After dropping out of school, I chose to join a girls' band.

Its eyes revealed a unique light, as if anticipating the moon to display even more amazing talent and potential.

"Hinasaki-kun! You've truly shown me your potential!"

"I can't believe it," the giraffe said excitedly, his voice brimming with exhilaration.

"Come on, show me an even more magnificent, more unpredictable stage!"

The giraffe's words contained a strong sense of anticipation, as if it hoped that the moon would bring it an even more stunning performance.

"Even though you say that, I still don't know what I should do. Can you please stop with these riddles?"

Her tone carried a hint of complaint, showing some confusion and impatience with the giraffe's mysterious words.

"You know, okay? Sleeping in class isn't good, Hinasaki-san, it's time for you to wake up."

The giraffe left behind a seemingly random and ambiguous statement.

This statement left Yue feeling somewhat bewildered. She didn't know what the giraffe meant, nor did she know what she knew or why the giraffe was so certain.

However, as the giraffe finished speaking, the surrounding scenery began to blur, and Yue gradually regained her consciousness.

————————The dividing line of reality——————

"Hinasaki-san! Hinasaki-san!"

Yue heard someone calling her name, and then she groggily opened her eyes to find her English teacher standing in front of her with a helpless expression.

"Hinasaki, you're finally awake." The English teacher breathed a sigh of relief.

Yue felt somewhat confused. She vaguely remembered that she had just had a strange conversation with a giraffe in a dream.

"I... what happened to me?" Yue's voice was slightly hoarse as she tried to recall what had just happened.

The English teacher explained with a wry smile, "You were sleeping the whole time. I called you for ages and you didn't respond. I thought you had fainted."

Yue felt a little embarrassed, and she nodded shyly.

"If you're not feeling well, you can go to the infirmary," the English teacher reminded her with concern, hoping that Yue would take good care of herself.

"Okay, teacher, I just didn't sleep well last night, I'm sorry to have worried you."

Yue said embarrassedly, after all, being watched by so many people sleeping in class, and having to be called by the teacher for a long time without waking her up, she was a little worried that she might get the nickname "Sleeping Immortal".

"Alright, since Hinasaki-san, you're alright, let's continue the lesson. Everyone, please focus back on your textbooks. We were just talking about relative clauses..."

The English teacher smiled tolerantly. After confirming that Yue had simply fallen asleep from exhaustion, she did not impose any punishment, but simply gestured for everyone to refocus on their textbooks.

Yue breathed a sigh of relief, just as she was getting into the zone and ready to start her studies for the day.

Deng gently poked Yue from behind. After feeling the touch on her back, Yue leaned back slightly and heard Deng ask in a soft but concerned voice, "Yue... are you alright?"

Yue smiled and replied to Deng in a low voice, "Don't worry, Deng, I was just a little sleepy and had a dream."

After seeing Yue's smile and reply, Deng didn't say anything more, but just looked at Yue with concern, a hint of worry in his eyes.

On the surface, Yue was focused on taking notes, but in her mind, she was analyzing the giraffe's words in her dream.

Through the giraffe's words, Yue gradually came to understand the power of the winner's wish in the audition, which could even achieve the miracle of time reversal. She also understood why her brilliance was not taken away after she lost the revue.

According to the giraffe, as long as they work together, they can create a perfect Sacred Festival.

Momoko Kurosawa's wish was merely an extra insurance policy; it wouldn't have depleted their brilliance otherwise. On the contrary, after the Seisho Festival ends, this concentrated brilliance will be returned to them.

However, after Tsuki escaped, Momoko Kurosawa's wish was activated.

Because the wish they made back then was for all nine of them to shine together, to glow together, and to complete the Seisho Festival, surpassing their predecessors.

So, after Yue left, that wish began to constantly draw her back.

However, after the analysis, Yue's thoughts did not become clearer; instead, she became even more at a loss.

--------

I was too busy at work this morning to slack off, so I can only post this at noon.

Thanks to the readers for pointing out the typos QAQ, there are so many, now I'm an octopus too (Zhang Yu).

Before the stage opens: Chapter Sixteen, Momoko Kurosawa

Hinasaki was exhausted after finishing her lessons for the day.

She greeted the lamp, telling it that she wouldn't be going to the Astronomy Club today, and then set off on her way home.

Stepping out of the classroom, Yue felt the gentle spring breeze caressing her face, carrying the scent of fresh grass.

She took a deep breath to relieve the day's fatigue, and then began walking home along the familiar campus route.

Once on the tram, Yue breathed a sigh of relief, realizing that this time she didn't encounter any strange giraffes trying to intercept her.

She found an empty seat, sat down comfortably, leaned back, and closed her eyes.

The tram traveled along familiar streets and scenery.

Yue saw a bustling street outside the car window, with crowds of people and a constant flow of traffic.

Although I passed by a convenience store, I didn't run into any acquaintances this time; everything seemed calm and ordinary.

Yue bought a bento box and a drink to take home for dinner.

She felt somewhat lucky; nothing strange had happened since the strange dream she had this morning.

However, when Yue saw the girl squatting at her doorstep, her brain, which had just begun to feel a little better, started to ache again.

She wondered what the girl's purpose was, unsure how to respond.

