A/N: Yes! I'm finally back after a few months of no writing at all! I'm currently having writer's block from my other story, "More than Just Friends", so don't expect for a sudden update, everyone. I'm deeply sorry for those who are expecting a new update, but I will bring y'all an update, when the right time comes. :P Since I'm inspired from something, I thought, 'Why not write another one to fill in for my other story.', so here I am, bringing you y'all another one. Okay, enough rant! Continue on with the story. :D
Disclaimer: I do not own K-On! or any of its characters.
Warning: Long italics right up ahead!
If Only You Can Recall
Back in the days...
"Hey, Mio-chan!" The young, upbeat Ritsu Tainaka called her raven-haired companion as she raced towards her. She sported her usual red headband and her bright grin that never failed to make the latter wonder if Ritsu had anything to worry about.
As soon as the shy and timid Mio Akiyama snapped out of her reverie, she decided to tune in to what her friend has to say.
"Yo! Do ya want to go to the grassfield up there with me? It'll be fun." Ritsu, being her rambunctious self, forced her friend to join along with her as she eyed the young black-haired girl curiously.
"W-Where?" Mio averted her gaze from the tawny-haired girl, since staring at her will only make her blush in embarassment.
"The grassfield's not far from here, trust me!" Ritsu proudly pounded her chest to dignify her words in order for the other girl to tag along with her.
Mio, for being such a cautious young girl, decided to ask her companion for the last time, "Is it safe up there? I-I mean, wouldn't we get lost?"
"Trust me, Mio-chan. It'll be fine 'cause I'm here!" Ritsu grinned as widely as she could, grabbed Mio's hand, and off towards their destination.
In the grassfields, there lies two best friends, panting deeply for air. The night's stars shining at its brightest.
The lively brunette is the first person to speak up, "Told ya that it was fun." Ritsu gasped out, she tilted her head sideways in order to face Mio.
"I guess it was." Mio smiled, then looked up in the sky. The stars never failed to mesmerize her every night.
How does the stars shine, anyway?
"Hey, hey. Do you remember the rabbit earlier?" Ritsu also faced the sky as she placed her hands behind her head.
Mio stiffled out a giggle, once she couldn't contain it, she laughed it all out, "Yeah!"
"When we chased after it, it ran as fast at it could to its own rabbit hole, but before it can jump into it, I quickly grabbed it and placed it inside another rabbit hole!" Ritsu laughed out loud, remembering the funny moment easily.
"And when the owner of the rabbit hole got angry, the other one jumped out, and accidentally kicked the owner inside again!" Mio couldn't stopped laughing, the moment she was remembering was hilarious.
"Then the other got out, fought the intruder, and flying kicked the rabbit that it made the poor lil' guy tumble downwards!" The brunette continued to cackle as she continued, "I mean, that part of the grassland was slopy!"
"It's so funny and cute to see the rabbit rolling downwards." Mio finally managed to lower the intensity of her laughter.
"Haha, yeah. Just like you." Ritsu let out her teasing grin as she poked her best friend's arm.
"H-Huh? Why me?" Mio blushed as she widened her eyes due to suprise.
"It's because sometimes you're just like a rabbit, when you see other people, you always hide behind my back. Lastly, you're cute because of your personality." Ritsu pointed out her observations about Mio.
Mio could only blush harder due to her friend's small confession. The latter sat up and scratched her back, "I guess it's pretty cheesy!" The brunette laid back down, maintaining her current position earlier, venting out a sigh of contentment and decided to pop out a question, "Mio-chan, why do you think the stars shine?"
Mio didn't even know it herself, so she answered her based on her opinion, "Maybe people love each other so deep that the stars are shining happily because of it."
No answer from the tawny-haired girl. The silence became nerve-racking for Mio, so she decided to break the ice. "H-Hey.." This moment continued on for a couple of minutes until something broke out.
