Iruma-san wants to win the Akutagawa Prize

Some unnecessary reluctance began to emerge in Iruma Hibiki's heart.

He looked at Nagasaki Suyo with complicated eyes.

"what happened?"

And Nagasaki Suyo also stared at Iruma Hibiki seriously, her smile as bright as before.

"Nothing, just worried about you."

Iruma Hibiki responded softly, and this response was a bit of a surprise to Nagasaki Suyo at the moment.

【Xiang still cares about me.】

Once this idea was born, it began to fill Nagasaki Suyo's heart.

The part that was naturally missing in the past seemed to be filled again, so that -

"ring."

Just when Nagasaki Suyo was about to say something, Toyokawa Shoko called Iruma Hibiki away.

In front of Nagasaki Suyo, Iruma Hibiki walked towards Toyokawa Shoko.

"I'm still a little worried."

Since they had confirmed Hibiki Iruma's idea, everyone started to clean up the rehearsal room. Even though everyone was eavesdropping on the conversation between Hibiki Iruma and Shoko Toyokawa, they pretended to be busy with their work.

"Then how can I make you feel at ease, Xiangzi?"

Iruma laughed out loud.

Shoko Toyokawa is really too cute.

Are you really that worried that he might rekindle his old feelings and return to the band?

[You can't go back. Ichi knows she already has Kita. Once Kita is found, even if you want to go back, there won't be a place for you to stay.]

Iruma Hibiki muttered this in his heart, and there was some regret and relief in the voice in his heart.

"I don't know. It's best if you don't go."

Toyokawa Shoko said as if she was throwing a tantrum.

"But it was Shoko who said it was okay even if the band ended."

"That doesn't count!"

Shoko Toyokawa's face flushed as she retorted, even tapping the floor with her feet.

"I was the one who invited Hibiki to join the band first."

"Wait... none of this counts..."

After being glared at by Toyokawa Shoko, Iruma Hibiki suddenly realized that Toyokawa Shoko at this moment could not be viewed with common sense, so a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth and he almost laughed out loud.

"I didn't expect you to care about me so much, Xiangzi."

"Of course, I spent a lot of effort to invite you, but..."

Shoko Toyokawa calmed down a little, and she suppressed the anxiety and strange emotions surging in her heart.

In fact, from the very beginning, her heart had been constantly warning her.

This is so embarrassing and so rude.

Such alarms have actually been sounding for some time.

But in the end, she still got a little angry because of her inner anxiety.

【It will make it difficult for Hibiki to do it. 】

When Toyokawa Shoko was thinking this, she secretly looked at Iruma Hibiki's face. At this moment, Iruma Hibiki had a smile on his face and was just looking at her.

"I won't let you go, but Hibiki, you can make your own decision."

Finally, Toyokawa Shoko said this.

"I was serious."

Then she added another sentence, worried that Iruma Hibiki didn't hear her.

Iruma Hibiki, who was standing still, looked at Toyokawa Shoko's back as she turned around with some grace, but in fact, he felt a little...

I truly admire Toyokawa Shoko from the bottom of my heart.

36 goose yellow fluorescent stick

Hibiki Iruma placed the guitar flat on his thighs and gently stroked the strings as if he was touching his lover. The cold feeling allowed him to distract himself slightly at the moment, and he was not so focused on thinking, hesitating, and worrying.

It has been several hours since we parted.

Both Nagasaki Motoyo and Toyokawa Shoko have probably fallen asleep by now, dreaming a dream that he doesn't know whether it is good or bad, but he hopes it is a good dream.

Shiina Riki might still be staying up late to practice arranging music, but now is definitely not the time to disturb her, and Iruma Hibiki has no reason to disturb her.

Facing the deserted night, Ruma Xiang was in a daze by the window.

In fact, at such times in the past, he should have gone to Linhai Park. After all, his soul resided there. As long as he took a walk around, he could find answers to any troubles. But at this moment, he had no intention of going out at all.

It was as if the soul had left the body, but the body was firmly held in place by gravity.

"Although I won't let go, Xiang, you can make your own decision."

Toyokawa Shoko's words echoed in Iruma Hibiki's ears.

Iruma Hibiki never forgot her expression and every tiny movement at that time.

As she said this, Shoko Toyokawa leaned forward slightly, placed one hand on her chest and clenched it into a loose fist - her index finger was slightly protruding, and her thumb rested lightly on the first joint of her index finger, as if she was holding a guitar pick. The beautifully curved transparent nails on the side closest to him slightly reflected the light from the incandescent lamp above her head.

