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

"The road from amateur to professional is very difficult. By then, whether we can still talk to each other like we did today may be an unknown, right?"

"……yes."

Yes, if you don’t make it clear now, you may not have the chance to ask again in the future.

However, knowing that her innermost thoughts had been completely seen through, Su Shi finally raised her head slowly. Her eyes turned to Chen Qi, who was staring at her with a look that seemed to be able to tolerate everything. After a slight pause, he slowly asked in a low voice:

"Aki...can I ask you a question?"

"Ok?"

"Do you... like Xiangzi?"

As soon as Su Shi said this, the huge recording studio became so quiet that only the breathing of the two people could be heard.

When Su Shi noticed the expression of surprise or bewilderment on Chen Qi's face, she suddenly came to her senses. Before Chen Qi even opened his mouth to respond, Su Shi spoke in panic:

"No, nothing. Sorry, Aqi, forget it!"

"I will also cheer for tomorrow's Live, don't worry, I'm leaving now!"

She ran away, or in a panic. Nagasaki Suyo didn't know why she was so afraid to hear the answer to this question, just as she didn't know how her mentality had subtly changed in the month after talking with Chen Qi.

Ever since she had a heart-to-heart talk with Chen Qi a month ago, Nagasaki Suyo, who originally thought she was mediocre in Crychic and couldn't find her place at all, quickly regained her usual smile after talking to Chen Qi.

And this time, facing everyone at Crychic, Nagasaki Motoyo's smile was more sincere than any other time before.

The specific manifestation is that during this month, Nagasaki Motoyo's bass has not only trained harder, but even the performance during rehearsals seems to be different from before.

This scared Li Xi, who was originally in the same "tortured group" as Su Shi. Li Xi had no idea what kind of change Su Shi had undergone overnight. His level suddenly improved a lot, as if he had attained enlightenment in Longchang. His performance was even particularly outstanding in several segments. He was completely different from before.

But Su Shi’s changes don’t stop there. For everyone in the band, the biggest change in Su Shi is her attitude towards everyone in the band.

Although Su Shi used to be a friendly person in the band, after talking with Chen Qi, Su Shi thought he had finally found his position in the band. He began to interact with everyone in the band like Chen Qi, and the interactions were very deep.

Specifically, Su Shi, who usually did not show much interest in other work except training and team building, actually started to ask Xiangzi and Chen Qi to teach her how to write lyrics and compose music, just like Li Xi. This made Xiangzi's task, which was usually busy modifying the music with Chen Qi, even more difficult.

Not only Xiangzi, Su Shi even began to show concern for every member of Crychic, just like a mother cares for her daughter.

She would take the initiative to comb Deng's hair, chat with Mu when Chen Qi was not around, and often comfort Li Xi who was working hard at playing the drums, and even give Li Xi a wrist massage.

This month, Su Shi's sudden and huge transformation made everyone in Crychic seem to get to know her all over again. Although everyone has different opinions about Su Shi's sudden enthusiasm, most people still feel warm from the bottom of their hearts for her enthusiasm.

However, it was during the process of Su Shi treating everyone in Crychic like her daughters that she gradually came to love the band from the bottom of her heart and discovered many things that she had never paid attention to before...

Among them, the ones that Su Shi couldn't help but pay attention to the most were Xiangzi and Chen Qi.

As the two most talented and irreplaceable members of Crychic, Xiangzi and Chen Qi have always been responsible for the band's arrangements and lyrics. The two of them interact the most in the band, even more than Chen Qi interacts with the lights.

And now, like Li Xi, Su Shi, who asked Xiangzi and Chen Qi for advice on composing music and writing lyrics, naturally had the opportunity to observe their world from the sidelines.

Whenever Xiangzi assigned "homework" to Su Shi and Li Xi, she would turn her head impatiently and continue discussing the band's future plans and development with Chen Qi.

Or she would share with Chen Qi the new piece she had just revised, and Xiangzi would occasionally play it himself on the keyboard. Chen Qi would occasionally play it with his own understanding and discuss a compromise with Xiangzi.

