Part 8
"Hey Ritsu…are you sure you're alright?"
Sighing into the receiver, Ritsu curled up under her covers, wondering how to answer the question.
"I'm fine. Totally fine, Mio." An automated answer.
Ritsu felt more reassured just talking to Mio over the phone, the bassist's sweet voice lulling her back to sleep.
There was a slight pause before Ritsu heard the other girl take an audible breath. "If you're so okay...then I'm wondering why you decided to give me a call at 5:30 in the morning...Not that another hour of sleep would have been nice, but I'm pretty sure something is wrong."
The drummer could hear that Mio sounded quite exasperated over the phone, finally feeling guilty for waking her friend for absolutely no reason at all.
"Ritsu…? If you're not going to talk, then I'm going back to sleep before my alarm rings."
"Okay, okay. I guess I am nervous about the play. There are only a few days left. We have tomorrow off and then the big dress rehearsal the day after. I'm not sure how to feel." Ritsu wrinkled her nose in distress, feeling empty and strangely humbled.
"What are you worried about anyway? I always run lines with you and you're a natural."
"Mio-chan, you're doing a great job at making me feel better, but it's different when it's with you. I just don't feel confident about performing in front of the whole school. It's not like I'm the main character when we play our music either. I'm always hiding behind my drums." Ritsu sighed yet again, but a smile tugged at her lips. She wondered if Mio was just being nice to her. After all, Mio had helped her practice so often that the bassist practically knew Catherine's lines by heart.
"You're not as crazy as Yui, but you've got your own flair, Ritsu. If it helps, I could go through the play with you a couple of times before the big day."
"That would definitely make me feel a lot better, but I don't want to take up so much of your time…" Twirling a brown lock of hair absent mindedly around her finger, the drummer pouted, suddenly feeling stupid for calling her friend so early in the morning.
It was crazy, she knew. They had just seen each other yesterday during school, after school and embarrassingly enough, Ritsu even enjoyed the company of the black haired girl in her dreams, a fragile princess to her princely character.
Ritsu furrowed her eyebrows for a second. Not that Mio was fragile at all.
"Hey, don't be like this. It's...okay, you know? After all, if you're not the one to take up all my time, I don't know who else would be fit for that role. Since we're...uhm...you know...now...right?" There was a slight pause. "N-not that...it's okay for you to take up all my time! but...Agh!"
Ritsu smirked as she heard Mio's shyness drift over the phone line, just picturing the girl burying her head beneath the covers, blushing from the tips of her ears to the base of her neck. The drummer always loved a shy Mio, so demure and obedient and easy to bully. Just thinking about it made Ritsu...
"You're definitely right, Mio. That's why...I was wondering if I could take up some more of your time right now and drag you to school." Ritsu felt increasingly guilty as the moments passed on, but she couldn't think of anything but Mio at the moment. She felt an increasing need to see her, to want to talk to her and...touch her.
"What? Right now? Are you crazy? It's 6am. The school's probably empty since the sports clubs don't practice this early in the winter. Teachers don't even get there until 7, I bet." Mio's tone started to change as she spoke, from bewildered to contemplative. She was considering something and Ritsu had a good guess that it was the same thing she was thinking.
"Well, Mio-chan...if you're up to feeling extra nice today, you could be a dear and help me practice. I'm sure the classroom will be empty for a while and it'll just be...the two of us there." Ritsu's voice dropped to a sultry whisper and the brunette bit her lip, trying to contain herself.
There was a barely audible gasp on the other end of the line and a long pause.
Ritsu held her breath, hoping that her proposition woke up the sleepy dangerous queen.
"Well, it wouldn't be a bad idea I guess. It's not like I have anything better to do...and you woke me up anyway!"
Hearing the tsundere master agree put Ritsu in high spirits. She listened carefully on the phone and the rustling of sheets signaled Mio rising from bed, throwing the covers off herself as she walked around the room. It seemed that someone was as excited as she was.
"Yes! Alright! I'll meet you at the corner of the block in 20 minutes, kay?"
"Okay..you better not make me wait out in the cold, Ritsu."
Grinning from ear to ear, Ritsu jumped out of bed, juggling her phone between hands as she yelled into the receiver at arms length, trying to get her pajama top over her head. "Of course I wouldn't do that to my princess! I'll be the one to wait for you!"
