Gravity Girl Shining

"Hello, fellow students, what can I do for you?"

[Congratulations to the host...]

Shut up first.

Uehara Hibiki immediately turned off the system sound and glanced at Takamatsu Deng, who was panting. He knew he couldn't rely on her for the time being. He briefly explained the whole story, emphasizing that Takamatsu Deng was interested in astronomy and that she had just been excited and hadn't intentionally violated school rules by running around in the building.

There is no way. As the number one evil force in the school, the student union will be treated leniently if you confess.

"I like... I like looking at the stars. I hope to join... join the astronomy club. Don't want the club to be abolished." Gao Songdeng continued the line intermittently and slowly, expressing his attitude.

Fortunately, just like the impression at the entrance ceremony, the president was quite kind. Seeing the nervous Takamatsu Deng, he first comforted him and then began to explain the current situation of the astronomy club.

The former director of the Astronomy Club and also the former student council president of Hanedaoka, he is a very "reliable" senior in Hanedawa Tsugumi's evaluation. He left a way out. As long as someone submits the activity record, even if it is only one person, the club will not be disbanded.

Now with the two talented people, Hibiki Uehara and Touma Takamatsu, the Astronomy Department can rest easy.

Regardless of Takamatsu Touma's joyful expression, Uehara Hibiki's words about the concealed part of Hanezawa Tsugumi's story are embarrassing. The compensation is clearly excessive. Regardless of the actual number of participants or the number of activities, as long as the report is submitted, the activity room can be reserved and even a preliminary permit can be obtained. Other clubs will cry. Is this really legal?

No matter how much Tsugumi Hanezawa glorified the former president, Hibiki Uehara left an indelible stereotype in her mind.

As the student council president, I have unlimited power.jpg.

Regardless, the Astronomy Club was safe. Seeing Takamatsu Deng eagerly filling out the application for membership, Uehara Hibiki finally had time to check the system prompt.

Congratulations to the host for meeting the shining star Tsugumi Hanazawa and obtaining the synthesis item "Afterglow" (1/5).

【Synthesis module is enabled.】

Unlike Takamatsu Tomo and Toyokawa Shoko, who merely possess potential but haven't yet truly shone, Tsugumi Hazawa, once a shining girl, has fully unleashed her inner sparkle, transforming into a star named Afterglow. This star is untouchable and cannot be drawn. However, as a star, the sparkle within her overflows, collected by the system and transformed into a special item: one-fifth of a pentagram. Collecting five items of the same name creates a shining star.

Great, no need to slowly conquer, just find someone to meet and get to know each other to get the props, the system finally makes people happy.

Afterglow always sounds familiar to Uehara Hibiki, as if he has heard it somewhere.

There was no time to recall it now, because Takamatsu Deng looked at it with anticipation, and also brought with him an application form to join the Astronomy Department.

I was just considering it when I came to lunch, but I hadn't decided to join. At that time, looking at the bright eyes of the lights, I couldn't easily refuse the atmosphere.

After receiving the application, Uehara Hibiki paused, ultimately choosing to be sincere. "Takamatsu-san, although I'm interested in the astronomy club, I have a part-time job after school, so I'm afraid I won't be able to attend events regularly. Is that okay?"

Although a little disappointed, Takamatsu Deng quickly cheered up. "Yeah, no problem. We can discuss the time of the event. We'll choose a time when Uehara-san is free. As for the event records, leave it to me."

"Then please give me your guidance, Minister Takamatsu."

"Huh? Minister?" The unfamiliar name made Gao Songdeng stunned. It seemed that after achieving the goal of saving the Astronomy Department, she turned back into the form of a shy little animal.

"That's right, you can't expect me, a person who has announced in advance that he will take leave frequently, to be the director." With the student council president as a benchmark, recalling Takamatsu Deng's previous performance, Uehara Hibiki seemed to understand some of the meaning of shining.

Unlike having a flawed present, having shortcomings means releasing your inner strength, becoming better, and pursuing a better future.

If that's the case, wouldn't it be a good deed to follow the system's goals and capture the girls, and help them shine? That's right, I'm not a scumbag, I just help others for fun.

"To protect the future of the Astronomy Department, please submit more reports and communicate more with the teachers and the student council."

"Ugh!"

Chapter 7: Action is worse than intention

The lunch break passed in a flash and school was over in a blink of an eye.

"No matter how clumsy you are, you must struggle forward..."

Inside the astronomy club's activity room, Uehara Hibiki hummed a song while cleaning. Despite having reported in advance, he couldn't be absent on his first day, so he took care of the mundane chores. As for the "treasures" left behind by the previous club member, he gave them to the new club member, who also enjoyed collecting.

"Uehara-san, feel happy."

Takamatsu Deng sorted a stack of notebooks and looked back at Uehara Hibiki, who was immersed in the song. The song in his ears and the song in his heart, reality and memories were intertwined.

…………

Walking alone in the darkness, I just scribbled...

No matter how clumsy you are, you must struggle forward...

