Why play in a band if you don't form one for life?

However, after truly witnessing her brilliance, Cloe only felt shock... and a strong sense of unwillingness.

Why are there such shining people?

Why was she among her peers, and why did she only discover it so late?

Since then, she has been chasing that figure.

Even though he had never truly defeated her, he had undoubtedly become her rival, and she thought so as well.

Their competition continues not only on the Shengxiang stage, but also in this world.

Their abilities can be said to be exactly the opposite.

Maya can simulate any ability, and she can nullify any ability. They have fought countless times, but it has always been a draw.

Compared to always losing to her before, this result was already good. Clo was very excited, thinking that this was a chance to win against her in one go and prove himself.

She had been waiting for her opportunity.

Before the opportunity came, another girl came from outside the desert.

She has long silver hair, and her voice and temperament are so similar to mine.

Yukina Minato.

Unlike herself, she is a band girl and has the highest authority in the group she belongs to.

band?

At first I didn't care much, I was just happy about the new power.

Even if I heard her great voice outside the recording studio, I just appreciated it purely for the sake of appreciation.

After all, no matter how brilliant she is on another path, she and I are not competitors.

But the Audition has begun. Whether it is the stage girls or the band girls, they are all dancing, singing, and competing with each other on the same stage.

"..."

"..."

From the very beginning, after the Tuning Revue ended, a tense atmosphere spread between Maya and Yukina.

Chloe saw it with his own eyes, the way they looked at each other.

That was the look one gives to a strong enemy.

Standing next to those two people, Cloe felt a sense of emptiness for the first time.

Maya's eyes, which had always been looking at him, and which had always been used as a spur to him, turned to someone else just because the stage had changed.

"Why...why...why...why...why...why do we have to sail far away..."

"Friends."

She stood in the empty dance studio, reciting lines from the play.

The air in the dance studio could not answer her.

The door opened.

"Oh, Chloe." It was Futaba's voice, "Are you here too?"

Clo turned around and saw Futaba had changed her clothes and walked in: "Student No. 2, Ishido Futaba, enter now."

"Isn't Xiangzi with you?" asked Cloe.

"She just wants to sleep in." Futaba smiled helplessly and extended her hand to Kuro, "Can we practice together?"

"no problem."

While stretching, Chloe buried his face in Futaba's stomach, "I really envy you."

"What?" Futaba asked while twisting Clo's legs.

"Xiangzi," said Cloe, "she has been watching you."

"Really?" Futaba said, "It's just that I've been watching her."

"No." Clo's face twisted, making Futaba feel a little itchy, "I can see that."

Futaba thought for a moment and said, "Heaven has been watching you."

"Tendo Maya?" It was Clo who laughed instead. "It was true before, but now..."

Futaba noticed that Kuro was acting strange. She thought about it and guessed the reason. However, she was not as good at comforting people as Mahiru, so she could only reluctantly say:

"Well, after all, this stage is special. She will probably look at you again later."

"That's not the case!" Cloe immediately retorted, but his voice softened, "Could it be that I'm not a perfect opponent..."

"...At least you're a perfect master." That's all Futaba could say.

Clo was slightly comforted: "Merci." (Thank you)

However, the feeling of unwillingness still gnaws at the soul every night.

What does the person who took away my Maya and my place look like on the stage?

She would never be willing to accept it unless she could see it with her own eyes.

“Position 0.”

Today's Revue ended earlier than usual.

She looked at the empty auditorium and the giraffe standing there.

Let's go and see Yuki.

Seeing her coming, Shizi was a little surprised, but then he understood. Without saying anything, he pointed his chin and asked Clo to turn his attention to the stage.

On the stage, it was Yukina and Nijika's Revue. Countless lights formed a starry sky, and the whole stage was like a dream.

Cloe rested his hands on the railing and watched quietly.

After looking for a while, she clenched her hands tightly, with veins bulging.

this person……

She wasn't paying any attention to her opponent, her co-star!

