Heavy girl? I feel worse than Black Hole Trigger!

Maybe, joining this band would be a good idea.

Shiina Riki thought silently.

……

After a while, Shoko Toyokawa stood up.

"excuse me."

She looked around at everyone with an unconcealable smile.

Nagasaki Suyo clasped her hands together, rested her chin on her fingers, and looked at her with a relaxed smile; Shiina Riki's expression was a little stiff, but the eyes staring at her contained a determination that could not be underestimated.

And Ruo Ye Mu remained expressionless as always.

"I want to thank everyone for joining us today. I've been looking forward to seeing you all."

"From now on we are the band—"

Finally, she turned her gaze to Takamatsu Deng who was beside her.

"We are playing music together, a community with a shared destiny!"

"Oh, fate..." Nagasaki Suyo sighed with emotion.

Xiangzi is good in every way, except for this "chunibyo" syndrome. Can it be cured?

When everyone was silent, seemingly digesting the meaning of Xiangzi's words (or perhaps sweating inwardly like Su Shi), Ruoye Mu suddenly raised his head and stared at Xiangzi intently:

"What music will you play?"

"…He spoke." Shiina Riki thought that this guy would keep silent until the end.

As Wakaba Mu's childhood friend, Xiangzi wasn't as surprised as Su Shi and Li Xi. She simply nodded. "That's a good question. Deng and Li Xi, do you know a band called 'Morfonica'?"

Shiina Riki shook his head slightly, "I haven't heard of it."

Gao Songdeng also shook his head blankly.

Xiangzi continued, "This is a band formed by the seniors from Tsukinomori. I want to play the song they performed together at the music festival."

"It's a truly wonderful song!" Nagasaki Suyo casually took up the topic. She glanced at Takamatsu Deng and smiled slightly. "The student council should have recorded a video of it. Let's listen to it together later."

"That would be perfect."

Xiangzi nodded slightly, then narrowed his eyes as if savoring the memory.

"I am deeply moved by the perseverance hidden in the elegance!"

“Then, I hope that one day we can play our own songs together.”

Su Shi was stunned for a moment. "Original song?"

"We haven't even auditioned together yet." Shiina Riki finally couldn't help but pour a bucket of cold water on the situation: "Aren't your ideals too high?"

"No. --I will be responsible for composing this part."

However, Toyokawa Shoko spoke with an even brighter smile—one that could perhaps be called absolute confidence.

She turned quietly, facing Gao Songdeng, opened her hands and said loudly:

"And this Deng classmate is a lyricist genius!"

Takamatsu Deng stared blankly at that smile. "...Huh?"

"Can we all take a look at that notebook?" Xiangzi asked.

"..."

Gao Songdeng subconsciously lowered his head and stared at the schoolbag at his feet, without responding for a long time.

Shiina Riki saw Takamatsu Deng in this state and sighed silently. He said as quietly as possible, "How can we understand if you don't let us see it?"

Unfortunately, it seemed that she didn't let go gently enough, because Gao Songdeng just curled up even more after hearing this.

Nagasaki Suyo had no choice but to jump out and wave, "I want to take a look too~"

But her business smile, which always worked for her, hit a snag this time in front of Takamatsu Deng - Takamatsu Deng only made eye contact with her for a moment before looking away and casting a pleading look at Toyokawa Shoko.

"Xiang, Xiangzi..." she said in tears.

The corners of Su Shi's eyes couldn't help but twitch a few times.

And Toyokawa Shoko just responded with a confident smile: "No problem!"

Seeing that everyone present was looking at him, even the store manager at the counter slowed down his movements, as if he was watching a show... I mean, waiting to see what would happen. Takamatsu Deng had no choice but to suppress his shyness, took out the notebook from his schoolbag, and slowly handed it to Nagasaki Suyo.

"Thank you." Su Shi, who was sitting between Wakaba Mutsu and Shiina Riki, took it calmly and opened the first page.

The two people next to him came over and read it carefully.

Gao Songdeng didn't dare to look at them. His eyes wandered around for a while and finally stopped on Baodeng Zheli.

He smiled and waved at the light.

Gao Songdeng blinked blankly, then nodded slightly.

“……?” Baodeng Zheli was a little confused about this.

But at this time, Takamatsu Deng had already turned his attention back to the girls at the table.

The silence called concentration lasted for a while, and only came back to life after Ruoye Mu said, "I've finished reading it."

"What do you think?"

Even though the author of the lyrics (notes), Takamatsu Tomo, hadn't said anything yet, Toyokawa Shoko blurted out the lyrics impatiently.

"So this is what it feels like..." Shiina Riki glanced at Takamatsu Deng secretly, then turned his gaze back to his notes.

"I've never written lyrics, so I think it's amazing that I can write them," said Nagasaki Motoyo with a smile.

