Dear Readers,

I am so sorry you guys.

Here I am, with an essay explanation as to why I am a horrible person.

Well, school is a jerk and life is a jerk and depression is hella killer.

But Life is Strange, man. (That game is also P great)

I made new Friends in this fandom even though it's partially dead and well, I just realized it's been so long.

I'm not gonna say much about myself here. If you wanna get to know my life story, you can track down my tumblr or something with

the same username as this account.

Anyways,

I still am sorry for being suckish. I wrote that letter eons ago (one year basically)

and look where we are.

One year later and still no update.

It's 2 AM and I have a lab at 9:30 AM. My lab mate has been up with me so we could finish a homework assignment, yet here I am

writing this letter, to you, the readers who may or may not care.

My writing style's changed and I fear that I may write the characters wrong even though

I've pretty much broken them...

Buuut, I guess we should fix that, huh?

So, from me to you, here's that chapter you've been waiting for.

P.S. In the past three years, I've become aware of triggers. I'm sorry if early chapters triggered you, but this one is rather triggering.

Like, really triggering. Even writing them was difficult because of it, so be warned. We're hitting a lot of self-blame, mentions of death, and etc.

Disclaimer: I do not own K-ON! it belongs to Kakifly. If I did, Yuiazu would be canon yesterday. By that I mean since before it started, also I do not own Poet and the Muse or Helter Skelter or Singing!

Also Happy 3 Year Anniversary 8D

Yadda yadda yadda, here's the next chapter of... Singing!

"And now to see your love set free

You will need the witch's cabin key
Find the lady of the light still ravin' in the night
That's how you reshape destiny"

Chapter 20: The Poet and the Muse

Cold.

So cold.

Why was it so cold…?

A shiver escaped her lips, the sound resulting in others.

"Don't…"

"I swear to…"

"Hold on."

Her head hurt.

Now that was she was more aware of it… everything hurt.

Pain… so much pain.

Her eyes flickered open, the area was shaking around her. There was a momentary look at a window, the scenery was moving too quickly. She bit her lip, she felt sick.

It was safer to close her eyes. She couldn't think.

It was too cold.

Too cold…

"Onee-chan, are you sure you want to wait on this line? It's really long."

She wasn't lying.

The staircase leading up to the next platform was packed. There were people lounging about in the area with a couch since their feet were hurting or just waiting for loved ones.

Yui adjusted her thick-rimmed glasses and placed a hand on her hip before nodding firmly, a serious look forming on her face.

"I've been waiting all month for this, Ui!" she said before speaking in rough English. "I won't be determined!"

"I think you mean 'deterred', onee-chan," Ui said as a drop of sweat rolled down the side of her head.

"Well, at least we know she's okay," Nodoka laughed.

Yui smiled brightly at the two. She was happy she'd dragged them in, she'd almost forgotten that Azusa had rejected her.

…

Azusa had…rejected her.

Her smile faltered, but just as quickly Yui turned away. The action not having gone unnoticed, Ui spoke up.

"…You sure you're okay, onee-chan?"

Her sister's voice was soft and inviting in the otherwise loud environment.

Yui peered at her and smiled back.

"Hehe, yup! Of course!" she said as cheerily as she could.

"…If you say so."

"Would I have any reason to lie to you, Ui?"

Her sister glanced over nervously at Nodoka who merely shrugged in response.

"Nodoka-chan, you believe me right?" Yui gasped.

The bespectacled girl sighed and removed her glasses. "Honestly, Yui. If I were to say yes, then I'd just be feeding the lie."

"An unexpected betrayal," Yui said and hunched over the railing.

She glanced around at the room and smiled to herself. There were so many people, they were so happy, how could she not be?

"Just because Azunyan doesn't wanna go on the ride doesn't mean anything. She's just not ready," Yui told them.

"Oi, Yui!"

The guitarist turned around and looked toward the entry of the building. Ritsu bounded up to them and smirked.

"Damn, I wish I could go on with you guys, but Mio'd probably have my head if I don't go back," she said.

"Do you need something, Ritsu?" Nodoka asked.

"Oh, right!" Ritsu's eyes lit up and she rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "Yui, where'd you put my headband? I texted you, but you weren't picking up. I don't think I can play too great with my bangs in my eyes."

"You came here just for that, Ricchan?" Yui asked her. The drummer nodded as Yui picked at her dress. "Mmm, I think it's in my bag? I know I put it somewhere."

I can't let Ricchan know that I can't find it.

"You didn't lose it, did you?" Ritsu asked accusingly.

"N-no! I promise it's with my stuff, as soon as we're done I'll help you find it!" she added nervously.

"Aaaalrighty, then. See ya at 5 pm sharp, then," Ritsu said.

The drummer turned to walk toward the doorway, but halted when Ui called out.

"Ritsu-senpai, wait a second! I need to speak with you!"

"Hm, what's up, Ui?"

Yui watched her sister run towards the drummer, either the people around them had gotten louder or their conversation had dropped to a whisper. Either way, Yui wasn't able to focus on them as Nodoka got her attention by tapping on her shoulder.

"I really like how they painted the vines on the wall and stuff. Even the floor seems grassy, it doesn't seem like we're in a building," she said.

Yui knelt down to touch the floor, sure enough, it felt leafy, but plastic.

"I think it's fake grass, Nodoka-chan," she said.

Her childhood friend knelt down beside her and touched the grass too.

"Hm, you're right. Either way, it still looks nice. It's a gorgeous building."

"Hehe, yup!" Yui giggled.

"Okay, thank you, Ritsu-senpai!"

Yui turned to look at her sister and the drummer.

"No probs, Ui! If you're having any more doubts, lemme know. It'll be alright," she called out.

"Bye Ricchan!" Yui shouted back. She turned to her sister and shot her a questioning look, but Ui had returned her attention to her phone.

I'm sure she'll tell me if something's up. Yui decided.

She straightened her back and looked upward. The spiral staircase wrapped around the top and they had just gotten onto the line. It was at least a twenty minute wait.

Her grip tightened on the railing and she brought her hand up to her chest. It wasn't like her to feel nervous, but there was an odd feeling in her gut mixed with that of the excitement.

Something that made her stomach churn…

She felt a warm pressure on her shoulder and turned her head to see Ui gesturing toward the next part of the staircase.

"Oh, oopsie!" Yui giggled as they moved up to the next set.

"You're sure you're alright, Yui?" Nodoka laughed.

Yui walked up the next set of stairs and grinned.

"Couldn't possibly be any better!"

~K-ON!~

Brown eyes flickered open again, the movement had stopped. She found herself meeting a group of worried eyes. It didn't last long, she felt herself being lifted and being put on something soft.

She closed her eyes again, but not before she heard the voices.

"It's not looking good… do you think Yui-chan'll be okay?"

"Goddamnit, Yui."

"Please be okay, Yui-senpai."

"Just hold on, Yui. We're almost there."

"Huh?"

Yui looked over at the voice.

"I said we're almost there. Are you feeling good? You've been more spaced out than usual."

Nodoka eyed her worriedly, Ui was fidgeting on the side.

They hadn't moved up a lot, but were three quarters of the way up. Nodoka looked down at her watch and frowned.

