Author's Note: So, I got a couple of requests which allowed me to continue the NozoMack childhood friendship story. They don't have legitimate titles, so I'm gonna be making them up right now.

#4: Welcome Home

A flash of byzantium took Maki by surprise. It was a color she was not familiar with seeing in the school, but it was one she was all too familiar with. Abandoning her original route to class, she began to run after the mysterious hue, her footsteps echoing in the halls as she hit the brakes hard to avoid smashing into a wall. That same color once again disappeared past a wall, so she set off again after it.

Five years had passed, and still she had not gotten over her best friend - her only friend - moving away. She had cried over it for weeks, and even now she still had issues over what had happened. All she had wanted to do upon starting high school was to try and move on, but the moment she saw even the hint, a ghosting image of her childhood friend, she was off and running after it, no matter how likely it would lead to disappointment.

It was clear whatever she was chasing wasn't going at a speed higher than a comfortable walk, since she was finally able to catch up. There was no way it was real, but there was no mistaking that vibrant purple hair, tied up in those same childish twintails. Even with five years of growth, she would never be able to forget Nozomi.

Reaching out, she grabbed onto the girl's shoulder and pulled her back, forcing her to turn around. She had definitely changed physically since they were kids, but Maki automatically recognized those sparkling emeralds. "N-Nozomi?"

"Maki-chan?" Nozomi seemed just as surprised, though a flash of guilt ran through her eyes. "Wh-What are you doing here?"

"I saw you," she panted out, only now realizing how out of breath all that running had made her. "Y-You're here... Oh my God, you're here." Now it was finally hitting her: Nozomi was here, right in front of her. The only friend she had ever had was standing right there and only now she knew it about it. "Wh-Why are you here? You came back, and... and you didn't tell me. You..." Now she was confused. Why did she not know? Nozomi had always told her everything.

For once, Nozomi was silent, which worried Maki. The bell rung, and people started to pass by them on the way to class, but she stayed rooted to the spot, looking at Nozomi with a sick feeling starting to settle in her stomach. Was it... deliberate? Was Nozomi intentionally trying to ignore her? "Don't ignore me, Nozomi." Still she said nothing. "Nozomi!"

"I thought you had moved on."

"Wh-What?"

"You were mad when I had to leave." Continuing the theme of 'this does not usually happen', Nozomi looked somewhat embarrassed, only occasionally glancing at Maki's stunned expression. "You... told me you hated me." Oh. "When we moved back, I really wanted to see you, but I... I didn't think you'd want to see me." So that was the reason. Nozomi's eyes widened as she suddenly reached forward and started wiping at Maki's eyes, alerting her to the fact that she had started to cry. "M-Maki-chan?"

"I can't believe you believed me!" Maki stamped her foot angrily, fresh tears falling to replace the previous ones. "I was angry!" Luckily, classes had already started. Unlucky for her attendance record, but lucky in that it kept anyone from hanging around and watching her shout and cry. "I-I didn't know what to do!"

Without warning, she wrapped a surprised Nozomi in a tight hug, hiding her tears on a tensed shoulder. "I-I know it wasn't your fault, but you left! A-And I was alone... I needed you!" Harsh sobs wracked her body as Nozomi's arms were gently placed around her, pulling her equally into the embrace. "I-I missed you so much..."

"Oh Maki-chan," Nozomi whispered, smiling as she hugged Maki. "You're still my little crybaby, aren't you?"

"Sh-Shut up," she muttered, though there wasn't any bite in those words. Nozomi laughed softly, neither of them willing to end their embrace. "P-Please... Please don't leave me again."

"Never." This was worth missing class for. Hearing Nozomi's voice in her ears, being able to see her, to feel her: it felt so familiar, so natural. It chased away Maki's loneliness, and she didn't want to let go of the feeling. "I'm never leaving you, Maki-chan."

#5: Hey Jealousy

The last thing she wanted to do was give in to her wayward emotions. Problem was, it was pure emotion when it came to Nozomi. First was the slow shattering of her shell when she had befriended the quirky girl at a birthday party, then the feelings of great loss when she'd had to move away. After that was a return to surprise and elation when she'd come back. Maki had thought that things were going to be better, like they'd used to be. Her best friend was back, and now things could go back to normal. She hadn't expected that it wasn't just her shell that Nozomi would shatter, but her heart.