That was also the first time Su Shi knew that Chen Qi could play the keyboard... maybe even the piano.

So, maybe the only two things that Aqi doesn't know are singing and guitar? Maybe Aqi has always had the ability to substitute for everyone, but just because all the members of the band have been gathered, he refuses to replace anyone on stage.

So far, everything has been fine...but what really makes Su Shi look sideways is the way Chen Qi and Xiangzi get along.

Su Shi looked at Chen Qi and Xiangzi, who were each wearing an earphone and listening to the demo Xiangzi had recorded on his phone. She wanted to remind them several times to keep a distance between them, but every time she saw how serious they looked, she would always suspect that she was overthinking it.

However, Xiangzi and Chen Qi don't just talk about work when they get together. They also usually chat about things around them.

On the second day after Su Shi joined, she witnessed a conversation between Chen Qi and Xiangzi. The content of the conversation was extremely unusual, and they even talked about Xiangzi's parents and family.

What surprised Su Shi even more was that Xiangzi was so happy to tell Chen Qi everything about this topic that it was as if this was not the first time she had discussed this slightly over-the-line topic with Chen Qi.

"Lixi?"

"What's wrong?" Li Xi, who was disturbed by Su Shi beside him, stared at the "homework" assigned by Xiangzi in front of him and asked Su Shi.

"... Li Xi, you came earlier than me. Xiao Xiang and A Qi... have they always been like this?" Su Shi also asked Li Xi this question that made her a little concerned. Facing Su Shi, Li Xi just looked at her a little strangely, and then answered nonchalantly:

"It's always been like this. It's been like this since I came here. I'm used to it."

"If you ask me, these two people stick together every day, maybe they have started dating right under our noses. Even if they are not dating, it doesn't matter. Every time these two people look at each other and smile, I can feel the hair all over my body."

Su Shi: “Really…?”

Really? Xiaoxiang and Aqi, so...are they that kind of relationship?

It doesn't seem strange. Xiaoxiang and Aqi have the best relationship in the band. They are both top geniuses. It is natural that they are attracted to each other.

But why... do I feel so uneasy after hearing Li Xi's words?

On the way home, Su Shi couldn't understand why she was so nervous. She couldn't think of any reason to stop Xiangzi and Chen Qi from dating, but deep down she didn't want this to happen.

This feeling had never occurred before. Even Chen Qi's meticulous care for Deng Jiang day after day, or the original songs he wrote for Xiao Mu, never made Su Shi feel so nervous.

Is it because Xiangzi is the most outstanding one in Crychic? She has already received the most care and love from Aqi, but now she wants to completely possess all of Aqi's care.

Xiangzi...you are too greedy.

Whenever he thought of this, Su Shi couldn't help but examine himself. At the beginning of the band, he was so inconspicuous and mediocre. He was walking on thin ice. In order to realize the illusory dream of "becoming a professional band", he never said a discouraging or dragging word.

If Aqi hadn't been paying attention to her, she might never have found a sense of belonging in this band.

And now, why, Xiaoxiang, do you want to take everything away from him?

Aqi, shouldn’t it belong to everyone in the band?

At night, these voices echoed over and over again in Su Shi's mind as she couldn't sleep... She felt a little unwilling, but she didn't know why she was so unwilling.

Perhaps it was because Su Shi knew that he could never compare to Xiangzi.

Moreover, if Xiangzi and Chen Qi really like each other, then everyone in Crychic probably can't stop it? There is no reason to stop it.

Xiangzi is so dazzling that anyone in the band, except Aqi, will be eclipsed by her...

With endless inner conflicts, Su Shi finally did not have the courage to bring up the matter. She just went to the public live the next day with the matter in her mind.

This was the first time for Su Shi and the others to step onto such a big stage and face so many audiences. Facing this scene, any fledgling band newcomer would inevitably feel a little nervous or flustered.

