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

Yue then inquired about Xiangzi's recent situation.

"Everything is pretty much the same as before."

Xiangzi clearly didn't want to dwell on this matter, and simply used vague words to gloss over it.

"What have you thought about what I discussed with Xiangzi last time?"

Seeing that she had finally run into Xiangzi, Yue wanted to take the opportunity to ask her about the time she had mentioned before about participating in a band as an amateur.

Xiangzi's brows furrowed, and her eyes became confused and hesitant. Her fingers unconsciously rubbed the hem of her clothes, revealing her inner unease and confusion.

Xiangzi's gaze sometimes looked into the distance, and sometimes down at his feet, as if he were contemplating his choice. His lips were slightly pursed, as if he were suppressing the inner conflict and hesitation.

Xiangzi's thoughts were wandering. One of the reasons she hadn't met with Yue before was that she hadn't figured out the answer to this question. On the one hand, music was the only way she could make money quickly left, and on the other hand, she was worried that the Toyokawa family would impose restrictions.

"I'm sorry... I still haven't been able to come up with an answer."

"is it?"

Yue wasn't surprised by Xiangzi's answer; on the contrary, she would have been even more shocked if he had agreed quickly.

"Xiangzi, can you tell me if you have any concerns?"

Although Yue had a rough idea of ​​why the Toyokawa family was involved, she still asked the question, wanting to hear the answer directly from Toyokawa Shoko.

"...This has something to do with my family. Anyway, I'll think about it carefully when I get back. Please try your best to keep this opportunity for me, Yue. Of course, if it's really difficult, then forget it..."

Xiangzi's voice sounded somewhat melancholy at the end, suggesting that she still longed for the opportunity to form a band again.

Yue shook her head and said, "It's not too much of a stretch, after all, Chu Hua actually wants to form a band with you, Xiangzi."

"Huh...?"

Upon hearing Chu Hua's name from Yue, Xiangzi, who had been staring at the table with his head down, suddenly raised his head, his lips slightly parted, and his eyes filled with surprise.

“I met Chuhua once before, and by chance, we mentioned you, Xiangzi. Later, I found out that she was actually your childhood friend, and we chatted a bit more after that.”

Looking at Xiangzi's surprised expression, Yue felt that the other person was really cute, and she chuckled and took the initiative to explain.

"Oh, I see... Does Chu Hua also want to form a band with me?"

After receiving this news from Yue, Xiangzi felt increasingly heavy-hearted.

She was actually aware of Hatsuka's feelings for her. After all, when Hatsuka first came to Tokyo, she often sent her messages to encourage her and even invited her to Crychic's first and only performance.

However, due to her father's misfortune, she voluntarily withdrew from Crychic. Having left the music industry, she felt that she could no longer support Chu Hua and therefore stopped sending messages.

In fact, Toyokawa Shoko herself felt that she still had some feelings of guilt towards Mitsumi Hatsuka. This feeling was similar to the guilt she felt for Crychic's disbandment, but there were some differences.

"Anyway... let me think about it some more..."

After Xiangzi finished speaking, she remained silent. After a while, she finally spoke again, saying, "I will give Yue an answer after... your performance is over."

"Does Xiangzi want to come see our performance?"

Yue extended an invitation to Xiangzi.

"Since you said you'd give your answer after our performance, does Xiangzi-chan want to watch Xiaodeng's performance and hear her sing before making a final decision?"

Toyokawa Shoko gazed at the moon for a moment, then nodded: "After I see Kodama step onto the new stage with my own eyes, perhaps I will also be able to make the decision to step onto the next stage."

Looking at Xiangzi's amber eyes, with a slight smile on her lips, Yue silently thought to herself.

"That's so similar to me back then... wanting to step onto the next stage but being bound by the stages of the past, unable to make a decision."

Yue paused suddenly, as if considering whether to continue. Her tone became somewhat hesitant, no longer as decisive as before, and her eyes were somewhat confused, as if she was struggling with whether to share those unspeakable things.

She gently bit her lip, her gaze shifting between Xiangzi and Lixi, before finally deciding to speak: "However... there's something I've decided I should tell you, Xiangzi."

Her voice carried a hint of unease and hesitation, worried about the other person's reaction.

"What is it?" Liu Baji asked, seemingly unconcerned about trivial matters.

As Xiangzi looked at the somewhat hesitant Yue, a bad feeling flashed through his mind.

"We were actually allocated a full ten minutes. Excluding the time for the MC's self-introduction and going on and off stage, we actually had time for two songs, but our band has only written one original song so far..."

At this point in Yue's speech, Xiangzi had roughly guessed what the other party wanted to express.

"Kasuga no Kage...Tsuki is implying that you might be able to perform Kasuga no Kage, right?"

Yue nodded and then shook her head, her tone full of hesitation as she said, "Before the new song was written, everyone except Suze did tend to favor Kasuga Kage's performance. But now that we have a new song, everyone is actually practicing it. However... the sheet music for the new song hasn't been finalized yet, so if there isn't enough time, our final performance might still be Kasuga Kage."

When the performance begins: Chapter 57 Takamatsu Akari's condition

"Haruhi Shadow..."

When Toyokawa Shoko heard this song that once belonged to their Crychic, her previously calm face finally showed a hint of emotion.

In that instant, a surge of sadness and resentment welled up in her eyes, as if she were recalling a past event or missing someone or something that had been lost.

Her brows furrowed slightly, and a bitter smile played on her lips, a smile that seemed to express both nostalgia for the past and helplessness in the face of reality.

Yue noticed the change in Toyokawa Shoko's expression and realized she had said the wrong thing. She immediately stopped speaking and hurriedly explained to Shoko.

"Well... this is just our last resort. I just talked to Lixi and we should be able to finalize the sheet music for the new song..."