"Hahaha!" The lively girl bursted out into laughter once again, "M-Mio! What have you been reading lately?" Ritsu grabbed her sides as she rolled back and forth to enjoy what she's feeling right now.
"E-Eh?" Mio tilted her head sideways to contain her embarrasment, yet again. 'What's wrong with my answer, anyway?'
"You've been reading too much fairytales, Mio-chan." Ritsu died down her laughter to compensate with the atmosphere, "And that's what I like about you, 'cause it's another thing that makes you cute." Ritsu grabbed Mio's shoulders and moved it in order to face her. She gazed at her raven-haired companion's gray orbs, a tinge of red plastered on her cheeks.
For the umpteenth time, she flashed her brightest grin that only Mio can see, "I just wish that you also remember this smile of mine, alright?"
Present day, Sakuragaoka Girls High..
"Oi! Mio!" That loud statement roared across the crowded hallway. Students endlessly talked about things they need to do and accomplish. Others just gossiped about things. Some just do the things they want to do. Well, they're students being students.
It is nothing but a normal day, except for a certain brunette.
The mentioned black-haired girl registered the familiar voice in her mind, turning around to find the brunette resting her hands on her knees, panting in for air, "What is it, Ritsu?" She adjusted her grip on the papers that she's been holding onto ever since the school bell rang, indicating the end of the classes for the day.
"Aren't you going to the clubroom today?" Ritsu tilted her head, as if to intensify her question. She gazed at the windows to her left, the orange hue of the sun is dominating the hallways where they're in. Sakura petals flew by, following the direction of where the wind goes.
'I guess it's that time of the year, huh? Man, time flies by so fast.' Ritsu thought, her mind drifting to the time when Mio thanked her for being there all the time.
All of them were sitting, enjoying the warmth of the kotatsu and playing cards to celebrate the New Year in just a few minutes.
"Mio, how did you like this year?" Ritsu's curious eyes peeked out at Mio, seeking for an answer.
Hearing that question, Mio smiled and replied immediately, "It was really fun, thanks to you guys." She didn't need to think for an answer, she already knew what to say because her answer came right from her heart.
Ritsu can only gesture a grin to acknowledge her reply, though Mio is not contented without saying that one particular word, "Thanks." The black-haired girl felt as if she just accomplished something bigger than performing at the live house earlier.
Ritsu averted her eyes, she couldn't help but blush a bit, "Man, that's pretty lame." Ritsu felt that the small confession that her best friend made things a bit awkward for her to reply honestly.
"L-lame?" Mio tilted her head sideways, she couldn't believe what her friend just said.
Ritsu drifted away in her thoughts, but then, Mio's voice shook her to reality.
"No, I still got some paperworks to do. Just tell the others about it, okay?" The bassist adjusted her grip on the papers again as she held it close to her chest.
With those rather disappointed amber eyes, Ritsu looked up.
"Sure, my Dangerous Queen!" Ritsu's grin resurfaced as she teases her childhood friend with that hilarious yet mischievous expression plastered on her face.
WHACK!
"Itaii!" Ritsu crouched down, massaging the new bump that formed on top of her head.
'I guess things never change huh?'
Mio just stood there, her cold glare made the drummer shiver down to her spine. "Geez. I'll just go to the clubroom before you kill me due to brain damage." Ritsu dusted off her skirt, scratching her head as she gestured her way to the staircase, she stared at the black-haired girl for the last time with those sad amber orbs, mouthing something incoherent, before ascending the stairs.
Realizing that Mio did something wrong to her friend, a guilty feeling washed over her.
'I shouldn't have done that...'
"Ricchan, Mio-chan's not coming, right?" Yui paused for a second to look at her partner-in-crime. For an airhead, she sensed that something is going on between the drummer and the bassist. She sliced her strawberry cake and slowly placed it inside of her mouth while looking at the brunette.
Ritsu, on the other hand, just poked her strawberry cake with her fork. Those gloomy amber eyes made the brunette's three other members worried at her for such action.
