People in Mygo are emotional firefighters.

The sound of footsteps, the warm-up music coming from afar, and the faint noise of the audience mingled together, becoming clearer and clearer.

"Hmm..." As she walked, Chihaya Aine couldn't help but press her hand against her lower abdomen again, her voice slightly weak and nervous, "The venue... is really lively, the sound is buzzing, and my heart hasn't slowed down since just now."

“Yes, you can feel the audience’s enthusiasm even through the door,” Nagasaki Motoyo said softly as she walked beside her.

As they spoke, they had already returned to the door of the lounge. Su Shi pushed open the door and stepped aside to let Ai Yin and Deng go in first.

As Aine walked inside, she couldn't help but continue to mutter to herself, "Yeah... and the outfits of Afterglow's seniors, and everyone in Popipa, are so cute... each one has their own unique style. I'm so envious..."

Nagasaki Motoyo seemed to ignore the topic, and smiled as she beckoned to Takamatsu Akari, who was quietly following behind: "Akari, come sit here."

Shiina Riki silently followed last into the room.

Chihaya Aine's words, "I'm so envious of the stage costumes," drifted into her ears, but her mind wasn't on that at all.

Normally, she would probably retort with a "Let's focus on the performance first," but at this moment, those words were like a breeze across the water, leaving no ripple in her stagnant thoughts.

Kaoru had already slipped in silently, walked straight to the small LCD TV on the wall, sat down, looked up at the dark screen, and asked in a declarative tone, "...Aren't you going to watch the concert?"

Su Shi was helping Deng put her things away when she heard this. She turned around with a helpless yet knowing smile on her face: "If you see it, you might be even more nervous. But if Le Nai wants to see it, just open it."

The lounge was filled with the sounds of soft conversations and rustling as things were being put away. The atmosphere wasn't exactly relaxed, but at least it had a bit more life.

Shiina Ritsuki sat down near the door, but her body felt somewhat stiff. The surrounding sounds—Aine's mutterings, Sose's gentle tone, the distant, indistinct clamor—all seemed separated by a layer, becoming unreal.

For some reason, the scene from yesterday afternoon suddenly flashed back into my mind without warning: the wind whistling on the motorcycle, the adorable Xiang Xiang behind the glass of the panda enclosure, and... the paper bag containing two panda plush toys that the person handed me.

Her fingertips seemed to still retain the sensation of holding that warm hand, and the tingling, slightly itchy feeling on her wrist when he pulled her by the cuff and led her away from the predicament.

A strange sense of unease welled up inside, mixed with the tension that was already present before the performance, making the dressing room suddenly feel somewhat stifling.

She needs to move around, she needs to... do something.

Almost as if by magic, Shiina Tatsuki suddenly stood up.

"Huh? Tanuki?" Chihaya Aine, who was pressing her stomach and trying to take deep breaths to calm herself, was startled by the sudden noise and looked up at her. "What's wrong? Where are you going?"

Shiina Tatsuki didn't turn around, nor did she stop. She walked straight towards the door, her back ramrod straight, her voice trying to maintain its usual indifference and calmness, but if you listened closely, you could hear a barely perceptible tension in the last syllable:

"I...I have something that I might have left at the scene where we just met. I'll go look for it."

Shiina Tatsuki walked quickly across the corridor.

The restroom sign flashed past her, and she caught a glimpse of the door out of the corner of her eye, but her steps didn't falter. An inexplicable intuition—perhaps just a vague impression lingering from when he pulled her away in the lounge—driven her to continue forward.

The noise in the backstage area subsided slightly, with the sounds of equipment being moved, staff exchanging brief conversations, and sporadic drumbeats from the distant stage sound checks... all sorts of sounds mixed together.

Then, she saw him.

Ishikawa Mayu was standing with her back to her, talking to several senior members of Afterglow.

He was slightly bowing, and the lines of his profile looked somewhat taut in the dim light, making him appear a bit reserved.

Yes, this guy is socially awkward at heart. He gets nervous unconsciously when facing unfamiliar seniors, even during simple greetings.

Shiina Tatsuki subconsciously slowed her pace and stopped a few steps away. Looking at his slightly stiff back, the inexplicable unease in her heart suddenly subsided a little.

Just then, Aoba Mocha seemed to have written something on a card and handed it to Mayu.

Mocha still wore that languid expression, but his half-closed eyes seemed to glance almost imperceptibly in the direction where Lixi was hiding, and the corners of his mouth curled up into a very faint arc, as if he had seen through something.

Furious also patted Mayu's shoulder hard with a smile, and the members of Afterglow turned and left, chatting and laughing.

Ishikawa Mayu seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, his shoulders visibly relaxing. Then, he turned around, his gaze almost immediately landing on Shiina Tatsuki, who was standing a few steps away, not yet having had time to adjust his expression.

Eyes facing each other.

Shiina Tatsuki's heart skipped a beat, and her face instantly felt hot.

She immediately looked away, pretending she had just arrived, and casually approached him, trying to keep her voice calm: "...What are you doing here? Weren't you going to the restroom?"

