Tempo.
By Kagami Hiiragi and Konata Izumi.
Ritsu threw open the storage door, scattering shadows and dust into the corners away from the only item inside the small garage. A Rick Marotta signature Yamaha Hipgig Drumkit. These days it was merely a relic, but it had once meant a lot to her. Being in its presence sent a shiver down her spine, compounding the chill in the air. This had been the first time she had seen it since she stowed it away. Though she was not here for nostalgia, she could not help but reminisce.
So many memories. The taste of youth. Together, they were invisible. Nothing was impossible. She had never experienced the same type of thrill she felt the day she finally managed to buy it. The euphoria lingered while she had carried it home with Mio. She remembered talking with her neighbors about when it was okay for her to practice and not being able to sleep because she wanted to be play. Ritsu knew she had rhythm. Fueled by the fact she was at the perfect age to hone her skill, Ritsu pursued her passion diligently until practicing had become a chore. At that point Ritsu believed she was so good at drumming that she could succeed whenever it was absolutely required that she do so since she had always worked better under pressure anyway.
Following those thoughts would take her to a place she didn't want to go, so she focused on the condition of the drum kit instead. The throne she had used in high school was behind the kit. On top of the seat were the drumsticks she had used. Somehow they had remained where she had placed them on the day she left the kit behind. The logo for their band hadn't faded. That stung a bit. Ritsu sat behind the kit with the sticks in one hand. She traced the outline of the tom on her right. Like her, it had aged. The face plate needed to be changed. It was a little dusty. The metal skeleton holding the whole thing together no longer glowed. She would have to take care of that a little later if she could afford to do so.
Nobody else was around the lot or the immediate vicinity. It was a bitterly cold Sunday. People were inside or at work, which was exactly where she should have been. Ritsu took one last look around before returning to the garage her parents had provided her with. She wished it were possible to pay for it herself, but she couldn't have too many amenities at the moment. Ritsu sat down again and took a deep breath before starting with a slow beat. It was just like riding a bike. Her technique was quite rusty, not that it had been very refined to begin with.
The pace accelerated as the music moved through her soul. There it was. The high. Waiting for her. Yes, this was what she wanted. The power to create. Music was a force which moved constantly. She never got in to writing or art. It took too much time to feel the result. With the drums, her reinforcement was immediate. Ritsu had to stop herself before she got too carried away and drew the attention of an onlooker, ending with a final cymbal crash, a rather anticlimactic end to her impromptu demo.
It was a bit too late to expect more out of herself. She couldn't take this kit back to her apartment and she couldn't purchase an electric set of drums since the money she tried to save for the items she wanted always wound up being spent on necessities the very next month. Her time to become a legend had passed. Ritsu had squandered the opportunity on tea time and meaningless distractions. Back then, playing the drums became a lot like studying. She was good at it and saw no reason to improve. All she needed was one rehearsal and she was good to go. In a way, she had discarded her instrument. It was something she thought she had wanted. Ritsu certainly wasn't unfamiliar with misguided purchases.
Now was not the time to become attached to the instrument once again. She stood up from her seat and began taking up points at certain spots within the room, modeling the item in front of her. Ritsu used her fingers to frame a picture. The ceiling light was dull and about ready to burn out. It certainly didn't make the drum kit shine. Maintenance would help, but she knew if she spent too much time with her drums she couldn't do what she must. She took out an old digital camera and began taking the best pictures she could. Twenty five seemed like a good number. Once finished, she began cycling through them to delete the pictures she did not like while the light flickered above her.
While doing so, she came across an old picture she thought she had removed. These days there wasn't much to capture, but back then there had been plenty of reasons to save her memories. It was a picture which had been taken at their last venue. Ritsu's passive attitude toward the drums had not served her very well during that performance. She had dragged the rest of the band down with her.
They hadn't been doing very well under her leadership. It was easy to blame everything on homework, but she was merely kidding herself. There had been plenty of opportunities to perfect their music. By the time the night of their show had arrived, she wasn't entirely ready. The songs they intended to play were all new and she hadn't spent a lot of time learning them. Their experiences together in college had refined the topics Mio and Yui had chosen to sing about and changed their sound, but it wasn't enough, especially when Ritsu missed most of the notes. An important person was supposedly there that night, but nobody approached them after they had finished playing to an audience which was a lot younger than they were.
Azusa didn't take the whole thing very well. She was serious about having a musical career. Her education was merely backup in case that didn't work. Azusa was willing to sacrifice all of her free time in pursuit of her dreams and she wasn't getting anywhere with After School Tea Time, which she had told them was something which had died shortly after high school. None of them were willing to accept that reality. They played to have fun and that was no longer enough. It was time to be serious or stop trying. Hobbies which didn't pay were for kids.
