Hi all, it's been a very long time. I began this story in 2013 as a young person who discovered a new world through shipping goggles. But while I was proud of the work I wrote then, many elements remained missing as they were hard to express due to my lack of perspective. Now that I have a lot more experience in life, I finally have the perspective I need to polish this story.

So here is the re-written, upgraded version of Let's Be Friends; the version of the story that I have always wanted it to be, but could not put into words.

Please enjoy.

She was eight when she first decided she disliked someone.

It was only a few months into the new year, and already there were kids who had managed to make a reputation for themselves. Some were good, while others were not. And the teachers, in some bizarre twist of alien logic, thought that it would be a good idea to pair these students together. Something about hoping for the former to influence the latter. Mio thought the idea was ridiculous.

"Your hair is so pretty!"

"Wow, you're left handed? That's so cool!"

It did not matter that she was being praised, nor that the words were said with excitement. Her table partner was messy, could not sit still and worst of all, loud; all the things her mama said were not things good girls did. Every time she opened her mouth it would cause other kids to stare at her, which terrified her to no end. Things got even worse when she found out that she lived close by. But when she had told her papa about it, all she got was a ruffling of her hair and a gentle chiding to be nice because the girl was probably just trying to be her friend.

Once again, Mio thought the idea was ridiculous.

She really wants to say that it is stupid, but her mama said that girls shouldn't use words like that.

So when the day came where the girl bounced towards her asking loudly if she wanted to go to the playground together, everything within Mio screamed no. Of course, because she is only eight and hopelessly shy, her answer came out as a garbled squeak. But the girl either did not hear or did not care, for Mio still ended up being dragged into a game with a bunch of kids she did not recognise.

Naturally, she lost badly.

She went home that day deciding that an idiot like Tainaka Ritsu would never, ever be someone she wanted as a friend.

Years later Ritsu would still be an idiot, but an idiot of a friend that Mio wanted back.

She was now on the second floor of the main classroom block of the school, where most of the second year classrooms were. Just minutes ago she had charged up the flight of stairs, determined to try to settle things once and for all when she reached her destination.

Yet as she drew closer to her target, the fire in her drained away as quickly as it came. It was not because she felt out of place; she was herself a second year student, just one with the slight misfortune of having a classroom situated on the first floor. No, her unease was because of what she had come up here for.

She had come up here to see if Ritsu was in school.

It had been three days since she and Ritsu got into a shouting match in the clubroom. Three days since an unsuspecting friend had been dragged into the center of this stupid fight, one that caused a significant amount of trouble for everyone around them. Three days since their practice had stalled; the band paralyzed into inaction because of the loss of a crucial member and an overwhelming amount of worry.

Damn it, Ritsu.

"Ritsu-senpai isn't coming today either, is she?" Azusa sighed, shoulders sagging as she stared absently at her own teacup. She glanced around the table searching the eyes of all her seniors, but all came up empty. Hell, they weren't even making eye contact with one another. Azusa had to resist the urge to bury her head in her hands; the grim demeanour surrounding everyone wasn't just wrong, it was becoming downright painful to watch.

The school festival was coming up, and they desperately needed their drummer back. There had to be something she could do. Yet, at the sight of her seniors, Azusa found herself at a loss. There was clearly something more to the fight than what little she had borne witness to that day. But she knew better than to pry, or try to brute force a resolution to it. After all, if even the one who knew the drummer the best was drawing a blank, what hope did she have at coming up with a suitable remedy?

Sawako simply sat in silence and sipped her tea as she mulled over the club's situation. While things certainly did not excuse Ritsu's irresponsibility, her heart did sink a little when she heard about what had triggered the situation. After all, the two girls at the center of it all were - or at least, had been - inseparable from the day she first met them.

Children being children, that's what this was. Childish naivete coming into contact with reality, and the result of young minds facing the concept of change. For a duo as attached to the hip as these two were, it was only a matter of time before they had to grapple with the notion that their dynamic would change along with their age. It was merely one of the consequences of growing up. But, as she surveyed the despondent faces before her, she considered her response.

