What Lies In the Deep Blue Sea

Pairing: Erena x Umi

Genre: Drama/Romance

Disclaimer: I do not own Love Live or any of its characters.

Author's Note: Hello, everyone~! My name is Yuri and here's my second Erena x Umi fanfic, now a full-on story~! I'm glad everyone liked my previous story "Rain of Love" so I hope you all like this one.

Please enjoy~!

I stare at two familiar people in the hall, two people that I know very well. They are talking and laughing while wrapping arms around each other. Those two are my childhood friends, Honoka Kousaka and Kotori Minami, a well known second-year couple. Well . . . I was the first to witness them being together anyhow. Why? I was just done with club activities when I heard Honoka confessing to Kotori. I hid behind a corner, so that they don't see me as I continue to watch my two childhood friends confessing their love for each other and then . . . they kissed. I couldn't believe that my two best friends actually loved each other. When they told me about it later that day, I just simply congratulated them and just hid my own true feelings.

I was in love with Kotori. Actually, I was in love with her even before we started high school. Though, I had kept my feelings to myself until that very day. The day that I was about to confess to Kotori. But . . . I was too late. Honoka already beat me to it. She confessed her feelings first and Kotori happily accepted them.

That was two weeks ago. A little while after the confession, after they told me, they told everyone else in the club room. They were a bit surprised at first, but congratulated them after and wished them the best of luck. I, on the other hand, was still feeling down about my chance to confess to Kotori. Even today, I'm still depressed.

Right now, it's after school and Honoka invited me and Kotori to her house. However, I told her I had some studying to do, so I couldn't go with them. But in reality, I'm just trying to get over the fact that I need to let this one go and move on, even though it's really hard to do so.

"Are you feeling alright, Umi-chan?" Honoka asks me. "You've been acting a little strange since . . . a couple weeks ago."

"Is it because of us?" Kotori asks.

I couldn't tell them. It will just worry them even more. "No. I'm just under a lot of stress about studying right now." That wasn't a big lie, but at least I am able to fool them just a little.

With that, all of us went our separate ways, with Honoka and Kotori exiting the school. I just stay behind as I watch the lovely couple. Good luck in the near future, you two. I'll keep supporting you. Even if I . . .

"Huh? What are you doing in the middle of the hallway, Umi-chan?" a familiar, Kansai accented voice says.

I turn to look at the girl with long purple hair tied into two low pony-tails. "Oh, hey, Nozomi. I was just saying good-bye to Honoka and Kotori. Honoka actually invited both me and Kotori over to her house, but I told them I had some studying to do."

"I see." Nozomi takes a few steps toward me and leans over while smiling. "Something tells me that you're feeling down."

"N-no, I'm not-"

"I can see it, Umi-chan," Nozomi says. "Even if you tell me 'no', I can still tell."

I sigh in defeat. I guess there's no hiding secrets, even when Nozomi's around. "I'm just . . . stressed, okay? About how I blew my chance on confessing to Kotori."

"Ah, because you love her?" the violet haired girl asks.

I could only nod.

"I see." She straightens up and puts her finger on her chin. "Hmm . . . well, I can only tell you this: though it's tough to find love, love will find you someday."

"Huh!?" What is she saying? What does she mean by that? "U-Um, can you be more specific please?"

Nozomi just smiles as I notice a blonde girl known as Eli walks by and notices us talking.

"Oh, hello, Umi," the blonde says. "I didn't know you were still out here."

"I was just leaving anyway," I reply as I'm about to walk away. "I'll see you later."

Nozomi links her arms with Eli with a smile. "Okay. We'll see you later, Umi-chan." She winks at me as I turn to look back at her. There is no way that anyone can find me and love me. How is it possible?

Before I leave the school, I catch the two of them kissing. Another couple. How nice. I then turn and walk away, not wanting to see it anymore. But as I begin to exit the school, I hear more voices from behind me.

