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

Then, tomorrow will be the best time for me to express my gratitude to that guy!

Admittedly, Lixi's reason told her that it was not realistic to solve a problem that had not been solved for so long overnight.

But at least, Li Xi wanted to give him the prototype of the song, or at least the words he wanted to tell him, so that he could see them on that day!

After all, this is a choice you can make. You don't have to worry about the awkward atmosphere or pick a special day. Now is the time to give this song to him in the most decent and natural way.

Thinking of this, looking at the lyrics that expressed her true thoughts deep in her heart, Lixi's hands moved faster and faster. She only felt that under the tight time and faint expectations, her inspiration had never been so gushing out as it was now!

I can definitely make this song. I can make that guy praise me sincerely and let him vent his tiredness and depression. I can definitely make this song!

This is obviously the case. I have never been so eager for tomorrow to come...

but……

"I'm quitting, Crychic."

When Toyokawa Shoko, whose whole body was soaked by the rain, said these words in front of everyone in an unprecedentedly cold voice, it was as if the air had frozen.

Xiangzi's cold words also made Shiina Riki, who had not slept at all last night and had persisted until now relying on the anticipation for today, feel an unprecedented sense of suffocation.

Why... did it turn out like this?

Xiangzi, you're back now, doesn't this mean... you've already dealt with everything?

Or did everything go in the worst direction? Xiangzi quit because her mother had already -

If this is the case, then Shiina Tatsuki can still accept it. After all, the passing of one's mother is hard for anyone to feel, so if she has no intention of continuing her musical career because of this, then it is understandable.

But why, Xiangzi, don’t you tell us all this?

Shiina Riki looked blankly at the silent Xiangzi. At this moment, her last bit of reason told her that if everything was really as she thought, then Xiangzi should not mention the sad past, and her silence was understandable.

But it doesn't matter, Li Xi believes that Chen Qi, that guy, can handle any situation. The reason why he stayed with Toyokawa Shoko for so long was probably to take care of Shoko's mother and to give Shoko the courage to keep going.

Then, as long as Chen Qi opened his mouth, as long as he tried to persuade Xiangzi to stay, just like he did to his self-abandoned self in the past, hugged her and said some sweet words to her, Xiangzi would definitely give in.

Yes, as long as it's like this, Crychic won't be disbanded, and everything is still possible -

Chen Qi: "...Okay, Xiangzi, since you said so, I won't force you. Just quit."

……well?

For a moment, Shiina Riki, who was in a trance, even suspected that his ears were deceiving him.

Because, for her, such words would never come out of that guy's mouth.

He obviously... cared so much about Xiangzi, and Crychic, that he even tried his best to win her back, even though she had such a bad personality.

How could he give up on Xiangzi so easily and heartlessly?

No, this is not possible.

He must have some unspeakable secrets! There must be something he doesn't know! Xiangzi's withdrawal and this guy didn't stop him, there must be some hidden reason!

"boom!"

Thinking this way, Shiina Riki immediately attracted everyone's attention with the sound of his drum.

And the next moment, also for the first time, Shiina Riki said to the silent Chen Qi in front of everyone the words that he would never have said before, words that hurt him.

"I know, I know you're a genius! But that's no reason for you to ignore our efforts!"

"Me, and Deng - we are all working hard for your dream! We don't owe you anything! Now Xiangzi wants to quit the team, but you don't even have a word to ask him to stay? Do you really not care?!"

Shiina Riki knew that everything he said was hurtful, even insulting. Especially since he knew him so well, he knew better than anyone that he could not be such a mean person.

But, this was what Li Xi said intentionally. She hoped that Chen Qi could explain that after he could not accept her insults and hurts to him, no matter if he was wronged or furious, at least he could vent his emotions, tell the truth, and tell the other members of the band that he was not that kind of person.

All of this was just due to Toyokawa Shoko's own reasons. He had no choice but to make this choice - Li Xi hoped that he would express his difficulties.

However, what Li Xi did not expect was that in the face of such personal insults, his expression remained so calm. That unperturbed expression seemed to indicate that he agreed with everything Li Xi said.

Yes, that's who I am. You are right. It doesn't matter what you think - his calm expression seemed to tell her of a desperate compromise.

