23:59

12:30 Trick or Third

"Bright! Mew says he would like to sing on stage!"

Bright, who was plucking on his bass looked up. Customers had now started to flock in and settle themselves on tables. In a minute their band will start playing their first set and Bright's fans will swarm the front again.

Bright nodded. "Sure. Some of our customers do that here. I'll let you squeeze in after the 4th song."

Mew gaped. In a flash, he pinched both of Third and Singto's ears so that they yelped, getting the attention of those nearby.

"What the fuck are you two playing at? What's this all about?!" he whispered in a threatening voice.

"PMew, my ears are going to get detached. Aaaack!" Third slapped Mew's arm.

"Then answer me, idiot. Why the heck are you doing this?"

"Isn't this a good opportunity to impress Gulf? Ow!" Singto cried.

"Sheesh you morons." Mew released them and gave them one smack each.

"You can't back out P. Look, Bright is already telling his bandmates."

From the stage, Bright looked at them and gave a thumbs up.

"Damn it, I just want to deliver donuts, why am I suddenly singing here?" he scratched his head and breathed out loud.

"I don't know why you're being dramatic. You can use this to converse with Gulf." Singto said, rubbing his ear. "Damn Mew, it's so red." He looked at his reflection from his phone.

Resigned to the worst, he came up on stage as Bright introduced him.

"We have a friend here who came from the US. He and his group will be leaving in a few days, but before they do that, let's hear Mew sing for us."

Gulf looked up from serving a table. While there's nothing to do yet, he stood at the back instead of going to the kitchen. He watched as a pale-looking Mew whisper to Bright, who then nodded to the other band members. He held the mic, and, despite the bar being crowded and colorful, their eyes met in an instant.

[AN: Please play that song on the header.]

Where did I go wrong?

I lost a friend

Gulf knew that the teenager Mew owns a guitar. Their rooms are separated by a wall, and he could sometimes hear him strumming on weekends.

Somewhere along in the bitterness

I would have stayed up with you all night

Had I known how to save a life