A/N: Part one of 'Chapter 2'. Does that concept exist? Well, it exists now.

ooooo

There was something up with Ritsu, Mio decided.

She had thought it was her imagination. Ritsu often visited the Akiyama residence, and she would sometimes visit the Tainaka residence. These impromptu visits were mutual until Ritsu, out of nowhere, told her—no, demanded her—to inform her beforehand if she were to visit. Mio had shrugged it off that Ritsu was being hypocritical as usual and, instead of following her, ended up avoiding the Tainaka residence altogether.

But by the second time Ritsu had taken her book card and given it a new home, she had to stomp over to her place and give her an earful.

ooo

"Mio!"

Mio ignored how Ritsu's face was oddly contorted into an expression she was not expecting. "Ritsu, how many times—"

Ritsu's forefinger was on her lips. "Shhh!"

Mio's eyebrows ascended. She looked over Ritsu. There was no one behind her, but the brunette kept on casting furtive glances over her shoulder.

She was ushered in and the door was closed quietly.

Quietly.

Mio was starting to get worried. She lowered her voice into a concerned whisper as she slipped off her sandals. "Ritsu, what's wrong?"

"Just be normal, okay?"

Mio blinked. "Normal?"

"Ritsu," came a woman's voice from the next room. "Who was it?"

Ritsu darted a look at Mio before she answered, "Just Mio, Mum! Study session, remember?"

"You never told me."

Ritsu gave a small laugh. "You sure? I told you yesterday."

They heard a blunt smack and some footsteps. Ms Tainaka stepped out from the kitchen and into the semi-lightened hallway. Her eyes seemed to search for Mio, and when they found her, she smiled.

Mio bowed. "Hello, Ryouko-san."

"Hello, Mio. How are you and your folks?"

"They're fine. I'm fine. How are you?"

"Had better days." The eyes shifted and landed on Ritsu. "No, you didn't. I would've remembered."

Mio was about to apologise for the intrusion but Ritsu cut her off. "Well, time does fly by, maybe your memory's not as good as it used to be."

Ms Tainaka ignored the quip and went back to staring at Mio. "Where are your study materials, Mio?"

Mio's apology died in her throat. Her sluggish mind tried to kick start and arrive at another reply.

"Her stuff's already in my room," Ritsu explained. "Heh, saves her the trip for today, you know? It'd be tiring."

"You carried her stuff here? That's quite bothersome for you, isn't it?"

"Huh? Who said I carried them here?"

"Well I haven't seen Mio for a while. About two months, hasn't it?"

Mio kept quiet. The woman had an impeccable memory. She saw Ritsu blink and look for another excuse. "You weren't home at the time, I guess."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I mean, didn't you come home late yesterday? You missed her."

"I see," Ms Tainaka said. She retreated to the kitchen. "Well, don't let me bother you two. Study well."

Mio waited until they were in Ritsu's room to speak. "What was that about?" she asked after Ritsu closed the door behind them.

Ritsu didn't reply. She went to her desk, rummaged through the disorganised papers and picked up something. She returned to Mio and held out her hand. "Here," she said finally.

Mio looked at the hand. When she saw it was her book card, her worry increased tenfold. "Thanks," she said, a bit dazedly, as she took it. She looked up and saw Ritsu's eyes flicker past her—to the door.

Mio took a step forward. "What happened?"

Ritsu stepped back and held her palms out, waving her away. "Nothing. Nothing happened. Nothing at all."

"Right," Mio deadpanned. She took another couple of steps forward. "And were you actually serious about the—"

"How's the studying going?"

Mio jumped. She flipped around and stared wide-eyed at Ms Tainaka. "Yes?" she yelped.

"Gee, Mum," Ritsu retorted, "We barely started, and can't you knock next time?"

Ms Tainaka frowned. "If I knock, wouldn't that also startle you?" She gave a pointed look at the window. "I'll go and prepare some barley tea. Why don't you open the window? It's hot today."

Before Ritsu could manage to rebut, she closed the door and left.

Mio waited for the woman's footsteps to fade away. When they did, she turned to Ritsu. "That—"

"Let's study, Mio."

"—was … what? What did you say?"

Ritsu shrugged. "Study. She's gonna come back."

Mio blinked quite a lot. "Since when does she check on you so much?"

"Since we entered third year … she's always bugging me to study and study."

Mio pursed her lips. "Tell your mum we're going to my place."

"Huh, why?"

"We'll study there."

"Why?"

"Because. You'd better tell her now before she finishes the drinks."

When Ritsu stood still and continued to blink uncomprehendingly at her, Mio sighed. "Just pack your books," she said. "I'll go."

Downstairs, Mio tentatively knocked the open kitchen door before she entered.

