Orange Sunset

Honoka Kousaka liked to describe herself as an “adventurous” young ten-year-old. From birth, she was curious about the world and all of its wonder, and she was blessed with the twin gifts of adventurousness and bravery (or willful ignorance) in order to satisfy that curiosity. When Honoka had something she wanted to do, she was going to do it one way or the other, and the only warning would be the sparkle in her eye, a reflection of her burning spirit (or perhaps it was the setting sun that she so wanted to see from the top of that tree).

Her friends Umi Sonoda and Kotori Minami might be more inclined to describe her with words like “reckless” or “dangerous”. And yet, they both knew that Honoka made sure they never actually got injured, and they’d both admit that it was always worth it in the end. The closest they’d come to getting hurt was when they’d tried to climb that tree, and had succeeded for all of two and a half minutes before the branch broke under the weight of three ten-year-old girls. But even then, they were somehow able to make it back down to earth safely, and as they were clinging onto the tree for dear life, the sunset was indeed breathtaking just like Honoka had figured it would be.

Honoka was twelve years old when she slowly stopped blindly running around playgrounds and climbing trees and rooftops. It was not that she had lost her sense of wonder, but rather that the questions she had about the world could no longer be answered simply by standing from somewhere she had not stood before (and, additionally, she was starting to run out of trees and rooftops to climb on top of). It was around this time that Honoka started realizing that her day-to-day life was not set in stone, and she was able to change all sorts of aspects of it, starting with her revolutionary decision that she was sick of red bean paste and that bread was very delicious. Still, she never stopped looking for new places to explore, new places to watch the sunset from.

Her friend Umi, meanwhile, was having more and more responsibilities piled on top of her everyday. As the heiress of the Sonoda dojo, she was required to be a master of kendo, archery, traditional dance, calligraphy and the complicated art of not-being-cripplingly-shy. Umi truly enjoyed all her activities, but some nights she would go to bed so tired and dream of what it would be like to not have to bear the weight of tradition on her shoulders.

Common sense would dictate that being dragged along on Honoka’s misadventures would take time and energy that Umi did not have. However, Umi came to look forward to Honoka’s ideas, and despite still resisting it sometimes, she was always happy to see that sparkle in her eye. The blue-haired girl somehow never felt tired after their daring conquests, as if simply being in Honoka’s presence gave her energy again. The ginger-haired girl’s passion spread to the people around her like a wildfire.

Honoka was fifteen when she applied her unstoppable drive to academics for the first time in order to pass the entrance exam to Otonokizaka High (her friends always knew she was capable of doing so, but it was still somewhat amazing seeing Honoka put so much effort into school ). Her mother had told her so many stories about the school, both in her own time there and in all the generations before them. Ever since the school was built, each and every woman in their family attended Otonokizaka, and each had come away with great memories, friends, and experiences.

In addition, the school’s principal was none other than her friend Kotori’s mother. Kotori herself, in the transition into high school, was suddenly aware of how big the world was, and it was not the same kind of awareness that drove her friend to constantly explore it. Their days of running around playgrounds were in the past, as they each started to find their own path in life. The ash-haired girl was deeply interested in fashion, and in her free time she loved designing outfits for herself and her friends. Her mother was amazingly encouraging and supportive in her pursuits, buying her whatever materials she asked for when she had a little project she wanted to work on. However, it was glaringly clear to Kotori that this path was hers and hers alone, and while she knew that it was a given that the three of them would be doing different things in the future, it made her doubt their promise to be together forever.

One day, Kotori built up the courage to voice these concerns to her friends, and before she could even start thinking of ways to change the topic because she didn’t want to burden them with her worries, Honoka smashed through all of her fears like it was nothing. With a reassuring smile on her face, she said that even if the three of them ended up on opposite ends of the world, they’d still be best friends and nothing would ever get in the way of that. She said it with such confidence that Kotori couldn’t help but believe in that bright future. Even if they got lost now and then, even if they didn’t know what to do next, Honoka’s relentless optimism would surely light the way.

Honoka was sixteen when she explored a new world, that of school idols. At first, even she had thought of it only as a way to save their dying school, and perhaps that was why Umi initially refused the idea. But something inside her compelled her to keep trying, and she discovered that she truly enjoyed dancing, singing, and above all, sharing her smile with everyone. It was such a genuine and powerful desire that it drew everyone into its warmth, creating the group of nine friends that were known as µ’s and attracting people of all walks of life to stop and witness these shining stars.

Nico Yazawa had once tried to start her own idol group, but it went incredibly poorly. She spent the better part of a week trying to figure out how and why Honoka succeeded where she had failed, and then it dawned on her that it was the obvious, simple answer: Honoka was simple. She never had any complex plans laid out, never worried about what came next. She simply found something she wanted to do, and then did it . Anyone could sense that just by being around her for a few seconds, and so people let their guard down around her, and before they knew it, they were already caught up in her pace. There was no beating that, and Nico didn’t mind.

Maki Nishikino was not very good at living her life, often ending up living the life her parents chose for her instead. She would have fought to have her own dreams and wants instead, except she never really had any. She carried out all her duties with a detached coldness, and lived her life in much the same way, except for the small flicker of warmth that she felt whenever she played the piano.

Hanayo Koizumi was always a shy and softspoken girl, passively letting the days pass by her. She rarely showed interest in most things and she was average in schoolwork, making her presence hard to notice for more reasons than her impossibly quiet voice. Yet, inside her, unbeknownst to all but the few people close to her, was a burning passion for idols, a passion that she hoped to pursue one day, somehow.

Rin Hoshizora appeared to be an energetic and enthusiastic girl just like Honoka, but inside she had so many doubts holding her back. She was athletic and she loved running around for hours and she had never lost a match in arm wrestling to anyone, but she was still a girl. The mocking voices of her old classmates that ridiculed her whenever she wore a skirt stuck in her mind, and it dampened the spirit behind her smile.

