"Nooooooooooooooo!" Mio shouted as loud as she can as she saw Ritsu being hit by a truck instead of her while Mugi gasped in the car, with hands covering her eyes; can't believe what had happen in front of her eyes. Mio quickly ran to Ritsu and tried to hold her up.
"Ritsu! Ritsu! You can't do this to me! Ritsu, wake up!" Mio shouted as she hold onto Ritsu.
"M-mio."
"Ritsu! You must hang in there. You must!"
"M-mio, d-don't c-cry."
"Ritsu, don't say anything. You will be okay, I know it."
"M-mio, I l-love y-you." Ritsu slowly closed her eyes.
"N-no! R-ritsu! You promise to be with me forever! You promise! A-nd I I l-love y-you t-too." Mio begins to cry as it rain. Mugi ran towards Mio and Ritsu.
"Is she okay?" The truck driver asked.
"Do you think that she will be okay after all this happen? Call the ambulance now!" Mugi shouted at the truck driver which made Mio shocked because she never saw Mugi this angry before.
"Mio-chan, it's alright. The help are on their way." Mugi sat down beside Mio.
"M-mugi, R-ritsu…."
"Now now Mio-chan, I'm sure Ritsu will be okay because she is HTT's leader and drummer. We can't afford to lose her. Besides, she finally confess to you isn't she? You also finally confess to her, aren't you?" Mugi tried her best to comfort Mio while Mio was crying. Both of them were sitting beside Ritsu, waiting for the help in the rain. The ambulance reached and sent Ritsu to hospital while Mugi sent Mio to hospital.
"M-mugi, what s-should I d-do?" Mio was sitting outside of the emergency surgery room. She prayed for Ritsu's safety.
"Mio-chan, don't cry. Ricchan wouldn't want to see you crying." Mugi sat beside Mio and gently patted Mio's back.
"Mugi-chan!" Mugi looked up and saw Yui, Ui, Azusa, Nodoka and Sawachan were running towards them,
"Mugi-san, what happen to Ritsu-san?" Ui sat beside Mugi and asked.
" Ui-chan, Ricchan b-being h-hit by a truck."
"This is all my fault! If I hadn't stood there, if I just stop and listen to Ritsu, she won't end up being here!"
"Mio-senpai, I believe that Ritsu-senpai won't blame you about this since she loves you." Azusa sighed and leaned against the wall.
"Mio-chan, don't worry about Ricchan! Ricchan is our leader, the strong and cheerful leader that all of us can lean on!" Yui kneeled down and wiped Mio's tears.
"Yeah, you are right. I have to believe that Ritsu will be alright. After all she confesses to me and I confess to her too."
"Eh! Mio-chan confesses to Ricchan?" Yui says it out loud.
"Keep your voice down, Yui-senpai."
"Hehe, sorry." Yui smiled sheepishly. Suddenly, the light went out and the doctor who is saving Ritsu walked out.
"Doctor, how is my friend?" Mio stood up and asked.
"She suffers a few bone fractures, especially her ribs. She also suffers a brain damage but it is not so serious and also some internal bleeding in her brain."
"So when will she recover?" Mugi asked.
"She will recover 2- 3 months. For now, we just wish that she will wake up."
"Why?"
"This is because some blood clots are pressing again the nerves in her brain which will make her hard to wake up."
"How long it will take for her to wake up?"
"Not sure, maybe days, months or even years. It's all depends on her will."
"No, you must save her! I will do anything as long as she is safe!" Mio pulled doctor's sleeves and begged him.
"Sorry miss, but I afraid that's all that we can do right now. Sorry, but I need to go check my other patient. You all can go see her in room 506." The doctor bowed and walked away.
"N-no!" Mio slumped down on the ground and Mugi and Yui quickly supported her.
"Mio-chan, I think we better go to visit Ricchan now." Mugi tried her best to make Mio stand up on her own. Mio nodded her head and walked with the others toward the room that the doctor told them.
