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

Ai Yin took a few bottles of drinks from the refrigerator downstairs and handed them to Xiao Yue. Then she asked curiously, "So, Xiao Yue, you and Riki have already done this kind of thing before?"

A faint blush rose to Yue's face, and she replied somewhat awkwardly, "Um... we did..."

She quickly waved her hand and added, "Aion, could you please not use such a misleading way of asking questions?"

Ai-yin blinked innocently, "Will what I said cause misunderstandings?"

Yue scratched her head and smiled helplessly: "Um...no...no...I was just thinking wrong."

Although Aine was somewhat puzzled, she decided to ask about the strange space first: "So, is that space your superpower? Is it only you, Tsuki-chan, that all the stage girls have this ability?"

After thinking for a moment, Yue revealed all the information she knew: "Hmm... according to that annoying giraffe... it should be that during the time period when the stage begins, any qualified stage girl can use it."

Upon hearing Yue's words, Aine's eyes lit up instantly: "Does that mean I might also be able to use this ability?"

Yue shook her head, her tone somewhat serious: "I think it's unlikely. I participated in an audition before my Shining was taken away, and then I ate the 'fruit' given to me by the giraffe, which is why I was qualified to use this ability."

"Although I don't know if this is a necessary condition, the giraffe said that she would only give the fruit to the stage girl who goes to a new stage, so no matter how you look at it, Aine's chances are slim."

Ai Yin slumped down, her shoulders drooping slightly, a hint of disappointment in her eyes: "Eh... I thought I could have this kind of cool ability too."

Seeing that Aine didn't take the revue seriously, Yue grabbed her shoulders with a serious expression and earnestly advised, "This is no joke... The revue is a battle where both sides risk their beliefs and their brilliance. And if you lose the revue during the audition, you will lose your brilliance."

Yue's tone carried a strong warning, and she gripped Aine's shoulders tightly, her eyes flashing with determination.

Aine didn't immediately agree to Yiwolin 3 Linni Siba. Her brows furrowed slightly, her eyes filled with curiosity: "Um... what is audition? Although I know it roughly means selection, what exactly does it refer to? And what does losing brilliance mean?"

Yue took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down, and then slowly said, "The audition is a selection competition organized by the Giraffe Organization. It is not only a test of stage performance, but also a trial of our inner beliefs and our ability to shine."

"The stage girls participating in the audition will compete on a specific stage with a designated stage theme, and the top star will be selected in the end."

"Only the victorious topstar can retain their brilliance and have the opportunity to make their wish, while all the losers... will lose their brilliance, serving as fuel for the topstar to fulfill their wish."

Yue's words carried a hint of heaviness, and her eyes became deep and firm: "I participated in an audition once. On that stage, you not only have to compete against other stage girls, but also face your own heart. Every duel is like betting everything on yourself, and you can lose everything if you are not careful."

Aine listened intently, her brows furrowed, her hands unconsciously clenching. She bit her lower lip and asked softly, "Then... what if we lose? Will we really lose our brilliance?"

Yue nodded solemnly: "Yes, losing your shine means losing your brilliance and motivation on stage. This is undoubtedly a devastating blow, both for us stage girls and for you, Aine."

"So, Aine, never treat Revue as a game. It's far more serious and cruel than we imagine."

Aine remained silent for a moment, her eyes flashing with complex emotions. Her fingers tapped unconsciously on the table, the fingertips lightly touching the surface, making a faint rhythmic sound, as if she were pondering something.

A moment later, she raised her head and looked at Yue with curiosity: "Since Yue has already participated in the audition and hasn't lost her brilliance, does that mean you were the winner of the last audition?"

Recalling that audition, Yue nodded slightly, a complex emotion in her eyes: "In the last audition, I lost to Momo... It's just that Momo's final wish just happened not to take away our brilliance."

Upon hearing Yue's words, Aine's eyes widened instantly, and her mouth gaped open, clearly shocked by the information: "Huh? There can be such a loophole in the rules?"

Looking at Aine's reaction, Yue gave a wry smile: "Yes, although the rules seem strict, in reality, there are many possibilities for the content of a wish. Momo's wish is not to take away our Shining, but to hope that everyone can work together to complete the most wonderful Holy Flying Festival, so as to prevent us from losing Shining."

"Momoko made such a wish... But I remember... Xiaoyue, you didn't participate in the Seisho Festival and took a leave of absence from school, right? And you didn't participate in the Seisho Festival after that, did you?"

"So... Peach's wish failed?"

As Yue spoke, her fingers unconsciously twisted the hem of her clothes, her tone tinged with helplessness and self-deprecation: "Actually, Peach's wish didn't come true, not because I didn't participate in the Seisho Festival. According to that giraffe, topstars can even make time travel their wishes."

