Us From Now On
Chapter 2.
Summary: Why is it that we realize the importance of someone after they are gone? For it is hypocrisy and the human nature that blinds us to what matters the most.
AN: To be fair, this story would be set in a slow pace, so we could really feel the pain of a heart break that felt like a white-hot blunt knife was thrust deep into your heart and could be taken out by twisting it really, really slowly. Yeah, I'm a masochist like that. But that only works if I got this right, so…fingers crossed.
Disclaimer is on page one.
-""It's so hard to forget someone that gave you so much to remember"."
Mio couldn't stop wondering how her Mam- Okaa-san!, yes, how her dear Okaa-san managed to get her do things she doesn't want to do with only a few simple words.
Just when she was thinking of sulking her spring break away on the dormitory, her Mother sent her a text message.
Sender: Okaa-san
Mio-chan, won't you come home for spring break? Papa, Usagi-chan and I miss you very much.
–Mama
The next thing she knew, she was on the first train home in the first day the Uni was out for spring break.
Her University was actually a couple of towns away from home. Her parents had originally suggested her to stay at home and commute to school by car. Mio had put up a meaningful argument about independency and group studies that made her parents waver on their decision and finally relent on her living out in the campus dorms with her friends.
As if. Mio knew very well what her real reasons are for staying away from home, other than the fact that Mugi, Yui, Ui and Azusa were staying in the dorms too and she doesn't want to be left alone.
The bassist let out a pitiful sigh. Her friends would never let her live it down if they read her Mother's message, especially Azusa now that she'd found out that her admirable Mio-senpai still sleeps with her childhood rabbit doll named 'Usagi-chan'(damn that sleep talking habit of hers!). She'd manage to sneak off without proper explanation and escape unnecessary teasing. But… the teases really went down a notch since Ritsu left, so it's a little bit bearable now.
Ritsu.
'Not again…' the raven haired girl said as she ran a hand down her face for the countless time this morning. She hated it when her thoughts strayed over to her now absent best friend. Doing so made her mood go down drastically and might render her incapable of speech for the next several hours lest she burst into tears or something.
The last time she cried in front of people was when Ritsu uses that Tengu mask to scare her during a trip to get Mugi a birthday present. Ritsu received a bump as big as her school bag for that one.
Ugh.
Mio gave up on trying to forget. She just have to live with the fact that the world and God loves to makes fun of her, especially when she's down.
The train stops and announces that they have reached their last destination for today. Mio shouldered her bass and her carryon bag, and descended the train while texting Mugi about her returning home several days for spring break.
Lifting her head, Mio was awarded with the sight that had accompanied her first 17 years of life and was engulfed in a familiar feeling of sentimentality.
"I'm…home."
"Eeeh…Mio-chan went home?" Yui moaned as she lounges on Mugi's dorm bed, looking as lazy as ever. The guitarist had come over to Mugi and Mio's room to play since Ui and Azusa were spending the day away on the library doing their projects. As much as Yui loved her sister and kouhai, there was no way in hell she'd go and study for the sake of snuggling against a very cute Azu-nyan.
And so, the brave Yui tried to laze the day away by bothering her other two friends, which has went down to one since the other one left for home.
Mugi nodded at Yui's previous question, still not looking away from her phone as she text back a reply to her roommate.
"I think she really needs it." the blonde added after a beep signaling that the text was sent sounded. Mugi look up to see Yui looking as comfortable as ever on her bed as she sat on her desk. She couldn't help but smile after seeing her old friend's antics.
"Un, I agree…"the brunette flopped on her stomach and played with a stray thread on the bed, looking like she was thinking hard "Mio-chan…hasn't been sleeping well since Ricchan left, right, Mugi-chan?"
The blonde nods solemnly "it's apparent, isn't it?"
Yui nods again as she sat up and wrapped her arms on a pillow, now moving onto the empty bed of her bassist friend "Mio-chan looks tired, even when we don't have exams coming."
Mio's sleepless nights begun after graduation. It was better than crying all the time, but…it pains Mugi to see her friend in such a state. The Ojou-sama who was sheltered by her family since her birth and had difficulties in making friends greatly treasures the friends she had made in High School. She'd do everything in her power to help them.
