My daily life is getting weird because I am caught between being in a band and being an idol.

Haneoka Girls' Academy High School.

It was already after school, during club activities.

Inside the Astronomy Club, Hina and Takamatsu Akari were engaged in club activities... While I'd like to say that, Hina was simply having fun, while Tomori was intently watching the rocks.

"Hmm~ Tomori-chan, this rock is really nice~ As expected, Tomori-chan knows her stuff~~ Ah, a message came in... It's almost time, the producer is telling us it's about time to go."

"Ah."

Akari nodded silently. Ever since Hina started occasionally coming to the Astronomy Club, she had gradually begun to look forward to the daily club activities. Of course, she didn't dislike them, but she looked forward to that time of day even more than before.

She was also grateful to Chaoyang for the change he brought about.

The two quickly packed their bags, locked the doors and windows of the club room, and then walked out of the school one after the other.

Chaoyang was already waiting at the door.

"Ah~ Producer~"

"Hina! Seriously, club activities are already over. If I don't tell you, you'll definitely get yelled at by the inspector."

Hina scratched the back of her head in the morning sun and said with a grin.

"Sorry~ Tomori-chan is so funny~ I lost track of time without even realizing it. She's just as fun as Aya~~"

"...I don't really feel like you're complimenting me."

"Huh? Of course I'm not complimenting anyone!"

Hina said this with her hands on her hips and a straight face.

"What should we do next? Go home or..."

"Hmm... I didn't practice today, so I went straight home. By the way, producer~ can you go shopping with me on my next day off?"

"Yes, yes... I remember you said you wanted to go with your sister, didn't you?"

“My sister said she was busy practicing and didn’t have time. She originally wanted to ask Xiao Cai, but Xiao Cai also said that she hadn’t practiced her song well yet and wanted to practice in the practice room all day by herself.”

"...Everyone is practicing diligently. But the Japanese cuisine staff are all taking it easy."

The Japanese girl also wore a troubled smile, looking somewhat puzzled.

"I don't understand what's so great about practicing those things~ After all, I learned them in no time."

"Hehe, didn't I say that before? Everyone's feeling for music is different. A band is about bringing together all kinds of people and getting everyone in the same rhythm. The interesting thing is the process of everyone trying to become in the same rhythm."

"...Hehe, that's true. Every time I see Xiaocai trying so hard to keep up with everyone's practice, I feel excited and my heart flutters. I've been to other lead singers and seen other singers since then, but I've never felt that same excitement...I'm definitely different from others..."

"It's definitely different. Xiao Cai is unlucky to have such a good teammate like you."

"Shouldn't we say we're lucky in a situation like this?"

"Guess why?"

"Huh? I don't understand~~ Never mind, just remember to keep your appointment~ Producer, I'm heading back now~"

After a brief conversation, Hina greeted everyone and jogged home.

"Hey, Tomori, let's go."

"Uh... um...!"

"Tomori-chan... I learned about some things from Riki... so I wanted to ask you about the band from before..."

"Uh......"

Just as Deng was about to run away, Chaoyang grabbed her hand.

"You guys always do this, I knew it! This time you won't get away. Tomori, listen, running away is never the solution. Everyone can run away, even to the point of death, but before you leave, it all piles up inside. Instead of suffering for so long, why not face the past head-on? ... Although I don't know the whole story, at least I can tell you one thing: you said it was all your fault, but at least Rihi doesn't think that way... She still wants to form a band with you. If you want, I can help you!"

"...A band?...Then...can you be in a band with me for life?"

"what?"

. .

Inside the office, night quietly fell, and the sky outside the window was gradually covered by a thick, inky black, with city lights twinkling sporadically and reflecting on the glass windows.

There was no one else in the room at the moment, except for Toyokawa Shoko, who sat alone at her desk in the corner. The cold light from the screen reflected on her face, making her appear even more stern.

"Bang, bang, bang"

A few knocks briefly drew Xiangzi's attention away from the computer screen, and he looked up towards the entrance.

At this moment, Chaoyang was standing in front of the door, leaning against it.

Without saying a word, Xiangzi shifted his gaze back to the screen.

The sound of typing on the keyboard began again.

"...If you see me, at least say hello!"

Seeing that Xiangzi was ignoring him, Chaoyang immediately ran over and shouted angrily.

After a few seconds of silence, Xiangzi spoke in a calm tone.

"...I'm sorry, I will automatically ignore anything that affects my work."

"How about we pause work for now? It's time to refuel."

Chaoyang gently placed the plastic bag containing the bento box and miso soup next to the computer.

Seeing this, Xiangzi didn't insist anymore. Instead, he closed his laptop and sighed softly.

"......Thanks."

"You're welcome."

While Xiangzi was eating, Chaoyang didn't continue chatting; he simply watched her and waited for her to finish her meal.

If it were anyone else, they would have already been unable to stand the stare and asked Chaoyang what he wanted to do.

Xiangzi, on the contrary, was able to turn a blind eye.

Just as Xiangzi finished eating, Chaoyang finally spoke up and revealed the reason why he had come to see her.

