People in Mygo are emotional firefighters.

[Band! Think about it, Mayu-kun! (>人<;)]

Ishikawa Mayu breathed a sigh of relief and took another sip of cola; the cool liquid slightly cooled the heat on her face.

After thinking for a moment, he asked with some doubt.

I remember that girl named Wu who you were chatting with after school; she was in a band.

Didn't they invite you?

I remember when I was in junior high school, Ai Yin seemed to have played the guitar on stage.

Even though Wu and the others were rather withdrawn in class, I had heard good things about them; they were known for being easy to get along with.

Their band could probably accommodate another rhythm guitarist, so there's no reason not to invite Ai Yin.

Well... um... I should say our musical tastes are just different... (；一_一)

Ishikawa Mayu squinted as she looked at the words on the screen. This kind of perfectly standard politeness—who would believe it?

[This is an utterly unconvincing statement.]

Ai-yin's reply was much faster this time, as if she was just waiting for him to complain:

【Hehe~ I got seen through? (￣▽￣*)ゞ】

[Okay, okay~ Actually, it's because their band already has Kana as the lead singer! If I joined, I'd probably only be able to play rhythm guitar...]

Before Ishikawa Mayu could reply, the next message followed immediately, its tone instantly becoming light and cheerful, yet tinged with a confident longing:

But honestly, standing in the middle, holding the microphone and singing, is definitely cooler, right? ('▽`)

If I were to form a band, I'd definitely prefer to be the lead singer! (★ω★)

Looking at this undisguised, even somewhat "ambitious" declaration, Ishikawa Mayu couldn't help but squint, her fingers flying across the screen:

[It sounds like someone's motivation for forming a band... isn't exactly pure.]

[No way! (〃＞目＜)]

What's wrong with wanting to shine? Besides, a band is supposed to be both cool and fun!

【So, so!】Her tone immediately became persuasive again, 【Are you really not going to consider being a bassist, Mayu-kun? It's so simple! Just stand in the back and pretend to play a few notes (?o?o)??】

Ishikawa Mayu almost burst out laughing at this blatant bass discrimination, and typed a reply with her fingertips:

[Your malice towards bass is practically overflowing the screen! Tighten up! The real bassist might see this.]

After sending the message, he put his phone aside, leaned back on the sofa, picked up the Coke on the coffee table, and took another sip.

The cool bubbles stimulated his tongue and helped him calm down and think things through.

Want to form a band with Ai Yin?

Chapter Thirteen: Consent

The moment this thought crossed my mind, a wave of mental exhaustion washed over me.

Today's experiences alone were enough for Ishikawa Mayu to understand that getting involved with Chihaya Aine was basically equivalent to saying goodbye to words like "easy" and "worry-free".

From being forcibly dragged to the rooftop for "negotiations" in the morning to becoming the center of attention for the entire class during lunch break...

Moreover, he's been exhausted from producing the anniversary video lately. Right now, what he desperately needs is some time alone where he can think about nothing and fully recover his depleted energy.

however……

His gaze fell on a mysterious pink app on his phone...

Back then, thanks to her superb violin skills from her previous life and the advantage of being bilingual, she gained a large number of fans in Donghuang through bilingual covers.

But as time went on, the growth curve of his fan base inevitably flattened out. What bothered him even more, like being pricked by a small pebble, were the voices that began to appear sporadically in the comments section or the live chat:

"The expert's skills are undeniable, but it gets a bit tiresome to hear about them so often..."

"Every time it's a high-difficulty, virtuoso piece. It's impressive, but I'm getting a little tired of it..."

……

Is it possible to break this deadlock by forming a band with Ai Yin?

Ishikawa Mayu's fingertips tapped the cola can unconsciously.

This means throwing yourself from the safe, controlled space of solo performance into a collaborative arena fraught with uncertainty. It means facing adjustments, compromises, and even the possibility of... disastrous outcomes.

But on the other hand, could those stumbles, improvisational clashes, and even failed attempts during rehearsals become a new and authentic form of content?

He thought again of Chihaya Aine's eyes, which always shone with passion.

If it were that person, they would probably make the band noisy and troublesome, but they certainly wouldn't be boring.

This subtle expectation, along with the desire for a breakthrough, finally overwhelmed the concerns about energy and social life.

He sighed resignedly, feeling like an asteroid caught in the gravitational pull of a star. He knew that the path ahead was one that would consume all his energy, yet he was still irresistibly drawn to that dazzling light and began to circle around it against his will.

I picked up my phone, and with an almost tragic sense of resolve, typed out a reply.

"...I'll give it a try regarding the band."

[But I'm really busy lately, I have a personal project to finish. I'll talk about it again in a few days, when I can catch my breath.]

"As for the instrument—" He paused, "I might have a slightly more reliable option than a 'pretentious bassist.' It'll take some time to prepare."

The moment the message is marked as read, the "typing..." notification at the top of the chat box flashes wildly, and you can almost imagine the person on the other side of the screen jumping out of bed, eyes shining, frantically typing away on their phone.

The next second, a series of messages exploded and instantly filled the screen:

【Yay!!!! (★ω★)?】

【Mayu-kun is the best—! It's a promise! No going back on your word! (｀?')Ψ】

[A personal project? Ah! Is it for exam preparation? Good luck! But be sure to let me know as soon as you're done! (?o?o)??]

[A more reliable choice than a bassist?! What is it?! Guitar? Or keyboard? Drums? Surely not a triangle?! (?Д?≡?Д?)]

【Ahhh, I'm so curious! But I'll wait patiently! (Just kidding)】

Sure enough... it's very noisy.