However, there wasn't much confidence in her words. After all, Lena was free, and although she had probably agreed to come to the rehearsal, she wasn't sure about it.

Hearing Yue's ambiguous tone, Xiangzi, who had been somewhat sad, suddenly burst into laughter through his tears, a hint of amusement showing in his eyes.

"Your band is really... well... interesting to say the least."

Xiangzi's expression carried a hint of mischief, as if she were jokingly commenting on the situation of the Little Lamp Band.

"Xiangzi no longer cares about Chunri Ying's matter?"

Yue cautiously inquired with Xiangzi. Although normally Xiangzi had already let the matter rest, and she shouldn't be asking about it anymore, since it actually concerned their band, she felt it was better to clarify things for everyone's benefit.

"Well... Crychic is a thing of the past, I've let it go..."

Although Toyokawa Shoko said this, a trace of sadness and confusion seemed to be hidden beneath her calm gaze. Although a faint smile was on her delicate face, her eyes seemed to be a little moist.

"Let's talk about your band. Was the process of forming the band difficult?"

Shoko Toyokawa wanted to reveal the truth about this matter, so she took the initiative to ask about other things related to their band.

When the topic of the band came up, Yue's expression instantly became complicated. She recalled how easily the band was formed and how difficult the training process was, as well as the band members who each had their own motives. Her lips drooped, revealing a helpless expression, as she pondered how to describe it in words.

"Sigh... things are indeed quite complicated. The main problem is that we are too short on time. If we had more time, I think our band would be able to work together better. But right now, the live performance schedule is too tight, and our first performance is a joint performance with our seniors, so everyone is under a lot of pressure."

"Huh? Are you participating in a joint performance?"

Shoko Toyokawa was clearly unaware that her band was participating in a joint performance, and seemed somewhat surprised to hear about it.

"Ah... I forgot that you, Xiangzi, didn't know about this. During the performance co-organized by Popipa and afterglow, there was a ten-minute gap, and Rinrinko asked us if we could come and help warm up the crowd and make the transition."

Yue also realized that she had never mentioned this matter to Xiangzi. She was surprised that Wakaba Mutsu, who had been sharing information with Xiangzi, had not told Xiangzi about it.

"So that's how it was supposed to be. The first performance is such a crucial joint performance, everyone must be under a lot of pressure... especially Xiaodeng..."

Once, during Crychic, Takamatsu Akari was so nervous that she couldn't sing. It was only after everyone went to a karaoke bar to help her practice that she was able to successfully complete her first and only performance.

"Little lamp...?"

Yue frowned slightly. She hadn't expected Xiangzi to say that Takamatsu was under a lot of pressure. In her memory, Takamatsu Takamatsu didn't seem to be under as much pressure as Aine and Riki.

"Xiao Deng is very sensitive; she always thought that I left Crychic because she didn't sing well..."

At this point, a hint of guilt appeared on Xiangzi's face. His lips parted slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but then he stopped, seemingly struggling with whether or not to speak. In the end, all his feelings of guilt were reduced to just one sentence.

"In short, if you can, Yue should pay more attention to Xiaodeng's condition."

"Um...I will."

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

Takamatsu Akari lay on the bed, her eyes fixed on the ceiling, a look of confusion and helplessness in them. Her body trembled slightly, as if she were bearing immense inner pressure.

"Xiao Deng, are you alright?"

Gao Songdeng's mother knocked on the door, asking about her child's condition with concern. Gao Songdeng had been sullen ever since she came home, and wouldn't say what had happened when asked. After eating and taking a shower, she locked herself in her room.

"Um... I'm fine."

The lamp's voice sounded somewhat low and weary.

"Little Lamp... are you really alright? If anything happens, you can tell Mom."

Although she heard her child's answer, from any perspective, Gao Songdeng didn't seem to have any problems.

"I'm just a little tired." Tama tried to hide her unease with a calm voice. Seeing her child say this, Takamatsu Hikaru, as her mother, did not press further. She knew that some things could only be solved by Tama herself.

A heavy, oppressive atmosphere filled the room, making it feel suffocating and suffocating. The lamp's face was expressionless, but its eyes revealed deep worry and confusion; it seemed like a solitary island, trapped in its own thoughts, unable to find a way out.

Her mind kept replaying what had happened that afternoon, Lixi's outburst in the recording studio, and how she had gone home alone that day.

Everyone's acting strangely today. Riki-chan is angry, Aine-chan walked alone in the opposite direction from home after practice, and even Tsuki said she had something to do and didn't walk with them...

These unusual circumstances always reminded her of that rainy day... the rainy day when Crychic disbanded.

"Everyone in the band is acting so strange... If this continues... the band will have to break up again..."

"I guess... I'd better not participate in the performance."

"As long as they don't perform, the band can continue indefinitely, right..."

When the performance begins: Chapter 58 Rainy Day PTSD

Shortly before the second day's practice time, Lixi was just about to finish her part-time job and head to the recording studio when she saw Yao Lena dragging her instrument in.

After curiously looking around inside, Lena suddenly stopped, her eyes gleaming with a cunning light, like a cat that had caught its prey, and fixed her gaze on Lixi.

"I have a bad feeling..."

Lixi watched as Lena walked straight toward her, and she felt a sense of foreboding about what was about to happen. Her eyes revealed unease and exhaustion.

"Matcha Parfait!"

Lena walked up to Lixi and called out to him, her voice full of anticipation, her eyes sparkling with excitement, and her face beaming with a satisfied and joyful smile.

"Stray cat, call my name properly! I'm not Matcha Buffet."

Although Lixi said this, her actions told a different story. She turned around and began to prepare the materials behind the counter with practiced ease. Her movements were fluid and orderly, and she was already very familiar with the process.