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

Li hope was shocked by her own conclusion. Although she had never been in a relationship and was not interested in romance novels or TV dramas, she was, after all, a teenage girl. She had learned about some of the "symptoms" that might appear when she was in a relationship by listening to her classmates' conversations.

Shiina Tatsuki seems to only be completely relaxed when she is with Hachiman Kairin and Hinasaki, a situation that her classmates undoubtedly consider to be a sign of being in love.

"Am I two-timing? No, no, no, we're both girls. I have absolutely no romantic feelings for Hailing, and the same goes for Yue—we're just good friends. Besides, even if I did like her, I should at least turn on the lights."

Shiina Riki was startled by the strange thought in her mind, and a blush quickly appeared on her fair and indifferent face.

Although Yue did gain the supernatural ability to summon revues after eating the giraffe-brand ice cream, this is not a stage, and Shiina Tatsuki's thoughts cannot be reflected through stage props.

Since Hinasaki, who neither understands mind reading nor micro-expressions, was unaware that Shiina Ritsuki sitting next to her was already pondering whether she was a lesbian, and whether she was a two- or three-timing woman.

Seeing that Li hope had lowered his head and stopped talking, and an awkward silence filled the space between them, Yue took the initiative to speak, saying, "Let's get back to the topic of the new song."

Regaining her attention with Yue's words, Li hope rubbed her face, clearing away all the strange thoughts from her mind.

"Hmm... I'll make a first version of the piece. If there are any problems, I'll have to trouble you to find someone to guide me."

Without realizing it, Lixi used the word "trouble" again, a word that is more "traditional Japanese".

----------

Readers familiar with the Zero series should know who Light's "parents" are.

When the Stage Opens: Chapter Thirty-Five - Shiina Maki

After some time, Shiina Tatsuki returned to her home.

She had been worried about whether she could write a melody that matched Xiaodeng's lyrics and whether she could complete her arrangement work in such a short time.

Fortunately, even if Yue suggested that she needed help, she could go through her to find professional composers.

However, it seemed inappropriate to ask outsiders for help with their band's songs, so Lixi made up her mind not to seek Yue's help until she reached her limit.

This is also a new step for me; I want to create an excellent piece of music and completely surpass Shoko Toyokawa.

Recalling what she had said to Gao Songdeng before, Deng's lyrics expressed her inner thoughts.

Then... could my music be a cry from my heart?

On his way home, Shiina Tatsuki pondered this question.

Pushing open the door, I found an unexpected person in my home.

The other party was none other than Shiina Maki, the older sister of Shiina Tatsuki, who had appeared once before.

The other person looks very similar to Riki, but compared to Riki's cold and aloof beauty, Maki exudes a warm and approachable feeling, making people very willing to get close to her.

If Shiina Tatsuki is a lone wolf, then Shiina Maki is the leader of the pack.

Lixi never expected to see her older sister at home. After all, her sister was in college and usually got home later than her because she was busy with the local brass band. It was a coincidence that they ran into each other today.

Shiina Maki greeted her younger sister with a smile when she saw her return: "Tachiki, you're back?"

Lixi paused for a moment, took off her outdoor shoes, put on her slippers, and walked into the house, replying indifferently, "...Sister."

"Lixi-chan has a new band?" Lixi asked with concern.

"Cough cough..." Lixi, who had just taken a drink out of the refrigerator and hadn't even drunk it yet, coughed violently after hearing her sister's words.

"Are you wondering how I knew?" Maki said, patting Riki's back to help her adjust.

“I don’t really want to…” Li hope shook her head. Unless absolutely necessary, she didn’t want to ask her sister for anything, even if it was just a trivial matter.

"Lixi-chan is always like this, can't she just do what her older sister can?" Shiina Maki was used to her younger sister's behavior.

"Sister, aren't all those suitors at school enough for you?" Li hope said to her sister, sounding annoyed.

"Lixi, this is slander! I went to an all-girls school. How could there be suitors there?" Maki protested against her younger sister's defamation.

"Really? There are girls in all-girls schools too. I thought you were the type who would be very popular with girls," Li hope said casually.

“Since I’m popular, then Riki, you should be popular with girls too.” Maki decided to drag Riki down with her.

"Huh? I didn't..." As Li hope spoke, she remembered the scene of Yue and herself being close together that night, as well as the things Yue had said to her at Yue's house before, and her tone suddenly became insecure again.

"Moon, she probably really doesn't like me, right?"

Shiina Tatsuki experienced the reverse illusion of the three great illusions of life.

Seeing her younger sister's hesitant tone, Shiina Maki consciously tried to change the subject, though her approach was somewhat abrupt: "By the way, Ritsuki, I made some desserts, would you like some?"

Upon hearing Maki's words, Riki sniffed the air and indeed, a fresh biscuit scent wafted through the air.

"I've already eaten out." Li hope shook her head, declining her sister's offer. "I'll go upstairs first."

After finishing speaking, Li hope went upstairs and returned to her room.

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

Back in her room, Lixi lay down on the bed, letting the soft mattress bounce her body up and down.

She has always had a complicated feeling towards her older sister. On one hand, her older sister has always been the legendary "other people's child". When she was studying at Haneoka Girls' Academy, she was always at the top of her class. When she was the head of the brass band, she led the club to win many honors. Even after entering university, she joined the local orchestra.

