Guess what, I'm back with another short! Thank Sevii for feeding me with Takagaki goodness! XDDD
Ok, enough blabbering and let's go!
======================================
MalfunctionFizz.A sweaty eyebrow twitched irritably, just a slight tic really, if one were to look closely. She tapped at the headset experimentally, hoping that it was just a minor disruption. The built-in mic buzzed some more. Her lips were slowly forming into a pout...
"Ai-chan?" Her companion tilted her head sideways, looking inquiringly over.
"My mic...bzzt...not..." The rest of her words didn't get amplified at all. Takahashi Ai put on her most apologetic face and mouthed "sorry" quite exaggeratedly to the crowd, bowing deeply while fingering her headset, trying to get it to work again.
"Ahhhh....ahhh...ahhh...." Ai tried to see if her mic was working. Next to her, Niigaki Risa, her faithful sub-leader, gamely echoed "mic check, mic check". The largely male-dominated wota crowd chanted along, appearing more amused by the situation than irritated. It takes a lot more than a technical error to upset the wota.
"zzsht...ahhh....cshh....mou, this...crrrk...isn't working...bzzt..." Ai frowned cutely, her lips turning into a slightly frustrated pout. She stood there, feeling distinctly helpless for a moment, her mind a blank when it came to such things. It didn't help that it was currently her MC corner with Gaki-san, and Takahashi Ai absolutely hated such things. She could sing for the crowd any time, any day, but talk to them? Her natural awkwardness definitely didn't help, although at least with Gaki-san by her side it wasn't quite so bad.
"Ne, Ai-chan?" Gaki-san had closed the distance between them during her moment of spacing out, and was now right by her side. Ai blinked at the sudden proximity, one hand still frozen on her malfunctioning headset mic, her mouth still half open in an "o" shape. What was Gaki-san up to now?
"Since your mic isn't working..." Ai started to sweat some more, since Gaki-san's expression was making her distinctly uncomfortable. "Why don't we share the same one?"
Her voice failed her for a second or so, even as doe-like eyes darted to the aforementioned mic that was attached to her sub-leader's headset. That was positioned at the side of her face. That was
extremely close to her lips. Ai swallowed reflexively, her fingers tensing involuntarily. Her eyes met the intense ones of her sub-leader, trying to see beyond the mischievous glint present in there.
Well, if that's the way you want to play... Ai took a deep breath and brought her face closer, watching Gaki-san's eyes intently for any reaction. The leader saw nothing but her own eyes reflected in those of her sub-leader's, sending a shiver down her spine at the pure tension in the air between them.
So close... Ai briefly wondered what would happen if she simply closed that last distance between them. It wouldn't be too difficult. Trying to speak into the mic so conveniently positioned right next to Gaki-san's lips...well, no one would be suspicious if she "accidentally" missed, right?
And judging from the look in Gaki-san's eyes, she wouldn't mind if that little "accident" happened either.
Just as she was about to close in, the sound of running feet behind her and the hissed "Takahashi-san!" made her pause, tearing her eyes away with some difficulty to see one of the staff coming up to her, holding out a hand mic for her. Behind her, she could positively feel Gaki-san deflating, the hand she had somehow grasped halfway into leaning in going slack and shrinking with acute disappointment. Ai herself let out a defeated sigh, taking the pro-offered replacement with an absolutely faked smile, thanking the considerate staff member in a slightly hollow tone. The conscientious staff ran off just as quickly, job accomplished.
Turning back to face her Gaki-san, Ai saw that her sub-leader had recovered quickly and was plastering on her most genki expression, no doubt for the crowd. Their eyes met, unfulfilled questions lingering in the air between them. With unspoken accord, they put their private issues aside first, and turned as one to face the audience, hand in hand, side by side.
After all, the show must go on.
==========================================
Info thanks to Sevii, since apparently on one of the concert days, Ai-chan's mic failed during her MC section with Risa.
And that literally did happen. Oh well. Damn staff for being so efficient!
...crack continuation coming on.
Hehe. heheeheehheeh.