Us From Now On
Chapter 7.
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.
Disclaimer is on page one.
"My heart longs for you, my soul dies for you, my eyes cry for you, my empty arms reach out for you."
If she had to choose, out of all the people in the light music club, Azusa was closest to Yui. Other than her, Azusa would have to say that the next person she's closest to is the club's bassist, Mio. Maybe it's because Azusa looked up to her like an older sister that she never had, or maybe because she was the only sane person in the whole club. Either way, all Azusa knew was that she was close to raven haired bassist.
Close enough to notice something that was unseen to the others' eyes.
It was common knowledge to all that Mio and Ritsu often acts like newlyweds. With all the bickering, teasing, mock fights between the two that would last for half an hour at least, it was hard not to notice how close they were to each other. The two of them always amused Azusa to no end with their chemistry and made her envious enough to wish that she had a person she could tease or have mock fights with.
With them, it's hard to see one without the other.
Like two parts of a whole.
Thus was why the guitarist was more than confused to see her Mio-senpai arriving at school during one spring morning, looking severely distraught and without the drummer by her side. It somehow rang an alarm inside Azusa, as she remembered the events during her second year when a fight had taken place between the two childhood friends.
Were they fighting with each other again?
No, Mio-senpai and Ritsu-senpai weren't fighting.
But there were a certain tension between the two that was just not normal.
It's like they were trying to act as friendly as they could with each other,
Yet a certain line seemed to be drawn between them.
They were close,
But there were always a certain distance in-between.
A distance that was never there before.
Azusa couldn't help but panic when she realized this, yet she couldn't say anything. This wasn't her problem, and if either of the two didn't say anything about it, she didn't have the right to butt in and ask.
Her answer came to her in a phone call, 4 days after her senpai's graduation ceremony.
"Azu-nyan! Ricchan left!"
Ritsu-senpai had left.
She'd moved away without telling anyone, not even Mio, who was the closest person to her.
The small guitarist rushed towards a certain bassist's house, where she was led towards a room by a concerned-looking mother. Azusa could only hold in her tears at the broken figure of her senpai, sobbing uncontrollably in Mugi-senpai and Yui's senpai's embrace.
Mio-senpai was weakly mumbling 'I'm sorry," over and over like a broken record with a voice that was raw and hoarse from crying.
Two hands with whitening knuckles clutched tightly on the keyboardist and the brunette guitarist's shirts as though they were her last lifeline. Azusa didn't need to think twice before joining the group hug, offering even the smallest of comfort to soothe the hysterical bassist.
Ritsu-senpai's departure had destroyed the foundation of the band and affected the band's moral as well. Mio-senpai had never really told the others what had made her cry that badly at the news of Ritsu-senpai's departure or what she was apologizing for that day. She would only shake her head and gave a smile that never reached her eyes.
Ever since then, the other 3 had made an unspoken promise to keep their eyes on their fragile bassist. To lift up her spirits and to help her move on. It took a while, but they had managed to slowly, but surely, helped Mio get back on her feet.
Though years had passed since Mio-senpai's last breakdown, Azusa had never stopped watching over her.
And she was glad for that.
Her feet moved purely on reflex at the moment her eyes caught sight of a certain bassist, bolting out of the Yamaha music store that day.
A yell escaped her lips.
"SENPAI!"
A call that was drowned by the crowd as Azusa fell in step behind Mio, who was chasing after something.
Or someone.
Hazel eyes could only widen at the sight of the bassist, rushing head first into the traffic.
Her blood ran cold when she realized that she was too far to do anything about it.
There was only one thing to do.
Azusa screamed.
A hand stretched out on its own accord as the figure walked further and her pace faltered, drowned in the sea of people coming from the other side of the road.
No!
Ritsu!
"Senpai!"
A frantic cry reached her ears and all Mio saw was a black Chevy Blazer rushing towards her from the left.
Her mind went blank.
Suddenly, a huge yank on the back of her jacket came from out of nowhere, jerking her backwards onto a figure that had pulled her hard towards the safety of the sidewalk. The cars rushed by with the Chevy Blazer honking at her angrily as it went. Mio felt herself stumbled onto a heap on the hard concrete under the incredulous stares of the passerby's.
Panting and her adrenaline still running high, the bassist looked behind her to see her savior, only to stare when she saw a flushed short haired woman clutching onto her jacket with shaking hands and a pale face.
She had not expected a stranger to save her behind.
"Are you okay?" the older woman asked worriedly as she helped Mio up on her feet. Mio found herself nodding, though she was having a bit of a difficulty of standing on her shaky feet. The event that had happened rushed through her mind like a re-winded tape and a numbing horror shot through Mio's system at the realization that she almost became a road kill if it's not for this newcomer here.