She paused, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes: "The reason why Peach's wish wasn't fully fulfilled is because she didn't actually add a time limit, so the wish wasn't very effective."

"Furthermore, after I left the stage of Shengxiang, I actually fought another revue with Taozi. This time, it ended in a draw, with both of us dying. Therefore, the effect of that wish was not as great."

Aine laughed and said, "It sounds complicated... Anyway, I just need to avoid auditions as much as possible... Surely the giraffe audition can't be held among us."

However, seeing the serious expression on Yue's face, Aine's smile gradually faded.

When the Stage Opens: Chapter 112 Su Shi or Xiang?

"Xiaoyue... I hope this audition won't be held again."

Looking at Yue's serious expression, her eyes were filled with unease and anticipation, hoping to find a trace of a joke in Yue's expression.

However, Yue's face remained serious. She sighed softly and said slowly, "As things stand, Peach and I have already finished our auditions, and Giraffe won't be selecting the next batch of qualified candidates for the auditions anytime soon..."

Aine relaxed a little, but not completely. Yue changed the subject and continued, "But if someone deliberately speeds up this process, that's a different story. Unfortunately, Momoko Kurosawa is doing just that right now."

"Peach? Why would she do that?" Aine's words were full of confusion.

Yue shook her head and said, "I don't know either. Anyway, Taozi got in touch with Su Shi after that stage play competition."

Ai Yin recalled Su Shi's strange behavior earlier and vaguely guessed what Su Shi was thinking: "Su Shi... she wouldn't be thinking of rebuilding Crychic through Audition, would she?"

Yue sighed and slowly said, "Su Shi definitely has this idea, and this problem is quite serious. If Su Shi really gets his wish, and the final result is that Crychic is really reorganized... then what will our situation be?"

Aine's heart grew heavy. She recalled Su Shi's resolute expression that night. "Although... I don't want to break Su Shi's wish, it's definitely not right to dwell on the past and abandon our present memories."

Yue nodded. "So, just in case, we'd better stop Su Shi before the audition starts."

Aine raised a new question, "But now Su Shi isn't coming to practice at all or replying to messages. We can't even see Su Shi. Is there really any way to stop her?"

Yue smiled slightly and explained, "Lixi and I have already resolved this. I have already contacted the student council president of Yuezhi Forest, and she will arrange an opportunity for us to visit Yuezhi Forest soon."

Aine teased, "So... Yue, is there a reason why you've been getting so close to Riki lately?"

A blush crept onto Yue's face, and she scratched her head somewhat shyly. "Well... sort of. Actually, Lixi and I just wanted to resolve this issue as soon as possible so that the band could get back to its usual routine."

Although she said that, what she was actually thinking was, "Actually... I don't know why my relationship with Lixi has become so close, and suddenly we can fall asleep together so calmly."

Aine then asked, "Then... when can we go to the Moon Forest? I want to go too."

I feel a little bad for Ruiya Yashio-senpai, but I guess one more person wouldn't be a problem, right? Probably?

Although she said that, Yue was still a little uncertain. After all, she had only said that two people would go at the beginning, but now it had become that four people would go. There shouldn't be any major problems, right?

------------

However, Rui Yashio, whom Tsuki thought had no problems, now feels that there are big problems.

The chairperson wants to cancel the Moon Forest Music Festival, so the members of Morfonica want everyone to sign a petition to protest the chairperson's actions and to restart the Moon Forest Music Festival.

However, their efforts did not go smoothly; many of the signature forms distributed in the morning were returned by noon.

"It seems like the autograph signing isn't going well..." Rui Yashio looked at today's autograph form. She had sent out so many this morning, but only a few had been returned.

Rui Yashio casually took a signature sheet from the ballot box and looked at it. "Wakaba Mutsumi? I remember... she seems to be... Mori Minami's daughter?"

Her gaze was fixed on the autograph sheet, her eyes filled with contemplation. Ruoye Mu, this unassuming student, had never really stood out. The reason she remembered her was because she had overheard last year that some junior high students from Tsuki no Mori were in a band, so she had paid a little attention. Unfortunately, it seemed that nothing much happened to that band afterward.

The reason she was able to recall Wakaba Mutsumi's name so quickly was because Hinasaki Tsuki and Shiina Tatsuki had asked her to keep an eye on Nagasaki Motoyo a few days ago, who seemed to have been a member of the band Crychic. It was only after finding Nagasaki Motoyo's information in the student council that she remembered this incident from a year ago.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. Rui looked up and saw her teammates walking in.

