A band simulator, but all girl-heavy!

I always feel that the first live performance is like a death warrant for crychic. The band will definitely fall apart after the performance. But looking at Xiangzi's reaction, it seems that he has nothing to do with the band.

If it was really because of the criticism and the lack of lighting, then since the performance was so good, it's impossible for him to withdraw again, right?

After gathering in the studio again, you couldn't wait to check out the reviews of your first live performance and discovered that your performance was even more popular than expected. The live recording you released earlier had received quite a few views on the video site. Almost all the reviews about you were positive, such as: "Better than expected", "I didn't expect the band to be so good with the addition of violin and piano sounds", "This is a real band", etc.

This news obviously made everyone very excited. Even Li Xi no longer had an "unhappy" expression and discussed with you about composing new songs next time.

But Xiangzi seemed not to be among them. She, who was originally the most active and excited, did not show any joy at all. After returning home that day, she never returned to the recording studio, as if she had disappeared from the scene. She took leave from school and did not reply to messages at all.

No one understood what had happened to Xiangzi, and asking Xiaomu didn't yield any useful information. Su Shi anxiously held your hand and asked you what everyone should do.

You decide to answer: ①. Go and ask Xiaomu to take you to find Xiangzi.

②. Mobilize everyone to look for Xiangzi.

③. Practice while waiting for Xiangzi to come back.

④. Tell Su Shi to forget about Xiangzi.

14: I am the second daughter and you are the second daughter?

[You decided to put Xiangzi's matter aside for the time being. She has always been a reliable and trustworthy person. Now she suddenly lost contact and did not come to practice, there must be a special reason. If she needed you, she would definitely speak up, right?

After convincing and comforting everyone, you mobilized everyone to continue practicing so that the band can continue its activities after Xiangzi returns. Although Su Shi and Deng seemed a little worried, they finally listened to your advice and practiced while waiting for Xiangzi's return.

Although she had the option to choose "Let Su Shi forget Xiang Zi", Aoi finally held back. After all, she planned to have fun this round and didn't want to do anything weird.

So we should just proceed in a conventional way and see if we can keep the band stable after Xiangzi leaves.

[Time passed slowly, and on a cold and rainy day, Xiangzi suddenly pushed open the door of the recording studio. He was soaked and stood at the door in a very embarrassed manner, announcing to you that he would quit the band.

Obviously, no one had expected this result. No matter how much Su Shi tried to comfort and inquire, no matter how Li Xi questioned, Xiangzi's answers were very firm. His tough and stubborn appearance was almost completely different from before, and there was no room for negotiation.

Su Shi mentioned that crychic's popularity has been rising in the past few days. As long as they maintain their current state and continue to perform, they will definitely become a super popular girl band like morfonica in the future. She also begged Xiangzi, the founder of the band, to stay and witness this scene with you.

But Xiangzi's tone was unusually cold. He believed that a keyboardist was not a necessity for the band. The fact that you have been practicing these days also proved that the band is not an accessory that will stop functioning without Xiangzi.

Just like that, she still shook off Su Shi's hand, turned around and left the recording studio, just like the spring that had already left, without looking back.

System prompt: Toyokawa Shoko (keyboardist) has left the band crychic. Band cohesion has dropped by 40%. Current cohesion is 49%. (Skill: Innocent Band Girl is providing a bonus.)

After Xiangzi left, you were all at a loss. Su Shi tried to ask Xiao Mu, who had remained silent from the beginning, but did not get any answer about Xiangzi.

You can feel that everyone's mood is like a tangible negative energy that can be touched, creating a huge low pressure in the recording studio. At this time, you have to stand up and do something for crychic.

You decide: ①. Volunteer to investigate Xiangzi's affairs.

②. Do nothing, maintain the status quo, and continue practicing.

③. Tell them that even without Xiangzi, crychic will continue. 】

Can this simulator provide a refresh option?

Aoi always gets a headache when she sees a section with options. This game actually allows for micro-manipulation, and there are many details that she can freely choose according to her own ideas, but in places where options are involved, she has to follow the routes given by the simulator no matter what.

The key is that the locations where these options will appear are still uncertain, and they are mainly arbitrary and without any rules.

The options here give her the feeling that any choice will lead to BE... ① is definitely not an option. After all, they are not going to follow Xiangzi's path, so there is no point in continuing to pester Xiangzi. As for ③, it is basically a terrible option at first glance.

The founder of the band just left, and you said, "We don't need this anymore." Doesn't that make it clear that you think Xiangzi is dispensable and you can't wait for him to quit the band?

She could fully foresee that after she chose this option, everyone's favorability would plummet, and then conflicts and arguments would break out, and everyone's mood would be twisted into a mess...

It’s scary to think about it.

[You did nothing, said nothing, only Su Shi forced a smile and told everyone to go back and rest first, and then she would contact Xiangzi and wait until the situation calmed down before gathering in the recording studio.

When the band was thriving, you lost its original founder and core member. You felt very sad, but even if you sent messages to Xiangzi again, you didn't get any response, and the messages were not even read. It was as if you all did something wrong, and she was punishing you in this way.

