They are in the music show, but I am a stranger to them

There are also people who silently wet their eyes, but have no one to lean on, and can only recall the blurred faces of their loved ones who once gave them light and warmth but are no longer in this world.

But this time, before anyone could deal with the sadness that was gradually welling up in their hearts, that gentle voice knocked on the door of their hearts once again.

"Chasing your figure in the darkness."

“That outline is still vividly engraved in my mind.”

"Whenever I encounter unbearable pain,"

"I can't help but burst into tears..."

Tick.

Unconsciously, Xingge, who was standing behind Chen Qi, shed a few uncontrollable tears that fell onto the drum. The slight sound did not attract anyone's attention.

However, as more and more tears came out of her eyes and the yearning in her heart became more and more uncontrollable, Xingge did not stop playing the drumsticks even though her hands were shaking.

Xingge's instinct controlled her, and she didn't want to ruin this scene where she could clearly recall the long-gone face...

She didn't want this momentary opportunity of revealing her vulnerability to be ruined by herself.

Her mother had passed away for many years. As her loving face gradually faded in her mind, Xingge thought she had escaped from the shadow of her mother's death...

But at this moment, when all the memories came flooding back to her mind, all the sadness and pain she had ever experienced…overwhelmed Xingge’s heart in an instant.

At this moment, Xingge, who is already 29 years old, seems like a child who has suffered a lot of grievances but has nowhere to cry and no one to comfort her. Only in front of her mother can she burst into tears.

"What have you been through?"

"What have you seen?"

"There was an expression on his face that I had never seen before."

Under the stage, Chihaya Aine, who had unknowingly walked to the position closest to Chen Qi, also unconsciously wiped away the tears from the corners of her wet eyes. Chen Qi's lyrics touched her heart again and again, helping her recall her past with him.

These words...are just like the questions that the obsessed person would ask himself from time to time.

At that time, I, who was protected by him, would never understand what he had experienced. He was extremely gentle to me, but his eyes always seemed to hide a melancholy past.

I was so curious about his past and everything about him.

And before I knew it, I had already completely understood everything about him?

And just when Aiyin was deeply moved, Chen Qi, who was on the stage with his eyes closed and immersed in his own world, had no idea that the girl he couldn't let go of was so close to him.

At this moment, he could no longer suppress the reluctance in his heart and released all his pain to the girl who he thought had gone away but who might still be paying attention to him in some corner.

"If you're anywhere."

"Same as me."

"If you live a lonely life with tears all day long."

"Please just forget everything about me."

“This is the only wish from the bottom of my heart.”

"'To this day, you are still my light'."

"——I love you deeply, even beyond my own imagination."

"From now on, every time I think of you, it feels like suffocation."

After expressing his sadness on the stage, Chen Qi seemed to be comforting the person he loved deeply in the most gentle way. His extremely gentle voice expressed his deep reluctance to the person he wanted to convey it to the most.

At that moment, Chihaya Aine, who was sitting in the audience, could no longer contain the surging emotions in her heart and cried...

It turns out...he really still loves me.

Fool……

Why did you let me know it only now?

If you had told me earlier, I wouldn't have to do so many things to make you heartbroken.

"Hongxia..."

In the audience, besides Chihaya Aine, the one who couldn't control herself was also Hongxia beside Liang. When Liang's heart was shaken by Chen Qi's lyrics, she unconsciously cast her gaze towards Hongxia beside her.

But Hong Xia was already crying like rain, her petite body trembling as she sobbed, but she still couldn't dispel the sadness welling up in her heart...

But Hong Xia's eyes never left Chen Qi on the stage from beginning to end. In the hazy light, the figure of Chen Qi, who was as bright as an angel in Hong Xia's eyes, gradually turned into the figure of her most missed relative.

At this moment, Hong Xia was crying like a child. Facing her mother right in front of her, she couldn't say a word to express the longing that had been accumulating in her heart for a long time.

"Mother……"

"I really miss you...I..."

However, Hong Xia's intermittent sobs were responded to. Chen Qi on the stage... no, the "mother" on the stage responded to Hong Xia's thoughts with the most gentle voice.

"You were always by my side, but now you have vanished like smoke."

"The only thing that is certain is——"

"I will never forget you..."

Tick.

"…Why are you crying?"

On the subway, Hai Ling, who was also infected by Chen Qi's overflowing pain, almost noticed the tears falling on her palm holding the phone at the moment before she burst into tears.

It was at this time that Hai Ling noticed that Toyokawa Shoko, who had burst into tears at some point, was trying hard to hold back her tears but was unable to control her miserable appearance.

Chen Qi...thank you.

Even though I know that you sang this song to win back Chihaya-san, I still thank you...

I also hope that this song of yours can be heard by my mother in heaven.

Let her hear what you sing for me, the longing for her in my heart.

Xiangzi, who had also experienced the pain of losing his mother, had no ability to resist this song that touched his heart. It was not until Hailing handed him a handkerchief that Xiangzi was able to suppress some of the pain in his heart.

Hailing looked quietly and saw that it was not only Xiangzi who was wiping his tears.

On the other side, Wakaba Mutsu, who had a face as expressionless as a doll, did not change at all, but the tears that fell silently still made people feel pity when they saw it.

Although Chu Hua was still smiling, she was also deeply moved by the song and kept wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes with her fingers.

Miao Mengqin, who should have suffered the least, kept wiping her tears and snot with a handkerchief, and even her makeup was a little smudged.

...As for Hai Ling, she was perhaps the least affected person in the group. She was pure and had not experienced any past that was too painful to look back on, nor did she have much bitterness or pain.