Ryouko turned around. "Oh, Mio! Sorry, but it seems we're out of teabags, would just water do?"

"Um, it's okay. Actually, we're going to my place. Because," she averted her eyes and felt her ears warm, "um, I forgot to bring the more important notes."

"I wouldn't have tagged you as a forgetful person, Mio."

Mio scratched her cheek. "Um, so yes, I'll see you later," she stammered, bowing.

"Do take care. It's quite hot outside."

Mio nodded.

When Mio returned to Ritsu's room, Ritsu was sitting on her bed. The drummer looked up, grabbed the shoulder bag next to her and slipped off the bed. "Well, let's go," she said.

The walk to Mio's house was sweltering and silent. Mio glanced at Ritsu. Ritsu stared ahead. She had adjusted the strap of her bag a few times already and her hair clung to the back of her neck. The next time she fiddled with the strap, Mio asked, "Do you want me to carry it?"

"Huh?"

"The bag."

"It's fine."

"Looks heavy."

"'t's not."

Ritsu's hand was grabbed and she suddenly felt lighter. Ritsu stopped and swung her head towards Mio. "Oi!" she yelled, lunging for the bag, "Gimme it."

Mio sidestepped and walked on. "I'll carry it."

"I said you didn't need to."

"Yes, didn't. I do now."

There was a rush of air, and Ritsu was running ahead.

Mio's mouth fell open. "Ritsu!" she shrilled, "Don't run! You'll tire out even more!"

The drummer, not slowing down, pushed on. She seemed to be running faster.

Mio sighed.

When she reached her house, Ritsu was bent over at the doorstep, trying to catch her breath. Mio shook her head and unlocked the door. It was until she had taken off her shoes did Ritsu clamber into the house.

Mio slid the door closed. Ritsu squatted and pulled off her shoes. When she stood up, she felt arms wrap around her.

"Oi, it's too hot for hugs," Ritsu wheezed.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you about what?"

"Ritsu. I saw what happens when your mum's nearby. It's very obvious."

"It is?"

Mio made an affirmative sound.

It was growing unbearably warm. But Ritsu didn't move away and neither did Mio.

Ritsu sighed. "She wants me to get a boyfriend."

"I know."

Ritsu stiffened. "Huh? How? I never told you."

"Yeah, why didn't you tell me?" Mio repeated.

"Uh, I didn't want to make a big deal about it … and you'd probably yell at me or something."

"Why would I yell—" Mio stopped, having heard how hard and painfully loud her voice was. She groaned and buried her face onto Ritsu's shoulder.

"See?"

Mio's words were muffled.

ooo

"Nee-chan, where's the English dictionary?"

Ritsu looked up. Seeing Satoshi, she took said item on her desk and threw it.

After a few juggles, Satoshi managed a firm grip on the tome.

"Oooh, good catch, little bro."

Satoshi grinned. He was about to leave until he seemed to remember something. "By the way," he began, "where's Mio-neechan these days? I hardly see her."

"We're in third year, remember? She's busy studying."

"I thought she studies here too."

"Well, yeah, she does. But, yeah."

"What?"

"Why are you so worried about Mio, anyway? D'ya have a crush on her or something?"

Her little brother blushed. "What? No!"

Ritsu's pen fell and pattered on the low table. Her jaw joined with the stationery.

"You do? !"

"I don't!"

"Yes you do!"

"No I don't!"

"You do!"

"Don't."

"Don't!"

"Do!" Satoshi yelled.

Ritsu grinned.

Satoshi blinked. He then scowled. "I did when I was little—not anymore!"

Ritsu fell back and covered her face with a hand. "Ahh, thank goodness."

"Huh?"

"Nothing."

Satoshi stared at her. After a while, he stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. "Hey, Nee-chan."

Ritsu moved her fingers so she could peek through. "Is this the boyfriend thing again?"

"If you do, just tell Mum. She—"

"Won't get mad. Yeah, you already told me."

"So why don't you—"

"Why are you so freaking insistent?"

"Because!" He lowered his voice when he remembered their mother was home. Ritsu sat back up. "Dinner feels so weird now. Well weirder than usual. It's all awkward."

"It's 'cause she doesn't believe me."

"So you really, really don't?"

"Yeah, I don't."

"Pinkie swear?"

"What are you? In elementary?"

Satoshi flushed. "You said the same thing just a week ago!"

Ritsu waved it away. "That's because I was talking to you," she remarked airily.

Satoshi's mouth twitched. He glared at the ground. "You two always treat me like a kid. Even Mio-neechan treats me like one sometimes."

Ritsu straightened up and stared. "Huh?"

"Thinking I won't get this stuff … I kinda do, okay?" He looked up. "Like you said, I'm not in elementary anymore."

"Huh? I didn't say that. I asked if you were."

