After Xiangzi died, I inherited her harem.

Page 183

Shaking her head, Yuu Toyokawa didn't approve of Shoko Toyokawa's actions, but... she didn't blame her for making Mutsu Wakaba her mouthpiece again.

"...I will explain it to her."

Gently biting her lip, Toyokawa Shoko hadn't expected her former friend to be so persistent, even though she had already rejected her three or four times.

"Didn't you make it clear enough to her at Asukayama last time...? I'll handle this kind of thing. In any case, we're in a cooperative relationship with Ms. Nagasaki now, and we'll probably still have dealings with her in the future."

Although somewhat unwilling, Toyokawa Shoko obediently nodded this time.

She generally doesn't object to Toyokawa Yuu's decisions when it comes to work-related matters, especially now that the band's situation is not optimistic.

However, Toyokawa Shoko also had some lingering worries.

Through their time together, she has also come to understand Toyokawa Yuu's personality.

Perhaps influenced by his status as an adopted son-in-law, in many situations, unless the other party is objectively unreasonable, he seems to choose to suppress his own feelings and compromise. However, if one day he is blackmailed by others...

Toyokawa Shoko certainly enjoyed this concession, but she also hoped that her fiancé would only make concessions for her.

"Well then... let's go. Ms. Nagasaki has already prepared the car. Take the others back to their agencies or home. We should go find Aine."

She reached out and gently grasped her fiancé's wrist. In any case, thanks to Toyokawa Yuu's earlier gesture, Toyokawa Shoko was in a very good mood and even took the initiative to remind Toyokawa Yuu that he still had an agreement to keep.

"You promised Aine that you would let Mu teach her guitar, right?"

Toyokawa Shoko knew she should cultivate some hobbies for her fiancé.

However, it seems that only when it involves her friend Chihaya Aine does Toyokawa Yuu act in a way that she actively wants to do.

My mood... doesn't seem so good anymore.

“You didn’t eat much earlier, and you probably threw it all up just now. Before we go find Ai-yin, let me take you to get some lunch.”

............................................................

On weekend afternoons, the number of customers at [RING] is less than in the morning.

It seems that the high school girls who like to form bands are gradually getting tired after a morning of practice and are unable to maintain their enthusiasm into the afternoon.

However, long-time employees who have worked at [RING] for a while know that this is just the calm before the storm.

The high school girls who harbored a simple love and longing for music were only temporarily deterred by the scorching afternoon sun. The number of visitors would likely reach its peak around three or four in the afternoon.

But in any case, it's great that there are hardly any customers on this sweltering summer afternoon, allowing the staff to relax and rest for a while.

In the past, Shiina Tatsuki might have chosen to take a short break in the staff lounge at the back, or find a place to practice drums.

If a stray cat happens to spawn in front of her, she might feed it, within the bounds of a healthy diet, but today...

"Do you really think they'll come?"

He pushed a matcha parfait in front of the pink-haired girl, and before the white-haired stray cat could snatch it, he took out another matcha parfait and fed it to her in a soothing manner.

This morning, after the band's rehearsal ended early, Chihaya Aine did not leave with her guitar as usual, and surprisingly, the wildcats did not leave either.

So, Shiina Tatsuki learned from the stray cat that Chihaya Aine had an appointment with someone that day.

However, Shiina Tatsuki felt that Chihaya Aine was being a bit too optimistic.

Weekends are a great opportunity for high school students with part-time jobs to work overtime and make up for lost hours, not to mention commercial bands that already have regular jobs.

It's common to be stood up at the last minute.

During his time working at [RING], Shiina Tatsuki witnessed this situation quite often.

and......

[Ms. Shiina seems to care far more about the other band members than her own band.]

Recalling the words that boy had once used to lecture him, Shiina Tatsuki still subconsciously felt a little annoyed.

He speaks so righteously when he's lecturing himself, but isn't he pretty much the same? He even drags his own band members out to be sparring partners for other bands.

"I don't think Yu-Yu would lie to me."

The sunny girl was able to keenly sense the displeasure on her best friend's face.

Unaware that Shiina Tatsuki and Toyokawa Yuu had something happen on the train, she assumed that the other person was worried that she had been stood up.

However, Chihaya Aine has absolute confidence in Toyokawa Yuu when it comes to trust.

Yuu Toyokawa had never lied to her, and she always kept her word. So after the rehearsal ended this morning, Aine Chihaya didn't even go home. Instead, she waited at [RING] and chatted with her good friend.

Hearing Shiina Tatsuki's words, Chihaya Aine scratched her hair and gave a somewhat silly smile.

