Review Responses:

Guest: You'll see.

little fox: You'll see. I kinda planned it out so it was a bit ambiguous, so thankfully it's working. Also, I would like to thank you for those two doujins you recommended. Got me somewhat, and I love seeing confusing love. I'm always looking for doujins to read, so thanks! Glad you enjoyed!

ChiPee21: You see, I did say that I wrote Umi into a corner. So I rewrote chapter 4 when Nozomi shows the plush. It's kinda like what you want (?) to see, so if some people want to see it, I'll upload it.

PileClaw: Don't know why, but that first line sounded like a song from Rhythm Heaven. The...idol with monkey fans. Coincidence? Maybe. Anyways, I liked writing Nico as a gentlewoman. I imagine her as a person that would do that for a friend. Glad you liked it!

Aethuran: Glad you like it!

myqueen234: You'll see.

Yazawa Nico. An aspiring idol. Owner of the "Nico Nico-nii." Carer of her siblings. A close friend to Honoka, Kotori, Eli, Umi, Rin, and Hanayo.

And a person caught between two people that love her.

Tojo Nozomi and Nishikino Maki.

Did Nico notice their feelings?

Somewhat. And she was caught in-between a rock and a hard place.

Maki was the bickering red-head that Nico found…endearing. Oh, she found it annoying. But she enjoyed herself as she argued with the girl. Nico saw Maki as a beautiful, talented girl. She was not a person you easily warmed up to, but Nico saw her in her cutest moments. Whenever she had an issue with anything or she saw problems, Maki wasn't afraid to say what was on her mind. Nico found this trait to be how all people should be. She was another person that wasn't afraid to speak her mind, and most of the time Maki's thoughts and Nico's thoughts were the same. After spending time with her, she and Maki opened up more to each other and became good friends. They may not show it, but everyone thought that those two would be dating by now. What Nico didn't know was that Maki wouldn't mind that.

Nozomi was the purple-haired "mother" of Muse. After the whole Eli incident, she and Nozomi became closer friends. Nozomi may have teased her and even experienced the feared Washi Washi technique, however she knows that Nozomi cares for her. To Nico, it seemed that Nozomi relied on her for moral support more. She did stick up for Nozomi and helped her through one of the toughest times of her life. Nico saw many sides of Nozomi that day. Nozomi is usually calm and composed, much like her blonde counterpart Eli. However, she was much more perceptive and easily knew people's troubles. However, she saw Nozomi cry which was a heartbreaking scene. The purple-haired girl was not a person that showed her feelings easily, especially to ones she loved. Nico may have not noticed, but Nozomi's feelings started to bloom from that time.

Nico liked the two girls, and her feelings were growing for the two girls. And she may never get that chance back.

Not after what happened…

It was a rainy day, so the nine members went to their clubroom. The idol practice didn't go on for too long since the rain wasn't letting up. So, they decided to end it early so everyone could go home.

Maki, Rin, and Hanayo were the first ones to leave. Eli and Umi left not too soon after them since they had a date today.

Nico told Nozomi that she had to take care of her siblings, so she couldn't stay long. As Nico started to leave the door, Nozomi went to call her. But hesitated.

"Nozomi-chan? Weren't you going to ask Nico-chan something?" Kotori and Honoka saw the scene, so they approached the girl and Kotori asked.

"Well, she had to do something urgent. At least, that's what it sounded like…" Nozomi was kicking herself. Nico probably could have stayed a bit and Nozomi could have said her feelings. But…she psyched herself out again.

"Nozomi-chan? You don't sound like yourself." Honoka told her. "Nico-chan would have stayed for a bit. You two are so close."

"I know. I just...don't know why I didn't."

Honoka and Kotori looked at Nozomi's face. "Nozomi-chan, you're crying…Why?"

"I-I think I fell in love again."

The second-year couple looked at each other in shock.

"Well, are you going to let her slip away again?" Honoka took Nozomi's shoulders and looked her directly in the eyes.

