Uneasy daily life

The notes danced, like flickering flames, half-extinguished, but a gust of wind swept in, the flames gnawing at the barren land, spreading wildly, their fierce form transforming into a raging sea of ​​fire that spread through the hearts of the listeners. At times, there were bursts of sound as debris turned to ash, at other times, a magnificent display of power that seemed to burn the wind itself, until everything was reduced to ashes, gracefully and freely carpeting the earth…

Yukinoshita seemed to be deep in thought, and chuckled, "This guy really likes to improvise; most of the music in one piece is his voice."

It really does have a Bai Jun vibe, it's unbelievable.

All art is jealous of music.

As Yukino Yukinoshita listened to the guitar music, she couldn't help but recall an aesthetic statement she had once come across.

"Really..." Ijichi Nigatsu's eyes widened. "It really works?!"

Kita Ikuyo scratched her head, somewhat doubting her own existence—this, this is the legendary genius?!

“Hmm…” Yamada Ryo thought it sounded a bit strange. “It does sound like a guitar… but something feels off.”

"what……"

Yukino Yukinoshita raised her hand to her forehead, gesturing for the others to look at the white figure's legs—the guitar's instrument cable wasn't connected at all.

Ichichi Hongxia: "..."

Yamada Ryo said softly, "Backstage at every performance hall, the spirits of musicians linger. They were destitute in life, and continue to pursue music after death. That's why people often hear the sound of instruments playing from an empty backstage..."

"Liang, you, you must be joking, haha..."

"Hehe... It's so nice to play the guitar without anyone seeing me..."

Whispers mingled with faint laughter drifted up.

"Eaaah——!!"

Ijichi Nijika and Kita Ikuyo hugged each other, letting out a scream that interrupted the performance, and looked at each other in horror...

garbage can?!

Oh, it's Pochi-chan/Goto-kun!

"Don't interrupt other people's performances abruptly." Bai Ying turned around and asked confidently, "Captain Hongxia, was my performance satisfactory?"

"Hmm... It's acceptable." Ijichi Nijika was more puzzled than annoyed. "But your instrument cable isn't plugged in."

Bai Ying looked down blankly, picked up the guitar and examined it. She did see a string sticking out from the guitar and asked in surprise, "Huh? Why is there a string on the guitar?"

Ryo Yamada: "Because we need to connect a loudspeaker."

"Oh." Bai Ying glanced at the equipment beside her, suddenly realizing, "Looks like I can save on some equipment?"

"You jerk, you didn't play your guitar with your mouth, did you?"

Yukino Yukinoshita said with great interest, "This guy knows some weird voice imitation techniques... no, I should say voice simulation techniques."

"Simulate?" Ichiji Nigatsu asked, puzzled. "Simulate a guitar? Is that even possible?"

"of course can."

Bai Ying gave a live demonstration of playing guitar with his mouth, without actually using a guitar. His facial features contorted, and his lips moved in a surprising manner, stretching and shortening, producing a series of guitar-like strumming sounds.

Convenient, fast, and has built-in amplification.

After a brief demonstration, he addressed the audience, who were either trying to suppress laughter, leaning back, or having their eyes twitching uncontrollably: "During the cultural festival performance, I'll be facing away from everyone for the first half, holding a guitar, and then I'll turn around for the audience for the second half, letting them witness an unprecedented level of terror..."

Yamada Ryo clapped his hands repeatedly and said, "Good, good, good, we're going to shock Japan. Hire him."

Kita Ikuyo managed to utter a question: "So, what's the point of the guitar?"

"STOP!" Ijichi Nijika raised her hand to stop them. "We're a serious band, not comedians!"

Bai Ying answered loudly, "Yes! Captain Hongxia!"

"I didn't agree..."

"Captain Hongxia, are you going to force Brave Pro to perform?" Baiying said with heartache. "Isn't this the best solution? I will replace Brave Pro in the cultural festival performance, and Brave Pro won't have to worry about causing trouble for the band. The band can shine at the cultural festival—a world where no one gets hurt, isn't that the solution?"

