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Chapter 3:

Grumbling stomachs broke the best friends out of their quiet embrace, they look at each other before burst out in laughter as Ritsu's daughter looks at them quizzically. The clock on the wall struck 2215 on its LCD display. 'Time to be a mother again.'

"Are you hungry Mii-chan?"

" Ya!"

"Okay, Yosh! let me cook something up for dinner," she announced with new found determination. Ritsu hasn't been this happy in a very long time. It's not like her life was miserable, far from it. She is married to a hardworking husband who loves her and their daughter very much. They live quite comfortably from a single source of income and faced very little grief in their seven years together. However, to Ritsu something was missing, which was why she was especially happy today because the thing that was missing has come back into her life.

The former drummer hummed a familiar HTT tune as she prepares some pan seared salmon with pickled veggies on a bed of white rice.

Mio looked at the young mother, a part of her wished Ritsu was married to her and not, 'that idiot.'

"Mommy will she be staying for dinner," the Miyuki pointed to Mio snapping the woman out of her trance.

"Oh! Umm... I don't want to intrude," politely declined the lawyer.

"Nonsense! Mio you are staying for dinner and that's that! This is an order from the former leader and president of HTT!"

"It's settled, I guess," giving her best friend a warm smile.

"Are you hitting on my mother," asked the 6 year old.

"W...what?"

"Daddy said if mommy brings home a man, that I should kick them in the knee!"

"heh... heh," a bead of sweat drops from Mio's forehead her eyebrow twitching uncontrollably. 'This is Ritsu's daughter alright.'

"Hahaha," laughed the drummer. "Don't scare our guest dear," she yelled from the kitched as she placed the washed rice into the cooker. The machine hummed to life as Ritsu made her way back to the living room.

"Mii-chan," she called to herdaughter. "Do you know who this person is?"

The girl was unable to answer never seeing this woman in her life.

"This is Akiyama Mio, she is mommy's best friend," explained the drummer.

"Oh," was the little girl's reply.

"Yup, from now on you shall be referred you as Auntie-Mio," proclaimed the drummer.

"Huh, don't go giving me titles that you just invented on a whim" Mio feign surprise. 'Auntie Mio huh,' she thought, 'I liked the sound of that.'

Trio watched TV to pass the time as the rice cooks and veggies steam. A blissful family, Mio thought. If only it was hers. Sooner or later she will have to go home to an empty house and tried routine, a part of her wished things would remain like this forever. Unlike Ritsu who seems to be able to brush off seven years of hate, anger, resentment and whatever emotion Mio was feeling in a few mins; she herself simply couldn't. Mio was different she was afraid, 'I don't want to get hurt again.' She just couldn't forget all the grief loving someone who doesn't love her, 'in that way,' back has managed to put her through while being so carefree. A part of her still holds an uncertainty towards this new development in her life, unlike Ritsu who never lets anything get in the way of having her final say on the matter Mio is still quite shy and timid regarding social interactions. She simply cannot say what is on her mind, that is how the 'lawyer' is. Maybe this is why people consider her such a gigantic bitch, a real life ice princess lacking any heart what so ever.

*Scene break

Sitting at the dinner table, Ritsu studied the quiet woman in a fancy business suit sitting across from her 'why is she so quiet what has changed about Mio,' Ritsu wanted to get to know more of this 'new Mio.' She wanted to catch up on everything that had happened to her best friend as well as her former bandmates.

"So, Mio," questioned the drummer. "Do you have a boyfriend? I mean a hot looking girl like you, and look at that suit you must be loaded!"

"Huh," again pretending she doesn't understand the question.

"Come on Mio, you heard me."

"What, I don't understand. What are you talking about?"

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

"Umm," trailed Mio trying to think of something, anything at all.

"Yea," she sigh, "but we broke up a few months ago." 'It's not really a lie, technically this is the gosh honest truth.'

"Oh, what? That's terrible, I wish I was around. I would kick his ass for breaking Mio-chaun's heart!" The drummer shakes her fist in mock anger. "I mean what kind of asshole would dump a catch like you, he must be really stupid!"

"Actually," the lawyer started. "I was mostly my fault," she spoke sadly. "I let my job get in the way and I never had any time for him, I ended up hurting him Ritsu," she finished. Regardless of whatever her ex thinks, Mio really do miss the cute bassist that followed her like a little puppy. The raven smiled,reminiscing of the few fleeting moments of happiness in the last seven years of her life.

"Are you sure? Man I would like to meet the guy that managed to steal Mio-chuan's heart to the point that even thinking of him made her start to blush as red as a tomato!."

"Huh, idiot Ritsu," she protested even though she was quite obviously blushing.

*Scene break

"Hey Ritsu, where is Ryouji its getting awfully late, I mean shouldn't he be home," the bassist asked the mother who has just return from tucking in her daughter. 'Why am I nervous, its not like I'm a guy alone with someone else's wife.'

"It's Friday he has to work late today," she answered. "He'll be home in a few hours. Hehe, don't tell me you are simply trying to get to know me so you can steal my man, Mio-chaun is such a seductress."

"What, shut up you idiot," replied bonking her best friend in the head, 'like old times.'

Mio as she studied the interior of the house. This is really a great house, from her knowledge and experience as a realty lawyer she was able to ascertain that this house must have costed a fortune. She could almost swear the house was just put on the market a few months ago, her firmed tried to acquire it however the last owner managed to sell it to a private buyer. 'Of all the luck...'

