cough. "It's always enjoyable when you're around, and you I can see how hard you work for your friends… there's a lot to like about you."

"Not to mention... you know about Garasu no Hanazono."

Yoshiko smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of her head. "Hehe, I got into µ's because of you, and I remember Ruby mentioning how you like Eli… she's in my top 3."

"She's great isn't she!" Dia shouted, then quickly clamped her hands over mouth.

But they quickly burst into peals of laughter. Dia didn't have to feel embarrassed. They were both fans after all. Even more now, the tension had been broken.

"Honestly, I wouldn't want my girlfriend to confess to me any other way," Dia said, still chuckling.

Girlfriend… Yoshiko repeated the word in her mind, and she felt a surge of happiness well up.

Just then, the bell rang, startling them both. It was a warning that lunch break was about to end.

"So uh…! There's a movie I really want to see playing in Numazu this weekend," Yoshiko said. "Would you like to come with me?"

"I'd love to," Dia said. "Come on, I think we should go tell the others before the next bell."

"Y-Yeah!" Yoshiko watched as Dia made her way to the door, still slightly in disbelief at the recent events.

Yoshiko felt jitters bubble up again at the prospect of telling the other members, but this time it wasn't the nervousness of making a confession. Dia and her are officially dating now, and she couldn't be more excited to share it.

Thanks Zuramaru, Ruby, I owe you one!

"Yoshiko-san?" Dia called.

"Coming!" Yoshiko yelled back, and ran after her.

A/N: Thanks for reading! I'm glad I could write my first love live fic because I've been in the fandom for quite a while now. I have a thing for rare-pairs, and these two were so fun and cute to write! Anyway, this is as part of Love Live Secret Admirer 2018 for Meiny on tumblr. Do go check out their art! They have have some super cute stuff! I hope you enjoyed my story!

Omake

Hanamaru: "So, I guess Dia will be joining our sleepovers now, huh?"

Omake 2

Dia: "Say, you mentioned that you compromised on the plan to confess to me. What was the original?"

Hanamaru: "Oh, we were going to steal one of your Eli figures."

Dia: "WHAT!? Hanamaru-san! Hanamaru-san, come back here!"