"Maki, you look... nice," Nico complimented as Maki walked up to her.
"I- I just thought that- my mom chose these for my outing- you... you look nice as well," Maki responded.
The two of them looked away from each other, blushing. Next, they attempted to lock their hands together, succeeding after a few attempts.
That was when they looked at each other, with faces red as tomatos. "Wha- what are you doing?" they screamed in unison before heading off.
XXXXXXXXX
"I- it's really good to go out once in a while," Maki comments.
"I guess so," Nico replies, "haven't seen you or the others in a while since I graduated. You know, remembering your face motivates me, but seeing your face makes me really happy."
"Huh? What are you-" Maki felt jittery.
"No- nothing really."
As they caught up in a rather awkward manner, they encountered a crepe shop. With that, they bought a pair of crepes to eat on the way.
"Maki, there's some on your face," Nico uses her fingers to pick some whipped cream off Maki's face, putting it in her mouth.
"What's that for? I just don't get you sometimes," Maki responds.
"Nico Nico Nii~ I hope you're really happy to be with me~ Turn that frown upside down~ Because the sun is smiling bright~" was all that was emitted from Nico's mouth.
"You haven't changed one bit, Nico."
Maki felt a little happier and confident. She allowed Nico to have some of her tamato-and-cheese crepe, while Nico let Maki take a chomp off her chocolate banana crepe.
"I- indirect kiss?"
That voice wasn't Maki's or Nico's. But it was very, very familiar, and no one could mistake it for anyone else. The two of them looked in front of them to see who was before them.
It was Muse's new leader, Rin.
"R- Rin? What are you doing here?" Maki's face was as red as her silky hair. Nico's face too, began to match her irises.
"Just some nyamazing shopping. Nyathing much. I don't think 'nyathing much' can be said for you two," Rin commented with a smug face as she gazed upon their interlocked palms, "just like a couple."
Upon hearing that, their interlocked palms were detached from each other and they crossed their arms in unison.
"Don't worry nya," Rin winked, "I won't tell anyaone. See you on Monday, Maki!"
With that, the two watched Rin skip away with glee and energy.
"Say, Maki, if I were to tell you I was a boy... would you feel closer or more distant to me?" Nico questioned.
"Huh?"
Before Maki could say anything else, the rain began to pour down. They held hands once more and headed for a nearby hotel.
XXXXXXXXX
"This rain is pretty heavy. Reminds me of our performance of No Brand Girls. That was proceeded with quite the crisis, but at the end of the tunnel, there was light," Maki pondered as she stood by the bathroom door, before Nico emerged from it, fully clothed.
"Say, Maki," Nico blushed again with her head down, "have you ever regretted joining Muse?"
"W- why the sudden question? Of course I don't! Maybe at first, I guess... but..."
"Well, me too. I'm glad I met you guys, met Muse. Without you all, I would've been nothing. I would never have been the number one Idol in the world, because I would never have been an idol in the first place. Just because I'm number one, doesn't mean I can't have an idol of my own."
Nico then gave Maki a quick kiss on the lips.
"Nico Nico Nii~ I'll put a smile on your face~ Because you're the one for me~" Nico burst into a jolly state, before Maki grabbed her face and embedded hers into it, producing a longer kiss.
Both of them turned red during this period of time.
"H- hey, Maki, I think the rain stopped..." Nico stuttered, "I think we can continue our d- d- date..."
They held hands once more as they walked into the outdoors.
The two idols learnt something very important on this very day. It was one of the many things that govern the laws of reality.
It was the mysterious concept referred to as 'love'.