The adult in her; a jaded, tired and somewhat cynical one, wished to express that such disagreements were hardly the end of the world. It happened to the best of people, and that the solution lay with a combination of honesty, introspection and humility.

The teacher in her, who witnessed countless teens struggle as they came of age, noted that her sentiments would be hard to comprehend. Teaching ultimately required one to pitch knowledge at the listener's level, and temper it with understanding towards their lack of experience. And far be it from her to dismiss their distress outright; after all, she had been a child once too.

"Well if that's the case, the solution is simple isn't it?" She intoned. The others turned to her, their eyes hopeful at the thought that their teacher could save the day.

"This happened because Mio was giving her the cold shoulder, right? So, all she needs to do is give Ritsu what she wants." She raised an arm and jabbed a pointed finger. "Mio! Become Ricchan's toy for a day!"

"Please return my faith in you, sensei." Azusa deadpanned.

… Maybe she should have pitched it a little higher.

Mio, on the other hand, remained silent in her incredulity.

If only it were that simple. She just needs time to cool off. She'll be fine after that… that's what always happens. Yet, something told her that this instance was not going to blow over as easily. Ritsu's anger had been nothing like the fiery, loud fury that she was known for. It had been cold, caustic and outright venomous - things that she rarely ever heard from the drummer. Looking down at the empty seat before her, she felt the weight on her shoulders grow.

Just what was going through that idiot's head?

"At this rate… what will happen to our concert?" Azusa asked feebly, hoping that perhaps stating the urgency of the matter would miraculously form a solution. It would be downright irresponsible and impossible to just call it off. We can't possibly tell the school committee that we can't make the show because our drummer got mad.

The younger girl groaned. This was to be her first concert with her seniors, her chance to be a part of the magic that captivated her all those months ago. To have the opportunity wrenched from her by what seemed like a rather trivial and shallow fight just made her that much more frustrated.

Could the drummer not have put the issue aside for the moment so that they could proceed? But after further thought, she realized that it was not so simple. Any disturbance to a musician's mental state made it hard to concentrate and play well, if Yui's constant screw-ups during practice weren't already a clear indication of that.

While it was possible to shelve one's emotions aside to focus on the task at hand, Azusa realized that such a feat was usually only done by professionals; people whose livelihoods depended on their concentration during a concert. And her own parents have shared over the years that professional musicians weren't always able to pull it off. So, what more for a bunch of teenagers like us? Still, doesn't Ritsu-senpai care about our concert at all?

Mio looked at her fellow bandmates, all having gone silent at Azusa's question. The girl was right - the concert was a far more pressing matter that they needed to attend to. Making her decision, she rose from her seat with an air of finality. "Let's practice." They were wasting time at this point, and Ritsu was not coming either way.

"Eh? Without Ricchan?" Yui asked in slight disbelief.

"What other choice do we have?" Mio retorted, part of her daring Yui to think of a better idea. Said girl sank back into her seat, the sight of which made the bassist cringe with regret. Anger, confusion, and guilt swirled within her. Just how had things fallen apart so quickly? Where or when did things start going wrong? Was it at the moment she lost her cool; forgoing manners to openly unleash raw anger into her voice that fateful day? Or had it been brewing from the weeks prior, when she felt the first signs of a strange, alien shift in Ritsu's mood? Was the idiot even aware of it herself? Or had it all been inevitable from the day Mio had been placed in a different class altogether?

One fact remained clear - whatever had set Ritsu off, it most certainly wasn't Manabe Nodoka.

The flash of betrayal in Ritsu's eyes when she finally let her temper flare had been all too telling. Then the drummer answered with a rage greater than her own, and all semblance of patience and propriety were thrown out the window. Glaring turned to shouting, and soon both were locked into an intense fight that neither could nor knew how to break.

Only the timid, desperate plea of their junior was able to dispel the haze of anger that had washed over them both. But it was too little, too late; the damage had been done, the lines drawn in the sand. With a final, disgruntled slam of the door, the drummer left; leaving a seething bassist and frightened band members in her wake. At that moment, Mio sorely wished she was the one to slam the door on her infuriating idiot of a friend.

