Aunt Xiangzi, how did you manage to live?

So, does this also mean that she can actually control which attribute the points given to Kazama after completing the task are allocated to?

Thinking of this, Ms. Banami's expression gradually became intriguing.

"...It feels like playing a simulation game."

Regarding this, Ms. Banami had only one feeling.

A little exciting.

Chapter Eight: She Was a Loser Three Times

After much deliberation, Banami decided to hold back for a while and at the same time accepted Kazama Akatsuki's invitation to meet.

She just looks like the kind of silly, love-obsessed high school girl who doesn't actually lack any sense of situation.

At this point, some friends might ask, even if this task panel, which is bound to someone else's attributes, appears before Banai, does she have to act as the middleman as the task guide says?

Others might lose interest because they wouldn't get any benefit from it, but Miss Banami is not that kind of person.

While remaining detached and observing others' affairs, one can still offer guidance to help them grow into better people as they wish...

Who can tell the difference between me and God?!

Well, that's what Ayana Hachimi thought, since she was a little excited.

Besides, it's quite interesting to cultivate a relationship with a handsome young man you've only known for a short time, especially since this guy owes you money for a meal, so you have to find time to eat him back.

With the idea of ​​playing some new and interesting game in mind, Anna followed the system's instructions and set the meeting place at the location where the mission was taking place.

It's a dessert shop located near Tsuki no Mori Girls' Academy and Haneoka Girls' Academy.

On the day of the appointment, Hanami Anna stood in front of a full-length mirror and carefully studied what kind of casual clothes she should wear to meet Akatsuki.

Logically speaking, she should be a heartbroken girl still wallowing in the sadness of "her childhood sweetheart of many years finally getting together with the girl she likes," and even on weekends she should still be a withdrawn girl who doesn't want to go out.

However, her encounter with Kazama and the appearance of the system completely disrupted her situation of being troubled by love.

There wasn't any particular reason; she just felt that this might be an opportunity arranged by fate for her to get back on her feet.

Although Kazama has a face that would make any girl swoon, he's incredibly sharp-tongued and unforgiving when he speaks—and that's precisely what makes him an interesting guy.

At least when she was with him, Banami didn't feel that he was hypocritical or pretentious. At the same time, she could sense that he was surrounded by a series of mysterious secrets.

The system certainly wouldn't descend upon an ordinary passerby for no reason. Banami keenly observed that Kazama was probably hiding many secrets from her.

To be honest, even though they had exchanged contact information and learned each other's names, she still knew nothing about Kazama Akira.

If this guy were in the same school as me, judging by his looks and abilities, he would have long been the campus prince that girls were talking about.

Where does he go to school? Why would he leave without his phone or cash? Why can he eat more than her?

Curious, in short, extremely curious.

Hanami Anzu kicked the warnings like "curiosity killed the cat" out of her head, enthusiastically prepared her outfit for the day, grabbed her keys, and went out.

Perhaps she herself didn't realize that she hadn't felt sad about the breakup for even a second. For the past two days, her mind had been filled with thoughts of Kazama Akira. Even on the train to meet the boy, she took out her headphones and listened to songs by the band he had mentioned.

A beautiful piano melody captivated the listener, and the lead singer's infectious soft singing gradually soothed her somewhat restless heart.

"...It sounds so good."

Listening to the song "Spring Shadows," Hanami's initially lively mood gradually calmed down.

She leaned against the train window, gazing out, but was actually completely immersed in the emotional world the song had created for her, until she suddenly realized something very important—

"………ah!"

As if waking from a dream, she picked up her phone and unlocked the screen. The name below the song title was clearly CRYCHIC.

That is, the C team mentioned in the task assigned by the system.

Is there some kind of story between them and Kazama?

Banami pouted, unable to find a solution to the problem, and could only look out the window.

Department stores and streets were plastered with posters and electronic screens displaying the faces of the members of the currently popular idol group Sumimi. Even when the train arrived at its destination, Hanami, promotional images for their latest comeback single were still posted on both sides of the exit.

As her curiosity and desire to explore grew, the image of the boy involuntarily kept popping into Anzu's mind.