In the six months that followed, Azusa formed her own band with Jun, Ui, and Yui. Tsumugi and Mio had been invited, but they declined. Yui only went because there wasn't much else she could do besides playing her guitar and singing. Nobody blamed her. Ritsu was replaced by another female drummer who was not as good, but would shine under Azusa's direction. In short, it was all over before it had even really begun. They had played in public a total of seventeen times counting their appearance during the high school festivals.
It was indeed a shame her group had been disbanded, but Ritsu would not let it get to her, even when it had come down to this. She may have wanted to go to Budokan at one point, but she wanted an apartment which didn't have paper thin walls a lot more right now. Her existence had become quite modest, but she was humble and didn't require much to remain stable. Mio roomed with her, Tsumugi kept in touch, and she was trying to get Satoshi to come live with her and Mio since he still hadn't managed to get a girlfriend. Not that she had been doing any better. That was all right. There was less to worry about, although it mystified her no boy had ever approached her.
Ritsu deleted the old photo. The pictures of her drums would have looked a lot more tantalizing if the light wasn't so bad. She made a note to touch them up before uploading them. Ritsu intended to sell them as she believed doing so would help her move forward. There was no reason to keep them. They were remnants of who she had been. There was a piece of paper tucked away in a drawer full of advantages an extra two hundred and fifty thousand yen could get her. She wanted a new television and they needed another kotatsu after the one Mio's parents had gotten her had exploded. That had been exciting. There was something wrong with their plumbing, too. Being an adult sucked. Ritsu was a bit too proud to go NEET, but it was no longer out of the question since her degree had yet to elevate her to the middle class. That's what she got for taking the path of least resistance.
She closed the door to the garage and began heading home. It was a long walk and the weather made it worse. Her apartment was like a tomb without Mio there. She would never be able to live completely on her own. The loneliness would drive her insane, not to mention the boredom. Skipping work was supposed to be exciting, but it wasn't better than any other day. She stole their neighbors wireless connection on Mio's ancient laptop and hopped on a local page where ads could be placed for free. Ritsu used a free photo editing application to make the dull images more vibrant, a task she had become quite proficient at that served no real purpose. Her asking price was three hundred thousand yen, serious inquiries only.
That had been easier than she had expected. All she had to do now was wait for an E-Mail to arrive in her inbox. She made sure her phone was on. It was one of the most expensive things she owned and she had it set up to monitor her Yahoo account. She tried to figure out what she was going to do for the rest of the day, which was a futile effort. She couldn't invite Satoshi over because she wasn't supposed to be home. He was probably studying, anyway. Tsumugi no longer lived in the area. Her other friends wouldn't be available until the evening and Ritsu hesitated to be around them since they would always nag her about being single. They also lacked redeeming qualities and Ritsu believed she should demote them to acquaintances, which was merely one step above people she didn't like. There weren't any movies to watch or new games to play and she had read all of her books. Perhaps it was time to see if there was something in Mio's library which appealed to her. She had been through this before without much luck.
Elizabeth, Mio's bass, caught her eye. It was placed in the corner on a stand next to a small amp and a case full of accessories. Mio might have stopped playing it as often, but she kept it clean and polished. Ritsu could not help but wonder how much this would fetch if they decided to sell it, which was a horrible thought even though there was no point in keeping it. Mio would never part with her bass. Ritsu plucked a string, producing a low note. It was properly tuned and ready to play, waiting for Mio to be inspired. Just like Ritsu's drums. Doubt began seeping in as she looked at herself in the reflection of the pickup.
Ritsu turned away from the bass. Her drums were a thorn in her side. She would not ask her parents for money again this month. Come Monday, she might not have her job any longer. Sure, she would like to cling to past, but in doing so she would be avoiding change and preventing the inevitable. Storage wasn't cheap and she was sure her parents wouldn't mind not having another bill come around at the end of the month. More independence was not a bad thing. Besides, their band was dead. Ritsu didn't have the desire to try and form another one. After School Tea Time was nothing without the founding members.
There was a flier on Mio's dresser Ritsu picked up out of curiosity. Underneath it was an envelope it had come in. An advertisement for a local club was on the cover, headlining three bands. It was the last place they had played in. There was no mistaking the band had been circled and the handwriting on the back of the paper cordially invited Mio to come. Ritsu checked her phone for the date and saw the performance was tonight.
Azusa had sent Mio this. Her band was ready for its first live performance and she wanted Mio to be there for it. With a tisk, Ritsu slammed the document on the dresser and left the room in a huff. She checked her E-Mail even though her phone clearly said she had nothing in her inbox. Sometimes it could be wrong. She couldn't wait to get the money.
The morning faded away into the afternoon. Clouds still covered the sky. The temperature outside dropped. Ritsu tried to keep warm. Her ad had twenty seven hits. She assumed that wasn't very good for the first six hours and thought about adjusting the price. Perhaps she was getting ahead of herself. Ritsu cooked a meal to have something ready for Mio when she came back from work and cleaned the apartment, except for her room, which was a prime example of organized chaos.
