After the school day was over, The HTT members begin heading up stairs to begin their first practice in a long time.
"So, Ryu-chan! How'd you like the first day of school?"
"Oh, umm…it was interesting I guess?"
"Ryu-kun, it's okay to admit that it was boring. It's not good to hold back your feelings!" Mugi holds up her index finger and makes a serious face.
"I don't think that's when you use that line, Mugi…*sweat drop* and what makes you say something like that?"
Once they reached the music room, the HTT members begin to unpack their instruments (The Angel had a drum set up for Ryu ahead of time….)
"AH! Sempai! What are you all doing here?"
The foursome turn around to see their favorite Kohai.
"Azunyan!~" Yui pounces on her favorite kohai and give her her usual hug.
"Y-Yui-sempai, please don't do that." Trying desperately to push off the energetic high schooler. "Mio-sempai, Mugi-sempai, please say something to her."
"ma ma ma ma ma ma ma~"
"seven times" Yui remarks.
Mio just lets out a *sigh* "Come one guys, let's get to practice…it's been a while."
"B-But, Mio-sempai. We don't have…." It was at that moment that Azusa notices Ryu standing near the closet getting his Drum set.
"Ritsu-sem…."
"Ryu-chan! This is Nakano Azunyan~ She's our kohai! Azusa, this is Ryu-chan! He's our new drummer!"
"Heh. Nice to meet you Azusa-chan." Ryu grins
"…..?" (Mugi)
"N-Nice to meet you, Ryu-sempai." Azusa couldn't believe what she was seeing. She could have sworn it was Ritsu-sempai who was getting her drum set ready…..that was impossible of course….
"Come one guys….let's practice." Mio had her bass strapped around her and hooked to her amp.
Everyone gets practicing and Ryu is forced to 're-learn' some of the songs.
"Wow, Ryu-chan! You sound just like Ricch-chan!"
Mio and Azusa flinch.
"I uh I'm sure that's not true~." *Blush*
"…..No, really Ryu-kun!. That was very good despite your first practice."
"Th-thanks Mugi-chan."
Mugi keeps her eyes on Ryu while the group wraps up for the night.
"Too bad Sawa-chan couldn't come today."
"yeah…" Ryu says in a quiet voice. But Mugi hears him.
"She had a teachers meeting today, so it can't be helped" Mio says while putting Elizabeth in its case.
"Well…I'll be heading off! It was nice meeting you, Ryu-sempai." Swinging her 'Mutan' over her shoulder.
"Yup! See you tomorrow, Azusa-chan!"
"Come on Ryu, let's go home…your place is the same way as mine right?"
"hoh?~ aren't we bold, Mio-chuan?~"*smirk*
*BLUSH*! "Th-that's not it! I uh-! Never mind! Come one Yui! Mugi! Let's go!"
"okay, Mio-chan!" prances over to Mio's side.
"Actually, I need to do something" Mugi puts her hands together as a sign of saying 'sorry'.
"Um…okay, then. See you tomorrow, Mugi-cha-"
"Can you help me Ryu-kun?" Mugi sends Ryu a very sweet smile.
"oh, uh- I guess so." Ryu's cheeks turn a light shade of red.
"Anyways, see you later guys."
"Bye-Bye, Ryu-chan! Mugi-chan!"
* the door closes*
"So, what is it that you need help with, Mugi-chan?"
"Ah. Well you see, It's in the closet."
The two walks into the closet, with Ryu in front of Mugi.
Mugi points to a random box that's stacked on top of a pile of junk." RICCH-CHAN, can you read that box for me."
"oh, sure, Mugi" He begins to reach when….."….."
Ryu's eyes widen as he spins his body around, slamimg his back against the pile of junk. He mouth was wide open and sweat began dripping down his face.
"I mean! Uh! I- uh!" Mugi frowns and puts her face just inches from his.
"It really is you, isn't it? Ricch-chan!"
"Wh-why would you-!" Ryu was panicking.
Mugi smiles, which mad Ryu feel even more uneasy.
