Maki was feeling the guilt weigh her down as she approached Riko's door.

'I really messed up. She was so excited for me to watch her perform. I told her that we could talk about it, but she didn't text me back. I can't look at her in the face. But…my job should come first. People's lives are more important that her…it sounds so awful saying that, but it's the truth.'

She knocked the door in front of her and was waiting for it to open. Dreading every single second that she wasn't by Riko's side. But her seeing Riko wouldn't bring much comfort to her either.

The door opened, and held Riko dressed in a one-piece pyjama. "Hello, Maki-chan."

Hearing her name being said by her girlfriend made Maki shiver. She felt tears welt up, but she didn't want to show her weakness in front of Riko.

Her resistance didn't last long as she embraced Riko and cried into her shoulder.

"Maki-chan! Hey, calm down." Riko said as she tried to keep her voice steady. Feeling Maki's embrace and hearing her cry…she wanted to let out her emotions as well. But, she stayed strong as she guided the sobbing girl into her home. She seated Maki on the couch as she took a seat beside her. "What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

"I'm an awful girlfriend, aren't I?" Maki asked, but it wasn't directed at anyone in particular. It just sounded like Maki wanted to vent. "I get to date an amazing girl. We've had so much fun together with all of our dates. But, when something important comes along, I just have to screw it all up!"

"Are you talking about today?" Riko asked. "It's fine, Maki-chan."

"No. It's not fine, Riko-chan." Maki grasped Riko's hands in her own. "You wanted me to be there for you. And…I just couldn't!"

Riko was surprised that Maki was saying everything Riko thought about. But, she knew Maki had more important things. "You don't have to knock yourself down like this, Maki-chan. You're a doctor. Saving lives are more important that a recital."

"But it bothers you, doesn't it?!" Maki said. "You wanted me to be there!"

"Y-Yes. But, I already said-"

"I know that! You don't have to lie, Riko-chan. You hated that I wasn't there."

"I wouldn't say…hate." Riko felt Maki's hands grip hers tighter. Looking into Maki's eyes, she saw the stern and serious look on her face. Maki's violet eyes were telling her, 'Tell me the truth.' Riko sighed. "Alright, I did. I always thought you were going to be there. I kept telling myself, 'I have to play this perfectly for Maki-chan.' When I read your texts, and how you couldn't see me play…it hurt."

It was Maki's turn to be the comforter, as she saw Riko start to break down. She moved closer to Riko and hugged her. She kissed the top of Riko's head, and then started to pet her. "I know. I wanted to be there. I don't want to hurt you, Riko-chan. I want to be with you so much. Can you…forgive me?" Maki smiled slightly when she felt Riko nod. She still hated that she couldn't be there for her girlfriend, but she was slightly happy that she could at least be forgiven.

"I know you're always busy because of your line of work." Riko said, a bit muffled from speaking through Maki's shoulder. It was still clear enough for her to hear, though. "Besides, we can still do this again. I have other recitals and competitions to go to."

Maki smiled from hearing this. "R-Right! I'll make time for those, for sure."

"Can you promise me that?" Riko asked. She was still on the fence about it. Maki had to be a doctor first before being a girlfriend. She didn't want Maki to promise something, just to end with disappointment.

"Promise." Maki said. "If you have another performance, I will make sure that I am there." Maki cupped her girlfriend's cheeks and raised her head up to kiss her lips. It was a tender, but passionate kiss. A much better one than their first. Maki wanted to make sure that she was being truthful. "I promise you, Riko-chan."

Riko softly smiled. "Okay."

"So, we're okay?" Maki asked, which received a nod. "It sucks, but I need to go n- Huh? Riko-chan?" Maki was getting up from the couch and started to go to the door. However, she felt Riko's hand gripping Maki's wrist.

"Don't leave."

Maki saw the desire in Riko's eyes. She's missed her girlfriend for a while, and she just wanted to be with her.

