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It was after school once again, and the silence between the three current members of the Light Music club was deafening.
So very deafening.
The deadline for their club’s fate was fast approaching, as the overseer of various club activities deemed it so. The girls had tried everything they could to get their final member to join, but to no avail. Their only speck of hope was of the advertisement poster they had put up last week, courtesy of Mugi's amazing artistic skills. However, it still wasn’t enough, and they really were running out of time.
The girls didn’t want to speak of the inevitable, especially Ritsu, who was the one who brought them all together in the first place. There was Mio Akiyama, the second member and scaredy-cat bassist, who was sitting across from her childhood best friend, and Tsumugi Kotobuki, their latest and curious member fascinated by everything, was currently pouring tea into their teacups.
Without Ritsu, there would be no Mio.
Without Mio and Ritsu, there would be no Mugi.
And without the three of them, there would be no future fourth member. Whenever that will be.
As Mugi poured the last drops of tea into her own teacup, the inevitable conversation loomed like a forgotten homework assignment—ignored, but not going away. Ritsu scratched her head in frustration, trying to figure out the best way to beat around the bush. Unfortunately there was no bush, only a table of desks pushed together at the seams.
Time to rip off the bandage then.
Heh, funny, because there were no bandages either, except the one attached to Ritsu’s broken heart at the lack of Light Music Club members, and the like.
Mentally preparing herself, Ritsu raised her head up, plastering on a brave, yet defeated smile. “Only one week left in April…”
Mugi sadly glanced down towards her lap at that revelation, sitting a bit further away from the other two. “Nobody’s coming…”
Mio just stared at nothing, already resigned to their fate. “We’ll be done before we even get to form a band.”
Ritsu immediately raised her arms up in the air, showing defiance to Mio’s statement. “But I don’t want that!”
Ritsu irritatingly watched as Mio sipped her tea without a care in the world. Her best friend wasn’t fazed. Not in the slightest. It was obvious that Mio was just as disappointed, but she could stand to show it more instead of acting all calm and composed. Even so, Ritsu still appreciated Mio’s bluntness on the situation that neither she or Mugi would dare say.
“...D-Don’t worry, you two!” Mugi started, plastering a strained smile in support of their failing endeavors. “I’m sure our new member is right around the corner! Somewhere… possibly… hopefully… Maybe?”
At least Mugi was visibly sad about it, who was really looking forward to meeting their fourth member as soon as possible. Despite the unfortunate circumstances however, Mugi still offered them tea and snacks as they did their homework assignments and talked about random topics.
Ritsu was grateful for Mugi’s kindness towards their club situation, her incredible patience, and her overall willingness to join the Light Music Club, if only due to Ritsu’s pervasive ways alongside Mio’s seriousness. Had Mugi not joined, Mio would’ve probably succeeded in joining the Literature Club, and Ritsu would have had no choice but to join the Sports Club or something.
Mio sent a brief, comforting smile towards Mugi’s direction, still having her finished teacup raised. “We appreciate it, really, but I think we really are going to be dis-“
“Don’t say that word, Mio!” Ritsu interrupted, abruptly standing up from her chair. “Please don’t say we’ll be disbanded!”
“Oh, come on, Ritsu!” Mio groaned, setting her teacup down gently onto her desk. “You said it yourself! We only have a week left!”
“And are we just supposed to give up?!” Ritsu shouted back, slamming her hands on the desk in disbelief. “We can still do this! I know our final girl is going to come through those doors sooner or later!”
Mio scoffed with a roll of her eyes, raising an eyebrow challengingly, leaning forward. “And if she doesn’t?”
“Well then, maybe we’ll just…” Ritsu began slowly, sitting back in her chair as she gazed at her reflection in the teacup. “Maybe we’ll just have secret afternoon tea and snack parties from now on…”
Mio let out a tired sigh, turning her head away from Ritsu. “Unbelievable…”
Ritsu moved her cup around in a small circle to prevent any tea from falling out, feeling utterly exhausted now. In a way, Mio was right. What were the chances someone would actually come check out their club? Sure, the girls could play their instruments well, but it’s not like they could branch out and perform in front of their classroom, or what would be the worst case scenario, an auditorium that would make Mio faint right on the spot and have a terrible accident.