Ishikawa Mayu looked at her profile, which was trying to appear calm, and her slightly reddened ears. He didn't say anything, but simply handed her the card.

"Give."

Shiina Riki paused for a moment, her gaze falling on the small card.

Five freshly inked signatures—Fairy Mary, Mocha, Ba, Pear, and Orchid—are neatly arranged, with small doodles next to them.

Shiina Tatsuki's breath caught almost imperceptibly for a moment. She looked up at Ishikawa Mayu, her purple eyes clearly reflecting astonishment and confusion.

Seeing her like this, Ishikawa Mayu's smile deepened.

"Because it seems like you, Lixi, really like the seniors in this band."

“But,” he paused, lowering his voice, “just now in the lounge, when facing them, Teacher Lixi was so nervous that she seemed about to evaporate on the spot, and she couldn’t even speak properly, right?”

Shiina Tatsuki's face flushed bright red instantly, and she instinctively tried to retort, "Who, who's too nervous to speak! I was... I was..."

Looking at her flushed cheeks and her eagerness to refute but at a loss for words, Ishikawa Mayu finally couldn't help but smile, a knowing and slightly teasing smile playing on his lips, as he gently interrupted her stammering explanation:

"It's respect, right? I understand, I understand."

"However, given Li hope's state just now, he probably couldn't go out and ask for an autograph himself, right?"

"There's no other way. In situations like this, I'm the only one who can be relied upon, right?"

Li Xi.jpg

Chapter 271 (Two Chapters Combined) Whatever you like

Shiina Ritsuki stared at him blankly.

The dim light of the corridor fell on his face, outlining his clear features. His expression was calm, even carrying a relaxed smile as if he had just finished a prank, but his eyes, which were fixed on her, clearly reflected her slightly embarrassed state and the way her heart was racing because of the unexpected gift in her hand.

She opened her mouth, only to find her throat still dry. Ultimately, all the churning emotions coalesced into a low, frustrated, yet clearly mixed-with-something mutter, escaping from her slightly pursed lips:

"...You guys...that's too unfair."

As soon as she finished speaking, she clutched the thin card tightly, as if holding something hot and precious. Not daring to look at Zhenyu again, she turned around abruptly and almost ran, her steps somewhat disordered, and quickly walked back the way she came, towards the lounge.

The figure behind her clearly showed panic, yet as she passed through the light and shadow of the corridor, she appeared clumsy and endearing.

Shiina Tatsuki practically sprinted across half the corridor, her heart pounding in her chest, her cheeks showing no signs of cooling. The thin card in her hand seemed to be warming from her sweaty fingertips.

"Hey, Lixi."

A familiar voice came from not far behind.

Lixi stopped abruptly, her body leaning slightly forward due to inertia. She didn't turn around, but her back was visibly stiff.

Ishikawa Mayu caught up in a few steps and walked naturally to her side.

He turned his head slightly and looked at Li Ming and Li hope's profile, which was tightly pursed, staring at the ground, with even their earlobes turning red.

"Are you running so fast because you're afraid your autograph will grow wings and fly away, or because you're afraid I'll see you like this?"

"Mind your own business!" Li hope retorted immediately, but her voice was weak and lacked confidence.

Zhenyu ignored her stubbornness, his gaze falling on her hand that was still tightly clutching the card, her knuckles turning white, and then he looked up at her flushed cheeks and her flickering purple eyes.

A brief silence flowed between the two, with only the faint noise in the distance as a backdrop.

"Instead of worrying about me seeing you like this, you should be worried about Aine seeing you back in the lounge later." Ishikawa Mayu's voice was calm, with a knowing smile. "If she asks, 'Tanaki, why is your face so red?', what are you going to say, Ms. Riki?"

Shiina Riki's body stiffened further, her lips pressed into a straight line. Aine's mischievous smile seemed to appear before her eyes, sending a slight chill down her spine.

Seeing this, Zhenyu readily offered his suggestion, his tone as relaxed as if they were discussing what to have for dinner: "How about this, when I get back I'll tell everyone that I ran into Afterglow's senior, chatted for a bit, and casually got you an autograph too."

He paused, his gaze falling on her moist eyes and flushed skin. He lowered his voice, his tone more suggestive, "As for you... why don't you go to the restroom over there and wash your face first? Take a break. If they see you with such a red face, they'll definitely keep asking you questions."

No way!

A silent protest practically exploded in Shiina Tatsuki's mind. Let him speak? That would be tantamount to making it public! Let him publicly admit… he got his autograph for him?

Shiina Ritsuki abruptly raised her head, her violet eyes glaring at him. Her first reaction was to refuse: "Who, who asked you to interfere! I'll do it myself..."

He got stuck in his throat halfway through his sentence.

The brain begins to weigh things rapidly and uncontrollably.

I don't want to reveal it—it's instinct.

She didn't want anyone to know that her heart was racing and her face was flushed like this because of this guy's actions.

but……

If, in his opinion, it was something he "casually" asked for...

