Nozomi: Eh? I'm here!
Maki: So am I... ClreonRT, you will regret making Enya do a NozoMaki version of this...
Nozomi: Maki-chan's here too? Yay!
Maki: (I wanna go home...)
Nozomi: Yosh! Enya-chan doesn't own anything yan~
XXXXXX
"God damn it! Can't you morons get my order right?!" A woman yelled at a nonchalant cashier, causing Nozomi to fall in love with the woman at first sight.
'So pretty... How I wish I was the one getting scolded instead...' Nozomi thought to herself as she shamelessly stared at the woman, her eyes slowly trailing to her lower regions where if she got caught, she'll be labelled as a pervert.
"You know what?! Forget it! I'm leaving!" The woman, who had scarlet hair as Nozomi noted, left the cafe in a huff. The many onlookers soon lost interest, leaving only Nozomi still captivated, though not by the commotion a few moments ago.
"Heh~ She's so interesting..." Nozomi sighed dreamily to herself, hoping for the day where she could see her once more. Her daydreams were interrupted by another female voice, though not as sharp as the woman's voice just now.
"Nozomi-chan! Fancy meeting you here nya~" An orange-haired woman with her hair cropped short took a seat opposite Nozomi, a smile on her face. "Whatcha thinking about nya?"
"Oh no, nothing much Private Rin. How is your work?" Nozomi asked, only to be met with a sighing Rin. "That bad huh?"
"It's just that, Rin never thought that kids were so hard to deal with nya! Yesterday, Kinohara-kun went bam on Yasaki-chan! She was crying so bad that Maki-chan threw the school computer at Kinohara-kun nya!" Rin complained, listing an endless string of disasters revolving the students Rin taught.
"Aren't they in fifth grade?" Nozomi asked, concerned for her friend. Rin nodded, continuing with her complaints.
"Precisely nya! Rin can't take it anymore, help me Captain Nozomi!" Rin begged, collapsing on the cool surface of the metal table.
"Well, this is not where my cards come in y'know..."
"Rin knows but it's not like Nico-chan is here nya! She's always busy and Rin doesn't get to see her anymore... This sucks nya." Upon hearing Nico's name, Nozomi's expression did a 180 degree flip as she conversed with Rin.
"Nicocchi huh? She's doing good on television, I think she's going to be on an interview tonight at nine." Nozomi coldly remarked, perking Rin up.
"Really?! Rin must get home and record it nya!" With that being said, Rin immediately left the cafe in order to make preparations for the interview her significant other will be on.
"How nice it must be to date someone..." Nozomi sighed as she finished the last of her coffee before heading back home, her thoughts wandering to the scarlet-haired woman who most likely had a short fuse.
'Maybe I'm fated to meet her again... Nah...'
XXXXXX
Maki Nishikino was not happy. In fact, she's clearly furious at how disastrous her day had went. First she was forced to come back to substitute a teacher's supplementary lesson as he happened to fall sick an hour before the start of his lessons. After that, she had to deal with half of the football team's injuries after some freak mashup which she personally didn't want to deal with. Third on her list was getting soaked to the bone as her umbrella was blown away by a sudden gust of wind halfway and finally, it ended off with the dumb cashier giving the wrong drink. What made things worse was that she was overcharged for the wrong drink, further ruining her mood.
"Damn it!" Maki growled in frustration as she kicked a nearby lamp post, hopping about in pain a second later. "DAMN IT!"
"Sheesh Maki-chan, what's wrong with you nya?" Rin asked, bringing Maki to a corner so as to allow herself to calm down.
"Where the hell did you appear from?" Maki sighed, going over to a corner to grumble away her terrible day.
"From a coffee shop nya! Rin's going back home to record Nico-chan's show nya!" Maki sighed, the only thing that could make her day even worse was Rin's endless affection for her 'Nico-chan'. Too bad, she was mostly silent when face to face with the real thing.
"And why do you need to record it when you can watch it live?" Rin blinked at Maki for two seconds, as though Maki had asked a stupid question.
"Cause Rin wanna watch it over and over again nya?" Maki sighed, wondering what had she expected from her friend and also colleague.
"You're obsessed with Nico-chan, I swear..."
