Gravity Girl Shining

"Another home, disappeared. Interesting man, don't let me down."

"Lena, what are you talking about?"

But the cat girl just shook her head and then followed Aine silently.

……

After walking halfway in the opposite direction and making sure that she was completely away from all the people in Crychic, Nagasaki Motoyo's body softened, as if she had lost all her strength. She didn't even have the strength to stand, and she collapsed directly into Uehara Hibiki's arms.

"What? You're out of strength? Aren't you afraid..."

Uehara Hibiki's joking words were only half said before he swallowed them completely. This was because Nagasaki Suyo just hugged him and cried loudly, her heart breaking, as if she wanted to vent all her sorrow.

Uehara Hibiki gently patted the girl's back, feeling her sobs and tears. He knew that at a time like this, no soothing words of truth were needed. Simply being there was enough.

Cry, cry, have a good cry tonight. When you’re done crying, tomorrow will be a good day, Uehara Hibiki said silently in his heart. His eyes were full of tenderness and understanding, as if telling Nagasaki Suyo that no matter what happened, he would be by her side.

Take a break when you are tired of crying, and continue crying when you have rested enough. If you can't walk, use all your strength to cry, and I will carry you on my back.

In this way, we walked and stopped along the way, and when we returned to Su Shi's home, it was almost ten o'clock in the evening.

Uehara Hibiki placed Nagasaki Suyo, who was nearly fainting from tears, on the sofa. Her body was still trembling slightly, as if she hadn't recovered from her recent emotions. Uehara Hibiki gently covered her with a thin blanket and prepared to pour her a glass of water. But as he turned around, Nagasaki Suyo woke up again and reached out to grab the corner of his clothes.

"Sorry, Hibiki, can you stay?"

Her voice was so hoarse that it was almost inaudible, but Uehara Hibiki could feel the pleading in it.

"Don't worry, I'm just going to get you a glass of water. I won't leave."

"Hibiki, I mean, can you stay tonight?"

Uehara Hibiki recalled the message he had just received: Toyokawa Shoko said she would be staying at Wakaba Mu's house tonight. He looked down at Su Shi's tear-stained face, held her hand, smiled, and nodded.

[Nagasaki Sushi's strategy progress +20, now 70/100, exceeding the second stage threshold, and obtaining an additional reward: Pure Love Heart x20.]

……

The next afternoon, Uehara Hibiki, who had just woken up, rummaged through the refrigerator and ate some pastries to fill his hungry stomach.

As for Nagasaki Suyo, she probably wouldn't have slept until dusk. She was clearly a mere sluggish person, just like Deng, but she'd pushed herself to the limit last night with her frantic energy, repeatedly failing. From the living room to the bathroom, from the dining table to the stairs, and finally to the bedroom, she'd spent the entire night exercising. She'd probably need a few days of rest afterward.

I hope people are okay.

Chapter 85: The band’s crisis.

Just as Uehara Hibiki had expected, it was already dusk when Nagasaki Suyo woke up.

Uehara Hibiki had already tidied the room and served refreshments. The afterglow of the setting sun shone through the gaps in the curtains onto the pillow, creating a golden shear line that separated Uehara Hibiki from Nagasaki Soyo.

"You've made me so many cups of black tea, so I should return the favor. Although my tea-making skills aren't as good as yours, good tea always tastes good."

There was a hint of teasing in Uehara Hibiki's tone, yet it was also gentle.

"Thank you, Hibiki."

Su Shi raised the teacup and took a sip. The warm tea slid down her throat, temporarily soothing the pain.

"Thank you, too, for helping me forget everything last night."

Looking at the man in front of her, Nagasaki Suyo's heart was filled with complex emotions. She put down the teacup and wanted to cross the cutting line to hug him. But the pain in her body reminded her that she had already made her choice and there was no need to continue touching the sun.

Will get hurt again.

"Just keep lying down if it hurts. You went through so much trouble last night, you need to rest for a few days."

Seeing Nagasaki Suyo's outstretched hand and then retracted it, Uehara Hibiki sighed helplessly, took the initiative to jump over the cutting line and held that hand.

But with a kind of cowardly trembling, Nagasaki Suyo finally withdrew her hand.

"Hibiki, I really still...can't be your girlfriend or harem or anything like that. That's ridiculous."

Nagasaki Suyo lowered her head, letting her messy hair cover her face.

