The atmosphere is dead. Utterly.
Kurenai said that she had a quick errand to go run, but Kiba's becoming more and more certain that she actually abandoned him to sort out the awkward silence while she gets a stiff drink.
The girl, Hinata or something like that, looks kind of like she desperately wants to go crawl in a hole somewhere and die, what with the sickly and uncomfortable aura she's giving off.
As for the guy… well, as it stands Kiba's sorely tempted to go over there and poke him to make sure he hasn't stopped breathing.
"Umm…" Kiba starts uncertainly. "Well… Since Kurenai said she had to run an errand, why don't we start with introductions! I'll go first!" He says brightly, straining the only civil bone in his body to sound friendly.
"I'm Kiba Inuzuka… um… I'm 18… and… I like music—rock and alternative mostly—and I have a really awesome dog named Akamaru… and… and… uh—"
"Inuzuka."
He nearly jumps out of his skin as the human statue speaks. It would appear that he wasn't dead after all.
"Don't strain yourself." The other boy says flatly.
And Kiba cracked.
"WELL FUCK YOU TOO ASSHOLE! AT LEAST I'M FUCKING TRYING TO BE SOCIABLE HERE AND NOT IMPERSONATING A GOD DAMNED STATUE!! AND YOU!!" He roars, turning to glare at Hinata. "WOULD YOU GET A FUCKING GRIP AND STOP ACTING LIKE WE'RE TRYING TO RAPE YOU OR SOMETHING?!" He continues to rant between the two. "I MEAN DO EITHER OF YOU EVEN FUCKING WANT TO BE HERE!? BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT THIS IS MY FUCKING DREAM!! AND LIKE HELL I'M GOING TO SIT BY AND WATCH IT FALL APART BECAUSE THE TWO OF YOU DON'T WANT IT ENOUGH!! FUCK!!" He screams, kicking the wall of the conference room angrily. "WHERE THE HELL IS THAT WORTHLESS MANAGER!? AAAGH! FUCK THIS SHIT!!" He growls finally, picking up his cheap, folding metal chair and hurling it against the wall of the other side of the room.
The room is silent save for Kiba's breathless panting, as he has exhausted his frustration for the moment.
That is, until he hears a faint squeaking sound and turns to look at the other two occupants of the room.
Hinata is shaking violently and looking just about ready to faint outright, looking at him with some strange mix of terror and determination in her pale, tearful eyes, but sobbing and near whispering.
"M-… My… n-name is… H-Hi-Hinat-ta Hyu-Huyuuga… I-I'm 18… years old… I… I like m-m-music… …c-classical… music and I… I p-pl-play the… the v-violin… and the c-cello and… I… I'm n-not really… good for anything… b-but I… I… I'll t-try not to… hold you b-back too m-much… and I… I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SO SORRY—!" She start crying uncontrollably, seeming to fold into herself.
Kiba is dumbfounded, each sob stabbing him with guilt.
"Hey now… Hinata!" He says as comfortingly as he can, moving to rub her back.
She shrieks, crying 'I'm sorry's even more desperately and leaning over to sob onto statue-boy's sleeve, who stiffens even further and looks utterly at a loss.
Kiba softens his voice as much as possible, almost like he was approaching a cornered animal.
"Easy, Hinata, calm down. I'm not going to hurt you. I promise. Easy."
Her hysterical sobbing slowly subsides, and this time when he rests his hand gently on her shoulder, she flinches, but looks up at him fearfully.
"I'm sorr—!" She starts.
"No, no, you have nothing to apologize for. I was just being an ass and blowing of steam, honest! I don't stay mad at people, really, especially not such a pretty girl!" He says slyly.
Hinata turns red and freezes up again, but seems placated.
Despite what he said about not staying mad, he turns to glare at the other boy.
"What about you? Care to grace us with your voice? Or would that be too straining?" He bites harshly.
The other boy shifts ever so slightly, probably still put off by Hinata's proximity.
"Shino Aburame. 19. I also play classical string instruments."
"Whatever." Kiba huffs and turns back to Hinata. "So why exactly are you two doing this. I mean… no offense, but you guys seem a little out of your element…"
"I… I was asked b-by the president…"
He turns back to Shino. "And you?"
"The same."
He runs his hand through his hair impatiently. "That's not really going to help with the band much…"
"That depends a good bit on what kind of a band you're trying to make." Comes a sudden voice from the door.
Kiba and Hinata jump a bit at the reappearance of Kurenai.
"It's nice to see you all getting so friendly." She said cheerfully, with the slightest hint of implication, looking particularly at how Hinata was clinging to Shino.
Hinata blushes and releases the boys arm, looking down into her lap insistently.
"I hate to break it to you," Kiba breaks in. "But if you're looking to start some kind of classical performing group you'll have to reconsider. I've never touched a violin in my life."
"That's just the way it should be." She says brightly. "I picked you very specifically because of that."
Kiba stared skeptically. "You picked me? I thought the groups were decided by experts or whatever."
"I am what you could call an expert you know." She says chidingly. "But this group's situation is just ever so slightly different."
Hinata finally spoke up. "Wh-What do you mean M-Ms. Yuuhi? D-Does it have t-to do with why Sh-Shino and I w-were asked to p-p-participate?"
"I thought I told you to call me Kurenai." She says pouting. "But yes, it's precisely the reason."
"That reason being?" Kiba pressed.
"I suppose you could say that I had a bit of an interesting idea," She said happily. "Specifically, to create a more rock-alternative band using classical instruments."
Kiba squinted confusedly. "You can do that?"
"Of course you can, but the question is whether or not it will sell. Which is ideally what we'll find out."
"Wait, wait, wait." Kiba pipes up irritably. "We're going to be guinea pigs for some little pet project of yours? Why the hell have I never heard of this? I—!"
"You did." She interrupts sharply. "Or at least you would have if you had bothered to read the contract for this program before signing it."
Kiba flinches slightly at the pointed statement and backs down.
Kurenai softens once again. "It's not like you've signed your life away or anything, you can quit if you want. You have a week to practice together, try things out, and think it over. But… consider it for at least that long …please. It's not like I would have proposed this if I didn't think it had a good chance of success."
The three seemed to consider it weightily.
"I've probably given you guys enough to chew over for today. We'll meet tomorrow at noon in front of the recording building, alright?"
Shino and Hinata nod and Kiba hums an absentminded affirmation.
"Oh and Kiba?" He looks at Kurenai, who had paused at the door. "Regardless of whether or not you ultimately choose to stay, there will be no more outbursts like before, will there?" She says icily, leveling him with a very ominous look before leaving.
AN: I think I might have over done Kiba's rant a bit, but oh well. D: