People in Mygo are emotional firefighters.

"Need not."

Lixi looked away, lowered her eyes, and stared at the light brown liquid in her glass, diluted by the ice.

The iced coffee isn't cold anymore.

She picked up the cup and took a big gulp.

A bit bitter.

Chapter 285 Let us get to know you

Chihaya Aine sat down next to Takamatsu Tō, the sofa cushion sinking slightly.

"You've worked so hard! Please have a seat!"

The lively atmosphere at the long table by the window reached a new peak after Ai Yin and Deng took their seats.

Mai pushed the menu in front of the two of them, while Eri began to vividly recount the moment she almost spat out her cola during the performance—"You know what? It was the part where Aine played it wrong, and I happened to be drinking something, so I swallowed it back down!"

"Hey!" Ai Yin puffed out her cheeks in feigned anger, but her eyes were curved into a smile. "Don't just focus on remembering the mistakes!"

"Because that part left the deepest impression," Mai laughed, dodging Aine's hand that was about to punch her. "But the later parts were super—cool! Especially your last strumming move, the power was completely there!"

"Hehehe, right?" Ai-yin immediately seized the opportunity, a smug smile spreading across her face, but she quickly restrained herself. "Actually, I'm still far from it. Riki said my fingers aren't independent enough..."

"Lixi? Is that the drummer who looks fierce?" Eri blinked.

"Yeah! Although she's strict, she's actually a very nice person." Aine said, then suddenly seemed to remember something and turned to look at the singer beside her, "Ah, the singer was amazing just now too! A lot of people in the audience were saying that the lead singer's voice was very moving!"

Deng, whose name was suddenly called, was slightly startled, and then her cheeks flushed crimson at a visible speed. She lowered her head, her eyelashes trembling slightly, and her slender fingers unconsciously clutched the hem of her school uniform skirt.

"...Thank you."

The sound was very soft, as if afraid of disturbing something.

"Little Light is so easily embarrassed—" Mai said, resting her chin on her hand, her tone filled with kind admiration, "But she's so cute! And she's completely different when she's on stage, right, Aine?"

"Mmm!" Ai Yin nodded vigorously, then naturally leaned closer to Deng, resting her chin on that familiar shoulder again. "Deng's singing voice is the kind that can warm people's hearts."

Deng pursed her lips, not flinching at the weight on her shoulder, but simply burying her face even lower. A small, subtle smile curved her lips.

Ai Yin listened to her classmates' praise with a smile, responding with "No, not at all" and "You're far from it," but her eyes kept glancing at the other side of the coffee shop.

Mayu was sitting opposite Mana.

"—That guy, Zhenyu, is really something."

The sound of dancing came from the other side, tinged with a teasing smile.

Aiyin quickly looked away and refocused her attention on the long table by the window.

Mai tilted her head, her gaze passing over Aine's shoulder, and nodded her chin toward Mayu's table.

"He greeted us as soon as he arrived, and then 'snap,' he was gone."

Mai waved, and Eri nodded in agreement.

"They're classmates, after all. Why does it feel like they just clocked in and ran away?"

Ai Yin laughed out loud, "Didn't he come over and say hello first?"

"Just say hello!" Wu emphasized.

"What else do you want?" Ai Yin tilted her head, her tone playful. "To make him stand there and perform a violin piece for us as an apology?"

Wu thought for a moment and nodded seriously: "That's a good idea."

Eri burst out laughing.

Ai Yin smiled too, her eyes curving into crescent moons.

Just then, a low voice came from beside me.

"Aiyin".

It's Chanel.

She had moved half a body closer without anyone noticing, her gaze fixed on Ai-yin's face, her voice so soft that only Ai-yin could hear it.

"...You and Mayu-kun."

She paused.

"What's your relationship now?"

Ai-yin blinked, her eyelashes fluttering twice.

Then, she raised her hand and gently touched her right earlobe with her fingertips.

The cherry blossom earring swayed slightly under the warm yellow lights of the coffee shop, refracting delicate, pinkish-gold light.

"He gave it to me."

Her voice was not loud; in fact, it could be described as understated.

But the curve of her lips betrayed her.

It was a slightly embarrassed yet irrepressible, proud, and uncontrollable curve.

Chanel stared at the earring for three seconds.

Then her eyes curved into two thin crescent moons, and the corners of her mouth turned up, the smile growing wider and wider—

The final image freezes on a satisfied, maternal smile, as if she's already seen the end credits.

"Ah."

She nodded vigorously.