Thus it was painful for her to only see, but not to act.
"Why did Ricchan left again, Mugi-chan?" STAB! "Did Mio-chan tell you anything?"
The ball nearly hits home. Leave it to Yui to approach painful subjects innocently.
Shifting uneasily, Mugi answered "Um…Mio-chan actually didn't know why…I think Ricchan didn't informed any of us about her leaving."
"Really?"pondering large brown eyes stared unwaveringly against blue. Blue eyes shifted away in defeat.
"Really."A lie. Not the first in Mugi's books, but Yui doesn't need to know. She was saved from further interrogation by the shrill ring of Yui's merry ringtone. The brunette flipped her pink phone open and squealed seeing the caller.
"Azuuu-nyaaaan~" she cooed loudly into her phone, making Mugi forget of feeling guilty for a brief moment. The blonde could hear their kouhai saying something about not yelling out because she can hear Yui just fine. Yui, bless her, just gave that innocent 'heheh heheh…' and people would forgive her for anything.
Forgive.
Would Mio-chan forgive her if she knew?
Blue eyes strayed to her desk where a frame bearing all 5 members of Houkago Teatime was placed between heaps of books and sheets of homeworks.
Mugi doesn't want to lose anymore of her friends.
"Mugi-chan!" a loud call of her name that nearly sends Mugi flying out of her seat. The keyboardist looks around at her companion who was now tidying up her slightly rumpled t-shirt "Ui and Azu-nyan wants to get dinner at that Chinese restaurant down the road. Do you want to come along?"
Anywhere but this suffocating room "of course!" And the blonde could only gather up her things and left with her friend without anymore thought of the subject.
It was for the best. She'd understand.
She should've known that returning home while her friends don't means she had no one to go out with. Without anywhere particular to go too, the bassist ended up walking around aimlessly after meeting up with her parents, who had stayed home to greet her first day back.
Mio texted Nodoka (her only hope), and found out that the ex-Student council President had decided to spend her spring break over in Kyoto. Ah, Nodoka ended up in Kyoto University, where Mio had been recommended too.
The bassists smiled to herself as she remembered that she chose to go where her friends were going to in case she was left by herself again. And she had not regretted in that decision.
The crossing light turned green as Mio walked forward. The passing group of giggling school girls shouldering their guitars gave her a moment's déjà vu. A moment where she felt that she was back in High School. Where when her world was still whole.
She could still see herself in the Sakuragaoka uniform, bidding goodbye to Yui, Mugi and Azusa at this particular road. The three of them crossed the street to the station as she and Ritsu resumed their walking home. The trip home with Ritsu were always fun. Well, it was fun on her expense, but it was still enjoyable. For here, away from the eyes of their friends, the both of them could return to being the close friends they are.
You know, the way Mugi was always staring at them made Mio really uncomfortable to get touchy with her childhood friend. Once the blonde left…well, let's just say that Mio became bolder with her touches.
The raven haired girl halted her steps suddenly and looked up.
Ah.
Another Déjà vu.
Mio was in front of the music store she and the Houkago Teatime knows best. You know…the one whose clerks were abused repeatedly by them.
With a smile, she went in and nearly went berserk at the sight of a lefty fair. Some things never change.
Her grey eyes stared at the left handed Bass Guitars that were on sale and compared the prices. Not that she was going to buy it, of course. She was currently happy with Elizabeth. Her reminiscence was cut short by a melody coming from a nearby speaker. Always curious when it comes to music, Mio stepped closer to the speaker and listened to a rock song currently being played.
Nice guitar riff.
Whoa, nice voice ranges. Wonder if she or Yui could sing like that.
A funky bass solo? Wow.
She was silent when a drum solo went on in the song. The beats…it sounds…familiar? Where had she heard such familiar rhythm? The quick, precise beats. The particular timing where the cymbals were hit rather unnecessarily. Were there two bass drums? Hmm…
"Ojou-san?"
Mio was too busy listening to the song to hear that someone was calling her.
"Um…ano…You're Tsumugi-Ojou sama's friend right?"
Mio's ears perked up at the mention of a certain blonde's name and hurled around, nearly slapping the poor clerk with her akimbo arms.
"Yes! I'm Mugi's friend." Now that she had faced who was calling her, the raven haired girl had a rough guess who this person was "um…You're…the one..."
