A/N: So I got lazy with writing the other fic and this idea was kind of brewing in my mind for a bit. (*´_ゝ｀) Right now I'm not sure where I want this to go? I felt like writing it, so I did.

For now, finishing Bullet of Love will still be top priority! I'll update this whenever I have extra time to write(or until I finish the other fic).

Another note, there might be sexual content in later chapters, so look out for that! I haven't decided fully yet;;;

I hope you all enjoy! Please leave reviews and whatnot, if people like it I'll try to update quicker! (;ﾞ°´ω°´)

"I'll be back."

Those three words dug at her heart. Three simple words, three empty words. You liar.

After the third years graduated, Muse disbanded. After all, it wouldn't be the same without all nine members. The vote was unanimous, all in favor of Muse's end after all its members no longer attended Otonokizaka Academy. Muse saved the school from shutting down, and most would be content with just that. A triumphant victory. It was no doubt a year that the group of girls would forget, or at least for Maki Nishikino.

During that one year, the world around Maki changed. The normally introverted first year was able to make more friends than she'd ever had before. School had more meaning, rather than simply a place to study and receive an education that would prepare her for college, as well as please her parents. After joining Muse, she looked forward to each and every minute she spent in the club room with everyone. Hanayo, Rin, Honoka, Umi, Kotori, Eli, Nozomi, and...

Nico Yazawa, the girl who stole Maki's heart. A stubborn, obnoxious, self-proclaimed 'super idol', Nico ran away with Maki's heart like a thief in the night. Looking back on it, she was unable to pinpoint when exactly it happened. The short third year permanently wiggled her way into the composer's life, and she was powerless to stop it, although there was no reason to. Maki found herself thinking of the raven-haired girl every second of the day; Nico occupied her thoughts while she was busy with schoolwork, playing the piano, eating dinner with her family, and even whilst falling asleep. As she closed her eyes at night, the last fleeting image in her mind was of the girl and her cheeky grin.

Each time she made eye contact with Nico, a rosy hue stained her cheeks. When their hands grazed one another, an electric feeling shot through Maki's body. They went through their fair share of arguments, a majority pointless. Their personalities were similar to one another, both parties unwilling to step down and admit defeat, no matter how senseless the reasoning. Although Maki had to admit, some of Nico's arguments made no sense whatsoever.

The one thing she regretted was her reluctance to admit her feelings. Maki was hesitant, fearing the worst of outcomes. Cliche thoughts filled her mind, weighing her down. What if she thinks I'm weird? What if she hates me? Girls dating other girls wasn't a common occurrence after all. It turned into a crush she planned to take to the grave. But everything changed after the third years graduated. The memory was burned into Maki's mind.

A light spring breeze gently lifted the pink petals off the pavement, swiftly carrying them for as long as the wind wished, soon allowing them to float back to the ground where their journey would repeat once more. The sun was setting, shooting its final rays of sunshine across the land before it retired for the night. In the clear sky above, night and day mixed together in a magnificent masterpiece of oranges, yellows, reds, and purples expertly blended together. Inside the club room, Maki and Nico sat alone. Everyone had gone home but Nico, who stayed to finish packing up her personal belongings she stored in the room. Maki stayed to assist her senior, hoping to spend as much time as she could before they'd no longer be together.

"You know," She began as she sealed the last package. "Muse...no. You and the others...I have the nine of you to thank for this. All of this was more than I could have ever asked for, so thank you. Muse was my miracle." The raven-haired girl sighed, gazing out the window at the mesmerizing sunset laid out before them. "Honestly, if it weren't for you I would've given up a long time ago. It's a good thing I didn't, right?" Nico's smile wasn't one of merriment or satisfaction, but one of sorrow and longing. "A part of me wants to just stay here with you and the others forever. This is the place where my dreams came true..."

Pain tugged at Maki's heart as she was unable to hold back the tears that formed in the corners of her eyes. Before she could stop it, liquid trailed down her flushed cheeks. "Nico, I...I-I..." I can't say it after all.

Maki was wrapped in a warm embrace, though for some reason it only made her tears fall faster. "Don't cry, Maki. This isn't the end, it's not like we'll never see each other again. I'll come visit you every day, okay? I promise."

Apparently, promises weren't enough. That was the last thing Maki could remember of that day. Of course Nico kept true to her words for a month or two, visiting each day after school ended, just as she said she would. In the beginning, it felt like normal, as if she never graduated. But as time went on, her visits became less and less frequent, until she stopped coming entirely. For reasons unknown, she seemingly disappeared. Maki spent her days staring aimlessly out the window, in hope of spotting a familiar pair of twin-tails skipping into the school gates with enthusiasm.

After the year ended, Maki accepted the fact that Nico wasn't going to come back. She still had the others, although it just wasn't the same. Even without Eli and Nozomi, things felt unpleasantly different. Maki left Nico messages, calls, emails, you name it. Everything she could possibly think of, with no reply from the girl. One day she became fed up with it all, deciding to take measures into her own hands.