But when Ritsu's absence continued into the next day and the next still, Mio felt her anger transform into worry. Which was why she finally mustered up the nerve to set things right. While she maintained that the drummer had been an idiot, self-reflection told her that she was not completely without fault.

For she, of all people, would have known that her choice of words would hit her longtime friend where it hurt. And though she had practically shouted the sentiment to her face, deep down Mio knew well that she did indeed know what the hell was going on with Ritsu.

Stepping towards the back door of the classroom, Mio felt herself shudder. How would Ritsu react to her presence? Surely she could not just walk up to her and start talking about things, could she? And what should she use as an opening?

She does not get the chance to think further. "It's Mio-chan!" Yui chirped, happy to see her fellow bandmate.

"Ah! I wasn't looking for Ritsu or anything…" Mugi and Yui looked at each other and smiled knowingly. They knew better.

"Ricchan is not in school today."

Ritsu suppressed a curse as she sneezed for the umpteenth time that day. It seemed that her body had decided to give up and shut down all its systems at once just to spite her. Her head would not stop spinning, her damn nose wouldn't stop itching, and she could barely move from her spot on the bed. Any attempts to clear her obstructed olfactories met with pitiful, abject failure.

She really had not expected to come down with a cold at this time of year, much less so badly. It was already the third day she was bedridden, and even then her fever had not disappeared. Some part of her wondered if her nose was beyond saving.

And right when our concert is around the corner. Come on immune cells! Where's your rapid healing when I need it? Sure sure, heal all my cuts and bruises in a day but cripple me over this?!

And what a rapid descent from good health it had been. The unnatural dizziness and feverish heat that rapidly intensified as she sat through her final lesson of the day, even as her mind replayed her confrontation with Mio over and over. The absolutely terrible walk home immediately after school, her entire body steadily getting covered in cold sweat with every step she took. The complete leaching of her strength as she arrived home, leaving her with barely enough energy to lift her own arms and change out of her uniform. Normalcy began to steadily feel like a distant dream. It wasn't until she was jolted awake by the rush of worried voices did she realise that she had collapsed on the floor of her living room.

She practically begged the doctor for the fastest remedy he could provide. It wasn't just the fact that the concert was coming up, she also wanted the quickest ticket out of her own bodily-induced hell. The doctor had assured her mother that the prescription would have her right as rain in a few days, but right now Ritsu was seriously doubting it.

Then again, it probably had something to do with the fact that she had not been able to get proper sleep. Not when her own mind decided to mess with her.

It wasn't supposed to be this way.

They were playing a game. A game with rules; ones that everyone on the playground knew. Everyone knew whose team they were on, and everyone knew what they were supposed to do.

So when she spotted someone from the other team messing with her friend, trying to drag her away from her spot and making something akin to panic fill her eyes; something in the little girl's chest burned.

That was cheating. Blatant cheating. It could cost her team the game, and land her friend in trouble by their rules. Oh the cheater would pay once the dust settled, but nobody looked well upon someone who made them lose. To do so after all the effort it took to finally convince her friend to join their game today; in the young girl's mind, such an act was tantamount to robbery.

They had to be stopped. After all, cheaters should be punished, shouldn't they? And she certainly was not going to allow her friend to end up on the unwanted teammate list, or be scared into tears by the others getting mad.

So how did it end up like this?

"Mio-chan…?"

Said girl whimpered as she cradled her elbow, trying to soothe the skin from the shredding it received when it connected with the sandy ground. Behind her stood another girl, no older than she was, suffering a similar fate. While she herself stood before them both with her arms hanging frozen in mid-air; her outstretched limbs proving her guilt.

"Miko-chan wasn't cheating!" The raven-haired girl yelled, her eyes brimming with angry tears. "She was just trying to help me!"

Help her? Then what had she seen? She was so sure-

"Oi Tainaka, what's gotten into you?!"

"Yeah, what gives?!"

"S-someone should call the teacher, right?"

An uneasy silence fell upon them all, shattering the bubble of cheer that kicked off today's game. She heard someone scamper towards the classrooms, which surely heralded the arrival of scoldings, angry phone calls and an ass-whooping once she got home.

