September to January, 2011-12

Heisei 23-24

What the hell, Nico wondered, was "kissing practice?" It kind of sounded like something you'd do in primary school, to be honest. But, as Toujou Nozomi pointed out, neither of them had done so in primary school. Or middle school. At least Nozomi had the excuse of being moved around every couple of years, breaking up all her friendships. And come to think of it, Nico was pretty sure Rin and Yuzu had done something like that in middle school. So, she really had no excuse. Whatever, she thought. Nozomi would probably bug her anyway until she said yes. So she closed her eyes and moved her head forward, lips pursed.

*BA BAN*

Only to knock her forehead into Nozomi's. She made a command decision, annoyed. "You. Don't. Move. A. Centi." she gritted out. Surprisingly, Nozomi complied, and Nico, eyes wide open this time, kissed her.

Afterward, Nozomi said, with a smile, "See! I told you practice was needed. And I could tell Nicocchi enjoyed being the one in charge of a kiss. Nicotachi!"

"I what? I - what are you talking about, Nozomoppai?"

"Ah, a dishonest Nico gets the treatment." With that, Nozomi kissed Nico - and gently rubbed her chest. Nico panicked a little at how ... well ... good it felt. After a bit, she pushed Nozomi's hands aside, broke the kiss and said, "Cut that out!"

"Nico is for all the fans, but the fans, only!" she added.

"Maybe I should become a super idol too, then. Think of the fan-service!" Nozomi winked. In truth, they'd met when Nico was recruiting to start the idol club, and the sexy, sultry-looking Nozomi had been asked to join, and had begged off. Thus, Nico knew she wasn't serious. Nonetheless, Nozomi had been so positive in her praise of Nico's performance (and that of Rin and Yuzu) that it was quite encouraging. And she went out of her way to ask Nico about her progress so often, they started hanging out after school together, when Nico was free. Even though they were in different homerooms.

God knew where and how Nozomi had picked up her breast-rubbing habit. It was nothing Nico would have ever had the gall to do. But Nozomi, at least, had come to a truce with Nico about how she did it. The first time Nozomi had tried to punish Nico for "not being honest" with "washi-washi," she'd been surprised when Nico immediately kicked backward. Twice. Very, very hard. Nozomi was quite bruised. Then Nico explained, through clenched teeth (she found herself talking that way a lot to Nozomi at first) that when you crushed the breasts of a flat-chested young girl, you were crushing the glands and nerves right into the bones, and it hurt worse than Nozomi's bruises, and didn't even have a scrap of humor to it.

It might even cause cancer or hinder development, she'd added gratuitously.

Nozomi had, surprisingly, accepted that. But the next time she felt like punishing Nico, she gently caressed her breasts — which had its own problems, really. But Nozomi was Nico's only real friend outside the Idol Research Club, and it looked like that was going to be true for the foreseeable future, so Nico cut her losses and let Nozomi do as she pleased. She also, actually, reflected on what Nozomi said at those times, and genuinely tried to be more honest about things. It really, really bugged Nico that that probably had improved her character, and her social life. That sort of idiocy shouldn't work.

"Nico is bright red, it suits your face." Nozomi was smiling at Nico. "I think I should return the favor. Nico, one last practice, and you can rub mine, this time."

Well, that was completely out of the question. That turned it from "kissing practice" into "making out practice," and what was the difference between practice and the real thing that counted? Nico was going to protest, she really was, but.

But. The fact remained that Nozomi, for a fifteen-year-old, had truly huge, but pretty firm breasts. They kind of drew your eyes to them as they bobbed, when Nozomi turned around suddenly. When she wore an old tee-shirt whose collar had become low-cut. And Nico had always wondered what they felt like. So it was simple curiosity that made her keep mum.

Nozomi put her hands at her sides, closed her eyes, leaned forward, and held still. Nico, hating herself a little, leaned forward. Her hands landed gently on Nozomi's breasts, and their lips met. Nico very tentatively, hesitantly, caressed them. Wow. They were like the softest marshmallows ever made. These were what breasts were meant to be, and it was a good question why Heaven had denied Nico her share. As she stroked them, she gently squeezed Nozomi's nipples between her fingers, and she unconsciously pressed into her a little.

Nozomi did as Nico had done. She broke the kiss and gently placed Nico back a bit with her hands on her shoulders.

"Well, well," she said. Her face was as bright red as Nico's had been. "If Nico's reaction was anything like mine, then ... wow. That was so ... ummm effective, I guess we couldn't really call it practice if we did much more, huh? But how were they, Nicocchi?"

Since Nico would probably never touch them again, she might as well be honest. Besides, Nozomi tended to see through her when she wasn't.

"They were amazing. I admit it. I've never touched anything that felt like that. I really envy Nozomi."

"Ooh, so honest, Nicocchi! Well, thank you. I know whenever I went out alone the boys would always stare at them, and that didn't make me feel good at all. But you appreciating them makes me happier. They are already big enough to cause back and shoulder aches, you know. The sweet spot is somewhere in the middle between us, Nico."