"I'm only three years younger than you."

"Which means you're not in senior high, and still a kid."

Satoshi clenched his teeth together. Ritsu stared at him, and blinked when her vision became double.

The second, overlapping Satoshi was like a mirror.

Ritsu looked away. "Hey."

"What?"

She looked back at him. "I tell you what. When I do have someone—" Or when I'm ready to tell you. "—you'll be one of the first I'll tell, okay?"

"Huh? What just," he stopped. Satoshi blinked a few times, his head mildly shaking, until he continued, "Uh, okay. Cool."

"But you don't tell Mum."

Satoshi gave her an incredulous look. "Why would I? That's your job."

Ritsu laughed.

ooo

"Studying hard, Mio?"

Mio hastily flipped her phone shut and shoved it to the side. Her eyes fell back to her notes. "Oh, Dad, yeah—I was just taking a small break," she replied feebly. She picked up her pen and pressed it against the first sheet of paper she saw, as if to emphasise her point.

Her father smiled. "No need to hide it. You've been studying consistently. Some breaks in between is good for you," he said, ruffling her hair.

Mio's hands flew to her head. "Dad!" she squeaked. She looked up and blinked.

Her father was looking at her for a very long moment. He seemed to be in deep thought. Mio averted her eyes and mumbled, "What's wrong?"

"Mum's right."

"Eh?"

"You do take after me," Mr Akiyama said, confusing Mio all the more. "Show me your hand."

Mio slowly reached her hand out for him to inspect. He pressed his own hand against hers and hummed in thought. "Yes, you do take after me," he repeated once again.

"What are you talking about, Dad?"

"Your grandma called just then. She kept on telling me how alike we are. Says the days she'd spent here reminded her of my childhood."

Mio tried not to frown. "Am I that unwomanly?" she muttered.

Mr Akiyama's eyes went wide. "Oh, no, no," he quickly refuted. "It's more like the other way around," he added in embarrassment.

Mio looked at her father from head to toe. She was having trouble believing that.

ooo

The crash cymbal on the yellow drum set rang, drowning the last seconds of the song. Ritsu moved her legs, releasing the pedal on the hi-hat, and sighed along with the last sound her instrument would make for the day. She stood up and stretched out her arms. "Well, that was awesome," Ritsu said in between yawns.

Azusa switched off the amplifier and pulled out the plug before she turned to the drummer. "Your rhythm was good today, Ritsu-sempai," she commented.

Ritsu grinned. "Played a lot of DrumMamire, that's why!"

Azusa's face was blank. "DrumMamire?" she echoed.

"It's this awesome rhythm game at the arcade! You should try it. It's fun."

Azusa's eyelids drooped. "Please practise on a real drum set next time."

"Eeeeehh. But isn't it helping?"

Azusa's mouth drifted open. She blinked. "I guess it is." After thinking over it, she added, "I guess people learn in different ways."

"Mugi-chan," Yui called from the couch, stretching out every syllable. Her guitar was lying on top of her. "Do you have any ice-cream cakes?"

Tsumugi pulled out a tray of frosted glasses from a small refrigerator she had managed to install in the club room. She carefully settled the tray onto the table before she replied, "Yes, I do. Shall I bring them tomorrow?"

"Yes, please!"

Mio packed up her bass guitar, and strolled over to the tables. She laid a hand on Tsumugi's shoulder and picked up a glass of iced tea. "Thanks Mugi."

Tsumugi smiled. "It's no problem, Mio-chan."

Across from them, Ritsu stood still, her eyebrows ascended.

There was a flump from the couch as Yui tried to get up. "Where's Nodoka-chan?" she asked.

"Yui," Ritsu said, "We're in the music room."

Yui stretched her arms towards the ceiling, trying continuously to get up. "Doesn't she usually come here and tell you off?" she wheezed.

"Tell me off about what?"

"You know. Something about a form."

"I've given it in already."

Yui sat up and swivelled her head towards Ritsu. "What?" she gasped.

Ritsu threw her a look. "What?"

Yui wiped her eyes with a handkerchief that appeared out of nowhere. "This isn't the Ricchan I know," she sniffed. "I feel sad now."

"It wouldn't kill you to praise me, Yui. Really, it wouldn't."

The handkerchief and tears disappeared. Yui's jaw hung low. "Aah … what happened to you, Ricchan?"

"Nothing!" Ritsu screeched.

"Actually," Mio cut in, "I was the one that reminded her."

"You didn't need to tell her that!"

Ritsu felt her head being patted.

"That's the Ricchan I know!"

Ritsu jerked her head to Yui, who had finally stood up and was next to her. "Why are," she stopped when a thought occurred to her. She changed her confrontational attitude to a playful one. "Yeah, keep on patting! Yup, I'm the Ricchan you know."

