After Xiangzi died, I inherited her harem.

Tomorin and I did intend to have a proper talk with Xiangzi, but that was only our side's idea; the other side hadn't agreed to formally address this exchange.

Furthermore, Soyorin is a student of Tsuki no Mori, and during lunch break, she cannot enter the gates of Haneoka, let alone go directly into the school building to find someone.

To explain her story to Soyorin, she needed to find a way to get Toyokawa Shoko to agree to the exchange while she left the school to talk.

I was already on my way to the music room with Takamatsu Akari to find Toyokawa Shoko, and I could already faintly hear the familiar sound of a piano.

For the first time, Chihaya Aine understood what it meant to be all talk and no action behind someone's back.

Just as she was pondering what to do, Takamatsu Akari, who was with Chihaya Aine, pushed open the door to the music classroom, and the two entered together.

Without the obstruction of doors and walls, the sound of the piano became clearer, and the melodious and smooth tune flowed into their minds.

If it weren't for Toyokawa Yuu's personal confirmation, Chihaya Aine really wouldn't have believed that the blue-haired girl sitting at the piano playing a melodious tune was the same person as Oblivionis, who was rocking hard on stage last night.

Out of basic politeness, Chihaya Aine and Takamatsu Akari did not speak immediately, but simply stood quietly to one side of the piano.

Perfect timing, Chihaya Aine also needs some time to think about her words.

Before long, the piece ended, and Toyokawa Shoko's lively fingertips finally stopped moving on the piano.

Having already sensed someone standing beside her, Toyokawa Shoko didn't rush to start the next song, nor did she turn to look at her former friends or her fiancé's current friends.

"anything?"

His indifferent profile exuded an attitude that kept strangers at bay.

"Shoko..."

Clutching her notebook, Takamatsu's hard-won courage was somewhat dampened by this indifferent attitude.

Even his voice became somewhat hesitant.

"Regarding Xiaomu..."

"I don't understand what you're talking about. I haven't been in contact with Xiaomu for a long time. If there's anything wrong, why don't you go and ask her yourself?"

He interrupted Takamatsu without any politeness, his amber eyes radiating a cold and somewhat frightening gaze.

Just by hearing her open her mouth, Toyokawa Shoko already guessed what this eccentric girl with short pinkish-gray hair was going to say.

But she is no longer as impulsive as she was last night.

Even though he knew in his heart that his former bandmates had probably already guessed that he was Oblivionis of Ave Mujica.

But as the leader of Ave Mujica, she couldn't admit it, and even had to actively interrupt the topic.

This is all for commercial reasons.

Stunned by Toyokawa Shoko's cold attitude, Takamatsu Akari hugged the notebook in her arms even tighter, opened her lips but couldn't utter a sound.

Seeing Takamatsu Akari's reaction, Toyokawa Shoko quietly clenched her fingers, knowing that she had once again ruined their long-awaited conversation.

However, this time it was my own subjective action.

Slowly closing the piano lid, Toyokawa Shoko stood up from her chair.

There was no need to continue the conversation; the words she uttered last night, which had given her the will to give up, had already signaled her farewell to the past.

Staying here will only make the atmosphere more awkward.

"No, I came to see you about Youyu."

Just as Toyokawa Shoko brushed past her, Chihaya Aine spoke. Her voice wasn't as soft and sweet as Takamatsu Akari's; it was even somewhat serious and didn't sound as sunny as usual.

However, only Chihaya Aine herself knew that beneath that slightly tense expression lay a hint of guilt.

Oops, I brought this up in a moment of panic.

Although she had the idea of ​​talking to Toyokawa Shoko about Toyokawa Yuu's psychological trauma, she didn't actually intend to bring up Toyokawa Yuu's matter, at least not in front of Takamatsu Akari.

Although Yuu had told himself about his psychological trauma in front of Soyorin, he probably wouldn't want too many people to know about it.

"Youyu..."

Toyokawa Shoko stopped in her tracks and turned to look at Chihaya Aine, who was also staring at her with gray eyes.

Toyokawa Shoko never expected that she would hear her fiancé's name from Chihaya Aine today, let alone that the way they addressed each other was so intimate.

Yuu is a very socially conscious person, and even when addressing Soyo, she politely and formally calls her Miss Nagasaki Soyo.

Is this nickname given unilaterally by Chihaya Aine, or has the relationship between the two become so close that it's one-sided?

Thinking back to when she saw Chihaya Aine brushing past her as she entered the coffee shop just as she left this morning, Toyokawa Shoko couldn't help but frown.

At that time, Yuu Toyokawa was still in that coffee shop.

Besides, can't I make a few friends myself...?

Recalling the argument she had with Yuu Toyokawa in the office before the concert, Shoko Toyokawa frowned.

Two thin, long eyebrows furrowed into a familiar inverted V-shape.

"I don't think there's anything to say about Youyu; I have everything under control regarding him."

Although she didn't know what Chihaya Aine was planning to say to her, Toyokawa Shoko was trying to convince herself not to know.

I shouldn't have anything to do with this band anymore, as for Toyokawa Yuu's so-called friendship...

Forcing herself not to care about such things, Toyokawa Shoko started walking again, thus failing to see the serious expression on Chihaya Aine's face after she said those words.

What does this mean? Xiangzi knows everything about Youyu, but he still acts this way.

This made Chihaya Aine even more certain that there was definitely something wrong with the relationship between the adopted siblings.

"So, you deliberately didn't take him to see a doctor?"

Chihaya Aine knew very well that she shouldn't interfere too much in the affairs between Toyokawa Yuu and Toyokawa Shoko.

Regardless, this is their family matter, and I will not interfere.

However, when she thought of Yuu Toyokawa's tired appearance, she couldn't help but speak up.

Could it be that they're really having relationship problems?

"See a doctor?"

Upon hearing Chihaya Aine utter that word, Toyokawa Shoko, who had already reached the door, stopped in her tracks and turned to look at Chihaya Aine.

"What do you mean?"

Yuyu, do you actually need to see a doctor?

How many things is her fiancé, whom she has only known for a short time, hiding from her?

Moreover, the secret he had kept from himself had somehow been revealed to outsiders.

Turning around, a searching glint flashed in Toyokawa Shoko's amber eyes.

This time, she had no choice but to find out.

Seeing Toyokawa Shoko's reaction, Chihaya Aine became even more certain that she had no idea that Toyokawa Yuu had psychological trauma.

Conversely, what Youyu said before, that the two of them had a very good relationship, probably wasn't the truth either.

Thinking back, when I bumped into her at the coffee shop this morning, Yu Yu didn't have a plate in front of her, but Xiang Zi had two plates in her original spot.

Sensing that she had discovered something even more important than Wakaba Mutsumi's mental state, Chihaya Aine's expression turned serious.

However, she did not forget the agreement she had made with Nagasaki Sase.

Coincidentally, she didn't plan to discuss this matter in front of Gao Songdeng, and she also needed some time to organize her thoughts.

After Takamatsu Akari and Nagasaki Sase finished asking about Wakaba Mutsu, he would speak with Toyokawa Shoko alone.

"Let's go to that coffee shop from this morning. I'll tell you what happened there."

................................................

Tsuki no Mori Girls' Academy.

As a well-known school for young ladies in Tokyo, this school does more than just teach knowledge.

Rather than teaching knowledge, this school values ​​cultivating talent more.

In order to provide students with ample space to cultivate their interests, the school occupies an unusually large area, containing a wide variety of venues.

This also includes providing vegetable plots for students who enjoy gardening to grow crops.

Having not visited this vegetable field for a long time, Wakaba Mutsu looked at the withered cucumber vines in front of her, her expression somewhat gloomy.

Since joining Ave Mujica, she has rarely had time to come here to take care of the crops she used to value so much.

It was originally a crop meant for cultivating interest and not grown on a large scale. Given that it's currently the height of summer, it's understandable that it would wither and die without care.

Although it is too early to sentence him to death, if things continue like this, he is indeed not far from death.

Ruoye Mu reached out and touched the withered yellow vines and leaves. These cucumbers, which she had cultivated herself, were one of the few things she owned, as she had little else to her name.

And now, he has lost even those things.

However, it's all worth it for the sake of Xiang.

But......

Recalling his loss of control at the concert, Wakaba Mutsumi's golden eyes dimmed slightly.

Whether in words or deeds, I have once again made a fool of myself.

She failed to clearly explain her thoughts to Xiang, and instead created an out-of-control personality based on Mr. Youyu.

Ruoye Mu didn't know how she returned from that dark staircase, but she could guess that even though the shadow she had summoned had swallowed her up again, the monster was still alive.

She will return sooner or later, and to eliminate her, one must be more thorough.

But without her, how could I possibly understand Mr. Youyu? Could Metis really do that?

While he was pondering, Wakaba Muku suddenly felt a vibration coming from his pocket.

He took out his phone and found that it was a message from Yuu Toyokawa.

Yuu Toyokawa: [Mumu, I'm waiting for you at the school gate.]

wait for me?

Her golden eyes flickered slightly. Wakaba Mutsu already knew from Hachiman Kairin about Toyokawa Yuu's plans for her today: after school, she would be going with him to see a psychologist with an appointment.

But the time shouldn't be right yet.

Moreover, Xiao Mu...

In Wakaba Mutsu’s memory, this was the first time Toyokawa Yuu had used such words to refer to herself.

In their past interactions, whether in the office or backstage at concerts, Toyokawa Yuu always referred to herself as "Mortis" in a businesslike manner.

Tilting her head in confusion, Ruoye Mu typed a reply in the chat box.

Wakaba Mutsumi: [Should we go see a doctor?]

Yuu Toyokawa: [Let's skip class together.]

Seeing this unconventional statement, which could even be considered a criminal premonition, Ruo Yemu held her phone and stood there thinking for a while before replying to the message.

Wakaba Mutsu: [Okay.]

Outside the gate of Tsukimori Girls' Academy, Toyokawa Yuu stood leaning against the wall, looking at her phone.

As a man standing near the girls' school, leaning against the wall, he naturally attracted the attention of passing students.

Not to mention, he looked no more than sixteen or seventeen years old, yet he was dressed in a rather formal suit. Combined with the special nature of the place, Toyokawa Yuu's appearance did not make him seem mature; on the contrary, it made people even more wary.

After all, Tsukimori is a well-known school for young ladies, and there have been cases of people trying to attract naive teenage girls with their unconventional ways and then plotting against them.

Hearing the faint whispers around him, Toyokawa Yu frowned, but made no move to leave... He was doing it on purpose.

When he first asked Xiangzi to meet him, he knew to find a coffee shop. When he took Xiangzi to school, he also knew to take him to a nearby coffee shop until he had breakfast.

He, who already valued social distancing, certainly couldn't have been unaware of the current situation.

He knew that doing this would attract attention, but it would also cause discussion about Wakaba Mutsu, who was coming to see him later.

As a result, Wakaba Mutsu, who had always wanted to remain unknown and not attract anyone's attention, will lose even this last peaceful place called the school.

Some rumors may not be as aggressive as the fanatical pursuit of fans, but they are even more piercing and heart-wrenching.

Moreover, at school, Mutsumi Wakaba doesn't have a mask to cover her up.

This method is not very sophisticated, and can even be described as underhanded, but it is quite practical.