The next day, because Xiangzi withdrew, you no longer asked everyone to gather in the recording studio. Looking at the silent group, a sense of crisis suddenly arose in your heart.

You think that this cannot go on. Even if Xiangzi has quit now, crychic, which she built with her own hands, cannot be disbanded like this. As long as you are still singing on the stage, the first spring day will definitely make her change her mind.

With this thought in mind, you are unwilling to sit idly by and decide to have a private talk with each band member in order to stabilize this band that is gradually falling apart.

[You first approached Takamatsu Deng, who you thought was the most likely member of the band to suffer a blow and stop coming to practice. Although her line wasn't easy to contact, luckily, you had been to her house before and easily found Deng returning home from school one afternoon.

She was obviously surprised when she saw you, but she still greeted you and led you to her room.

Everything there was the same as before, except for the notebook where the lyrics of Kasuga Shadow were written, which was spread out on the table. There were many messy scribbled lines and words on it, which looked like the masterpiece of its owner in a moment of extreme anxiety.

There is no doubt that the lamp is very sad and very confused. It is because of Xiangzi that this fragile little animal dares to stand by your side and sing loudly on the stage. Now, that light has disappeared, and you must become a substitute for that light.

So, like the mother in your memory, you comfort her and soothe her in a gentle voice, telling her that it is not her fault.

"...Xiangzi, is she angry with me...that's why she wants to quit..."

Obviously, your words worked. Deng lowered her head slightly, clutched the hem of her skirt tightly with both hands, as if she was trying hard to suppress her emotions, and couldn't stop confessing her feelings to you.

She thought that it was because she didn't sing well, that she was not qualified as the lead singer, and that she was too weak as the lead singer that Xiangzi quit. She was the one who messed up everything.

Watching the tears falling from her eyes, you hugged her trembling body in your arms like a mother, repeating in her ears over and over again, "Deng sang very hard, you have done well enough."

Just like that, Deng leaned on your arms and sobbed for a long time before gradually calming down. Like an abandoned little animal, he raised his head slightly, looked at you with red eyes, and asked you,

"If that's the case... why did Xiangzi quit?"

“I don’t know either.” You gave her a sad smile. “But..if we just accept this and stop the band activities, then we may never know in this life.”

You told her your feelings and determination to keep crychic going and to keep the band that Xiangzi personally formed alive.

Deng sobbed for a long time, but a glimmer of hope appeared in his eyes. He clutched the bow on your collar tightly, and his voice whimpered.

"For a lifetime... Let's keep crychic going, forever. If that's the case, will Xiangzi... come back?"

You don't know the answer, but you still hold the lamp's warm hand and tell her,

"I will wait for her to come back with Deng in crychic until the end of my life."

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

The sleeping girl slowly opened her eyes, her amber eyes still shrouded in a hint of confusion, as if she was still stuck in the dream world and unable to escape.

She subconsciously trembled her fingers that were curled up in front of her chest, as if she wanted to feel the warmth of her palm that was wrapped around her just a second ago, but she could only touch her thin pajamas.

It was all a dream.

But none of that seemed like a dream. The other person's warmth, the other person's tenderness, the faint floral scent entwined in the other person's hair, and the other person's words whispering softly in my ears...

she says.

"I will wait for her to come back with Deng in crychic until the end of my life."

Every word was like a warm breath brushing past her ears, passing through her mind, and beating against her heart again and again.

Thump, thump.

Just as these words had never left her mind, her rapidly beating heart could no longer calm down.

The girl couldn't help but curl up her body, hugging her arms tightly, facing the lonely night helplessly.

15: Reorganized crychic

The night is deep.

The sound of clothes rubbing against bedding filled the quiet room. Ruo Yemu's petite body slowly turned over and got out of bed, stepping into the moonlight pouring in from the window.

Her fair skin and light green hair were almost transparent under the bright light, and her golden eyes were also covered with moonlight, looking confusedly at the high-rise buildings and neon night stretching out the window into the distance.

She dreamed again...

She dreamed of crychic, dreamed of Xiangzi who was as pure and dazzling as the moonlight at that time, dreamed of Su Shi who was gentle and considerate at that time, and dreamed of the girl who kept breaking into her dreams.

Saotome Aoi.

Sometimes in the dream, he almost collapsed and wanted to keep Xiangzi, and sometimes he looked at the band and social relationships calmly. Almost every time, his actions in the dream would change.

However, Mu could clearly feel that although her actions had changed, Aoi had never changed. She just made different choices every time.

Why did she care so much this time that she woke up from her dream reluctantly and faced the lonely Tokyo and this lonely night alone?

Was it because she often accompanied him in gardening? Or was it because... besides Xiangzi and Su Shi, she was the only one willing to spend time alone with the taciturn man?

Or maybe, just like in the dream...

She clearly remembered that it happened after Xiangzi quit the band. She had thought that this dream would end quickly like the previous ones, but Aoi came to her door alone and gave her her usual warm smile.

I originally thought that Aoi came to ask about Xiangzi, but she only mentioned it once or twice and didn't ask any more questions. She just comforted Mu calmly and asked her if she was willing to continue crychic's activities after Xiangzi left.