But when she looked at Chen Qi on the screen, whose eyes were filled with sadness and whose expression could not be seen clearly, her heart was still out of control, and she felt a little distressed...

What on earth did he go through?

Where does the pain in his heart come from?

Hailing, for the first time, began to be curious about everything about Chen Qi besides his musical skills.

You have become the "light" in the hearts of so many people.

"It has become deeply engraved in my heart,"

"The aroma of bitter lemon."

"You can't go back until the rain stops and the sky clears."

"Like half a lemon."

"'To this day, you are still my light'."

Finally, the illusion of a brief reunion gradually dissipated along with the transmission of longing. And Chen Qi, who had poured out all the bitterness in his heart on the stage, finally slowly opened his eyes.

However, the moment he opened his eyes, the pink figure that was so close and so conspicuous that it was almost impossible to ignore made Chen Qi's eyes blur for a moment.

For a moment, he thought the girl standing in front of him was just an illusion.

However, when the girl with tears in her eyes once again gave him that warm smile that was like the sun after the rain, Chen Qi finally realized that all this was not an illusion.

All that I have done was not in vain after all.

Aiyin was truly called back by herself.

"Thank you all."

Finally, all the burdens were put down, and Chen Qi's mood quickly changed. His slightly joyful voice brought the audience, who were still immersed in sadness, back to reality.

Soon, Chen Qi received everyone's belated, warm and admiring applause - although there were not many cheers, Chen Qi's performance had moved every audience member present.

Chen Qi did not wait for the voting results. He did not participate in this performance for the purpose of advancing.

But even if Chen Qi didn't wait for the vote, everyone knew the result.

"... Well done, you are worthy of being Xiaoqi."

At the backstage exit, Youxina quietly watched Chen Qi walking towards her. After wiping away the tears from her eyes, she and the four girls from Roselia gave Chen Qi a heartfelt applause for his performance.

And this girl who has always been strong and never admits defeat, when she looked at the big boy who had walked in front of her and needed her to look up slightly, she calmed down and said:

"This time, I admit defeat wholeheartedly. Xiaoqi, your success is not only due to your skills and beliefs, but your emotions are your most powerful weapon."

“This is what I don’t have, the ability to express my emotions in my songs… I’ve been too focused on technique and have always overlooked the power of emotions.”⑦

"Thank you for helping me find a breakthrough, Xiaoqi. We both benefited a lot this time." Lu

"Sister Youxina." Chen Qi looked at the rare smile on Youxina's face, who was a head shorter than him. After a slight surprise, he chuckled and responded: Tumor

"Then I look forward to the next transformation of Youxi Najie and Roselia. See you at the Budokan."

"Well, see you at the Budokan, Xiaoqi." Youxi couldn't help but smile slightly before realizing that his behavior just now was a little abnormal. Then he quickly regained his calm expression and left without looking back.

"Haha, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Yuukina isn't that good at praising others, but your performance this time, Xiaoqi, really moved Yuukina."

At this time, Lisa, the "loving goddess" in Roselia, took the initiative to stand up and smooth things over for Chen Qi, saying, "We are also very touched, Xiao Qi. After not seeing you for a year, you have really become more and more amazing."

"Well, I wish you can get into the martial arts hall. See you at the martial arts hall~"

After that, Lisa also waved her hand and followed Yukina's pace. Then, Hikawa Sayo, Shirogane Rinko and Ako also gave Chen Qi the same gentle smile and response as before when they walked by him.

Sayo: "See you at the Budokan, Koinori."

Phosphorus: "Congratulations, Qijun."

Ako: "Brother Qi! We must go to the Budokan!"

"...I didn't expect that you have such a wide network of contacts."

Behind Chen Qi, after Chen Qi and everyone in Roselia said goodbye one by one, Xing Ge, who had finally controlled his emotions, asked Chen Qi with a somewhat more melancholy tone.

However, Chen Qi also had his own response to this, and said calmly:

"After all, I was friends with Youxi and the others in the past, and we've known each other for several years."

"But Sister Xingge, are you feeling better?"

"Of course!" Xingge, whose eyes were red from crying, nodded stubbornly. When she put the handkerchief covered with her tears and snot back into her pocket, she was slightly stunned.

This handkerchief was the one she washed but didn’t have time to return to Chen Qi…

She originally wanted to find an opportunity to give it to Chen Qi when he came to rehearsal, but she never expected that Chen Qi did not come to rehearsal for a week. The handkerchief remained in Xingge's hands and she had no time to return it.

My novel is now updated daily and I have stained my handkerchief again, so I can't do it anymore.

There is no other way... I can only wash it again. Xingge murmured unconsciously in her heart. This was the second time she washed clothes in her life!

"...Qi, we should go find someone."

It was at this time that Yao Lenai, who had been silent since the end of the performance, finally spoke up and reminded Chen Qi that now, he should go find Aiyin.

"Yeah." Chen Qi also breathed a sigh of relief. The bitterness in his heart was finally released, and he had already figured out how to face the returning Aiyin.

……

“Aine.”

After a while, Chen Qi and Yao Lenai and others came to the backstage exit, where Li Xi, Su Shi, Deng, and the four girls who ended the band were waiting quietly.

And standing in the front was undoubtedly the figure of Chihaya Aine whom Chen Qi had been thinking about day and night.

However, Chen Qi only called out softly, and Ai Yin, who had finally seen the person she wanted to see the most, quickly trotted towards Chen Qi. Chen Qi only felt a gentle fragrant breeze blowing towards him.

"puff."

After a while, Chen Qi felt the familiar warmth returning to his arms, and Aiyin's exceptionally strong legs once again wrapped around his waist, just like before, when they were so intimate.