A/N: Important notice! I'll be changing the rating of this story to T rather than M, because I don't think I'm going to end up putting in any mature content. (Sorry! It may happen, but as of now it's a no.)
Sorry if this chapter seems a bit rushed! It's the last week of school until break, so I'm really busy with work but I wanted to get this out on time. Thank you for all the follows and whatnot! Reviews aren't necessary, but they are appreciated as feedback.
"What?!" Maki's eyes opened wide in shock, a disgruntled look plastered on her face.
I'm sorry Maki. This is the last thing I want to do, you know that. But this is an important job, we can't risk the delivery tonight.
The normally powerful voice of her father bled into a more sympathetic tone. The redhead's father was a good man, despite his illegal occupation.
I've run into trouble. I'm going to need you to keep the target hidden for now, until I can get us out of this.
"But...she's...I don't…" The girl mumbled useless words into the phone, knowing her fate was sealed. There was little she could do to argue with the man, when he decided something, there was nothing she could do to oppose. Maki's lips drooped into a frown as her eyes landed on the super idol, who was currently pouting over a dropped strawberry iced doughnut, which lay face down on the gravely parking lot floor.
I know you're against this, Maki. It's only a couple weeks, you should have no problems. The commotion of the holiday season should be suitable for you to keep undercover, but be careful. We're not the only ones out there who saw this opportunity, there are others who have the same idea. Don't let that girl out of your sight.
Maki sighed in defeat, twirling a crimson lock of hair around her right pointer finger. "Yes, Papa." She accepted reluctantly, but with obedience. What about Christmas... With the holiday coming up in a few short weeks, it was becoming more and more apparent that she wouldn't get to spend it with her family. Christmas was one of her favorite time of the year, the time she was able to spend with her busy family. On a normal basis, both her mother and her father's schedules were filled to the brim with meetings and missions and everything in between. It left no time for their daughter, save for a couple days a year. Christmas was one of those days they spent together every year; wearing big, fluffy knitted sweaters, decorating the Christmas tree, eating the annual Christmas dinner, and telling stories to one another. So many good memories were etched into Maki's mind of the December holiday, especially of the man in the big red suit. Santa, who came down the chimney every year to well behaved children like herself, generously leaving gifts behind. Maki smiled at the thought, reminiscing before her thoughts were brought back by a voice that protruded sharply out of the mobile device she held in her hand.
Maki? Are you still there?
"Yes, sorry. I understand, I'll keep the target under my vision until you give me word otherwise."
Good girl. Go ahead and make the drive into Tokyo, and use the penthouse there. It should be sufficient enough. I'll call you when I have more information. Good luck.
With that, the conversation was ended with a soft clicking noise as the line was cut.
Nico grumbled to herself, staring at the round shape that lie on the ground before her. That idiot...who does she think she is? Dropping my doughnut like that… The idol pouted, feeling a grievous loss in the form of her tasty dessert. It was delicious, at least the two bites she got were. The taste of strawberry lingered in her mouth, teasing her taste buds. The five second rule was already up. Nico attempted to wriggle out of the ropes that constricted her hands, of course ending in failure. She was forced to watch as the snack was so close, yet so far. Fake tears rimmed her red eyes as she dramatically whipped her head to the side, not wanting to look at her fallen comrade.
The past few hours was more than she could comprehend. Never in her life could she imagine this happening to her; kidnapped after a big show, tied up in some random car, and held a bomb for god's sake. The twin-tailed girl believed she would die in that car, she had never been so scared in her life. That was the first time, and hopefully last, that she'd ever experienced such a thing. Guns were something she didn't feel comfortable around, especially when they were aimed at her. She swore her life flashed before her eyes. The fact that the flashback was somewhat short annoyed her, Nico expected something more.
With a groan, the idol shot a glare at her captor, who was taking quite a bit of time talking on the phone. I wonder who she's taking to... Nico sighed, attempting to find something to do in the meantime. Unfortunately, there wasn't much to do when you're tied up in an empty parking lot. "Hurry up..." She mumbled under her breath, eyes staring at the other lazily.
