People in Mygo are emotional firefighters.

She took out her phone, found the treasured video, and gently pushed it to the center of the table.

“This was taken during our rehearsals.” Her voice was filled with tender nostalgia.

The scene shows several young girls in a practice room. Takamatsu Akari nervously grips the microphone, Shiina Tatsuki is completely different from now, urging Akari somewhat fiercely, Wakaba Mutsumi stands blankly in the corner, and Nagasaki Motoyo blinks in front of the camera, revealing a rare girlish charm.

However, Ishikawa Mayu's gaze was unconsciously drawn to the blue-haired girl in the center of the image.

Shoko Toyokawa enthusiastically encouraged everyone, her eyes sparkling with an exceptionally bright light.

That expression was so similar to the Xiangzi in my memory, who, in his cramped apartment, was carefully calculating the electricity bill while encouraging him that "things will get better."

Now that things have come to this, he has a rough idea of ​​what exactly happened back then.

After his family fell into poverty, Xiangzi was busy working all day long, so how could he possibly find time to participate in the band's practice?

So on that rainy day, the usually strong Xiangzi parted ways with his teammates, crying as he walked halfway home before finally returning home under his own protection.

Ishikawa Mayu glanced at Nagasaki Motoyo, whose eyes were filled with pure nostalgia and confusion.

It seems she knows nothing about the truth.

Did Xiangzi deliberately keep it from her? Was it to protect this beautiful memory, or out of pride?

However, whatever the reason.

Watching something she cherished crumble step by step without her knowledge was undoubtedly too heavy a burden for a young girl who was just a middle school student at the time.

Ishikawa Mayu looked at Nagasaki Motoyo's profile. She was still immersed in the beautiful memories of the past, and her slender fingers unconsciously stroked each smiling face on the phone screen.

He couldn't help but feel more understanding and pity, but he still had no intention of telling Nagasaki Motoyo the truth about Shoko's departure.

That wound was too deep, involving another person's dignity and choices. Perhaps all he could do in the present moment was to fill that void in a different way.

Nagasaki Motoyo seemed to notice the subtle look in Ishikawa Mayu's eyes. She tilted her head slightly and asked softly with a hint of doubt, "Mayu-kun..."

"Momoyo-kun!" Chihaya Aine's voice rang out at just the right moment, full of her usual energy, disrupting Nagasaki Momoyo's thoughts.

"Do you really want to invite Deng to join our band?"

Nagasaki Motoyo paused, temporarily suppressing the question she originally wanted to ask Ishikawa Mayu.

She turned to Chihaya Aine and nodded very firmly.

"Yes, I really hope Xiaodeng can join. Xiaodeng is a very special lead singer, and I believe that with her, the band will definitely be very different."

"Su Shi"

Ishikawa Mayu's gentle voice rang out as he looked earnestly at Nagasaki Motoyo, "May I ask why you wanted to form this band with Aine?"

He carefully chose his words, his gaze sweeping lightly across the phone screen displaying a Crychic photo in front of Su Shi before returning to her face:

"Is it to rediscover a familiar feeling, or... are we really ready to embark on a brand new journey that belongs to 'us'?"

Chihaya Aine seemed to sense the weight of the question as well. She raised her head, her gaze shifting between Ishikawa Mayu and Nagasaki Motoyo, a mixture of anticipation and unease in her eyes.

Nagasaki Motoyo didn't expect Ishikawa Mayu to be so perceptive, and even less did she expect him to so directly bring up the issue that she had been avoiding.

Her fingertips, which were holding the teacup, turned slightly white, but soon, a bright smile bloomed on her face.

"Of course I want to start a brand new journey with Aine and Mayu-kun."

Her voice was softer and more pleasant than usual, but her hands unconsciously began to pick at her nails.

"That's great!" Chihaya Aine was immediately encouraged by the affirmative reply, and her face lit up with a bright smile again, all her previous anxiety gone. "I knew Motoyo-san was serious! Then we definitely have to form an awesome band!"

Ishikawa Mayu understood Su Shi's subtle actions.

Su Shi did not genuinely agree with what she said.

But he also clearly remembered the longing in Su Shi's eyes as she stared at the screen, and the heavy feeling of watching something precious crumble because she knew nothing about it. He simply couldn't bear to expose the true face of this fragile girl.

