They all have hidden attributes!

"Okay," Uesugi Maya said irritably.

Takahashi Makoto's attitude suddenly became forceful, which she was not used to at all. Moreover, these two things hit the nail on the head, and Uesugi Maya was thus grabbed by the back of her neck.

After Uesugi Maya drank all her coffee in one go, Takahashi Makoto, carrying his violin bag, walked out of the coffee shop with her.

As dusk settles on the streets, Tsurumizawa students, busy preparing for the summer competition, stroll leisurely. Across the street is the music store where Makoto Takahashi bought his bass, which also sells amplifiers and other equipment.

Makoto Takahashi walked over, stopped in front of the music store, turned around and asked Maya Uesugi, who was half a step behind, "Can you really sell 40 tickets by yourself through a street performance?"

After calming down, Maya Uesugi shook her head and said frankly, "I admit that street performances are more difficult than I imagined, but there is more than one way to meet the targets."

"Buy it yourself?"

Is there a problem?

Makoto Takahashi knew how stubborn she was, so he could only hope that Maya Uesugi wouldn't be able to take on the lead vocals.

"Lead singer, are you really sure you can do it?"

"Can you do it?"

Maya Uesugi raised her delicate face, giving off a condescending air: "Rather than handing it over to someone else, I'd rather fail once."

Makoto Takahashi wasn't surprised at all that she said such a thing.

The idea of ​​"living without relying on anyone" essentially means being unable to trust others and hating being dragged down by the team, but a band is by no means a one-man band.

“You’re not cute at all, you’re such a pain,” Makoto Takahashi said.

"It's okay to regret it now if you don't like it."

As soon as the words were spoken, a low-pressure system swept through the streets, and the sky seemed to darken instantly, with unease and anxiety growing in the thick shadows.

Under Maya Uesugi's icy gaze, he shook his head, made up his mind, and revealed his true feelings:

“I am well aware that I am sometimes too idealistic. When reading light novels, I hope that everyone has a happy ending. After forming a band, I naturally want pure resonance.”

“I don’t want to see you end up with a bad ending, such as growing old alone or closing yourself off.”

“If you continue to be so obsessive, you will never be able to defeat Sister Xing. Even if you use others as tools, she still has more power than you.”

“Take the band as an example. Your current forceful leadership style is a complete mistake. When you can’t hold on any longer, as a friend, I will prove that I am someone you can trust.”

Makoto Takahashi wanted to savor the embrace he hadn't received last night.

Maya Uesugi stared at him with an expressionless gaze, took a deep breath to calm herself, and said calmly:

"You want to defeat me? Fine. On the condition that you don't cause trouble for Shiraishi Junka and Kashima Reiko, and you must cooperate with all my orders."

“Okay.” Makoto Takahashi nodded in agreement.

In his view, Maya Uesugi's current behavior is like charging a broken machine for the band.

"Buying groceries."

She took off her violin case and tossed it to Makoto Takahashi, then turned and walked toward the supermarket: "Take the violin case back and solve Shiraishi Junka's problem."

"I will go with you."

"Obey orders."

Yes, yes.

Makoto Takahashi raised his hands in surrender, and after Maya Uesugi walked away, he carried his violin case back to the cafe.

Junka Shiraishi and Reiko Kashima sat facing each other on either side of the sofa. Their postures seemed no different from when he left, but the atmosphere was somewhat off.

"What happened?" Takahashi Makoto asked.

"She drank your coffee." Kashima Reiko rebuked Shiraishi Junka with a stern look, her expression blank.

Makoto Takahashi put down his violin case and looked at his seat; his coffee cup was empty.

"I haven't tried it yet."

He said something to Shiraishi Junka, and after sitting down on the sofa, he met Kashima Reiko's gaze with a gentle look: "Reiko-senpai, there's something I'd like to ask you."

"it is good."

Aren't you going to listen to me first before you agree?

"If you talk to the young lady, there's nothing I can do to object."

"I wouldn't do that kind of thing."

Makoto Takahashi took the coffee from Junko Shiraishi, ignoring her expectant gaze, placed it on the table, and briefly explained what had just happened to Reiko Kashima.

Having witnessed the war between Tatsumi Yuki and Uesugi Maya since childhood, Kashima Reiko quickly understood his meaning and readily agreed.

"Is it alright for Miss to know?" She was more worried about Takahashi Makoto's situation.

"No problem, the important thing is that you don't get caught in the middle between me and Sachi-nee, putting yourself in a difficult position," Takahashi Makoto emphasized.

"clear."

Kashima Reiko stood up, making room for him and Shiraishi Junka: "I'll take my leave now. I'll fully cooperate with you on the band's affairs."

