I AM SO LATE ON UPDATING THIS! I was going to finish this by the time the seventh episode of Love Live was up, but I got preoccupied with other stories. This story is a continuation to my first story 'I Noticed'. You don't have to read it but it's preferred.
It also takes place during the fourth episode of the second season.
Also… I got a little eccentric writing this and added some much unneeded swearing. The swearing serves no purpose and isn't really needed… but, whatever.

Maki P.O.V

"I'm sorry! I'm… something came up! I swear!" Nico says folding her hands together as she bowed her head to me. She was praying for me to forgive her. She doesn't have to worry too much, I'm not that upset.

"I told you it's fine." I say calming her pleads. She believes me. Even if my words don't make her believe me, my soft smile will.

Nico and I had also had a previous engagement. After our first date ended on a rather unusual note. Nico had promised to cook dinner at my home where we would spend the night together. That night was set to be normal dinner date, just me and her. Alone. Unfortunately Nico cancelled last minute. Literally, one minute before Nico was expected to be at my house she cancelled.

I wasn't mad, I was bummed out though. I was really looking forward it. Plus I had to microwave a frozen pizza since I gave the cooks the nights off for Nico's dinner. But I can turn that disappointment into excitement for Nico's attempt to makeup for the lost night. I'm looking forward to this.

I smile and wave my hand at her apology. "Just make it up to me later. "

Sitting across from her in the club, I lean back on the chair. It's just Nico and I, alone in the club room. The others would soon come, they wouldn't miss today. Today we were going to find out whether or not Muse made the preliminaries. Honoka, Umi, and Kotori were taking care of some student council duties. Rin and Hayano went to the market for some snacks. And Eli and Nozomi were off… being Eli and Nozomi.

So that left Nico and I alone. To discuss the rescheduling of our dinner date.

"Yea sure. I'll definitely make it up to you! That's a Nico Promise! They are unbreakable!" Nico holds out her hand to me with the pointer and pinky finger out. Much like how she would with her signature 'Nico-Nico-Nii!~'. Only instead Nico held it out to me, just like a pinky promise. I smile at her hand and I extend my pinky to shake hers.

"No! No! Like this!" Nico puts her hand in front of my face to show me the proper Nico hand formation. I didn't stink out my pointer finger. I roll my eyes at her and proceed to copy her hand. "Good! Now do this!" Nico wraps her pinky around mine as our pointer fingers connect.

"Nico-Nico-Promise!" Nico shakes my hand with hers, she pulls her hand away as if it was floating away. I watch unmoved as Nico giggles to me. "No one can bweak and Nico-Nico-Promise! Isn't that wight~?" Nico says with such child tone it would make her Nico-Nii persona cringe and laugh at her.

"What the-" I stop when Nico realizes her own embarrassment. Nico slams her tiny body back on her chair and nervously brushes her nose. Nico keeps her eyes closed to avoid me, as she manages to speak.

"I, uh, suppose I will make this up!" Nico waves her hands in the air and adds. "It's only proper of a master idol to keep promises!" Nico's ego has taken over in her voice. Having a smug look and waving the air away. I can deal with it since she will be making it up to me.

"Great. Then how about tonight? We'll pick up what we need after practice and head to my place." I say, breaking Nico's proud structure. Nico's eyes and fingers twitch as she replies.

"Uh! Well tonight for me is er… currently unavailable."

"Then tomorrow. After school we'll-"

"Again… That day is also taken…"

"Then the weekend. There's no school. You're not busy that day."

"…."

"… Don't say it."

"… Nico-Nico-Nii~!"

"Idiot."

"I'm sorry! I just… I just have something to do."

I sigh and play with my hair a bit. This is just a minor setback. I can wait. "Ok so this week is out. How about next week?" I say looking to Nico with a desperate expression for forgiveness.

"Uh…"

"All of next week too?"

"I'm SO sorry! I'll make it up someday."

Someday. Great. I can expect that to mean in the next two weeks to never. I've seen Nico put her homework on that 'someday list'. I'm not upset, it's just… I don't know. I'm not too sure as to how to respond to this.