Of course, this wasn't for any other reason; it was just out of curiosity.

She still thought the same thing when she met the boy standing in the shade of a tree in front of the dessert shop.

"Hanami, you're ten minutes late."

The bright sunshine of late spring and early summer had already brought a slightly sweltering temperature to the air. Xiao peeked out from under the tree, and the sunlight poured down on his slightly curly short hair, creating a color that made Banami somewhat dizzy and mesmerized. It took her a moment to come to her senses.

Damn it, if only this guy didn't have such a handsome face, then she could have maintained a completely innocent relationship with him without blushing or skipping a beat.

"...But if you were late because you were picking out this outfit, then it's fine."

Not to mention, after looking Banami up and down, this guy not only didn't express any further dissatisfaction, but instead smiled with a slight curve at the corner of his eyes.

"Okay, I did take a long time changing and trying on clothes at home... but why do you think it's okay, Kazama?"

Originally, Banami thought she would hear some complaints like "you women are such a hassle," since her childhood friend Sosuke had said something similar before.

"Hmm... When a girl wears beautiful and exquisite clothes before a meeting, isn't it because she values ​​this meeting?"

Who knew that after Kazama rolled his eyes and thought for a moment, he gave a completely different answer from Kusuke.

No one would be unhappy about this.

"Hmm... I really want to argue, but you're right... How come you understand girls' thoughts so well...!"

Banami felt a little shy at the rare sight, but she blamed it on the guy in front of her for being too blunt. It's an unspoken rule among peers that you shouldn't be too explicit in their interactions, since not speaking too clearly is one of the unspoken rules in their age group and social atmosphere.

"Maybe it's because my mothers taught me well."

"Moms... Kazama, are you living in a land of women?"

Xiao smiled. Actually, he didn't quite understand what the girl was thinking, but both his mother and Aunt Aiyin had told him that this was a sign that the girl valued the meeting or even the date.

However, since Banami didn't seem to be used to this kind of straightforward conversation, I decided not to tease her.

"Alright, stop lingering at the shop entrance. It's my turn to invite you to dinner, Banai."

Just as he calmly pushed open the door of the dessert shop, preparing to find a place to sit down with Banami—

"Welcome! There are seats available by the window."

The female voice coming from the front desk sounded somewhat familiar, but it also contained a hint of naivety that made Xiao feel unfamiliar.

Could it be...

He looked up in disbelief in the direction the sound came from.

It met a pair of cool, purple eyes, and its owner, who exuded an aura that kept strangers at bay.

He had seen the girl before him, but only when she was "still" a charming adult woman.

Shiina Tatsuki was one of Akira's mentors who taught him to play the drums when he was young.

Chapter Nine: The Boomerang Stabbing Incident Unique to Group C

If Ye Xiao first saw Shiina Riki, it was through a crack in her bedroom door that she glimpsed her back.

The woman's long black hair was simply tied back, with a few strands falling around her ears like sculpted lines. Whether it was her upright posture or her sharply defined profile that exuded a mature beauty, she radiated an unspoken competence.

Although the words that came out of her mouth did not sound very pleasant to young Xiao at the time.

"Adopt a child...? Are you serious?"

"Well, Su Shi told me that Xiao and Li Xi could learn to play the drums; he's very talented at it..."

"That's not the point! Mu, you can't even take care of yourself! When did you decide to raise a child? And if it's just because the child has some issues..."

"Taki-chan, Mutsu, as a mother, has no objections, so you don't need to be in such a hurry."

For some reason, Aunt Lixi reacted quite strongly to Mu adopting Xiao back then. It wasn't until the usually gentle Aunt Sushi looked at her with a frown and shook her head that she gradually calmed down and stopped criticizing.

"Um...I really can't agree with that...!"

The capable woman muttered these words and looked away, just in time to meet Xiao's gaze, who was secretly watching the adults chat in the bedroom.

He knew perfectly well that they were discussing his own affairs, but he simply stayed in the corner and spied on the adults' conversation.

Strange child.

Shiina Tatsuki gave a soft snort and turned to leave.

If Ye Xiao last saw Shiina Ritsuki, it was in the izakaya the day before she traveled through time.

