Gravity Girl Shining

"I see. I knew all those so-called ghost stories were fake. Okay, forget about that. Let's go to the Astronomy Department."

When everyone was about to leave, Chihaya Aine suddenly thought of something and stopped.

"Wait, Xiangzi is a freshman in high school like us, right? But the Piano Ghost Story happened several years ago..."

As she asked this question, the door of the music classroom slowly closed, just before the last gap disappeared.

"Ding--"

The sound of piano suddenly rang out.

Chihaya Aine turned around suddenly, but only saw a closed door.

"Did you hear that?"

"what happened?"

Xiang asked with concern.

"Just now there seemed to be another sound..."

Chihaya Aine shook her head. She wasn't sure what the sound was.

Hearing this, Uehara Hibiki pushed her forward as if nothing had happened.

"It's an illusion. Let's go."

……

The astronomy club's activity room, besides the usual area for activities, was also filled with various instruments stacked behind shelves. Everyone had temporarily stored their instruments there, while Takamatsu Touma carefully unloaded a silver metal suitcase.

"Is this... an astronomical telescope? Is it assembled?"

Shiina Riki approached curiously; she had never touched a real thing up close. Although she knew Deng had one at home, she was the only one among the people who frequently sent Deng home who had never dared to step foot inside.

No, the drum team members had never even left the overpass, and had never even seen the Deng family’s house number.

Uehara Hibiki looked at the label on the box and couldn't help but whistle.

"How could the former minister use such expensive items for club activities? How did the student union approve her funding? No, she's also the student union president, and she received a donation from the Xianjuan Group."

"It's just a telescope, how expensive can it be?"

Shiina Riki didn't take it seriously.

Gao Songdeng carefully read out the number on the label.

"Seven million three hundred thousand yen."

"..."

Aiyin and Sushi fell silent at the same time. Even the two of them, who came from wealthy families, were shocked by this number.

"I'll be responsible for moving it to the rooftop."

Uehara Hibiki picked up the box.

"We have to set up the telescope and camera in advance. We can't wait until the comet is about to approach and then scramble."

On the way to the main building's rooftop, everyone had to walk up a flight of stairs. Chihaya Aine suddenly stopped, her voice trembling.

"Wait... One of the seven wonders is that the main building's staircase will have an extra step late at night!"

Shiina Riki's body was noticeably stiff.

"Stop talking! We're going to the rooftop to observe the comet, not to reveal every school mystery."

"Indeed. Besides, who would be so bored as to count stairs?"

Toyokawa Shoko snorted disdainfully.

Gao Songdeng immediately lowered his head in grievance.

"I... counted them. The stairs in the school... all have twelve steps."

Now it was Toyokawa Shoko's turn to blush and she quickly apologized.

"Sorry, Deng, forget what I just said. It's my fault."

"and many more!"

Chihaya Aine grabbed Uehara Hibiki's arm in panic.

"Originally, we didn't know the actual number of steps, so we wouldn't have noticed if there was an extra one. But now we know the correct number. What if we walk up and find there's an extra step?"

The air solidified instantly.

"Silly superstition!"

Toyokawa Shoko said this firmly, and added more when she saw Riki's frightened look.

"If you're scared, I'll walk for you to see!"

"Who... who is scared!"

Shiina Riki didn't want to show weakness in front of Xiangzi, so he replied with a stiff upper lip.

"Huh, I saw someone trembling just now."

"what?"

Gao Songdeng's eyes dimmed as she watched the two quarreling, and she thought back to the day when Crychic disbanded. Nagasaki Suyo immediately noticed and gently held her hand.

"Xiangzi, Lixi, don't do this in front of the lamp. You're scaring her."

Xiangzi and Lixi fell silent at the same time and looked at the lamp guiltily.

"sorry."

Then, Shiina Riki turned and looked at Xiangzi.

"Then... I'll go up with you and we'll count together."

In this way, the two walked up the stairs side by side, and Shoko Toyokawa counted calmly.

"one two Three……"

Shiina Riki was trying hard to keep pace with Xiangzi, not wanting to fall behind.

"four, five, six……"

"...Ten, eleven, twelve."

Soon, the two arrived at the platform safely, and Shoko Toyokawa turned around proudly.

"Look, everyone, it's nothing..."

"Thirteen."

