hello there! i have decided to begin writing for the love live fandom. i hope everyone enjoys my stories! also, if you would like to request a story from me, you can write it in the reviews, but i would prefer pms. the only ship i will not write for is (romantic) nicomaki. other than that, any ship goes! please enjoy my first story on here, It Should Be Me.
It Should Be Me
The raven-haired petite female exited the clubroom, sliding the door closed behind her. She was the last one to go home. She was researching idols to prepare for Love Live!, and she didn't realize how late it was getting. At least, she thought she was the last one to go home. She stopped by the classroom to get a textbook she needed for her homework, and was about to open the door but she froze when she heard a voice.
"E-Elichi...I'm in love with you! Please go out with me!" Nozomi said loudly. Nico gasped. This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening. Nozomi wasn't confessing to Eli, they were just friends. Nico was just having a weird dream, a bad dream. Nico was in love with Eli, and there was no way the world was cruel enough to do this to her. But, it was. This isn't a dream, Nico thought. I'm just telling myself that to make myself feel better. This is all real. She pressed her ear up against the door, awaiting Eli's answer.
There was a long moment of silence. "Nozomi...I...I..." she paused. "I don't know." Nico's eyes widened. No clear answer? There was still hope. There was another moment, but longer, of silence.
Nozomi chuckled. "I knew you would say that, Elichi." she smiled. "I'll be waiting for your answer." she said. Nico then heard footsteps, and ran across the hallway to the bathroom so she wouldn't get caught.
The third year sighed as she entered the stall and locked the door behind her. All she had to do now was wait to see what Eli's answer was.
About a week passed, and the blonde told the group that she and Nozomi had an announcement to make.
"The thing we wanted to announce is..." Eli paused and turned to Nozomi, who looked back at her. A smile grew on both of their faces as looked back at the rest of Muse. Together they said, "we're dating now!"
There was a silence. Everyone was staring at the new couple. Then, everyone erupted in applause with smiles on their faces, except for one person. Her heart was breaking into a million pieces. She just couldn't believe it. The person she loved so much, the person she wanted to kiss, the person she wanted to cuddle all night, her heart was now taken by another. Nozomi just ruined everything for her. She forced a smile and clapped with the others after a few moments, and held back the tears burning inside of her eyes. She heard all of the "Congrats!", "You too will be perfect together!", "I knew you two would be together eventually!", and she wished she was deaf. She looked directly into Nozomi's eyes. She would do anything, anything, to be her right now. She would do anything to be the one Eli loves, but after thinking about it, she should've known that would never happen from the start.
As the days passed, she watched Nozomi and Eli. They were so happy. Eli would never be happy with me, Nico thought. I'm so unlikable, annoying, and everyone ignores me anyway, including her. As everyone cheered the couple on, Nico was crying. Everyday, when she went home, she would greet her siblings with a smile, make dinner, and eat with them. As soon as she was finished, she would excuse herself and go to her bedroom and cry her eyes out. She muffled her sniffles and cries with her pillow, her pillow so wet by the time she stopped she would have to replace it. Why did it have to be this way? Why couldn't she be more like Nozomi? Then, maybe Eli would like her. All of a sudden, Nico felt motivated. Sitting around and crying wouldn't do anything about the situation. She was going to take action.
The next morning, when Nico woke up, she didn't style her hair with her usual twintails. She went with lower twintails, trying to copy Nozomi's hairstyle. If anyone questioned her, she would use the excuse that she was trying something new. After searching all over the house, she found some cards similar to Nozomi's and stuffed them in her school bag. For the first time in forever, she gave a smile that wasn't forced. Even if it didn't make Eli love her, she would pay more attention to her. That was all she wanted at this point. She opened the door, only to see Nozomi and Eli with her fist up as if she was about to knock. Eli lowered her fist and smiled. "You're just in time, I see."
"I-I guess I am!" Nico forced a chuckle and exited the apartment.
Nozomi smiled. "Nice hair, Nicochi." Eli agreed with a nod.
Nico gulped. "T-thanks..." she said with a smile as she closed the door behind her.
And so, the third years walked to school together. Nozomi and Eli held hands as they walked. Nico had the urge to run right in between them and break them apart, but she didn't. It would make both of them, even worse, Eli, unhappy. Nico just walked on the other side of Eli, occasionally looking down at their hands.
When they arrived at school, they attended classes regularly. At lunchtime, Nico didn't eat with the others as usual and went to a rather secluded place outside to practice using the cards. She unzipped her school bag and pulled them out. She stared at them, front and back, for a while. "Wha...? What does Nozomi see in these cards?" she was confused. She decided to just concentrate a little longer, but still nothing. Nico sighed and was about to put the cards away, when she was interrupted by a tap on the shoulder. She jumped and looked behind her. Behind her stood Kotori. "Nico-chan...? I thought you were Nozomi-chan from afar..." she admitted, smiling sheepishly. She knelt down next to Nico. "Are those Nozomi's cards? Are you trying to act like Nozomi, Nico-chan?" she asked.
