Heavy girl? I feel worse than Black Hole Trigger!

In the quiet backstage space, this long-awaited call broke the silence.

Walking in front, the girl holding a notebook stopped and slowly looked back; Xiangzi's face was vaguely reflected in her bright eyes, as if the spring sunshine was still cherished in her arms.

He just stared at the girl's eyes, which were as fragile and dreamy as when he first met her, yet also extremely beautiful.

Toyokawa Shoko had to take a deep breath to suppress the urge to cry.

She completely sorted out her emotions in silence, and then slowly opened her face with a smile as brilliant as when they first met -

"Your song is very good."

"————."

It was just a sentence like that.

Big tears rolled down the eyes of the gray-haired girl who seemed calm a moment ago.

"Eh, eh?"

Xiangzi was stunned for a moment, waved his hands a little helplessly, and stared at Gao Songdeng's face nervously.

"W-what's wrong, Deng?! Are you feeling unwell somewhere?"

"oops--?"

Just as I was in a hurry, I heard the leisurely voice of Nagasaki Suyo from behind.

The lead singer and keyboardist, who didn't have to pack their gear, were the first to go backstage. The bassist and guitarist still had to pack their wires, and the drummer, simply out of habit, went last. In the few moments between words, they filed across the threshold and into the backstage area, and Su Shi spoke up immediately, catching their attention.

Xiangzi turned around hurriedly and saw Su Shi's expected smirk on his face - his smile even brighter when he noticed Xiangzi's panic.

I only heard her raise her voice and shout:

"What? Xiaoxiang made Xiaodeng cry~?"

"--ha?"

The next moment, Shiina Riki made an equally loud sound.

She had just half-closed the door when she suddenly widened her eyes in the direction of Xiangzi. Her beautiful violet eyes were like sharp blades made of flower petals and freshly tempered, spewing flames at her.

"That's not true!" Xiangzi shouted at Su Shi angrily.

Deng also quickly stepped forward and said, "Please, please don't quarrel! It's just that I suddenly burst into tears--"

"Xiang, bad."

“…Lian Muya!?”

Ruoye Mu's sudden words made Xiangzi lose his composure and he could only glare at his childhood playmate in embarrassment.

"This isn't Mu's fault." Su Shi turned around and hugged Mu, blocking Xiangzi's piercing gaze. She said with a smile, "It's all because of Xiangzi's sudden withdrawal from CRYCHIC."

“——…….”

Nagasaki Suyo's tone was as gentle as every moment before.

But as the words fell—a silence colder than any reproach ever could have enveloped their small world. Farthest away, Takamatsu Touma lowered his head dejectedly. With the words pointed at him like spears, Toyokawa Shoko's throat felt as if frozen by the sudden chill. She opened her mouth, but no sound emanated.

Even Shiina Riki, who had been sullen just a second ago, pursed his lips and showed a heavy expression after hearing these words.

On the contrary, Wakaba Mutsu, who usually had a blank expression on his face, fluttered his eyelashes slightly in Su Shi's warm embrace, and glanced at Xiangzi with his light golden eyes that showed no emotion.

In this thick indifference.

"--but."

Perhaps because he had just finished singing several songs, Takamatsu Deng's voice was a little hoarse.

She hugged the notebook tightly. Xiangzi could see a picture of a rhinoceros beetle on the cover.

Looking up quietly, he saw the girl's face, which was usually hidden under her gray bangs, revealed in the faint light. With her eyes, which were still as bright as stars in the sky, she stared deeply into Xiangzi's eyes.

"Xiaoxiang, you're back after all. ...So, this is enough."

And Toyokawa Shoko could only stare blankly at those overly intense eyes.

"Really? Xiao Deng is really..."

Su Shi groaned and let go of Mu, then turned to face Xiangzi. She first put her hands on her hips and acted superior, but then, as if feeling that it was not enough, she quickly put away the smile on her face and looked at Xiangzi seriously.

Xiangzi hunched his shoulders and looked at her timidly.

she says--

"Welcome back."

With a bit of cunning.

●

When Baodeng Zheli saw everyone from CRYCHIC again, he opened his eyes wide with a little surprise.

Four girls surrounded an embarrassed blue-haired girl and walked out of the door leading to the backstage of the performance hall. If they didn't have a panoramic view of the road they had come so far, how could they imagine that they had just recently presented a grand performance that was destined to be remembered to the audience?

Su Shi quickly caught sight of Zhe Li's figure from the crowd, quickly left the team, and arrived in front of Zhe Li one step ahead.

"Zheli, sorry for the long wait."

The man smiled and asked, "Have you reconciled?"

"I reconciled with Xiaoxiang a long time ago." Su Shi also smiled and shrugged. She turned to look at Xiangzi, who was whispering something to Mu, who looked indifferent, and whispered, "Now, it's time for her to reconcile with herself."

"Really?" Zhe Li was silent for a while.

Xiangzi noticed the two people looking at them from a distance, and hurriedly mentioned it to the girls around him, and everyone quickened their pace. However, seeing the ordinary, innocent, even a little silly expression on the girl's face, Zheli chose to let a faint smile spread across his lips -

"Without you, we wouldn't have reached this point."