"Yui, are you positive you want to go through with this? I'm not sure it's worth the wait."

Yui clenched her fists tightly and brought them up to her chest. That nervous feeling in her stomach was building up. She'd made an unspoken vow to herself to go through with the ride whether she wanted to or not.

"Of course, Nodoka-chan! If I don't go on it, then I can't confess to Azunyan today!"

"Well, I don't think you should force yourself if you really don't want to, Onee-chan. I know you don't like rollercoasters, but-"

"That's why, Ui. That's why I have to do this! If I can get over this fear of rollercoasters, then I won't be afraid to tell Azunyan!"

Ui opened her mouth to retort, but the ringing of her phone caught her attention. She took it out of her pocket, a light blush dusting her cheeks.

The younger sister hastily put it away and cleared her throat. Yui smiled smugly.

"Ooooh, who was it, Ui?" she said as she hooked her arms around her shoulders.

"N-no one! It was no one," Ui stammered as she pushed away her wandering hands.

"Yui, leave Ui alone," Nodoka said.

Yui whined and let her sister go.

"Today is not working for me at all."

There was a loud chorus of laughter in front of them. Yui looked at the group of boys in front of them, they were jokingly shoving each other around.

"I'm tellin' you, Poppo. I've been waiting for this ride ever since I heard of it. I'm not leavin' just 'cause you wanna go to that concert," a dark skinned boy said.

The other boy, Poppo, rolled his eyes at him. "Shutup, bro."

Concert? Could it be our concert? Yui wondered.

She edged herself up a little closer and listened in.

"Man, it's not my fault you've got a crush on the drummer. If you really wanna get good seats then get off the line, you can go, but I'm staying."

"Damnit, Shemmy. Why you gotta be like that," Poppo grumbled and crossed his arms.

It has to be our concert!

"Excuse me, are you guys talking about the concert at five?" Yui asked them.

Shemmy, Poppo, and their companion looked over at them.

"Are you two twins?" Shemmy asked as she gestured between Yui and Ui.

"Hehe, no, we just look alike," Yui laughed. Her face took on a serious expression, the look caught the boys off guard.

"Listen, guys. I have to be on and off this ride in twenty minutes. I've got to be at that concert because I'm on a mission and the faster we go up, the better."

"Wha-?" The boys said simultaneously.

"You wouldn't wanna interrupt a mission of love, would you?!" Yui half-shouted as she reached toward Poppo.

The boy took a step back and blushed.

There was a gasp from behind her, Yui turned to look at her sister as she put her phone away. Beside her, Nodoka was pinching the bridge of her nose, but suppressing a laugh.

"Onee-chan, are you bothering these people?" Ui tugged at the edge of her dress and bowed politely. "I'm sorry if she butted into your conversation."

"No, it's fine," Poppo said kindly, he had recovered from the prior situation.

"Wehhh, but Uiii, Azunyaaaan!"

"Onee-chan, if you're really in a hurry, we can forego this and get off the line now," Ui stated firmly.

"You guys can take our spots if you want. I don't mind losing them if it's to some pretty girls," the boy's companion said.

"Ohmygod, Kakifurai you thirsty mofo," Shemmy said as he shoved the other boy. "I mean, it's alright with me, but consult us first, boy!"

"You guys are the best!" Yui cheered as she walked around and in front of them. She flashed Poppo a thumbs-up and grinned. "Don't worry, I'll get you Ricchan's autograph, too."

The boy's jaw dropped as Nodoka and Ui shuffled past them.

"Next in line!" The ride attendant called out.

"Wait, what?" Poppo shouted out after them.

"Don't worry, Popopo, Yui-chan's got you!" Yui yelled back at him as they cleared the top of the stairs and approached the slide section.

"He was a nice guy," she told the other two.

"Good grief, Yui. What will we do with you," Nodoka facepalmed.

K-ON!~

"Do you think she'll be okay?"

Mio looked over at Azusa, the worry in her garnet eyes made her feel more uneasy than she already felt.

Azusa had confirmed her feelings for Yui just recently, having something as crazy as this was definitely horrible.

"I'm not sure, Azusa. At this point only time will tell," she said in response.

Azusa stared down at her lap and fiddled with her skirt. Mio adjusted her long green jacket and used it to cover up her body. They'd arrived at the hospital fairly quick, mostly because they'd been pulled over, but with the Kotobuki name had instead managed to get a police escort.

Yui had been taken away on a stretcher the moment the doctors realized she had a fever resulting from the wounds on her arm. He'd merely shaken her head and sighed sadly when he had realized the cause.

Mio and Azusa were currently sitting in a waiting room near the treatment area. Ritsu had decided that it'd be better for her to let off steam by pacing around and Mugi deemed it best that she obtain updates as much as she could as well as get in touch with the Hirasawas.

"I can't believe we let it get to this," Azusa muttered and buried her face in her hands.

Mio felt a wave of sickness shoot through her.

The worst part was that she had known.

She'd known what was happening, but had been unable to act against it.

"We are all to blame, Azusa. Don't…don't take the burden upon yourself," Mio murmured quietly.

The bassist nervously tapped her fingers along her wrist, occasionally glancing at the young guitarist when she was sure she wasn't looking.

"You shouldn't blame yourself too much either, senpai," Azusa told her. She straightened up and instead chose to stare at the ground. "It was a poor choice on my end to blame you for what happened. Though I won't say that I condone it either."

Mio felt as if she'd been punched in the gut. She mustered a weak smile in order to hide her hurt.

"I am still very sorry about that," Mio said. She watched Azusa feet kick around as she thought of what to say next. "I hope that if it all turns out alright, we can finally work past it."

"When it turns out alright," Azusa murmured.

"Yes…when," Mio said.

The two of them remained in a comfortable silence until the door to their right burst open. Ritsu stomped in and walked in front of them.

"Any updates?" she asked, her voice remaining a neutral level, but her eyes showing her anxiousness.

"No, Mugi-senpai is still in there," Azusa told her in response.

Ritsu tersely nodded, she dug her hands into her hoodie pockets and looked over at Mio. The noirette shot her a questioning look before Ritsu held her hand out.

"Switch seats with me," Ritsu said.

"Why?" Mio asked, the drummer had been bouncing around nonstop, sitting down probably wouldn't help.

"Just do it," Ritsu commanded.

Mio rolled her eyes and stood up, the drummer immediately replaced her and then tugged her down on her lap.

Oh, so it was to seek comfort. Mio thought as Ritsu buried her head in her hair. It was a sign of comfort that she had a feeling made Azusa uncomfortable.

She averted her eyes and looked down the hall. How long had it been?

An hour?

Two?

Mio felt Ritsu's grip around her waist tighten as the faint sound of a phone buzzing caught her attention. Azusa was checking her screen, she was silent for a moment before she cursed under breath.

"Everything okay, Azusa?" Mio asked.

"…"

Azusa bit her lip. The girl seemed to contemplate telling them before she just held her phone out to them. Mio took it, Ritsu angled herself on her shoulder so she could read.

She read past a few worried text from Azusa's friend, Jun, trying not to chuckle at the content in such a situation.