"Come on, Kayo-chin~!" I hear Rin say. "We don't want to be late for the reservation at the restaurant I promised you, nya~!"

"S-somebody help me!" Hanayo screams as I see her being dragged by Rin and run right past me, but not before saying "Hello" to me. And there's another couple. How wonderful.

"Maki-chan, hurry up!" I hear Nico's voice say.

"And why are you inviting me to your house again?" Maki asks while twirling her hair.

"Duh! It's to, um, y-you know, spend quality time together!" Nico replies while blushing. I softly giggle at the petite girl's expression. "And you know we're dating, too, right?"

I let out a soft sigh as well. And yet another couple approaches.

"S-sure, we are," Maki says while blushing herself. "Let's just go before anyone sees us."

"Too late," Nico says as she faces me.

I wave my hand back and forth as I smile nervously. "N-no, it's okay. I'm just leaving anyways."

I immediately walk away before either Nico or Maki could say anything. I can't take it anymore. It's impossible to move on when there's couples all around me and to make matters worse, they are my friends from school. I really need a break from all this.

**Later that Night**

Once I finish my homework, I put my pen down, stretch my arms and plop down on the bed, facing up at the ceiling, wondering how Honoka and Kotori are doing right about now. My mind is filled with those two. During our early years, our middle school years and even now. We went through tough times, but also had some good times together. All of us were best friends, ever since that day, when I was hiding behind the tree to observe some kids playing around. And then, Honoka showed up and let me join her and Kotori. I couldn't have been more happy than I ever was. I used to be a shy girl that rarely talks to anybody, but when Honoka and Kotori came into my life, I felt happy. Probably the happiest girl I was.

But after I realized my feelings for Kotori, my heart sank when I realized that Honoka confessed her love to Kotori and she accepted them. I don't even know if I can truly move on from this. I'm still depressed over being too late to confess to Kotori. Then, Nozomi's words echo in my head.

"Though it's hard to find love, love will find you someday."

I sit up and look over at the picture of the three of us when we were little. All happy and smiley. It was after when we first met and Honoka's mother offered to take a picture of the three of us. I take the picture frame and smile at the memory. Yes, it was truly unforgettable moment. I then look over at another picture at our first day of high school during our second year. It was Honoka's idea to take a selfie of the three of us, which I find it cute. However, my eyes are focused on Kotori as I slide my hand on the picture.

Kotori. I had loved you for a long time. But . . . I guess you're better off with Honoka, huh? That's always nice. Always . . .

I don't realize it, but I can feel drips of tears streaming down my face. I slowly reach a hand up and touch my cheek, feeling that it's wet. No . . . no. Why am I crying? It's been over 2 weeks since my childhood friends became a couple. I should've moved on by now. So why . . .

"Kotori . . ."

It's no use. I'm too choked up. Thinking too much about the love of my life, now in the hands of my other childhood friend, is making me too emotional. This is not fair. Everyone in Muse is dating except for me. I want someone to love, too! But . . . why can't I have one? Do I not deserve it? Is I just bad luck? I just . . . don't know what to do anymore.

As more tears keep falling, more and more images of Kotori fill my head, I bury my face in my hands as I begin to sob quietly, feeling regret and grief take over.

**The next day**

I begin walking to the train station early the next morning. I really didn't want to come to school today, just to face the couples that surround me while I'm feeling left out. Life just isn't fair sometimes. I walk towards the station just as the train arrives. I'm the second person to climb aboard and immediately walk towards a window while grabbing on one of the handles above me. I let out a small sigh as I think about Honoka and Kotori and all the other couples around me. Nozomi's words echo in my head again.

"Though It's hard to find love, love will find you someday."

Nozomi . . . what do you mean by that? There's practically no one else here to love. Sure, I got confessions from some of my classmates, but they were just fans, not lovers. Besides, if love were to find me, it would've been Arisa, Eli's younger sister. But I came to find out that she's dating Honoka's younger sister, Yukiho. So, if that doesn't work, then who? Who would be my love interest?