Rain blanketed the city that day, filling up gutters and flooding unprepared streets. Dark grey clouds served as lid to the sky, blocking out any possibility of sunlight. It was as if someone picked up the city itself and dropped it into a storm cloud. Maki struggled to keep her umbrella from the powerful wind, which roared in her ears. The storm reflected her own emotions as she marched up the stairs of Nico's apartment complex. Angrily knocking on the door, she called out to her senior.

"Nico, get out here! I know you're in there! Why haven't you..." Maki shouted, all her exasperation fading as the door swung open. In front of her stood a much taller person than whom she was searching for, but with the same ruby eyes and ebony hair. "Ah! I-I'm sorry, ..."

"It's alright. You're...Nishikino, am I wrong? Maki, was it?" The woman inquired, placing a finger on her chin in thought.

"Yes. I'm sorry to bother you, but is Nico home?"

"Did she not tell you?" The mother frowned, concern and annoyance plastered on her face. "That girl, I told her she should let you all know...anyway, Nico left to university the other day. I'm sorry my daughter didn't tell you."

Maki was lost for words. "She...she's gone?"

"She left to stay in the dormitory there, yes. Anyway, the storm is kicking up. You should go home, it's not safe. If Nico ever comes home for a visit, I'll tell her you were here."

She left without saying goodbye.

It wasn't long before the second years graduated as well. Honoka, Umi, and Kotori left the school behind, each of them going off to live their lives just as everyone else did. Maki was able to trudge through the remainder of her school years with Rin and Hanayo, who were unsuccessful in returning Maki to her state of mind when Muse was together. Honoka kept her weekly visits, mostly due to her home being so close, and her need to help her family's store. Although Arisa attended Otonokizaka Academy as well, Eli was too busy with other affairs to visit. It felt as if her former upperclassmen left to a faraway world, one she couldn't reach.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't forget about Nico.

No word from her came in that year, or any year to come.

I love you.

"Doctor Nishikino, you're needed in operating room A-3." An electronic voice called overhead, tearing Maki from her trip down memory lane.

Neurosurgeon Maki Nishikino perched on a black leather chair in her office, leaning over a pile of various unfinished paperwork. As of late, she'd been daydreaming about the past.

Shaking her head, she searched for her clipboard with all the information for her upcoming surgery. "Stop reminiscing, Maki. None of it matters now." She told herself the same thing each time, although inside she knew she didn't mean it. Locating the board, she hastily picked it up and stepped out of the office, closing the lights and the door behind her.

The doctor's life now was monochrome in comparison to her once colorful school life. After graduating from Otonokizaka, Maki spent all her time studying in university, successfully becoming the neurosurgeon her parents wished her to be. She gave up her love for music to indulge in a life in the medical field. With her enormous salary, along with her parent's riches, she was able to have anything she wanted. Though it remained that way all her life. Am I lonely? The though crossed her mind many times over the course of her life. Every so often she'd get a call from Rin or Hanayo, but she was always too busy to accept their invitations. Of course, Maki tried once or twice to date, each one ending for one reason or another. In the end, she just couldn't do it.

"Are you alright, Doctor Nishikino? Your face is a bit pale." The receptionist commented, looking up from her desktop.

Maki nodded, lifting a hand in defense. "I'm alright, thank you."

"If you say so! Have a nice day!"

The hospital walls were painted a neutral white, just as everything else was. The entire building was as plain as could be, but Maki didn't argue. It wasn't as if it changed anything. With a deep sign, she whispered words of encouragement to herself. "Get your head in the game, this isn't the time."

Trotting through the hospital corridors, her footwear clacked against the cold, tiled floor. Taking the route she did for every operation, she skimmed over the details once more. The man was in for the removal of a brain tumor, an extremely difficult and dangerous job. One slip up could mess up the entire operation, not that she didn't already know. Her records as a neurosurgeon were flawless, not a single mishap. Because of this, she became well known in the medical field. Though none of it mattered to her. Not the fame, not the fortune. Soon her parents would retire from their working time in the hospital, and the responsibility would fall onto her. Maki needed to prepare for that time, rather than dawdle around in the past and present.

Upon arriving to the operation room, everything was prepared for her. The assistants were lying in wait for Maki, the equipment and tools already set out and ready to go. Throwing her thoughts away just as she normally did, she laid her clipboard on the table outside the room. She tied her crimson hair into a ponytail, stuffing it under a hairnet. Maki kept her hairstyle more or less the same, though it eventually grew longer. Delicately placing a mask over her face, she thoroughly washed her hands before slipping on the latex gloves.

Mentally readying herself for the operation, the neurosurgeon stepped into the operation room.

It's better to just forget it all.