Nico stood outside the door leading into the idol club's meeting room, but she did not enter it just yet. Instead, she peered through the tiny window while standing on her tip-toes. She could see someone was already inside; Hanayo, one of her friends since joining Muse. The freshman was totally engrossed with Nico's impressive collection of idol merchandise on the shelves, particularly the DVDs and music CDs. It was one of the stranger things she had certainly seen in a long while.

Hanayo removed each CD one at a time from the shelf, gazing thoughtfully for a moment at their illustrative covers, reading the list of songs on the other side, and then placing them back in the exact same spot. It was the same with the smaller DVDs, and she even opened some of them, as if the discs themselves were considered noteworthy, like she could play the videos in her mind. Nico wondered why she didn't go as far as sniff and lick them too, if she cared that much.

Hanayo lingered much longer over the box sets, her fingers twitching, sweat rolling down her forehead, as she could barely contain her desire to touch them, to open them, to unveil the delicious contents inside. Nico could almost make out the stream of drool rolling down Hanayo's chin; the younger girl was totally obsessed with idols in a way it was almost scary. Then again, Nico wasn't too different, being the one who bought all of it in the first place. She didn't like someone snooping around her things while she wasn't present, though. She was going to have her way with this girl and teach her a lesson.

She slid the door open with a loud smack, and Hanayo nearly leaped out of her skirt in surprise.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" Nico barked at her.

"Eep!" Hanayo squeaked, like a dog toy, and she took a few steps backward before banging her leg into the table, "I...I wasn't doing anything, Nico! I was just, um, helping clean up the club room for everyone for tomorrow's meeting! I wanted it to look nice for them, especially Eri, she's the student council president and all...and I...and I..." Hanayo let herself stop talking as she noticed how unconvinced Nico appeared by the lies she had just told her. A smirk graced Nico's lips, a knowing, sly smirk, and it gave the violet-eyed girl chills. Nico was quite small for her age, being 17 years old, but she had the attitude to make herself seem several times as large; Hanayo had never known how to properly act around her. She could almost say she was afraid of getting on the diminutive senior's bad side.

Nico approached Hanayo. She put her hands on her hips, and tilt her head back just enough so she could remain eye to eye with the other girl.

"Don't you know it's impolite to be going through someone's things without their permission, especially MY stuff? My special, super-duper expensive idol collection? Getting your grimy fingers over everything?"

"I'm sorry..." Hanayo hung her head, ashamed.

Nico wasn't feeling satisfied, but what she was feeling, was an odd thrill; she was having fun teasing this girl who took everything so seriously. She reached out and wrapped her fingers around the bow on Hanayo's uniform. She tugged on it, prompting another 'eep' from the bewildered girl.

"Hey."

"Yes...?"

"Do you want to watch one of them with me, then?"

Hanayo blinked. "Huh...?"

Nico sighed, rolling her eyes, and throwing up her shoulders in defeat. "I'm asking you if you want to watch one of the box sets I have, but maybe you're not really that interested after all-"

"Yes! Oh please, yes!" Hanayo immediately threw all caution and fear out the proverbial window upon hearing the offer, and she latched onto Nico's arms, tight enough to cut off circulation, "P-Please, I would LOVE to watch them! Please! The...the one...with last year's Love Live...!" Hanayo was actually panting; Nico had never seen such a maddening reaction to a simple video about idols, since, well, herself. Nico snickered. She was definitely amused.

"So that's the one you want, huh?"

"It's from last year, right? All of the performances...the songs...! I've always wanted to watch it straight from the box set, but I never had enough money to afford it before! And you have it, two of them even! Is it really okay if I can borrow one? I know how precious your collection is to you and everything..."

'That didn't stop you from going through it like an old man digging through a girl's underwear drawer,' Nico thought with a malicious tug on her lips, and she replied in a booming voice, "Of course you can. In fact, why even wait, right? We can watch it right here and now! Nico-Nico's super special Love Live DVD that you so highly covet is right here!"

Hanayo squealed like a fangirl. "Thank you! Thank you thank you thank you thank you!"

Nico's lips were in full display of that Cheshire grin; she definitely had the charm of an idol, barring the fact she had to bribe the girl.

Although school had already ended, even Rin and the others in Muse having gone home, the two girls, on Nico's request, stayed behind to watch the DVDs together. The school was open late into the evening, for the sake of clubs, after-school detention, sporting practice, and a number of other activities involving both students and teachers. The two girls needed to use the television in the club room; there was no way Nico would feel safe taking her 'super rare, super special, super awesome DVD set' out into the cold, windy weather, even if it was inside a backpack, because there it would just bounce around, possibly break something. Considering the set itself cost a rather pretty penny (when Hanayo asked about it, Nico looked away with a solemn expression), the freshman didn't blame her upperclassman for wanting to keep it secure.

Hanayo put her phone away into her bag. "I'm sorry for that...I had to tell my mother I was staying after school. She gets a little, um, worried about me when I don't make it home right away. I told her that I was helping take care of the school pets an extra while longer, because otherwise she would just yell at me to hurry back."

Nico didn't say anything in reply to that little revelation of Hanayo's; she started the first DVD on her laptop.

"Ah! W-Wait! Let me get a chair!" Hanayo exclaimed, rushing for the nearest chair she could plant her butt into. Nico smirked.

