People in Mygo are emotional firefighters.

After everyone else had entered the room, Ishikawa Mayu was the last to come in. She gently closed the door to the dressing room behind her, shutting out the faint sounds of other bands adjusting their equipment that could be heard outside.

Shiina Tatsuki let out a short, muffled sigh from deep in his throat.

“The rehearsal results…” She paused, her gaze sweeping over the slumped Ai Yin and the lamp curled up in the corner. In the end, she swallowed back the specific criticism that was on the tip of her tongue, but her brows were furrowed and her voice was low, “…not very ideal.”

"I was so nervous just now!"

Nagasaki Motoyo nodded in agreement.

Chihaya Aine lifted half of her face from her palm, her complexion was a little pale, and her usually bright eyes were now covered with a layer of weak dimness.

She clutched her stomach, her voice weak and filled with apology: "I'm sorry... just now on stage... my mind went completely blank, I forgot all my lines..."

After saying that, she curled up a little more, looking uncomfortable.

Ishikawa Mayu sat down in the empty seat between Aine and Suze, his body naturally leaning slightly towards Aine. He looked at her, her face pale as she clutched her stomach, his brows furrowing slightly, and asked softly, "Does your stomach hurt a lot? Are you feeling unwell because you're too nervous?"

Chihaya Aine raised her wet eyes and glanced at him, nodded pitifully, gave a heavy "hmm" sound, and then buried half of her face back in her palm.

Shiina Tatsuki's gaze lingered on Aine's pale face for a moment, and she clicked her tongue in annoyance, but said nothing more. She glanced around the lounge, her brows furrowing even more, as if changing the subject or confirming something: "Where's Rakuna? Where did that guy run off to again?"

Nagasaki Motoyo sighed softly and replied gently, "I don't know. As soon as the rehearsal ended, he disappeared in the blink of an eye."

Ishikawa Mayu thought for a moment, her tone a mix of helplessness and understanding: "Given Rakuna's personality, she probably smelled some matcha somewhere and went to ask someone for a parfait or some sweets."

"Really..." Shiina Riki raised her hand to her forehead, as if even some of her strength to be angry had been drained away. She leaned back weakly into the sofa.

Shin's attention returned to Aine. He hesitated for a moment, then asked in a low voice, "Would rubbing your stomach help? Or... should I ask the staff if they have a hot water bottle or something?"

Aine weakly shook her head, her voice muffled as it escaped through her fingers: "I don't have the strength... I... I'll just keep this up for a while..." She paused, as if gathering a little strength, before continuing, "Masahiro, you..."

The words had barely left his mouth—

"Ok?"

Almost as a reflex, Nagasaki Motoyo, who had been sitting quietly to the side with seemingly casual but actually closely watching the two's every move, suddenly sat up straight, turned her head to look at Aine, and her eyes showed a hint of vigilance and tension that she herself was not fully aware of.

Chihaya Aine was startled by her sudden action. The rest of her words caught in her throat. She blinked blankly for a moment before slowly finishing her sentence: "...Could you pour me a glass of hot water?"

After saying that, she looked at Su Shi, who was sitting upright with a slightly tense expression, and asked curiously, "...What's wrong, Su Shi?"

"Ah..." Nagasaki Motoyo then realized that she had overreacted.

A faint blush quickly crept up her ears. She hurriedly raised her hand, her fingertips somewhat awkwardly smoothing the stray strands of hair by her ear, trying to conceal her momentary lapse in composure and put on a gentle and proper smile again.

"Oh, it's nothing," she said softly, her voice a little faster than usual, as if trying to hide something. "Do you need me to ask the staff where we can get hot water? And maybe see if they have any disposable cups."

Ai looked at her gratefully, forcing a smile on her pale face: "Thank you, Su Shi... I'll trouble you then."

"It's nothing." Su Shi smiled and shook her head, then turned to walk towards the door.

"Ah, wait," Ai-yin seemed to remember something and struggled to stand up from the sofa, though her steps were still a little unsteady. "I... I also need to go to the bathroom. Su-se, shall we go together? I know the hot water room is around the corner from the bathroom."

She looked at Zhenyu apologetically: "Zhenyu, hot water... Su Shi and I will make it ourselves later, so you don't need to make another trip."

Seeing that Aine was weak but insisted on going by herself, and then looking at Nagasaki Motoyo who was already standing by the door, Ishikawa Mayu thought for a moment and decided that it was not appropriate for her to go to the bathroom with Aine. With Motoyo accompanying and taking care of her, there should be no problem.

So he nodded and gently instructed, "Alright then. You two be careful and don't walk too fast. If you really feel unwell, come back immediately or call me."

"Okay," Ai Yin replied softly, slowly walking towards Su Shi while holding onto the back of the sofa.

Su Shi gave Zhenyu a reassuring smile and said softly, "Don't worry, Zhenyu-kun, I will take good care of Aine."

After saying that, she naturally reached out and gently supported Ai Yin's arm, and the two walked out of the lounge together, closing the door behind them.

Chihaya Aine was still slightly hunched over, one hand gently pressing her lower abdomen. Her face was still somewhat pale, but she turned her head to look at Nagasaki Motoyo beside her, forcing a weak yet strangely cunning smile. Her voice was low and breathy:

"What was Soyorin thinking just now?"

