A/N:
Kousaka Maki: Hello guys! Ummm I don't really know what to say. Please enjoy reading!
arei: I have nothing to say too. I hope you enjoy this.
Summary: Their supposed to be peaceful post-Halloween party got a little more surprised with Maki getting dragged into Nozomi's plan. But instead of scaring her victim, the redhead was somehow taken to a different turn of events. And it doesn't help that her beloved senior is very close right in front of her.
You may have thought that Halloween is over since it's almost the middle of November already but not for the few members of School Idol Research club. Nozomi, Honoka, Rin, and Maki (dragged by Rin) are gathered in their club room. Nozomi, the mastermind of this secret gathering stood in the middle of the room grinning to her fellow member.
"I'm surprised that you let Rin-chan drag you here Maki-chan."
Maki sighed. "It's because Rin would bother me nonstop unless I agree." Maki annoyingly said. Maki look around seeing Nozomi doing something, uh she doesn't know?
After a little while Maki found out. Nozomi showed them a set of ghost costumes just enough for them.
"What are we going to do with these nyaa~?" Rin asked
"We're going to put off a little scare tonight Rin-chan." answered Nozomi with a creepy grin.
"W-wha. I'm not going to wear that" Maki refused.
"You're no fun, Maki-chan" Honoka pouted. "I- I won't wear something like that, especially it's from Nozomi." Maki refused again.
"Awww. But I would like to see you in ghost outfit nya." Rin did the same thing Honoka do. They both look at Nozomi somewhat talking with her using telepathy. The two girls nodded and stared at Maki. Maki was getting nervous specially when the two girls stared at her.
"Then we will just force Maki-chan to wear it." Nozomi said. "Let's go girls!"
"Wait no get off me!" was all Maki was able to say when Rin and Honoka took each of her arms and hooked it on theirs.
"Maki-chan, can't you just stop struggling?"
"Why would I? I don't even know what this is all about!"
"Maki-chan, don't you want to get Kotori-chan?" Nozomi asked making everyone stop their business.
"W-wha. W-what a-are you saying Nozomi?!. I dont like her in that way." Maki's face can't even compare on her beloved tomato nor her hair on how red she was.
"Nozomi-chan didn't say that you like her that way nya." Rin said. 'Since when did Rin become this sharp?' Was all Maki thought. She remained speechless.
"So it's real?" Honoka asked. Maki just nodded finding herself unable to speak.
"Dont worry Maki-chan I'll support the both of you." Honoka exclaimed, grinning ear to ear.
"So you need to wear this or else we'll tell to Kotori-chan that you like her, right girls?" Nozomi winked at them. Leaving no choice for Maki but to wear the ghost costume. Part of her was glad though since Honoka isn't against in her feelings towards Kotori.
After they're done with Maki, Nozomi, Rin and Honoka started getting ready themselves. They also wore the costumes.
"So here's the plan. Elichi and the others will be coming here an hour from now. I purposely asked to come here at a later time so we can prepare. They were the ones in-charge of the food anyway so they agreed."
"But Nozomi, Rin only told me that we are going to prepare a surprise- ah so this is the surprise?"
"Yes you finally get it Maki-chan. This is our post-Halloween party so I'm just spicing it up a little."
"Geez. So what kind of surprise we're gonna do?" Maki said twirling her hair.
"I can feel that you're looking forward in this Maki-chan." Nozomi smiled teasingly at Maki.
"N-No o-of course not! Y-you just dragged me here!" Maki averted her gaze at Nozomi to hide her blush as Maki imagined what would be Kotori's reaction when she surprised her.
"That is not what your reaction tells though"
"S-shut up!"
"So listen everyone." Nozomi became serious this time. Rin and Honoka looked at her willing to listen carefully while Maki is feigning her interest by continuously twirling her hair though she's actually anticipating what her senior has to say.
"Our spy will lead our targets to us. We just have to be on our own stations. Honoka-chan and I will be at the student council. Rin-chan you wait at the rooftop. And Maki-chan, stay here. Better if you keep the lights off."
"Who's our spy Nozomi-chan?" Honoka asked the question the three of them had in mind.
"Nicocchi.. Fufufufufu" Nozomi's mischievous grin sent shivers to the three girls making them glad they were dragged into this. "For now, let's finish decorating the room so we will be ready in time."
"So who are the persons we're going to surprise. I mean why do we need to go in different rooms. Maki asked after they're done decorating the room for the party. She continues to twirl her hair and looks around to act that she's not interested in this surprise thing. However deep inside Maki wants to know Kotori's reaction when she surprised her, of course Nozomi knew that.
"It's a S-E-C-R-E-T." Nozomi said , putting her index finger in Maki's lips. Maki just look away.
"Okay. Girls lets go now in our destination." With that Honoka and Nozomi goes to the student council, Rin to rooftop, leaving Maki alone in the clubroom.
Maki followed Nozomi's advice. She turned off the light and stayed near the club room door. "Why am I doing this..?" She thought when she finds herself getting excited. Soon enough she heard incoming footsteps approaching the club room. She quickly went behind the shelves and readied herself of the embarrassing act she is about to do.
The more she hears the footsteps getting nearer the more her heart starts to beat faster, she don't know why but she's really excited in her 'victim' but of course she's still nervous and embarrass on what she'll do. Few minutes later the door 'click' signaling that someone opens the door and-
"WAH!" screamed Maki trying her best way to sound scary.
Just in time her victim opened the lights when she entered the room, Maki ran towards the direction of her victim and jumped almost crashing on her. Instead of getting scared, Kotori hugs ghost Maki and squeal about how cute her junior is. "Maki-chan! So cute!"
The adorable junior blushes furiously and hugs the little bird from behind.
