"Ricchan, wake up, it's time for school!" I could hear my mom yelling from downstairs.
"Has it really been 2 weeks already? Going to university now seems like more torture. Can't I just stay home," I muttered while climbing out of my bed like a panda. It was so tiresome that I fell flat on my stomach in the process.
When I was done taking a shower I slowly took my time getting downstairs.
" Ah, fuck I'm late!" I leaped as the clock came into my view.
" You are a girl, Ritsu! Please do not use those words anymore," my mom quickly caught me and scolded me for the words I used.
I half listened to her complaining while I was grabbing myself a sandwich and storming out. " See ya, I'm off."
" Ricchan!" I saw a figure sprinting towards me. " I haven't seen you in ages! It's so good that your in this university now."
" Yui, we saw each other yesterday."
She gasped than answered with a serious tone as if defeated, " You're right."
" Yes, Yui! Your captain is never wrong!" I laid a hand on my chest.
"Captain!" Her eyes began to gleam.
" Yui!" I decided to return the love.
Close to us I heard someone giggling, as I turned my gaze towards them Mugi began to talk, " It's nice to see you back to your original state, Ricchan." I saw everyone smiling at me and it made me become flustered.
" Of-f.. course." I stuttered, while trying to look away.
Tsk, so unlike me to stutter in front of them.
The day skipped by really fast and after a song they played for me as a welcoming back gift in the studio room, which Mugi had been given by her father, questions filled the air once again.
" Your supposed to wear that metallic thing now around your arm, ne, senpai?" Azusa asked curiously while staring at it.
" Yeah, it's supposed to help me, so that my hand doesn't completely fall asleep."
Yui, Mugi and Azusa started crowding around me, examining it as if it was an exhibition.
" Oh that's right, Ritsu-senpai won't be able to play in the upcoming festival, will she?"
" Are you kidding me! Of course I will." I took one of the drumsticks into my hand and sat down near my drums, spreading my legs accordingly.
' Bang, bang, bang,' I was playing the drums with only one drumstick and besides that my injured arm was getting in the way.
" Hahaha," I laughed nervously.
" It's alright Ricchan we already found another drummer to replace you while your away."
" Another drummer..." Everything beside me became gloomy.
" Don't worry, Ricchan, it's just until you get back." Yui patted me on the back for comfort.
" What if the treatment fails and I won't be able to play the drums..." I gasped, " ever."
" Don't worry, senpai! You're our only drummer, forever."
I turned towards Azusa's kind words. " But, Azusa, what if my arm never gets better!" I faked my tears.
She shrugged it off, " Hmm, than I don't know how to answer that."
" Azusa!" I cried out.
" Hahahah, don't be disappointed Ricchan, you know the recovery will certainly succeed. It will definitely be a success, right, Mio-chan?" Mugi turned towards Mio standing at the far end of the studio.
Mio was slightly startled, " W-wha? Oh yea." She seemed dazed off.
I walked towards her and placed my face near hers, " Mio? " She jumped from surprise.
" R-ritsu! When did you get here?"
" Pretty fast, right? I teleported, Mio." I looked at her with a serious look.
" Ughhh, your such an idiot." She smacked me on the head and than stormed off towards her bass. Before she could begin playing, she was interrupted by a knocking noise on the door.
" Ah, must be Kyousuke-kun."
"Come on in." Mugi cheerfully let the man standing beside the porch in.
" Hello, hello, charming ladies." He stopped and looked towards me. " Oh? I haven't seen you." Putting his thumb towards his lips, he became silent but than spoke out again, "Aha, you're that Ritsu-kun, ne? I heard a lot about you from the others."
I gave him a wry smile as he bowed down. " I'm Kyousuke Nishida, just call me Kyou."
" Yea, nice to meet you." I gave him a fake smile.
He went back to an upright position and reached out for his pocket, taking out his glasses and putting them on. As he cleared his voice, he continued, "Shall we start practice."