Even though I know that my expectations are in vain, I still keep seeking redemption...

Even if you move forward just one centimeter, it still counts, because you have left a footprint...

…………

Can we move forward?

Unlike Takamatsu Deng who was immersed in ideological struggle, Uehara Hibiki was in a very good mood at this time.

As for the reason, of course he successfully won the first shining star.

After leaving the student council room, he searched for Afterglow, a group he'd been familiar with. The result was immediate: the ever-popular girl band, and one of the student council president's members, truly a true member of the girl band era. Even more coincidental, after a quick inquiry with his classmates, Uehara Hibiki learned the good news: all five members of Afterglow were third-year students at Hanaoka High School, all in the same class.

There is no doubt that students will also be generous.

During break, Uehara Hibiki rushed to Class 3A's door and launched into a frantic self-introduction to the other members of Afterglow. Regardless of the poor impression, since everyone knew each other, the system readily gave him items. He clicked "Synthesize," and a shining star appeared in his inventory, unlocking the Wish module.

That one is similar to the wishing well interface. As long as you express your wish and then put in the corresponding number of shining stars, it can be realized unconditionally.

Incidentally, Uehara Hibiki tried to exchange a star for 100 million yen if he asked directly for money. It was so scary that he almost tempted. But rationally speaking, after looking at various exchange schemes, he found that exchanging wishes for money directly was undoubtedly the most unwise approach. After all, as long as you have superhuman skills, you will naturally make money in the future, but the opportunity to realize your wishes cannot be bought with money.

Well, but that’s 100 million!

Looking online, the median annual income in Japan seems to be only 5 million yen, which is a small amount that an average family would take 20 years to earn.

But Uehara Hibiki held back, thinking that a mere 100 million yen would be enough for him to become famous and wealthy, a legendary keyboardist, a music master, and a national superstar.

Fortunately, the system currency unit is the Japanese yen. If they ask for 100 million US dollars, Uehara Hibiki will definitely not be able to afford it.

Time drags on after school, but it's not all for nothing. Feeling grateful, Hibiki Uehara spent a whopping 1000 yen to download a few of Afterglow's hits. They're indeed good, but unfortunately, Uehara's singing talent is average, so his humming is barely acceptable.

…………

I can't sit still, no matter the time, and I can't convey...

In a world bathed in sunshine, pride blossoms for those who matter most...

…………

"Indeed, it needs to be conveyed."

Finally, the lyrics resonated with her, and Takamatsu's eyes showed a resolute look. She pulled out a notebook she had always treasured and began to write furiously. The girl was completely immersed in the world, not even noticing Uehara Hibiki approaching quietly.

Uehara Hibiki stood silently behind Takamatsu Deng, arms folded and brow furrowed. The girl, oblivious to the presence of another person in the room, opened her heart to the notebook she cherished so dearly, allowing Uehara Hibiki to glimpse the secrets within.

The notebook was filled with large areas of irregular lines, shapes and shadows, and even thick blocks of pure black, which at first glance looked like unconscious graffiti.

But looking at Takamatsu's serious face, Uehara Hibiki could sense the turmoil within her, like dark clouds gathering over the sea. All these raging storms and waves, usually locked within the girl's heart, she kept her head down, silent, and could only use her brush to transform abstract feelings into concrete forms.

Gradually, as Gao Songdeng kept turning the pages, the lines and black blocks appeared less and less frequently, and were replaced by concrete patterns and symbols such as watermelon worms, the sun, flowers, butterflies, crickets, and even a few short words appeared sporadically.

Takamatsu Deng is working hard to evolve, to refine her inner feelings into words. She wants to convey her feelings to someone.

In her fragmented description, Uehara Hibiki quickly caught a key word.

"Apologize."

As expected, when she drew the card to see her wish, Gao Songdeng had always felt deeply sorry for someone. In her heart, she was blaming him all the time.

for?

Though they'd only met briefly, Uehara Hibiki believed in judging people. Despite her somewhat eccentric interests and relatively quiet demeanor, Takamatsu Touma was a kind and good child. Uehara Hibiki couldn't imagine how her mistakes would torment her. And who would she be apologizing to, constantly blaming such a good child and refusing to forgive her?

It seems that I need to have a good chat with Shoko Toyokawa tonight.

Time passed, the setting sun shone into the activity room, and Gao Songdeng seemed to wake from a dream. She closed her notebook tightly and looked back timidly. But she was alone in the huge activity room. The tall boy was not there. For some reason, Gao Songdeng felt a flash of loss in her heart.

But soon, she found a note on the other side of the desk.

"I've finished tidying up the activity room. I need to go to work, so I'll leave first. I look forward to the club activities later. See you tomorrow."

"Well, see you tomorrow."

Gao Songdeng held the note tightly, then lowered his head and touched it lightly with the tip of his nose.

The smell of paper, ink, and sunshine were all remembered by the girl.

Then she opened her notebook and solemnly put the note in it.

From today on, the note becomes one of Gao Songdeng's treasures.