[Jun 6:20 PM – How ya holdin' up, Nakano? Senpai too much for ya?]

[Jun 6:40 PM – I see, the silent treatment. So things must be going great. Awesome.]

[Jun 7: 20 PM – Err, I don't know if you're watching TV or if you can, but the news stations are blowing up. Everything alright?]

Mio's eyes narrowed as she looked at the next text, probably the one their kohai had meant to show them.

[Jun 7:21 PM – You probably can't see it, but they're freaking out. Is Yui-senpai okay? Don't know how the press found out she's hospitalized, but holy shit. Are you guys okay?]

"It seems that in a span of two hours or so, the media's found out that Yui-senpai's in the hospital," Azusa said.

Ritsu tightened her arms around Mio's waist ever so slightly as they both frowned.

"Well, that's just stupid. If they think they're getting anywhere near her room, they've got another thing coming," Ritsu growled.

Mio watched Azusa stand up and flatten her pink dress out.

"I'm going to find Mugi-senpai and let her know. Maybe she'll be able to help us deal with this."

"Alright, we'll be here," Mio told her.

"Mmm, you guys hungry? Maybe we'll get some food," Ritsu said.

Mio and Azusa just looked at her, the former having to turn her body a bit to do so.

"Seriously, Ritsu?"

"What, I'm hungry! I'm not me when I don't get food!" she grumbled.

"So I'll buy you a snickers," Mio said, lacing her voice with irritation.

"What, you know I don't like peanuts," Ritsu retorted.

"Aaand, I'll be back," Azusa said, Mio knowing that it would definitely be better for her to leave before the two started bickering.

At least one idiot in the group is alright… I just hope our second is going to be okay.

That sinking feeling returned to her gut again. Mio placed her hand against her heart, which had also started to ache a bit.

She closed her eyes and muttered to herself.

"We shouldn't have pushed her. That was our first mistake."

~K-ON!~

"Next set, please move to the front of the line and know to stand behind the yellow lines until the gates open. Thank you."

The dull voice of the ride attendant filtered through the speakers as the three neared the exit of the slide. Yui beamed as she looked at around.

They were pretty high up and could see most of the park from where they were.

"Look Ui, I can see the concert stage from here!" She said as she leaned over the railing.

"Alright, Onee-chan, but please don't lean over the railings too much," Ui said.

Yui felt Nodoka tug her back as she smiled sheepishly at both of them. Her sister's phone went off again, Yui returned her attention to the arena. In the distance, she could see tiny specs moving stuff around on stage.

She reached into her pockets and fished out her phone.

What time is it?! She thought in a panic.

She clicked the on button repeatedly, but faced a dark screen. Yui whined and reached out to Nodoka.

"Nodoka-chaaan, my phone's dead and I can't tell what time it is."

"I'm sorry, Yui, I left my phone with the others. I don't have pockets, so I thought it best to leave it behind."

Yui reached over for Ui's sleeve, her sister smiling knowingly before showing hers to her.

"Really, Onee-chan, I shouldn't be surprised that you forgot to charge it, yet here we are," Ui laughed. "It's four fifty…"

"You're a lifesaver, Ui!" Yui said happily. It wasn't until the comment registered that her heart dropped at the time.

They were ten minutes away from the time they'd told her to come back and they wouldn't get on for at least another two minutes.

"Can I borrow your phone, Ui? I wanna text Azunyan and let her know we might be running a bit late," she said.

"Alright, here.

Ui handed it over and Yui quickly rifled through the message screen until she found her name. On her way down the list, she saw a pending notification from Jun.

Yui pursed her lips, how should she word her message to her kitty? Knowing Azusa, she'd be upset either way.

But I'm not going to back out! I'm going to do it! She thought confidently.

[Ui 4:51 PM – Azunyaaaaaaan, it's me. Don't be mad but were gonna be a bit late sorry ; 3;]

As she was about to hit send, Yui heard the distant sounds of people screaming before she felt her sister cling to her arm.

"Ui?" she asked.

"Okay, Ui, enough is enough. Just tell her," Nodoka said.

Yui looked at her best friend and then at her sister.

"Tell me what?"

Nodoka placed her hand on Ui's back and met her eyes.

"When I arrived at the park, Ui told me that she didn't want to go on this ride. She's been feeling uneasy all day," she told her.

"Is this true, Ui?" Yui asked her.

Her younger sister stared down at the metal platform beneath them and nodded. The phone in Yui's hand vibrated, but she ignored it.

"If you want to turn back, we can do that now. I don't wanna force you to do something you don't want to. What kind of sister would that make me?" Yui told her.

Ui looked up at her, her eyes wide in shock.

"But what kind of sister would that make me if your plans were ruined because of me?" Ui reached out and took hold of her free hand. "I want to do this for you, Onee-chan and because I need courage too!"

Yui looked at their linked hands and then at her sister.

"Courage? For what?"

Ui's cheeks went a bright shade of red, her eyes flickered away from hers and toward the phone in her hand.

"I… I have someone I like too. I suspect that the feeling may be mutual, but I'm not sure how to go about. That's why I need to do this too! Even though it feels wrong," Ui told her.

Yui put a hand on her sister's shoulder and nodded knowingly.

"Don't worry, Ui. I'll support you no matter what! As your older sister, I'll make sure they like you back!"

"That's now how it works, Yu-" Nodoka started, but Yui cut her off.

"Nodoka-chan can help too! We just have to find out who it is!"

"Onee-chan, it's fine, you don't have to-"

The phone in her hand vibrated and Yui raised it up to read it.

[Jun 5:43 PM – Geez u guys are pushing it. Azusa's telling me that ur still not back LOL gg anyways u might b on the ride already sooooo have fun 3 ttyl ;)]

Yui shrieked.

"OHMYGOSH, UI!"

"ONEE-CHAN, PLEASE GIVE ME MY PHONE!"

"Guys... Please move up, it's our turn…"

K-ON!~

The doctors moved quickly and steadily.

At first there had been three, but now only one remained along with a couple of nurses.

Mugi frowned, something about the situation didn't seem right and she'd wished the other two had stayed. Currently, the heiress was pacing around in a room adjacent to the one Yui was in. There was a glass barrier between the two rooms, so she'd been pausing now and then to watch the medics at work.

Mugi had been so focused on the scene in front of her that she nearly jumped out of her skin when Azusa poked her.

"O-oh, Azusa-chan, what're you doing here?"

"Just checking up on you and Yui-senpai," she said and faced the glass window. "How's she doing?"

Mugi's eyebrows furrowed, she pulled out her phone and looked at the time.

"It certainly looks worse than it might be, but it was definitely infected. They're trying to find out how far and for how long because if the bacteria spread too much, if could be problematic," she said.

Azusa frowned, when she spoke again, it sounded as if her voice was forced through her throat.

"…Oh."

"I wouldn't worry too much, Azusa-chan. Yui-chan is strong and now that she's remembering, I'm sure she will pull through," she said.

"Wait, remembering? So she was actually…"

Mugi nodded, her blue eyes narrowed in her seriousness.

"Mugi-senpai would definitely make a good CEO someday," Azusa mumbled.