Mio looked at him slightly irritated, " Practice began one hour ago, you should be more punctually."
" Ah, sorry, sorry, you know how it is, life as an adult," he smirked while still staring at Mio, "or maybe not."
Mio hissed at him, " I am an adult, thank you very much," she added, "you are only two years older than me, don't act too cocky."
The man than put his arm around Mio's shoulder and began to burst in laughter.
" Now, now, you know how hard this is for Kyousuke-kun. Mio-chan, you were the one who begged him to join, remember?" Mugi questioned with a lingering smile.
Mio became flustered, her cheeks began to flourish into a bright pink. " I-I did not beg! Merely asked! "
" Oh come now, Mio," he giggled, " you know it's true."
" Shut up." Mio threw his hand off of her, "let's start practice." She shook off the topic by starting to play.
The room was filled with laughter and I was the only one standing at the end of the room feeling as distant as ever.
The practice was finally over and as I stepped out of the studio, breathe filled my lungs once again. Kyousuke said he had to run an errand and the rest took there own paths back home. I walked side by side with Mio to the station while still keeping a short distance in between us. There was an awkward silence until we finally reached the station and I managed to choke out a word, "Boyfriend?"
Mio's agonizing eyes stared at me, "What?"
My question was quit loud, but I repeated myself, " Was he umm your boyfriend?"
"What makes you think that?" Mio gave me an immediate response.
I shrugged my shoulders and stared at the sky, " You seemed kind of happy? Or more talkative with him than with us?" I said sheepishly.
" That's because his persistent and keeps on nagging and asking so many questions that it gets annoying and I just react."
The train soon followed Mio's words and I talked again as we got off, " You didn't answer my question."
She kept on walking and stayed silent for a moment, " He's my fiance."
The clouds seemed to be moving slower than the last time I looked up and the chilly wind blazed my cheeks. Why does it feel so cold? " Is that so?.." I felt my voice turning hoarse. I cleared my throat and continued, " So is this what happened in a year?" I smirked and stared at the ground.
" Actually it was decided only a week ago."
I looked up at the girl walking ahead of me, " But, than, what? How can you..." I splattered random words, confused in the matter before I got interrupted.
" Well I've known him for over a year and met him when I was a kid since his father is my father's closest friend," she sighed. " Than he proposed to me."
" And you excepted, right?" I kept on walking at my own pace while giving off a big sigh.
" Not exactly." Mio hesitated.
" Eh?" I looked up at her again with a surprised look.
" He asked me six months ago and only on the second time did I agree."
" Why the second time?" I questioned, puzzled.
She took a step and stopped walking, looking back at me uncertain, " Just... things were happening."
" Hmmm," I waited for a few seconds before talking again," do the others know about you and him?"
" No, not yet."
" When are you two... ugh... getting married?" I swallowed nervously.
" When I finish university. So in two years."
There was yet another awkward silence before I managed to spit out a few words that were haunting my mind, " D-do you love him?"
Mio didn't speak for yet another thirty seconds until I heard her clearly speak out without hesitation, " I don't hate him."
I snickered, " That's not exactly an answer to my question, now is it?" Before I could find a reasonable answer from her lips we reached Mio's house and she waved her hand at me while walking inside.
I guess she didn't want to answer. Oh well, she'll tell me when she's ready. I sighed and began walking home.
As I barged into my room and threw my bag on the floor I couldn't help but feel my eyes become slightly watery. Maybe I was tired? Or maybe... it didn't matter though. All I knew was that I didn't want to think about it. But strangely it just kept sinking into my mind deeper and deeper.
"A phone call to Yui should do!" I exclaimed to myself. " But, I don't feel like laughing... or talking."
I jumped onto my bed and tried to close my eyes. But as soon as the thought streamed into my mind once again, they opened in a flash.
" Man, what should I do? I don't feel so good." I slit my palm onto my forehead.
