Author's Note: It's been a long time since I wrote anything on FF or anything for that matter, so bear with me if my writing is not excellent but I will try my best.

This story takes place in an AU where the muse girls are not school idols.

Chapter 1: Moment

I will never forget her smile. I always treasured her smiles because she rarely does around me. Smiling does suit her better instead of the frowning and glares she usually gives me whenever we are together. It makes her look more beautiful though and for some reason it would send my heart racing. When I told Hanayo and Rin that during one of our lunch breaks in an empty classroom, they just giggled and gave me knowing grins.

"Its lo-."

Hanayo frantically moved from her seat which was beside mine and quickly moved to Rin, who was sitting opposite of me, to cover her mouth as if her best friend was about to say something taboo or forbidden. I raised an eyebrow at my two childhood friends as they turned their backs to me and whispering among themselves. I had known the two girls ever since we were kids as my mother used to babysit them when we were little. Despite being two years older than them, I enjoyed playing with them and enjoyed their company. Even when mother stopped looking after them due to her being pregnant with Kokoro and Kokoa, I continued playing with them and often visited their houses. They used to be so cute and adorable but now both of them were taller than me…and Hanayo has a much bigger bust size than me.

"How long are you two going to show your butts to me? Hanayo, I thought you outgrew those rice-patterned panties by now."

Hanayo instinctively pulled down the back of her skirt to cover her underwear to no avail. She quickly retreated to a corner and seemed to be on the verge of tears. Against my good judgement, I rose from my seat and slowly walked over to Hanayo who started to shake seeing the hungry-look on my face.

"Someone, save me!"

I found myself being kicked to the ground and I fell face flat. I cursed silently as Rin had really kicked me real hard. The orange-haired girl rushed over to her cowering friend and hugged her protectively.
"Don't bully Kayochin, Nico-chan you meanie!"

A few moments later, the three of us laughed together. It was then another person entered the room. I heard the door being slid open and revealed a red-haired girl who entered the room. She seemed a little anxious as she walked in while twirling her hair. For some reason, she seem to be trying to avoid looking at me. I noticed the girl exchanging looks with my two friends. Rin and Hanayo nodded their heads together and quickly got up to get their bento boxes. Before leaving the room, Rin turned to face me.

"Good luck, Nico-chan!"

"R-rin-chan!"

Then my two friends left me with the redhead in the room.

Why would I need luck for?

"Nico."

That caught my attention. She would never drop the honorifics unless she wanted to tell me something important. It made my heart beat faster and I start to feel a bit tense.

"Maki?"

I said her name and somehow it does not help to settle myself. Furthermore, Maki blushed when I dropped the honorifics as well. After a few minutes of silence, I started to become impatient. Maki was still fidgeting in front of me and looking all over the place except me. I looked at the wall clock in the classroom to see that lunch break was about to end. If the redhead does not spit out whatever she wanted to say, I was so out of here.

When Maki still not say anything, I got up and walked to exit the classroom.

"Nico, wait!"

She grabbed hold of my left hand and pulled me back into the room. However, the force of the pull sent me crashing into her and Maki fell to the ground with me on top of her. I had enough of it.

"What the hell, Maki?! You don't have to pull so hard! It hurts!"

"…sorry…"

Instead of a retort, Maki looked extremely guilty which was very unusual and she freaking apologized to me in a polite way. Usually, she would bark at me with some insult or rude remarks but none came out of her mouth. I started to get worried.

"Maki, are you alright?"

I thought she was ill or something so I brought our foreheads together to check her temperature as the only reason for Maki's strange behaviour could be she is delirious or something. The next thing that happened was something I did not see coming. Maki tugged on the collar of my uniform and kissed me right on the lips. I was initially shocked by her action but returned it. I did not know why I kissed her back but it somehow felt right to me. She looked at me in the eyes with outright seriousness and confidence, gone was the nervousness before. I knew what was coming next and prepared myself.

"I love you, Nico-chan."

End of Chapter 1

Thus ends the first segment of the first arc which is a NicoMaki story in Nico's POV. I apologize for it being short and makes a little sense to you if it does. I find introductions a bit hard to write. If the characters seem OOC to you, it would be due to the fact they have quite different backstories compared to their canon anime selves.

'Chapter 2: Past' is up next. There will be details on Nico's backstory and her first meeting with Maki.