I'm not good at self expression. I show anxiety by playing with my hair, I show boredom by twirling my hair, I show anger by pulling my hair, I flirt with Nico by teasing her, and guess how I show happiness… I tease Nico and twirl with my hair. But right now I'm pulling at my hair.

"Fine. It's not like it matters to me anyway." I should not have said that. I mentally kick myself for saying that. Of course it matters to me. I bet it matters to Nico too. Nico's eyes narrow from my cold statement. Nico leans on the chair while turning away from me. She bites her lips and replies.

"Right, since when does anything matter to you anyway?"

"What is that supposed to me!" Standing up and slamming my hands on the table to show my rage and get a response from her. If I wasn't mad before, I definitely am now. What the hell does she know? She doesn't know what I'm thinking! Nor does she have the faintest idea of what I feel! Nico keeps a dead stare to the door, away from me.

"You-"

"We're back! NYA!" All the tense goes out the door as Rin and the others come in. Hayano follows behind Rin with the bag of snacks they bought.

"Nico-chan, here's your strawberry juice you requested." Hayano gives Nico her pint sized juice box. Why doesn't she just get a larger size instead of small ones? She's cute enough, she doesn't need to drink from cute things! Now I'm even more mad…

"How is everyone?" Nozomi asks us as she takes a sit at the table. Honoka is the first to jump at the question. Shouting out.

"Hey everyone! I had the scariest dream about today!"

Muse made it into the final four. All of our worries were for nothing. We were all panicking moments before the results were viewed. Honoka kept going on about her dream and Nico was so nervous she squeezed all the juice out of her juicebox. Umi didn't even know we made it until she heard it on the announcements.

But this win only means we're gonna have to work harder. We're all on the roof getting ready for today's practice. Well, all of us except Nico. I wonder if she's so mad about what I said that she won't come to practice.

Not that I care… Well I do care, I just don't want her to know that.

So far Eli has expanded our practices hours, we have to wake up an hour earlier. Along with adding Sunday to our practice days. It's gonna be a lot of work. So where is Nico?! Again, I don't care. I'm just curious as to where she is. Besides we can't start practice until she's here.

"Alright! Everyone! Let's begin practice!" Honoka shouts to motivate us. But we can't start practice without Nico. Someone else please notice. I can't be the only one to notice! "MUSE-"

"Honoka, wait! I feel like someone is missing." Kotori speaks to us. Thank you, Kotori. At least someone else noticed…

"Hmm…. Me, Kotori-chan, Maki-chan…" Nozomi begins to list off everyone. She's couldn't have forgotten Nico! Nico's name should appear right after mine… or before or at least near it! "Eli-chan, Umi-chan, Rin-chan, Hayano-chan, Honoka-chan…" AND Nico-chan! No one can forget Nico! I stay stoic and inexpressive throughout the roll call. So I appear just as clueless as the rest of them.

"That's everyone!" Rin says as if she's right…

"Ok! Let's try that again!" Honoka states and throws her hand up in the air. Honoka then places her middle and ring finger down to her palm. Much like how Nico would…

"… NICO-CHAN!" None of you bitches deserve Nico's love… Except me…

"You all better practice hard!" Nico shouts to all of us. Us, in our practice clothes and her in her school uniform. She declares she has some business to attend to and will be skipping practice. Probably the same business that is keeping her nights busy and unavailable. Not that I care. I'm ready to go back to practice and try to forgot about my fight with Nico.

"Hey, let's follow her." Honoka says to all of us.

I don't like it… It's an invasion of privacy as well as trust. There is no real reason to follow her except to just snoop on her life. If Nico did such a thing to me I would make sure she learns never to do it again.

That being said, I may not have gone against Honoka's idea to follow Nico. But I also didn't endorse her idea. I just didn't say anything. So technically I'm in the clear…

We followed Nico to a supermarket. All of us except for Eli and Nozomi. They had left to do Eli and Nozomi things… seriously where do they go?

"Why are we following her?" I ask the girls.

