Chapter 1: A Fresh Start

It was another cold day in the music room at Sakuragaoka high school; five friends were gathered around a small humble table in the centre of the school's Music room. Despite the chilly winter temperature, friendly conversation and banter continued as normal as snacks were consumed as they always were. Unbeknownst to the rest of the group though, a particular drummer wasn't quite feeling like her usual self.

"Ritsu-senpai!" a young guitarist shouted into her senpai's ear, startling the aforementioned senpai in the process.

Ritsu fell into a state of panic for a brief second at the sudden disturbance of her thoughts, she quickly re-organised herself and replied with an artificial smile, "Sorry Azusa-chan, what did ya say?"

"Yui senpai keeps insisting that it's normal for friends to kiss!" Exclaimed the young girl in a desperate plea for assistance against her other senpai's invasion of her personal space. However, Ritsu didn't reply, but instead stared off into space, blushing as she looked away from the younger girl. She found herself thinking about Yui engaging in a loving kiss with Azusa, perhaps holding hands under the table with her too. Her thoughts then turned towards Yui kissing herself, and she returning the favour. A sense of shame and betrayal suddenly overtook her as she glanced towards Mio, who was making light-hearted conversation with Mugi, unaware of Ritsu's longing gaze on her.

"Are you even listening senpai!?" Azusa shouted at her upperclassman. However, Ritsu did not even flinch at the voice so desperately begging for her attention for she was far too lost in her own thoughts. Eventually, the band's bassist gave Azusa the attention she craved.

"Yui, lay off Azusa a bit" She strictly commanded the overbearing brunette. Ritsu couldn't help but shift her head over to the moping guitarist, feeling pity at seeing her look so disheartened. She knew that as always, Yui would stomach the pain and be her usual self again in a matter of seconds. Yui's resilience amazed her, but she wondered whether Yui's patience had a limit, or how much damage Azusa's constant rejection of her affection was doing to her.

Ritsu leaned back in her chair and looked up to the intricately connected wooden planks that made up the music room ceiling. She felt a burning desire in both her heart and her gut to be there for Yui. To not only give her the affection she deserves but doesn't receive, but also to perhaps even be on the receiving end of Yui's warm snuggly hugs. She felt another blush creep onto her face, she didn't usually show such insecurity at such common intervals, but without anyone to walk home with later on in the day; she couldn't really be blamed for her lack of emotional control.

"Right, I'll be off then" Mio calmly said as she rose from her chair, stealing a glance at Ritsu's red face. The auburn haired girl noticed this and squirmed in her chair, uncomfortable at Mio seeing her in such a vulnerable state. Azusa noticed the tension building up between the two and decided someone had to interject, and by the looks of things that someone would have to be her. She glanced over to Mugi and saw the blonde was in her own world, admiring her own tea sets and marvelling at the record amount of tea drank today. Azusa sighed and looked down at Yui, who was still clinging to her waist without sign of letting go. The twin tailed guitarist gathered her courage and took action.

"I'll go with you!" Azusa announced, trying to pry Yui off of her while doing so. Unfortunately breaking up her two senpai's would mean leaving behind her most beloved one, but someone had to protect the wellbeing of the club.

"Count me in," Mugi said, examining her European design tea pot and witnessing the severe lack of any tea in it. Today many drinks had been poured, especially for the unusually quiet drummer. It was as if Ritsu had traded her boisterous personality for an undying love of tea.

"C'mon Azunyan!" Yui weakly exclaimed, trying to get a stronger grip on the younger girl's legs to pull herself along.

"Ritsu-san, Yui, are you coming?" Mio asked the pair, avoiding eye contact with Ritsu while doing so.

Ritsu realised the opportunity at hand here, an opportunity to explore her feelings for her Ditzy friend and to see whether those feelings could be returned. Although she felt a pull to stomach the guilt and walk home with Mio like old times, she couldn't bring herself to do so, at least not yet.

For now, Yui was her priority.

"I'll stay back" Ritsu feigned a nonchalant mood, lying back in her chair, "Might do a bit of maintenance on my drums before I go, go on without me."

"And Yui?" Mio shifted her attention to the brunette sprawled out on the floor.

"Eeeeeeeeeehhhh…" was all Yui managed to get out of her mouth.

"Guess we'll be leaving then," Mio said as she briskly turned to pace out of the room. As she left the room she didn't spare a word of passing goodwill to either of the girls who had chosen to stay behind. Such an coldness Ritsu had grown akin to, and Mio's rudeness had luckily gone largely unnoticed by Yui, who was still laying down on the floor where Azusa left her.

Ritsu began to try and spark up a conversation with the airhead, "You alright Y-"was all Ritsu was able to say before Yui pounced on her, knocking her off her feet and onto the ground. Suddenly Ritsu found herself on the floor, with Yui lying on top of her. "You're unusually warm, Rit-chan." Yui sleepily said while she lay on top of the bewildered amber eyed girl.

Ritsu searched her mind for something to say, or at the very least a way to properly react to Yui's choice of actions. She noticed that Yui was hugging her, with both her arms wrapped snugly around her. Ritsu then reciprocated the motion, although it did not go unnoticed by Yui, who was rather unfamiliar with being hugged back by anyone in a genuine way.

"Rit-cha-?" Before any complete words could leave her mouth, Ritsu had pressed her lips against Yui's. After a few seconds she pulled away, embarrassed and partly humiliated with her own actions. What had she done? She had just kissed her close friend without consent? What would Azusa think? What would Mio think? Before she could come to any conclusions, the feeling of being watched dawned on her. The Drummer's gaze wandered to the guitarist still hugging her as they lay together unmoving on the floor. Without warning, Yui leaped up and returned the previous kiss to her schoolmate. If Ritsu could comprehend what was going on, she sure would've returned the kiss. But alas she did not, and Yui pulled away.

Silence engulfed the room as they both sat opposite each other, avoiding eye contact and waiting for the other to break the silence. Moments dragged on, seeming like eternities that would shackle themselves to the pair forever, before Yui finally spoke up.

"I really like you Rit-chan."

Those simple words touched Ritsu's heart; they were all it took to snap the shorter girl out of her daze.

"L-Like me as a friend or…?"

"I LOVE YOU RIT-CHAN!" Yui exclaimed as she pounced on Ritsu once more, hugging her tightly and repeatedly kissing the auburn haired girl on her cheek and lips. This time Ritsu was more aware of what was going on, and quickly began returning the favour. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as both Ritsu and Yui embraced each other and kissed in a small outburst of passion. After a time Ritsu pulled away, stood up and simply offered her hand to Yui, who was still sitting on the floor, appreciating the fuzzy feeling that came with returned love.

Without hesitation Yui took hold of Ritsu's hand, causing a blush to flare up on the latter's face. Yui giggled at Ritsu's unusual bashfulness as they walked out of the music room, hand in hand, relishing in the newfound feeling of purpose they found in one another.