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

Is she being isolated?

But it doesn't seem like it...

So what exactly is going on?

Aine felt inexplicably embarrassed and touched her hair: "Um... why were you secretly laughing?"

"No...it's really nothing, Aine." The red-haired girl lowered her expression. "More importantly, Toyokawa from the next class is looking for you at the door."

Aiyin subconsciously looked towards the classroom door, and sure enough, Xiangzi was already waving at them from there.

"Ah... I'll go first, see you later." Aine picked up her handbag.

"Okay, remember to talk to us later."

Aiyin casually agreed and walked towards the door with Xiaodeng, who had also packed his schoolbag.

……

Three beautiful young women, each with a distinct style, walked together toward the school gate; such a sight was truly breathtaking.

Xiangzi immediately spotted a man who appeared to be a vagrant leaning against the wall next to the school gate: "Have you been waiting long?"

"We didn't have to wait long this time." Yanming twirled the keychain in his hand, turned around and said, "Let's go, parking is not allowed near your school."

"No parking allowed?"

Yanming glanced back at Xiangzi: "I borrowed a car from someone I knew before. There were too many people; the motorcycle couldn't carry them all."

"Oh, oh." Xiangzi nodded and quickly followed Yanming.

To be precise, he pounced on it.

Taking advantage of his small size, Xiangzi quickly coiled onto Yanming's back like an octopus hunting its prey.

Then, he used both hands to pry open his cheeks.

"what--"

Green pepper breath attack!

Yanming: "..."

How childish you are!

"You ate it all properly!"

"..." Yanming was speechless. "I understand."

Whose kid is this? They have to show off even when they're eating a green pepper.

To prevent her from getting too arrogant, Yanming decided to put her down a bit: "You have such a foul mouth."

"...What?" Xiangzi froze, then jumped off Yanming's back in a panic and started breathing on his palms.

Where does it smell?

Xiangzi, realizing she had been tricked, angrily looked up, only to find that everyone else had already gone far away. Even her dearest Xiaodeng didn't turn around to look at her; instead, she obediently followed Yanming and talked to him.

Xiao Deng... In the end, did Xiao Xiang still not compare to your Mr. Yan Ming in your heart?

Suck up the library, suck up the library—(sounds of sobs)

"Wait for me, my stockings are falling!"

……

After a few minutes

After parking the car, Yanming opened the door and said, "We're here. Get out."

After saying that, he opened the trunk and took out a black guitar case. What was inside was self-evident.

Anyway, it's not an AR-15 rifle.

After getting off the car, the four of them started walking into the karaoke bar.

"Yanming, I had no idea you could drive a car!" Xiangzi walked briskly and skipped ahead.

Yanming said, "When you were on summer vacation, I wasn't just lying at home doing nothing all day. I had nothing to do and I was of the right age, so I took the opportunity to get my driver's license."

"...Is that something that can be done easily?" Moreover, the smoothness that Xiangzi just experienced in the car is something that a novice driver cannot achieve.

"Oh, I used to drive all the time even when I didn't have a driver's license and wasn't an adult, so it was much easier for me to pass the test than for others."

"Stop talking!"

It seems she took an unlicensed taxi... but since she got her driver's license, it doesn't seem like she can be considered an unlicensed taxi.

Xiangzi decided to stop thinking about the intricacies of the matter.

Why make things difficult for yourself?

……

“Speaking of which, we’ve been to this karaoke bar before, right, Xiaodeng?” As soon as he entered, Xiangzi wanted to show the two newcomers that he was very familiar with the place.

"Yeah, I came here once with everyone from Crychic, but... I couldn't sing it back then."

"But you can definitely sing it now, right?"

The lamp nodded. "Mm..."

If there's still no change after such a long time, that would be unacceptable.

"The receptionist at this karaoke bar looks pretty good." Compared to Xiangzi, who used to be a very strict young lady at home, Aiyin and her friends had been to karaoke bars much more often. Although this was her first time at this particular karaoke bar, judging from the total number of times she had been there, she was already a seasoned karaoke enthusiast.

After Yanming booked a room with the front desk clerk, he happened to overhear a conversation among the group and said, "I've never been to a place like this before."

Xiangzi covered his mouth: "Huh?"

"Why be surprised? I don't have many friends to begin with, and I can't find a single one who's interested in karaoke."

You can practice singing at home.

The band rehearsals are all done in a dedicated rehearsal room, so there's no need to come to such a noisy place.

As for using karaoke as a place for leisure and entertainment... going to karaoke alone is still too advanced for humans.

