"Hello!" I greeted the others who were already waiting for me inside the studio with a big smile. Though my mind was somewhat distracted by Amara's reaction earlier. What was she hiding, why did she dodge the question like that?
"The heck do we all have to gather here again for?! I haven't even eaten!" Akemi-san had complaints about my random summoning.
"Well, don't you think we should get started as soon as possible?" I politely smiled.
"Oh," Being the gentleman that he is, Hagihara-san, the bald drummer came to help me carry in my items. I found it somehow intriguing how the person in the band with the most intimidating appearance turned out to be the most well-mannered and easy to get along with.
Agawa-san the foreigner-looking bassist must've smelled the food because he suddenly ejected himself from the sofa to the studio's center table.
"So you're not as empty-headed as you seem, you brought food for us?" His words just now... forget it. Happy thoughts.
Akemi leaned over to inspect the bags her hands akimbo. "Hmph, all I see is grease, do you think everyone is like you meatheads? Why are there no salads?"
"Here." Hagihara who had been pawing through the bag handed her a plastic container with the salad, silencing any further complaints she could muster. She took it and retreated back to her corner.
I could only smile politely. Amara's recommendations actually came in handy...
"I thought we could eat while discussing the songs, I listened to them, and in the end, I thought I should hear your opinions before I touch this song.."
Agawa nodded as he inhaled a portion of the bacon burger. "This... is good!"
What the hell?... Thought he was agreeing with me for a second there.
He raised his burger at me, before swiping and inspecting the container of bacon cheese fries.
"What you said is also good."
"Those are mine." I tell him.
He walks off with them anyway.
"..." These guys...
Hagihara seemed to be inspecting the drinks.
"An Americano, sweet tea, and orange soda..."
"Eh? Is my mango smoothie not there?" I craned my neck.
A loud slurping sound could be heard. We look to Akemi-san who slurps obnoxiously loud, almost as if to announce her presence.
I blinked at her.
"Ano...I already put my mouth on that," I told her.
She freezes.
Most guys would get rather excited at the thought of an indirect kiss but...
Plop.
She threw the drink aside and it spilled out onto the floor of the studio.
Agawa yelled, "Oi!"
Akemi folded her arms and turned up her head. "Feeding me something you already put your mouth on, hmph! Pervert!"
"I wrote your names on the cups! Why don't you look-" I grabbed the napkins in the back and began to lay them out on the floor.
"What the hell is wrong with you?! Even earlier you say Ken has no right to be a musician yet you throw cola on guitars and smoothies on the floor of studios!"
"A-are you saying I have no right to be a musician?!"
"I'm saying that for someone who claims others have no right, you certainly don't have any respect for music at all. Do you want ants or bugs to desecrate this studio?! Don't you know that instruments are like extensions of the soul? Even more so studios are like a musician's prayer room?!"
"What's this fool going on about?!" Akemi muttered. "You can just mop it up later, what's the big deal?" She tossed the packet for her sauce onto the sofa next to her.
Watching the pomegranate sauce slither onto the sofa, I think... I can finally relate why mother gets so mad when I drop food on the sofa when watching tv.
Her living room was my studio.
It was as if a nuclear bomb went off in my head.
A roar I didn't even know I was capable of making, tore out of my throat. "OI!"
She flinched.
"WERE YOU RAISED IN A BARN?!"
"D-d-did you just yell at me? He yelled at me right! You guys all saw it!"
"Well, kind of deserved." Agawa passively noted from his post on the sofa, he stuffed his face with my fries. It was clear he had no intention to intervene in this matter. Doesn't he realize that kind of mentality enables her?
Hagihara, I didn't notice before but he was no longer in the room.
I ripped the packet off the couch before any more of it could spread.
"Do you think this place is your house? From the equipment to every piece of furniture in this room, it's all been given to us by the company because they believe in us! And yet so ungratefully you treat this place like a garbage bin, do you think janitors will come in to look after this place or something?!"
"Ugh." Her gaze looked dull as she looked elsewhere and stuck a finger in her ear. "Do you think you're a big shot that can tell me what to do just because you're in charge of the recomposition here?"
My whole being began to tremble.
A hand was placed on my shoulder.
"Calm down, if you get angrier you'll just end up popping a blood vessel," Hagihara advised me, it seems he had returned with a mop and bucket.
". . ." But I couldn't let it go. I snatched the salad she was about to eat out of her hands and dumped it in the trash.
"HEY!"
"You're not allowed to eat in here! You pig!"
"JUST WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!"
"I should be asking you that! Do you think this world revolves around you or something? You think being sued would make you learn your lesson, how can someone be like this?!"
Her face flushed red then white then red again. "You... MOTHERFUCKER!" She lunged at me.
I didn't expect it, due to the close proximity she was on me in seconds, scratching and clawing at my face like a feral cat.
"OWWWW!" She was yanked back like a dog on a leash, by her long pigtails by Hagihara.
"Cut it out!" His voice was firm but I would have appreciated this sort of involvement earlier.
"But he!" She continued to reach for me. It was as if she had tunnel vision.
"He's not Tanaka, or have you already forgotten? There's not a lot of people out there willing to put up with behavior like this."
At the mention of this mysterious person, her anger faded into bitterness.
"W-why are you bringing him up? Unhand me!"
Hagihara let her go.
Amara sat down on the sofa, but the air was tense.
Watching with wide eyes, Agawa just ate his fries.
I started to eat my food, fearing she might try to eat mine out of spite.
After heb finished mopping, Hagihara paused on his way out.
"I couldn't help noticing," he started.
"?"
Ah, he was talking to me.
"The food you ordered, they were all different and seemed to be tailored to each one of us..."
"Huh?"
"That's true, how did you know Hagi likes sweet tea? I also like coffee."
"I-I just chose randomly what I thought you'd like."
Agawa and Hagihara watching me, hummed their suspicions in unison.
It was a lie actually, Amara suggested these things after I told her what each person was like since I didn't know what would be good to get. We sort of got it right, it turns out Hagihara-san liked sweet tea while Agawa was the one who liked coffee. While Akemi...seems to like mangoes.
I drunk the rest of the orange soda in peace. Though I could feel her glaring at me.