"But Rin loves her nya! Don't you wanna share the joy with someone?" Upon finishing her sentence, Rin cupped her mouth and scooted away from Maki, afraid of Maki's reaction after failing to realise in time that she had trod onto a personal landmine. "R-Rin meant that-"
"Yeah, I do. But I don't have time for love okay? I better get going, see you around Rin." Maki facepalmed at her friend's mistake, choosing to let it slide as Rin didn't mean any harm by her words.
"Okay then, wanna hang out at Kayo-chin's shop soon nya?" Rin heaved a sigh of relief, thanking whatever gods she had heard of so far. Maki nodded and parted ways with Rin, soon reaching her apartment.
"Urgh... I need to rest... Maybe I'll ask Rin tomorrow 'bout the day in school..." Maki groaned, flopping on to the sofa. After lying on the sofa for five minutes, Maki had finally calmed down and was calm enough to reflect on her attitude that day.
'I really should reflect on my anger-issues... It's no wonder that she left me for Rin...'
XXXXXX
"Oh Alisa-chan! Long time no see!" Nozomi waved at a blond woman at a park, a smile on the latter's face.
"Nozomi-san! Are you off work already?" Alisa asked, adjusting her scarf which was wrapped loosely around her pale neck.
"Yup! Elichi went home super early!" Nozomi remarked, a grin on her face.
"Really? That means she's off to visit that flower shop to see that florist again!" Alisa cheered, an excited gleam in her cerulean eyes.
"Florist? Is it a female?" Nozomi's eyes sparkled with interest after hearing about Eli's probable location. Alisa nodded, making Nozomi's turquoise eyes sparkle even further.
"I think sestra has a crush on her!" Alisa pulled out a card with details of a flower shop nearby and handed it to Nozomi before bidding farewell.
"Hmm~ I think I'll pay a little visit then!" Nozomi hummed a tune to herself and headed towards the flower shop, only to see her boss acting weird.
"Uh... Are you okay...?" A brown-haired woman asked Nozomi's boss, worried for her health.
"Elichi?! Oh no, your gay Russian heart must be going into overdrive!" Nozomi exaggerated, knowing that her boss was only interested in women. She then brought her boss to a chair, asking the other woman for a glass of water. "Please get her a glass of water!"
"R-Right away!" She rushed off to fetch a glass of water while Nozomi tended to her boss.
"N-Nozomi...?" The woman gasped out as stared into Nozomi's eyes, still weak after her sudden actions.
"I-It's here! Ah Ayase-san! A-Are you okay?! I-I'm so sorry!" The woman (who Nozomi guessed that she was the owner) offered the water to Eli, bowing profusely.
"No it's fine..." Eli sipped her water, her complexion returning to its healthy but still pale state. "Thanks for the water Koizumi-san."
"Oh ho, so Alisa-chan was right. There is a yuri development going on~" Nozomi smirked, satisfied to know that what Alisa had told her was true. Eli had a heavy blush on her face while the owner blinked in confusion.
"L-Lily? I'm sorry, but Ayase-san and I weren't planting lilies..." The florist replied seriously, making Nozomi chuckle softly to herself.
"Ah never mind. Say, you two should exchange numbers! That way, Elichi over here can get to know Pana-chan better~" Nozomi suggested, slapping a hand on Eli's back. 'Wow she's so innocent... Elichi sure caught a good one...'
"I-If you would agree to it, I would be delighted to exchange my number with yours!" Eli added, making Nozomi sigh inwardly at her boss's inept efforts to get a woman's number. Thankfully, the florist gave the number without any complaints, even asking Eli whether if there was anything else that she needed.
'Too innocent... I wonder if that woman's like this florist...?'
XXXXXX
"We're here nya!" Rin said as she entered the flower shop with Maki in tow.
"Sorry to disturb you Hanayo." Maki apologised as she twirled a strand of hair, closing the door behind her. "How have you been?"
"Quite well actually, thank you for asking! What about you and Rin-chan?" Hanayo asked, putting down a pot of azaleas on a counter.
"Rin's fine nya! Nico-chan's spending more time with me starting from next week!" Rin gushed, a silly smile on her face as she gave the other two a through description of her love towards said person.
"Still not going out with anyone as usual." Maki sighed, revealing a lonely side that she doesn't usually show. "Enough about us, what about you Hanayo?"
"W-Well actually... I kinda like someone... maybe..." Hanayo fiddled with her fingers, her lavender eyes darting around nervously.
"No way, you've met someone that you like nya?!" Rin asked, an excited smile on her face. Hanayo nodded shyly as she hid her face behind a clipboard.
