They all have hidden attributes!

The group looked at each other in silence for a moment before Kashima Reiko raised the drumstick in her hand.

She stared intently at Makoto Takahashi, her face expressionless, and asked in a completely flat tone, "Would you like to participate in this month's art exhibition?"

Topics unrelated to the band were exactly what Makoto Takahashi wanted to talk about.

He turned his gaze to Shiraishi Junko, his tone calm: "Junko, didn't you mention there were a few domestic special awards in August?"

"Ah."

Shiraishi Junka nodded slightly and, following the atmosphere, spoke with Kashima Reiko: "The media is paying more attention to the [Hakusatsu Award], which is awarded after the Obon festival."

Her voice was soft, and her eyes kept glancing at Uesugi Maya as she spoke, seemingly still haunted by the oppressive atmosphere of the past few days.

"What does Senior Reiko think?" Makoto Takahashi asked in a nonchalant tone.

"Among the special awards offered during the same period, I would recommend those with a stronger official background, such as the [Museum, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award]," said Reiko Kashima.

"Well, its international influence is very weak." Shiraishi Junka's tone softened even more.

“New platforms are neither mainstream nor authoritative enough.”

"Then, the [Whitestone Award]?"

"The young lady said that we could open a new [Lijian Foundation Award]."

Makoto Takahashi didn't want to trouble Yuki Tatsumi to create a new award, and besides, his artistic background was that of the Tatsumi family, so doing such a thing would be incredibly boring.

"Is the [Shiraishi Award] an award established by the Junko family?" Makoto Takahashi asked.

"Yes, it has a long history."

Seeing that Shiraishi Junka nodded, he gave Kashima Reiko a look: "This one will do."

"I understand. I'll take care of things with the news media."

After the matters concerning the August [assessment] were decided, Hanakawa Kaori, seeing that the atmosphere was good, raised her hand and said, "Senior Makoto, I have a question."

"what?"

"Should we create a Line group chat?"

Upon hearing this, Makoto Takahashi turned to look at Maya Uesugi, who was flipping through her copy of "White Night" with a bored expression, showing no intention of joining the conversation.

Makoto Takahashi had long believed that the Light Music Club should have a group chat, but considering that Maya Uesugi's flip phone couldn't use Line, he didn't want to exclude her, so he hadn't brought it up.

Getting Maya Uesugi to join is a bit difficult.

Chapter 85 A Relaxed and Leisurely Band

Silence filled the rehearsal room, and the atmosphere gradually became somewhat subtle.

Seeing that Takahashi Makoto remained silent, Hanakawa Kaori, who suggested creating a Line group chat, nervously clutched the hem of her sailor uniform skirt, glancing left and right to observe the expressions of the others, afraid that she had done something wrong again.

At that moment, Maya Uesugi slowly raised her face, glanced coldly at Makoto Takahashi, and said softly in an indifferent tone, "Don't worry about me."

Even if she is excluded from the group chat, she will not feel lonely.

Makoto Takahashi pondered for a moment, then took out his phone from his pants pocket, turned his gaze back to Hanakawa Kaori, and said with a smile, "Since Maya isn't interested, I'll start a group chat."

After setting up the group chat, he explained the issue of stage costumes before letting Uesugi Maya explain the band's next plans and arrangements.

Compared to previous meetings, the atmosphere at today's band meeting was noticeably more relaxed.

With communication channels reopened, everyone shared their opinions on rehearsal times and the location of the training camp, with Uesugi Maya stating that she would consider it carefully.

The meeting ended, and as soon as it was announced that the session was dismissed, Uesugi Maya turned around and walked out of the rehearsal room with a brisk step.

Makoto Takahashi chatted with the others for a while before entering the Light Music Club office.

The cicadas chirped incessantly, sunlight streamed in through the side window, the Belgian pitcher gleamed with a metallic sheen, and Maya Uesugi sat by the window reading a book, the air conditioning wafting with the bitter aroma of coffee.

The interplay of light and shadow accentuates her fair and delicate profile, making her so beautiful that it's impossible to look away.

"Mayo, come shopping with me." Takahashi Makoto slowly approached her.

"Not interested."

"I want to buy the newly released light novel and do some research while I'm at it. If we have time, we can book a performance at a LiveHouse together."

"Inviting your ex-girlfriend on a date? Scumbag."

Maya Uesugi closed the book in her hand, looked up and met his gaze, her caramel-colored eyes reflecting wariness: "I will not accept any invitations with ill intentions."

"It's just shopping, not going to a love hotel," Makoto Takahashi said innocently, spreading his hands.

“My current phone is perfectly functional; there’s no need to replace it,” Maya Uesugi said coldly.

They've been found out.

Considering that she usually doesn't even answer phone calls and only uses text messages and emails, the old-fashioned flip phone is indeed sufficient.

