Pairing: Nozomi X Nico

Chapter: "Because I can see you, you are not alone anymore."

Rating: K+

In which Nozomi wants Nico to rely on her more.


Standing there alone on the huge stage, forcing a huge smile for the little number of people who were there, she must've been crying inside.

Her song was bursting with energy, her voice strong yet it lacked a certain power that you'd usually hear in normal idols.

Her dance steps were simple, cutesy and her outfit was rather adorable – to say the least.

Dressed in a frilly pink dress befitting of an idol, the girl on stage finally stopped her performance just as the music came to a slow halt.

Breathing heavily, the girl stood still on the stage, sweat trickling down the sides of her head, eyeing the audience expectantly.

The whole auditorium, which was silent during the performance, finally resounded in a short and light obligatory applause.

The girl on the stage bowed deeply and shouted her thanks before exiting the stage just as the applause gradually died down.

Her back turned, the sole figure of the girl walking off to the backstage alone somehow painted a lonely image.

She's the same.

That was what Tojou Nozomi had thought as she stood by the auditorium door quietly since the start of the performance, watching the girl whose ruby orbs complemented her jet black hair that was tied up into a cute twin tail with slight interest. Having taken notice of the girl - who was a first year just like her, Nozomi recalled that she had seen the petite raven haired girl around the school handing out flyers, presumably for recruitment purposes. Judging by how she was performing alone, Nozomi had quickly deduced that recruitment plans had failed.

The girl's dance wasn't the best.

Nor was her performance as dazzling as other pop idols Nozomi saw on television.

Yet, she was unable to tear her eyes away from the amount of passion that was radiating off the twin tailed girl.

Once the performance was over, it was as if the spell had abruptly been cut off, leaving Nozomi staring at the retreating figure of the pink idol.

Such a lonely figure.


"N-Nozomi! Get away from me!" Nico half shrieked as she dodged the busty purplette's hands before sprinting across the room, hiding behind the first body she saw, half in fear and half in annoyance.

"Nicocchi, why are you running from me? I was only trying to show my love-"

"Like hell you are!" Nico shot back, tightening her grip on the arms of her human shield.

"O-Ouch...Nico-chan..." Said shield winced before gulping as the mother like figure of Muse stalked closer to her.

"Ah- Sorry Honoka," Nico darted off again.

"...I promise I won't touch you?" Nozomi called out, raising her hands as if in surrender.

"Why do you sound unsure?!" Nico shot back, still not trusting her friend's intention as she crossed her arms on instinct, covering her chest area.

"...Nozomi, please." A sigh came from beside the purplette as Eli put a restraining hand on her best friend's shoulder and shook her head slightly, as if telling her to stop fooling around and give Nico a break.

"I was trying to teach Nicocchi a lesson!" Nozomi sounded indignant as she pouted slightly.

"And what lesson might that be?" Umi's eerily polite voice from the middle of the room caused Nozomi to stiffen. Since when was Umi here in the club room?

Nico sighed in relief at the unexpected help. If there was anyone that could deal with Nozomi, it had to be the group's own demon, Umi.

"Stop playing around get back to work," Umi narrowed her eyes, leaving no rooms for argument and Nozomi sighed, finally relenting as she returned to her seat.

Nico heaved another sigh of relief.

"...Next time, take your flirting elsewhere," Maki, who had been flipping through her novel quietly all this while said nonchalantly as she flipped a page.

F-Flirting?! Nozomi could feel herself turning unexpectedly warm at Maki's words. Nozomi's eyebrows furrowed slightly, as if deep in thought. Did it looked like we're flirting? I was just trying to tease Nicocchi...

"W-We weren't flirting!" Nico sputtered out as an unexpected blush tinted her cheeks slightly. Wait, why was she even flustered?

"Sure you weren't," Maki deadpanned, not even giving Nico a look as she flipped yet another page.

"We weren't!" Nico growled as she shot Nozomi a glance. Why was Nozomi being so quiet all of the sudden? "You tell them, Nozomi! We weren't flirting right?"

"E-Eh?" Nozomi blinked, suddenly aware that all eight pairs of eyes in the room were on her. Wait, what was going on? She had been too distracted by her own thoughts that she didn't notice what had happened. Was she supposed to be answering Nico? Why did Nico's face looked a little red? Though she had to admit, it made Nico looked cuter.

"Weren't you listening?!" Nico scowled, "Tell Maki-chan we weren't flirting at all!"

"We weren't?" Nozomi blurted out without thinking. It was only a second later then she realised what she had just said as her eyes widened, cheeks burning slightly before she tried to rectify her mistake, "N-No. I mean-"Her voice halted when she saw the rapidly reddening of Nico's face, mirroring her own reaction and Nozomi felt her heart skip a beat at the sight, just as Maki continued to stare at the duo, baffled. She shrugged and returned to her novel, dismissing that strange occurrence.

If her two seniors wanted to flirt and had the guts to admit that to her, she didn't really had to right to stop them.

"Well...that's fine with me too." Maki finally said, flipping over yet another page.


Nico knew something was up with Nozomi. Usually, the taller girl would have started teasing her by now, yet the purplette was sitting quietly in the club room, deep in her thoughts.

Nico wondered if something happened.

She knew that whatever it was, Nozomi probably wouldn't talk about it.