…………

According to the system prompt, the progress of the strategy of Takamatsu Deng is +5, and Uehara Hibiki is numb.

Something happened? Something happened?

"Guest?"

"No problem. I'll pay."

He stopped thinking about Takamatsu's incident and, with a trembling heart, looked at the numbers on his phone. Uehara Hibiki swiped 120,000 yen in one go. There was no other way. A band needs instruments, and a keyboardist can't live without a keyboard. Uehara Hibiki could only watch with tears in his eyes as the numbers in his account disappeared.

No wonder everyone was so obsessed with music, even a keyboard was only priced at the regular level, especially with student discounts. As for the other expensive items in the store, he just took one look and wanted to turn into a gangster and buy them for free.

Be more open-minded. If you don't invest some money upfront, you will be able to earn it sooner or later.

Moreover, the shop assistant named Huayuan Duohui is also a system-certified shining star and a member of the girl band Poppin'Party, so her character should be guaranteed.

It shouldn't be a scam.

Probably not?

No matter what, once he made the purchase, there was no turning back for Uehara Hibiki, and he had spent more than just money.

A shining star is thrown into the wishing well.

There were no fancy special effects; aside from the giraffe, the system remained unpretentious. On the system interface, a golden plus sign appeared after the Basic Skill Coordination LV1. First, 10 Pure Love Hearts were needed to upgrade to LV2, and then 20 more to reach LV3.

An inexplicable warmth flowed through his body, and Uehara Hibiki suddenly felt much more flexible. He could draw circles with his left hand, squares with his right, and dance with his fingers with ease. Even his flexibility improved. If he weren't in a public area, Uehara Hibiki would have been doing splits. As for more variations, further exploration was needed.

More importantly, as the basic skills are upgraded, Uehara Hibiki's keyboard skills will automatically have some seals removed and upgrade to LV3.

I can't help it, I have to do it live. Afterglow seniors, please lend me your songs.

Having memorized the music in the Astronomy Club, he now, through his talent and the power of the system, has perfectly restored it. Even though he has never touched an instrument in his past lives, Uehara Hibiki is now playing with his hands in ways that are incomprehensible.

Brother System, is it too late for me to apologize for the slander I made yesterday?

Quick, the song is over.

"Oh, amazing! I thought you were a newcomer, but you're actually quite talented," said Hanazono Tahui, praising her. But then her tone changed. "Your singing is terrible. It's like bang-bang-bang."

"It doesn't matter. The band is a collective creation. We just need to find a lead singer who is worthy of me." Uehara Hibiki turned around, leaving the clerk with a lonely back.

Professional level, the first step in my grand ambition! Although the price of precious props was squandered, leaving only a pitiful 5 little hearts, but it was all worth it.

After packing up everything, Uehara Hibiki's violin case and a determined look on his face, he left the Edogawa Music Store and, following the saleswoman's recommendation, headed to a place called RINGLIVEHOUSE. As a relatively new establishment, they had generous discounts and were incredibly popular. As a freelancer, it seemed like a perfect place to rehearse and find a band.

Although Uehara Hibiki reasonably suspected that the store clerk was taking kickbacks to sell every customer who bought a musical instrument, but thinking about the system authentication...

Go check it out.

Chapter 8: The Riddler Gets Out...

Time passed quickly and it was evening. Uehara Hibiki happily returned to his residence, carrying the violin case in one hand and a half-price lunch box in the other.

The journey of finding a career at RING was full of twists and turns. Uehara Hibiki's guess was correct: during the era of the girl bands, when a few people impulsively decided to form a band, most of them lacked a qualified keyboard player.

But the problem is that a band that plays for fun often doesn't need a keyboard.

Guitar, bass, and drums—as long as they have the three major instruments, most bands can get by. Putting aside the overabundance of lead singers and guitars, the real shortage of talent is actually bass and drummers.

As for keyboard players? They're not really needed, so why bother hiring them?

After the seventh failed attempt at negotiation, even someone as thick-skinned as Uehara Hibiki couldn't hold back. Despite having professional-level skills and having seven bands extend invitations,...

Woman, I want money. If I don't join the band, I'll have to pay for it every day. Haha, you actually want to use your youth and bonds to get me for free?

Finally, after recognizing the reality of the situation, Uehara Hibiki gave up on relying on luck on the bulletin board. After paying an agency fee, he easily obtained several resident band recruitment information from the staff, as well as "Sparkling Called Poppin' Party" 3/5.

I feel that system certification talents all like to play in bands.

Hibiki Uehara couldn't help but think, "I'm going to have to show up at music stores and live houses all over Tokyo." While not all girl bands can pass the system's certification, if you cast a wide net, you'll always find something.

As for the keyboard player business, the response was also quick.

Hot Chilli Raisin, whose members are all students from nearby universities, are established live house regulars. With both their rhythm guitarist and keyboardist recently leaving the band, they're desperate for a new member before hiring. After hearing Hibiki Uehara perform a piece, their leader made the decision, offering him his eighth olive branch of the evening.