As a former member of C-group, I want to destroy mygo!

But Mu... if you can take Mu home, why can't you take her home too?

No, that's not right.

She could have taken You home.

Shiina Ritsuki stared at Wakaba Mutsuki, who seemed a little confused and didn't seem to know what had happened, and felt a tightness in his chest.

But in the end, she couldn't say anything; she could only grit her teeth and escort the lamp home.

Nagasaki Motoyo, however, stared wide-eyed, suddenly realizing what she had done wrong.

She hadn't even noticed it before, but now that Yu has offered his help, she realizes that while she's been working to revitalize the band, she's unintentionally been neglecting Mutsu-chan!

Yes, even though Mutsu-chan is a member of the band, she has always been unintentionally excluded by everyone.

The loneliness of being treated differently was enough to make her heart pound just thinking about it.

Fortunately, Yu discovered it.

Nagasaki Motoyo looked at Yu, her startled eyes involuntarily filled with lingering fear and gratitude for someone's help.

From childhood to adulthood, she has always been the one who provides a safety net, whether it's for her family or her friends.

So this is what it feels like to have someone supporting you from behind?

Nagasaki Motoyo stared at Yu for a long time.

Kamiya Yu ignored everyone else and reached out to Mutsu, who was still sitting on the floor. When Mutsu did not react, he became more proactive and took her hand, pulling her up.

"Let's go." He soothed Mu's formality with his words, "Xiangzi entrusted you to me. Even if you don't trust me, you should at least trust Xiangzi. She is someone who would never hurt you under any circumstances."

After hearing his words, Mu finally stopped resisting and followed him step by step, leaving Ring hand in hand and embarking on the road home.

Kamiya Yu didn't say anything more along the way, just walked slowly with Mutsu, taking in the scenery and passersby.

(8) Originally, Wakaba Mutsumi had her head down, but as he looked around, she unconsciously began to follow his gaze, seeing whatever he looked at.

Then she saw that in the queue outside the store, a couple was so oblivious to others that the single person couldn't stand it anymore and cut in line, forcibly sandwiching herself between the couple.

Qi saw crows and magpies descending on the city's power lines and poles at the same time, chattering away.

She saw someone stumble when a hurried child bumped into them while they were crossing the street, and she started cursing in the Kansai dialect. Then the child grinned and ran away.

She saw several families of three going out to buy groceries in a friendly manner, all with smiles on their faces.

3 She also saw Kamiya Yu stop in front of a takoyaki vendor, buy a serving, and share it with her.

(iv) Even Ruoye Mu didn't know when it happened, but she went from being led by Kamiya Yu to having him let go of her hand and the two of them walking side by side.

Si turned her head to look at the boy walking beside her.

What you saw today was something she had never seen before.

Whether she came out with her parents or with Xiangzi, no one would look at her. Even she herself, because she had been used to walking with her parents since she was a child, had always treated walking as just walking.

But at this moment, it seemed that she was only realizing for the first time how colorful and vibrant the world was.

As they walked to a riverbank, Kamiya Yu stopped and gazed at the shimmering water where fish swam.

"Mu, what kind of music are you interested in?" he asked, looking at the river without glancing at the girl beside him, so as not to put any pressure on her.

Ruoye Mu hesitated for a moment. If it were during Ring, she wouldn't answer, wouldn't want to answer, and wouldn't be able to answer.

But at this moment, she would answer, she wanted to answer, and after a moment of active thought, she could answer: "...heavy metals."

Kamiya Yu was surprised at first, then pondered and said, "You must be under a lot of pressure."

Xiangzi had told him about Mu's family situation. With parents who had such high expectations for their daughters, any child would feel suffocated.

It's understandable that he likes heavy metal music, which can relieve stress and release emotions just by listening to its exciting melodies. However, Mu's appearance and personality are too quiet, which is why he was surprised.

"..." Faced with Yu's concern, Wakaba Mutsu chose to remain silent.

She doesn't lie; her silence is an admission.

"Let me tell you, Mu."

Despite the awkwardness, Kamiya Yu spoke about the band as a whole while also breaking it down into its parts:

"Xiangzi and Lixi both regard Crychic as a place where they can realize their dreams, Deng regards Crychic as a place where he can take a step to change, and Su Shi treats Crychic as his second home."

“At first, I saw Crychic as a place to make Xiangzi happy, and a place where I could marry Xiangzi.”

"And you, Mu? Do you have any feelings or hopes for this band?"

This time, Wakaba Mutsumi became somewhat cunning for the first time. She stubbornly raised her eyes to look at Kamiya Yu, and asked calmly like moonlight, "At first... then, what about now?"

If I answer, can you answer me too?

Ruoye Mu shook her head; she didn't know.

Seeing this, Kamiya Yu was not disappointed, and he finally answered Mutsumi's question:

"Now, I consider Crychic a place that you will all never forget, a place where the six of you will gather for the rest of your lives."

Because of the system's existence, even without Crychic, he would eventually join a band and become a musical genius, earning a lot of money so that he could pass the test of Toyokawa's grandmother and marry Shoko.

