Review Responses:

Aethuran: Well, the tension blows off here. I hope you enjoyed this story, and this ending!

Guest: I think it's more interesting. The last chapter was more of a transition to this. I hope you enjoy this last chapter!

"Hehe," Nico chuckled nervously. "I don't think any of us…are…"

She made a mistake by looking at Eli and Umi. Well, all three girls in the center did. The stares coming from the other four were serious, but laughable. Those four girls didn't do serious well.

However, Eli and Umi were a completely different beast. Everyone knew how Umi acted at Maki's vacation home when the pillow fight happened. That same aura was emanating from Umi right now. Eli's glare was similar. Her aura was like the one when she made the seven initial girls do her exercises for dance. No one was escaping, even Nozomi.

"E-Elich- eeeee!" Nozomi attempted to ask for mercy from her best friend. However, she became threatened when Eli's glare turned to her.

"Talk. NOW."

"There's nothing to talk about," Maki was nervous. She was by the girl she loved and the girl she loves. She tried her best to keep a cool face, but seeing Rin and Hanayo and their faces reminded her that she brought it upon herself. She was just too nervous to say anything to Nozomi.

However, Nico was the first one to talk. "I'M SORRY!" This shocked Nozomi and Maki. The room was silent, only Nico's sobs piercing the silence. "I…never meant…to hurt you…either of you…"

"Nicochi…"

"Nico-chan…can you explain? Please?" Maki was desperate to know Nico's thoughts. What she meant by 'I'm sorry.'

"That day…that painful day…" Nico wasn't able to say anything. Her emotions got the better of her, and she started to break down. However, Honoka and Kotori were there to rub circles on her back.

"Nico-chan, it's okay." Kotori assured the aspiring idol.

"They will listen to what you'll say. They have to." Honoka glared at Nozomi and Maki. The two were surprised that they actually felt threatened by the orange-haired leader.

Nico was so glad that the two second years gave her comfort. "Maki," the red-head perked her head up to Nico. "I truly meant what I said." Nico took both of Maki's hands. "I love you, Maki. I loved you from when we first met. Your annoying, but endearing personality. The talent you have on the piano. Everything."

Maki was blushing at all of Nico's compliments. She was pouring tears from her eyes, but they were conflicted. She loved Nico. But, that one sentence…It haunted her. "But…Why? WHY, NICO-CHAN? WHY WERE YOU SORRY FOR LOVING ME?!"

Nico knew Maki had a right to be angry. She said something unreasonable and made Maki misunderstand the-

SLAP! The seven girls gasped. They never expected Maki to be violent. But, they saw where she was coming from.

"TELL ME, NICO-CHAN! P-please…" It was Maki's time to break down. She hated herself for slapping Nico. "I-I'm sorry..." Hanayo rubbed circles on Maki's back, while Rin took Maki's free hand and rubbed circles on the back of it. She wanted to know. Her mind was fractured because of Nico's answer.

Nico held the spot where she got slapped. It stung, and she knew she should feel this way. 'I'm sorry, Eli.' She felt confident now. The slap was a wake-up call, telling her to not be afraid. 'If they don't love me back, I have others to trust in. We'll make up. Eventually.'

Nico started to pet Maki's head, trying anything to comfort her. "It's okay, dummy." Maki looked up and saw Nico's smile. "I know you're angry, and to be honest...I think I had that coming."

Maki felt terrible. "No, Nico-chan. I...I shouldn't have done that..."

However, she was interrupted by Nico. "Shh...I know you need an explanation, and I'm going to tell you straight. I said sorry, Maki …" Maki anticipated the answer. She had to know. Why? "…Because it felt…wrong." Maki looked to Nico. She stared at her straight in the eyes. Nozomi put one hand on Nico's. She wanted to know. She promised herself to listen to Nico. "I couldn't love two people at once, could I?"

Maki understood. Loving a girl was already an iffy subject. However, loving more than one person…it can cause many problems.

"Yes, I love you Maki. However…" she turned to Nozomi just enough so both girls were in her field of view. "…I also love Nozomi. It didn't feel right, loving two people. I was scared. What if I didn't love both equally? Would one leave me because of it? I didn't want that. I could have gotten both of you together and tell you, but I was a coward."

"Nicochi…" Nozomi felt happy. She knew that Nico loves her and the feelings were mutual. However…

"When you said that you loved me, why did it feel…fake?" Nozomi's heart couldn't be played with. She didn't want it to.

Nico put her head down, giving some time for her to think. 'It didn't sound genuine, didn't it?'

"Nozomi…" the purple-haired girl turned her head. "…I think it was all out of desperation. When I saw you there, you were crying. Did you hear what Maki and I were talking about?"

Nozomi thought back to that moment and couldn't say anything. She nodded.

