Music for the Silence

The Five Outcasts

In Studio Room 6 of CiRCLE, Shizuka, Hitomi, and Miu were there. While the half-sisters were both taking their seats in foldable chairs, the mute was setting up their instruments in the room.

"Are you sure you don't want any help in the set up?" Miu asked, in which Shizuka replied with a soft smile and a nod.

"You do realize that even if she does need help, there is nothing we can do to assist her in our condition, right?" Hitomi reminded her sister.

"True as it may be, I still wish to be of help somehow. She is setting up our instruments, you know."

"Even if you say that, there isn't anything we can do to help. I can't see, and I don't know how you can help with the setup in your condition..."

Miu was about to say something in response, when she felt a light tap on her shoulder and turned to see Shizuka standing there with her notepad in hand, held out for the disabled to read.

"It's okay. It's not as hard as it seems," she had written.

"Not even the drums? They look heavy," Miu asked her, in which the mute shook her head to.

Hitomi, unaware that her half-sister was speaking to the guitarist, then said, "I guess drums would be a bit difficult, as it has multiple parts to be played. Not only that, but though most bands would usually use a standard set, some drummers would prefer to extend their kit. I'm fine with a standard set, but it is quite the hassle in having to constantly set up the drums and moving them off the stage for the next band to play."

"Oh really," Miu spoke, giving Shizuka a lightly judging expression as the silent girl only nervously looked away.

"Yeah. Though I eventually get used to having to do all that work. I don't think anyone who isn't a drummer would. Then again, live house staff members usually work on the maintenance of all equipments; drums are no exception. If Suzuki-san is working here, I can imagine she wouldn't need help with the setup here. She didn't when we did our session the other day," Hitomi added on.

Miu reluctantly stood down at the point made. "I suppose..."

"So this is the band that girl formed?" came an unfamiliar voice. Well, unfamiliar to two of the three girls, as they turned and saw Kohaku standing by the door.

"Oh! Hello there. Are you looking for someone?" Miu asked.

"Not exactly," he answered. "Are you girls Sakura's band?"

"If you mean 'Sakura Guren'-san, then yes, we are," Hitomi answered that time. "Ah! I hope you can excuse my eyes. I may look like this, but I'm actually a pretty decent drummer."

As visibly surprised as Kohaku was to see a blind here, he didn't say a word about it. Instead, he glanced at Shizuka. "So she wasn't lying about you also being in the band..."

The mute was briefly confused by those words, until a thought came to her mind. "Did Guren tell you?"

"Yeah. Didn't think she was telling the truth when she did, though. Or about the band."

"Because of our condition?" Hitomi instantly guessed.

"No, it's not that, it's..." Kohaku stopped himself, not wanting to accidentally say anything that could offend them or have them misunderstand Guren, especially the latter, after what happened with Daisuke earlier. "Nothing. Forget I said anything."

Though the trio were confused as to what he did mean, none of them said a thing, respecting his privacy.

"Well, how about taking a seat? I think Guren-san will come back from lunch soon," Miu suggested.