Among them was Su Shi herself, but the reason why Su Shi was panicking was not just because the number of people at the scene exceeded her imagination, but because she changed to a new venue for the performance and found that Chen Qi, who had always played the role of "stabilizing force" in the band, did not appear in her sight this time.

The figure that was always within sight during training was gone... Even though Su Shi knew that Chen Qi was watching them from behind the scenes, she still felt a little flustered because she couldn't see Chen Qi...

She was not the only one who was panicking. Li Xi, Deng... everyone was more or less at a loss. Usually, the band's training would only start at Chen Qi's signal. Chen Qi's absence made everyone in the band panic.

But just when everyone's heartbeat was out of sync, it was the sound of Xiangzi's keyboard that pulled everyone back from their state of confusion.

When the prelude of "Spring Shadow" sounded, everyone's panicked hearts were pulled back by Xiangzi. Soon, the team, which finally found its backbone, quickly calmed down, and everyone began to perform as they did during the rehearsal.

In the end, their first public Live was declared a great victory. Everyone could be said to have given their best performance beyond their original level. Deng's singing eventually infected everyone at the scene, including the band members.

After the performance, Xiangzi was the first one who couldn't wait to share the joyful news with Chen Qi who had been waiting backstage.

Perhaps it was because of the excitement, or the residual energy from her first public live performance that helped Xiangzi do something she had never done before. Backstage, Xiangzi was the first to find Chen Qi. Under the gaze of everyone, she actually jumped up and gave the band's "behind-the-scenes hero" a big hug.

"Chen Qi! Chen Qi! Did you see that? We succeeded! We really succeeded!"

"Yes, I saw it, very clearly, Xiangzi."

And perhaps it was because of the atmosphere, or perhaps it was because of her emotional response, but Chen Qi, who was hugged by Xiangzi for the first time, faced Xiangzi crying with joy, and she kept patting Xiangzi's back, stroking her soft long blue hair, and whispering comforting words in Xiangzi's ears over and over again.

Facing this scene, everyone at Crychic had different expressions...

Deng wanted to say something to Xiangzi who took his seat, but ultimately he couldn't because of the atmosphere.

Mu was expressionless as usual, but he was obviously surprised when Xiangzi hugged Chen Qi.

As for Li Xi, she felt more uncomfortable. Her eyes kept glancing elsewhere, as if she was looking for something else worthy of attention to divert her attention.

And Su Shi was the last type... She just silently watched Xiangzi and Chen Qi hugging each other, gazing at their warm scene as if they were a long-distance couple reuniting after a long separation, without a smile on her face at all.

But, it was at this moment that Su Shi understood.

There is basically no room for maneuver in Xiangzi and Chen Qi's relationship...their feelings are no longer something that ordinary people can separate.

At least, from Xiaoxiang and Aqi's faces... I couldn't see any resistance from them to doing such an intimate thing in such public.

No matter what, I can only accept this result, right?

After all, Xiaoxiang and Aqi... they are such a perfect match, so why should I oppose their relationship?

Su Shi, who had figured this out, when her gaze once again fell on Xiangzi and Chen Qi who were hugging each other, she suppressed the bitterness in her heart and the sourness in her pupils, and put on a forced smile towards the two of them.

Xiaoxiang, Aqi, from now on, you must be happy.

Xiaoxiang, you must make Aqi happy. He has a lot of sorrow and anxiety in his heart. From now on, I can no longer disturb you at any time. Only you, Xiaoxiang, can understand his thoughts for me.

Sorrow, bitterness...all kinds of emotions flooded into Nagasaki Suyo's heart. In the dark backstage, even the crystal tears slowly fell from her eyes, so quietly and silently.

Nagasaki Suyo knew that she had been heartbroken.

The only person I cared about in this band was taken away by my good friend in the same band.

And I couldn't even utter a word of complaint, dared not stand up and even say a word of reprimand, and even dared not run away like a defeated dog...I didn't even dare to cry and alarm anyone.

After that, Nagasaki Suyo did not participate in Crychic activities for a long time. Nagasaki Suyo went through a very long and extremely painful period for her. She told everyone in Crychic that she had a serious illness and could not continue to participate in rehearsals.

