Tokyo Three Generations

The cramped and confined environment, coupled with the fact that everyone around him was a young girl, made Jun Takasaki feel somewhat uncomfortable. He also felt that if he stayed by their side, it would affect their interactions.

So he gave Toyokawa Shoko a wink, signaling her to finish the job quickly.

Xiangzi understood perfectly.

Today is just a gathering for first meetings, there's no need for performances or rehearsals. Everyone just needs to get to know each other and exchange contact information.

After everyone greeted each other and didn't know how to start the conversation, Toyokawa Shoko, as the band's initiator and undisputed core member, stepped forward.

"Thank you all for arriving on time. Our gathering here today signifies the official formation of the Crychic band. Although this isn't a historic moment, it holds immense significance for me..." Toyokawa Shoko smiled broadly, both proud and excited. She stood up and bowed slightly to everyone. "I hope that we can spend the most enjoyable years of our youth in this band. And, incidentally, I hope to offer our audience the most beautiful and sincere music we can. At the same time, I hope we can grow together in the band and create lasting memories. I will also do my best to compose all the songs, so please continue to support me. Thank you all!"

After she finished speaking, applause rang out from the others, which meant that everyone recognized her "team-building philosophy" and that she had officially become the core of the band.

However, despite being called the "core," it is essentially just an amateur hobby group that doesn't exert any forceful control over its members.

After the applause, Toyokawa Shoko began assigning tasks, "I've practiced piano since I was little, so I'll be the keyboardist. Also, I can handle the composition; Mutsumi is best at guitar, so that's a no-brainer for her; and Suze will be the bassist to accompany us—"

Then she looked at the two new members and asked, "Lixi, how about you be the drummer?"

“I have no objection,” Shiina Tatsuki replied.

Seeing that the other party had agreed, Xiangzi looked at the last person.

Then, her expression softened, as if she were afraid of disturbing some small animal. "Deng... you can be our lead singer."

Nagasaki Motoyo and Wakaba Mutsu were both somewhat surprised, and they couldn't help but exchange a glance.

After all, since entering the room, this student named Gao Songdeng has hardly uttered a complete sentence, and he seems to have difficulty communicating with her. Can such a person really be a good lead singer?

However, this was just an interest group, and the level of performance was strictly speaking irrelevant. Moreover, it was led by Xiangzi herself, so even if they had doubts, they would not raise any objections and just silently accepted it.

On the contrary, the attention of the crowd put enormous pressure on Gao Songdeng.

She took a deep breath, as if she wanted to say something, but seemed to have difficulty forming a complete sentence.

"Xiangzi, I...I...may...may...it's going to be hard for me to do well." She said haltingly, gasping for breath, as if she were going through some great ordeal.

Ah, it seems there's a communication barrier.

...Takasaki Jun sighed inwardly.

If Ruoye Mu is already somewhat withdrawn, and then there's another girl who seems to have communication difficulties, will this band really have any problems with their interactions in the future? Even if it's just a hobby group for their own enjoyment, it shouldn't be this complicated.

He couldn't help but complain in his mind.

However, since this is Xiangzi's opinion, we can only let her be; as long as she's happy.

Seeing the unspoken doubts of others, Shiina Tatsuki couldn't sit still any longer.

She took Gao Songdeng's hand and encouraged her, "Deng, don't be afraid, you can do it."

Then, as if to support Takamatsu Akari, she looked at everyone and spoke again.

"I joined the band not to entertain the rich girls, but for our mutual progress and growth," Shiina Tatsuki said sternly. "Stepping out of her home and joining this group of strangers took a lot of courage from Touka, and we need to give her some encouragement... I believe she can do her best, and I also hope that you can all do your part well. Even if it's just an interest club, I think everyone should take it seriously, otherwise there's no point in forming a group."

"Yes, yes, that's how it should be." Toyokawa Shoko immediately nodded in agreement. "We're all very serious people, and I believe everyone will give it their all. Akari-kun can definitely do it too!"