Mio arrived an hour later than usual and looked quite disheveled, but fairly fetching in the suit she was required to wear. Ritsu looked up from the book she was rereading and gave her a friendly wave. She grimaced when she saw the folders Mio was carrying in the crook of her arm. Mio was bringing work home again, as usual. It wasn't a pleasant sight. Like Ritsu, she was about as happy as the next person could be, but her job just didn't seem to fit her. There was nothing either of them could do about it.
"Evening." Mio said, returning the greeting and kicking off her heels.
She walked into the kitchen and sighed heavily. Ritsu bit her bottom lip.
"You didn't go to work today, did you?" Mio asked.
"Nope. How can you tell?" Ritsu asked.
"Because you cooked something delicious."
"You're welcome!"
Mio looked upset when she returned. Ritsu was attentive, knowing exactly how to play Mio.
"How do you intend to pay your half of our necessities this month if you keep skipping work?" Mio asked.
"Don't worry, I have a way."
"Yeah?" Mio ventured, raising an eyebrow.
"I'm going to sell a few things."
"What do you have that's worth five thousand yen?"
Ritsu chuckled nervously and shrugged. Mio groaned and rolled her eyes, marching into her bedroom and closing the door. She didn't notice the door open up a crack as Ritsu watched her change for a moment before taking a step away.
"I have the cash in savings. I can prove that to you."
"Good, because I do not want to cover for you again this month." Mio said.
Mio came out of the room dressed casually, but her hair was still an impressive mess.
"Speaking of which, I might have something for you." Mio said.
She held out a folded application.
"It's for a local delivery company. A friend of mine knows a guy there. I think you might enjoy it a lot more than your current job."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because you'll constantly be moving."
"Except when I'm driving."
"That's a rather bad joke, Ritsu. I spoke with Sawako today. She will still be a reference. You need two more."
"Correction. One more. You're a supervisor. That will look good on my resumé."
"I guess you keep rather good company, don't you?"
"Very yes."
Mio blinked and shook her head.
"Just go to work, Ritsu. You're not a teenager any more. Grow up." Mio muttered as she headed for the kitchen.
"Can I come work at your place?" Ritsu teased.
"Absolutely not." Mio said.
It always amazed Ritsu she managed to reply to that question in the exact same tone no matter how many times she had to say it. Mio grabbed a bowl of food from the kitchen and sat at the table with a heavy blanket draped over her shoulders while going over the papers she had brought home. Ritsu wondered if she was going to say anything about the concert. Not that she cared. Whether or not Azusa succeeded in the music business had no impact on her life. She did not wish ill of Azusa, but seeing her in the limelight would indeed sting just a little bit. That's where they all should have been. It's where they belonged. Watching Mio work at the table while eating was just so fake. She didn't look miserable. Just tired. Ritsu saw the same haunting gaunt each time she looked in the mirror.
While Mio floundered in mediocrity, Ritsu filled out the application she had been given on their couch.
"By the way, I also found another job for you. It's in your field, but you would have to move to Saitama. I've got another connection who could possibly make the transition quite easy for you." Mio said.
"I think I'll just stay here for now." Ritsu said quickly.
"Fine. Not to be rude or insinuate anything aside from the fact that you should be more responsible, but we can't keep up like this forever."
"I know. You've got a while to go before you're engaged, though."
Mio scoffed at that.
"Saitama is too far away, but thanks for looking for me."
"What if I found something in my field and moved there?"
"Could you find a better roommate?" Ritsu asked.
"I guess not, no."
Ritsu grinned victoriously. Aside from missing a couple of payments every now and then, she was somewhat reliable.
"Thanks for the food. It was delicious, as always. I'm going to take a bath now." Mio announced as she stood from the table.
"I'll alert the media."
Mio ignored her. Ritsu cleaned the dishes and stored the leftovers in the refrigerator. The clock on her phone said there were ninety minutes left until the concert began. Maybe Mio wasn't going. Ritsu jumped on the Internet and checked how many hits had been recorded on her page. The dramatic change she had been hoping for was absent. Ritsu added an "or best offer" option to the page and erased her history, covering her tracks and feeling foolish for not doing so earlier. She heard something vibrating against Mio's dresser and quickly realized it was her cell phone. Ritsu snuck carefully into the room and checked to see who was calling. To her immense surprise, Tsumugi's name appeared on the screen. Mio was half tempted to answer it for Mio, but she knew better.