"S-stupid...I-I'll...see you soon then. Bye."
"Bye bye!" Ritsu snapped shut her phone and proceeded with bouncing around the room, trying to get her school uniform on without bursting out in laughter. Never in her life had she been more excited to go to school early. She would never admit it, but the play was at the back of her mind. After all, she had a feeling that they wouldn't be able to get much practicing done anyway with an empty classroom to the two of them.
Ritsu's head lolled forward, her eyelids drooping as she sat at her desk with her head resting on her hand. Students were just starting to file into the room, making small talk and trying to shake off the early morning drowsiness. The brunette, however, was exhausted beyond belief, having been at school for the past hour and a bit, engaged in a vigorous practice session with her princess.
Falling asleep, Ritsu's mind filled with thought of the mock-play she and Mio had re-enacted earlier in the music room. It was all rather quite fun, how well they both knew their parts and the fun they could have with it. The fondling in between scenes wasn't too bad either.
A dirty grin spread across Ritsu's lips and she drifted off into slumber, chuckling to herself.
"T-Terrible news!"
Yui burst into the classroom, throwing the sliding door open with a bam.
The drummer sat up abruptly in her seat, joining her classmates in collectively staring at the disruption.
"It's Mugi-chan!" Yui burst into the room and the girls in her class swarmed her with questions flying back and forth.
"Mugi-san? What happened?"
"Something's happened to Kotobuki-san?!"
"She was at school yesterday, wasn't she?"
Ritsu narrowed her eyes, wondering what could have happened to throw Yui of all people into such a state. Standing up, she made her way to the mass of chatty girls surrounding the guitarist, pushing through the crowd.
"Everyone, everyone, let Yui explain first, will you?" Finally reaching Yui, Ritsu's voice quieted down the others and the girl was finally allowed to speak.
"R-Ricchan!" Yui was so glad to see her friend, starting to get suffocated by the questions and the grabby hands.
"Okay, okay. Let's just give her some space, right?" Ritsu gestured for her classmates to disperse, to give them some breathing room. "Yui, go ahead." All eyes on the tight-clad brunette, the guitarist clear her throat authoritatively.
"Ahem-Okay. Uhm, now that I have your attention, Mugi-chan had her butler call me early this morning to tell me that she..lost her voice. The doctor said that she won't be better for at least a few days!" Yui breathed out a sigh at the end, waiting for some sort of reaction from the class.
Dead silence rang out for the better part of a minute before the shock registered on each and everyone's faces. It was just awful timing to have one of their main actors fall victim to laryngitis.
"B-but...the play...the one everyone worked so hard on…" One girl, the stage producer, who had put so much effort into the whole play, just collapsed to the floor, her knees giving out. She was on the verge of tears, her bottom lip quivering.
"It's okay! We just need someone to fill in for Mugi-san's part. Didn't we have an understudy prepared too?" 27 pairs of eyes immediately darted around the classroom to find the girl that had been assigned to be Catherine's understudy. However, spotting no understudy and an empty desk where she usually sat, confusion broke out until someone chimed in with yet more terrible news.
"S-she's been in the hospital with pneumonia since Wednesday!"
"No! How can this be? Did someone not want us to perform that much!? How could things have gone so horribly wrong?" Stage producer girl was suddenly reduced to a puddle of tears and frustration and her friends tried their best to keep back their own tears and to console her at the same time.
Ritsu swallowed hard, wondering if she should have been more careful about what she wished for. It was true that she was dreading the upcoming play, but to have to cancelled like this was just...too tragic. It was the last thing they would do before they all went on winter break and everyone was looking forward to the performance.
Ritsu started suddenly as Yui clamped a gentle hand on the drummer's shoulder. The shorter brunette looked back, peering into the guitarist's eyes and knowing that Yui was just trying to offer her sympathies. Even though she had tried to hide it from her friends, everyone knew that Ritsu had worked harder than ever to try and not disappoint their class.
It was simply crushing news. No one could blame the absentees for their illnesses, but there was no other outlet for their frustration.
Distracted by her thoughts, Ritsu nearly jumped out of her skin as she felt a vibration in her pocket. She fished out her cellphone and couldn't help but crack a smile at the message that Mio sent her.
-Try not to fall asleep in class!
Otherwise, your Catherine here will be very disappointed in her Heathcliff!
