Shino stared at the screen, the glow of her phone lighting up her face in the dimly lit room. It was an usual evening routine: scrolling through music forums, lurking on social media pages, and reading the reviews and comments about the rising bands in the
city. The scene in her head played out like a movie. The applause, the crowds, the bright lights—but the screen was her reality. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, ready to type a comment or a response, but she never clicked
"send."
She was good at staying anonymous. A shadow in a world that was slowly becoming more and more real for the rest of the world. They didn't know her real name, they didn't know her story—just her opinions on guitar tones, favorite genres, and a couple of online recommendations. Shino was content to live in the ghostly void of online interaction. But deep down, she knew she wanted more. The very music that kept her company in her solitude was the same music that begged for her to step into the light.
She couldn't help but dream about what it would feel like to play her songs in front of real
people—feel the energy of the crowd, the thrill of performing live. But for now, she would stay behind the screen, listening to the songs of others, staying invisible.