People in Mygo are emotional firefighters.

Shiina Riki pursed her lips, the anger in her eyes subsided slightly, replaced by a complex emotion.

She hadn't expected there to be such a reason... but... as a witness...?

Seeing her expression soften, Ishikawa Mayu paused, then a slightly embarrassed smile returned to his face as he looked at her sincerely:

"Moreover, I mean it sincerely when I say I want to get involved and learn. When I was learning music arrangement on my own before, I was always inconsistent and lacked perseverance, so I never made any progress."

"Now that I have this opportunity, I thought that if I could study under a teacher as strict and focused as Li hope, I would definitely be well supervised and wouldn't dare to slack off anymore. Maybe I can actually learn something this time?"

Shiina Tatsuki was taken aback by his words. She abruptly turned her face away, her voice noticeably weaker than before, carrying a hint of barely perceptible panic:

"...Come on. I'm just a beginner myself, what kind of teacher am I..."

Ishikawa Mayu knew that she was no longer firmly opposed, so she continued:

"Beginners understand the difficulties of beginners best. Besides, what I need is the 'strict' encouragement from Lixi, otherwise, given my laziness, I definitely won't be able to keep going. So, please!"

Listening to his reasoning that put her in a difficult position, Shiina Tatsuki realized that he was determined to get involved, and the reasons he gave made it hard for her to refuse.

She took a deep breath, making a final attempt to set the rules with her most characteristic harsh tone, hoping to scare him away:

"...Hmph, whatever. But let me make this clear beforehand, learning from me isn't as easy as you think!" She deliberately put on a stern face, glaring at him sharply. "I'm very strict. If you dare to slack off..."

She paused, trying to make her threat sound more impactful: "I'm definitely going to swear!"

She stared intently at Ishikawa Mayu's face, hoping to see a hint of hesitation or retreat.

However, Ishikawa Mayu smiled without hesitation and said, "I couldn't ask for more."

There was no hint of reluctance or fear, as if Shiina Tatsuki's "strictness" and "scolding" were some kind of reward worth looking forward to.

Shiina Tatsuki was speechless at his slightly amused response, and all the harsh words she had prepared stuck in her throat.

Looking at that smiling face, a sense of powerlessness mixed with deeper shame and anger welled up inside me, and I couldn't help but blurt out:

"Hey! You...you wouldn't happen to be some kind of masochist, would you?!"

Who gets so happy when they're being insulted?! This guy's thought process is definitely messed up!

Ishikawa Mayu was taken aback by her sudden accusation, then found herself both amused and exasperated: "How am I a masochist...?"

However, seeing Lixi's cheeks flush even more from embarrassment and her eyes darting away from the light, he decided it was best not to dwell on this strange label any longer.

"Anyway, I'll leave the adaptation to you—"

"—Teacher Lixi."

"——!!!"

Shiina Riki felt as if he had been pricked by an invisible needle; his whole body stiffened abruptly, and he stopped in his tracks instantly.

"Who, who is the teacher! Don't call me that!"

Her voice rose slightly with embarrassment.

She subconsciously raised her hand and gave Ishikawa Mayu's shoulder a light push, the force carrying a hint of embarrassment and anger, but far from being truly forceful.

"Hurry up, let's go! Don't dawdle! What if you keep the lamp waiting!"

After saying those words, Shiina Ritsuki almost immediately started walking away, no longer waiting for him. He strode quickly toward the restaurant, his back revealing a forced composure and a hint of barely perceptible haste.

Chapter Eighty-Eight: A Tale of Two Extremes

"Mayu, Tanuki, over here, over here—!"

Chihaya Aine's energetic voice pierced through the slightly noisy background of the restaurant. She stood on tiptoe next to the booth, waving her arms vigorously. Her pink hair bounced with her movements, not caring that she attracted the attention of several other tables of customers.

This overly high-profile greeting caused Ishikawa Mayu, who had just entered the restaurant, to pause almost imperceptibly.

A familiar, slight discomfort from being the center of attention crept up my spine.

He subconsciously looked away, not wanting to make eye contact with the unfamiliar diners who were drawn by Ai Yin's voice and casting curious glances at him. He just wanted to end this state of standing in the aisle as soon as possible.

Shiina Riki's performance was no better.

Normally, she would probably frown and complain about Aine's nonsensical nickname as she slowly walked over.

