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Following the rhythm of her heart
When Ritsu was a kid, she learnt about a small but really important organ in the human body called heart. She learnt how even being something so small, it was strong enough to pump blood though the blood vessels to the entire body.
If Ritsu wasn’t fascinated enough by how amazing and cool was that something so small could be so strong, she definitely was after have heard for the first time the steady and strong rhythm of her own heart pumping blood through her veins. She fell completely in love with the sound of her own heartbeat.
And as she grew up, she learnt that her own heart could beat at different rhythms depending on different factors.
Like for example, how the faster she ran, the faster her heart would pound, even faster than usually due to the physical effort. She'd feel it resonating against her eardrums until she stopped to take a break and slowly help to make it go back to its steady rhythm.
She also learnt how if she was happy, she’d feel her heart about to leap out of her chest in joy, but on the contrary, she’d feel it heavy whenever she was sad.
When she was scared, she’d feel it beat really fast, but in a different kind of fast comparing it to when she ran. She’d also feel it clenching as if somebody was squeezing it in their bare hands.
And even though it was nasty how some things or emotions could made her feel, disrupting the rhythm of her heartbeat, Ritsu couldn’t help but love it and be even more fascinated than before because of it, almost unable to hold back the glee of wanting to discover new rhythms.
As she kept growing up, she kept learning more fascinating things about it and its functions, until one day, by accident, she found something that produced a sound that reminded her to her own heartbeat and its different rhythms.
She and her parents were walking around the shopping center, passing by a music shop when she heard a strong sound coming out of the shop, and Ritsu, being the curious and adventurous kid she was, decided to let her parents’ hands go to venture into the shop to find out what those sounds were. Once inside, she came face to face with a boy sitting beside a bright yellow drum set playing it rather enthusiastically.
In the exact moment she heard the sound of the drums being hit by a pair of sticks, she fell completely in love with its sound and knew she’d do whatever it was necessary to have it, even if that meant to beg her parents to buy it so she could finally play it and try to replicate the sound of her own heartbeat with it.
But no mattering how much she made a fuss, kicked, cried, pouted and begged for the drum set, her parents didn’t give in to buy it to her so she had to start working hard to earn enough money to buy it by herself.
After many months of taking the trash out, mowing the lawn, walking the neighbors’ dogs or even watching over her little brother, and with a little big help of her parents and some bargaining to the salesperson, she finally brought home her adored yellow drum set.
Right away, she started to learn the infinitude of sounds she could create with it, hitting the drums randomly with different strength while she imagined herself becoming a rock star.
It took her a couple of years to master several techniques, but she didn’t learn the most valuable lesson yet.
It wasn’t until she met a beautiful and shy little girl with long black hair that she learnt how the rhythm of her heart and the playing of her drums could change.
Even years later, she still remembers fondly the first time she met Mio.
It all happened one evening when Ritsu was going for a walk with her dad around the park when she saw her from afar.
Mio was sat on a bench reading and Ritsu got trapped by the way in which the sun contrasted against her long and beautiful black hair, creating such a perfect sight that she found hard not to think that little girl was an actual angel.
Ritsu stopped abruptly to take in her beauty, before she felt her dad pulling her hand, bringing her out of her trance.
- Come on sweetie, we should hurry up or mom will scold us for being late again – she heard her dad telling her playfully, winking at her and making her giggle, before they resumed their walk back home in a quicker pace, not wanting to be scolded.
Since the first moment she saw that little black haired girl, everything Ritsu could think about was her. Every time she thought about her, she felt how her heart seemed to leap out of joy because of it.
Ever since that moment, Ritsu tried to recreate that feeling with her drums every day, hitting the drums with her drumsticks repeatedly. Her previous steady rhythm, started to slowly speed up and gain more strength and liveliness, and Ritsu couldn't help but smile happily at it, having a real blast playing the drums the same way her parents smiled at how happy their little sunbeam looked.
The second time she saw the black haired girl was as a new school year began.
She entered her classroom excited to meet new kids and ready to make some friends when she saw her sat almost in the center of the classroom, looking small, almost frightened.
Ritsu’s little heart jumped contentedly, taking in her appearance, her black hair looking longer than she remembered from when she met her the first time.
Ritsu was fascinated by her once again, staring at her for a short period of time before she decided to approach the girl in question.