Faced with Xiangzi's encouraging smile, Gao Songdeng's initial tension gradually dissipated, and then he smiled slightly.

"Yes! I... I will try my best."

“If we’re going to show our true talent, let’s arrange a ensemble performance as soon as possible,” Nagasaki Motoyo said. “Even if there are any problems, we can find and resolve them sooner. I have no objections to the choice of lead singer, and I hope Takamatsu-kun will take good care of me in the future…”

In truth, she always felt that "the three of us are enough for the band, why bring in people from other schools to cause trouble?" However, since Xiangzi liked it, she could only accept reality and try her best to reconcile the whole team.

But this doesn't mean endless compromise and concessions; she's confident she can strike the right balance.

Ultimately, the two of them are still "outsiders," and she needs to stand on the side of maintaining harmony in Xiangzi.

What does "keeping the young lady happy" even mean? The strength of Tsukimori isn't something to be questioned so easily...

97, Setting Sail

Nagasaki Motoyo's timely remarks were both polite and tactful, saving face for Takamatsu Akari while also demonstrating her own confidence.

At this moment, Shiina Riki couldn't help but take another look at her.

When everyone was introducing themselves, she only heard the name and didn't know anything about "Nagasaki Motoyo".

But now, she could clearly sense that this seemingly gentle and approachable girl possessed an aura beyond her years.

It wasn't an aggressive demeanor, but rather a calm and composed demeanor in the face of change.

Of course, she didn't know that Nagasaki Motoyo's personality was gentle yet firm. She had previously gone through a life-or-death situation with her mother, so both her mind and willpower had been tempered. She would never be easily intimidated by a female student of the same age.

"I have no objection to arranging an ensemble performance, but how should it be arranged?" Her tone unconsciously became much more polite.

“That’s simple.” Nagasaki Motoyo smiled, but her tone was highly persuasive. “The three of us are in Tsuki no Mori, and according to Shoko, the ensemble performance will also be held in the clubroom there. Well, it’s not that we’re forcing you to submit to the majority, it’s just that Tsuki no Mori has excellent equipment, and it’s relatively easy for us to borrow the space…”

“I have no objection.” Shiina Tatsuki nodded directly. “It would be quite interesting to be able to visit the young lady’s academy from time to time.”

"Actually, after seeing so many, it's all just the same old thing... They're just a bunch of ordinary people." Su Shi smiled, humble yet with a hint of reserved composure. "However, there are many rules and regulations at the school. I'll accompany you after you enter the school, so that we can avoid any problems."

Next, she asked about their schools and learned that Takamatsu Akari came from Haneoka Girls' Academy, while Shiina Tatsuki came from Hanasakigawa Girls' School.

“We belong to three different schools… so it’s very important to confirm each other’s schedules…” Nagasaki Motoyo pondered for a moment.

Then she took out her phone.

"Let's join the group together. This will make it easier to communicate our schedules, and then I can determine the time to enter the school. This will also make it easier to apply for activity rooms from the school."

Since things had come to this point, naturally no one had any objections, so everyone took out their phones and joined the chat group created by Nagasaki Motoyo.

After everyone had joined the group, Nagasaki Motoyo breathed a sigh of relief.

"I will announce any schedules in the group in advance, and you can also mention anything you need to do here. Of course... you can also share any interesting topics here. I hope we are not a cold and impersonal club, but a team that spends happy times together. What do you all think?"

Faced with Su Shi's confident and cheerful smile, Shiina Riki also felt that she and Akari seemed to have unconsciously started to obey each other's commands.

And what's most strange is that I didn't feel offended—probably because of her natural affability.

She might not have the best family background among the three, but she was definitely the most capable of handling things. Shiina Tatsuki made that judgment in her mind.

Although she has a sharp tongue, she is not an unreasonable person. Since Nagasaki Motoyo has handled things so well, she naturally won't make a fuss.

"I have no objection," she replied calmly.

As for Ruoye Mu and Gaosong Deng, they naturally had no objections and nodded repeatedly.

