People in Mygo are emotional firefighters.

"you……"

However, Gao Songdeng seemed somewhat uncomfortable with Li hope's overly enthusiastic concern.

She hunched her shoulders slightly, placed her hands on her knees together, her fingers fidgeting nervously, and avoided eye contact with Li Xi. She only responded occasionally with a soft "hmm" or a shake of her head, her whole demeanor exuding an air of unease as if she wanted to escape.

Ai Yin, with cheerful steps, like a carefree little deer, stood beside the two of them.

"Little Lantern! Li Xi! Look, I brought Zhen Yu with me!"

As if she had found a savior, Takamatsu Akari immediately looked up at Aine and Mayu, her light brown eyes revealing obvious relief. She greeted them softly, "Aine-san... Mayu-san..."

Shiina Riki's reaction was completely different.

Disturbed, she turned her head sharply, the momentary gentleness on her face vanishing instantly, replaced by a familiar, undisguised impatience.

Her gaze swept over the two who had just arrived like a knife. When she saw Ishikawa Mayu, her brows furrowed even more, and she let out a clear smacking sound from her throat.

"So slow," she complained harshly, clearly channeling her anxious concern for the lamp into her hostility towards the stranger.

Chihaya Aine's smile froze for a moment, but she immediately straightened her back and defended herself, "Tachiki-san! Mayu-san was late because he needed to check on Motoyo-san's condition! And he came here specifically for this!"

"Huh?" Shiina Tatsuki immediately turned his fire on Aine, his voice rising, "What's it to you? I'm talking to him!"

Seeing that Aine was being bluntly rebuked by Riki because of her, Ishikawa Mayu's initial indifference instantly changed.

He stepped forward, shielding Ai Yin behind him, and calmly met Li hope's hostile gaze:

"Checking on my teammate's condition and making sure she won't suffer further harm while she's emotionally unstable is a necessary step, in my opinion. If you see this as 'slow,' then I have nothing to say."

The atmosphere suddenly became tense, and just then...

"no, do not want……"

Takamatsu's faint, trembling voice broke the suffocating silence.

She mustered her courage, looked at the menacing Riki, then at Ishikawa Mayu who was protecting Aine, and whispered her plea:

"...Don't fight..."

"...Lights, I didn't mean to make a noise." Shiina Riki looked away somewhat embarrassedly, explaining stiffly, but her tone softened involuntarily.

Chihaya Aine seized the opportunity and immediately peeked out from behind Ishikawa Mayu, taking a deep breath.

"Lixi! Look, Xiaodeng looks very uneasy!"

These words struck Lixi's weak spot precisely. She pursed her lips and didn't utter another word to refute Aiyin.

Seeing this, Ai Yin softened her tone and sincerely advised, "We've gathered here today because we care about Xiao Deng and want to see if there's anything we can do to help her, right? Arguing won't solve anything; it will only make Xiao Deng feel worse."

Shiina Tatsuki clicked her tongue, but didn't continue the confrontation. She simply crossed her arms and sat back down in the booth, her face still gloomy, but her attention was clearly focused on Takamatsu Akari next to her. She asked her in a low voice, "...Are you alright, Akari?"

Chapter Fifty-Two: Dressed in Full Regalia

Ishikawa Mayu had no intention of staying in the same space as the prickly Shiina Tatsuki, so she nodded to Chihaya Aine beside her, signaling her to follow, and then walked towards an empty booth not far away.

The two sat down, and before they could exchange more than a few words, a white figure silently approached.

Rakuna stood by the table, her heterochromatic eyes fixed on Ishikawa Mayu, completely ignoring Chihaya Aine beside her, and spoke in her flat, yet somewhat matter-of-fact tone:

Matcha Parfait.

She paused, as if to emphasize, and then added two more words:

"I want more."

Ishikawa Mayu stared at the cat in front of her, which seemed to be waiting to be fed, and was speechless for a moment.

He recalled that he had treated everyone to dinner last time. Could it be that he had been completely marked as a "long-term meal ticket" by this wild cat?

Chihaya Aine stared at the scene for a moment, then couldn't help but burst out laughing. Her eyes curved into crescents as she leaned closer to Ishikawa Mayu and whispered, "Wow, Mayu-kun, it seems like you've been targeted by a strange little animal?"

Ishikawa Mayu sighed helplessly and rubbed her temples.

However, Lena's interruption dissipated much of the tense atmosphere that had arisen because of Lixi.

Looking into Lena's heterochromatic eyes, which were filled with longing, he finally gave in and, as he stood up, instructed, "...Desserts can't be eaten as a main meal, you know?"

Lenai didn't answer, but just blinked, her gaze still fixed on him, as if urging him to hurry up.

Ishikawa Mayu shook her head, then looked at Aine beside her and asked in a natural tone, "What about you? Is there anything you'd like to eat? I'll order something together."