The truth is, Nagasaki Motoyo plans to use this time to calm down her broken heart. She doesn't want to see Xiangzi and Chen Qi flirting with each other again after returning to the band, and she won't be able to help crying to them, or she won't be able to stop herself and scold Xiangzi.

This will only cause Crychic, which Aqi has worked so hard to maintain, to fall apart...

But why? Why can't I adapt?

Nagasaki Suyo didn't understand. Even if she just imagined in her mind the scene of Chen Qi and Xiangzi's growing relationship during her absence, she felt her heart twitching in pain. She felt so much pain that she wanted to forget everything and sleep forever.

Finally, after a week of self-torture, on a rainy day, Nagasaki Suyo, who was exhausted both physically and mentally, faced the message sent on Line and the message that "Shoko will also come to training today", she gritted her teeth slightly and typed out what might be her last message on Crychic.

【I will go to the afternoon training.】

Yes, she would go, perhaps, for the last time.

Nagasaki Suyo understood that she could not adapt to such a Crychic. Crychic, where the last bit of warmth was monopolized, was not a place she wanted to stay.

She... wanted to quit, quit this band that no longer had anything to do with her.

In front of Xiaoxiang and Aqi, I must try my best to say these words this time... I must let them hear my last true words.

With such awareness, Nagasaki Suyo dragged her tired body, carrying her guitar bag and was the first to come to the training room. She waited quietly, waiting for all the band members to arrive, especially Xiangzi and Chen Qi, and then said the choice she had been holding in her heart for a long time...

"I'm quitting, Crychic."

"……Why?"

However, when the unexpected voice exploded in Nagasaki Suyo's mind, the originally confused Suyo looked up in disbelief, staring at Toyokawa Shoko, who came in the rain with a very embarrassed figure but pretended to be strong.

At that moment, it was as if an angel high above had been pulled down to earth. Nagasaki Motoyo's originally quiet chest became active for a moment after hearing such news, but soon fell into a deathly coldness again.

Why...would Xiaoxiang say such a thing?

Why was it Xiaoxiang who quit?

Don't you like Aqi? Why did you quit Crychic? Why did you destroy the big family that Aqi had always wanted to maintain?

You obviously...should make Aqi happy, Xiaoxiang.

Everything began to get out of control. Su Shi thought that her withdrawal might be insignificant, but she didn't expect that what happened afterwards was completely beyond her imagination.

She witnessed the moment when her favorite boy's dream was shattered, and the infinite loneliness and sadness in her eyes emerged. She knew that everything in Crychic could not be restored...

Xiangzi, just destroyed everything with his own hands.

She took away the love of the only person in the band who cared about her, and now she has destroyed Crychic, which he wanted to maintain, with her own hands. In the end... she even tore apart the ideals of that big boy with her own hands.

In the end, she could only watch the big boy, the only one who cared about her, being torn into pieces like a rag doll. No matter how she tried to piece his wounded heart together, it could no longer be put back together as it was originally.

The happiness that she had been so cautiously seeking but could not obtain was thrown to the ground by Xiangzi like dregs, and even crushed to pieces in front of her, so that she could never get it back again...

Xiangzi...you really...are going too far.

Chapter 29: Band reunion? New bands with different ideas

The song ended, along with the end of "Ama no Weak", which is the song that can evoke the most memories of Nagasaki Motoyo now, Nagasaki Motoyo gradually woke up from her recollections and reopened her eyes, which had been as calm and gentle as water since she lost Chen Qi.

After half a year of no news, time finally healed the scars that Su Shi could not let go of, and left a scar in her heart that would never fade, but it was enough for Su Shi to return to her previous life.

"…You play really well, Sushi."

Just when Su Shi was about to put the double bass of the wind orchestra back to its place, suddenly, a familiar cold voice came from behind, which quickly diverted Su Shi's attention.

After seeing that the person coming was Mu, Su Shi's smile widened a little, and he took the initiative to stand up and greeted him: