Sometimes Nico looked in the mirror and remembered when she had been surrounded by smiling faces. There used to be laughter in the dressing room, the rustling of costumes and hum of excitement. Now it was empty. One dress hung on the wall, one pair of heels, one mirror to stare into and question all that she was doing. The clock ticked down the seconds until her performance; Nico watched the minute hand's slow glide around and around and around. Then, finally, it was time. The room felt just as empty after she left.

The stage was dark. Nico stepped out into the center, listening to the murmurs of the audience. A few patches of light shone from the crowd from fans too eager to wait to turn on their glow wands. Nico felt the weight of the world on her shoulders. She clutched the microphone to her chest and wondered when she had last felt this nervous.

Was it the first time she had ever been on stage? A little girl pretending she was big, dancing like she had a future. It had been a gazebo found in the middle of the park, and her parents had clapped and cheered and it felt like the whole world joined in the applause. She was too young to know nervousness back then. The stage was freedom, and she felt safe.

Was it her first live as a school idol, then? The sting of betrayal still hurt her now, remembering how her group had fled from the pressure. She had stood alone on that stage, looking out to her classmates, but there was no fear. The rejection had yet to settle, and she had clung to her dreams of fame. This was her time to shine, her time to make a name for herself, her time to become a star. She had never imagined sitting alone in the clubroom hours later, holding back tears.

In the last few seconds before the spotlight turned on, Nico remembered: standing backstage at Love Live and terrified that everything was about to fall apart. Everything they'd worked for, all nine of them together—if she messed up, if she said the wrong line or forgotten a dance move—but they all had the same worries. Their fears were shared, and that made them easier to bare. Now she had to carry that burden alone.

Nico slapped on a smile, the lights clicked on, she opened her eyes—and there they were.

Sitting in the front row, calling her name, shining like the sun, were Nozomi and Eli. Her two best friends, with her every step of the way until adulthood tore them apart. Nico blinked hard – she must be dreaming, there was no way—and there was Rin and Hanayo and Maki on the balcony, waving down at her. Nico couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't move. The crowd was roaring, shouting her name, and right in the middle was Honoka with her fists in the air, and Umi and Kotori right beside her.

"Nico!"

"Nico-chan!"

"Nicocchi!"

Nico swallowed hard, tears spilling down her face. Her grip tightened on the microphone, her hands shaking. She took a step forward, and it felt like she was walking on air. Wings unfurled from her back, a prism of colors shining under the light, and Nico smiled.

She sang for the crowd, for her friends, and for the bright future still ahead of her.