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

"We should go to the classroom, or we'll be late," Peach said to the others after swallowing the last bite of her food.

Yue nodded, tidied up the things on the table, picked up her schoolbag, and said, "Alright, let's go!"

Side Story: Seisho Prequel: Chapter Four - Stage and Ramen

"Whoa...it's about to burn out..."

Her body sank heavily into the soft mattress, her limbs sprawled limply, a hint of weariness in her eyes. Fine beads of sweat from her morning exercise still clung to her forehead, and her hair at her temples was slightly disheveled, clinging to her cheeks. Her school uniform was also a little wrinkled, her tie hanging askew around her neck, a far cry from the neatness and spirit she had displayed when she left home that morning.

Peach's face was pale, her eyes were half-closed, her eyelashes trembled slightly, and the corners of her mouth were slightly downturned, revealing a tired expression. She sighed softly, feeling a heaviness in her chest. It was as if an invisible gravity was pressing down on her, leaving her without the strength to move even a finger.

Beside the bed, Yuri Saki was tidying their desks. Seeing Momo's appearance, she couldn't help but smile. She gently walked to the bedside, leaned down, and asked with concern, "Momo, are you really that tired?"

Momoko forced her eyes open, a tired smile on her face. "Um...it's my first day of class, and I'm already exhausted. I feel so tired...I haven't learned so many of the Japanese dance classes before...I don't understand any of them at all..."

Aoi sighed softly and gently patted Momo's shoulder. "It's okay. The first day is always tough. You'll get used to it. Besides, everyone is pretty much the same. Everyone has some things they're not good at."

Peach nodded, closed her eyes, and whispered, "Okay... Anyway, I'll rest for a bit first... Otherwise, I don't think I'll have the strength to walk over to dinner later..."

Looking at her, Kui felt both heartache and helplessness, and said softly, "Get some rest. I'll call you for dinner later."

Peach nodded slightly, then fell into a deep sleep. Her breathing gradually became steady, and the tired expression on her face slowly relaxed.

—————Dream Divider—————

"Hoo..." Momoko Kurosawa opened her eyes groggily, her consciousness gradually awakening from her deep sleep.

She rubbed her eyes, trying to make out her surroundings. However, when she was fully awake, she found herself in a huge performance hall.

The performance hall was magnificent, with neatly arranged seats and dazzling lights. Several ornate crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, casting a soft and enchanting glow that illuminated the entire hall.

"Wasn't I just sleeping...? Could this have been a dream?"

Peach muttered to herself as she analyzed her current situation, glancing around at her surroundings.

She was standing in the center of the stage, on a smooth wooden floor that reflected the lights above.

Suddenly, the stage lights became even brighter, and a spotlight shone on her, enveloping her in light. Peach instinctively shielded her eyes with her hand.

After she finally adjusted to the lighting, a deep male voice rang out, "Good evening... Momoko Kurosawa."

Peach looked in the direction of the sound and was surprised to find that it came from a giraffe.

The giraffe stood at the other end of the stage, its tall body almost touching the ceiling, its long neck gracefully curving downwards, and its huge eyes sparkling with wisdom.

"!!!"

"Giraffes can...talk? I...I must be dreaming..." Peach stammered, her voice filled with undisguised shock.

"From a traditional perspective, Kurosawa-kun, you are indeed dreaming, but it's more than just a dream."

The giraffe lowered its head and spoke to Momoko Kurosawa at eye level.

Peach paused for a moment, clearly not fully understanding what the giraffe was saying.

She remained lost in her thoughts, muttering to herself, "Was I dreaming? Isn't it said that what you think about during the day, you dream about at night? Why would I dream about a giraffe..."

Seeing the peach's confusion, the giraffe patiently explained, "That's because the stage is calling you."

Peach looked up, gazing into the giraffe's wise eyes, trying to find answers within them. She was still somewhat bewildered, but something within her seemed to have been touched.

Stage? Summoning? These words echoed in her mind, as if trying to piece together some meaning.

"You're longing for a stage, aren't you? A stage to perform with someone." Although this is a question, it sounds like a statement of certainty when it comes from a giraffe.