It seemed that Nozomi had made a new friend very quickly upon coming back to town. Her name was Eli, and it wasn't long before that name felt sickening on Maki's tongue. She knew that it was alright for Nozomi to have other friends. It was great, even. However, it didn't stop her from feeling jealous. She had been friends with Nozomi for twelve years - twelve! - yet whenever the three of them hung out together, she always felt like third wheel. It wasn't fair.

It wasn't that she didn't understand Eli's appeal. She was interesting, smart, beautiful. Hell, she looked like a damn model. Maki had never seen her around before, but apparently she was easy to get along with, and as the fair and wise student council president, other students felt alright with going to her with advice. That wasn't the kind of person Maki was. Sure, she was smart, but she was certainly not easy to get along with. Other students were more likely to back away from her perpetual frown, and whenever she looked at herself in the mirror, she knew that she could never compare to Eli in the looks department. Even thinking about the blonde now made her sick.

Her mood was not very stabilized when Nozomi asked her to have dinner, and knowing that Eli would be going as well only served to worsen things. However, she always had trouble saying no to her friend, so she said yes, feeling stupid the entire way there. Sitting at the opposite side of the table from them didn't make things better. Her stomach churned uncomfortably as she watched Nozomi and Eli chat like lifelong friends, laughing so easily. God, it was like they were flirting. Maki felt too sick to eat, but to keep up appearances she ordered something light.

She wanted to say something, but she felt too awkward to try and enter their conversation. They seemed to be doing just fine without her anyway. "Maki-chan, why are you glaring at Elicchi?"

"Eli...cchi?" Maki blinked, confused at first, until her no longer glaring gaze fell on Eli. Elicchi? She had already given her a nickname? Her hand started to shake, noticeably enough to get her concerned looks from the two lovebirds. It was nauseating. This was wrong: this was unfair. Eli had just become Nozomi's friend, and now it was like they were practically married. What about her? Why? Why? Why?

"Maki-chan? Are you alright?" The glass in Maki's hand shattered, causing Nozomi to jump and cry out in surprise. Shards of glass scratched at her hands, freeing trickles of blood to run down her palm, but she didn't even notice. There was no pain: only white-hot anger.

"I'm fine!" She stood up suddenly, knocking her chair over and causing many pairs of eyes to look in their direction. It wasn't very proper or polite, but at that moment Maki couldn't care less.

"Maki, calm down. People are staring." Hearing Eli tell her to calm down broke down any last barriers of self-restraint Maki had left. She threw down the remains of the glass onto the table and screamed, a banshee-like shriek that served as a placeholder until actual words decided to leave her lips.

"Don't tell me to calm down! Don't talk to me, you vapid harlot!" Anger had consumed all of her better judgement, leaving her screaming at a clearly-embarrassed Eli while everyone got to witness the Nishikino heiress' complete and utter meltdown. "You think you can just come here and, and just be Nozomi's best friend! What's wrong with you?! What did I do to you?! I was here first, dammit! Don't ignore me!"

"M-Maki-chan, p-please calm down." Nozomi felt embarrassed and worried, shocked at watching her best friend screaming at Eli, who didn't even know how to respond to what she was being accused of. Maki could feel herself losing steam, and she didn't want to start bawling in front of Nozomi and Eli. Reaching into her purse, she pulled out a fistful of cash and threw it on the table. Never mind that it was way too much for their meal, even for all three combined: she didn't want to be here anymore.

"What do you care?" She choked out, feeling a much more miserable emotion beginning to wash over her anger. "A-All you want is Elicchi. Marry her if you want her so bad!" Before either of them could stop her, Maki rushed out of the restaurant, refusing to stop running until she made it home. Unfortunately, she ran out of breath before reaching home, so she was forced to stop at the park. Out of breath and blinded by tears, she collapsed against a tree and let herself slide uselessly to the ground, no longer having the strength to care who saw her.

Hugging her knees up to her chest, she hid her face against them and sobbed loudly and bitterly. Anger coursed through her veins, only to be washed away by the sting of misery. Now it was real: she had lost everything. All she had was Nozomi, and she'd lost her to Eli. She was all alone now. The sound of her phone ringing broke through her crying, and she reluctantly grabbed for it, a wave of nausea hitting her when she realized who was calling. She didn't want to answer, but something inside her made her press the 'accept call' button. "L-Leave me alone!"

"Maki-chan, where are you?" Of course Nozomi would pretend to care. Why would she pretend to care? Maki didn't understand, and she wasn't in the right state of mind to try and understand.

"N-None of your business!" The line went silent for a moment as Maki tried - and failed - to mask her crying, with Nozomi on the other end straining to hear what sounded like construction.

