Aspiring to be a girl in a band

Upon seeing this message, Arakawa Kirika finally perked up a bit.

Of course I know.

Of course she knew, and she knew it better than anyone else.

But... Arakawa Kirika narrowed her eyes, wondering how to put it.

To put it more poetically, the dust of the mundane world has obscured your moonlight.

To put it bluntly—Xiangzi needs to make money by forming a professional band, so he gave up on Crychic?

Oh... that latter is obviously not an option.

Arakawa Kirika suddenly remembered that she seemed to have promised Shoko to keep her secret.

Wait...did he or she actually agree to it?

Arakawa Kirika was a little embarrassed; she couldn't remember.

【So……】

The message from the lamp came again, and the ellipsis in her message clearly indicated that she was hoping Arakawa Kirika could answer her questions.

However, after hesitating for a moment, Arakawa Kirika ultimately did not tell Akari the truth about Shoko, but she would not lie either.

That truth might disappoint the lamp, so let's just forget about it.

[Besides, you already have a new band, so why are you still clinging to the past?]

Arakawa Kirika sent two messages in a row.

The lamp fell silent again, and then...

I want to repair my relationship with Xiangzi.

Upon seeing this sentence, Arakawa Kirika frowned.

She wondered if Tamamo-no-Mae had also started having the same pointless idea of ​​reviving Crychic, just like Nagasaki Motoyo.

In that case, she would have to reassess the value of the lamp.

Fortunately, what the lamp said next dispelled Arakawa Kirika's concerns.

"I won't invite Xiangzi to join the band."

Instead of using text, the lamp sent a voice message.

Arakawa Kirika could sense an urgency in the tone of the lamp.

It's as if they're deliberately emphasizing something.

[Xiangzi must have had some unspeakable sorrows that led her to leave. If I were to try and find out the reason... it might offend Xiangzi, so I've decided to follow Wuhua's advice.]

[I won't try to find out why Xiangzi left the troupe anymore, but... I don't want to continue this relationship. We have such a beautiful past, yet we have to pretend to be strangers at school... I've really had enough.]

……

Arakawa Kirika smiled. From these simple words, she saw the courage that a girl had unleashed after long-term repression.

So, what are you going to do?

A hint of anticipation ignited in Arakawa Kirika's eyes; she wanted to know what kind of surprise this girl would bring her.

Tomorrow, I'll go find Xiangzi.

The first message from the lamp seemed very confident.

But the momentum of the second message immediately diminished considerably.

"Hmm... going directly tomorrow might be a bit abrupt, but I can always find a good opportunity."

Arakawa Kirika leaned back on the sofa and replied.

"Well... now that you've come to this realization, what do you want from me?"

Arakawa Kirika remained calm, certain that Akari had deliberately said these words to her tonight because she was seeking something.

With her talent for manipulating people's hearts, she always seemed at ease in such situations, as if she were strolling leisurely through a storm.

Sure enough, the lamp quickly made its request.

[As expected... I couldn't hide it from Kirika.]

Through this message, Arakawa Kirika could almost see the helpless expression in Akari's eyes.

"Although I've made up my mind, to be honest, I... I'm still very unsure. I don't know if Xiangzi doesn't want to see me at all. I'm afraid of being treated coldly by Xiangzi. If Xiangzi looks at me with those icy eyes, I think I'll feel so bad that I'll want to cry, so..."

Another voice message.

After hearing this message, Arakawa Kirika quickly followed up with her own message.

"Could you... give me some encouragement, Wuhua?"

After sending that voice message, Deng shyly buried his head under the pillow.

Anticipation and nervousness were constantly intertwined in her heart, making it impossible for her to calm down.

She didn't dare look at her phone.

Because she was afraid that Arakawa Kirika would refuse her request, but... she couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation.

If Wuhua agrees...

Deng could clearly feel that his body temperature had risen significantly.

She was a girl who was easily satisfied and didn't have many extravagant desires. In her heart, all she needed was for Arakawa Kirika to say a simple word to her.

"The lights will definitely be fine."

Or to put it more simply.

"I'll add fuel to the fire," and so on.

She is already very happy.

A long time passed. Finally, the lamp calmed its racing heart and opened its eyes to glance at its phone screen.

Arakawa Kirika didn't offer any words of encouragement, but instead raised a question.

Does the house have a security gate?

Access control?

The lamp tilted its head and thought for a moment before replying.

No, why is Wuhua asking this?

Arakawa Kirika then replied.

I just feel that verbal encouragement is meaningless, so let's go on a date. I'll pick you up right away.

……

After sending that last message, Arakawa Kirika didn't say anything more.

But the impact of those words was so strong that it shook the lamp quite a bit.

She looked at it carefully several times before finally confirming a fact.

Wuhua...is coming to see me...and it's...a date?

Volume 1: Chapter 86 Punishment

Akari stood nervously on the overpass near her home. It was a small vantage point, and from here, she could see Arakawa Kirika no matter which direction she came from. Moreover, she chose such a conspicuous spot so that Arakawa Kirika could spot her immediately.

The night breeze always carries a chill.

Looking at the thin floral dress she was wearing, Deng felt even more uneasy.

Is this not quite in line with her usual style...? she wondered.

The lamp took a long time to dress itself up.

For her, this was the first time she had ever associated herself with the word "dating".

Although... recently Lixi has been escorting her home alone.

Even though she had clearly said she didn't need it, Li hope still insisted on staying by her side.

However, Deng clearly did not categorize his interactions with Ms. Lixi as "dating".

Instead of choosing her own preferred attire, Deng made some guesses.

Does she think this floral dress makes her look more delicate, or even more pitiful?

In short, Akari felt that Arakawa Kirika might like this image, and she was actively trying to cater to her preferences.

This eccentric girl has finally developed her own little schemes.

A clear sound of footsteps came from behind, which made Deng's heart jump into his throat.

Even if she kept an eye on the road, she couldn't possibly see everything. Arakawa Kirika might have circled around to her side from her blind spot.

So Deng nervously turned around, then looked disappointed.

It turned out to be just a passerby.

She has gone through this process at least three times.

Does the lamp turn around hesitantly every time it hears footsteps behind it, only to turn back dejectedly after finding it's not the person it's hoping for?

There was another sound of footsteps. Tama was getting a little tired of it. She felt that Arakawa Kirika couldn't possibly be by her side so quickly. She had been on edge like this several times before, and this time was obviously no exception, so she didn't turn around this time.

Until a hand was placed on her shoulder.

"What are you standing there for, light?"

The lamp's body trembled, then it quickly turned around.

The person she had been waiting for was standing right in front of her.

"Um……"

Arakawa Kirika rested her chin on her hand, looked the lamp up and down at its clothes, and then burst out laughing.

"It would be fine during the day, but it's nighttime now. Even in early spring, this outfit is a bit too revealing. Be careful not to catch a cold."

Arakawa Kirika smiled somewhat sarcastically.