After dropping out of school, I chose to join a girls' band.

"Moon, do you also think there are a lot of teams in the final round?" Lixi thought Moon was lamenting that there were too many teams in the final round.

Yue shook her head, clearing her mind of the jumbled thoughts: "These are things we'll have to consider if we make it to the finals. What we need to decide now is whether or not to participate in the Bang Dream competition."

Her tone was firm and calm, her eyes flashing with determination and anticipation. Yue took a deep breath and continued, "Personally, I want to participate in this Bang Dream competition. Having such a great opportunity to perform on stage, I don't want to give it up no matter the final result."

Hearing Yue's words, Li hope nodded and then said, "I want more people to hear Xiao Deng's songs... so I also want to participate in the Bang Dream competition."

Upon hearing Lixi's words, Xiaodeng turned to look at her and said with some emotion, "Lixi-chan... thank you."

Chihaya Aine said with a smile, "I definitely won't miss the opportunity to perform at the Budokan and Tokyo Dome, so I think we should participate!"

Yue smiled at Aine and said gently, "Then Aine-chan, you'd better work hard. You should at least double your training." Her tone was slightly teasing, but her eyes were full of encouragement and expectation.

"Huh???" Aine exclaimed in surprise upon hearing Yue's words, her mouth slightly agape and her eyes filled with astonishment. Her expression became somewhat exaggerated, as if she had heard something unbelievable.

Seeing Aine's reaction, Yue couldn't help but laugh: "That's right, Aine. If we want to stand out in the competition, doubling the training volume to go to the Budokan or even the Tokyo Dome is just the minimum requirement. If necessary, doubling the training volume is also possible."

Chihaya Aine is now feeling somewhat hopeless about her future. "I will... do my best."

“There will be many performances? I agree!” Lena’s attention was completely focused on what Yue said about having many performances.

"Xiangzi and the others will be attending too, right?" Su Shi asked in a low voice after thinking for a while.

“Based on my understanding of Ms. Sakura, she wouldn’t miss such a good opportunity for free publicity,” Yue continued.

Upon hearing Yue's answer, a look of determination and resolve flashed in Su Shi's eyes. She took a deep breath, as if making a crucial decision, and said firmly, "I agree to participate in the Bang Dream competition."

Everyone's attention finally focused on Takamatsu. Although everyone had unanimously decided to participate in the Bang Dream competition, Takamatsu, as the team's soul, had not yet voted.

"Xiangzi... will he go too?" Xiaodeng murmured to herself, then nodded firmly. "I... agree too. I want to... understand Xiaoxiang's thoughts through his music. I want to communicate with Xiaoxiang through music."

Seeing that everyone agreed to participate in the Bang Dream competition, Yue nodded and concluded, "Then it's decided. After the Moon Forest Music Festival, we'll start preparing for the Bang Dream competition."

"Our target is the Budokan and Tokyo Dome!!!! Oh!!" Chihaya Aine echoed Yue's slogan, only to find that no one else was shouting along with her.

"This still shows a complete lack of team spirit!"

Chihaya Aine has perfectly inherited the spirit of her senior, Haneoka Uehara Himeri, even down to the point of being able to respond to anyone's call.

When the Stage Opens: Chapter 197 Prelude to the Performance

"Ugh... I'm so nervous..." Chihaya Aine stood backstage at Tsukimori, nervously watching the performance on stage. Her hand unconsciously went to her chest, trying to calm her racing heart.

"This is the third performance already, right? Why is it still like this?" Su Shi, wearing the Moon Forest school uniform, stood next to Aine and said with some helplessness.

According to the planned performance order, she had to attend the wind band's performance first, and then change into the band's costumes to perform on stage.

She vaguely remembered that yesterday they went to the chairman of the Moon Forest to apply for the temporary return of Su Shijia.

——————In the girl's memories——————

"So, Nagasaki Motoyo, you were originally a member of this band?" The chairman stopped writing with his pen, looked up, and his sharp gaze pierced through the office air, shooting straight at Motoyo who was standing in front of him.

Standing before the chairman, Su Shi felt an invisible pressure bearing down on her from all sides. Her hands were clasped tightly together, her right hand unconsciously resting on her left wrist, trembling slightly. Her gaze drifted to her right, avoiding eye contact with the chairman.

The chairperson's gaze remained fixed on her, her brows slightly furrowed, as if she were contemplating something important. That moment of silence made Su Shi even more uneasy, as if the air in the entire room had become heavy.

The chairman sighed softly, put down his pen, crossed his hands on the table, leaned forward slightly, and asked with a hint of scrutiny and questioning in his voice: "So, why did you leave the band? And why did you choose to come back before the music festival starts?"

"I..." Su Shi tried to calm her inner tension, "It's because of some personal reasons."

"Is that so?" The chairman looked at Su Shi, but did not press further. He simply said slowly, "Have your band play again. I will decide whether you can perform on stage based on the result this time."

