Green plums cannot become lovers.

The girls exchanged glances.

Then--

"...I didn't recognize it," Chihaya Aine honestly admitted.

Nagasaki Motoyo also shook her head: "I was too engrossed and forgot to look for problems."

Shiina Tatsuki frowned and thought for a moment, then shook her head.

Takamatsu Akari whispered, "It's really... good..."

Kaoru nodded: "Jiulingliu si liu? 78, perfect."

The four girls who had finished the band were even more embarrassed after hearing this, but they couldn't suppress the smiles on their faces.

"Then I'll do it."

He walked up to the band and pointed out several areas for improvement—a certain chord transition could be smoother, a certain emotional expression could be fuller, and a certain rhythmic point could be more stable.

The four girls listened attentively and took notes.

Several girls from MyGO!!!!! also came over to listen, nodding as they listened.

-

Next, the two bands took turns playing for several rounds.

Every performance reveals some minor issues. Unstable rhythm, poor coordination, and inadequate emotional expression—these problems are hard to spot when practicing alone, but become obvious when someone is listening attentively.

But every time a problem is discovered, the performance improves a little in the next performance.

Before we knew it, two hours had passed.

"Take a break."

The girls then put down their instruments and slumped onto the sofa.

Chihaya Aine simply lay down.

"So tired... but so exhilarating!"

Kita Ikuyo was exhausted, but she had a satisfied smile on her face.

"I feel more energetic and effective than when I practice all day!"

Ichi Nijika nodded: "With someone listening, I won't dare to slack off."

Shiina Tatsuki rarely showed a very faint smile.

"Let's continue next time."

Nagasaki Motoyo smiled gently and handed out several bottles of water to everyone.

"Have some water first."

Gao Songdeng took the water and whispered "thank you".

Yoro Nai stared at the vending machine in the corner.

Yamada Ryo leaned back on the sofa, resting with his eyes closed.

Goto Ichiri sat quietly, holding her guitar. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, not from shyness, but from the excitement of the performance.

An and Asuka looked at them, feeling a sense of relief.

This was only the first joint practice session, and the results were already quite noticeable.

If we continue training like this for the next few days, we should have no problem with the knockout stage.

Volume 1: Chapter 248 On the Stage

Although the practice has shown initial results, we cannot just practice without actually fighting.

An and Asuka also planned to have the End Band perform on stage, a perfect opportunity to test their progress today. After all, no matter how well you practice in the practice room, whether you can perform on a real stage is another matter entirely.

He looked at the girls who were chatting peacefully, but he didn't rush to interrupt them.

Chihaya Aine moved closer to Kita Ikuyo, her eyes sparkling.

"Kita-kun, you're a beginner? I never would have guessed! You play so steadily!"

Kita Ikuyo was a little embarrassed by the praise, and her cheeks flushed slightly.

"Oh, not at all. I'm nowhere near as good as Chihaya. Your guitar solos are amazing. When will I ever be able to play at that level?"

"Hehe." Chihaya Aine chuckled twice at the praise, scratching her head. "I also practiced for a long time before I got to this level. Kita-kun has only been practicing for a few months and she's already this good. She'll definitely be better than me in the future!"

On the other side, Nagasaki Motoyo sniffed lightly and looked curiously at Ijichi Nijika.

"Where does Ijichi-san use aromatherapy? It smells really good, it has a very refreshing feel."

Ichi Nijika paused for a moment, then smiled.

"I bought it at a jewelry store in front of the station. That store also sells all sorts of little things. I saw the aromatherapy diffuser while I was there. If you're interested, Nagasaki-kun, I can take you there sometime?"

"Eh? Well, thank you, Ijichi-san." Nagasaki Motoyo thanked her in her uniquely gentle, high-pitched voice, clasping her hands together in front of her chest, looking very happy.

"You're welcome, you're welcome!" Ichiji Nijika waved her hand. "Anyway, it's not too far from Ring, so we can go anytime."

Shiina Tatsuki was tidying up her drumsticks when Yamada Ryo walked up to her, stared at the drumsticks in her hand for a while with a blank expression, and then suddenly spoke.

"Shiina-kun, does your coffee shop offer free samples of snacks?"

"Huh?" Shiina Ritsuki paused for a moment, looked up, and said with a puzzled expression, "How could there be such a thing? We're a legitimate coffee shop, not a tasting store."

"That's a pity." Yamada Ryo looked regretful, her tone still calm, but her expression was so sincere that it was impossible to tell if she was joking.

Shiina Riki looked at the expressionless bassist and didn't know how to respond for a moment.

