Flashback:

20 years before the tragedy that fell on Honoka Kousaka.

The minute Eli Ayase saw Maki Nishikino during the time when Muse became a seven member school idol group. It was love at first sight for her. She tried so many times to confess her feelings for the redhead. But she always ended up suppressing her feelings for Maki. Aside from the fact that they were both school idols. Maki always would either stay by Nico Yazawa's side. Or she would always go home with Hanayo Koizumi and Rin Hoshizora. On the other hand, Eli is with Nozomi most of the time.

It was only when Maki graduated from high school that Eli finally got the chance to confess to Maki. The half Russian half Japanese girl and the tomato girl started dating prior to the tragedy that befell on their former beloved leader and friend. They were a happy couple during those times. They were an image of a good couple. Not perfect but good. As if nothing can separate them from each other. That was until Honoka's parents died. They were asked by the Love Live organizers to be part of a special anniversary concert.

It was to celebrate the success of Love Live through the years. All the previous winners and runners up were asked to perform. And Muse was listed to perform last. They were known as the legendary nine. The goddesses who changed the world. But in the end. Reality decided to put them back to where they belong. A week before the concert. Honoka lost her parents in a car accident. And this made her less focused in their practices. Not wanting to perform uninspired she decides to skip all of their practices. And on the day of the performance, Honoka decides to show up in regular clothes.

And this surprises her friends. The once jolly ginger haired girl is no longer her usual self. Her smile is not the same smile that Eli saw before. And she's not as energetic as she was twenty years ago. It's like a different person has approached them. Maki can sense that their friend hasn't recovered from what happened. Kotori and Umi fully understands their childhood friend's situation. Nico who is the most vocal of the group decided to remain silent. Childhood friends Hanayo and Rin also decided to keep silent. Nozomi restrained herself from giving Honoka the washi washi technique.

At this point before the performance Honoka decides to talk to all of them. She tells them that they will just have to perform without her. She also tells them to give it all that they got even though she isn't there on stage with them. And then she asks them not to tell anyone about her situation. The last thing she needs right now is to have a little peace and quiet for herself and her sister Yukiho.

The other seven girls understand her and tell her to enjoy watching them from the audience. But Eli took it the wrong way. She leads them to have an uninspired performance. And this infuriated Honoka making her become cold hearted and distant from the girls she called friends. To make matters worst for Eli. This is the start of Eli's relationship with Maki getting rocky. In the end, Maki decided to break up with her. This made her turn into an alcoholic. Her relationship with her sister Alisa also begins to falter. Although she has managed to keep her personal problems away from her being a lawyer. Eli became a total wreck in terms of living normally.

Her once tidy prim and proper room is in shambles. Photos of Maki and her during their sweet moments are scattered on the floor. Dust is piling up on the floor and her carpet. It's a good thing that they have a tolerant set of housekeepers. Otherwise she will have to do all the cleaning up by herself. Alisa became distant to her because of what happened at the concert. Her relationship with Yukiho Kousaka also turned rocky.

Eventually they broke up. She soon finds herself falling for Honoka. But it wasn't easy for her to make Honoka love her back. The woman she's fallen in love with. Is in an incestuous relationship with her younger sister. But that didn't stop her from courting the ginger haired woman. She pursued her feelings for the former leader of Muse. Eventually she won her heart. At first Yukiho Kousaka couldn't accept it. In the end she accepts the fact that her big sister/girlfriend is happily in love with both her and Alisa Ayase.

Their love for each other happened exactly a week after the uninspired performance of Muse. And this was the reason why Eli's life has gone south. Everything she worked hard for us gone. Except for her profession as a lawyer. Despite being an alcoholic, she maintains the discipline to be a good lawyer. And pretty soon she will find herself falling for Kuroko Kousaka, Honoka's and Yukiho's older brother. And all because of his smile that reminds her of Honoka.

She looks at the photo of the day they made one last final appearance on stage. The day that they performed uninspired after Honoka decided not to join them on stage again. It was the day she regretted making a terrible decision. And that is inform the audience of what happened to Honoka's parents. This is the very reason why the ginger haired woman got upset at them. And this made her cold hearted and begin avoiding the eight ladies for five months.

And even if they do manage to talk to her. She would avoid being seen with them in public. She reasons out her situation wherein she and her sister Yukiho are in a financial pinch. They would try to comfort her by saying that they will take care of the expenses. But in the end, it was Honoka's decision not to join them in any activity that prevailed. That's why everytime that Muse would hold a reunion. They just painfully celebrate it among themselves. And just think about that Honoka is celebrating with them in spirit.

Although the concert was a success. Love Live organizers have decided to turn the one night only affair into a twice a year event. Muse decided to decline the invitation to perform on the second staging of the Love Live winners concert. The organizers asked them why. They all simply answered one thing. Muse isn't Muse if Honoka is not with them. They will only perform in public again if Honoka Kousaka decides to join them again on her own free will.

The same goes for A-RISE. Ever since Tsubasa Kira unwillingly broke up with Honoka. She lost the motivation to perform on stage. Honoka was her source of energy and inspiration to sing and dance. Her group was the reason why the latter formed her own school idol group. Love Live organizers had no choice but to push through with the planned second Love Live winners concert. And they planned to stage it on the day Muse won the second Love Live competition. All of them are crossing their fingers in the hopes that the concert will be as successful as the first one five months ago.