————————The girl's flashback ends——————————

Naturally, their performance passed the chairman's approval. However, her performance in the brass band also passed the approval, which means she will have to perform two shows at the music festival today.

"Speaking of which, this seems to be the first time we've heard Su Shi play in the brass band. I'm really looking forward to your performance," Yue said with a smile.

"So, I don't think I've ever seen you perform, Yue?" Li Xi said thoughtfully after hearing Yue's words.

Her brows furrowed slightly, and her gaze toward Yue held a mixture of doubt and anticipation.

Ever since she learned that Yue was a former idol, Lixi had really wanted to see Yue's previous performances, but a series of events that happened afterward made her forget about it. Now that she remembered it again, her curiosity was reignited.

"I'm... curious too." Xiaodeng's voice was a little timid, but her eyes sparkled with obvious curiosity.

"Curious!" Lena excitedly leaned closer, her eyes sparkling, as if she had discovered something new and amazing.

Even Su Shi cast a curious glance at her, clearly pleased with Yue's previous experience as an idol. She slightly raised her head, a hint of anticipation in her eyes.

Seeing Yue's reaction, Chihaya Aine smiled and said, "Rikki, Koyuki, Rakuna, if you want to see it, you can come find me. I have a recording of Yue's first performance." Her tone was tinged with pride, as if she were showing off a treasure.

When Yue heard Aine's words, she knew what she was talking about. She could accept the other performances, but for that first performance, she couldn't help but cover her face and said with a gloomy expression, "I don't want to recall those dark histories anymore."

Her voice carried a hint of helplessness and embarrassment, clearly indicating some discomfort with her past experience as an idol. Yue's face flushed slightly, and she tapped her face lightly with her fingers, as if trying to hide her inner awkwardness.

A hint of surprise flashed in Lixi's eyes, and she immediately said, "Really? Then I definitely have to see it!"

Xiaodeng nodded slightly, her voice tinged with excitement: "I want to see too."

Lena was even more direct: "I want to see."

Su Shi smiled slightly and said softly, "It seems that Yue's performance is really very attractive."

Although Su Shi didn't know what Yue's performance would be like, she could tell from her resistant attitude that it would probably be quite "spectacular".

Hearing everyone's reactions, Yue felt even more embarrassed. She sighed helplessly, "Please, everyone can watch, but please don't drag me into it anymore. I really don't want to recall those past events."

Ai Yin smiled and patted Yue on the shoulder, her tone gentle yet firm: "Don't worry, Yue, we just want to see your performance, we won't embarrass you."

However, Aine couldn't hide the smile on her face. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and the corners of her mouth turned up, clearly showing that she was trying not to laugh. She tried hard to remain serious, but her inner joy and mischief kept surging up, making her expression look somewhat comical.

Yue sighed helplessly, her eyes filled with a sense of powerlessness and grievance: "Aine... next time you say that, please stop smiling. You're clearly laughing at me, and it hasn't stopped at all."

Upon hearing this, Aine's smile widened. She quickly covered her mouth, trying to hide her laughter, but the joy in her eyes was impossible to conceal. She coughed lightly and said in a serious tone, "I'm sorry, Yue, I just... um, I really find it very interesting."

Hearing Aine's words, Yue was reminded once again of that embarrassing performance video she had filmed before. The awkward scenes, the exaggerated expressions, the overly sweet songs… all of it flashed through her mind. She couldn't help but blush, and that feeling of helplessness washed over her again.

She really wishes she could dig a hole somewhere so that when everyone wants to watch her performance recordings, she can lie down in it and avoid that awkward situation.

"What video made you so scared, Tsuki?" Shiina Tatsuki asked, her brows furrowed slightly, her eyes filled with curiosity and confusion.

When Yue heard Li hope's question, her expression became even more conflicted. She clasped her hands together and pleaded with Li hope, "Please... don't ask. I don't want to remember."

Li hope looked at Yue Wu Yi Qi Ba Ba | Leng (Seven) Liu Yi’s pleading face. Although he was still curious, he couldn’t bear to ask any more questions.

When the Stage Opens: Chapter 198 The Performance Begins

"Future（みらい）を小（すこ）しでも君（きみ）といたいからcalled（さけ）ぼう"

Looking at Shiina Riki, whose eyes were now sparkling with excitement, Yue couldn't help but smile slightly, finding it rare to find the other person somewhat adorable.

Lixi's eyes sparkled with immense excitement and anticipation, as if she had seen a priceless treasure. A slight smile played on her lips, revealing an undisguised thrill, and her eyes were filled with love for Afterglow.

"Is Lixi a fan of Afterglow?" Yue asked.

"Huh?" Shiina Riki realized that her behavior seemed a little too obvious. "No..." She subconsciously wanted to explain, but the words wouldn't come out. Her liking for Afterglow was genuine.

