hello! what is with me and rare a-rise pairs...a question, would you guys like to see erena paired with anyone in muse? if so, leave it in the reviews.

anyways, i promise i will get back to requests now. also, this is a pretty angsty story, something i'm not really used to writing.

Snow

It's snowing the day Maki gets dumped.

"I'm sorry, Maki. I just don't think we're right for each other. We can still be friends, can't we?" Those were Nico's exact words, and the event kept on replaying over and over in the redhead's mind.

No, we can't, not after this, Maki thought every time she thought about what Nico had said to her.

She just couldn't believe it. They were perfect for each other, they were like a puzzle.

They weren't complete without each other.

Okay, well, maybe they did have a lot of disagreements which led to arguments...and, maybe they didn't spend as much time with each other as they should have.

But, Maki was convinced that no one else was right for her.

Until that fateful day.

The first year was walking in the snow, the white precipitation reminding her of that terrible day. When she felt the tears begin to build up in her eyes, she quickly blinked them away. She was going nowhere in particular. She just really needed to get out of the house. She had been either at school blinking back tears or sitting in her house crying for the past two weeks since the breakup. Her mother had to force her out of the house. So, there Maki was, with her hands stuffed in her coat pockets and her hair lightly dusted with snow. Her plan was to walk around the city, then go home and cry some more. However, her plans were changed.

She wasn't looking where she was going at all and slipped on some ice, resulting in her falling on the ground face-first. Her nose was bleeding, her knee scraped. She cried, her tears of pain combining with tears of hurt from the breakup. She just looked down at the ground and let the tears fall, hearing people walk past her and whisper about her to their lovers. Nobody even stopped to see if she was okay. Was everyone just as heartless as her ex?

Nope. Maki was proven wrong when she heard an angelic voice. "U-um...Nishikino-san? Are you alright?" she looked up and saw a gloved hand. She looked further up and saw who the hand belonged to. Reddish orange hair and purple orbs similar to her own. A sweet, concerned look on her face. Yuuki Anju, from Muse's main rival, A-Rise.

It took Maki a few moments to speak. "I-I'm fine." she lied. "I-It just really hurt. That's why I'm c-crying so much. I'll be okay." she placed her hand in Anju's and stood up, wiping away the tears in her eyes and on her cheeks. She could immediately tell the other idol didn't believe her.

"Nishikino-san, please don't lie to me. Um..." Anju paused for a moment, then gave a small smile. "Why don't you come over to my place? I'll treat your knee and your nose."

"U-um..." Maki was unsure of what to say, but she knew she wouldn't let her go anyway. She was obviously worried about her. "A-alright. Thank you, Yuuki-san..."

The two idols headed over to Anju's home, and Anju invited her into the living room. While she got the medical supplies, Maki sat down on her couch and examined the room around her. Though it definitely wasn't the size of her own home, it was pretty spacious. The orange-haired female came back quickly and began to wipe the blood coming out of the injured girl's nose. She then plugged her nose to stop the bleeding, and kneeled down on the floor to get to work on her knee. "Nishikino-san," Anju began, looking up at her but still treating her knee, "I know there's something else wrong. Even people who get seriously hurt don't cry that much. Is there something bothering you?" Her words surprised Maki. Yes, they had spoken before, but it was only briefly. Why was Anju treating her like a close friend? It was all so confusing.

However, Maki really needed to vent. She hadn't talked to anyone about how she truly felt since the breakup. She managed to put on a strong front in front of Muse, and acted like nothing had even happened between her and Nico. That just hurt her even more. Maybe she needed someone to talk to. So, she opened up to her. "To tell you the truth...I'm really hurt right now, Yuuki-san..." the tears began to form in her eyes once again, but this time she didn't bother to blink them away and let them flow, "Nico and I...we never told anyone except for the rest of Muse, but we were dating. Two weeks ago, she broke up with me. She said we weren't right for each other...but, I need her, Yuuki-san. I-I...I really need her...I cry everyday, knowing she won't be there anymore to comfort me...to hug me...to hold me..."

Anju stuck a bandaid over her knee injury just as she said the final words. She immediately joined Maki on the couch, and wrapped her arms around her. Maki sobbed into her shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Nishikino-san..." she rubbed her back, soothing Maki and causing her crying to calm down a little bit. "But...you really need to move on. I know it hurts, Nishikino-san, but crying about it isn't going to change anything."

"I know...but I'm too pathetic to do anything about this..."

"You're not pathetic at all, Nishikino-san!" Anju said this as she pulled away and grabbed Maki by her shoulders, making her eyes widen at the sudden action. "You're just going through a hard time! You'll get better, I promise!"