As if her whisper were heard, the redhead lowered her phone, sliding it back into its place in her pocket. She walked over to Nico with her arms crossed, a look of defeat on her features.
"I have good news and bad news. Which do you want to hear first?"
Nico thought for a moment before replying, "Bad news, but it can't possibly be worse than that." She pointed an accusing finger at the doughnut that lay in between them.
"Shut up, it's not my fault you dropped it."
"Yes it is! You were supposed to be holding it!"
"Whatever. Anyway, the bad news. Some things have happened, and we need to stay here in Tokyo for a week or two..." The girl's voice trailed off with a sigh. "I don't want you causing me any trouble, but hiding you will be hard. Don't bother trying to escape, you can't hide from me. Plus, there are others looking for you, like those two we ran from earlier. So don't be stupid."
"If I'm such an inconvenience, why don't you just let me go?"
The reply came almost immediately, a sharp and simple silenced the unruly idol. "No."
Nico puffed her cheeks. "So what's the good news?"
"I don't have to drive out of Tokyo tonight."
"That's only good for you."
"Obviously. I never said the good news was for you, idiot. We should get going soon, it's already late."
The girl gestured for Nico to get into the passenger seat of the red two-seater. The idol complied without much resistance, as she too was ready to pass out of exhaustion. She watched from the window as the girl with the fiery hair poured some liquids substance on their former car, which lay broken and beaten in the middle of the empty lot. She then took her handgun out of its holster, shooting a single bullet at the vehicle. The night suddenly lit up, flames reaching for the stars. It painted the walls of the lot with shades of orange, yellow, and white, like a beacon of light. Nico stared in awe at the sight in front of her.
"You blew it up?!" She questioned as the other returned to the car, scanning the underside of the drivers side.
"Yes." Was all that came in reply as she worked diligently, snapping multicolored wires and putting them back together.
Nico watched with curious ruby orbs as the engine roared, dying out a few times before steadying its voice. Apparently she had been staring for a while, because the crimson haired girl seemed to notice.
"What are you looking at?"
"Nothing, just watching."
The tomato-colored vehicle made its way out of he parking lot, hopping up and down over the loose gravel and rock underneath its feet. Nico stared out the window, her eyes aiming at nothing in particular. Everything was shrouded in darkness, with barely any streetlights around. Buildings surrounded them, so there wasn't much to look at in the first place. Stars could no longer be seen in the sky, only the yellow tinge of a nearby city, full of light. Her eyes slowly trailed back to her captor.
"So if we're going to be spending time together, don't you think its time you told me your name?"
"Maki Nishikino."
The car ride was rather quick with the lack of traffic in the nightly hours. Neither girl spoke the entire ride, an awkward silence filling the space between them. To avoid speaking to Maki, Nico spent most of the ride staring blankly out the window. She'd taken the route many times before, so the scenery was nothing new. The light bouncing of the car almost lulled her to sleep, her eyes dropping as she leaned on the window. Though she forced herself to stay up as she still did not trust the girl next to her. It was probably safer to stay awake.
"Are we there yet?" Nico complained, finally breaking the silence. She knew it was an immature thing to ask, but something needed to be said. Honestly, the awkwardness made her want to jump out the window.
It was a few minutes before Maki replied with a monotonous "No.".
"How about now?"
"Are you really doing this?"
"You didn't answer my question, Maki."
The redhead's features returned to their previous annoyed state as she turned her head and glared at the idol. "Do you mind? I'm trying to drive here. We'll be there soon, so stop asking."
The black, empty street began to change color as they came closer to their destination. Dark navy sky turned to orange as they maneuvered through the maze of buildings, their multicolored lights shining in each and every direction. Advertisements of various food chains, fashion stores, and movies riddled the sides of the buildings. There were significantly more people walking through the street, though most were probably asleep at the hour. Maki pulled the car around to the back alley of a fancy apartment building. It was a tall, 'U' shaped architecture with many windows, more resembling a hotel or casino. A garden of white and red flowers lined the building, with two large fountains on either side. Little yellow lights illuminated the pathway to the door, which was made of glass with many intricate designs etched into it.