"S-She kinda made my heart race..." Hanayo said, her cheeks growing redder by the second.
"It's a girl? I think in this rate, you may have to give her acacia flowers." Maki said, her amethyst eyes boring on to a pot of bright yellow flowers. 'Well, maybe not but not all women are gay...'
"Why Maki-chan?! Must you be so mean to Kayo-chin nya?!" The orange-haired woman stood up, pointing a finger at Maki.
"I-I'm just stating facts! Not every woman that she meets will swing that way!" Maki countered, making Hanayo's heart crack slightly.
"T-That's true... B-But I'm not so sure if she knows the language of flowers..." Hanayo softly said, her lavender eyes glazing towards the floor.
"You can add the meaning to the flowers nya!"
"Rin, that's worse." Maki said, twisting Rin's ear.
"Nya nya nya nyaaaaaa! It hurts Maki-chan!" Rin whined, rubbing her twisted ear.
"Well, you're the one who implied on further breaking Hanayo's heart! God, I thought the shop will go under when you named her shop!" Maki pointed out. It was true, Maki had never expected Hanayo to draw in a single customer with the shop's unusual (weird) name.
"Oh yes! Rin-chan, Ayase-san said that the name you came up with was cute!" Hanayo remembered what Eli had told her, making Rin happy.
"Really?! Nyahoo!" Rin pumped her fist into the air, a gleam in her chartreuse eyes.
"Oh no. Hanayo, run. I'll hold Rin off." Maki suddenly stood up and tackled Rin to the ground before the latter could do anything. Hanayo simply squeaked and ran out of her shop only to run into Nozomi.
"Oh my my~ What's a lovely deer like you doing on a cold night? Why don't you come back to my place for a cup of hot coffee?" Nozomi asked, removing her scarf and wrapping it around Hanayo's pale neck.
"Captain Nozomi nya!" Rin burst out, escaping from Maki's grip. Hanayo turned to Rin in surprise before turning back to the byzantium haired woman.
"Y-You know Rin-chan?" Nozomi nodded and pushed Hanayo into the warm flower shop, removing her coat and tossing it to Maki.
'That woman... I see, so she's affiliated to Rin-chan. Well that makes my life easier...' Nozomi smiled to herself as she passed by Maki, a twinkle in her eye as she took a proper look of Maki's figure.
"Gack! Hey you, I'm not your slave!" Maki retorted, hanging up Nozomi's coat on a coat stand. 'What the hell is wrong with that woman...?'
"Pana-chan, you can expect a call from Elichi later! So don't bring out those acacia flowers just yet!" Nozomi started, whipping out a tarot card from her cleavage.
"First of all, how would you know that? Secondly, can you choose a better place to stuff your cards?!" Maki questioned, covering Hanayo's eyes with her hands. 'W-What an incredible cleavage...'
"I sent her home just now my dear panther! Also, my boobs are a great place to stuff things!" Nozomi replied, waving her card in front of Maki's face.
"Nya? Really? Rin wishes for big boobs but it never comes true..." Rin patted her chest, sighing at her lack of chest.
"Oh! Pana-chan, the call is in three... two... one!" As soon as Nozomi finished her sentence, the telephone started to ring wildly. Hesitantly, Hanayo picked up the receiver and lifted it to her left ear.
"H-Hello, Pana's Flower Garden how may I help you?"
"Wow! You're just on point nya!" Rin commented, bouncing around Nozomi.
"Of course, I'm spiritual remember?" Nozomi smiled, turning to face Maki. "Nice to meet ya~"
"Likewise." Maki simply replied, her amethyst eyes focused on Hanayo's excited face. "Huh, that must be her crush..."
"Yep, Elichi's a wonderful person to be with yan~"
"Rin wanna know what did Kayo-chin's crush said to her nya!" Rin tried to approach Hanayo, stopping once Hanayo place down the receiver.
"Soooooo? How did it go~?" Nozomi asked, though she knew the answer to her question.
"I'm spending this Saturday with Ayase-san!"
"So that means you got a date right nya?" Rin asked, bouncing over to Hanayo. All of a sudden, Hanayo's flushed a bright red as she slumped to the floor with her head held in her hands.
"D-Date?! Oh no, what do I do?!" Maki deadpanned at Hanayo's sudden panic, didn't she herself admitted that she had a crush on 'Elichi'? Why was she getting so worked up over it, Maki wondered. Maki then used this time frame to go over to a potted plant and place it in front of Hanayo.
