Love Live! Reunite!

Chapter 3: Nozomi To The Rescue

Honoka planned on waking up early, in order to begin her new mission on finding the other members of μ's, and saving Love Live.

However, Honoka overslept, as usual, and woke up at eleven o'clock the following morning. It took her a few moments to remember the events of the previous afternoon.

Honoka jumped out of bed and leapt towards her desk, almost fell off the office chair, and switched on her computer.

After five minutes, Honoka found the group chat between her and the other girls. The last message was sent by Umi, four years ago, saying "no problem" from a conversation between her, Maki, Rin and Nico.

Honoka stretched her arms, wriggled her fingers, and began typing. It took her a few attempts to get her message perfect. She wanted to sound casual, but not too pushy.

'Hi guys! So, it's been a while. I just wanted to check up in everyone. How are you all? What's everyone been up to?'

Honoka pressed send, and sat back in her chair, waiting for her friends to reply.

Honoka was hoping for instant replies, but they didn't come. She sat in her chair, refreshing the chat for five minutes. But nobody had seen her message yet.

"Yukiho-chan!!" Honoka wailed.

Yukiho sprinted up the stairs and crashed into her sisters room.

"What's wrong?!" Yukiho asked, panting heavily.

Honoka held her hands to the computer. "Nobody's replying to me! How am I supposed to get μ's back together if nobody wants to partake in simple conversation?!"

Yukiho blinked slowly. "...That's why you called me up the stairs?"

Honoka nodded. "Yes...why?"

Yukiho looked up at the ceiling and sighed. "You sounded like you were in pain. I thought you hurt yourself."

"Nah, I haven't hurt myself. I'm just being neglected," Honoka said.

Yukiho looked back at her sister. "You know...you try to be funny, but you're really not."

"Yes I am."

"...No," Yukiho tried again. "No you're really not."

Honoka paused for thought. "You're right. I'm not funny." Honoka grinned. "I'm hilarious!"

Yukiho tried to hide her eye roll. "Look, everyone is probably busy, working, or whatever it is they're up to. Why don't you go for a jog to help you relax?"

Honoka looked at her sister, her eyebrows dropping with annoyance. "A jog? You want me to partake in physical exercise for fun?!"

"Yes," Yukiho nodded.

"But jogging is boring," Honoka cried.

"Well, I hate to sound rude, but you have put on a little weight since your last Love Live performance."

Honoka raised her eyebrows at her sister. "Are you calling me fat? Because I am not fat! Maybe it's you who is the fat one!" Honoka pointed at her sister.

Yukiho opened her mouth to speak, and then closed it again. She just shook her head. "Well, if you don't want to go outside, you can help me in the shop. We usually get double the amount of customers on a Friday, so your help will be appreciated."

"Help, as in work?" Honoka asked.

Yukiho nodded.

Honoka contemplated for a moment. "...I think I'm going to go for that jog."

*****

So, Honoka went for a jog. And by 'jog', she ran ten steps, turned the corner, and headed into the fast food café.

Honoka returned home one hour later with a full tummy and a big grin on her face.

Honoka entered the shop. Yukiho was smiling as well.

"Honoka, you have a visitor," Yukiho said, trying not to jump up and down with excitement and scream.

Honoka raised her eyebrows. "Who is it? It better not be a spider like it was last time." Honoka pointed a warning finger at her sister. "Yukiho, last time you said I had a visitor - "

"Don't worry, it's not a spider." Yukiho motioned for her sister to hurry. "Come on! She's waiting!"

Honoka walked to her sister and turned her head left.

There, stood a young woman, the age of twenty four. The woman had long purple hair, in two thin bunches which reached her waist. She was slender, and pale. Her eyes were a bright shade of turquoise, almost replicas of the ocean. She was wearing a lilac shirt and black jeans and leather boots. She had a small handmade bag on her right shoulder.

Honoka looked the woman up and down. "Wait...N...Noz...Nozomi?"

Toujou Nozomi smiled and spread her arms out wide, as if to present herself. "The one and only!"

Honoka blinked, and then grinned. "No way!" Honoka was about to hug Nozomi, but hesitated. "Wait! Nozomi-chan, what are you doing here?"

Nozomi reached into her bag and brought out a pack of cards. She held them up. "The cards told me to," Nozomi said simply. "I got told that Love Live was in trouble, and you knew why."

"Nozomi, your future predictions never fail to amaze," Honoka said. "So you just dropped everything and came here to meet me?"

Nozomi nodded, smiling. "Yep! I got my prediction three days ago. So, do you know why Love Live is in trouble?"

Honoka nodded. "Yes, Love Live might have to get shut down."

Nozomi studied Honoka's face. "Let's sit down."

Nozomi sat down, and Honoka and Yukiho did the same.

"I received a letter from the managers of Love Live, telling me that the contest isn't as popular as it once was, and not many groups are entering anymore," Honoka began.

Nozomi thought about this. "Hmm... That's a shame..."

Honoka nodded. "Yeah, I know. And I was asked if μ's would perform an opening number for the next Love Live, in next June."

Nozomi tapped her chin with her cards whilst she thought. "I see... So we just have to round up the rest of the members? That shouldn't be too difficult, right?"

"I just don't know where any one else is," Honoka said. "Where have you been these past few years, Nozomi-chan?"

Nozomi paused to think. "...I've been travelling," Nozomi said finally, "with my parents. I've been abroad to all different kinds of places."

"Oohh," Yukiho said. "Really?"

"Yes," Nozomi nodded. "I still don't know what my career goal is, or what job I want. So I've been travelling with my parents whilst they work."

"You don't work with your parents?" Honoka asked.

Nozomi shook her head. "I tried it for a while, but their kind of work isn't what I want to do." Nozomi coughed. "Anyway, let's sort out this next Love Live! First thing to do: we need to round everybody up. I don't know about everyone else, but I know where Elichi is."

"Where's Eli-chan?" Honoka asked.

"After we graduated, she moved back to Russia to live with her Grandmother," Nozomi responded. "Her sister stayed at high school until she graduated, and then she moved back to Russia too. I've already contacted Elichi. We're meeting her in a few days, once the details are finalised."

Honoka beamed. "Awesome! So when's Eli-chan getting here?"

"Oh no, she isn't coming here to meet us," Nozomi said, smiling slyly. Nozomi reached into her bag and pulled out two plane tickets. She held them in front of Honoka's face. "We have to go see her."