People in Mygo are emotional firefighters.

She was simply immersed in her own musical world, and flowing from her fingertips was the melody everyone had been waiting for, a melody carrying countless complex emotions—

The prelude to "Spring Shadows" officially begins.

Shiina Ritsuki almost instinctively took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the question that was about to spill from his mouth and the inexplicable restlessness surging in his chest. His eyes sharpened instantly, and the drumsticks in his hand rose reflexively—

"despair!"

The precise and powerful drumbeats blended seamlessly with Lena's guitar playing.

Chihaya Aine snapped back to reality, and before she could think, her fingers were already on the strings. Takamatsu Akari also hurriedly gripped the microphone, trying to pull her mind from the shockingly intimate scene just now and immerse herself in the song that was about to begin.

The weight on Ishikawa Mayu's shoulders had long since disappeared.

Su Shi had taken a half step back and returned to her position, but her left hand was still being held by him. She turned her head and smiled slightly at him. That smile no longer held any confusion or forced calm.

It was as if that fleeting glimpse of their close embrace was just a minor interlude.

Then, she turned around, facing the audience, her back straight, her right hand firmly pressing the bass strings, her eyes focused on looking ahead, meeting a cold and sharp gaze from somewhere in the audience.

Look.

This is the choice I have made.

The music flowed forward, undeniably drawing everyone into the melody of "Spring Shadows." The ripples of the moment seemed to be quietly covered by the music, yet they left deep and shallow, distinct marks in everyone's heart.

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Chapter 278 (Two Chapters Combined) Embrace

The lingering resonance of the last note, seemingly still reverberating in the air, was completely swallowed up by the sudden, even more enthusiastic and prolonged applause and cheers from the audience than at the end of "Walking with the Blue Sky".

Successful.

It wasn't just about completing a performance; it was about genuinely conveying a piece of music that carried a complex past in a completely new form that belonged to "them."

Chihaya Aine's face instantly lit up with a radiant smile that seemed to illuminate the entire backstage area. Facing the audience, she waved her arms vigorously, her gray eyes sparkling, and shouted back, "Thank you—! Thank you so much—!"

Gao Songdeng stood beside her, her face still flushed from the performance and streaked with tears. She bowed deeply to the audience, albeit somewhat awkwardly but with utmost sincerity.

Shiina Tatsuki and Kaname Rakuna appeared much calmer.

Lixi put down her drumsticks. Her face didn't show any exaggerated expression, but the slight upturn of her lips and the fleeting look of relief in her eyes betrayed her inner satisfaction.

Even though Mayu always does annoying things, at least she was happy at today's live performance. Let's leave those things for later and 'settle the score' then.

She stood up, intending to pack her things and leave as she usually did after practice.

Lena, holding her guitar, stood up nimbly, her gaze fixed on the path leading out of the room.

Nagasaki Motoyo slowly put down her bass, the vibrations of the strings still seeming to linger on her fingertips. She didn't immediately look at the audience, but instead turned her gaze to Ishikawa Mayu beside her. His blue-gray eyes held a clear dependence, a sense of relief, and a softness that came after everything had settled. She gently curved her lips into a smile for him, a smile devoid of any forced or calculated expression, as pure as the clear sky after a rain.

However, in the instant that Su Shi's gaze lingered—

"Yaha—!"

With a joyful cheer, Chihaya Aine turned around without warning, and amidst the still-ringing applause and cheers from the audience, she opened her arms and leaped into the air—

Like a cannonball, she pounced directly into the arms of the unsuspecting Ishikawa Mayu!

The impact caused Mayu to instinctively take half a step back before regaining his balance. Aine was already clinging to him, her arms tightly wrapped around his neck, her cheek buried in his shoulder, her body trembling slightly with excitement and agitation.

"We did it! We did it! Zhenyu! That's great—!"

Shinba froze completely.

In front of a large audience, with the spotlight still on and hundreds of people in the audience... this overly intimate hug made his ears turn bright red instantly, and his heart pounded in his chest.

“Ai, Ai Yin…you come down first…” His voice was a little tight. He had to hold Ai Yin’s waist with one hand to prevent her from falling, while the other hand hung awkwardly in mid-air.

Shiina Tatsuki, who was about to leave, suddenly stopped in his tracks.

She stood there, watching the two people embracing tightly, watching the obvious embarrassment on Mayu's face but her hand that didn't push him away, watching Aine's unreserved joy and dependence...

The flame that had been burning faintly in her chest since Su Shi leaned on Zhen Yu's shoulder suddenly flared up as if a ladle of hot oil had been poured on it, making her internal organs feel stuffy and painful.

Why... did it turn out like this?

For the first time, I had a band I cherished, and together with everyone, we completed such an incredible performance, a struggle that had emerged from chaos.

Having such a protégé... I might call him my "proudest disciple." Seeing him so composed on stage, arranging music with him, understanding each other with just a glance, like just now...

Two happy things coincided.

And these two sources of happiness will in turn bring even more happiness.

What we received should have been a blissful, dreamlike time...

But why did it turn out like this...?

