Iruma-san wants to win the Akutagawa Prize

Page 228

After Gao Songdeng was silent for a while, she said:

"Xiangzi, do you know why I can't come? I contacted Xiangzi before, but I didn't receive a reply..."

For Takamatsu Deng, taking the initiative to contact someone is actually quite difficult.

The few people she could muster the courage to contact were her bandmates.

"..."

Do you want to tell the truth to Takamatsu Deng?

Hibiki Iruma faced Takamatsu Touma's expectant and worried gaze, lost in thought.

He once wanted to avoid such sight.

To say——

Xiangzi encountered some troubles, and there were huge changes in her family, so she and her father moved out. This will probably make her busy this month. Will she be busy with family matters?

Indeed, such words have to be said sooner or later.

And during this trip, Iruma Hibiki also plans to confess this matter to others.

He felt that everyone should be able to accept waiting for Xiangzi for a month.

However, facing Takamatsu Touma's expectations, Iruma Hibiki felt a little difficult.

He was never good at this kind of thing.

He would have more concerns about this kind of thing.

Finally, Iruma Hibiki sighed.

"Xiangzi should be busy with moving recently, but it will be fine once she's done."

Iruma Hibiki responded.

"Eh? Moving?"

"Well, something happened in Xiangzi's family, so she and her father moved out."

"..."

Takamatsu Deng looked at Iruma Hibiki in surprise.

"Xiangzi..."

Then she looked concerned.

"Xiang, Xiangzi will be okay, right?"

"Don't worry it won't happen."

Hibiki Iruma responded to Touma Takamatsu.

Now that Toyokawa Shoko is not around, he is the only one who can give Takamatsu Deng a sense of security.

"Although there have been some changes at home, Xiangzi still has her own father. Her father is an amazing guy. My father knows him, so we just need to give Xiangzi some time."

Hibiki Iruma responded to Touma Takamatsu.

Then he breathed a sigh of relief.

Yes, the only person he has the most difficulty dealing with is Gao Songdeng.

But at this moment, the hardest part is over.

As long as we wait until this month is over, Shoko Toyokawa's new life returns to normal, and the trauma in her heart heals a little, the band will be able to return to normal, right?

At least Toyokawa Shoko was with her father.

Iruma Hibiki thought to himself.

I am looking forward to it too.

Of course, one month may be a bit short.

Maybe Shoko Toyokawa needs more time.

If that's the case—

"Well, I'll be in charge of the band until Xiangzi comes back. If there's any problem with the lights, just tell me directly."

Iruma Hibiki responded to the light with a smile.

Cleared away my worries.

"Um……"

"Also, Xiangzi doesn't want others to know about his affairs. Can Deng help me keep it a secret?"

"Ah...sure."

In front of Iruma Hibiki, Takamatsu Touma stretched out his little finger, and after Iruma Hibiki realized what Takamatsu Touma meant, he also completed the hook game with Takamatsu Touma.

When the game was over, when Hibiki Iruma looked out the window again, he saw Nagasaki Motoyo smiling and waving at him.

She didn't know when she arrived, and then she found the location of Hibiki Iruma and Touma Takamatsu using the shared location.

The moment her eyes met Iruma Hibiki's, Nagasaki Suyo quickly walked towards the convenience store, dragging her suitcase.

44 Dodge and the Captive Bird

"The temperature today is only 14 degrees Celsius. Isn't it a little too short for Xiang to wear?"

Nagasaki Suyo, wearing an autumn scarf, sat down next to Iruma Hibiki without hesitation. In the corner where they would not cause trouble to anyone, the three people's suitcases were put together to form the Chinese character "众".

Iruma Hibiki moved slightly, but Nagasaki Suyo quickly moved closer.

"No, I'm not afraid of the cold, but I'm afraid of the heat."

Iruma Hibiki responded, then gave up dodging and stayed where he was.

"Higashi, be careful not to get sick. It would be terrible if you caught a cold."

"Well, the performance won't go well either."

Takamatsu Deng responded to Nagasaki Suyo on the side.

"Okay, okay, I'll wear more."

Facing the attacks of the two, Hibiki Iruma compromised.