"Ah Xiao—you're debuting tomorrow! Auntie will cheer you on! Even if you don't want to play in the band anymore someday, it's okay. Just remember to come back and see me often, okay? Waaah..."

At her debut party, she was cold, sharp, and capable. She got completely drunk and, ignoring Mutsu and Hatsune's faces, clung to Akatsuki's neck with tears streaming down her face.

"Taki-chan, you've become much more frank since you became a working professional."

Su Shi, sitting next to her, took a sip of wine and sighed softly.

"The main problem is that the drinks were terrible."

Sitting opposite Su Shi, the cold-faced woman with shoulder-length black hair who rarely spoke—Hachiman Kairin—nodded her head, which earned her a glare from the completely drunk Riki.

"This can be considered speaking the truth after drinking~ Although Lixi was a bit strict with Xiao when we first met, she has always been caring for everyone in this gentle way, right?"

The woman with long pink hair peeked out from the other end of the long table and smiled as she smoothed things over. After a few drinks, Riki couldn't look Chihaya Aine in the warm gaze.

"Ugh. You're all so noisy, a bunch of drunkards. Don't corrupt Ah Xiao. Ah, of course I'm not talking about you, Deng. You keep eating and don't mind us."

"Who's the drunkard, Taki-chan? Besides, who's corrupting Xiao, making him have coffee in his hand all the time while practicing? Boys are still growing, so their daily coffee intake should be moderate—"

“It’s so noisy, Su Shi… It’s like an old woman… Hey, Xiao.”

Whether it was due to the alcohol or she was just very shy, the woman, her face flushed, pulled Xiao, who was already being held by the neck, even closer to her with a slight effort.

"I'm sorry... I wasn't very nice to you at first. Even when Mu asked me to teach you how to play the drums, I was too strict with you... I even thought you were a strange kid at one point."

Li Xi's voice grew softer and softer. Ai Yin and Su Shi pretended to be eating and drinking and didn't pay attention to them, but as Li Xi gradually opened up, the corners of their mouths began to curve upwards. Even Mu, who was sitting quietly eating opposite Xiao, gave them a peaceful and gentle look.

"...However, I am very happy to be your mentor and aunt. Don't forget that."

In the end, she could only stubbornly utter this not-so-gentle remark.

"Thanks to you, I'm so glad... that we can continue playing together as a band."

Xiao was neither angry nor bothered. She simply let the eccentric aunt hold her arm, drinking her juice and nodding with a smile.

"I'm also very happy that I can be Aunt Lixi's confidante."

"Hey! Didn't you promise me you wouldn't tell anyone—"

"Huh? Lixi is hiding something from us? And with Axiao?"

Lixi, whose face was so red it looked like it could bleed, hurriedly covered Xiao's smiling face, while Aiyin, who was next to her, keenly noticed Huadian.

"Taki-chan, you didn't say anything you shouldn't have told Akatsuki, did you? He's still just a child..."

Su Shi also showed a helpless expression, which prompted Li Xi, whose temper was not exactly gentle, to hurriedly defend herself.

"Of course I know what I'm doing. Besides, Mu, as a mother, isn't even in a hurry, so why are you two so anxious? Are you fighting for custody of A-Xiao?"

"Taki-chan, you didn't say that when you were against Mutsu adopting Akatsuki."

"Su Shi Ni—"

"If it's about everyone, I have no objection."

Mu Ze seemed to be used to this scene, and a serene smile still lingered on his lips as he watched the group bickering.

"Yes! Although Xiao is a very good child, I would be happy if everyone, not just Mu and I, could continue to take care of her."

Sitting on the other side of Akatsuki, Hatsune touched Akatsuki's head, who had just been freed from Riki's confinement, her face full of a proud smile.

“I was wondering if Xiangzi would be as happy as we are if she could see what you’ve achieved… But whether you, Xiao, fulfill Xiangzi’s unfulfilled wish or not, it doesn’t matter anymore. Go and show your talent to the fullest.”

Even Hatsune Miku, who had always acted like a lovesick girl, gave him a sincere and gentle blessing.