Iruma-san wants to win the Akutagawa Prize

Then, in front of Iruma Hibiki, Shiina Riki lowered his head and apologized.

"But, Iruma—"

Then she raised her head again and stared at Hibiki Iruma, as if she wanted to get some answer from him, and her voice was slightly forced.

"Don't worry, Shiina. I'll be with you tonight. If you have anything you want to say, just say it. I don't know how I can comfort you, but I was really shocked when I heard Shiina say she wanted to quit Crychic."

"but……"

Iruma Hibiki was silent for a moment.

"Well, Shiina, I didn't come back this time to keep you."

Then he spoke somewhat bitterly.

Such a decision seemed to bypass Shoko Toyokawa.

But Hibiki Iruma felt that he had to make the decision on his own now, bypassing Shoko Toyokawa. This was the best choice for the person in front of him and for Crychic.

"Eh?"

Shiina Riki showed a tearful expression.

She didn't know what kind of mood she was in when she said she wanted to quit.

How many groups of people are there who are serious about their duties?

How much anger is there?

But when facing Hibiki Iruma at this moment, she no longer cared at all at that time, and her words at that time were just 100% out of anger.

"Well, let's think about it... Crychic's current situation might not be the band you expected, Shiina. I've heard you talk about music at home many times..."

"So Shiina, I'm on your side now, not Crychic's side."

Iruma Hibiki spoke.

Clarified his position at the first opportunity.

"So Shiina, can you tell me what's been happening to you lately? I'm worried about you."

"Also, if you use this on your face, it will feel more comfortable and the marks will disappear quickly."

As Iruma Hibiki was speaking, he handed Shiina Riki a portable ice pack that he had just bought at the drugstore on the road.

When he took the ice patch that had been carefully torn open in front of him, Shiina Riki's originally strong thorns could no longer stand up.

"Iruma, when I heard 'Kasuga Shadow', I was so happy. I felt like that singer was exactly me. When I was working hard with you and Takamatsu-san, I also felt for a moment that I might be able to catch up with that person..."

Then——

Iruma Hibiki heard what Shiina Riki was thinking.

29 Toyokawa Shoko's Joy

"Hibiki in Tokyo?"

"Yeah, but I'll probably leave tomorrow morning."

Hibiki Iruma was leaning against the lobby of the station and calling Shoko Toyokawa, but this time they didn't have a video call, just a simple voice chat.

This corner of the station was bustling with people, and it was a little noisy. Perhaps everyone had the same idea. Next to Iruma Hibiki, there was a girl who seemed to be talking on the phone with someone.

She was a little excited and her voice was a little loud.

Probably they had a fight.

It may be a lover's problem.

Iruma Hibiki didn't pay much attention to what was happening over there.

But Toyokawa Shoko noticed it.

"Hibiki, are you arguing with someone?"

Toyokawa Shoko asked this.

"Sorry, it's a bit noisy here because I'm at the station and it's with strangers."

As he explained this, Hibiki Iruma moved to a different location, arriving at the back of the station, in a deserted alley.

"Xiangzi, is everything okay? Mu told me."

Iruma Hibiki spoke softly.

Such words made Toyokawa Shoko tremble all over.

"Xiangzi didn't attend the rehearsal today..."

"Ah."

Shoko Toyokawa breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't about anything else.

I just [didn’t attend the rehearsal].

In an instant, Shoko Toyokawa's tension dissipated, but it was replaced by other worries that had been surging in her heart recently.

such as--

She hid the secret from her lover.

There are scattered books about love at the head of Toyokawa Shoko's bed.

In addition to the few books that Iruma Hibiki had read, she subsequently purchased many more, and in all of these books, there were words that said—

Trust between lovers is very important. It is easy to destroy, but almost impossible to restore.

And now her concealment is just relying on Iruma Hibiki's consideration.

"Hibiki, I want to see you?"

"Well, I'll go to Xiangzi's house now."

"Eh?"

In fact, when Toyokawa Shoko said this, she didn't have much expectations for this matter.

It would be false to say that you don’t miss me.

We were only separated for a short time.

The two of them didn't date much.

Being in the band was almost the only time the two of them spent together.

But ⑵⒐ there is another Wushan⒏QiIShaan.

At this moment, Toyokawa Shoko felt a little pain of separation in a relationship. She always wondered if things would be better if Iruma Hibiki was there.

So it was natural for him to say something willful.

But because of a little bit of consideration, there was a hint of doubt in Toyokawa Shoko's tone.

But the one who responded to her was Hibiki Iruma who replied decisively.

"This time when I came back, the person I wanted to see most was Xiangzi."

Iruma Hibiki said.

A smile appeared on his face.

"Isn't that a bit strange and might bother Xiangzi?"

"Not at all!"

Toyokawa Shoko responded.

There was a hint of joy in her tone.

"I'll be there soon, but does Xiangzi's house have any access control or something?"

"Yes, but it doesn't matter. Dad is drunk and he won't wake up before tomorrow morning."

……

Hibiki Iruma remained silent.

"ring?"

For Toyokawa Shoko at this moment, this is her adventure and temptation, just like when lovers suddenly realize one day that their unbearable side must be revealed to the person in front of them.

That kind of panic.

That kind of cautiousness.

"%栮溜巴吴凌酒{Shaanlujiu ah... I was just wondering if I had done something bad."

Iruma Hibiki smiled.

“I always feel like this is a plot that only appears in stories.”

"Uh yeah! Romeo and Juliet's elopement!"

Toyokawa Shoko responded excitedly.

This tone sounded just like the one Hibiki Iruma once knew.

Very good--

Probably at this moment, Iruma Hibiki also felt a lot more relaxed.

At least Shoko Toyokawa hasn't changed much, which is really great.

As for the other one——

Iruma Hibiki heard what Shiina Riki was thinking. Although he knew some of it before, this was the first time he heard it in its entirety.

When he faced such confessions, he actually felt some empathy.

He is the same person as Shiina Riki.

But the person Shiina Riki was facing was his own sister.

And what he faced—

It is the world in my memory.

Time travel was not very fair. It gave him the wealth of a world but did not give him the talent to conquer that world.

Every time Hibiki Iruma wants to write lyrics and compose music independently.

The sounds of that world would echo in his mind.

So even though there are still some differences and she can't empathize with her, Hibiki Iruma can understand Shiina Riki's feelings, her sadness, her impatience, her anxiety, her pursuit and her strength.

So, before leaving, he said this to Shiina Riki:

"Shiina, I don't know how to comfort you, because I might not even be able to comfort myself, but I'm very happy to be forming a band with Shiina. To me, Shiina is irreplaceable, Crychic is irreplaceable. Give me some time, I want to take you to a bigger stage."

"Let's go together to prove our own music."

……

The added promise slightly increased Hibiki Iruma's pressure.

While on the tram, he sketched out the guitar posture. Although it was a short period of time since he hadn't practiced the guitar, he still felt a little rusty.

"Did it ring?"

The voice of Toyokawa Shoko came from the other end of the headset.

"Almost there, probably another 15 minutes."

"I'll wait here."

After a while, Iruma Hibiki saw the photo sent by Toyokawa Shoko.

That was Shoko Toyokawa, who was wearing a beige top and a khaki skirt, raising her hands high and smiling at the camera.

Just seeing Toyokawa Shoko like this brought a smile to Iruma Hibiki's face.

Yes--

As long as Toyokawa Shoko still wants to flirt with me, I will continue.

He wouldn't give up Crychic.