"How did you know Azusa-chan's real name when Yui-chan only called her by her nick name? How did you know that we call Sawako-sensei "Sawa-chan", or even know who we were talking about…even though we never mentioned her?...And the way you played…." Mugi's face got even closer to his.
"…*sigh* Heh. So you figured it out huh, Mugi?" Ryu bows his head in defeat, as Mugi steps away.
"That's right…..YOU FAKED YOUR OWN DEATH SO THAT YOU COULD POSE AS A BOY TO GET CLOSER TO MIO-CHAN!" Mugi jabs her figure towards the poor drummer with her eyes gleaming.
"Wh-what? NO! And what about Mio?"
"You know, I can understand how you'd be able to pull off the chest, because it was pretty flat to begin with…" Mugi stares closely at Ryu's chest area.
"oi, oi…" *sweat dtop*
"But what how did you pull off your new height? And this?"
"HEY! DON'T TOUCH THERE! THAT'S REAL! The fact that I'm a guy now, is real! I really died!"
Mugi'sbangs covered her face.
"Mugi-cha-?" Mugi grabs Ryu and buries her face into his chest. Ryu's back to smash into the pile of junk behind him, causing a couple of random items to fall. "…Mugi…"
"But you're still you, aren't you?...Just in a different body." Mugi's body begins to tremble and small 'sobs could be heard.
"I *sob* I missed you….Ricch-chan!" Mugi's voice was trembling. Ryu puts on a sympathetic and guilty look.
"Sorry, Mugi…"
Mugi snaps her head up to reveal a teary face with some snot coming out of her nose.
"Sorry? What are you talking about! This is great! Even if you're a boy now you're still the same old Ricch-chan, right? I gotta go tell Mio-chan!" At this comment, Ryu grabs a hold of Mugi's shoulders in a rough manner, but not so hard as to hurt her.
"NO! DON'T YOU EVER TELL HER!"
" What?Why?" Mugi shoots a confused look at Ryu.
"Did you just see your reaction right now? I couldn't even tell if you were happy or sad! Plus, you're conclusion of me "faking my death" might as well be Mio's if I tell her that I was Tainaka Ritsu! What do you think might happen if she really does think that I REALLY DID just FAKE MY DEATH?"
The panting Ryu stopped to breathe after that rushed explanation, while Mugi stood there with her eyes wide open.
"….but isn't THAT what happened?"
"JIGAU!"
(After brief explanation of what happened and about the deal with the Angel)
"Oh…I see. Well, it's a good thing Angel-san gave you another chance."
"Although, if it wasn't for him, I'd still be alive…."
*Gloom*
"But….doesn't this kinda benefit you, Ricch-chan?"
"Huh? How?"
"You know~ in trying to get closer to Mio-chan! I noticed that she seems pretty interested in 'Ryu' because you look a lot like….uh…'you (Ritsu)'."
"R-really? But uh-"
"And I know YOU like her too~!"
*BLUSH* "UGH! Nothing passes by you, Mugi-chan." *sigh*
"Tee hee!...Well, it's getting really dark out there…we better head home."
"…yeah. Hey, Mugi?"
"Hm?"
"At first…I thought it'd be best to keep my 'real' self a secret because I thought that it'd just make things more difficult for you guys and me….But now that Mugi's found out….I'm kinda happy."
"Of course Ricch-chan. We all missed you very much…Especially Mio-chan. But remember, NO matter what you may look like, we all love Ricch-chan very much…." Mugi heads out the door.
"Oh…Mugi, before you go… please call me "Ryu"…After all, "Ricch-chan" is dead in this world…"
"….okay. Whatever you say, "Ryu-kun"". And Mugi was gone.
*sigh* I never thought that I would be found out so quickly…of course, after all those hints, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised.
But, as Ryu started to head out, he saw something on the floor. It was a charm…Mio's charm. The charm that was given to all of them and spelled out their club name, "K-ON-BU".
"She must've dropped it. Mmm…I'll drop it off on the way 'home'…."
At Mio's house/ Ryu's POV
I walked down the snow covered path while staring at the small charm I held in my hand. Thinking about the school field trip and how much fun it was.
I couldn't help but feel my lips curl up into a smile as I thought about those memories.