"Hmm?" she uttered a puzzled nasal sound, completely unable to understand what the other person meant.

Yamada Ryo didn't explain further, but silently noted down the information that "Ring Cafe doesn't offer free samples," and turned to walk away.

Shiina Tatsuki watched her retreating figure, remained silent for two seconds, and then muttered under her breath, "What the hell is that all about...?"

The girls were in a good mood, with laughter and conversation filling the air.

But on the other side, the style is completely different.

Goto Ichiri and Takamatsu Akari sat together, about half a meter apart.

Both of them were socially anxious, and sitting face to face, they couldn't utter a single word.

Goto Ichiri lowered her head, staring at the tips of her shoes, her fingers unconsciously twisting together. She was desperately trying to find a topic to talk about.

The weather's nice today? No, it's too ordinary. Was your band's performance just now amazing? Was it a bit too contrived? Um, do you like to sing? Of course, she's the lead singer.

Countless ideas swirled in my mind, only to be rejected one by one.

Takamatsu Akari also lowered her head, staring at the lyric book on her lap, her lips slightly moving as if she were practicing something, but she didn't make a sound.

The two sat there in silence, occasionally stealing a glance at each other before quickly looking away.

Goto Ichiri: "......."

Takamatsu: "......"

However, judging from their hesitant lips, they were probably trying to find a topic to talk about.

An and Asuka were very satisfied with the harmonious scene.

This practice method not only improves skills but also allows for making friends. The members of MyGO know many well-known bands, and for the four girls who have left the band, building good relationships with them can only be beneficial.

Just as An and Asuka were thinking this, he suddenly felt his arm being gently pulled.

The force was very light, like a kitten patting someone with its paw.

He lowered his head and met a pair of heterochromatic eyes—one gold and one blue.

It's Lena.

The white-haired girl had somehow appeared beside him, looking up at him with a bewildered expression, like a curious cat.

"Hey classmate, is there anything I can help you with?" An and Asuka asked kindly.

Yoro blinked, his reflection shone in her heterochromatic pupils.

Did you write "Four-Leaf Clover"?

"Yes, that's right." An and Asuka nodded, then asked curiously, "What's wrong?"

Yoroi paused for a second, then said in a flat, monotone tone, "Very impressive."

An and Asuka were taken aback for a moment, then smiled and thanked them.

"Thank you."

“I like it very much.” Yao Lenai continued, her tone still calm, but there was a rare glint in her eyes.

"Yes, I understand, thank you."

"like."

".......Um."

"like."

Lena repeated those two words several times, each time with the exact same tone, but she just wouldn't stop.

An and Asuka looked at her with some confusion. The girl's innocent face, and the naivety revealed in her rare heterochromatic eyes, made him suddenly understand.

"Does Yao want to play this piece?"

"Mm." Kaoru nodded, her heterochromatic eyes brightening for a moment.

"Then I'll give you the sheet music later."

"Mm." Kaoru nodded again, this time visibly happier. "Thank you."

After she finished speaking, she turned around, walked back to her seat, sat down, and continued to stare blankly.

The entire process took no more than two minutes, as concise as a dream.

An and Asuka watched her retreating figure and couldn't help but smile.

This band is really fun.

-

The break ended quickly, and practice continued.

After practicing for another hour, everyone finally stopped.

It was already past six o'clock, and there were even more people at the ring. Band members carrying instruments kept passing by in the corridor, and faint music and cheers from the audience could be heard from the performance hall.

An and Asuka clapped their hands, drawing everyone's attention.

That's all for today. Thank you all for your hard work.

"Thank you for your hard work!" the girls replied in unison, their voices filled with both exhaustion and satisfaction.

An and Asuka looked at the four girls who had finished their band performance.

"Don't rush off yet."

"Huh?" Ichiji Nijika blinked. "Is there anything else?"

An and Asuka smiled.

"I've booked a stage for you."

The four girls were stunned at the same time.

“Stage?” Kita Ikuyo repeated.

“Okay.” An and Asuka nodded. “There’s a slot available in Ring’s small performance hall tonight, so I’ve signed you up.”

He paused, looking at them: "It's time to go up on stage and check today's results."

Ichi Nijika's eyes widened.

"Now?"

"Yes, now, no matter how well you practice in the practice room, whether you can perform on the real stage is another matter. If you're going to test someone, you have to test them in a real, real-world setting."

Kita Ikuyo's face turned pale with nervousness, but her eyes gleamed with excitement.

"But... what about the audience?" asked Ichiji Niji Natsumi.