After Xiangzi died, I inherited her harem.

Page 43

The sun was shining brightly, and the blue-haired girl, bathed in sunlight, seemed to be draped in a golden veil, speaking of a shared destiny like a sacred priestess.

But after holding only one live performance, it was she who personally destroyed that so-called community of shared destiny.

If you can't live up to the promise of sharing a lifetime, don't casually utter those words.

Subconsciously, Nagasaki Sase began to compare the two bands.

"Anyway... it won't last long. Why make Xiao Mu suffer so much for a band like this?"

So this band is no different from CRYCHIC, right...?

It can be built on a whim, and destroyed just as easily...

Anyway... it won't last long...

Harsh words swept past her ears on the evening breeze, like sharp claws tearing apart the strong belief that Toyokawa Shoko was holding onto.

My heart felt like it was being torn apart, as if something was flowing out from the bottom of my heart.

It was bittersweet and I felt reluctant to part with it, but what followed was a strange sense of relief.

If that's how Soyo understands it, then... that would be perfect.

No...you're wrong...

Ave Mujica and CRYCHIC... are not the same.

It's not that pure; it's not a band formed for simple joy. It's interwoven with all sorts of desires, and genuine smiles are almost nonexistent.

Everyone is a puppet who has abandoned their human identity, pulled by threads called desire, performing on the stage.

This kind of commercial machine, assembled from all sorts of desires, can't compare to the wonderful world that CRYCHIC was back then.

If CRYCHIC can no longer bring everyone wonderful memories due to its own reasons, then it should end it by its own hand.

Ave Mujica, on the other hand, can continue to exist as long as it can fulfill its own desires, because it does not pursue beauty, but only emphasizes profit.

Therefore... Ave Mujica is not worthy of being compared to CRYCHIC.

“Ave Mujica... unlike CRYCHIC, it won’t disband easily.”

She lowered her head silently, covering her eyes with her long blue hair, and said something that would definitely make Nagasaki Sose misunderstand.

"Stop bothering me from the band's perspective. These two bands... are not even comparable."

A machine pieced together by desires is unworthy of comparison to a pure and beautiful past...

Bypassing Nagasaki Sōse, who was stunned in front of her, Toyokawa Sōko clutched her arm, forcing herself to keep her back straight, her steps unsteady like a puppet being pulled by threads.

"I have no idea what CRYCHIC is, and I don't want to know it."

He had already said the words that would make him give up, and there was no need for him to stay here any longer.

As for Soyo's request to take her to see Mutsu, that was even more impossible to grant.

The identities of Ave Mujica members are kept secret, and as the captain, I have a responsibility to uphold this rule, even if the other party has already guessed the truth and even received implicit confirmation from me.

After tonight, barring any unforeseen circumstances, they won't be meeting up casually anymore.

For now, I'll just spend some time alone and escape this embarrassing situation.

Honestly, if Yuu were here, he would definitely be able to handle Soyo's questioning with ease, instead of being as embarrassed and clumsy as I am now.

For a fleeting moment, Toyokawa Shoko wished that Toyokawa Yuu was right beside her.

In this way, I can hand over all the thorny issues to her, just like before, while I continue to pick up my pen and piano keys and immerse myself in the creation of scripts and music.

Continue to immerse yourself in that world called Ave Mujica, a world that only you can control and that allows you to briefly escape reality.

No, what am I thinking? How can I let Youyu know about this?

He and I are not friends; we are just two scoundrels who exploit each other. It's impossible for him to help me lick my wounds at a time like this.

Gritting his teeth, he forcibly suppressed the dependence he had developed on Toyokawa Yuu without realizing it, and walked past Nagasaki Sase.

Her blue hair, ruffled by the evening breeze, brushed against Nagasaki Sase's hand, the gentle touch bringing her back to her senses after being stunned by Toyokawa Shoko's words.

"Wait, I haven't finished speaking..."

Stunned by Toyokawa Shoko's statement that "CRYCHIC is far inferior to Ave Mujica," Nagasaki Sōse stood frozen in place for a long while before realizing that he had not yet achieved his original purpose in inviting her out.

"You still haven't answered me. What happened to Xiao Mu? Why did she become like this on stage?"

"Miss Nagasaki, please stop here."