- Omg, your hair is so long and pretty!!
She almost shouted out, frightening the little long black haired girl in front of her even more than she already was.
Self-consciously of what Ritsu shouted at her, the girl touched her hair and lowered her head, hiding the embarrassing blush tinting her cheeks as she sank further into her chair.
Ritsu was about to ask the girl her name when their teacher came in.
- Okay kids, please take a seat.
Ritsu heard the teacher saying as she went to her own seat with a small smile on her face, knowing she’d be spending a lot of time from that moment on with the little girl as they were classmates.
When she arrived home, she poured that thrill into her drums and her playing, an energetic beat resonating against her bedroom’s walls. Her parents, far from scolding her, just cheered her up even more, more than happier to hear how their little hyperactive sunbeam focused all her energy into create such enjoyable rhythms.
Next day, Ritsu tried to talk again with the long haired girl after have observed how she used her left hand to write.
- Omg, you’re left-handed! That’s so cool! Look guys, she’s left-handed!!
She shouted out loudly to their classmates before taking a look at the black haired girl. The heartbreaking sight of seeing her sinking further into her chair, trembling, with a frightened expression on her face and tears pricking her eyes, was enough to make Ritsu’s little heart sink.
- Sorry – she apologized with her head down in shame, before she quickly went back to her own seat.
The following days, Ritsu didn’t bother to approach the girl, not wanting to scare her more than she already did afraid of making the girl hate her. During those days, the rhythm of her drums lacked of the energy to which she used to play them, but then, her playing timidly got back some of its vivacity as she decided to try to talk again with the little girl.
It wasn’t after a couple of weeks that the last accident happened that Ritsu decided it was a good moment to do it.
One morning, as she arrived to class, she noticed Mio reading a book attentively on her seat, making it perfect to strike for a conversation. Ritsu took a deep breath before she cautiously approached to her.
- Whatcha reading!? – she said a little bit loud, startling Mio who quickly hid behind her opened book.
Ritsu’s smile slowly fell as she realized the scared expression on Mio’s face, tears prickling out her beautiful grey eyes for the second time in such short period of time.
- Sorry.
She murmured, quickly heading to her seat, slumping on it as a terrible feeling of guilt took over her.
She didn't try to approach Mio after that anymore, ashamed, hurt at had been the one causing such distress to the black haired girl when the only thing she wanted was to be her friend.
That day, her parents wondered if something had happened at school to hear such sad rhythm being played, lacking of their little sunbeam's usual energy or happiness in it.
But then one evening, as Ritsu was going back home after running some errands, she found Mio on the swings of the park where she first saw her, looking thoughtfully, sadly to the horizon, making her little heart clench at her expression.
She fastened her pace to try and keep going, biting her lip and shutting her eyes tightly to ignore Mio and her sad expression, but the aching pang in her chest told her otherwise, obliging her to turn around and go back to the swings.
She took a deep breath before marching up to Mio with cheerful steps and the best smile she could muster on her face.
- Hey! – she greeted her loudly, seeing the other girl flinch visibly, but she didn't let that stop her – Whatcha doing here alone?
- N-Nothing – Mio murmured, looking down at her hands folded on her lap and Ritsu couldn't help but love the sound of her voice, truly hearing it for the first time.
- You okay?
Mio kept looking down, biting her lip before shaking her head, still not meeting Ritsu’s gaze.
- What’s wrong? – Ritsu asked her curiously, tilting her head to try to meet Mio’s gaze.
- My composition won a prefectural award-
- That's amazing!! – Ritsu suddenly interrupted Mio, making the latter blush – Ah haha, sorry, sorry, keep going.
- I-I I'm suppose to read it in front of all the students, b-but I don't want to.
Mio said, stuttering as tears welled up in her eyes. Ritsu couldn't help but look at her sadly.
- Eh? You don’t want to read your composition? Why?
- Because it's embarrassing.
Mio said shyly, leaving the swings to start walking back home together.
- It isn't embarrassing at all! It's totally awesome!
- I-It's not awesome at all.
- But you're the only person from our class who won an award. I'd brag about it to everyone.
Ritsu couldn't help but want to try and cheer up the black haired girl, feeling really proud of her for winning the award but she didn’t seem to do that but quite the opposite as she noticed Mio stopping.