Just then, my thoughts get interrupted when I feel someone get close to me, in fact way too close. I can feel myself tremble in fear as I take a glance back to notice a middle aged man standing behind me. He is wearing a regular suit with rounded glasses and is a bit overweight. I don't know who he is nor that I care since I got my own problems to deal with. However, he isn't going to leave me alone as he comes a bit closer to whisper into my ear.

"Hey, babe," he says. "What's a pretty girl like you doing here all by yourself?"

Oh, no! This is bad. The way he's saying it is like he's going to do something horrible to me soon. I'm considering running away, but I'm too cramped in this crowd, so there's literally nowhere to go. I feel his hands slide through my bare legs, which makes me quiver a little. N-no, please! I think to myself. Not here! Why would he do something horrible in a place like this!?

"Come on, now," the man purrs as I can feel his other hand go straight down, almost going under my skirt. "Let's take the time to get to know each other."

N-no! No, no, NO! I think to myself as I shut my eyes tightly. Please don't! Not in a place like this! Please! I embrace for what is about to come next, but I don't feel his hand under my skirt. Huh? Did he give up?

Just then, I hear some bones cracking from the man as I slowly turn to see what's happening. A beautiful girl with long purple hair with a different uniform had grabbed that man's wrist and is squeezing it really tightly. She is glaring at the man while pulling him closer to her.

"You're getting off the next station, got that?" she growls as she squeezes his wrist even more.

"Ow, OWWW!" he screams. "Y-you're breaking my wrist!"

"Too bad!" the violet haired girl snaps. "Now you go away before I break both of your hands and legs!"

She shoves him into the crowd, which makes him fall over and run to blend in with the crowd. Oh, my goodness! I can't believe what I saw just now. This girl, who I don't even know, just came and rescued me from that pervert. She turns towards me, her glare softening into a concerned look as the train stops. She glances up at the screen above us.

"Is this your station?" she asks.

Ah, her voice is also beautiful! It's like music to my ears!

"Miss?" she asks again.

I snap back into reality and nod my head as I glance up at the screen. "Y-yes!"

The violet haired girl chuckles. "Alright. Then, I'm getting off that station, too."
"You are?" What school does she go to anyway?

Both of us exit the train and stop half-way to face each other again. This beautiful girl. She's a bit taller than me, but has some really nice features. Her light blue eyes stare into my golden ones for just about a minute before she speaks up again.

"Are you alright?" she asks. "Did that man do anything else to you?"

I shake my head. "N-no."

"That's good." She smiles at me. Oh, my goodness! She's even more beautiful when she smiles! "Well, I'll see you later." With that, she turns to walk in the other direction with her hair swaying as she turns.

I remain standing there while a light breeze blows, making mine and the violet haired girl's hair sway gracefully. I can feel my face getting warm just from staring at that girl. And my heart's pumping, too! Why, though? She only rescued me, right? Or maybe those feelings are something else. Is it love? Is this really what Nozomi was telling me all along?

A/N: Hehe~! Well, I hope you liked this chapter. I was going to portray it from an anime series called "My Love Story", but someone else had already gone and wrote it, though it's titled "Umi's Love Story". But I really wanted to take one of my most favorite scenes from that anime, which is Takeo saving Yamato-chan from being molested.

Now for this chapter, it's like "My Love Story", but probably from Yamato-chan's point of view. I'm not going to copy the whole series, as I've seen a couple of episodes of it.

Also, Umi-chan. Goodness, I love her! Well, I like her for two reasons:

1. She reminds me of Umi Ryuuzaki from Magic Knight Rayearth.

2. She's voiced by Himawari's voice actress from "Yuru Yuri".

I really can't believe they would create a coincidental character like the Love Live Umi.

Anyway, enough about me ranting. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Feel free to give out any suggestions, questions or concerns and don't forget to review~! ;)