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

Yue confessed to her without hesitation or delay.

Her choice was impeccable; every step was precise and flawless.

And what about Peach? Peach did indeed do something wrong, without a doubt, and even Lixi herself couldn't defend her.

Given that there was such an obvious target as Peach, she should logically be very angry with Peach.

But...why is she so calm?

"Lixi... I'm sorry." Hinasaki's voice broke the silence, carrying a hint of tired apology as she whispered.

“No, Xiaoyue, you don’t need to apologize.” Lixi shook her head, her tone devoid of any blame.

Her voice was soft and calm, with a subtle sense of detachment, as if she were talking to herself, or as if she were giving herself some kind of explanation.

It wasn't that she didn't care, nor that she wasn't in pain, but at this moment, she couldn't blame Hinasaki.

She is very confused right now and doesn't know what she should do or how to do it.

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

"Xiaoyue?"

Before the performance began, the stage was bustling with activity. Su Shi stood in front of the keyboard, looking at Hinasaki, whose expression was low and whose eyes were unfocused, and a sense of unease arose in her heart.

"Xiaoyue!" Seeing that the other party did not respond, she raised her voice a few decibels.

"Ah..." Hinasaki finally heard the call, and looked up blankly at Suze, as if she had just been pulled back to reality from her distant thoughts. "Suze... is she going to go on stage?"

Su Shi frowned slightly, her tone carrying a hint of concerned inquiry: "Xiao Yue... are you alright?"

"Hmm... I should be fine with the performance."

Hinasaki answered in a low voice, but her words sounded stiff and cold, as if they had been spoken unconsciously, and her usual determination and enthusiasm seemed to have disappeared.

Su Shi was taken aback, and a strange worry welled up in her heart. "Just to get through the performance?" She silently watched Hinasaki, her eyes filled with obvious concern.

This wasn't the Hinasaki Tsuki she knew—the one who always put her heart and soul into the stage and never took things lightly. When would she ever use the word "perfunctory" to describe a performance?

Su Shi couldn't help but want to ask about Hinasaki's condition, but just then, a figure rushed over in her peripheral vision, pink hair bouncing with each step.

"Su Shishi! I have something to tell you!" Ai Yin ran to Su Shishi's side, her expression showing a hint of urgency.

Su Shi snapped out of her daze, glanced at Hinasaki with concern, then turned to Chihaya Aine and asked in a low voice, "What's wrong?"

Aine tilted her head slightly, glanced at the dazed Hinasaki, and then revealed a complicated expression. Su Shi immediately understood, nodded gently, and quietly followed her a few steps away from Hinasaki's hearing range.

"What's wrong?" Su Shi asked again softly, her tone tinged with unease.

"It's about Rikki!"

Ai Yin said softly, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes, "Rikki's condition is very strange. When I saw her just now, her eyes were unfocused, and she was completely out of it, as if she was daydreaming or had completely lost her motivation."

After hearing Aine's words, Su Shi frowned slightly, her gaze involuntarily falling once again on Hinasaki, who was not far away. She murmured to herself, "Is Ritsuki... like that too?"

"Huh? 'Also'?" Aine noticed the oddity in Suze's words and followed her gaze to Hinasaki, her expression gradually becoming serious.

"Xiaoyue...did something happen to her too?"

Su Shi nodded slightly, her voice tinged with worry: "Hmm... Xiao Yue's condition is also very strange. Since just now, she has been somewhat absent-minded, completely unlike her usual self."

Upon hearing this, Ai Yin frowned, her gaze shifting between the two of them, a sense of foreboding rising in her heart.

"What happened between them?" Ai asked in a low voice, her voice urgent and tinged with unease.

Su Shi did not answer immediately. More accurately, she herself did not know the answer.

After her gaze lingered on Hinasaki's silent figure for a moment, she asked softly, "Where are Ryuna and Akari?"

Now, both the keyboardist and drummer are experiencing problems, and she has to make a decision.

Although she desperately wanted to get all six members of Mygo on stage together, if Hinasaki and Riki continued to be in poor condition... she had to start considering canceling the performance or seeking backup musicians in case of an emergency.

“Ah… Xiaodeng and Lena…” Aine was interrupted by the sudden question, paused for a moment, and then answered, “Xiaodeng and Lena are both over there taking care of Lixi.”

"I see." Su Shi nodded thoughtfully, her gaze falling on Hinasaki again.

She remained silent in front of the keyboard, her eyes wandering, clearly out of place with the stage atmosphere.

Su Shi sighed softly, secretly speculating in her heart.

It seems that Xiaoyue is deliberately avoiding Lixi and choosing to stay here alone.

"I'll go check on Lixi first. Xiao Ai, you can stay here and help take care of Xiaoyue."

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

"Tachiki..." Takamatsu called softly, looking at Shiina Tachiki, who was standing in front of him with his head down and shrouded in a low atmosphere, his eyes full of concern.

"Is Lixi... sick?" Le Nai, who was standing next to her, also came forward, her eyes filled with worry, and asked softly.

Hearing their concern, Lixi raised her head slightly, forcing a smile as she tried to comfort them: "No... it's nothing. It's just that I have this indescribable feeling in my heart." Her voice was a little hoarse, and her smile revealed a hint of weariness, as if this emotion was suffocating her.

“Lixi…” Xiaodeng stepped forward and took Lixi’s hand. “Although… I can’t understand what Lixi is really feeling… but… I still hope that Lixi can recover as soon as possible.”