"So, should we go in now?" Azusa asked as she turned the door knob. Everyone hold their breath and nodded their head. Azusa slowly turned the door knob and as she turned the door knob, it's as if the time was moving slowly and everything, every movement was frozen there. They walked in and they saw Ritsu laying there lifelessly with bandages all over her body. Mio quickly walked toward Ritsu and sat beside the bed. She holding one of Ritsu's hands and started to cry all over again. The usual cheerful, lazy, always begged her for help and like to tease her Ritsu was laying lifelessly.
"R-ritsu, p-please wake up." Mio silently kissed Ritsu's hand and buried her head into her arm. Nodoka gently patted Mio's back while Mugi slowly walked out from the room.
"Mugi-san, what are you doing out here? Why aren't you be inside with Ritsu-san?" Mugi looked up from the floor and looked at Ui, who was standing in front of her.
"Ui-chan, I just need to be alone for awhile." Ui slowly sat beside Mugi and put her hands on top of Mugi's.
"Mugi-san, please don't be like this."
"Ui-chan, I don't know what to do now? I don't know what to do to help Mio-chan and Ricchan." Mugi buried her face in her hands and began to cry.
"Mugi-san, please don't be like this. All of us are with you, especially me."
"Ui-chan." Mugi hide her face in Ui's embrace and started to cry.
"Mugi-san." Ui gently patted Mugi's back.
"Ui-chan, I just want to go home. So can you help me tell the others?" Mugi stood up.
"Mugi-san, wait for me. I will accompany you to go home and if you don't mind, I plan to stay a night with you. I just need to inform my sister about it." Ui quickly stood up and went into the room.
"Onee-chan, I'm going to spend a night at Mugi-san's place. Mugi-san and I need to leave early. Bye."
"Okay, Ui; take care of yourself." Yui said and hugged Azusa.
"Azunyan, can you stay over at my place tonight?"
"Okay, I just need to tell Jun about this since tomorrow is weekend."
"Thanks, Azunyan. Mio-chan, are you really sure you want to stay at here?" Yui asked as she let go of Azusa.
"Yui is right. Mio-senpai , are you really sure you want to by Ritsu-senpai side for the whole night?"
"I'm sure. After all, it's all my fault. I also want to be the first person that she sees when she wakes up."
"Okay, Mio-chan. Then I guess Azunyan and I will head home first. Take care and we will come back tomorrow. If there's any problem, remember to call us and all of us are here with you." Yui gently patted Mio's back and walked out from the room with Azusa. Both of them got onto the car that Yui's father bought for her and Yui drove toward her new apartment.
"Yui, do you think Mio-senpai will be alright?" Azusa asked but there was no response from Yui. She looked at Yui who was staring at the road and drove.
"Yui?" Azusa gently pulled Yui's shirt but still no response from her. Yui just stared on the road and continue driving.
"Yui, are you alright? Do you listen to what I said just now?" Azusa pulled Yui's hand which made Yui snapped out.
"Huh? Azunyan, what did you say just now?" Yui gently touched Azusa's hand and put it back to Azusa's legs.
"Nothing at all. Are you alright?"
"Huh? What make you say that? I'm perfectly fine!" Yui smiled at Azusa but Azusa can saw through that fake smile of her girlfriend since she had be with her for 8 years. Yui slowly parked the car and both of them went into their apartment room. Yui sat on the sofa when Azusa quickly brought out two towels and gave one to Yui.
"You better dry yourself up. I don't want you to have a cold." Yui took over the towel and started to dry herself up.
"Do you want to have a bath?"Azusa asked again and Yui just slightly shook her head.
"I go take my bath first." Azusa walked toward the bathroom and started to take her bath. Yui just laid on the sofa with a towel on her head.
"What was wrong with Yui? She seems so depressed." Azusa thought. She turned on the shower and started to take her bath. She walked out from the bathroom after she finished her bath.
"Yui, it's your turn. I will go cook us something to eat." Yui nodded her head and walked toward the bathroom. Azusa started to prepare their dinner while Yui was taking her bath. Yui gently open the door and walked towards Azusa's back. Azusa was concentrate in cooking the dinner until she never realized that Yui was behind her. Suddenly, she felt a pair of warm hands was wrap around her waist and someone was sniffing her.
