People in Mygo are emotional firefighters.

Shin'ya's fingers tightened almost imperceptibly around the book. He kept his head down, trying to focus on the unfamiliar words, but he felt that every word Aine wrote with a smile was like a tiny claw, gently tickling his nerves.

This guy... he definitely did it on purpose.

Aine watched Mayu's motionless back, her eyes gleaming with even more cunning. In high spirits, she straightened up and hummed a cheerful tune as she returned to her seat.

Chapter 128 (3k) Like adjusting her husband's tie?

At 7:40 p.m., Ishikawa Mayu's motorcycle came to a steady stop on the side of the road near the Win-Wing agency. Just as he took off his helmet, a familiar figure jogged out from the side door of the agency.

"You're too slow, Shinba!" Junda Mana complained, but her steps were as light as a bird's. She ran up to Shinba and, without warning, reached out and patted his body, first patting the sides of his bag, then squeezing the pockets of his coat, her movements as natural as if she were checking if her younger brother had brought everything.

"Hey, hey..." Ishikawa Mayu was a little embarrassed by Junda Mana's sudden "search" and subconsciously took half a step back, but was grabbed by her sleeve in dissatisfaction.

"Where are my donuts?" Junta Mana looked up, her cheeks puffed out, her big, watery eyes filled with accusation that said, "How dare you forget?" "What happened to the 'work fuel' you promised? I waited for you on an empty stomach!"

Seeing Mana's completely oblivious attitude as a top idol, acting like a primary school student begging for snacks, Ishikawa Mayu finally couldn't help but chuckle softly. The tension he had felt earlier from facing an unfamiliar environment was instantly dissipated.

"So you rushed out here looking for this?" He smiled mockingly, turned and walked to his motorcycle, deftly opened the storage compartment under the seat, took out a well-preserved paper bag, and handed it to her. "Here, take this. I knew you'd do this."

The paper bag was filled with the sweet aroma of donuts from Mana's favorite shop, covered in a thick layer of chocolate sauce.

Junda Mana's eyes lit up instantly, her expression brightening from cloudy to sunny. She snatched the paper bag, hugged it to her chest like a treasure, and a smile that was perhaps even more genuine and radiant than the one on stage.

"You still have a conscience! It wasn't for nothing that I came down to pick you up!" Junta Mana hugged the donuts, inhaling their sweet aroma with satisfaction. Then, as if remembering something important, she rummaged through her small bag and found a visitor badge with the agency's logo on it, already filled with Ishikawa Mayu's information.

"Here, put this on, and you can freely enter and leave our office."

Junda Mana handed over the name tag, and saw Mayu reach out to take it, but her eyes darted around as if some evil thought had arisen. Then she suddenly pulled her hand back and a smile with a strange meaning appeared on her face.

"What's wrong?"

Ishikawa Mayu was a little confused. Why did they take the sign back all of a sudden?

"Wait a minute—! Let me help you put it on, okay?"

Looking at her enthusiastic expression, Ishikawa Mayu sighed helplessly, "I can do it myself."

"No way!" Upon hearing this, Junda Mana immediately put her hands on her hips, raised her chin slightly in dissatisfaction, and struck a pose as if she were a "big star." However, because she was still holding a donut bag in her arms, this posture was not intimidating at all, but rather made her look extremely cute.

"This is a personal service from national idol Mana Junda! So many people would kill for this honor! Stand still and don't move!"

Seeing Junda Mana trying so hard to act like a "little adult," Ishikawa Mayu sighed helplessly and stopped insisting, simply standing still as instructed.

Junda Mana nodded in satisfaction, carefully placed the donut bag on the motorcycle seat, and then, holding the tag strap, gestured to Mayu, "Lower your head a little, you're too tall."

Ishikawa Mayu obediently lowered her head slightly.

Junta Mana gently tiptoed, wrapped her arm around his neck, and carefully put the lanyard on.

In this position, she needs to lean slightly closer to concentrate on adjusting the position of the hanging rope to ensure that the sign is not crooked.

The distance between the two suddenly closed, and Ishikawa Mayu could even smell the faint, fresh fruity scent in her hair, different from the glamorous fragrance on stage.

For a fleeting moment, looking at Mana's focused profile so close to his face, and watching her carefully putting the name tag on him, a blurry, inappropriate image flashed through Ishikawa Mayu's mind—like a wife adjusting her husband's tie as he was about to leave.

The thought flashed through his mind like lightning, making Zhenyu's heart skip a beat and his ears feel slightly hot. He subconsciously shook his head slightly, trying to dispel the strange thought.

"Don't move!" Mana immediately noticed his subtle movement. She stretched out her free index finger and gently poked his cheek, complaining softly. There was no blame in her tone; instead, it was a little coquettish. "It'll be done soon!"