Deep within her violet eyes surged a restlessness and bitterness that even she couldn't fully comprehend, along with a sharp sense of being excluded. She turned her face away, not wanting to look anymore, and her steps toward the backstage felt too heavy to lift.

"Rakuna!" Mayu finally snapped out of her daze from Aine's overly enthusiastic embrace. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Rakuna already carrying her guitar and almost slipping to the edge of the stage. She quickly called out and reached out with her other free hand to grab Rakuna's wrist.

“?” Lena stopped and slowly turned around, her cat-like eyes filled with doubt.

"You haven't thanked the audience yet!" Mayu reminded him helplessly.

Lena tilted her head, as if she had heard some novel request, "Acknowledgements? Is this a new condition?"

"...Matcha Parfait".

Zhenyu was taken aback by her blatant "extortion," then sighed, tacitly accepting the "reward." He then looked up, his gaze sweeping over his teammates still standing there, their expressions varied, his voice still clear amidst the noise:

Aren't you coming?

Shiina Tatsuki was stunned.

She had indeed intended to leave immediately and had already taken a few steps towards the backstage exit, now standing at a distance that was neither too close nor too far from Zhenyu. Zhenyu released her grip on Rakuna's hand, and that hand turned and naturally reached out towards her.

Lixi's purple eyes were fixed on that hand, her heart churning like boiling water. Her gaze swept past the hand and fell upon Aine, still smiling brightly, in Zhenyu's other arms, and the faint blush of helplessness and indulgence still lingering on his face.

Frustration, bitterness, resentment... and a faint expectation that she herself was unwilling to admit churned within her chest.

After hesitating for a few seconds, she awkwardly and very slowly moved her feet, gently pressing her waist against Zhenyu's outstretched arm.

However, men's body temperature is naturally a little higher than women's, especially for Makoto, who had just finished an intense performance and whose blood circulation was still very fast. The steady, burning heat from his arm was clearly imprinted on her skin through the not-so-thick fabric of her performance costume, and the heat seemed to carry a subtle electric current, spreading rapidly along the areas where they were in contact.

Lixi's body trembled slightly uncontrollably, and a strange, soft sensation suddenly surged from her waist, causing her already unsteady steps, which were already disturbed by her inner turmoil, to falter, and her center of gravity to sway slightly.

"—!"

Zhenyu immediately noticed the slight loss of balance in his arm. Almost reflexively, he tightened his arm around her waist, using a bit of force to firmly support her and prevent her from actually falling.

But this forceful exertion, intended to provide clear support, became the final straw that broke the camel's back.

The scorching, undeniably powerful touch was even more clearly transmitted through the thin fabric. Li hope felt a tingling sensation on the skin of her waist where his arms were wrapped around her. The tingling sensation did not disappear as she regained her balance; instead, it spread downwards with even greater intensity, reaching all the way to her thighs.

"Waaah...!"

A very soft sob escaped her throat, almost drowned out by the noise. Her knees buckled, and her entire weight involuntarily leaned towards Zhenyu, almost completely resting on his strong arm and half of his body. She barely managed to maintain her posture and not actually fall down, but she looked like she was half leaning against him.

An even clearer scent enveloped her instantly. Her cheek was almost pressed against the warm fabric of his chest, and she could hear his equally rapid heartbeat. The presence of the arm around her waist was so strong that it sent shivers down her spine. All the sounds, the lights, and the clamor from below the stage seemed to blur at this moment, leaving only the annoying tingling in her waist and legs and the raging fire that suddenly burned on her face.

"Hey, are you steady?" Zhenyu's voice came from above, filled with concern, her arm still gripping her tightly, clearly sensing that she was still feeling weak.

“…I…I know! You…you don’t use force!” Li hope struggled to regain consciousness from the chaos of her senses, and roared in shame and indignation. Her voice sounded weak due to excessive embarrassment and physical weakness. She struggled to stand up, but it was as if most of the strength in her legs had been drained away. Her weak resistance was more like an unconscious rubbing against his arm, which only made the two of them press even closer together.

Mayu looked helplessly at the two people who had been shoved into her arms all at once—on one side was Aine, who was clinging to her like a koala, and on the other side was Riki, who was struggling like a cat with its fur standing on end but unable to get away.

Just then—

A soft laugh came from the other side.

Chihaya Aine, clinging to Mayu's neck, turned her head and could see Ritsuki's embarrassed and indignant state, yet powerless to break free. She blinked her bright gray eyes, a mischievous and curious smile blooming on her face, and then—she stretched out her free hand and gently poked Ritsuki's flushed cheek, which was so close to hers, with her fingertip.

"So Tanuki can be like this too~" Aine's voice was full of the joy of discovering a new continent, with the last syllable rising and carrying a playful teasing tone.

"you……!"

Lixi glared at her, trying to put on a fierce look and scold her, but at this moment, her eyes were watery, her cheeks were flushed, and she was leaning weakly against Zhenyu's chest, which was not intimidating at all.

Takamatsu blinked, looking at the chaotic yet...warm embrace scene before her, a hint of bewilderment on her face, but mostly warmth.

