People in Mygo are emotional firefighters.

And most importantly—

Her gaze swept quickly over Chihaya Aine, who was circling around Takamatsu Todoroki and excitedly sharing the cake.

Successful.

They successfully interrupted Chihaya Aine and Mayu-kun's hateful, oblivious "two-person world".

The pink-haired guy's attention was completely drawn to the little lamp, while Shinba-kun... the person he was looking at at that moment was me.

In the most appropriate and impeccable way, kill three birds with one stone.

It both moved the situation forward, demonstrated gentleness, and quietly removed the "obstacles."

The thrill of her successful scheme filled her heart like sweet bubbles. But she absolutely could not reveal a trace of it in front of Ishikawa Mayu.

So, Nagasaki Motoyo lowered her eyelashes slightly, avoiding his overly direct gaze. A faint, just-right blush rose on her fair cheeks, as if she were a little embarrassed by his approving look. She stretched out her slender fingers and gently tucked a stray hair behind her ear, the movement elegant and tinged with shyness.

She picked up the still-warm Earl Grey tea in front of her, took a small sip, and used the rising steam to conceal the almost irrepressible, triumphant smile on her lips.

Everything was proceeding perfectly as she had wished.

…………

Takamatsu Akari ate the strawberry cake that Chihaya Aine had shared with her in small bites. The sweet taste melted in her mouth, which relaxed her tense nerves a little. But when she occasionally looked up at Shiina Tatsuki beside her, there was still a hint of timidity and caution in her eyes.

Nagasaki Motoyo observed all of this, smiled slightly, and spoke softly, as if telling a warm little secret:

"Little Lamp, do you know? After that, Lixi... she's actually been waiting for you."

Shiina Ritsuki was taken aback by Suze's sudden mention of this, and her body stiffened abruptly, as if some hidden secret had been touched upon. She turned her head somewhat flusteredly, cautiously watching the light's reaction, her fingers unconsciously picking at the edge of the table.

Chihaya Aine knew from this scene that there was some juicy gossip to come.

Then, a pair of bright, silver-gray eyes scanned back and forth between Shiina Tatsuki and Takamatsu Akari without any attempt to hide their interest, observing with great interest Tatsuki's rare awkwardness and Akari's cautious reaction.

Upon hearing this, Gao Songdeng blinked her still-wet eyes in confusion, cautiously looking at her teammate beside her, who always seemed fierce but was unusually silent at the moment, and asked in a weak voice, "Lixi...you...you're not angry?"

"Angry?!" Shiina Tatsuki's voice rose instinctively as if she'd been stepped on, but seeing the light shrank back at her volume, she immediately lowered her voice, her tone urgent and awkward as she tried to explain, "How could I possibly... be angry!"

Her voice softened, carrying a hint of barely perceptible grievance and dejection. She glanced away, avoiding eye contact with the lamp: "More painful than arguing... it's that you... it's that you didn't come to practice..."

This was almost the softest sentence Li hope could express that was closest to her true feelings.

Upon hearing this, Gao Songdeng's eyes reddened slightly again. He lowered his head and murmured softly, "As expected... it was still... my fault..."

“No!” This time, Li hope and Su Shi spoke almost simultaneously.

Akari took a deep breath, as if she had made up her mind. She remembered Ishikawa Mayu's words, "I really like it," and everyone's expectant gaze, especially Mayu's gentle look. She couldn't... she couldn't let everyone down again.

She looked up, trying to make her voice sound firmer: "But I will..."

"—Little Light!" Chihaya Aine interrupted Light's unfinished promise with a cheerful laugh. She placed her hands on the table, leaned forward, her pink hair swaying with her movement, and spoke as lightly as if announcing a well-known fact:

"Actually, Lixi's meaning is very simple! It's just that she really likes you, Xiaodeng! That's why she feels super sad when you're not practicing with her!"

These words struck like a bolt of lightning, freezing Shiina Riki in place instantly.

"what?!"

Li hope slammed his fist on the table and stood up.

"What nonsense are you spouting?!"

She glared fiercely at Chihaya Aine, her fair, oval face turning bright red in an instant, even her ears turning crimson. The beauty mark under her left eye, set against her reddened skin, inexplicably gained a touch of captivating gentleness that was usually hidden by her fierce demeanor.

She tried to use this method to cover up her inner panic, but her obviously raised voice and flushed cheeks betrayed her, making her already beautiful face, which was already well-preserved due to its delicate features, instantly radiate a completely different kind of brilliance.

Shedding her usual fierce demeanor, and with that menacing facade shattered, she revealed a girlish shyness and helplessness, making her... unexpectedly a striking beauty.