Okay, maybe the terrible accident aforementioned was a bit uncalled for, but Mio would definitely freak out. Maybe something good would happen? Mio would still freak out. The thought of it almost brought a chuckle out of Ritsu. Almost.
Mugi, on the other hand, was supportive to both of them and would obviously do anything to try and get that final member. Maybe they can do a bake sale? Nah. Mugi’s sweets would be an easy giveaway for anyone to join without being interested in music.
Welp, Ritsu was surely out of ideas now.
Come to think of it, Ritsu had been finding herself staring at Mugi more often as of late. She had no idea why. Ritsu couldn’t put her finger on it. There was just something about the way Mugi shined from afar, like a ditzy princess on top of her faraway castle’s throne, or rather…
Wait.
Ritsu frowned, looking between the empty seats beside her and Mugi’s distant spot. Why was she sitting all the way over there? Was it always like this?
“Ritsu-san,” Mugi softly called out, leaning forward a bit in her chair. “Is everything okay?”
Bingo.
Right there. That was the problem.
Ignoring the unwanted honorific, Ritsu put her hands underneath her chin and tilted her head, facing in Mugi’s direction. The words that were about to come out of Ritsu’s mouth… would change everything between Mugi, Mio, and Ritsu herself.
“Hey, Mugi… why aren’t you sitting with us?”
“Huh?” Mugi blinked, tilting her head to the side as well. “Whatever do you mean?”
“I mean, why are you sitting so far away from me and Mio?” Ritsu questioned again, gesturing amongst the spaces between them. “It’s just… It doesn’t feel right to me.”
“Well… it’s just easier this way,” Mugi mumbled, glancing downwards once more as she gripped her skirt. “And it’s not like it matters, right? I’ve been sitting here since the beginning, haven’t I?”
Ritsu quietly nodded in acknowledgment. “Yeah, you have… but it’s also been a while since we met, you know?” she pointed out, leaning closer to Mugi’s side of the table. “Haven’t you realized this feeling? This feeling of… emptiness?”
Mugi shut her eyes tightly with sweat rolling down her face before determinedly raising her head, undeterred from Ritsu’s observations. “I apologize, Ritsu-san, but I’m more comfortable sitting here!”
“Well, I’m not comfortable with that at all!” Ritsu shouted back, staying put in her blue chair this time. “Don’t hold back, Mugi! Just get up and-!”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t!” Mugi instantly rejected, shaking her head. “I just can’t, Ritsu-san!”
“Yes, you ca-!”
A sudden smack was heard as Ritsu winced, recoiling from the throbbing pain as she clutched her head. There stood her keeper-in-line, Mio Akiyama, with her roaring hard-hitting fist for the ages. Ritsu didn’t even have to guess what Mio was about to scold her on this time, but either way, that wasn’t going to stop Ritsu from getting to her end goal.
“Enough already!” Mio reprimanded, sitting back down across from her best friend. “If Mugi says she’s comfortable sitting there, then that’s final! Don’t try to change her mind with your weird, sudden feelings towards her chosen seat!”
“But Mio,” Ritsu called softly, sporting a serious look that caught Mio off guard. “Surely you feel it too? The emptiness surrounding us?”
“I…” Mio began, looking around at the empty seats before focusing her attention back on Ritsu. “I don't know what you’re talking about. There’s absolutely nothing wrong here. Everything is completely fine, Ritsu.”
Ritsu sighed at Mio’s avoidance of the situation, and Mugi’s refusal and hesitation of joining them at the table. She couldn’t let today end without addressing it once and for all. “Mio, Mugi, please. Don’t deny it.”
The silence came back to haunt them indefinitely, but only for a few seconds later. Mio spoke up. Ritsu never expected Mio to actually cave in, but she did. Ritsu couldn’t be happier that she wasn’t alone in this emotional feeling.
“I’m sorry, Mugi, but I unfortunately have to agree with Ritsu on this one.” Mio revealed, turning to Mugi with a serious look in her eyes. “I feel emptiness too. Here, at this table, we’re surrounded by empty chairs and white teacups. My teacup is empty, Ritsu’s is still full, but yours, Mugi…”
“It’s half-full, and half-empty.” Ritsu finished with a simple gesture of her hands moving up and down.
