"Hey, it's been a while...."

"Yeah...been too long, Nico-chan."

The two of us stared at each other as we began to talk. At the same time the crowd that surrounded us took the chances to take pictures/videos of us together, and whisper stuffs like "OM, my two waifus are here!", "NicoMaki for the win!!", etc.

MAKI'S POV

It's been so long since I last got to see Nico-chan in person. Not counting online chat and some lucky opportunities, I rarely got to talk to her, have a date with her or even visit her at her house in all these years. She still kinda looks the same though; except letting her hair down and not doing the pigtails I was familiar with.

"What's with you? You almost ruined the graduation ceremony when you showed up."

"Not like I knew it'll lead to this!! Don't tell me you're angry at me for what happened!!"

"Not really actually. It just annoyed me a bit, after all I am the Student Council President - "

Then my eyes turned to show me that a lot of people were around us. Geez. It's so uncomforting to have this many people to be looking at us.

"Hey, Nico-chan. We need to talk - somewhere else...."

"Oh right, Yukiho help me out....huh?...umm, where did she go - "

"HI EVERYONE!!!"

"Eh?!"

Suddenly, I saw Yukiho overhead as she brought someone along with her.

"Hey!! Over here, Honoka-chan want's to do an interview with everyone here!!!"

Honoka was here all this time!!? Why?!! Didn't she say she wasn't gonna attend?!! I never thought....

"It's Honoka-chan!!!"

"Honoka?!! Kousaka Honoka?!!!"

...well, whatever. Honoka showed up and started calling everyone to come to her. Even though she graduated last year, Honoka is still widely covered by the media, being the former leader of u's and all. Love Live also still continues to at a very low degree keep an eye on her - I am not sure if Honoka is now one of Love Live's representatives or something. Besides that, Honoka had been doing lots of singing lately and I think she had just declared she was gonna try being a voice actress as well.

I'm glad she still has a lot of fans though....

In anycase, enough attention was driven away from us and Nico and I managed to get away. Thank you, Honoka.

"Yukiho really knows how to call the shots...."

"Well....she's part of the student council - "

"What?! Maki-chan, Yukiho is part of the SC!!?"

"You don't know, huh? Yukiho is the SC's sergeant-at-arms."

"Oh...the one that does a lot of supervising huh? How sad...."

For some reason, Nico looked really depressed as she held my hand.

-----

Nico brought me to an old but familiar place - the piano room.

"I'm glad the piano is still here - and the room as well."

"Why here?"

"Isn't this the place where we used to hang out at crucial times? Besides that....."

Nico suddenly sat down and started playing the piano....she was playing a song....a song I have never heard before...

"Nico?"

"I've mastered the piano now, Maki-chan. You taught me how to do it, thank you for that."

Nico kept playing - the melody of the tone was somewhat dramatic. I could feel as if this song she is playing right now is filled with so much emotion. The song sounded so sad - did Nico really make this?

"This is my new song by the way. Before I release it to the public, I wanted you to be the first to hear it."

"Nico.....it....it sounds so sad....."

"Yeah....it is...."

Nico stopped playing. Then she turned around and looked at me. While the light of the window behind her fell to brighten Nico's face in such a degree as if Nico's eyes sparkled. Just seeing that face, I felt like holding my chest - as my heart just reacted to this girl's expression.

She is prettier now than she was before.....

"Maki-chan...."

Nico held both of my two hands, and continued to look at me as if....as if....as if she wanted to put an end to something....

"Do you know what I feel now, Maki-chan? Do you know how sad I am?"

I did not get what she was trying to point out.

"Nico....don't tell me you still regret - "

"No, Maki. I just miss you, that's all."

She held my hands tighter.

"I missed you all these years, Maki-chan."

"Nico....please accept it. There's no point if you continue clinging to the past - "

"The past? No, Maki-chan. It's not the past - it's your future...our future....that I am worried about."

"Nico....stop it...we don't have a future anymor - "

"You're planning to break up with me, weren't you?"

What's up with her?

"Maki-chan.....you don't like me anymore....don't you?"

I could not respond properly. Is Nico alright?

"Nico....so what if I would?"

"I had a dream.....a dream where you said that you wanted to break up with me. That it was all over between us."

Nico.....I get it.

"Nico....we....we've agreed to that already, remember? We agreed - and expected - together that eventually all of this will end. That someday, u's will disband; that someday, we too will disband as a couple. Don't tell me you regret all that!!?"

"....sorry, I just...."

Nico continued to talk as if she wasn't satisfied with what she said.

"I just....all these years I feel like something is missing.....I could not enjoy being idol because something felt off....I...."

Even when she was starting to cry, Nico continued.

"...I...I just....I just don't feel ready to say goodbye to you yet.....sniff...."

"Nico...stop crying - "

Nico locked the door. She wrapped me with her arms so tightly, not letting go....she was crying really hard as she placed her head on my chest.

"Nico...please...stop it...I'll end up crying too if you..."

This is getting annoying.

"Cry with me...please, Maki-chan!"

"Why?!! What's the point - "

"Maki-chan, you look so sincere and beautiful whenever I see you cry - please...let me see that one more time....."

Has Nico lost her sense of self because of all this emotion? Seriously....she's already 20 yrs old or something yet still -

Wait....how come I feel like I don't care anymore....

"Nico....stop it...."

It took some seconds later before Nico managed to hold back for a bit...

"You won't cry, Maki-chan?"

"I won't Nico....I've already cried out all my tears before....back then....I can't do it anymore....."

".......Maki...."

I don't want Nico to act like this...I have to fix it now...I leaned over, hugged Nico tightly and said:

"Let's break up. Please."

Nico was hurt with what I said....I understand...She probably still wasn't ready to say goodbye yet...but we can't just be blind forever, can't we?

"I'm sorry, Nico-chan. I...."

"Okay...."

Nico wiped her tears way and got up. She backed away from me.

"I....sorry, Maki-chan....I did not mean to get dramatic all of a sudden...."

"I understand, Nico."

".....just...do me a favor....do you mind, Maki-chan?"

"....fine, what is it?"

Nico's request got me confused. Almost hurt if not frustrated....like she could not understand what was going on now...what reality is....

"......don't leave me alone yet....please...."

I was kinda hurt when she just said that, I was expecting Nico came to this graduation ceremony to tell me she's okay with what is gonna happen....however....

Nico-chan, I don't get you....why are you doing this!!?

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A/N: To those who did not get my message, just wanna say that I lost my wifi connection so I will not be able to update immediately for a while. Still, stay tuned for the next chapters, I am gonna finish this!! <3