All three of these first-years could feel the fire of Honoka’s energy as soon as they met her, and they all followed in their upperclassman’s dream in the hope that one day their own flames would burn as brightly.

Honoka was seventeen when she became student council president. Her natural charisma and inspiring attitude made her a perfect fit for the role (although everyone was worried if her less-than-consistent work ethic could keep up with all the responsibilities). It wasn’t like anything she had done before, and while she did struggle for a while, eventually she became a surprisingly responsible and efficient leader.

Eli Ayase, the previous student council president, would be lying if she said she hadn’t had some small doubts in the back of her mind even as she recommended Honoka for the position. Luckily she never needed to admit that that was why she frequently visited the school in the first few months after her graduation. She often dropped by the student council room in the last months of her third year after she had stepped down from her position, and would often give the new president some advice on how to handle things. She was surprised when she came back for her underclassman’s last school year and there was nothing for her to help with, and she knew that there was nothing to worry about, both for the school and for Honoka.

Nozomi Tojo was also relieved to see that the new student council was able to bear the responsibilities that were entrusted to them. She visited Otonokizaka along with Eli, but she made no effort to hide that her greatest concern was for the friends and underclassmen that they could no longer watch over. In terms of their well-being, there was nothing to be worried about, but...they were changing. Despite herself, Nozomi was worried about the future. It was part of life, after all, but as she watched the sun set, Nozomi couldn’t help but wonder if it would be as bright the next day.

Honoka was eighteen years old when she graduated from Otonokizaka High and started spending a lot more time helping her parents in the bakery. She wanted to learn as much as she could now, because one day she would take over Homura.

It was odd, at first, no longer having µ’s, or even the Idol Research Club that she remained a part of in her third year. She didn't have as big of a role in the growing club–they left that to the underclassmen–but she had still taken part in and supported the new group. Honoka picked up a lot of habits from her time as a school idol that she never could drop, including being more prone to going on runs in her free time just to burn off some pent-up energy. It was a little lonely running up the shrine stairs on her own, but she dealt with it.

Honoka was twenty when she slowly started to run the bakery on her own. It took a while for her to notice, but eventually even she figured that her parents’ excuses to be away from the shop for days were getting flimsier. She loved running around and moving her body, of course, but there was something nice about busying herself behind the counter and meeting all the different people that came in.

Some of her friends came to visit sometimes, but for the most part their contact was limited to texting or video calls. Kotori and Maki were overseas for their studies, and Nico had managed to succeed as a solo idol. Nozomi and Eli had graduated university and were living in a nearby apartment, so they were her most frequent visitors.

“Do you miss those days?” Eli asked one time.

Honoka just smiled at her. “The past is in the past.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“...I know. But, it’s all I can say right now, you know? µ’s was my life, even if it was only for a year. Sure, we had the Idol Research Club afterwards, but it wasn’t the same...ah, but for Eli-chan, it’s been even longer hasn’t it?”

“Yes. Alisa tells me stories about her own high school life. It’s hard to believe they’re already in their third year, isn’t it?”

“Haha, Yukiho’s an adult now~”

“With you as an older sister, I think she’s had to be an adult for a long time now.” Honoka pretended to pout at that, but both of them couldn’t help laughing.

Suddenly Eli turned serious again. “But Honoka...you've grown up, too. I'd like to hear your thoughts on everything, after you've had time to reflect on it.”

“Yeah, I’ll let you know.”

Honoka was thirty when her parents retired and she was officially the owner of Homura. She had a lot of regulars, including many of the local neighbourhood women, and younger girls that first came by hoping to meet the Honoka Kousaka, and ended up coming back again and again for the delicious manjuu. She loved getting to meet so many different people with all kinds of dreams and desires and seeing all their different smiles.

It was always weird for her to be so famous and sought-out, but by this point it was starting to get surreal. She loved her memories of µ's dearly, and the nine of them were still best friends that regularly kept in touch and met up when they could, but her school idol days were far in the past. Even just singing and dancing were things she was finding less and less time for, and her usual morning runs were getting hard to keep up. That’s life as an adult , Honoka supposed.

Honoka was turning forty the day the nine of them went back to that solitary beach. They had gotten together for her birthday, and they’d spent the day going all over Akiba. Finally, Honoka asked if they could go back to that beach that was just them again, and everyone agreed. This time, without the looming prospect of graduation and separation hanging over their heads, they were able to relax and have fun together in the sand and the waves.

As the sky’s blue gave way to orange, the nine of them quietly stood side by side and watched the sun set. They’d once stood on this beach and gazed out at the vast unknown that was their future, and now they were here looking back at the infinite distance of their past. It felt so long ago when Otonokizaka announced that it would be closing its doors. It felt so long ago when they were all gathered in that empty auditorium. It felt so long ago when they’d come so close to reaching Love Live, only to have it slip through their grasp, but then they got a second chance and they did it , they won , and then they went to America together, and for one last time as school idols they sang together.

“Somehow,” Kotori whispered, “it feels like we’re back on that day, before Love Live again, but without all of the pressure that was on us.”

Umi nodded. “We’ve all done different things in life, gone different paths...but here we are, standing together again.”

Honoka smiled, reaching out for the blazing orb of light in the sky. It bathed the ocean in its warm glow, like a painting drawn in a dream. Honoka felt a pang in her chest, but she didn’t stop smiling. She glanced around at her friends, Eli’s question from years ago echoing in her mind. “Do you miss those days?”

“Time passes. People change. No matter how much we miss it, there's no going back to those days. But that's fine because...because...this moment is the best!”

And together, they all watched the sunset, which was breathtaking just like Honoka had figured it would be.