Summary: Sorrow can be a path to new beginnings...

Genre(s): Romance/Angst/Drama

Character(s): Ui H., Azusa N., Sawako Y.

Pairing(s): Ui x Azusa; implied Yui x Azusa

Story Type: One-shot

Disclaimer: I do not own K-ON!

Author's Notes: This story is set after the girls graduate.

* No, You Don't *

A thick cloud cover prevented the sun from shining down through the Sakuragaoka High School Light Music Clubroom's windows, leaving the room's sole occupant in a light shroud of darkness. Azusa Nakano sighed as she sipped from her pink teacup.

'This isn't as good as Mugi-senpai's...' she thought as she blanched at the bitter taste.

It had only been a couple weeks since the original four Light Music girls had graduated and left their junior alone in the club, yet everyday she carried out the same routine that the old club had always done. Azusa stared down at her reflection in the tea that she had made herself.

'I wish Mugi-senpai was still here...' she thought as she took another sip and stared back into her reflection. Azusa bit into a cookie that she had made and brought herself, shuddering as she chewed. It was not as good as she was used to.

'Yui-senpai wouldn't like these very much,' she thought as she looked back down into her teacup. A ripple distorted her image in the liquid. After a moment, another ripple broke the surface of the tea and Azusa raised her hand to her cheek.

'Am I...crying?' she thought as she felt the dampness on her face. 'No, no, I just need to get my mind off this, I should practice,' she resolved as she stood up from the table.

She walked over to her guitar, which was propped up against the wall, and threw the strap over her shoulder. Then she pulled a crumpled sheet of music out of her guitar case and smoothed it out. She set the sheet out on the stand set up near the room's chalkboard and looked it over.

'Mio-senpai wrote this...' she thought somberly as she skimmed down the page. Azusa sighed and began playing, though even her music sounded off.

'Ritsu-senpai would've wanted to stop practicing by now,' she thought as she slowed in her playing then decided to take a break after going through the song once. Any further thoughts were cut off as the school bell rang, signifying the end of lunch period. She zipped her guitar back up, grabbed her school bag, and then hurried out of the clubroom.

* K-ON! *

Ui Hirasawa sat at her desk as the school bell rang, taking her time in changing to the next class. Jun came up to her as the other students trickled out through the door.

"Ui-chan, what's been up with Azusa-chan?" Jun asked as she motioned her hand towards the girl in question, who was slumped in her desk near the back of the room. Ui looked over at Azusa, a look of sorrow and pity slowly coming over her features.

"She's been that way ever since Onee-chan left for college," Ui replied sadly as Azusa got up from her desk and slowly made her way out of the room. "...Azusa-chan and Onee-chan were very close," Ui continued as Jun followed Azusa's movements with her gaze. Memories of the few times Ui had glimpsed Azusa and Yui together flashed through her mind and her frown creased her face further.

The final school bell rang, signifying the end of the school day and the students excitedly rushed out of the classroom. When Ui glanced over to Azusa's desk she found it empty.

"I should go see her," Ui said to herself as she got up from her desk and made her way to the third-floor staircase.

"Oh, hello, Ui-chan," Sawako greeted as she ran into Ui at the base of stairs.

"Hello, Sawako-sensei," Ui replied respectfully.

"Going to see Azusa-chan too?" Sawako asked as the two headed up the staircase together.

Ui nodded her head in response. "I've been worried about her," Ui replied with a tinge of sadness. Sawako nodded her head in agreement.

"The school board wants to disband the Light Music Club, now that there's only one member..." Sawako said sadly.

As the pair neared the top of the stairs, the sound of music floated out of the room.

"Is that Azusa-chan?" Ui asked curiously.

"It can't be..." Sawako said in disbelief as she cracked the door open.

The two girls peered inside and saw Azusa, standing alone, playing her guitar. However, her timing was off and her fretting was sluggish and uneven, causing her music to sound off-key. Azusa finished her rendition of 'Fuwa Fuwa Time' and slumped her shoulders, sighing sadly.

"...I can't tell her, I just can't," Sawako choked out with tears in the corners of her eyes as she broke away from the scene and rushed back down the stairs. Ui decided to push forward and see Azusa anyway; she was worried about her after all.