Mio-
"Geez, that girl.." Shaking her head, Ritsu tried her best to dispel the personal thoughts that had just invaded her mind. It wasn't like the situation they were facing now wasn't important, but she just could not get her mind off the fact that Mio was so perfectly princess-like, a romantic at heart and a girl who loved the tragic story of Wuthering Heights so much that she...knew the lines by heart!
"Ricchan? Are you alright? Your eyes just suddenly looked like they were going to fall out of your head." Yui titled her head quizzically as she stared at her friend.
"I-I just got an idea! This might save the play, but I need to check that it will work! Yui, tell the others not to give up yet!" With that, Ritsu gave Yui a thumbs-up before rushing out of the classroom and down the hall to Mio's class.
There were 5 minutes left before homeroom started, but this was definitely a state of emergency! Taking lengthy strides, Ritsu opened the door to the neighboring classroom and urgently called out for Mio.
"Is Akiyama-san here? There's something urgent that needs her attention!"
All activity ceased and all eyes locked onto Ritsu and Mio, who was mid-sentence in a conversation with Nodoka.
"R-Ritsu…?" Mio's face started to turn cherry red as she got out of her seat and rushed out, pushing the drummer into the hallway before she shut the door behind them.
"W-What are you doing, idiot? Something as embarrassing as that so early in the morning..." The bassist continued to drag the brunette down the hallway, only stopping when they had reached the top of the stairwell at the end of the corridor.
"Well, Mio-chan, I'm sure we did more embarrassing things waaay earlier this morning, but…" Ritsu smirked, sticking her tongue out at the black haired girl as she teased her.
"I-Idiot…" Blushing furiously, Mio's tone softened and she was glad that no one was around to see their exchange. "So? What was so important that you needed to drag me out of class right before it started?"
"Well, hehe...about that…" The drummer had a sheepish grin on her face, fidgeting as she tried to find the right words.
"Spit it out, Ritsu." Mio crossed her arms across her chest and all signs of her previously embarrassed self were fading.
"I have a favor to ask of you, Akiyama-sama...Will you hear me out?" Ritsu laughed forcibly, nervously almost as she quickly rehearsed the spiel she had prepared just now in her head.
"PLEASE, Mio. I beg you! Please!" Ritsu was on her knees, grabbing desperately at Mio's sleeve as she begged her best friend to entertain her crazy idea.
"Are you still going on about that, Ritsu!? I'm going to tell you the same thing I told you this morning…" Mio turned to look Ritsu square in the eyes, no hint of joking in her ice blue orbs.
"Please, Mio-sama!?" Ritsu grovelled spectacularly, now on the ground, wrapping her arms around Mio's calves, her head just beneath the girl's skirt.
"No! For the fourth time, no! And get your head out from under there, Ritsu!" Mio struggled to free herself from the girl who had latched onto her like a lecherous parasite. As the seconds passed, she felt her restraint slipping, Ritsu's cheeks rubbing against her thighs almost changing her state of mind.
Watching the pair from afar, Azusa and Yui were seated side-by-side at the large table in the middle of the room, grateful that they were in the club room with the door closed. Above all, grateful that their friends probably had the common sense to refrain from acting like this in public.
"They sure are getting along well." Azusa raised an eyebrow at Mio's apparent blush and the fact that the girl seemed to be enjoying herself more than anything. The twintailed guitarist raised her teacup to her lips and took a sip, her eyes still glued onto the spectacle in front of them.
"As usual, Azu-nyan. Just like us." Yui beamed, grinning to herself as she leaned over slightly, touching her shoulder to Azusa's.
"Well, I would like to think that we don't look that ridiculous to other people." Smiling gently, Azusa returned the gesture, leaning against Yui, putting her tea down as her upperclassman gestured for her hand. The younger girl blushed as Yui grasped her hand under the table, intertwining their fingers together.
"It doesn't matter whether or not we look silly, Azu-nyan. After all, we'll be silly together." Yui gave her girlfriend a lopsided grin as she threw her arms around the flustered girl.
"Y-Yui-sempai…" Azusa blushed hard to the tips of her ears, nuzzling her face into the crook of the brunette's neck.
"Azusa…" Yui whispered the younger girl's name, her lips brushing up against her ear ever so slightly. The older guitarist started to let her hands wander, inching underneath Azusa's blazer, untucking the girl's dress shirt from her skirt.
