With a Strum of My Heart Strings

Everybody Talks

Shinsou suddenly realized that he had yet to ask the blond man his name. Would it be weird to ask? Would he mind? As if reading his thoughts, Jirou changed the subject.

"I don't think you've introduced yourself," she said, nudging Shinsou and looking at the blond, grateful for his friend here to make this less awkward.

"Right," Shinsou spoke, voice slightly cracking. He wanted to hide away in embarrassment as he stuck out his hand. The blond man took it. Shinsou prayed he wouldn't be able to tell how sweaty his palms were getting.

"Kaminari," the blond said, shaking his hand. "You can call me Denki, though."

"First name basis already?" Kirishima joked. Denki glared at him.

"I'm Shinsou Hitoshi," Shinsou introduced himself, taking his hand away and placing it on the back of his neck.

"I know-- I-I mean-- Nice to meet you!" Kaminari sputtered and smiled. It seemed Shinsou wasn't the only one who was nervous. But...

"You know?" He couldn't keep himself from asking. Denki started to look even more anxious.

"I, uh..." He looked away until his eyes lit up, meeting Shinsou's once again. "Why don't you guys play something?" he changed the subject yet again, pointing behind them. The band members turned around and noticed a small stage behind them. "There's equipment in the back, too!"

Shinsou didn't love the idea of playing for such a small crowd, but if he could get a chance to impress the blond...

"I don't know--"

"Sure." His bandmates looked at him in shock.

"Seriously? Eyebags hates small crowds."

"No, I don't," he retorted. "And why do you care?"

"I don't," Bakugou scoffed as he got up from his seat, walking over to the small stage. Jirou shrugged, following him.

"Great!" Kaminari cheered, bounding away towards the back to grab the equipment with Kirishima. Shinsou's lips turned up into a small smile as he walked over to where his bandmates were gathered.

The two baristas soon returned, after multiple trips to grab the drums, with the instruments. Kaminari handed Shinsou a guitar, smiling brightly at him. His face felt warm as he thanked him.

Once they had finished setting up, putting together the drum set and tuning the guitar and bass, they were ready to play.

"Song?" Jirou asked, looking at Bakugou. He just shrugged, and both of them then turned to Shinsou.

After a moment of hesitation, he answered, "Uh, Everybody Talks?" Jirou shook her head, smiling.

"Fist 'Runaway Baby,' and now this?" she teased. If he were in reach, Shinsou would have playfully punched her. Instead he just rolled his eyes and looked at her. "Okay, okay. 'Everybody Talks' it is." She looked at Bakugou for him to cue them on with his drum sticks. He nodded, clanking them together four times before starting to beat the drums, Shinsou and Jirou soon joining in. Thankful that the cafe actually had microphones, Shinsou tried to calm his blush before taking a deep breath, starting to sing.

"Hey, baby, won't you look my way, I can be your new addiction." Shinsou actually did like this song, despite the fact that it was happier and... sappier than most he sang. "Hey, baby, whatcha' gotta say? All you're giving me is fiction." He strummed his guitar to the beat Bakugou was setting with the drums. "I'm a sorry sucker and this happens all the time." Shinsou's eyes scanned the cafe. "I found out that everybody talks. Everybody talks. Everybody talks." His eyes found Denki and smiled, not taking them off him. He felt braver than before on stage.