But the little girl could not have cared less. Her mind had blanked, her thoughts frozen as she tried to process what had happened.

"Mio-chan, I'm sorry, I didn't mean-" A hand swung out wildly at her approach, connecting with its unintentional target; the face of a young, auburn-haired girl.

"You're never sorry! You only say it because it gets you out of trouble!"

"But I - she -"

"GO AWAY!"

And suddenly, her stinging cheek didn't seem to hurt as much in comparison anymore.

Why was she remembering this?

It was just a stupid little childhood game, one that was childishly simple in execution. Someone would play the princess under the tyranny of any number of goons, and others would take on the mantle of knight to launch a rescue. Anyone on recess was entitled to play, and any role was up for the taking - with the only caveat that it was the princess who got to decide what showdown would take place to decide their fate.

Ritsu reveled in her times as a goon. Being part of the goon squad meant feints and misdirection and fake-outs. It meant trash talking and payback for any playground slights from the days prior. It meant the freedom to ham it all up however she wanted and play any character she liked, from the scheming mastermind to the villain's second-in-command.

But the times that were burned into her memory were those of her joining the other side.

For the only time she ever bothered to play along as the righteous, upstanding, no-nonsense knight was when Mio joined the fray as a princess. With her fair skin and long, flowing hair; the girl was practically born for the role.

And so, as childhood logic dictated, that made Ritsu the de facto knight.

The grounds of the play area would always witness a new level of destruction on those particular days. For if being a goon brought out the cunning in Ritsu, then being a knight brought out the fire.

But of course; a fiery, motivated Ritsu wasn't always a controlled one.

Hence, the event that was burned into her memory.

There was obviously no game to lose this time, no social standing at stake. And before everything blew up days ago, nothing was really out of the ordinary. Mio was still coming for practice and having tea with everyone in the clubroom. She was still talking to Ritsu. She was still afraid of ghost stories and creeped out by gross things. By all accounts the girl was behaving normally; the drummer even had the text threads on her phone and bumps on her head to prove that.

So why did it still feel like the girl was slipping away?

It wasn't as if they've never had friends outside of one another. Mio had been a regular face among the studious and quiet elementary children among them, while Ritsu made her name amongst the more playful ones as a force to be reckoned with. Where the shyer children would flock around Mio like she was some bastion of introversion, the boisterous ones could always rely on Ritsu to match or surpass their enthusiasm.

And it did not end there. Mio's athleticism blossomed in her middle school days, drawing the attention of their sporty peers and turning her into a favoured pick for inter-class sporting events. Ritsu's own interest and flair with cooking garnered the interest of the homelier ones in their class; her skills eventually leading to a class victory for food sales during their school festival.

But at the end of the day, when all was said and done and the two withdrew from their various groups, they would always fall back in step with one another on the path home. Evenings were reserved for the dream that they shared - whether it be in the form of watching their favourite bands, playing covers of their favourite songs or writing out another jam that they could only dream of performing. They were meant for downtime from their classmates and acquaintances, for Mio to try a new recipe Ritsu had been thinking of, for Ritsu to listen as Mio fretted over chord progressions, for them to talk about everything and nothing - sometimes late into the night. The subsequent morning walks were meant for testing out a new camera trick, for passing another DVD over for later viewing, for Ritsu to make a new attempt at convincing Mio to please let her copy her homework. On other occasions the mornings were for them to set new sprinting records, because someone would inevitably miss their alarm. And no matter how much Mio insisted, the score for such a screw up was far closer to a tie between them than she thought.

Their connection was precious. This time together was their special thing. It has been for as long as Ritsu could remember.

So when it became apparent that Mio was starting to bow out from their walks more frequently, growing less willing to hang out after school, becoming more likely to turn down a direct request from her; well, it hurt.

Surely she had not been hallucinating the bassist's diffused attention? Or imagining the weird, widening distance between them? Or dreaming up the fact that Mio was forgoing their evenings to spend time with someone else?

Was Manabe Nodoka really that interesting a person?

Ritsu cringed. The stream of thoughts sounded awful, even in her befuddled state of mind.

