Aunt Xiangzi, how did you manage to live?

"Xiaojun doesn't want me to accept Xiaoxiang's invitation, could it be because..."

Her eyes were full of longing.

"He wants to get me into his grasp before Xiao Xiang does."

Well, it's just a guess without any evidence at the moment.

"Sorry, sorry, I was just joking."

Chu Hua waved her hand with a smile to make amends, but it couldn't hide the increasingly strange expression on Su Shi's face.

Is this guy actually enjoying being fought over...?

She's an even more terrifying feminist than she was.

Chapter Sixty-Two: The Passing of Toyokawa Shoko

As people age, their memories may very well deceive them.

However, Xiao clearly remembers that when Aunt Hatsune explained to him why Aunt Xiangzi died so young, she kept avoiding mentioning the truth about the accident.

"If that car hadn't been there, and if Xiao Xiang hadn't been recklessly driving through the rainy night... perhaps this tragedy wouldn't have happened."

There's only this one simple sentence, containing barely any information, and the rest is the heartbreaking expression on Hatsune Miku's face as she recounts this past event.

Mu avoided discussing the matter altogether, and the remaining Aunt Su Shi and Aunt Li Xi also remained silent, as if it were a taboo subject that was best left unmentioned.

What exactly happened back then that makes everyone in Group C so reluctant to talk about it?

Xiao ran all the way home, trying to find some clues online.

He clicked on Yutenji Ruomai's personal homepage—that is, Aunt Miaomeng's personal homepage.

It seems that what Aunt Miaomeng said is true. When she was a teenager, she was a very popular and trendsetting beauty blogger among female high school students.

Xiao used to think that Miao Meng was just bragging, after all, more than ten years later she has started to move into the path of a comedian and frequently appears on variety shows.

The latest video update was half an hour ago, and it seems that Xiangzi hasn't found Aunt Miaomeng yet to recruit her.

Xiao's heart, which had been hanging in mid-air, finally felt a little relieved.

"When Xiao Xiang first came to me, he also contacted the other band members. But the day after we agreed to debut together, Xiao Xiang... encountered that accident..."

He remembered that Aunt Hatsune Miku couldn't resist the persistent pleading of the curious Ruo Yexiao back then, so she added a supplementary paragraph for him.

What is certain now is that Toyokawa Shoko should not encounter this accident until she has found all her teammates.

Who says curiosity killed the cat? Xiao's curiosity at least temporarily saved Xiangzi's life.

But then another problem arose.

He could only try to slow down Toyokawa Shoko's death countdown, but he wasn't necessarily capable of saving her from the Grim Reaper's scythe.

Is there any way... is there any way to let him know the details of Aunt Xiangzi's death?

Perhaps the aunties mentioned it back then, but he simply forgot about it. Or perhaps he had looked it up online out of curiosity, but the matter was completely forgotten.

Nothing can be done.

Xiao, sitting in front of the computer, let out a long sigh.

He had been struggling with whether or not to save Toyokawa Shoko's life not long ago, but by the time he realized it, his subconscious had already made the decision for him.

Yes, there's nothing wrong with following history. (Moon Ripple* Abandoned II 3 Another Teacher VII Three Matters)

He caused Aunt Xiangzi, who disliked him, to fall at the scene of a fateful accident, leaving his mother and aunts heartbroken and depressed for half a year. In the end, they supported each other as they walked back onto the familiar path of life.

This is actually quite good.

But the thought of Muhe making everyone sad and shedding tears made him restless and uncomfortable.

He had once told himself that he would never again make Mu sad or upset.

Even for this reason alone, he could not stand idly by and watch Toyokawa Shoko die.

Xiao took a deep breath and decided to continue searching for information on the browser's search engine.

—It was at this moment that the screen of the phone on the table lit up.

"...Hanami?"

He raised an eyebrow, admitting it had been a long time since he'd seen this guy.

Since they parted ways at the planetarium, he has been so busy with his many female aunts that he hasn't been able to see her for a while.

Although he had confirmed the guy's safety via text message, and the two had chatted online occasionally, checking in on each other's lives... he still hadn't mentioned the thing that was giving him a headache.

"Kazama, what have you been up to lately? Aine said you seem really busy these days."

Banami sent a message full of concern, but it made Akatsuki's right eyelid twitch.

No, how did Hanami and Chihaya Aine get in touch?

"Hey, I exchanged contact information with Aine-chan when I went to RiNG before, and we found out we actually get along quite well, so we've been chatting lately—if you're wondering how I got to know about you from Aine-chan. ?(???‵‵)?"

That's terrifying. They only met once, exchanged contact information, and have been in touch ever since... Is this what happens when two social butterflies meet?

"Okay, I'll believe it for now, since the explanation seems reasonable and the emoji is cute."

Xiao typed a short message, ending the conversation.

"I've had too many worries lately, and I don't even have much time left to have fun."

Unlike her treatment of the older women, Akira genuinely considered Hanami a compatible friend of the same age, so she could completely let her guard down when chatting with her.

"Hanami...do you think there are any settings in real life like those in the movie 'Final Destination'?"

Although the details about time travelers are a taboo subject that no one can discuss, he could only indirectly ask for opinions from others.