To be fair, Maki did as well.

"Alright. Can I spend the night?" Maki asked as she sat beside her girlfriend again.

Riko hugged Maki's waist. "Of course you can."

Maki stared at her phone; more specifically, her texts with Riko. Scrolling through the walls of text, it was more or less the same conversation.

It would start with Maki asking how Riko was. Then she would say she is okay. Maki would ask if they can go out or if there are any recitals going on. Then Riko would respond, saying that she was too busy with school work. It would end with Maki wishing her good luck and Riko saying thanks.

'Me not going to her recital really messed us up…' Maki thought to herself. 'Have we gone out anytime after that? It's been what…two and a half weeks since we've gone out. She can't be that busy with school…So, is she just trying to avoid me?' Maki sighed. 'I'll go to her place today.'

…

After her work was done, she headed over to Riko's house. She was prepared to confront Riko about avoiding her for the past few weeks. She knocked on the door and waited impatiently. Her expression softened when she saw Riko in the doorway.

"Maki-chan? Why are you here?" Riko asked.

It took a while for the doctor to respond, as she was staring at her girlfriend in shock. Riko was wearing her pink pyjamas. Her hair was shrivelled and she had large bags under her eyes. The girl looked like she would pass out from just closing her eyes. "I just wanted to check up on you. Since…we haven't hung out for a while. I don't mean to be rude, but you look…awful."

Riko sighed, but it wasn't directed at Maki. "I know. I told you, I have a lot of homework to do. Exams are coming up, so I need to be ready. Sorry for not being able to hang out."

"No, it's fine," Maki said. 'I just feel guilty since I just thought you were trying to avoid me.' She thought to herself. "You need any help? I'll try my best."

Maki smiled at Riko's tired smile. "I would love that." Maki's eyes widened when she felt a pair of lips on her cheek, and stared at her smiling girlfriend. "I missed you."

"I missed you too," Maki said, returning Riko's kiss with her own.

The two of them went over to Maki's living room, where most of the studying was happening. Along the table was scattered notes of what looked to be some calculus and some science that Maki couldn't remember. "I didn't know you were taking calc."

"I needed some type of back-up if being a mangaka, piano player, or chef didn't work out. I…I wanted to try out medicine. So…I could be with you…at the hospital," Riko confessed.

Maki smiled. "Really? You don't have to do that, you know. I would let you stay there whenever you wanted."

"I know," Riko said, "But, I wanted to be like you. When you explained that doctors and idols are alike, it was…inspiring. It's tough to learn everything, but if it means I can make people happy…it means the world."

"That's really noble, Riko-chan." Maki felt proud of how nice and amazing her girlfriend was. "I want to help you, Riko-chan. Let's get to work."

"Yes."

The two of them worked through Riko's work. It was tougher than Maki remembered, but she quickly got into the groove of it. Riko was happy that she was able to spend time with Maki as she worked through her schoolwork.

"Are you going to any recitals soon?" Maki asked out of the blue.

"Recitals? Not really. I'm more focused on exams than piano right now."

"Oh." Maki said dejectedly. She wanted to make up for not being able to go to Maki's first recital.

"I am planning to participate in the concert coming up. It's after exams, and we're free to play anything. I'm making up a composition in my free time."

"And you're not spending it with me?" Maki pouted. Riko sighed, but Maki laughed it off. "I'm joking. Can I hear it?"

"Nope!" Riko said with a pop. "It's a secret."

"Well, I know I can't miss it now." Maki said.

Riko leaned over and rested herself on Maki's side. "I'm so tired, but I'm happy that I'm with you."

Maki leaned her head so it was resting on Riko's. "Me too."

Riko thoughts were swirling from Maki's last comment. "Well, I know I can't miss it now." Those words haunted Riko. She was afraid that it would happen again, and it was something that Riko definitely didn't want to happen. Her song is special to both of them, because it's dedicated to them.