Green plums cannot become lovers.

What kind of place is their hometown, a place blessed with outstanding people and resources? How could it have nurtured such an extraordinary individual? Is it some kind of hidden genius breeding ground?

No, she absolutely has to go see it sometime!

However, despite the surprise, work had to continue. And it must be admitted that after learning each other's true identities, the collaboration actually went much more smoothly.

Marina no longer hides her professional insights into visual storytelling, boldly proposing various innovative ideas; Shizuka also participates more confidently in polishing the script, making the dialogues and monologues more delicate and moving; even Hoshino Ai offers practical suggestions on "presenting the charm of the character" from the perspective of idols and performance.

With Marina and Shizuka joining the team, the game development speed definitely increased significantly. Marina's superb drawing skills allowed the character designs to be quickly perfected, while Shizuka's grasp of the story's pacing made the script more refined.

Although Xiao Ai is mainly responsible for testing and logistics, she always notices some overlooked details—such as "whether the position of this button will cause players to accidentally touch it," or "whether the dialogue options here are natural enough."

Only the music was still handled by An and Asuka alone. He often wore headphones and sat for hours in front of professional music production software, sometimes frowning in thought, sometimes rapidly typing on the keyboard.

Outside the window, the rain pattered softly; inside, only the sounds of keyboard clicks and pencil scratching across the digital screen created a strange harmony.

The oppressive feeling of the rainy season reached its peak during a sudden downpour.

Rain poured down from the gray sky, pattering against the apartment windows with a dense and rhythmic sound, as if the whole world was shrouded in this curtain of water.

Several girls were busy in the living room, while An and Asuka were working at a small table by the window.

In the distance, faint rumbles of thunder could be heard from time to time, and the gloomy sky carried a hint of desolation.

An and Asuka stopped what they were doing and looked up at the gloomy sky and the rain outside. After a while, they turned to look at the girls who were discussing things around the coffee table, then suddenly put down their work and ran to their room.

When he came out again, he was holding a wooden guitar.

The guitar looked a bit old, with a few minor scratches on the body, but it was well-maintained, and the strings gleamed with a soft metallic sheen under the light. An and Asuka sat down on the windowsill, a spot offering a view of the entire rain curtain and ensuring that everyone in the living room could see them.

He gently stroked the strings, tuned a few notes, and then his fingertips fell.

The cheerful melody of "Summer" flows out.

The moment the first note sounded, all sound in the living room ceased. Marina put down her pen, Shizuka closed her book, Ai peeked out from the kitchen, Kasumigaoka Utaha's fingers hovered in mid-air as she typed on the keyboard, and Eriri was completely stunned.

Then, the group all looked at the boy by the window.

An and Asuka didn't look at them; their gaze was fixed on the world shrouded in rain outside the window, a slight smile playing on their lips. Their fingers moved skillfully across the strings, each note full and clear, as if washed clean by the rain.

The sound of rain outside the window became a natural accompaniment; the rhythm of raindrops hitting the glass, the distant rumble of thunder, and the howling of the wind through the rain curtain—all these sounds did not interfere with the purity of the music, but instead added a vivid background to it.

In that instant, it was as if all the noise of the world had faded away, leaving only the rain, the guitar, and the boy sitting by the window playing it.

Eriri almost forgot to breathe.

She had seen many performers—in concert halls, on television, and in those highbrow occasions she had to attend. But they were either too deliberate or too virtuosic, always creating an invisible barrier between them.

But this young man was different. His playing had a rare sincerity, as if he wasn't performing, but speaking through music and telling a story hidden deep in his heart through melody.

After "Summer" ended, he didn't pause; with a flick of his finger, the melody changed to "The Rain".

This piece is more suited to the weather right now. A faint melancholy spreads like mist, but it is more than just melancholy—there is something warm and comforting in the melody, like a cup of steaming tea on a rainy day, or a window with a light on in the dark.

Next came "Firefly Light," where the clear notes danced like points of light fluttering in the grass on a summer night, carrying nostalgia, hope, and a gentle look back at bygone times.

An and Asuka played one piece after another, completely immersed in the world of music. The rain outside the window was sometimes heavy and sometimes light, and the sky was sometimes bright and sometimes dark, but his performance remained steady and focused.

For a few moments, Eriri felt as if the boy had vanished, leaving only the music itself, like a river flowing quietly on this rainy afternoon.

Finally, he stopped.

Just when everyone thought the performance was over, he took a deep breath and his fingertips landed on the strings again.

No one has ever heard this melody before.

The opening notes are soft, like the first ripples on the surface of water caused by raindrops. Then the melody unfolds slowly, not a cheerful tune, nor purely sorrowful, but a complex, multi-layered emotion—a sense of nostalgia, reluctance, relief, and a deep tenderness that almost touches the soul.

This piece is longer and more complex in structure than the previous ones. There is a modulation in the middle, changing from the original minor key to the major key, like a ray of sunlight suddenly breaking through a cloudy sky, but that sunlight is fleeting and soon returns to the original key.

In the final part, the melody gradually slows down, and the distance between the notes widens, as if saying goodbye, or entrusting something important to this rain, to time, or to a place beyond memory.