"Give these petunias. In a way, you can tell her that her presence soothes you." Maki patted Hanayo's head before dragging Rin out of the flower shop. "Good luck!"
"Welp, my work here is done! See ya! Oh and give her your personal number will you?" Nozomi left the shop, taking the petunias with her. After leaving the shop, she noticed that Maki was standing right in front of her. "Yes?"
"You know, that's called stealing."
"Hmm~ You mentioned that these flowers meant that a presence feels soothing right?" Nozomi asked, a serious smile on her face which unsettled Maki for some reason.
"Well, yeah. Why?" Maki asked, suddenly conscious by the fact that she was alone with Nozomi, who seemed nice and was irrefutably pretty.
"Here you go!" Nozomi then handed the pot to Maki, staring into Maki's amethyst eyes. "I dunno why but your presence soothes me! See ya soon!"
"Hey wait! Sheesh, she's gone..." Maki muttered to herself after failing to stop Nozomi from running away. "Hm? Is that a card...?" She then removed the card from the soil, scanning through the words found on it.
[If you like to hang out, call me at this number!
XXX-XXXX-XX
Love, Nozomi Tojo]
"W-What the hell?! Giving a total stranger her number, she must be crazy!" Maki exclaimed out, a light blush on her face as she rushed home with the pot in her hands.
'Idiot! Big breasted weirdo!'
XXXXXX
"No way! You're actually going out with that crush nya?!" Rin asked, dropping her food on to the floor. It was about a week later, with Rin and Maki visiting Hanayo's shop during lunch hour.
"I'm impressed. How did it go?" Maki asked, eyeing the very same pot of acacia flowers like how she did a week ago.
"Well... It was unexpected? But I have to thank the movie that we saw, it was actually the thing that made me question my opinion towards Eli-chan." Hanayo replied, a smile on her face.
"Who confessed nya?! Rin wanna know!" Rin burst out, unable to contain her excitement.
"Rin, settle down." Maki sighed, pulling Rin back to her seat.
"Eli-chan... The confession was actually embarrassing though but I guess I don't mind if she says it again..." Hanayo blushed furiously, looking away from her two friends.
"Oh really~?" Nozomi's voice was heard behind Rin, a smirk on the byzantium haired woman's face.
"W-When did you come in you creep?!" Maki took a step back, startled by Nozomi's presence. Despite saying harsh words towards Nozomi, she can't help but feel a sense of excitement whenever Nozomi appeared before her. 'I-Is there something wrong with me?! Why am I feeling happy when this weirdo arrives?!'
"Just now~ Anyways, the confession was so romantic!~ Trust Elichi to buy a flower!" The comment made Hanayo blush even harder, rivalling Maki's scarlet hair.
"Which flower nya?"
"The Hanayo flower of course!"
"H-Hanayo flower...? Oh I get it..." Maki took one look at Hanayo before going back to Nozomi, who was now accompanied by a new addition. "And who the hell is that blond chick?!"
"I'm Eli Ayase, I'm here to visit Hanayo and buy some flowers... for Nozomi that is." Eli replied, waving at her new girlfriend who managed to wave back.
"W-What are you looking for?" Hanayo smiled coyly, nearly making Maki gag at the sight.
'Oh come on, even you Hanayo?! Man, love sure makes people different...' Maki thought to herself as she eyed Hanayo's new girlfriend.
"Hmm... Could you give me a gladiolus?" Eli pointed to a purple flower, an evil grin appearing on Eli's face. Hanayo complied and handed the flower to Nozomi, surprising her.
"Oh? Pana-chan wants to give me this? You're so sweet!"
"That means 'give me a break' Nozomi." Eli stated, gripping on to Nozomi's shoulder. Nozomi's other shoulder was grabbed by Hanayo, who had an angry pout on her face.
"Speaking of which, Nozomi-san... You stole my petunias right?"
"Eh?!" Served her right, Maki triumphantly thought to herself. Well, if Nozomi revealed that she was the one actually holding onto the flowers, she would also be in trouble. But that could wait right?
"Besides soothing presence, it can also mean resentment or anger..." Rin nodded, sneaking up on Nozomi.
"U-Um Pana-chan? Kya!" Nozomi jumped as she was tickled by Rin, sending the rest into a laughing fit. "Rin-chan!"