"Yui, stop smelling me."
"But you smell like strawberry, Azunyan."
"That's because the shampoo that we used is strawberry flavor."
"Hehe."
"Yui, are you alright?" There's was no response from Yui. Azusa looked up from the frying pan and looked at Yui.
"Ne, Azunyan, will Ricchan be alright?"
"Eh? What do you mean?"
"Ric-ricchan, I a-afraid that s-she w-wont wake u-up."
"Yui." Azusa turned off the stove and turned around to face Yui. She gently hugged Yui.
"I believe in Ritsu-senpai. I believe that she will wake up since Mio-senpai also felt the same way toward her."
"But this is the first time I see Ricchan so fragile."
"Yui, everything is going to be alright." Azusa gently wiped off Yui's tears. She knew her girlfriend already hide all of her feelings in front of Mio and the others.
"Yui, believe me. Ritsu-senpai is going to be alright. Now don't think so much and enjoy your dinner, okay?" Yui responded by giving a weak nod. Azusa sighed and brought the dishes to Yui. Both of them slowly ate their dinner as no one spoke.
"Thanks for the food." Yui said and left the table.
"Yui, you barely even touch your food."
"Sorry, Azunyan. I just don't have any appetite."
"I don't care! If you didn't finish your food, you are not allowed to touch me for the whole month!"
"Eh~~!" Yui pouted at Azusa.
"Please Yui, just eat your food. This is for your own good. You don't want me to tell Ui about this, right?"
"Okay." Yui sat back to the table and ate her food while Azusa stared at her until she is finished.
"I'm finish my food."
"That's my girl." Azusa gently rustled Yui's hair.
"Yui, I know you are worrying about Ritsu-senpai but you must believe in me. Ritsu-senpai is going to be alright. She know that she is important for all of us, for HTT."
"Ya, you are right; Azunyan." Yui gave a peck on Azusa's cheek. Azusa kissed Yui passionately which caused Yui to be shocked but soon she returned the kiss.
"So, want to do it tonight?" Yui asked seductively.
"I thought you were so depressed and worried about Ritsu-senpai. How do you have the mood of doing that?"
"Well, Azunyan , I just believe in Ricchan and be myself."
"Then alright."
"Yeah! Let's go to the room now!" Yui dragged Azusa toward their bedroom.
"W-wait a mo-moment, Yui!" Yui didn't hear Azusa and continue her move.
At the same time, Mugi and Ui reached Mugi's house.
"Ojou-sama." Two rows of men in black bowed when Mugi and Ui walked into the house.
"Ojou-sama, do you want to have your dinner now?" A butler took Mugi and Ui's coat.
"Oh, I need to be alone with Ui-chan. I will call you if I want dinner."
"Yes, Ojou-sama." Butler bowed and led Mugi and Ui to Mugi's room. Mugi sat beside her bed and asked Ui to sit down too.
" Mugi-san, are you alright?"
"Ui-chan, what should I do now? I don't know what to do. I am so useless. Why I can't warn Mio-chan about the truck? Why I'm just sat there and stared at Ricchan being hit by the truck?" Tears slowly fell down from Mugi's eyes.
"Mugi-san, don't blame yourself for all of this. I know Mio-san and Ritsu-san don't want to see you so guilty. Besides, Mio-san already forgave you."
"But I cant forgive myself. What if, what if Ricchan never wake up? It will be all my fault." Suddenly, Ui hugged Mugi.
"I know and I'm sure that Ritsu-san and Mio-san will never blame you for all this thing because you are their important friend. So please don't cry. Please smile Mugi-san, it hurt me very much when you cry." Ui slowly wiped off Mugi's tears. Mugi looked up at Ui.
"Ui-chan's lips." Mugi thought. Before Ui can reacted and Mugi's brain can interpreted what was going to happen, Mugi kissed Ui passionately and now Ui was lying under Mugi.
"S-sorry." Mugi quickly stepped back when she realized what she was doing. She sat on a chair, looking at the floor. Ui slowly touched her lips.