As the last note faded into the air, the living room was so quiet that you could hear the rain, breathing, and heartbeats.

They only snapped out of their daze when An and Asuka's voices rang out, but they were still caught up in the music.

An and Asuka put down their guitars, let out a soft breath, turned to look at them, smiled, and said, "I've made a fool of myself."

Are you feeling more relaxed?

For the past two weeks since summer vacation started, everyone has been busy with his game, so he thought he would give everyone a chance to relax this time.

"..."

Finally, Eriri was the first to find her voice. She blinked her slightly sore eyes and muttered, "I'm more tired than anything else."

"Huh?" An and Asuka were taken aback.

"At least play some cheerful music." Eriri turned her face away, not wanting him to see her reddened eyes.

An and Asuka laughed: "I just felt that we couldn't let this rain go to waste. But if you want to hear some cheerful music, I can continue playing."

"No need," Kasumigaoka Utaha said softly. "This is fine."

Indeed, such a heavy rain, paired with such music, was just right. The subtle sadness in the melodies did not make people depressed, but rather felt like a spiritual cleansing, washing away the fatigue of the past few days and clearing up some troubled thoughts.

They did feel much more relaxed.

"By the way, Asuka, was the last piece you played a new one? What was it called?"

At this moment, Hoshino Ai asked a question, and everyone perked up their ears, eager to know the answer.

“It’s called ‘Beyond Memory’,” An and Asuka replied after thinking for a moment.

"Beyond Memory..."

The crowd murmured the name.

It's said to be outside of their memories, but why does hearing this music evoke deeper memories for them?

When the girl snapped out of her reverie, she realized the musician was no longer by the window.

The boy had already quietly returned to his room with his guitar, leaving only a tranquil atmosphere in the living room, cleansed by the rain.

On the windowsill, the rim of his half-finished barley tea cup still bore faint watermarks.

Marina broke the silence first, leaning back on the soft cushions of the sofa, looking up at the warm light on the ceiling, and letting out a long, nostalgic sigh.

"How I miss it... It's been so long since Asuka played music for us like this."

Her voice was very soft, like a feather falling onto the still water, creating a gentle ripple.

"Yes."

Shizuka responded softly, her fingers unconsciously stroking the tassels of the pillow in her arms, her gaze becoming somewhat distant. "Although I can occasionally hear snippets of him tuning his instruments or practicing new pieces at home, like today, doing nothing but simply playing, one piece after another... it feels like going back to a long time ago."

Eriri's heart skipped a beat.

She turned her head to look at Marina, her azure eyes filled with curiosity, and a hint of longing, which she herself was unaware of, for wanting to know more about the boy.

"Was this...common before?"

“Yes!” Marina nodded vigorously, a bright smile spreading across her face, a smile full of cherishing the past. “It started around fifth grade, I think? Because of all sorts of things that happened, we often gathered at the Asuka family’s house back then.”

In summer, we'd sit on the veranda, listening to the wind chimes tinkle; in winter, we'd huddle together around the fireplace, several of us sharing warmth. And back then, Fei Niao would pick up his guitar and play for us, just like he does today.

Hoshino Ai hugged her knees, resting her chin on them, her purple eyes curving into crescents: "When Asuka plays the piano, she is very focused, her eyes looking into the distance, as if she is not playing the piano, but talking to something we can't see. At that time, I thought...it was amazing."

“That’s when ‘Summer’ was born,” Shizuka continued, her voice as soft as if she were telling a precious secret. “He was sitting under the eaves playing his guitar, and we were right beside him.”

Eriri felt as if something had struck her heart. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

Kasumigaoka Utaha keenly noticed her unusual behavior, but said nothing and simply watched quietly.

Marina continued reminiscing, completely unaware of Eriri's increasingly pale face: "But back then, Asuka wasn't famous, and his music couldn't get out. He tried many methods, but none of them worked."

“But Asuka didn’t give up.” Marina smiled, a smile that held both pride and emotion. “So when Asuka later registered an account on Bicobico and uploaded his work, we weren’t surprised at all. We knew that one day, someone would hear his music, someone would understand the meaning in those melodies.”

Click.

Eriri felt like something in her brain had snapped.

All the clues connected at this moment to form a complete picture—the mysterious musician "Asuka" on Bicobico; the songs she had listened to repeatedly since elementary school; the boy who talked to her about music under the eaves on a rainy day; Akane Akasaka's special care for him; and now, in this apartment, the natural narration of these childhood friends.

Eriri's voice trembled, "You mean... he... is that 'Asuka'? The 'Asuka' with two million followers on Bicobico?"

Her voice grew softer and softer until it was almost a whisper, as if she herself did not believe the conclusion.

The living room suddenly fell silent.

Marina, Shizuka, and Ai exchanged glances, then looked at An and Asuka, their faces showing expressions of "Ah, I let it slip."

Kasumigaoka Utaha sighed softly, as if she had long anticipated this moment.

"Yes, that's right." The boy came out of the room at some point, sat down at the coffee table, and said with a light smile, "I didn't expect that Sawamura-kun would still find out."

"..."