Even when Toyokawa Shoko was looking for a drummer, she first asked her older sister. Maki introduced her to Toyokawa Shoko because she didn't have time.

Lixi initially wanted to refuse the offer, until her sister said to her, "Lixi, don't you want to join your own band?"

It's obvious that Shiina Maki actually knows what her younger sister's problem is, but she doesn't point it out most of the time.

"My own band..."

Lixi pondered this question at the time, and finally, late at night, she knocked on her sister's door and told her her answer.

"Sister...I want to join."

--------

I recall the scene when I introduced myself when I first joined Crychic.

"...I am Shiina." Riki introduced himself to the several people in front of him whom he did not recognize at all.

“I’ve known Lixi’s sister for a long time, and it was because of this relationship that I extended an invitation to Lixi. Lixi’s sister is the president of the Haneoka Band Club and is also a performer who has achieved excellent results in competitions. She has also recently participated in the local orchestra and is very active.”

Although it was supposed to be an introduction to Riki, Toyokawa Shoko spent most of her time talking about Riki's older sister.

Li hope felt very annoyed. He silently glanced at Feng Chuan Xiangzi and felt a trace of resentment as he looked at the Tsukimori school uniform she was wearing.

"Is it because I'm Shiina Maki's younger sister that you let me join your rich girl's band?"

Li hope said irritably, "...What does this have to do with the present?"

Shoko Toyokawa seemed to realize that Riki's tone was a bit off, and quickly tried to smooth things over by changing the subject: "Ah, sorry... let's get back to the main topic."

Xiangzi paused for a moment and then continued, "From now on, we are a band... a community with a shared destiny to play music together."

--------

Even though she had joined Crychic and her own band, she still felt the influence of her older sister everywhere, not to mention the pressure from Toyokawa Shoko, who excelled in everything.

When the Stage Opens: Chapter Thirty-Six - The Shiina Sisters

But... things are different now.

"This band is different from Crychic."

Although this band has a similar lineup to Crychic for Shiina Tatsuki, they are fundamentally different in essence.

I have taken over many of the things that Xiangzi did back then: arranging music, organizing band training, organizing performances... and now composing music. These are all things that Toyokawa Xiangzi did in Crychic. I am gradually becoming the person I wanted to be back then.

Can I do it well?

Lixi lay in bed, wondering about the problem. With Yue's help, finding a suitable piece of music shouldn't be too difficult.

She could even write a decent piece of music on her own, but being able to do it and doing it well are two different things for Shiina Tatsuki.

Whether it's her older sister Maki Shiina or Shoko Toyokawa, what they did wasn't something that was indispensable to them; of course, Tatsuki Shiina could also do what they did.

Whether it's leading an orchestra, making cookies, managing the band's daily practice, or composing music, Shiina Tatsuki can do it all, but she can't do it as perfectly as they do.

Once people have set a good precedent, it will be disappointing if those who come after them cannot do it perfectly.

People often make expectations on their own, and thus make disappointments on their own.

Just like when Lixi visited the orchestra that her older sister had once led when she was still in junior high school at Yuqiu.

--------

When Lixi went to visit the brass band club with her classmates, the senior member who was leading the group was initially very serious about introducing the club to them, until they saw the surname Shiina.

"...Huh? The surname Shiina...that's quite rare, isn't it?"

Another senior student from the club was drawn by the commotion and, after learning what was going on, excitedly told Li Xi, "Could it be that you have an older sister in high school? Her name is Shiina Maki, and she's the president of the brass band club over there!"

"Huh? Really? That's great, my sister came to Yugaoka too."

More and more club members gathered around Lixi, chatting happily without noticing Lixi's increasingly unpleasant expression.

Even now, when Shiina Tatsuki recalls what happened back then, his face still looks grim.

"Right, right, just hearing the surname Shiina makes me feel like I can take on a hundred men."

"After all, Maki-senpai is so outstanding and has helped us a lot. Riki-chan, you're sure to be just as amazing as your sister, right? I'm really looking forward to seeing how you do!"

"I... am not like her..."

Lixi covered her eyes with her arms, completely blocking her vision, trying to escape this reality.

"I know better than anyone...my own problems...my own issues."

I can't do as well as my sister in the band club and lead the club to win those championships.

In the 1⊙异qi逝〩屋镹?司（九〒）坝qun band, she didn't do as well as Toyokawa Shoko, who arranged everything in an orderly manner and was also able to write music that matched Xiaodeng's lyrics.

Although the band members did not have the same expectations for her as those female seniors back then.

But since it concerns the lyrics written by Takamatsu Akari, she has to do it well, and even better than Toyokawa Shoko did back then.

"Bang bang~" The sound of knuckles hitting the wooden door rang out as Shiina Maki was knocking on her younger sister's door from outside.

Although she really didn't want to open the door for her sister and let her into her room to invade her personal space, they were still sisters after all. If she didn't open the door and answer the door now, her sister would probably start wondering if something had happened to her younger sister.

To prevent her sister from doing anything, including but not limited to picking the lock or calling the police, Lixi got out of bed, took out a few tissues to wipe her eyes, and opened the door only after confirming that she looked normal.

Outside the door, Shiina Maki was waiting with an exquisitely wrapped paper gift bag. Seeing her younger sister open the door, she quickly handed the gift box over.