"Ricchan, is something bothering you?" That worried look on the blonde-haired ojou-sama never ceased the tension inside the room. She inspected the tawny-haired girl who just kept on poking the spongy substance without slicing it.
Ritsu looked up, "Look guys, it's nothing, really." With that, she finally sliced her own cake and chewed it. "Well, it doesn't look like it's nothing for me, for us, Ritsu-senpai." Azusa emphasized the word 'for us' to catch the attention of the said senpai.
Not feeling the mood to finish eating the cake, Ritsu stood up, grabbed Mugi's arm and stowed her away from the other members, leaving them puzzled and ponder about what just happened.
Mio finished working on the papers that Sawako gave her. The papers contained information about which Department she is going to take for college.
"Ah, you finished quickly than I've expected, Mio-chan." Sawako retrieved the papers from Mio's grasp. She adjusted her spectacles and focused on the papers she's holding.
'Literature Department, I thought so.'
"I'm not so suprised. I know that you love literature that much, and giving me hints to the way you write lyrics for the Light Music Club." Sawako manage to let out a small giggle. She smirked as she placed the papers inside the folder, labeled 'Confidential'.
Mio couldn't help herself but blush at her mentor's statement. Mio fidgeted and fumbled her fingers together, embarrassed as other faculty members decided to listen attentively to Sawako's words to the black-haired girl.
Sawako then noticed that her co-workers now turned their full attention to her. The brown-haired teacher just sweatdropped at the situation she's in. "W-we'll just talk about this another time, okay?" Sawako gave Mio her warmest smile and encouraged her to go back to the clubroom for practice.
When Mio had already left the room, Sawako adjusted her seating position to comfortably rest her elbows onto her desk. A small smile crept onto her face, recalling that she knows the Light Music Club well.
'I wonder what'll happen to the club next year?'
Mio walked along the corridor, a solemn look plastered on her face. She doesn't have enough courage to go to the clubroom after the events earlier.
'If I can recall, I think Ritsu said something to me before going upstairs.' Mio crossed her arms, her mind drifting to her thoughts. She set her mind to flashback the events earlier.
Here she is once again, facing Ritsu a bit too far. Mio looked at Ritsu's face, examining her expression as she mouthed inaudible words that Mio can't understand what it meant. Mio furrowed her eyes, getting annoyed at herself for not being such a good lip reader.
The black-haired girl reversed her memories, recalling the event again. Mio can understand the first word that Ritsu said, "You.." Mio thought harder, but her head is starting to ache, so she decided to stop it.
She finally set her mind back to reality. Mio finally got to understand what the brunette mouthed out, though she doesn't feel contented, there's still something more to what she said, 'My head is starting to ache, I wonder what're the other words that idiot said earlier.'
For a smart one, she could've recalled it better, but she didn't minded it too much, until she realized it about now. The black-haired girl became more frustrated as she thought about it more. 'Ritsu, you idiot!'
"So, why did you bring me here, Ricchan?" Mugi attentively stared at brunette who is breathing slowly to calm herself. "I got something to tell you, Mugi." Ritsu finally decided to stare at the blonde straight in the eye. The tawny-haired girl brought themselves to the rooftop of the building the clubroom's in.
'We're kinda lucky that we still got the chance to borrow the rooftop's keys from the guardhouse.' Ritsu thought.
"Of course, I already knew that, Ricchan. It's obvious as to why you brought me here." Mugi stifled a giggle, Ritsu just laughed awkwardly. 'I forgot, this is the great ojou-sama I'm talking to after all.'
The blonde-haired girl decided to get straight to the point, "So, what are you gonna tell me? It's about Mio-chan, right?" Mugi took out her index finger to point out her guess. 'Nice, I forgot that she's also a mind-reader.' Ritsu sweatdropped.