"Azusa-chan?" she called out as she opened the door and stood in the doorway. Azusa startled and turned sharply.

'Yui-senpai?' she thought frantically, her face brightening as she thought she saw Yui in the doorway.

"Azusa-chan, are you alright?" Ui asked worriedly as she entered the room. Azusa's face fell as she realized who it really was.

"Oh, hello, Ui-chan," Azusa replied, dejection filling her voice. An uncomfortable silence fell over the two girls as they simply stood there, looking around at anything besides each other.

"Um...Azusa-chan...would you like some tea?" Ui asked tentatively. Azusa's attention snapped back to Ui instantly, memories of Tsumugi flashing through her mind.

"Sure," she replied with a tiny smile. Ui clapped her hands together happily.

"Mugi-senpai left all of her tea sets in the storage closet when she..." Azusa's voice gradually became quieter until she trailed off completely.

"O-oh! I'll go get one," Ui said quickly in an attempt to preserve the tiny amount of progress she had made in cheering Azusa up.

Ui quickly went to the storage room and pulled out a dusty tea set then put the kettle on. Azusa sat down at the clubroom table and sighed. The whistle of steam alerted Ui to the finished tea and she prepared then poured up a cup for herself and Azusa.

"I hope you like it," Ui said timidly as she placed the cup in front of Azusa. The black haired girl picked the cup up and took a sip. Her eyes brightened a little as she lowered the cup.

"It's good..." she said more to herself than Ui. Ui smiled happily and took a sip from her own cup.

"I've been worried about you, Azusa-chan," Ui said to break the uncomfortable silence that had fallen over them again. "You haven't been yourself since Onee-chan graduated," she continued. Azusa almost physically flinched at the mention of Yui.

"I'm alright…" Azusa replied unconvincingly as she took another sip. "It's nice to have you here though," she continued, sounding more sincere than her previous statement, which elicited a smile from Ui.

"Really?" she asked happily. Azusa simply nodded her head.

'It's almost like having Yui-senpai around again...' Azusa thought as she stared at Ui intently.

"Maybe...I can start coming here everyday then? And bring sweets!" Ui suggested excitedly. Azusa smiled a little wider at the idea.

"I'd like that," she replied. Ui looked overjoyed, even her eyes seemed to smile as she took another sip from her cup then noticed that the sun was close to setting.

"We should head home, Azusa-chan, it's late," Ui said as she stood from her chair and grabbed her bag.

Azusa nodded and followed Ui out of the clubroom and out of the school. They headed home together for as long as they could, talking lightly amongst themselves, before they had to part and go their separate ways. Azusa smiled to herself as she headed to her house. She could already feel her dark aura vanishing as she thought of spending the next day with Ui in the clubroom.

* K-ON! *

The next school day came quickly. It was a dark, cloudy day, as it had been the day before, but a few golden sunrays managed to tear through the bleak cloud cover. Azusa and Ui met up in the Light Music Clubroom again during their lunch period.

"You look a lot happier today, Azusa-chan!" Ui commented excitedly as Azusa smiled widely when she spotted Ui.

"It's nice to drink tea and eat sweets again with someone," Azusa replied as Ui put a kettle of tea on.

Azusa intently watched Ui prepare the tea, memories of the old days of the Light Music Club flashing through her mind. She could picture all the other girls around her, almost like ghosts, going about their daily activities as they always had. Azusa closed her eyes and for a moment saw Yui's bright smile gleaming at her, just like it always had been.

'Yui-senpai...'

"Azusa-chan? The tea's ready."

Ui's voice broke Azusa out of her reverie and she looked around, almost expecting her memory phantoms to still be there.

"T-thanks," Azusa replied quietly as Ui set a cup down in front of her. Ui noticed that a depressed demeanor had taken its hold back over Azusa and quickly broke out her secret weapon.

"I brought cupcakes..." Ui said timidly as she opened her school bag and pulled out a box of chocolate cupcakes. Azusa brightened up again as the memory of the girls faded from her mind.

"Thanks, Ui-chan," Azusa said as she smiled brightly and grabbed a cupcake, taking a tentative bite.

'It's good…' she thought with a smile.

The girls conversed lightly throughout the rest of the lunch period, their joyful laughter echoing throughout the room as they enjoyed each other's company. Azusa began to feel a sense of peace and joy returning to her, almost as if the girls had not graduated at all. When she got Ui to open up, she found that she could be just as silly as Yui had been.