"Su Shi is amazing... She took control of the situation without making a sound! And she left everyone speechless." Toyokawa Shoko secretly admired her.

She's just like a housekeeper in your own home—capable and efficient.

Ah, thinking like that seems too rude to Su Shi... She felt a little embarrassed.

In short, it's best to let Su Shi handle everything; you just need to focus on creating.

“We’ve only just met, so talking about sharing our lives might be a bit premature.” At this moment, Toyokawa Shoko suddenly interjected, “However, I believe that given time, we will definitely become a community of shared destiny where we trust and help each other. I have a feeling that way.”

The unfamiliar and exaggerated term "community of shared destiny" did not elicit a unified response from the girls; instead, they all seemed somewhat doubtful.

Fortunately, no one directly refuted her, after all, everything had just begun, and no one knew what the future held.

At this moment, Nagasaki Motoyo did not put away her phone, but opened the map and looked at the locations of Haneoka and Hanasakigawa schools.

She calculated the distance between the two schools and her own school, and then estimated the time it would take to get to the Moon Forest.

After all, bringing people from other schools into the school is quite troublesome, so it's best to be aware of these details beforehand.

"Takamatsu and Shiina, if you don't mind, could you send me your personal phone numbers? Your email address is fine too." Then, she made another request, "In exchange, we'll give you ours as well. This will make it easier for us to organize activities."

Again, there were no objections, and they both did as instructed.

After doing all this, Nagasaki Motoyo breathed a sigh of relief.

"Okay, thank you everyone for your cooperation. Leave the rest to me. After school starts, I'll apply to the school for the use of the club activity room. Once the application is successful, I'll post the specific dates in the group chat, and then everyone can arrange their own schedules. Although I understand that everyone may have their own personal matters, I hope that we can all arrive on time for the first rehearsal and that no one is absent. This will be a good omen for our band. I hope everyone can do that?"

Despite his smiling face, he still possessed an undeniable persuasive power.

“Sure.” Shiina Tatsuki didn’t object. “I work at a livehouse, so give me your time in advance and I’ll arrange the schedule accordingly… As for Akari, she usually stays at home, so she has plenty of time and should be available whenever I call.”

“Then there’s no problem…” Nagasaki Motoyo nodded. “Let’s wish our first rehearsal a complete success!”

Everyone applauded at the same time. There was no hostility or argument. Although it was their first meeting, everything seemed to be running smoothly. This shows how important it is to have someone who can handle things.

"Now let's move on to the most important part," Toyokawa Shoko suggested. "Let's take a beautiful, spirited group photo! Our first commemorative photo!"

Then, she looked at Jun Takasaki and said, "Jun, why don't you take the photos for us?"

“Okay, I’ll take care of it.” Jun Takasaki immediately agreed, and then he picked up his phone.

Five girls huddled together.

Shoko stood in the center without hesitation, with Wakaba Mutsu and Takamatsu Akari on either side of her. Wakaba Mutsu was expressionless, while Takamatsu Akari still looked bewildered. Nagasaki Motoyo and Shiina Ritsuki stood at opposite ends. Nagasaki Motoyo smiled broadly, composed and natural, while Shiina Ritsuki still had a stern face, but her eyes revealed that she was also full of expectations—after all, deep down, she also wanted more like-minded friends.

Jun Takasaki pressed the camera button and took this commemorative photo of "setting sail".

After taking the photos, he checked the results and, after confirming that there were no problems, sent them to Toyokawa Shoko via private message. Shoko then forwarded them directly to the group chat, and everyone (including himself) saved them.

Once all of this was done, everyone knew that the party was coming to an end.

"I'm so sorry to have taken up so much of everyone's time," said Toyokawa Shoko, the organizer of the event. "But it was all worth it, see you next time! Don't forget to show up!"

"It's alright, see you next time!" Shiina Riki bowed slightly, then coolly said this before leaving with Takamatsu Akari.

The three members of the Moon Forest bowed together to bid farewell to their two new companions.