"Nozomi-chan, we want you to not be heartbroken. Not again." Kotori said with all of her sympathy oozing from her voice.

She sniffled and looked at her two friends. "Y-you're right. I love Nicochi! I need to tell her."

She rushed out of the door, umbrella in hand. Honoka and Kotori watched her leave with a smile. Honoka hooked arms with Kotori and leaned her head on the ash-haired girl's shoulder.

"Nozomi-chan will be happy, I just know it," Honoka whispered to her girlfriend.

Before that…

Nico had rushed out of the building. She didn't need to rush to get to her house, but she was a bit worried. However, on the way to the fence she saw an umbrella sticking out from the school gates.

As she turned the corner, her heart was beating. She saw Maki standing there, looking in her phone.

"Maki-chan? What are you doing here?"

Maki was startled when she heard a voice. She almost froze when she saw the girl who matched the voice. "N-Nico-chan! I was j-just calling for someone to drive me back to my home." She was nervous. 'This looks like a dream I had before. Nico-chan and I were standing in the rain…and she confessed to me. Or was it me that- No! I would never do that.'

"Really? Well, since you have to wait…" Nico went under Maki's umbrella and put hers away. Nico was surprised at how bold she was being. Maki was surprised that Nico was so close to her, and she was blushing furiously.

"I-idiot! What are you doing!?"

"Well, I've been thinking about my feelings. And…I really enjoy spending time with you."

Maki couldn't believe it. 'Is…Is this really happening?!'

"Although you drive me crazy, it's cute."

Nico was blushing, but she didn't stop her confession. She wrapped her arms around Maki's waist, which startled Maki even further and deepened her blush.

'S-she's hugging me! It's just like my dream!'

"I-I love you, Maki-chan."

Her heart fluttered from hearing Nico say the one thing she has always wanted to hear.

"I love you too, Nico-chan!"

Maki couldn't believe that she actually confessed. However, she looked at Nico's face which showed a pained smile.

"Nico-chan?"

"I-I'm sorry Maki-chan."

Maki saw her heart breaking down. 'Why...why is she sorry?'

"I really do love you. But-! Nozomi?!"

Maki turned around somehow after hearing Nico reject her love. And saw the girl who was holding a heart.

…

'I must tell Nicochi. I love that girl.' Nozomi was running to the exit. She realized that she only thought that Nico had to go quickly. However, Nico didn't really rush so she felt stupid thinking that Nico wouldn't have stayed. And she hated her shyness when it came to love. Right now, she would get rid of all that.

She was approaching the fence and decided that she would take out the one thing that represented her love for Nico. The plush heart. She didn't trust in her cards. But, she trusted her heart that the present she received really showed how far her feelings have gone.

However, she regretted ever approaching the fence.

"I-I love you, Maki-chan."

'Not again.' Nozomi started to let her tears pour. Her steps became weaker. The grip she had on the plush was slipping. She was falling into depression, and heartbreak came and started to crush her.

"I love you too, Nico-chan!"

Maki's confession pierced an arrow straight through her heart. Maki did love the girl. Nozomi had her suspicions, but she thought that she had a chance. A chance at love. But, it was getting further away from her.

"I-I'm sorry Maki-chan."

Nozomi heard this. And, that ray of hope started to appear again. Did she have a chance? She felt bad for Maki, but she was jealous that Maki could actually get her feelings out. She was being selfish, but she wanted that lo-

"I really do love you."

Nozomi approached the two girls. Hearing those words made the light get further away. The position she saw Maki and Nico in made that place go dark. Nico was hugging Maki, with a huge blush.

'I knew it. Why am I so stupid.'

"Nozomi?!"

…

Nozomi was a shaking, crying mess. She was holding the red heart plush.

Nico looked up to Maki. She felt some water hitting her head, but she noticed that she was still under the umbrella. It was Maki's tears that was hitting her. And it was hitting her hard.