"Huh? You mean that kind of setting where you can't defeat Death no matter how hard you try? Uh, I think it's all up to you... Anyway, we'll all just be dust in a hundred years, so if we live a few decades longer in between, I think Death will just turn a blind eye, right...?"

Well, even though Banami was an outsider unaware of the inside story, her words still gave Akatsuki some psychological comfort.

"Why are you suddenly asking such a nonsensical question? Is something on your mind? Kazama, are you having death anxiety?"

"No, if I had to say... the anxiety is because I always feel like I've forgotten something very important."

Banami didn't press him further, and simply replied with a "pat pat" emoji.

"If you don't go to bed early tonight, you might remember this when you wake up tomorrow."

"Ha, then I'll take your good wishes."

He appreciated Banami's kindness, since anyone with eyes could see that she was trying to comfort him and end the conversation.

Indeed, one cannot expect the native inhabitants of this time and space to solve his problems.

Xiao put down his phone, feeling extremely tired, and decided to wash his face to clear his head.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Anzu Hachimi, lying in bed holding her phone and kicking her feet, seemed lost in thought.

Have you forgotten something...?

She placed her hand in the air, and the system panel appeared.

The main quest has reached a crucial stage; unused points will be converted. Do you wish to continue?

Come to think of it, she hadn't had a chance to use the rewards she received from the system when she completed the previous missions.

Perhaps now is the time...?

With a determined look, Banami extended her finger and clicked "OK".

The next moment, she stared blankly at what appeared on the system.

[Points successfully converted. Conversion result: Dream Fragment *1, All-in Opportunity *1]

...Will these things be of any use?

Never mind, I'll just use it first.

Banami Anzu rubbed her hands together, eager to try it out, and finally clicked "Confirm Use" under the words "Fragments of Dreams".

Tonight is destined to be a turbulent night.

Chapter Sixty-Three: Springtime Shadows Without Her

In a daze, Xiao had a dream.

In my dream, I seemed to have a body that wasn't male, and my delicate body was squeezed into a crowded, cramped space where I could barely move.

"Whose perspective is this?"

He was surprised to find that he couldn't make a sound at all, and that his body seemed to be out of his control.

The noisy environment was filled with a bustling crowd, and the listeners, whispering among themselves, seemed to be waiting for the music on stage to start soon.

"Am I in a livehouse...?"

His doubts vanished with a piercing guitar note that cut through the noise.

The owner of this body looked up in surprise, and in the next instant, a figure he knew all too well appeared on the previously pitch-black stage.

Ai Yin and Le Nai holding guitars, Li Xi sitting steadily at the drum set tapping out the rhythm, and Deng with a focused and absorbed expression—

And bassist Su Shi, who was surprised by the sudden guitar music but had no choice but to keep up with the rhythm of the crowd.

The music they gradually began to play was very familiar to both Xiao and the owner of this body.

"It's... Kasuga Kage..."

A mournful, melodious tune began to play, and the body's owner gave the answer in a trembling voice.

This is a spring day without her.

At this moment, Xiao realized just how familiar that voice was.

—Isn't that Xiangzi's voice?

Could it be that he was not only experiencing sleep paralysis, but also being pinned down by Aunt Xiangzi, who had already passed away?!

Perhaps because he had taken over her body, Akatsuki was able to fully empathize with Toyokawa Shoko's emotions at this moment.

Puzzle, doubt, indignation—and inexplicable grievances.

Seeing her former partner bring along newcomers to perform a piece that held great significance for her... it's understandable that she might find it unbearable.

Xiao stood there from Xiangzi's perspective, watching helplessly as her vision blurred with tears, watching her turn away, unable to bear the shock any longer, and watching her rush out of RiNG's gates, fleeing into the rainy night as if no one else was there.

Just like that rainy day when she announced the disbandment of CRYCHIC a long time ago.

A feeling of sorrow welled up in her chest. Even though it wasn't something that had happened to her, Xiao felt as if she had personally experienced it and was in great pain.

Could these be things that Xiangzi experienced?

As the object of empathy, he could feel the pain of the girl's feet being bled from the chafing of her leather shoes, the chill of her body being soaked by the rain, and her heart, which was even more scarred than her body.

At that moment, he could completely understand why Xiangzi had run out into the rainy night and cried out loud, because that way no one would know whether the tears streaming down her face were rain or tears.

"Please, anyone will do..."

Seemingly, after running wildly in the rainy night for a while, her physical strength gradually reached its limit. Toyokawa Shoko stumbled and slowed down, muttering to herself in an unprecedentedly tired tone.

From Xiao's perspective, all he could see was Xiangzi, panting heavily, bending over and supporting her knees, letting the relentless downpour beat down on her, taking away the last bit of warmth from her body.

"Chuhua..."

It was like waking up from a dream, or like finally remembering that there was still this lifeline.

Toyokawa Shoko's inner thoughts were laid bare before Akatsuki.

If it were Chu Hua who had already accepted her invitation and was willing to form a brand new band...!

Standing in the rain, Xiangzi straightened his back, took out his phone, and unlocked the screen, seemingly to contact someone.

"Hello? Xiao Xiang? Where are you?"

The other end of the phone call, which had already been connected, was Hatsune Miku's voice, still young but full of anxiety.

"Please, Chu Hua...please let me—"