However, that wasn't what Xiangzi cared about: "So this is your first time here?"

"Ah."

"Great!"

Then Xiaodeng and Yanming's first time would both be hers!

Yanming: "?"

A celebration of unclear meaning.

During the conversation, the group entered the private room and took their seats. A tablet placed in the center of the table caught Yanming's attention:

"...Is this for requesting songs? Anyone want to try it out, Little Lamp?"

As the only active band vocalist present, it seems most appropriate for Deng to start this.

"I……"

Seemingly sensing Deng's hesitation, Aine, who was sitting next to her, took the tablet from her and said:

"If Xiaodeng doesn't want to sing by herself, would you like to sing a duet with me? It just so happens that Sumimi and the others recently released a new music video. I think we'd perform much better if we could sing along with the video."

“…sumimi?” The lamp was unfamiliar with this group.

"Don't you know? This is a very popular idol group right now. Their songs are played on the big screen in the pedestrian street almost every day... Oh, right, I especially like Chu Hua from their group!"

When the name of another friend popped out of the mouth of his new friend, Xiangzi's feelings were somewhat complicated.

It's like when Er Gou, who you used to play in the mud with as a child, grew up to be successful and wealthy, and it took you many years to hear about her achievements from your aunt in the next village.

"I don't know this... I don't know many songs." Deng turned his head shyly and picked up two maracas from the table. "I'll use these to cheer you up... that'll do."

Aiyin looked at Xiangzi: "Xiangzi, classmate..."

"I've never heard of her either. I don't even know the name of the girl next to Chu Hua," Xiangzi said without any hesitation.

She only recognized Chu Hua. What was Sumi?

Irrelevant.

Chapter 136 Prerequisites for Joining the Band

"I don't know anything..." Ai Yin said, holding up her tablet with some disappointment. "What about Mr. Yanming?"

She didn't actually have high expectations.

This Mr. Yanming doesn't seem like the type to be interested in girl idol groups at all.

"Me? I did hear it a while ago, but it would be too difficult for me to sing it. The style and voice are too different." Yanming declined, but just hearing it was enough to make Ai Yin overjoyed.

Of the four, only his hobby is out of place, which is extremely difficult for Yangjiao, who likes to socialize, to accept.

Now there's at least one.

"Then, Mr. Yanming, do you prefer Hatsuka or Ms. Mana?"

So that's the name of the girl next to the girl in the triangle?

Yanming only listened to the songs and didn't pay any attention to the members' information.

Even Chu Hua's name was only barely remembered because of Xiangzi.

If you look at it this way

"...It should be Chu Hua," Yan Ming answered truthfully.

"Me too! Miss Chuhua really has a magnificent face! Every time I see her on screen, my heart melts!"

"Ah, this... I see." Yanming's gaze slowly drifted towards the ceiling.

If Ai Yin said a few more words, he probably wouldn't be able to continue.

"Um... Ai-yin, let's get down to business." In the end, their purpose in coming to the karaoke bar wasn't to sing or talk about their favorite idols, but to discuss band matters.

Everything else can be put on hold for now.

"...Oh right." Aine, who was a little excited because she had finally found someone with the same interests, calmed down, put down the tablet in her hand, took a deep breath, turned to the lamp next to her, and bowed deeply.

lamp:"……?"

Yanming: "..."

Get your lines out! Why are you stuck?

"Um... what was it again?" Aine's canine teeth were still conspicuous in the dim environment. At first glance, it turned out to be caused by the light reflecting off the drool around her mouth.

Yanming covered his face: "Band, rhythm guitar!"

"Oh, little lamp!"

The lamp paused for a moment, then straightened up and replied, "Ah? Here..."

Ai Yin clasped her hands together, bowed again, and said, "Please let me join your band as rhythm guitar! Oh my god!"

"Huh?" Deng panicked immediately, unable to say anything more than refuse or agree, and even her words became incoherent. "Aine...band? Why? We..."

"Is Ai-yin going to join our band? But why choose us?" said Takamatsu Akari. Shoko thoughtfully acted as the translator between the two.

This special "Takamatsu language" can only be understood without difficulty by those who have a deep understanding of lamps.

Aine obviously cannot do that.

"The reason for joining the band..." Aine's expression darkened.

Her first thought wasn't of Yanming's words from yesterday afternoon, but of her earlier experiences.

"Chihaya-kun, you're amazing... Are you really going to study in the UK?"

"Don't forget to leave us a letter when you get to England!"

"Even if we are separated by the ocean, we will always be good friends!"

We will all miss you!

……