She heard Mio mutter, "So have you decided on where we're going?"

"Yes, I have," Tsumugi replied. "It's not the one I wanted though. We've been at this place before. Hopefully it's as enjoyable as the last."

"Ah, that's good."

Ritsu rested a hand on each girl's shoulder before she leaned in between them. "Oh, what's this?"

"Mio-chan was asking where we're going for summer break," Tsumugi explained.

"Who's 'we'?"

This time Mio answered her. "The club, of course."

Azusa stood at the sidelines. She was watching the other band members since she had packed up. The mention of plans for summer break made her speak up. "Are you talking about a training camp, Mio-sempai?" she asked in excitement.

Mio looked over her shoulder and addressed the rest of the club. "Yeah. For most of us, this coming festival is going to be our last. We need to make it our best." She paused, looked at Azusa specifically and added, "Hopefully the people'd reconsider in joining the club."

Azusa smiled widely. "Yes, Mio-sempai!"

Yui sneaked along Azusa's blind spot. Grinning and trying not to giggle, she tackled the second year in a tight hug. Azusa squealed.

"Azu-nyan," Yui cooed, "We need to buy new swimsuits."

"Eeh?"

"What's with the 'eeh'?"

"Wouldn't the ones from last year do?"

Yui pulled away from the hug and turned Azusa around. Azusa blinked as Yui's eyes flew from her head to her toes.

"You haven't grown at all, Azusa," Ritsu commented, smirking. "Maybe you should wear last year's."

Yui gave a reprimanding look at the other brunette. "How mean, Ricchan. She did grow."

"Huh?"

Yui turned Azusa around for everyone else to see. "Look at her chest," she explained, innocently pointing at said body part.

Azusa went scarlet, hastily crossing her arms. "Yui-sempai!"

Tsumugi's hand flew to her cheek. "My, my. You're right, Yui-chan."

The skin colour of Azusa's neck soon matched her face. "Mugi-sempai!"

"Heeh," Ritsu muttered, "Looks the same to me."

Azusa's and Yui's cheeks puffed out.

"That's because you keep on looking at Mio-chan's," Yui said matter-of-factly.

"What?" Ritsu stammered, turning scarlet herself. She turned to Mio, who immediately crossed her arms and blushed. "What was that for? ! I'm not looking at them!"

"Now, now," Tsumugi coaxed. "You and Mio-chan can go home now if you want to."

"We're perfectly fine!" Ritsu screeched.

ooo

"I wasn't looking at them, just to let you know," Ritsu said later on the day.

"Eh?" Mio looked up from her notes. She grasped what Ritsu was going on about this time and looked back down, poring over trigonometry. "I know," she said. She then mumbled, "As if that'd stopped you before."

"Huh?"

Mio kept her head down. "Nothing."

"Were you badmouthing me?"

"No."

"What were you saying then?"

"It's nothing, I said."

"If it's nothing then tell me."

"Greater than," Mio muttered under her breath. "So you add this variable here."

"Fine, don't tell me."

"And since it's—ah. I get it now."

"When's the camp? The middle of break like last time?"

"Lesser than … and it's sine up to—"

"Mio."

"Let me finish this problem first."

"Fine, fine," Ritsu complied. She waited patiently by snatching any pens on the table that weren't currently in use and air drummed.

When she finally finished, Mio laid the pen down and asked, "What were you saying?"

"Training camp. When is it?"

"It's either on the second or third week of break. Azusa's planning to take a summer course this year, so I'm not exactly sure."

Ritsu slumped over, almost knocking off her glass of cola, and rested her cheek on the table. "Damn," she muttered, "I forgot about that."

"About what?"

"That you're probably doing a summer course too."

"Eh? Why?"

"You free on the 15th?"

Mio rifled through her mental schedule before she picked up her school diary and double-checked. "I don't think so. Wait."

"You didn't forget did you?"

Mio went pink. "No. I. Sorry…." She rested her forehead on her palms and tried not to pull at her hair.

Ritsu lifted her head and smiled. "It's okay, it's okay! Always next time, right? It's not like it's our one year anniversary."

Mio glanced up and immediately felt guilty.

ooo

"So Ritsu, where were you this afternoon?"

Ritsu looked up from her dinner. At her side, Satoshi also looked up. He watched silently as Ritsu replied, "Study session at Yui's."

"Yui?" their mother repeated. "Ah, one of your school friends?"

"Yeah."

"Does she have any siblings?"

"Yeah. A sister who's a year younger."

Ms Tainaka's eyes fell. "Ah, what a shame."

Ritsu opened her mouth, but at the last second she thought better of it and closed it.

"Ritsu," Ms Tainaka continued, "do you remember Tamekazu?"

