It's been a week since Shizuka started living with Marina and working in CiRCLE. During the past week, the girl had been silent and helpful as ever. Marina knew she should have her attend school by now, but with how busy things were, especially at the cafe, there just wasn't any time to get her application ready. Plus, she didn't know exactly which school to send her to. The owner hadn't called back since then either, and they haven't found anyone interested in working at live house.
"You've been working here a while now. How are you finding it?" Marina asked Shizuka. There weren't that many people coming in today, so the adult took the time to teach the girl the ropes in running a live house, as well as the ins and outs of some of the equipments in the studios.
Shizuka took out her sketchbook and wrote down her response. "It's okay. I like it here."
Reading that made Marina happy, especially since the girl still hadn't been that expressive with her since they first met. "Well, that's great to hear. It's really been a huge help having you around," she said.
Shizuka looked down, blushing lightly at the compliment. She was not used to having these compliments directed at her.
"Still... if we don't start getting more band customers in, I don't know what'll happen to the event..." Marina then said.
Shizuka raised a brow at this and wrote, "Event?"
Marina noticed the written question. "Hm? You don't know? I thought the owner told you, since she knew you. Oh well, I can do it. So, you know how this live house was created to help support all the girl bands we have in town?" Shizuka nodded. "Well, there's going to be an event here soon where all those girl bands can come and play live. The only conditions are being girls, and being a band. Pros, amateurs, everyone's welcome! The only problem is..."
Shizuka quickly wrote on her sketchbook. "We don't have a single band sign up yet."
Marina sighed at this. "Right. I mean, I know we're not the most famous place in the world, but still... Not even the very few bands that does come here are interested. The owner really believes this is our chance to get our name out there. She's really counting on me, and... I don't know what to do..."
Shizuka could tell that this was really bringing her guardian down and was saddened by it. If she could, she would sign up for the event herself, but unfortunately, one person does not make one band.
"Hello!" came a sudden cheery voice, one that made Shizuka flinch and instinctively hide behind Marina.
"Wah! Wh-Who are you?!" Marina asked, facing the doors where the voice came from.
By the doors, there was a girl with purple eyes and brown hair... somehow shaped as cat ears. She also had a guitar case on her back.
"I'm Toyama Kasumi! Nice to meet you!" the girl, Kasumi, greeted.
Arriving next was a girl with brown eyes and blonde hair in pigtails. She seemed exhausted, as three other girls arrived after her, two of them also with cases on their backs.
"Ahh... Phew... Caught her..." she panted. Once she caught her breath, she glared at Kasumi and shouted, "You just don't listen to anyone, do you?! We were shouting after you back there!" Noticing Marina and Shizuka's gaze, especially the latter's frightened look, the blonde quickly apologized. "Ahaha~ I'm sorry for my friend barging in here like this. We'll just be going now..."
"No wait!" Marina cried out. "Kasumi, was it? Is that a guitar you're carrying?"
"It is! Me and all my friends here are in a band, Poppin'Party!" Kasumi answered and informed.
"A band, huh?" Marina repeated, glancing at Shizuka, who glanced back at her.
"We were on our way back from practice and just happened to pass by this live house! It looked so cool, I just had to come in!" Kasumi continued.
"... We should introduce ourselves properly, don't you think?" pointed out a girl whose brown hair was tied up in a ponytail.
"Already done!" Kasumi said proudly.
"Very badly!" Arisa denied.
"As Kasumi said, the five of us are Poppin'Party. I'm the drummer, Yamabuki Saya. It's nice to meet you," the ponytailed girl greeted.
"I'm Hanazono Tae. I play lead guitar," followed a girl with green eyes and long black hair.
"Ichigaya Arisa. Keyboard," the blonde girl followed.
"I'm Ushigome Rimi! I... I play the bass!" introduced the girl with red eyes and short black hair.
"Come on, Kasumi! You too!" Arisa urged.
The girl happily obliged to her request. "Okay! I'm still Toyama Kasumi, and I'm on guitar and vocals."
"I was looking for a sparkling, heart-pouding sound when I found this Random Star... I just knew I had to start a band and now every day is more exciting than the last!"
"I like your high school energy," Marina said with a light chuckle. "I'm Tsukishima Marina. You can call me Marina, or Marina-san. I work here at the live house." Marina looked to Shizuka still hiding behind her. "Come on. It's your turn. Introduce yourself."
Shizuka remained silent and stayed behind her guardian, quite unsure about these girls.
"It'll be fine. They look about your age," Marina assured.
Shizuka looked at the woman, quite unamused, before finally deciding to relent and introduce herself. At least, she was, when she realized she didn't have her sketchbook in hand. She glanced at where she was last and noticed her sketchbook on the floor.