"Mugi-san k-kissed me j-just now." Ui smiled. Ui walked closely to Mugi and slowly tilted up Mugi's head so that their eyes met each other. Ui slowly kissed Mugi, which made Mugi shocked at first, but soon return Ui's feeling.
"Ui-chan, I love you. I really love you, more than a friend. I love you since the first time we met." Mugi hugged Ui tightly.
"Mugi-san, I love you too, more than a friend."
"Ui-chan, please call me Mugi. I don't want any honorifics."
"Yes, Mugi-san. I mean Mugi. Call me Ui." Ui enjoyed herself in Mugi's embrace.
"Ui, we need to tell your sister about this as soon as possible."
"I understand but for now let's stay like this for a little bit longer and go have our dinner."
"Yes, I understand." Mugi gave a quick peck at Ui's forehead. Both of them hold hands and went to have their dinner. Mio was still lying beside Ritsu, trying to rest her eyes.
"Ritsu, please wake up. I love you." Mio held Ritsu's hand tightly and gave a peck on Ritsu's hand. She gently touched Ritsu's bang that fell freely on her eyes.
"Ritsu, you look cute with your bang. When you wake up, try not to put your headband." Mio sat back down on the chair but she didn't notice there's a drop of tear, felling out from Ritsu's left eye since she was sitting at the right.
"Mio-chan, what happen?" Mio looked up and saw Ritsu's parents and Satoshi.
"Sorry, sorry. It's all my fault. Sorry." Mio began to cry as Ritsu's mother gently patted her back.
"It's an accident. Accident happens. So it's not your fault. Don't feel guilty about it." Ritsu's mom quickly hugged Mio to calm her down.
"Yes, Mio-chan. It's not your fault. I believe Ritsu doesn't want you to feel guilty either. Besides, she is my daughter, of course she will has a will of a steel, so she definitely will wake up!"
"Yeah, dad's right. Nee-chan will definitely wake up because she still hasn't beaten me in that game." Satoshi's said and walked toward Mio.
"Mio-neechan, don't blame yourself."
"Yeah, Mio-chan. Do you want me to call Haruka?" Ritsu's dad asked and Mio nodded her head as response. After awhile, Ritsu's father handed over the phone to Mio.
" Haruka want to talk to you." Mio gulped as she heard her father's name being said by Ritsu's father.
"Father."
"Mio, are you okay? I heard all of it from Kouchirou."
"Father, I'm alright. I'm sorry. It's all my fault."
"Oh, that is an accident. I know that Kouchirou and his family, especially Ritsu will never blame you on it."
"Father, I have something to ask."
"Yes, my girl?"
"If I love Ritsu and Ritsu love me, and both of us are going out with each other, how will you and mother react?" Mio heard that her father is discussing such matter with her mother.
"It's impossible! They will obviously against this!" Mio began to cry as she thought of those hurtful words that came out from her parents 'mouth.
"Mio." Mio shocked when she heard her mother's voice.
"Mio, if it's Ritsu you are going out, we are okay with it because Ritsu is really a nice girl and your father and I are sure that she will definitely give you happiness."
"Yes, Mio. We will always support you no matter what happen." Mio's began to cry when she heard her father and mother words. She never knew that her parents support her so much.
"T-thanks, f-father and m-mother." Mio began to sobs.
"You are welcome, just remember that no matter how harsh the world is to you and Ritsu, both of you can come to us. We will always be there to support you two."
"Thanks,mother."
"Mio, are you coming back?"
"No, I planning on staying with Ritsu."
"Okay, I will ask Kouchirou to buy you some food."
"Thanks, father." Mio handed back the phone to Ritsu's dad, with tears fell freely from her eyes.
"Mio-chan." Mio looked up to Ritsu's mom as Ritsu's dad was talking to her father.
"Oh no, I forget about Ritsu's family. What if they are the one that against our relationship?" Mio thought and began to panic but she felt Ritsu's mom arms are circling around her waist.
"Tainaka-san?"
"Mio-chan, we already think of you as our daughter. So we also will support the relationship of you and Ritsu, Besides, I knew that daughter of mine wont give up until we approve this relationship."
"Yeah, that's Ritsu." Ritsu's dad rustled Mio's hair.
"I know that daughter of mine will cause a lot of trouble for you but please take care of her." Ritsu's dad winked at Mio.
"Yeah, Mio-neechan. If Nee-chan bully you or treat you badly, you can always find us. We will help you teach Nee-chan a lesson."
"Thanks, you all. You didn't blame me for what happen and you all support the relationship. Thank you, I don't know what to do to repay you all." Mio smiled.
"It's easy . You just need to take care of Ritsu and make sure she won't cause any trouble. I'm counting on you, Ritsu's secretary." Mio's mom winked at Mio too.
"I guess we will leave you two alone for awhile. We will buy something for you. What do you want?" Ritsu's father asked.
"Anything is fine with me." Mio answered politely.
"Okay, wait for us." Ritsu's parents and Satoshi left the room and now only Mio was sitting beside Ritsu again.
"Ritsu, did you hear that just now? Both of our parents support our relationship. So you must make sure you will wake up and give an answer to my confession. Do you understand?" Mio smiled and kissed Ritsu's hand again before she drifted to her dreamland.
The next day, Mio waked up when she felt someone was gently pushing her.
"Y-yui, Azusa." Mio rubbed her eyes and saw Yui and Azusa were standing there.
"Mio-chan, here, your breakfast." Yui handed over the food to Mio.
"Thanks a lot."
"How's Ritsu-senpai?"
"She seems okay and in a good condition. It's just still doesn't has any sign for her to wake up."
"She will definitely wake up, Mio-chan." Mio, Yui and Azusa looked toward the direction of the voice and realized that Mugi and Ui had arrived.
"Ui, why are you holding hands with Mugi-chan?" Yui asked as she walked closely. Mugi quickly hide Ui behind her as she knew Ui was scared that her sister got angry when she knew that her younger sister was going out with her best friend.
"Yui-chan, just don't get angry."
"Huh?"
"Yui-chan, I love Ui and Ui love me so we are going out with each other." Mugi said it just like declaring a war to Yui. There's a silent for awhile.
"Yui, say something." Azusa gently pushed Yui's hand. Yui quickly walked toward Mugi and Ui. Mugi and Ui looked scare because they thought Yui was angry and they closed their eyes but instead of getting mad, they felt a warm hug from Yui when they open their eyes.
"I'm glad that Ui get to find her loved one! Let's go on a triple date next time, me and Azunyan, Ui and Mugi-chan, and also Ricchan and Mio-chan."
"Yeah, Yui-chan. Let's go on a triple date when Ricchan wake up. I believe that Ricchan will definitely wake up!" Mugi also all pumped up. All of them were now looking at Mio.
"Yeah, I also believe that Ritsu will wake up. After all, this baka still owe me an answer." Mio smiled gently. When they all are enjoying themselves, suddenly there's a very loud beep sound from the machine.
"It's bad, Ricchan's heart rate is dropping drasticly." Mugi said as she looked at the machine.
"What happen? Ritsu! Don't leave me!" Mio quickly hold Ritsu's hand.
"Azunyan, go find the doctor with Ui now!" Yui was commanding Azusa and Ui which made Azusa shocked because she never saw Yui so serious and calm before.
"Azusa-chan, let's go!" Ui pulled Azusa and ran to find help.
"No, no , Ritsu! Come back, don't leave me! Come back!" Mio keep holding Ritsu's hand tightly.
"Don't worry, Mio-chan. Ricchan will definitely be okay."
"The help are here!" Azusa and Ui charged into the room with doctors and nurses behind them. The doctors and nurses were surrounding Ritsu and did all things that can help Ritsu. Mio and the others were standing beside and looked at Ritsu nervously. Yui was hugging and calming down Azusa by not letting Azusa looked at Ritsu while Mugi hugged Ui tightly, also not letting Ui looked at such thing.
"Ne, Mio-chan, do you believe in fairy tale?" Yui asked.
"There's no time to joke a-around." Mio stop when she saw Yui was staring at her with a serious face that she never seen.
"I'm serious. Do you believe in fairy tale?"