A man's figure blocked Toyokawa Shoko's way, preventing Nagasaki Sase from grabbing the girl's hand again.

Looking at the girl in front of her, whose eyes were misty and who seemed to be trying hard to hold back some warm liquid from spilling out, Toyokawa Yuu stood firm, like a wall blocking her way.

It seems that the two have already talked, and the conversation was far from pleasant; they may even have had a fight.

Since Toyokawa Yuu met Shoko, she had never seen her with such a resolute yet tragic expression.

Even his outburst in the lounge earlier couldn't compare to what he's experiencing now.

It seems I wasn't too late; rather, the timing was perfect.

Toyokawa Yuu didn't care what the two talked about. Based on the information provided by Chihaya Aine and his understanding of the two people, he could guess it all.

It was nothing more than Wakaba Mutsu's unusual behavior on stage, which then escalated into issues within the band as a whole.

What Toyokawa Yuu was concerned about was Shoko's current fragile state, where she was forcing herself to remain calm. Now was the perfect opportunity for him to take advantage of her vulnerability.

If I arrive too early, the two of them might be mindful of my presence and not speak too deeply.

If she arrives late, perhaps Toyokawa Shoko can calm herself down by being alone.

Therefore, its emergence now is perfectly timed.

Even if Toyokawa Shoko saw through his intentions, realizing that he wasn't acting out of pure goodwill but had ulterior motives, it didn't matter. He hadn't really hidden his snobbish side from her.

But people are always emotional, and based on Toyokawa Yuu's understanding of Shoko, she wasn't the kind of person who could rationally control everything.

Without saying anything more, Toyokawa Yuu grabbed Toyokawa Shoko's wrist and turned to leave.

However, faced with Toyokawa Yuu's behavior, Toyokawa Shoko did not choose to resist this time, but let him pull her body.

This was the first time since they met that Toyokawa Shoko bowed her head to Toyokawa Yuu.

"Wait, Mr. Yu, I have another question..."

Seeing that Toyokawa Yuu had suddenly appeared and seemed about to take Shoko away, Nagasaki Sase quickly spoke up to stop her.

"Xiao Mu's performance on stage tonight..."

"It was my request."

Without any hesitation, Nagasaki Sōse heard the voice and Toyokawa Yūu calmly took the blame for Sōko.

"Although that crazy performance was rather flamboyant and didn't fit Mortis's personality, for a band that pursues rock and excitement in its song style, that quiet personality would ultimately have its drawbacks. So I asked Xiangzi to develop Mortis's persona in a changeable and wild direction, and by putting pressure on Xiangzi, I indirectly coerced Mortis to perform in the style I required."

"what?"

Upon hearing Toyokawa Yuu's reply, Nagasaki Sase stood frozen in place.

She could tell that this didn't sound like the truth; it sounded more like a way of taking responsibility for someone else.

However, Yuu Toyokawa stubbornly insisted on taking all the blame, leaving Sase Nagasaki with no reason to press the matter further.

The moment Yuu Toyokawa intervened, the nature of the meeting changed. It was no longer a confrontation between friends, but had become intertwined with work and interests.

In this regard, she did not criticize Yuu Toyokawa's stance; on the contrary, she accepted the favor of receiving concert tickets from her.

Watching Shoko escape without a word or explanation under the protection of Toyokawa Yuu, Nagasaki Sase clenched his hands tightly.

Her deep blue eyes were once again blurred with tears, making it impossible to see what she was thinking.

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

Holding onto Toyokawa Shoko's wrist, Toyokawa Yuu led her through the deserted streets.

Although Tokyo is an extremely bustling metropolis, not every corner of it is a city that never sleeps.

Some residential areas have already entered their rest period. Apart from some 24-hour convenience stores, even shops have closed, and there are almost no pedestrians on the streets.

Holding Toyokawa Shoko's hand, Toyokawa Yuu led her under the low, dilapidated eaves, neither of them saying a word.

The blue-haired girl had her head down and had long since left the Asuka Mountain area, so Nagasaki Sase was no longer going to keep an eye on her.

But Toyokawa Shoko showed no intention of breaking free from Toyokawa Yuu's grasp, letting him hold her wrist as she wandered aimlessly through the streets.

Hidden beneath the bangs, her amber eyes lacked their usual sparkle, appearing empty and unfocused.