Peach paused for a moment, then looked up at the giraffe. Those wise and profound eyes seemed to see right through her.

Peach opened her mouth slightly, but was speechless for a moment. Her heart was racing, and the passion that had been hidden in her heart was now directly revealed by the giraffe.

"As expected of a dream... it can see through my innermost thoughts perfectly..."

Peach murmured to herself, still believing it was a dream.

Seeing this, the giraffe didn't say anything more, but for some reason, Peach could see a strange smile on the other's face. That smile seemed to hide some kind of deep meaning, as if it was hinting at something.

She was puzzled, but before she could think about it, she heard her roommate Yuri Saki's voice.

"Momo...Momo!" As Yuri Saki's voice rang out, Momo's eyes gradually became misty.

As the giraffe watched as Momoko Kurosawa was about to wake up from her dream, it left her with one last sentence: "After Kurosawa wakes up, you can try to find the elevator."

Peach felt her body become light and airy, as if she were about to escape from this dream. She tried to open her eyes, but her vision gradually blurred, and the last thing she saw was the giraffe's smile.

Her body seemed to be pulled away by a force, gradually detaching her from that strange stage.

The sounds around her grew clearer, and she slowly opened her eyes to see Yuri Saki Aoi leaning over her bedside, gently shaking her shoulders.

Aoi's face was full of worry and anxiety. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Momo had finally opened her eyes.

"You're finally awake, Peach. You were sleeping so soundly, I couldn't wake you up no matter what I did," Aoi said with concern, her voice tinged with reproach and helplessness.

Peach rubbed her eyes, trying hard to recall the dream she had just had. The giraffe's words and that eerie smile still echoed in her mind.

She sat up, took a deep breath, and tried to calm herself down.

"I'm sorry, Aoi-chan, I just had a very strange dream," Momoko said softly, her voice tinged with confusion.

Aoi patted her shoulder and comforted her, "It's okay, it's just a dream, don't worry about it too much. Are you feeling better now?"

Peach nodded, but her heart remained unsettled. She recalled the giraffe's last words: "Look for the elevator." Those words seemed to hint at something, as if they were some kind of guidance.

"Elevator...?" Peach repeated softly, a hint of doubt flashing in her eyes. In her memory, Shengxiang didn't seem to have such a thing as an elevator.

Aoi didn't notice her whisper, but simply stood up and said, "It's time to go have dinner, or it'll be curfew soon."

Peach nodded, straightened her clothes and hair, and walked out of the dormitory with Aoi.

As soon as they stepped out of their dormitory, they saw Hinasaki Tsuki coming out of the next room. Tsuki clearly hadn't expected to run into everyone going out together in such a coincidence.

Yue stood at the door, paused slightly, and greeted them, "Peach, Aoi, what a coincidence! Are you going to eat too?"

Yue had changed into casual clothes, her jet-black hair loosely draped over her shoulders, and her face showed a hint of fatigue but she was still beautiful and charming.

When Momo saw Yue, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes. "Yue-chan! What a coincidence! We were just about to go out for dinner. Would you like to come along?"

Aoi smiled and nodded, "Yes, Yue, let's go together."

After hesitating for a moment, Yue agreed to their request, "I just finished exercising and I'm hungry, so let's go together."

The streetlights gradually came on, casting a warm glow on them and illuminating their figures. In the distance, the clear chirping of birds added a touch of life to the tranquil twilight.

They continued walking towards the restaurant. After leaving the vicinity of Shengxiang and arriving at the shopping street, the sun finally set, night slowly fell, the sky was dotted with stars, and the number of pedestrians on the street gradually increased.

"Does Peach have any recommended shops?" Aoi looked at the dazzling array of shops on both sides, seemingly struggling to choose, unsure which one to pick.

The shops lining both sides of the street were brightly lit, their signs and windows displaying tempting delicacies. The barbecue restaurants emitted a rich aroma of charcoal grilling, the sushi shops featured signs painted with fresh fish slices, and the dessert shops displayed colorful cakes and sweets in their windows. Each shop seemed to beckon to them, drawing their attention.