"Y-yui! T-that...ahn...Stop it…" Azusa giggled uncontrollably, trying to free herself from her upperclassman's hands, but to no avail.
"You two, what do you think you're doing?"
The two guitarists froze in their spots, wondering when they had gotten lost in their own world.
"I'm sure it's alright with the door closed and all, but molesting people when others are present isn't very considerate, you know?" Ritsu's playful tone hit their ears and they looked up to see Mio and Ritsu standing across from them at the table, staring.
Yui and Azusa jumped apart, Yui ending with her arms in the air, showing her hands like a criminal about to be handcuffed.
"I-I...wasn't molesting Azu-nyan…" Yui laughed sheepishly, her fingers moving on their own in a suggestive groping motion. Under her breath, she added. "Not yet anyway…"
Catching that last phrase, Azusa bit her lip, wishing that they could be alone.
Ritsu's hearing was especially sharp that day and her eye twitched slightly as she registered the malicious intent Yui had in her voice with that last part of her statement. What she had witnessed just now added to the credulity to what she had walked into only a few days ago.
Mio, had her mouth open in shock, wondering when the pure pure airheaded guitarist turned into a perverted old man.
Apparently, Yui's whisper was more of a stage whisper.
Realizing that everyone in the room had heard the small addition to her declaration of innocence, Yui's sighed, hanging her head in shame. "I...I meant for that to be quieter! At least I only molest Azu-nyan…" Pouting, the guitarist sighed, her hands still in the air, moving on their own at her admonition.
"Yui-sempai! Your hands!" Azusa forcibly grabbed the girl's hands, bringing them back down to her side.
"You two are always so cute." Mio laughed at their antics, a soft smile on her face as she remembered what she had seen last week.
"Agh!" Azusa groaned in frustration as she fought her embarrassment. "We're not cute! Whatever!" The little girl threw her hands up in exasperation, feeling as angry as she did back in the day when they refused to practice. "And you two! My sempai are supposed to set a good exam-"
The twintail was cut off in the middle of her rant as Yui grabbed the petite guitarist, enveloping her in a bear hug from behind. "There, there, Azusa. Calm down, calm down." The brunette gently pet the girl's head like she would a cat and to the everyone's surprise, the rampaging Azusa was tamed.
"-exam..example...Or something…" Azusa leaned back into Yui's touch, her anger dissipating as her sempai comforted her.
"Done your argument, already, you guys? So did Mio-chan agree to play Catherine?" Yui chimed in curiously, still petting Azusa's head affectionately.
"Uhm. No, but we're just taking a break. It's kinda tiring to bargain with this ice queen." Ritsu put a hand on her back, stretching out her muscles, feeling the aching from being on her knees for too long.
"Well, I'm sorry that you're asking for the impossible. There's no way I can stand in for Mugi. There's not enough time, you know?" Mio shook her head, feeling slightly bad for refusing her friend.
"I'm pretty sure that if anyone can help us, it's you, Mio. You know the play better than any of us actually in it...and there's still tomorrow and the dress rehearsal before the big day. I'm sure it's plenty of time." Ritsu pleaded with the girl one last time.
Mio shifted uncomfortably under Ritsu's gaze, wondering if it would be all that bad to act in their play just this once.
The drummer could see that the other girl was thinking about giving in. She was winning.
"Well...only if there really is no other choice…" Mio trailed off, her reply barely audible.
Without warning, Ritsu flung herself at Mio, enveloping the bassist in a bear hug. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, Mio!"
Mio's face flushed a bright red and she pouted as she offered no resistance to Ritsu's invasive, but comforting hug. "I-It's not like I'm doing it for you...dummy.."
As Yui and Ritsu celebrated the success of their negotiations, a red light in the corner of the room blinked, the whirring of a lens inaudible to the occupants of the room as it zoomed in on the four girls. The little black box was hidden in the ramparts of the roof, its transmitter blinking furiously as it sent the video feed back to its very excited owner.
Things were going exactly according to plan.
A/N: Wrote this one quite a while ago actually...didn't get a chance to upload it until now. It's been too long!
Been uploading so many chapters and new stories haha...A bit stress relieving.
Don't expect too much! Everyone who's still here know my track record with updating. (very shameful for sure)
Thanks for reading and drop me a review to let me know you're still there :)