Just as Yue was contemplating whether to seek refuge at another friend's house, the girl in the Seisho school uniform who was squatting at the door saw Yue, stood up, and waved to greet her.

"Tsuki-chan! I've come to play with you!"

The girl shouted excitedly, her voice brimming with liveliness and enthusiasm.

Knowing she couldn't escape, Yue forced a smile and greeted Taozi.

"Peach, good evening. Why did you suddenly contact me?"

Yue's tone was tinged with confusion and weariness; she wanted to know what Taozi's purpose was in coming.

Peach's voice revealed a hint of excitement and curiosity. She replied with a smile, "Hey! I don't know either. I had a dream this morning that I was performing Starlight with you, Yue, but you ran away before you even got on stage."

"I was thinking about dreaming about Yue-chan today, and I suddenly wanted to come see you, Yue-chan. So I asked my teacher for leave and said I wouldn't be back tonight."

"Peach, you're still so impulsive. You came all this way just because of a dream."

Although Yue knew the reason why Momoko was having a dream, she didn't want to tell her at the moment.

She knew in her heart that even if she told Taozi, it wouldn't solve the problem, since it was her own fault.

"Since you're not going back, are you going to sleep at my place tonight?"

Yue tried to change the subject to divert attention.

Although they only spent half a year together, after Yue dropped out of school, Taozi often brought her classmates to her house for a stay-at-home session.

Therefore, it is not surprising that Miss Minamoto Yuudachi knew her home address and sent her performance tickets.

Over time, Hinasaki's family started keeping their pajamas handy for them to use.

Peach said excitedly, "That's right! I want to play games with Yue today! I think we haven't finished that two-player game from last time."

"Okay, I'll go order takeout first? How about we play PS5 in the living room later?"

Yue opened the door and warmly welcomed Taozi inside. She felt a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere fill the entire room with Taozi's arrival.

Yue picked up the shopping bag containing the bento box she had just bought and gently placed it in the refrigerator, intending to use it as her lunch the next day.

After tidying up the refrigerator, Yue turned to Taozi and said, "Taozi, how about we have Chinese food tonight? There's a new Chinese restaurant that just opened nearby, and it's really good."

Upon hearing this, Momoko raised her eyebrows slightly and nodded with a pleasant expression, saying, "Hmm! Okay, Tsuki-chan, you decide."

She lay comfortably on the spacious sofa in the Yue family home, looking relaxed and at ease, as if she were in her own home.

Yue looked at Taozi, who was sprawled on the sofa like Ge You, sighed, picked up her phone, and dialed the takeout number for the Chinese restaurant.

"Hello, I would like to order one Mapo Tofu, one Twice-Cooked Pork, and rice for two people. Please deliver it to me..."

After a simple dinner, Yue and Taozi sprawled on the sofa, drinking the oolong tea Yue had just bought at the convenience store.

Peach took a sip of tea, let out a long sigh, and said with a hint of helplessness in her voice, "If Teacher Zou Tuo knew that I had eaten so much oily and salty Chinese food, I guess I would be in for hellish training. Sometimes I really envy you, Yue-chan, who can eat whatever you want."

Her expression held a hint of bitterness, as if she regretted not being able to enjoy food as freely as Yue.

Yue smiled slightly and replied softly, "Hehe, it's not that exaggerated. Even if they don't perform on stage, high school girls still pay a lot of attention to their figure. I usually eat a light diet. If it weren't for you, Peach, coming over, I wouldn't have eaten such greasy food."

Yue and Taozi tidied up the living room together, played games for a while, and then Yue went into the bathroom first. She turned on the heater and hot water tap and enjoyed the warm water washing over her body.

After taking a shower, Yue dried herself with a soft towel, changed into comfortable pajamas, opened the bathroom door, and gestured for Momo to come in.

As Yue lay in bed, she looked at the caring words from Deng and Lixi on her phone screen, pondering how to reply.

Her finger slid lightly across the screen and stopped at the reply box.

"Thank you for your concern, I'm just having some insomnia, it'll be fine in a couple of days," she replied succinctly.

Peach dried her hair and walked to Yue's bedside in her pajamas.

Her pajamas were a comfortable cotton set with a simple pattern but bright colors, giving a refreshing feel. Her hair was still slightly damp, indicating that she had just taken a shower.

"Is Yue-chan chatting with friends she met at her new school?" Momoko asked, her voice filled with curiosity and concern.

“Yes, she’s a new friend I met in Yuqiu,” Yue replied.

"Moon-chan, you've already started making new friends. Aren't you really planning to go back to Seisho?" Momoko suddenly asked.

Peach's sudden question startled Yue. She stopped what she was doing and frowned slightly.

Before today, she might have said without hesitation that she didn't plan to go back to Shengxiang, but now, after learning about Taozi's wish, she feels confused and helpless.

"I don't know either..." Yue murmured to herself, trying to find a suitable answer, but she couldn't bring herself to say it.

Seeing Yue's hesitation, Peach gently took Yue's hand, and the two lay down on the bed together.

"Moon Girl, if you're still hesitating, just give me your answer later. Now, just relax and go to sleep."

Peach's voice was soft and warm.

She abandoned her usual energetic image and, like a caring mother, gently stroked Yue's hair, soothing her heart with tenderness.