"Don't go anywhere, Maki-chan. I'm coming over." Maki hung up after that, dropping her phone in the grass and resuming her uncontrollable sobbing. No one could rile up her emotions like Nozomi, and now that power had allowed her to be hurt. Why had she allowed herself to get so close to anyone? She was never going to be good enough for Nozomi.

She didn't know how much time had passed since she'd collapsed against the tree, but the sound of footsteps reached her ears. There was no need to look up at the sound: she knew who it would be, and she didn't want to talk to her. Still, that didn't stop Nozomi from coming over anyway, her heavy breathing a familiar sound as she hunched over and grabbed Maki's shoulder. "Maki-chan, why did you run- Oh... Oh no..." The blood from her hand had stained her shirt, and it still remained on her skin, a reminder of her foolish actions. "Oh... don't cry..." Nozomi pulled Maki into a tight embrace, but it didn't stop her from crying.

"G-Go away, Nozomi." That didn't stop her from staying. Apparently neither of them could get the other to do what they wanted. Shame was the new feeling flooding Maki's insides as she sobbed against Nozomi's shoulder, unable to turn off the emotions that now reigned supreme over her. She hated how she was acting, but she was mad: mad at Nozomi, mad at Eli, mad at herself. Why did this have to be so complicated?

"Maki-chan, do you..." Nozomi seemed hesitant to voice her question, but it ended up slipping out. "Do you hate Eli?" She didn't get an answer, which was confirmation enough. Another sick feeling hit Maki like a brick: the sheer fact that she could hate someone just for taking Nozomi's attention sounded so petty. Was she really that horrible of a person? "Do you hate me too?"

"N-No!" Maki shot up in an instant, tears staining her cheeks as she shuddered in horror at the implication. "I-I would never hate you!" There was nothing in this world that could make her hate Nozomi. She was Maki's only friend, her best friend. She... she loved her. There wasn't any way to save face anymore: no good way to explain why she had acted like such a petulant child. Maybe it didn't matter that she didn't hate Nozomi: maybe Nozomi hated her instead.

They sat there quietly for a few minutes, with Maki wiping her eyes only for fresh tears to ruin her handiwork. Occasionally Nozomi would take charge of making her presentable, giving her a sad and worried look. It made her feel worse. "I... I hate Eli." Nozomi's eyes widened in surprise, but now the floodgates were open and the truth started to spill out unabated. Tears fell once more from her eyes as she found herself once again unable to hide her truth from the one person she trusted above all others.

"I hate Eli! Sh-She stole you from me, a-and you're my friend! I don't have anyone else, a-and it's not fair! It's not fair..." Her shoulders shook as she tried to regain her composure, but Nozomi didn't interrupt her. She just held Maki close and allowed her a chance to get everything out, rocking her trembling body gently within her arms. "Y-You spend all your time with her, and you d-don't care about me anymore. I-I'm just a third wheel!" She ran out of accusations to throw at Nozomi, and so she returned to just crying.

"Maki-chan... I'm so sorry. I should've noticed sooner." She kept rocking Maki in her arms, her eyes starting to shine with unshed tears. "I was stupid to think that you wouldn't be affected by me spending all this time with Elicchi."

"Y-You're not stupid-" Maki tried to protest, but Nozomi shut her down quickly.

"Yes I am stupid, Maki-chan. Elicchi's my friend, but you're my best friend. We've been together through so much, and I never should've allowed you to start slipping away. You mean so much to me, and that's never going to change. I love you, Maki-chan." Maki's wet eyes widened in shock, then her lip jutted out in a slight pout.

"H-Hey, I was supposed to say I love you first. I was about to say it..." Nozomi laughed at the sudden mood change, relief evident on her face. Pulling Maki into a big hug, they ended up locking eyes, and then their lips inevitably met. Their kiss was slow and wet from Maki's tears, a mere testing of the waters, but it meant more than anything to Maki. Her first kiss, with her first friend. Suddenly everything felt... better.

"I love you too, Nozomi." Maki moved forward again, eager to get her second kiss from the girl who held her heart. "I-I love you so much." It felt so good to say it, and it felt so good to have it reciprocated. She could feel the anger and misery fading from her body, being replaced by love and relief. There was nothing else she wanted to do more than sit there and lay in Nozomi's arms all night. For the first time in years, she truly felt that things were going to be alright. Seeing Nozomi looking at her with such heartfelt love, she smiled and sealed her happiness with a kiss.