Girl Band, Gravity Capture

Page 122

"Really not?" Realizing that she was just looking for one last reason to convince herself, Maji Rinko laughed, held up a finger, and waved it back and forth in front of her. "Actually, the way to secure victory is quite simple, isn't it?"

“…②印③5 漆鸠流氵陾…”

Shiina Tatsuki certainly knew that method.

If we can bring in Yuan Xudou as an outside helper and practice seriously a few times, with his skill level, it won't be too difficult for the two of them to take first place.

This is even a good opportunity to form a band-like bond with him again and connect with him through music—she can even bring the lights along, so she's definitely not at a loss.

Finally, Shiina Tatsuki, who had been so resolute, turned around, his knuckles white as he gripped the glass, and answered sullenly:

"Let me think about it."

Chapter Fifty-Seven: A Round Table for Five People (Combined into One)

Today, there haven't been so many people sitting around the table in the corner of RiNG in a long time.

There used to be six people, now there are five. Most of them are familiar faces, but there are still quite a few unfamiliar faces.

Sipping his fruit tea, Gen Xudou's gaze swept over Shiina Riki, who was dressed in a shop uniform and looked somewhat worried, and Takamatsu Akari, who was holding a notebook and occasionally glancing at him furtively. They were faces he knew all too well; he had been here ever since this round table first became a gathering place, and it would probably remain so in the future.

Turning her head slightly, she saw a striking and beautiful cherry blossom pink color beside her, along with a sweet fragrance emanating from the girl, reminiscent of delicate yet vibrant flower stamens. Although she was a relatively unfamiliar face, Chihaya Aine, who had already established a good relationship with the others, naturally wouldn't refuse the opportunity to sit together and took her seat without any hesitation.

Although Shiina Ritsuki glared at her several times for taking the seat she wanted, she had no choice but to accept it and sit opposite Genji Koto, since she had no reason to kick her out.

Including himself, the gathering of four people here is reasonable and justified, and this has always been the arrangement recently, until recently, when a fifth person suddenly appeared.

Yuan Xudou put down his teacup and looked up.

He gazed silently at the girl with raven-black hair and clear, emerald-like eyes. From the beginning, she had maintained an indifferent demeanor as if "she was meant to sit here," seemingly without any discomfort whatsoever.

She was calmly drinking her tea. Yuan Xudou was certain that she had noticed his gaze, but the girl remained unfazed, sipping her nearly empty cup of milk tea without looking at him.

Thanks to her, Chihaya Aine, who is usually noisy, was a little confused and didn't dare to speak. Not to mention Takamatsu Akari, who was not good at dealing with strangers, even Shiina Tatsuki had a complicated expression.

"...Hachiman-kun?"

In the end, he broke the eerily quiet atmosphere.

As he finished speaking, Shiina Tatsuki, who had hesitated several times before finally couldn't hold back any longer and asked a surprised question.

"Hachiman Kairin, what are you doing sitting here?"

She sounds harsh, but those who know her well know that Shiina Tatsuki is just used to speaking in a tough tone. She usually speaks like this to everyone except for certain specific people.

Unconcerned about being questioned, Hachiman Kairin raised an eyebrow and looked at Genjiro across from her with amusement in her emerald green eyes.

"Yuan, can't I sit here?"

She immediately recognized the person at the table who was truly decisive and took the lead. Instead of addressing Shiina Tatsuki, who was clearly more temperamental and had a more aggressive tone, she asked him the question.

Upon hearing that form of address, Chihaya Aine, who was initially confused, began to realize, "So this girl isn't someone you know, Korarin? No wonder the atmosphere felt strange, and everyone was silent..."

"'Korarin'?" Yawata Kairin, intrigued, turned her gaze to her, looking thoughtful. "I see... was it the name that gave it away?"

She glanced back at Shiina Ritsuki, "Ritsuki-san, is that what you usually call Gen-kun? Using such a..." Yahata Kairin touched her lips with her fingertip, thinking calmly for a moment, "...an interesting nickname?"

"Yeah, right. Of course I just call him Xu Dou. What normal person would call him that..." Shiina Tatsuki retorted instinctively, then realized, "Hey, don't change the subject so casually!"

"Ugh, we've been discovered." Having failed to avert the crisis, Hachiman Kairin sighed.

"Rikki, what do you mean?" At this moment, Chihaya Aine, who was standing to the side, objected, "Is there a problem with calling Xu Douqin? Why is it abnormal?"

