People in Mygo are emotional firefighters.

Motoyo Nagasaki.

Maya Ishikawa.

These two names should have been like two parallel lines that would never intersect, but at this moment they were forcibly intertwined in her mind.

The past and present that she tried so hard to separate are now quietly connecting in places she can't see.

When she slowly turned around, the expression on her face had turned completely cold.

"Don't mention him again." Her voice was like ice. "And don't mention me to anyone either."

"Greetings."

She walked towards the cashier without looking back, her steps much faster than usual. She clutched the crumpled receipt tightly in her hand, as if she wanted to crush the unsettling news.

……

Ishikawa Mayu sat alone in a booth by the window at the Ring Cafe, her fingertips unconsciously tapping the table, making a dull thud.

Chihaya Aine and Nagasaki Motoyo had not yet arrived.

His gaze fell on the bustling traffic outside the window, but his mind was elsewhere.

The scene at the school gate kept replaying in my mind. Ruo Yemu's calm, unwavering golden eyes, and her light, airy words.

"Are you...her friend?"

If it were last year, he would naturally nod in agreement without hesitation.

She would tacitly allow him to escort her home in the rain, and she would sternly point to supermarket flyers and earnestly teach him how to find the items with the biggest discounts and how to accurately calculate the electricity bill at the end of the month.

In return, he would help her repair broken appliances and leave a light on when she came home late from work.

Those awkward yet real moments, the coins still warm from each other's bodies, the meager dinners shared...

Later, Xiangzi worked odd jobs to make a living, and he also worked hard for his live streaming career, so the two had fewer and fewer opportunities to meet in the stairwell.

When his situation finally improved and he tried to share this hard-won good fortune, he was met with her increasingly obvious avoidance and growing cold silence.

An invisible barrier has formed between the two, but he has no idea where the rift came from.

Since getting close will only make the atmosphere more awkward, keeping your distance might be the best choice for both of you.

So, in the spring after graduating from junior high school, taking advantage of his thriving career, he chose to move out, letting the relationship naturally come to an end.

That's why, when he unexpectedly ran into Wakaba Mutsu at the school gate and heard her question about "friends," he instinctively wanted to run away.

Meeting someone who might be connected to Xiangzi under those circumstances would have been extremely awkward.

He didn't want to explain that relationship that had ended, and he didn't want to disrupt his hard-won stable life—although this "stability" was always mixed with the noisy voice of that pink-haired guy, surprisingly, he didn't dislike it.

"Seriously—Mayu-san! Why did you sneak over here by yourself?!"

A familiar voice suddenly pierced his thoughts, like a ray of sunlight unexpectedly shining into a gloomy corner.

When Ishikawa Mayu came to his senses, he realized that Chihaya Aine had already put away her guitar bag and was standing next to him, hands on her hips, puffing out her cheeks and glaring at him.

"We clearly agreed to meet after school, but you disappeared as soon as I turned around! I even went to the parking lot to look for you!"

Ishikawa Mayu looked up and met her smiling gaze, as if those tangled memories had been paused.

He smiled helplessly, about to explain—

"However!" Aine's tone shifted abruptly, a hint of smugness instantly appearing on her face. As if by magic, she produced a delicate little box from behind her back. "I saw this on the street and thought it would suit you perfectly. If you're willing to wear it, I'll forgive you!"

Inside the box was a small, silver violin-shaped keychain, with musical note patterns delicately engraved on its body, gleaming warmly under the cafe's lights.

"How about it? Isn't it cool?" She handed him the keychain, her eyes sparkling. "I fell in love with it at first sight! It'll look great hanging on your bag or keys!"

Ishikawa Mayu took the keychain with some surprise, his fingertips touching the cool metal surface. He examined the exquisite violin shape in his hand, then looked up at Aine's expectant smiling face. The last bit of lingering reluctance in his heart was finally completely dispelled by the overwhelming warmth and vitality.

He deliberately put on a stern face, "It's just average."

"Eh—why is that!" Aine immediately pouted in dissatisfaction, but the next second she saw through his pretense and leaned closer with a grin, "You clearly like it! It's so easy to understand why you're pretending, Mayu-kun!"

Feeling a little embarrassed by her insightful remark, Ishikawa Mayu turned his face away, but couldn't hide the slight upturn of his lips. He silently fastened the keychain to the zipper of his backpack, the silver violin charm swaying gently with his movement.

"Since you're so satisfied, you have to treat me to dinner today!"

As Ai Yin watched him obediently hang the keychain, a sly smile immediately bloomed on her face, like a cat that had successfully stolen a dried fish.

Ishikawa Mayu was shocked: "Is this any different from forcing a sale?"

"No way~" Aine blinked confidently, reaching out to gently fiddle with the keychain he had just hung up. "This is a gift I carefully selected! Masahiro-kun likes it too, doesn't he? Treating you is just the most basic etiquette to express gratitude!"

Chapter 42 Why would Zhenyu-jun think that way?

"Whatever you want..." he finally sighed helplessly.

Just as Chihaya Aine was smugly preparing to start studying the menu, a familiar figure walked towards their table with a gloomy aura.

Shiina Riki stood expressionless beside their booth, holding two glasses of ice water.

With a "thud," two glasses were slammed onto the table, neither too hard nor too soft.

She crossed her arms, her brows furrowed, her sharp eyes scanning back and forth between the two of them before finally settling on Chihaya Aine, her tone revealing obvious impatience:

What are you doing here?

Chihaya Aine was startled by Shiina Tatsuki's sudden rude attitude and the noise he made, and her good mood was instantly ruined.

"It was Su Shi who invited us here!"

As soon as Chihaya Aine finished speaking, the automatic door of the coffee shop silently slid open, and Nagasaki Motoyo appeared in the doorway.

"Suyo-kun!" Chihaya Aine immediately looked like she had seen a savior. The displeasure on her face was instantly replaced by a bright smile. She raised her hand high and waved, "Here, here!"

Ishikawa Mayu's gaze turned to the doorway as Aine called out—at least now someone could keep Riki in check on his inexplicable temper.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

Nagasaki Motoyo's voice was still menacing, but at least she managed to suppress the rising tension.

"Lixi, can we order now?" Nagasaki Suze then looked at the two people sitting together. "Is there anything you'd like to drink?"

Chihaya Aine immediately perked up and leaned closer to ask, "Does Motoyo-san have any recommendations?"

“Darjeeling is quite nice today,” Su Shi suggested with a smile.

Aine's eyes lit up, but after glancing at the prices on the menu, she hesitated, glancing at Ishikawa Mayu beside her, and her finger quietly moved towards another, cheaper type of black tea—

“Then we want Darjeeling too.”

Ishikawa Mayu found Aine's calculating manner somewhat amusing and interrupted her little scheme before she could finish speaking.

Chihaya Aine turned to look at him in surprise, then her eyes curved into crescents as she said with a grin, "Then I won't be polite!"

Ishikawa Mayu looked away without comment.

Nagasaki Motoyo's gaze swept between the two of them, a barely perceptible smile curving her lips before returning to normal.

She nodded gently and turned to Lixi: "Then three cups of hot Darjeeling."

Li Xi wrote down the order in the book without expression, made a clear "tsk" sound from his throat, and then turned and walked towards the kitchen.

Chihaya Aine gritted her teeth in anger, her eyes fixed on Chihaya's back as if she wanted to burn two holes in it.

Seeing this, Ishikawa Mayu subtly tugged at her arm under the table, signaling her to calm down.

Chihaya Aine snapped out of her daze, smiled somewhat sheepishly, turned around, took a deep breath, placed her hands neatly on her knees, and asked seriously, "So, today we're going to discuss the band, right?"

Nagasaki Motoyo nodded slightly. "Hmm. I was thinking that since we're going to form a band, it would be better to finalize the lineup first."

She tilted her head slightly, her gaze sweeping over the two of them in turn. "I'll be the bassist, Mayu-kun will be the violinist, and Aine-chan will be the guitarist..."

"I want to be a guitarist and vocalist!" Ai Yin immediately raised her hand, her eyes sparkling.

Su Shi, as if completely ignoring Ai Yin's words, continued naturally, "And then we'll need a keyboardist..."

"I see..." Chihaya Aine nodded blankly, seemingly unaware that her request had been ignored.

Watching from the side, Ishikawa Mayu couldn't help but feel a little helpless about Aine's naive nature. The topic was so easily brushed aside by Suze, and she didn't even realize something was wrong.