The brown haired clerk nods, a bit happy that Mio remembers him.
He was the one Ritsu bullied with her merciless haggling when she first bought her drum set. He was also the one who sold Yui the Gibson Les Paul for only ¥ 50.000. Mio felt so apologetic suddenly.
"I'm sorry," she suddenly gave a bow.
The clerk looked uncomfortable as he got an idea what Mio meant "no! T-that was fine. Um…it's been a while since I saw you last. I was curious where Tsumugi-Ojou sama's friends were since you were our best costumers," the clerk said with a smile. Mio wondered if Mugi's dad paid them extra for having to attend to her abnormal friends.
"Ah…we're all in college now, so…"
"Ah, yes. Sachou said about Ojou-sama going away to college."
Mio nods a bit awkwardly. Then she noticed that the guy was looking around for something.
"What's wrong?"
The clerk looked surprised at her question "I was looking for your friend. The drummer, right? You two were always together, and I wanted to tell her I finally have the Zildjian cymbals she was always looking for."
Mio was afraid of this. She was afraid people would realize that Ritsu was not here, with her. She was now alone, missing those annoying yells and teases so much she wanted to cry.
A plastic smile was all it took "Ah...she moved away after graduation," she felt like puking.
"Eh? She's not with you?"
"No…"and it was not a lie.
The bassist couldn't remember how she left the store and escaped the clerk's painful questions. She just walked as her mind dove into another memory
"T-They moved?"
"Yes. It was a bit sudden, all of us were surprised as well, especially since you were not informed, Mio-chan."
After a several days of lost contact with Ritsu, Mio decided to pay the brunette a visit. Imagine the shock when she found out that the whole Tainaka household had moved away after graduation day.
Mio bowed at the friendly uncle who was Ritsu's next door neighbor. She'd known Ritsu neighbors so well since she came over so frequently and the Tainaka household felt like a second home to her.
She was hurt. Really hurt.
Not by the fact that Ritsu left.
It's the fact that she left without telling her.
Why was she not informed? Wasn't she important to Ritsu? She thought they were best friends! They've promised that they'd tell each other stuff…from important stuff until some useless ones like how Ritsu hated Mio's hair when its braided together…
Or…was it all just an empty promises? And she was no more than a face between the crowds?
Tears pooled rapidly on her grey eyes and Mio had no intention of stopping them. The tears flow down unhindered as her body shook hard, and raking sobs filled the silent evening air. She cried like she'd never cried before. Her heart felt like its breaking apart now that reality was sinking in.
Was she the one who pushed Ritsu away?
So many questions…and no time for any answer.
Mio collapsed on the sidewalk like a broken doll whose strings were cut loose. She wailed for the loss of a friend...and a broken thread of friendship.
The bassist had to reign in her emotions as she stood at the same exact spot 2 years ago. Staring at where the Tainaka name plate was held before…she fingered the board that had the word 'ON SALE' in bold red print written on it.
It felt like a dream, when Ritsu left. A bad dream where Mio couldn't wake up from. A never ending circle of regrets.
The familiar burn around her eyes appeared as she closes them. They said tears and pains healed with time.
But why won't hers?
"Ritsu…Where are you?"
Was that enough amount of angst yet? I haven't cried in a while so it's hard to get in character with someone who had to cry and wail after losing her best friend while you're laughing because you're watching Family Guy. =w=
I'm sorry.
Your thoughts would be much appreciated!
Notes.
Okaa-san: Mother. Mio had this flair of blurting out the fact that she still calls her parents 'Papa and Mama' which are usually used by lil kids in Japan.
Usagi-chan: Rabbit. Chan is a term of affection
Ojou-san: Miss. The clerk called Mio this as she's the costumer on his store.
Ojou-sama: Young Miss. The clerk uses this term on Mugi's name because Mugi's father owned the whole store and its freaking chain stores. So she's practically their boss too, I think.
Sachou: A term for the Head of a particular Company. In this case, Mugi's father is the head of the family's Conglomerate.
Zildjian cymbals: I have completely no idea what's the difference between this and the other cymbals. I just put this in because my favorite drummer uses it (The Rev) and it costs a lot of money.