"Huh? Can I order one too?" Aine's eyes lit up, and she immediately perked up. "Then I'll have... um... a strawberry cake!"

"Ah."

Ishikawa Mayu noted it down, turned around and walked to the front desk, where she ordered a matcha parfait and a strawberry cake.

The receptionist smiled and whispered as she operated the cash register, "Here you are again. That child really likes you."

Ishikawa Mayu chuckled dryly. Rather than liking it, he felt more like an automatic treat-feeding machine being targeted by the cat.

Just then, RiNG's automatic door slid open again.

A figure appeared at the doorway, seemingly brightening up the dim light inside the café.

Ishikawa Mayu subconsciously looked up, and then her gaze froze.

It's Nagasaki Motoyo.

But she was a completely different girl from the one who had cried her eyes out and looked so vulnerable in front of him less than an hour earlier.

Her long, honey-brown hair was carefully combed and flowed smoothly over her shoulders. She had obviously gone back to change her clothes; the soft, light beige knit dress perfectly accentuated her gentle temperament.

Although there were still traces of redness around her eyes from crying, she did not look haggard. On the contrary, with her exquisite base makeup, the deliberately blended peach-colored eyeshadow added a touch of captivating and fragile beauty to her blue eyes that were misty with moisture.

Like a polished work of art, it silently tells a story of grievances, yet maintains an astonishing elegance, evoking a strong sense of pity and protectiveness in the viewer.

Did she... go back and dress up specially?

Ishikawa Mayu was momentarily stunned, the thought flashing through his mind unconsciously. Just a moment ago, she was a little crybaby who needed him to hold her hand to keep from getting lost, how could she have changed so drastically in the blink of an eye…

Nagasaki Motoyo clearly saw him too, and there was a fleeting, undisguised look of amazement in his eyes.

Her gaze met his briefly in mid-air, and then, as if burned by his overly direct stare, her long eyelashes trembled slightly. She quickly and shyly lowered her eyes, her head slightly bowed, her fair neck outlining a graceful curve, and the faint blush on her cheeks seemed to deepen.

Ishikawa Mayu was taken aback by her reaction, then realized that her earlier scrutiny seemed somewhat impolite. She immediately looked away somewhat awkwardly, turning her gaze to the wood grain on the front desk, as if the patterns on it had suddenly become extremely interesting.

Just as Ishikawa Mayu awkwardly shifted her gaze, a glint of cunning and undisguised triumph flashed across Nagasaki Motoyo's blue eyes beneath her lowered eyelashes.

The corners of her lips curved upwards almost imperceptibly, then quickly smoothed out.

It seems that all that effort in going home to redo my makeup and pick out new clothes was worthwhile.

Ishikawa Mayu coughed lightly to cover up her earlier lapse in composure, then turned her gaze back to the front desk and added to the waiting lady, "Could you please add another cup of hot Earl Grey tea?"

He remembered that Su Shi liked black tea.

"Okay, a cup of Earl Grey tea."

The receptionist skillfully repeated the order, but her eyes, filled with an interesting smile, subtly swept over Ishikawa Mayu, the radiant young lady at the entrance, and the lively pink-haired girl in the booth not far away.

What an extraordinary young man!

The receptionist sighed inwardly, a hint of schadenfreude creeping into her professional smile.

Meanwhile, Chihaya Aine finally noticed the commotion at the door.

She looked over curiously, and the moment she saw Nagasaki Motoyo, her eyes widened, revealing undisguised amazement.

"Wow! Su Shi, you...you look even more beautiful!" Ai Yin's voice was filled with sincere admiration, even a slight stutter from being amazed. She affectionately took Su Shi's arm, her gaze lingering on her. "This dress suits you so well! The color is so gentle!"

Nagasaki Motoyo immediately looked up, her face still bearing that flawless, gentle smile, and nodded slightly to Aine: "Yes, Aine-san, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

“Absolutely not!” Ai Yin shook her head vigorously, affectionately taking Su Shi’s hand. “It’s so great that you could come! Come and sit down!”

She pulled Su Shi along, ignoring Le Nai who was still waiting for dessert and Ishikawa Mayu who had just ordered, and headed straight for the booth where she had been with Riki and Deng.

As Ishikawa Mayu watched Aine's cheerful figure disappear into the distance, and the poised and elegant Nagasaki Motoyo being pulled along by her, she felt a strange sense of relief.

He looked away and met Lena's heterochromatic eyes, which were still staring intently at him.

"Buffet".

Lena reminded him again, as if to make sure that her "offerings" had not been forgotten due to the unexpected situation.

"...Okay, I'll make sure you get what you deserve," Ishikawa Mayu replied irritably, feeling like a hapless parent with a picky eater and a bunch of troubled girls.

Chapter Fifty-Three: The Quarrel

Chihaya Aine, like a cheerful little bird, pulled Nagasaki Motoyo along to a booth by the window.