Chihaya Aine was taken aback by Ritsuki's expression, then blinked as if she had discovered something new and exclaimed sincerely, "Wow... Ritsuki, you actually look quite pretty when you blush!"

These words made Lixi even more ashamed. She suddenly stood up, the chair legs scraping against the ground with a screeching sound.

"Shut up! Who asked you to meddle in other people's business!" She practically yelled, but dared not look anyone in the eye, especially at Deng's light brown eyes that were looking at her with a hint of surprise and curiosity. She felt her face burning up and could only awkwardly turn her face away, trying to use a fierce tone to cover up the pounding and embarrassment that was about to burst from her chest.

Nagasaki Motoyo placed her hands on her knees, watching the group playfully bickering. Her gaze swept over Riki and Tamamo in turn, and she made a suggestion in a soft yet clear voice:

"Seeing everyone still able to gather together like this... I'm thinking..."

She paused slightly, as if carefully choosing her words, her blue eyes shimmering with sincerity.

"Can we... start over?"

Her gaze first fell firmly on Takamatsu Akari, with encouragement, and then turned to Shiina Tatsuki, whose ears were still bright red despite her face being turned away.

"Reunite the band. Me, Xiaodeng, and Lixi..."

At this point, her speech slowed almost imperceptibly for a moment, and her peripheral vision glanced at Ishikawa Mayu sitting opposite her.

Then, as if she had just remembered something, she very naturally turned her gaze to Chihaya Aine, who was staring at her expectantly, and affectionately included them in her speech:

"...Of course, there's also Aine-chan, and Mayu-kun."

"Let's all do it together."

When Chihaya Aine heard her name clearly included in "us," she began to let out a strange chuckle, as if she had fallen into some kind of fantasy.

Looking at Chihaya Aine's pathetic state, Ishikawa Mayu felt inexplicably embarrassed. This girl...

Nagasaki Motoyo discreetly observed their reactions before speaking:

"We missed each other because of a misunderstanding before, but now we finally understand each other. It would be such a pity if we just drifted apart like this."

Her gaze swept over everyone present again, finally settling on Ishikawa Mayu and Chihaya Aine, as she extended a formal and hopeful invitation:

“So…we,” she emphasized the word, linking the new and old members closely, “with Mayu-kun and Aine-chan, how about we try forming a band together again?”

Takamatsu Akari lowered his head, repeatedly chewing on the word: "together..."

Shiina Riki watched her nervously, afraid that she would be separated from the light again.

Nagasaki Motoyo immediately picked up on this faint signal, nodded vigorously, and affirmed in a gentle yet powerful voice, "That's right, together. This time we must communicate properly and say everything on our minds. If we do that, there won't be any problems!"

“…The lamp.” Li hope’s voice carried a cautiousness that she herself was unaware of.

Gao Songdeng finally snapped out of her thoughts. She raised her head, and starlight seemed to rekindle in her light brown eyes.

She looked around at the people sitting around her—the gentle and determined Su Shi, the awkward but caring Li Xi, the bright-smiling Ain, and the classmate Zhen Yu who gave her courage...

An unprecedented feeling, a mixture of belonging and determination, surged within her.

She took a deep breath and, in a voice much clearer than before, even slightly trembling yet unusually firm, uttered the longing buried deep in her heart:

"Yeah! Everyone... let's be in a band for life!"

Chapter Fifty-Six (Two Chapters Combined) Honey and Poison

Upon hearing that familiar word, Ishikawa Mayu felt as if her bones had been removed, and with a "thud," she slammed her forehead heavily onto the cold tabletop.

I knew it would turn out like this! This child's obsession with "a lifetime" is practically ingrained in his bones!

He turned his head and his eyes met those of Chihaya Aine, who was also looking completely bewildered.

They both saw the same helplessness and a wry smile of "I knew it" in each other's eyes.

Ai Yin even secretly made a "I'm doomed" face at him, which looked a bit funny and cute.

Nagasaki Motoyo and Shiina Tatsuki were stunned by this sudden and overly heavy declaration, and for a moment they did not know how to respond.

This time, Takamatsu's reaction was completely different from before.

Unlike last time at the karaoke bar, she didn't nervously await her trial after making her request, or break down and run away when she didn't get a response.

Instead, she took a deep breath, her light brown eyes gleaming, and her voice, still trembling, continued with unusual clarity:

"I...I don't want to do that anymore..."

Almost as soon as Takamatsu Akari finished speaking, Shiina Tatsuki's voice rang out immediately, without the slightest hesitation.