The car came to a halt as Nico fidgeted in her seat, eager to see the inside if the building. For a moment, she forgot she had been kidnapped. She glanced over to Maki, who seemed to be searching through the pockets of her suit for something. She pulled out a long piece of cloth and motioned for Nico to come closer.
"I don't want you to cause any commotion, there are others in there. I'll take it off when we get to my apartment." The girl stated, positioning the cloth over Nico's mouth.
"Hey! Don't-"
The idol's sentence was cut off midway as Maki reached around her head, tying the two ends together. With much protest from Nico, she seemed to he having a hard time. The raven-haired girl froze as the other came closer, her face fully in view. Nico's eyes trailed to the plump, glistening lips of Maki Nishikino. They were curved into a frustrated frown, which matched cutely to the rose colored blush that rested atop her perfect cheeks. Her skin was beautiful; smooth and creamy looking with a great complexion, save for the cut tainting her cheek from the earlier mishap. Deep lavender eyes glimmered, and Nico found she couldn't look away. They were such an odd color, but mesmerizing nonetheless. She felt her own face become hot as she realized she'd been staring for too long.
"What are you looking at?" Came the voice she'd been dealing with all night. Maki sounded more embarrassed than angry, which Nico took note of.
Nico would've come up with a snarky retort to get out of the embarrassing situation, if she was able to speak. Instead, she simply made various grumbles under the soft fabric wrapped around her mouth. Though she immediately regretted it, as the warmth lingered uncomfortably on the cloth.
"Never mind. Let's go." Maki ordered, leading the idol out of the car and into the back of the building.
The inside of the building did not disappoint, holding up the image of the exterior. The walls were a pure ivory, paintings spread out here and there. The floor was a similar smooth, shiny silver, reflecting light off its surface. In middle of the corridor lay a red carpet, ornate designs sewn into the rug. It was what you'd expect of such a fancy apartment. Under normal circumstances, Nico would've loved to explore every nook and cranny of such a gorgeous resort.
The idol kept her pace behind Maki, who seemed to be very wary of her surroundings. Nico was gradually becoming more and more miffed at the constant stops the redhead took, checking around corners to make sure the coast was clear. It took longer than necessary to reach the elevators, which Maki quickly shoved her into, slamming her finger on the button which closed the elevator door with a sigh of relief. Upon stepping into the contraption, Maki pulled her handgun out of her suit jacket.
Nico let out a muffled noise of surprise as a shot was fired at a small black camera situated in the corner of the elevator, directly above the idol. The meager device fell uselessly onto the red rug of the elevator. Maki seemed to think nothing of it, returning the gun to its place without a word, pressing the round button labeled 'PH'. Neither of them spoke a word in the elevator, it was the car ride all over again.
A few minutes passed before the duo reached their destination, a short corridor leading to a plain white door. With a reluctance sigh, the fiery haired girl untied the cloth around Nico's mouth. She was about to make a complaint, though as soon as Maki unlocked said door and swung it open, Nico's jaw dropped.
Two of the four walls were purely occupied by windows, giving a glorious view of Tokyo city. It was as if they were above even space, looking down at the many stars below them. The city could've been its own sky. The walls matched the rest of the building, white as snow. The apartment sported a monochrome theme, with a grey rug spreading across a majority of the main room, ivory marble floor under it. The kitchen and dining area was connected to the corner of the living room, somewhat resembling a venn diagram, if it were made of squares. The main room contained two black leather sofas, positioned next to each other at a right angle. Between them a glass table stood with red lilies atop it as decoration, which went surprisingly well with the color scheme. To the left a spiral staircase of glass rose up, probably to a second floor of some sort. On the other side of the room was a marvelous ebony grand piano.
"You play the piano?" Nico asked without thought, snapping out of her awestruck state.
Maki stared at the instrument, her face full of longing. "I don't play much anymore."
Nico decided to drop the topic, returning to her examination of the penthouse apartment. She was an idol but...her home was nothing compared to this.
"W-Well, this isn't that great. My apartment is nicer..."
Nico glowered at the other as no response came her way. Maki appeared to have disregarded her comment and instead locked the door behind them.
"Don't touch anything, you'll probably break it."