Ritsu rolled her eyes to the side. "Yeah, I remember," she replied.

"He's looking for a wife, last I heard."

Ritsu took a huge bite of fish and didn't meet the woman's searching gaze. "'M not interested," she said in between chews.

"Why?"

"He's too old."

"Your father's parents have an age gap of several years. They're still happily married."

"Because they're one of a kind. Even you know that," Ritsu muttered.

Ms Tainaka seemed to have not heard the comment. "Just for one date," she insisted.

"I'm busy with school."

"How about during break?"

"Training camp for club."

"After break? There're no exams then."

"School festival."

"Oh. Actually, that's a good place to—"

"My band has a performance."

The woman frowned. "Band again? Why—"

"Mum," Satoshi broke in, "leave Nee-chan alone. It's obvious she's not interested."

"Don't worry over such matters, Satoshi," Ms Tainaka quickly replied, "You don't—"

"Understand? I do!"

"Satoshi, you're too young for this."

"Isn't Nee-chan too young for this too? Tamekazu's, like, 24!"

Ms Tainaka's eyes flew to her son and stared. "No shouting," she said tersely.

Satoshi slouched and took a harsh bite at a piece of fish, marking the ends of his chopsticks.

"By the way," his mother continued, "you still haven't told me your mid-exam results."

"Urk."

"Did you really think I'd forget?" Her eyes landed on her daughter once again. "Your sister did surprisingly well."

"'Surprisingly', again," Ritsu muttered behind her bowl of miso soup.

Satoshi's chopsticks fell—"What are you doing?" his mother chided—and stared at Ritsu in awe. "You actually studied?" he gasped.

Ritsu tried to not appear as insulted as she felt. The reaction was happening too much for her tastes. She slammed the bowl down, sloshing soup all over the table. "I did!"

"Seriously?"

"Ritsu! You clean up the table this instant!"

"Don't give me that 'You-must-be-joking' face," Ritsu demanded, ignoring her mother.

Satoshi didn't realise a few drops of soup had stained his shorts. "But you were playing the Wii with me before the exams!"

Their mother coughed harshly.

"I crammed right after!"

Ms Tainaka slapped her palm against the table. The sudden table movement jolted the two siblings, making them jump up and fly into a short panic.

"E-earthquake?" Satoshi yelped.

The table shook again.

"It's an 8.0!" Ritsu gasped.

"Nee-chan, I think I'm gonna spew—"

"Will you two calm down? !" their mother roared.

Ritsu and Satoshi shrunk and cautiously returned to their seats.

"So, the Wii," Ms Tainaka said, "that was what you two were doing?"

They gulped.

"It's now confiscated until Spring break," she finalised.

ooo

"It's all your fault," Ritsu muttered. "Now I have to cough up more money at the arcade."

"You don't need to rub it in," her brother mumbled.

Ritsu looked up and watched him sulkily re-arrange his CD collection at the corner of the room. "Thanks, though," she said. "For what you did at dinner," she added when Satoshi raised his eyebrows at her.

"Oh, it's okay," Satoshi replied, grinning. "I didn't want Tamekazu to be my brother-in-law. He's kinda freaky."

"Lemme take my 'thanks' back."

Satoshi's grin grew. It faded away when he noticed what his sister was holding in her hands. "Hey!" he pointed. "You'd better remember to return it after."

"Hn?" Ritsu looked down at the music magazine she was reading. "Oh, this? Sure." She glanced up and saw she was getting the suspicious eye. "I'll return it!"

"Aren't you supposed to be studying?"

"It's two more days 'til the semester's over. Gimme a break."

"No guy is gonna marry you if you're that lazy."

"No girl is gonna marry you if you're that uptight."

Satoshi laughed.

Ritsu narrowed her brow. "Why are you laughing?"

"You're," he stopped and pulled a pair of headphones over his ears, "actually, it's nothing."

Ritsu frowned as she watched her brother nod his head to a beat only he could hear.

ooo

"Mio?"

"Yeah?"

Ritsu stopped pretending she was reading the magazine in her hands, something she had been doing for the past half hour. She glanced over at Mio. She was hunched over her laptop, typing and clicking and researching.

"We just started break, why're you doing your homework?"

"I've got summer course today, remember? I need to get this over and done with."

"Oh. Okay."

"…Is that it?"

"Uh…."

"What is it?"

Ritsu swallowed past the lump in her throat. "How far have you thought about us?"

Mio stopped all three activities and gave Ritsu her full attention. "What do you mean?" she asked carefully.

"Well you know. Us. In the future and that. How far?" Throughout this, Ritsu made several gestures that involved shoulder shrugs, finger pointing, and darting of the eyes.

"You mean, besides—you know?"

