People in Mygo are emotional firefighters.

Toyokawa Shoko's fingers tightened slightly as she held the ticket, causing the thin paper to wrinkle at the edges.

"Stop flattering yourself." She suddenly turned her face away, her voice returning to its usual indifference, but less sharp than usual, with a hint of barely perceptible awkwardness. "Who has time to worry about you? It's just that you standing here with that listless face is really affecting the convenience store's image."

As she spoke, she turned around quickly and walked toward the back shelf. A few seconds later, she came back and shoved a can of still-cool black coffee into Zhenyu's hand.

"Here you go." Her gaze fell on the scanner at the cashier, her tone curt. "It's almost expired, the staff can use it internally. Consider it... thank you for bringing the ticket over."

The cool touch spread from his palm, dispelling some of the summer night's sweltering heat and seemingly clearing his muddled thoughts. Zhenyu looked down at the coffee can in his hand, then looked up at Xiangzi's slightly reddened ears, which seemed to gently poke at the melancholy in his heart, revealing a hint of warmth.

He gripped the coffee can tightly and whispered, "...Thank you."

"Go on, hurry up." Xiangzi still didn't look at him, just waved his hand as if shooing away some annoying flying insect. "Don't get in my way at work. I'll go this weekend... I'll go this weekend."

Looking at Shoko's adorable, contradictory expression, Ishikawa Mayu finally showed a genuine smile in his eyes. The gloom that had been lingering over him seemed to have been dispelled by this brief, warm encounter.

He didn't say anything more, just nodded and gripped the can of coffee in his hand, which carried her warmth and affection.

"Well, I'm leaving."

He turned and pushed open the convenience store door, and the wind chimes rang crisply once again.

The moment the door closed, he heard a very soft sound behind him, almost drowned out by the lingering sound of the wind chimes:

"...Be careful on the road."

Chapter 171 (Two Chapters Combined) Main Business

Ishikawa Mayu pushed open the heavy glass door of Win-Wing's office. A cool breeze from the air conditioner, mixed with a faint fragrance, wafted in, temporarily isolating her from the stickiness of summer and the complicated feelings she had brought from the convenience store.

He navigated the brightly lit lobby with practiced ease, heading towards the photography studio. Even at this hour, the office was still bustling with activity. Several passing staff members clearly recognized him, offering friendly, slightly teasing smiles.

"Oh my, isn't this Mayu-kun? Visiting Mana on set again?"

"How diligent you are! What delicious treats did you bring to reward our little princess today?"

Hearing these jokes, which he had heard many times before, Ishikawa Mayu still felt his ears getting a little hot.

He wasn't very good at dealing with these direct jokes, so he could only nod vaguely and reply with "um" and "sorry to bother you." He unconsciously quickened his pace and almost hastily "escaped" towards the photography studio, leaving those smiling eyes behind.

The studio door wasn't completely closed, leaving a crack through which the photographer's instructions and the frequent flashes of light could be heard. Zhenyu gently pushed the door open, not immediately going in, but leaning against the doorframe, her gaze fixed on the center area bathed in light.

Mana Junta was wearing an exquisite short dress adorned with sequins, constantly changing poses and expressions according to the photographer's instructions. Her face wore a professional, energetic smile befitting an idol, but in the occasional pauses, her almost collapsing shoulders and the subtle rubbing of her lower back betrayed her exhaustion.

Seemingly sensing the gaze from the doorway, Mana subconsciously looked up. When her eyes met those of Mayu, who was leaning against the door, her light brown eyes, which had been somewhat dull due to fatigue, suddenly lit up as if infused with starlight.

"Crack!"

The photographer pressed the shutter almost simultaneously, capturing Mana's instantly vibrant expression. He didn't even turn around, but just smiled knowingly and said loudly, "Alright, Mana, someone's come looking for you! Let's stop here for now, take a break, touch up your makeup, and then we'll shoot the last set later."

"Yes! Thank you, teacher!" Mana smiled gratefully in the photographer's direction, then, like a bird released from its cage, she lifted her somewhat heavy skirt and ran lightly to Mayu, her face beaming with undisguised joy.

"It's a bit late today." She stopped in front of Zhenyu, her tone carrying a slight complaint. However, when her gaze fell on the familiar dessert shop paper bag in Zhenyu's hand, her light brown eyes widened in surprise.

"...Donuts?" She lowered her voice, her tone a mixture of disbelief, surprise, and accusation. "Didn't you say last week that I should start strictly controlling my calorie intake and even give up snacks? You even supervised me!"

Seeing her surprised and delighted expression, Zhenyu sighed helplessly and handed her the paper bag.

