Mio x Ritsu
'Mio and Juritsu
Sorry for YET another delay guys. . This chapter is something more special though – deeming part one of the two-part prom climax, starting the beginning of the end for the couple. I lost my notes somewhere in one of my bags since my mom has re-decorated while I was staying at my girlfriend's, so I'm going to have to wing this one. I do apologize for mistakes. I also just wrote this after having my vaccination today, so I'm a little weary, expect stupid mistakes.
ZzZzZ
Break a sweat desperate lover
Do you feel all alone?
ZzZzZ
The time everyone has been waiting for! The beginning of the prom!
"Miooo? Azusa?" Ritsu whined, hobbling over to the door frame she peered around it with one half closed eye, moaning in irritation when the raven-haired girls didn't reply once more.
'So they're not down here either?' Ritsu sighed inwardly, walking slowly into the kitchen. It felt weird being alone after a whole week of waking up and going to bed with someone right beside you – although Ritsu would hate to think she was becoming that in need of attention.
With calm hands she poured herself a glass of ice-cold orange juice and kicked the fridge door shut after she placed the carton back in, then she moved over to the kitchen table, slumping down, staring dully out one of the kitchen windows.
'That's right, they'll be practising for tonight...'
Tonight.
Ritsu felt a pang of nervousness, and millions of mixed emotions flow over her. She felt jealous of Satoshi being in her place, but also felt proud for him being her brother and able to step up to the mark. She felt slightly uneasy about going to the prom with her best friend after Nawakara and her mother shouting abuse at her for the one thing it would look like she was doing.
She realised that unless she found a new group to go with, she was going to end up walking into prom alone.
The drummer sipped at her orange juice, now blanking any thoughts from her mind – when she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket.
Blinking a few times, as if she had lost herself in nothingness, she pulled the phone out and flipped it open, pressing the receive button when she realised it was a call.
"Hello?" She noticed it was Ui Hirasawa's voice.
"Yo, Ui." She grinned smugly, an idea forming in her mind already – was it that coincidental?
"Neechan said that I should come over and make sure you get properly dressed for the prom, since they won't be able to have time for a break." There was a slight cheeky tone in that voice Ritsu noticed, she scowled.
"Oi! I'm not invalid you know! Besides, don't you have your own group you'll need to meet up with? That, and it's pretty early you know, prom's not for another couple of hours."
"Jun is just going to meet me inside with our dates, and I realised when I was talking to neechan that you won't have anyone to travel which – and that's pretty dangerous in your...state."
"..." Ritsu didn't reply, unsure of what to say.
"...I have the new Dead Space."
"Well why the hell are you takin' so long!" Ritsu grinned, finally perking up. It had been really fun the first time they had played a game together – and since this was the sequel to said game, she knew it would bring back good memories- just the thing to make her feel better.
ZzZzZ
You're not the answer I should know
Like all the boys before, like all the boys before
ZzZzZ
The drummer drank lemon tea throughout the warm evening as they both jumped and exclaimed shock once too often at the game they were currently playing. Ritsu couldn't think of a time when everything felt so...normal. Until now.
Mio had been acting off with her the past week – and Azusa was almost jumping out of her skin every time Ritsu spoke. She felt as if she had done something to upset them...Maybe she did look like trouble.
She sighed, turning to Ui who had took over after Ritsu had died (since they were taking it in turns), the younger Hirasawa wasn't even breaking a sweat, yet Ritsu was slightly shivering.
"Ui. Do you think I'm trouble?" She questioned.
Ui held a slightly triumphant smile as she began to adjust to the game, but she still listened to Ritsu.
"I don't think that you're trouble – I just think Mio-chan is worried about you, and well, you know what Azusa-chan is like. She can't handle any mood." She giggled, Ritsu noticed her warm smile.
"Mio-chan's been so strange with me lately, and I don't know it's like...She's hiding something from me. She won't laugh as much and she kept grumbling to herself, and if I woke up late through the night, she would always still be awake. I don't want it to ruin tonight's performance."
"It's not like you to worry, Ritsu-chan. You have to go tonight as yourself, or you'll regret it, you know you will. There won't be another party like this, and everyone wants to see the Tainaka we've grown so fond of these past couple of years."
Ritsu smiled, hearing the first load of sense that made her want to jump for joy.
"Maybe we should start getting prepared now – it is almost 6pm and I'm gonna have to replace these bandages before I get my suit on – that and I'll need to help you with your dress too."
Ui giggled, quickly saving the game. "I didn't know you knew anything about make-up and dresses Ritsu-chan." She smirked slightly mischievously – it reminded Ritsu of Yui.