Her fingertips were warm and soft, and the touch brought a subtle itch.

Zhenyu immediately froze and didn't move.

"Alright!" Mana finally adjusted to her satisfaction, took a step back, and admired her "masterpiece"—the visitor's badge was neatly hung on Mayu's chest. Then she clapped her hands and said proudly, "See? Now this looks like an important partner of our agency!"

Looking down at Mana, who was beaming with joy and seemed to have just accomplished something great, Ishikawa Mayu's earlier embarrassment and wild thoughts vanished. This feeling of being carefully looked after, though a little embarrassing, didn't seem... unpleasant to him.

"Thank you, big star." His tone was gentle, but tinged with a hint of helplessness.

"You're welcome~" Mana smiled and hugged her donut again, as if the little poke on her cheek had never happened. "Let's go inside..."

"Alright!" She took a half step back, looking at her "work" with satisfaction, and then, as if she had completed some important ritual, she finally hugged her donut bag tightly again with satisfaction. "Let's go, great musician! The producer and Chu Hua should already be in the conference room."

As she led Zhenyu toward the familiar side door, she expertly swiped her card, muttering to herself, "You remember Chuhua, right? She's that pretty, quiet junior colleague. She's a really nice person, but she's incredibly dedicated to her work, and her ears are like magic..."

On her way to the elevator, as she passed a relatively quiet corner rest area, Mana suddenly stopped and furtively looked around.

"Um... Zhenyu, can you block for me?" she whispered, quickly flashing to Zhenyu's side and using his body to block any possible view. Then she swiftly opened the paper bag, took out a donut, and took a small bite. Her face immediately showed an expression of immense happiness and satisfaction, like a little mouse that had stolen a bite of oil.

Ishikawa Mayu seemed to be used to this. He cooperated by turning slightly to the side, completely blocking her view, as if he were keeping watch for her. He even casually took out a pack of tissues from his pocket, pulled one out, and handed it to Mana when she had a little chocolate sauce on her lips.

Mana was focused on destroying the "evidence" when she saw the tissue handed to her. She was stunned for a moment, then chuckled a little embarrassedly, took the tissue, and carefully wiped her mouth.

"Alright!" She quickly finished the donut, stuffed the wrapper back into the paper bag, carefully folded the bag, and threw it into the nearby trash can. Only after confirming she hadn't left any evidence on her did she breathe a sigh of relief, straighten her back, and regain the composure of a "national idol." "Perfect! Energy replenished!"

In this kind of "underground work," they had already formed a tacit understanding and had a clear division of labor.

The elevator went straight to the seventh floor. The corridor was quiet, with thick carpets that absorbed all footsteps.

Mana stopped in front of a door with a sign that read "Third Meeting Room," composed herself from her slightly casual demeanor outside, gently knocked on the door, and then pushed it open.

In the conference room, producer Matsushima and Hatsuka Mikami were already there. Seeing them enter, producer Matsushima looked up from his documents, while Hatsuka stood up and gave Mayu a gentle smile.

"Ms. Matsushima, Hatsuka, this is Ishikawa Mayu-kun," Mana introduced, her tone becoming much more formal.

"Ishikawa-kun, welcome." Producer Matsushima stood up and shook hands with Mayu. "I am Matsushima, the producer of this single."

"Hello, Ms. Matsushima, I am Ishikawa Mayu. Nice to meet you." Mayu replied politely.

Then, he turned to Mitsuka Chuka and nodded again, saying, "Miss Chuka, it's nice to see you again."

Mikami Hatsuka also bowed slightly: "Ishikawa-kun, I look forward to this collaboration."

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Producer Matsushima checked the time and said, "Now that everyone's here, let's head to the rehearsal room. The other two members are already waiting over there; it'll be a good opportunity for us all to meet. I'll also give a brief overview of the project and our initial arrangement ideas on the way." As she spoke, she turned to Mana, "Mana, do you want to come along?"

Mana nodded immediately, her smile radiant: "Of course! I'm Mayu's 'mentor,' so I'll definitely take responsibility to the end! Besides, I also want to see how our great musician works!"

She said this half-jokingly and half-seriously. Ishikawa Mayu doesn't feel very comfortable around strangers, and having her by her side should be a great help.

Producer Matsushima seemed used to Mana's style and nodded: "Alright, let's go."

So, the four of them left the meeting room and, led by producer Matsushima, headed towards the rehearsal room.

On the way, producer Matsushima began to briefly introduce the structure of this limited-time trio, the general direction the song wanted to express, and her initial thoughts on the violin part. Ishikawa Mayu listened attentively, occasionally asking one or two key questions.