"I mean control, not complete prohibition." His tone was somewhat matter-of-fact. "A new week has started, if I didn't even let you touch it a little, wouldn't that be a bit too harsh?"

He paused, then added, "Moreover, this time I specifically chose the low-sugar version, the berry flavor, which has much less sugar."

Mana immediately took the paper bag, opened it, and confirmed the small donut inside, decorated with fresh berries. Her expression instantly changed from accusation to a bright smile, with a sense of satisfaction that "at least you still have some conscience."

Zhenyu watched as the girl beside him ate her donuts with the satisfaction of a little hamster that had finally stocked up on food, her cheeks puffing out, her whole being enveloped in a simple and joyful atmosphere.

Looking at Mana like this, Mayu felt that the melancholy in her heart had been dispelled by this warm scene, and she felt a rare sense of ease.

He leaned back in the sofa in the lounge area and spoke naturally, as if he were talking about something very ordinary: "By the way, this Sunday, our band is going to be the opening act for Popipa and Afterglow's joint concert."

"Pfft—cough cough cough…!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Mana choked on the donut crumbs in her throat. Her face turned red instantly, and she coughed violently, almost bursting into tears.

"Hey! Slow down!" Zhenyu was startled by her intense reaction. Almost instinctively, she leaned over, gently patting her back to help her catch her breath, while quickly grabbing an unopened bottle of mineral water from the table next to her. She deftly unscrewed the cap and carefully held it to her lips. "Drink some water and swallow it slowly."

Mana frantically drank several mouthfuls of water from his hand, finally managing to catch her breath.

She patted her chest, her light brown eyes still glistening with tears from coughing, but she couldn't wait to look up, blinking her big eyes, and asked in an incredulous tone, "So soon?! We're going to officially go on stage?! And as the opening act at a concert of that scale?"

She grabbed Zhenyu's arm, leaning forward unconsciously, her face full of curiosity and excitement: "What are you going to sing on stage? Is it 'Here the World' that Chuhua and I are performing?"

Ishikawa Mayu shook her head.

"It shouldn't be. For this opening act, we plan to sing a new song that my partner and I co-wrote, and... another song that my teammate previously wrote for another band."

Upon hearing this, Mana's excited expression dimmed slightly, revealing a hint of regret. She muttered softly, "Eh—you can't sing my song..."

However, this disappointment lasted only a moment, and curiosity returned to her large eyes. She shook the hand gripping Mayu's arm and pressed, "But, the new song you wrote with your partner? What's it like? Tell me about it!"

Seeing her sudden change in mood and undisguised curiosity, Zhenyu smiled helplessly. She was about to explain that the new song was still in its early stages and she hadn't had a chance to elaborate yet.

Mana seemed to suddenly remember something, and she hugged his arm even tighter, leaning almost her entire weight on him, and began to shake him relentlessly.

With her coquettish movements, the girl's well-developed, soft, and full breasts inevitably brushed lightly against Mayu's arm through the thin fabric. The distinct sensation caused Mayu's body to stiffen instantly, his cheeks flushing a deep red, even his ears burning. He instinctively tried to pull his arm away, but Mana held him even tighter.

"So—!" Mana, completely unaware of the "disastrous" consequences of her actions, or rather, that it was intentional, tilted her head back and complained in a sweet, slightly aggrieved, and coquettish voice, "You can't just keep my song shelved forever! When are you going to come and visit me—"

She deliberately dragged out the word "favored," carrying an obvious mockery and provocation, which hit Zhenyu's eardrums hard.

Mayu felt her cheeks burning hot, her neck turning red, and she stammered, "W-what nonsense are you talking about! What do you mean by 'favor'! And, and aren't we talking about the new song right now...?"

"I don't care!" Mana, seeing his embarrassed and almost fuming state, shook him even more vigorously, her soft touch becoming even more pronounced. "Here the World is also my hard work! Now that I've got the license, I should use it properly! It's just been sitting in the warehouse collecting dust..."

As she spoke, she suddenly changed the subject, deliberately adopting a self-righteous yet slightly resentful expression on her upturned face, and emphasized in a startling way:

"—And don't forget, I'm the 'original wife'! There's no reason to leave the original wife out in the cold!"

"Original...original wife?!" Zhenyu felt like her CPU had been completely burned out by this word. She froze on the spot, forgetting even to struggle. What kind of deadly statement was this?! It was even more outrageous than "favoring someone"!

