AMBiTiON/Story/Ch. 3

## Size of a Chihuahua

 *The aloof Izumi Takimoto could have potential, but what will Chihiro do when Izumi rejects her invitation to the band?*

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Thankful to see someone else in the back of the room, Chihiro inched slowly towards the short girl.

She looked to be around the age of a junior high student, maybe two years younger than Chihiro, and her height was not helped by the way she leaned against the wall, slouching like a shrimp. The girl had short, curly, dull-violet hair and a long jacket that only made her look even smaller. She watched ECL:PSE's performance with a still face.

Suddenly, the small girl turned to Chihiro, her gaze serious. Chihiro watched as she mouthed something, but she couldn't tell what the girl said over the music. "I-I can't hear you...?" shouted Chihiro.

The girl mouthed something again, yet it still went unheard. "I still can't hear you!"

"I said, what do you want?!" The young girl was on the verge of yelling, visibly irritated.

"Oh." Chihiro stood a little closer to the girl so as to be more easily heard. "Um, I'm not used to how loud it is, so I'm back here."

With droopy eyes, she only glanced back at the performance. "What did you expect? ECL:PSE does this genre." The girl was barely audible, but fortunately Chihiro caught a snippet of her speech.

"Genre...?" Chihiro murmured to herself. There sure was a lot to consider when it comes to bands... Such a bother. She'd sunk too much effort in this venture to back out, though.

The two listened to the music in silence, neither caring to strain their voices to speak to a stranger. "And I wander on alone in the Isolation Labyrinth..." Chihiro listened half-heartedly to the song's lyrics. What genre of music would her band play? That was a matter to discuss with Aki, though apparently neither of them knew much. But as far as Chihiro knew, that little genius could learn everything they needed to know in a day.

ECL:PSE's song finally ended and the crowd delivered a round of applause. "Thank you~!" The blonde vocalist returned to her sweet voice as if she wasn't screaming just some moments ago. "That was our song, ISOLATION LABYRINTH."

The young girl beside Chihiro used the chance to speak. "Who are you, anyways?" She asked bluntly, staring at Chihiro with a turquoise gaze.

She wanted to scoff at the girl's directness - Chihiro was years older than this unsupervised kid! The girl may as well have been born yesterday. But instead Chihiro responded, "Chihiro Satou... You?"

"Izumi Takimoto. So why are you here?"

To have a tea party, evidently. "Nothing, I was just interested. What about you?"

Takimoto pointed to the girl at the drums, though Chihiro couldn't see her hand under her long sleeve. "To watch my younger sister Kiyomi. She hates me coming, but I have nothing better to do."

"Wait, younger?" Chihiro echoed and glanced back at the band, prepping for their next song. Although the drummer looked the smallest of everyone in ECL:PSE, Chihiro was sure she had an older aura than Takimoto!

"Yeah. I'm a high-school second-year, couldn't you tell?" Takimoto-senpai stated matter-of-factly as she stared Chihiro down, straight in the eyes. No way - *this* brat? Chihiro thought she saw a glint of humor in the unexpectedly mature girl's gaze, the first sign of a positive emotion Chihiro witnessed from her so far. "Y-You're a year older than me...?"

Takimoto-senpai seemed to enjoy watching her shock. "Oh, you're a first-year." The slightest hint of smugness on her face showed. "What school?"

"Um... H-Hanasakigawa."

"I'm from Haneoka. So is everyone up there... but they're all middle-school third-years." At least Chihiro guessed ECL:PSE's ages correctly.

Their interaction was cut off by the singer. "Alright, next up!..." And going quiet, Chihiro mentally prepared herself for another round of ear-bleedingly loud music...

ECL:PSE's part of the performance finally ended as the four middle-schoolers left the stage. Chihiro noticed Takimoto-senpai heading for the door.

"You won't stay for the other two bands?" Chihiro asked. The short girl shook her head, "I'm gonna leave before my sister sees I'm here."

