"Of course! I'll show you exactly how it's done--"
It's Umi's turn to cut her off this time, pushing Nico away with one hand as the other presses over her heart in a desperate plea. "No! Nico's interpretation of it is far too cheap! If anything, the one whose input you should be seeking is--"
She curls into herself mid-sentence as Nico's elbow jabs into her side. "She asked for my suggestions, so obviously she wants my suggestions!"
"Um, maybe we should talk this out after calming down a little more..." Kotori attempts weakly, but it's lost to the growing commotion.
"Rin wants to try, nya!" comes a shout from among the ruckus, as its source throws her arm up as high as it can go. "Come here, Kayo-chin!"
"Okay," Hanayo squeaks, relieved, at least, to no longer be trapped between the two arguing girls. Grabbing her by the arm, Rin hurriedly moves to stand in front of Eli and Nozomi, and puffs her chest out with the proud of grin of someone about to conduct a truly masterful act. Nozomi raises one curious eyebrow.
"See, in the bit that goes 'I love your hand that pets my hair', you should do it like this!" And she turns to Hanayo, repeatedly tapping her outstretched fingers over the top of her head. "Pet, pet, pet..."
"Don't pet her like she's a cat!" Nozomi exclaims, and leans forward to thwack Rin over the head with the comedic timing of an impeccable manzai duo. Rin sticks her tongue out even as she flinches at the slap. "Teehee!"
"You're not taking this seriously at all!" Umi cries, and whirls around to grab hold of one of her own best friends. "Kotori!"
"Eh?" Despite the look of mild dread on the girl's face, she lets herself be dragged along by Umi all the same. Umi herself pays it little heed, lost, no doubt, to the passionate flames of taboo romance.
"When you sing about wanting to hold each other," she asserts, "your hands should touch like this -- as if about to succumb to your longing, but just barely holding back!" She demonstrates, reaching with one arm to firmly lace her fingers through Kotori's own, slack with bafflement. "And then, after grasping it tightly, you must let go, torn apart by the cruelty of the world around you! Longing in your eyes, Kotori!"
"Ah, right!" Kotori snaps upright, and casts a heavy-lidded, pouted-lipped gaze at Umi's face, which sends Honoka into another bout of applause. "Ooh! I see it, the longing!"
Rin and Hanayo join in with the clapping, and Nozomi, too, nods appreciatively as she watches. Nico, seeing that the tides have turned against her, decides she absolutely won't stand for it, and latches onto the next best contender now that Hanayo's escaped. "I-I won't lose! Maki!"
"What? Why me?!"
Her protests are flat-out ignored as Nico butts back into the center and slips effortlessly back into lecture mode. "During the instrumental parts, instead of standing around awkwardly, why don't you try something bolder? You know, like this--" Placing one hand on Maki's waist, she opts for a spin, but Maki, being a good deal taller and no less stubborn, remains firmly rooted in place. "W-why do I have to do this with you?!"
"It's for demonstration, so be quiet!"
"I never agreed to any of this!"
"So you're all right with just letting Umi win?!"
"Win what?"
"Everyone." Nozomi coughs into her palm, uncharacteristically loud enough to award her a brief moment of silence from the squabbling girls. "Thank you, there's been a lot of helpful input! Elichi and I are feeling much more inspired now." She turns to Eli with a smile. "Right, Elichi?"
no subject
It's Umi's turn to cut her off this time, pushing Nico away with one hand as the other presses over her heart in a desperate plea. "No! Nico's interpretation of it is far too cheap! If anything, the one whose input you should be seeking is--"
She curls into herself mid-sentence as Nico's elbow jabs into her side. "She asked for my suggestions, so obviously she wants my suggestions!"
"Um, maybe we should talk this out after calming down a little more..." Kotori attempts weakly, but it's lost to the growing commotion.
"Rin wants to try, nya!" comes a shout from among the ruckus, as its source throws her arm up as high as it can go. "Come here, Kayo-chin!"
"Okay," Hanayo squeaks, relieved, at least, to no longer be trapped between the two arguing girls. Grabbing her by the arm, Rin hurriedly moves to stand in front of Eli and Nozomi, and puffs her chest out with the proud of grin of someone about to conduct a truly masterful act. Nozomi raises one curious eyebrow.
"See, in the bit that goes 'I love your hand that pets my hair', you should do it like this!" And she turns to Hanayo, repeatedly tapping her outstretched fingers over the top of her head. "Pet, pet, pet..."
"Don't pet her like she's a cat!" Nozomi exclaims, and leans forward to thwack Rin over the head with the comedic timing of an impeccable manzai duo. Rin sticks her tongue out even as she flinches at the slap. "Teehee!"
"You're not taking this seriously at all!" Umi cries, and whirls around to grab hold of one of her own best friends. "Kotori!"
"Eh?" Despite the look of mild dread on the girl's face, she lets herself be dragged along by Umi all the same. Umi herself pays it little heed, lost, no doubt, to the passionate flames of taboo romance.
"When you sing about wanting to hold each other," she asserts, "your hands should touch like this -- as if about to succumb to your longing, but just barely holding back!" She demonstrates, reaching with one arm to firmly lace her fingers through Kotori's own, slack with bafflement. "And then, after grasping it tightly, you must let go, torn apart by the cruelty of the world around you! Longing in your eyes, Kotori!"
"Ah, right!" Kotori snaps upright, and casts a heavy-lidded, pouted-lipped gaze at Umi's face, which sends Honoka into another bout of applause. "Ooh! I see it, the longing!"
Rin and Hanayo join in with the clapping, and Nozomi, too, nods appreciatively as she watches. Nico, seeing that the tides have turned against her, decides she absolutely won't stand for it, and latches onto the next best contender now that Hanayo's escaped. "I-I won't lose! Maki!"
"What? Why me?!"
Her protests are flat-out ignored as Nico butts back into the center and slips effortlessly back into lecture mode. "During the instrumental parts, instead of standing around awkwardly, why don't you try something bolder? You know, like this--" Placing one hand on Maki's waist, she opts for a spin, but Maki, being a good deal taller and no less stubborn, remains firmly rooted in place. "W-why do I have to do this with you?!"
"It's for demonstration, so be quiet!"
"I never agreed to any of this!"
"So you're all right with just letting Umi win?!"
"Win what?"
"Everyone." Nozomi coughs into her palm, uncharacteristically loud enough to award her a brief moment of silence from the squabbling girls. "Thank you, there's been a lot of helpful input! Elichi and I are feeling much more inspired now." She turns to Eli with a smile. "Right, Elichi?"