Mugi's eyes widened as she looked toward the younger girl. When she saw that Azusa wasn't looking at her anymore, she realized that the girl had probably her thoughts out loud, she quietly giggled to herself.

"I'm not sure how you did it, Azusa-chan, but she is in fact remembering. Though she's also currently a bit delusional, so I'm not sure how accurate it all is."

"She did call me, Azunyan," Azusa recalled.

Mugi's face eased up, a soft smile lit up her features as she did so.

"Indeed she did. It seems Yuiazu is not quite dead yet," she said.

"Yui..what?"

"Nothing, nothing," Mugi chimed as she raised her arm to pat her lightly on the head. "From what it seems, it looks like everything is going well in there. Now if only I could get in contact with her parents…"

From the corner of her eyes, Mugi saw Azusa look up at her. The blonde's face had taken on a penchant look that corresponded with her thoughts.

"Her parents are out of the country…aren't they?" Azusa asked.

Mugi bowed her head sadly as Azusa clenched her jaw and peered back through the window.

"Maybe with the media's coverage they'll know what's happening and come back then," she said.

"I do hope so, that was the plan at least," Mugi murmured.

Azusa's eyes widened, she looked at her, the girl's mouth forming a wide o.

"Wait, Mugi-senpai, did you..?"

"Yes, it was me who alerted the news stations as to what is happening. After calling them for the first hour and receiving nothing, I decided it was the best method of taking care of it."

"So what should we do?" Azusa asked.

Mugi placed her hand on the glass window and sighed.

"As of now?"

There's nothing we can do, but I can't really tell her that. Mugi thought.

A bitter smile crept onto her lips.

"We wait."

"When the ride starts, make sure to keep your arms, hands, and feet within the ride at all times. An attendant will come by to check your holsters soon. Please buckle your seats and lower the holster appropriately."

Yui bounced excitedly in her seat. She looked back over at Nodoka and Ui. They had both tugged the bar over their heads and attached it to their seats.

Her sister was sending her final text message when the attendant came by to check their straps. The man hovered over them and tugged at the seatbelts to make sure they were properly fastened.

"Alright, you three enjoy your ride," he said.

"We will!" Yui called out to him. She turned to look down at Ui and Nodoka, her sister still seemed a bit nervous, but Nodoka had an analytical expression on.

"You guys ready?"

"…I could wait a bit more, but we are," Ui meekly said.

"The faster we get it over with the better," Nodoka added.

"Alright! Let's do this!" Yui laughed and kicked her legs up in the air.

There was a loud hiss from behind them, the people in the cars in front and behind them began to cheer in excitement. Yui joined along leading the two girls beside her to chuckle.

There was a beep, then another announcement.

"Everything seems to be in order. Lean back, relax, and enjoy your time on the… Helter Skelter."

The ride started in a blink of an eye.

It was everything she'd been expecting. The first drop had been wonderful and the people behind her screamed with delight causing her to join in.

Now and then she'd catch a peek of her sister who looked as pale as a ghost.

Yui looked at her questioningly.

"Ui…?"

The cars began to shake as a metallic groan filled the area. Her sister turned to look at her and mouthed something she couldn't hear, behind her the screams of glee turned into those of horror in mere seconds.

~K-ON!~

"Pssst, guys, how's it going in there?"

Azusa and Mugi turned around.

Ritsu had popped her head into the doorway, Mio's followed not soon after.

"Sorry to bother you guys, but Ritsu's getting grumpy," she said, her voice was laced with irritation.

"You can order food at the cafeteria if you want, Ricchan. It should be on the first floor somewhe-"

Mugi stopped as an alarm rang out. The green light in front of them flashed red, her eyes flickered back toward the window. The doctor in there looked to be shouting at the nurse near him.

A glance at the monitor nearby showed a high frequency of waves, the number on the screen read "140 bpm".

"Mugi-senpai, what's happening?" Azusa asked.

"I-I, I don't know. I'm going to see if I can find out," Mugi said and ran out of the room.

Ritsu and Mio crowded around the window. The three of them watched as the doctor along with his team arranged themselves around equipment and the bed. They then began to move things and ran out of the room with it.

"What the frick is happening," Ritsu said. She gestured for the two to follow and bolted out. "Let's go!"

The three of them rushed out of the hospital room and behind Mugi.

"What do you mean!? PLEASE, TELL ME MORE!"

Azusa heard Mugi shout as she trailed after the medics.

"We can't release information unless it's to family members, we are sorry!"

One of the doctors seemed to shout as they rushed the stretcher into an elevator. The door closed in front of Mugi, the blonde stayed frozen in front of it.

When she turned around, her eyes were wide in horror.

"What happened, Mugi? What's going on?!" Ritsu asked, as she barely stopped herself from slamming into the wall.

Azusa and Mio slowed down beside her, each eyeing Mugi questioningly.

"It's…" Mugi paused, she reached up and pinched the bridge of her nose before her shoulders began to shake. "It's all my fault."

"…Mugi?" Mio asked softly.

The blonde wiped at her eyes which had started to leak tears.

Azusa felt every nerve in her body freeze up, she knew what the blonde would say before she said it.

"The wound was infected for a while… Yui-chan, she-" Mugi stifled a cry as a fresh wave of tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Mugi…" Mio said in a pained voice.

Ritsu stepped up beside her and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Y-Yui-chan, she…"

"Take your time, Mugi… j-just don't force yourself," Ritsu told her, her voice cracking as she too began to tear up.

"Mugi-senpai, is she.." Azusa finally spoke up.

Mugi looked up, though she was looking at her, her eyes had a faraway look to them.

"…T-the wound was infected for at least two months so… Yui-chan, she's…"

"Mugi, you don't have to-"Mio began, but the blonde forced herself to continue on.

"S-she's gone into septic shock."

Her senses slowly reset, one by one.

…

Pain.

The first thing she felt was pain.

...

It was so much that she couldn't localize it.

…Then the smell came.

She wrinkled her nose.

Smoke.

It smelled like the old man that smoked cigarettes at the corner store, except as if he had decided to light ten packs at the same time.

She hated that smell.

But that wasn't all.

There was also another metallic scent mingled with it.

Something she couldn't quite place.

She could taste it in her mouth. Whatever it was tasted too salty and she quickly spit it out.

Yui didn't realize she hadn't been able to hear until the ringing started to fade. All she heard were alarms blaring in the distance and the sound of a far off voice saying something.

Her head hurt so she didn't bother trying to make out what he was saying.

She just wanted to lay still.

Everything hurt and she wanted the pain to go away.

It wasn't until she heard the screams that her eyes flew open.

The adjustment from darkness to light caused her to shut her eyes just as quick.

Fire.

Wherever she was, there had been fire beneath.

That explained the smoke.

Yui slowly opened her eyes again, afraid that opening them too quickly would make her feel dizzy again.

The sight that greeted her was foreign.

Where had she been a few seconds ago?

Certainly not in the air…wherever she was.

She tilted her head to the right so she could look, but the pain in her neck prevented her from doing it, so instead she hissed in pain.

"O…Onee-c-chan?"

The voice to her left was quiet and she almost didn't hear it.

"U-Ui?" Yui asked back.