Shuddering, Mio scrambled to reply "I'm fine. Um, thanks for pulling me back," Mio answered quietly, not liking the eyes of the passerby on her "I-um, I didn't see the light was red."
"Don't worry, that happens a lot around here."
"Eh?" Mio looked up to see the woman having a knowing smirk on her face "you mean you do that all the time?" For some strange reason…that face looked familiar. Her staring seemed to be noticed by her companion who then let out a small chuckle that made the shy girl apologized immediately.
"Oh no, I mean, there are a lot of people who did what you did because they had something on their mind and weren't paying attention to their surroundings. You better be careful next time, Ojou-chan, because I might not be around to watch your back." The words were sharp but the expression on the woman's face was gentle and Mio couldn't help but felt a rush of gratitude towards this person.
She opened her mouth to thank the stranger once again but was cut off by a hard tackle to her side. The force made the bassist stumble several steps backwards, and obsidian eyes looked down to see the shaking, lithe figure of her kouhai.
"A-Azusa?"
"Mio-senpai, you idiot!"
The bassist had to flinch visibly at the force of the words that escaped her junior's mouth. Azusa seldom raised her voice at anyone, with the exception of Yui. Then…does this mean that Azusa saw-?
Judging from how she trembled, she probably did. A rush of guilt entered Mio, clearing her mind immediately of what had transpired before.
"Sorry, Azusa. I- I wasn't thinking straight."
The small guitarist just nods her head wordlessly, making no indication she's going to let go of the bassist anytime soon.
Out of the corner of her eyes, Mio saw the woman who had saved her gave an amused smile at the exchange. Only then did she realize that she hadn't thanked her for saving her life yet.
"I'm sorry! Thank you for saving me!" Mio gave a slightly awkward bow, finding it's hard to bend forward when you have someone stuck on to you like a leech. But Azusa didn't seem like she would let go of her anytime soon.
The older woman who saved her just smiled at the adorable girls and shook her head "You're very welcome. I'll excuse myself then, good day to you." She gave a nod at Mio and Azusa before leaving just as quickly as she had arrived. Azusa kept her eyes on the woman until she left, before turning to her senpai.
"Mio-senpai!" she yelled again, making the bassist wince.
Mio knew when she'd crossed the line "I'm sorry! I- I wasn't thinking straight…and-"
The image of the person wearing the leather jacket with the tribal Tiger-design flashed through her mind again. And even though Mio was dead curious about it, it wasn't the right time to tell Azusa, or anyone else, about this.
She only sighed and pat Azusa's head "Sorry…it won't happen again."
There would be explanation…just, not now.
Not long after that, the others arrived. And after being told of what happened earlier, Azusa insist that it's for the best, Mio was scolded by Mugi and Yui (that took her off guard) and Shingo actually wanted to drive them home, thinking that Mio might be tired for her to space off like earlier.
But the bassist was stubborn, she won't put a damper on today's trip and after a small argument, the others relented and they continue the trip. Well, not trip. They only went to dinner and looked around some more before leaving for home. And even though Shingo was being a great tour guide, Mio was just…too distracted to enjoy the trip afterwards.
That woman….where have she seen her before…?
The short haired brunette yawned, as fingers moved expertly across the phone's keyboard, typing up a quick text message.
"Can't come…" that person muttered "had a plan…enjoy being a tour guide." And with that, the fingers flipped shut the phone and that person let out a bored sigh.
"Is that alright?" came a voice "Shingo came from Osaka and wants you to meet his band…ditching him for me wouldn't be good, don't you think?"
The shaggy haired brunette only grinned and turned to the voice, whose owner was a voluptuous woman clad only in a towel, dripping wet to indicate that she was just done taking a shower.
A hand waved the statement away "ah- it's alright. He'd understand…and 'sides, he's going to be here a while, I can meet him later…and you, I'd ditch anyone for you, anytime." The last part was added in a flirt, with twin eyebrows wagging suggestively.
The woman let out a laugh at that and sashayed her way to the figure sitting down on the couch.
"Ne ne," she said before plopping herself across the figure's lap "something interesting happened to me earlier."
"Hmm? What happened?"
"…I saved someone from an impending accident."
The hand that was stroking a smooth thigh stopped "…say what?"
A small chuckle "I said, I was being a good Samaritan…doesn't that deserve a present…?"
A slow grin came onto the brunette's face as fingers pried the towel off the body "well…I don't know…but I have something else in mind…"
Slowly their faces inched closer…and before their lips met, one word was uttered out by the woman.
"…Ritsu…"
A/N: Um…hello? Okay, first off, I'm very sorry for the late update! Things happened and this chapter was actually halfway finished since…25th of November. The next update will be up soon enough since I'm typing up the next chapter as I speak.
Questions, cursings (since this is unbeta'ed. Haven't emailed my beta yet =w=) and reviews will be appreciated and thanks for reading. See you guys around.