"Yeah, you guessed that right. Anyways, it's about something weird I'm feeling right now." Ritsu rested her arms on the railings of the rooftop. Both of the girls' faces were tinted with the orange hue the sun is giving off, making the mood in the atmosphere more fitting for the conversation.
"Weird?" Mugi innocently tilted her head to her side, though at the back of her head, she knew what the drummer will say. She decided to play along in order not to ruin the mood.
"Yeah, weird. It's like when I'm around her, I always felt my heart beating way too fas- wait! That sounded way too cheesy!" Ritsu ruffled her hair and pulled it in frustration, sadly, the yellow headband that she is wearing everyday got thrown off the rooftop due to the force the drummer is applying for shaking her head. The drummer then realized that she just lost her trademark headband that fell to the ground of the stoned pathway to the building.
"No! My headband!" Ritsu dramatically reached out her left hand as if to pick up the headband from down there, while her other hand rested on the railing of the rooftop to support herself from falling.
"Ugh.. great. Just what I needed." The drummer sweatdropped. She took the chance to get downstairs in order to retrieve her precious headband back before someone else does. Unfortunately, the pianist ceased her from doing so.
"Ricchan, we still got time to get it later, but for now, let's focused on the reason why we're here in the first place." The ojou-sama plastered her serious look on her face to convince the drummer.
Ritsu can't do anything but to nod hesitantly.
Mio finally reached the bottom foundation of the building, getting ready to go home. She checked her bag to see if she hadn't forgotten anything before setting off. Much to her suprise, she saw a yellow headband lying on the ground.
'Wait, is that.. Ritsu's headband?'
The bassist hastily grabbed the headband, as if someone would snatch it right away. She examined the headband, eyeing it closely, 'Looks like there's a small crack on it.'
'The question is, why is it lying here? Ritsu would never throw her headband just like that. Or maybe.. she got mad at me.'
Mio felt a tear dropped on the cold, hard, pavement.
She quickly chucked the headband in her bag and sprinted towards her best friend's home.
"..So you're telling me that you have feelings for Mio-chan?" The blonde-haired ojou-sama couldn't contain her excitement so much that she felt blood dripping from her nose. "Just as what I've thought!" Mugi placed her hands on her own cheeks. Her trademark eye sparkles are starting to blind Ritsu due to her over excitement.
"C-Calm down, Mugi." Ritsu couldn't do anything but to calm her companion down. "There's blood on your nose, lemme wipe that off." Ritsu reached for a tissue in her pocket, wiping the blood off the ojou-sama's nose.
The latter finally entered her 'exciting' imaginary world, with Mio and Ritsu in it, doing whatever you think it is. She is breathing heavily, with sweats forming on her face. The sparkles in her eyes never left.
The drummer could only blush because of her friend's action, "Oi, Mugi.." She waved her hands in front of her friend's face, but sadly, the latter didn't show Ritsu any signs of going back to normal. 'Geez..'
Ritsu whacked her friend out of her own reverie, "Geez, Mugi. Atleast think about that somewhere I'm not present."
"So, you want me to think about you two without you here?" Mugi smiled widely, ignoring the pain in her head, causing Ritsu to blush harder. "N-No, that's not it.." Ritsu waved her hands in denial, dismissing the words her friend just said. The pianist decided to tease the drummer further, "You want me to think about you two while I'm with you guys then?" Mugi smiled wider, which is out of her character.
Ritsu just scratched her head, deciding to change the topic, "Look, Mugi. Do you have any plans on how to make me closer to her?" Ritsu wore her serious face, the sunset and the chirping of birds agreed to help out with the ambience.
When the blonde broke out from her amusement, she mimicked her friend's face and answered back, "Actually, I do have one."
A/N: Okay, Chapter 1 done! I hope y'all enjoyed it. Be sure to follow/review, it helps me out a lot. Stay tuned for Chapter 2, everyone!
Stay classy. B)
CSFiReFoX, signing off!