Comet Dragon, breaking into the gravity field

Just like Ritsu Naruse, she still has doubts about Kaname Rakuna wanting to join the band.

Besides, Su Shi was more interested in the keyboard player position than adding a guitarist. And from the message she sent, it seemed that she knew a very talented keyboard player and was trying to attract him to join their band.

What she said was simply that she hoped Ritsu Naruse would support her decision and not rush to agree to Lenna's application to join the team.

Although he had never seen Su Shi in person, Ritsu Narose always felt that she seemed a little anxious, as if something was urging her.

"Um..." I was still considering how to respond when Chihaya Aine on the other side suddenly whispered, "Sorry..."

Looking up in surprise, Ritsu Narose realized that the girl had not actually touched the cake on the table, but was instead scraping the edges of the cake with a spoon.

"Isn't it delicious?"

"Eh? Of course not! It's just..."

They fell into silence again, and after a long while, Chihaya Aine stopped what she was doing.

"I'm sorry... I shouldn't have just run away today..."

52. Our Dark Side

“No one blames Aine for this, right?”

Although he was trying to comfort the other person, Ritsu Naruse did not lie about this matter.

Deng was a good kid and didn't get upset with Aine for leaving so suddenly;

Sushi has always been gentle, and I believe she will not be dissatisfied with Aine's behavior;

As for Shiina Riki...she was probably more concerned about whether Chihaya Aine would voluntarily practice more under this pressure.

However, after hearing Ritsu Naruse's comfort, Chihaya Aine looked even more lost.

"Yeah, because everyone is a very nice person."

The more she was surrounded by tenderness, the more uneasy and painful Chihaya Aine felt when she recalled her original idea of ​​forming a band.

"But from the beginning I just wanted to make myself popular, so I invited Deng and Sushi to form a band."

"I don't have their strength at all. With someone like me like this, I'll probably just fail..."

Faced with the girl who finally confided in him, Ritsu Narose did not respond immediately.

After a while, he seemed to have made a decision, and then he slowly said, "In that case, let me tell you a secret about myself."

Using the extremely tempting word "secret" to attract Chihaya Aine's attention, Ritsu Narose revealed her inner thoughts.

"Actually, I quite like the way Aine looks now."

"……Eh?"

"The first time I saw Aine was the day you came back from London. At that time, I didn't understand why I was attracted to Aine dragging her luggage along the street, but now I understand..."

Looking at the boy in front of her who seemed to be revealing his true feelings, Chihaya Aine sat on the floor in a daze, not knowing how to react.

"I actually really like it when Aine makes a distressed expression like she does now."

"Why are you telling me this..."

Although Chihaya Aine felt a little shy after hearing these words, she was still confused about Naruse Ritsu's intentions.

If I hadn't heard it in this situation, the shock I received would have been even greater, right?

Thoughts in her mind were floating in all directions in a mess. Chihaya Aine lowered her head and listened silently to the words coming from the other side.

"What I want to say is that everyone may have beautiful or ugly thoughts."

"Like I just said, I also have many thoughts hidden in my heart that I don't want outsiders to know."

Without any shyness in speaking her mind, Ritsu Narose was like a doctor dissecting a cadaver, slowly peeling off the meaning contained in the language along the pre-drawn markings.

In the past, when he played galgames, he would often see female characters that combined various elements, including some young lady characters with stereotypes and elements.

However, in some works, such characters will encounter unimaginable changes, just like the snow on the top of the Himalayas turned into muddy water overnight.

At that time, when he saw the flower buds high up in the sky fall into the dust and become covered in mud, he would feel a different kind of pleasure in his heart.

There is no doubt that this kind of pleasure is ugly and even immoral.

The pleasure he felt from watching others struggle with their pain was contrary to the moral values ​​that often constrained him, but no matter how he tried to deny it, he did feel excited and happy.

The desire for destruction deep in his heart, the pity for the destruction of beautiful things - and the sense of honor and mission that emerged from this, wanting to save others like a hero... When these emotions were mixed together, Ritsu Narose knew that he was a contradictory guy.

And based on his observations of human beings, he felt that most people in the world were like this.

Chihaya Aine believes that she is using Takamatsu Touma for her own selfish desires, relying on her power to form a band, but running away on her own because of her own lack of strength.

To be fair, this extremely contradictory operation is indeed a bit laughable.

But what Chihaya Aine did is far from being called a "fault" or "ugly."

She hopes to become popular, wants to shine on the stage, and desires others to praise her... Her starting point can be said to be for her own selfish desires, but this kind of selfish desire is too common, and she has no intention of hurting others for her own selfish reasons.

Even when faced with Kaname Rakuna who is trying to shake the position of her band, Chihaya Aion will not confront her face to face, nor will she try to win over Takamatsu Teru, who has a closer relationship with her, and force her to choose between herself and the new member.

Even if she hides at home and complains to herself like a wronged puppy, she will not attack others.

That's why Ritsu Narose thought she looked so cute right now.

"Even if Naruse-kun says so, there's nothing I can do now." Chihaya Aine covered her face with a pillow, and her muffled voice came from behind the pillow.

“The best way is to train hard.”

Faced with this absolutely correct statement, Chihaya Aine hugged the pillow in front of her again, as if she was remembering some past event that she did not want to recall.

"Narushe-kun obviously knows that, right?"

"what?"