"That's called retribution Nozomi!" Eli called out, inching closer to Hanayo. She then wrapped a hand around Hanayo's waist, bringing the florist closer.
"I'll cherish you my dear flower, forever and ever..." Eli whispered into Hanayo's ear, eliciting a blush from Hanayo. Maki, who was now a spectator of both the tickling session and flirting, grimaced at what she had managed to catch.
'Ayase-san is one deranged flower lover...'
"Nyahahaha- Hold up, Rin has a call nya." Rin stopped her tickling and answered her phone. "Hello? Ah Nico-chan nya!"
"Yet another lovebird... What's up with you guys..." Maki commented dryly to herself, sick of all of the lovey-dovey atmosphere lately.
"Love makes even the calmest person go wild y'know." Nozomi replied, smiling at Maki. "You haven't messaged me at all, I'm so lonely y'know~"
"Then go solicit elsewhere. I have no reason to entertain you." Maki huffed, folding her arms.
"At least I'm not a moron who can't get your order right yeah?" Nozomi continued, startling Maki.
"H-How did you-"
"I was there at the cafe, you were yelling your head off at a cashier two weeks back." Maki shuddered at how observant Nozomi was, aware of the probable fact that Nozomi was stalking her since that day. "And no, I didn't stalk you. I just happened to see you again last week."
"The fact that you knew I was thinking along that line means that you're either a psychic, or you're just damn creepy."
"Aww don't be so mean Maki-chan~"
"It's Nishikino-san to you thank you very much."
"So cold! Just like how I like my women~" Nozomi winked, patting Maki's head before leaving the shop. "Hey Elichi, I'll be making a move first!"
"Oh okay, get home safely." Eli called out, shrugging at Nozomi's leave before turning back to Hanayo.
"Ya know Maki-chan, Nozomi-chan mentioned that she likes you a lot! And her last relationship went really really badly so she vowed not to love again nya!" Rin suddenly mentioned, already ending her call with Nico.
"... You don't say..." Was all Maki could say as she held up the card which had Nozomi's number.
XXXXXX
"Ahaha so that's why you called me to get my address~" Nozomi chuckled as she offered a cup of hot chocolate to the scowling woman. "And here I thought that you felt the same way towards me~"
"Hmph, I just pitied you. Someone like you deserves a chance." Maki mumbled, blowing the steam wafting out from the treat towards Nozomi's direction.
"There are no chances offered in life." Nozomi smiled, taking a sip of her drink. "You have to be thick-skinned in order to create a chance for yourself."
"And here I thought you'll be all smiles and rainbows. Guess you're different." Maki muttered under her breath, flinching after realising that Nozomi had heard her. "S-Shit I mean-"
"No it's fine. This is the real me. I'm not a smiling motherly figure that I portray myself to be, just a plain old patchwork doll with some mending overdue." Nozomi stared at her drink, seeing a reflection of her childhood self staring back sadly.
"You... wanna talk about it? I mean, I too have some issues but I can listen to you if you like." Maki offered, expecting her offer to be shot down.
"Sure. I could use another listening ear. My ex is all over Rin-chan whenever she's free."
"You've dated Nico-chan too?!" Maki asked in bewilderment, not expecting to have something else in common with Nozomi besides their friendship with Rin.
"Nicocchi? Yeah, she was my first love. I'm... still not really over her to be honest. I don't move on easily, which is why I vowed to never love someone else again."
"... She sure has a magnetic personality huh...?" Maki wryly smiled, weary eyes facing Nozomi. "Y'know, I've been trying to get myself over her but it never works out well..."
"You're trying at least. I didn't, I'm afraid that I may break completely if I do."
"I... see?" Maki took a sip of her drink, suddenly slamming her cup down on to the table, startling Nozomi. "Screw this. I don't get a single fucking word that you said."
"I knew this will be the case." Nozomi said calmly, taking out a bottle of vodka from a nearby cabinet.
"Which is why I need you to explain to me!"
"There's no real need. It's best to find someone whom you can understand right?" Nozomi smiled, opening the bottle. "Want some vodka? Elichi got it from Russia so it's genuine.
"Well I can do that, but what's the point of leading such a boring relationship with someone you understand inside out?!"
"I prefer simplicity, and I'm sure you're the same as me too."
"That is true but even I like a change every now and then!"
