I live my life in Tokyo

The glaring light shone on his head. He held the microphone in front of him and his fingers touched the strings of the guitar.

It was an indescribable sight.

The crowd was bustling, young men and women were waving their arms forward, and the light behind him cast his shadow at an angle - the fans had already started cheering because of the drum beats that Yuma Miura had started playing in advance.

Sakakibara Kaede nodded to Nishikino Maki and Miura Yuma beside him. The drumbeats slowly stopped and the lights in the venue gradually dimmed.

In the next moment, all the beams of light fell on the young singer, illuminating his energetic black hair like incandescence.

He held the microphone with one hand and stroked the strings with the other, revealing a youthful and carefree smile.

The young man was surrounded by the spotlight. At this moment, he seemed to be the center of the stadium or the shining protagonist in a comic novel.

"I want to shine brighter than anyone else in the world - I have believed this until now -"

Accompanied by the cheers of the crowd, Sakakibara Kaede smiled, put her hands on the guitar strings, and sang into the microphone.

There was a light in his eyes.

The passionate voice of the boy gave goose bumps to the young men and women. They waved their hands, their eyes focused on the young figure enveloped by the spotlight.

Sakakibara Kaede looked straight ahead, as if he was looking at something far away. The electric guitar played an uplifting tune, and he raised his hand.

"Yes I am, so keep on walking, go out through the door, don't look back, just keep going forward——"

It comes to you with a gentleness that makes your blood boil.

We came into this world crying, and we must have something to tell this world. As if bidding farewell to the past, Sakakibara Kaede's lips curled up slightly. At this moment, when he sang the song that accompanied him in the countless days and nights of depression, he seemed to have let go.

With a little bit of shame, but more of the excitement of wanting to shout out the feelings in my heart.

The fundamental purpose of human beings coming into this world is to build their own personality, not to be forced to restrict their own freedom of action in order to please others.

Standing on this stage, when the spotlight is on you, how many people can you inspire?

The brightness in his eyes swept across the faces of the young men and women nearby, making them feel their throats blocked, as if they were being urged by the young man with a smile to shine their own light.

His figure looks like he is struggling to pursue his dreams.

"—"

After the song ended, the young men and women in the audience cheered and applauded. The wave of voices made Sakakibara Kaede breathe a sigh of relief. He stood on the stage and bowed to everyone, "Thank you."

"Hello everyone, we are the world shining."

Before he could finish his sentence, it was instantly drowned out by the cheers of the crowd. Yuma Miura couldn't help but grin, looking a little intoxicated.

"Ah, before the next song starts, please introduce yourself."

Sakakibara Kaede waved to the audiences from all three parties, "Hello everyone, I am the lead singer of World Shining, Sakakibara Kaede."

Listening to the loud cheers of Kaede and Sakakibara from the audience, he looked up at the blue sky which had not yet completely darkened. The spotlights shining on his head and shoulders made him feel warm.

This is the warmth he got from his friends. If he hadn’t had the urge to sing for his friends and for Higuchi Madoka that day, and it was later recorded by Sakurajima Mai, he might never have had the opportunity to step onto the stage.

He held in his heart a gratitude towards his friend that was as precious as a treasure, and heard the voices of Nishikino Maki and Miura Yuma introducing themselves.

He can't see Sakurajima Mai, he can't see Higuchi Madoka, he can't see Asakura Toru, and he can't see Ichinose Chizuru.

But Sakakibara Kaede knew that they were in the audience, watching her from afar.

Not only them, but also people Sakakibara Kaede had met, his friends, and people he had never met before. Their eyes were focused on the young man's body and face, making his heart tremble slightly.

Then he smiled.

Songs sung for others, songs sung for them.

The world is shining, and in this world, you and I, as ordinary people, shine with gentleness in each other's eyes.

Tonight, the entire neon light is shining for them.

Chapter 29: The lights of the cell phones waving left and right are like stars in the sky at this moment

As the last note fell, the fans in the stadium began to wave their hands and cheer again.

The young man picked up the water bottle beside him, moistened his throat, held it in his mouth for a while, and finally swallowed it.

"Hey, did everyone have fun?"

Sakakibara Kaede's voice was fully opened by singing three popular songs from her first album in succession.

But he couldn't sing all the way through for two hours, so he would stop every few songs and talk to his fans for a while.