It had to be about Azusa's show. They were walking on eggshells around her. She wasn't sure if she should go unless she was asked to do so. It was difficult to explain, but there was no way around the invisible barrier which bound her to being a spectator. Ritsu would wait until the last possible moment to see if Mio said anything. She took her own bath immediately after Mio had finished and did so in record time without a meaningful soak. Mio was getting ready to go out. So she did intend to see Azusa. Her hair was perfect once again and she applied a very light layer of makeup on her face. She was dressed in one of her better casual outfits which seemed more like her. Ritsu pretended not to notice.
"Hey, Ritsu." Mio called.
Ritsu's heart skipped a beat as she bolted from the couch and leaned in the doorway to Mio's room, perking her head up attentively.
"Your guess is as good as mine." Ritsu said, playing dumb. "Swing your hips. He might like that."
"I'm not going out on a date. I'm. . .going to a concert. Azusa's band is playing."
"Wow, she got one together in just six short months? That's quite a rebound."
"Agreed. Tsumugi is going to be there. Would you like to come along with me?"
"Eh, I don't know." Ritsu said, scratching the back of her head. "What do you think?"
"I think it would be important to her." Mio said with absolute sincerity.
Ritsu had a good laugh at that.
"Do you remember what she said to me? What she said about me?" Ritsu asked.
"Azusa just gets that way sometimes when she's all worked up. You should know that."
"Well, what does she say when she talks to you?"
"Nothing about you. I don't think she wants to bring it up since we live together. I wouldn't say anything to her, though. Nod your head when I tell her she did a good job after the show and act like you care."
"Sounds like a lot work."
"I didn't think you would be interested."
"No, I'll go."
Mio blinked, surprised at how easy that had been. Ritsu took her headband off and ruffled her hair.
"I don't want to make it too obvious, though. I don't want to bother her while she's busy since she didn't technically invite me. It might distract her if she sees me and gets annoyed while singing. How's my disguise?"
"I always thought you looked better without that thing." Mio said, nodding in approval.
"I wear it to give all the other girls a chance."
"You just like how it feels."
"That too. Is it really that bad?"
"Maybe it's just because you wear it all the time. A new look is just naturally very refreshing on you. If you're coming along, don't party too hard. You work tomorrow, right?"
"Yes, that would probably be a good idea." Ritsu said spitefully.
"Get out whatever is in your system."
Ritsu returned to her room and did what she could to look good, yet casual and relaxed. Mio wore a darker, more reserved outfit. She wouldn't stand out as much as Ritsu, which was fine with her. The two of them headed to the train station. A feeling of dread began welling up in the pit of Ritsu's stomach. Maybe this wasn't a good idea after all. She just didn't want to be alone in the house. Mio had talked to her about being clingy before and had always lost the argument. She thought briefly about making up some excuse and heading home, but she kept moving forward and stepped on the train a second before she would have bailed.
This would be the first time she saw Azusa since their band had split up. Ritsu didn't blame her for what had happened. She secretly hoped they could make amends. They might not ever be friends again, but at least they could put their little dispute to rest. That would be really nice. It might be asking too much. She would just go with whatever happened. Besides, she was already certain this was a bad idea. Whether she turned out to be right or not, she had nothing to lose and everything to gain. Ritsu smiled slightly to herself and engaged Mio in further small talk to ease her nerves, being careful not to tease her since that wasn't the right way to handle her anxiety.
They eventually reached the club twenty minutes before the bands would start playing. Ritsu was surprised to see there was a line out front. The place was going to be packed.
"Wow. We never had these many people!" Ritsu said.
"That's because you never advertised very well. Azusa was using Facebook and several other sites to draw in all the old fans. She also knows the lead singer in another band that's playing tonight. They're headlining, but they had plenty to say about Azusa on their site so their fans are looking forward to her performance as well."
"I see. I guess networking wouldn't have hurt."
"We did tell you these things, Ritsu. We just didn't do them because we weren't sure how to with the way scheduling was handled. Azusa also said something about renting a studio for a day and uploading a free copy of their CD to her own blog, but she hasn't yet."
"Why?"
"I don't know. She didn't say. Maybe they need the money or maybe they can't fit a day in. I think it might be the money."
Ritsu took a look around before she said anything further.
"She can always ask Tsumugi."
"If anybody in her family had any connections in the music industry, it would be cheating to use them. They would be like Utada Hikaru if they did that."
"Oh, gag!" Ritsu said, and she started laughing.
"You should be signed because you're talented, not because your daddy owns a record label."
"No doubt, but Azusa could ask Tsumugi to cut her a check. Remember when she found out exactly how much it cost to rent our apartment back in college and then tried to pay for all of it herself?"
Mio shook her head.
"It's not a good thing to ask for money."
"That's like saying that it isn't a good thing to ask for help."
"I don't really think I can agree with that. You're pretty brazen, Ritsu. I'm going to text Tsumugi right now and tell her that we're here, so we should stop talking about this. I think she might already be inside."