"Yes, I believe in it."
"Then do you even heard of a fairy tale called ' The Sleeping Beauty'? Mio nodded her head and Yui continued.
"How about you go kiss Ricchan? Maybe it will work."
"Yui, how is this going to work?"
"You wont know unless you try." Yui said it with a slow, serious and calm voice that even Azusa was shocked.
"Yui." Azusa quickly looked up at Yui but she couldn't see Yui's eyes since her bangs were covering her yes.
"Mio-chan, do you want to do it or not?" Yui said bit again.
" I will do it." Mio charged into the crowd and pushed all the doctor to the side.
"Hey , miss!" the doctors and nurses said and tried to pull Mio apart from Ritsu.
"Baka Ritsu!" Mio shouted as she kissed Ritsu which made the doctors and nurses were shocked. Mio broke apart the kiss and looked at Ritsu.
"Beep." A straight beep sound which indicate the patient's heart beat was stop.
"No! Ritsu! No, this can't be happening. Ritsu!" Mio began to cried.
"Beep, beep, beep."
"It's impossible. The patient's heartbeat is back." One of the doctor said so.
"M-mio?"
"R-ritsu?" Mio looked up and saw Ritsu staring at her and smiled weakly.
"Mio, I'm back."
"Baka Ritsu!" Mio hugged Ritsu and started to cry.
"M-mio, d-don't c-cry." Ritsu tried to pat Mio's back but it end up hurting herself.
"Baka, don't move. Let the doctor examine you." Mio backed down and let the doctors and nurses examined her. After awhile, the doctors and nurses finished the examination.
"It's a miracle! There's no such case before. Can you tell us how to do that?" the doctors began to surrounded Mio and asked a lot of questions.
"I will appreciate if you leave all of my friends alone." Mugi said with a serious tone.
"Y-yes, Kotobuki-san." All the doctors quickly bowed and left the room. Now there were Ui,Mugi,Azusa,Yui and Mio in the room.
"Urgh!" Ritsu was getting up with Mio's help.
"Baka, get up slowly."
"Thanks, Mio."
"Ricchan, you finally awake!" The calm and serious Yui had turned into the usual cheerful Yui. Mio looked at Azusa with confusing expression on her face where Azusa just shrugged her shoulder.
"Oh, how are you, Private Yui?"
'I'm fine, Captain. I'm glad that we have Captain back."
"Good, good. I guess lot of happen, right?" Ritsu grinned at Mugi and Ui.
"Yes, Captain! Ui is going with Mugi-chan!"
"Yeah, we definitely need to celebrate it."
"Baka, how about me?"
"Mio, about the I love you that I told you, I really mean it."
"Me too."
"I really mean it, you can just ignore me or reject me if you want."
"I say me too. I say I love you too."
"Hey, I say that…What?"
"Baka, I love you!" Mio kissed Ritsu for the second time.
"Really? You are not playing with me, right?"
"Why should I play with you?"
"I guess we are dating each other now."
"Yeah, we are dating each other now." Mio nodded her head and hugged Ritsu. But suddenly, there's a loud crash at the door.
"Mugi, I demand an explanation!" Mugi's father barged in and everyone was staring at him.
A/N: Oh oh! They forgot about Mugi's parents. So, sorry for late update, my laptop was broken, hard disk problem and it need a few weeks to being replace and etc etc. This is the latest chapter and tomorrow I going to update another chapter, as an apology for late update. I am working on a few stories so it took a longer time to write this long chapter. So now reply for the review. By the way, I found it it is easier to write it in past tense, so sorry about the sudden change of the tenses.
a)Fanamaniac: thanks for the suggestion and I found it quite easy to write it in past tense. Thanks and I hope you enjoy this chapter too.
b)Rikkun: Thanks for your support. I will try my best to fix my grammar mistake! Thanks!
c) Psihopatul: Thanks for your support as always. I hope you enjoy this chapter too.
So at last, Dōmo arigatōgozaimashita FOR ALL THE REVIEWS! And also gomen for late update. So stay tune!
Translate: Dōmo arigatōgozaimashita= thanks, gomen= sorry