The Battle Between Producers

It had been two days since our relaxing day at Asahi Bathhouse, and Marina and I were back at the Livehouse, going about our usual tasks, when suddenly, a loud voice shattered the tranquility of the livehouse.

"Nakasone Kyo! I have come here to challenge you!" The voice belonged to a short girl with sky-blue eyes and salmon-colored hair cascading down to her hips. She burst into the room with an air of confidence, greeting us with a mix of Japanese and English.

What's with the accent?

"Oh? CHU²-chan, what brings you here?" Marina greeted her casually, unfazed by her sudden entrance. She was in the midst of carrying a box, her arms full of equipment.

"Good morning, Marina-san!" Another familiar face appeared this time a girl with light red eyes and waist-length hair tied into pigtails adorned with colorful beads. Her presence added to the already lively atmosphere of the room.

"I'm sorry, but why am I being challenged all of a sudden?"

"Hehe~ You're a fool, Nakasone Kyo," CHU² retorted, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "I've done my research, and it seems you have some experience with music. So, I challenge you!"

My expression remained blank as I looked at her. "CHU²-san was it? I'm not really in the mood to play games with kids."

"AH!! You're calling me a child again!" CHU²'s voice rose in indignation as she glared at me, her cheeks flushed with frustration.

As I observed her reaction, a memory suddenly flashed in my mind, and I couldn't help but blurt it out. "Ohh~ I remember you now."

"Really?!" CHU²'s eyes widened in surprise.

"Yeah! You're the beef jerky girl!"

CHU²'s jaw dropped in disbelief, as she sank to the floor in defeat. "A-a beef jerky girl... So that's what I'm known as to you, huh."

"Well, it's not wrong," Marina chimed in with a chuckle. "CHU²-chan does have a thing for beef jerky."

With a frustrated growl, CHU² rose from the floor, her determination burning brightly in her eyes. "Arghh! Screw it," she exclaimed, pointing an accusatory finger at me. "If you won't accept my challenge, then I'll expose you right here and now!"

My smirk widened at her bold threat. "Expose me? I'd like to see you try."

"Oh, I will," CHU² retorted, turning to her companion. "PAREO!"

"Yes, CHU²-sama," PAREO responded obediently, placing her phone on the counter and unlocking it.

The tension in the room spiked as CHU² threatened to expose me, her eyes glinting with mischief.

No way... That's my...!

My instincts kicked in, and I lunged for her phone in an attempt to prevent her from carrying out her threat, but I was too slow. PAREO's reflexes were quicker, and she intercepted my movement with ease, holding the phone out of my reach.

Before I could react, PAREO's hand moved swiftly, preventing me from reaching the phone. My heart raced as I realized the gravity of the situation.

"What's going on?" Marina's voice interrupted our tense standoff.

I clenched my fist, struggling to contain my rising frustration. "It's nothing, Marina-san. Just a misunderstanding."

CHU²'s smirk widened as she saw my futile attempt. "Hehe, still not gonna accept my challenge?"

Marina approached us, having finished her task with the boxes. I glanced at her, trying to maintain my composure despite the mounting pressure.

With a deep breath, I reluctantly conceded. "Alright... If that's what you want, then... I'll do it."

"Good!~" CHU²'s victorious grin sent a shiver down my spine. "I'm pretty sure you remember the penthouse, right? Be there at 12 PM, and don't be late."

As CHU² and PAREO exited the Livehouse, leaving us behind, I took a deep breath, attempting to calm my racing thoughts. I couldn't afford to let CHU² expose my secret. I had to accept her challenge and beat her at her own game.

CHU², you've just made a grave mistake.

"Marina-san," I called out, my voice a tad strained.

"Y-Yes? Part-timer-kun," Marina responded, her tone tinged with concern.

"Can I take a small break?" I requested, trying to mask the unease in my voice.

"Y-Yeah."

"Thank you~ I'll be back tomorrow."

"O-okay..!" 

With a nod of gratitude, I turned away, heading out of the livehouse, intending to use the time to gather my thoughts and prepare myself.

I hailed a taxi, the yellow vehicle pulling up to the curb with a soft hum. Stepping inside, I settled into the backseat, the faint scent of air freshener filling my nostrils as the car began to move.

The cityscape passed by in a blur outside the window, the buildings towering overhead like silent sentinels. 

Finally, I arrived at my destination, "This is it."

As I stepped through the entrance of the building, my eyes immediately fell upon PAREO, who was waiting for me with a warm smile. Her presence seemed to ease some of the tension coiling in my stomach.

"Ah, you're here," she greeted me cheerfully, her smile brightening the dimly lit foyer. "I'm glad you didn't run away. CHU² will be pleased."

I forced a small smile in response, though my nerves still fluttered anxiously beneath the surface. "Right... Lead the way, please."

"Right away!"

With a nod, PAREO turned and led the way toward the elevator.

As we approached the elevator, PAREO reached out to press the call button with practiced ease. The soft ding of the elevator's arrival echoed through the lobby, signaling that it was ready to transport us to our destination.

"After you," PAREO gestured graciously, holding the elevator door open for me with a polite smile.

"Thank you," I murmured, stepping into the elevator car beside her. The doors slid closed, enveloping us in a cocoon of silence.