"Ok?"

Nagasaki Motoyo's hand, which was loosely supporting Aine's arm, paused almost imperceptibly.

She subconsciously turned to look at Aine, her gentle smile freezing for a moment before being replaced by a hint of embarrassment and annoyance.

“Soyo…rin?” She repeated the sound, her brows furrowing slightly. “Aine…what are you suddenly calling out like that? Don’t call me that! It sounds so strange…”

Chihaya Aine seemed not to hear her protest, or rather, deliberately ignored it.

She maintained her weak but slightly brighter appearance and continued speaking to herself in a soft voice:

"Are you worried... that I let Mayu rub your tummy?"

Under the quiet corridor lights, Nagasaki Motoyo's fair cheeks flushed red at a visible speed, and this time even her neck was not spared.

She took a deep breath, barely suppressing the surging embarrassment and anger in her heart, and looked away from Ai-yin's inquiring smile. Her fingers unconsciously tightened, gripping the hem of her skirt.

“…Aiyin, when she spoke again, her voice had tried to regain its composure, but it was a little faster than usual, with a hint of helplessness, or perhaps a sigh, “When you’re not feeling well… don’t think about these messy things.”

Chihaya Aine looked at her like this, and the smile in her eyes deepened. Although the cramping pain in her lower abdomen made her gasp again, her mood inexplicably improved a little.

"I wasn't thinking anything..." she muttered softly, leaning most of her weight back on Su Shixu's arm as she continued to move unsteadily toward the bathroom. "I just felt... Soyorin's reaction just now was super obvious."

"I told you not to call me that..." Nagasaki Motoyo protested weakly, but she didn't forcefully shake off Aine's arm, and just walked slowly forward with her.

Chapter 260 Why I Want to Form a Band

After Aine and Suze left, only Shiina Tatsuki, Ishikawa Mayu, and Takamatsu Akari remained in the lounge.

The air suddenly became much quieter, with only faint breathing sounds remaining.

Shiina Riki's gaze unconsciously drifted to Takamatsu Akari, who was huddled in the corner. Her lips moved, as if she wanted to ask her if she wanted to come and sit down, or how she was feeling... but the words caught in her throat.

Will the lamp... accept her kindness?

If it's Shinba...

Shiina Tatsuki sighed almost imperceptibly, subconsciously glancing at Ishikawa Maho sitting on the other side. Maho seemed to notice her gaze, turning her eyes away from the doorway to meet Shiina's gaze.

That gaze was calm, yet strangely it gave her a sense of confidence.

Li hope pursed her lips, quickly gestured with her eyes to the light in the corner, and then turned her head away, making very small movements.

Seeing her awkward "plea for help" posture, Ishikawa Mayu understood. He nodded slightly, then stood up, quietly walked to Takamatsu Akari, and squatted down in front of her, bringing his gaze to her level.

“Light,” his voice was softer than usual, “would you like to sit on the sofa first? The floor is a bit cold.”

As if gently awakened from her thoughts, Takamatsu Akari raised her eyes, looked at Mayu who was squatting in front of her with a gentle expression, glanced at the sofa not far away, nodded slightly, and whispered, "...Mm."

Mayu reached out her hand. Akari hesitated for a moment before placing her hand in that warm palm. Mayu gently pulled her up, leading her towards the sofa.

Seeing this, Lixi immediately moved to the other side of the sofa, giving up the spot where she had been sitting—it was now warm from her body heat.

Zhenyu naturally sat down in the seat she had vacated, right between Lixi and the empty seat. He reached out and patted the spot where Lixi had been sitting, his fingertips able to feel the lingering warmth of another person on the fabric.

"Sit here," Zhenyu said, withdrawing her hand and coughing slightly, "It's warmer here...."

Deng obediently sat down, the fabric beneath her seemingly still retaining a faint trace of body heat that didn't belong to her.

After Zhenyu settled the lamp, she turned her head to look at Lixi, who was staring straight ahead. Suddenly, she leaned close to Lixi's ear and whispered teasingly in a voice only the two of them could hear: "So thoughtful. Why don't I get this treatment?"

His warm breath brushed against her earlobe, making Lixi's ears burn. She rolled her eyes at him in response, clearly annoyed. Then, she suddenly raised her leg and lightly bumped Zhenyu's outer thigh—

Their smooth skin touched each other without any obstruction beneath the shorts.

The warmth, firmness, and elasticity of the thighs were clearly transmitted through the thin fabric, carrying a hint of warning force, but most of it dissipated at the moment of impact, leaving only the brief but distinct warmth and softness when skin touched.

Li hope quickly withdrew her leg, turned her face away, leaving him with only a slightly red ear tip and a profile that feigned composure, as if what had just happened was unintentional.

Ishikawa Mayu coughed lightly, his ears burning slightly. He wisely decided to stop "teasing" Shiina Tatsuki, who was clearly in a volatile state. He sat up straight and turned his gaze to Takamatsu Akari, who was sitting quietly to the side, about to say something to change the subject.

