Date-a-live: ーSpiritual Kinshipー

Chapter 74 - Assistance

The time was 2Pm in the waiting room backstage. The representatives of other famous schools started to gather one after another.

The waiting room was a surprisingly wide space of room after all of the performers assembled, but that was to be expected.

Originally, it was a small hall behind the stage, but it would seem it was opened for it to be used as a waiting room.

As if to show the reality of that, musical instruments such as drum sets or keyboards were arranged in the inner parts of the room.

Shidou had the other members take over the maid cafe as he dragged his feet to the waiting room.

However, apart from Shidou, only Syouji and Tohka were the only ones gathered in the small hall and Ai, Mai and Mii could not be seen no matter how long it took.

"Seriously, what are those three doing....?" Shidou groaned and folded his arms.

"Hmm... I don't like this."

Saying that, Syouji checked his bracelet and looked over at the time. It had already crossed 20 minutes after the gathering time. It should be time for the first stage performance to begin.

And what's more, that wasn't the only problem. Origami who was not seen from morning, has not arrived to the spot. Even after he called her many times, it just won't connect as if there was no power in her phone.

"Muu...... what's wrong with everyone?" Tohka said, tilting her head as Shidou shook his head as if to say [I don't know].

Upon that, Syouji- or [Shunna-chan] tapped on his intercom and called Ai.

After a few seconds of sound from his phone ringing, Ai's voice could be heard from the receiver.

<Hello.... Shuuna-chan?>

"ー! Yamabuki-san, where are you now? Hurry up and come here! I don't see Hazakura-san and Fujibakama-san too.... Where are you guys?"

<Ah... Mai and Mii? Thenー>

<Weーare>

<Overーhere>

coming from the other side of the intercom, Mai and Mi''s voices could be head.

"Where are you?! The stage performance is about to start!"

When Syouji shouted, Ai and the rest just replied back with a lifeless voice.

<We're sorry, but we're giving up going out on the stage performance.>

From hearing the unexpected words coming from Ai, he unintentionally gasped and clenched his fist in frustration, gaining Shidou's attention as he slowly inched closer.

"B-But why?! Ai, youー we worked so hard for this, are you seriously just going to quit?!" Syouji let out an exasperated voice.

<Eh-? That's because...... Miku Onee-sama, told us to stop it->

"Heeh..."

At the end of her words, Ai's line was cut as the beeping sound fruitlessly shook Syouji's eardrum.

"Syouji, are you okay?"

"What did Ai say?"

Shidou stood there with a concerned look as Tohka asked in curiosity. Upon that, Syouji put on a smile as guilt ate away at his conscience. Didn't he say he wouldn't put on a mask anymore?

Syouji squeezed out his voice as his smile sank down.

"They said... they are giving up, going on stage...."