"Because it's suspicious. " Honoka answers. We all watch Nico go through the store's door. This store better be having a 'Everything 90% Off' sale for her to skip practice. "Don't tell me she works here." Honoka suspects. I raise an eyebrow at the idea.

From Honoka's speculation, I can imagine Nico as one of those free sample workers. Shouting out her name and the sales prices. All this did was annoy me even more. If Nico was with me she would never have to work a day in her life!

"You're taking this too far!" Rin says breaking me out of my fantasy with Nico. Looking back to the pigtail girl, I can see she's just browsing the food.

"It's not what it looks like. She's just shopping regularly." I clarify to the group.

"She's just buying ingredients for dinner." Umi says what we're all thinking. But all I can think about is the dinner date that was cancelled. Some part of me likes to believe Nico is getting this supplies for the dinner with me.

"With our spot secure, you'd think she would be more excited " Kotori says. Come to think it, she's right. Nico would not skip practice just to pick dinner supplies. Especially if she cancelled with me.

"Maybe she's having someone really important over!" Hayano dares to suggest. Now my mind is racing to find an answer as to who this mystery 'someone' is.

"Or maybe there's someone she really wants to cook for…" I say with the hard hitting reality that, that someone isn't me. Whoever this person is, they are unworthy! Everyone is unworthy! I bet it's some douchebag with a neckbeard! Man or woman! I'll kick their ass and claim Nico for myself!

"Could it be-!" No don't say it Kotori!

"Nico-chan is-!" Shut up Rin!

"No! An idol must never do that!" Hayano yells to stop Rin from finishing. She jumps up to get all of our attention. I completely agree with Hayano! With the exception of dating within the team, of course.

"What are you talking about?" Honoka asks. She's as oblivious as ever.

"The Muse member Nico Yazawa! Whose apartment does she skip practice to frequent?" Rin covers her mouth to add a news reporter effect to her voice. All everyone's speculation did was aggravate my anger towards Nico. Today is just an anger fest for me.

"How scandalous!" Hayano finishes Rin's false news reporting. However, the only thing that's going to be scandalous is the news article titled 'Muse Member Maki Nishikino beats Nico Yazawa's Secret Lover and Claims Nico As Her Prize!'

With all of my thoughts and the group's speculation, I failed to see our hiding spot was discovered. We all looked back to the store to see Nico had been staring directly at us for some time. We all stood there exposed to Nico.

At that moment, all us who were spying on Nico, had the exact same thought. If we don't move, maybe just maybe, she won't see us. The sad part about our logic, is we all believed it when we thought Nico was returning to her shopping. Instead, Nico dropped her basket and ran away…

After a chase that ended in us losing Nico and Nozomi using Rin's breast size to her advantage and embarrassment. What is it with Nozomi and breasts?

We all decided to take a rest down near a bridge. We were all trying to find out just what it was Nico was hiding. All of us seemed more depressed than tired from chasing Nico. It felt like a betrayal, like we weren't as close to Nico as we all thought. As I close as I thought the two of us were. For some reason, I like to believe Nico would trust her secrets with me out of all the other members of Muse.

"Nico-chan's too stubborn to talk to anybody." I speak my thoughts out loud without caring.

"You're one to talk." Rin chimed in with her chipper voice.

"Shut up!" I retort to the cat girl impersonator. Rin just smiles as I glare at her. I don't find that cute at all. I am nothing like Nico.

"HYYAAA!" Hayano cries out. We all look to where Hayano screamed and see… Its a-!

"Nico-chan!" No, it's not Nico-chan. This girl… she's-! This girl is…! She's so freaking adorable! Like a mini Nico! I must adopt her! This Mini Nico is dressed in a cute white oversized shirt with a yellow skirt and one pigtail hanging to her left. She's strolling by on the bridge, minding her own business. Without a care in the world. So freaking adorable!

"She's so tiny!" Rin proclaims after we all get a closer look to her.

"Can I help you?" The little girl asks us. Even her voice is adorable!

