Aunt Xiangzi, how did you manage to live?

Although he may seem aloof and unapproachable, he is actually a sensitive and self-disciplined reliable companion.

Even if she harbored feelings for Kazama that went beyond friendship, and Suze was somewhat bothered by this—she still felt that Riki had no reason to deny these feelings.

It's not some shameful relationship.

Even if Li Xi has a sense of inferiority, there's no reason why she would feel so ashamed in front of the boy she likes.

Su Shi, who didn't quite understand this, wandered through the bustling streets. She was like a headless fly, going back and forth in the bustling commercial district. Finally, she simply sat down on a bench in the center of the square where she could see the entire commercial street.

Can't figure it out.

The romantic feelings between young boys and girls may indeed be a complex mix of sweet and sour, but it's not some kind of shameful monster. So why is Li Xi so certain that she is completely unworthy of this relationship?

Nagasaki Motoyo really couldn't understand it.

She opened her phone and casually checked a recent chat message with Kazama.

Today she also sent a long string of messages, and the boy's response was still timely, but only a few words that did not reveal any key information.

"Ha... never mind, I'm not qualified to judge Taki-chan anyway..."

Nagasaki Motoyo was a little discouraged. She obediently put her phone back in her pocket and looked around at the brightly lit streets.

At least compared to himself, Li Xi wouldn't care at all whether he would get a response from the other party.

To put it in a very common way, it's probably like saying, "I like you, but it has nothing to do with you."

"But... I still don't understand..."

Su Shi murmured to herself as she gazed at the large headshot of Sumi's advertisement projected onto the high-definition screens of the department stores surrounding the square.

Li Xi's feelings are definitely not the kind of things that people find repulsive.

But why does she refuse to face this feeling directly, preferring to maintain the status quo and only become like-minded companions with Kazama—but she refuses to reveal even a little bit of her true feelings?

Is Lixi really as content and happy as she claims?

Content with a close friendship that can last for years or even decades, they conveniently ignore feelings that could be replaced by new encounters within just a few months.

"She is clearly not as carefree as she claims to be."

If it were someone else, they would probably really think that Li Xi is a rational person who knows when to stop.

But Su Shi, who had spent so much time with her, didn't think so.

Mingming Lixi values ​​relationships, but he only makes concessions in his own affairs to satisfy everyone's needs.

She wasn't as rational and far-sighted as she thought; she was probably just afraid that if she expressed these feelings, she would never be able to take them back, so she chose to run away.

It is also an escape from the true cries of one's own heart.

Come to think of it, didn't she make some boast to Kazama before? Like, "I'll always stand behind you and be a trustworthy partner" or something like that...

“If that’s the case, then Taki-chan is too stubborn.”

Su Shi shook her head, but managed to let out a sigh of relief.

Li Xi said that it was okay not to see feelings in such a black-and-white way, but she herself was clearly a black-and-white person.

She's probably too stubborn to see this ambiguous, budding affection as an obstacle to fulfilling her promise, or perhaps she feels guilty for having inappropriate thoughts about someone she promised to be her companion, so she's probably working against herself again.

Even at this point, she was still careful not to let her feelings affect others.

"...You're so stubborn it's almost heartbreaking, Taki-chan."

Su Shi helplessly adjusted her breathing; she finally understood the thought process behind Li Xi's self-suppression.

Feeling that their feelings might cause trouble for others, they grit their teeth and pretend everything is fine to protect the other person.

Well, this is indeed very much in line with Shiina Tatsuki's consistent style of acting under the influence of feelings of inferiority.

Su Shi felt a mix of emotions. She couldn't bring herself to wholeheartedly support Li Xi's relationship, especially since it wasn't what Li Xi needed right now.

But she needed to figure out why Riki felt there was absolutely no possibility of a further development between her and Kazama.

Her sense of inferiority may bind her, but the unfulfilled desires at the root of human nature can become the driving force for humanity to pursue love and ideals.

Unless Lixi knows some secret that is unknown to others but is enough to make her disappointed in this relationship.

Nagasaki Motoyo made up her mind, and her eyes showed determination.

She was determined to get to the bottom of this matter.