"... I'll leave too. I've lost enough of my hearing as it is," Chihiro remarked in a humorous tone. Takimoto-senpai didn't react.

The doors to the live house swung open as Chihiro headed in the direction of her home, Takimoto-senpai beside her. They walked next to each other quietly, the only thing to be heard were the birds' chirping and the occasional car speeding by. They walked together for a while.

And a while longer.

And a while longer...

"Are you following me?" Takimoto-senpai broke the silence with a question so direct, it made Chihiro stop in her tracks.

"W-W-What?!" She sputtered offendedly at the accusation. "No! I'm just going home!"

The short girl glared at Chihiro with narrowed eyes. "Hm. Just making an observation." They continued walking.

Chihiro turned towards the street, away from Takimoto-senpai. She wanted to break the awkwardness, but no conversation topics came to mind.

'First,' A plan began to form in her head, 'maybe if I acted a little friendlier like Aki-yan, this little dwarf baby might actually get talking!' But what did she want from Takimoto-senpai? To join her band? Chihiro didn't even know if this girl could even play any instruments! It would surely have been a pain in the agenda if she was utterly useless. Okay... investigation time.

"Hey, Takimoto-senpai? Since your sister is in ECL:PSE, you wouldn't happen to be in a band too? Or at least, play an instrument like her."

"... She's let me on the drums once or twice, but I never learned anything, so no."

"Hm~." Chihiro made sure to sound more cheerful and approachable, "Hey, aren't you interested in playing, though?"

"... No." Takimoto-senpai replied after a moment of hesitation. Chihiro wondered if she was lying. She pressed further.

"Oh, come on~. Didn't you say you have nothing better to do?"

"Nope, nothing."

"No offense, but isn't that kinda boring? You'd be better off with a hobby, right?"

Takimoto-senpai halted to glare up at Chihiro once again. "You're getting annoying. Stop."

"... Sorry."

Their exchange returned to complete silence once more as they walked side by side, the awkwardness growing louder, evident to the both of them. Chihiro intentionally drooped her head and slowed her pace ever so slightly, staring at her shoes, hoping Takimoto-senpai would take the bait and finally say something.

"Fine, I do want to learn the drums."

Triumphant that she fell for it, Chihiro halted in her tracks and turned to face the short girl. "Then…!"

Of course, she'd already been contemplating asking Takimoto-senpai to join her band, as impulsive an idea as it was. Not only did the girl not go to the same school as Chihiro, which complicated matters, now Takimoto-senpai would have to learn to play the drums instead of having previous knowledge like Aki did keyboard, definitely proving her much less beneficial... But Chihiro was used to settling for less. And with the success of asking Aki, as well as Takimoto-senpai admitting her wish to play the drums, surely she would agree to join...?

"Takimoto-senpai! Will you join my new band?"

"No."

Chihiro thought she could hear her excitement shatter like glass.

Takimoto-senpai continued. "Listen, I hardly know you, and you've been nothing but a pain this whole time."

"Then, can we at least be friends or something?"

The small girl's eyes lit up for an eighth of a second before reverting back to the same, serious gaze. "What, so you can bother me more? No."

"Well, alright then. *Nevermind*," Chihiro replied, sarcastically stressing the last word. She continued to walk again when Takimoto-senpai turned a sharp right.

"Oh, you're going straight? Good." And without another word, the peculiar Takimoto-senpai turned the corner and disappeared.

"Tch." That stupid baby-faced second-year, thinking she was the boss of that conversation. Chihiro felt indignant. 'Just for that,' she decided spitefully, 'I'll prove her wrong. I'll make her regret not joining me now! I'll make her change her mind...!' She raised her head proudly at the cloudy skies - Whether Takimoto-senpai was even of any use or not, Chihiro had to defend her honor!

Already, Chihiro was only a couple of steps from her apartment. She wondered how close Takimoto-senpai lived. 'Hopefully enough for me to get the chance to bother her again.'

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