Green plums cannot become lovers.

“I saw it.” An and Asuka smiled. “Congratulations.”

"Thank you!" the girls said in unison.

Chihaya Aine also expressed her gratitude: "Anwa-kun, thank you so much for helping us practice these past few days!"

"You're welcome." An and Asuka shook their heads. "This is the result of your own hard work."

Kita Ikuyo couldn't help but ask, "Anwa-kun, is there still a training plan for the finals?"

The other girls also looked at him.

They all assumed the boy had a plan this time, because they were used to it. The past week had been filled with new arrangements and new goals every day. Although tiring, it was fulfilling.

An and Asuka shook their heads.

"No."

The girls thought they had misheard.

"Huh?" Kita Ikuyo blinked. "Nothing?"

“No,” An and Asuka said softly, “You’ve done enough. Just relax.”

"I've been training at a high intensity for a week straight, followed by two days of competition. I'm exhausted both physically and mentally. If I keep training, it won't be as effective."

Ichi Nijika nodded thoughtfully.

"Then... rest?"

“Hmm,” An and Asuka said, “Eat when you’re hungry, drink when you’re thirsty, sleep when you’re tired. Getting in good shape is more useful than practicing a few more times.”

The girls exchanged glances and then laughed.

"it is good!"

Three days passed quickly.

Final day.

The venue was more than twice the size of the preliminary and elimination rounds. The stage was wider, the equipment more professional, and the audience seats were packed. Long queues formed at the entrance, with some people handing out support items and others holding up signs waiting for their favorite bands. A tense yet exciting atmosphere filled the air.

An and Asuka stood backstage, looking down at the audience through the gap in the curtain.

It was a sea of ​​heads.

He glanced back at his teammates.

Marina held the drumsticks, Ai was doing her final vocal exercises, Shizuka was checking the bass's pitch, Kasumigaoka Utaha leaned against the wall looking at the sheet music, and Eriri was testing the keyboard.

"Are you ready?"

"Alright," the girls replied in unison.

As he stepped onto the stage, a cheer erupted from the audience. Some shouted "Flying Bird!" while others yelled "Praise the Music!"

An and Asuka walked up to the microphone.

"We praise music."

No further words were exchanged. The music began immediately.

The piece we used this time is "Kata." That song, which was first performed at the school festival, has been polished over several months, resulting in a more mature arrangement and a smoother performance.

Marina's drumbeats opened the show, steady and powerful. Then came Ai's vocals, clear and warm. Shizuka's bass steadily supported the low notes, Kasumigaoka Utaha's guitar gently echoed from the side, and Eriri's keyboards spread out like a thin mist.

An and Asuka's guitars are featured throughout.

The audience was completely silent.

Everyone was captivated by this song.

As the song ended, applause and cheers mingled together, echoing throughout the venue.

Next up is the closing band.

Four girls walked onto the stage. Ichika sat behind the drum set, Kita Ikuyo stood in front of the microphone with her guitar, Yamada Ryo checked the bass, and Goto Ichiri stood in the corner of the stage with her guitar.

The prelude to "Four-Leaf Clover" begins.

This song has been performed on stage several times, but today it feels exceptionally different. Goto Ichiri's intro is more steady than ever, with each note landing firmly where it should. Kita Ikuyo's voice is clear and bright, Ijichi Nikka's drumbeats are light and rhythmic, and Yamada Ryo's bass provides a solid low-pitched bass.

The audience was completely silent.

When the song ended, the applause and cheers continued for a long time.

MyGO's performance was also excellent. Takamatsu Akari's voice was as penetrating as ever, Chihaya Ayane's rhythm was much more stable than in the preliminaries, Nagasaki Motoyo's bass line was smoother, Kaname Rakuna's solo was amazing, and Shiina Tatsuki's drum beats were precise and powerful.

All performances ended at 4 PM.

Voting channels are closed.

The rankings slowly appeared on the screen.

First Place: Praise for Music

Second place: Morfonica

Third place: Poppin'Party

Fourth place: MyGO

Fifth place: End Band

The girls stared at the screen, silent for a few seconds.

Then--

"They're in!" Ichiji Nijika's voice came from backstage.

"That's great!" Kita Ikuyo also shouted.

"Fifth place, just barely making the cut." Yamada Ryo's tone remained calm, but the corners of his mouth were clearly upturned.

Goto Ichiri held his guitar without saying a word, but he seemed completely relaxed.

On the other side, the girls from MyGO were also watching the screen. Chihaya Aine let out a long sigh, Nagasaki Motoyo smiled gently, Shiina Tatsuki nodded, Takamatsu Akari whispered, "That's great," and Kaname Rakuna remained expressionless, but her grip on her guitar loosened slightly.

