Green plums cannot become lovers.

Hearing An and Asuka's words, the man's face lit up with a smile. Although they didn't know each other and were not familiar with each other, even the kindness of strangers could make one feel happy.

The journey home went smoothly, and they soon arrived at their familiar stop. The man repeatedly reminded them to "be careful" while turning on the car radio, seemingly intending to rely on the broadcasts to get through the rest of the journey.

An and Asuka said goodbye to the man and got out of the car. After watching him drive away, they started walking towards home.

When they got home, the girls were still awake. One was drawing on the table, and the other was sitting in front of the computer, doing something.

Upon seeing him return, the two did not stop what they were doing; they simply greeted each other and went back to their own tasks.

As they spent more time together, many things became simpler. An and Asuka were happy to accept this; otherwise, they would be surrounded by questions every time they came home, which they found rather troublesome.

If I had to describe it, it would probably be like they went from being passionate lovers to an old married couple. Although they were never lovers, let alone husband and wife.

Thinking this, An and Asuka still subconsciously glanced at the two's favorability ratings.

[Shizuka Kuze’s favorability: 89]

【Marina Kirasaka's Affection Level: 89】

Aside from these two girls, the affection levels of the other girls with whom they had a good relationship were also basically at this level, just a little short of 'liking' them.

Although he didn't want all the girls to like him, An and Asuka sometimes wondered if they lacked the charm to be liked.

Otherwise, even though he should be considered good in both appearance and talent, no one has developed romantic feelings for him, not even the two girls who are close to him and occasionally do things that go beyond friendship.

Perhaps in their eyes, it is precisely because of their close relationship that they can act so recklessly.

After all, they were childhood sweethearts.

An and Asuka shook their heads, no longer thinking about these irrelevant things.

In April, spring is in full bloom, and a new school year begins amidst the falling cherry blossoms. They have also evolved from junior students to senior students.

The new school year brought no changes; the class remained the same, the teacher remained the same, and the classmates were still the same.

Familiar faces beamed with youthful smiles.

"Asuka, this is a great opportunity!"

The girl's voice came, and An and Asuka raised their heads from the table and turned to look at the girl beside them.

"What good opportunity?" He was a little confused. This blue-haired girl's thoughts jumped around so much that it was really hard to keep up with her ideas.

"It's just a welcome performance! We can use this opportunity to recruit new members!"

Anna Hanami excitedly explained that since another girl in the club left, although the boy tried his best to hide it, they could still clearly feel that the boy's mood had become much lower for a period of time.

Although they were very reluctant to see their friend leave, they always had to look forward, so they thought they would take this opportunity to recruit a new member to make the club more lively.

"This...?"

Upon hearing that it was related to clubs, An and Asuka also perked up their heads and started thinking. To be honest, ever since he tried everything he could to recruit people last year, he had given up on club recruitment and left it all to fate.

Besides, their club already has enough members, so hiring a newbie who doesn't know anything would just waste a lot of time.

Last year was alright, but this year he doesn't have as much time and energy to waste.

“A welcome performance would be fine,” An and Asuka shook their heads, “but recruiting new members is out of the question.”

"never mind?"

"Yes, the four of us are enough."

An and Asuka nodded, and at the same time began to think. Club recruitment wasn't needed for the time being, but he still needed to think carefully about the welcome performance.

Volume 1: Chapter 135

The auditorium on the second day of school was filled with a subtle atmosphere. The upperclassmen exuded a seasoned composure, even a touch of languor, while the first-year students resembled a group of fish just released into a new pond, their eyes brimming with curiosity, uncertainty, and a barely perceptible nervousness. For them, the welcome performance was more like a window into quickly understanding the school's ecosystem.

When the host announced, "Next, please enjoy the performance by the Light Music Club," the applause from the audience was clearly polarized. The upperclassmen erupted in enthusiastic cheers and whistles, especially the second-year students, many of whom obviously recognized or had heard of the band. The freshmen, on the other hand, offered mostly polite, uneven applause, interspersed with whispers.

"Light Music Club? Is that a music club?"

"Why is the applause from the senior students much more enthusiastic than before?"

"That drummer... isn't he Anwa-senpai from the second year? My sister has a picture of him!"

The spotlight focused, clearly positioning the four performers on stage. Lead vocalist Ai Hoshino stood at the forefront, microphone in hand, exuding confidence and composure; guitarist Karen Himemiya tuned her guitar with focused concentration; bassist Anina Hanami waved playfully to familiar friends in the audience, eliciting a few good-natured laughs. Meanwhile, An and Asuka remained hidden behind the drum set, their figures somewhat obscured by the cymbals and drums.