"I'm not a child you know!" The idol puffed her cheeks, making a face at Maki. "Also, will you untie me now? If we're going to be together for a week or two, I don't want to be tied up."
"No."
"Come on Maki! You can't keep me tied up forever."
"Actually, I can."
Nico let out an audible groan, stomping around like a child. How can I convince her... She pondered her thoughts, a light bulb going off in her mind. With an evil grin, she exhaled before turning back to her captor, putting on the most innocent puppy face she could manage.
"Please Maki?" She let the name roll off her tongue, dragging it out longer than necessary. "This is so horrible..." Nico mustered a few fake tears, just for effect, which seemed to be working.
"I-I...um..." Maki stuttered over her words, baffled at the sight in front of her. "I guess I could, but just for tonight...but it's not like I'm doing it for you or anything! Your constant whining is annoying."
Bingo. Nico grinned, chuckling to herself as the redhead opened a nearby drawer, pulling out a knife. How many weapons did she have around this place anyway? Not that it really mattered, as long as they weren't pointed at her. The moment her binds were released, the idol sighed in relief, moving around her freed limbs. Nico hopped over the the sofa, plopping herself onto it as she relaxed. "Maki, do you have any food? I'm hungry. Plus, you owe me for that doughnut."
"Who do you think I am? I should've never untied you..."
"Fine, fine. I'll go look for myself."
"No! Just stay there. I'll get you something later."
Satisfied with the reply, Nico stretched out on the comfortable leather surface.
"I'm going to take a bath, don't touch anything." Maki declared, crossing her arms before storming out of the room.
She's too trustworthy. The idol boasted over her victory, waiting until she heard the chiming of water pipes coming from above her before bolting out of the apartment.
"I thought I'd never get a chance..." Nico whispered, running to the elevator and smashing her finger against the button pointing downwards. "Hurry up, hurry up..."
When things came down to it, kidnapping was still kidnapping. The idol was waiting for a moment to escape since the very beginning. Maki seemed like a nice girl, but Nico wanted nothing more than to go home. The repeatedly tapped the lobby button within the elevator, fidgeting while the elevator doors took their time closing, as if they didn't want her to go. Her heart beat fast as she rushed out of the elevator at the location they first entered, choosing to backtrack rather than causing a commotion in the main lobby. Nico's plan was simple: escape through the back door from which they'd come, and make it to a pay phone where she could call someone to come get her.
Her plan was going well at the moment. After exiting the elevator, the trip to outside the apartment complex was moderately quick and efficient, allowing her to hide in the dark alleyway between buildings. The raven haired idol cursed at the bright coloring of her dress, which barely remained in tact after everything she'd been through that night. Choosing not to look back, Nico's chest felt like it was going to explode. After running a few blocks, she slowed down her pace, breathing hard. "I think I should be safe here..."
"Safe where?" A familiar voice called out to her, a figure stepping out from the shadows behind her.
Nico froze, a bead of sweat rolling down her forehead as she turned to face the woman behind her, whom she recognized immediately, cursing under her breath. Violet eyes, with hair the color of a burning flame.
Another question came before Nico had the chance to answer. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Nico Nico Smile!" The idol chirped her catchphrase, bringing her hands up to either side of her head. "Say it with me Maki!"
Maki was unamused, a frown on her face as she twirled her hair. "Don't take me for an idiot. What made you think I wouldn't see this coming?"
The idol's hands drooped down in defeat, her normal personality returning. She was unsure of what to say, embarrassed and upset that her plan failed so badly.
"Wherever you run, I'll always find you."
"Aww Maki, how romantic!" Nico joked, immediately regretting it as the other's face contorted into a disgruntled look.
Nico closed her eyes as Maki advanced towards her, surprised when she felt something warm grip her hand. She warily cracked open an eye, flushing as she stared at the redhead's hand holding onto her own. "Wh-" she was about to question why, until she was interrupted.
"I-I can't trust you to follow me back, stupid." Maki mumbled, moving her gaze to anywhere but the idol in front of her.
Aghast, Nico made no objection. She allowed the girl to keep possession of her hand, following her as she began their trek back to the apartment. A foreign warmth settled in her stomach, one that wasn't all that unpleasant.