"Understood." Ritsu said, dropping the topic.
The line moved at an even pace and Tsumugi did not reply to Mio's text. They soon found out why once they finally reached the entrance. Tsumugi was passing out merch for Azusa's band. A guy was with her. He was likely one of her father's personal assistants. Tsumugi would hastily say otherwise. Thankfully Tsumugi had shown some restraint and hadn't gone all out. There were only a few boxes and two of them were already empty. Tsumugi squealed when she recognized Mio and gave her a big hug.
"It's so good to see you again!" Tsumugi said. "Who's your friend?"
Mio grinned.
"It's me!" Ritsu said, placing a hand on her chest, slightly offended.
Tsumugi leaned in for a closer look and then jumped back in surprise.
"Ritsu!"
"Yes, very good."
"You look gorgeous!"
"Oh. . .thanks."
Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to stop wearing her headband.
"Thanks for getting her to come, Mio."
"No problem. What have you got here?"
They took a step closer to the boxes as people continued coming in. Ritsu took a shirt which had the graphic for Azusa's band plastered on the front. Jun had designed it. She was no slouch. It stood out more than the logo for After School Tea Time. There was a bunch of temporary tattoos as well.
"Has anybody recognized you two yet?" Tsumugi asked.
"No." Mio said, confused.
"Really? That's weird! You two aren't that much older. I've had plenty of people ask if I had anything from our band for sale. Apparently fans of Azusa's band tend to be fans of our old band. What's the term? Go figure?"
Ritsu nodded.
"Hey, would you like to help me sell stuff until they stop letting people in?"
"Sure!" Mio said.
"I want to go mingle. I'll be inside." Ritsu said.
She slid away before they could say anything. The club was just like she remembered it. The place didn't look like much on the outside, but the interior was pretty impressive. One thing always stood out to her at gigs were the restrooms. Some of them could be diabolical. This place kept them very clean. There were so many people here it was hard to move. A majority of them were women. Single guys would hit the jackpot tonight if they played their cards right. Could most of these people really be here just for Azusa? It was hard to imagine and she was a little jealous.
Ritsu went straight for the bar, which was currently unoccupied. The bartender wasn't Japanese, which surprised Ritsu. He was a rather sharp looking foreigner.
"Hi, how are you?" Ritsu asked in her best English.
"I doubled majored in Japanese studies at the University of Sydney." he said in perfectly understandable Japanese.
"What a relief! Hey, quick question. If I buy a drink here do I get it in a sippy cup or an adult glass?" Ritsu asked, switching back to her native language.
He put a party cup on the counter that was an acceptable size.
"Three quarters of the way full. All the way if I like you."
"You're cute and you speak our language very well."
"All the way it is. What will you have?"
"No preference. Surprise me. I just need to loosen up a little." Ritsu said.
He nodded and she paid him. She turned to face the crowd while her drink was mixed. A dark mixture appeared to her right and she took a sip. Ritsu immediately began coughing so hard she gave herself hiccups. She should have smelled it first and she was pretty sure it had just bleached her teeth. Being a lightweight, this would probably hold her over for the evening. The bartender was smiling at her reaction. Ritsu blushed and scurried away, taking another drink, feeling as though the liquor trying to digest in her tummy had eaten its way through to her ovaries. After coughing again and punching her clavicle, she decided to slow down. She couldn't pound this particular drink and ride the rush. Besides, her face was already getting a little tingly, which was fine because that meant she never had to spend more than two thousand yen to get where she wanted to be.
A crew was assembling the instruments on the stage for the first band. Ritsu looked around for people she might recognize while steadily consuming her beverage as quickly as possible for the maximum effect. She spotted a girl who had been in one of her classes, but she didn't know her well enough to say anything. There were a couple more people she thought looked a little familiar. If she had three more drinks, she might feel confident enough to pull back her hair with one hand and proclaim she had been in a band with Azusa once. Ritsu took that back. It would take five drinks to do something that insane and by that point Mio would be very, very upset.
Her phone vibrated. Ritsu took it out, hoping it was an E-Mail notification. Instead, it was a text from Mio.
Wave your phone in the air.
Ritsu did so and saw two other phones wave in reply at the back of the sea of people. It was getting a little hot in the room with everyone mingling and she could smell the distinct odor of so many bodies interacting at once. Ritsu joined Tsumugi and Mio towards the back and took a seat in a comfortable booth.
"How many have you had?" Mio asked.
"This is my first one!" Ritsu proclaimed.
"It had better be. Here, let me have a sip."
"If you want to kiss me, just ask."
"Ritsu, come on!"
Tsumugi looked disappointed. Ritsu passed her cup over to Mio, who gagged once she took a swig.
"Geez, Ritsu! How can you drink this?" Mio demanded.
