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"Who was that?" I asked Eve. "Uhh, him?" she replied to me. "He's just some sleazy, greasy jerk Tatiana is using as a distraction".
BBJ just hijacked Sayu's concert last night. We lost two districts so Tatiana apparently had to call someone to be a distraction. I recognised him from some of Zuke's photos when he was younger. His brother maybe?
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"Hey" I told her. "You must be Yinu, right?". We were at her house and she just opened the door. Her mother asked me to babysit her along with Sayu's voice actor, Tila. "I'm the new recruit at NSR, (Y/N)" I told her. "Hi" Yinu replied to me. She seemed shy. Maybe because this was our first time meeting face to face and not have one of us shrouded in the shadows. Tila was also there with us. "The other guys are busy re-programming Sayu" she told me. "I'm just her voice so I'm not really that important in her code".
Yinu's house was decorated with flower motifs. The wallpaper was decorated with cream coloured roses and the living room carpet literally was a red rose. I guess her mom really likes roses. "Do you wanna do something fun while we're here?" Tila asked her. "Maybe draw or play some games?". "After I finish practicing" Yinu told us. She started playing on her piano. Geez, this kid must be really serious if they prefer piano lessons to drawing.
While she was practicing for her concert tonight, Tila told me all about the many projects she and her friends did on Sayu. "She was actually inspired off a character from a game I like called Doki Doki Mermaid Club!" she told me. "I think we have a game similar to that back where I came from" I chuckled. I wonder what role Sayu's inspiration had in that game. The innocent childhood friend? The angry bean? The quiet and shy girl? The friendly girl who backstabs her friends?
Yeah I don't think she'd be the last one tbh.
Yinu said she was nearly finished practicing. There was a picture of someone on her piano. I think it's her dad. "I like your piano Yinu" I told her. "Who's the guy in the photo?". She blinked at me and looked back at the photo. "That's.. my dad" she told me. "He taught me how to play..". I looked back at Tila. She had a nervous look in her face. Something along the lines of
"Her dad is obviously dead why did you ask that you're gonna make the child relive the trauma you idiot"
"He died a few years ago" Yinu told me. "That's why I continued playing". Oh. I could see small tears form in her eyes. "It's alright Yinu" I said to her. "I'm pretty sure he's still proud of you even now". Yinu turned towards me, her eyes filled with tears. "I just wish I could still talk to him". I kneeled next to her. "I-I sometimes feel the same way as you do" I said to her. "My mum and dad divorced when I was 14 and she moved so I don't really talk or see her that often".
"But that's okay! I was still sad, but I focused on the positives. You still have a great mom and a great career ahead of you". I patted her head. "You managed to accomplish a lot in your few years of living. So even if you can't talk to him, he is still proud of you".
Yinu smiled. "He is... still proud of me..". Tila walked over to us and smiled. "Why don't we go and get some ice cream after your practice?" she asked her. Yinu turned to us with a small smile on her face. "O-Okay!".
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I was sitting on a chair backstage during Yinu's concert. I was just waiting for BBJ to come and hijack the concert again like last time. Yinu continued playing her piano like usual. She was also playing with her eyes closed, which was impressive for a 9 year old.
While I was backstage, I decided to ring my dad. I hadn't called him in a while. "Hey Dad!" I said. "It's me (Y/N)!". "Oh hello!" he said cheerfully. "How are you?". "I'm currently at a friend's concert!" I told him. I'm pretty sure he could hear her piano music in the background. "Yinu's mum asked me to babysit her earlier today and I thought that I should also go to her concert tonight".
"She must be a pretty skilled pianist then for a child!" he chuckled. "I'm glad you're making friends here (Y/N)!". As he was talking, I heard the piano music stop. I looked from behind the red curtains and saw Mayday and Zuke there, ready to throw hands yet again. I was kinda scared. For both BBJ and Yinu. Yinu's just 9 but her mum could easily beat May and Zuke.
The piano music started getting more intense. Mayday and Zuke were getting near the stage now. "And then- (Y/N) are you okay?" my dad said. "You were kind of spacing out there". "Oh. Oh yeah I'm alright!" I said. I kept my eyes on the stage. Mayday and Zuke were on the stage now. The audience were frightened now.
I could hear Yinu yell. "Stay away from my piano!". When I looked, she had somehow got lifted up. A large hand was holding her and the piano up using strings. I think it was her mum. But then that would mean her mum can size change?? I mean it didn't sound as crazy as having a black hole for a head but-. Oh no. Oh no...
"Dad I gotta go" I said into the phone. "There's a little drama happening between Yinu's mum and two of the guests". I looked back. Yep, it was Yinu's mum but giant sized. She was probably the size of the NSR tower. She was causing a lot of trouble now for Mayday and Zuke. "Bye Dad, love you Dad!" I said to the phone and hung up. Some of the security guards were already forcing the audience out. I ran out of the backstage door of the concert hall. Oh shoot... I heard my phone ring again. I picked it up. I received a message from someone.