"O-oh, t-thank K-kami y-you're okay," Ui murmured.

Yui was confused as to why her voice was laced with so much pain.

"What happened, Ui? Where are we?"

"W-whatever y-you do, Onee-chan, d-don't look a-around," her sister said.

Why?

Was the unspoken question in her head that she wished she could ask, but refrained from doing so. Yui leaned back against the holster.

Her eyes taking in the sight in front of her.

Her legs were dangling and she definitely wasn't anywhere near the ground. In fact, she felt like she was strapped into whatever it was.

A quick examination of her surroundings lead her to realize that they were suspended on some sort of platform.

"A-are you okay, Onee-chan?"

"I-I think so," Yui answered back.

The guitarist closed her eyes and pushed herself to think back. How had they gotten here?

They'd been…at an amusement park and she was going to go on a ride.

She slowly opened her eyes again.

That's right, they were going to go on a ride.

What had happened?

Yui forced herself to angle her head upward, her voice caught in her throat at what she saw. She'd been able to block out the screaming and groans of pain in the distance for a bit, but when she saw the two cars that had been in front of them littered about the fenced area, she couldn't even scream.

Had they crashed?

Yui tried to lean her head back onto the car, but felt that her neck refused to work with her. She wanted to cry because it hurt so much, but the smoke was stinging her eyes already, so she wasn't able to.

"U-Ui, how are we going to get out of this?" Yui whimpered.

Her sister was quiet, the graveness of the situation made Yui's stomach turn.

"U-Ui…?"

After a moment of silence, she heard her sister cough, there was a splattering sound before she spoke.

"I-I…I'm sure that h-help is on its way, o-onee-chan,"Ui said.

Yui felt a warm pressure against her hand before she felt her sister's fingers wrap around it. She let out a shaky sigh, her left arm was pressed against her side, but she didn't move it in fear of hurting her sister.

"H-how are you holding up, Ui?"Yui asked. She continued staring at the ground, her glasses nearly slipping from her nose when remembered that it hadn't been just the two of them.

She tried to raise her head, but instead yelped in pain. Ui squeezed her hand in response.

"Don't m-make any sudden movements, onee-chan."

"U-Ui, what about Nodoka-chan? Is she okay?!" Yui asked, panic rapidly increasing in her voice.

"Y-yes, Onee-chan, Nodoka-chan s-seems to be asleep, s-so she may have fainted," Ui immediately told her.

Her sister's voice was so calm, that it settled Yui's nerves. The elder sibling grimaced, she wished she could be of more help, but now she couldn't even raise her head.

"D-do you think help's coming soon, Ui?" she asked her sister after another period of silence.

Ui was quiet, she coughed again, the noise sounding more watery than before.

"O-of course, d-didn't you hear the a-announcement? E-everyone was e-evacuated s-so help should b-be on its w-way," Ui told her.

Yui frowned. Her sister's voice sounded so weak, she sounded like she was in so much pain. Of course, Yui herself was in pain, but even she managed to muster strength to speak.

"Do you think the others are okay?" Yui asked.

"Even when w-we're struggling, you care about others," her sister laughed.

The sound was refreshing in the otherwise frenzied environment. That is until she started having a coughing fit.

"Y-Yui, onee-chan," Ui said, her voice so quiet that Yui barely heard it.

Yui? S-she never calls me that. Yui thought, the feeling of calm she had managed to gather began to dissipate as the gravity of the situation sank in.

Just because she wasn't fully incapacitated didn't mean her sister wasn't.

"W-what, U-Ui?"

"N-no matter what happens, I-I want you to be s-strong, o-okay?"

Yui contemplated her sister's words. Her gut told her to get out of the harness and figure out a way to help her sister. They weren't that far from the ground, she was sure she could do it.

"D-don't you start saying that, Ui," Yui told her, her voice was shaky and she was on the verge of tears. "D-don't you start saying goodbye. I'll g-get us out of this, I-I promise."

Her sister laughed again, it was weaker than before, but it made Yui feel like she could do anything.

"A-always the optimist, o-onee-chan."

"What the fucking hell do you mean you can't tell us anything?!"

"Ritsu, calm down!"

Ritsu shot a dirty glare at the doctor guarding the door before stomping away and toward Mio. The three girls had huddled around the waiting area near the ICU.

The doctors had panicked and brought the lead guitarist to the Intensive Care Unit upon diagnosing the septic shock. It'd been a mad scramble to try to find the new room and Ritsu had prayed and thanked every Kami she could name for having Mugi in her life.

The girl was on top of everything and had probably spared their kohai and the rest of them from having a panic attack.

Though the doctor's insistence on not telling them anything was starting to get on the shorter girl's nerves. She'd seen at least three reporters try to get into the building to interview them, but she'd chased them out.

At least Mio had granted her that luxury.

Ritsu looked over at her girlfriend. The raven-haired bassist remained silent as she stared up at a clock on the wall.

Ritsu knew that Mio blamed herself. They could have warned the Hirasawas sooner and they could have acted on the situation faster, so it wasn't just her fault. The drummer desperately wished she could tell Mio that, but the bassist would have none of it.

Leave it to Mio to torture herself with her masochistic tendencies.

Though I'm no better. Ritsu thought.

She strode over to Mio and placed a hand on her head. She ran her fingers through her hair, an action that helped calm her down because Mio's hair was just so smooth.

Ritsu wished she was near her drumset. She couldn't take this waiting around much longer. If those doctors told her one more time that they couldn't tell them anything because they weren't family, she'd probably be sending them to the hospital.

"We're more family than her parents seem to be," Ritsu grumbled.

"Well, you're not lying," Azusa remarked.

Ritsu looked over at the ponytailed girl and snickered. "Glad to see I'm rubbing off on ya' Nakano."

"High five!" Ritsu said and raised her hand.

When the rhythm guitarist left her hanging, she dropped her hand back onto Mio's head.

"So cold, Azunyan," Ritsu told her.

At the sound of her nickname, both Mio and Azusa glared at her.

"Geez, tough crowd," Ritsu said defensively and took a step away from them.

It's not like I'm not worrying about, Yui too.

Ritsu walked over to Mugi who had gone back to talking with the doctor.

"Sir, please, her parents are currently not in the country. I understand that it's protocol, but please," she begged him.

The man, who looked extremely uncomfortable with the current situation, tugged at his labcoat and stared down at the floor in shame.

"Listen, old man," Ritsu told him. He looked up, as she placed her hands on her hips. "If you can't at least tell us if she'll be alright, then you're just a horrible person. Yui's basically family whether we're related or not. Haven't you heard that family runs deeper than blood?!"

The doctor adjusted his glasses and peered his head into the room.

"I'll be back in just a moment," he told them.

Mugi looked at her gratefully, Ritsu tried to hide her blush at the sight. Sometimes, whether it was unintentional or not, she caught Mugi looking at her with such awe that it made her feel guilty for leading her on.

Mugi really is a good girl. Maybe in a different world it would have worked out, but…

She looked over Mio who was currently comforting a crying Azusa. The bassist glanced over at her, a sad look overtaking her features that made Ritsu's heart hurt.

Mio's always had my heart.