"We're fine like this. I can be with you anytime you need me. I'll be satisfied as long as we maintain this relationship."

Nagasaki Suyo dare not accept the so-called harem. Although it is now legally allowed, her knowledge of it for more than ten years has made her feel uneasy about this kind of relationship, especially since she cannot replace Deng and become the number one in Uehara Hibiki's heart.

After losing Crychic, Nagasaki Suyo is afraid to embrace happiness again.

She was afraid of losing again and being abandoned again, so she would rather maintain the status quo and not go any further.

As long as you don't want anything from the very beginning, then at least you won't lose anything.

"Su Shi, you are such a coward, but I won't let you go."

Uehara Hibiki's voice was low and firm, with an unquestionable tone.

But he knew that Su Shi's mood was still unstable today, and it would take some time to completely convince her and make her open her heart completely.

Suddenly, Uehara Hibiki's cell phone rang.

It was a message from Shiina Riki.

"I have something very important to tell you in person."

Uehara Hibiki stared at his phone screen, his brow furrowed slightly, a wave of unease welling up inside him. His intuition was warning him that something important was about to happen. He put his phone down and glanced at Nagasaki Suyo beside him. She was curled up in bed, her gaze fixed on the setting sun outside the window, watching the golden light gradually disappear into the night.

"Something urgent happened, I have to leave."

Uehara Hibiki spoke softly, trying to make his tone sound calm.

The girl looked up at her beloved, but she didn't ask any further questions, only nodded gently. One night and one day, she had already been greedy enough. Since she had decided not to have him anymore, this separation was a daily routine that she needed to get used to.

Just looking at Uehara Hibiki's back as he left, Nagasaki Suyo felt very cold and couldn't help but wrap herself in the quilt tighter.

……

As Hibiki Uehara stepped off the train, the night breeze blew against him, bringing a hint of coolness. As he entered the park near the ring, his uneasiness grew stronger. The quiet park was deserted, and even the flock of pigeons he'd been practicing animal language with had returned to their nests, reminding Hibiki of yesterday's trip to Asukayama.

Shiina Riki, what exactly is she planning to say to me?

With his excellent perception, Uehara Hibiki spotted Shiina Riki and Takamatsu Touma from a distance. They sat on the long steps, the atmosphere somewhat solemn. Touma lowered her head, her hands clasped tightly together, a gesture she often used when she was self-blaming. Riki, on the other hand, crossed her arms, her expression uncharacteristically unpleasant, even to Touma.

Moreover, Deng didn’t even send me a message. Normally, if she had any troubles, she would definitely contact me first.

There is some progress.

"What's wrong? You chose to meet here? Don't we usually meet at the RING cafe?"

As Uehara Hibiki approached, he asked casually, trying to get closer to the two of them. But when he was still several steps away from the long steps, Shiina Riki stood up and blocked the way between him and Deng.

"Nothing, just something that happened today, I don't want anyone else to know."

Li Xi's voice was cold, with a hint of suppressed anger.

"Hibiki, tell me the truth, are you and Deng dating?"

Uehara Hibiki's heartbeat quickened a bit. Just as she had guessed, it was Deng who accidentally exposed her. After all, she was too clumsy when it came to lying.

She stretched her head to look at Takamatsu Deng, and the penguin girl just looked back at her pitifully, but because of the presence of Shiina Riki, she didn't dare to say a word.

Uehara Hibiki gave her a reassuring smile, and then faced Shiina Tatsuki and admitted everything frankly.

"Yes, I'm dating Deng."

According to Shiina Riki's personality, she would question herself next, and then her inferiority complex would explode...

"What about Aine and Shoko?"

Li Xi's voice suddenly rose, and he attacked again with an aggressive momentum.

A completely unexpected follow-up question: Did Deng even mention this?

Uehara Hibiki's brows furrowed even more tightly. He looked at Riki, trying to read something from his expression, but at this moment, Shiina Riki's eyes were as cold as ice, without the slightest fluctuation.

"You don't admit it, huh? Let me remind you. During Golden Week, you and Aine were near Shinobazu Pond. The Sunday before last, you were at the top of the Skytree. And every night last week, you and Shoko were at the supermarket..."

Li Xi recounted Uehara Hibiki's "battle record" one by one, with suppressed anger and disappointment in his tone.

These were completely beyond Uehara Hibiki's expectations. After all, even Deng didn't know the details of these things, so how did Shiina Riki know them?