This is really a great house Ritsu," she complimented.

"He worked hard to get us this house," she smiled. "While his colleagues dither away drinking and cheating on their wives he worked long hours to finish one of the firm's most important projects. His boss saw this and later promoted him to supervisor."

"Oh, I see you must be proud of him." 'That idiot,' she wanted to add, why is she jealous all of a sudden.

"I am!"

"So Mio, what exactly do you do," questioned the drummer. "I mean the last time I saw you," she trailed off not wanting to touch on a painful subject. "I mean when we entered college you told me you wanted to major in law..."

"I'm a real state lawyer, you know for escrows and estate law and such like that..."

"Oh you must make the big bucks," teased her friend. Ristu felt proud to see Mio accomplish her dreams, well besides the other dream which she had ruined for everybody.

"It pays the bills," Mio didn't really like talking about work. It's not all roses and daisies, 'or lilies.' With the terrible economy, a lot of her duties involved removing people from their homes, sometimes forcibly kicking them out to the streets.

"Oh I see," Ritsu has always been good at reading the raven haired beauty, and that reply of Mio usually means, 'lets drop the subject.' Ironic that she managed to miss something as obvious as her best friends' crush.

"Hey Mio," whenever they were alone as a kid Mio has always been the less talkative one. It was Ritsu who usually brings up subjects to converse about. "So what does your ex do?"

"Huh, again Ritsu," questioned the bassist, "can't we drop this I don't want to talk about it."

"Why not," the brunette poked future. "Let me guess, he's a hot shot lawyer like yourself!"

"No," protested Mio, "he plays bass for a jazz band."

"Wow, really? Wait don't tell me it was that guy from the summer festival that we went to..."

"No it's certainly NOT him, and can we drop the subject already?"

"I wish I could have met the guy," the brunette said almost in a serious tone. "I wanted to meet someone who managed to make Mio-chaun's heart flutter."

"...Don't make me kill you Ritsu," the bassist shakes her fist angrily. 'Just like old times, still she doesn't have to tease me so much.

"Sorry, hehe seven years of not being able to tease you if I don't do it now I would explode," joked her bestfriend.

'How does she managed to read me so well.'

At that moment the front door open to reveal a man in his late twenties, handsome features makes him look younger than he appears to be. 'The idiot...'

"I'm home!"

"Honey," screamed Ritsu. Mio can only watch helplessly as Ritsu dashes to her love.

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't know we had company," he hunched over graciously as a sign of humility to the new guest.

"Honey you remember Mio do you," questioned his wife.

"Ahh Akiyama-san, it's been so long, it is still Akiyama-san right?"

"Yes," sighed the 3rd wheel. 'Why does this family have to keep pushing that, so what if a twenty-six year old woman is not married, jeez it's not the end of the world. I mean Sawako-san is in her fourties and...'

"Honey, I'll go draw you a bath then when you are done come out and we can talk with Mio about old times," said the dutiful wife. Mio can't take this anymore, she felt uncomfortable as the mood shift from two close friends sharing an intimate moment to her being some third wheel. Not only that but the girl that she had a crush on for literally twenty years is being all lovely dovely with this man that she hates with every fiber of her being. 'Still he hasn't done anything wrong, in fact he has done everything in his power to support Ritsu. While, I...'

"Oh it's getting quite late," the 26 year old said to no one in particular. "I need to get going."

"Really? It's only ten," she said looking at the clock.

"Yea I have work tomorrow," she lied.

"Oh, I see."

"I was a pleasure meeting you again, Takahashi-san," the business woman bowed graciously.

"No... no, the pleasure is all mine," he replied scratching the back of his head embarrassed to have the attention of such a lovely lady. Still no one is as lovely as his wife, of course.

"I'll walk her out," interrupted Ritsu, her husband nodded to her and went upstairs out of view.

*Scene break

"I had a lot of fun today Mio," the drummer interrupted what seems to be three minutes of awkward silence.

"Me too..."

"Hey, umm... can I have your phone number?" "So we can talk again," suggested the drummer.

"Yea," replied her bestfriend. "I was about to ask you the same thing."

The two friends exchanged phone number, and both bid their good byes. On the walk home Mio ponders why she wasn't ecstatic about the events of her day. She had met her best friend whom she was searching for seven years, not only that but Ritsu forgave her for being such a jerk and that she has a cute little niece to play with. But a part of her still felt this dread, the heartache of watching Ritsu with that man, Mio told herself she will never get used to that. 'Not in a million years.' She needed something to clear her head and this feeling of dread, so she pulled out her cellphone and speed dial one of her most used contact.

"Kotobuki-residence," a young girl in her early twenties answered.

"S-Sumire-chan," questioned Mio. 'Why is she answering...'

"Ahh Mio-san, I'm sure you wanted to speak with Ojou-sama let me get her,' came the voice on the other line she can hear nervousness in the girl's voice. "Onee-sama, Onee-sama wake up its Mio-san," came the hushed whisper on the other line. 'What, are they... sharing a room?'

"Ahh Mio-san how are you this evening," questioned the heiress.

"I'm not disturbing you am I," questioned the bassist.

"No not at all, don't worry about it Mio-chan," replied her best friend of the past seven years.

"I... I found her Mugi," unable to contain the excitement in her voice.