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“I know I asked for help, but-”
“No buts, Niccochi. You promised.”
Nico frowned.
Technically, it was true. She had been desperate when she’d come to Nozomi. The situation had gotten completely out of control, and she couldn’t let it go any further.
Somehow, she’d ended up falling in love with Maki, of all people. She couldn’t really explain how, considering how much the two of them fought, but she couldn’t help it. She was smart, and pretty, and when she smiled, sincerely and happily, Nico’s heart melted. Hell, she had it so bad that she was even starting to enjoy fighting with Maki, no matter how angry Maki made her.
She clearly couldn’t let things go on like this. So she went to the only person she could think of for advice: one of the only two people in μ’s who weren’t single. And of the two, it was clear which one of them had taken the initiative. Honoka was as dense as a pair of lead shoes and just as romantic. Nozomi, meanwhile, had somehow managed to steal a girl away from two childhood friends who would both die for her. Clearly, a woman who knew a thing or two about romance.
And so Nico had come to her with a plea. There was only one thing she wanted for Christmas, and it was to date the infuriating redhead that had stolen her pure idol heart right out of her chest and held it, still beating, in her elegant pianist’s fingers.
Nozomi, to Nico’s surprise, had been extremely agreeable to the idea. Nico had expected teasing, drawing the whole thing out to make Nico explain everything in painful detail, and then extorting some kind of favour in return. But instead, Nozomi had only made Nico promise one thing.
She’d actually follow the advice Nozomi gave her, even if it seemed silly.
It was a dangerous promise to make. There was no proof that Nozomi would give her actual advice, after all. She might just get Nico to do something stupid for her own amusement, after all. It was an indicator of just how desperate Nico was that she even agreed.
“Are you really sure about this?” Nico said. Pleading with her eyes for Nozomi to relent. To tell her to do something else.
“I’m sure,” Nozomi said firmly, crushing Nico’s hopes.
“Isn’t this a little…” Nico looked down at the bow in her hands and frowned. “Embarrassing?”
Nozomi’s eyes softened. “Isn’t love always a little embarrassing?” she said. “Being vulnerable, and letting someone see all the pathetic and uncool parts of yourself that you usually cover up? Trusting, hoping that for one special person, you’ll still be worth loving even if you let them see who you really are?”
Nico blinked.
It was… not the kind of thing she would have expected Nozomi to say, frankly. It wasn’t that Nico was surprised that Nozomi had a soft spot for romance, but… it felt personal. It felt like Nozomi was letting Nico see a part of her that she usually hid behind jokes and slyness. Was this how she thought about Honoka?
Was it how Nico thought about Maki?
She was starting to think that it might be. That when she saw that pure happy smile that Maki showed from time to time, that she was yearning more than anything for it to be for her, for Nico to be the one making her smile like that, to have that warm glow in Maki’s eyes be because of Nico.
“Can’t I just date her in a not embarrassing way?” Nico pleaded.
“No,” Nozomi said. “Not for real. Oh, sure, maybe you could find a way for her to confess to you, although I doubt it.”
“Hey!”
Nozomi ignored her and continued. “Maybe you could manage to act cool during the confession, and only celebrate alone in your room when you get home. Maybe you could manage to act normal around her while you’re dating, and not give away how lovestruck you are.”
She leaned closer. “But you won’t be satisfied, Niccochi. You’ll be more and more afraid that the relationship will last only as long as you’re hiding from her. The distance between you won’t close the way you want it to.”
Nico frowned.
“There’s only way to have someone love all the parts of you that you hide away, Niccochi. And that’s to show them to her.”
She grinned. “So why not get all the embarrassment out of the way right at the beginning?”
Nico sighed. “Fine,” she grumbled, picking up the music player at their feet. “And you’re sure this is going to work?”
“There’s no guarantees in love, Niccochi,” Nozomi said. “But I promise you one thing.”
“What’s that?” Nico said.
“It’s always worth the risk. Always.”
That was how Nico found herself at the entrance to Maki’s dorms, standing below the window to Maki’s room holding a boombox and regretting every single step that had taken her here as she tried to ignore the curious glances of passersby.