This was the best name she had ever come up with, and it was for Korarin, whom she cared about. He hadn't said he didn't like it, so no one was allowed to belittle it!

After hearing the pink-haired girl's words, Hachiman Kairin turned around again and looked at Shiina Tatsuki with a complicated expression.

Your nickname isn't much better either—that was the unspoken meaning in her eyes.

"...Chihaya Ai..." Distracted like this, Shiina Tatsuki's newly flared anger was immediately drawn to the girl, who had interrupted at such an inopportune moment. She glared at the girl through gritted teeth, "Are you out of your mind?"

Shouldn't we be united against a common enemy right now? No matter what, you always have to stick to that weird nickname you use, don't you?

Her already fierce-looking slanted eyes became even more terrifying after the corners of her eyes drooped down. At least in terms of scaring people, it's hard to imagine anyone her age surpassing her.

Chihaya Aine shrank back in fear and decisively chose to seek outside help.

"Xu Douqin, save me—" She leaned closer to the boy.

"...Little Lixi, Aine..."

Unable to get a word in edgewise, Takamatsu Akari watched the suddenly tense situation on the field with a worried expression. Her soft amber eyes darted back and forth as she softly called out the two men's names, but to little avail.

She lowered her head in disappointment, silently clutching the edge of the diary in her arms, her fingertips turning pale and bloodless.

Seeing that the three girls had started fighting amongst themselves before they could even form a united front, and were about to bicker at the slightest disagreement as usual, even putting aside the immediate problem of Hachiman Kairin for it, Genji sighed helplessly.

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Has he had too many headaches lately?

"Aine, stop fooling around." Gen Xudou raised his hand and flicked Chihaya Aine's forehead with a little force, then looked at the fierce-looking Shiina Ritsuki, "Ritsuki, you too."

The chilly atmosphere vanished instantly. Chihaya Aine, who had been flicked, had a red forehead, and for some reason, her ears also turned red. She covered her head, which didn't actually hurt, and pretended to be aggrieved, letting out a soft "woof." She then obediently quieted down. Seeing her like this, Shiina Tatsuki snorted softly and said nothing more.

...She was actually a little envious that the two of them could do something as natural as flicking each other's foreheads, an intimate gesture that seemed like that of a couple.

Even though Chihaya Aine arrived much later than her, how come she seems to be progressing so fast? Shiina Tatsuki is starting to regret giving her advice.

Yuan Xudou then steered the conversation back on track.

He looked at the composed Hachiman Kairin. The girl wasn't wearing the dark leather jacket, tight-fitting inner shirt, and hot pants that he had seen her in before. Instead, she was wearing a proper Hanasaki River school uniform. The simple and plain uniform and sailor skirt made her look like a typical, innocent high school girl, rather than some glamorous and aloof urban beauties who didn't suit her age. She might just have a slightly expressionless face.

The afternoon sun shone through the dark French windows, illuminating the boy's slightly serious and handsome face, making him appear like a solemn stone sculpture, carrying an earnestness that could not be avoided or perfunctory.

Seeing this, Hachiman Kairin subconsciously sat up straight, stopped joking around, and waited attentively for his decision.

“Hachiman-kun, if you want to sit here…” He looked at the girl for a moment, then looked away, tapping his fingers lightly on the table a few times, “It would be too much to say no.”

A barely perceptible smile played on Hachiman Kairin's lips as she placed the spoon back into the cup and asked an unrelated question:

"So, we're friends, right?" Her emerald green eyes gazed at him intently.

"Yes."

There's no reason to hesitate about this kind of question. The definition of a friend is very broad, and even someone like him who often keeps to himself doesn't hesitate to admit that others are his friends.

"That's no problem."

The warm mist was exhaled by her lips, which were covered in a glossy glaze, and Hachiman Kairin nodded happily.

"I'm sure you don't mind me sitting here, Xu Dousang."

"……Hello……!"

Hearing her suddenly change her form of address, from "classmate" to calling him by his full name, Shiina Tatsuki, who was listening in, became restless.

She wasn't particularly opposed to Hachiman Kairin sitting at the table. Anyway, it was no longer the time for her to share a table with Xu Dou by herself. With Chihaya Aine already there, having one more person wouldn't be unacceptable, like the so-called broken window theory.

But after being promised a seat, isn't it a bit too opportunistic to immediately call someone by their name?

