Toyokawa Shoko doesn't want to become a witch

After passing the Astronomy Department floor, we continued upwards, like navigators drawn by the song of the sirens.

As time went on, the music became less strained and gradually relaxed.

Aiyin opened the music recognition app on her phone and gently, with minimal force, pushed open a crack in the door.

The curtains in the wind ensemble were all drawn, making the area where the pianos were located feel like nighttime in the bright afternoon sun.

Scattered rays of sunlight filtered in, casting hazy patches of light on the piano and the performer.

The chaotic rhythm became steady, the stiff notes became smooth, and the somber mood became passionate.

Some have said that composers are gods, and performers are the composers' angels, with God spreading His love to the earth through the hands of angels.

The vibration of her phone brought Ai Yin back to reality, and she glanced at the music recognition app.

Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23

It is a work by Chopin.

[...This Ballade is one of the earliest signs of a shift in Chopin's artistic character—from the extroverted, virtuosic works of his youth to the emotionally rich pieces of his mature period...]

This is a科普 (popular science) explanation from the song comments.

Does this mean that this is a transitional work for the composer?

Ai Yin swallowed.

I peered through the crack in the door at that engrossed figure.

The performer seems to be telling the composer's own story, but she is not just a puppet of the composer. She has her own thoughts and brings her own stories and emotions to the music.

High notes like a clear spring, low notes like the rumble of the earth.

Sometimes calm, sometimes passionate, sometimes depressed, sometimes angry.

The angels playing divine music seemed to be narrating something.

What is it telling us?

Musical notes are words, and ears become eyes. Ai Yin uses her ears to see the stories told by the performers.

She was talking about herself.

......

"Chihaya Aine?"

"Eh? Um... my benefactor?"

Ai Yin suddenly realized that she was blocking the entrance to the brass band club, preventing Xiangzi from leaving.

The performance is over.

She didn't notice at all.

"Class is about to start, hurry back to the classroom," Xiangzi said.

What?! I thought there was still half an hour left, how come there are only ten minutes left?!

Aine covered her mouth.

Xiangzi looked at Aiyin's ever-changing facial expressions and a question mark appeared above his head.

Is there anything else you need from me?

"No, no, it's nothing. I just heard someone playing the piano and came to check." Ai Yin scratched her head and made room for Xiangzi. "I'll be going now, bye-bye."

Xiangzi nodded and watched Aiyin leave.

Suddenly remembering something, he called out to Aine.

"Oh, right, yours."

"Hmm?" Ai Yin stopped and turned to look at her.

"Have you found the Magical Girl Band?"

Xiangzi asked.

After all, Ai Yin was someone she brought into the family, so a word of concern didn't require much effort.

"Ah."

Aine nodded.

"And Nagasaki..."

She glanced tentatively at Xiangzi.

“With Nagasaki Motoyo.”

Nagasaki Motoyo is like a keyword, triggering Shoko's unpleasant memories.

Xiangzi's expression suddenly turned gloomy.

"That's it."

She brushed past Ai Yin, walked away first, and left behind a light, fleeting blessing.

"Then I wish you all the best."

"..."

They used to be on the same team, so something must have happened.

Ai Yin thought of it.

=======

School in the afternoon.

Xiangzi, carrying his schoolbag, walked out of Yuqiu's school gate with the sparse crowd.

Mu contacted her again last night, saying that Su Shi wanted to meet with her.

Xiangzi declined.

She watched as the icon under Mu's ID changed from online to typing, then back to online, and then replied with an "Mm".

There's no after that.

There shouldn't be a "then" after that.

But she saw Nagasaki Motoyo standing at the entrance of Haneoka School, carrying a schoolbag in one hand and curling her hair with the fingers of the other, looking like she had been standing there for a while.

Su Shi raised her head and smiled gently at Xiangzi.

"haven't seen you for a long time."

The Tale of Nirvana: Staying True to One's Heart: Chapter 62 - Killed

A path bathed in the setting sun.

Xiangzi walked ahead, his hands and feet moving in unison.

->Moon Chair Flag Emu Three`Other Pet Dove Ni Ci Su Shi followed behind, looking anxious.

"Please, Xiao Xiang, I have something I want to tell you."

Su Shi maintained a fixed distance from Xiangzi, and all she uttered were words of pleading.

I've been worried about you and wanted to know what was wrong.

"After seeing the news that day, I almost thought you were really gone... But Mu said you were still alive, so I didn't despair and have been looking for you all this time."

"I'm glad to know you're alright."

"I really want to talk to you, please, Xiao Xiang, give me some time, okay?"

"It won't take you long."

Xiangzi always ignored Su Shi's words.

I just randomly picked a road to take.

She didn't know where she was going, she just wanted to get rid of Su Shi first.

She remembers that she only officially started school today, so how come she's already here?

"Xiao Xiang, everyone knows that something happened to your family, and we all understand that you don't want to be a burden to us. But Xiao Xiang also said that the band is a community with a shared future, right? If there are any difficulties, we can work together to find a solution, right?"

Xiangzi stopped walking.

Community of shared future, what a nostalgic term.

That's what she told everyone when she founded Crychic.

The magical girl band is a community of shared destiny, a complete whole.

“It has nothing to do with my family,” Xiangzi said. “It has nothing to do with you either.”

Family matters were indeed one of the reasons Xiangzi left Crychic, but the most important reason was the relationship between magical girls and witches.

Given the state of the Soul Gem at the time, if she had stayed in Crychic, it would have made everyone aware of it.

Then......

Given Nagasaki Motoyo's personality, and Riki's personality as well, they are both hidden time bombs.

If they knew, the consequences would be far more serious than they could imagine.

If Deng hadn't insisted on following, Xiangzi wouldn't have told the truth...

No, the lamp didn't actually follow at all, and she didn't know the truth about the magical girl either.

She looked up.

Looking at the dim, yellow sky.

It's all over.

Crychic is gone forever, let it be.

She has no time to reminisce about the past or feel sentimental about the past.

"Don't come looking for me again, Nagasaki Motoyo."

She finally glanced at Su Shi.

"It's all over."

After that, Xiangzi walked down the slope without looking back, leaving Su Shi alone on the road.

“Xiao Xiang…” Su Shi raised her hand, trying to stop him.

"Don't follow me."

Xiangzi turned around and glared fiercely at Su Shi.

Su Shi was stunned. She only lowered her raised hand after Xiangzi had completely disappeared from sight.

I took out my phone, and a flower icon appeared in the lock screen notification.

【Chihaya Aine】: Motoyo-kun, where are you now? Do you want to join me in defeating the witch? She's not very strong, just reached the Normal level, and costs 200 points.

【Chihaya Aine】: (Location Information)

【Chihaya Aine】: Me, Akari, and Riki are all here.

"...(II) Easy to understand? 5 chess pieces stroll around 2..."

It's not over yet; I will definitely bring back the Crychic days.

I promise.

Su Shi gripped her phone tightly, scrolled out Chihaya Aine's private message, and then left in the opposite direction from Shoko.

==========

Xiangzi boarded the tram.

The first thing I saw when I opened my phone was a notification about the robbery I'd heard about at noon.

It was a video recorded by onlookers.

The robbers in the video were not wearing hoods or masks to cover their faces. There were four of them, each carrying a watermelon knife.