"It's finally done! Su Shi, thank goodness for you..."

Toyokawa Shoko picked up the cup in front of her, took a sip of the now-cold coffee, and looked at Su Shi with approval.

At that moment, her phone vibrated.

Xiangzi picked up his phone, looked down, and saw that Su Shi seemed to have started a group chat.

Upon closer inspection, she realized that Su Shi's comment wasn't from the five-person band group she had just created, but from the three-person Yue Zhi Sen group she had hastily formed.

There are only five people in total, but they've already created a small group chat.

Although creating small group chats is a must for girls' groups, it was surprisingly fast... Even she herself was a little surprised.

"Su Shi, is there something you need?" she asked in the group chat.

“Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean to exclude or isolate the two new teammates…” Nagasaki Motoyo’s words quickly appeared on the screen. “I just want to ask how we should cooperate with you—Shoko, you haven’t told them your specific identity, have you?”

It was only then that Toyokawa Shoko remembered this incident, and she laughed sheepishly, "Oh dear, I've troubled you again. Please keep this a secret from me in the future."

“We don’t mind keeping it a secret for you, but it doesn’t seem to make much sense…” Nagasaki Motoyo complained. “Toyokawa isn’t a common surname, and there are even fewer people named Toyokawa in Tsuki no Mori. If you think about it a little, you should be able to figure it out… and then the young lady will be exposed.”

"Never mind then. If they ask me, I'll just admit it. If they don't ask, let's just pretend nothing happened," Xiangzi replied. "Actually, I only found two students from other schools on a whim. I don't know what will happen next, so let's try getting along first... When the time comes, things will naturally fall into place."

Her concerns are perfectly normal and reasonable.

As a prestigious academy with strict access control, Tsukinomori allows students from other schools to enter and leave. Shoko was using her "privilege" in any case. Although she thought highly of Takamatsu Akari and Shiina Tatsuki and believed that they would never cause trouble, they had only just met and did not know each other very well.

What would their reaction be if they found out they had this privilege? Xiangzi didn't know either, so he decided to keep it a secret for now and observe them. This was also a final test for the two of them.

Nagasaki Motoyo understood Shoko's concerns, so she took on the "responsibility" herself.

"Alright, leave these matters to me. I will do my best to make things easier for everyone."

"Thanks to you, Su Shi... you're so reliable!" Xiangzi wrote down his heartfelt gratitude. "From now on, you'll be our team's soul!"

"Forget about team spirit, I was just doing what I could." A satisfied smile appeared on Nagasaki Motoyo's face. "As long as everyone has fun, that's all that matters."

She enjoys giving to others and likes seeing others depend on her. To her, doing these trivial things is not a trouble but rather a form of "self-satisfaction".

She treated her mother this way, she treated Xiangzi this way, and she had the same expectations for him.

Then, with a satisfied feeling, she left Xiangzi with her final words of advice.

"Xiangzi, because of your spur-of-the-moment decision, our band has been formed. Although we're not a particularly outstanding group, now that we're together, I hope it can last from beginning to end and become a cherished memory for the five of us as adults... So, please don't disband it just because of a momentary whim. That would not only make everyone's efforts go to waste, but it would also put me in a difficult position..."

"What are you thinking?" Toyokawa Shoko pouted, looking unconvinced. "How could I possibly disband the band I worked so hard to create! Do you think I'm so willful and disregard other people's hard work? You guys have to stay with me until the end! We're all in this together!"

"With your words, I'm relieved." Su Shi nodded with a smile, then ended the conversation and put away her phone.

Seeing the satisfied smile on her face, Toyokawa Shoko couldn't help but smile too.

"That's enough for today!" She looked up at the remaining companions she had gathered. "Thank you all for your hard work!"

"Okay, goodbye." Jun Takasaki stood up and waved to the three girls. "I'm leaving now."

"Goodbye~" came the unanimous farewell in response.

Then, Jun Takasaki strode out of the coffee shop.