Author's Note: So I tried to attempt having them all in again. Hope this time it works.

A soft padding of footsteps neared the staircase but stopped just before ascending it. She hesitated whether to go up and attend the club or move away and went home instead. Upstairs, she could hear a series of instrument being played but it sounded incomplete, empty. The usual octaves of bass lines were not heard at all throughout the lyric-less song. There's no surprise there because the missing bassist was the one standing before the staircase, looking up with a melancholy eyes.

Inside the music room, the band members were all in place except one. Ritsu seated behind her drum kit, Azusa and Yui on the guitar and Mugi responsible for the keyboard. They were missing a member; the supporter of the band, the one who tied up their melodies together. They were missing Akiyama Mio. Nevertheless, they played. They played non-stop without the vocal, without the bass lines. They continued on playing, hoping that she would get here and join them.

All was perfect. They had practiced diligently and they were already prepared. The club president was into her drumming more than ever and smashed her drum kits vigorously. When the ending was nearing, however, she rushed too much and the melody was distorted. It was as if black ink smeared across a delicate painting, causing it to be hideous. The others immediately stopped playing but Ritsu continued on, gripping her drumsticks even tighter.

"Ritsu-senpai, you have to stop this!"

And stop she did. The room was plunged into deafening silence. It was a suffocating silence and you might think for a split second that you are deaf but all was shattered by a soft sob. Unable to shoulder it all, the drummer burst into tears. Broken. Hurt. As if in instinct, the other members glanced at each other before engulfing Ritsu in a group hug. All she needs now was not a judging look but just friends that will be there picking up the pieces of what was left of her. There is nothing more she held dearly than what she already has at this moment.

Unbeknownst to them, the footsteps, although hesitant, went up the staircase and she was now standing outside the room, separated only by the wooden door. She felt extremely puzzled of the sudden silence but immediately concerned about her band members—one in particular named Tainaka Ritsu—who she heard was saying something in a cracked voice. She swung the door open to see that they were all gathered in a group hug on the floor and was getting very worried by now.

"What happened? Why's Ritsu crying? Don't just look confused, answer me!"

All of the HTT members were speechless with their mouth gaping open. Azusa had the 'unbelievable- this is a lie' expression on her face. Mugi and Yui didn't look as much surprised but still didn't answer Mio. Unsatisfied by their lack of response, Mio pushed them aside rather harshly but they had each other to cushion on so they didn't feel the pain.

Mio kneeled over to see Ritsu clearly and asked, "What's the matter Ritsu?"

As an answer, Ritsu just lift her left palm. With that, Mio paled and soon after fainted.