Chapter 9's here! Enjoy! Side notes: I'm thinking of whether I should give Mugi a boyfriend, we wouldn't want to leave her out. Personally I don't like writing original characters, but Moogs is a best girl and doesn't deserve to be left out. ANYWAYS, enjoy!!
Chapter 9: The Drummer and the Bike
"A car…?" Mr Tainaka said, not sure he heard right.
Mio and Ritsu had gone back to their neighbourhood to visit their parents, only after Mio made sure Ritsu finished all her work, and the two friends were currently in the Tainaka's dining room.
Upon hearing the drummer's words, her family looked at her with horror.
"Soooo…?" Ritsu said, blinking her eyes, attempting to look cute.
"This is- a little out of the blue," Ritsu's mother sighed, "Also, it screams bad idea."
"That's what I told her," Mio sighed, "Besides, a car is expensive."
"Mio nee-chan is right," Satoshi sighed.
"What's that supposed to mean, you gremlin?!" Ritsu snapped, pulling on Satoshi's cheeks.
"Let go!" Satoshi whined, prying her sister's hands off his face.
"Do you have the money for a car?" Mr Tainaka deadpanned.
Ritsu turned her head away and tried to whistle.
"Baka," Mio facepalmed.
"Oh shut up princess," Ritsu snapped, "I was hoping you could sponsor me the car."
Mr and Mrs Tainaka looked at each other, and looked at Mio, then at Satoshi. Eventually breaking down in laughter.
"Good one Ritsu," Mr Tainaka laughed.
"I'm- not joking?" Ritsu stated, confused.
"Hahahaha," the Tainakas laughed.
"Maybe start with a bike first dear," Mrs Tainaka joked.
"Hey, that's a good idea!" Ritsu said excitedly, "Mio! You and I are going shopping tomorrow!"
Mio, who was snacking on some rice cakes, widened her eyes.
"Eh?!"
Mio and Ritsu returned to their apartment that afternoon, and set off to get Ritsu and motorcycle .
"Baka," Mio scoffed
"Whiny," Ritsu retorted.
"Brat," Mio snapped, "What exactly is your budget?!"
"Calm down dear," Ritsu mocked, "I brought 300,000 yen."
*SMACK*
"What kind of bike would be that cheap," Mio asked, clearly a little pissed.
"We're here!" Ritsu smiled.
The drummer and bassist were standing in front of an old looking building with many old looking vehicles lined up against each other.
"Second-hand I assume," Mio stated, raising her eyebrows.
Ritsu laughed and replied, "I know, I'm a genius."
Ritsu and Mio then approached one of the assistants, asking him to show them bikes within the drummer's budget.
Most of the bikes clearly looked like they were handled before, with tiny scratches on some of them.
With Ritsu being particularly interested in a shiny black motorcycle, complete with a helmet and gloves.
After the assistant showed them the bikes available, he turned around to Ritsu and asked, "All right, when you are done selecting, you can pay in cash or card. Of course, I need to see your credentials and driving license."
"Of course," Ritsu smiled, reaching into her pocket for her wallet, before pausing, "Wait… driving licence?"
"You walked into store expecting to buy a vehicle knowing damn well you don't have a driver's license?" Mio snapped as they walked out of the store.
"I was too excited!" Ritsu defended herself, "The system is corrupt anyway, you need a license for everything these days! What happened to freedom of choice?!"
"It's because of idiots like you that the system requires a license," Mio sighed, "We wouldn't want you in an accident would we?"
"I played the bike simulator game," Ritsu joked.
"You're hopeless."
A month later…."Fuwa Fuwa Time~"
After playing the last chords of the song, HTT sat down to rest.
"That was great everyone!" Mio said, "Drums feel a bit unenthusiastic though."
"Shut up Mio," Ritsu retorted, "I have a lot on my mind right now."
"Sure," Mio rolled her eyes, "Now that you've enrolled, I would have thought you would be less annoying about this."
"It's gonna take more than that Mio-chuan," Ritsu fired back, taking out a worksheet to do.
Mio ignored her friend as she sat down. Yui grabbed a nearby packeted cake and looked at Ritsu curiously.
"Whatcha doing there Captain?" Yui asked, looking at the paper Ritsu was scribbling on.
"Homework," the drummer replied nonchalantly.
"RITCHAN?! Doing… HOMEWORK?!" Yui gasped, "What has the world become?!"
