Hey there, thanks for sticking with me for 22 chapters!

Airin: This is the 23rd.

Whatever! Anyway magasaurus, Maki will answer your review later at the end of this chapter. She's busy...

Miu: It means that I need to step in for the Author's notes right?

Not really but whatever... First up would be Chillin' Dude! The chocolates I wrote in the story are made up, I've never seen them before nor do I want to try them. Also, this is going to be a happier chapter.

Mizono: It better be! You poisoned my daughter!

Tsubasa: I'm sure Tojo-san's going to be fine... These bars of chocolate that Eli-chan made for me sure are good! *Bites one*

Airin: Shouldn't you be with Nozomi just like the others?!

No... You'll understand later... Anyway, IluvEliUmi's review is next. I'm flattered that you think that I know much about cooking but I don't. However, I can help you with your rice-based dish question as I did it last year. Just stuff some fish of your choice and cheese into a rice ball. Choose rice that are extremely sticky to form your rice ball and use some plastic to form the shape.

Airin: Speaking of which, that Maki doesn't know kitchen conduct? What is she, a rich woman who's ignorant of the world?!

Kami: Unfortunately yes. She can't cook to save a life.

She can cook to kill a life really well. Before we start, I'm impressed with your interpretation on the lollipop part! It's actually the correct interpretation of what I had in mind!

Miu: Damn it, can we just get a move on?! She doesn't own Love Live! *Points to me*

XXXXXX

"NOZOMI-CHAN!"

"Someone call an ambulance nya!"

"They're on the way!"

"Should we inform Eli? She is Nozomi's best friend after all..."

"Nico will do it Umi-chan. I'll go tell her." Nico left the kitchen, leaving behind a chaotic kitchen. Umi was looking out of the window to check whether the ambulance was at the school while Hanayo and Rin were standing at where they are, doing nothing but pray for Nozomi's well being. Nozomi was cradled in Maki's arms, who silently cried at her lover's ill state.

"Nozomi! W-What happened to her?!" Eli went over to Maki, gripping her collar tightly. Her tone was harsh and she made no attempt to restrain it.

"I-It's my fault..." Maki cast her eyes on to the floor, not daring to look at Eli. The next thing she knows, Eli had punched her left cheek, sending Maki spiraling to the floor.

"I know damn well it's your fault. What I'm trying to ask was what was going through your head when you realised you had contaminated the meat?!" Eli was glaring at Maki, her fist tightening even harder to prepare for a second punch. Before she could act, the paramedics have arrived.

"E-Excuse me? We were informed that someone had fainted and needs medical attention?"

"Yeah, this student's the one who needs it badly..." Maki helped to lay Nozomi on the stretcher before allowing Eli and Umi to follow the paramedics.

"A-Aren't you going to follow Nozomi-chan?"

"No Hanayo-chan, I don't deserve the right to be beside Nozomi-chan now... I'm heading back to my office." Maki trod back to her office, her face clearly remorseful over what had happened.

"Nico will go back to class..."

"Rin will clean up the kitchen beside this one nya..."

"EH?! Why's the next kitchen messy?"

"Umi-chan, Maki-chan and Rin used it to make the chocolates nya..."

"I-I see... W-Well the graduating students aren't going to use it just yet so I'll help you clean okay?"

"K-Kayo-chin's an angel nya..."

XXXXXX

"E-EH?! Nozomi-chan's at the hospital? What happened to her?"

"Kotori-chan calm down. She most likely had food poisoning from contaminated meat."

"That yakiniku shop should be sued! Which one did she go to anyway?"

"None. Maki-chan was the one who contaminated the meat. Apparently she used the same knife to cut the raw and grilled meat."

"M-Maki-chan did that? So she's at the hospital with Nozomi-chan right?"

"Actually she's at YuTo's Bar. It's located in downtown Akihabara and right beside the cafe that Eli-chan works at." The two women turned towards Tsubasa, who was staring intently at her hand phone.

"How do you know that?"

"My friends are the owners of the bar I mentioned and they told me that Maki's there."

"Then let's go! Nico still remembers where Eli-chan works!" The three of them closed Aerial Designs before heading to the bar.

"This is the legendary bar that operates during the day and night! I never knew that Tsubasa-chan knows about this place!" Kotori commented, stunned by the sight.

"Well like I said, my friends own this bar. Plus I meet Maki pretty often here at night." Tsubasa replied before entering the bar. Nico and Kotori followed suit when all of a sudden, Nico stopped in front of the entrance.

"I can't go in a bar right? I'm underaged..." Nico said, stepping away from the bar's entrance.