As it turns out this little girl was Nico's little sister, Cocoro. Cocoro recognized us as members of Muse. It was great to meet Nico's little sister. Everyone was trying to get Cocoro to lead us to her home so we could ambush Nico there. Although, when we told Cocoro we were looking for Nico… Things got weird.

Cocoro had us hiding behind cars and had us looking out for 'professionals'. We all played along with her, because she's a little girl. Even if it was ridiculous to go through alleyways and run without stopping until we got to her apartment. We all had our questions for the girl and Nico. We first asked why she had us hiding and running. When we question Cocoro this is her answer.

"It's the media, of course! The Paparazzi!" Of course her answer is ridiculous, even as school idols we've never had to worry about any kind of paparazzi. With the disbelief in our faces, Cocoro kept a serious tone to her voice. "They know what you backup dancers look like, so you have to be careful. Please tell me before you come over."

"Backup."

"Dancers."

"Whose?" I ask with an idea already forming in my head.

"You're all backup dancers for super idol Nico Yazawa, Muse! I've heard all about you. You're trying to become idols under my sister's direction." Cocoro says as the realization hits us all. Each with our own little way of reacting, but we all let out a disgruntled sound.

"I see." Eli says

"I'm starting to understand the situation" Umi adds.

"I forgot. We're dealing with Nico-chan." I say out loud. It's true, sometimes I get caught up in Nico's antics that I forget this is just something I should expect from her. Still this is completely beyond her limit. A huge lie concocted for a little girl.

"My sister said the eight of you together might somehow be able to debut, even though you're failures, you can one day achieve the rank of true idol if you all band together!"

This little kid just went from adorable to brat. For Nico to flat out call us failures really pisses me off. "Who are you calling failures!" My sudden outburst got the attention of all the other girls, except Cocoro who placed her hand between me and her. She's definitely got the ego of Nico.

"Don't make that face!" Cocoro, with her head back, speaks to me as if she was my instructor. "An Idol must always be smiling! Nico-Nico-Nii~!" The little girl begins to spring and dance as Nico would. This is just ridiculous. Nico must have raise this girl in her image. Poor girl is programmed into being a mini Nico.

I can see Eli has reached her sanity limit and brings out her phone. "Do you mind if i call her?" Eli says with a strained smile.

"Go ahead!"

Eli dials Nico's number, with Nico's phone photo being of her in her signature Nico pose. It's just as annoying as her answering machine message.

"Nico-Nico-Nii! Nico love in your heart I can't answer the phone leave a message after the tone! Nico-Nico-Nii!" I can tell Eli get all the more agitated by her answering machine.

"This is your backup dancer Eli Ayase. If you're listening to this. Pick up the phone!" Eli shouts out for the whole floor to hear. I'd tell Eli to calm herself, except this is completely called for.

"Answer us, Nico!" I grab Eli's arm and phone to shout into it more. Along with Umi and Rin screaming out for reason.

"Explain yourself Nya!"

As a reward for withstanding the trial of the annoying underling, I was allowed entrance into Nico's home, next step is Nico's room. Nico's home, although a long awaited dream, was also a den of lies.

The first surprise, Nico has a younger brother, I found him cute until he greeted me as a ''backup dancer. Along with the snot running off his nose.

Next, Cocoro said Nico might not even be here seeing as how she has her waterfront apartment. Provided by her agency. If does have such an apartment then I'm getting myself a copy of the key for personal uses.

The biggest surprise has yet to come. The first muse poster Nico had around the house was altered… by a child with tape and scissors. Nico literally pasted her face over Honoka's in the poster. It was just so amateur and couldn't fool a child, except these two.

Someone had the brilliant idea to check Nico's room. Her room was as I had always imagined. Filled with pink, hearts, and adorable pillows that definitely don't help her sleep. It's all I've ever wanted to see… Except for all the pictures of Muse that were edited with the same copy and paste tactic.

"She switched her face with mine." Eli said examining the photo. This is just sad, there are even blonde streaks of hair peeking out from under the taped picture. I join everyone in browsing the photos in Nico's room, except I'm busying trying to find the pictures of me. I can't seem to find the pictures of me, they must be kept hidden away… Obviously.