She looked directly into Takamatsu Takamori's eyes, her tone more solemn than ever before.

"I swear, if it were with Deng, I would be willing to spend my whole life with him."

"Then I swear too."

Nagasaki Motoyo followed closely behind, gracefully raising her hand.

"Huh?! Wait, wait a minute!"

Chihaya Aine covered her mouth in shock, her eyes wide open. She looked at Riki, who was looking very serious, and then at Souse, who seemed to be just saying "The weather is nice today" with ease and naturalness. She was completely dumbfounded.

She could understand Shiina Riki; after all, it wasn't surprising that someone so fiercely protective of Akari would say such a thing.

But why would a normal girl like Su Shi make such a heavy vow?

Could it be that Makoto and I are the strange ones?

She didn't even bother to exchange glances with Ishikawa Mayu anymore, she suddenly jumped up from behind the lamp, waving her hands and raising her voice eight octaves:

"It's for a lifetime! A lifetime! Do you understand?!"

Shiina Tatsuki rolled her eyes at Aine, her brows furrowing: "What's wrong?"

"You're asking what's wrong?!" Ai-yin pointed at Li-hope, her tone incredulous. "A lifetime is a very long time! Who knows what the future holds! Even if everything goes smoothly, are you going to keep playing drums when you're an old lady?!"

Shiina Riki spoke almost without hesitation, turning her head and fixing her gaze firmly on Takamatsu Akari once more. Her tone was resolute, without the slightest hesitation:

"Keep fighting."

Chihaya Aine was completely speechless at her unwavering and unreasonable attitude.

He could only cross his arms in frustration, puff out his cheeks, and let out a helpless groan from his nose.

Seeing Aine's frustrated and helpless expression, Ishikawa Mayu couldn't help but smile.

However, he quickly composed himself and put on a serious expression...

Just as Riki and Aine were bickering, two pairs of eyes turned to them.

Nagasaki Motoyo was looking at him, her blue eyes filled with concern and inquiry, waiting for his response, or perhaps observing how he would handle this tricky situation.

Another gaze came from Gao Songdeng.

After Aine raised her questions and Lixi responded firmly, Deng immediately turned her gaze to him in a panic, hoping to gain some courage from him.

Her eyes held a mixture of pleading for help, fear, and a barely perceptible hint of dread.

If even Zhenyu, who just said she "really likes" her singing, is unwilling to accept the "forever" promise, then will all the courage she just mustered shatter like a bubble?

Am I... destined to be abandoned in the end?

Takamatsu Akari bit her lower lip slightly, her eyes seeming to redden again, like a small animal shivering after being soaked in the rain, looking at the only person who might take it in, her eyes wet and full of pleading, "Please don't abandon me."

Chihaya Aine also sensed the stagnant atmosphere around her. She stopped her silent contest with Riki, turned her head, and looked curiously at Ishikawa Mayu with her silver-gray eyes, wanting to see how he would react.

Shiina Riki, noticing Akari's almost tearful appearance, frowned deeply.

She glanced at the lamp with concern, then glared fiercely at Ishikawa Mayu. If the lamp left crying again, she would definitely make things difficult for that Mayu guy.

Focused on by four pairs of eyes simultaneously—Su Shi with a gentle inquiry, Li Xi with a threatening ferocity, Ai Yin with a trusting expectation, and Deng with a wet, pleading look that seemed ready to shatter at any moment—Ishikawa Mayu felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.

He has never been one to stand in the spotlight, nor is he adept at handling such complex situations.

but……

He also knew that at this moment, he might be the most crucial fulcrum connecting the old and new members and balancing this fragile situation.

If he backs down here, or shows hesitation or denial, then all the courage that Deng has just mustered may really collapse completely.

We must...do something.

He took a deep breath and slowly walked towards Takamatsu.

Behind him, a kitten, holding a cold spoon in its mouth, tilted its head with interest, watching his retreating figure.

This guy's hands seem to be trembling slightly...

Ishikawa Mayu bent down, keeping her line of sight parallel to the lamp she was sitting on, and calmly gazed into her light brown eyes, which were still filled with unease.

"Deng, do you remember what I said to you yesterday in the Astronomy Department?"

As Gao Songdeng approached, he felt a faint warmth carrying Gao Songdeng's cool aura. His cheeks involuntarily flushed red, and he lowered his head shyly, but still nodded vigorously and whispered, "...I remember."

"That's good." A reassuring smile appeared on Ishikawa Mayu's lips. "So, Aine and I... may not be able to make a 'lifetime' promise as decisively as Riki and Suze."

Upon hearing this, Takamatsu's eyes visibly dimmed.