Shiina Riki detests this kind of behavior of seizing the opportunity to get closer to someone. She herself disdains it and dares not do it, and at the same time, she does not want to see others do it.

But she wasn't an unreasonable or argumentative girl, so she couldn't blame the boy for this. So she could only attack Hachiman Kairin.

Her cool brows furrowed, and she was about to condemn the other party's behavior when Hachiman Kairin spoke first.

"Tachiki-san, what's wrong?" Hachiman Kairin reached up to the back of her neck, smoothing her shoulder-length hair, seemingly oblivious to the fact that she hadn't thought there was anything wrong with what she said. "I guess everyone sitting here calls you that, right?"

Her expression was quite calm, and no matter how Shiina Ritsuki looked at her, she couldn't find anything unusual. It was as if everything was really as she said, and she was just trying to blend in with them.

...But what a joke! We're all girls the same age, why are you pretending to be detached from worldly desires and ignorant?

Shiina Tatsuki was now 100% certain—Yawata Kairin was definitely up to no good and was plotting something. She and Kairin were close friends at school, so how could she not understand that Kairin wasn't as innocent as she appeared?

No one knows when or where Xu Dou offended her.

Since CryCHIC disbanded, there have been two such cases in a short period of time... Reorganizing the band is urgent.

Otherwise, if things continue like this, maybe in a few months, there won't even be a place left for her at this table in the huge RiNG... Of course, she believed that Yuan Xudou wouldn't do that to her; it was just a hypothetical situation.

A sense of impending crisis rose in Shiina Tatsuki's heart. She was somewhat annoyed, but she didn't have any legitimate excuse to deny Hachiman Kairin. Besides, the other party was unyielding and wouldn't argue with her like Chihaya Aine did. Pressuring her would only make her seem aggressive.

Shiina Riki remained silent. Takamatsu Akari and Chihaya Aine were not the type to dwell on such matters. Only Minamoto Kōdō frowned slightly.

“...Hachiman-kun.” Unlike the girl, he didn’t immediately change his address and stuck to his own way of addressing her.

"You can call me Hailing, it's fine."

Having understood the unspoken meaning behind Yuuto's words, Hachiman Kairin had no intention of changing her mind. She simply pursed her lips, abandoning the cunning attitude she had shown towards Shiina Riki, and looked at him earnestly.

"is it not OK?"

"……Can."

Hachiman Kairin contentedly picked up the teacup, drank the milk tea to the bottom in one gulp, and licked away the milky white stains on the rim of the cup.

"I won't bother you. Just chat as usual, and pretend I don't exist."

Even Yuan Xudou had to admire her composure to say such things so calmly.

Anyway, this matter is finally over. The problem of one more person suddenly appearing on top of the original four people has been solved. From now on, it's just like usual, and the group can chat aimlessly for a while... right?

As they chatted, Chihaya Aine keenly sensed something was amiss.

Korarin and Rikki don't seem to be in good shape today...

Although Li Xi was still as serious and cold as ever when dealing with people she didn't like, she softened a lot when dealing with people she cared about. However, there was always a hint of hidden sorrow in her eyes. When she mocked her, she seemed listless and often lost in thought.

Xu Douqin was the same; although it wasn't obvious from his face, he seemed to be talking less than usual today, frequently looking away from Yi Qiliu Yishan⑵陾蹴er曰=易 to think about other things…

Chihaya Aine frowned, sensing that things were not so simple.

She had a bold guess.

—Could something special have happened between the two of them?

Ugh, I don't want that kind of thing!

She couldn't accept that Xu Douqin and Li Xi had gotten together!

...Although it seems like we've always had a pretty good relationship.

However, we really need to get to the bottom of this. Chihaya Aine isn't the type to keep things bottled up inside; she needs to find out the truth right now.

"Heo Doo-chin, Rikki!"

Having made up her mind, she slammed her hand on the table during a break in their conversation.

Under the bewildered gazes of Gen Xudou and Shiina Riki, she crossed her arms with a serious expression, her hands clasped together, striking a detective pose as if she knew everything.

"Are you hiding something from me and Xiaodeng?"

Genjiro and Shiina Riki exchanged glances. Even though they had different opinions on the girl's behavior at the moment, they saw the same confusion in each other's eyes.

The atmosphere on the field was silent for a while, until finally, Yuan Xudou broke the deadlock by pressing his knuckles against his chin.

"...Aine, you noticed?"

——Huh?

Chihaya Aine's confident expression froze.

Oh, there really is one?