“Yeah!” Mana laughed inwardly at his completely petrified expression, but on the surface she was even more self-righteous, tightening her grip on his arm until she was almost pressed against him. “I was first! I was the first to give you the song! Of course I’m the original wife! So you have to take responsibility and hurry up and ‘favor’ my song!”

She spoke "Me and My Song" vaguely, deliberately creating ambiguity. Watching Zhenyu blush from head to toe, her eyes starting to lose focus, as if she was about to faint from the heat, she finally couldn't help but burst out laughing.

The unsettlingly soft touch and warmth on his arm vanished abruptly, and Ishikawa Mayu felt as if he were a drowning man finally surfacing. He gasped for breath, and his muddled mind began to function again. He instinctively pressed the back of his hand against his still burning cheek, his eyes darting around, unable to meet Mana's sly smile.

"You...you shouldn't say things that can be misunderstood..." He tried to make his voice sound calmer, but it still trembled slightly.

"What kind of language?" Mana tilted her head, pretending to be stupid, her smile becoming sweeter and more "dangerous".

Speechless, knowing that she was no match for Masahiro in this area, she had no choice but to force the conversation back on track, trying to cover up her embarrassment by discussing serious matters.

"Regarding the use of 'Here the World'," he cleared his throat, trying to regain his usual composure, "there are two options."

He held up two fingers, trying to avoid eye contact with Mana.

"The first option is for the band. Although we don't plan to use it for this performance, we can rehearse and record a full version privately. We can then put it on the band's social media accounts or something. But maybe we can use it for our own concert in the future? However, I can't guarantee that."

Mana nodded slightly and continued.

"Secondly, when I have time on my personal channel, I can do a separate violin arrangement and cover." He paused, lowering his voice, "After all, this song... was initially authorized because I personally liked it."

Mana's eyelashes trembled slightly.

She initially authorized Mayu, knowing it was for the band's backup, but what she really wanted was to hear Mayu's performance, not just to be part of the band's repertoire.

Junda Mana listened quietly to him finish speaking, pondered for a moment, then her light brown eyes flickered with a hint of cunning. Suddenly, she raised her hand, gently touching her glossy lips with her slender index finger, tilted her head, and made a cute face as if she were thinking seriously.

"Hmm..." she drawled, her eyes fixed on Mayu, filled with anticipation and a hint of probing. "Um, Mayu—"

"Me? I can..."

She leaned forward slightly, closing the distance between them, her breath sweet as orchids, and asked, each word clear yet tinged with a soft, coquettish tone:

"—Do you want both?"

Looking at her expression—clearly harboring ulterior motives yet feigning innocence—Ishikawa Mayu was speechless for a moment. He opened his mouth, but in the end, he only sighed, raised his hand to rub his temples, and the corners of his mouth involuntarily curved upwards into a very faint, resigned smile.

“…You,” he said softly, his tone carrying little reproach but rather a sense of indulgent acceptance, as if to say, “Just as I expected.”

He had actually expected this to happen. He knew Mana's personality all too well; she seemed energetic, lively, and easy to talk to, but on certain things she was determined about, she had a persistence and "greed" that was second to none.

“Originally,” he added calmly, looking at Mana’s eyes which had suddenly brightened, “I was planning to do both.”

"Huh?!" Mana was stunned, then her smile blossomed like a summer flower, pure and dazzling, without a trace of impurity. She clearly hadn't expected such a straightforward response.

“However, it takes time to arrange, so it can’t be done so quickly,” Zhenyu explained clearly. “Whether it’s a solo cover or a band recording, we have to wait until everyone finishes their performance and relaxes a bit before we can proceed. We can’t rush it.”

"Hehe, I knew Mayu was the best!" Mana returned to her original position with satisfaction. Then, as if remembering something, she rested her chin on her hand, her gaze sweeping over Mayu's still slightly flushed face. A mischievous smile crept back onto her lips: "But speaking of which, someone's reaction just now was super—interesting, you know?"

"You still dare to say that!" Ishikawa Mayu's face, which had just calmed down a little, flushed red again. He glared at her, somewhat embarrassed and angry, and raised his hand to rub his temples. His tone was clearly resentful, "It's because you suddenly said those kinds of things... that I almost forgot about the important matter."

"Serious business?" Mana tilted her head, a sly smile creeping back onto her face. She drawled, "So... coming to see my idol, who's the most adorable in the universe, works so hard, and needs comforting, isn't—serious business?"

As she spoke, she deliberately blinked, her long eyelashes fluttering like small fans.

Seeing her so self-righteously demanding "explanation," Ishikawa Mayu almost lost the serious atmosphere he had just built up. He sighed helplessly, but the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up slightly, and, going along with her words, replied in a tone that said, "I really can't do anything with you."