The silent girl went to retrieve it, when Arisa said, "Hey! You haven't introduced yourself, you know! Don't just ignore us!"
Shizuka flinched at those words, slightly hurt by the accusation.
"Oh no, you have it wrong! She needs her sketchbook to talk," Marina told them.
The five girls looked at her in confusion.
"She... needs her book to talk?" Rimi repeated in a questioned tone.
"What do you mean?" Saya asked.
As though answering her question, Shizuka opened her sketchbook to a certain page and held it out to them, specifically Kasumi.
"Hm? Something for us?" the cat-ear style girl asked, as she took the book in hand. "Um, let's see..."
"My name is Suzuki Shizuka. I'm 15-years-old, and I work part-time at live house CiRCLE. If you wish to speak to me, I hope you do not mind how long I often take to write my responses to you. I can't speak."
When Kasumi read the last part, the girls held back a gasp, and looked at Shizuka with saddened eyes.
Shizuka didn't need their pity. As soon as Kasumi was done reading her intro, she took the book back and proceeded hiding behind Marina.
"Ah, hey..." the woman could only sigh. While Shizuka was okay in handling customers at the cafe, when it comes to interacting with someone as a person and not as an employee... Well, she was quite iffy about that.
"Arisa, you made her upset," Tae stated to the blonde.
"M-Me?!" Arisa gasped.
"Yeah, you! You snapped at her without knowing she was mute!" Kasumi exclaimed.
"How was I supposed to know?! I didn't know she was mute!"
"That still doesn't excuse that rudeness," Saya said.
Arisa wanted to argue, but knew they were right. Glancing over to Shizuka, she rubbed her arm and said, "Um... About just earlier... sorry. I didn't know."
Sadly, the girl only proceeded to hide behind Marina even more.
"Sorry about her. She's quite shy," the manager apologized.
"Oh no. We're sorry for our friend," Rimi apologized back.
"Even Rimi-rin?!" Arisa gasped.
Marina let out a chuckle at their antics. "Today must be our lucky day, meeting the Poppin'Party girls like this."
Shizuka looked at her questionably and drew a question mark on a blank page.
"Why? The event, of course! We have to get them to perform!" The mute was surprised at the sudden decision. "I know it's all very sudden, but if we don't sign some bands soon, the whole thing will be a disaster. Now go on! Get them to join our event!" The last two sentences baffled Shizuka even more. Before she got to write down retorts or denials, Marina had already pushed her towards the band.
Upon seeing the girl's forced approach, Poppin'Party turned to her.
"Hm? What's wrong?" Rimi asked.
The mute glanced at Marina, really wanting to back out from this. The woman noticed her glance and only pumped her fist in encouragement, which did not help her at all. Next Shizuka knew, a gentle hand was patting her head.
"There, there. That's a good girl," Tae said, the one petting Shizuka.
"What are you doing, O-Tae?" Arisa questioned.
"This is what I do for my rabbits when something spooks them out."
This made Shizuka raised a brow, as Saya said, "She's not a rabbit, though."
Now slightly calm thanks to Tae's petting, Shizuka proceeded to write on her sketchbook.
"Would you all like to participate in a live event?" she wrote.
Upon reading the last two words, Kasumi got really excited. "Live event? Really? Of course we'll do it!"
"Wait just a second, Kasumi. Don't you think we should hear more about it, first?" Arisa questioned.
"Could you tell us more about this event, then?" Saya asked.
Shizuka nodded and wrote down details about the event. "It's nothing much, really. It's just a fun event where any and all girl bands can come and play live. It doesn't matter if you're a pro or amateur; any girl band can join."
"Okay, I get it! ... I think," Kasumi said.
"Basically, they want us to perform in this live house's event. How did you not understand that? It was very simple!" Arisa berated, in which Rimi let out a nervous laugh at the usual routine between the two.
"A real live event... We're still just beginners, but we'll do our very best!" Kasumi immediately accepted.
"You're accepting too easily!" Arisa once again shouted.
"Aww... But it sounds like fun."
Upon seeing Kasumi pout at Arisa, as well as noticing how her eyes had sparkled at the chance of performing live again, Saya spoke up. "I don't think she's going to change her mind. Guess that means we're performing!"
Hearing that brightened Marina's day, as she approached them. "That's great! Thank you! You can use our studio to practice any time you want."
"You have a studio here too? Amazing! Thank you so much!" Kasumi thanked.
"Maybe we should go and try it out. Get practicing already," Tae suggested.
"Agreed! Can we use the studio now, Marina-san?"
"Of course!" Marina answered.
