<Maki's pov>

"You won't get away with this, Papa!" I yelled at the firmly locked door, banging on it.

"Keep it down, Maki! No one will come for you! This mansion is soundproof. Just give it up!" He yelled back from the other side of the wall.

I paced back and forth around the room to find a way to escape when I stopped in front of a window. I tried opening up the window, thinking that I could just crawl out of it and be free. However, the window is completely stuck and couldn't be opened. I tried pushing it with all my might but it didn't budge.

I let out a long sigh before plopping myself on the worn out bed, which belongs to the maids who used to work here. He's right. What's the point of resisting when he had the place heavily guarded? Plus, like he said, this place is soundproof. No one will hear my cries. I curled up at the edge of the bed, wishing whoever who got that message send help.

Wishing Nico to come and rescue me... Hoping that she's here right next to me... Hoping that she's able to protect me from the beast who is probably having a victorious tea break at the other side of this wall...

No... I shouldn't let him win.

I scanned around the room, trying my last attempt to escape when my eyes rested on a piece of pipe. I got out of bed, grabbed the rusted piece of metal and used it to smash the window.

Crack!

The pipe managed to create a slight crack in the window. Perfect! I'll be out of here in no time. I swung the pipe to the window again, this time harder than before.

Clunk!

The pipe gave up on itself and broke into two; the other half dropping on the floor with a loud clunk while the other stayed lifeless in my hand. I inspected the glass, hoping that the glass has a hole that I could work with to escape. Nothing. I could feel that the glass is mocking me. It's crack reminding me of my failure.

So much for escaping then...
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<Nico's pov>

I had spent the sleepless night looking for Maki. My cellphone is pretty much dying from being switched on for a long time. Part of my body would kill for a rest while the other wants to continue the tedious search for Maki.

I stopped in front of a cafe and looked at the slightly worn out menu sitting by the entrance.

"I could do with a cup of coffee..." I thought to myself as I entered the building.

I headed to my usual seat, the one at the corner of the room, when a hand tapped on my shoulders.

"M-Maki!?" I startled before turning around to face a certain blonde.

"Wha- Maki?" Eli repeated as her head tilted slightly to the side.

"N-Nothing... What brings you here?"

"Hanayo wanted to see us badly." Nozomi appeared from behind Eli. "We don't know why though. She sounded like she's in trouble... Or there's trouble somewhere."

"I-I see..."

"Hey, why don't you sit with us, then. Since we're all here." Eli suggested.

"Uhh... Sure."

We headed towards a table with seats for four and set ourselves down. Once we've settled down, we took a menu each and scanned through it.

"Hi would you like the usual?" A waitress appeared by our table.

"I think I'll have a black coffee today." I ordered, thinking of the extra energy needed to carry out the search.

"We'll have a jumbo parfait, please." Eli ordered, handing the menu back to the waitress.

"Thank you for your patronage." She smiled brightly before rushing back to the counter.

Once she left, Eli wrapped her arms around Nozomi's waist and brought her closer. They cuddled with each other lovingly and nuzzles their noses together. Their actions attracted a lot of attention to our table. On the other hand, I felt a lot like a child with inseparable parents. Literally inseparable.

"Are they sisters?" Someone started a commotion.

"No way. One of them looks foreign."

"Then... Are they on a date?"

"Ew gross. They're both girls, idiot. They're probably just really close friends... Really close."

"Then... Who's the third person? Is she just another friend or are they like in some sort of a threesome?"

"I'm starting to question you."

Oh great. People are actually talking about us. "Learn some restraint, guys." I grumbled, having no energy left to properly retort to their public affections.

"Ara~ Nico-chii, did you feel left out? Do you want us to stop.... Or maybe join us?" Nozomi smirked.

"Wh-what the hell! Never in a million years!" I subconsciously stood up and slammed my hands on the table, earning more stares at us. "I-I mean... No thanks."

"Hi. Here's your orders." The waitress appeared by our table and set down a cup of black liquid and a humongous bowl of ice-cream coated with glittering caramel and surrounded by tons of colorful fruits.

"Thanks." Eli smiled at the waitress.

"Just doing my job." The waitress smiled back before she rushed off to attend to other customers.

Once she's out of sight, Nozomi leaned over the table and whispered, "Having it black, Nico-chii? Don't you prefer having it... I don't know... a lot more sweeter?"

"D-Don't treat me like a child, Nozomi. I'm the same age as you!" I stirred the drink before giving it a little taste. Bitter. Nothing but pure bitterness. What the hell am I thinking, buying this bittery mess?

Nozomi then averted all her attention to her partner sitting next to her. They took a spoonful of the dessert and fed each other, even though they could do so to themselves.

I eyed their sweet-looking parfait in envy, adding sachet after sachet of sugar to take away the bitterness.

"So, what did Hanayo want from the both of you?" I asked, sipping on the (still bitter) coffee.

Eli took out her phone and showed me a conversation with Hanayo.
________________________________

H: Eli-chan! Help! There's trouble!
E: Hanayo, calm down. What happened?
H: Long story
H: see me at the cafe near Otonokizaka.
________________________________

"....and that's what she said." Eli retreated her phone and slid it back into her pocket.

That conversation left me wondering; what on earth happened? One problem surfaced after the next. Umi seems upset yesterday, Hanayo and her unknown problem and Maki going missing. What's next? Rin suddenly decided to leave to some other country and leave us behind?

"Ah, you guys are here." A voice went through my ears, snapping me out of my thoughts. I looked up and saw a certain brown bob-haired lady. Drops of sweat rained down her cheeks. She was all out of breath, huffing heavily as her shoulders.

Hanayo looked at me in disbelief soon after she has calmed down. "E-eh? Nico-chan... You're-"

"Yeah yeah I'm alive." I growled, feeling sick of hearing this again.

"Hanayo, what happened? Why did you want to meet us so urgently?" Eli asked, letting her sit next to me.

"Well I was on my way back from work when I got this message from Maki-chan." She placed her phone on the table, allowing us to read its contents:
"Help! My father went insane and tried to take me away! Whoever who got this message, please send help!"

"Soon after, I saw her being dragged by two men into a limousine and they took off fast."

"Of course..." My hands gripped onto a spoon in anger. Who else would cause Maki any trouble other than that damned person. He shouldn't be qualified as a human at all!

"Nico-chii? Are you okay? You might break that spoon if you keep holding it like that."

"I know what to do now and I need your help." I started. "Would you take up the favour?"

"Of course!" Eli exclaimed. "If someone messes with one of us, they'll have to deal with all of us. We're μ's afterall. We'd watch each other's backs."

"Thanks Eli." I gave her a warm smile. The smile I had not used for a long time. Eli's speech somehow motivated me to stop that monster more.

"I'll gather the group then." Nozomi took out her phone and sends a message to the rest of the members.

Our teamwork and strong bond, as strong as a family's, made me glad that I'm part of μ's. Subconsciously, a smile was set on my lips even though the feeling of hatred and worry still floods up in me.
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A/N

Aye it's me again. I have some good/bad news. The good news is that this story won't end after two-three chapters. I did my math xD. But the bad news is that this might take longer for updates since I have to sit for a very important examination at the end of this year. So... Umm yeah.... Stay patient. PEACE!