Mio was her own person. And damn it, Ritsu was not going to regress and make some wild claim over who her friend was allowed to hang out with. That sort of tantrum was reserved for children, for childish idiots whose only methods for emotional expression were hurling insults or pulling hair.

Plus, who was she kidding? The fault wasn't truly with Nodoka. The girl was a model student and honest to a fault. Much as it would be easy to paint the student council member as an interloper, it was Mio that was making the choice to turn her attention away.

The same Mio who has basically been a staple in her life since the days Ritsu first held a pencil in her hands. The one who has been there for every scraped knee, failed test, and hare-brained scheme; sometimes as an observer, and other times an actual partner-in-crime. The girl for whom Ritsu had in turn been there for; every first day, new place, and nerve-wracking presentation. The very one who still used pineapples as a battlecry for confidence when no one was looking.

So, no shit that it hurt.

The question thus, was this: why did it hurt this much?

"Mio, Mio! Check this out!"

"For goodness sake Ritsu, keep it down!"

Ritsu peered over the bassist's shoulder, shrugging off her friend's previous statement. The public library was quite empty right now, so Ritsu was sure that no one would be bothered anyway. As soon as her eyes fell on the pages before her, they began to sting in pain as they recognized the familiar, yet alien symbols printed on them; arranged in neat lines and seemingly mocking her inability to fully comprehend them.

"English?!" Ritsu stepped back, shielding her eyes from the abomination that she just had the misfortune of gazing upon. "Mio!" She whispered in mock-fear. "Reading such insane books! Are you trying to let such demonic words brainwash you?"

She received an eye-roll in return. "Mind you, these 'demonic words' I'm reading tell the story of a knight."

"Oh? What's his name then?"

Mio shifted the book towards her, showing her the cover of the paperback that had captured her attention, sighing exasperatedly as she did so. Ritsu resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at her. Summer was meant for fun, and they'd just finished their first ever training camp. They should be out celebrating this huge step for the band, not passing the time behind the pages of a book.

She'd said as much to Mio when the girl showed up at her door.

Mio simply folded her arms and gave her a look that instantly buried the point six feet under.

Well, she did promise Mio. Maybe she could settle for reading manga while they were there.

And thus, Ritsu followed.

"Uhhhh…. Mio." She stared at the title before her. "How the hell do you even pronounce this?"

"Don Quixote."

"That can't be English." Ritsu deadpanned as her eyes narrowed, peering at the book suspiciously.

Mio put her finger to her chin. "You're right. It was originally a Spanish text, but got translated to English." She replied thoughtfully.

"Spanish?!" Aaand Mio was being smug now. The drummer refused to meet her gaze, actually sticking her tongue out this time. The bassist responded by holding her mocking gaze a little longer, clearly basking in the glory of having rendered Tainaka Ritsu speechless. Oh, she would have to get her back once they left this place.

"Well, he is more of a self-proclaimed knight with dreams of chivalry…" Mio chuckled lightly, finally relenting. "He's odd, but his heart is in the right place."

That brought a smile back to Ritsu. "Oh ho? Seems like you still have a soft spot for knights don't you, princess Mio? Should the Great Knight Tainaka return for your sake?" She teased.

Seeing the smugness dissolve into embarrassment never got old.

"I-Idiot. That was just a game. In any case, I mean it that Don Quixote is odd; he's not a real knight, and he thinks that the windmills are evil giants and that people need saving from them."

"What? So he's just some crazy person pretending he's a knight?"

"Yeah. Somewhat like you, Ritsu." Mio shot Ritsu the same smug grin she had earlier. This sent the drummer sputtering in outrage, and the bassist began to double over in muffled laughter, book temporarily forgotten.

Whatever thought was going to come next was cut off by a savage round of coughing. Ritsu reeled, the force of her coughs throwing her head into a spin. Figuring it was best to stop her thinking and let herself rest, she shut her eyes and hoped for sleep to come.

