They all have hidden attributes!

Therefore, she would choose to live in the safest place because she is too timid. Even if she suffers pressure, endures criticism, and accepts the risk of getting hurt, she will stay by his side.

For this purpose, she was surprisingly bold.

"Can I go home with you?"

When Shiraishi Junko asked that question in his ear, Takahashi Makoto almost subconsciously agreed.

"Is your family okay?" He regained his composure before speaking.

"unimportant."

"Then I can't agree to that."

"I can't breathe without Cheng by my side."

Shiraishi Junka slightly raised her face, her tone devoid of any resentment, and said in a calm yet heart-wrenching voice, "I don't know how to say it, but I need you."

She found it difficult to articulate her feelings.

Seeing the anxious and uneasy look on Shiraishi Junka's face, Takahashi Makoto calmly pushed her away and said, "Isn't it necessary to go to this extent?"

"why?"

"If I had to give a reason, I would say that responsibility is more important than desire."

It's natural to feel attracted when a beautiful senior throws herself at you, but to achieve your ideal state, you absolutely can't rely on a momentary impulse.

"Junko doesn't know me well enough, does she? How about we start as friends?" Makoto Takahashi asked tentatively.

"it is good."

Seeing that Shiraishi Junka's eyes were red, yet she still obediently agreed, her expression was both poignant and tender, leaving one at a loss.

After a moment's thought, Makoto Takahashi suggested, "As long as you behave well in the band, I'll make time for you every day, okay?"

"Okay." Shiraishi Junka nodded like a chick pecking at rice.

"If you have any inspiration, you can share it with me, but please don't act on your own."

"Ah."

"Remember to send a message or make a phone call if anything happens. Do not run away on your own."

.......

When Maya Uesugi returned to the cafe carrying shopping bags from the supermarket, Makoto Takahashi and Junka Shiraishi had already resumed normal social distancing and were calmly discussing oil painting.

"I decided to only draw what I like, and I mainly rely on my feelings when creating. For example, 'Fireworks' was entirely based on my memories of the time and my fantasies about a hazy romance at a summer festival."

After saying that, Takahashi Makoto saw Uesugi Maya walk over, stand up from the sofa, and say to her:

"I've already discussed it with Lengzi and Chunke-senpai. They will strictly follow your orders until the live performance ends."

What happens after the live performance ends?

"I don't think you can hold out until the live show ends."

Hearing Makoto Takahashi say this, Maya Uesugi glared at him impatiently with a slightly tough look, then looked down at Junka Shiraishi: "Even if you return to the band and perform poorly, I still won't let you go on stage."

"As expected of you, you're under a lot of pressure."

Takahashi Makoto offered a friendly reminder, but Uesugi Maya didn't appreciate it and turned around to say, "Go home."

"I'll take Chunke home." Takahashi Makoto looked up at the night sky.

"It would be troublesome to have someone from her family come and pick her up."

"Ok."

Shiraishi Junka called home herself, and Takahashi Makoto and Uesugi Maya accompanied her to wait at the cafe. Before it got completely dark, a white car stopped in front of the cafe.

The three of them walked out of the coffee shop together. The female driver bowed to Uesugi Maya before opening the car door and inviting Shiraishi Junka into the car.

Watching the vehicle drive away along the main road, Makoto Takahashi and Maya Uesugi, carrying their instrument bags and shopping bags full of groceries, walked towards the tram stop.

"You really can't sing?" Makoto Takahashi asked curiously.

Maya Uesugi replied calmly, "If there are no audience members, it's not a problem at all."

"That's the problem, isn't it? What about street performances?"

"It can be overcome."

"I didn't expect you to be socially anxious."

“I don’t have social anxiety, and I have social skills, but I just feel a little ashamed.”

That makes sense. A band formed by a rich young lady like Tachibana Yuki would never perform on any occasion; it's just playing house.

Maya Uesugi appears to be an experienced person, but in reality, her band experience is almost non-existent.

This not only reminds Makoto Takahashi of the female lead in the first episode of "First Love Time," but also makes one wonder if the industry's atmosphere in recent years has been a bit too strange.

On the first day of becoming friends with Uesugi Maya, although the two argued due to their differing ideals, dinner was still plentiful.

July 27th, 3 days until the live stream.

Because Makoto Takahashi said he didn't like eating cold rice, Maya Uesugi specially cooked porridge.

The white rice porridge sprinkled with red dried plum meat not only looks quite refreshing, but the sourness of the dried plum and the original flavor of the rice also form a wonderful balance, making you feel good from the start of the morning.

After breakfast, the two went downstairs together and walked along the quiet streets to the tram stop to board the red tram carriage.