The taller girl always had this habit of bottling everything inside, especially when it came to her own needs. She didn't want to trouble anyone. She was sort of similar to Nico in a way.

All the raven haired girl wanted was for everyone to smile.

That was also the only way Nico could continue to carry on her father's will.

That was why she was so passionate about becoming an idol.

Maybe that was also why she started a white lie to her younger siblings. She didn't want to disappoint them, and wanted them to be happy; she wanted to be someone her siblings could smile and proud of.

Nico didn't realise that she was still staring at Nozomi until the latter finally noticed and tilted her head questioningly and cutely before sending a huge smile to Nico.

Nico could feel her heart speed up as her face started to warm.


It was after everyone had found out about Nico family situation that Nozomi finally confronted Nico when they were alone in the club room.

"I'm sorry," Nico said before Nozomi could say anything. "It...was selfish of me. I just didn't want to burden-"

"I know." Nozomi only smiled slightly as her own voice grew softer, the gaze in her eyes were gentle and understanding, as if she understood how Nico felt before the twin tailed girl had even said anything.

On hindsight, Nozomi probably knew Nico's feelings all too well. Both of them were really similar after all. Before they met Muse.

"I...was always alone." Nico said, biting her lip as she clenched her fingers into tight fists.

Her friends had left her, made fun of her passion and were unable to cope with her standards in the idol club. Perhaps her expectations were too high, Nico had thought to herself. But up until her third year, she was alone.

Nozomi was the same.

She had been alone up until she came to Otonoki. Until she met Eli, and subsequently Muse.

Nozomi had always seen Nico around, alone. There was something about the petite girl that drew her in, something similar that both of them had shared that made Nozomi want to step forward and help her. Yet, she couldn't. Courage had failed her when she needed it the most and she wasn't able to save Nico. All she could do was to observe her from afar, yearning to make the first move yet unable to.

Until Muse.

But Nico was strong. Unlike her, Nico was able to press on, forging ahead with sheer determination, never giving up on her dreams. She continued to scout for students to join her and when that failed, she never let herself despair. Although she was alone, she was able to stand on her feet as she quit being a school idol, pursuing her interests through other ways.

Nozomi had always admired that quality of Nico's. Yet, she knew that despite Nico's seemingly strong exterior, there are times where the facade was too overbearing that she had wavered. Nozomi knew. She saw and she understood. She understood Nico's want of having friends to share her passion with. Yet the raven haired girl was afraid . Afraid of a second rejection. That was way she hesitated to join Muse when Honoka invited her.

Nozomi knew the feeling of being alone all too well, having spent most of her life up till now alone. She grew up changing schools often and hadn't had the chance to properly make friends. Even if she did, she'll have to leave them soon. Contact has always ceased after awhile. To prevent herself from getting hurt, she had closed herself off.

Just like Nico, Nozomi chose to be alone to prevent herself from being hurt again.

And just like Nico, they were saved by the people in the school.

Maybe that was why Nozomi had always felt the need to make sure Nico was really fine. Though it manifested in the form of various teasing. She knew Nico didn't like others to worry about her and whenever Nozomi felt that Nico seemed a little distant, or whenever she saw the faraway look in those ruby orbs of hers, Nozomi had always stepped in.

"You aren't alone anymore," Nozomi said softly, embracing the petite girl from behind, as if trying to protect the fragile form before her.

"Yea...I know," Nico's voice was barely a whisper as a tear rolled down her cheek, soaking in the warmth that permeated through her skin from behind.

"You can rely on us, on me," Nozomi continued, her voice so soft, so tender and filled with warmth that Nico could feel a strange sense of ease settling in her heart. The sense of belonging and love that wrapped around her gently causing her to hiccup as the first signs of tears overcame her.

"I...know," Nico couldn't help the tears that now brimmed in her ruby eyes as all her held-back feelings came rushing out like a broken dam.

"You don't have to act strong in front of me anymore."

"...I...know..." Nico started sobbing silently just as Nozomi released the petite girl from her hold, turned her around and embraced her fully from the front.

"You can also rely on us, on me," Nozomi tightened her hold against the shivering girl, withholding her own set of tears that threatened to burst out. Nico felt so small in her arms and all she wanted to do was to protect that little form from any harm. She wanted Nico to rely on her more, to relax more, to trust her more.

"Thank you." Nico's voice was barely audible yet the amount of gratitude Nozomi felt from how hard Nico had squeezed her back was enough.


A/N:

First part details events that took place when NozoNico were in their first year. Second part onward detail events that took place during their third year - their current year as per the anime. All in chronological order.

Sorry if this appeared haphazard - that wasn't my intention.

Next: Umi X Hanayo! (Uploaded along with this chapter as an apology for late updates)


Review Replies:

GAT-X105VividPanzer: Thank you! :)

Enya Talisman: Hahaha yea, unfortunately reality doesn't work that way. But thanks for the review!

Major Mike Powell III: Thanks! I concede that Maki is innocent b-but not that innocent in the other regard ;) Or maybe she is.

Kousaka Maki: XD

Weesah: Thanks for the review! Hmm I'll probably start to accept requests again after a few more chapters. Please wait until then! Thank you!

Dash24zappshift: Thanks for the review! Whoops. I've seen people referring to Nico as Nick so I didn't think it was a typo. Whoops.

Haruna Isshiki: lol thank you!