The end-of-school bell rang throughout the school, signaling to the students to pack up their things and return home. Azusa quickly packed her things and made her way over to Ui's desk, where the girl was still neatly packing her things away.

"Ready to go, Ui-chan?" Azusa asked with a large smile. Ui smiled up at her in return.

"Mmhmm," she replied simply as she stood up from her desk.

The girls talked excitedly as they exited the school and walked their usual route home together. Azusa suddenly fell silent mid-way through their walk as another case of déjà vu struck her and she saw the memory ghosts of the other girls running out in front of her, waving back at her, beckoning her to catch up. She stretched her arm out towards the ghost of Yui as the hyper girl frantically waved out to her as she ran down the sidewalk.

'No..! Don't leave me, Yui-senpai..!'

"What's wrong?" Ui asked as she looked at Azusa worriedly. Azusa snapped back to reality and let her arm fall back to her side as the spectral images turned to smoke and vanished.

"N-nothing…" Azusa replied softly as she lowered her head somberly. The girls continued their walk home in silence until they came to the corner that connected the separate streets they usually took.

"Azusa-chan..." Ui said to break the silence.

"Mmm?" Azusa replied.

"D-...do you want to come over to my house tonight?" Ui asked as she blushed, though she was not sure why, Azusa was her friend after all. Azusa was suddenly at a loss for words as she blushed too.

"S-sure," she finally managed to say. Both girls smiled and headed down the street towards Ui's house together.

"Is there anything that you'd like to eat?" Ui asked, slipping her shoes off as the two girls entered her house. Azusa blushed at the offer.

"I don't want to impose…" she replied softly as she followed Ui inside, slipping her shoes off as well.

"It's not a bother, really," Ui assured with a smile.

"Well…do you have any miso soup?" Azusa asked as she followed Ui into the living room.

"I can go make some!" Ui replied happily as she headed off into the kitchen. Azusa sat down at the table and stared at the wall as her mind drifted.

"Dinner's ready!" Ui called out as she quickly came back into the living room, a soup bowl in each hand. "Eat up," she said cheerily as she set a bowl down in front of Azusa then sat down opposite her.

"Thanks," Azusa replied as she spooned up some of the soup.

"It's so nice to have someone to eat with. It's just been me ever since Onee-chan left..." Ui said, her joyful expression falling as she looked down into her bowl. Azusa did not respond, instead taking another sip of her soup.

"...But now you're here!" Ui continued as the pep returned to her voice. Azusa's breath hitched and she blushed as Ui smiled at her.

"Yeah..." Azusa said more to herself as she took another sip.

* K-ON! *

Azusa woke up the next morning and sat up in her bed. She peered out of her window and smiled as the shining morning sun washed her face in golden light.

'Today is going to be a good day,' she thought happily as she hopped out of bed.

"Ui-chan, can I talk to you for a moment?" Sawako asked as the lunch period bell rang throughout the school.

"Yes, Sawako-sensei?" Ui replied respectfully as she followed Sawako up to the front of the class.

"I'll see you in the clubroom, Ui-chan!" Azusa called out with a wave as she ran out of the classroom. Ui waved back to her then turned back to Sawako.

"The school board is really getting on my back about the Light Music Club," Sawako said, her voice filled with a combination of anxiety and annoyance.

"I see..." Ui said sadly as her face fell.

"I've seen how close you two have become over the past couple of days, can you tell her? I just can't," Sawako pleaded.

"I'll tell her," Ui agreed as she bowed respectfully then left the classroom.

As Ui climbed the third floor staircase, the sound of music floated out of the clubroom and met her ears. She tentatively poked her head inside the room and saw Azusa just finishing up a song, a smile broadly plastered on her face.

"Azusa-chan?" Ui called out curiously as she entered the room.

"Oh! Ui-chan!" Azusa replied joyfully as she turned to face Ui.

"Let's practice," Azusa suggested. "You can play the piano, Mugi-senpai left one behind in the storage closet," she continued to answer the questioning look on Ui's face.

"Alright," Ui replied with a small smile as she went over to the closet and pulled out one of Tsumugi's old electric keyboards. Azusa helped her to set up the keyboard, and once Ui was set up, Azusa took her position at her own music stand.