At least, in front of Aine, she gave a correct and future-oriented answer.

At least, she was willing to, on the surface, include Aine and himself in this blueprint called "us".

That's enough, as a starting point.

A faint but gentle smile curved Ishikawa Mayu's lips. He looked at the somewhat bewildered Nagasaki Motoyo and said in a softer voice than usual, "I will remember my promise today. Motoyo-kun, so from today onwards, we shall begin a new journey."

Nagasaki Motoyo was stunned.

She thought that Ishikawa Mayu might remain silent with a knowing look in her eyes, or more directly question the truth behind her words.

She had already prepared more explanations and a more perfect smile to deal with the situation.

The only thing she hadn't expected was this kind of tender understanding, like a fine net, gently catching all her complex emotions that she couldn't express, as well as the little lies that she herself didn't want to face.

She abruptly stopped picking at her nails, her fingertips curling slightly before finally resting quietly on her lap. A mixture of guilt, a flustered feeling of being seen through, and an indescribable sense of relief quietly washed over her, leaving her momentarily at a loss for words.

"I'll remember that too!" Chihaya Aine, though not quite understanding the subtle atmosphere between the two, immediately promised with enthusiasm after hearing Ishikawa Mayu's words, "This is our band's first promise!"

Chapter 44 Shinba-kun and Aine have a pretty good relationship.

After agreeing on the initial intention of forming the band, the topic inevitably turned to the most crucial and tricky issue—how to invite Gao Songdeng.

Chihaya Aine, who had been full of energy just moments before, suddenly looked distressed again, as if she had remembered something extremely difficult.

She looked at Nagasaki Motoyo, her voice tinged with hesitation:

"Su Shi... um, there's something I need to tell you. Xiao Deng... she wants to form a band that's 'forever'... To be honest, Zhen Yu and I haven't thought about it yet. After all, 'forever' is such a heavy thing, what if we break up..."

Chihaya Aine realized she had said the wrong thing and quickly covered her mouth.

After all, just like Kodama, what difference was there between these words and stabbing her in the heart?

Nagasaki Motoyo's expression froze for a moment, her fingers tightening around the teacup, but she quickly relaxed them.

“I know.” Her voice was soft, then she looked up and her tone became firm again. “But it is precisely because I know how heavy it is that I cannot lack the courage to even begin.”

She looked at Aine and Maho.

"At least, let's arrange to meet with Xiaodeng and talk. There's no rush to make a decision, just a chat."

Seeing that Nagasaki Motoyo wasn't wallowing in negative emotions, Chihaya Aine visibly relaxed and quickly nodded, "Yeah! Let's talk first!"

Seeing that Su Shi had quickly adjusted her state, Ishikawa Mayu nodded slightly, which was considered as agreeing to the proposal.

Seeing this, Nagasaki Motoyo no longer hesitated and took out her phone to start typing.

[Little Lamp, are you free now? I'd like to chat with you.]

The message shows as read, but there has been no reply for a long time.

All three of them were staring at their phone screens, and the atmosphere became inexplicably tense.

Su Shi pursed her lips, paused her finger on the screen for a moment, and then added a sentence.

[Mayu-kun and Aine-chan also said they want to see you.]

This time, the reply appeared almost immediately.

【……Where?】

…………

I arranged to meet Xiaodeng at the northwest steps of Sunshine City, but by the time I arrived, dusk had already fallen.

The northwest steps appeared somewhat deserted in the fading light of the day.

Looking at the two girls sitting side by side on the cold steps, Ishikawa Mayu suggested, "Let me go buy you some drinks. What would you like to drink?"

"I want Dr. Pepper!" Chihaya Aine immediately raised her hand without hesitation, her eyes sparkling. "It's so popular online lately, I haven't tried it yet!"

Ishikawa Mayu nodded and turned her gaze to Nagasaki Motoyo.

Su Shi simply smiled and stood up: "I'll go with you."

"Eh? Then I want to go too!" Chihaya Aine stood up as well.

Ishikawa Mayu glanced at her, somewhat amused and exasperated. "If all three of us go, it'll be very confusing if the lantern doesn't see us. Aine, you should stay here for now."

"Ah...that's true." Chihaya Aine muttered with some disappointment and sat back down.