The other hand was stretched behind him, with his five fingers spread out very vigorously, as if he was giving a speech.

Her expression at that time was full of youthful vigor, seriousness and determination.

It can even give people a strange sense of joy and confidence——

This expression may only be seen by him at this moment.

It was this figure that echoed before Hibiki Iruma's eyes.

【Crychic】

Has this band, without him realizing it, become an extremely important part of him that he absolutely cannot give up?

Hibiki Iruma lowered his head and stopped looking at the night sky. The night after the rainstorm was very clear, and even through the window he could see a few stars. He didn't know whether it was the moonlight or the lights from the Seiyu supermarket opposite that dimly illuminated Hibiki Iruma's room.

He was in darkness.

but--

Iruma Hibiki could remember the contents of the notebook in his hand even with his eyes closed.

Those were the notes from Wednesday, which recorded all the key points the teacher talked about in class. The thoughtful Ichichi Hongxia also wrote many symbols for his convenience.

Of course it doesn't matter.

No, this is not unimportant. Iruma Hibiki has received all the effort and care that Ijichi Hongka put into her notes.

But at this moment, what bothered Hibiki Iruma the most was that he couldn't see the center of the note at all. The blank space on the right side was originally reserved for comments. The three people on the note were once the graffiti of four people.

Him, Chihaya Aine, Ijichi Nijika and Nagasaki Motoyo.

……

"Make your own choices?"

Hibiki Iruma muttered to himself as he quickly placed his notebook on the table beside him.

because--

"Ijichi, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

The next moment, Iruma Hibiki's body slightly lowered and he began to sob softly.

His sobbing lasted for a long time and was useless. After all, if a boy still cried at this age, he would definitely be laughed at.

However, Iruma Hibiki was the one who kept talking while crying in the dark.

He thought of many things.

I thought about breaking up with Nagasaki Suyo.

I thought of the surprise I felt when I met Ijichi Hongka.

I thought about Chihaya Aine's reliability and how nervous everyone was when she couldn't come at the beginning.

I thought about the time when I had good intentions to bring Goto Ichiri along, but ended up making a huge mistake.

Tomorrow is the reunion.

It's a happy thing.

Iruma Hibiki actually had such a comfort herself.

But when he thought of this, he couldn't stop crying at all.

The End of the Past -

He thought too well.

I thought that a moment's commitment would last forever.

I thought the so-called community of shared future was real.

I thought Nagasaki Suyo's confession was a love that would last a lifetime and I would never regret it.

Thought he thought.

Fantasy what he fantasizes about.

Then it was broken because of him.

Finally until now, until the performance that will be coming in more than ten hours.

What should he do if, if Kita doesn’t come back?

Back to finishing the band?

What should Toyokawa Shoko do then?

Not going back?

Hibiki Iruma imagined the scene of himself telling Ijichi Kouka about his decision. He felt that he must have been crying bitterly at that time just like he was now.

"I'll stay in Crychic."

When he said this, he definitely couldn't let go of Ichichi Hongka and the ending band.

"I'll be back to finish the band."

But is he going to hurt Toyokawa Shoko and Takamatsu Tomo? Or will he be able to face Shiina Riki's disbelief when the time comes?

Please come back, Kita, and tell me this is all just a lie.

Iruma Hibiki prayed this in his heart.

Perhaps, the fact that Kita will come back and cut off all his delusions about going back is the tenderness for him at this moment.

Iruma Hibiki thought so.

So entangled.

However, no matter how you look at it, longing for Kita to come back and make decisions for herself is an act that only considers herself, and does not consider the feelings of Ijichi Hongxia and the others at all.

Iruma Hibiki, there's no way he could be that selfish.

tomorrow.

About ten hours later.

He has to face the choice himself.

No one could make the decision for him, and no one could help him at that time.

After all, crying now might not be a bad thing. If he burst into tears and kneeled on the ground on the stage tomorrow, it would really cause trouble for the people who care about him and Ichichi Hongxia.

When he thought of this, Iruma Hibiki breathed a sigh of relief. The aftereffects of stopping crying came to his mind at this moment. He had a stuffy nose, as if he had a cold. His eyes seemed to be a little stinging from rubbing them just now. The weakness and fatigue all over his body also reached its peak.