The strings of the zither played softly, and Sakakibara heard the shouts of the men and women in the audience. The corners of his mouth curled up slightly, "In some ways, it is really a coincidence that the World Shining can stand here."

"What are you talking about? This is inevitable."

Yuuma Miura beat a drumbeat, as if complaining in dissatisfaction.

"But Nishikino-san's joining is indeed a coincidence."

"Yeah, if I hadn't agreed to my agent's request that day, there might not have been a band called World Shine."

"Wow, luckily Nishikino-san agreed."

Yuuma Miura's complaints caused the fans in the audience to laugh in a friendly manner.

It's so dazzling and intoxicating, Mai Sakurajima thought sincerely when she saw the faint smile on the young man's lips.

It was as if all the beauty of time had been exhausted - although it was probably because beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, but Sakurajima Mai believed that the current Kaede had fulfilled the wish he made in front of the starry sky two years ago.

That childish-sounding desire to shine brighter than the whole world.

Standing under the light, you are already very dazzling.

Senior Feng's aura seemed to have changed a little... Well, it seemed that he no longer had the politeness that he naturally possessed before.

Politeness symbolizes a sense of distance. Saying thank you for everything does not mean a close relationship, but rather it comes with a certain sense of distance.

It's like chatting in the dormitory, you are my son, he is someone's father, and they talk about seniority. The conversation doesn't sound polite at all, but it is full of friendship between men.

Does this mean that Senior Feng thinks he already belongs here?

She listened to the young man joking with his two bandmates on stage to liven up the atmosphere, and felt an unprecedented sense of fulfillment and happiness.

To some extent, she was redeemed by Sakakibara Kaede. Did she also help Kaede-senpai in a good way?

Chizuru Ichinose held back her sigh and didn't say it out loud. At this moment, she was thinking about the story of the mistress and the concubine she saw on the TV a few days ago - she felt a natural sense of guilt when she saw Mai Sakurajima.

Not only was it because the other party's qualifications and achievements were far beyond her reach, but she also believed that the gap between her personality and that of Senior Li Feng was far beyond her.

They all secretly like Senior Feng.

Chizuru Ichinose quietly took out her phone and looked at the other three people in the group, Mai Sakurajima, Madoka Higuchi, and Toru Asakura. . . Although she knew that Toru Asakura really liked Senior Kaede, his bold move during the voice audition made her dizzy that day, and her face was always hot.

They were all working silently beside Senior Feng. . . . She didn't even get a starring role yet, she pursed her lips.

Chizuru Ichinose didn't want to be left behind in the team. She didn't want to lose face in front of the girl whom Senior Kaede from other teams liked.

"Chizuru-san."

"what..."

Chizuru Ichinose's hand was held by Mai Sakurajima, and her body shrank as if she had received an electric shock.

"Come on, Senior Feng has been waiting for you."

To be exact, he was not waiting for Chizuru Ichinose. He just stopped out of habit to see if the distance between himself and his friend was too far.

If it is too far, you can sit on a bench nearby to rest for a while and enjoy the scenery along the way.

This is not some lonely path of cultivation in a fantasy novel.

People are social animals, and it seems like a miracle that they can keep up with their friends in a fast-paced city.

"...Um."

The guitar strings moved slightly, drawing their attention back to the young man in the center of the spotlight.

At this moment, the originally blazing white light slowly changed and condensed into a warm orange light - the light on both sides gently sprinkled on the three people who were shining in the world. Sakakibara Kaede standing in the center seemed to be coated with a layer of light gold, and his skin and his sweat were all stained with the color of sunflowers.

Just like the classic song Yellow by Coldplay, the lights gradually turned into pure yellow during the performance.

This song has a special meaning for young people, as the color orange symbolizes warmth.

Sakakibara Kaede first spread out his hands, then lowered one arm and placed it on the strings, and raised the other hand far into the distance, as if saluting someone.

No... He then raised his hand to the other side again - this song was dedicated to everyone present.

"This next song... is the first song released by World Shining."

Sakakibara said softly, "This song is dedicated to all my friends who have accompanied me along the way, and everyone who came here today."

The melodious and heart-throbbing electric guitar prelude is like a glass of mellow wine, which makes people intoxicated the moment they hear it.

Higuchi Madoka's heart trembled slightly, she pursed her lips and bit her lower lip slightly. . . This was the first time she heard Sakakibara Kaede sing a song. At that time, she didn't know that the young man could sing so beautifully. Later, he gradually showed his brilliant side, and it was no surprise to Higuchi Madoka that he made his debut step by step.