Lenai stood to the side, a hint of hesitation flashing in her eyes, before taking out a matcha candy from her pocket and handing it to Lixi: "Lixi... here you go."

Her voice was soft, as if candy could bring some comfort.

Lixi paused for a moment, then gave a faint but sincere smile, took the candy, and thanked him softly.

Side Story: A Trip to Hikami Mountain - Chapter Thirty-Two: A "Not Bad" Performance

The atmosphere at Ave Mujica was not relaxed either.

Shoko Toyokawa, now transformed into Oblivionis, stood backstage. Her gaze swept over Momoko Kurosawa, who appeared somewhat dazed, and she frowned slightly before turning her questioning look to her manager, Sakura Sakura, who was standing to the side.

Sakura Sakura understood immediately and nodded slightly, her tone carrying a hint of concern as she asked, "You're about to go on stage, will you be in good shape?"

Momoko Kurosawa paused for a moment, then forced a reassuring smile and nodded in response, "Yeah... no problem, I'll give it my all on stage."

Despite her efforts to appear composed, Xiangzi keenly sensed the undisguised weariness beneath her smile.

Peach seemed to have almost exhausted all her strength to pretend that nothing was wrong; her gaze was unfocused and her expression appeared somewhat strained.

"My acting skills... have really deteriorated..." Momoko Kurosawa sighed silently in her heart, knowing how fragile and pale her pretense was at this moment.

She was about to stand on the stage she loved most, but she felt no passion whatsoever. Her body seemed to have been drained by some invisible force, and she was like a puppet being manipulated, mechanically maintaining a smile on her face, but her eyes were empty.

Toyokawa Shoko calmly observed Momoko's fake smile, a hint of unease flashing in her eyes. She then turned her questioning gaze to Sakura Sakura beside her.

Miss Sakura pondered for a moment, raised her hand to touch her chin, a hint of hesitation on her face, but finally nodded slightly, signaling them to continue preparing.

Xiangzi watched her movements, sighed softly, suppressed all his emotions, and his expression gradually became calm and resolute.

She took a deep breath and said softly to Peach, "Then let's get ready, we're going on stage soon."

Upon hearing this, Peach mustered her spirits and nodded slightly.

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

The performance wasn't bad; at least from a musical point of view, Momoko Kurosawa's performance was impeccable, with perfect control over pitch and rhythm.

However, on stage, she exuded an undeniable lifelessness, as if her soul had been ripped away, and she appeared empty and exhausted under the spotlight.

Her movements were mechanical, her eyes were dull, lacking her usual vibrant enthusiasm and infectious energy, and even giving off an eerie chill.

But perhaps because Ave Mujica's stage style and costumes are inherently dark and somber, the audience seems to take it all as part of the performance.

The audience below the stage continued to react enthusiastically, with applause and cheers ringing out continuously, seemingly unaware of her inner struggle and distraction.

"What was that band's name again?" someone asked curiously, the lingering music still seeming to echo in their ears.

"It seems to be...Ave Mujica?" the person next to him replied with a hint of uncertainty.

"Their performance style is truly unique, actually blending the feel of a stage play with both music and dramatic performance."

“Yeah, yeah, especially that guitarist—he was like a living doll from beginning to end, so dedicated, completely immersed in the role.” Another audience member excitedly chimed in, recalling Momoko Kurosawa’s seemingly empty expression, as if she had been completely swallowed up by the stage atmosphere.

"I heard they're from Tokyo. I never expected the organizers to be able to get a band from Tokyo to perform here this year!" a fan said excitedly, his eyes shining.

"And they're going to perform at the Budokan next! I definitely want to see them if I get the chance." One audience member excitedly checked his phone, seemingly already searching for information about the Budokan performance.

Hmm... Although the process was a bit bumpy... it seems they achieved their tour goals?

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

"Lixi...are you alright?"

Nagasaki Motoyo asked in a low voice, her gaze shifting between Hinasaki and Shiina Tatsuki.

At this moment, the six members of Mygo are standing backstage, quietly listening to the sounds of Ave Mujica's performance on stage.

Hinasaki and Ritsuki stood facing each other, but their gazes did not meet, as if they were both immersed in their own emotions. Su Shi looked at them, a sense of helplessness rising in her heart.

[Everyone seemed to be having a lot of fun before, so why are the two of them acting like this after the celebration?]

She sighed softly, but there was no point in dwelling on it now—Ave Mujica on stage was saying goodbye to the audience, and Mygo's performance was about to begin.

At least, the two of them can still go on stage by themselves and adjust their instruments... that's the only good news.

Su Shi comforted herself in her heart.

----------

"We are the Mygo band..." As the spotlight focused, Gao Songdeng stood in front of the microphone and introduced himself to the audience.

During Xiaodeng's MC segment, Su Shi secretly glanced at Hinasaki and Riki.

Although their eyes did not meet, the focus unique to them on stage gradually emerged.

Nagasaki Motoyo's mother was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Fortunately... neither of them had any problems on stage..."

The warm light of the spotlight shone on Hinasaki, and she felt the light and heat penetrate her skin, gradually warming her.

The frozen emotions slowly melted away in this warmth. Even though the wavering and struggle in her heart still remained, the stage lights made it impossible for her to be perfunctory in her performance.

She closed her eyes slightly, took a deep breath, and gradually calmed her emotions.

Little Lamp's MC is almost over... Time to get ready to begin.

Li hope, standing beside him, was also quietly adjusting her emotions.

Whatever happened between her and Xiaoyue, at this moment, Mygo on stage must remain whole, and no personal emotions should be brought into the band's performance.