After Kashima Reiko left, Takahashi Masaya picked up the coffee that Shiraishi Junko had handed him, took a sip, and then handed it back to her.

Under his helpless gaze, Shiraishi Junka accepted the coffee with both hands, lowered her head and took small sips, a happy smile appearing on her charming face.

Chapter 75 The Coward's Way of Survival

This is really... so painful.

Shiraishi Junka swallowed a sip of coffee, then thoughtfully looked up. The Savior sat beside her, gazing at her with calm and gentle eyes.

Thanks to him, we were saved.

She thought to herself, and habitually bit the skin inside her mouth.

Junka Shiraishi possesses innate artistic talent, displaying exceptional abilities in both music and painting from a young age.

A once-in-a-century talent and striking beauty are the beginning of all suffering.

With attention focused on her, she was taught that she couldn't express her feelings, and that doing things that wasted her talent would be rejected... She herself didn't desire such a life at all.

As we get older, we have more and more worries.

From elementary school onwards, the atmosphere around me was strange. Girls rejected me, and boys were restless.

No matter what you do, you're under constant scrutiny. If you answer a question incorrectly in class, it will become an embarrassing scene.

—If it were any other child, no one would care. But if it were a genius like Shiraishi Junka who failed, it would leave a deep impression on everyone.

The teachers took good care of her, but at the same time she was isolated by her classmates.

Because I'm not good at sports, I suffer even more when I sit on the sidelines watching everyone else exercise in PE class; I feel like a complete oddball.

To avoid attracting attention, Shiraishi Junko lived a quiet life. She once wrote in every place where dreams were required: "I want to live in a place where no one knows me."

Until Junko Shiraishi met him.

She was more beautiful than her, and in her specialty, oil painting, she undeniably surpassed all the masterpieces she had ever seen.

Only by his side can one find a place to live.

It wasn't until she returned to her bedroom today and cried for a long time under the covers that Shiraishi Junka realized why she instinctively felt close to him and even wanted to go home with him.

Only by being by his side can one truly integrate into this world.

As Shiraishi Junka thought to herself, she drank the last sip of coffee, put down the cup, and turned to look at him.

Makoto Takahashi gazed at her soft and charming face, her features as exquisite as a work of art, and her wine-red eyes with long, delicate eyelashes seemed to be deep in thought.

"Chunke, did you hear my conversation with Lengzi just now?" he asked softly.

"I won't cause Cheng any trouble."

Shiraishi Junka nodded, afraid of being kicked out: "I will obey, I will do anything."

So heavy... Makoto Takahashi's lips twitched slightly as he suddenly understood how Maya Uesugi felt when he told him he wanted to "be in a band for life".

"Chun Ke, what do you think of the band?" he pressed.

"Living space, but with some pain."

Shiraishi Junka's voice was soft and weak: "They...ignored what I was saying."

"That melody that's four beats slower? It does have a feeling of morning mist dissipating."

Hearing Makoto Takahashi say this, her eyes lit up, and she raised her hand to her chest as if she had found a resonance: "It will be gentler and more beautiful."

Shiraishi Junka's performance led Takahashi Makoto to conclude that she was a true artist, romantic by nature, and possessed unique creativity.

This is precisely why she and Kashima Reiko, with their proper, honest, and even rigid personalities, are completely incompatible. When faced with pressure from Uesugi Maya, she can only avoid potential conflicts by remaining silent.

Ignoring her creativity and artistic expression and conveying negative energy is a minefield for Junka Shiraishi.

Makoto Takahashi thought for a moment, then continued, "What did you originally want to say to me this morning?"

“Last night, after reading all the news about Makoto, everyone thought you were amazing,” Shiraishi Junko replied obediently.

"all?"

"Yes, I slept in a little longer this morning."

That's why she was late for rehearsal.

Makoto Takahashi roughly understood the logic behind Junka Shiraishi's behavior; now only one question remained.

"Did you run away in the afternoon because you didn't like the atmosphere in the rehearsal room?"

"It's very painful."

Shiraishi Junka lowered her wine-red eyes, her face crumbling as if she were about to cry: "I don't like conflict and criticism."

"Why did you come back again?" Makoto Takahashi asked, puzzled.

"This afternoon, thinking that I would never be able to get close to Cheng again, I couldn't bear it, so..."

As she spoke, Shiraishi Junko opened her arms and hugged her without saying a word.

Holding her soft, slender body in his arms, Makoto Takahashi felt his heart tremble at her gentle voice, leaving him speechless.

Shiraishi Junka is a coward.