Ritsu found that incredibly funny. Before the three girls could do any catching up, the first band began playing once the MC finished introducing them. Their music was so loud nobody could talk. All they could do was crowd around each other and bounce around, an activity Ritsu never fully understood, but enjoyed nonetheless. She wondered how exactly this band knew Azusa. Their music was slightly different, perhaps a little edgier. The lead singer was pretty cute. That had to be it. Azusa was very lucky. They didn't sound too terrible, although Ritsu could see why they were just amateurs. Mio squished in next to her, bumping shoulders with Tsumugi and everybody else around them.
"You should have helped me sell some stuff!" Mio shouted.
"I know, if someone farts it'll be terrible!" Ritsu replied.
"That's not what I said!"
"I'm just being difficult! Why should I have helped you sell stuff for Azusa's band?" Ritsu said, adding heavy mock sarcasm to the last part and an interesting face.
"A lot of people recognized me! One even took a picture with me!"
"Too bad you're not dressed as a maid and bent over on your knees!"
"What?"
"Nothing! Go on!"
"They asked me why we quit!"
Ritsu stopped moving for a moment and looked at Mio.
"What did you tell them?"
"I. . .I told them we just did!"
She could have done without that. It hit her hard enough to make her sober. They had quit because of her. That was the real way to answer that question. Mio was just being polite. Of course, she hadn't meant it that way. Not intentionally, at any rate.
"Oh!" Ritsu said.
"Sorry, I shouldn't have said anything!"
"No, you're fine!"
"Ritsu! Ritsu Tainaka, is that you?" a new voice asked.
It must have been a fan. She couldn't believe it. Ritsu's chest swelled with pride as she turned to face. . .
Ui Hirasawa.
"It is you! Thank God you're here!"
Ritsu's jaw hung open as she looked at Ui with a stupefied expression. Ui was Azusa's keyboardist, although she could technically play any instrument she touched. She couldn't play the guitar as good as Yui, but she was far more resourceful than her older sister. Ui was dressed up in the costume she usually wore to the gigs. She looked fantastic.
"Come with me right now!"
Ui seized Ritsu by the wrist with an iron grip and began pulling her through the crowd. Some people whistled at Ui as she went by with Ritsu trying to keep up. Mio and Tsumugi followed, annoying everyone around them as they tried to break through the congestion. They finally got to a door which led backstage, which a bouncer was watching. Ui made a gesture at him and he moved aside for her to get through.
"We're with them!" Tsumugi shouted.
They burst into a hallway as the door closed behind them. Ui let go of Ritsu and put both of her hands behind her head. She gritted her teeth and walked forward a couple of steps while the other girls caught their breath. After figuring out what she wanted to say, Ui dropped her arms and faced Ritsu.
"We need your help. Our drummer is out of commission."
"She's what?"
"Drunk! She's passed out in the restroom in a pile of her own vomit."
"Wow. She didn't even wait to get famous."
Ui wrinkled her nose at Ritsu's breath.
"Are you drunk, too?" Ui demanded.
"Not really. Wait. What? Your drummer? Akeno Nazuka? She's drunk? Are we talking about the same person? That seems a bit out of character for her. When did she turn to the dark side?"
"Akeno is no longer in our band. It's a really long story. I'll give you the short version. She didn't think we would ever go anywhere and she was tired of putting in all the effort and not seeing any results. We had to get another drummer. Her name is Houko Koshimizu. She's really good, but incredibly unreliable."
"And you want me to fill in for her?" Ritsu asked.
"That's right. Do me a favor. Follow my finger. Do not move your head, okay?"
Ritsu took Ui's impromptu sobriety test as a thousand thoughts flew through her mind and her heart beat hard against her chest. Ui tisked and sighed heavily.
"Did I pass?"
"I believe so. Do you think you can still drum?"
"Probably, yeah."
"At least you've got spirit. There's some bottled water in the back room. Have a couple and you should get a little better."
"Hey, hold on. Even if I wanted to do this, which I don't, I can't play any of your songs. I don't know them. We would have to play our old songs."
"That's a great idea! Me and Jun can sit this one out. Tsumugi and Mio can take our places. To tell you the truth, we never were really much of a band anyway. We were good, but you guys were better. We just helped keep the music club alive during our senior year and Azusa needed the company."
"I'm sorry, I can't do this. I don't want to. Besides, they're expecting your band to play."
"Funny thing about that. Back in college, Mio and Yui were your primary vocalists. Yui was an integral part of your band and when she came into our fold, we left the song writing up to her because she has a better voice. Azusa steps in now and then, but her and Yui do the vocals now. We still play some of your old songs."
"You what? Is that legal?" Ritsu asked Tsumugi.
"If Yui wrote the song, she can do whatever she wants with it." Tsumugi said, nodding.
"Ritsu, my point is that most of that audience would rather hear After School Tea Time. It would be perfect!"