"This is just the beginning!" Ritsu played along, "Soon, I will take down the oppressive government! Will you follow me, Recruit?!"
"Yes ma'am!" Yui saluted.
Mio and Azusa looked at the two girls in exasperation, while Mugi glimpsed at Ritsu's paper.
"Ooh! You're gonna drive, Ritchan?" Mugi asked, surprised.
Ritsu turned away from the air bead and gave a thumbs-up at Mugi.
"Yosh!" Ritsu grinned, "I even have my eye out for a sick black motorcycle."
Yui, Mugi and Azusa applauded the drummer.
"Take us for rides Ritchan!" Yui said excitedly.
"I don't think you can do that," Azusa pointed out.
"We can squeeze together Azunyan," Yui smiled as Azusa turned pink.
"Being a motorcyclist definitely suits you," Mugi smiled, petting Ritsu's head, "You're headstrong and energetic."
"Exactly," Ritsu said proudly, "Bikey and I are going to have a blast."
Mio rolled her eyes, with Ritsu capturing the moment she did.
"Have a problem Mio?" Ritsu grinned.
"No, I agree with Mugi," Mio sighed,
"It definitely suits you, your noisy, loud, rowdy-"
"Oi you're saying the same thing in different words."
"I'm not wrong though."
"Oh shut up."
"Ahem," Mio cleared a throat, "Just… be careful you baka."
Ritsu smiled, "Ehe, you're worried about me?"
"It's not like I-" Mio breathed, "Tsk if this is the attitude you're giving me, I'm not sure if I wanna worry about you anytime soon."
"Kidding Mio," Ritsu grinned, "But thanks."
2 weeks later…
"Are you worried about Ricchan?" Mugi asked Mio, "What if she doesn't manage to pass?"
The keyboardist and bassist were in Mio's apartment.
"She'll be fine," Mio sighed, "I hear a lot of "vroooom" noises when she sleeps."
"YOSH!" Ritsu cried, barging into the apartment, "I did it! I got my licence."
"Good job." "Good job Ricchan."
"Thankoo~" Ritsu said in a sing-song voice.
Ritsu showed off her new licence, earning applause from Mugi
"So when are you getting the bike?" Mio asked, clearing the cups on the dining table.
"Oh, it's downstairs," Ritsu replied.
thuck*
Mio dropped the cups and turned to Ritsu, "Oh, and it didn't come across to you to ask me what I think first?"
"Oh, come on, I might as well get the bike right after I have my license capiche?" Ritsu said, blinking her eyes rapidly.
"It's not like I have a choice," Mio huffed.
"C'mon, since you're going to school tomorrow, I'll bring ya," Ritsu offered.
Mio rolled her eyes, "Fine."
The next day…
"Mio! Are you ready?" Ritsu called from the front door.
"Yeah!" Mio replied as she put on her shoes.
The two friends then went to the carpark to find Ritsu's bike.
"There she is, my baby," Ritsu said affectionately upon seeing her bike.
The drummer's motorbike seemed to have been personalised a lot, with a picture of Houkago Tea Time attached near the gauge.
Ritsu passed Mio a helmet as she got onto the seat.
"Sit behind me Mio," Ritsu said, igniting the engine.
Upon hearing the drummer's words, Mio blushed a deep red and smacked the driver.
"Ow! What the hell was that for?!" Ritsu cried, rubbing her shoulders.
"Don't say things so obvious dimwit!" Mio snapped.
"I only said sit behind me!" Ritsu retorted, "Mio?"
Mio turned away from Ritsu, still blushing hard.
"Uh, we still going?" Ritsu awkwardly said.
"Y-yeah," Mio said, sitting behind Ritsu.
The bike made a loud "POP" noise at it set off.
"RITSU SLOW DOWN!" Mio screamed.
"It's gonna be fine Mio~" Ritsu shouted, with a grin on her face.
As the bike continued speeding down the empty road, a policeman's eye happened to catch the drummer and bassist.
The policeman dribe towards the girls and shouted, "Pull over!"
"What the fuck?" Ritsu muttered as she drove to the side.
"Did you know you were speeding young lady?" the officer scolded, bringing out a notepad.
"R-Ritsu.." Mio tried to snarl before almost throwing up.
"To add to that, you literally just got your licence!" the officer yelled, "How would you not know Tandem Riding isn't allowed in this country?!"
"It isn't?" Ritsu spluttered, confused.