Why, why don't you say it?

Can you tolerate such an insult? How long are you going to keep it secret for Toyokawa Shoko?

Is she worth it? It's all her own business, why should you endure such insults for her?

At that moment, looking at the silent Chen Qi, Li Xi felt that her heart was about to break into pieces, and she gritted her teeth tightly. She suppressed the strong sense of guilt, remorse and pain in her heart, and almost squeezed out from between her teeth the word "insult" that even she could not forgive.

"Ah, ah... I see! You are that kind of person, right? The kind of person who doesn't care about anything else as long as he can achieve his goal!"

"If that's what you think, if you treat this band as a game for yourself - then this band! Just disband it!"

“——That’s enough.”

In the end, no one expected that the person who could not tolerate Li Xi's insulting words first was not Chen Qi himself, nor the silent Toyokawa Shoko, but Wakaba Mu, who was the most indifferent in the band and had the least relationship with Chen Qi.

Shiina Riki understood... everything he had done was really too much, so much so that even Mu could not tolerate it.

Ah... myself... why would I say such words?

And you... why are you still so silent? Why do you have to endure all this for her?

Shiina Riki's tearful eyes became extremely fragile for a moment. She looked at Chen Qi, who was so calm that he seemed to have lost his emotions, the boy who silently endured all the bad consequences, the special person who was hurt all over by her own words...but in the end, he didn't utter a word of excuse.

That was the first time that the emotion called "despair" surged in Lixi's heart.

It was just because she discovered that the value of all the people in the band combined was not as important as that of Toyokawa Shoko in his heart.

What made Li Xi even more desperate and hateful was...

The Toyokawa Shoko whom he protected so well...actually at a time when he was enduring such an insult that even Mu could not endure.

She was so indifferent... She didn't say a word!

Are you worthy of his love for you by doing this?

Are you worthy of everything he has done for you?

Toyokawa Shoko.

You are such a selfish guy!

“…Then that’s it.”

In the end, Chen Qi, exhausted both physically and mentally, still did not explain anything. He just packed his luggage silently, facing Li Xi's desperate gaze, chose not to explain anything, shouldered all the infamy and responsibility, and left silently.

Good, good! You have guts! You are a real man!

Since you care about Toyokawa Shoko so much and even bear all the grievances for her, then you should always revolve around Toyokawa Shoko!

"——Congratulations, great genius." Looking at Chen Qi's departing back, at that moment, Shiina Riki, who had already given up, suppressed all the sorrow and bitterness in his heart and turned all his emotions into a final farewell.

"Now, you are free."

From now on, it will be as if I have never known you, as if you have never appeared in my life.

We——break up!

That night, Shiina Riki remembered that it rained heavily, just like the tears she had swallowed, falling in her heart...

Shiina Riki ran away alone in the rain. She forgot where she ran to, but she only remembered that she ran until she was exhausted and then fell on the slippery ground, causing the things in her bag to slip out.

Those pieces of paper soaked by rain were the songs she had prepared last night... They recorded her feelings for him. Between the lines, every paragraph, every sentence, every word, all expressed her inseparable friendship for him.

But now…all these words have become a joke, like needles piercing her heart.

"Tear!"

"Get out! Get out! I don't want to think about you! I forgot! I forgot everything!"

"Get out of my memory! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you so much!!!"

Under the heavy rain, Shiina Riki knelt on the ground and tore all the papers into countless pieces, as if she had torn her thoughts and feelings into countless pieces and scattered them all over the rain.

Countless pieces of emotion gradually turned into dust under the rain, and Shiina Riki, who had already been soaked, finally broke down and cried loudly for the second time under the heavy rain...

But this time... the boy who was chasing her is no longer by her side... the boy who, no matter how she beat or scolded him, or how much she despised him, would always tell her that he was paying attention to her... will never come back.

I just drove him out of my world forever, and I will never be able to find him again...

"…Lixi?"

Not far away, a slightly unexpected female voice broke the desperate atmosphere. Hachiman Kailing, who was holding an umbrella and carrying a gig bag, stared blankly at her friend who was kneeling in the rain and crying loudly.

