Words in italic are for Maki's thoughts and words in bold are to emphasise on a point. I apologise if Maki's personality is different from the anime.
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the next day

Thoughts clouded my mind as I strolled to the rooftop-our practice area.

How would I break the news to them?

Snippets of the times we sang and performed on staged rushed through my mind, offering me a glimspe of what I was giving up on and what I would be missing out in two months' time.

I sighed. I could not say those words that dau. I wouldn't be able to bear the ache of my heart when eyes would widen, their jaws would hang open and vouce out their disbelief.

I needed courage- and sadly, I didn't have that.

Entered the rooftop, I saw Rin-chan and the others already warming-up.

"Gomenasai minna-san, I'm late," I apologised.

"It's fine. Let's get started with practice!" Honoka-chan exclaimed with verve.

As I practiced our songs with the others, images of negotiation day played in my mind like a broken recorder. It was a reminder that time was ticking away and that music woud sprout wings and fly away, never to return to me. I was in a daze.

Why can't I concentrate! I had to make the most of the time I had left with music-and more importantly, μ's!

-During break-

"Maki-chan, is there anything bothering you?" Nozomi-chan questioned me. "Yeah, please tell us what's on your mind.Your dancing was halfhearted and your singing had no life in it which is unusual," Eli-chan said.

I was like a rabbit caught in the headlights. How did they find out? Was I that engrossed in my thoughts? I could not tell them about the deal now.
"N...n...nothing, " I stammered. I sent a prayer heavenwards. Please do not get on my case.

"Maki-chan, the cards say that you are hiding something," Nozomi said as she held up a tarot card. She must have been doing a tarot card reading while I was lost in my train of thought. Honoka-chan and the others had gathered around Nozomi-chan, Umi-chan and me.

"Maki-chan, if you don't tell us, you know what is going to happen," Nozomi-chan said, her hands in the wretched position, her eyes dancing with mischief and a smirk plastered on her face.

Oh no. It was going to happen. Dread filled me as Nozomi-chan siddled closer to me.

"KKKKYYYYAAAA! NO!!!"