Today, a bus is parked in front of the gate of Tsurumizawa Academy.

"The brass band?" Takahashi Makoto asked.

Maya Uesugi, walking beside him, glanced at him disdainfully and asked in a cold voice without any mercy, "Are you senile? Kashima just said yesterday that it was the badminton club."

"Oh, training camp."

"The Kansai Concert for the brass band is in September, and the National Concert is in October."

"So, I thought all the competitions were in the summer."

“That bus can’t hold all the instruments; the band needs at least one more truck.”

The two chatted as they walked into the special building and arrived at the 5th floor corridor. They didn't hear Kashima Reiko playing the drums today, and the door to the rehearsal room was also closed.

Maya Uesugi pushed open the door and walked in. Looking at the back of Kashima Reiko chatting with her in front of the drum set, she frowned unhappily: "Is there something you need?"

"Hina?" Makoto Takahashi recognized Hina Nekoya's back and was curious about why she had run over.

"Good morning, Acheng."

Hina Nekoya turned to face him and waved, saying, "I've come to return your apartment key."

As she spoke, she glanced at Uesugi Maya, whose face was cold, and blinked as she asked, "How about we go outside to talk?"

"Rehearsal will begin promptly at 8 o'clock," Uesugi Maya instructed, emphasizing her words.

"Yes Yes."

Makoto Takahashi took the key from Hina Nekoya and walked out of the rehearsal room with her.

Chapter 76: The Little Tricks Are Quite Cute

Sunlight streamed into the elevated walkway through the right-hand window, and the sky was a clear blue, like blue ink completely dissolved in water.

Wearing a black and white color-blocked long-sleeved and long-legged tracksuit, Nekoya Hina stopped in the middle of the corridor, turned around and looked at the eastern sky, and suddenly said:

"Acheng, we haven't seen each other for the past few days."

This is true.

Since giving her the apartment key, Nekoya Hina has stopped appearing out of nowhere like before.

Makoto Takahashi followed her gaze and saw the glittering glass curtain walls of the skyscrapers, a familiar sight that the two of them had seen countless times during their lunch breaks.

"How's the badminton club doing?" he asked casually.

Hina Nekoya gave a lost child's smile, her voice devoid of emotion: "After Makoto reminded me, I tried to encourage everyone to try harder, but it seems I've really become a stress monster, there's nothing I can do about it—"

There's absolutely no way.

Having finally gotten the chance to enter the national competition, I naturally hope to live up to all the hard work and sweat I've put in. I naturally want to reap the rewards.

Moreover, Nekoya Haruna had tasted tears of regret and remorse.

Makoto Takahashi turned to look at her profile, his eyes dim, his expression lacking the liveliness and brightness it had before summer vacation, his usual cheerful smile now tinged with bitterness.

The desire to win the national championship and the pure love at this age have something in common: they are always too heavy.

"Did you scare Hanaori back to Izu?" He raised his hand and gently patted Nekoya Hina's shoulder.

"What? Acheng is already calling her by her name?"

Seeing her pout unhappily, Takahashi Makoto sighed with amusement: "Why are you so fixated on Hanaori?"

"I've told A-Cheng before that I greatly admire Kashima-senpai."

"so?"

"I want to be like her, leading everyone to the national competition and winning the championship."

Hina Nekoya turned her head to look at his hand on her shoulder, then leaned closer without making a sound, feeling inexplicably at ease: "If I can find Hanakawa, I can guarantee victory in both matches, just like Kashima-senpai."

In a team competition where the rules dictate a best-of-five format, securing two wins consistently puts you just one step away from winning the championship.

As she spoke, Nekoya Hina lowered her head and shyly scratched her cheek with her finger: "I'll find a way to let Makoto watch my final match. You won't go back on your word, will you?"

"No." Makoto Takahashi noticed that her ears, peeking out from between her chestnut hair, were turning red, which then spread down her cheeks to her neck. He immediately changed the subject to help Nekoya Hina cheer up.

"Hina, actually, I wanted to ask you a few days ago, do you like me?"

"Huh?" She gave an awkward laugh.

"Because I feel like you're a little lusting after my body."

"How could that be! He's just Ah Cheng!"

Hina Nekoya jumped away, immediately putting distance between them, but her gaze fell on the V-neck of Makoto Takahashi's T-shirt, making her feel a little breathless.

It's been a few days, and Acheng seems even more handsome now.

She shifted her gaze to the cedar forest in the courtyard, tugging at the collar of her tracksuit and fanning herself as if to keep warm: "Well, that's true, but if A-Cheng confesses, I'll seriously consider it."