Mygo, you guys seem to be getting a bit heavy-hearted.

あぁ言葉はみずみずしく光るよ.

Ah, then words will come alive and shine!

だからだから……

So, so…

"The new band, Lamp, their playing... is pretty good..."

Ruo Ye Mu kept her head down, still saying those things that annoyed her.

Even Shiina Riki, who was standing next to her, looked moved. She was willing to do anything as long as the other person was a light... She didn't care about the band Crychic at all.

The lamp and Xiangzi on the stage... Have they all forgotten? Is it only me who is still like an unreasonable baby, unwilling to let go?

How could Su Shi possibly accept such a thing!

You all have new lives, new bands, new friends...

what about me?

what do I do!

The consequence of being "unneeded" is being ruthlessly abandoned, something Nagasaki Motoyo knows all too well... What's the use of saying you don't want to give up on her?

Despite doing so much, it all came to nothing... She was left behind and imprisoned in a cage called "Crychic".

"..."

Motoyo Nagasaki knows she is not a "mother" or a "big sister"; she is just a fifteen-year-old middle school girl who wants to be loved.

But even such thoughts were never really taken seriously by anyone.

It's all her fault for being such a good imposter; she fooled everyone, and everyone thought she was genuine inside and out.

"The lantern sang so well! Right, Su Shi?"

"Yeah...that's great..."

Even at this point, Su Shi still didn't reveal her true thoughts and continued to smile and cater to Li Xi.

Nothing can replace that band in her heart, so as long as there is even a sliver of possibility for Crychic to be revived, she will never dare to have any conflict with these people and will continue to maintain her friendly image.

"Hu-hu-"

After finishing the song "Shiori," Deng, who hadn't yet learned to manage her energy properly, was panting heavily, but her eyes never stopped scanning in the direction of her companions in the audience.

"Light—!! I'm here!!"

That's great... Lixi looks very happy, and Xiaomu is clapping along with the audience.

Su Shi classmate...

... Su Shi?

The light stopped, and then the person froze on the spot.

how come?

"Xiao Deng, you can't just stand there daydreaming."

Behind him, Xiangzi's voice reminded him.

Yes...yes!

You can't just sit there daydreaming.

Something has to be done...something absolutely has to be done!

Su Shi... even though no tears fell from her eyes...

But the lamp was absolutely certain that it saw everything clearly...

Su Shi is crying!

"……that!"

Deng frantically grabbed the microphone, but the words he wanted to say stuck in his throat, and he couldn't make a sound.

She didn't know how to comfort the other person, and she was even more unsure whether her next words would further hurt them.

The lamp sensed the danger of the mousetrap.

"Ah...ah..."

His throat was constricted, as if he were sick, unable to utter a single word, only making strange noises.

'what happened? ’

'Little lamp, it's not making any sound?'

Behind the lamp, Yanming and Xiangzi exchanged glances.

Then, as if sensing something, Xiangzi looked down at the audience in the direction the light was facing and spotted the three familiar figures as well.

Among them, the tallest girl with long flaxen hair stood out.

Suddenly, Xiangzi understood why the lantern festival was so stunned.

"...Jun Yanming."

"what?"

Taking advantage of the noise in the venue, the keyboardist and bassist, who were standing close together, started talking to each other.

Xiangzi took a deep breath, and then...

"I will play 'Spring Shadow'."

She knew that only in this way could she make Nagasaki Motoyo, who was most obsessed with Crychic, completely give up on it.

"you……"

Chapter Seventy-Seven: Why Play the Spring Shadow?!

"No."

"Yanming, let me hear you out first..."

Yanming could see the hesitation and reluctance in Xiangzi's eyes, so he interrupted her and said:

“I can also play ‘Spring Shadow’, so let me play it.”

Based on Deng and Xiao Xiang's unusual behavior, he had a rough idea of ​​what had happened.

...But Xiao Xiang can no longer be the "villain".

Only an outsider like myself can feel at ease being resented by that Crychic member and remain unmoved.

"Huh? Wait!"

Ignoring Xiangzi's attempts to stop him, Yanming quickly left his seat with his bass guitar, walked over to Le Nai, bent down, and said a few words to her.

Then, Yanming took the guitar, while Le Nai carried the bass back to his original spot.

"Yanming said that you don't need to worry about him."

Lena repeated what Yanming had asked her to convey to Xiangzi, and then casually slung the bass over her shoulder.

Even though she can't play at all.

soon.

A strange yet familiar melody rang out and entered Deng's ears, forcibly pulling her out of her daze.

"Shadow of Spring"? !

It's Xiao Xiang... no, it's not Xiao Xiang... this guitar...

I had heard this guitar prelude to Spring Shadow once before, and this was the second time.

She turned back suddenly.

Yanming was standing in Le Nai's place, his eyes closed as he plucked the strings of his instrument, and the song "Spring Shadow" flowed slowly from his fingertips.

"Eh?"

Miao Meng, who was behind, was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly picked up the drumsticks again and followed Yan Ming's rhythm.

Xiangzi's keyboard sounds followed closely behind, but because it was improvised, it differed significantly from the original.

Lena can't play bass, so she simply uses the bass as a scratching post and starts strumming the strings, since no one can hear her anyway.

Finally, only the lamp remained motionless, and soon the intro would end, transitioning into vocals.

She was given no more time to think.

Swayed by the prevailing trend, Deng had no choice but to pick up the microphone again:

"悴んだ心ふるえる眼 differs.

His heart was filled with weariness, and his eyes kept wandering.

The world is full of worldly things...

I am all alone in this world…

……

"It's Deng's 'Spring Shadow'! I can't believe I can hear it again."

If Ye Mu's unintentional murmur were like a steel knife, cutting a gaping wound in someone's chest.

Even if the lead singer is the same, that's not Kasuga Kage at all!!

"Spring Shadow" should clearly be a song by Crychic...

Am I the only one who still remembers those words? Xiao Xiang... have you forgotten them too?

Why are you doing this to me...?

Nagasaki Motoyo stared blankly at the keyboardist on stage, a bitter taste rising in her mouth.

No... Xiao Xiang must have been forced; she couldn't have played "Spring Shadow" willingly... That must be it!

It was all that unfamiliar guitarist… He was the one who started it, and Xiao Xiang only joined in to avoid ruining the performance…

"Soyo?"

If Ye Mu suddenly turned his head as if he had noticed something, he would then see the expression on Su Shi's face that could be described as shock and anger.

Extreme grief turns to anger.

"Soyo...you're shaking..."

Mu wanted to grab her sleeve.

"Do not touch me!"

Mu's outstretched hand stopped in mid-air.

"Hey Su Shi! Where are you going?"

Even in his belated realization, Li Xi failed to stop her.

Su Shi desperately pushed through the crowd, trying to escape the song that felt like an execution to her, and finally, tears streamed down her face.

I ran out of the venue, out of the Live House... As for where I was going? I don't know.

I know nothing, and I don't want to know anything.

As long as we can get away from here...

"I've had enough... Waaah—"

……

After Su Shi ran away, Li Xi grabbed Ruo Ye Mu's wrist: "Wait for me, Mu, where are you going again!"

"...Go after her!"

Mu didn't know where she got the strength from, but with a sudden burst of effort, she pulled Lixi, who was a little taller than her, off balance. "I can't... abandon Soyo..."

Su Shi looks like she's about to break down... If I don't go to find her, then no one else will!