"You must be scared, you know..."
"Why are you trying to scare your senpai? No matter how much you disguise yourself I'll find out right away as long as it's you Maki-chan. hehee" Instead of answering, the junior buried her face on her beloved senior's back. After half a minute, Kotori turned to face her junior. "Maki-chan..?"
"It's unfair you know." Maki slowly raise her head. Locking her amethyst eyes into Kotori' amber eyes. "...Kotori...neechan." Its Kotori's turn to blush. "Ma-Maki -chan?" Kotori jolt in surprise. At least Maki succeed in surprising her, Kotori remained speechless.
With the redhead slowly leaning in closer, the bird was frozen in place waiting if Maki would really take the lead. "Maki-chan is so close. Since when did her eyes got more beautiful?" she thought to herself feeling like she might melt at the passionate gaze of her junior.
Their faces were only inches apart, they can already feel each others breath, nothing can be heard in the room but their heart beat getting faster every seconds. 'What am I doing!? But she's not moving so it's okay, right? And it seems my body is moving on its own. It feels so right.' Maki thought.
And then suddenly... "Kyaaaaa!" a loud scream was heard from outside the room. The voice belonging from their blonde senior. She opened the door to their room to save herself from the people or more specifically, their friends chasing her. Maki and Kotori were able to move a step away from each other before Eli noticed them.
Maki and Kotori's face were red. "Why are your faces red? Do you have a fever Maki, Kotori?" Eli asked. "I-its nothing!" Both of them sighed in relief that Eli didn't see them. 'So closeeee' Maki thought, making her face blush deeper.
"A-anyway Eli-chan.. W-what's the matter? Why were you screaming?" Kotori asked trying to change the subject
"Well you see Kotori... Nico betrayed us. Nozomi planned something against us. When we left you to go here, Nico asked me and Umi to check out the Student Council to look for them. But when we got there, Nozomi and Honoka suddenly jumped on us and so I ran away dragging Umi along. But along the way, we lost each other and saw that I'm still being chased until I got here. They were in costumes like what Maki-chan is wearing. Wait does that mean-"
"No, no, no. It's not like what you think, Eli. Rin just dragged me here and uh-I kinda. Well anyway they just dragged me here. It's not like I want this." Maki explained. Kotori was going to say something but the door suddenly open again. Showing the other 6 girls.
"Eli why did you ruined their moment together?!" Nozomi pouted.
The 2 girls blushed remembering what happened earlier.
"Based on your reactions, seems like Elicchi really ruined something here?" the purple haired pressed on causing another wave of heat on the two girls.
"Ehh? I ruined something? I-is that true, Kotori, Maki?"
"W-were not d-d-doing anything out of ordinary here!" Maki managed to say avoiding gazes from their fellow members.
"H-hmm. Y-yeah. A-actually like E-eli said M-maki-chan also s-surprised me h-here." Kotori stuttered. Avoiding her gaze from the other girls.
"Really? It's not different for Maki to stutter, but you for you to stutter, it's not like you Kotori." Nozomi teasingly said with some tarot cards in her hand.
"I-I was just surprised. That's all."
"Is that really it Kotori-chan?" Honoka made her way to Kotori and hugged her arm to ask her closely.
"U-Umm everyone, m-maybe we should give a break to Maki-chan and Kotori-chan?"
"Hanayo is right, and Honoka, get back here! You have a lot of explanation to do! And you too Nozomi!" Umi glared to Honoka then to Nozomi.
Maki and Kotori sighed in relief as the pressure was removed on them. And of course they silently thank Umi and Hanayo in their minds. As Umi chasing Nozomi and Honoka, Nozomi just wink at them which send a shiver to the two.
"Shouldn't we just get this party started? The food will get cold." Nico commented quite annoyed.
As punishment, Umi and Eli made Honoka and Nozomi organize their table as they put the dishes Nico and Hanayo had been carrying. They excitedly started eating. Thanks to their purple-haired senior's interference, Kotori and Maki sat next to each other. They played a few games after eating. As an ending to their party, they all went up the rooftop for a short star gazing because they need to get home soon. The two figures who were in the hot seat earlier stayed in a corner quite far away from everyone.
"K-Kotori.. I-I'm sorry about earlier.."
"D-don't w-worry about it M-Maki-chan... I dont hate it you know." Kotori said the last words in low voice.
"W-what is it Kotori?" Maki asked.
"I-its nothing!"
Kotori then grabbed Maki's hand and intertwined their fingers. "You might have not scared me but you managed to take me by surprise. Now it's my turn." She thought to herself giving the redhead a grin.
"W-what are you d-doing K-Kotori?"
"Kotori-neechan wants to hold Maki-chan's hand, can't I?"
The redhead blushed furiously and she thanked the night in her mind for making it less visible to her beloved senior. Finding it hard to refuse, and she is not even sure if she wanted to refuse the request, Maki just nodded twirling the strands of her hair with her free hand.
"Others might see us you know." The red-haired said in such calmly voice. Kotori just grinned widely.
"But you're not taking your hands off, Maki-chan." Maki blushed at Kotori's statement.
"Its not like I can take my hands when you're holding it." Maki murmured.
They gaze upon each other leaving only the sound of the wind, the voices of their friends not that far from them, and their beating hearts. Kotori tightened her grip on her junior's hand. "Better do it fast before we get interrupted again." She whispered reaching for Maki's face. She gave her a quick peck on the lips.
"Don't think that I just wanted to surprise you Maki-chan. It's something more than that." Kotori gave her a wink as she let go of the redhead's hand and ran to join the others.
Maki was surprised to do anything. She held out her hand and touched her lips.
"T-that stupid-bird. But that's what makes her adorable."