Ritsu sighed, shaking her head.
"I can't. Azusa. . .she. . ."
"She's a complete wreck right now. I've never seen her like this."
"Really?"
"Follow me and keep quiet." Ui replied.
As they neared the room where the bands waited to play, they could hear somebody sobbing softly. The door was cracked open a little bit. Ui grabbed Ritsu by the shoulders and positioned her just right. There was Azusa Nakano, a full grown woman trapped inside the body of a little girl. She hadn't aged a day. Yui, Jun, and another girl from the third band were trying to comfort her. Azusa looked thoroughly defeated.
"My parents are right. I need to grow up. This is useless, just like Akeno said. I'm going to be in my thirties, single, and still playing at dives like this! Maybe this is a sign. Maybe it really is time to quit."
"I think she's right." Ritsu mumbled.
"She just might be. However, do you want it to end for her like this?" Ui whispered fiercely.
Ritsu opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. She shook her head instead.
"Then will you please help her?" Ui asked.
She thought back to her impromptu session at the garage earlier that same day. Ritsu could still do this. It wasn't any different from waiting until the last moment to play and expecting the rest of the band to harmonize with her even though she had been absent from all their practices. She wasn't sure how Azusa was going to react, but she couldn't stand to see her like this, not even if there was a little bad blood between them. Ritsu stepped into the room, feeling a rush of adrenaline go through her body as she walked forward as if in a dream.
Azusa was the first to look up and notice her. She blinked a couple of times, unable to believe her eyes.
"Ritsu?" Azusa asked.
"Hey." Ritsu replied nervously.
"Ricchan!" Yui said as she rushed toward Ritsu.
Ritsu heard her spine crack when Yui hugged her.
"I'm glad to see you too!" Ritsu managed to say.
"Ui said you would come! I wasn't sure if you would, but I'm so happy you did! What happened to your headband? Did you lose it? Hey, you smell like Bad Apple Juice! Have you been drinking?"
"Onee-chan, now is not the time." Ui said gently, prying Yui off of Ritsu.
Ui popped the cap off of the purified water she had retrieved from the refrigerator and handed it to Ritsu.
"Why are you here?" Azusa asked.
"I came to see you play." Ritsu replied honestly, chugging half of the bottled water in a couple of swallows.
"Is that the truth?"
"Yeah. I don't have a deep explanation for it. I was wondering how you were doing and I wanted to see you play. So I came here. That's all."
"I see." Azusa said.
The two remained quiet for a moment, unsure of how to proceed. Ritsu spotted a drum kit in the corner and went to examine it. Yamaha had not manufactured this set. Ritsu grinned arrogantly. This wasn't her brand and she was not impressed. Houko had purchased a kit from a company named Tama. It would have to do. Ritsu would make it work.
"I heard you're having some problems with your drummer. There seems to be a pattern here, don't you think?"
Azusa scoffed and smiled slightly.
"Do you still want to perform tonight?" Ritsu asked.
She nodded.
"I'm a little tipsy right now, but I think I can help you out. We'd have to play our old songs, though."
"I like that. Mio's even here. She could play in my place. It'd be just like old times." Jun observed.
"Exactly." Ritsu said.
"That's an excellent idea!" Yui exclaimed.
Ui shushed her. Azusa wiped her eyes free of her tears and walked over to Ritsu.
"Do you remember how to play them?" Azusa asked.
"How could I possibly forget?" Ritsu replied.
"When was the last time you played?"
"Earlier this morning, but don't worry. That's no different from back then, is it?"
"No, it's not."
There was no mistaking the slight edge to her voice. Ritsu had said something like that once before. Her confidence could certainly be misplaced. However, she wasn't going to let that bother her.
"If it's our old songs, I'll be fine." Ritsu assured her.
"Okay." Azusa relented, leaving it at that.
Azusa shook her head and looked Ritsu over carefully.
"I don't think we have a costume in your size."
"That's fine, you could just wear your regular clothes." Ritsu said.
"True."
"Do you have a piece of paper? We need to make our playlist. We should start with the best stuff we did in high school and then end with what we came up with in college."
"Got it!" Jun declared, holding up a notebook and walking over to a spare couch with a table in front of it.
The girls crowded around the sofa. Ritsu took a pen and quickly made their playlist.
"This will go a little over thirty minutes, but I don't think anyone will care. What do you girls think?" Ritsu said.
"Don't Say Lazy as the opening, huh?" Mio said. "You just want an excuse to beat those drums in right away, don't you?"
"That's right. What's the matter? Are you not up for it?" Ritsu asked, grinning mischievously.
"I am a little nervous since I haven't played in so long, but I think I'll live." Mio said, but they could see her trembling slightly.
"Great, here's some lemon juice!" Jun said, handing her a glass of the stuff.