The music intro begins with a fast-paced, powerful rock tune. Himegami Karen's guitar riff then cuts in precisely, like a sharp blade being drawn from its sheath, instantly captivating everyone's ears.

"So cool!" A freshman in the audience couldn't help but exclaim, his eyes fixed on the guitarist's flying fingers.

Then, Hoshino Ai began to sing. Her voice was clear and penetrating, possessing a natural stage presence that instantly conveyed the song's emotions. Many freshmen widened their eyes, captivated by this performance that combined beauty and talent.

"Hoshino-senpai... your voice is so beautiful!"

"The typhoon is too stable!"

Supporting this dazzling appearance is a steady and powerful rhythm. Anna Hanami's bass lines are smooth and solid, firmly supporting the framework of the entire piece. But what surprised some attentive listeners even more was the power of the drumbeats.

An and Asuka sat behind the drums, their calm expressions contrasting sharply with the complex and powerful rhythms that erupted from their hands. Their movements were efficient and precise, devoid of unnecessary virtuosity; every heavy beat struck the listener's heartbeat perfectly, propelling the music forward.

As the song reached its climax, with the guitar and vocals clashing fiercely, his double bass drumming, like a rapid heartbeat or a surging tide, pushed the emotions of the entire audience to their peak.

Some freshmen who were originally only focused on the lead singer and guitarist unconsciously turned their attention to the quiet figure playing the drums at the back of the stage.

"That drummer... is amazing."

"I never expected him to be so quiet..."

"The rhythm is incredible, it's so addictive!"

During the intermission, An and Asuka's gaze swept casually across the audience. He could see the surprise, admiration, and excitement blooming on the faces of the new students. Some people's eyes had changed from initial confusion to focus, even a hint of worship. He silently said to himself, "System, display the current fan point growth."

Although there was no live broadcast, he could feel that a kind of invisible "recognition" was continuously gathering from the audience.

That was his goal: simple and direct.

The second song began, a more popular and catchy tune. This time, there was significantly more interaction from the audience, with many freshmen swaying gently to the rhythm. When Ai Hoshino led the clapping, the number of participants increased several times over.

After the performance, the four stood in a row and bowed to the audience. The auditorium erupted in applause and cheers far more enthusiastic and unified than at the beginning, interspersed with enthusiastic clapping from many first-year students. Their gaze towards the stage had completely changed, from initial confusion to utter admiration and longing.

An and Asuka straightened up, listening to the still-lingering sounds around them and feeling the subtle presence of the system within their bodies. He knew that this "harvest" had been initially successful. These newcomers were the fresh blood that would fuel his future growth in fan points.

He and his teammates walked off the stage, leaving the noise and chatter behind them. The first-year students' area was still buzzing with excitement.

"The Light Music Club is amazing! I want to join!"

"What's that drummer's name? Anwa Asuka? I declare him my new idol!"

"I've decided, I'll go check after school to see if the light music club is still recruiting!"

As An and Asuka looked at the freshmen crowding at the entrance of the Light Music Department after class, eager to try their luck, a sense of absurdity welled up in their hearts.

What is this? A cruel joke of fate?

Last year, he tried everything, almost begging, but couldn't recruit a single new person. Now that he's determined not to waste any more energy on training new people, they've sprung up like mushrooms after rain, their eyes shining as if the light music club were some kind of sacred place.

"Anwa-senpai... Anwa-senpai! Please let me join the Light Music Club! I've been learning bass since I was little!"

"Senior! I may not know how to play a musical instrument, but I can learn! I'm also very good at cleaning!"

"Is Hoshino-senpai there? I...I want to learn from Hoshino-senpai!"

A cacophony of requests surrounded him, their enthusiasm almost tangible. An and Asuka remained expressionless, inwardly speechless. He took a deep breath, raised his hand, and gestured for silence.

"Thank you all for your support of the Light Music Club." His voice was clear and steady, revealing no emotion. "However, our club is currently full and we have no plans to recruit new members at the moment."

As soon as he finished speaking, disappointed sighs and puzzled murmurs arose.

"Huh—why is this happening?"

"Senior, please make an exception!"

"They were still hiring last year... [Unintelligible text]..."

An and Asuka remained unmoved, repeating firmly, "I'm sorry, this is a joint decision made by the department. Please leave."