"Forever?"

Mio blushed. "Y-yeah."

Ritsu looked back at the magazine as if it would give her some form of a hint. She looked up again and asked, "Would there be a wedding?"

"W-we-we—why the sudden question? !"

Ritsu also blushed. "It's just a question!" After she thought over what she had said, she added hastily, "I'm just wondering! I was just reading—thinking about it—last night and, yeah … yeah. Arghh, don't worry!" When she saw how Mio was mildly smirking at her, Ritsu threw her head down and poked the bed in frustration.

The bed slumped. Ritsu looked up and saw Mio was smiling and sitting right in front of her. Ritsu became more flustered and averted her eyes. She looked back after she felt a hand on her shoulder and a kiss on her cheek.

"You were thinking about that?" Mio whispered.

"Uh, yeah, I was."

Mio's smile grew.

Ritsu grinned. "You'd look good in a suit."

The smile and brightness in Mio's eyes disappeared. "What?" Mio said. Her tone was suddenly harsh. "Are you saying I'm a guy?"

Ritsu blinked. "Huh? No, uh, you know what I mean!"

Mio's eyes hardened. "No. I don't."

Ritsu gulped. "Mio?"

"Since when did you…." Mio looked away. "Never mind."

"What?"

"Never mind."

"No," Ritsu insisted. "You tell me!"

Mio turned back, her eyes flashing. "It's just…! What? A guy? Me?"

"I didn't mean it that way!"

"What else could you have meant?"

"I mean, like, out of us two, it'd—"

"Out of us two?" Mio repeated incredulously. "Ritsu. We're both girls."

"I know that! I meant—"

"What?"

"Okay just stop and calm—"

"Stop for whatever reason? Being a girl?"

"There you go again!" Ritsu puffed out. She cocked her head to the side and added, "Is it that time of the month for you or something?"

Mio flushed. "Don't act as if I got the idea out of nowhere!"

"It sure feels like it!"

"Look! If you really want to," Mio paused and shrugged sharply towards the door, "then leave."

Ritsu filled in the blanks. Her shoulders slumped. "I'm not going to leave."

"You want to get married, don't you?"

The question roughly reminded Ritsu about something long forgotten. Her blood boiled. "What about you, huh? !"

Mio faltered. "What about me?"

Ritsu was not discouraged. She carried on. "I've read your goals! Don't know why you even tried to hide them!"

"Eh? My goals?"

"You're the one that wrote 'I want to get married'! You even said it'd be with some prince or something!"

Mio blinked rapidly. "What? What are you talking about?"

"Don't try to act dumb! I saw it in your diaries!"

Mio's face was blank until comprehension was grasped. "You read my diaries?"

"They were old!"

"Still! You actually went ahead and—how old?"

Ritsu's tirade reached to an abrupt stop as she considered over the question. "Looked like it was written in elementary."

"What? Elementary? Geez, I was a kid!"

"So what? We're still kids in their eyes."

"Whose eyes are you…?" Mio inhaled sharply, looked at the ground and messed her hair. "Oh, just forget it!"

There was a dull thump and a large slam. Mio startled and searched for the source of noise. The door to her room was firmly closed. She stared at the bed, spotting a half-opened magazine the drummer had left behind.

She leaned over dazedly and picked it up. Flipping it closed, she stared at the revealed cover. One of Ritsu's favourite bands was on it, celebrating their 15th anniversary.

Mio placed the magazine over the mirror on her desk and slid into her chair. The typing and clicking resumed. The researching followed a while after.

ooo

After two days—and the sixth month mark—had passed, when it was obvious Ritsu wasn't going to mail, call or visit her, Mio checked her phone for the umpteenth time and hesitated.

"See? You'd probably yell at me or something…."

She left the phone alone.

ooo

"How's your summer course, Mio-sempai?"

"It's fine. Fine. Does yours start next week?"

"Yes. I'm looking forward to it."

"That's good," Mio said, fiddling with a pen in between her fingers. "That's good."

"Is something wrong?"

The pen slipped and clanged against the table loudly. "Eh? Oh it's nothing. Nothing's wrong," Mio replied, picking up the pen and continuing to play with it.

"Okay … um, so is the training camp on the 31st?"

"Seems so. Mugi and Yui are also free on that weekend."

"How about Ritsu-sempai?"

Mio bit her lip. "She's free."

"Do we meet at the usual place?"

"Yes. Usual place, usual time."

"Okay. Well I shouldn't keep you away from your studies. I'll see you later, sempai. Thank you for informing me."

"No problem. See you later, Azusa."

Mio let Azusa hang up on her first. She stared through her pen. After a while, she pressed several buttons on the phone to create the message: Camp's on 31.