"Yay! Thank you! Rimi-rin, Saya, Arisa! Come on! Let's practice!" Without waiting for a response, Kasumi and Tae both rushed to the studio room.
"Ah! Wait, Kasumi!" Arisa called, as the trio followed the pair.
As soon as they were out of sight, Marina heard a 'thump' and looked to see Shizuka had slumped down on the floor.
"You did well," the woman said as she held out a hand.
The teen looked back up at her and quickly wrote on her book before taking the hand. "You're so mean!" it read.
"Mean?! I only did that for your sake!" Marina reasoned, helping her up. "Look, I know you don't want to trust other people after what happened during your time with your foster families, but not everyone's like that. I'm not, and neither is the owner. Plus, those girls look like nice people. I'm sure you can get along with them."
Shizuka had doubts on that statement. There were times when she had met someone who seemed nice, only to find out time later that they were only putting up a front.
Marina noticed the doubtful look on her ward's face and placed a hand on her head. "It'll be okay. For now, how about we go see their practice? Maybe listening to the music they play will change your perspective."
Shizuka was silent for a moment, before responding with a reluctant nod.
'She really does not want to go, huh...' Marina thought, as the pair then went to the studio Poppin'Party had gone to.
******
Upon arriving, they came just in time for the band to begin playing a song.
Listening to them play one of their songs, Shizuka felt something reverberate in her, as she stared at the group with her mouth slightly opened, and eyes widened just as slightly.
Once the band was finished, Kasumi gleefully jumped in joy. "That felt really good~!"
Marina openly applauded for their performance. "That was amazing! And you girls are just beginners?" she asked.
"Ah! Marina-san! Suzuki-san!" Saya greeted.
"Ah. Our secret practice..." Tae spoke, eyes widened like a deer in headlights.
"What 'secret practice'? This is their studio?" Arisa pointed out. "And also, they already know we're practicing here anyway."
Rimi could only let out a weak chuckle at this. She then realized something and faced Marina and Shizuka. "By the way, I noticed we're the only band here. Aren't there any other bands taking part in the event?"
This made Marina flinch, while Shizuka only looked away, tilting her hat down to completely conceal her eyes.
"Huh? Did I say something wrong?!" Rimi asked in a panicked tone.
"No, no! It's not you. It's just... Well, there are other bands that come here. Just not so often, and none of them are really interested in taking part..." Marina trailed off.
"So you mean to say... we're the only ones performing?" Arisa summarized.
"Ahaha~... Yes... But it's okay. Because Shizuka is going to go scout some other bands." Said mute turned to her in surprise before hastily writing something on her sketchbook. "I've had my eyes on four high school bands. While I can't say for sure if they will perform, I hope-" Before Marina could say any more, Shizuka gave her sleeve a harsh tug, causing the adult to turn and read what her ward wrote.
"Why me?! Why not you go find them?!" was written on the book.
"Someone has to stay behind and watch over the store, and that's usually the manager's job," she reasoned. "All you have to do is find the four bands I have my eyes on and ask them to take part in our event. It's simple."
Shizuka only shook her head in denial and was about to write more on her book, when Marina placed a piece of paper on top of it. "These are the bands. From the top, Afterglow, Pastel*Palettes, Hello, Happy World!, and Roselia. You may hit some troubles with two of them, but don't worry! You'll be okay!"
Shizuka gave her guardian a pouting face, one that said 'I'm not okay at all!'
"Um... If it's okay, we can help out," Saya offered.
"Huh?! What are you talking about, Saya?!" Arisa questioned.
"It's fine, isn't it? Besides, if they're bands that caught the manager's attention, they have to be really good. And also..." She gestured the band members to huddle, in which they did. "I don't know about you girls, but I'd feel bad if I just leave this up to Suzuki-san alone." At those words, the rest of the band glanced at the mute. "She can't speak, and Marina said she might run into trouble trying to convince them. I mean, look what happened with Arisa."
"Did you have to bring that up?" the keyboardist questioned, though seeing the drummer's point.
"That's true... We should help," Rimi agreed.
"I'd like to meet more bands myself," Tae stated.
Kasumi faced the manager and part-timer of CiRCLE. "We'll help out!"
"Really?! That'll put me in much ease!" Marina exclaimed, in which Shizuka looked at the woman with a raised brow. "Well, if you guys can get started now, I saw the Roselia girls nearby just earlier. I'm sure they haven't gone far. If you run, you should catch up to them! Get going, get going!"
"Right, Marina-san! Then, O-Tae, Shizu-chan! Let's go talk to Roselia!" With that, Kasumi grabbed the mute by the hand and ran out the doors with her fellow guitarist following.
Arisa could only sigh as she watched them leave. "There's no way this will go well..."