"...Aoi, don't you want Xiangzi to come back?"

In her dream, she asked him this question. The sunflower-like girl didn't get angry, but smiled a little sadly and said to Xiang Mu, "Of course I do."

However, since Xiangzi was determined to quit, he must have his own reasons. He must have his own difficulties in not wanting to tell them anything. The band was not a group with a compulsory contract system, and she had no right to keep Xiangzi who was determined to leave.

only...

"crychic can't just disband like this. I want to continue and let these beautiful memories last forever."

When she said this, Mu still remembered the light flashing in Aoi's eyes, which was very much like the ripples on the emerald green lake. She told Mu: "This beautiful memory has just begun. I still want to continue practicing with everyone, playing happily together, and waiting for Xiangzi to come back together..."

Then, she slowly turned her head, her emerald eyes, covered with a smile, staring at Mu.

"I still want to continue to be with Xiaomu."

Although the band disbanded, she will continue to be good friends with everyone, but this day that represents the best time for the six of them has become a bubble, and it will always be a broken regret in their memories.

There are billions of people in this world, and even in Tokyo, tens of millions of people crowd into this world of countless skyscrapers and streets. Yet, they happened to come together, forming a band as beautiful as a spring day. It was a coincidence, but also a miracle, and she didn't want this miracle to die out.

These are Aoi's original words.

Mu, who had been standing by the window in a daze for a long time, finally moved his lips slightly, but no sound came out. He just gently placed his hand on the smooth window in front of him, as if he was touching his own shadow reflected on the glass, or as if he was touching Tokyo outside the window under the night sky.

The real crychic undoubtedly collapsed, and Xiangzi rarely smiled again.

And Mu was not accompanied by that person.

"fraud."

Finally, a word passed lightly across the girl's lips, as light as a gust of wind, and in an instant it was lost in the deep night.

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

You hold Xiaomu's hand tightly and tell her that as long as crychic can continue, you will be able to impress Xiangzi one day, make her change her mind and come back here, and make her understand everyone's feelings. Tell her that you still want to form a band with everyone, and you still want to continue to form a band with Hemu.

She just stared at you holding her hands tightly, and just like usual, she nodded briefly but clearly in response, "Yeah."

Wakaba Mu's favorability increased by +6, currently at 76. Due to the influence of a special personal storyline, the band's cohesion increased by +8%, currently at 67%.

"call..."

Aoi finally breathed a sigh of relief. The sense of crisis that this round might repeat the first round's group collapse was finally relieved a little. She had already stabilized two of the children who she thought needed more care, and the remaining two were basically stable.

Putting aside the fact that Su Shi was trying her best to keep crychic, as for Li Xi, on the one hand, she was very reliable, and on the other hand, the prerequisite for her to stay in the band with peace of mind - 'the lights remain' - had been successfully achieved.

Next, I just need to have a good talk with Su Shi again, and then we should be able to see how far "crychic without Xiangzi" will go.

[In order to confirm Rikki's thoughts, you waited at the school gate of Yuqiu after school. Although she was surprised to see you there, she didn't say much. You naturally walked with her on the way home and mentioned the future of crychic.

She was obviously very upset, still immersed in the fact that Xiangzi had quit the band, and was quite impatient, but you told her that you persuaded Deng to continue to be the lead singer of crychic.

Shiina Riki's favorability increased by +3, currently at 55. Band cohesion increased by +6%, currently at 73%.

[You finally found Su Shi and explained everyone's decision to her at school. After learning the news and your efforts, she seemed very moved. She hugged you tightly and kept expressing her gratitude.

After school, in order to have a good talk with Suzuya about the band and Xiangzi, you invited her to go back to Saotome's house. The two of you sat together in your private study, looking at the scenery of the small courtyard outside the window. You explained your suggestions and opinions to her, saying that we should not be too hasty and radical about Xiangzi's affairs, but should ensure that crychic continues its activities.

As long as the band is still there, one day I can convince her to come back, one day I can figure out why she insisted on leaving the band, but if the band disbands, then this opportunity will disappear with the disappearance of crychic.

Although Su Shi was very conflicted, she still agreed to your proposal. However, she still couldn't let go of Xiangzi, and she eagerly wanted to ask Xiao Mu to have a good talk with Xiangzi again, because crychic would be incomplete without Xiangzi.

Seeing her anxious and confused look, you decided to calm her down in your own way, so you sat in front of the piano by the window, gently placed your hands on the keys, and slowly played the pure piano version of Kasuga Shadow.

The evening sun is shining brightly at this moment, penetrating through the window and dyeing your profile, outlining an almost bright red edge on your beige hair.

As your fingertips loosened from the keys, the last note floated and melted into the afterglow of the sunset. Su Shi had already wiped the moist eyes, immersed in the spring shadow under the sunset, unable to extricate herself.

"Sushi... Let's practice hard together and invite Xiangzi to watch the next performance."

You sat by the piano, your back to the evening sky, smiling and extending your hand to her.

16: Mental Explosion