"I went home and pretended to practice, but I was actually just being lazy..."

Seeing the girl in front of him shrink her body again and weakly reveal all her shortcomings, Ritsu Narose did not show any special emotions.

"so what?"

"..."

“It would be a bit unfair to deny Aine’s previous efforts just because she pretended to practice hard in front of me, wouldn’t it?”

"Don't, don't say that... I will train hard from now on."

Seeing that Mio Aine finally cheered up, Ritsu Naruse knew that his words therapy had worked, and his mood became much happier.

"Remember to apologize to everyone tomorrow when you see them. Even though the guitarist is out there, the guitarist in the band can't just run away like that."

"Eh—you're saying something like that right after I comforted me?"

"Yes."

Nodding righteously, Naruse Ritsu then said, "Besides, Aine accepted my bribe, so she'll have to practice even harder from now on."

After saying that, he stood up and left Chihaya Aine's room.

After saying good night to Mr. Chihaya, who seemed to be passing by by chance but was actually hiding outside the door and eavesdropping, Ritsu Narose left as if nothing had happened.

And in the room after he left, Chihaya Aine, who was hugging the pillow tightly and covering her face, made a sound similar to a whistle.

Finally realizing what they had just said to each other, she tried desperately to suppress her heart that was about to beat out of her chest, while kicking her legs and rolling back and forth on the floor.

Naturally, someone who leaves this place will not be able to see this scene.

53. Fox Tail

“Aine has suddenly become much more serious…”

"Uh-huh."

"His guitar playing has obviously improved..."

"Yes."

"Does Lu have any clues?"

"Yes."

"..."

"..."

Sitting in the corner of the recording studio, Naruse Ritsu suddenly noticed a shadowy figure in front of him. Looking up, he saw Nagasaki Suyo staring at him with a kind expression.

"I'm talking to Ritsu seriously, okay?"

"I am also very serious about fooling Su Shi."

Today's practice has ended. As the last two people left in the recording studio, the atmosphere between Nagasaki Suyo and him is not as restrained as before.

In fact, Naruse Ritsu always felt that Nagasaki Suyo was deliberately maintaining an extremely subtle dividing line, and this dividing line would only become blurred when the two of them were alone like this.

Seeing the girl take the initiative to gather her skirt and sit next to him, Ritsu Narose also moved slightly to make some space for her.

"Should I bring some folding stools?"

"?"

Seeing Nagasaki Suyo's puzzled look, Naruse Ritsu took the initiative to explain, "Except for Shiina-san, everyone seems to be practicing standing up, right? Isn't that tiring?"

Having never considered this question, Nagasaki Suyo was stunned for a long time before she slowly said with her finger on her chin: "Having said that, physical strength also needs to be exercised.

Even if it's just one or two songs, the pressure of being on stage is unmatched by training in the studio. Putting aside the physical fatigue, the pressure from the audience alone is hard to ignore.

"I see... a well-trained body is indeed more reliable."

Seeing Narose Ritsu's look of sudden enlightenment, Nagasaki Suyo always felt that their conversation was not on the same channel.

After she fell silent, the recording studio, with only the two of them left, returned to silence.

"I say, aren't we going to disband and go home?"

"Mom won't be back tonight."

Like a casual greeting, Nagasaki Motoyo said these highly suggestive words in a nonchalant tone.

"So, we can only order takeout?"

Ritsu Narose, who fully utilized his own jumping thinking and forced himself to pretend to be stupid, has already started thinking about dinner.

"..."

"..."

They looked at each other in silence. Mingse Ritsu felt that this method didn't seem to be suitable for Su Shi.

At least not when it was just the two of them.

Realizing that Nagasaki Suyo was particularly persistent on certain things, Naruse Ritsu had no choice but to obey.

He had a premonition that even if he rejected her, Su Shi would continue to pester him.

Standing up, Naruse Ritsu sighed helplessly. Then, he saw Nagasaki Suyo's unpretentious smile.

Just like the little fox in the fairy tale who succeeded in his evil plan and unknowingly revealed his fox tail.

They left the recording studio together and boarded the train to Roppongi. During this period, Nagasaki Suyo did not do anything out of the ordinary.

It was not until she entered the apartment elevator that she stretched out her empty palm and gestured to him.

I have to admit that habit is a very terrible force.

Ritsu Narose felt like a salami on the chopping board, and the bottom line he had set was being constantly cut by the sausage-cutting tactics adopted by Su Shi.

It was not until the door needed to be opened that Nagasaki Suyo let go of her hand with reluctance and a very satisfied expression.

Walking into the empty room, the feeling of loneliness once again surrounded me from all directions.

Some people enjoy the quiet and peacefulness of solitude, but Nagasaki Suyo is probably not one of them. Living in such an environment, it is natural for her to feel lonely.

It was precisely because he knew this that he agreed to Su Shi's request.

As a friend, all he could do was to accompany her as much as possible - although Su Shi didn't consider him a friend at all, but rather another identity that made him feel a little embarrassed.

After taking out the remaining ingredients from the refrigerator, Ritsu Narose finally understood what Nagasaki Suyo meant when she said "her favorite food is vegetable minestrone soup."

The refrigerator in Ritsu Narose's house only had half of its space reserved for the pile of frozen fish, while the refrigerator in Suyo Nagasaki's house was completely occupied by all kinds of vegetables visible to the naked eye.