Until I could die from impatience I heard a knocking from my door and as it slightly opened a girl with raven black hair was standing at the porch.
I smirked while getting up, " Missed me already?"
" Tch, don't get ahead of yourself," she smiled back at me. " My mam-mother! Was simply giving me the task of bringing something for your mother. Well, I just came up to tell you hi, so I'll be going now." She turned her back at me... again. How many times has it been already today?
" Don't go, Mio..." I pleaded.
She looked back to me with a questioning look.
" Ugh, well, you see I have nothing to do and you just happen to come so..."
" You can study."
Ugh, an immediate response.
" Ha, no thanks." I waved my hand in disagreement.
She stepped away from the door. " Fine, I'll stay for a while." Mio sighed in defeat while I grinned at her.
" So what do you wanna do?" She plunged her body onto the opposite side of me.
" The Sakura trees will bloom soon. Wanna go watch them with me." I asked.
" Right now?"
" No, just in general." I said calmly.
" Yea, I suppose."
" Wanna go out?"
Mio fell silent and jumped from the bed as she looked at me with a disbelieving look. "What?"
" Eh? What do you mean what? Wanna go outside?"
She calmed down and sat on the bed again while sighing, " Sure, since we have nothing to do, walk me home."
Ignoring her I continued, " Wait, wait, what did you think I meant by what I said?" I stopped for a second than looked up at her, not being able to withhold my smile. " Oh, Mio... how sly, didn't expect it from someone like you Hohohoho. " I laughed loudly.
" Shut up! It's your fault, the way you say it and all. Choose your words wisely."
I shrugged my shoulders in confusion. " Huh? I talk normally, it's just you have a dirty mind that you start thinking of unnecessary things." I couldn't help but smile in the end.
" Shut up!" She stormed out of my bedroom and I followed.
" Hey, hey Mio, honey, don't run away from your lover~" I teased.
She turned around to face me and growled, " You think your soooo funny by -" She was interfered by a call and immediately flipped the cell phone open as she checked the ID of the caller.
" Yes, hello?" she paused to let the person on the other line speak and continued, " I'm at Ritsu's right now, but I'm about to leave so if it's really urgent I'll come. "
With a nod and a goodbye she hung up. Putting on her shoes and coat she told me and my parents she was leaving and closed the door behind her. I quickly ran after her after putting on my coat and shoes as well.
" Hey, " I panted, " Didn't you want me to walk you home?"
" Hmph." She kept on walking. " Not with that behaviour." I could tell she was pouting like a little child.
I grinned, " Hehehe, oh come now Mio. It's not my fault you thought that way." Dropping the topic quickly I asked her what I had on my mind, " Anyways, who was that?"
" Kyousuke. He said he has to show me something immediately."
I didn't like that for some reason. It felt like Mio was becoming distant, I didn't want her to go but I couldn't oblige either. I could only look at her and smile.
" Ne, Ritsu..."
I offered my attention as I heard her calling my name.
" How does it feel?" her voice became weaker. And than after a silence she repeated, "How does it feel going through all that-t?" I could feel her voice becoming to crack.
" Eh? Hahahah you don't need to worry, Mio." I started to giggle.
" I'm not, I'm merely asking. Answer Ritsu." Her tone of speech became more aggressive.
I snapped, " Hey, hey why so serious Mio, it's fine, so stop being so stubborn about it."
" I don't think going through all that is fine, Ritsu." She stared at me pitifully.
" Well what do you want me to say! It's not my fault it happened, of course it is isn't heaven knowing that you lost your memories and arm..." For some reason I felt surprised at my own words.
Why do I feel so guilty.
Not shifting her eyes from me she whispered painfully, " Sorry..."
Now I feel even guiltier.
The rest we walked in silence and as I waved goodbye to her and saw her back drift further away from me, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was loosing her.
Well I think this chapter is better, plot wise? umm, well please review and feel free to tell me if I have any mistakes :D