"I didn't know any of your feelings, at least of love. I just thought about myself and that I can tell at least one person my feelings. Maki happened to be there, so I wanted to say something to her. But I felt guilty. For leaving out the other girl I love. I didn't want to lose you, even as just a friend. I guess that's why I said it without much…conviction. I needed you, but it felt like I was going to lose you.

"But I truly love you too, Nozomi! You may always tease me, but I love that about you! You are so smart, beautiful, and caring. It's no wonder we can easily call you the mother of Muse. If I lost you, I would lose a part of myself. And it's the same with Maki. If I lost either of you as friends, much less loves…I could never be the same. I could never live with myself knowing I drove away two of the greatest people in my life."

Nico looked at both girls, in confidence. She took a hand of Maki's and of Nozomi's. "I'm not looking for anything to come from this. I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't love me back anymore. I got my feelings out there and I'm happy the two of you know now. If I can't love both of you, I just want us to- Oof!"

Nico wanted to continue her heartfelt speech, but she was attacked by the two bodies. She was between a warm embrace coming from the two girls she loves. Her tears that she tried to keep in check couldn't be contained. She put her head into the shoulders of the girls and cried. Her tears were happy.

"Nico-chan, I still love you. I tried to say I'll push it away, but I can't help it. You're my first love, and I don't want to lose it." Maki's voice was trembling, but her composure was strong.

"Nicochi, I love you too." Nozomi kept it simple; she was still getting over the fact that Nico did love her.

When they released the hug, Nozomi felt a bit guilty. "But…the heart…I feel so bad, Nicochi. I just threw it away. I thought you didn't love me back, so I didn't want to have anything to do with you. I-I-"

Nico put a finger on the girl's lips. With her free hand, she reached into her bag and swept it around. Nozomi looked over to the bag and saw Nico pulling out her prized possession.

Nico put it in front of Nozomi's face. "I know you dropped it. I had a feeling that you dropped it because of what you said. I couldn't leave it there. It held too many memories between us to lose."

Nozomi took the plush heart and hugged it tightly. "I'll never lose you again. I'll only throw you out when Nicochi and I fight enough that we want to break up."

Eli laughed. "That sounds like what you told me and Umi when we started dating."

"Exactly." Nozomi's lips formed into the biggest smile she ever wore.

"Oh!" Nico shuffled her hands around her bag until she felt another item. She pulled it out and put it in front of Maki.

Maki's eyes were shimmering at the toy. A tomato with a cute smile.

"I know you are the jealous type, Maki." Nico said with a smile. "I had a feeling that you also wanted a plush from the greatest idol, Nico." Her smile shifted from smug to caring. "I hope you like it. I know your love for tomatoes."

Maki had a smile on her face, but she didn't forget about Nico's previous comment. She playfully hit Nico on the arm. "S-shut up." She took the tomato and held it in front of her, like holding a puppy. "I love it. And I love you too, Nico-chan."

Nico's thoughts were happy. All three of them love each other. Wait…

"How about you two? Are Nozomi and Maki okay with being shared?" Honoka asked.

"Jeez, Honoka. You make me sound awful." Her face was unamused at Honoka. "But, she's right. Are you two okay with each other?"

Nozomi didn't really think this far ahead. She did like the red-head. She was happy that Maki opened up-

CHU!

Nozomi held her cheek. She was kissed? But-

"Nozomi-chan." Nozomi turned her head to the red-head. "I love you too. You were the one that broke my shell. I became kinder to everyone here. You are a role model, of some sort, to me. You show intelligence, beauty, loyalty, and love. And, it was able to charm me. Please, let me love you."

Nozomi couldn't believe her ears. 'Maki-chan also loves me? I haven't really seen her as some one I could love. But…it would be nice. We would all love each other.'

"So, is that a yes?"

Nozomi was confused. "What does that mean?"

"You just said that 'We could all love each other.'"

"I-I said my thoughts aloud?"

"I guess so. So, can I try? I want to love you to love me as we love Nico-chan." Maki's eyes were glowing a beautiful purple.

Nozomi smile grew. "Yes, Makichi."

Hearing her new nickname from Nozomi made her heart flutter. She leapt into the girl's arms, holding the plush tightly.

"Hey! Don't forget…" Nico (somehow) wrapped her arms around the two girl's necks. "…about me!"

Nozomi and Maki moved their bodies so that the three girls could embrace.

"We could never forget."

STORY END

A/N: WOO! My first fic ever finished completely. I finished this before any of my previous ones. Those had no inspiration really. This was one that I am so proud of. I hope that you all enjoyed this story. And don't hate the ending…I love NozoNico. But I also love NicoMaki. So, why not both? It's a feel-good ending that you probably could see coming. But hopefully, you like it.

Thanks for reading! This story is closed!