Flashback
"NICO-CHAAN!" Maki shouted, sitting up, tears streaming down her face. She looked wildly around the room.
"What? It was just a dream... again," she muttered, clutching her racing heart. "What the hell is wrong with me?... I hope she's okay."
She looked at the wall clock. 8:47 AM. She dragged herself out of bed, heading for the bath, muttering one last, fervent prayer into the mirror. "I think this is just homesick"
_______________________
Maki finished washing her face and took great care in selecting her outfit. She chose a stylish, yet comfortable dress, spinning once in the spacious room to check the fit. It suited her perfectly, adding a touch of casual elegance to her typical composed demeanor.
With the persistent nightmares momentarily pushed aside, Maki started toward a nearby fast-food restaurant. As she walked along the side street, her thoughts were miles away.
"MISS!" a voice called out, making her stop.
Maki turned, her violet eyes meeting a young man who quickly caught up to her. "Yes?" she responded, noting his slightly flustered appearance.
As the man began to speak, his face flushed a deep, telltale red. "Umm... what's your name?" he managed to ask, clearly nervous.
"Nishikino Maki," she answered directly, a habit from years of structured introductions. "You can just call me Maki. I'm sixteen. And you?"
The man nodded quickly, gathering himself. "Oh! My name is Nagisa Touma. You can call me Touma, and I'm seventeen."
Maki blinked, jolted by the familiar rhythm of the name. "Wait, are you... Japanese?" she asked, her voice betraying surprise.
Touma smiled broadly, a genuine, friendly expression. "Yes, I am!"
Heh! This guy is Japanese, and I wasted all that energy speaking formal English, Maki thought, mildly annoyed at herself. "Oh, good. I am Japanese too," she admitted, relaxing slightly.
They decided to walk to the restaurant together.
Is this a date? Maki mused inwardly, a faint blush rising. Hmph, no way this could be a date. I have Nico-chan, after all.
She remembered the flood of group texts and pulled out her phone as they waited for their order.
Maki: Sorry I'm late to reply.
Rin: It's okay, nya!
Touma watched her, sipping his drink, his gaze intense. "Maki-san? Can you smile?" he finally asked.
Maki frowned slightly, confused by the request. "I can, of course. But I only do it when I genuinely want to. I'm not going to force a smile, and honestly, I don't particularly enjoy smiling on command."
Touma's smile deepened, unfazed by her directness. "You know, Maki-san, when I saw you walking down the side street—that scarlet hair, those amazing ruby eyes—I knew I had to stop you. You're so beautiful. I really like you, Maki-san." His confession was simple, earnest, and completely unexpected.
Maki's face flushed tomato-red, the sudden rush of heat making her ears tingle. "Wha—what are you talking about? Where did you even pick up that kind of line?" she stammered, flustered and shy.
"I got it from myself. I truly like you, Maki-san," Touma repeated.
As his words hung in the air, a familiar, distant voice echoed in Maki's mind, piercing the moment with sharp clarity: 'I love you, Maki-chan.'
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You Lie That Time | NicoMaki
FanfictionNishikino Maki is the 1st year student at Otonokizaka and she comes from a wealthy family of doctors and is somewhat pressured to become a doctor like her parents, which would lead her into giving up music. Maki has the qualities of a tsundere and h...