"Yuuki-san, you're lying. Only a pathetic person cries all day about someone that doesn't care about her like her..." she sniffled. "Only a pathetic person wants someone who doesn't give a damn about them to hug them...hold them...kiss the-"

Maki was shut up by Anju's light, gentle kiss.

She felt like she had fallen in love all over again.

A week passed.

It's raining the day Maki gets rejected.

"I'm sorry, Nishikino-san. I just don't think we're a good match. In all honestly, I only gave you a kiss to make you feel better..." Anju explained, her cute pink umbrella overhead. Great, just getting over her breakup, and now a rejection. Tears began to form and burn in her eyes. "Um...I'm really sorry! Look, there's a coffee shop over there! I'll treat you to coffee to make you feel better!"

Maki knew mere coffee wouldn't make her feel better at all, but she accepted. If they couldn't be lovers, they could at least hang out as friends, right? So, they went to the coffee shop.

After losing their umbrellas and pushing them in a small container near the front of the cafe, the two girls ordered their respective drinks (a coffee with extra, extra sugar for Anju, and a latte for Maki) and chose a table while they waited for their orders to be called.

Anju looked into Maki's eyes with a concerned look, similar to the one she had when Maki fell on the ground that one day. "I-I'm terrible, aren't I...you're still hurt from the breakup, and I here I am, rejecting you. Listen, Nishikino-san..."

"I don't want you to feel like you're forced to go out with me, Yuuki-san," Maki says quickly. "If you don't want to be my girlfriend, it's fine. I'd feel even worse if I knew it was only because you wanted to make me feel better."

"But-"

"Yuuki-san, don't worry about it."

She gave a nod.

"Anju, Maki!"

Maki was about to stand up, but Anju pushed her down on the shoulder. "I'll go get our drinks." Her concerned look faded, and a small, sweet smile that melted Maki's heart.

She headed over to the counter, and returned with two drinks. She set down both and gently slid the latte over to Maki's side. "T-thank you," Maki mumbled before taking a sip.

It's silent for most of the time they spend together. When both girls were finishing up their drinks, Anju decided to ask a question. "Nishikino-san," Maki looked up at her, "what made you want to be my girlfriend? Was it really just because of the kiss?"

The redhead thought. She answered, "Yuuki-san, I don't know. M-maybe I just really wanted to be in another relationship. Maybe what I felt when you kissed me wasn't real..."

"Y-you felt something...?"

"Yeah."

Silence.

"M-me too."

A day passed.

It's clear the day Maki gets asked out.

Her phone rang, and when she saw it was Anju, she picked it up as quickly as possible. "H-hello?!"

"Nishikino-san, I need to ask you something important. Meet me at the park near your school?"

Maki agrees and is there within thirty minutes. Anju is already there, waiting for her. She smiles when she sees Maki. "S-sorry, did I keep you w-waiting?" Maki stammered out as she sat down next to her on the wooden bench. Anju shook her head, and Maki let out a sigh of relief.

"Don't worry. I just got here, too." she assured. "Anyways, I wanted to ask you if...you are still interested in me."

"Huh?"

"I want to give us a chance, Nishikino-san." Purple orbs looked into matching purple orbs, and Anju had a more serious expression now. "I want to...be your girlfriend. And, I swear it's not just because I want you to feel better. That day...I felt something too. I ignored it, assumed it was just something everyone felt when they're kissed. But, I can't ignore it now that I know you felt the same way. Please, be my girlfriend, Nishikino-san. Go out with me."

Maki was speechless. Anju really felt the same way...? After a few moments, Maki gulped. "I-I...I'll go out with you, Yuuki-san." she gave a small smile.

Anju's smile returned. "Please, call me Anju."

She's so happy.

So happy.

When she gets home, she immediately goes to her room and plops down on the bed, imagining what it's going to be like dating Yuuki Anju. Her mother and father notice her change in mood, and that she's not crying for once. They decide to leave her alone for now, but soon they would have to ask her what managed to improve her mood so much.

The next day, Maki tells Muse. Everyone was in shock, especially Nico. However, everyone congratulated her, except for Nico.

"Really, Maki? A rebound relationship...?" Nico said.

"W-what do you mean? I'm not allowed to find a new girlfriend just because we broke up a few weeks ago...?" Maki couldn't believe Nico was saying such a thing.

"No, of course you are! It's just that...I know you were so hurt after our breakup, so I was just thinking..." Nico paused and looked away from Maki. "maybe this 'relationship' is just a way for you to fill the empty hole I left in your heart when I broke up with you."

Maki snapped. "Don't flatter yourself, Nico! I'm over you now, and I love Anju! The difference between this relationship and our relationship is that she actually cares about me!" Muse gasps, including Nico.