Because of what happened in his childhood, Hibiki Iruma's parents gave him the right to grow up independently to a great extent, so that Hibiki Iruma almost never experienced a stage where he needed his parents to help him change clothes.

Today, it was his negligence. Indeed, the temperature was far from cold, but his clothes today were still more like those of late summer or early autumn.

"But, it seems like winter is coming soon..."

Iruma Hibiki sighed subtly.

At this moment, he suddenly realized that Goto Ichiri had also started to worry about the upcoming exams, and once again, the end of a semester was approaching.

Soon, he will also be a sophomore in high school, and Nagasaki Motoyo and the others will also be promoted to freshmen.

……

Time flies by so fast, but everything always ends just as quickly as it begins.

Can his second youth win?

When such worries arose, Iruma Hibiki saw the profile of Nagasaki Suyo beside him.

"Xiang, Xiangzi's matter——"

It's rare that today Nagasaki Suyo suddenly mentioned Toyokawa Shoko.

Iruma Hibiki was a little nervous. He looked at Nagasaki Souwagi Yurin's wife Reimu who was close to him, worried that she would say something horrible.

"Over there, you still can't attend rehearsal next week?"

Compared with Takamatsu Deng's question, Nagasaki Suyo's question was actually more precise and accurate, and Takamatsu Deng also raised his head after being reminded by Nagasaki Suyo.

"If Xiangzi can't come next week..."

Obviously, such questions also aroused Gao Songdeng's emotions.

Takamatsu Deng has special expectations for stepping onto the stage and singing out his heart.

That was probably all the wishes of a girl who thought she was isolated from the world, for recognition and for warmth among people.

But now such a wish has encountered difficulties and obstacles.

It's not like in the story, where some member caught a cold, had a fever, or became seriously ill before the performance, and ultimately failed in the end after trying to show off.

But -

Some members simply cannot participate in the performance due to being busy.

It was like some horrible TV series. On the TV, a bunch of adults gathered together to chat, talking about tomorrow's plans and lofty aspirations, but suddenly, the company called for overtime, and all the aspirations became empty talk. After the paralysis of alcohol, there was a withered reality.

"Xiangzi said that he could come at least once next Tuesday."

Iruma Hibiki responded to Nagasaki Suyo.

He smiled softly.

Yes, at this time he must be the most reliable person in the team, even though he is far from being able to do so.

Shoko Toyokawa is an excellent captain.

In fact, he is not cut out for this, but at this moment, he has to bear the weight of everyone's wishes and the affairs of Toyokawa Shoko.

"That's really great."

Nagasaki Suyo said with a smile.

It was as if they were really happy that Shoko Toyokawa could come to perform.

"Before that, we have to work hard. Of course, we have to enjoy the rest of the trip, right, Deng?"

Passing Iruma Hibiki, Nagasaki Suyo smiled gently at Takamatsu Touma.

"Ok!"

And Takamatsu Deng responded to Nagasaki Suyo's smile with great enthusiasm.

For the simple-minded Takamatsu Teru, Nagasaki Suyo's behavior has completely won her heart.

Only Iruma Hibiki was left looking at the profile of Nagasaki Soyo who was so close to him, sighing slightly in his heart.

Nagasaki Suyo is planning something.

Although it seems that saying this is a bit too self-centered and narcissistic, and may even be criticized by the three people in the chat group as conspiracy theorists, anti-intellectual, or too confident, and other sour words.

But Iruma Hibiki felt this way.

There are also such concerns.

Nagasaki Suyo is definitely not as gentle and calm as she appears now.

Of course it was his fault...

The silent atmosphere did not last long. The fourth person to arrive was Wakaba Mutsu, but it was Shiina Riki who came for scout purposes.

"Sorry I'm late."

Shiina Riki felt a little guilty about being the last one to arrive.

"No, Lixi, you just happened to be in the right place."

Iruma pointed at the clock on his phone.

It would be better to say that Shiina Riki arrived at the last minute.

That's just how she is. She always plans everything before doing it, and I'm afraid it was no different this morning.

"Did you stay up late to practice last night?"