Kotori, Umi, and I are outside the door to her room. We're guarding the door, incase Nico comes home. We would hate to miss her. Sure enough, she came. Nico walked through the door with the grocery bag she went back for.

"You guys. " Are the first words out of Nico's mouth. Which is strange because she should be pleading for forgiveness. She doesn't sound too surprised from seeing us. She must have suspected this day to come.

"Nico-chan." Honoka says coming out from the room. Honoka and Kotori look at Nico as if she hasn't done anything. While I glare and have my arms crossed. What I find strange is Umi. She has a very polite smile on her face.

"Welcome home sister. Your backup dancers wanted to talk to you. " Cocoro says from the kitchen. Hearing those words 'backup dancers' just gets all the more riled up. I'm just dying to give Nico a piece of my mind. But Umi keeps smiling, why is she smiling?

"I'm sorry. we'll make it quick. Is that alright?" Umi says with a matching voice. I start to see why Umi was being so formal when I hear Honoka let out a small fear yelp.

Umi gave a deadly stoic stare that showed no emotion. It only warned of death. I love it. Umi can stare her down and I'll interrogate her till I get what I want! My dinner date! Er the truth…

Once again, for some unexplained reason, we all had the same thought process. We all assumed Nico would stay and not give us anymore trouble. Instead she drops the grocery bag and her school bag, turns around and says. "Cocoro, sorry, b-but I need to go to my apartment for work today. Bye!" So begins the second chase.

Nico gets a head start on me. Mostly because Umi and I were struggling against each other at the door. I was trying to go first, but Umi's bloodthirst kept her pushing against me. Back off bitch she's mine! Unlucky for me, I lost my balance and Umi took the lead. I stumbled running out the building. We chase Nico out to hallway of her apartment building.

We all keep running, we're gonna catch her this time. We hear the elevator door ring open. She is not getting away!

"Big sis!" When we turn the corner, we see another version of a mini Nico. A third sibling! Nico does not need three! I'll leave the annoying one and the snot nose one. I'll take this one! This one hasn't pissed me off yet!

"I'm so sorry."

"I, Nico Yazawa, lied."

Nico has apologized. Head bow, formal language, and a true voice. It was what to expect from a true idol. Of course we all forgive her… After we each give her our own individual punishment. I want two dinner nights! NO! Three! And an another sleepover! With a movie… and more…

"Get up and explain yourself." Eli says. I suppose the truth about the backup dancers and explanation for her skipping practice. That truth might be bit better.

"A business trip?"

"Yea. I have to look after my siblings for two weeks." Nico added.

"That's why you've been skipping practice."

"You should have told us." She really should have. I don't know why Nico didn't just say so. If Nico had said so, we never would have followed her. The worst scenario for Nico would be us asking what her siblings were like.

"And why do they think we're your backup dancers?" Umi asks

"If there's any problem, it's that." Eli says.

"Nico-Ni-" Nico tried to change the subject.

"Don't do that." Nozomi quickly shut her down with her 'magical' cards. Nico quickly gave up trying to avoid answering our questions.

"It's always been that way." Nico finally answers.

"Always?" Kotori asks. Nico turns away from us, she looks over to her brother and sisters.

"That's how it's always been at my house." Nico replied and keeps looking to her younger siblings. "I can say whatever I want at home." Nico's voice, it seems so lonely. Before I can even open my mouth to comfort her, she stops us.

"Please leave."

We all retreat back to the bridge. The sunset didn't exactly help our downed feelings. I'm so confused on how to deal with her. I want to help, but I'm not sure how. I want to be there for her, but I don't feel like I'm the one to help her. It's so infuriating.

"Just how stubborn is Nico-chan?" I ask everyone, keeping my eyes to the ground.

"She's just like you, Maki-chan!" Rin teased again.