"Yes, yes, of course it's important business. Coming to see you, bringing you gifts, and making sure you're not exhausted are all top priorities."

"That's more like it!" Mana smiled contentedly, like a cat whose fur had been stroked. However, she knew when to stop, knowing that Mayu had brought it up specifically for something else. She dropped her teasing expression, sat up straighter, placed her hands on her knees, and looked at him earnestly with her light brown eyes: "Alright, alright, I won't tease you anymore. So, besides these 'top-important matters,' does our Lord Mayu have any further instructions?"

Chapter 172 Kiss

“…It’s not really about giving orders.” Ishikawa Mayu looked at Mana’s feigned seriousness, yet with a sly glint in her eyes, and abandoned his joking thoughts. He reached into the inside pocket of his coat, his fingertips touching the peculiarly textured piece of hard paper.

Without any unnecessary preamble or solemn announcement, he took out the family member ticket, but did not hand it over immediately. His gaze first fell on Mana's fingers—when she picked up the donut earlier, her fingertips inevitably got a little bit of icing and berry crumbs on them.

Almost instinctively, he pulled a clean tissue from the tissue box on the table next to him.

"Hands." He gestured with a smile, his tone carrying a subtle hint of helplessness, as if to say, "Look at how you're eating."

"Huh?" Mana paused for a moment, then subconsciously looked down at her hands, only to notice the slight mess on her fingertips. She let out an "Ah," feeling a little embarrassed, but still obediently stretched out her hand, palm up.

Ishikawa Mayu didn't say much, but simply used a corner of a tissue to carefully and gently wipe the stickiness from her slender fingertips. His movements were focused, even overly serious, as if he were handling a fragile musical instrument. The cool tissue and the occasional, unintentional warmth of the boy's fingertips created a strange contrast.

Junda Mana stared blankly at his lowered eyes and focused profile, watching his long, thick eyelashes cast a faint shadow under his eyes.

A warm current, a mixture of surprise, comfort, and a touch of sweetness, quietly washed over her heart. This silent, almost instinctive thoughtfulness stirred her heart more than any sweet words.

After wiping it clean, Ishikawa Mayu picked up the family pass that was on her lap and placed it gently in Mana's still warm, clean palm.

"Here, this." His voice remained steady, but his gaze shifted slightly as she took the ticket, landing on the photography equipment beside her. The barely perceptible blush at the base of her ears seemed to deepen a little. "If you're free this weekend..."

Junda Mana felt a slightly cool piece of cardboard in her palm, and the slight tingling sensation from his wiping still lingered on her fingertips. She looked down.

The ticket clearly displays the performance information, time, and location, with "Family Ticket" prominently displayed.

Her fingertips gently traced the words, her light brown eyes widened slightly, and a surge of joy instantly overwhelmed her.

She did... consider going.

The thought popped into her head the moment she heard Mayu mention the performance. She was planning to plead with her manager to clear out that time slot, no matter what. But she never expected... that he would specifically reserve the ticket for her and hand it to her in such a... thoughtful way.

She simply clutched the ticket, looked up, and gazed at Zhenyu with tender eyes. Those eyes, usually brimming with energy or cunning, now held a clear, soft shyness.

"You..." Mana's voice was much softer than usual, with a slight tremor of disbelief, "Why did you leave this for me?"

“…There’s no particular reason.” Ishikawa Mayu felt a little uncomfortable under her overly bright gaze and subconsciously touched the back of her neck. “Mana, you…of course you’re a very important person to me.”

The moment the words left his mouth, Junda Mana was completely stunned.

The ticket in my palm suddenly felt burning hot, and my heart felt as if it had been gently bumped by something, then began to beat faster and faster uncontrollably.

A very important person.

This definition is too broad, yet too intimate. Broad enough to encompass a friend, a partner, or an admired colleague; intimate enough to... make her involuntarily wonder if there are unspoken feelings hidden within it.

Ishikawa Mayu was completely unaware of the turmoil in the girl's heart, and continued chatting casually:

"Oh, speaking of which, the other family member ticket has already been given to Xiangzi."

He paused, then, remembering that Mana didn't know Xiangzi, added, "Xiangzi is the original composer of the arrangement we're going to play in this performance. It's the one I mentioned to you before, 'Spring Shadow'."

Original composer...

I see. Since the other party is the creator of the song, it is reasonable, and even necessary, to obtain a family ticket.

Mana Junda held the family pass in her hand, her fingertips tightening slightly, the edge of the paper pressing against her palm, bringing a slight, real tactile sensation.

And what about the ticket for yourself?