"Alright!" Azusa cried out, far more cheerily than she would have only a couple days prior, and led Ui into the song.

The song was lively and both girls were smiling happily as they seemed to feed off each other's excitement throughout the song. When they finished the song, Azusa set her guitar down and stretched her arms out, then went over to the clubroom table. Ui took the cue and set a kettle on. She set out a cup for herself and Azusa and sat down as she waited for the tea to brew.

"Um...Azusa-chan-" Ui began but was cut off.

"Ui-chan, I've been thinking..." Azusa began as she absent-mindedly cut Ui off, a blush slowly creeping into her cheeks. "It's nice having you around...do you want to join the Light Music Club?" she finished tentatively and waited for Ui's reply.

"I-I'd love to!" Ui replied excitedly which caused Azusa to smile widely.

"Really? I'm glad..." Azusa said, an absently joyful smile growing spreading across her features as she stared down into her teacup.

'Now I'll always have you around...' she thought as she looked up at Ui's elated face.

* K-ON! *

Over the next few weeks, Ui and Azusa continued to enjoy their club activities together. Ui met with Sawako again and managed to convince her to let the club stay intact with only two members but just half the budget. Azusa gradually began to settle back into the old feel of the club, she laughed and practiced with Ui just the way she had with Yui and the other members of the old club. She slowly began to feel herself becoming attached to Ui, and the memories of the Light Music girls were gradually being replaced with the new ones with Ui.

It was a usual sunny day at Sakuragaoka High School. The two usual occupants of the Light Music Clubroom were happily conversing at the clubroom table. Azusa had been unable to take her eyes off of Ui lately; whenever she was around the girl her chest ached in a pleasant way.

'I haven't felt like this since Yui-senpai...' Azusa thought as she happily listened to Ui talk.

"Azusa-chan, I brought a special treat today," Ui said with a blush of excitement as she produced a large cake box that she had cleverly hidden behind the couch cushions.

"Wow," Azusa said in amazement as Ui set the box down on the table and opened it up, revealing a cake that could easily feed five people.

"I knew you'd like it," Ui said as her blush increased, but not just from excitement.

"It looks great," Azusa commented with a smile, a hint of a blush on her own face.

Both girls simultaneously reached their hands out towards the same piece of cake, but Azusa froze as she felt Ui's soft hand beneath hers instead of the cake. Azusa clasped her hand around Ui's without thinking, then slowly looked up and saw the radiating blush on her face and felt her own cheeks heat up. Azusa absently laced her fingers with Ui's and squeezed the girl's hand tentatively, the warmth coming from her hand feeling comfortably good. Ui began to tremble as she stared into Azusa's eyes and an unfamiliar, yet oddly nice sensation washed over her. Azusa gulped hard as her heart rapidly beat in her chest.

"Ui-chan...I..." Azusa began but Ui simply smiled and nodded.

"I do too..." she replied as she squeezed Azusa's hand back. A wide, happy smile spread across her face.

"Want to...see a movie tomorrow?" Azusa asked as her blush intensified, covering most of her face.

"I'd like that..." Ui replied quietly, but happily.

* K-ON! *

Azusa was so excited for her date that she could barely sleep. Images of herself and Ui together at the theater caused her to toss and turn restlessly and she could not stop herself from smiling. Finally she settled onto her back and stared up at the ceiling until her eyes slowly shut and she fell into a fitful sleep.

"Ui-chan!" Azusa waved as she spotted the girl walking up the sidewalk to the theater. Ui happily waved back as she jogged up to the black haired girl.

"You look really pretty," Azusa complimented shyly, though happy to be able to speak her heart now. Ui blushed intensely and looked down, not used to such sweet talk.

"T-thanks..." she replied as she looked back up. "What's wrong?" Ui asked as she noticed the contemplative look on Azusa's face.

"Weeeell~" Azusa replied teasingly as she reached around Ui's head and grabbed the bow holding her hair in her usual short ponytail. She pulled the ribbon free and let Ui's hair fall down around her head.

"You look even prettier like this," Azusa said with a coy grin. Ui's blush defined a new level of intensity at the combination of sweet words and physical contact.