Her lyrics, her movements, her steps, are all directed to someone who is not on this stage at all, that's all!

Standing on the stage with such a mood, she was actually stared at by that Tendou Maya, and even surpassed herself?

She didn't want to watch any more and turned away.

Lisa was walking back and forth in the hallway. When she saw her, she breathed a sigh of relief and walked up to her: "Hey, Chloe, did you go to see Yukina's Revue?"

"Ah? Yeah, yeah." Kro didn't know what expression to make, after all, the person in front of him was Yukina's childhood sweetheart and girlfriend.

You can't just say you're disappointed, right?

But Lisa had seen it from her expression.

“Ahaha…” Lisa turned her eyes away awkwardly, “Yukina…she wasn’t like this on stage before. She rarely paid attention to the audience and just gave a perfect performance.”

"Why did it turn out like this?" asked Clo.

She didn't take this as an excuse because of Lisa and Yukina's relationship.

"Did you know that Yukina once fought Shiko?"

……

On this day, Maya and I finished our independent practice again and went to the bar for dessert.

No one was there this time.

Maya took the cake roll and sat down at the bar.

However, instead of sitting next to her as usual, Chloe walked to the bar and sat across from her.

"... Nishijo-san?" Maya blinked, "That's inside the bar... and why are there stools inside?"

Cloe didn't answer, but put down the plate and said, "I'm starting."

"Oh, oh... I'm starting." Maya could only follow.

They both finished eating quickly without saying a word.

Putting down his fork, Clo wiped his mouth and looked directly at Maya: "Heaven Maya, I will make you aware of my existence again."

"Huh?" Maya was even more confused when he was suddenly told this.

"Tick-tick-tick-tick-tick."

"Tick-tick-tick-tick-tick."

"Tick-tick-tick-tick-tick."

"Tick-tick-tick-tick-tick."

At this time, the bell rang.

Until he returned to the stage, Cloe kept staring into Maya's eyes.

Chapter 52: Standing on the Stage

“The opportunity to shine is equal for all.”

"Therefore, I will dance the dance of love more passionately than anyone else,"

"Fly higher than anyone else on the wings of freedom,"

"Second place born in the 99th class, Claudina Saijo,"

"C'est moi, la star!" (It's me who is going to be the star!)

On the stage, Cloe stood with a sword in hand. Countless lights gathered together, giving her a cape.

"The road to the top is never easy,"

"So I ignited the steel thorns with my song,"

"Use musical notes to give birth to the Purple Flame Rose."

Yukina wiped the ground with the sword in his hand:

"Roselia Minato Yukina."

"I have only one goal!"

In the audience, the giraffe announced loudly:

"Audition Day 20, Awakening Revue, begins! Dance, sing, and compete with each other!"

Scene: Shengxiang Auditorium.

The auditorium extended from under the stage all the way up to the dark sky. On each seat sat a faceless puppet.

As soon as the curtain rose, the two men on the stage raised identical swords and rushed towards each other.

"Yukina Minato, what is your target?" Cloe chopped him off on the head with his sword.

"Target?" You Xi's expression remained unchanged, and he drew his sword back to block, "Of course the top."

Kro didn't respond, concentrating on fighting.

The two men clashed swords on the stage, and Cloe seemed to be at a disadvantage, retreating step by step. Yukina finally seized a flaw and stabbed at the cloak with a sword!

"?!"

However, what she stabbed was just a wooden sign, a wooden sign with Clo's image painted on it.

The puppets in the audience laughed shrilly.

Krishnamurti: "O you who sing, where are you looking at?"

K: "The opponent was right in front of me, but I turned a blind eye to him"

Youxina suddenly felt a murderous intent coming from behind her left, almost piercing her neck!

She quickly turned around and used the sword to block Clo's sudden attack.

Kuro tutted in dissatisfaction: "He was able to win so many times even though he wasn't even looking at his opponent. This is what I'm most dissatisfied with, Minato Yukina—"