DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own K-on~ I just wrote this fanfic for entertainment purposes. :3 Enjoy!

"Mioooo-chuuuan~" called Ritsu, giggling. She was having too much fun taunting Mio about Barnacles. Yes, perhaps she was having more fun than she's supposed to have while watching Mio's face cross with different emotions. Oh how much she loved the way Mio's lovely eyes contracted when she was scared, the way her lips pouted as she begged for her to stop. If only Mio can hear the passion that lies in her voice as she speaks her name with gentle caress…

"R-r-ritsu-c-chan" said Mio, shaking. All those barnacles… Her knees weakened. A thump was heard as she knelt on the ground with force. Tears began to swell as Mio stared at her own knees, now red with what seemed like blood.

"Mio-chan!" Ritsu shouted, her eyes widening in shock. "Mio-chan! Mio…" She felt her heart thump. "I'm sorry, this is all my fault…I shouldn't have…" She didn't know what to say. Because honestly, she thinks that this taunting is one of the only ways she can get closer to Mio's heart. Maybe, just maybe, if she does this everyday…Mio will never forget her. Her existence shall not perish, even after she… well…even after she confesses. This was the hardest part when one is in love with a childhood friend. The risk of losing that friendship, the thing that binds them together, is remarkably painful. So perhaps, this taunting will leave a mark…

"It's okay R- Ritsu-chan…I'm fine…This is just a scratch." said Mio-chan, her perfect lips widening into a sweet smile. Ritsu felt herself relax. She was too worried. She returned the smile with a broad grin and helped Mio stand up. "Come on, crybaby. Let's cure that wound." said Ritsu, grabbing Mio's arm and putting it around her shoulder. She felt her heart thump again, but this time she was sure it wasn't because of shock or worry.

"Riiichan~" called Yui, rolling side by side on the floor. They just finished practicing, and were having a midnight snack.

"Oro…Riichan? Riichan!" Yui shouted for like the umpth time, her lips curling into a pout while poking Ritsu's cheeks.

"Oh! Huh? What?..." asked Ritsu, awakened from her reminisce. That incident happened a long time ago, when she was just beginning to be aware of her feelings for Mio…

Ritsu coughed, grinned and whispered to Yui. "I thought of cakes and a new plan to scare Mio-chan. Heehee…"

"ooooh. Cakes!" said Yui with complete enthusiasm, completely ignoring what was said after the word "cake".

"Mataku…" said Ritsu, slicing a cake for her to eat. As she lifted her teacup to her face to drink, her eyes once again drifted to steal a glance at Mio and blushed. I hope she didn't notice...

"Alright, I'm almost done with the lyrics. I'll be right back, everyone." Said Mio, as she stood up and went outside.

"Haaaaiiiii~" said Yui and Mugi in response and laughed right after.

Ritsu's eyes followed Mio's back and stopped as she disappeared.

"It is hard to suppress what I feel…I can no longer stop myself from staring at her. I can't wait to get myself closer. But it is harder to think of what will happen if things go badly…Will she hate me? If I tell her…If…" Ritsu thought. She stared at Mugi and Yui, only to find them already sleeping. She sighed and looked at the clock. It was half past 2 in the morning, but she still can't sleep. She took her music player from her bag, placed the earphones in her ears and played one of their songs, "My love is a stapler". The song started with the chorus; she must've listened to this sometime ago and pushed the pause button there.

"My sparkling and shining wishes….Have mixed in it with all the things I worry about……..
That's right, I'll staple it…" ~

"Mio-chan…" whispered Ritsu, as she adjusted the volume to the highest point her ears can handle and closed her eyes.

"Only at the beginning, my feelings were light…
Before I knew it, my passion grew…
And somehow staples can't go through it anymore..." ~

"Mio…" she once again whispered, slowly drifting into a deep slumber…

"GAH! I can't think of any lyrics right now…" said Mio, sighing as she closed her notebook and decided to go back.

She walked back into her room and found all three of them already sleeping. "Yare yare…" she whispered, smiling as she stared at their cute, sleeping faces.

"Oro…? This is bad for your ears. Haha…mataku..." said Mio, sitting in front of the sleeping Ritsu. She took the earphones from Ritsu and put it on out of curiosity. She pushed the rewind button and played it on a random line.

"It would be nice if I had an equation
For calculating the probability that I love you…" ~

"Ah..." whispered Mio. She chuckled, covered Ritsu with a blanket, and started writing a couple of lines while staring at Ritsu's face.

Her pen scribbled on the notebook and after writing a few lines, she stretched and yawned.

"Maybe this is enough for today." She once again whispered, chuckling to herself as she lied down next to Ritsu. She looked at her notebook and reviewed the lines…

"No matter how cold it is on winter days, I'm happy.

When I see your breath draw white as you run, I think of how your parted hair fits you so well.

But I want to see how you look with your bangs down…"

"Ritsu…" she murmured, drifting off to sleep too.