As we stood in the elevator, waiting for the floors to pass by, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of curiosity about CHU²-san. I should try to know what she is like... starting from PAREO.

"PAREO-san, what's CHU²-san like?" I inquired, breaking the silence.

PAREO's eyes lit up with excitement as she took my hand in hers, her enthusiasm infectious. "Oh, CHU²-sama is amazing! She's a brilliant musician and songwriter, and she's the driving force behind Raise a Suillen. Her talent and dedication inspire us all."

I smiled politely, though I couldn't shake the feeling of being overshadowed by CHU²-san's presence. "I see..."

That's too much for me... 

"Let me change my question, What is RAS like?"

PAREO tapped her chin thoughtfully, her gaze drifting upwards as she pondered my question. "Well, I'm the keyboardist for Raise a Suillen, and I also handle a lot of behind-the-scenes support work. But CHU²-sama is truly the heart and soul of the band. She writes all our songs and orchestrates everything we do. She's just... incredible."

Is CHU² really what's on your mind!?

 "It seems like CHU²-san is quite the inspiration for you."

"Absolutely!" PAREO nodded eagerly, before pausing and straightening up. "Oh, I'm sorry if I got carried away. I tend to get a little... enthusiastic when it comes to talking about CHU²-sama."

I waved off her apology with a smile. "No need to apologize. It's clear how much you admire her."

"Heehee, glad you understood!" PAREO chuckled, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

"I do," I replied, returning her smile with a nod.

As the elevator doors slid open, PAREO led the way, and I followed closely behind. "Here we go," she announced as she swiped her keycard on the scanner and ushered me inside.

Once inside, we were greeted by CHU², who was waiting for us with a welcoming smile. "Oh, great timing, PAREO! Looks like you've brought Nakasone Kyo with you."

"Yeah, I'm here... Let's get right into it," I responded, my nerves beginning to resurface.

"Shut up," CHU² interrupted in a playful tone, her English accent adding an extra layer of flair. "Calm down, Nakasone Kyo. I want to introduce you to our judges."

"Oh... Right, of course, there are judges..." I trailed off, feeling a bit flustered as I glanced at PAREO, who simply smiled at me while tilting her head to me.

After all, we can't be biased!

"Now then, let me introduce you to one of the judges! Starting from RAS's vocalist!" CHU² declared, gesturing towards the closed door. "LAYER!!!" With her command, the door swung open, revealing a mature woman with fair skin and smooth dark-brown hair cascading down her back.

"H-Hello," she greeted me with a slightly awkward smile.

"H-Hello," I responded, returning her greeting with a polite bow.

She returned the bow before making her way to the judge's seats, her smile still tinged with a hint of awkwardness.

"Next up, introducing RAS's drummer! MASKING!!" CHU² announced.

A girl with short, dyed blonde hair and dark gold eyes emerged from the door. "Yo, you must be who CHU² was talking about. Nice to meet ya," she greeted me with a casual tone.

"Y-Yeah... Pleasure's all mine," I replied, trying to match her casual demeanor.

She nodded before taking her place beside LAYER, but I couldn't help but notice the intense glare she shot my way. Was she mad at me for some reason?

"And last but not least, our final judge will be RAS's guitarist! LOCK!" CHU² announced, her voice ringing out confidently.

To my surprise, a familiar figure emerged from the door, looking visibly nervous.

"Oh? Asahi-san," I greeted her with a surprised smile.

"Nakasone-san, I didn't expect to see you here," Asahi replied, a hint of amusement in her voice.

"I kind of didn't expect to see you here either," I admitted with a chuckle.

"Haha~" We shared an awkward laugh, the tension between us dissipating slightly, until CHU² interrupted our reunion.

"Alright, you two! Stop with the reunion and let's get on with it," CHU² commanded, stepping between us.

"O-Oh! Right!" LOCK quickly made her way to the judge's seats beside MASKING, her nervousness evident.

CHU² then turned to me with a smile, "Are you ready?"

"No."

"W-why!?"

"Uhm... You know, I don't know where to make music, even though you challenged me out of the blue," I explained, feeling a bit flustered.

"Oh, that?" CHU² snapped her fingers, and PAREO immediately handed me a gaming laptop. "There."

I was taken aback by the sudden gesture, but I quickly composed myself. Right now, I was in the middle of a battle with this brat, and I had to keep going.

"PAREO, please explain the rules," CHU² instructed.

"Yes, CHU²-sama!" PAREO nodded, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a folded piece of paper. She unfolded it carefully before beginning to read aloud. "Here are the rules of today's battle between the producers."

PAREO began explaining the rules with a clear voice. "Rule number one: Each producer will have one hour to compose a piece of music based on the given theme: Rock. Rule number two: The music must be original and created entirely during the allotted time. Rule number three: The judges will evaluate the compositions based on creativity, technical skill, and how well they capture the theme. And finally, rule number four: The winner will receive recognition and bragging rights as the superior producer."

As PAREO finished outlining the rules, the weight of the challenge settled in my mind. It was clear that this competition would demand both creativity and skill under pressure.

"Heh, are you ready to lose?" 

"Brat... Don't say that when you know I'm clearly the winner."

"Let's get started!" PAREO announced with a cheerful clap, signaling the beginning of the competition.