Unless someone is helping her.

But now is not the time to worry about these things. In Uehara Hibiki's heart, her intuition was giving her a crazy warning that if she continued talking, things would get worse.

"Lixi, listen to me, these are all facts, I won't deny them. I like Deng, Aine, Xiangzi, and at the same time, I like you too."

Uehara Hibiki started with his usual sincerity skill.

"poor!"

Lixi suddenly roared, his voice echoing in the empty park.

"If you like Deng, then cherish her! Haven't you already done this? Then be responsible for her!"

Big tears welled up in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.

"Why would you like me if you just focused on liking Deng?"

"Because Lixi, you are very cute, very hardworking, responsible for the band's affairs, and passionate about music. Although you may be harsh with your words, you always care about everyone silently. I just like you like this."

Uehara Hibiki expressed his feelings with an undeniable firmness in his tone. He was serious, and he was confident that his sincerity could be conveyed to Shiina Ritsuki.

As expected, Li Xi was obviously shaken.

"Hibiki, you bastard."

Good, expected reaction.

Uehara Hibiki knew that all he had to do next was walk over, kiss her, and suffocate her, and Shiina Riki would completely soften.

Taking a step forward, Uehara Hibiki tried to grab Riki's hand, but she grabbed it instead.

In just a few seconds, the hesitation in Shiina Riki's eyes was replaced by anger again.

So, before Uehara Hibiki kissed her, those lips uttered the most terrifying accusation.

"Hibiki, let me ask you, was this the idea you had when you formed the band? Did you choose me as a band member because you believed in my future, or because you were attracted by my body? Were you selecting future teammates, or were you looking for a potential harem?"

Every word was like a knife, piercing Haruhara Hibiki's heart.

Faced with this question, Uehara Hibiki was unable to answer.

He knew the answer to this question... but... at that time... he himself... was just...

Uehara Hibiki is a principled man, and his principles prevent him from telling such a lie in front of the woman he loves.

"Yes, from the very beginning, I considered you as a future harem member, so I invited you to join the band."

Uehara Hibiki's voice was low and calm, as if he was stating a very ordinary fact.

"nausea."

Li Xi gave a self-deprecating smile, with a hint of despair in his eyes.

So, a talent like Uehara Hibiki didn't debut directly, but instead formed a band with a few of these students. Was that what he was thinking? For someone like me, with no talent at all, to be noticed by him in the first place, my only asset must be my body, right?

Various fragments of the past flashed through her mind - women dress up to please themselves. Countless times, she carefully adjusted her makeup at home, just to make him look at her more.

But now, Shiina Riki began to hate his own face.

Furthermore, as she grasped Uehara Hibiki's hand and the two of them came into close contact, Shiina Ritsuki caught a whiff of a familiar aroma from him. The blend of bergamot and jasmine was a scent she knew all too well. It was the scent Nagasaki Suyo often used, wafting from her bass bag during every rehearsal, a reassuring, gentle fragrance.

But now, the aroma only makes people uneasy.

Then, with an incredible idea in mind, Shiina Riki stepped forward and ripped open Uehara Hibiki's collar, revealing a neck covered in bandages. Their fingers touched skin, and both of them trembled, but Shiina Riki did not stop, and Uehara Hibiki did not stop her.

Tearing off the Band-Aids one by one reveals the messy truth hidden underneath.

There were hickeys, scratches, and even bite marks, showing the intensity of the battle.

"Is it Su Shi? After all, you were the one who sent her home last night, hahaha. I didn't expect there were other parts I didn't know about. And was this also your plan? Using Crychic, taking advantage of our feelings, to create opportunities for you to trick her into bed."

"It is indeed Su Shi, but, Li Xi, please listen to me..."

"I don't want to hear it anymore."

Li Xi completely lost her smile, a trace of determination flashed in her eyes, she pulled Uehara Hibiki's collar, stood on tiptoe, and kissed his lips actively, blocking out the words that would waver her.

Unlike her rough movements, her kiss was very light, as if it would disappear at the touch of a finger.

In an instant, their lips parted. Li Xi loosened his hand, took a few steps back, and took off the panda couple bracelet on his wrist.

"Xiang, this is my first kiss, and you are my first love, but... it's impossible for us to be together. You should step onto a bigger stage and become a legendary musician. You should marry Deng and make her happy for the rest of her life. Someone like me is not worthy of standing by your side."