V2C5 Part1

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Preface

*cough cough* Uhmmm some of you may not have read (well about 200 of you) the edit I made appended to the end of the previous chapter so.....(Please no stakes)\n\n<>Chap 4 end append<>

 Sorry bout that~~~~~

And I'll be glad to announce that I'll be translating the entirety of Chapter 5 at the least or the end of the whole volume as a friend will be sponsoring my coffee and food for today so check hourly for updates to check if my caffeine powered self  is still alive or wait for the end of translation~  

And as for my friend....  https://www.paypal.me/exiarevival

Pay up  f*cker!! Reimbursed coffee best coffee. Excuse the errors my caffeine high self may make. 

Now for the start of Chapter 5 enjoy  

<><><>Preface END<><><>\nChapter 5 Startoooo!!!

  

Arriving at the store, I find Nanako and Tsurayuki along with the members of Biken all gathered together. Everyone’s faces bely a pensive look. Even Kiryu-san gazed at what’s in front of him with a somber expression.\n“What’s the whole story here?”\nI find a lone man encircled by the group as I walked in. It was the second year student, Sugimoto-san. Looking closer, he was trembling in fear with both his hands on the floor which needless to say, was quite unusual.\n“It’s not your fault Sugimoto”

Beside him, Kakihara-san was comforting him as her hands were set on his shoulders.\nBut Sugimoto just shook his head and says-\n“H-How can it not be!? I couldn't call in to confirm…… ”\nThen he started crying. He’s wildly different from the fun loving guy I met at the newcomers party. It’s jarring.\n“Can I ask?…. What happened?”\nI felt compelled to ask. After a moment, Kakihara-san replied.\n“You’ve heard about the festival concert right? The one me and Sugimoto were planning for.”\n“Yeah. You’ve been preparing for it for quite some time.”\n“And that’s exactly where the problem lies.”\n--Kakihara-san says as if spitting it out.

“….It even happened at a critical time”\nKiryu-san must have already been clued in about the situation based on his sullen look.\n“We are mainly in charge of booking the performers, negotiating with various bands and singers. It’s a pretty tough job considering we have to deal with their fees and all.”\nI did hear about it being one of the largest events in the Kansai area. It must be a high pressure job.

“And so…. we talked about calling in a big shot singer as the grand finale.”\n“Big shot? Who?”\n“In the first place it was a difficult person to deal with. Do you know a singer named Shogo Mori?

“Ehh? Shogo Mori was supposed to come?

By this time period, he was a singer who had a big breakthrough by performing movie and drama theme songs. I didn’t hear about him coming to the festival. If he came it would have caused quite a ruckus.

“Just before his big break last year, Sugimoto asked for him to come. He’s a massive fan of the guy so when he got a yes he was jumping for joy.”\nHe sighed and ruffled his hair.

“However,,,afterwards his popularity suddenly jumped up so contact with him became scarce. His already arrogant attitude had become insufferable by then, so just in case he was made into a secret guest and not even advertised in the pamphlet. And then …… ”*check

“Today……..*sniffle* I got in touch and was told that since his name wasn’t advertised anywhere on the pamphlet he doesn’t have to attend.”\n“Ehhh…!”

 That was terrible. As long as Shogo Mori hasn't confirmed, they could not affirm his participation. They had to take this course of action for the sake of the audience.  But using that as a reason for canceling…He’s one hell of an ass. “That’s awful…”\n\n“What the heck? Isn’t that a completely false accusation?”\nTsurayuki and Nanako shuddered in anger.\n“It totally is. Sugimoto’s definitely the victim here. Though from the committee’s point of view, it’s his responsibility if there’s no one up on that stage.”\n“No way….”\nSugimoto’s phone then rang. With the blood drained from his face, he answered.\n“Yes. Yes….. sorry, It’s a bit hard to continue with it. Yes……I understand. I’ll head on over now”

*beep* And with that he hung up the phone.”\n“The start of the concert is near so….”

“Sugimoto, don’t get so bummed about it. It was an accident.”

Kakihara-san tried to comfort him but Sugimoto-san gave a melancholic smile and said--\n“Then….. I’m going out. I’m sorry guys, I didn’t mean to worry you.

With that he left the shop and headed for the venue.\nAfter seeing him go out--\n“Damn it!”\nKakihara-san shouted unthinkably loud.

“Leaving it like this when Sugimoto and everyone else did their best…..Like hell I can accept it!”

Voices of lament echoed throughout the store. No one could speak up. Everyone was crushed by a matter they can’t control.

“Poor guy…but there’s nothing we can do for him.”\nKiryu-san could only look towards the heavens with a pained look

“Can’t he just be satisfied with the money? It’s 100% his fault anyhow.”

--Tsurayuki lashes out with an angrily rough voice

“Even if we compensate the bastard, we’re just students. He’ll just think it’s more trouble than its worth”

--Hiyama-san chimed in with a pensive look and crossed arms.\n “That’s ‘ow showbiz is round these parts, cunning through and through. What can ya’ do.”\nKeiko-san calmly put out her thoughts, and continues--\n“That whatchamacallit singer won’t come ‘ere anymore so I’d reckon they quickly decide on a stand-in and prop ‘em up on stage.” 