But right now, Ishikawa Mayu's deadly cry of "Tachibana-sensei" was still echoing in her mind, and her heart was still in turmoil, so she naturally couldn't pay attention to such a small detail.

The two of them, in almost equal panic, hurried past several dining tables and headed towards the booths.

There's a subtle sense of harmony.

Shiina Tatsuki headed straight for the empty seat next to Takamatsu Akari, quickly sitting down as if she had found a safe haven. Only when she felt Akari's warm arm and that comforting, familiar presence did she let out a soft sigh of relief, her tense shoulders relaxing slightly.

Meanwhile, Ishikawa Mayu was led to the seat next to Chihaya Aine.

Ai Yin's face beamed with a smug smile that seemed to say, "Praise me for being clever!" She patted the empty seat next to her with her little hands, clearly indicating that it was a "reserved seat" for her.

Ishikawa Mayu sat down next to Aine. After returning to familiar surroundings, she calmed down a bit from the earlier panic and had the leisure to observe her surroundings.

Why is Wakaba Mutsumi sitting next to Kodama?

In his mind, this taciturn green-haired girl was probably only close to Xiangzi, who didn't come, and Su Shi...

After all, no one else seemed to have mentioned having any contact with He Mu...

Lamp and Riki haven't had much interaction with Wakaba Mutsu yet.

Logically, she should have been placed next to Su Shi, or at least in a relatively close position, instead of being next to Deng, who is also not good at socializing, as she is now.

However, his thoughts were soon interrupted by the sound of soft footsteps and the aroma of food.

Ishikawa Mayu looked up and saw Nagasaki Sose carrying a wooden tray full of snacks such as golden fries and crispy fried chicken nuggets, walking lightly back to the booth.

With a gentle smile on her face, she walked straight up to him and bent down to place the tray on the table in front of him.

The movement was quite significant; she leaned slightly forward, her long, honey-brown hair cascading down, its fresh fragrance brushing against his arm and sending a tingling sensation through him.

What made Ishikawa Mayu freeze instantly was that as she leaned forward, his vision was almost completely blocked in that instant.

He was completely enveloped by the curves of her chest, which appeared even fuller as she bent over, almost filling his entire field of vision; the breathtaking arc beneath the fabric of her uniform was right in front of him.

With its strong feminine aura and visual impact, it caused a surge of heat to rush to his head, his cheeks and ears instantly becoming burning hot, and he could almost feel his pulse throbbing in his temples.

Ishikawa Mayu instinctively held her breath, her body stiff as a rock.

"Last time you came with your mother, you seemed to really like this; I remember that."

She seemed oblivious, straightened up, and said in her still gentle voice, "Let's have something to eat first."

After saying that, she sat down very naturally next to Ishikawa Mayu on his right.

The sofa sank noticeably when she sat down, leaving no space between the two of them.

That warm body pressed tightly against Ishikawa Mayu's body from her arms to her shoulders, and the soft touch was even clearer and more noticeable than before.

Ishikawa Mayu felt like she was suffocating.

This overly intimate contact left his mind blank, and he was so embarrassed that he almost wanted to run away immediately.

So, instinctively, his body shifted slightly to the left—towards Chihaya Aine—trying to create a little distance between himself and Sose, a distance that made his heart race.

"Hmm? What's wrong, Mayu?"

Aine sensed his approach and, instead of pulling away, moved even closer to him.

At that moment, she was wearing a short skirt school uniform that didn't go past her knees—her bare, shapely calves and part of her thighs naturally pressed against the side of his legs, which were covered by long pants.

Unlike the warm, soft touch of Su Shi's skin, which was warm to the touch, Ai Yin's legs had a cool, smooth, and delicate feel, like fine jade, with a refreshing touch in the early summer air.

She even rubbed against him more closely with the outside of her calves, like a kitten that had found a comfortable spot, and made a satisfied humming sound.

Almost at the same time that Aine moved closer, Nagasaki Motoyo on his right side, as if adjusting to a more comfortable sitting position, also moved slightly closer to him again, very naturally and imperceptibly.

The already limited sofa space was completely compressed.

Ishikawa Mayu was firmly fixed in place.

They were stuck in place, unable to move.

On the right is Su Shi's warm and fragrant embrace, while on the left is Ai Yin's lively and refreshing closeness.

He was completely sandwiched between the two girls, enveloped and influenced by two completely different girlish auras and body temperatures. All his senses were amplified infinitely, causing utter chaos.