“…That’s my line.”

Su Shi stood side by side with him, with the same smile on his face.

“Because of Zheli, I am willing to share my feelings with everyone.”

Because you said you like me, I was able to muster up the courage to face my true self.

"Ah, but there's one thing I need to correct..." She tilted her head slightly, met Zhe Li's questioning gaze, and said in a gentle voice, "This is far from the 'end', it should be called a new 'beginning'."

Zhe Li blinked and smiled, "That's true!"

"Mr. Zheli."

Xiangzi came to Zheli with the team and took two more steps, holding his head high in front of the tall man.

Her face was full of nervousness, but she finally managed to smile brightly, a smile that should have been sealed in the past.

"Thank you so much today."

"No need to thank me." The man shook his head. "I haven't done anything remarkable."

Despite the uncertainty of her future, this young woman remains steadfast in her faith. This inherent tenacity, even without Zheli and Su Shi and Deng's "cry," will surely help her regroup someday.

"In the end, you are strong. You will surely be able to move forward on your own."

Zhe Li had never underestimated these children. He believed their talents were more than just musical. That wasn't a "prediction" based on a "script," but a judgment based on personal experience.

However, since he can still breathe and move, why should the child be forced to mature at an age when he should be most carefree?

"————."

Xiangzi did not reply, but stared into the man's eyes with wide eyes.

...It must not be like that.

Even with my ticket in hand, standing at the entrance of the venue, I couldn't suppress the urge to turn around and run away.

but.

A warm hand extended to me.

The power that pats you on the back and urges you to move forward.

Because with you by my side, even the fear itself seems like no big deal...

"Ah, right."

Xiangzi's words reminded Zheli of an important thing.

He put down his backpack, took out a small doll from it, and handed it to him under Su Shi's curious gaze.

"Give. A gift."

Su Shi took it in surprise, "...Huh?"

But Zheli quickly turned around, took out the second doll and gave it to Xiangzi.

"And Toyokawa-san's, I'll give it back to you."

"Eh? Ah. I almost forgot!"

Xiangzi's eyes lit up and he quickly hugged the doll tenderly in his arms.

This is the first time she has caught a doll with her own hands, it is of great significance!

Zhe Li turned around, "Su Shi——"

"………………."

But all he saw was a girl holding a doll, with her head lowered and her long hair covering her face.

At this moment, he was emitting an aura that seemed to be able to draw light in.

"today……?"

A pair of slender arms were aimed at the doll's neck, tightly strangling it with great "cherishing", I mean holding it in the arms.

She raised her head and smiled——

"What did you two do during our rehearsal? I'm really curious."

“…….” “…….”

So, is this the new “beginning” for CRYCHIC?

It's really funny.

Lost Star Chapter 1 Summer Time Record: Ending Guardian

Jingle bell bell bell.

The crisp sound weaves colors in the night, and the faint light coming through the glass windows emits a nostalgic warmth.

The man was dressed in black, but his neat blond hair shone like a flame under the night light, like a torch. This guiding light could be seen from afar in the starless night.

"Alright. Let's go—huh? What's wrong? Why are you standing there in a daze?"

"Ah, no... nothing."

Toyokawa Shoko quickly waved her hands and shifted her gaze away from Baodeng Zheli.

I have to say that Nagasaki Motoyo's acting skills are far better than her playing skills.

Even Zhe Li's super blood star eyes could not tell at first that her "anger" was a performance - or maybe it was indeed a true expression of her feelings, but not as profound as it seemed at first glance, so that after Zhe Li briefly explained their "date", she returned to normal.

Thus, CRYCHIC's celebration banquet ended successfully in a friendly atmosphere...

"That's right." Xiangzi blinked and looked up at Zheli again. "Mr. Zheli, are you really not going to pursue Sushi-san?"

"why?"

"Eh. Um, normally, shouldn't you comfort your girlfriend at times like this?"

Xiangzi chose his words carefully.

Although everyone was normal at the celebration party, at most Shiina Ritsuki deliberately made a face to Shoko during the conversation, which was also a normal behavior of Ritsuki: she was obviously the member of CRYCHIC who had the most objections to Toyokawa Shoko's actions. But other than that, there was nothing special.

Everyone tacitly agreed not to touch upon the reason why Xiangzi left the group, and the fact that she had not actually announced her comeback. It was as if nothing had happened since the 1st LIVE. Everyone gathered together to celebrate the success of the 2nd LIVE normally, and then said goodbye after dinner.

And the store manager Zheli was responsible for seeing off those who were left alone, just like every time before.

For example, today, when Li Xi was delivering the lantern home, Su Shi and Mu went to Mejiro Station together, and the last person left was Xiangzi. But she knew very well that Su Shi was the first to go home with Mu instead of staying until the end, which in itself was an abnormal signal...

"Oh, Toyokawa-san actually cares about Sushi's feelings. It seems like he's really 'healed'."

"Huh?" The girl blinked blankly.