However, when Chihaya Aine saw that Kaname had already devoured her matcha parfait at lightning speed and was about to reach for her own, she could no longer laugh.

Watching Chihaya Aine almost fight with the stray cats over her food, Shiina Tatsuki pinched the bridge of her nose.

Is it just my imagination? I have this feeling that lately, this stray cat and Aine seem to be getting closer and closer.

"You'd better watch your step. I don't trust him at all. I have a feeling he has some ill intentions... He's clearly Xiangzi's fiancé."

My fiancé from a wealthy family...

As he uttered the word, Shiina Tatsuki couldn't help but twitch his eyelids.

The feeling of encountering words that she had previously only heard in her imagination and in books with in a friend she used to be in a band with was quite peculiar.

However, she didn't have a good impression of Toyokawa Yuu's so-called fiancé, Toyokawa Shoko.

It wasn't that she opposed their marriage; she knew she wasn't qualified. It was just that she always felt that the guy named Toyokawa Yuu wasn't as honest as she thought.

Recently, Hailing has been frequently late, leaving early, or even skipping classes, largely because of him.

"Ms. Shiina, talking behind people's backs is not a good thing to do."

However, to Shiina Tatsuki's surprise, as soon as she finished speaking, the boy's slightly teasing voice came from behind her.

Turning around, Toyokawa Yuu had already led a girl with long light green hair through the doors of [RING].

Not paying much attention to Shiina Tatsuki's slightly offensive words, Toyokawa Yuu's gaze never left Chihaya Aine from the moment she entered the room.

"Sorry, it took me a little longer this morning to finish today's work. I've been waiting a long time, haven't I?"

Chapter 167 Unite Like Ave Mujica

On a hot summer afternoon, the sun shines particularly brightly. Even indoors, the sunlight streaming in from the doorway and windows can sometimes be dazzling.

Shiina Riki's purple eyes widened slightly. Her gaze did not fall on Toyokawa Yuu, but instead passed over the boy who was the same age as her but always wore a suit, and looked at Wakaba Mutsu following behind him.

The girl with long, light green hair carried her guitar on her back and followed closely behind Toyokawa Yuu. Her expression was indifferent and obedient, and only when she saw someone she knew did her golden eyes show a slight flicker of emotion.

Although he seemed a little awkward, to be honest, Shiina Tatsuki hadn't seen Wakaba Mutsu act so...normally in a long time.

Thinking back carefully, ever since MyGO!!!!! went to Ave Mujica's concert together, the Wakaba Mutsumi she met had always been... neurotic.

They either put on an exaggerated performance on stage, or they simply admit to having mental problems and call themselves Mortis instead of Wakaba Mutsumi.

Now, Shiina Tatsuki breathed a sigh of relief as her former bandmates finally showed her the familiar side of herself.

Sometimes, she really worries that her quiet friend will never come back.

"See, see, I told you Yuu wouldn't lie to me."

Compared to Shiina Tatsuki, who was relieved, Chihaya Aine looked much more smug.

Although it's unclear why Shiina Tatsuki harbors a prejudice against Toyokawa Yuu, a friend's integrity and trustworthiness certainly earn them points in the eyes of another friend.

A friend's friend is not necessarily a friend, and Chihaya Aine is not unaware of this.

Even when you're close to the same person, the qualities that attract you can be completely different. Chihaya Aine doesn't expect Toyokawa Yuu to have the same close relationship with her band members as she does with herself.

However, she still hopes that her friends can get along amicably, rather than just maintaining superficial politeness, because being caught in the middle is exhausting.

"Nobody was comparing this to you anyway..."

Looking at the expression on Chihaya Aine's face that seemed to indicate she had won in some way, Shiina Tatsuki suddenly felt a little helpless.

Or rather, she simply didn't have a good solution for this enthusiastic and cheerful pink-haired girl.

Chihaya Aine's enthusiasm and purity, like "We're all friends, shouldn't we get along well?", are almost like the stray cat next to her that had already reached for her matcha parfait while she was smugly standing with her hands on her hips. They are practically immune to malice.

However, unlike that somewhat carefree stray cat who doesn't care much about most things except for her guitar and matcha parfait, Chihaya Aine is the kind of person who is more innocent... and thinks everyone is a good person.

If only the world were that simple.

Putting aside everything else, not long ago Soyo tricked everyone, and Shiina Tatsuki has seen more than once those kinds of commercial frauds that rely on live performances during her time working at [RING].

She always felt that Toyokawa Yuu was not trustworthy, and had a feeling that she might betray others at any time.