He could only stiffly straighten his back, staring straight ahead, not daring to move even his fingertips. He felt like an experimental subject being soaked in alternating warm and cold water, his only thought being that he hoped this dinner would end soon.

"……Thanks."

Ishikawa Mayu's voice tightened as he heard himself give a dry thank you.

"Hey—Su Shi is so biased!"

Chihaya Aine seemed completely oblivious to Ishikawa Mayu's predicament, or perhaps she was used to this kind of playful banter. Her attention was quickly drawn to the food, and she puffed out her cheeks, complaining in a joking tone, "You only gave some to Mayu, what about us? We want some too!"

Nagasaki Motoyo smiled slightly and replied gently, "Aine-chan can help herself to whatever she wants. A buffet is all about choosing what you like, isn't it?"

As she spoke, her gaze inadvertently swept over Aine, who was sitting on the other side of Mayu and staring longingly at the food, and then looked at Teng and Mutsuki, who were sitting quietly opposite her. "Everyone can help themselves to the food now, don't be shy."

Halloween soyo.jpg

Chapter 89 Not Worth the Trouble?

Shiina Tatsuki looked at the scene before her—

The boy who had previously made her flustered and even pushed her with a simple "Teacher Lixi" on the way was now tightly held between Chihaya Aine and Nagasaki Motoyo on either side of the sofa.

His body was stiff, his eyes were fixed straight ahead, and his ears were bright red. He looked as if he might lose consciousness at any moment due to excessive embarrassment.

The unique panic that had just surged within her was unconsciously replaced by a faint restlessness that seemed to come from nowhere.

It felt like something was stuck in my chest, a dull, indescribable feeling.

She didn't like seeing that kind of scene.

She was too lazy to delve into the specific reasons why she disliked it, nor did she want to think about them in detail.

Following Su Shi's words, she shifted her gaze away from the disturbing scene opposite her and forced herself to turn to the only person beside her who could bring her peace and reassurance.

“Light,” her voice seemed to be deliberately calmer than usual, but if you listened carefully, you could still catch a faint, almost imperceptible stiffness, “Is there anything you want to eat? I’ll go with you to get it.”

That way, out of sight, out of mind.

As she thought this, she tried to focus all her attention on the quiet girl beside her.

Upon hearing this, Takamatsu raised her head, her light brown eyes glancing at Tachibana, then subconsciously glancing at Ishikawa Mayu, who was "surrounded" and looked extremely embarrassed, a hint of bewildered confusion flashing in her eyes.

But she still nodded obediently and replied softly, "...Mmm."

Lixi immediately seemed to have found salvation, and almost instantly stood up from his seat, his movements even showing a hint of impatience.

"Let's go," she said to the lamp, her tone urgent without her even realizing it.

Takamatsu put down his cup and quietly stood up.

Sitting on the other side of the lamp, Wakaba Mutsuki calmly observed everyone at the table with her golden eyes, without saying a word...

Anyway, nobody cares about her, right...?

Just as Riki and Tama stood up, Ishikawa Mayu seemed to grasp at the last straw.

"Oh, speaking of which, I'll go get some drinks too." He replied almost immediately, his voice still slightly tense from his previous embarrassment. He had to leave this suffocating "encirclement," even if only for a moment.

He exerted a little force, trying to break free from the "clamp" held by Su Shi and Ai Yin.

Nagasaki Motoyo seemed to sense his intention, and the fingers on his arm tightened slightly for a moment, but when she met his pleading gaze, she finally let go, though the smile on her lips faded a little.

Chihaya Aine gently shook the arm she was holding, muttering, "Mayu-kun, don't forget my juice!"

"Yeah, I won't forget." Ishikawa Mayu mumbled a reply, finally managing to stand up. She practically fled from the booth, quickly heading towards the food area, desperately needing a breath of fresh air.

The cool air and relatively spacious area allowed his tense nerves to relax slightly.

Shiina Tatsuki and Takamatsu Akari were standing there, seemingly struggling with a choice, debating which one would taste better.

"Lixi, the fried shrimp tempura here tastes..."

Ishikawa Mayu had calmed down a bit and, seeing this, stepped forward to try to make a recommendation.

Before he could finish speaking, Shiina Riki pulled the lamp and quickened his pace, leaving the area as if he hadn't heard him.