She caught Masahiro's gaze, obediently and slowly moved over, gently leaning against Masahiro's side. She reached out and shyly wrapped her arms around Aine's waist, also bringing herself into the range of his embrace.

Feeling the embrace around her waist, Aine turned around and met Tamamo's pure gaze. Her smile widened, and she put her arm around Tamamo's shoulder, affectionately nuzzling the top of her head.

Then, Aine's gaze passed over Mayu's shoulder and landed on Nagasaki Motoyo, who was standing quietly to the side.

Su Shi was also looking this way, her blue-gray eyes reflecting this noisy yet intimate scene.

Her face no longer held the previous gloom or tension, but instead carried an almost composed observation.

Ai Yin looked at her, a sly glint in her gray eyes, and a distinct, childlike, smug, and boastful smile appeared on her lips.

That smile seemed to be showing off to his companions, the playful and smugness of winning a prize clearly proclaiming, "Look, I'm the one holding him now."

Su Shi met Aine's gaze and clearly understood the meaning behind that smile.

If it were before, this smile might have made her heart ache again.

But at this moment, whether it was because he had just said goodbye to the past on stage and his mindset was different, or because he had witnessed the sincere concern and encouragement that Aine had shown him before, that subtle hostility had really faded a lot.

She even felt that Aine's smug look had a kind of adorable clumsiness that was typical of her age.

Su Shi's lips curved into a gentle and generous smile. Then, with elegance and composure, she reached out and smoothed out the wrinkles in Zhen Yu's clothes that had become slightly disheveled from the hug and support. Her movements were natural.

Then, she turned her head and gently combed through the slightly frizzy pink ends of Ai Yin's hair, which had become a little frizzy from excited rubbing, and neatly tucked them behind her ears.

Ai Yin was taken aback by Su Shi's sudden gentle gesture. Her smugness froze for a moment, then blossomed into a brighter, more frank smile. She even tilted her head slightly to make it easier for Su Shi to tidy up. But a knowing glint of cunning flashed deep in her gray eyes.

She leaned close to Soyorin's ear and whispered in a playful, nasal tone that only the two of them could hear, "Soyorin~ how cunning~"

Su Shi continued combing her hair without stopping. Upon hearing this, the curve of her lips deepened slightly, and she looked back at Ai Yin with gentle blue eyes, without saying a word.

Aine understood that Su Shi was definitely doing it on purpose.

By deliberately adopting this gentle and considerate "elderly" demeanor, she instantly made her previous childish boasting and possessiveness seem like a spoiled tantrum. Inadvertently, she elevated herself to the position of "mistress," who seemed more compatible with Mayu, while she herself was relegated to the position of "daughter" who needed to be taken care of.

Hmph, cunning Soyorin.

However… Aine tightened her arms around Mayu’s neck almost imperceptibly, burying her face deeper into his shoulder, feeling his body heat.

She's not in a hurry.

For Zhenyu, she was absolutely special and the best.

So, Su Shi can act like an older sister if she wants.

Anyway, the person who is currently holding Zhenyu tightly and nestled in his arms is herself.

Thinking of this, Aine's lips curled into a slightly smug satisfaction. She stopped looking at Su Shi's impeccable gentle smile and instead turned her attention back to Zhen Yu. Like a kitten asserting its dominance, she affectionately rubbed against his neck.

Yoro looked around and realized that everyone seemed to be gathered together except for herself. A thoughtful look flashed in her heterochromatic eyes, and then she slowly moved over as well.

She stood on the outermost edge, reached out a hand, and gently tugged at the hem of Zhenyu's clothes, thus completing her participation in the "thank you" segment.

So, on the RiNG stage, the six members of this unnamed band, centered around Masahiro Ishikawa, embraced each other tightly.

Celebrating their first time on stage.

Celebrate their rise from chaos and their eventual triumph.

Celebrate those indescribable tears, arguments, support, and heart-pounding emotions.

Finally, led by Mayu, they turned to the audience and bowed deeply once again.

"Thank you all so much for coming today!"

Chapter 279 On-site Response

The overly close, even somewhat chaotic, group embrace on stage was clearly visible to every audience member through the stage lights that were not yet completely turned off.

In the front seats, Mai, Kana, and Eri looked at each other, their faces still flushed with excitement, but their eyes now held a subtle mix of surprise, confusion, and the thought that "this situation seems more complicated than I imagined."

"Um... um..." Eri tugged at Mai's sleeve softly, her gaze shifting between Chihaya Aine, who was clinging tightly to Ishikawa Mayu's neck, Shiina Tatsuki, who was blushing and leaning against his arm, and Nagasaki Motoyo, who was gently tidying up the two of them. "What... is going on here?"

Mai stroked her chin, the mischievous smile from her earlier teasing gone, replaced by an excited gleam of having discovered more interesting "research material": "It seems... Makoto is quite popular."

Kana blinked and added in a low voice, "And Aine seems... not to care at all?" She watched as Aine even had time to poke the drummer's cheek and gave the bassist that playful smile, and she felt her brain was a little overwhelmed.

After their initial surprise, they looked at each other and then thought... it didn't seem like there was anything wrong?