Toyokawa Yuu didn't seem to care much about Toyokawa Shoko's obedient, even meek, demeanor. She neither initiated a conversation nor let go of his hand.

He was waiting for Toyokawa Shoko to speak first. Since she had already given in and let him hold her hand and drag her out of Asuka Mountain, it meant that at least at this moment, he had gained the upper hand in their confrontation.

There was no reason for him to give up the hard-won advantage and lower his stance; it was better to wait for Xiangzi to find a topic to start the conversation himself.

Moreover, Toyokawa Yuu is not without things to do now.

Looking down at her phone, Yuu Toyokawa saw the name "Chihaya Aine" appear in her chat window.

Yuu Toyokawa: [Aine, I have successfully evacuated with Shoko. Please respond upon receipt.]

Holding his heartbroken fiancée's hand, Toyokawa Yuu not only didn't offer a single word of comfort, but even had the leisure to chat with other women.

Although in a sense, the other party is actually a partner with whom they have just conducted a joint operation.

Chihaya Aine: [Aine received. I've also found Soyorin. She seems a bit down and won't say anything no matter what I ask.]

Chihaya Aine: [It seems she and Shoko had a pretty big argument just now.]

Yuu Toyokawa: [Be content. This is already a pretty good result. And thank goodness Aine informed me in time; otherwise, who knows how far those two would have gone.]

The more intense the conflict between these two, the better it will be for me.

However, you can't say such things to that kind pink sun.

Chihaya Aine: [That's true. After all, I don't have the ability to separate Soyorin and Shoko. You're the one who has to handle this, Yuu.]

I don't know if it's because there's less restraint when sending messages over a screen, or because we just had a joint operation and no longer need to use so many honorifics with our partners.

The way the two addressed each other seemed to have become much more familiar without them even realizing it.

Yuu Toyokawa: [Aine, I'm counting on you for the rest of the time. Although Ms. Nagasaki didn't stop me earlier, I have a feeling she's not someone who gives up easily.]

Chihaya Aine: [Leave it to me. If anyone else in the band tries to cause trouble for Shoko, I'll let you know as soon as possible. The harmony between the two bands depends on us.]

Chihaya Aine readily agreed to Toyokawa Yuu's request without hesitation.

Judging from her wording, she seems to regard herself and Yuu Toyokawa as goodwill ambassadors between the two bands.

Unfortunately, in Yuu Toyokawa's plan, the two bands were never going to get along from the start.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have given those concert tickets to Nagasaki Sasuke.

A hint of guilt flashed in her eyes. Just as Toyokawa Yuu was still hesitating about how to respond to Chihaya Aine's words, she took the initiative to end the text message conversation.

Chihaya Aine: [Ah, I've delivered Soyorin home. Escort mission successfully completed.]

Yuu Toyokawa: [This should be considered escorting them, since we still have to be careful they don't get emotional and cause any trouble.]

He glanced at Toyokawa Shoko, who remained obediently under his wrist, saying nothing.

At this moment, the captain of Ave Mujica still kept his head slightly lowered, letting his blue hair cover his eyes, making it impossible to tell if he felt guilty.

Yuu Toyokawa: [Anyway, thank you for tonight, Aine. If there's anything I can help you with in the future, I'll prioritize helping you.]

Chihaya Aine: [Hehe, no need to go to so much trouble, just reserve some concert tickets for me.]

Turning off her phone screen, a complex expression flashed across Toyokawa Yuu's face.

In this way, the eyes and ears I planted beside Nagasaki Sase... no, throughout the entire MyGO!!!!! are now officially in effect.

However, I still feel a little uncomfortable.

It must be because of Toyokawa Shoko; he was silently releasing a tense atmosphere on the side.

"Now that we've reached this point, we should be able to let go, right?"

Just as Yuu Toyokawa finished her text message conversation with Chihaya Aine, Toyokawa Shoko's voice drifted softly into her ears.

"Or do you actually enjoy the feeling of walking down the street with your fiancée?"

"Forget it, the way you're looking makes people think my marriage is unhappy."

Hearing that Xiangzi had recovered enough to breathe again, Toyokawa Yuu stopped pretending and released her grip on Xiangzi's wrist without any hesitation.