Aine's cheeks flushed slightly at her appearance, and she gently pushed her arm away.

"W-What are you doing...?"

Chanel just smiled and didn't say anything.

At this moment, Eri leaned over, her curious gaze passing over Aine and landing on Kana's face.

"Speaking of which, Chanel."

She gestured with her chin toward Mana's table.

"Those are Mayu's friends at that table... You seem to know them quite well?"

Chanel put down her phone and cleared her throat.

"The woman by the window wearing a beige cardigan is Ms. Mana Junda. She's a member of the popular idol group sumimi."

"And the other one?"

She gestured with her chin toward Mio Serizawa, who was sitting upright.

"Mio Serizawa. She's the top trainee in our agency this year and she's about to make her official debut."

Deng held a cup of hot cocoa, sipping it slowly, the steam rising from the rim before her lowered eyelashes.

Then she heard that name.

Mio Serizawa.

Her fingers paused for a moment.

The cocoa liquid sloshed slightly, leaving a faint brownish watermark on the glass.

But nobody noticed.

The long table by the window erupted in chaos the moment Chanel finished speaking.

"Eh—! An idol?! You mean that Sumi?!"

Eri almost spilled the lemonade she had just picked up.

"Mai-kun actually knows an idol?!" Mai's eyes widened, and her voice rose an octave. "No, I should say—Kana, you actually know Mana?!"

"Miss Hatsuka is leading our team," Kana waved modestly, but couldn't hide a little pride at the corner of her mouth. "Isn't it only natural that we get to know Senior Mana through Miss Hatsuka?"

"Then, then, then—" Wu couldn't sit still any longer. She leaned forward, almost lying on the table. "Can we go over and say hello? Can we? Can we?"

Although Eri didn't speak, the light in her eyes said it all.

Chanel did not answer immediately.

Her gaze passed over Mai's shoulder and landed on Aine's face.

His gaze held a hint of inquiry, a touch of mischief, and a hint of eager anticipation, an irrepressible smile.

—Then I'll take you there, okay?

Ai Yin received this look, and a slight smile quietly appeared on the corner of her mouth.

He nodded very slightly.

--approve.

“Okay.” Chanel stood up and straightened her skirt. “I’ll take you there to meet them.”

"Yay!"

Chapter 286: Meeting between Mio and Aine

Chanel stood up, smoothed her skirt behind her legs, and walked briskly towards the other side of the window.

Mai and Eri immediately followed, their eyes sparkling like two little animals discovering a new snack area.

"Little Lamp, why don't you come too?" Ai Yin naturally took her hand.

The lamp nodded and obediently got pulled up.

So the five of them set off in a grand procession to the other side of the coffee shop.

As Shinji was listening intently to Mana's words, he caught a glimpse of the moving crowd out of the corner of his eye, and his body visibly stiffened for a moment.

"...You've arrived."

He sat up straighter, his voice a little dry, trying to remain calm, but his hands, which were restless under the table, gave him away.

Mana Junda gently placed the coffee cup back on the saucer without speaking immediately. Her gaze swept from Mai to Eri, then from Eri to the lantern being led by Aine, and finally lingered on Aine Chihaya's face for a couple more seconds.

"Chanel, aren't you going to introduce them? These are the people here."

"Yes!" Kana subconsciously straightened her back and immediately entered the professional state of a "junior at the agency".

"This is Mai, and this is Eri. They are both classmates of Haneoka!"

Kana stepped to the side and gestured with her hand towards Aine and Akari, "These two are Aine and Akari—they're our good friends!"

"Of course, so is Mayu~"

Mio, who had been sitting upright with her hands neatly placed on her knees, straightened her back even more when she heard Kana introduce the name "Aine." Her gaze, though restrained, couldn't be completely suppressed as she looked at the pink-haired girl.

Mana, on the other hand, doesn't have as many twists and turns.

She smiled and rested her chin on her hand, leaning back on the sofa, her tone light and cheerful as if she were talking about the nice weather:

"Yes, I'm Junda Mana~ the Mana from 'sumimi'!"

She blinked, her gaze sweeping over Mai and Erii's faces, only to be met with two faces that instantly flushed red.

Then her gaze fell on Aine's face.

It paused for two seconds.

"what--"

Mana tilted her head, a meaningful smile curving her lips, but her tone remained lively and cheerful, without any hint of pressure:

“When Zhenyu asked me to apply for the rights to cover ‘Here the World,’ I thought he wanted to sing it himself.”

She paused.

"So it was for you~"