As the first act began, a group of young women, all in the same age range as Hanayo and Nico, entered onto the stage and dressed in matching outfits, all of them intricately designed down to the last line of thread, a beautiful myriad of colors and glitter that allowed them to shine like diamonds beneath the great, blinding lights glowing overhead. The assumed leader of the group stepped forward as she began to sing, her comrades joining in one at a time. Hanayo brought her hands to her mouth, cooing.

"Oh...the first act...I was only able to find a few clips of it online, but it's just so wonderful to get to see the full thing! They're so cute, and they're so good! Just listen to the way they sing, especially that one there, second to the left! I wonder if we'll get to meet them when we go to the Love Live next year! Oh, I really hope so! Aaah...!"

Nico stared at the computer screen in front of her, but she saw nothing new, nothing that she hadn't watched over and over time again. Her eyes glided over onto Hanayo, whose full attention was glued to the performance. Hanayo was leaning so far in, her face was almost pressing against the monitor; she was engrossed in the video so much that she closed herself off to everything around her. Nico continued to observe her. She was a weird girl, Hanayo. Nico had never even known her until she joined Muse; she must have crossed paths with her at least once or twice through the school corridors, but the girl had been so quiet, so shy, she never would have stood out in a crowd. Yet they both shared a passion for idols that went beyond saving the school or proving themselves on the stage. Nico had once thought her previous friends shared the same sentiments, but they eventually abandoned Nico, claiming she was full of 'wishful thinking'. Hanayo, as well as the other members of their group, all wanted to succeed with the same amount of passion.

It helped matters too that Hanayo was rather cute, with or without glasses. Nico smirked. She was no Maki, and she was certainly no Super Idol Nico-Nico-Ni, but Hanayo was definitely idol material.

Nico and Hanayo watched the performances for what seemed like hours, and when Nico finally looked out the window to see that evening was beginning to fall, she realized that it really HAD been hours.

"Oh, crap!" Nico stood up, "Hmph, sorry, but we're going to have to finish this later. I don't want to get locked inside the school with you overnight-"

Hanayo was sitting back in her chair, her head slumped forward, eyes closed shut. Nico's jaw dropped; the girl had actually fallen asleep, in the middle of watching her cherished idol videos, like a child who hadn't gotten their midday nap in. Nico couldn't believe it. It was unbelievable, almost too good to be true. She lurched in a little closer. Hanayo was breathing softly, so softly that Nico had to strain her ears just to catch the slightest sound of her breathing out; she definitely wasn't a snorer. Every now and then, her eyelashes fluttered, as if she would jump awake at any moment. Nico observed her face; smooth skin like cream, a tiny nose, a small mouth but large eyes, and the way her hair framed her head so perfectly. She was even cuter than Nico first thought. She was…pretty.

Nico couldn't deny the stirring present deep inside her, like a hunger for something beyond simple sustenance, the longer she stared at Hanayo. Her cheeks started burning at a rapid pace, and when she swallowed her saliva, it felt like she'd gulped down a handful of pebbles and stones. Nico leaned in a little closer. She found herself instinctively pursing her lips together. Her eyelids drooped until her eyes were like red crescents. She hesitated to place her hand on Hanayo's knee for balance as she drew in even closer. Nico couldn't get over how adorable the freshman was. Her lips gingerly touched the surface of Hanayo's cheek-

"Ah!"

Hanayo's eyes popped open. Nico literally flew back on her heels, a screech welling up in her, but she tried her best to play inconspicuous, in hopes that Hanayo hadn't noticed how much Nico was invading her personal space. Hanayo rubbed her eyes, yawning.

"W…What happened, Nico? I…did I fall asleep?"

Nico nodded. "Y-You did,"

"Oh no! I fell asleep! In the middle of the last round! Ah, I missed it!" Hanayo tugged at her hair, on the verge of weeping. "How could I have fallen asleep?"

Nico shrugged. "I don't know; I didn't even see you close your eyes."

"I guess I was just so tired from school…ohhh…I missed the one group I was really excited to see,"

"I was, uh, going to wake you up, because we have to go. It's getting late, and I'm not one to want to spend a sleep-over at school over night!"

"Oh my gosh, it IS late! I'm so, so sorry, Nico! I didn't meant to hold you back for so long!"

"…It's nothing…"

Hanayo stood up. She hurried for the door, but stopped just short of the doorway, whipping around to meet Nico's stare again. Hanayo blushed, and Nico realized right then that she was even cuter than before. Maybe even cuter than Maki. Nico could feel that hunger stirring inside her again, but this time, not only was it occurring in the core of her chest, but it was the equivalent of an arrow piercing her heart, or more accurately (and extremely), a miniature atom-bomb. She wanted to have some fun with this girl.

"I'm sorry…" Hanayo whimpered, "I almost left without you, Nico. Please forgive me! Um, would you like to walk home together? Or maybe you live in the opposite direction?"

Nico shut off her laptop and removed the CD; she was becoming more and more thankful she had spent the extra allowance on buying the special edition box set. She struck one of her playful poses, hand signs and all.

"Don't worry; Super Idol Nico-Nico-Nii is a good friend, she won't let you walk in the darkness alone!"

Hanayo's eyes brightened, and she broke out into a broad grin. "N-Nico…!"

'Ugh, why does this girl keep tugging at my heartstrings like this? I don't know if I'll be able to keep my hands off her…' Nico thought in the back of her mind, her 'perfected' smile never faltering.