"Stop joking around!" I shout back. I am nothing like Nico. I am not stubborn. I don't hide my true feelings. I don't go off causing problems by not saying how I feel. I don't say things I don't mean! I don't get mad over stupid things! I don't lie! I'm not Nico….… Oh my god I'm infatuated with myself…

By the end of it, Nozomi and Eli explained how lonely Nico has been. Being abandoned by former members didn't just leave her to continue on alone, it also shattered her dream of being a complete idol and made her a liar to her younger siblings. Nico wouldn't have that, so she continued the image of her idol status with a lie. Even when she joined Muse, Nico lied about her position.

I can understand why she lied, I just don't like it. I also don't like the idea of Nico being alone. Abandoned by people she thought she was close to. Nico was alone for two long years. Even if Nozomi and Eli saw Nico, they still couldn't help her.

I hate it. Everyday Nico would go to her club room alone trying to keep up a ruse for people who adored her. Just for them. I would have never let Nico be alone. But, then again, I wasn't in love with this girl two years ago. I was trying pick a high school where I could spend the next four years in a quiet solace without any kind of incident. Guess that plan failed.

We all decided it was best to help Nico instead of shun her. We all prepared a stage for Nico to perform on the roof. Along with an insanely cute pink dress for her to wear. All set up for Nico's biggest fans. Nico sung for her three siblings on the roof as she announced to them that she would join the idol group Muse.

After the super idol performance, Nico was entertaining her siblings as the rest of us cleaned up the stage. I looked over to Nico and her family. Nico was dancing her signature Nico-Nico-Nii dance. With most of the stage cleaned up and everyone heading home, I decided to give Nico a quick visit.

I walk up to Nico and her family, I smile to Nico so she knows I have no malice. Nico smiles back, she then tells her youngers ones "Hey, go thank the other girls. They helped with the performance." So Nico commanded, so they followed. Without questions they all ran up to the other girls.

"I still owe you dinner." Nico starts off. Folding her hands together and looks to the ground. "I just need some time." Nico explains with a rather submissive smile. I don't want to have Nico overexert herself.

"It's ok, I understand why you've been canceling." I say, I see Nico exhale all the stress out. Her smile lightens back up to it's usual self. "Take as much time as you need. One day, we'll get that dinner."

"I did make a Nico-Promise." Nico holds up her hand in 'Nico-Nii' formation, only she can barely bring herself to put up the smile that comes with it. "One day, I promise. Just for us." She says with a glint of hope in her voice.

"It's ok." I let out. After that, it becomes dead silent for a quick moment. During that time, I think about hugging Nico. I think, maybe after I hug her, I'd let out a tsundere 'Don't get the wrong idea!' and the world will return to harmony. As I go to lift up my hands, Nico shuffles away from me as she wipes her hair behind her ear.

"Sis! Sis! Sis! It's getting late!" Cocoro, Cocoa, and Cotaro all run up Those kids are getting the way of my Nico Time. Nico Time is very important to me.

"I'm sorry, I have to take them home." Nico says with an awkward smile.

"It's fine, good night." I wave goodbye as the army of Nicos pass by me. All the Nico follower handing Nico by her hand and arm. I smile at her, it must be fun to have so many siblings. Nico turns back to me for a quick moment.

"I promise! One day!" Nico shouts.

"One day, just us." I say with a content smile on my face. I watch Nico take her younger siblings away as she talks to them about what to cook for dinner. I chuckle to myself, thinking about it. 'One Day.' One day sounds a lot better than some day. I don't know why, but I can wait a week, a month, even a year if I have to. Because one day, I'll have Nico. And she'll have me.

I'll wait for that one day. Just for us.

….. So what's up with all the swearing? eheheh…. uh Sorry if it was over the top. The swearing, as I said, was unnecessary. I only added it for harmless fun. I would have finished it earlier, but I was working and working on other projects. Then I was just watching Love Live and RWBY for a long time. Then I did finish it, I forgot to post it and edit it. So it may be rushed.

Again, if there are any errors feel free to point them out. I skipped some parts from the episode because this story was getting too long and I just wanted to get Maki's thought process a try…. Well in case, Maki is a possessive girl with delusional tendencies.

I could use a beta if anyone wants to offer. A beta for Love Live and RWBY stories. I could use help as to finding a beta.