Hi guys. This is my first attempt in writing a fanfic.

I actually wrote this on a whim because I suddenly woke up in the middle of the night with the title in mind. So yeah, sorry for any mistakes! Hope you guys forgive me ;)

I also hope that y'all will leave a review when you finish reading this (IF you take the time to, that is)

Let me know if I should continue this! Suggestions/comments are very welcome! 'Coz I value your opinion/s (you readers rock :D)

On to the story then.

DISCLAIMER: K-ON and its characters (in all their awesomeness) do not belong to me. Credit goes to Kakifly and KyoAni!

CHAPTER 1: Into the darkness

It was on Christmas Eve during their last year of high school when this had all began.

At the place where they had first met, fate will test them yet again.

Minutes before midnight, two people were seen walking hand-in-hand as they were on their way to a certain park near their neighborhood. Well, not exactly walking. The shorter girl was leading the way as she dragged the unwilling taller girl. Both were fully clothed to brave the intense cold that winter night (as ordered by the taller girl). When they had finally reached their destination, the taller girl spoke.

"Geez Ritsu! Why did you have to drag me all the way here? It's freezing outside." Mio said while shivering and rubbing her hands together.

"But Mio~~! You said you would hear me out… Remember?" a pouting-puppydog-eyed Ritsu replied.

"I said I would hear you out tomorrow, not tonight! Baka!"

Instead of hitting the smaller girl, Mio was able to control herself and she walked to her favorite swing set while reminiscing. A smile crept on her face as she gently touched the metal chains and thought about the good childhood memories she shared with her best friend. 'It's been more than 10 years since that day…'

Mio then asked "Hey Ritsu, do you remember that day when you first pestered me?"

"Oyy, I did not pester you! I was simply admiring your talent." Ritsu said, pouting defensively.

"Being left-handed is not a talent. It's just genetics at work." Mio deadpanned and sweatdropped.

"Ahh, whatever! I still think that you're talented and cool. The way you use your left-hand for everything. The way you write itchy lyrics. The way you're smart and always responsible. The way you become scared and cute at the same time. I could go on and on, just so you know."

Mio blushed hard, and hid her face. She tried to change the topic. "U-uhmm. W-well. S-since we're already here, I might as well listen to what you have to s-say. So, w-what is it?" She said as she sat down on a swing, and started rocking back and forth in an effort to warm herself up.

Ritsu smiled at the nostalgic sight. While going over to her best friend, she remembered all the times back in preschool when she had fun with Mio at this very playground. All of the laughing, running, teasing and crying-the precious memories that she treasures up until now. She was really grateful and lucky to have met Akiyama Mio.

"Well Mio, first of all, I'm surprised…" She said while sitting beside her friend.

Mio eyed her curiously "Why are you surprised?"

Ritsu grinned mischievously "I didn't expect that swing to hold, since you gained so much wei—"

*BAM!*

"OUCH! It hurts it hurts it hurts!" cried the one who sported a new bump on her head

"If you forcefully dragged me out here just to make fun of me, then I'll just go home and leave you here so that you can freeze to death, Tainaka Ritsu!" The Dangerous Queen announced as she got up and held a bulging vein.

At the sound of this, Ritsu got up immediately and held her friend's arm "Okay, okay! Here it goes…"

Mio turned around and looked at her

"Mio, I…"

"You?" Mio stared at the girl.

"I….." 'I can't do this!'

"Yes?" 'Seriously, Baka..'

"I… I see dead people. Look Mio, there's one behind you." Ritsu said in a serious tone.

. . . . . .

*BAM* . . *CRASH* . . *THUD*!

"RITSUUU! I'M GOING HOME!" Mio yelled while shaking violently, tears welling at the side of her eyes. While walking away, she took out her phone and started to dial her Mother's number, desperately hoping for her to be picked up near the park (their house was relatively near the park, yet she was still very scared). 'I didn't hear anything, I didn't hear anything, I didn't hear anything…' Mio chanted to herself.