That night…
"I can't fucking believe you," Mio whispered quietly upon seeing Ritsu that night when she reached home, "You're lucky we're only getting fines! I can't have you going to jail!"
"Yeah, I get it Mio," Ritsu sighed.
"No you don't!" Mio yelled.
How was the drummer so nonchalant, so… so stupid?
After they were caught, Ritsu told the police officer that Mio had nothing to do with the incident, thus he let Mio go.
The bassist felt so angry that day, no it wasn't anger, it was something else. Ritsu was trying to be "mature" but if she kept this up, she may get hurt, and if she gets hurt, Mio will…
"What would I do if she gets hurt?" Mio thought earlier that day. Mio remembered the time she thought Ritsu had a boyfriend, she was so worried that her "boyfriend" would do something to her Ritsu that she couldn't even sleep. Not only was Mio worried for Ritsu however, but maybe... just maybe, a hint of jealousy?
"You could have gotten seriously hurt!" Mio yelled at the drummer.
"Mio! I had to hear this exact sentence from my parents, the school counselor, the police dude and now you?! Give me a fucking break!" Ritsu snapped, standing up.
"Give you a break?!" Mio yelled back, face turning red in sheer anger, "Is that what you think it is idiot?! Have you not considered the fact that I care what happens to you?!"
Ritsu opened her mouth to yell back but paused when Mio said the last sentence. Mio cares about her, what was she thinking?
"You idiot! Is this what being mature is?! Almost getting yourself killed?!" Mio bellowed, tears forming.
Ritsu did not reply, she, herself tearing up.
"Mio… I'm so.. I'm so sorry…," Ritsu broke down in tears, "I don't know what I was trying to prove, I… could have killed you, I'm so sorry, I would never know why I wanted to buy the damn bike in the first place. Truth is I'm so fucking immature, and I'm sorry for being such a burden to you."
After saying this, Ritsu looked up at Mio, who was advancing towards her, Ritsu closed her eyes, expecting Mio to smack her, but was surprised when what she got was a tight hug.
"You were never a burden, you idiot," Mio cried, "What's with that nonsense about you being immature? C'mon, you cook meals for us, you are living in an apartment and you're doing great in your results!"
Ritsu laughed hugging Mio back, "This is getting sappy, let's stop crying like babies."
The two friends laughed, happy to have one another.
A few days later...
"You got rid of the bike?" Yui asked Ritsu, a disappointed tone in her voice.
HTT and Onnagumi were in the club room after the schoolday.
"Heh, yeah," Ritsu laughed sheepishly, "I'll stick to walking now, thank you very much!"
BEEEP… BEEEP...
"You're phone's ringing Akira," Sacchi points out to Akira.
"Right," Akira said, grabbing her phone, "Hello?"
Akira suddenly dropped her phone, hand over mouth.
Ayame narrowed her eyes at the guitarist before picking the phone up.
"Oh, hello? Maeda-senpai! How's it going?" Ayame greeted Maeda.
"Maeda… Akira's crush?" Mugi questioned Sacchi.
Sacchi nodded her head, trying to wake the short haired guitarist up from her trance.
"Oh, HTT? They're with us now, ah I see," Ayame said before lowering the phone, "HTT, this one is for you guys, Maeda-senpai said the record company he works in may be interested in yall, he's inviting you to check out the company, do you wanna go?"
HTT looked at each other before jumping up and down excitedly.
"That would be amazing, tell him yes!" Mio said excitedly.
"Us, having a record company?" Azusa said dreamily, before nearly fainting.
Ritsu, Yui and Mugi were still jumping up and down in excitement while chanting, "Gig time, gig time, gig time."
"They said yes," Ayame spoke into the phone.
"Great!" Maeda replied, "Oh and like I said last time, if your band is interested, the offer still stands, so you can join too!"
Akira roundhouse kicked Ayame, before grabbing the phone and replying, "Yes! We'll go senpai!"
"Great!" Maeda said, "I'll send you the date and time by text, so-"
Akira changed up before he could finish.
"Imagine us, on stage," Mugi said, eyes shining.
"We're gonna be famous!" Ritsu and Yui chanted.
Azusa couldn't stop grinning, if they were to make it big, that would be amazing… an opportunity like this does not come often.
"Wait till Sawako-sensei hears about this," Azusa thought.
SORRY FOR THE LATE UPLOAD. Thanks for reading this chapter, which may or may not be inspired by a similar event in my life. Next chapter: the two bands visit Maeda's record company.Again, thanks for reading, till next time!