"O-Of course I do! I am a girl after all." She pouted, clambering to her feet and heading in the direction of the stairs.
xXx
"Wow! I might have to start calling you Ri-kun from now on." Ui laughed, an admiring look on her face when Ritsu wandered into Mio's bedroom dressed in her white suit, she flashed a Cheshire grin at the younger Hirasawa, feeling quite good about herself. Knowing that Nawakara definitely wouldn't like this.
"What do you think, Ritsu-chan~?" Ui asked, smiling sweetly as she straightened out the yellow slightly poofy dress that she was wearing, a matching yellow hair band in her hair. Although she currently had her fringe clipped back.
"So you really do want help with your make-up, huh?" Ritsu grumbled, wandering over to Mio's large bedroom mirror that Ui sat at. Ui had already prepared her own make-up on the top of Mio's dresser drawers, so Ritsu just had to improvise. She didn't wear make-up, she wasn't even wearing any right now. But she had seen Mio put on make-up a lot, so she would have to remember from comparison.
It was going relatively well as she sifted through one layer of foundation on the young Hirasawa's face- she wouldn't need any more of that because her skin was clear anyway, it was just to match the eye make-up she was going to do. Although Ritsu was getting slightly agitated by her hair on her face – since she had decided to leave the hair band out of tonight.
It took about a good hour to finish the liquid black eye-liner perfectly and make Ui look adorable and not like a hooker – and the mascara looked decent. Placing a small hint of lip gloss on her, Ritsu thought she had done a decent job, and they were preparing to leave already.
Ritsu stuffed her pockets with money, and found herself slipping her cell phone into her pants pocket – somehow she sensed trouble out of tonight – and this time she would have evidence to put Nawakara behind bars.
Ui packed her hand bag with a bottle of water, and Ritsu scolded her for having her purse at the top in such an easy reach for pick-pockets. After re-packing her hand bag, they left the Akiyama household, locking the front door behind them, heading off to the prom.
"What do you think the new song will sound like?" Ui asked, a cheerful expression on her face as she practically bounced across the foot-patch towards the train station. Ritsu smiled, pushing her bangs over the eye-patch on her left eye – thankful that she got to wear a suit that covered up the other bandages and plasters rather than her school uniform. She fumbled in her pocket for some spare change for the train for her and Ui.
"It'll probably be some kinda romantic song knowing Mio's passion for love. Especially since it's prom but..." Ritsu sighed, looking up at the darkening sky.
"You're upset because she didn't find a date, huh?" That was right, Ui didn't know Mio had asked her, no-one did.
"Yeah. I just think she deserves a really nice guy that knows how to make her smile, and will treat her right. She needs someone cheerful to keep her positive and confident, but I just can't find anyone like that for her." She let out a heavy sigh, feeling exasperated from the conversation already.
"She needs someone like you, don't you think?" Ui smiled as they reached the station, smoothly taking the spare change Ritsu held out dumbly, a confused expression on the tawny-haired girl's face.
"What are you talking about? I'm sure Mio doesn't swing that way. Her parents are WAY too up-tight to let her have thoughts like that." Ritsu frowned, paying for her own ticket in the booth next to Ui.
"What about your feelings, Ritsu-chan?" Ui smiled sweetly as they climbed the stairs to the first platform – getting stared at by the older people around them. Ritsu could hear them muttering and groaned. She was getting really tired of people noticing her now – and at one point she would of loved it.
"I've never thought about my feelings before, Ui. Everyone's always came before that. I've never dated anyone anyway..." Ritsu trailed off, mind in thought as she stared blankly at the sign indicating their train would arrive at any minute. She had no idea what to think. Her mind started swimming with things she didn't even understand. Thoughts and feelings she had never considered before. What was it even like to love someone?
Did she love Mio? Was that why she agreed to Prom? Agreed to anything Mio ever asked? Accepted her beatings gleefully and never got annoyed? Got so jealous when she hung around with Nadoka?
She felt an on-coming headache and pain clench in her chest. What did she feel? What did Mio feel?
"I think you should figure yourself out. The nice think about my nee-chan is that she's so honest no matter what, that she really knows herself more than she thinks and...You could be the same, you know?"
Ritsu nodded mutely, and their train arrived at the station.
ZzZzZ
I know you want me
I made it obvious that I want you too
So put it on me
Let's remove the space between me and you
ZzZzZ
"You guys look amazing!" Jun half complimented and half pouted as she jogged over to the pair. Ritsu almost fell over laughing when she realised it was none other than Satoshi who was standing by her side.
He blushed madly when he saw Ritsu, and frowned at his older sister with a cute, child-ish pout.
"You haven't got in contact since you left!"
"You do know it's only been a week." Ritsu teased, pinching his cheeks with a smug grin.