“That’s the general situation,” producer Matsushima summarized, then looked at Ishikawa Mayu in a formal tone, “The specific arrangement details still need to be discussed in depth with the arranger, Hatsuka, and the others, Ishikawa-kun.”

We hope your violin will not only provide accompaniment, but also become an important part of the song's emotional expression.

“I understand, Ms. Matsushima.” Ishikawa Mayu nodded in understanding. “I will do my best.”

His gaze then turned to Mitsuka Hatsuka, who was listening quietly beside him, and he said in a calm and respectful tone, "Please take care of me as well, Miss Hatsuka."

Upon hearing this, Misaka Hatsuka smiled slightly, revealing a gentle smile, and nodded gently: "Likewise, Mr. Ishikawa, I look forward to your performance."

Mana quietly followed beside him, watching Mayu quickly get into work mode. Although she wasn't enthusiastic when communicating with the producer and Hatsuka, she was calm and composed. There was a subtle, reassuring smile on her lips, as if to say, "See? I told you he was fine."

As they talked, the group arrived at the entrance of the rehearsal room.

Producer Matsushima was the first to push open the door.

The rehearsal room was brightly lit, and a clear, energetic singing voice, full of youthful vibrancy and tinged with nervousness, was coming from the singing area.

The sound engineer and the recorder are working in their respective positions.

Ishikawa Mayu followed the others in, her gaze fixed on the stage.

However, the moment his gaze met that of one of the girls on stage—

The serious expression on his face, which had been preparing him for his new job, froze instantly, replaced by clear astonishment.

At the same time, the girl on the stage, who was being watched, suddenly had her singing cut off. Her breath hitched, and her previously stable vocalization became disordered. A noticeably off-key voice abruptly broke the rhythm of the rehearsal room.

Chapter 129 New Trainee

In the rehearsal room, the air seemed to freeze at that moment.

The astonishment on Ishikawa Mayu's face was clearly visible, his gaze fixed on the blonde girl on the stage who also looked panicked—it was his classmate, Kana, who usually liked to chat with Aine about fashion magazines.

As for Chanel, she obviously didn't expect to run into an acquaintance here, in this kind of setting, especially since she had just sung a very obvious off-key note.

The immense embarrassment made her face flush instantly, and she subconsciously lowered her head, her fingers tightly gripping the hem of her skirt.

Producer Matsushima smiled knowingly, her gaze shifting between Maho and the two newcomers on stage, each with a different expression. She broke the silence with a light tone: "It seems our Maha-sensei knows someone here? What a coincidence." She waved to the stage, "Kana, Mio, come over here for a moment and formally greet Ishikawa-sensei."

The blush on Kana's face hadn't completely faded, but her initial embarrassment was quickly replaced by a mixture of shock and curiosity. She followed Mio off the stage, her gaze constantly sweeping over Ishikawa Mayu, as if she were truly getting to know her classmate for the first time.

"Ishikawa..."

Kana approached, her voice still trembling with disbelief. Her gaze swept back and forth between Ishikawa Mayu and the composed Hatsuka beside her, before she finally chose to use polite language.

"Hello, Ishikawa-sensei. I'm a newbie, Kana. Nice to meet you."

She simply couldn't reconcile the image of the lazy, desk-sleeping Ishikawa from school, who had only recently gained some attention for getting close to Aine, with that of the "Maha-sensei" in front of her, who was being solemnly introduced by a professional producer and even seemed to be quite familiar with Mana-senpai.

Being addressed with honorifics by his classmates, and even given the title "teacher," made Ishikawa Mayu feel a wave of embarrassment rise from his feet. He subconsciously touched the back of his neck, his gaze slightly unfocused. "Kana-san, there's no need to be so formal." His voice was clearer than usual in the classroom, but carried a hint of barely perceptible stiffness. "Just act like you would at school."

"Huh? Is it...is that okay?" Kana paused for a moment, then subconsciously looked at Producer Matsushima.

Ms. Matsushima nodded tolerantly: "Since we are classmates, you can call each other whatever you want in private, just be mindful of the occasion when you're working."

"Yes! Thank you, Ms. Matsushima!" Kana visibly breathed a sigh of relief, her face regaining the liveliness that belonged to her age, but the curiosity and inquiry in her eyes as she looked at Mayu were almost overflowing.

Just then, Mio Serizawa, standing next to Kana, took half a step forward. A bright smile bloomed on her face as she looked directly at Mayu Ishikawa without flinching, her voice as clear and melodious as a bell:

"Hello, Ishikawa-sensei! I'm Serizawa Mio!" She introduced herself crisply and neatly, tilting her head slightly, her long brown hair swaying with it. Her eyes quickly swept over him, Mana, and Hatsuka with undisguised observation. "Kana is your classmate, Mana-senpai personally led the way, and even Hatsuka-senpai knows you... That's amazing!"