That was a song dedicated to his friends. At that time, Sakakibara Kaede was holding a wooden guitar and saying it with a smile. That was the first time that Higuchi Madoka came into contact with the real Sakakibara Kaede.

They saw countless sceneries along the way.

Listening to the young man's clear voice, Higuchi Madoka smiled. She knew that Sakakibara Kaede was actually a person who was very afraid of loneliness.

That night, while filming a graduation commercial at Shuchiin Academy, on the night of the school festival, she saw the lonely-looking figure standing in the classroom on the playground.

"Even if time passes, that irreplaceable treasure is not an invisible illusion—"

At that time, why did I invite him downstairs to enjoy the afterglow of the school festival? Did I think he looked a little pitiful? Did I see that he was a little too polite and reserved to everyone? Or... did I see a little bit of myself in him?

She closed her eyes, and her body seemed like a boat floating on the sea. As long as she moved her mind slightly, she could see the complex blue in Sakakibara Kaede's eyes.

"Really... when did you fall in love with me?"

At this moment, all the previous avoidance, the cold words caused by misunderstanding Sakakibara Kaede, and the cold face she put on to get closer to the other party emerged one by one in Higuchi Madoka's mind.

Those are precious memories, proof of how the two of them met and gradually got used to each other from strangers to where they are now.

How could she let go of such a best treasure?

Higuchi Madoka's life has been changed by Sakakibara Kaede. Originally, she and Asakura would only be admitted to a normal university. Maybe she would continue with her slightly monotonous acting skills and continue to maintain her daily life with her childhood sweetheart.

Her life has changed with the intervention of Kaede Sakakibara.

She was originally afraid and didn't want to change, but when she stood next to the young man with a gentle smile, she suddenly realized... how wonderful this kind of life was.

Now, it is Higuchi Enka's turn to stand in front and extend her hand.

It was as if Ningning was standing at the other end of the single-plank bridge, reaching out her hand to Falcon, who had a melancholy look on his face, and inviting him to... always accompany her and appear in her life from now on.

“Ah…”

Higuchi Madoka felt a little itchy at the corners of her eyes, so she stretched out her fingers and wiped them gently, and felt a little moist.

This kind of melody, which makes people feel warm in their hearts, seems to bring her back to the afternoon when she just saw the true meaning behind Kaede Sakakibara's smile. . . I remember that the sunlight that day was very gentle, just like a meter of early summer sunlight.

Higuchi Madoka heard from Sakakibara Kaede that her singing sounded very much like the sea at dusk, and a barefoot girl standing on the beach wearing a sun hat and an indistinct smile.

She felt that Sakakibara Kaede's singing also sounded like dusk. . . In a metropolis as the sun was setting, a young man was working in a coffee shop. He noticed the girl's gaze and smiled with his head resting on his arms.

It would be nice if the two of them could walk in this beautiful sunset forever.

At this moment, it was not only Higuchi Yuanka who felt warm in her heart. The young men and women in the gymnasium stood in place, just waving their arms quietly, with gentle smiles on their faces.

Sakakibara Kaede looked up at the sky, which was gradually getting darker.

He smiled brightly at Nishikino Maki and gave her a thumbs up, and the lift carrying his body slowly descended.

Maki Nishikino hummed softly, put down the bass in her hand, and picked up the electric guitar hanging on the shelf next to her.

The fans in the audience were whispering, but the discussion soon died down. It was not unusual for singers to take a break after singing a part of the song. This was when... the solo was needed!

Maki Nishikino nodded to Yuuma Miura, dragging her long fingers across the strings, producing a captivating vibrato.

"This...this is..."

With a long and elegant tone, Maki Nishikino looked a little carefree as she stretched out the tone and played her solo.

Fans who don't know Maki Nishikino as a member of the band may just regard this solo as an ordinary melody, but people who have heard Maki Nishikino's songs, or young men and women who were once fans of Muse, can recognize this familiar song.

Nishikino Maki was smiling, but her eyes looked a little hazy.

She recalled the third-year graduation ceremony when she played the piano solo and Honoka, who was like the sun in her heart, sang on the stage.

There were many audience members in the audience who were once fans of Muse and were filled with emotion. It was great that Maki Nishikino could find a new home.