'OW! That could have killed me!' Ritsu thought to herself as she hurriedly stood and chased after the retreating figure of the Dangerous Queen. Because of a splitting headache caused by the hit, she concluded that she cannot catch up with her friend. So instead, she yelled at the top of her lungs:

"Wait Miooo! I love you! I have loved you since God knows when! Don't leave, wait up!"

Mio froze.

. . . . . . . . .

*clank*

The sound of a cellphone hitting the hard pavement cut through the silence of the night.

. . . . . . . . .

The amber-eyed girl finally caught up with her friend. She bent down, put her hands on her knees, and tried to catch her breath.

*pant, pant* "Mio…." *pant* "Thank goodness.. Are you okay? You suddenly stopped and dropped your…" she was suddenly interrupted.

"H-hey.. R-ritsu.. What d-did you s-say?" Mio said with a shaky and cracked voice. She was still frozen in her tracks, her back facing Ritsu.

"Ah, I said you dropped…"

"N-no. Not t-that one. T-the one you y-yelled.."

Ritsu stood up straight, and held Mio's shoulders. Her resolve was firm; she had to tell it to her now. There was no backing down. This was it. All the rehearsing will pay off now.

"I said I love you, I have felt this way for a long time. I love everything about you. Your smile, your laugh, your voice, your fist of fury, everything! I'm so blessed to have you in my life! I don't know what I'll do if I ever lose you. I sure hope I don't though, because that'll suck, you know? It will suck more than a world without rice. 'Coz you know how I love rice right? But that's beside the point. Aahh, look at me, blabbering away! Say something please, anything?" Ritsu turned her head side to side as she blushed.

. . .

"Why….?" A shaky voice answered.

"Huh? Mio, what do you mean why? I love you! Do you want me to prove it to you? Do you not believe me?" Ritsu said in a pained voice.

"I… I-I can't…."

"What?" Ritsu let go of Mio's shoulders and dropped her hands to her side.

Mio bowed her head, her bangs covering her steel-grey eyes. Then she turned to face Ritsu.

"I-I'm sorry… I just can't…."

Ritsu looked at her friend, slack-jawed. Then she asked impatiently. "You can't what, Mio? What?!"

". . . . ."

". . . . ."

"I… can't answer you right n-now!" Mio said, almost inaudibly. Then, with all of her might and courage, she ran to her house, alone. The pitch black night swallowing her whole.

Ritsu wanted to run after her, but she couldn't. Her feet felt wobbly, and her head started to throb. She tried to move her body, but her muscles wouldn't allow her to. Instead, she stood there for what seemed like an eternity. She was left dumbfounded, her heart shattered into a million pieces. Her world turned upside down. Then a whisper left her lips.

"No answer, huh?"

As she stared at the direction where the one she loves disappeared to, she couldn't help but ask herself….

-Did she say it right?-

-Was the timing off?-

-Did she make a mistake when she confessed?-

Tears started to fall down her cheeks as the last question crossed her mind….

-Will she lose Mio, the one that she held dearest in her heart?-

As sadness and silence enveloped her, she was pulled back to reality when she noticed the item that Mio dropped and left.

A red scarf.

The scarf that she, the Great Ritsu-sama, patiently and lovingly knitted, and gave to Mio last Christmas as a present. All the love that she poured into making it was given back to her, at the same time and place that it was given exactly a year ago. Is it fate? Why did this happen? Did she deserve this?

'Hah. How ironic…' she bitterly said to herself while crying her eyes out.

Just then, the clock struck 12 and distant voices echoed as they shouted with joy…

"Merry Christmas!"

A few meters away, in a dark alley, a girl slowly picked up the cellphone that she had previously dropped. 'The screen cracked. Guess I have to buy a new one.' The girl said to herself.

Then she started to walk away, while thinking about the scene that she had witnessed. She never intended to stay and watch the whole thing, she was merely a passer-by. What caught her attention were the persons involved-her schoolmates.

"Poor Ritsu…" The girl whispered. Seeing the amber-eyed girl like that made her heart ache. Being able to do nothing to comfort the girl didn't exactly help her aching heart either. She couldn't help but frown.

Thanks for reading!

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