Wow, even if our pitch to Shioriko was a failure, everyone seems to be in pretty high spirits today.
AKI: "Something good happen, Shizuku?"
SHIZUKU: "Can you tell?"
AKI: "Sure can. You've been grinning from ear to ear for a while now, and it looks like you can barely sit still."
SHIZUKU: *Giggle* "Well, there is this children's author I've loved ever since I was a little girl. He's holding a book signing event tonight and I was selected to attend!"
AKI: "That's amazing! No wonder you're so excited!"
SHIZUKU: "Yes, I have been all giddy ever since I received the notice. It all still feels like a dream.
Oh, I know! May I ask a favor of you?"
AKI: "Totally, I'd do anything for you."
SHIZUKU: "I knew I could count on you, Senpai! Could you possibly help me practice my conversational skills?"
AKI: "Can I ask why?"
SHIZUKU: "I'll have a chance to talk to the author while I am getting his autograph.
So I want to tell him how grateful I am to him and my thoughts on their books but I'm not confident that I will be able to adequately do so."
AKI: "You mean, because you'll be too nervous?"
SHIZUKU: "No, because I have so much to say, I'm not sure I'll be able to fit it all in the limited time allocated to me."
AKI: "Ohhh, that's what you mean? Wow, you must REALLY like this author if you have that much to say."
SHIZUKU: "Yes! I really admire him!"
AKI: "Then we definitely wanna make sure you get your message across so you leave with no regrets. How long do you get to speak with him?"
SHIZUKU: "Hmm... Ten seconds? Maybe twenty seconds at the very longest."
AKI: "Yikes... That really cuts down on what you can talk about. Let's see what we can do."
SHIZUKU: "Thank you!
Here goes... Congratulations on the release of your new book. I have been an avid reader of your books since before I even started kindergarten."
AKI: "Uh, Shizuku? Here's where you shake hands."
SHIZUKU: "Huh?! Oh, right...! Um, uhh, may I shake your hand, Senpai?"
AKI: "I'm not your senpai right now, I'm the author, remember? Also, yes here's my hand."
SHIZUKU: "R-Right! Your hand is so warm... Wait, no! My mind completely blanked after shaking your hand!"
AKI: "It's okay. Just calm down."
SHIZUKU: "Phew..."
AKI: "Better?"
SHIZUKU: "Better. Though your books are written for children, I'm always impressed by the strong themes attached to them and the depth that draws both children and adults in.
Out of all of your books, I've read The Glass Cat so often that it has been rendered to tatters. I'm actually on my fifth copy of it.
Truly, the challenges that the young main character must-"
AKI: "Stop, stop! I'm interested and could listen to you talk for hours about this, but you've only got 20 seconds here."
SHIZUKU: "Impossible... I haven't even gotten to the main point."
AKI: "I see... We've really got our work cut out for us. Still, we've got practice to focus on."
...
AKI: "Hm? Where's Rina?"
AI: "Rinari? She's right over... Huh, where'd she go?!"
SHIZUKU: "If you're looking for Rina, she got changed and took off. She leaves right after practice finishes these days."
KASUMI: 'Yeah. I've been asking her to go out for ice cream with me and she's turned me down every single time."
AKI: "I see."
KARIN: "It's only been happening lately, right? I wonder what the sudden change is? She used to always hang out and chat with us."
AYUMU: "What could've happened?"
EMMA: "I tried asking her about it, but she said it was nothing..."
SETSUNA: "She says it's nothing, but it certainly doesn't seem like it."
KASUMI: "I really wanna know! What could Rinako be choosing over ice cream with us?!
I know, let's try tailing her tomorrow!"
SETSUNA: "That might be taking it a bit too far..."
KASUMI: "Not at all! We're just worried about her!"