Even if he had no money, Xiangzi would still run away from the Fengchuan family to marry him, but she wouldn't receive the family's blessing that way. He hoped that Xiangzi could have the best possible experience.

So at first, Crychic was just a place for him to make Xiangzi happy and for him to become a genius.

But now, after spending these two weeks together, he has changed his mind.

"This band deserves our emotional investment... not just Xiangzi's, Lixi's, Sushi's, Deng's, mine, and yours too."

Seeing Mutsumi's stunned expression, Kamiya Yu raised his hand, extended one index finger, and placed it on Mutsumi's forehead:

"This is both our band and your band. Try to integrate with us and give us a chance, Mu. This is also an opportunity for yourself!"

Volume 1: Chapter 117, Section 116. Mutsu's Memories: The Collapsed Sky, the Collapsing World

Mu was stunned as she felt the warmth emanating from her forehead.

The strength that Yu's finger brought was so undeniable, and he was so convinced that even a doll named Wakaba Mutsu could be healed by the band Crychic.

Even if it can't cure everything, at least as long as she's willing to try, this band can at least bring her some happiness, instead of just being ignored and wasting her time in pain.

"Lixi and the others do often overlook you, but you haven't been as proactive as everyone else in becoming a member of the band, have you? Although you come to practice every time, it's only because of Xiangzi."

"You're already thinking of giving up before anything has even started? Don't you think that's too early?"

This soft murmur, falling on Mu's ears, was like a bolt from the blue, shattering the corner where she was alone and forcing her to step out of the shadows.

Stop being passive like a puppet, and be proactive like a human being.

“No one in Crychic is as domineering, unreasonable, and unwilling to listen to your thoughts as your parents.”

“We can be friends, companions, partners, or a community with a shared destiny in the same band.”

“Even the seemingly fiercest Lixi, I can guarantee she will treat you gently, it’s just that you dare not imagine that such a good thing could happen.”

"so--"

"How long are you going to keep yourselves isolated from people like us who can confide in you?"

"Even if we may not understand your feelings and thoughts, as long as you are willing to take the first step, we can take ten steps for you. With such a profit of ten times or even a hundred times, is there anything more worthwhile in the world than gaining the love of Toyokawa Shoko?"

I hate that iron cannot become steel.

Faced with Mutsu, who is unable to express herself, Kamiya Yu doesn't simply try to rescue her from the mire, because doing so would likely only result in her becoming a puppet who is completely obedient to him.

But he absolutely refused to see the half of him, tainted with Xiangzi's spirit, sink to such a state!

Since she's Xiangzi's childhood sweetheart, she should act in a way that's worthy of Xiangzi and become someone worthy of him!

Bang!

A unique voice seemed to ring in Wakaba Mutsu's ears.

It was as if she had always been enveloped by a giant bubble. Everything outside the bubble was something she could only see, but couldn't hear or touch. Even seeing was blurry because of the bubble.

But at that moment, *snap*!

A heavenly melody resounded from all around the world, so powerful that she couldn't help but cover her ears and ignore it. The bubble that had enveloped her for the past fifteen years burst and disintegrated in an instant, leaving no trace behind.

The setting sun's rays became dazzling, stirring one's emotions.

"...Should I do this?"

Wakaba Mutsu stared blankly at Kamiya Yu, as always, relinquishing control, just like she would with her own parents.

But Kamiya Yu wasn't her parents. He wasn't like those two seemingly kind and benevolent old men who would reject any suggestion Mutsu made. He would only solemnly tell Mutsu:

"You should be in charge of your own affairs. You have such an opportunity in front of you now. What are you going to do?"

Ruoye Mu's golden eyes looked at the boy in front of her: "If I don't choose, will you... will Su Shi and the others also leave, will they stay away from me?"

"meeting!"

Decisive and unequivocal, leaving no room for comfort or compromise.

Upon receiving this reply, Wakaba Mutsumi quietly looked at Yu: "In that case, do I really have a choice?"

But as soon as she said it, she quietly shook her head.

Yes, she has a choice.

However... although Yu respects her individuality, he will also push her hard from behind in order to make her take the best path, even if it means making her stumble.

In a daze, Ruoye Mu seemed to understand why Xiangzi, who had never thought about dating or finding a boyfriend before, would suddenly have her heart filled with this one and only person.

Under the shimmering light of the water, Wakaba Mutsu's gaze became firm for the first time in history.

A sentence suddenly appeared in her mind, a sentence she had never dared to utter, a sentence she had decided to say.

Even after being escorted home and falling asleep, she tossed and turned, repeating the words to herself countless times, reminding herself that she had to say them aloud.

By the afternoon of the next day, everyone from Crychic had gathered in Ring's training room. Just a second before Riki was about to strike the drumstick, the doll named Wakaba Mutsu transformed into a human.

She resolutely stood up and took the opposite side from everyone else.

In the comforting and expectant gaze of You, under the encouraging look of Xiangzi, in the uneasy eyes of Su Shi, in the doubtful gaze of Deng, and in the surprised stare of Li Xi.

Wakaba Mutsu began to speak:

"I like heavy metal music."

Her voice was still soft and gentle, which was her nature, but even the softest tone could not conceal the determination that emanated from her words.