“I see, but who could they get for it though….?”\n“Who ‘ndeed……”\n“Trust me, it’s not that we didn’t prepare a replacement. We couldn’t even find a replacement before exaggeratedly writing “Secret”.\nOf course there would be other bands playing at the live concert. Normally one wouldn’t be remiss in getting a substitute from there. But now that they’ve made a big deal out of it by boldly declared “Secret Guest” on the pamphlet, you would nary find a band or singer that would dive right in and get the short end of the stick.

“The back-up band has a proven track record so they can adapt the song to the singer* to an extent. Now if we could just find the last piece of the puzzle to get things going……….”\n(TN- the word “utaite” is used here or a cover singer)\nKakihara-san sighs\nThe club members and everyone from the share house sunk their faces into silence, pondering on what they can do.

And in the midst of this, I conjured something up.

This was my chance to make it happen. It wasn’t the end-goal but it would be a good stepping stone in the right direction.\n“Uhm”\nI approached Kakihara-san and said--\n“How about we let Nanako sing?”\n“Eh….?”\nBriefly there was only silence. Nanako herself was the only one who could utter a word.

And then,

“Eehhhhhhhhhhhhhh!?”

Everyone shouted in unison.

“Did you say…..that she’s going to sing?”\nKakihara-san points at Nanako. Her eyes and mouth wide open in surprise. She hadn’t changed back yet, so she stood there in her maid uniform.

“Yes, that’s right”\n“What do you mean yes? I mean she isn’t really a singer is she? Hashiba-kun, this isn’t a karaoke contest you know.”

“Suddenly putting Nanako on stage? Won’t it be a bit hard to execute?”\n“Are you serious Kyouya-kun?”\nTsurayuki and the other’s anxiousness are still unwavered. To top it all off, Nanako’s face has turned to pale white. Oh well, that’s the expected reaction anyhow.\n“Based on the story, hiring a professional is all but a lost cause. And on the other hand, getting the other bands to perform would be difficult due to the circumstances involved right?”\n“Yeah, but…..”\n“Then if that’s the case, then having both an unknown singer and accompanying band would ring true to it being a “Secret”\nI’m well aware that it’s only sophism and semantics. But this right here, at the very least, is the chance for Nanako to think that there might just be a place for her in singing,

“But if she doesn’t have the power to make people listen then won’t it all be just completely useless? And the finale of the show is very important. If she fails, the damage to her reputation would be no joke. Are you sure?”\nKakihara-san kept to himself pondering quietly and then--\nHis cellphone rang.\n“Hello….ah, yes. I’ll head out. Can you put a hold on the matter with the replacement singer? I might just be able to get a hold on someone.”\nAfter saying that much, he hung up the phone.\n“Kakihara-san………!”\n“If the girl is really going to sing, then come to me fully determined. It might sound pompous for me to say, but the concert would be absolutely ruined if you do it half-heartedly….”\nKakihara-san’s voice was stern. He’s in charge of overseeing the entire show, so it was only natural.\n“Then I’ll be going now. The time for the final act to come out is…….in 15 minutes.”

And with that, Kakihara-san has also rushed to the venue. Yet again, silence reigned anew.

“Somehow this turned into one hell of a mess.”\nTsurayuki scratched his head.

“Nanako”

I took a step towards her.

“Don’t worry, you can do it”\nBut Nanako tries to step back away from me the closer I get.

“I can see them saying that I’m not good at it. I can see their laughs and asking why’d this girl even show up. It’s terrifying…..”

She’s staring at the ground in order to no make eye contact with anyone.

“Until now….. no one has ever…..”\nNanako managed to squeeze out that much until—

“Nanakooo!!”

--she ran out out of the the store.\n“Hasshi! Nanako-chan ran! What should we do!?

Kiryu-san went out to the hallway pale-faced thoroughly not knowing what to do.\n“I’ll bring her back…….don’t worry about a thing!”\nI was about to go after her when Tsurayuki grabbed my shoulders.\n“What about the performance!? Weren’t we just told that it’s about to start!?”\n“I’ll be leaving it in your hands, Good luck!”\nThen I chase after Nanako full speed ahead.\n“Eh….leaving it to me…..”

Tsurayuki looks at Shinoaki

“What do we do…?”

I run past the hallway and down the stairs. I frantically look left to right and see that Nanako has already disappeared.

“Nanako, wait! please…let’s just talk it out….!”\nThis could surely be a special opportunity for Nanako. If she freezes in fear now, then she will never be able to move forward

“There’s no way I’ll let it end like this!”

 Getting a chance has always been like an impossibly hard video game. More often than not, you wouldn’t be able to tackle it head on with full health and MP.  That’s why I want Nanako to grab hold of this opportunity that has come knocking at all cost. I glance at the time on my phone.\n“There’s only 10 minutes left…!”\nI can only hope that Tsurayuki and the others would be able to hold it together. I have an idea to where she might go. In desperation, I scramble around the campus.\n\n\n

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