She wasn’t seriously going to do this, was she? This was right out of some stupid romantic comedy. Maki was going to laugh in her face for even trying this. What she should do was turn around, walk right back out, and then… ask her out for coffee by text, casually. Something sensible. Not some grand romantic gesture.
But what Nozomi said was tugging at the back of her mind.
Did she really want to just get coffee with Maki?
Groaning at her own stupidity, she pressed play and held the boombox up.
I just called… to say… I love you. I just called… to say how much I care.
A corny American love song blared out of the speakers at a volume that made Nico wince a little. There were certainly a lot more stares now, and Nico felt more and more like an idiot as the seconds ticked past while she watched the window.
Finally, though, thank god, Maki’s curiosity lead her to the window and she poked her head out, her eyes widening in surprise at the sight.
“Nico?!”
Well, here it was. Now or never.
“Maki, will you go out with me?” Nico yelled.
Maki started down at her in disbelief.
Frankly, Nico could sympathize.
“What?” she yelled down.
Nico frowned. “I feel like I’m being really clear, here!” she yelled up to her.
“Can you turn that music down? I can’t hear you!”
Well.
This was officially one of the most embarrassing moments of her life.
Sheepishly, Nico reached up and turned the dial down.
“WILL YOU GO OUT WITH ME?” she yelled.
“Wha- like to get lunch?” Maki said, incredulously. “You could have just texted me!”
“No, you idiot, like dating me!”
Maki’s eyes widened even more and she flushed red. “What?!”
“Go out with me!” Nico yelled. “I love you, Maki!”
“You-” Maki was as red as her favourite food. “Y-You just called me an idiot!”
“Well you’re not one! You’re smart, and beautiful, and-”
Maki pulled her head back into the window and slammed it shut.
Nico’s heart fell.
“Oof.” She heard one of the bystanders mutter under his breath.
Welp. So much for the grand gesture. This whole thing had well and truly backfired.
Slowly, she lowered the boombox and turned the music off, trying very hard not to look at anyone around her. She’d just… pretend like nothing happened and get the fuck out of here. And never show her face around here again, which should be easy enough because she was currently considering never leaving her house ever again. Perhaps burying herself twenty feet underground in her back yard so she could curl up in a ball where no one could possible see her.
As she turned to slink away, though, the front door burst open and Maki ran out.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” she asked, incredulously.
“You don’t have to rub it in!” Nico snapped. “I’m leaving already, okay?! Jesus!”
Leave it to Maki to twist the knife. Unnnbelievable. As if Nico didn’t feel bad enough already right now.
“Wha- why are you leaving?!”
Nico ignored her and started to walk away. As if she was going to stand here and humiliatingly reiterate this whole nightmare.
Maki grabbed her shoulder.
“Don’t run away!” she said. “I didn’t even answer yet!”
“You answered plenty!” Nico snapped. “You slammed the window on me!”
“That was- I’m not going to answer your confession through a window!” Maki frowned, and looked around. There was a crowd forming.
“I’m not sticking around for you to set up your fancy explicit rejection,” Nico said.
“For god’s sa- the answer is yes!” Maki said.
Nico paused.
“What?” she said, turning to face Maki. Maki’s face was buried in her hands, but Nico could see how red she was from her burning ears.
“Can we please go inside?” Maki pleaded.
“What, are you ashamed to be seen with me? I’m out here thinking I got rejected in front of the whole dorm and you can’t even accept without being in private?”
Maki groaned. “You’re so-”
She lifted her head and suddenly grabbed Nico’s face roughly. Before Nico could react, Maki had jerkily pulled Nico’s face forward and suddenly the two of them were kissing.
Nico’s brain turned off briefly. By the time it was back online, Maki had pulled back and was glaring at her, still blushing furiously. “There. Now get inside.”
“Okay,” Nico said, dazed, as Maki grabbed her hand and dragged her towards the dorm.
Despite the heartbreak she’d briefly endured, Nico couldn’t help but feel that maybe Nozomi had been right. Love was embarrassing.
But it was totally worth it.