He politely but firmly refused each of the new students who crowded around him. Some left dejectedly, while others seemed unwilling to give up and tried their luck again the next day.

Faced with this unexpected "persistence," An and Asuka felt a little troubled. To completely prevent further disturbances, he simply took out a sheet of A4 paper and wrote several eye-catching words in large marker:

[The Light Music Club is not recruiting at the moment. We apologize for the inconvenience.]

He posted the notice neatly on the door of the department activity room, ensuring that everyone passing by could see it at a glance.

After doing all this, he clapped his hands, turned around and walked into the activity room, gently closing the door to completely shut out the vague discussions and curious glances outside.

The world is finally quiet again.

Volume 1: Chapter 136 Confession

Although every student who wanted to join the Light Music Club was rejected, this did not affect the club's popularity; on the contrary, it became increasingly popular among the students.

The girls' appearances are naturally a major attraction. Whether it's the pink-haired guitarist, the blue-haired bassist, or the purple-haired lead singer, all three girls are incredibly cute.

The only boy in the group is also very handsome. The sight of the group playing together is very pleasing to the eye, not to mention their excellent skills.

Almost every performance garners applause and cheers from countless people, and their growing affection for the performers.

"Anhe, I like you!"

A confession suddenly rang out in the bustling corridor, causing those around to stop and watch. When the students realized that the person being confessed to was the boy from the light music club, their faces lit up with expressions of anticipation and excitement.

An and Asuka were somewhat surprised by this sudden confession. After all, this was the first time someone had ever confessed to them, especially in front of so many people.

To be honest, this situation bothered him a bit. Firstly, he didn't want to be watched by so many people, and secondly, he was a rather traditional person and wasn't used to being confessed to like this, because he felt there was an element of coercion involved.

Sure enough, just as An and Asuka were starting to worry that their classmates might start a commotion, a voice rang out from the crowd.

"Say yes!"

It's unclear who shouted that, but although no one joined in the commotion, it certainly heightened people's emotions.

Everyone's attention became even more intense.

An and Asuka looked at the girl in front of them. Judging from the color of her bow tie, the girl was a senior student one year ahead of them.

Her appearance has gradually shed its youthful naiveté, her eyes are like autumn water, glistening with moisture, and her cheeks are slightly flushed, showing a shy and timid look. Overall, she looks very pretty.

He seemed to know this senior. His male companion had shown him a list of girls that the boys had secretly compiled, and this senior seemed to be in the top ten. As for her exact ranking and name, he couldn't remember.

Looking at the girl in front of him, who had mustered up her courage and was full of anticipation, An and Asuka felt extremely troubled.

He needed to respond quickly in this situation, otherwise being stared at like that would be unbearable.

After thinking for a moment, An and Asuka raised the corners of their mouths slightly and said gently, "Senior, you are a good person."

He didn't like the other person, but he didn't want to reject them too bluntly and embarrass them in front of so many people, so he chose to reject them in a gentler way.

Since nobody knows about the "friend zone" culture anyway, he can stabilize the situation for now and then talk to the other party to clarify things when there are fewer people around.

This way you can refuse the other person without hurting them.

However, the girl didn't seem to understand what An and Asuka meant. Upon hearing his words, instead of feeling disappointed, her eyes lit up.

"is that so?!"

"......Yes."

Anwa Asuka hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded. This made the girl even happier, and just as she was about to say something more, Anwa Asuka spoke first.

"Senior, class is about to start, let's talk later."

If we continue, who knows what misunderstandings might arise.

"Okay, okay!" the girl nodded with anticipation and excitement.

Although the confession didn't lead to anything, it spread at an unexpected speed to An and Asuka.

After all, confessing one's feelings in public is a topic that generates a lot of buzz, not to mention that one of them is a beautiful senior and the other is a handsome junior, both of whom are quite well-known at school.

And naturally, this news reached the ears of the girls.

"Did you hear? Third-year student Takahashi confessed to Anwa!"

"Hey, when?"

"Just now, she confessed her love in public!"

"Wow, as expected of a senior, she's really bold."

Hearing the conversation of their classmates who had just returned from outside, the three girls who were talking immediately stopped and listened attentively to the news their classmates brought back.

They were quite surprised by the news. After all, although the boy was quite popular at school, no one had ever confessed their feelings to him, and no one had even written him a love letter.

But now someone has confessed their feelings to him, and it's a popular senior girl from the upperclassmen. This seems absurd to them, and they even suspect it's fake news.