People in Mygo are emotional firefighters.

Takamatsu looked at the scene before her—Aine was sulking with a hint of affection, complaining, while Mayu, though lazy, was not impatiently indulging her—a trace of innocent gentleness flashed in her light brown eyes.

"Being with Aine...is very enjoyable."

She paused, her gaze lowered slightly, a hint of regret barely perceptible, and added softly:

"...But, it's a pity I didn't hear Mayu's violin..."

Upon hearing this, Ishikawa Mayu smiled faintly and didn't say anything more, "Next time."

His voice carried a lingering weariness, yet remained gentle.

After saying that, he seemed to have exhausted his last bit of energy. He ignored Ai Yin, who was still muttering protests beside him for calling him an "idiot," and slumped forward onto the table, burying his head in his arms. He fell into a nap almost instantly.

Chihaya Aine watched his back as he quickly entered "hibernation," then looked down at the tube of aloe vera gel in her hand, still warm from his body. In the end, she simply puffed out her cheeks, carefully unscrewed the cap, squeezed out a little cool gel, and carefully applied it to her still slightly stinging fingertips.

The cool sensation soothed her discomfort and gently comforted her joyful and slightly sweet feelings.

The classroom returned to silence, with only the quiet flow of the morning sunlight and the even, soft breathing sounds coming from a corner.

Chapter 81 Authorization

The lunch break bell, like a signal of relief, echoed through the classroom.

Ishikawa Mayu almost immediately looked up when the bell rang, his eyes still slightly sleepy. He slowly sat up straight and stretched his neck.

Almost simultaneously, Chihaya Aine leaned over, clinging to the edge of his desk, her eyes sparkling: "Mayu-kun, wanna go to the convenience store during lunch break? I think they have a new yakisoba bread today!"

Ishikawa Mayu looked at her, shook her head, and said directly, "No, I'll go to the activity room to find Shoko-kun."

"Oh, okay!" A look of understanding flashed across Ai's face. Although she was a little disappointed, she quickly cheered up and nodded vigorously. "Okay! Go ahead! I'll eat well, and then... um, review the lessons from this morning!"

She even clenched her little fist as an encouraging gesture.

Seeing her trying so hard to show understanding, Ishikawa Mayu gave a barely perceptible twitch of his lips in response. He picked up the shoulder bag, which seemed to have been prepared beforehand and looked slightly heavier than usual, and walked straight towards the back door of the classroom.

……

Pushing open the slightly ajar door to the band's activity room, a soothing melody of piano music flowed out. The notes were no longer as heavy and sorrowful as before, but carried a peaceful rhythm.

Shoko Toyokawa sat at the piano, her slender fingers moving smoothly across the keys.

Hearing the door open, she didn't stop playing, only catching a glimpse of the figure entering out of the corner of her eye.

The corners of her lips seemed to curve upwards very subtly, outlining an almost imperceptible arc, but it vanished in an instant, and she quickly returned to her usual indifference.

"You seem to be in a good mood lately?"

As the last note faded into the air, Ishikawa Mayu finally spoke, her tone slightly teasing, her gaze falling on her profile, which seemed much more relaxed than it had been in recent days.

Xiangzi's fingers twitched slightly on the piano keys, but she didn't answer immediately or look at him. She silently closed the piano lid with a soft "click" before turning to look at him.

"The sunshine is quite nice today," she replied evasively, her voice flat and devoid of emotion.

"By the way... how's your band doing these days?" she started a conversation, her tone sounding like a casual question.

When this was mentioned, a mixture of helplessness and amusement immediately appeared on Ishikawa Mayu's face.

"You might not believe it... Chihaya Aine, you know, the pink-haired one, she confidently dragged me into forming a band, acting like 'following me is the way to go,' and I thought she was some kind of amazing person..."

He paused, recalling Ai Yin's stumbling C chords, and couldn't help but sigh, "In the end, she's just a beginner, even the most basic chords are played haphazardly. This kid... is really impossible to deal with. Now I have to make time to watch her practice every day, otherwise I'm afraid she'll be killed by Li Xi's glare during the next rehearsal."

"Are you an idiot? You got tricked into forming a band by a beginner, and now you want to be a free coach? When did you become so easy to talk to?"

Toyokawa Shoko was amused by Ishikawa Mayu's exaggeratedly distressed look and began to tease her without any restraint, as if they had returned to the time when the two of them used to bicker with each other.

Ishikawa Mayu shrugged helplessly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with her assessment of being an "idiot".

The atmosphere in the activity room had become much more relaxed after their earlier banter, and the warm sunlight shone on the two of them.

He pondered for a moment, then, feeling this was the right time, brought it up in as casual a tone as possible:

"Speaking of which... yesterday Lixi said... he wanted our current band to try rehearsing 'Spring Shadow'."

As soon as he finished speaking, the air in the activity room seemed to freeze for a moment.