"I…love…you…Nico."

Nico realized how much she must have hurt Nozomi. She let go of Maki and started to go towards Nozomi. She screamed it to the heavens. "I love you, Nozomi!" She knew that Nozomi wasn't lying. She always put -chi at the end of someone she loves. Yet, she didn't this time. And it was the same way that Nozomi's heart was broken. And now…she was just like Eli.

"You d-don't have…to lie, Nico. I u-understand…" What Nozomi did brought Nico to her knees and cried even harder.

The plush heart. The one that Nico accidentally won for the purple-haired girl when she was distressed. The heart that Nozomi treasured and she called her prized possession.

She dropped it. Nozomi didn't do it by accident. Her heart was broken from losing the second girl she loved. And holding it made her hurt more.

"I'm sorry…Nico. Maki."

And she ran away. Where? She didn't know, but she knew she couldn't stay there.

…

Nico stared at the plush heart. The guilt was taking over her body. She attempted to run, but was almost pulled off her feet.

Maki was holding her wrist and Nico struggled to get her arm back. "M-Maki-chan! I need to go to Nozomi!"

"But…"

Nico looked at the purple orbs. Which were in pain.

"WHAT ABOUT ME?!" Maki held no restraint in her voice and yelled it at her. "YOU SAID SORRY WHEN I CONFESSED! WHY?!"

Nico has seen Maki annoyed. But never angry. She was intimidated. And knew she messed up. "I-It's because I-I also love N-Nozomi…"

"WHAT? DID YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF MY FEELINGS TOO?! WAS IT ALL A JOKE?!" Maki's car was approaching, which was noticed by the two.

"I-I didn't mean it, M-Maki-chan! I really do love you!" Nico was fighting through her tears to say this to Maki.

"We both love you…" Maki talked, but she kept hushing her tone as she continued. "You couldn't have said that to us? All three of us, together?" Her voice was cracking as she continually kept talking. Maki opened the door to enter the car. She saw Nico soaking in the rain, but she was still in pieces to try to help. "Maybe…try to understand your feelings. Before you play with ours. Goodbye, Nico-chan. I…l-love you."

Maki entered the car, put her umbrella to the side and cried her heart out. 'This wasn't how the dream was supposed to end. Not even close.'

…

Nico couldn't believe what she just caused. The two girls she loves, both gone because of her selfishness.

She has never seen Maki sad. Angry. But in the span of one day, she experienced the worst of it.

She thought that she could never see Nozomi as sad when she worried about Eli. But…she did. And it was all her fault. The worst part was…Nozomi was even more devastated by this than she was with Eli.

"What…WHAT HAVE I DONE!?"

She crawled to the plush heart that laid on the ground. The one that Nozomi let go. And she held it to her heart.

"I love you. Both of you. I'm sorry." She kept repeating this as she hugged the heart. She was letting herself be attacked by the rain. She deserved it. She was the worst person in the world.

"Nico-chan!" Both Honoka and Kotori were shouting her name. She turned her head to them and smiled.

'They care about me. But…they shouldn't.'

Honoka and Kotori rushed to Honoka's house with Nico.

…

Nozomi kept running. Running away seemed like the best thing for her to do. She had her heart broken again. And again, she was too scared to put her emotions into Nico.

She tripped, but all she could do was cry.

"Nozomi?"

Eli and Umi were looking at the girl.

"What happened?"

Nozomi leapt into Eli's arm and cried her heart out onto Eli's shirt. Umi and Eli looked at each other and nodded.

The three went to Eli's house. The walk there was silent between the three girls. The only sounds were the rain pouring down, and Nozomi's sobbing.

A/N: If you didn't know, the title of this chapter is related to a "mini-series" of Love Live stories called "Secret Short Cuts." The first one is a super shippy NicoMaki and it had somewhat of an inspiration for this chapter. This was painful to write, and I hope that translate well.

Thanks for Reading!