"M-Maki-chan, calm down..." Rin stepped over to Maki.

"Nicochi, you didn't have to say that..." Nozomi stepped over to Nico.

However, they weren't finished. "Y-you need me and you know it! I know when this doesn't work out, you're just gonna come crawling back to me and I'm gonna have a new, way better girlfriend than you!" Nico pointed at Maki as she said the last two words.

Maki's eyes widened. "You're just jealous because you can't find a new girlfriend! I knew you never cared about me, and Anju will actually treat me like I matter and won't dump me all of a sudden just because the road is a little bumpy! We'll work things out, like real lovers do!"

The petite girl ran out the room, covering her eyes to prevent the tears from coming out.

"Nico-chan!" Rin called out to her, but she wasn't coming back. She looked back at Maki.

Everyone's eyes were on the redhead. She ran out of the room, but she wasn't chasing after Nico.

She was running home.

The school week passes quickly and it's Saturday. Nico and Maki avoided each other for the entire week, despite Muse's many (crazy) attempts to help them make up.

It's windy the day Nico confesses. The two just happened to bump into each other while they were walking to different places, Maki was on her way to a date with Anju and Nico was on her way home.

"Maki? Where's your girlfriend?"

The redhead gritted her teeth. That's the first thing she says to her? "I'm not with her 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, idiot. But, actually, I'm on my way to meet her right now. Where are you going?"

Nico was hesitant to answer. "H-home. I just took a walk because I had nothing else to do." Maki almost laughed. Nico became just like her after their breakup.

"Well, see you, I don't want to be late." Maki begins to walk right past her.

A pull on her sleeve.

Maki looks back at the short girl. "W-what do you want? Geez, I don't want to keep Anju waiting."

A gulp from Nico.

"Please, Maki. Break up with her and go out with me." Purple eyes widened. "You need me, I need you, we need each other. I really regret breaking up with you, but I was too prideful to tell you. I expected you to come back to me by now...but no, you have a new girlfriend. I know you don't really love her. You love me, right? Just end things with her. This isn't healthy."

A slap that leaves a mark.

A mad dash away from her.

Maki couldn't believe she spent five months of her life with such a person.

So she ran away, ignoring Nico, to the person she truly loved.

Anju.

"Maki...? What's wrong? Why are you so out of breath?"

A kiss.

"I love you, Anju."

Though she's confused, she replies, "I love you too, Maki." with a smile.

It's March, now. The weather began to clear up, or so Maki thought.

It's snowing on the day Anju meets with Maki.

"Maki, you know how I'm graduating this month, right...?" Anju asked.

"Of course! I'm going to miss you so much..." Maki paused. "Oh, Anju, you never told me what university you're going to."

Anju gulped. "That's the thing. I'm going to..." she grabbed Maki's hands. "I'm going to a university in America. I'm going to train to become a professional idol. So, I want to break up."

"H-huh...?"

"Not officially until September, since that's when American school begins. But, I don't think a long-distance relationship would be good for either of us." she explained. "However, I want you to wait for me, okay? I'll come back every summer, and four years later, I'll be back for good. I promise we can be together then, okay?"

A promise.

Maki gave a sad smile, tears mixed with sadness and joy flowing out her eyes. She was leaving, but she promised they would be together when she came back.

"It's a promise, then. I'll wait for you."

Anju gives a light, gentle kiss, similar to the first one they shared.

Maki began to sob. Anju joined her.

It's January of next year.

It's snowing.

Maki is finally meeting with Anju for the first time since September, who is back for winter break. They're meeting at the same place they got together, the park near Otonokizaka. She happily waited for Anju with a wide smile on her face.

She spots Anju walking next to a foreign girl. "So, she brought a friend back, huh?" Maki said quietly to herself, the smile still on her face as she stands up from the bench to walk over to them.

Maki stops when the two kiss.

It was clear to her.

Anju only wanted to meet with her to break up with her.

So she ran away.

She ran home.

She flopped on her bed and cried.

Ring, ring.

A phone call from Anju.

Maki was masochistic enough to answer.

"H-h...hello?" Maki answered the phone in a shaky voice.

"Maki...did you see us?"

Silence on both sides.

"A-Anju...I waited for you all these months..." a pause. "H-HOW COULD YOU?!"

"I'm sorry, Maki, but...I think I've met the person I want to spend the rest of my life with. Maybe we're just not right for each other...w-we can still be friends, can't w-"

Maki hangs up and continues to sob.

She's not sure what she's more upset about.

The fact that Anju has a new girlfriend.

Or, the fact that Anju broke her promise.