----------

Ruo Yemu also had no idea why she had accepted the signature form this morning, even though her mother always disliked her participating in these "troublesome" activities, especially those that would displease the teachers and principal.

Sunlight streamed through the classroom windows, illuminating the paper in her hand. The blank spaces on the signature sheet appeared particularly glaring in the sunlight.

Ruoye Mutsuya's heart was filled with unease and hesitation. If she signed her name, how would the chairman of the board view her?

Ruoye Mu didn't know the answer to this question; when she received the autograph sheet, she only thought of what Xiangzi had said before.

"I just hope that Xiaomu can make her own choice."

As Ye Mu recalled Xiangzi's words, she picked up a pen as if possessed, and with trembling fingers, wrote her name on the signature sheet.

If it were just a matter of signing her name without putting her in the collection box, there would still be a chance for things to turn around. But as she stood by the flower bed in the horticulture department, the words that Nagasaki Motoyo had said to her echoed in Wakaba Mutsu's ears once again.

"Xiao Mu, come help me reassemble the Crychic group and have a ball game?"

So after watering the cucumbers, she found herself standing in front of the student council's collection box without realizing it. By the time she realized it, she had already put the signature sheet in.

“Crychic…Xiang…”

Ruoye Mu didn't understand whether this was a "rebellious" choice she made herself or simply a choice she made because she didn't want the Moon Forest Music Festival to disappear, or the origin of Crychic to vanish from this world.

Just as she didn't know whether she should side with Toyokawa Shoko or Nagasaki Motoyo.

When the Stage Opens: Chapter 113 Why Am I Sleeping Everywhere?

Of course, Tsuki and the others were unaware of what happened in Tsuki no Mori.

After sending a message to Ruiya and the others that month, Ruiya replied much later that there was one more person going to participate, and it was a long time before she finally said that there was no problem.

Looking at the intervals between Rui's replies, Aine asked, "Isn't this a bit too much trouble for Rui-senpai?"

Tsuki shook her head: "Ruyu-senpai isn't that kind of person. I think it must be something that happened in Tsuki no Mori. After all, the student council president is quite busy."

"Speaking of which, senior, are you still able to go back now?" Aine glanced at her phone; it was almost ten o'clock, and there wasn't much time left before the trams stopped running.

"There's no other way, I'll just have to take a taxi back later..." Yue felt heartbroken for her wallet again, and at the same time, a question she had thought about before but had put aside resurfaced in her mind—why not find a part-time job?

Just as she was pondering whether to find a part-time job, Aine suddenly took a step closer, her gaze firm and sincere: "Senior, why don't you stay at my place tonight?"

Yue paused for a moment, then hesitated, "Wouldn't this... be too much trouble for you?"

Ai Yin smiled, her eyes shining with determination: "No, I won't. Anyway, my house is quite big, and I really want to chat with my senior more. Besides, it's so late now, it's not safe to take a taxi home."

Faced with the choice between eating dirt for the rest of the month or staying at Aine's house, Yue almost didn't hesitate and chose the latter. After all, they were all girls, and Aine wasn't like Li Xi. She figured that staying at Aine's house shouldn't be a big problem.

So she nodded and gave a grateful smile: "Then I'll take care of you."

----------

Yue sat on Aine's sofa, feeling somewhat uneasy. Although Momoko and Riki often stayed overnight at her house, she had very few experiences of staying overnight at other people's houses.

She looked around and felt uncomfortable in the unfamiliar environment, as if she couldn't sit comfortably no matter how she sat.

Just then, Aine came over with a cup of hot tea. She smiled and handed it to Yue, saying, "Senior, have some hot tea."

Yue took the teacup, and the aroma of tea filled the air, bringing her a sense of peace.

She took a small sip, the warm tea flowing down her throat and into her heart, bringing a sense of tranquility. She felt her agitation gradually subside, and her gaze softened.

"Thank you, Aine," Yue said sincerely, her gratitude overflowing.

Yue picked up her teacup again and took a small sip. This time, she savored the aroma of the tea, feeling a sense of familiarity with the taste.

The tea flowed on her tongue, the familiar sweetness and slight astringency intertwining in her mouth, making her recall a moment from the past.

She blinked, and after savoring it several times, she finally couldn't help but ask, "Is this Darjeeling tea?"

Upon hearing this, Ai Yin smiled and nodded: "Yes, Yue-chan, do you also know about black tea? I had this kind of black tea with Su Shi at Ring once by chance, and I thought it was very delicious, so I bought some and kept it at home."

Yue shook her head and said, "Actually, I only know a little about the taste of a few types of black tea."