The drummer was about to make her way back over to her girlfriend when the door suddenly slammed behind her. Her eyes met Mugi's and the two ran over to press their ears against it.

From what they heard, those inside the room had begun shouting.

The door burst open once more and the doctor from before pushed them out of the way. Ritsu ran after him as he neared a box on the wall.

"Goddamnit, sir, what the bloody fuck is happening?!" she hissed at him as she blocked him from the box on the wall.

The man tried to shove her off, but Ritsu remained persistant.

"KID, MOVE!" He shouted at her, his tone was frantic and he was basically pleading, but Ritsu would not stand down.

"Not until you tell me, damnit!"

"If you don't move out of the way this very minute your friend will die and it will be your fault," he told her.

Ritsu's eyes widened in shock, the doctor wasted no time in pushing her to the side in opening the box.

As it closed she saw the letters AED. The doctor grabbed a small device from the box and ran into the room.

Ritsu's back slumped against the wall, she remained there until she allowed herself to slide down onto the floor. There were faint footsteps approaching her and she knew it was the others.

AED… AED… where had she heard that before?

"What was that, Ritsu? What did he take?" Mio asked.

Ritsu brought her hands up to her hoodie and tugged it up.

"Ritsu-senpai?" Azusa asked after she didn't reply.

"Guys, what's an AED?" she asked.

The three girls remained silent, there was soft clicks on a phone, which she presumed to be one of them looking it up.

"It means… Automated External Defibrillator," Mugi said, she dropped down in front of her and showed her a picture. "Is that what you saw?"

Ritsu snatched her phone and quickly typed into her phone for more information. The moment she saw what its uses were and its relation to septic shock, it slipped from her fingers.

"…Ritsu?"

The amber-eyed girl forced herself up and walked over to the closed room door. She threw it open and watched the doctors hurriedly work.

"Sending shock now, clear!"

The doctor who had shoved her out of the way met her eyes, just as quickly he averted them. Ritsu felt her stomach twist and she closed the door before the others could see.

"Ritsu-senpai, what's happening in there?! What did you see?" Azusa asked.

The younger girl tugged at her sleeve as Ritsu began to cry. She brought up her free arm and covered her eyes.

"Ricchan…septic shock, it…" Mugi started only to stop when she peered into Ritsu's eyes once she moved her arm.

"Cardiac arrest, Mugi. It leads to fucking cardiac arrest," Ritsu told her, her voice cracking as she let herself cry. "Yui's fucking dead."

Ritsu tugged her arm out of Azusa's grip and curled up into a tight ball. She felt Mio kneel down beside her and pull her into a hug.

"What did we do wrong?" She cried into Mio's shoulder.

Ritsu thought back to that fateful day.

Had she just listened to Ui, they could have been okay. This wouldn't be happening. She wouldn't have to feel so guilty.

…But she'd urged Yui on to follow through with her plan.

No, Mio, you weren't the only one to blame for this.

Ritsu was just as guilty.

It had grown mostly quiet.

At least, that's what Yui figured.

The ringing in her ear had returned, but that was only because something had collapsed behind them. The sound of metal crashing against the pavement along with the sound of something crunching, Yui had thrown up.

As time had passed, she had managed to loosen her holster a bit. Her sister had begun to weakly hum to distract them from their surroundings, but even after a while, she had also grown quiet.

Though Yui didn't want to admit it, her sister's grip had grown colder.

"A-alright, Ui, I'm gonna finally get this stupid thing off. Just one more try, okay?" She told her.

Her sister hummed her response, but Yui took it upon herself to follow through even if she hadn't said anything. She pressed against the harness and felt her heart race when it moved. The sensation quickly stopped when the car they were in groaned and slid back a bit.

"O-onee-chan?" Ui weakly asked.

"Don't worry, Ui, your big sister's got this," Yui told her.

The structure groaned again as Yui moved, whatever they had landed on didn't want to hold on anymore. Yui tightened her grip on Ui's hand.

"O-onee-chan?" Ui asked again, her voice a bit stronger this time.

"Y-yeah, Ui?" Yui responded, hoping that she had managed to hide the fear in her voice.

"I-I love you, o-okay? No matter what happens, just know that, alright?"

"W-wait, what? U-U-"

Yui didn't get to finish her statement, nor was she sure her sister had heard her. The car tilted backward, the motion allowing Yui to catch a glimpse of what had been holding them up. It was a column from the fallen tracks that had caught the car by piercing through it.

There was a low guttural sound to her left before she heard Ui take a deep breath.

"U-Ui…?" Yui asked her sister.

She pushed against the harness more stopping only when she realized she was still buckled in. Yui clicked it off and felt the harness rise up.

Her neck was pleading for her to stay still, but her instincts told her to check on her sister.

In the back of her head, she recalled what Ui had told her earlier.

"W-whatever y-you do, Onee-chan, d-don't look a-around."

Yui shook her head, her neck protesting the action, but allowing her to see how her sister was doing.

Her heart sank into her stomach just as quickly as she let go of the car.

Yui covered her mouth with her hands at the sight, the column had pierced right through the middle car. Right through-

The brunette angled herself back into the car and looked over at Nodoka.

She should have listened to her sister.

She should have listened –

Yui leaned over the side to throw up. When she was done she wiped her mouth, only stopping to cry out just as the structure shook again. This time the movement knocking her off of the ride. She wasn't far from the ground, but the way she was falling, she didn't care if she lived or died.

After all, it was her fault.

If she hadn't been such a coward, she would have been able to go on without this.

Her sister and Nodoka wouldn't be-

Azusa..

And even though she was to blame for this, she couldn't help but think of the rhythm guitarist.

The focus of her affections.

The bittersweet guitarist that she'd told to wait for her when she would probably never come back.

Before Yui hit the ground, she closed her eyes and murmured an apology.

"I'm so sorry, Azunyan… I'm so sorry."

~K-ON!~

"Dead…? C-Cardiac arrest?"

Azusa observed Ritsu who had been uncontrollably crying since she'd uttered it and then Mugi who had gone deathly still.

"M-Mugi-senpai, what exactly does that mean?" She asked her, her voice was more demanding than questioning, but she had to know.

She had just gotten Yui back, there was no way she…

"MUGI-SENPAI!" She shouted, the blonde flinched at her raised voice.

Azusa felt bad for yelling at her, but no one was answering her questions.

"Mugi-senpai, please," Azusa pleaded. She walked beside the blonde and reached down to shake her shoulders. "Mugi-senpai, please tell me she's not dead."

Azusa looked between the three girls. She could feel her chest tightening and eyes threatening to make her cry again.

"Cardiac arrest is denoted when oxygen flow to the heart is cut off and the heart stops," a foreign voice said.

The ponytailed girl whirled around and looked into the solemn face of Sawako.

"S-Sawako-sensei," Azusa said as the woman approached her and pulled her into a hug.

"I am not her parent, but I was able to obtain that much from the receptionist without scaring her to death," the advisor said.

She glanced at each one of them and though her 'hugs' were reserved for her perverted cosplay fantasies, Azusa was happy that their advisor had shown up.