"Don't Say Lazy compliments the other songs on this list, except for maybe the fourth electropop one that was a bit of an unexpected hit." Ritsu exaplined.
"I like that one because I wrote it!" Yui declared.
"You wrote most of our music." Mio said.
"Oh, well that one is my favorite next to Utauyo, Miracle!"
"Geez. Same old Yui." Ritsu said.
Azusa had been looking at Ritsu the entire time, saying nothing. In her eyes, Ritsu was almost shining.
"Ritsu, you always were a good leader."
"I am?"
"Yes. I never felt like I was wasting my time when you were in charge until we blew that venue. You had that much charisma. This band needed you and you didn't seem to care. I thought I could be that person. I thought I could be better than you. That's why I left."
"I'm sorry, Azusa. I was wrong. I realize that now. I actually think about it a lot. It has come to be one of my biggest regrets." Ritsu said.
"Well. . .I forgive you."
"Thanks, Azusa."
"You're welcome, Ritsu-senpai."
It was a numbing flood of relief, just like Ritsu expected. Now she could finally let it go.
"Keep drinking water, Ritsu." Ui said.
"Right." Ritsu said, guzzling the bottled water.
"What should we tell the MC? The other band is on their second to last song. You've got less than ten minutes before you go on stage." Jun said.
"Just have them say a surprise is in store. If anything I've heard tonight is true, I'm sure they won't mind." Ritsu said.
"Please let me see your bass, Jun." Mio asked.
"Sure. It's not the same brand as yours, but it does sound pretty good. Tsumugi, Ui has a Triton. It's the exact same model you have."
"I could tell." Tsumugi said with a smile.
"Yeah, 'cause it's plastered on the front clear as day." Ritsu said.
"There's other ways." Tsumugi said, covering for Jun.
"I'll go inform the MC." Ui volunteered.
Mio and Tsumugi fiddled with their used instruments while Ui left the room. Ritsu sat down on Houko's throne and retrieved her drum sticks. The logo for After School Tea Time had not been inscribed on them. She could tell everyone was nervous.
"We'll do fine. This isn't any different from before." Ritsu said.
The members of the third band helped Ritsu carry the drum equipment out to the stage as the first band left. It was hard to see what she was doing since the lights to the stage had been unexpectedly dimmed. As Azusa came on stage, the lead singer to the first band gave her a smile.
"Good luck, Azusa-chan." the man said.
Chan? Ritsu wondered just how well they knew each other. Azusa blushed and thanked him, now dressed in the outfit she had worn when she had arrived. Ui came rushing out on the stage with a final bottle of water and a yellow headband. Ritsu cracked open the beverage and finished it off quickly. Hopefully this wouldn't backfire and leave her needing to use the restroom during their show.
"Does this have lice?" Ritsu asked.
"No, I made sure to clean it." Ui replied.
"All we need now are our old high school uniforms." Ritsu said as she put the headband on.
Ui helped her adjust her hair.
"Do you still have yours?"
"It's at my parents house. They wanted to keep it. I don't like to look at it. Too many memories, you know?"
Once they were finished, the MC stepped out on the stage. Yui spoke with him briefly. He nodded and left. Apparently she wanted to do the introduction.
"Let's hear it for the band of my good friend Azusa!" the lead singer of the first band hollered, now a member of the crowd.
They reacted appropriately. Yui stepped forward into the light and adjusted the mic.
"Hello everyone. There's been a slight change to our players this evening since Yuko has fallen ill. I don't think it will be much of a. . ."
The lights came on, revealing everyone on the stage. Ritsu squinted at the brightness and felt her breath catch in her lungs. She was really going to do this. Only now did it become evident to her. The crowd stood in stunned silence for a moment.
"Mio-senpai!" some girl in the back screamed.
That must have been someone they went to high school with. Hopefully. The audience launched into an uproar of fanfare. Similar cheers rang out for Tsumugi and Ritsu was certain she heard her name in there somewhere. This was where she belonged. This is where they belonged. Real life was so mundane. They were only in their twenties. They still had time to make it as a band. Ritsu knew this was not just for tonight. This would be their rebirth and she would do her best to make sure they made it.
"We will be playing our old songs this evening. Please bear with us!" Yui said over the noise.
Azusa looked to Ritsu first, followed by the other girls of the band. They were waiting for her signal. Her phone vibrated in her pants pocket. It had to be an E-Mail notification this time. That was too bad. Her drums were no longer for sale. Ritsu took a deep breath, popped her neck, and raised her drum sticks into the air.
"One, two, three, four!"
NEXT TIME WITH SOME1ELSE : A cameo preview would ruin the impact of "Kagami's story". I'll put the nonsense aside this time. In the next chapter, Kagami quickly learns a lesson that everyone who works with computers should know quite well. Her family naturally accepts her work, but will Konata be as kind?