For Eriri, "Asuka" is special; he is the stranger who accompanied her with music on countless lonely nights, and a fantasy she carefully cherishes that has nothing to do with reality.

She stood up abruptly, her movements slightly stiff from shock. She looked at An and Asuka, at this boy who now seemed both familiar and suddenly strange, countless images flashing through her mind like pages turning—

A disheveled first encounter under the eaves of a convenience store on a rainy day, wearing a ridiculous sports jacket; my heart suddenly racing when he smiled and said "the contrast is adorable" in the banquet hallway; his focused profile as he debugged code in the sunlight in the activity room after school; the gentle yet distant scenery in his eyes as he described the four seasons of his hometown; and just now, the immersive feeling of sitting on the windowsill playing the guitar, as if I had become one with the music and the sound of rain.

All the fragments of Erling II Sanming Ba Er were connected by invisible clues at this moment, piecing together a truth so clear it was chilling.

The musician "Asuka," whom she had listened to alone countless nights and drawn comfort and strength from, the creator with two million followers on Bicobico whose works are loved by countless people yet who has always remained mysterious and low-key—has always been within her reach.

She was her classmate whom she saw every day, her clubmate with whom she had debated character designs, and the living, breathing Anwa Asuka who would play the piano in the rain and cook while wearing an apron.

"I..." She opened her mouth, but the sound caught in her throat, as if some overwhelming emotion had blocked her way. She wanted to say something—a question? A sigh? Or some complex emotion, a mixture of surprise and bewilderment, that she herself didn't quite understand? —But she found herself unable to form a complete sentence.

The sound of rain outside the window seemed exceptionally clear at this moment, pattering against the glass like a gentle and persistent background sound.

Anwa Asuka looked at the girl in front of him, who was clearly overwhelmed with information, and a gentle, slightly apologetic smile appeared on his lips. He gently put down his teacup, the ceramic making a soft "click" sound as it touched the wooden tabletop.

“Sawamura-kun,” he began, his voice unusually calm amidst the rain, “are you concerned about my identity?”

This question was like a beam of clear light, instantly illuminating Eriri's somewhat chaotic thoughts.

She paused for a moment, then her eyes widened suddenly.

Yes, didn't we agree that it didn't matter whether he was "Asuka" or not? Didn't we agree that what mattered was this real boy who would work with her and share the same goal?

So what exactly is causing me to struggle with and panic about right now?

Thinking this, a feeling of shame, anger, self-doubt, and introspection welled up inside me.

Eriri took a deep breath, forcing herself to raise her chin and adopt her usual slightly arrogant posture—although at this moment, this posture was far more defensive than offensive.

"Of course!" Her voice was louder than expected, as if trying to hide her inner turmoil. "Why are you hiding it from me! You... you clearly know..."

She stopped abruptly halfway through her sentence.

Knowing full well that I love your music? Knowing full well how important those songs are to me? Knowing full well that I... I once so admired that creator I'd never even met?

I simply couldn't bring myself to say those words in front of so many people.

It was so embarrassing, it felt like a public confession. Eriri's cheeks flushed red at a visible speed. She turned her face away, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her skirt.

Anhe Feiniao seemed to see through her embarrassment. He didn't press her for details, but simply smiled gently. In that smile was a kind of insightful and tolerant understanding, as if he had seen through the ways of the world.

He shifted to a more relaxed sitting position, resting his elbows on his knees, his palms supporting his chin, and looking at her calmly.

“I just feel there’s no need to say it out loud.” His tone was casual, as if he were discussing the nice weather today. “Just like… no one would constantly say ‘I have ten million on me.’”

This simple and direct analogy left Eriri speechless for a moment.

Yes, his achievements on Bicobico, his moving works, are perhaps like a person possessing a certain talent or wealth—it's a fact, it's part of daily life, but it's not the core that defines his entire existence.

He doesn't become arrogant because of these things, nor does he deliberately hide them; he just... doesn't feel the need to publicize them.

This calm yet solid understanding caused Eriri's subtle resentment at being "hidden" to evaporate quietly, like dewdrops in the sunlight.

"..."

She opened her mouth, but ultimately said nothing, only nodding slightly to indicate acceptance of the explanation. However, deep down, she still needed some time to fully process and digest this truth.

The atmosphere in the living room was subtly stagnant, with the sound of rain filling the gaps in the silence.

Just then, An and Asuka clapped their hands, their cheerful voices drawing everyone's attention back: "Alright, that's enough for today's work. Everyone has worked hard these past two weeks."

"Huh?" Marina blinked and looked at the clock on the wall. "It's not even twelve o'clock yet. Aren't we going to continue?"

“Take a break today.” An and Asuka stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the continuous rain outside. “A string that is stretched too tight will break. It needs to be relaxed occasionally in order to go further.”

"So... what do we need to do now?" Xiao Ai asked, tilting her head, her purple eyes filled with innocent curiosity. For the past two weeks, every time they gathered here, it was for work. Suddenly being told to "rest" left her feeling somewhat lost.

An and Asuka turned around, leaning against the windowsill. He smiled, a smile with a youthful ease and nonchalance: "Do whatever you want. Chat, play games, daydream... or just listen to the rain quietly."