"Do you even realise what you're saying?" Nozomi's turquoise eyes narrowed, implying her displeasure. "Once you've tasted complexity, there's no turning back."
"My whole life is a complex mess, I just want a way out. I don't care if your life's a fucking mess, I just want to give you a damn chance. Why can't you just see that the people around you are trying to help you?!"
"They are obligated to. Guilt, friendship, pity, annoyed, these are all the things that can motivate people to give others what you call 'chances'."
"Then give me a 'chance'. You said that humans are obliged to give others one right?! Then give me one, you're obliged to do it right?!" Maki yelled at the top of her voice, her frustration at Nozomi finally spilling out. Nozomi's eyes widened for a brief second, before returning to her moody narrowed ones.
"Ya got me there Maki-chan."
XXXXXX
"So even Tojo-san's this messed up huh?" Maki murmured as she left Nozomi's apartment, recalling what Nozomi had told her just now.
"My family moved around a lot. It caused a strain between me and them, not just between my parents themselves. It impacted me greatly, turning me into the attention craving person I am right now. When Nicocchi came into my life, she was like the sun to me. She provided me with the warmth that I never had. I lost that too when my desperation to keep her by myself suffocated her. I love you Maki-chan, which is why I don't want you to suffer. I want you to be happy, even if it's the cost of my own happiness. Please understand Maki-chan."
"Tojo-san... You're extremely stupid after all, saying that you love me but not wanting to deal with me..." Maki shook her head.
"Nozomi sure is huh?" A raven-haired woman who resembled a child agreed, holding up a plastic bag. "Long time no see Maki-chan."
"Nico-chan? What are you doing here?" Maki asked, surprised to see her ex-girlfriend in the vicinity of Nozomi's apartment."
"Visiting Nozomi. I assume that you have met her?" Nico shrugged, heading towards Nozomi's apartment. "You should have stayed over."
"We're not together."
"What a shame then. You have a magnetic personality y'know." Nico commented, entering the apartment lift. "Ride up with me at least."
"Okay then... I said the same thing as you, the personality part."
"We're both magnets Maki-chan." Nico laughed, clapping Maki on the back. "But y'know, I'm not the magnet that she needs."
"Uweh?"
"I'm sure she described me as a sun right? She can never attain me, but she can attain the star." Maki flinched at Nico's comment, remembering something the latter had told her before they broke up.
"You're the star and I'm the sun. You'll need to find a fake raccoon in order to be a true star."
"So that's what you meant by that stupid breakup line..."
"Huh?" Nico blinked as she witnessed Maki charging out of the lift once it arrived at the level destination. "Oh well, good luck Maki-chan."
"Tojo-san! Tojo-san open up!" Maki shouted as she pounded on the door. After failing to grab Nozomi's attention, she delivered a hard kick to the metal door. "God damn it!"
"Her extra key is hidden underneath her flower pot!" Nico helped, leaning against a wall.
"Found it! You better be in there you stupid raccoon!" Maki growled as she unlocked the apartment, revealing a naked Nozomi that was barely covered by a pink towel. "W-Wha... uh..."
"D-Do you need something Maki-chan...? Um, I was showering just now so I couldn't really hear you until kicked the door..." Nozomi explained, her hair still dripping wet as she used her hands to comb it backwards to allow better vision.
"I uh... You look hot." As soon as Maki finished her sentence, she immediately clamped a hand to her mouth. 'S-Stupid! I'm not her to stare at her! I'm here to see her glistening chest- No stop it! Gaaaaaah!'
"Um, Maki-chan? Maki-chaaaan! Oh dear..." Nozomi sighed as Maki suddenly collapsed to the ground, her gaze dropping to the floor. "Geez, now my floor's wet..."
"Boob demon, can't you go dry yourself first?!" Nico intervened, dragging Maki inside Nozomi's apartment.
"Sure, close the door for me will ya?" Nico obliged, placing Maki on the sofa. Nozomi then used the towel which was covering her body to dry herself.
"Just what have you done to Maki-chan...? It's been a while since her last relationship and you just have to screw things up."
"I'm just laying out the state of the good she wants to purchase. It's horribly broken, with holes in it. She can't fill it up with whatever she wants to offer."
"God damn it Nozomi. She's the star in your life. The magnet that you always wanted. Can't you understand that?!"
"I have no idea what you're trying to say Nicocchi." Nozomi eyed her ex-girlfriend with mild hatred before entering her bedroom to retrieve her clothes for the night.