As Ishikawa Mayu watched the chat interface instantly flooded with emoticons, exclamation marks, and emojis, she could almost hear Chihaya Aine's energetic voice piercing through the screen and ringing in her ears. She could even imagine her happily rolling around on the bed with her phone in her arms.

This time, there's definitely some basis for the association! This time, there's irrefutable evidence to support it: "lightning-fast replies" and "excessive use of emoticons."

Finally, after a series of emotional outbursts, a slightly more restrained but still overtly joyful message brought the unexpected band invitation conversation to a temporary close:

【It's settled then~ I'm looking forward to the band with Mayu-kun! (*ˊ?ˋ)?】

Immediately following, another message appeared:

Oh, right! Remember to get some rest! Good luck on the project! Goodnight! (Sneaks away)

It was followed by a cartoon animal emoji that tiptoed away.

The previous sense of tragedy was washed away by the joy that Chihaya Aine was radiating from the screen, and a smile couldn't help but appear on her face.

【Good night】

After typing those two words, as if to hold onto this sudden sense of relief, he quickly turned off his phone screen and placed it face down on the coffee table.

Alright, that trouble is temporarily over.

He took a deep breath and turned his gaze back to the schoolbag that had been neglected for so long; he still had to do his homework.

Fortunately, the academic pressure at Haneoka High School wasn't too heavy for him.

Aside from the low difficulty level, the workload was also pitifully small; given his skill level, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he handled it with ease.

Of course, the most important thing is!

While others chatted with friends after class, or even when the teacher was explaining unimportant points, he would secretly cheat on their lessons and start working on his workbook ahead of time...

In about half an hour, the remaining tasks were completed.

Next, it's time for myself.

He got up and walked to the best-soundproof room in the apartment. He turned on the light, and the soft light illuminated the interior.

Unlike the casual atmosphere of the living room, this place is exceptionally neat and organized. Professional sound cards, monitoring headphones, condenser microphones, music stands, and various cables are all properly arranged. But the most eye-catching item is the violin case standing quietly in the center of the room.

He opened the violin case, and there lay a well-maintained violin on a soft velvet cushion, the wood grain gleaming with a warm luster. He carefully took out the violin, skillfully tuned it, and his fingertips brushed across the strings, producing a series of light and airy test melodies.

He closed his eyes slightly, took a deep breath, and placed the bow on the strings.

…………

"toot"

The phone's notification tone abruptly cut off the smooth piano music.

Ishikawa Mayu's bowing paused slightly, his brow furrowing almost imperceptibly. He maintained his violin-holding posture, turning his head to look at the source of the sound—the phone screen beside the music stand was lit, displaying the time.

23:30

The notification box showed a LINE message from Nagasaki Motoyo.

Is it that late?

He put down the bow and opened his phone, which redirected to the LINE interface.

"Nagasaki Motoyo" retracted a message.

Ugh……

Why are you up so late at night instead of sleeping? What kind of trouble are you causing?

Why didn't you follow the doctor's advice to go to bed earlier?

Are you still feeling unwell?

Chapter Fourteen: Su Shi's Heart Knot

Nagasaki Motoyo lay face down on the bed, her cheeks buried deep in the pillow, with only half of her face showing.

The cold light from the phone screen reflected in her slightly unfocused brown eyes.

When Ishikawa Mayu confirmed that she was alright and said "mission accomplished" and prepared to leave, she said "It's okay, thank you," but in her heart there was a very subtle reluctance and hesitation that she herself did not want to admit.

Being alone in this overly spacious and quiet apartment, especially on nights when she was sick, always made her feel an indescribable sense of fear.

But her rationality and long-standing habit of putting on a brave face ultimately made her swallow back the question, "Could you stay a little longer?" and she simply politely saw the person to the door.

The brief period of liveliness and popularity was instantly drained away with Ishikawa's departure, leaving behind only an even greater emptiness and desolation than before.

Her physical weakness weakened her defenses, and the unique melancholy of the late night surged up like a tide, mixed with a strong longing for the warm and noisy "crychic" times of the past. Unconsciously, she opened her chat interface with Toyokawa Shoko again and started scrolling.

Thousands of messages were piled up on the screen.

[Xiangzi ちゃん、どこにいるの? 】(Xiangzi Miyako, where are you?)

【またバンド、やりませんか? 】(Would you like to form a band again?)

【どうして……crychic, やめちゃったの……】(Why do you want to give up crychic?)

…………

She swiped the screen upwards with difficulty and stubbornness, her fingertips trembling slightly from weakness and emotion. She wanted to go back to the beginning, before everything cracked, to find those warm and trivial daily conversations, to find Xiangzi who would still smile at her and respond to her.

The number of unread messages is almost endless; there's no way to scroll through them all.

With trembling fingertips, she sent another voice message, thick with nasal tone and unclear in meaning.

【ねえ、回事してよ...お愿い】(Please answer me...please)

Time passed in silence.

She lay on the bed and waited for a long, long time. The screen gradually dimmed and then she turned it back on.

Naturally, this time was no different from usual.

Perhaps it was the vulnerability of illness that made my senses unusually sharp, or perhaps it was the loneliness unique to the dead of night that was amplified infinitely. That heavy sense of loss that I had long been accustomed to became particularly sharp at this moment, like fine needles pricking my heart.

An overwhelming sense of grievance and bitterness welled up inside her, making her nose sting and her vision blur.

Her mother was still busy abroad, and she didn't want to worry her mother with her trivial matters.

Just as her emotions were about to overflow, a chaotic urge to grasp any semblance of reality drove her finger to slide out of that suffocating chat box and open another contact she had added that evening—Ishikawa Mayu.