🎶STONE GRANDMA🎶
It was Tatiana. I checked the message. "I know you're at Yinu's concert. Meet me at my office." Oh shoot again... What did she want to talk about. Did it involve BBJ?? Did it involve my sudden appearance in Vinyl City a month ago?? I don't know...
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"Ah. There you are" Tatiana said. Behind her were seven murals, six representing the NSR artists and Tatiana herself. I don't know who the seventh mural represented. Maybe it was a blank slate for future NSR artists. Like me.
"Come sit down" she told me. I sat down on the chair across her. "I think it's finally time I told you my secret" she started. "You have been an NSR recruit for quite a while now". "Well actually I..". I started counting on my fingers. "I've only been a member for 4 days, hehe". "You have still been loyal to NSR nonetheless" she said. "Even the newbies are treated as one of us here".
She got out a remote and pressed a button. A little column opened up on the floor. There was a glass case there. And in the glass case was a stylish rock guitar, black with fire patterns and a wicked shape. "I- what!?" I yelled and ran over to inspect it. "This- This is Kul Fuyra's guitar!?". "It was her guitar" Tatiana corrected me. "Did you kill her or something!?" I yelled. "Or did she actually trust you with this? Where is she-".
"Oh hush child, I did not kill her". She got up and walked up to me. "I AM her! More like was her but..". "You?" I said in surprise. "You're the queen of rock? Was the queen of rock!?". Tatiana sighed. "Yes, I was the famous Kul Fuyra before I quit". "But you!" I yelled. "You HATE rock! Mayday idolized you! She-". I covered my mouth. I hope she didn't hear me. Tatiana nodded. "Continue". "I-I mean" I chuckled nervously. "I meant to say I-". "Don't be afraid to admit it" Tatiana said. That just made me more afraid. Did she know? Was it safe to admit it?
"I mean" I sighed. "I am friends with Bunk Bed Junction, but I'm not part of them! I just happen to be their friend and I live with them and-". "I know (Y/N)" Tatiana said. Gosh. I would have expected her to hit me across the face with the guitar.
"I've seen you talk with them in the café, I also saw you hanging out with them backstage in the Lights Up Auditions" she told me. "You're not the only artist here who likes coffee". My heart was beating fast. She knew. She knew all about this from the start. "D-Does anyone else know about this?" I asked. "Only I know" she told me. I felt relieved. But the only person who knew was Tatiana. That kinda scared me.
"Miss Tatiana, I am so so sorry-". "It's not your fault" she told me. "You were friends with them before this drama all started. You became one of us before they decided to turn. Clearly you are not at fault". I gulped. "I guess so, but I was friends with them behind your backs". "It's not our fault or your fault that they started this music revolution" Tatiana said. "You are free to choose which side you are on in this battle, despite if those rockers keep on pressuring you". "Now, tell me dear. What side do you choose?". There was a silence among us. As much as I didn't want to say it, I felt like it.
"EDM" I told her. "I'm on NSR's side. Always will be". "Good". Tatiana sighed and sat down at her table. Her guitar disappeared into the floor. I guess I should disappear too now. I got up and headed towards the door. "Don't stress yourself too much honey" Tatiana told me. "Just call any of us if you need our help". I turned towards her and smiled. "Thank you Miss".
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"Oh hey (Y/N)!". Mayday walked into the living room. I was on the couch in a rainbow sweater and shorts, with Ellie asleep on my lap. "Oh hey guys!" I said, cheerfully. "Back from your hijack?". "Yeah, it was pretty stressful" Mayday said to me and plopped down on the couch next to me. "Yinu's mum actually said we needed lessons in music" Zuke told me. "Even when we're the ones who graduated college". I chuckled. "Aww that sounds fun!". "It was kinda, not gonna lie". Mayday smiled to me. "Besides the part where we fell off a literal giant rose and we broke the kid's piano, it was fun".
I was silent for a bit. Broke Yinu's piano? How could they do that? Aren't they supposed to be the good guys?
"Anyways guys, wanna watch a movie?" I asked them. "I found an absolutely horrid movie we could mock, plus I got snacks". I pulled out a bunch of Shellfish snacks and Mr Dodo Ice Pops, both of them sponsored by NSR. Mayday stared quietly at the snacks with an awkward smile on her face. "Oh thanks" Zuke said and grabbed one of the Shellfish snacks from me. "Zuke, (Y/N)" Mayday told us. "Those are sponsored by NSR". "And?" I said, an ice pop in my mouth. Mayday breathed in.
"FOR THE LAST TIME!! WE SHOULDN'T BUY NSR'S PRODUCTS!! WE ARE AGAINST-".
"Oh look! Movie's starting! Haha!!" I chuckled nervously and pointed at the shattered TV screen. Surprised that thing even works. Mayday looked at the screen. She was still mad at me, but then starting laughing about how stupid the animation looked in the movie. She grabbed Ellie off my lap and started stroking her. Problem solved? I don't know. I just bought the snacks cause they looked nice.
And even though I felt uncomfortable laughing and hanging out with BBJ after choosing NSR's side, it felt good to joke with them. A perfect moment where we mocked a movie and laughed side by side. Oh I wonder what's going to happen next to ruin this great moment?
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