I reached the house that had the name "Akiyama" written on it, and rung the bell.
Ding-dong~ "Who is it?" Mrs. Akiyama's voice comes over the speaker.
"Hello, it's Ryu. I came to drop off something Mio left at school"
"OH! Ryu-kun! *click*"
The door of the house opens and Mrs. Akiyama comes out pulling a jacket over herself.
"So what can I do for you, Ryu-kun?" She gives me a friendly grin.
"I just came to drop this off" I explained while showing her the small charm.
"Oh! Thank you so much, Ryu-kun. Say, it's really cold out here, why don't you come inside and say 'hi' to Mio-chan?"
"Th-that's okay. I have to get home and eat din-"
"So you haven't eaten yet?"
"um...no"
"Then please join us for dinner. A 'thank you' and 'Welcome' from us to you!"
"I-I couldn't possibly!"
"I insist!" Mrs. Akiyama grabs my arm and drags me inside…I never realized how much strength she had!...Maybe that's where Mio gets her 'dangerous Queen' side from? Heh.
After dragging me inside and forcible taking my coat off, Mrs. Akiyama calls Mio from down stairs.
"Mio!~ Ryu-kun will be joining us for dinner!" straight to the point….
"WHAT?" Mio's footsteps could be heard as she ran down the stairs. Once at the bottom, she looks at her mom with a worried look, and then looks at me.
"Um…Hi Mio. You uh left this in the club room." I show her the charm.
Mio's eyes grow wide as she snatches the charm from my hand.
"My charm! Uh, thanks Ryu. But how did you know that it was mine?"
"oh, um…Mugi-chan told me. And since your house was on the way, I told her that I'd drop it off here."
"oh…by the way, what was it Mugi needed help with?"
"umm..well, she-" But I was cut off by Mrs. Akiyama.
"Sorry to interrupt your little chat, but dinner's getting cold. Let's continue at the table shall we?"
We make it over to the dinner table that had three bowels of rice, some side dishes, and a hot pot dish in the center.
We spoke about what Mugi 'asked help for', which I told that she just needed help putting some old tea cups in a box to take home. And the conversations continued as Mrs. Akiyama teased us about that first incident of Mio not letting go of me when I dropped her off at home, and how Mio gets scared really easily. Of course…I already knew this, but played along.
We finished our meals, but there was still a good amount of the hotpot dish left over.
"hmm…Well, Mr. Akiyama won't be home for a couple days, and I don't think we could possibly finish this ourselves….oh! Mio-chan!"
"H-Hai, mamma."
"could you bring this over to the Tainaka's residence?" Mrs. Akiyama says, and hands Mio a container.
Neither of us said anything. Mio simply nods, takes the container and gets ready to head out.
"Thank you so much, Mrs. Akiyama. The food was delicious." I give a polite bow to show my appreciation.
"Not at all! Thanks for bringing Mio home the other day, and I hope you continue to look after her. She can be pretty hopeless sometimes!" Mrs. Akiyama begins to laugh.
"M-Mamma!" Mio's face turns a bright red as she rushes out the door…She's so cute when she blushes.
As my face also turns into a shade of red, Mrs. Akiyama notices and smirks.
"Ryu-kun~"
"H-Hai?"
"Personally, I don't mind if you go out with Mio. But watch out for Mr. Akiyama, okay? *winks*"
I didn't think it was possible, but my face turned into an even darker shade of red.
I give a hurried bow one more time and run out the door after Mio. "Th-thanks for the food!"
I could hear Mrs. Akiyama chuckling as I ran from the house and spot Mio about 20 feet ahead of me.
"Mio! Wait up!"
"Ryu?"
"I'll go with you…to the Tainaka's residence that is…" I didn't want to expose myself to anyone else for a little while, but I just HAD to see my family. I needed to know that they were doing okay.
That's fine…" Mio shrugged and tightened her grip on the container.
A few moments pass and we arrive at the Tainaka household….'My' home….
Mio rings the door bell.
Ding~ Dong~
Thanks for reading! This will continue on into the next chapter: "Home part 2!" Again, please R&R and the chapters will keep coming. Thank You! *Bows*