However, someone like Yuu Toyokawa, who owns a commercially viable band with unlimited potential, probably wouldn't be eyeing MyGO, which is similar in nature to a student club.

Shiina Tatsuki certainly didn't want things to happen where his two bands were each destroyed by two different "Toyokawa" bands—something that was hard to describe.

Chihaya Aine was unaware of Shiina Tatsuki's worries, and even if she did, she would probably just think that the other person was worrying unnecessarily.

Chihaya Aine felt she understood what kind of person this boy was.

Although he always wears a suit, he presents himself not as a student but as a reliable adult.

But Chihaya Aine knew that Toyokawa Yuu also had a childish and naive side.

However, rather than criticizing a peer for not being mature enough, Chihaya Aine is actually more concerned about...

"Where's Xiangzi? Wasn't she planning to come last time too?"

After glancing at the gate behind Toyokawa Yuu for a moment and confirming that only Wakaba Mutsu had come with him and that Toyokawa Shoko was not with him, Chihaya Aine looked at the boy in front of her with some doubt.

She had originally thought that Toyokawa Shoko would come along too.

"She originally planned to come along, but..."

I'm not as good at guitar as Mu, and Lixi will probably be working at [RING] around this time on weekends. We had a lot of disagreements when I left CRYCHIC, so I'd better not go looking for trouble...

Recalling the excuses Toyokawa Shoko had used when she refused to come, Toyokawa Yuu felt that things weren't so simple.

However, it's nothing new for one's fiancée to have her own little thoughts. Rather than worrying about what she's thinking, what troubles Toyokawa Yuu more is how to relay these words to Chihaya Aine in front of Shiina Tatsuki.

"Xiang said that she feels very reassured with Aiyin around."

Mutsumi Wakaba, who had been obediently following behind Chihaya Aine, spoke in a calm tone.

But it is precisely because of her personality and attitude that her words are so credible.

Feeling somewhat embarrassed by the question, Toyokawa Yuu took the opportunity to change the subject.

"Anyway, I've successfully trained Mumi. If Aine has any questions about the guitar, just ask her."

Unlike his own self-taught, rudimentary skills and Metis's complete ignorance of the guitar, Ruoye Mu was indeed a true guitar genius.

With her involved, satisfying Chihaya Aine's learning interests shouldn't be a problem.

The only concern is whether Wakaba Mutsumi's persuasive language skills, which occasionally break people's defenses, can truly surpass MyGO in teaching. Even Toyokawa Shoko praised the talent of that wildcat.

Yuu Toyokawa turned her gaze to Kaoruna, who had taken advantage of Chihaya Aine's conversation with the others to steal the matcha parfait that belonged to the pink-haired girl.

Noticing Toyokawa Yuu's gaze, she even turned around and looked back at him questioningly, as if she was wondering if the boy in front of her had something to ask him.

"No, no, although I really want to practice guitar with Mujica—after all, it's Mortis from Ave Mujica... But I have other things to do right now."

Chihaya Aine's eyes seemed to light up when she mentioned Wakaba Mutsuna's public identity.

For a high school girl who loves to follow trends, celebrities in the same field as herself always give her a feeling that her dreams have come true.

Even though the two had already become friends when they first met.

But as Chihaya Aine said, there is something even more important now.

Turning her head to look at Shiina Tatsuki, who was standing to the side with a slightly evasive gaze when facing Toyokawa Yuu, she seemed embarrassed because she had been caught red-handed talking about him behind his back.

"Li Xi, get me a breakfast cake and a glass of ice water. You look a little pale. Did you not eat properly again?"

With her grey eyes carefully scrutinizing the boy before her, Chihaya Aine almost subconsciously suspected that he had relapsed into his old ways.

After all, only a few days had passed since she last provided information to Toyokawa Shoko, and Chihaya Aine didn't think that something as deeply ingrained as psychological trauma would be so easily eliminated.

"No, I have indeed eaten. It's because... I've been a bit busy with work lately, and I've also been bothered by a troublesome guy. I'm feeling a bit exhausted."

Facing Chihaya Aine, Toyokawa Yuu did not intend to lie, but she did not name and accuse her friend in front of her.

"And what kind of image do you have of me, Aine? You don't think I'm the kind of person who's full of bitterness and resentment and has to torture myself to be happy, do you?"

She made a simple joke, which eased the atmosphere a little, but Chihaya Aine was a little embarrassed.

She knew exactly who Toyokawa Yuu was, and she could tell from her tone whether she was lying or not. Although she was hiding some things from her, the parts she answered directly were definitely true.

This time, it seems I was judging people with some preconceived notions.