She clapped her hands lightly, a smile of encouragement on her face, and said in a clear voice to the two people in their seats:

"Alright, alright! Now that Su Shi is here too! It's rare for us all to get together, so... let's have a good chat!"

After speaking, she gracefully retreated, as if she had accomplished the most important task of an emcee, and returned to the table where Ishikawa Mayu and Kaname were.

Nagasaki Motoyo pulled out a chair and gracefully took her seat, her face displaying just the right amount of gentleness and a hint of sadness. Her gaze fell on Takamatsu Akari, who still seemed somewhat uneasy, and she spoke softly, her voice gentle yet clear, reaching everyone's ears:

"Xiao Deng, you asked yesterday... why Crychic disbanded, right?"

Gao Songdeng's shoulders shrunk almost imperceptibly. He nodded slightly, his gaze lowered, not daring to look at Su Shi.

Nagasaki Motoyo sighed softly, her tone tinged with wistful reminiscence: "After that, you stopped coming to practice... and gradually, the others couldn't get together anymore."

No sooner had she finished speaking than Shiina Tatsuki, as if a fuse had been lit, interrupted sharply, her voice filled with suppressed resentment: "It's all Shoko's fault! It's all her fault for quitting without explaining anything and making such a mess of everything!"

Meanwhile, Chihaya Aine was still propping her face up with her fist, her head tilted towards Ishikawa Mayu, her silver-gray eyes intently fixed on the "battlefield" at the booth, muttering softly in a voice only the two of them could hear:

"Shiina's temper... it really can be ignited anytime, anywhere... like a firecracker, it explodes at the slightest touch."

As soon as she finished speaking, Nagasaki Motoyo's gentle yet slightly helpless voice rang out, attempting to ease the atmosphere:

“Lixi…I think Xiangzi…she must have her own reasons…”

As she said this, Su Shi's gaze, seemingly unintentionally carrying a hint of resentment and pleading, quickly swept towards Ishikawa Mayu's direction.

Of those present, perhaps only Shinba-kun knows the full story.

However, the sight she saw caused that hint of resentment to freeze instantly, almost causing her to lose the gentle expression on her face—

At this moment, Chihaya Aine was practically leaning against Ishikawa Mayu's arm, her pink head very close, whispering something to Mayu-kun.

Although Ishikawa Mayu still had the same expressionless face, he did not push her away. Instead, he tilted his head slightly to listen, and occasionally nodded almost imperceptibly.

These two...!

They were discussing such a serious and weighty topic, and instead, they were huddled together whispering amongst themselves!

A strange surge of anger, a mixture of sourness and irritation, instantly rose to Nagasaki Motoyo's throat, almost causing her carefully maintained, composed smile to crack.

She quickly lowered her eyelashes, using the action of adjusting her skirt to hide her momentary unease, her fingertips squeezing the soft fabric hard, her heart seething with anger.

Just as Nagasaki Motoyo was feeling indignant at Riki's aggressive attitude and the "intimate" interaction between the two people next to her, but had to force a smile, a calm voice came from the side and timely came to her rescue.

“Shiina-kun,” Ishikawa Mayu remained seated, her gaze calmly fixed on the booth, her voice clear yet devoid of anger, “Nagasaki-kun was merely expressing a possibility. When the truth is unclear, it’s always better to retain a sliver of goodwill in our speculation than to immediately label a former teammate with the worst possible outcome, isn’t it?”

Nagasaki Motoyo's tense nerves relaxed slightly, and she looked at Mayu with gratitude. He always offered his support in his own way when she needed it.

However, this gratitude quickly turned into a deeper bitterness when he saw Chihaya Aine still leaning against Mayu's side, almost touching his arm.

She subtly adjusted her posture to appear more dignified and proper, as if this would distance her from the "improper" intimacy on the other side.

Shiina Tatsuki, who was directly named, turned around abruptly like a cat being choked, glaring at Ishikawa Mayu, and let out an offended and furious "Huh?!"

She couldn't stand this kind of seemingly calm and rational argument, which in her opinion was completely a case of talking without understanding the situation.

"A well-intentioned conjecture?" Li hope's voice rose in anger, laced with sharp sarcasm. "You make it sound so easy! You weren't the one abandoned! You weren't the one suffering! What right do you have to be here..."

"No...no..."

A very faint, choked voice broke through Lixi's agitated questioning.

Gao Songdeng bowed her head deeply, her hands tightly gripping her skirt, her knuckles turning white, and her shoulders trembling slightly. She spoke in a voice barely audible to herself:

"It's...it's my fault..."

"It was me...that performance...I didn't sing well enough..."

"It must be because I... sang so badly... that Xiangzi... that Xiangzi... left... that's why Crychic..."

Takamatsu Akari's self-reproachful words, tinged with tears, tugged at the hearts of Chihaya Aine and Shiina Tatsuki.

"Little Lamp! Why did you say that?"