Just then, Takamatsu Akari's weak voice rang out, tinged with a lingering unease: "When it officially starts... will there be a lot of people watching?"

Shiina Riki chimed in, "Most of them are probably Afterglow fans."

Hearing this, Ishikawa Mayu's heart stirred. Recalling the information she had learned before, she asked with a hint of curiosity, "Speaking of which... at the Crychic concert before, were there many people there? Were they... your fans?"

Shiina Tatsuki paused, not expecting him to ask this. She shook her head, a complex expression flashing across her face, but her tone was calm: "It's the first performance, there aren't any fans here. Most of the people who came are friends and family, just here to show their support."

Takamatsu's head drooped even lower, his fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of his clothes, his voice almost inaudible: "...They're all...relatives and friends..."

She paused for a long time, so long that Lixi and Zhenyu thought she wouldn't continue, before she finally uttered the words she had been suppressing for so long: "But... some people say... the lead singer... is working too hard... am I terrible?"

"Why do you still remember something like that?!"

Shiina Riki blurted out the words almost without thinking, his brows furrowed, his voice rising sharply with urgency and a certain indescribable anxiety.

Startled by her suddenly raised voice and angry tone, Takamatsu Akari shrank back and looked up abruptly like a frightened animal.

Seeing the startled look in Tama's eyes, Shiina Ritsuki realized she had messed up again, and panic instantly replaced her anxiety.

"No, no! I didn't mean to blame you!"

Deng glanced at Lixi, then lowered his head again without saying a word.

Lixi wanted to say something more, her lips parted, but she couldn't find the words to make things worse. Her cheeks flushed with anxiety.

Just before she was about to speak again, a hand reached out from the side and gently pressed on her arm.

The force was not great, but it carried an undeniable, gentle sense of restraint.

Shiina Tatsuki's remaining words were cut off. She turned her head sharply to look at the owner of the hand—Ishikawa Mayu.

Zhenyu shook her head slightly, indicating, "Leave it to me."

Lixi understood his gaze. The pent-up frustration in her chest, the urge to defend herself yet the inability to know what to do, was strangely dissipated by his press, replaced by an awkward "okay, you do it if you can" feeling, but more than that, a sense of relief.

She glanced at Makoto's calm profile, then at the still-lowered head and slightly hunched shoulders of the lamp, and finally let out a barely audible snort of resentment and annoyance. She then angrily shut her mouth, turned her face to the other side, leaving Makoto with only a back of her head that screamed "So annoying!"

Ishikawa Mayu then withdrew her hand from her arm and turned her attention entirely to Takamatsu Akari beside her.

He didn't speak immediately, but instead reached out and gently grasped Deng's hands, which had become cold and even trembled slightly due to tension and memories.

The lamp's fingers were slender and icy cold. Enveloped in his warm palm, they flinched almost imperceptibly, but did not break free.

The continuous warmth emanating from his palm seeped through his skin, dispelling some of the chill lingering on his fingertips and strangely calming the panic that had been stirred up in Deng Xin's head by Li Xi's suddenly raised voice and those terrible memories.

Her tense shoulders relaxed almost imperceptibly, and although her head was still down, the fingers that were twisting the hem of her clothes slowly loosened.

Sensing the subtle changes in her body, Zhenyu continued in that calm tone, asking softly:

"Light, can you tell me?"

He paused, then asked a question that seemed simple but went straight to the heart of the matter.

"Why did you want to form a band with everyone in the first place?"

Chapter 261 I Will Try My Best

The lounge was quiet for a few seconds.

Takamatsu Akari's hands, held by Mayu, twitched slightly at the tips of her fingers beneath his palms. Her long eyelashes drooped, casting a small, trembling shadow beneath her eyes, as if she were trying to search for fragments buried deep in the dust of memory.

"The band...why..."

She murmured and repeated Masahiro's question, her voice as soft as a feather.

Ishikawa Mayu didn't urge him, but waited quietly, the warmth from his palm steady and comforting.

After a long while, the lamp slowly and intermittently began to speak, its voice still weak, but clearer than before:

"I... don't really understand, like... or dislike..."

She slightly raised her head, her gaze not focused on any specific place, but as if looking at some distant point in the air.

"Singing...the thing itself, it seems...doesn't feel anything special."

Although Shiina Tatsuki's face was still turned to the other side, her ears were already perked up, carefully catching every word Akari said. Hearing this, her hands on her lap unconsciously clenched tighter.

“But…” Deng paused, as if finding a more accurate way to express it, “when I’m with everyone. When we’re practicing, when we’re talking, even when we’re not doing anything, just being together…”

"During those times... it seemed like many... many tiny voices would emerge in my heart. They... crowded together in my heart, turning into sentences, into strange shapes... I... I just wanted... to let them out."

Finally, the lamp slowly turned its gaze to Zhenyu, whose eyes, which always carried a slight sense of bewilderment, now reflected a clear light.

"To tell everyone... through sound. That's... lyrics. All the lyrics I write are... like that."

After she finished speaking, she seemed to have used up all her strength, and gently lowered her head, but her tense shoulders had completely relaxed.

Shiina Tatsuki suddenly turned around.