An and Asuka stood in the corridor, looking at the rankings on their phones.

the first.

He smiled and put his phone away.

At the other end of the corridor, Ichiji Nijika ran over.

"Anhe! We're fifth!"

"I saw it." Anhe Asuka smiled and said, "Congratulations."

"Thank you!" Ichiji Nijika said with a smile, then asked, "Are you number one?"

"Ah."

"That's amazing!"

Kita Ikuyo also ran over, Yamada Ryo followed behind her, and Goto Ichiri walked slowly at the back.

"Congratulations, Anwa-senpai!" Kita Ikuyo said with a big smile.

“You too.” An and Asuka nodded.

Yamada Ryo simply said "Congratulations," and Goto Ichiri also whispered "Congratulations" in response.

Chihaya Aine's voice came from the other side: "Anwa-kun—"

She and several girls from MyGO also came over.

"Congratulations!" Chihaya Aine said, "You actually got first place! As expected of a professional."

"You're not bad either."

"Hehe." Chihaya Aine chuckled.

Nagasaki Motoyo said gently, "Everyone has advanced, that's great."

The girls stood in a circle in the corridor, the atmosphere relaxed and cheerful.

Yi Dizhi looked at everyone and suddenly said, "Should we go celebrate?"

“Great idea!” Chihaya Aine was the first to respond.

"Where to?" Kita Ikuyo asked.

"Should we go to that barbecue restaurant again?" Ichiji Nigatsu suggested.

"can!"

The three young women nodded in agreement.

An and Asuka looked at them and smiled.

"Let's go then."

After the celebration banquet, An and Asuka walked home alone.

The night breeze carried the warmth unique to summer, and the streetlights cast dim, yellowish halos across the streets. The occasional sound of a tram passing by could be heard in the distance, quickly swallowed by the stillness of the night.

As he walked, he reviewed the events of the past month in his mind.

From the end of the school festival, to deciding to participate in the roadside concert, to helping the band finish their special training, to practicing together with MyGO!!!!!, and finally both bands successfully advancing. In between, we experienced countless performances, countless practices, and those moments backstage, in the practice room, and on stage.

It was tiring, but the result was good.

As he was thinking, a familiar voice suddenly rang in his mind.

[Ding—Congratulations, host, for completing the mission: Help the band "End of the Day" enter the top five of the 'Street Concert'!]

An and Asuka paused for a moment.

I almost forgot about that.

[Task rewards are being distributed...]

[Gain: All buffs on the host are enhanced]

[Gain: The host's body is further strengthened, and they are less prone to fatigue]

An and Asuka sensed the changes in their bodies. There wasn't anything particularly special; they didn't suddenly feel a surge of power, nor did they experience any sense of "renewal." But upon closer inspection, they did feel their steps were lighter, and the soreness in their shoulders had eased considerably.

It's probably the kind of gradual, subtle improvement.

Just as he was about to pull himself out of his thoughts, a notification sound rang in his mind again.

[Received bonus quest reward: Potion of Sincerity]

[Item Description: Potion of Sincerity - The user will be unable to suppress their true feelings, a perfect counter to tsundere personalities!]

An and Asuka were taken aback.

Extra rewards?

He opened the system panel and saw a small bottle icon in his inventory. Clicking on the details, it read, "For thirty minutes after taking this, you will be unable to lie or conceal your true thoughts; the effect is irresistible."

An and Asuka couldn't help but chuckle as they read the description.

A perfect counter to the arrogant?

This potion... doesn't seem to be working for me.

The girls around him were generally straightforward and acted as they pleased, so they didn't need this. Although there was one tsundere, he managed to win her over.

But there's no harm in keeping it; what if you encounter a situation in the future where you need to tell the truth?

He turned off the system panel and continued walking forward.

He was quite happy to have completed the task. Now he could focus on the game from now on.

July's focus was on music, and progress on the game fell behind considerably. The script for "Small Town Family" still had a few chapters left to write, and the character designs were only half complete. The program framework was built, but the actual implementation would require a lot of time.

The focus in August is on games.

An and Asuka were mentally planning their next steps.

Praise music practice can be reduced appropriately, twice a week is enough. He no longer needs to supervise the band every day. MyGO!!!!!'s joint practice has also come to an end. This frees up a lot of time each day.

He pushed open the apartment door; the lights were still on.

Marina, Ai, and Shizuka were watching TV in the living room. When she saw him return, Marina waved.