Chapter Seventy-Nine: Aunt Lixi, who dotes on her nephew

Shiina Tatsuki and Nagasaki Motoyo each harbor secrets, but this does not stop time from passing by.

Ave Mujica's debut performance at the Budokan catapulted them to fame, and most of the members became stars on talk shows and variety channels. Except for Mutsu, who intentionally avoided appearing in the public eye, the other members received many more interview invitations in addition to their regular work.

Although Kazama stole the credit for creating Mujica, and Kazama also firmly held onto her power as the center of the team, Toyokawa Shoko was still generally very satisfied with the current situation.

At least for now, she is constantly receiving offers for commercial interviews, and her band is incredibly popular, which can greatly improve her and her father's financial situation.

Yutenji Wakana was very happy about the group's sudden rise to fame, and she was also the member who accepted the most interview invitations. As for Misumi Hatsuka, she was already a popular girl band member with a constant stream of invitations before her identity was revealed, and after that, her life simply became even busier.

Hachiman Kairin continues to enjoy her low-key mercenary life, rarely showing her face in public. However, she occasionally goes shopping at the mall with her card and ends up with more than a dozen shopping bags.

—Compared to the official members of Ave Mujica, Kazama doesn't appear in front of the camera, but he's just as busy.

During this time, he has been burying himself in research at home, trying to find a melody that would perfectly match Chu Hua's lyrics manuscript.

"Hmm, the beat here should indeed be drawn out by half a syllable... Okay."

He sat in front of his computer in his apartment, wearing headphones. The only light in the dimly lit room came from the computer screen.

Chu Hua's notebook of lyrics, which carried heavy feelings of love, lay on the table. Every now and then, Kazama would force himself to glance at it, pondering what kind of melody could best bring out the profound sentiment behind the lyrics.

Of course, as the "mastermind" who brought these girls together, he also had a responsibility to devise plans for their future.

"Phew... the melody of the verse is almost done."

So, during his free time after work, Kazama would take off his headphones, play soothing music on his speakers, and clear his mind—

Thinking about how to make Ave Mujica go further.

Yes, this is a question he must consider.

The reason is quite obvious: the needs of these girls forming the same group are completely different.

Hailing is an undeniably capable but carefree mercenary. Miaomeng will do anything for publicity and exposure. Chuhua, who wears many hats, would never have stayed here for long if it weren't for him and Xiangzi. Mu is indifferent to where he is as long as Xiao and Xiang are around.

And our Ave Mujica's "former" captain, Toyokawa Shoko, despite constantly saying things like "Let me take responsibility for your lives"—

But she never put her words into action. Instead, it was Kazama, the "inside" captain, who was racking his brains to figure out how to take responsibility for the future of these members.

It's a complete mess.

Those guys are a real headache.

Kazama rubbed his eyes, which were sore from staring at the computer screen for so long. Just then, during his brief moment of free time, the pleasant doorbell rang from the doorway.

"Ah, here we come."

Kazama immediately got up from his computer, ran to the entrance, bent down, and opened the apartment door—

“…You said last time that you really wanted to eat these things, so I brought them.”

The girl who appeared at his doorstep was a long-haired black girl carrying bags of food and with an indifferent expression on her face.

"You must be quite tired lately. I figured you probably wouldn't have time to go out with me, so I just came over. I hope you don't mind."

Shiina Tatsuki shook the plastic bag with feigned composure, causing the ingredients and various snacks in her hand to rustle.

But she was the one who was pale and had dark circles under her eyes.

"Lixi...come in quickly."

Kazama noticed Riki's haggard state—listless yet trying to appear energetic—but he didn't expose her; instead, he warmly welcomed her into the house.

During this time, he also adjusted his mindset and stopped subconsciously calling the young girls "auntie".

However, although he said he was already taking care of himself and no longer regarded Shiina Ritsuki as his aunt... the way he would visit her with bags of gifts whenever he had free time was indeed no different from the Ritsuki Aunt in his memory.

"But before you try so hard to take care of me, you should take better care of your own health, Lixi. Although I've gotten used to you taking care of me, it would be a real loss if you ruined your health first, wouldn't it?"