Just then, Shiina Ritsuki walked over with a water glass and placed it in front of Su Shi, her movements still carrying a hint of impatience. Just as she was about to turn and leave, Su Shi spoke up, a gentle smile on her face:

"As for the drummer, I do have someone in mind."

As she spoke, her gaze drifted lightly to Lixi beside her.

Li Xi stopped in her tracks, turned her head, her brows furrowed slightly, and asked in a cold tone, "What is it?"

"I want to form a band with Ai Yin,"

Su Shi's voice was gentle yet carried an undeniable firmness, "Li hope, please join us too."

Chihaya Aine was so shocked that she almost jumped out of her seat, leaning forward with her eyes wide open.

Shiina Tatsuki's reaction was more direct.

She scoffed and refused without hesitation: "I'm not participating."

"Why?" Su Shi asked calmly, her tone still even, which was exactly what she had expected.

Shiina Tatsuki turned around abruptly, her brows furrowed: "Huh? Do you even need to ask?"

"Su Shi! We don't need this person anymore!"

Chihaya Aine's reaction was even more intense. For three days, this guy named Shiina Tatsuki had been throwing tantrums at her every day. If he joined the band, what would happen to her in the future?

Ishikawa Mayu gently patted Aine's back to comfort her, but her gaze remained fixed on Nagasaki Motoyo as she spoke calmly:

"Is Su Shi planning to have Deng join the band?" His voice wasn't loud, but it made the air suddenly quiet.

Nagasaki Motoyo's perfect smile froze instantly, and the fingers holding the teacup tightened almost imperceptibly for a moment.

She did intend to use the possibility of Xiaodeng joining as her final bargaining chip when persuading Lixi, but she didn't expect that Ishikawa Mayu would see through her plan first.

"Why would Shinba-kun think that..." She tried to remain calm, but a hint of panic in her voice betrayed her.

Shiina Riki suddenly lowered his head, his voice deep but carrying an undeniable certainty: "It's impossible for the lamp to join."

Nagasaki Motoyo quickly glanced at Riki's reaction and decided to stabilize this most crucial target first.

A gentle smile returned to her face, and she followed up on Li hope's words, asking, "Why?"

"Little Light...?" Chihaya Aine blinked, her face full of confusion, as she looked at the sudden tension among them.

Ishikawa Mayu leaned slightly forward and whispered in her ear in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Didn't I tell you last night? They used to... be in the same band."

Chihaya Aine suddenly realized what was happening. She instinctively covered her mouth, her eyes darting back and forth between Suze and Ritsuki.

At that moment, Shiina Tatsuki seemed to have touched a sensitive nerve, and said in a low voice, "Akira... is hurt."

Upon hearing this, Nagasaki Motoyo's eyes dimmed, and her slender fingers unconsciously intertwined. "Yes...everyone...is hurt..."

Those deliberately suppressed memories instantly flooded Shiina Tatsuki's mind: the laughter in the practice room, the tension and excitement during live performances, and... that unhealable rift.

"enough."

She abruptly interrupted, turned around abruptly, and strode towards the kitchen as if fleeing, without even leaving a glance behind.

Chapter Forty-Three: A New Journey

The sound of Li hope's footsteps disappeared behind the door leading to the backstage area, and a brief silence fell around the booths.

Chihaya Aine looked at everything somewhat helplessly, opened her mouth, but didn't know how to break the stagnant atmosphere.

Nagasaki Motoyo sighed softly, lowered her eyelashes, and slowly untangled her intertwined fingers, placing them neatly on her knees.

When she looked up again, her face had regained that polite smile, but a trace of emotion still lingered in her eyes.

His gaze fell on Ishikawa Mayu's face, his tone gentle, yet carrying a hint of probing:

"It seems... that Shinba-kun already knows about Crychic."

Ishikawa Mayu nodded slightly: "I heard from Akari that she used to be in a band, and you also said yesterday that you were in a band and know Akari. It feels a bit of a coincidence, so I looked into it."

"...I found the recording of your previous concert...it was really good."

"……Thanks."

After receiving affirmation from Ishikawa Mayu, Nagasaki Motoyo's attitude became even gentler.