"O-of course not! I changed my hairstyle simply because I was getting bored with my usual twintails, and I just wanted to see if I could do what Nozomi does with these cards! It's not like I'm trying to be like her!" she forced a laugh, waving her hands.
"Nico-chan, are you not telling me something...?"
"What?! That's just how it is, I swear!" Nico protested.
"Nico-chan, tell me." Kotori wouldn't leave until she got it out of her. Nico realized that, and sighed.
She gulped. "Kotori-chan..promise you won't tell?" she said quietly, looking down at her lap.
"Of course." Kotori replied.
Nico looked up at the female sitting next to her. "This is probably really surprising, but..." she paused. Her heart was beating like crazy. This would be her first time ever telling somebody about her secret love. "I-I'm in love with Eli. The reason I'm acting like Nozomi is so she will pay attention to me more. I've stopped worrying about if she loves me or not, I just want her to notice me..."
The brunette gasped. "N-Nico! You love-"
"Not so loudly!"
"Sorry. It's just...so surprising." Kotori said, quietly this time. "You must've been really hurt when they made that announcement, huh?" Nico nodded as a response, looking back down at her lap. Kotori rubbed her back.
"I just...couldn't believe it..." Nico could feel her eyes beginning to burn from tears, so she did her best to hold them back. "Even though I knew Eli would never love me, it still hurt so much...she loved someone, someone that..." she couldn't hold them in anymore and the tears began to come out of her eyes, falling into her lap. "wasn't me!" she said a bit loudly as she started bawling, her mouth wide open and the tears rolling down her cheeks. Kotori immediately pulled her into a hug, Nico crying on her shoulder.
"I'm so sorry, Nico-chan..." Kotori muttered. "So sorry..."
"Why can't it be me?!" Nico shouted. "Why can't I be the one she loves?!"
Kotori just continued to rub her back as an attempt to calm her down, but Nico just couldn't stop crying. After a while, though tears were still coming out, her loud cries were reduced to sniffles. Kotori pulled away from her. "Nico-chan...I had no idea you were hurting so much..." The third year just nodded. She pulled some tissues out of her school bag, dried her eyes and wiped her nose, then stood up.
"I have to get over her...I can't just cry and whine about it every night." Kotori stood up as well.
"Do your best, Nico-chan."
Months passed, and soon it was time for graduation. After the graduation ceremony, Muse had a farewell party. Nozomi and Eli announced that they got into the same university, and they were going to share an apartment close by. Unfortunately, Nico couldn't get in due to her grades, but she managed to get into a college not too far away from it. The rest of Muse was happy for all three of them, but also sad due to the fact that they would be leaving. Rin pulled all three of the third years (now graduates) into a hug. "Don't leave us!" she said, her voice muffled since her face was in Eli's chest.
Eli chuckled and rubbed Rin's head. "C'mon, Rin...our schools are only about two hours away. We'll come back and visit when we can."
Rin pulled away. "Really?" she said, her smile wide.
"Really."
Soon, it was growing darker. Everyone said their goodbyes, then everyone began to leave, except for the third years. They stayed behind. Nico said she had to use the bathroom, but she really wanted to get away from the two love birds for a little while. She looked at herself in the mirror in the bathroom. So, this was it. This was how it was all going to end. Nothing changed, her feelings, their relationship, nothing. Nico expected that outcome, though. There was no way life was that great. She forced a smile. She had to be happy for Nozomi and Eli, and be happy with herself. She left the bathroom with the same smile. Third years will still in the hallway, some having conversations, some hugging, some just crying as they said goodbye to their friends. Nico made her way to the entrance and exited the school, after looking behind her at the school one last time. She would miss Otonakizaka.
Outside, she stopped walking when she saw Nozomi and Eli standing in front of each other. Eli's hand was caressing Nozomi's cheek, and Nozomi's hand held her wrist. Their other hands held their diplomas. "I can't believe it, Nozomi. We graduated." the Russian beauty said with a smile.
"Yea," Nozomi agreed. "Me too."
"I love you, Nozomi...so much..." the blonde continued. "I'm so glad we can continue going to the same school. I'm even happier that we're going to live together."
"I know...it's all so unbelievable..."
"I still remember your confession. I can't believe I considered saying no..." Eli looked down for a moment, then back up at her lover. "Please, stay with me forever..." she began to lean in.
Nico watched as the two females' lips joined, a passionate kiss beginning. She noticed fellow classmates began to stand around her, smiling at the couple's public display of affection. Nico couldn't help but begin to smile too. They were so happy together, and she was a monster for hoping their relationship would go south.
After pulling away, the two girls smiled at each other. Soon, they realized the crowd of people watching them. "E-everyone!"
One of their classmates chuckled. "You're outside, you can't expect no one to notice." All of them joined the couple, including Nico.
