The first live show was a nightmare.
They had been booked to perform at a small venue in the heart of the city, and it felt like the world was watching them. Shino's hands shook as she stepped onto the stage, the lights blinding her as she squinted into the crowd. It was a sea of unfamiliar faces, all staring up at her, waiting for something.
Aki was, of course, in her element. She was bouncing around the stage, singing with an energy that was contagious. Mika's basslines were strong and steady, and Kanna kept the rhythm tight on drums. Shino, though? She could barely focus on the music. Her fingers were slipping off the strings, her mind racing with thoughts of everything that could go wrong.
The first few songs were fine, but then came the crash. Shino's mind went blank halfway through a solo, and her fingers stumbled over the notes. The audience, who had been relatively quiet until that moment, murmured and shifted uncomfortably. Aki kept singing, but Shino felt the weight of her failure pressing down on her.
She had never been good at handling the pressure. The idea of being in front of a live crowd, with everyone's eyes on her, was suffocating. She felt trapped—like the music was slipping away from her, and she couldn't keep it together.
Finally, the set ended, and they retreated backstage. The adrenaline was still pumping, but it felt hollow. They had finished, but the energy from the crowd was nothing like what Shino had expected. She didn't know whether they were applauding out of politeness or genuine enjoyment.
Aki slapped her on the back, grinning.
"Not bad for a first show! We'll tighten it up next time."
Shino forced a smile, but inside, she felt like she had failed.