But just as she sank back into her covers, a series of dull thumping floated from beyond her bedroom walls. The thumps were light, measured, and gentle; having an almost familiar, rhythmic feel to them. Whatever it was, it was nearing her room as the moments passed. The gears in Ritsu's mind began to turn again, trying to decipher that strangely recognizable rhythm. Eventually the thumps stopped right outside her door, and something in Ritsu's head instinctively clicked.

"Mio…?"

Said girl's head peeked through the open door. "What are you, some psychic?" She retorted gently. It wasn't quite what she had intended to start with, but ingrained habits were hard to fight. Plus, she did feel genuinely surprised. And maybe, a little bit hopeful.

She sees a sheepish grin. "Heh. I know the sound of your footsteps, Mio." No hesitation, no venom. Just Ritsu. Mio let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. How strange, that mere moments ago she had been tense with worry, wondering how she should start the conversation. The debate in her head was still ongoing even as she pushed open the door. But with a single grin and line, the drummer had gone ahead and paved the way.

The small, relieved smile that tugged on Mio's lips came easily, despite her nervousness.

Nonetheless, there was a lot to talk about, and the daunting task had just begun. Mio willed her heart to remain steady.

A couple steps ahead and a slight right, and Mio's bag and bass slid off her shoulders to nestle against the wall. A few steps more, and she had crossed the table to come right by the side of the bed. Even in the relative darkness, she knew the layout of this room as well as her own. She took some comfort in going through the series of familiar motions.

A deep breath. "So, how are you feeling now?" Mio began gently.

Ritsu tried to soothe her rapidly drying throat. "Not that good. I still have a fever." Part of her felt relief at the sight of the bassist's small smile, but the other was tingling with nervous energy.

How strange this whole situation was. This was hardly their first fight, and yet it had managed to touch a very raw nerve between them. Neither girl knew what to really make of it. The air between them slipped to another level of fragility.

"No wonder you didn't have enough strength to play the drums then…" Mio trailed off hesitantly. It was, after all, the elephant in the room. And her own nerves could only take her so far. Dimly, she hoped that the drummer would do as she always did, and bridge the gap in her stead.

For that was who Ritsu was. Brave, bold and all sorts of daring.

But Ritsu, it seemed, dared not to do so. Instead, she slipped under the covers, retreating into a pocket of warm, soothing darkness. "Ugh, and just right before the school concert too…" The girl grumbled behind her blanket, even as the stress ramped up. There was no mistaking the tremor in the bassist's voice. But try as she might, Ritsu could not find the strength to meet the words Mio left hanging. Her behaviour had been terrible that day, regardless of what she felt about the matter. The streak of pain that crossed Mio's eyes then said it all. Did she have any right to bring it up now?

"Don't worry about that. Just get better and it will all be fine." How could it be? She had thrown words that her mother would have kicked her ass upside down for. She had abandoned the band when they needed her the most - not to mention the utter lack of practice she's had thanks to being basically bedridden. She had scared Azusa to near tears.

On the other hand, Mio had to steady her breathing. If Ritsu wasn't going to bridge the gap, then it was up to her to do so. She should have known better, that it was unfair of her to keep relying on the drummer like this. Their connection was precious, after all. She couldn't always leave it to Ritsu to lay the groundwork and pave the way forward. If anything, the girl deserved her efforts and more.

After all, she owed much of her current self to the one who was hiding under the blankets. She was the one who first approached her all those years ago in elementary school, the one who broke through her barriers. She was the one who showed her a whole other side of life that she had firmly avoided, and stayed as a steadfast part of it. She was the first to throw in a vote of confidence for her, and placed one of her greatest loves in the shape of her Fender Japan '62 within her hands. She was the reason the shy, crybaby of a girl back then managed to come out of her shell.

If she couldn't do this one little thing - bridge the gap and set things right - for her, then what sort of a friend was she?

She felt her breath catch in her throat. Alright, so it wasn't a 'little thing'; it was terrifying. But she knew she had to do it. Slowly, softly, Mio started, "Everyone's waiting for you."

Especially me.

"They aren't mad?"

"Of course not." And that was the truth. Mio leaned back and rested her head on the lump that was Ritsu, hoping that if anything, it would help them both relax. The drummer did not move away. Mio took that as a good sign.