"Nah, that rule's only applicable after 8.00pm. I should know as I'm one of the two owners of this bar." A tall woman with violet hair and a mole below her left eye said, ushering Nico into the bar.

"Erena! I thought you never left the bar!"

"Tsubasa, shut up. I'm only doing this as An-chan called me a NEET."

"Ah! Maki-chan!" Kotori pointed to a red haired woman sobbing to herself over a bottle of whisky. A woman with auburn hair sighed to herself, giving Maki another bottle of whisky whenever she asked for more.

"You idiot! What are you doing here drinking away! You should be at the hospital with Umi-chan and the others!"

"So what? I don't deserve to be near Nozomi-chan... Not what I've done to her..." Maki took a swig of her whisky before going back to her crying.

"What Nozomi-chan needs now is not Eli-chan, it's you." Maki eyed suspiciously at Kotori before taking her bottle once again to drink, gulping down all the contents. She placed her now empty bottle beside six empty identical whisky bottles.

"No way... in hell... is Eri... gonna let... me see her..." By now, Maki was completely drunk and couldn't pronounce words clearly.

"Think about what Nozomi-chan said! She told you that she'll eat your poisoned chocolates even it kills her! She still loves you despite her knowing about the contaminated meat part!" Nico was desperate and was tempted to simply drag Maki to the hospital where Nozomi was admitted to.

"I... Do I... rearry... I can... see... her?" Maki was getting off her seat, stumbling slightly due to her drunk state.

"Yeah! Please believe in her, she won't lie to you right?" Kotori helped her to walk while Tsubasa paid Erena in Maki's stead.

"Come on. I'll drive since I'm heading there for a check-up." Maki nodded gratefully at Tsubasa's offer as she was helped out of the bar.

XXXXXX

"So what happened to me Elichi?"

"You were brought here as you fainted in the kitchen."

"Ah... Where's Maki-chan?"

"Right here!" Eli turned her head towards the door which now stood Kotori and Maki.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Venom dripped from Eli's words, scaring Maki greatly.

"V-Visiting... my... girlfriend..." Eli and Nozomi stared at Maki's drunken state. Her face was flushed and had a dazed look in her eyes, not forgetting that Kotori was still giving her support.

"Elichi, Kotori-chan? Will you leave me and Maki-chan alone?" Kotori nodded and left Maki seated on a nearby chair while Eli protested.

"But Nozomi! Maki tried to kill you!"

"Not intentionally. Elichi, please leave this room." Nozomi's tone lowered, sending shivers down the quarter-Russian. Eli nodded and decided to leave, giving Maki a cold look before closing the door.

"Maki-chan, come closer~" Maki did as she was told. Before she knew what was happening, she was kissed by Nozomi.

"W-Water?!"

"A drunk Maki-chan is not good for a chat!"

"R-Right... But I came here to see you, not have a chat with you..."

"Maki-chan, I won't stop eating your food. I love everything about you, including your imperfections. So don't run away just because you harmed me."

"B-But..."

"No buts. Come sit beside me." Nozomi patted on an empty spot on her bed. Maki complied and sat beside Nozomi.

"I'll improve on my cooking. When that day comes, I'll let you be the second one to taste it."

"Eh~ Maki-chan have someone more important than me?"

"N-No! The first one is me! I need to taste it so you won't faint or get admitted to the hospital!"

"Maki-chan's so considerate~ By the way Nicocchi and Elichi, are you done eavesdropping on us?" Maki turned her attention to the door. Nico and Eli sheepishly stepped in after being found out.

"Nico told Eli-chan not to listen on you!"

"You were in it too!"

"You were worried about Nozomi-chan, I was worried about Maki-chan having sex in a public place!"

"What?! Maki, how could you do such a thing? In a hospital nonetheless!" The voice belonged to Umi, who was holding a can of fruit juice.

"Umi-chan?! I wasn't doing anything of the sort!"

"How could you be so quick to deny what happened just now? Maki-chan's a meanie!"

"Nozomi-chan?!"

"Please lower your voices as there are other patients here. Also, we strongly encourage that visitors refrain from extremely intimate activities as this may worsen the patient's health." Maki stared at the nurse who was at the front door, not believing that such words could spill out from a stranger.

"It seems that I don't have to worry after all. Oh right Maki, sorry for punching you just now." Eli munched on the chocolates she had received a few minutes ago from Tsubasa.

"Elichi punched Maki-chan?!"

"It's my fault... I deserved that one."

"Ah Maki-chan's here nya~ Hey hey, wanna go to YuTo's bar afterwards nya?" Rin burst into the room with Hanayo behind her.