Toyokawa Shoko's smile vanished instantly, as if a sensitive switch had been flipped.

Her shoulders, which had been slightly relaxed, tensed up again. Her gaze shifted from Ishikawa Mayu's face to the light spots on the floor, and her lips pressed into a stiff line.

"Let her do as she pleases."

Seeing her suddenly bristle with arrogance, Ishikawa Mayu understood.

He wasn't deterred by her coldness, but continued to explain in a calm tone:

“I’ve already mentioned it to Lixi. Besides the fact that ‘Spring Shadow’ is a solo song and not really suitable for our current dual-vocalist setup, the main reason is from a copyright perspective. If we want to perform this song in public in the future without the consent of the composer, you, and Ruoye Mutsu, it would be an infringement. We can’t…”

"Infringement?"

Toyokawa Shoko abruptly turned around, interrupting him. A clear anger ignited in her amber eyes, mixed with a hint of hurt from being misunderstood.

"Ishikawa Mayu!" Her voice rose, sharp with disbelief. "In your eyes, am I the kind of person... who would sue you for copyright infringement over something so trivial?!"

Her chest heaved slightly with excitement as she stared intently at him, as if trying to find the answer in his face. That precious memory she cherished, belonging to Crychic, was defined by him with the cold, realistic word "copyright," which filled her with a strange sense of humiliation and anger.

Ishikawa Mayu did not back down because of her sudden anger. Instead, he stepped forward and looked at her face, which was slightly flushed with excitement, with a calm and serious gaze.

"Of course I know you're not that kind of person, Xiangzi."

Ishikawa Mayu paused, her gaze seemingly piercing through the sharp spikes she was now holding up, seeing something deeper.

“I brought up the copyright issue not because I was worried you would pursue it, but because I clearly know what the song ‘Spring Shadow’ means to you and to the Crychic of the past.”

“That’s a shared memory for you all, a song written with sincere feelings by Deng. She put a lot of effort into it… and I can see that there’s a special sentiment hidden in this song.”

"The line in the lyrics, 'The important person who proudly blossoms'... 'Blossoms' (Saki), that must be you, Xiangzi."

Toyokawa Shoko's pupils contracted almost imperceptibly, and his tightly pursed lips trembled slightly, but no sound came out. It was as if he had so directly and accurately touched some corner of his heart that he thought he had hidden well.

"The weight it carries cannot be simply summarized as 'a piece of music.' And that's precisely why..."

His gaze met hers as she slightly looked away, and his tone was more serious than ever before:

“I just felt that we couldn’t just dispose of her precious ‘treasure’ that she cherishes so much and that belongs to all of you, or even use it in public without your permission. That would be disrespectful to the person who created it and to everyone who has ever owned it.”

He looked at the complex emotions surging in her eyes, the tremor beneath the anger, and a barely perceptible vulnerability, and added:

"Of course, if it's just for internal band practice, to get back into sync and find our rhythm, I think that's fine. I understand that Lixi and the others have feelings for this song and want to touch it again. But if we take it a step further... I think we need your approval."

After Ishikawa Mayu finished speaking, he looked at her quietly, waiting for her response.

Shoko Toyokawa listened, stunned. The anger in her chest had vanished without a trace, replaced by a bittersweet feeling of being deeply understood. She hadn't expected that he would even notice such a hidden sentiment in the lyrics…

She lowered her head abruptly, not wanting him to see her somewhat out-of-control expression, her lips pressed tightly together, trying to suppress the soreness rising in her nose.

"……Fool."

A very soft, muffled curse, thick with nasal tone and lingering sobs, came from beneath her lowered head. It was indistinct, as if she were blaming him for meddling, or perhaps annoyed that she had been so easily seen through and swayed.

"Who asked you to meddle in other people's business..."

Ishikawa Mayu did not refute or say anything more.

He simply maintained his previous posture, quietly gazing at Toyokawa Shoko with a faint smile on his lips.

He waited patiently, letting the afternoon sunlight flow quietly between them, letting only their barely audible breathing fill the activity room.

After a long while, Toyokawa Shoko seemed to finally compose herself and calm her turbulent emotions.

She took a deep breath, wiped her face vigorously to make sure she didn't leave any embarrassing marks, and then awkwardly raised her head.

Her gaze inevitably met Ishikawa Mayu's gentle eyes. As if burned, she quickly turned her head away, turning her face to face him.

"...Do whatever you want." Her voice was still a little muffled, but it had returned to its usual tone, only with a hint of feigned impatience. "Adapt it or cover it...I don't care."

"Handle Xiao Mu's situation yourself. Don't expect me to act as your mediator."

After saying that, as if to emphasize her final decision-making power, she slightly raised her chin, her tone carrying an undeniable threat:

"But! You absolutely must! You must sing it well! If you dare to ruin this song... I will absolutely not admit it! I will immediately revoke the authorization!"