"Nice to meet you too, Serizawa-kun." Ishikawa Mayu was a little overwhelmed by the overwhelming enthusiasm. His social anxiety instinct made him want to look away, but considering that he was a senior in this setting and that Mana had specially invited him, he felt that if he acted too awkwardly, he would embarrass Mana.

So, forcing himself to remain calm, he tried to maintain basic politeness and nodded in response.

Mio Serizawa's bright eyes curved into crescents, and her smile became even brighter. She knew she hadn't been wrong!

Although this senior Ishikawa seems a bit aloof and speaks very briefly, he doesn't have the airs of a genius musician that I imagined at all. On the contrary... he has a kind of clumsy cuteness?

She even noticed that, under her overly enthusiastic gaze, her senior's seemingly calm and unwavering eyes shifted almost imperceptibly for a moment. Although they quickly returned to normal, she still managed to capture it precisely.

This discovery completely dispelled the nervousness Mio felt from meeting the big shot for the first time, replacing it with a sense of smugness and closeness, like "catching the other party in the act."

"Hehe, no problem! Please take care of me, Ishikawa-senpai!" she replied energetically, her voice clear and full of youthful vitality.

"Wow," Junda Mana watched this scene from the side and couldn't help but nudge Mayu with her elbow, a teasing smile on her face, and whispered, "It seems that our Maha-sensei is quite charming. Even a newcomer who is meeting you for the first time is so enthusiastic about getting closer to you."

Taking advantage of the moment when Junda Mana teased Ishikawa Mayu, who was slightly embarrassed and unsure how to respond, the tense and awkward atmosphere in the rehearsal room caused by their unexpected encounter finally eased a little, and the air seemed to lighten up a bit.

Mio Serizawa immediately seized the opportunity. She quietly nudged Kana, who was still a little dazed, with her elbow, and whispered urgently in her ear, "Hey, Kana! What's this Ishikawa-senpai like at school? I never knew he was so amazing! Tell me quickly!"

Her bright, expressive eyes sparkled with an almost overflowing curiosity, clearly showing her eagerness to explore this "senpai Ishikawa," who was a "neglected figure" at school but was so highly regarded by producers and top idols in his professional field.

Kana was only slightly jolted back to reality by Mio's bump, recovering from the shock of her classmate suddenly becoming a teacher she needed to respect. She glanced at Ishikawa Mayu, who was being affectionately nudged by Mana-senpai's elbow not far away, looking helpless but not flinching, and then at Mio, whose face was full of curiosity. She herself felt that this situation was strangely surreal.

“Ishikawa-kun…” Kana lowered her voice, organizing her thoughts, her face also showing disbelief, “At school… he’s actually quite ordinary, um… or rather, quite quiet? He spends most of his time in his seat and doesn’t talk to anyone much… It seems like he’s only recently become closer to Chihaya-kun…”

She tried hard to recall her impressions of Ishikawa Mayu from school, but found that apart from vague labels like "aloof" and "low-key," she could find almost no qualities that overlapped with the "Maha-sensei" in front of her. This huge contrast made her narration somewhat uncertain and confused.

Just then, Misaka Hatsuka's gentle voice broke in, interrupting the two newlyweds' whispers.

Seeing that Mana had finally stopped "teasing" Ishikawa Mayu, she took a half step forward, nodded slightly to Kana and Mio, and gave them a gentle, encouraging smile.

"Kana, Mio, relax. Ishikawa-kun is a trustworthy partner when it comes to music. Let's just work together on this collaboration."

Producer Matsushima clapped her hands at the opportune moment, bringing everyone's attention back on track: "Alright, now that we've all met, let's get straight to the point." She handed the prepared materials to Ishikawa Mayu and Misumi Hatsuka respectively, "These are the preliminary arrangement demos and scores, familiarize yourselves with them first. In ten minutes, we'll try putting them together again to get a feel for it."

Ishikawa Mayu took the sheet music and let out a barely perceptible sigh of relief—finally, he could escape this awkward social situation for a while. He subtly shielded himself from the crowd's view by looking down at the score, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the edges of the pages. He took a deep breath, trying to focus his attention on the upcoming performance.

Chapter 130 Aine: Maho's Violin, It's Just So-So

Producer Matsushima gave Kana and Mio a few more instructions before leaving the rehearsal room with Mana Junda.

Before leaving, Mana tugged at Mayu's sleeve and whispered encouragement in his ear, "Good luck, great musician! Relax and just play like you normally do!"

After saying that, she smiled and followed the producer out.

Only four performers remained in the rehearsal room.

"So, shall we begin?" Misaka Hatsuka's gentle voice broke the silence as she picked up her guitar and calmly swept her gaze over the crowd.