Just Look into It

48. Something Better

Ryo was exhausted. She was tired and pissed, and there was no way in hell she was going to deal with this properly. In a way she almost blamed herself- it was her own fault for expecting things to go the way she expected them to be. All in all, she was surprised that this hadn't happened sooner. Of course, it only took a few seconds for the self-reflection to vanish and be replaced with nothing but pure, undiluted frustration. She would have to work on keeping her emotions under control. 

"Come, my darlings, try on the uniform for us."

"You'll look so lovely!"

"Go on!"

"It's much more comfortable!"

Haruhi sighed and took the Lobelia uniform into a changing room. Benio held one out to Ryo, who was leaning against the wall with a glare. She yawned, refusing to look at the other girls. 

"My dearest Ryouka, I would love to see you try on our uniform," she chirped.

"What an annoying fly," Ryo muttered, pulling her hair up into a ponytail, much to the Zuka club's dismay. "Hopefully it dies."

"Look at me, please?"

"Haruhi, you almost done?" she called out, blatantly ignoring the girls.

"Come now, Hisakawa. You don't have to be so cold."

"I'm sorry- you kidnapped me from my home. I've pulled two all-nighters. I was going to sleep," she growled, pushing Chizuru away. Yeah, she thought to herself, keeping calm wasn't going to happen.

Benio pulled her against her chest. "Close your eyes then and rest on me, my love."

"I'd rather die. Amakusa, let go of me or I will stab you with my glasses." To her shock, Chizuru actually pulled them from her face and tucked them away.

"We can't have that, now can we," she mused.

Ryo glared and shoved Benio off. "You can't actually think I'd manage to do something so ridiculous, do you? Seriously? It physically hurts to try and process... you all." She cursed a bit in her head at how stupid she sounded stumbling over her words. 

"I see your heart has closed again. Fear not, I shall break down your walls once more!" Benio swore. 

She wanted to break something.

Dragged into a giant practice room, she tucked herself into a corner and tried to close her eyes. If she was going to be here, she was going to try and get some rest. Unfortunately, a round of cheers and applause filled the air as she felt herself get dragged back to her feet and pushed to the middle of the room. 

Haruhi gave her an apologetic look. 

"So our dear Haruhi agreed to play the maidan in tonight's production," Benio cheered. "Now, my dear Ryouka, we just need you to sing the songs for us!"

"No," she immediately denied. 

"Why not?"

"What part of, "I haven't slept in two days and don't want to be here", do you not understand?" she retorted, rubbing her eyes. The trio actually stopped to think. "I'm not doing it."

"Just try for the rehearsal. If it works, we'll set up a spot for you backstage to sleep in between songs," Benio bargained. "If not, we'll use a recording."

Ryo rolled her eyes. "Why not have the original girl sing offstage?" 

"You're marvelous!" Chizuru shrieked, pulling her into a hug. "We hadn't considered that! Please, sing for the rehearsal until she arrives?"

"No," she hissed, shoving the girls away. "Stop touching me."

Benio pulled her into a dip. "I can't bear the thought of leaving you alone, but if that is what I must do for right now, it will be done, my love."

"About time," she groaned, losing the energy to fight any further. 

Ryo curled up against the wall and the speaker she stared at her cousin's robotic movements, and Benio's overdramatic acting. It was far too loud to fall asleep, though she came close quite a few times. The death scene of the lover took far too long, leaving her to sigh. 

"Sir Fredrick!"

She winced at the blank tone. "Why is he taking so long to die?"

"Ryouka!" 

She glared at the girl who called her out but decided to be kind enough to keep quiet until the song started. She was handed some sheet music to follow along, though it seemed pointless to read the piece without her glasses.

"What the hell are these lyrics?" she blurted, squinting at some of the lines. "It doesn't even make sense. Can I please have my glasses?"

The brunette hardly paid attention as the rehearsal went on, nearly falling asleep more than once, the lyrics still no better once she could properly read them. As soon as the rehearsal was over, she tucked herself away in a corner again, looking to see if she had tucked her phone into her bag before they had taken her from her home. Luckily, Yuu had still been asleep and she had seen Benio leave a note. He had probably told someone by now. 

While she didn't have her phone, she had her laptop, which was good enough. 

Ryo asked for a bathroom while the girls got busy doing hair and makeup, and found herself in an empty hallway. She smirked, recalling the layout of the building. With ease she darted through the halls and into the auditorium, finding the catwalk. There was dust all over it, something she found amusing since they seemed to care so strongly about their productions. She set up her computer before making her way back down. 

While she wanted to stay hidden from them, she knew very well that they would notice her missing and search. She would sneak away closer to the production time when they didn't have much of a choice. 

She yawned, glaring at anyone who got close. Luckily, most of the other girls seemed to recognize that she didn't want to be bothered. It was a nice reprieve until she caught sight of Benio approaching from the corner of her eye. Instantly, she tensed up and tried to leave but failed. 

"Ryouka! There you are!" Benio laughed, pulling her into a lover's embrace. "Come, celebrate this great triumph we are to have!"

"What triumph?" she blandly replied, forcing a yawn back.

"Our show will be absolutely marvelous between Haruhi as our beloved maidan, and your support-"

She yawned. "I do not support you."

Benio smirked. "But of course you do, we all saw how attentive you were to the sheet music."

"Because a six-year-old could have composed something better."

"Nonsense, now-"

"I hate you."

"Doesn't it hurt your heart to tell such lies?" Benio fixed her with a smug look as if she knew something that Ryo didn't. 

She stared at the other girl over the rims of her glasses and replied without missing a beat. "Absolutely not."