"...Do you know...a girl named...Takamatsu Akari?..."

Chapter 116 has started again?

"..."

When Xiangzi heard the name "Gao Songdeng," he paused, and his previously calm expression instantly turned cold.

She raised her head, staring straight at the rising sun, a cold, sharp glint in her eyes.

"...You investigated me?"

Her voice was low, carrying a hint of suppressed anger, and her tone was clearly displeased.

"It's not really... it was just a series of coincidences that led me to meet her."

"This has nothing to do with you."

"Indeed... Well, never mind then."

"..."

To Xiangzi's surprise, he had originally thought that Chaoyang would continue to harp on this matter.

After all, if the original CRYCHIC members heard about his situation, they would definitely come to his defense.

However, after thinking about it carefully, Xiangzi immediately understood. After all, Chaoyang knew almost everything about her. Although she had never told Chaoyang anything about herself, he could guess that her family had fallen on hard times and she had ended up like this.

Compared to the CRYCHIC members, he was more aware of his own predicament. That's why he didn't go any further, because he pitied himself and knew the reasons behind his decision.

Thinking of this, Xiangzi felt no relief, but rather a deep sense of defeat and humiliation.

She bit her lip tightly, lowered her head slightly, and felt an overwhelming surge of emotions. She had been struggling to support herself, refusing to accept charity or pity from anyone. However, Chaoyang saw through her situation and even felt sympathy for her plight, making her feel as if her years of perseverance had been a joke.

She clenched her fists, her heart filled with a mixture of anger and resentment. She had been desperately suppressing her feelings just to preserve a shred of pride and self-respect, but now Chaoyang had seen it all clearly.

"I don't need anyone's pity."

Xiangzi said coldly to Chaoyang, who was about to walk out.

"I don't know what you're thinking, but I don't feel any pity for you. On the contrary, your abilities are more likely to arouse envy. You're just a high school student, yet you're more capable than adults. Add to that your appearance, and if you're also very rich, how are others supposed to live?"

Chaoyang didn't actually get much information from Gaosongdeng, but she still managed to find out the name of their band, CRYCHIC, and after some searching, she got an unexpected surprise.

That was the former homepage of the band CRYCHIC.

On his way here, Chaoyang checked the video and found that he still had the practice videos from before.

Although there was one girl he didn't recognize, he had already met the other four. Xiangzi and Gaosongdeng were obvious, and Lixi's appearance hadn't changed at all. The most important one was Su Shi, who had worked at the store for a day before disappearing without a word. He had thought her behavior was strange before, but now that he knew she was a member of CRYCHIC, Chaoyang instantly understood all her motives.

But it doesn't matter. None of this concerns Chaoyang, and he's not one to meddle in other people's business. Whether it's Xiangzi or Sushi, Chaoyang doesn't care what they want to do. He simply wants to complete his mission and has no intention of helping them rebuild their old band.

His questioning of Xiangzi now is simply out of curiosity.

After all, he understood Xiangzi's personality; she wouldn't regret making her decision.

Seeing Xiangzi's strong reaction, they naturally gave up immediately.

"I'm sorry... I was rude."

After seeing Chaoyang's appearance, Xiangzi realized that he had overreacted.

I thought I could be calm and collected, but I still got excited over such a simple thing.

I'm still too immature.

Xiangzi thought to himself.

. .

Chaoyang was walking home.

Miss Nagasaki's goal is probably to find Shoko, but she still can't forget him after a year. It seems Miss Nagasaki is quite persistent... She's only focused on finding Shoko after all this time, so it seems Shoko is more important to her than the other members of CRYCHIC. Simply put, she probably wants to find Toyokawa Shoko to form a band.

The moment this conclusion was reached, the system notification sounded again in my brain.

. .

Task Name: Unravel the Purpose of Su Shi (Completed)

System notification: The new feature "Producer Six-Dimensional Attributes" has been activated!

Creativity.

This indicates the producer's keen sense of innovation and creativity in the project. High creativity can help in planning unique events, designing attractive stage effects, and even discovering the potential of artists.

Initial value: 50/100.

communication.

Strong communication skills with artists, teams, and clients. Excellent communication abilities improve the quality of teamwork, facilitate smooth negotiations, and enhance artists' trust in producers.

Initial value: 60/100.

management.

This indicates the ability to manage resources, time, and personnel. High managerial attributes help in the rational allocation of resources, maintaining team efficiency, and controlling project progress within a project.

Initial value: 55/100.

Emotional intelligence.

Emotional intelligence (EQ) refers to a producer's ability to understand others' emotions and manage interpersonal relationships. High EQ helps identify emotional changes in artists or team members and guides them to better engage in their work.

Initial value: 65/100.

Charm.

This indicates the producer's personal appeal to the artist and team. A high charisma score can make the artist develop dependence and affection for the producer, even gradually becoming obsessed, and willing to devote more effort to them. This attribute also enhances the artist's loyalty to the agency.

Initial value: 60/100.

endurance.

This indicates the ability to cope with long working hours and withstand high-intensity tasks. High endurance helps the host maintain peak performance during busy office management.

Initial value: 70/100.

. .