The silence was present again. They didn’t know how long they sat there for, and they didn’t dare to count the minutes on the clock. However, it wasn’t long before the childhood friends saw tears trickling down Mugi’s cheeks.
“I… I want to be closer with you guys, so much, but I can’t…” Mugi began, resting her hands on the desk as she fidgeted with her fingers. “…You know why. You’ll always know why, and that’s something you can’t possibly deny.”
Ritsu and Mio exchanged glances with one another, knowing exactly what Mugi meant. After all, it was the very reason why Mugi joined the Light Music Club in the first place. Still, it wasn’t fair to exclude her out of their bond. They weren’t just a class act duo anymore, but…
“Mugi, Mio and I may be childhood best friends, but you give us something special that outbalances our dynamic by a long shot.” Ritsu informed her, looking deep into Mugi’s tear-stained eyes as she outstretched her hand. “You, Mugi, give us a trio. A trio of friends who got each other’s back through thick and thin, a trio who supported each other through the hardest times, and a trio who will be the bestest of friends from now until forever.”
Mugi gasped loudly at Ritsu’s confession, feeling a sense of hope within her heart. “You.. you both really mean that?”
“Yes, of course,” Mio assured, giving Mugi yet another comforting smile, but with her hand also outstretched towards Mugi’s direction. “Mugi, to think we would meet not only in the room next door, but also in our classroom the next day. Imagine how happy I was knowing someone would willingly do homework with me! And don’t even get me started on your caring nature whenever Ritsu teases me.”
Ritsu snorted at that unnecessary comment, but then again, it was just like Mio to bring up schoolwork during a heartfelt speech. Also the teasing, but that was a given.
“Besides that though, you truly do bring something to our newly founded trio,” Mio continued, briefly nodding in Ritsu’s direction. “Everything Ritsu mentioned is true, so if we really were to disband next week and join different clubs, we’ll still be friends, through and through! Don’t deny this heartwarming feeling, okay?”
“Friends…” Mugi repeated, her eyes glistening with more unshed tears before frivolously wiping them away. “Yes, Ritsu-chan, Mio-chan, you both mean a lot to me too. I would love to keep being friends with the both of you, and I’m sorry for ever doubting that.”
Ritsu nodded with a proud smile, happy that the conversation was going in the right direction. “I’ll forgive you, dear Mugi, but only you change seats right now.”
Mugi froze at that, still feeling hesitant over the seating situation. “Are… are you sure? I mean, wouldn’t I just impose on your dynamic even more?”
“Hey, like we said, we’re a trio, okay?” Ritsu repeated firmly, making sure Mugi heard her loud and clear. “So, hurry up and sit your butt down next to one of us already!”
Mio pointedly glanced in Ritsu’s direction at her insistence, but ultimately agreed with a gentle nod to Mugi. “It’s okay… you’re okay. We promise.”
With that bundle of reassurance, Mugi finally gained the confidence to stand up, move her teacup to the middle of the table, and then moved her blue chair out of its previous vicinity.
Now was where the hard part came in.
Ritsu observed how Mugi scanned between her two seating options, next to her, or to Mio. However, it didn’t take Mugi very long to decide as she nodded to the empty spot next to Ritsu’s chair, presumably now belonging to their future fourth member, and placed her own blue chair next to Mio’s.
“If you don’t mind…” Mugi warned before taking her appointed place next to Mio. Well, there she finally sat. Mugi was so much closer now to the both of them, figuratively, physically, and emotionally. Ritsu felt better than before. She was sure Mio, and definitely Mugi, did too.
“Well, how do you feel now?” Ritsu asked as she leaned forward to Mugi’s new desk.
“I…” Mugi hesitantly began, squirming in her seat to see if she fit. “I feel…”
“Big?” Ritsu guessed with an excited grin, placing her hand in the middle of the table.
“Small?” Mio cautiously asked with a worried look, placing her hand atop Ritsu’s.
The silence was back again, but this time, it was lighter and manageable. Mugi soon broke it.
“No,” Mugi finally responded, placing her hand atop both of theirs with a content smile on her face. “I don’t feel big or small. In fact, it feels.. I feel…”
“…just right.”