"Shall we go then?" Azusa said as she offered her hand out to Ui. Ui tentatively clasped Azusa's hand in her own and the pair let their joined hands fall to their sides. Azusa gave Ui a gentle squeeze as they headed forward and bought their tickets and popcorn.

The girls found seats in the theater and sat down, talking lightly and sharing their popcorn until the movie began. The movie was some new comedy, and while Ui was thoroughly enjoying it, Azusa could not concentrate on the movie because her gaze kept shifting over to Ui. Her eyes lit up with joy as she heard Ui laugh at the movie again.

'Her laugh sounds so much like Yui-senpai's,' Azusa thought happily as she snaked her hand over and grasped Ui's hand, which startled the girl out of her attention on the movie. Ui looked over and blushed as Azusa squeezed her hand again and smiled.

* K-ON! *

The next week seemed to fly by as the two girls explored their new relationship. They continued to go on dates throughout the week, visiting cafes and parks and more movies. Ui stopped wearing her hair up in a ponytail as Azusa seemed to like it more when it was down.

The next school week rolled around and Ui waited for Azusa to meet up with her on their usual route to school together, but the black haired girl was nowhere to be found. Ui could not wait any longer and headed into school anyway, worrying about Azusa the entire time. When Ui entered her classroom, she saw that Azusa was already seated at her desk. Ui wanted to say something but class began before she could. Once class ended, Ui glanced over to Azusa's desk but the girl was gone and she only reappeared for the next class. Azusa was also absent during lunch, so Ui drank her tea in solitude in the clubroom. At the end of the school day, Ui had not talked to Azusa once and felt rather down. After her final class, she made her way to the clubroom and when she opened the door she spotted the elusive girl standing near the table, beaming happily.

"Azusa-chan!" Ui cried out happily as she ran over and embraced Azusa tightly.

"Where have you been? I was worried about you..." Ui said as Azusa hugged her back.

"I'm sorry, Ui-chan, I wanted to get something and took every opportunity today to find it," Azusa explained as she held up a plain red gift box. "Here," she said as she offered it to Ui, who happily accepted.

"Thank you, Azusa-chan!" Ui said happily as she opened the box. Inside was a pair of golden hairpins. Ui gazed down at the hairpins then back up at the smiling face of Azusa.

"I'll put them on you," Azusa offered as she picked the hairpins out of the box, parted Ui's hair to the side, and placed the pins in her hair.

'Perfect,' Azusa thought as she gazed at Ui as the brown haired girl blushed.

Azusa and Ui stared into each other's eyes for a moment before Azusa suddenly moved in and pressed her lips against Ui's, pulling her into another tight embrace. Ui closed her eyes lightly as she happily kissed back. A glowing blush slowly blossomed on her cheeks and she gasped lightly as she savored her first kiss. After an intense moment, the two girls pulled away from each other, panting breathlessly and blushing intensely, their hearts racing. In the after glow of their first kiss, the two girls gently pressed their foreheads together, their eyes lightly closed.

"I love you...Yui-senpai," Azusa panted out softly before she froze and her eyes slowly opened as sickening dread clenched her stomach. Ui's eyes went wide as she slowly stepped backwards, her heart falling into her stomach. Everything started to make sense.

"Ui-chan..." Azusa said quickly as Ui stepped further away from her. Azusa reached out for Ui but she backed beyond her reach.

"I-I didn't mean-" Azusa stammered as tears filled Ui's eyes.

"I'm not my sister..." Ui choked out as the tears spilled down her cheeks and dripped onto the floor.

"I-I know that!" Azusa said hurriedly as Ui continued to back away. Tears began to slide down Azusa's cheeks as Ui backed up to the door.

"No, you don't..." Ui said softly as her face fell to the floor. Ui's face twisted in sorrow as she suppressed a strangled sob then turned, opened the door, and rushed out of the room.

"Ui-chan, please-..." Azusa called out weakly, her voice wavering, but it was too late, she was already gone.

Ui ran down the stairs, only letting her choked sobs out when she reached the bottom of the staircase. Azusa fell to her knees as Ui's sobs reached her ears. She pressed her palms against her eyes and let her own tears fall.

'I'm sorry...'

END

Author's Commentary: Well, that was depressing…I hope nobody hates me after that. All feedback is happily welcomed!