She seemed to be flipping through the pages casually, her eyes lingering for a moment on a line of neatly written words that were completely different from the "lyrics". She narrowed her eyes slightly, then closed the notebook and handed it back to Gao Songdeng.

"There are many notebooks with lyrics written on them in Deng's house," Xiangzi added.

Toyokawa Shoko was not so naive as to define Takamatsu Touma's talent based on the weight of one or two songs.

It was precisely because he had witnessed her ability to record so many inspirations that Xiangzi decided to extend her an invitation: her unique sensibility and almost endless talent as a lyricist, no, as a poet! She was an indispensable piece of the puzzle for this band!

Shiina Riki asked, "Do you have a melody for this song?"

"There's a piano solo version. I'll play it for everyone in the studio later!"

"...recording studio?"

Gao Songdeng suddenly felt that he seemed to be out of touch with the topic.

Xiangzi smiled at her but didn't respond. He asked everyone, "Have you all finished your drinks? If there's nothing else important, let's get going now!"

"Oh, that's really vigorous and decisive."

Nagasaki Suyo smiled, raised her hand and shouted:

"Mr. Manager! Checkout~?"

Lost Star Chapter 34 Summer Time Record: Chapter Candy Wrapper

"RiNG was the only one with a vacant recording studio. It's a shame I couldn't book 'CiRCLE'."

"What a shame? Isn't it a good thing that CiRCLE's business is booming?"

"Eh—but if I go to CiRCLE, I might be able to meet everyone from 'Morfonica'."

"...The motive is too impure!"

"I thought Xiangzi would also want to see them~..."

The girls walked into the recording studio one after another while chatting (mainly Su Shi and Xiangzi were talking).

Gao Songdeng stared at the scene blankly.

"...Why are you standing at the door?"

Shiina Riki, who had already taken his seat in front of the drum set, looked up and asked her.

Gao Songdeng didn't know what to say for a moment.

"Ah, Deng-san, please come to the middle—"

When Toyokawa Shoko heard Riki's words, she turned around, smiled at the light, gently took her hand, took her into the recording studio, and stood in the middle of the crowd.

Image: "First group training", Location: "Images/1718524597-100406221-111787560.jpg"

"Huh." Gao Songdeng looked at himself in the full-length mirror, still wearing his school uniform.

She was silent for a long time before she turned her head stiffly and looked at Xiangzi, who was smiling.

"W-why am I in the middle...?"

Toyokawa Shoko tilted her head as if it was natural and smiled:

"Because Deng is the lead singer!"

……

……

The first rehearsal failed because the lead singer couldn't sing.

"Deng, you really can't sing? Is there something wrong?"

"I...I don't dare to sing in front of others..."

Gao Songdeng looked down at the coffee cup in front of him and stammered in response to Xiangzi's anxious question.

"...The lead singer is the face of the band, right?"

Shiina Riki stared at Toyokawa Shoko with his sharp eyes.

“Why choose a light?”

Gao Songdeng felt that she seemed to be deliberately avoiding looking at her. As soon as she thought of this, her eyes lingered on Gao Songdeng's face for a moment. Soon, she looked away and sighed silently.

Su Shi murmured softly, "Li Xi——"

"Hmph." Shiina Riki curled his lips and closed his eyes.

"Xiao Deng, you don't need to push yourself too hard..."

Nagasaki Suyo originally had a comforting smile on her face, but at the end, her face looked strange for some reason, as if she suddenly realized something.

Takamatsu Deng just watched her calm down from her turmoil, showing a brilliant smile that was somewhat similar to the original Toyokawa Shoko, and said softly:

"Don't worry, it's okay to take your time."

"……Um."

Gao Songdeng lowered his head again.

Concentrate on gazing at the dim light cast by the setting sun.

●

“…This happened.”

Nagasaki Suyo said, shaking her finger.

"Oh." Baodeng Zheli responded casually.

The girl raised an eyebrow and glanced at the man in front of her. "You don't seem to care much?"

"Because it really has nothing to do with me...ah, pass me the soy sauce."

"Here. — Seriously, it feels like this new band has a very difficult future."

Su Shi picked up her chopsticks, but she had no appetite. Although she had expected things to be difficult, she hadn't expected to encounter such a huge obstacle: the lead singer wouldn't sing!

"There is always a way." Zhe Li said.

"There we go again, Mr. Zheli's inexplicable confidence."

"Haha, this is just a simple life experience." Zhe Li put down his bowl and chopsticks and smiled at Su Shi.

"If Toyokawa truly considered meeting you to be 'fate,' he wouldn't have allowed such obstacles to stand in the way of your dreams."

Su Shi recalled the resolute expression on Toyokawa Shoko's face when she offered to take Takamatsu Deng home before everyone parted.