Ichiji Nijika was overwhelmed by the overwhelming power, and frowned, hesitatingly saying, "That's true..."

"I understand! Captain Hongxia is worried about some of the Hero Pros being ostracized, but that's just your imagination." Bai Ying turned to the trash can and shouted, "Hero Pros, don't you feel relaxed not having to participate in the cultural festival performance?"

"easy!"

The trash can answered instantly.

Kita Ikuyo is a little depressed, Goto-kun...

Shiro looked expectantly at Ijichi Nijika, who promptly turned to Yukinoshita Haruno: "If it's a temporary replacement, Haruno-nee..."

Bai Ying turned to her disloyal subordinate: "9258, do you want to choose her or me?"

"Well..." Yukino Yukinoshita smiled knowingly, "Shouldn't you give me something in return?"

Bai Ying nodded, then turned and said, "Give her a benefit."

Ichiji Nijika didn't react for a moment, then blinked casually and acted cute: "Haruno-nee~ can you help me out!"

"Okay." Yukinoshita Haruno turned around and said, "Will you accompany me shopping for a year?"

Bai Ying said, "Free."

Yukino Yukinoshita retorted with a haughty tone, "Is this how you bargain?"

Bai Ying's tone turned serious: "By offering such a price, aren't you just trying to get me to lower it?"

“I call this the ‘open window theory’,” Yukino Haruno said logically. “If I say we should go shopping together later, you definitely won’t agree, but if I say I’ll be available anytime for the next year, you’ll be willing to go shopping with me.”

“I call this the ‘open window theory’,” Bai Ying said confidently. “If I said we’d go shopping together, you definitely wouldn’t agree, but if I said it’s free, you’d agree to go shopping together.”

Yukinoshita blinked: "Deal?"

Bai Ying gave an OK sign: "Deal."

*Clap!* The white figure clapped his hands remotely, and Ichiji Nijika stared in disbelief at the face-to-face transaction.

"Captain Nijika! When does the cultural festival start? How about I try performing this afternoon?"

Stop calling me captain!

Ichiji Nijika scratched her head, wondering what to do in a situation like this!

Huh? Why is that white figure winking at me? And even throwing a few glances at the trash can...

Ichi Nijika was taken aback, then suddenly realized!

Is Baiying deliberately trying to replace Boqi-chan in order to inspire Boqi-chan's courage and make her willing to perform at the cultural festival?

She gave him a questioning look, and Bai Ying promptly returned it with an affirmative look.

Communication complete.

"Alright, you'll be the fifth member to end the band for now. If Pochi-chan can't perform at the school festival, you'll have to take her place!"

Ijichi Hongka announced.

"..."

Toyohama Kazuka muttered under her breath in a strange tone, "I don't know what's going on with Ichiji, but she's definitely been tricked..."

"Bai Jun's style never gives people any worries."

Yukino Yukinoshita's somber tone only makes people feel uneasy and terrified.

Chapter 73 I Want to Have a Bragging Contest with You!

In the afternoon, Shirokage and Yukino went shopping, and the performance hall finally became a little quieter.

Nijika Ichi peeked out from the ticket booth and furtively looked towards the beverage window.

"Is Pochi-chan willing or not...?"

A bright red head popped out from the left: "Of course he's willing! Otherwise, he wouldn't have submitted the application form!"

“I don’t think I’m willing.” A blue-haired head popped up on the right, speaking in a flat tone. “Poch might be concerned about our opinions. Even if he regrets submitting the application, it would be difficult for him to directly refuse, right? Unless, like me, he has to refuse his classmate’s invitation because his grandfather is seriously ill.”

Kita Ikuyo was startled: "Ryo-senpai, is your grandfather alright?"