"I went there already..." Nobody noticed that Nico and Umi had already left the hospital and were on their way back home.

XXXXXX

"Ha... Time flies fast..."

"Why do you say that Nico?"

"In just a few weeks, I'm going to be a third year. After that, I'm gonna graduate and then my time with Umi-chan is going to be taken up by your future husband..."

"Wait what?! What husband? I'm not going to get married to a guy!"

"But you're going to be past your pe-" Nico's mouth was slapped shut by Umi's hand.

"Never say that to a woman who's in her late twenties. That's rude." Umi let go of her hand, allowing Nico to talk.

"Sorry Umi-chan but seriously, you can't let me stay at your house forever!"

"Nico, answer me one thing. Do you love me?"

"Of course I do! Why wouldn't I even though you give us too much homework?!"

"It'll give me some closure when I marry you once you graduate from college..."

"Uh... Are you Umi Sonoda? Cause I know she won't spout fairy tale nonsense..."

"N-Nico... Are you even aware that same-sex marriages are legal in Japan?"

"They are?!"

"Next time, read the news."

"That means that I can marry you and the rest can marry each other right?"

"Didn't Kotori told you that she's going to marry Honoka next week?"

"HUH?! But marriages take quite some time to prepare!"

"It has been active since a decade ago..."

"I'm sure Eli-chan and Nozomi-chan will like to know about this!"

"They probably do... Maybe Eli doesn't since she transferred in from Russia last year but Nozomi probably does."

"Alright! I'm gonna work hard for my college exams!"

"Wait what?! You mean to tell me that you're not going to work hard if you can't get married to me?!"

"Oh no! Umi-chan's gonna kill me!" Nico immediately sprinted into Umi's house before Umi managed to catch her.

"Got you! By the way, Rin's getting married to Hanayo today. It starts in 30 minutes."

"Now you tell me?! What am I gonna wear?" Nico went to her closet to fish out something presentable.

XXXXXX

"Do you, Hanayo Koizumi, take Rin Hoshizora as your wife?"

"I do."

"Do you, Rin Hoshizora, take Hanayo Koizumi as your wife?"

"I do nya! Can Rin just kiss Kayo-chin already?" All of the attendees sighed at Rin's impatience on her important day.

"Uh... Yes you may." Rin swooped in to give Hanayo a kiss. Hanayo threw her bouquet to the crowd, with it landing on Maki's lap.

"W-What am I supposed to do with this?"

"Propose to me and swear that you'll love me for all eternity!"

"Ah! Nozomi-chan, I don't have time to do your wedding dress just yet! Nico-chan, Tsubasa-chan, help me make Maki-chan's tuxedo!"

"On it!" Nico took out a measuring tape while Tsubasa held Maki in place.

"H-Hey! I want to wear a wedding dress too!"

"Fine fine. Just stay still so I can take your measurements!"

"Nico... Kotori probably meant to take it at the clothing store later... Plus Nozomi's still underaged. You'll need to wait till she's an adult!"

"Geez... Fine, but I can take Nozomi-chan's measurements right?"

"Nico-chan nya! Be in our wedding picture first before you do so nya~" All of them were gathered to take the picture except Nico. Nico hurried over so that the photographer could take the wedding photograph.

"Nico, let's go. I need to prepare for Kotori's wedding!"

"Okay fine..."

"When will Nico-chan get married nya?"

"M-Maybe in five years time?"

XXXXXX

Rin: Nya~ That's tiring nya~

Maki: I know... magasaurus, I believe I owe you an explanation. When I was small, my father didn't allowed me to get close to any sharp objects in the kitchen. As such, I grew up not being able to cook or know any kitchen conduct. It's also the reason that I'm the school nurse despite my family's background.

Airin: Your family owns a hospital in this story?

Maki: Well... It's quite common in all stories so it's like a fact under the Maki Nishikino category.

Eli: That's nice and all but I've a more important question regarding this chapter.

Which is?

Eli: So who takes on whose last name now?

Uh... Hanayo Hoshizora or Rin Koizumi? I don't know, ask those two who got married today.

Hanayo: I-I took on Rin-chan's last name.

Rin: Kayo-chin! *Squeezes Hanayo*

Lie: Damn it... Mizono's going to hound me for marriage!

Mizono: In H*t*lia, there's a country that chants a certain phrase right?

Lie: Is there a need to censor that? Anyway there is, why?

Mizono: Marry me marry me marry me marry me marry me marry me marry me marry me!

Lie: Cert poberi! *Runs away*

Airin: That's creepy. Anyway, see you next chapter.

All: Bye!