"We're going to miss seeing you two embarrassed lovebirds," another one of their classmates said, everyone beginning to laugh at the comment. The class had one last chat with each other, before they all said goodbye, some with tears rolling down their cheeks. Only the three idols were left.
Nozomi and Eli turned to Nico. "Nico..." Eli said. "We're both going to miss you so much..." Nico could see the tears in her eyes, ready to come out. All three of them had a hug. Though they were all crying, each of them had smiles on their faces. When they pulled away, each of them wiped their tears.
"Email us everyday, okay, Nicochi?" Nozomi told her. "We'll visit your college as much as we can. You come visit us too, okay?"
"Of course I will." Nico replied. There was a moment of silence, but it wasn't awkward at all. They were all just enjoying each other's presence for one last time, as this day would mark the end of them seeing each other often.
Finally, Eli spoke. "Goodbye, Nico."
"Goodbye, Nicochi."
"Goodbye, Nozomi. Eli."
All of three of them walked home, only Nozomi and Eli going together. As Nico walked home alone, she mumbled to herself, "Goodbye, my first love."
Months passed, and soon all three girls were at their new schools. Nico kept her promise and emailed them often, though she only had the chance to visit them once. When she did visit, the three of them planned a surprise visit to Otonokizaka.
About two weeks later, it was time for their surprise visit. Nico arrived at the two girls' apartment and knocked with a smile on her face. Ever since starting college, she started wearing her hair out. She was a music major, focusing on singing to become a professional idol when she got older. She was surprised when Eli answered the door with a frown. "What's wrong, Eli?"
"You see...Nozomi is sick." Nico's eyes widened. "I said we could reschedule, but she insisted on us going without her. So we decided to leave it up to you..."
Nico gulped. This would be a chance to be alone with Eli, but she didn't want to be selfish either. "I guess...we should just reschedule." she said, hoping she wouldn't regret her choice.
"No! You two are going!" Nico was surprised to see Nozomi. Her hair was out, and she was wearing pajamas.
"Nozomi! I told you to stay in bed!" Eli exclaimed.
"Sorry, Elichi...but I don't want you guys to wait longer for this just because of me. I can see the rest of Muse again another time. You two can go without me."
Eli immediately protested. "But, it would be unfair to you! Also, you need someone to take care of you and -"
"Elichi." Nozomi's expression became serious.
The blonde sighed and turned to Nico. "Let's go, Nico."
The two girls boarded the train. The ride would be about two hours. They sat down next to each other, then the doors closed and the ride began.
Nico and Eli minded their own business for about the first 30 minutes, Eli reading a novel while Nico listened to idol music while studying some lyrics she had to learn for school. After a while, Nico felt a tap on her shoulder and paused the music, removing her earbuds. "What's up, Eli?"
"I just wanted to tell you how much I missed seeing you." she smiled. "You know, Nozomi and I were considering helping you study so you could transfer to our school - but you wouldn't like that, right? I'm sure you've already made a lot of friends at your college." Eli chuckled.
Nico thought about it, then smiled sheepishly. "No...not really, actually, aha..." Nico was able to make a few friends, but she wasn't exactly close to any of them and she scared off most other people with her "Nico Nico Ni~!" which she tried to start doing less often. "Actually, I would love to transfer to your school!"
"We'll plan a day for studying, then."
"Alright. I'll be waiting."
As Nico was about to put her earbuds back in, Eli stopped her. "Wait, Nico. I wanted to say something else too." Eli paused, gulped, then spoke. "I love you a lot, okay? Not in the way I love Nozomi, of course, but a whole lot. You're a really important person to me - no, us - and we get so happy when we see that you've emailed us. I'm so glad that we're able to stay such close friends, since I know a lot of friends go their separate ways after graduating. I love you so much, Nico. Nozomi already promised me she would stay with me forever, but I want you to promise that you'll stay with us forever as well." Nico just stared at Eli for a while, making Eli blush. "I knew I shouldn't have said that...I made you feel weird, didn't I? I'm sorry, Ni-"
"No, it made me feel so great, Eli! I love you too, alright?" Nico smiled and grabbed both of her hands. This counted as a confession, right? Even if Eli didn't know what she actually meant. "I'll stay with you two forever, even if I don't find someone I love as much as you love Nozomi." I already have that person, you, Nico thought.
"I'm so glad..." the two girls stared at each other, before Eli made a sudden action. She kissed Nico on the cheek, making Nico turn a light shade of red and her jaw dropping. "I'm sure Nozomi won't mind as long as it's not on the lips~!" Eli chuckled. Nico's smile returned. "Of course." When they returned to their normal positions, Nico smiled as she looked down at her lap. Eli just kissed her on the cheek! Even if it wasn't on the lips, she kissed her! She was ecstatic, but she didn't show it in front of Eli of course. I'm not going to get over you, am I?, Nico thought. Of course she wasn't going to.
Yazawa Nico wasn't going to get over Ayase Eli.
But, she was fine with it.