- Then you should have won the award! I don't want to read it in front of everyone!
Ritsu heard Mio raising her voice and yell for the first time ever and couldn’t help but find it fascinating, feeling her heart racing up at how interesting and fun was witnessing Mio doing that.
- I-I'm sorry – Mio quickly apologized, to which Ritsu just grinned, seeing how quickly Mio switched, going back to being shy.
- Hey! Come to my house! Let's practice!
Ritsu almost yelled excitedly, taking Mio's hand in hers to start running towards her home, dragging a startled Mio with her.
As soon as they entered Ritsu’s home, they left their shoes scattered at the entrance to quickly go upstairs to brunette’s bedroom. Ritsu’s giggles filled the silence reigning in her house, bringing a small smile to Mio’s face that helped her to calm down.
Once they reached the brunette's bedroom, Ritsu obliged Mio to stand up on a box that she got out of her wardrobe. Mio stood tentatively on it while Ritsu went to sit on her bed with her legs crossed.
- Okay, now practice with me! – Ritsu yelled cheerfully and encouragingly.
Mio couldn’t help but tremble nervously, playing with the book in her hands while she looked down, hiding her eyes behind her bangs.
- I-I can’t – she murmured.
- Hah? I can’t hear youuuu – Ritsu pestered her.
- I-I can’t – Mio said a little bit louder this time.
- Why? – Ritsu asked innocently.
- I-I just…
Mio started to fidget while Ritsu smiled softly at her even though she wasn’t looking at her. Then she sighed, taking her headband off to put her hair into a high ponytail.
- There! All done! – she said, drawing Mio’s attention.
- What’s that? – Mio asked her confusedly.
- A pineapple. Dad told me to imagine people as potatoes when I'm nervous, but I can't act like a potato so... a pineapple! I'm a pineapple!
- You don't look like one at all!
Mio couldn't stop laughing, making Ritsu laugh with her at seeing her so happy, but after a while and as their laughs faded, Mio got nervous under the brunette’s gaze, causing her to chop her in the head slightly embarrassed.
From that day on, they started to see each other more often so Ritsu could help Mio to prepare the lecture day, and like that, they slowly started to develop a friendship.
And also since that day, Ritsu’s drumming got back her happy and energetic rhythm, matching the beats of her heart. Since that day, Mio also discovered a new and fascinating world, the world of music.
Ritsu couldn’t be happier to have dragged the black haired girl to such fascinating world, becoming obvious in her playing, in the exciting speed and energetic way in which she played her drums.
Ritsu’s happiness was so contagious that soon she got Mio to end buying a bass to play with her.
As they grew up, they perfected their playing together, matching perfectly the upbeat of Ritsu’s drums with the calm but deep strum of Mio’s bass.
Ritsu’s heart never ceased to beat quickly and energetically, just like her drumming, and all thanks to a certain long black haired girl.
But it wasn’t until they formed a band together as soon as they started high school that Ritsu understood certain things, like the jealousy of seeing Mio complimenting somebody that wasn't her or spending more time with them than with her. The pang of hurt of being the only one chopped in the head every time she got bothered or mad. The way she felt whenever Mio acted so cold towards her or how sad and alone she felt when Mio wasn’t with her.
Whenever that happened, Ritsu noticed how the rhythm of her drums slowed down, lacking of her usual energy and how her chest felt an incredible pressure in it, not letting her breath at the same time as it threatened to rip her heart apart.
Until one day it was too much for her to bear, leading to a fight with her best friend.
Devastated, Ritsu left her drumsticks abandoned over the surface of her drums and left the practice and school, not wanting to cry in front of her friends, in front of Mio.
- Sorry girls, I’m not feeling well.
She said as she was leaving, not bothering to take another look at Mio. Then, as soon as she was out of the school grounds, she started to run, tears running down her face trying to alleviate the ache of her heart.
She felt sick. She actually got sick.
She didn’t go to school in the following days, recovering at home from the cold she caught. She waited for her best friend, for her crush to come and visit her to know how she was doing, but she didn't, at least not until several days after. Then one day, she finally heard slow and timid steps going upstairs.
Mio.
She thought, smiling to herself.
- Mio?
- How did you know it was me?
- I could tell by your footsteps.
Mio sighed, fighting the soft smile that threatened to appear on her face.