Fortunately for her suddenly re-wounded vanity, Nico had idol practice coming up. And had to check in with the dance and drama clubs first. "Thanks for the practice," she said, a bit sarcastically. She saluted Nozomi and sauntered off.


Her Japanese was pretty good for a Russian girl. That was the first thing Nico and the girls around her said, whispering. Nico was a little shrewder than average about things like that, and declared her a "half." She had a Japanese name, Ayase Eri, which she said with that funny L sound foreigners used. It was a real tongue-twister. You had to curl your tongue the opposite way, way up behind your teeth, for starters. Nico had practiced it, as she knew she'd have to sing at least some English in her future career.

"Class, we have a transfer student who has come to us today. Please welcome her. Ayase-san, introduce yourself."

The tall, blonde girl stood by Ms. Mizukuki looking like a Hollywood celebrity or a Russian gymnast, or both. Nico felt a different sort of envy to the way she felt about Nozomi's chest. This girl had abundant breasts, actually, but she was taller than Nozomi - and much, much taller than Nico - otherwise slender, and with a stunning face, so you didn't necessarily notice.

"Hi, I am Ayase Eli. I am glad to meet you. I hope to study hard and become the Student Council jecretary."

She didn't say, "Please take care of me," but someone in the class did, anyway. A girl with thick glasses and a serious manner stood up.

"Ayase-san. Umm. It's rude, but ... umm .. the word is 'hisho' not 'hijo.'" In other words, Ayase-san had wanted to be the Student Council Secretary - the notetaker — with that level of speaking — she couldn't even say 'secretary', let alone be one! You could see she was thoroughly embarrassed.

Undeterred, the girl continued. "But Ayase-san, I think perhaps you should also consider treasurer. We have a perfectly good secretary right now, you see. But we couldn't get anyone to be treasurer, so they make the secretary do it, and when she can't, the president or vice-president have to fill in. We would be very grateful to have you in that capacity."

Ayase stammered out that she'd be honored. So her embarrassment, at least, had not been suffered in vain. She went to her seat, which was near Nico. Nico could hear her ask who the girl was that had spoken up. She was, of course, the student council secretary.


Nozomi had been so intrigued when Nico told her about Ayase, Nico had a premonition that something upsetting would happen. Sure enough, Nozomi suddenly volunteered to help out at the student council, where Ayase had indeed become the treasurer — if no one ran for something, the president could appoint them at Otonokizaka. She would usually help out a half hour before Ayase finished her work there, then take her out to a kissaten that "has great parfaits" to help "Elichika" — who really was pretty high-strung — to "unwind." Nico tended to see her now only once a week. She tried to be philosophical about it. She didn't really have the time to be a dedicated friend, and it seemed like they were headed towards dating, or at least the kind of girl friendship people called "romantic." Which seemed to be what Nozomi had with "Elichika," to be honest.

She resolved to do the same thing she'd done when the drama club poached Rin and Yuzu from her. When she met Eli outside of class, she was completely gracious, she dropped hints that Eli had stolen her best — nay only real friend — but she was just happy Nozomi was happy. And Nico was so busy anyway, though some of that was endless paperwork as her club and group had to struggle with getting permission to practice and put on performances. She guilted Eli into bringing it up at the student council, and, in fact, got numerous favors out of the council that did, indeed, save her a lot of precious time previously spent wrangling with the system. Nozomi approved of this, just as she had when she perceived what Nico did with the drama club. She liked the impoverished girl's ambition and ability to live by her wits.

Also, she owed Nico, she really did, after the first concert. Nozomi had been running quite late, not for a crucial reason, and assured herself Nico wouldn't even notice, the lights were too bright to tell faces in the audience, she wouldn't miss more than one song. The sight of the completely empty auditorium that met her eyes when she arrived dispelled that fantasy. With a great internal struggle, she decided to move to the very front to encourage Nico. But something failed her and she ended up sitting one row back after all. Nonetheless, though she'd missed the song, but not Nico's tears, she applauded like crazy. A couple of girls standing in the wings also applauded. As the girls did two more songs, people started to gather, but they didn't all sit up front, making the auditorium still look almost completely empty. Nozomi not only hadn't gotten anyone else to the concert, she herself hadn't been there for the start.

Nico didn't talk to Nozomi at all for a while after that. She threw herself into the idol club, and they and the drama and dance members were pretty much the only people she spoke to.

So Nozomi agreed with all of Nico's suggestions. She pointed out to Eli, who mentioned it to the other members of the student council, that Nico's activities were making Otonokizaka a more exciting place to be. The drama club president and dance club president agreed. Her forward-looking, professional approach wasn't really matched by anyone else at the school.

With her new "in" with the student council, Nico had more opportunities. She often had to cook ahead and plan her whole week, but she was able to step up and take advantage of them. She told herself that, given her situation, she and Nozomi would have tapered off their friendship somewhat anyway, eventually.


Notes:

Nicotachi A tachi is a top, sometimes butch. A neko is a bottom, sometimes femme. Nozomi is suggesting Nico is, or sees herself as, a top. Of course, true Love Live! School Idol Project fans realize Nico is a neko whether topped by Maki, as usual, or Nozomi in a variation. But the poor girl is allowed her delusional ego-bolstering illusions.