"Shut up... If you find me annoying, I'll leave now."

"Okay, okay, I didn't mean you were annoying. Why don't you come inside and sit down?"

Kazama didn't expose Riki's little scheme, showing her a lot of respect. He even took the ingredients from Riki's hands, put them in the refrigerator, and rolled up his sleeves to cook dinner as a return gift.

"...I came to your house today to cook for you."

Originally, Riki was still observing whether there was anything else in Kazama's house that needed tidying up, and whether she could help out—but seeing the boy's back as he rolled up his sleeves without saying a word, she pouted and muttered to herself with some dissatisfaction.

"You're suddenly being so nice to me? I'm really flattered. But having guests cook isn't the Kazama family's way of hospitality, so Ritsuki, you should sit down and rest."

Xiao didn't even turn his head; he glanced at the ingredients that Lixi had purchased and brought.

"Premium black pork and carefully selected curry seasonings, looks like you're planning to make a curry rice meal. There's even a big bag of pre-cut watermelon chunks in the plastic bag... Wow, coming to feed me is one thing, but going to such lengths?"

"Stop nagging. Just tell me if you're going to eat it or not. If not, I'll take it back and feed it to my dog."

"Yes, yes, of course I want to eat—wait, Lixi, do you really have a dog at home?"

"Humph."

Lixi ignored Kazama's question and sat down at the table, then silently tidied up everything on the table for him.

Naturally, she also couldn't avoid seeing the lyric book on the computer desk.

The dense text, filled with a girl's intense love, made Riki frown subconsciously. Of course, she knew whose work it was and why it appeared in Kazama's house.

"........."

A strange and complex emotion surfaced on her haggard face. Li Xi could only turn her eyes away and not look at her, and even got up and left with a sense of dejection.

"Do you need help?"

She joined the kitchen without hesitation, thus trapping herself in a cage called companionship.

Chapter Eighty: Cannot Be Just a Companion, Cannot Go Any Further

Shiina Riki has always been someone who doesn't dare to ask for much. Even if she has a trump card like the Big Clown in her hand, she only dares to play safe cards that are enough to handle the situation.

Right now, classifying herself as a "companion" is the best safety net for her.

If they weren't companions, how could they just show up at the door whenever they wanted, bringing a bunch of gifts uninvited, yet still be invited into the boy's home?

If we weren't companions, how could we be by the boy's side like this, preparing dinner together in perfect harmony?

If it weren't for his companions... I'm afraid I would just end up like Mikasa, letting my intense and heavy feelings only add to his troubles.

Shiina Tatsuki had made up her mind not to cause Akatsuki any more trouble, so even if it was just as a "friend," she could convince herself to accept it.

However, she was still somewhat concerned about the emotions expressed in Chu Hua's lyrics, which Xiao perceived as some kind of monstrous threat.

"...Have you been busy with creative work lately?"

So while she was preparing the curry, she was chopping carrots and casually mentioned the lyric book she had just glimpsed.

This question might sound awkward at first glance, but thankfully Kazama always manages to understand the concern that Ritsuki is trying to express between the lines.

"That's right. Although I'm not going on stage with those guys, since I brought them into this group and promised to help them out, there's no reason for me to sit idly by and be irresponsible."

Xiao peeled the potatoes with kitchen tools without changing her expression, her movements steady and skillful, like a chef who had honed her skills in the kitchen for many years.

This is not surprising, as his cooking skills were indeed honed at home—after all, when it was just Xiao Mu and himself at home, he couldn't expect Mu to cook.

"So, what's on the table is indeed..."

"Yes, it's the first draft of the lyrics that Chu Hua gave me. I promised her I would arrange and compose music for her."

Lixi asked the question cautiously, and received a calm and composed answer from Kazama.

"So you're planning to let it cool off? Or will you find an opportunity to actively sever these feelings?"

"Sigh... I would like to take the initiative to make things clear. After all, Aunt Chuhua is an elder who has taken great care of me in my memory. Even if my appearance and age have changed back to my teenage years, I can't bring myself to have any rebellious thoughts towards her."

Xiao shrugged helplessly, but he answered all of Li Xi's questions without reservation.