"I do wish you had notified me of this little trip and I didn't have to find out from the news," Sawako said. "Yui-chan's been out of sorts for the longest time, the staff's been watching her for a while. Had we known that she was coming here…"

"It's all my fault, Sawa-chan," Mugi suddenly burst out.

Azusa peered over at Mugi, who was hunched over and on her knees as if she was getting ready to bow in apology.

"If I had done more research on the location, she wouldn't have- we wouldn't," Mugi sniffled and raised her hands to cover her face. The cries that followed were muffled, but enough for Sawako to let her go and kneel between her senpais to pull them into a tight hug.

"Would you like to join in too, Azusa-chan? From what the nurse said, it might be okay, and it's better to rest up than stay frantic and stress out all night. You know Yui-chan wouldn't want you to do that," she said.

Azusa made to move forward, but stopped when the room door opened up. The doctor from before marched out of the room with a few others, he paused in front of them as the rest walked away.

"I-If you'd like to see her, you can," he said solemnly, his eyes shifting nervously between the group of them. "S-she might not wake up as her pulse is still erratic, b-but you can at least see her."

"T-thank you," Azusa said and made her way to the room, only remembering to bow as she neared the doorway.

"Azusa-chan, wait, I don't know if that's a good idea," Sawako called out, but she ignored her.

If Yui was going to die, Azusa wanted to be there with her. She walked around the talking nurses and toward her senpai.

At a first glance, her senpai looked like she was asleep. Just like the night they'd shared her bed. Azusa reached into her coat pocket and pulled out the hairclips. She placed them on Yui's bedside table before surveying the room.

No one was paying attention to her, so she leaned down and quickly pressed her lips against her forehead.

"Please wake up, senpai… I can't lose you too. Not like this."

Azusa muttered as she pulled up a chair and took Yui's hand in her own.

"I love you and I'm sorry for not realizing it sooner. If I had been able to back then, I would have accepted it, but I will be here with you until you wake up, you hear?"

She pressed Yui's hand against her cheek as tears streamed down her face.

"I will be here with you. No matter how long it takes."

Azusa held her senpai's cool hand against her cheek and cried until she fell asleep.

She only woke up when she was escorted out of the room by shouting nurses.

The heartbeat on the monitor was missing.

A lone melody rang through the metallic expanse.

The sound echoing until it faded.

Yui raised her head, her eyes taking note of her surroundings. She was back in that room.

The one with the vine-ridden walls and grassy floor. She walked over to the blue couch in the center of the room.

It looked like it had been cleaned since the last time she'd been here and that had been moments ago, right?

Yui pushed herself to remember, but found that her aching head prevented her from doing so.

More instruments joined in with the melody, Yui turned around to find the source.

She was alone as far as she could tell. Nothing but her and the couch.

The room was warm as well, there was light filtering in from an unknown source that made her feel safe and sound.

A warm voice joined in with the melody of the song.

"..Now if its real or just a dream, one mystery remains. For it is said on moonless nights they may still haunt this place. [1]!"

Yui took a deep breath and took a seat on the couch. Her arms were wrapped in bandages and she was wearing the Victorian style dress once more. She gingerly raised her hand and found that her hair was braided.

Further inspection showed that she wasn't wearing her glasses.

"Are you looking for these?"

The music stopped.

Yui angled her head to face the speaker, it was then that she noticed the four girls looming near the vine ridden wall. Ritsu sat behind the drums and adjusted her beret while Mio fiddled with her bass. Mugi stood near her keyboard which sat next to an empty guitar stand and Gitah, she was holding something in her hands.

Each girl was staring at her expectantly.

Had they been there before?

Yui looked at Mugi dead in the eyes, the blue eyed girl's face was a blank mask.

"If you take these now there is no going back."

"Take what back?" Yui asked.

"Still don't recall, huh?" Ritsu chuckled, a half-smile on her lips. "You're on your way, you know? Push through and this reality you've created will fall apart."

"Reality? I'm confused," Yui said.

Mio stared down at her bass, a forlorn expression on her face.

"Maybe you don't have to worry about it, then."

Mio's grey eyes roamed upward, they glanced at each of the girls before finally landing on Yui.

"If you choose, you don't have to go back. You can stay with us," she said.

"But, Mio-chan-"Mugi started to speak, but halted herself when Mio held her hand up.

"Think about it, Mugi. You know what we know. It could get worse," she muttered.

"W-what're you guys talking about?" Yui asked.

Ritsu stood up from behind her drum set, tucked her drumsticks into her pocket, and marched up to her.

"Something gonna happen real soon," Ritsu began, she paused and looked at the others before resuming, "Should you choose to take your gift, you'll remember. Are you sure you want that?"

"Remember what?" Yui asked, she placed her hand on the arm rest of the couch and tightened her fist. A part of her didn't like where this conversation was heading.

"That's exactly the case, senpai."

Yui's heart caught in her throat at the sound of her kohai's voice. She peered over at Azusa who had walked up beside her. She had her Fender Mustang slung over her shoulder and was eyeing her curiously.

"A-Azusa-chan," Yui murmured, her voice was a low whisper, but she could feel the longing in her voice.

Something seemed to flash in the younger girl's eyes before she patiently smiled at her.

"Should we hold it back, there's no telling what could happen, Mio-senpai," she said and turned away from her.

"Yes, I know, but if we-"

"We have no right to interfere," Azusa snapped.

"I…suppose you're correct," Mio said dejectedly, her grip tightened on her bass as Ritsu walked over to place a hand on her shoulder.

"Is everything alright, Yui-chan?" Mugi asked. "You're awfully quiet."

Yui looked between the four of them. She wasn't sure how they weren't aware that they were talking over her and just ignoring her questions.

The feeling of being ignored and left out sent a sinking feeling through her gut.

In fact, something about this room seemed to make it feel less cozy the longer she was there.

"W-whatever it is that you're hiding from me. I know that I can take it," she said. Yui got up from the couch and strode over to Gitah.

"You guys aren't telling me something and while I don't know what it is… I know that I'm strong enough to handle it."

She picked up her instrument and placed the strap on the back of her neck before picking it up. The familiar weight was comforting in the rapidly darkening atmosphere of the room.

"Yui, just know that once you go through with it, there really is no going back," Ritsu said.

A pang shot through Yui's head as she watched Mio walk over to the drummer and take her hand.

"Once you're on the ride, there's no getting off," the bassist said, she let go of Ritsu's hand, her eyes full of worry.

"Don't worry, I'm sure she can do it," Ritsu told her.

Yui's eyes flickered away from the couple and back over to Mugi who was handing the box in her hands to Azusa and powering her keyboard on.

"When I get to the bottom I go back to the top of the slide, where I stop and I turn and I go for a ride," the blonde sang. She smiled cheerily at Azusa, and began to practice a set of scales on her keyboard. "Till I get to the bottom and I see you again[2]~ "

Azusa held the box in her hands, her eyes looked up at Yui questioningly.

"Tell me the answer," Azusa said.

She closed the gap between the two of them and reached out for her left arm. Yui raised it willingly, her eyes not leaving the younger girl.

"You may be a lover, but you ain't no dancer [2]," Azusa softly sang, her fingertips ghosted their way around Yui's forearm, the sensation raising shivers up her spine.