The next words came out in a brittle whisper. "And you?"

She nudged the lump behind her. "No. Of course not." And that too, was the truth.

Because I'm sorry.

At first, she had deemed the whole situation to be unfair. The year had thrown her for a loop, taking her away from the group of friends she had grown to love. Leaving her new classroom on the ground floor, divested from the rest of her cohort as if her class had somehow been unworthy of the promotion to the upper floors of their building. Tossing her into a class that somehow had nary a single face that she recognised, placing her in the very uncomfortable situation of not having Ritsu nearby for the first time in her schooling life.

However, she was seventeen now and no longer a child. The looming adult world would not go easy on her, so it was up to her to grow and adapt. Thus, she had strode into her new homeroom at the beginning of the year determined to try to make the best of it, even as her hands trembled and heart pounded against her ribs. Still, she could not help how her hands turned clammy at the thought of not seeing anyone she knew. And when her limbs refused to move at the first thought of attempting to introduce herself to others, she cursed her inadequacy.

Thankfully, life decided to take pity on her at that moment in the form of one Manabe Nodoka.

And what a peaceful and reasonable person Nodoka was. The girl was a bastion of normalcy amidst a sea of unfamiliar faces. And it was a relief to not have to approach others and worry about their expectations or impressions of her. With Nodoka, things were straightforward.

Mio clutched onto that mercy like a lifeline.

It was refreshing to finally be able to interact with someone whom she can have focused, serious conversations with without worrying about strange tangents, hopeless declarations and sudden pranks. It was nice to have someone to share academic interests with, to not be the only bookish one in the room for once. So if the girl needed an extra pair of hands to manage class matters, or needed a sounding board for ideas, how could she not oblige?

And besides, it wasn't as if Mio was only interested in her studies. If she needed a break from academics, there was always Ritsu. Whether it was ideas for a rhythm she had in her head, feedback for her lyrical flashes of inspiration, or just company; she could always count on the drummer to be around. The girl was only ever a text, call or walk away.

If things with Nodoka were straightforward, then things with Ritsu were easy.

But, like a child, Mio did not realise that such a sentiment could translate badly into convenience.

Which resulted in the ordeal she had to experience over the past three days.

The lack of a physical presence to ground her; the absence of a loud, energetic voice to spur her on. The lack of a foundation to support and accentuate her bass lines, robbing her sound of its backbone and richness. The cold emptiness of her walks to and from home, subjecting her to the full brunt of her thoughts. The lack of someone who saw her, knew her, and needed no additional explanation for whatever she had on her mind.

So, how could I stay angry at you, when I've treated you so poorly?

She turned her head, hoping to look the drummer in the eye. Seeing only a tuft of auburn hair where Ritsu's eyes should have been, Mio decided to sift through the maelstrom of her thoughts and start putting them into words the best way she knew how.

She leaned back, savouring the gentle warmth of her friend. "Y'know…"

"Yeah?"

"Without your drums backing me up, it's been really lonely." I missed you.

"And even though you rush the beat sometimes…" Flaws and all.

"In the end, I still love the energy and power of your playing." You're still important.

She waited, feeling the heat creep up her cheeks. She had never been great with speaking plainly about such things after all.

The lump under her head began to tremble, and when Mio turned her head again, she was greeted by a pair of teasing, amber eyes and a wide smile. Mio felt the familiar annoyance fill her mind as she watched her best friend break down into laughter at her heartfelt confession.

"Ugh! Ritsu!"

But Ritsu could not help it. She tossed herself from the bed, her joy and relief propelling her. "I'm all better now!" She cheered. It was times like these that made her glad that she had been friends with the lefty for this long, granting her the ability to translate Mio-speak. The words were melodramatic and cheesy for sure; but Ritsu could hear and feel the sentiment all the same.

And hell, she missed Mio. A lot.

But she could not afford to revel in her joy for very long, as her nose decided to forcefully remind her that her body was still out of commission. Not to mention that shooting up from her bed had caused her head to begin spinning again.