- Feeling any better?
- I still have a little fever.
Ritsu told her as she watched Mio entering her bedroom, placing her school bag on the floor to go and sit by her bed, resting her head against her slumped form under the blankets.
- Get better, everybody is waiting for you.
Ritsu smiled at it although she couldn’t help but feel a bit hesitant.
- Aren’t they mad at me?
- No, they aren't.
- And you?
- I'm not, of course I'm not...
Ritsu heard how Mio's voice got softer, feeling her heart jump at the caring tone she was using.
- But.... I miss your drumming. Even if you rush a little, I like your energetic and powerful drumming.
Mio was being so soft, that part of Ritsu was moved, yet she couldn't help but laugh at how soft Mio could be.
She noticed Mio blushing and smiled softly under the blankets, closing her eyes briefly before falling asleep, feeling content and in calm knowing her best friend came to be with her, to take care of her. Knowing everything was going to be okay again.
Ritsu stayed in bed for a couple of days more to recover completely, days in which she took the opportunity to think about everything that happened and the way Mio always made her feel. To think how the rhythm of her drums and heart was affected by the black haired girl.
After thinking thoroughly about everything, she took a decision she hoped she wouldn’t regret about.
- Hey Mio – Ritsu said, approaching the black haired girl after ending practice one afternoon.
The other girl simply arched an eyebrow at her, suspicious, waiting for one of her pranks.
- Geez, calm down, would ya Mio? I just wanted to know if you wanted to come to mine today – Ritsu said, scratching the back of her head nervously.
- Sure – Mio answered with a soft smile on her face.
- Oh, by the way Mio – Mio turned around to look back at her, her school bag already in her hand – there’s a spider on your shoulder.
After saying that, a terrified scream was heard in the practice room, followed by a whine as Mio chopped Ritsu in the head and then another whine as she hit her with her school bag.
- Ritsu, idiot!
Ritsu laughed wholeheartedly before they leave school together, walking back home silently, way too silently.
- Are you okay, Ritsu? Did I hit you too hard? – Mio asked her friend concerned, making Ritsu smile softly.
- Eh? Oh, nah don't worry Mio, I'm okay – Ritsu said, walking with her hands behind her head.
- You’re too quiet.
- Oh, I’m just thinking about the new song, trying to go over its beating mentally, ya know? – Ritsu tried to say calmly, playing cool, and although Mio didn’t believe her, she nodded and brushed off the strange behavior of her best friend.
The rest of their walk was kept in silence, each of them sunk in their own thoughts.
It wasn't until they reached Ritsu’s home when the brunette grew even more nervous, feeling her heart racing.
She was so nervous that she opened the front door after the third attempt, to then go upstairs directly to her bedroom. It was in that moment, after seeing her even more strange behavior, that Mio started to grow more concerned about her best friend, quickly making her way to the brunette’s bedroom to find her with her back turned to her, breathing deeply.
I can do this.
Ritsu told herself encouragingly.
- Ritsu, are you ok-
- Ne Mio, what… what if I told you that I like somebody? – Ritsu told her best friend hesitantly, turning around to look at a surprised Mio.
- Oh – Mio blurted out, processing what Ritsu just told her – T-That’s good.
Even though Mio tried to put the best smile she could muster, Ritsu could still notice her friend's discomfort, stepping closer to her while scratching her head.
- I… hehe, this is going to sound really cheesy, but she makes my heart beat really fast, ya know? – Ritsu told her, looking down embarrassedly while Mio stood petrified on her spot.
- Does… does she likes you back? – Mio finally said, trying to sound okay but a hint of sorrow could be heard in her voice.
- I don’t know – Ritsu murmured.
They stood facing one another in an awkward silence for some time, before Ritsu dared to take Mio’s hand to place it over her heart.
- C-Can you feel it? – she said embarrassedly.
- Y-Yes – Mio whispered back at her.
- I… it beats like this because of you.
Mio gasped audibly, not knowing what to say.
- Ah, forget it. T-that was weird hehe I’m sor-
Ritsu's nervous apology was soon silenced by Mio’s lips on hers, making the beating of her heart quicken even more than it already was. She smiled briefly into it before kissing Mio back sweetly, hugging her tightly against her body.
Ritsu couldn’t be happier to have followed the rhythm of her heart after all…