She sent it to Ritsu and settled the phone on top of a textbook. She had just finished the last question when it rang. She took a deep breath before she answered it. "Hello."

"Hey, Mio!"

A smile tugged Mio's lips. "Hey. Did you get my mail?"

"Yeah. 31st right? The training camp."

"Right."

"Should organise a meeting before it. Head to the mall together."

"And buy swimsuits like usual."

"So? It's tradition. We're following traditions. We're being considerate."

"I guess there's no changing that, then."

"Like I said!"

"Hm."

There was a long pause on the other end. Mio twiddled with the corner of a magazine.

"Uh, look. I forgot what happened, so we're still good, right?"

There were about a hundred words Mio would like to say to that question. She only managed a, "Um, yeah."

"So, let's go to the beach on Tuesday."

Mio moved her fingers away from the magazine. She suddenly felt like ripping it. "I can't. Summer course, remember?"

"Oh, yeah. I'll wait 'til Saturday then."

"Alright."

"It's going to be boiling though."

"Well it is summer."

"It doesn't need to get this hot … stupid global warming."

"Wait until winter comes."

"Wait for six months? That's too long!"

Mio cringed.

"You've forgotten it too, right Mio?"

"Forgot?" Mio parroted in trepidation.

Ritsu's quick answering cut off further enquires. "Yeah, about the, y'know, what happened. That thing. A few days ago."

"Oh. Oh, um, yeah."

"Cool."

Another pause. Mio looked over at the magazine she was fiddling with. She finally recognised it. "Hey."

"Yeah?"

"You left your magazine here. The one with GLAY on it."

"What, really? ! I thought I lost it! Satoshi was gonna kill me!"

"Does he need it right now?"

"Don't think so. I guess he should be okay knowing it's not in some train carriage or something."

"Alright. I'll keep it here until you can fetch it."

"And when's that?"

"My course finishes on Wednesday. You can come over the day after."

"Okay! And I'm not interrupting you, am I? From studying and that."

"No. No, you're not."

"Cool, then we can talk a bit long—whaaat? But I'm busy! …Okay, okay! Gimme a minute!—Argh, I gotta go. Mum's calling me."

Mio choked back a laugh. "Okay. I'll see you on Thursday."

"Yeah, Thursday. See ya then." Her voice hushed into a whisper. "Love you."

Before Mio could reply, the call ended.

ooo

Mio pored over her hastily scribbled notes. Her summer course had ended and she was taking the late train. She had missed the ones earlier by dilly-dallying around stores for a present. Ritsu's birthday was coming up.

The voice of the train announcer piped up. Mio listened, noting that the train was stopping a station away from her destination. She flexed her neck, having felt it cramping up, and caught a silhouette of a hugging couple outside. They moved into a pale circle of light, laughing. Mio smiled as she watched the girl struggle out of the hold half-heartedly. The boy proceeded to tickle her, and they began to glow—the moon having escaped from a cloud—and laugh harder. Then there was a terse pause as the girl leaned in to whisper.

Mio watched the boy freeze. Watched the girl pull away and yell towards the darkness.

The girl continued to yell, and Mio squinted to see there were two other people. The girl struggled again and broke away, running towards the darkness. At the same time, one of the people emerged from the shadows and ran towards Mio. Towards the closing doors of her carriage.

Mio darted her eyes down, jumping when a loud rumble originated nearby. She looked up and saw the boy had entered the carriage without her knowing. He was currently slamming his foot against the closed doors. The person, whom Mio saw enter the train, was restraining him and muttering curses.

Mio gulped and tried her absolute best in being invisible.

The train moved and the rumbling stopped. After a long while, Mio daringly peeked through her fringe to see what was happening now.

The two boys were sitting on the seats across from her. One of them laid a hand on the other's shoulder. "It's okay, man. It's okay."

His friend swore at him and shrugged off the hand. He held his head in his hands and his body was shaking violently.

"Hey, what happened?"

"She's gone now," the other snapped, his voice choked with tears.

Mio tried to tune out the rest of the conversation.

"Gone? What do you mean 'gone'?"

"How the hell would I know? She's breaking up with me."

The announcer piped up again. Mio quickly and quietly packed her notes and looked up, ready to leave. One of the boys caught her eye, the one with red eyes, and spat out, "What?"

"I'm sorry!" Mio yelped, jumping and bowing and her heart going a thousand beats per minute.

His friend gave her an apologetic look. "Sorry about that, it's—"

Mio shook her head quickly, making her head spin. "It's okay!" she stammered.

The doors took an awfully long time to open up. When they did, she dashed towards them and jumped off. She didn't dare look back as she ran for the station exit.

ooo

"Forever?"

ooo

"Mio, Mio!" Ritsu reached for one of Mio's ears and moved its respective headphone aside. She pressed a large seashell in its place. "Can you hear that?"