They laughed together, with Jun and Ui smiling at them in what looked like relieved expressions. Ritsu noticed that everyone must of been told she wasn't acting like the same old Ritsu.
"Hey you better treat her right." Ritsu smiled honestly this time, patting her little brother on their back as the group headed towards the doors for the main hall.
"Of course I will, I'm lucky y'know!" He grinned boy-ishly, a grin that looked so much like Ritsu's they were almost identical for a second. Making Jun and Ui giggle.
"Well at least I taught you somethin'." Ritsu smirked, slipping through the doors, followed by the others.
Her jaw almost dropped.
They really had out-done themselves. Long tables were placed in lines at one side of the huge hall, covered with huge white mats, and beautiful royal-red place mats. Glasses placed next to each empty glistening plate. People talked in small groups, a small group of them joking around on the dance floor with their friends and partners. A buffet was placed in one of the corners with delicious smelling foods, matching their attractive smell in their looks. But Ritsu's eyes were more focused on the stage.
"Why are you not practising with them right now?" She asked, glancing at her brother.
"We got told we might as well stop when they open the doors, and go to see friends or partners because it would ruin the surprise if they could hear us practise, idiot!" He grinned, nudging her back.
"Ahh y-yeah I guess that's true but..." A pang of loneliness hit her. Then why wasn't Mio looking for her?
"Ritsu. I-I'm glad you came..."
A few muttering voices fell silent as Ritsu swerved around to look at her partner, her jaw dropping for the second time that evening as girls giggled in the background, boys muttering.
"M-Mio?" She asked dumbly, her one eye tracing every detail of Mio's black dress that clung to her curves so perfectly. Small silver sequences lined the area of her chest, and she wore a silver necklace with a small heart on it. Her nails painted black. Ritsu's biggest shock was the black high heels Mio wore to match. Her hair pulled over one shoulder, make-up like a super model.
She wasn't sure what to say, and felt her cheeks flaring up for reasons she couldn't comprehend at all. She felt dizzy, lost...
"U-Um...Ritsu? Why are you staring at me? Is there something on my face...?"
"You look perfect." Ritsu blurted out, quickly clamping a hand over her mouth to shut herself up.
"W...What? Don't play games, I tried really hard-"
"I-I'm not...playing games Mio. Really, I think you-"
"Will Ho-Kago Tea Time please make their way to the stage." Mio could of killed the announcer.
XxX
After the short introduction speech from their head master, everyone stood around the dance hall in anticipation as the band members – and Satoshi, got prepared with their instruments. They all looked amazing – not that Ritsu was paying much attention to them...Mainly all she could do was stare blankly at Mio and wonder why she was doing so. Getting jolts of anger each time someone complimented her.
She felt someone touch her shoulder.
"It's a shame we couldn't get to the front in time, there's so many people..." Ui pouted, Ritsu noticed that she was watching her sister with a proud look in her eyes. She smiled.
"At least we still have a decent view."
"Hello everyone," Mio's soft, velvet voice took the crowd over, and Ritsu noticed that something was strange, Mio was doing the MC this time.
"I'm taking over the MC this time from Yui if you all don't mind. I spent a long time writing this song, and I really think that in a way, we can all relate to it. We've all seen prom in the movies, the perfect and the worst dates. And I think tonight, some people will really get what they've always dreamed for. And this is a song for them...And...A song from my heart." A blush covered her cheeks, making the crowd go wild. Girls noticeably tearing up at the soft words coming from the bassist's mouth.
Panic filled Ritsu's body. Nawakara? Where was he...
The music began to play, Yui's perfect guitar fingering, Azusa and Mio filling in the space elegantly. Satoshi keeping the rhythm in a way that made the crowd cheer – especially his class mates. Mugi looking all too womanly on the keyboard.
"No matter how cold it is, I'm happy
Watching your white breath as you spring into a run."
Ritsu chuckled, typical Mio, the lyrics puzzled her. What did winter have to do with prom?
"Your hairstyle really suits you
But I want to see how you look with your bangs down."
"There's so many people here boss, do you really think we'll get away with this?" a boy mumbled, sifting with Nawakara through the crowd.
"It doesn't matter, in the dark, no-one will be able to work out a thing." He grinned. A blonde haired boy held scissors between the electricity box wires.
"Just say the word boss."
"Do it."
"I wonder what I should say
Is "I love you" a good way to start?
The fluttering snow is like my dancing feelings
And somehow I'm happy
On this vivid white, shining road
I want to walk with you; it would be okay if we held hands
Your mischievous smile really suits you
But I also want to see your shy, blushing face."
"I always get what I want."
The room filled with darkness.
Bang, bang, bang.
"Mio! Mio!"