She watched their figures gradually disappear into the twilight and crowd, unconsciously hugging her knees tighter. A cool evening breeze swept by, ruffling her pink hair.

Even though she had agreed to stay, watching Zhenyu and Sushi leave side by side, an inexplicable sense of loneliness still quietly crept into her heart.

She rested her chin on her knees, gazed in the direction they had disappeared, and sighed softly.

…………

Nagasaki Motoyo silently followed half a step behind Ishikawa Mayu, her head down, her gaze fixed on the moving toes of her shoes.

The gaps between the paving stones on the sidewalk receded rhythmically in her eyes. Even though it had only been a few days since the Golden Week holiday ended, she felt as if the distance between herself and the person in front of her had inexplicably increased.

She didn't know how long she had walked when she suddenly realized that the figure who had been half a step ahead of her was now standing shoulder to shoulder with her. She glanced to the side and noticed that Ishikawa Mayu had slowed her pace, her gaze level with the crowded people ahead, as if she were simply adjusting her speed naturally.

He was clearly waiting for her.

A silent concession, like a pebble thrown into a lake, instantly creates ripples.

That inexplicable feeling of grievance didn't dissipate; instead, it became even clearer. It was precisely because he still had those considerate moments, those moments when he was aware of her emotions, that made her even more...greedy and dissatisfied.

If he had remained that close to Aine, she might have gradually accepted it and stopped having unrealistic expectations.

But then, he does things like this now, showing her that he hasn't been unaware of her.

This rekindled, small hope, intertwined with the accumulated disappointment and resentment, left her feeling confused and disoriented.

She walked in silence for a while, then finally couldn't help herself. She looked up at him with her blue eyes, which were filled with complex emotions, and spoke softly, as if talking to herself, yet making sure he could hear her:

"Mayu-kun and Aine-san... seem to be getting along really well lately."

Ishikawa Mayu paused for a moment.

He turned his head to look at Su Shi's profile, which was somewhat blurred by the neon lights. He didn't seem to quite understand why she had suddenly brought up this topic, and simply answered based on his intuition:

"Aine... is quite lively."

He gave a vague reply, his ears burning slightly, and subconsciously didn't want to delve deeper into the topic.

To prevent the atmosphere from becoming awkward, or rather, to prevent Su Shi from feeling neglected, he almost instinctively added:

"But isn't Su Shi also a very important friend of mine? After all... I really like your cooking!"

A very soft "Idiot," tinged with a mixture of helplessness and exasperation, escaped from Nagasaki Motoyo's lips.

Ishikawa Mayu stared straight ahead, as if she truly hadn't heard her whisper.

The two walked in silence for a short while longer before Nagasaki Motoyo finally spoke again, asking the question that had been lingering in his mind since the coffee shop:

"What happened just now... you actually saw through it, didn't you, Mayu-kun?" Her voice was very soft, as if afraid of disturbing something. "When I said I wanted to start a new journey... you knew perfectly well that I wasn't that sincere."

Her fingertips unconsciously tightened around the strap of her handbag.

"Yes, I can see that."

His voice remained gentle, just as it had been at dinner that day when he calmly said, "There are people who need Nagasaki Motoyo." There was no blame, no sarcasm, only a kind of understanding that bordered on accommodating.

“But,” he continued, his gaze fixed ahead, “you chose to say those words.”

He slowed his pace slightly, glanced at her sideways, and the twilight blurred the outline of his profile.

“That’s enough. Words have power, Su Shi.” His voice was soft, but carried a certain certainty. “A promise made out of the mouth, even if it’s not sincere at first, may become true as you keep saying it. I’ll wait and see.”

Nagasaki Motoyo lowered her head, burying half her face in her collar, and softly responded:

"Ah."

Chapter 45 Shinba Dons the Mask of Pain

Under the bright lights of the convenience store, Nagasaki Motoyo carefully selected her drinks, finally picking up a bottle of warm mocha coffee.

"Little Lamp might like this."

Su Shi is always like this; she pays attention to the preferences of those around her.

Ishikawa Mayu casually grabbed a can of Dr Pepper and walked to the cashier to pay.

Just as he took out his phone to scan the QR code, a preview of a new message popped up at the top of the screen. The sender's name made his finger pause almost imperceptibly—

Toyokawa Shoko

The message only displayed the first few words: 【Are you...?】