"You're not better! Go back to sleep, you still have a fever." Mio pushed Ritsu back down to the bed, pulling the covers over her now shivering body. Good grief. Mio chuckled lightly to herself. The drummer obediently laid back on the bed, grumbling in her discomfort.

She takes the time to smooth out the pillow and sheets, ensuring the girl is nestled properly within them. The bassist chuckled lightly at the sight of Ritsu snuggling deep into her bed. "Well, I probably should go home so that you can rest." But before Mio could even straighten her legs to rise, she felt a pair of hands grab hers.

"What? At least stay with me till I fall asleep. Pleeease Mio…." That nasal, begging whine warmed her heart, and only made her smile even more.

"Good grief."

Mio sat down again, her fingers still wrapped around the drummer's. The girl had her hand in a vice grip - as if she were afraid the lefty would up and disappear. She let out an amused huff, and began rubbing her thumb across the back of Ritsu's hand. The skin there was smooth and unblemished, unlike the girl's palms which were calloused and roughened from years of drumming. Mio felt a smile tug at her lips. It was very much like the girl herself; rough on one side but soft on the other.

The room fell into a relaxed silence, the two girls happy to enjoy their newly mended friendship. However, as the moments passed, Ritsu felt the growing need to get something off her chest.

"Mio, I'm really sorry… just. I'm sorry for everything." The jealousy, the harassing, the spite, the shouting…

Her hand gets a light squeeze. "Hey. I messed up too." Mio began. "I'm sorry for making you feel left out. And for shouting at you."

"But.."

"It's alright Ritsu, don't worry. Really." Mio cooed, giving the drummer a reassuring smile and tightening the hold around her hand.

Ritsu averted her eyes. "After all I did and said… you'd still forgive me?"

"Of course. Because you're my friend, Ritsu. It's as simple as that." Grey eyes stared straight into amber ones. Hesitation emanated from the latter pair. Mio sighed and shook her head. Bringing her legs up to the bed, Mio knelt next to Ritsu, sliding her arm between Ritsu and the bed. The auburn-haired girl raised an eyebrow and her eyes widened in alarm. Wait what? Then, very slowly and gently, Mio pulled the drummer up from the bed and enveloped her in a warm hug, burying her face into the girl's neck.

"M-Mio…?"

"Idiot, you're not the only one who feels they need to atone for something, alright? So don't keep blaming yourself." Mio muttered. She wrapped her arms tightly around Ritsu, nearly crushing the girl against herself. Gingerly, Ritsu returned the hug, allowing herself to enjoy the lefty's warmth. The girl responded by stroking her back and nuzzling her neck, and Ritsu felt her shoulders tingle as she returned the favour. Dimly, she noted the faint scent of lavender from Mio. It was a familiar scent, one that eased the tension in her shoulders.

The two sat in silence taking in each other's warmth, and letting their actions speak for them.

Bit by bit, Ritsu's body began to relax and her eyelids began to droop; her conscience eased and her mind gradually being put to peace.

After what felt like hours, Mio gently lowered the drummer back onto the bed, her heart stinging a little at the loss of contact. Clasping Ritsu's hand in both of hers once more, she gave Ritsu a soft smile. Ritsu drowsily raised her free hand and placed it on Mio's cheek as she gave a sleepy and somewhat lopsided smile.

"Thank you… my princess." Ritsu whispered, reciting her lines from that game all those years ago.

"You won't have to do anything more," Mio answered as she moved one hand to Ritsu's head and patted her gently. Ritsu leaned in, eyelids becoming heavier as the minutes passed. "Just be a good knight." And at long last, Mio was able to see the small, hopeful smile on Ritsu's face as exhaustion finally managed to claim her and make her drift into unconsciousness.

"I promise Mio. I promise." She pulled their clasped hands next to her head as her eyes began to close, and the grip on her hand tightened in answer. As her body sank back into the bed and the welcoming darkness of restful sleep engulfed her mind, Ritsu grinned as she felt something soft and warm grazing her forehead.

And there you go. Those who have read this before will realise that there have been extensive changes to the events - these are all intentional. I hope that the additions are to your liking.

Please rate and review! Thank you!