Seeing her bluster and cowardice, and how she had already relented but still maintained a fierce demeanor, Ishikawa Mayu's smile deepened.

He nodded solemnly, his voice not loud, but reassuringly firm:

"Yes, definitely."

His gaze seemed to pierce through time, landing on those carefully treasured memories of the past, his tone gentle yet utterly earnest:

"After all... this is Xiao Xiang's treasure."

That long-lost, affectionate "Xiao Xiang" was like a feather, gently brushing against the softest part of Xiangzi's heart.

She paused for a moment, her feigned fierceness momentarily faltering. Her eyes flickered, and in the end, she simply pursed her lips and gave a barely perceptible low "humph," which was considered an acceptance of his promise. She turned back to him, leaving him with only her still upright but seemingly less tense back.

Chapter 82 After-sales service for Aine

Friday, May 15th.

The school bell signaled the start of the weekend, but for the newly formed band members, it didn't mean complete relaxation.

The activity room of the Astronomy Department was filled with an atmosphere slightly different from usual. The afterglow of the setting sun shone through the windows, casting a warm orange glow on everything inside.

Chihaya Aine sat on the slightly worn sofa, holding her electric guitar in her arms, her brows furrowed slightly in concentration. Her fingers carefully pressed and plucked the strings, trying to make each note clear.

However, the effect was still unsatisfactory, and occasionally a few piercing noises would pop up.

Ishikawa Mayu sat on the armrest of the sofa next to her, resting his chin on one hand, his gaze fixed on her fingers and the strings of the guitar.

He's not a professional guitarist, but his musical literacy is enough for him to distinguish rhythm, pitch, and basic fluency.

"Here, the pace is a beat slower."

He would occasionally offer a reminder, his voice carrying a hint of focus.

When Ai Yin hears his reminder, she immediately adjusts her movements. Although her actions still seem a bit clumsy, her attitude is exceptionally serious.

She knew that this was Lixi's "exempted" practice time. If she couldn't make some progress soon, she might really be tortured by that hot-tempered drummer's eyes during the next rehearsal.

Just thinking about Shiina Tatsuki's face, which was full of disappointment and his merciless criticism, made Aine shrink back and practice even harder.

After all, the message Li hope sent in the LINE group yesterday was still ringing in our ears:

[There's no need for Chihaya Aine to rush to RiNG these next few days. At her current level, she simply can't keep up with everyone's pace; coming would just be a waste of the practice room rental. Let her practice her parts first. I also need to start working on adapting "Kasuga Kage".]

"Li Xi... that's really rude of you..."

Chihaya Aine nestled in her classroom seat, muttering softly, looking so aggrieved she was about to cry.

Ishikawa Mayu patted her shoulder, a hint of a smile in her voice, and comforted her, "It may not sound nice, but it's definitely the most efficient arrangement right now. Don't overthink it; it's more important to solidify your foundation first."

Chihaya Aine, always perceptive, caught the hint of amusement in his voice that he couldn't quite hide. She immediately looked up, her aggrieved expression instantly turning into a coquettish one, and lightly punched his arm with her clenched fist.

"Oh! Mayu-kun! You're making fun of me too!"

She puffed out her cheeks, pretending to hit him again.

"I was wrong, I was wrong." Ishikawa Mayu immediately jumped half a step away from her seat, raised her hands in a gesture of surrender, but still had that lingering smile on her face. "I misspoke, Aine-sama, please calm down."

Seeing his rare, somewhat boyish, cowardly demeanor, Chihaya Aine's little bit of grievance instantly vanished, and she couldn't help but burst out laughing, lowering her raised fist.

"Hmph, I'll forgive you this time!"

-----------------

In another corner of the astronomy activity room, Takamatsu Akari sat quietly in a chair, her thick notebook covered with stickers of various insects and stars spread out on the table.

She held the pen, not writing coherent sentences, but rather flowing from its tip some incomprehensible, tangled lines and abstract patterns, occasionally interspersed with a few scattered, seemingly unrelated words.

She was engrossed in her writing, as if she were completely immersed in her own world, creating two spaces that coexisted in a strange way, undisturbed by the occasional, stumbling guitar sounds coming from the sofa behind her.

Time slips away silently between fingertips and pen tips.

"Ah—I can't take it anymore!" Chihaya Aine finally let out a cry of pain, stopped practicing, carefully placed the guitar aside, and shook her slightly sore wrists. "My fingers hurt so much...it feels like they're about to break..."

Seeing her flailing arms and her scrunched-up face, Ishikawa Mayu gently pressed down on her wrist, which was still trying to reach for the strings.

"Alright, that's enough for today. If we keep practicing, we'll really hurt our fingers, and it'll be counterproductive."

"Hehe—that's great!" Chihaya Aine cheered immediately, her face instantly brightening from gloomy to cheerful. Her pitiful look vanished without a trace, as if the pain in her finger had disappeared with those words.