Lixi's cheeks quickly flushed red, and she looked somewhat uneasy.

Seeing Li Xi's reaction, Yue gently waved her hand and said with a smile, "It's alright, it's okay. If you like someone, you like them, there's no need to be shy." Her tone was gentle yet firm, trying to offer Li hope some comfort and support.

"Is the next performance by Su Shi and the others?" She changed the subject.

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

As Afterglow's performance on stage came to an end, it was soon time for the Moon Forest Concert Band to perform. All eyes in the band were on Suze, who was holding a double bass. Suze stood in the center of the stage, dressed in a neat concert band uniform, with the double bass standing tall beside her. Her gaze was firm and focused, making her appear exceptionally confident.

"Is the double bass similar to the bass?" Chihaya Aine asked curiously. Her brows furrowed slightly, her eyes filled with confusion. As someone in the band who knew almost nothing about instruments or music theory, it wasn't surprising that Aine would ask such a question.

When Yue heard Aine's question, her expression turned somewhat strange. She clearly thought of the bass and double bass jokes she often told, and couldn't help but smile. She nodded slightly and replied, "In a sense, Aine, what you said is correct."

Ai Yin's eyes lit up instantly. "So there's a reason why Su Shishi is so good at playing bass?"

"Hmm..." Yue thought for a while and then shook her head slightly, saying, "Although their principles and ranges are very similar, there are still differences in actual performance."

As the auditorium lights dimmed, the Tsukimori Concert Band's performance officially began. Suze stood in the center of the stage, a double bass perched high beside her. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes slightly, regulated her breathing, and gently placed the bow on the strings, awaiting the conductor's command.

With a wave of his baton, the prelude to the music began. Su Shi listened intently to the rhythm, ready to engage at any moment, even though this was not an external competition or performance, and there was no national gold medal to strive for.

However, as one of the flagship events of the Tsuki no Mori Music Festival, their brass band performances have always been highly valued.

As the music deepened, Su Shi's fingers glided nimbly across the strings, and the double bass produced deep and resonant notes.

Su Shi's left fingertips moved swiftly and accurately on the fretboard, while her right hand moved gracefully and powerfully back and forth across the strings.

However, Su Shi's superb performance elicited different reactions from the audience backstage.

"Although I didn't hear it clearly, Su Shi is really amazing..." Ai Yin said softly. She hadn't recognized the sound of Su Shi's playing at all; she was just amazed by Su Shi's movements. Her eyes were sparkling, as if every movement of Su Shi carried a magical charm.

“I didn’t recognize it either… but Su Shi is amazing,” Xiao Deng chimed in from the side.

Yue turned her head away helplessly. She knew that Ai Yin was telling the truth. In many cases, it was difficult for anyone who wasn't particularly sensitive to sound or a professional to distinguish the double bass. Even she had to put in a lot of effort to recognize Su Shi's playing.

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

Soon, the performance on stage had ended. To give Su Shi ample time to change her clothes, Morfonica volunteered to schedule her performance between the brass band and Yue's group.

As Suze and her fellow brass band members came off the stage, Chihaya Aine immediately exclaimed excitedly, "Suze! The performance was wonderful!" Her clear and energetic voice rang out loudly in the quiet backstage area.

Unexpectedly, when Ai-yin called out to her, Su-shi's expression changed instantly, her cheeks flushed slightly, and then, realizing that this was her school, her expression turned rather unpleasant.

However, this intimate address immediately attracted the attention of the other students in the Tsukimori Concert Band. They all listened intently, their curious gazes fixed on Souyo and Aine.

"Su Shishi? That pink-haired girl calls her that so intimately," a classmate whispered, a hint of surprise and curiosity in his eyes.

"So Su Shi has such a good relationship with students from other schools?" another student said, her tone tinged with doubt and envy.

"It seems that Su Shi is not only popular in our school, but also has friends in other schools. And she seems to be quite special, since she's even given the nickname Su Shishi." A girl said with a smile.

“I remember Su Shi did have a band performance with students from another school,” another student said, seemingly recalling something.

Su Shi's face became even more embarrassed when she heard these comments. She tried to remain calm, but her gait revealed that she was not so composed.

————————————————————

"Su Shi...the performance was wonderful, there was no confusion." Sitting in the audience below the stage, Ruoye Mu watched Su Shi's performance and commented to herself, clearly very pleased with it.

"Compared to last year, Su Shi has indeed made great progress." Sitting next to Wakaba Mutsu was none other than our Toyokawa Shoko, who nodded slightly, her tone carrying a hint of appreciation.

Although Su Shi had always wanted her to rebuild Crychic and she had been avoiding her, she couldn't lie about music. She had invited Su Shi to join Crychic because she admired Su Shi's double bass playing.

Although she couldn't perform on stage, Ms. Xiangzi felt it was worth the trip just to see Morfonica's show.