A strange female voice suddenly sounded.

Toyokawa Shoko turned around suddenly.

"Who?"

Shiina Riki was so frightened that she hid behind Xiangzi. Toyokawa Xiangzi protected Riki, her golden eyes scanning the surroundings vigilantly. Everyone looked at each other in panic, only to find that everyone's face was filled with the same fear.

"Who was speaking just now?"

"not me!"

"It's not me..."

Uehara Hibiki stood at the bottom of the stairs with an innocent look on his face.

"I'm using ventriloquism."

"Liar!"

Shoko Toyokawa was still very sober and unwilling to believe Uehara Hibiki's nonsense.

"The sound clearly came from above!"

Upon hearing this, Shiina Riki grabbed Xiangzi's arm tightly.

"Just...just think of it as a prank! Stop analyzing it!"

Kaname Rakuna stood in the corner, a sly glint in her heterochromatic eyes. Uehara Hibiki winked at her, and the girl nodded slightly.

……

After everyone climbed onto the rooftop trembling with fear, the tense atmosphere gradually eased.

Gao Songdeng assembled the telescope expertly, and the others couldn't help but cheer her on. Later, while waiting for the comet, everyone chatted in groups of three or four.

Shiina Riki lingered next to Xiangzi, his voice as soft as a mosquito's.

"Um...just now, thank you."

Shoko Toyokawa was stunned for a moment, then turned her face away.

"nothing."

"Also, about Crychic..."

Shiina Riki took a deep breath, but still spoke his mind.

"My attitude that day was not good, and I turned something that should have been discussed into an argument. I was too angry at the time, and I'm sorry."

Toyokawa Shoko's eyes softened.

"I'm the one who should apologize. Although I still can't tell you the reason, it was my decision to suddenly leave the band. It's all my fault for causing so much pain to everyone."

"Forget it, we don't need to apologize to each other like this."

Shiina Riki interrupted her with a blushing face.

"Anyway, I, Deng, and Sushi have a new home in MyGo. You also have your own new band, so...keep going."

Shoko Toyokawa turned her head in surprise, and when she saw Li Xi's awkward expression, the corners of her mouth unconsciously rose.

"Yeah. Ave Mujica will do his best too."

The two smiled at each other, and the knot in their hearts seemed to be untied at this moment.

However, at this heartwarming moment, Shiina Riki's expression became awkward.

"Um...I want to go to the bathroom..."

Shiina Riki wasn't a student at Haneigaoka High School, so she didn't know the architecture. She needed someone to show her the way to the restroom. Of the Haneigaoka students present, the first one didn't want to bother Deng, and the second one, Hibiki and Aine, were sure to pull some mischief. Finally, Shiina Riki looked to Shoko for help.

"I'll go with you."

Xiangzi took the initiative to propose.

"Thank you."

Looking at the backs of the two people leaving, Kaname suddenly leaned close to Xiang's ear.

"Tonight was fun."

Uehara Hibiki smiled and ruffled her silver hair.

"Then Lenai should be able to hear it, is 'she' having fun?"

Kaname nodded, her heterochromatic eyes sparkling in the moonlight.

"Keep it a secret."

Uehara Hibiki said softly, handing over the matcha candy.

The cat girl swallowed Uehara Hibiki's fingers into her mouth, and while rolling up the candy, she left a silver-white thread on his fingers.

Then, the cat girl made a gesture of closing her mouth and revealed a satisfied smile.

Chapter 119: Ambiguity in the Dark.

The lights in the main building's corridors shone brightly in the darkness. While there was a chance of being spotted by the security guards, Shiina Riki preferred the risk. However, in the deserted campus at night, the bright lights in the corridors only made the shadows unlit by the lights even more eerie. The footsteps of the two girls were particularly clear in the empty hallway.

Shiina Ritsuki tried hard not to tremble, but every time she passed the dimly lit classroom windows, her back would tense up as she gazed at the neatly arranged desks and chairs inside. Imagining the invisible students sitting there, Shiina Ritsuki's pace quickened significantly. Toyokawa Shoko walked half a step ahead of her, keeping a distance that wouldn't make her feel uneasy.

"Actually... you don't have to come with me. Just tell me the location."

Shiina Riki's voice trembled, but he still subconsciously pretended to be stubborn in front of Toyokawa Shoko.