Yui winced, her arm had started to itch, when she glanced down at it, she found red stains marking the bandages. At the sight, her head began to pound, a dizziness overcoming her.

"Shitshitshitshit, Stay with us, Yui!"

"Senpai…?"

Yui tightly shut her eyes. She wanted to yank away from Azusa's grip, though it was warm and she'd enjoyed it, now it was starting to hurt the longer she held on.

"Yui-chan, please hold on!"

Make it stop. She thought to herself. I was fine a few seconds ago, why does it hurt so much?

"I'm so sorry, Yui… Please, be okay."

Her eyes flew open, Azusa had gently lowered her arm, but still had her eyes trained on her. The garnet eyed girl remained silent as she held the box out to her.

"It's better to remember what was lost than lose it forever," she said.

"Azusa-chan…"

The other guitarist pulled back, a small smile on her lips. "When you do remember, just know that you're an idiot, alright?"

Yui stared at her blankly.

"…Eh?"

"She's coming down fast…yes, she's coming down fast," Azusa said in a different language. One that Yui couldn't fully understand, but recognized it as…English?

"Azusa-" Yui started, but felt a wavy of dizziness stop her. She raised her hands up to her head, the box pressing against her temple.

"The sooner you open it, the sooner it'll stop the pain," Azusa said.

Yui slowly lowered her hands. Chocolate brown eyes peered into solemn garnet then flickered down to the rectangular box in her hands.

What could be inside that they were all afraid of her opening?

The brunette looked back at her fellow bandmates. They had all turned away from her, each facing their respective instrument, save for Azusa.

Yui took hold of the box's lid and slowly lifted it.

A pair of thick-rimmed spectacles lay inside it.

The glasses that Nodoka-chan gave me? That's it? She thought.

Yui took them out of the box and put them on. When she did so, she noticed that the lens were cracked, she took them off to examine them, but realized that they were perfectly fine.

When she put them on again, she remembered.

…

Nodoka was dead.

Not only that, but…

"Are you ready, Yui-chan?"

Yui dropped the box in her hands as a wave of tears swam in her eyes. Mugi looked downcast as she stretched her fingers.

"Mugi-chan, I-"

"Play one last song with us, Yui?" Mio asked.

"Mio-chan, but-"

The bassist smiled at her, Yui could see a wave of tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Let's do it good, alright, Private?" Ritsu grinned, she twirled her drumsticks in her hands as she plopped down in her seat.

"R-Ricchan," Yui said.

There was a vibration in her pocket, Yui reached in and took her phone out.

[Ui -:- Where are you, Onee-chan? Nodoka-chan wants to give something to you and the others.]

Yui frowned.

That couldn't be right.

Ui was…

Her eyes widened in realization.

Ui was-

There was a soft nudge in her ribs, Yui blinked and looked over at Azusa.

"A-Azunyan, she's-"

The girl who had been the object of her affections for so long sadly smiled and nodded.

"But it's okay, Yui-senpai. It's okay because you know you can overcome this. It's just the beginning."

"Azunyan," Yui cried out and lunged for the girl.

Azusa stood still as Yui wrapped her arms around her and buried her head in her hair. At least a minute had passed before she felt the younger girl wrap an arm and then the other around her.

"No matter what happens, I'm here with you, alright?" Azusa whispered.

Yui nodded, she rubbed her nose against Azusa's forehead, and smiled.

"Everything's gonna be fine because I know Azunyan cares about me," she weakly laughed.

"…S-senpai, is that liquid…your tears or –"

Yui tightened her grip on the younger girl.

"It's both, Azunyan."

The girl in her arms was silent for a second as the comment registered, then the struggle began.

"Yui-senpai, let go, that's gross!"

"But Azunyaaaan, I need a comfort hug," Yui wailed.

"Just this once," Azusa said, placing emphasis on each word.

Yui nodded against her head, she was pressed against Azusa's guitar, and knew that both of their instruments were pressed against each other, but being in Azusa's arms helped the pain.

"Are you ready, senpai?" Azusa asked again.

Yui took this as a signal to let go and took a step back. She adjusted her glasses and she took a shaky breath before nodding.

Azusa held out her hand, which she quickly took with her left. She could see the red stains on her arm, the pain in her head was resurfacing, and the surroundings were starting to fill with loud voices.

"Okay, well, once you leave the room… that's when it'll start," she said.

Yui swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat.

"What happens then?"

"…"

Azusa remained silent, she angled herself so she could look at the others and let go of her hand.

"I'm not sure, but you have to trust us."

Yui looked back at the group of girls and smiled bravely back at all of them.

"いい夢見てね [3], Yui-senpai," Azusa said.

Yui felt her stomach churn uncomfortably. It almost felt like the younger was saying goodbye. In fact, the whole situation felt as if they were saying farewell to her.

"...Make sure to wait me for, Azunyan," Yui told her, saying the words felt odd on her tongue, almost as if it was a sort of déjà vu.

Azusa blinked at her statement, almost seeming as surprised as she was. The younger girl nodded her head and smiled back, Yui couldn't help but notice the wetness in her eyes. "I will, senpai. I promise you that," she told her.

Yui held Gitah tightly in her arms and nodded fiercely. "I promise I'll see you all again, soon! When I come back we have a lot to talk about!" She yelled at them.

The group nodded, each taking their time to wave goodbye before going back to their instruments. Yui turned away from them and walked toward the hole in the wall. The light coming from it was bright and hurt to look at. Just as she went to look at them again, she heard a voice in her head. "If you look back now, you won't be able to leave."

Yui took a deep breath and walked into the hole in the wall.

The last thing she heard before exiting the room was the resonance of a single note followed by a melody of instruments and a voice singing along with them.

A broken melody finally complete.

"Our now flows by, riding on the wind

It can make it to any country, any world

We're overcome with joy from hearing our melody's first cry ."

A/N: I'm sorry I'm such a horrible person. It took me forever to write this and this was one of the first chapters I'd planned out from the beginning. I'd always wanted to describe the incident that Yui had forgotten, but had been to afraid to reach that moment. The story grew into something I hadn't expected it to so it obviously changed, but I'm satisfied with the ending. At least, for now I am, haha.

Also, I apologize for trolling with that letter up there, I just had to do it. LOL. My apologies if the chars are OOC...my writing style has changed a lot. It's clearly evident.

[1] Is from the chapter's name sake

[2] is from the Helter Skelter and throwback to Chapter 1

[3] Is from a song that helped me write this chapter called Ii yume mite ne

[4] Do I even have to source the last lines of the chapter? c; Hue hue that song makes me cry to this day

Anyways, I'm off to finish my homework. Being a writer as a science major is equally stressful haha. Especially when it's a hobby, but anyways, yeah.

You guys are great for getting this far.

Love you.

~ Mei out

Upd8: 3/16/16 [6:23 PM] As the rain falls outside my work building, I've come back to edit some little things. It's currently an open-ending and to be honest, the more I look at it, the more I could leave it like that. Singing! was definitely a ride and the closest i've ever come to finishing a project.

I am sincerely sorry for taking so long. I hope that those who stuck around enjoyed it.