I am the emotional sustenance of your deceased

[Like, very similar.]

Lenai still hadn't come back to her senses.

Although her eyes told her that the little girl was Chitose, her soul was denying it.

Chitose Noshiro is dead.

Chitose Haizuka is also dead.

That person definitely couldn't be Chitose.

She was still distracted when she stepped onto the stage. The cheers, applause, spotlights... everything was so familiar, but it didn't excite Yao Lenai at all.

She raised her head suddenly, recalling what Noshiro Chitose said to her when they first met:

I hope you can also perform on stage when you grow up, little Lenai.

[My name is Chitose Noshiro. Remember my name. You will call it for the rest of your life.]

For the rest of your life?

Kaname Lenai turned her head and saw the little kid staring at her from behind the curtain.

There was a golden undercurrent surging in her eyes.

Ch393. I also want to shine like my big sister!

「That child...that child! That child is looking at me!」

She is not Noshiro, nor is she Haizuka, but she can be both of them.

Who she is may no longer be that important.

The performance had already begun, but Lenai's mind was not on the stage.

She had endured years of loneliness, and for the first time, her heart, surrounded by silence, was beating so passionately.

It's like a dead tree coming back to life, like living a new life.

She really looks like them...

The spotlight on the stage shone on every team member, and the eager gazes of the audience below made people feel the heat...

Hi! Is this what the stage used to be like?

Over the years, I have followed countless bands on various stages, but my enthusiasm has always been as low as drinking water.

But today is different.

"!!!"

This is the first time that Lenai has experienced these real feelings in all these years.

She even began to feel nervous, her palms began to sweat, and beads of sweat on her forehead began to invade the corners of her eyes.

As usual, when he finally reached the stage where he was ready to play seriously, the sense of security in Le Nai's heart resurfaced.

[That's it. There's no need to play better.]

but!

No…no.

This time... no!

Without music, there is no life!

I'm being watched now!

She subconsciously began to play more seriously.

"I am being watched right now, by a little girl who looks infinitely like Chitose Noshiro or Chitose Haizuka."

At the same time, it’s not just that. She herself was looking at Noshiro Chitose on the stage in the same way back then... her eager gaze couldn’t be faked.

[So, I am still being watched by my past self! ]

When she thought of this, her body trembled.

How interesting, how unusual… I can hear my own breathing again.

In these few minutes that belong to her, Kaname Lenai feels that she can play the piano superbly!

You have to use all your skills!

Because someone is watching me...

Lift your bound arms and break the shackles in your heart.

【Let me show you everything I can show you! 】

"A thousand...years old."

……

"How was the children's performance today?"

Agent Ms. Fujimoto and the venue owner Ms. Haizuka were chatting in the audience.

"The performances of the first few bands were just average. I just thought they were pretty average. Listening to them was just like listening to any other band. There was no difference."

"Ahahahaha, is that so," Fujimoto scratched the back of his head.

Today's bands are all newcomers to their company. If they can only get a "mediocre" evaluation, then this year will be another year of wasted resources.

"What about this one? We recruited Abby, a guitarist who has been very successful in recent years. She's still very young, and she..."

With a hint of reluctance, the agent noticed that Huizhong was watching with great interest after she finished speaking.

"Hmm...very good, very good, she plays really well."

The agent thought she was talking about a newcomer she was optimistic about:

"Well, I told you, we'll see. She's going to be the best guitarist in this country one day."

Haizuka's attention was drawn to Kaname Rakuna, and he laughed helplessly:

"Well, you're right. One day we'll see the outcome."

"What is it, the real thing."

……

"That feeling! What on earth is it!"

The performance ended, people bowed and thanked the audience, and they interacted and joked with each other.

Yao Lenai doesn't care about any of this.

[That feeling...it's been a long time since I last felt it.]

"It's time to leave, Lenai-chan," the bassist tugged at the hem of her clothes. "Today's performance was amazing. If we keep up this momentum, our band can reach even greater heights! Then we can renew our contract and get a much higher salary! Go home and have some rest these few days."

"Ah."

Feeling somewhat unkind, the 22-year-old Kaname Rakuna imitated Chitose Noshiro and smiled, "Thank you, buddy."

"Ah," the other teammates who were leaving the stage were all stunned, "it turns out you have a cheerful side."

Are you cheerful?

Kaname blinked.

Maybe.

But rather than having a good rest for a few days, she was more looking forward to going backstage to find the little girl.

"I guess I didn't run away, did I? My performance was outstanding, and I think it would attract the kids."

Holding the guitar tightly in both hands, I could faintly hear Chitose Noshiro's heartbeat.

I just wonder if my performances are on the same level as Chitose Noshiro's, or even better than hers?

"Where's the child? Why is she gone?"

Lenai looked around nervously, and suddenly lowered her eyes to find that the little girl was standing in front of her.

Her eyes twinkled, as if there were stars mixed in them.

"So you're here..." Kaname sighed, "How was it? Our performance."

Why did I ask such a question? What was I expecting?

Yao Le Nai didn't know, but it seemed that as long as this little girl praised her, she would be happy for the whole day... No! She would be happy for the whole year!

"Amazing! So funny... Your guitar is amazing, big sister... It's amazing! It's the best guitar I've ever heard!"

[The best, guitar? ]

Kaname couldn't hold back her smile any longer and she bent down to rub the little cutie's head.

Worried about the sweat on her hands, she even wiped them on her teammates.

"Even if you praise me so much..." With the feeling of déjà vu still growing, Lena blurted out, "I didn't bring any candy for you either."

This conversation... I must have seen it somewhere, right?

To taint the joy in Lenai's heart, she vaguely saw the tall and majestic figure bending down and stroking her head.

That was the six-year-old self and the twenty-two-year-old Chitose Noshiro many years ago.

I just didn’t expect that I’m already this old now?

I am now the same age as Sister Qiantose back then.

"No candy! I want to hug you. Big sis, you look so cool playing the guitar!"

So handsome...

"Hahahaha, thank you... What's your name, little friend?"

Le Nai asked subconsciously, but she soon regretted it.

If her name wasn't Chitose, Le Na would definitely feel inexplicably sad; and if the other person's name was really Chitose... then she would feel even more uncomfortable.

It seems that as long as this question is asked, Lenai will feel uncomfortable.

"My name is Sui! I... don't have a last name."

"I want to, too! Shine like big onee-sama!"

"No last name? Ah..."

"Sorry, sorry, this kid ran away on his own and caused you trouble!"

A white-haired lady wearing an orphanage uniform appeared in front of Kaname Rana.

Ch394. Just like adopting a kitten

A white-haired welfare home worker in a pure white uniform appeared in front of Kaname Rakuna.

At this time, Lenai was maintaining the same posture as many years ago when he knelt down and touched her. She raised her eyes and saw the work symbol on the other's uniform.

[Orphanage? And...]

"It's okay, it's no trouble, but... what's the name of this child?"

"Thank you for your tolerance, Ms. Yao... This child's name is Sui," the staff member said, bowing apologetically. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, little Sui likes to run around everywhere! I was so worried that I couldn't find her just now."

"It's okay, she's very well behaved, she's a..." Kaname choked up:

"She's a good girl."

[Years old?]

Years old, it is a name that I will never forget in my life...

A feeling of sadness instantly surged in her heart after hearing these words, and she almost fell down when she stood up.

She gently pushed away her bandmate who wanted to come forward to support her, and held her knees to explain that she just had low blood sugar.

But if Lenai knew, even if the child was not named "Chitose", the word "year" alone would be enough to severely damage her sanity.

"Her name is really nice, but why... is she called Sui?"