Makoto Takahashi originally planned to look at electronic products on the way, such as buying a game console, and then persuade her to change to a smartphone, or simply to create an accident and accidentally break Maya Uesugi's phone, and then buy her a smartphone in return.

I never expected Haki to be so wary. My current situation is no different from having to catch a cat and take it for a bath.

He averted his gaze and coughed lightly to cover his embarrassment: "Mayo, the cost of sending a text message is 3.3 yen. If the content is long, it may be charged as multiple messages."

"So what?"

“If I send you 100 messages, it will cost 330 yen. Although it’s not much, from a psychological point of view, the threshold will make people not want to do it, such as the voice prompt of the complaint hotline.”

"..."

"Line is free."

At this point, Makoto Takahashi sighed and looked regretfully at the sky outside the window.

Seeing the loneliness in his eyes, Uesugi Maya frowned slightly, her sharp gaze softening as she said impatiently, "Emails are free."

"Actually, exchanging Line numbers implies that we can chat anytime. Emails seem too formal. I thought our relationship was..."

Takahashi Makoto paused, as if he wanted to say something but couldn't, his face showing a hurt expression. Uesugi Maya rubbed her temples in exasperation, her calm voice tinged with a helpless sigh:

"I understand. Just to clarify, I don't know much about electronic devices."

“It’s alright, I know a fair bit about electronic devices.” Takahashi Makoto smiled smugly.

"First, it must be waterproof."

Maya Uesugi stood up and said matter-of-factly, "The most practical function of my current phone is that it's waterproof."

"No problem. In fact, most mainstream brand mobile phones are now water-resistant, and some can be submerged in 50 meters of fresh water for 30 minutes."

Makoto Takahashi walked out of the club office with her, through the corridor, and downstairs: "But most girls care more about features like taking pictures."

"It doesn't matter what happens, like that." Uesugi Maya said with an indifferent expression.

Considering they also needed to arrange a real debut live performance for the band, the two chose a shopping street near Shimokitazawa as their date location.

At Makoto Takahashi's suggestion, Maya Uesugi bought a brand-new smartphone.

“Let me teach you how to register and use Line first,” Makoto Takahashi said.

"Just follow the procedure, do you think I'm stupid?"

Uesugi Maya glanced at him coldly, frowned, and asked, "What are you holding in your hand?"

"A handheld game console? Never seen one before?"

"Playing with toys leads to the loss of ambition."

After being harshly criticized, Makoto Takahashi and Maya Uesugi exchanged contact information, and Makoto invited her to join the Light Music Club's group chat.

"That way we can chat anytime."

“I have no interest in chatting with them.”

Uesugi Maya said coldly, turning around decisively: "Let's go. The schedule still includes research, scheduling livehouses, buying light novels, and grocery shopping."

As it turns out, dating your ex-girlfriend is not a good choice.

When buying light novels and related merchandise—Uesugi Maya: "Why not buy my books to improve your literary skills? As a friend, I can sign them for you."

When buying the 18R, Uesugi Maya took a few steps away, pretending not to know him, and gave him a look as if he were trash.

While gathering material from watching stray cats fighting on the street, Uesugi Maya dragged him into a LiveHouse: "Cats and dogs are the dirtiest. Who knows which trash can they just went to?"

The date is over, time to go home for dinner.

That evening, Makoto Takahashi received his first Line message from Maya Uesugi.

[Maya: Goodnight.jpg]

When Makoto Takahashi received the [Hannya] goodnight emoji that Maya Uesugi had somehow found, he was lying on the sofa in a daze.

After replying to her with "Goodnight," he opened the Light Music Club's group chat and sent a message.

[Takahashi: Our first live performance is scheduled for the night before the Obon holiday. Everyone should practice hard during this time.]

[Takahashi: Also, each person needs to find a way to sell 5 live show tickets, which will cost 1800 yen each.]

[Rikeo: Received]

Kashima Reiko's serious reply felt like something out of a work group chat.

[Nekoya-Nekoya: Clapping and cheering.jpg]

[Nekoya-Nekoya: Acheng, do I also have a quota?]

[Takahashi: Everyone has one, including Maya]

[Kaoli: Indicators?]

The purple cat avatar was Hanakawa Kaori. Seeing that she didn't understand at all, Kashima Reiko explained it.

[Rikeo: Organizing a live show costs around tens of thousands of yen, including a fixed fee, equipment costs, and various other expenses. In addition, you need to meet certain targets to secure a spot. Most of the initial costs need to be covered by yourself.]

[Takahashi: Last time, Maya covered all the expenses for the Live event by herself. I think it's better if everyone works together.]

[Sumika: 5 copies, sold]

[Kaoli: Junko-senpai, that was fast!]

[Takahashi: Anyway, everyone figure it out yourselves. I'll bring the tickets to the club office tomorrow.]

After chatting in the group chat for a while and everyone said goodnight, Makoto Takahashi put down his phone, got up from the sofa, and went into his studio.