Kiss Up and Make Up

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"I came as soon as I got the message! What happened?!" Guren asked, as she barged into CiRCLE's lobby. There, she saw Shizuka and PoPiPa there, all with saddened expressions on their faces. "And so I repeat: 'What happened'?!"

"Ah, Guren-san," Saya spoke, noticing the girl. "Well... Um... One thing led to another and... we got into another argument..."

Hearing that baffled Guren. "Huh? Another argument?"

"We were practicing for the event, though at the beginning we only did our own band practice instead of a group practice," Rimi began. "Then somewhere along the lines, someone spoke about what to do for the event and then..."

"Basically, it was the return of the argument from the family cafe..." Arisa ended.

"Nrgh~!!! It's no good~!! I can't come up with a single thing that any of the bands have in common!!" Kasumi exclaimed in agony. "Everyone's apart on practice day, maybe we just don't have anything in common... At this rate, the event isn't gonna happen..."

"I've got the feeling none of the bands are going to be willing to compromise after today, either..." Saya added.

"Is compromise really necessary...?" Tae asked. "Guren-san said we should find something we all have in common, but I don't think it has to be something we compromise on. The first time we all got together and heard each other play... there were so many different kinds of music, not a single thing was the same, and it was really fun. I like the music every band played. I think that's because each band is strong at the core."

Shizuka nodded in agreement to this and wrote, "I agree. I think all five bands are great. You each have your own strengths and weaknesses, and I respect that. But, to put it all together, it's quite hard to find a common ground for you other than your love towards music."

"Well, I suppose I get what O-Tae and Shizuka-chan are saying," Arisa said after reading what the mute wrote. "Even for us, it probably wouldn't be easy to just give up something if someone told us to."

Saya placed her hand on her chin in thought. "We want to make it an event that shows why each band is special. We don't want to take anything away from anyone, but because of that, we can't agree on anything... This just keeps going around in circles."

"Argh~ I have no idea what to do~! I'm not good at using my head like this..." Kasumi groaned. She then noticed something wrong about one person amongst them. "Hm? What's wrong, Guren-san?"

At her question, Shizuka and the rest of her band turned to the lone Haneoka student, whom had her head rested on the palm of her hand. "Are you kidding me...? After all that work to get them to come here...? And here I was, thinking and hoping they would just... Are you telling me that bands are in fact no different...?"

"Are you okay?" Shizuka wrote in worry, not that Guren could see the question she wrote.

Next they knew, the girl let out a scream. "ARGH!!! Alright, that is it!"

To say Shizuka and the band were baffled at the sudden shout was more than an understatement.

"I only stayed quiet because I was told and warned to be a good, obedient teenager now that I've a new life, but my patience with this stupidity has gone on long enough!" she shouted.

"G-Guren-... san...?" Rimi questioned.

"Bring them here." At those next words, the girls looked at her in confusion. "I don't care if they're suddenly busy or just don't want to come! Find those girls and bring them here! NOW!"

"Y-Yes ma'am!" PoPiPa squeaked, rushing out of the building, leaving poor, trembling Shizuka behind.

Marina rushed into the lobby from the halls, overhearing the commotion. "I heard shouting. What happened?" she asked.

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