"You have to move on Nozomi. You can't just stay like this forever!"
"I can and I will. It's your fault too y'know. I hate you so much Nicocchi, yet I still love you so." Nozomi casually replied, glaring at Nico. "Love's such a funny thing huh?"
"Whatever. You're just a foolish raccoon who can't see true happiness in front of you." Nico headed for the door, stopping only to give Nozomi her parting words. "If you truly want to make Maki-chan happy, start by letting go of your emotional baggage you selfish bitch."
"Easy for you to say Nicocchi." Nozomi smiled sadly to herself, going over to Maki. "You heard them all didn't you?"
"... Why don't you listen to her? She's trying to help you. We're all trying to help you. Don't just be the one giving, be the one who receives too." Maki opened her amethyst eyes, sitting up straight beside Nozomi. "Can't we at least start off as friends?"
"... Will you be okay with me trying to monopolise you once we're in a relationship...?" Maki blinked, she had honestly never thought of that question. It wasn't anything to do with being friends, but she still have to give an answer didn't she? And so she did, satisfying Nozomi.
"I don't know, but I want to get to that stage where you'll attempt to monopolise me."
XXXXXX
"God damn it! Can't you morons get my order right?!" The same woman yelled at the same nonchalant cashier, causing Nozomi to chuckle as the woman approached the table she was at with a cup of the wrong coffee in her hand.
"Shouldn't you leave the cafe at this moment?" Nozomi teased, earning herself a glare from the woman. "Hehe~"
"Sheesh Nozomi, cut it out with your jokes for once." Maki sighed, sipping her coffee. "Yuck, this is the exact same drink that they gave me four years ago."
"Aw, don't you like your triple caffeinated espresso~?" Nozomi smirked, sipping her own coffee. "You want some of mine?"
"Bleah, no thanks. If I do, I wouldn't be able to consume this bitter shit." Maki refused, gagging at the thought of a drink even more bitter than her current one.
"Your loss then~ By the way, I still can't believe you're wearing the ring that I gave you Maki-chan." Maki then glanced at a silver loop around her left ring finger, grinning to herself.
"It's my only way of showing to the world that I'm being monopolised by you silly."
"Hehe~ I never thought that my first sight of you at this cafe will give me the happiest four years of my life."
"Who said that I'll only be giving you four happy Nozomi years? I'll be giving you much more than that, you better start counting to decades Nozomi."
"Oh? Then I'll hold you to your promise then~"
"Sure sure. Hey after this, do you wanna go somewhere? I have the whole day off anyways." Maki looked up at the cafe's clock, the hands indicating 1.35 pm.
"Hm~ How about Pana-chan's place? I wanna buy some flowers for my apartment."
"That's a surprise, usually you'll just whisk them away without paying."
"H-Hey!" Nozomi pouted, amusing Maki greatly.
"Sorry, sorry. What kind of flower? Even though Hanayo has all sorts of rare flowers doesn't mean she'll have the one you want you know." Maki twirled her scarlet hair, waiting for Nozomi's answer. "Nozomi?"
"Huh? Oh! I was planning to get some primroses! They look really pretty y'know!" Nozomi smiled, continuing her chat with Maki before heading to Hanayo's workplace to purchase the flowers after finishing their drinks.
"Wow. They sure are pretty Nozomi." Maki commented, tugging Nozomi for a closer look. Nozomi simply smiled as she stared at the flowers, her words to Maki left unsaid in her heart.
'Hey Maki-chan, do you know? Primroses aren't just pretty. They also mean that I can't live without you. So Maki-chan, please never leave me...'
XXXXXX
Nozomi: Um... That's a really... interesting story you've mapped out for us.
Maki: Oh fuck this, that's the second worst story I've ever seen!
I didn't want it to turn out this way. I blame Rin for telling Maki about Nozomi.
Maki: Well excuse me, you're the one who's directing the show.
Oh and happy birthday Maki.
Nozomi: *Pops party cracker*
Maki: ... This is the worst gift I ever had. Did Nozomi make up with Nico-chan in the end?
It's pretty obvious. And no, I'm not rewriting this. I have work to do. (Maki did warn the requester that it'll be bad...)
Nozomi: Well, at least I have a happy end! Thanks for reading!
Maki: Kindly burn your eyeballs after reading this story. It's horrible beyond words.