Mio jumped, turned and berated Ritsu that she should learn how to knock. Then she realised how that wouldn't have worked. She glared at Ritsu, daring her to look amused. When she finally noticed the shell, she took off the headphones, turned off the music and tilted her head, straining her ears.

"Sounds like the ocean," Mio murmured. "Really nice, isn't it?"

Ritsu gave her an incredulous look. "It's your blood pulsing."

"No, it's not."

"Yeah it is."

"Uh, no it isn't."

Ritsu sighed dramatically. "'Like the ocean'. Bleh. You and your fairytales."

Mio, ignoring the resurfacing memories, met her amber eyes and challenged them. "It's proven that the shape of a seashell amplifies certain frequencies."

"Proven that a certain seashell shapes—what?"

"It amplifies certain frequencies."

"It's a seashell, Mio, not an amp."

Mio pushed the shell towards Ritsu. Ritsu raised an eyebrow before she moved it close to her own ear. Her brow furrowed as she listened intently.

"Move it back and forth."

Ritsu did as she was instructed.

"Hear the difference?"

Ritsu gave a hesitant nod.

"You're letting air—wind—in as you move the shell."

"Oh," Ritsu said, almost stammering.

"So you're really just hearing environmental sounds."

There was a three second pause before Ritsu gaped, "You're kidding."

"I'm not lying."

"You're breaking my leg." Ritsu's cramming for English was showing.

"I think you meant 'pulling my leg', but no, I'm not."

"You cast some weird spell on the thing. Don't think I didn't see it!"

"You've been watching too much Harry Potter."

"Look who's talking! You're the one that's doing the magic!" Ritsu shook the shell and pressed it against her ear again for good measure. She continued to frown.

Mio also frowned. "By the way, Ritsu."

"What?"

"Where did you get that shell?"

Ritsu froze. Mio's frown deepened.

"You went to the beach without me, didn't you?"

Ritsu had the grace to look guilty. For a moment. "You were busy!" she pointed out. "It was so hot, and Satoshi and his friend wanted to go too, so we went."

"You said you'll wait till Saturday."

"Well, I can go again on Saturday."

Mio moved her eyes to Ritsu's nose. "You're sunburnt."

"Yes, I know."

"You'd forgotten." She was talking about the sunscreen.

Ritsu looked away and scratched the back of her head sheepishly. "Well you always remind me. So I got used to it."

Mio smirked. "That teaches you to go without me."

Ritsu smirked back. "Just say that you missed me, Mio."

"I missed you."

Ritsu's face went blank. "Say again?"

Mio's face, in turn, went scarlet. "I think you heard me."

"I want to hear it again."

Mio opened her mouth with the intent to yell—but stopped when she remembered red, pained eyes. Her mouth closed and re-opened. She felt tears sting her eyes.

"Mio?"

She dropped her head down, hiding and finding herself in Ritsu's arms.

"Hey," Ritsu said, her voice softening, "Okay, you don't need to say it again. I heard you."

Mio wrapped her arms around Ritsu. "Don't leave me."

"What? I told you I wasn't."

Mio made an attempt to sniff discreetly.

"Don't cry, Mio."

"I'm not crying," Mio muttered, blinking rapidly and hoping gravity wouldn't betray her.

"Okay then, you're not crying."

Mio mentally cursed when she felt a tear slip and fall.

"Huh? Is that your tongue on my neck?"

Mio coughed out a dry chuckle. "No."

"Heh."

"I love you."

Mio felt the brunette shake. "Ritsu?"

"Sorry, just having a stupid grin moment. Gimme a sec." The shaking stopped and she heard a sharp outtake of breath. "Okay. I love you too."

Mio smiled. "Idiot."

Ritsu leaned back. "Yeah, you're in love with one."

"Shut up," was the automatic response. Mio moved her arms over Ritsu's shoulders, lifting herself from the chair, and kissed her.

ooooo

Second part will come soon.

I hope.

BTW, UC., now that you told me. It would have been quite fitting if I had named this sequel Adagietto. Damn, too late now. D:

Notes (?):
— I don't know Satoshi's official age. Wikipedia says it's stated on the K-ON! site that he's in junior high. But I can't find it. I only can find his name. Yes, Satoshi is his official name. I really didn't make it up.
— No, the 8.0 earthquake thing was so not a blatant Tokyo Magnitude reference. *whistles*
— About the gender roles slip our drummer made, remember Ritsu recently started reading shoujo. A genre, when mixed with romance, that has main guys who are pretty faced and pretty insensitive—and emotionally constipated at times (thank goodness for series like Kimi ni Todoke breaking that trend). Ritsu probably replaced them with Mio whilst she was reading said shoujo.