"It's nothing, it's nothing." Ichiji Nijika gave a dead cat look and said helplessly, "Kita, didn't I tell you before? Ryo's grandma always says that she gets seriously ill many times a year. She usually uses this reason to refuse people—and the same goes for grandpa."

"Hmm." Yamada Ryo nodded slightly. "Next time, let's use Kita's illness as an excuse."

"Okay, okay!" Kita Ikuyo's subtle expression suddenly brightened. "If I get sick, will Ryo-senpai come to see me?"

Yamada pursed her lips and said sadly, "I'm sorry, my grandfather is seriously ill and I really can't find the time."

"See? Ryo is that kind of bad woman. Be careful not to get manipulated by her." Ichiji Nijika tried to bring the fanatical fan to his senses.

"Ugh—Ryo-senpai is so mean!"

Kita Ikuyo is clearly not very rational.

"Hey, weren't you guys discussing Goto?"

Feng Bin and Hua sat on a chair at the ticket counter and casually remarked, "She doesn't seem strange at all; she's cleaning the counter very diligently."

“?!” ×3.

The three of them peered into the beverage window and saw Goto Ichiri, wearing an apron, meticulously wiping the counter, checking the beverage stock, and unpacking drinks in preparation for opening. She was cleaning so diligently, with a solemn expression and careful movements, that she polished the counter until it shone with wax...

"Haven't we already cleaned up?"

“There’s something wrong with Pochi; he’s not usually this diligent.”

"Goto-san..."

As Toyohama and Kazuha watched, they couldn't help but wonder why Goto Ichiri kept wiping it repeatedly, even though it had already been wiped once, as if it were a fully automatic cleaning machine.

There's a problem, but I don't understand it.

Goto Ichiri lifted his tired, aging back, let out a long sigh, and looked at the counter, which was so worn that even flies could slip on it, and couldn't help but show a simple smile of satisfaction after his work.

The observers in the shadows: "Hiss—!"

Goto Ichiri looked around, then suddenly clasped his hands together, bowed his head and prayed to something unknown in his heart. When he looked up, he had a bright smile on his face, then slowly squatted down from the drink window and disappeared from sight.

The observers in the shadows: "...?"

"I'll ask that bastard."

Feng Bin and Hua offered very constructive suggestions, and pulled out their phones under the watchful eyes of the three.

Tsk, he disappeared in the time it takes to go to the bathroom. Is that bastard some kind of house key? He just vanishes without a trace.

He muttered to himself, while his hands clapping away.

[Toyohama Kazuka: That Goto seems to be acting strangely.]

[Bai Liang and Bai Ying: Hiding in a trash can to escape reality? Restless and fidgeting as if fighting with themselves? Sitting blankly in a chair, fluctuating between sadness and joy? Becoming exceptionally diligent, cheerful, never complaining of being tired or lazy, speaking politely and generously, embracing the world with love?]

[Toyohama Kazuka: What kind of weird option is this?]

[Bai Liang Bai Ying: Please call this a detective's deduction.]

[Toyohama Kazuka: Similar to the last one.]

[Bai Liang and Bai Ying: The solemnity before their death.]

[Toyohama Kazuka: ?]

What do you do before you die?

Bai Ying, holding her phone, suddenly asked a question.

"What kind of strange question are you asking?"

Yukinoshita Yukino asked back.

"Well..." Yukino shrugged. "You'll only know the answer when the time comes, right? Why think about how to cry when it's not time to say goodbye? But maybe Yukino-chan will think about that kind of thing?"

"I didn't expect that," Yukino Yukinoshita said calmly. "What about Shiraki? Is he putting on a grand farewell performance?"

Bai Ying pondered for a moment: "If one is a hero, one should think about being able to hug someone one still remembers."

What does it mean to be able to hug someone?

Yukino Yukinoshita found this speculation about her rather inexplicable.

“Sure…” Yukinoshita Haruno said with interest, “That’s very much in line with Yukino-chan’s style.”

"……what?"