Not only did he not reveal his shyness, but he also took the lead in explaining the autograph matter, making his motives reasonable, so no one would delve into his awkwardness and excitement at the time.

Moreover, he was the one who took the initiative to admit to others that he had received special treatment from me...

A strange feeling, a mixture of reassurance and an indescribable sense of satisfaction, quietly overcame the initial embarrassment.

Thinking about it carefully... it seems... I'm actually quite happy?

Realizing that she had actually had such a thought, Lixi's face seemed to get a little hotter, but this time the heat contained less anger and more a subtle embarrassment.

She quickly averted her gaze, no longer meeting Zhenyu's eyes, her eyes drifting to the restroom sign at the end of the corridor before returning to her sweaty fingertips. A very soft, muffled "tsk" escaped her throat.

"...Whatever you want." Her voice was still awkward, but the strong refusal had dissipated, turning into a kind of half-hearted acquiescence, "...Mind your own business."

As Ishikawa Mayu watched Shiina Tatsuki awkwardly utter those words and then walk towards the restroom with almost unsteady gait but feigned composure, the corners of her mouth unconsciously widened into a smile.

Okay, problem solved.

He turned around, put his hands in his pockets, and strolled slowly toward the lounge.

—I really didn't expect that.

He recalled the first time he met Shiina Tatsuki at RiNG's coffee shop, the drummer who glared at him and Aine, spoke in a fierce tone, and acted as if the whole world owed her money.

Who would have thought that, after spending time together, this guy...

—It's much cuter than I imagined.

Of course, this "cuteness" is limited to the rare moments when she lets her guard down and reveals her true emotions. Most of the time, she is still the fiery, sharp-tongued, and devoted Shiina Tatsuki.

However, seeing this side of things isn't so bad.

……

When Ishikawa Mayu pushed open the door to the lounge, Chihaya Aine was leaning against the sofa armrest, idly pressing her lower abdomen; Nagasaki Motoyo was combing Yoru's hair; and Akari was sitting quietly.

"Ah, Mayu, you're back—" Chihaya Aine looked up, her voice weak and listless, "You're so slow."

"Yeah, I was delayed a little." Ishikawa Mayu replied casually, closing the door behind her. She walked to the corner where she kept her things, picked up her water glass, took a sip, and then casually said, "By the way, I ran into some of Afterglow's seniors outside just now."

This sentence successfully caught Aine's attention, and she blinked curiously: "Huh? What did you say?"

"I didn't say anything special, just a simple greeting, and I also got an autograph for Li hope."

Chihaya Aine's eyes widened instantly, and a smile that was a mixture of surprise and mischief bloomed on her face: "Eh—! An autograph! For Tanuki?!"

Su Shi's hand, which was tidying Rakuna's hair, paused almost imperceptibly before returning to normal. She smiled gently at Masahiro and said, "Masahiro-kun is so thoughtful."

“Hmm.” Ishikawa Mayu nodded, her face expressionless, as if she had just done something perfectly ordinary. “I noticed that Riki seemed to like the seniors quite a bit before, so I took the opportunity to mention it.”

"By the way—"

Chihaya Aine drew out her words, her body already moving. She didn't loosen her grip on her stomach, but she moved like a penguin struggling to move, shuffling her bottom on the sofa until she finally managed to get next to Mayu.

"Hey, Mayu-kun," Aine tilted her head up, leaned closer, and lowered her voice, her tone clearly teasing, "You're so—considerate—to—Random—Kimi—!"

Ishikawa Mayu turned her head and squinted at her. This guy was clearly still feeling unwell and his face was a little pale, but he still looked like he had too much energy and was determined to come over and gossip.

“Compared to this,” he reached out and gently pressed Ai Yin’s head to make her sit up a little straighter, “your belly is already like this, why are you still joining in the fun? Sit still quietly.”

As he spoke, he picked up the water glass he had just drunk from—the water inside was still the same one he had poured earlier, and the temperature should be just right now—and handed it to Ai-yin: "Drink some warm water."

Aiyin's head was being pressed down by him, but she wasn't annoyed. Instead, she looked at the cup in his hand and muttered, "This looks like your cup... How can you 'bribe' a witness like this on the spot..."

Even so, she obediently took the cup and began to drink it in small sips. The warm water flowing down her throat did indeed soothe her tense stomach.

Looking at her quiet profile as she drank water, Zhenyu calmly continued her previous words: "Besides, haven't I been considerate to you?"

"Pfft—cough cough!" Aine almost choked on the water, hurriedly covering her mouth, her cheeks visibly flushing red, even her ears turning pink. She quickly glared at Mayu, her eyes filled with more embarrassment than anger, and protested in a muffled voice, "W-how could you attack me like that!"

Seeing her instantly lose her composure and become flustered, Ishikawa Mayu's lips curved into a barely perceptible smile, and he didn't continue the topic.

Just then, the door to the lounge was pushed open again.

Shiina Tatsuki walked in.

A little moisture still lingered on her cheeks, and a few strands of hair clung to her forehead. The intense blush that had almost burned away had mostly faded, leaving only a faint pink tinge at the base of her ears.