Peach blinked, looked around, and after a moment's thought, said, "Hmm, I don't know either..."

Just then, a flyer fluttered in the wind and hit Yue squarely in the face.

"Hmm... what is this?"

Just then, a flyer fluttered in the wind and hit Yue squarely in the face. Yue was startled for a moment, then hurriedly removed the flyer from her face, her brows furrowing slightly.

"Hmm... what is this?" She unfolded the flyer and looked at it carefully.

Peach and Aoi curiously came over and saw an advertisement for a ramen shop called "Galaxy Ramen" printed on the flyer.

The flyer was very attractively designed, featuring a steaming bowl of ramen in the center, topped with various exquisite ingredients, and most notably the advertising title – "Animal Ramen".

“Animals…ramen? Why would a ramen shop be holding an event like this…” Momo leaned closer to Yue and read the contents of the poster aloud.

The flyer detailed the event: "Welcome to Galaxy Ramen! We're featuring special animal-themed ramen! Our restaurant offers animal-themed ramen and adorable animal-themed staff to accompany you, making your dining experience even more enjoyable! You'll also have a chance to win a mystery gift!"

Aoi couldn't help but laugh. "It sounds quite interesting. It's called Galaxy Ramen, but the event they're doing is animal ramen. That's pretty novel."

Yue nodded and said with a smile, "Yeah, it's a bit strange, but it's also quite interesting. How about we try this Galaxy Ramen?"

Peach blinked, thinking it was a good idea. "Okay, we don't have any other options anyway, let's go check out this ramen shop."

The three decided to try this "Galaxy Ramen".

They walked along the street for a short while and found the Galaxy Ramen restaurant mentioned on the flyer.

The store's exterior is filled with starry sky elements, and a sparkling galaxy logo hangs at the entrance, attracting many passersby to queue up in front of the store.

"So many... people?" Yue looked at the line of customers at the door and momentarily considered giving up. She frowned slightly, thinking that there were many other places to go for a meal, and there was no need to specifically come to such a popular restaurant.

However, Momoko excitedly waved her phone and walked over to Tsuki to show her what it said, "Tsuki-chan! Come and see, their animal ramen is trending on Instagram!"

Yue glanced down at Momo's phone screen, which displayed various photos and comments showcasing the ramen shop's unique decor and delicious animal-themed ramen. The comments section was filled with praise and recommendations, with many people commending the shop's unique flavor and adorable staff.

"It really made it to the trending topics? Then... I'll give it a try?" Yue was a little surprised. She shifted her gaze from her phone screen to the crowd in line, and her hesitation was gradually replaced by curiosity and anticipation.

"Yeah, it seems this shop is really popular. Shall we give it a try? We don't have any other plans anyway." Peach blinked, looking at Yue expectantly.

Aoi stepped forward and said, "Since we're already here, why don't we join the queue and give it a try? It's rare to find a shop that so many people recommend, so let's experience it together."

Yue nodded and said, "Okay, let's give it a try. Hopefully, it won't take too long."

The wait wasn't as long as they had imagined. Soon after, they were led into the store, where a blonde shop assistant dressed in a pink bunny costume greeted them.

"Welcome, please make yourself at home."

The three of them sat down, glanced at the menu briefly, and then ordered a rabbit ramen together.

"Tae-e? You're here to show your support too?"

"Because there are rabbits."

"You still like rabbits so much..."

While waiting for her noodles to be served, Yue saw the clerk greeting a girl with long, straight black hair sitting not far from her. They seemed to be acquaintances who had come to support the restaurant.

"Looking closer... I feel like I've seen this shop assistant somewhere before...?"

Before Yue could figure out where she had seen the other person before, a steaming bowl of ramen was served.

Each bowl of ramen is filled with a rich broth, the noodles are chewy, and it is topped with tender char siu, a soft-boiled egg, fresh scallions, and crisp bamboo shoots. It is also thoughtfully arranged on a plate in the shape of a rabbit.

"Never mind... I won't think about it for now..."

Faced with the tempting food in front of her, Yue felt it was better to eat first.