That was the first time she saw Li Xi so fragile. The look of that girl crying as if she had lost everything deeply hurt her heart at that moment.

There is no need to say more. Only the departure of one person could hurt Li Xi so painfully... Hachiman Hailing understands this very well.

Although, I didn't know what happened.

But, don't worry, Lixi, I will definitely help you find the person you lost.

Chapter 66: Li Xi's bite made Ruo Ye Mu angry

"I've clearly already decided that I will never forgive that guy, and I've already cut off all ties with him."

But now, he appeared in front of him again without any warning, and just answered some questions that were not very important to him with Xiangzi. As for the truth that he really wanted to know, he still kept silent.

That guy, even though Xiangzi had hurt him so badly, he still wrote a song specifically for Xiangzi, held a live performance, and even invited the popular idol Sanjiao to help him in his first performance after his debut!

This guy really has good intentions and is deeply in love!

Why are you here looking for me instead of just focusing on your Xiangzi? We are no longer friends... although we have started socializing again recently.

After eating the sandwich that Chen Qi prepared for her, Shiina Riki faced Chen Qi who was now sitting in her living room. Her heart was in a mess and she couldn't help but start thinking, what attitude should she use to face Chen Qi?

First of all, it is definitely impossible to have the close relationship as before. When this guy left, his mind was full of Xiangzi, and he didn't think about everyone at all. This kind of guy is not worth forgiving!

So, be a little cold? But this guy has come to my house, I have to listen to what he wants to say, right? If I just scold him away, wouldn't I be repeating my previous mistakes?

After all, he knew that this guy was actually not wrong... He was angry because he disregarded everyone's feelings for Xiangzi. After all, Xiangzi, who had remained silent and let him bear everything, was the culprit.

As for myself...I do bear some responsibility for the disbandment of Crychic.

What made Shiina Riki feel even more uneasy was that Chen Qi had only explained why he had concealed all this for Xiangzi, but did not say why he left everyone in the end.

Li Xi was very worried. Was Chen Qi's departure caused by the bad words he had said to him?

Although Li Xi thought that this possibility was very low, she was still very clear about Chen Qi's tolerance. However, ever since Li Xi said something against her will that day, which she thought was the biggest slander and insult to Chen Qi, this strong sense of guilt has been making her toss and turn...

Especially one week after the band disbanded, he learned from Deng that Chen Qi had left without saying goodbye. Li Xi, who didn't even have a chance to apologize, felt even more guilty.

If it is true that my words hurt him... then I must be responsible for my words and actions.

After all, I have hurt that guy before, and he has wronged me before...are they even? Do they owe each other nothing?

"…It's really troublesome. Never mind. Let's just let it go."

After half a year, not only did he fail to figure out what kind of feelings he had for Chen Qi, but because of a series of misunderstandings and hurts, the relationship between the two became even more complicated. Shiina Riki finally chose to give up thinking about these meaningless things and got up to meet Chen Qi outside.

But soon, at the moment Lixi put her hand on the door handle, she suddenly remembered something.

"Wait, I don't look suitable to meet him like this?"

Li Xi subconsciously looked at her outfit. Since she was at home, Li Xi's outfit was very casual. She wore a pair of three-quarter pants and a loose shirt that covered her hips. Her two long white legs were also exposed.

And more importantly, because Chen Qi came so suddenly, Li Xi didn't even wear underwear...

For some reason, Li Xi immediately recalled that when he pushed Chen Qi out of the room, his entire upper body was almost pressed against Chen Qi's back...

"That annoying bastard!!"

Li Xi realized it later, her face flushed with shame, and she also made a sound of extreme shame and anger, like a small animal wailing like a lamp... She didn't even dare to speak louder, for fear that people outside the house would notice her abnormality...

……

Chen Qi: "Is there such a thing?"

Shiina-san: "Yeah, this is the first time I heard about it too. I didn't expect that Riki-chan would do such a thing? If it wasn't for you, Hachiman, I wouldn't have believed it."

"I think it's normal. Li Xi definitely doesn't want anyone to know about this kind of thing." Hai Ling put down the teacup in front of her and was about to speak when the door of Li Xi's room was reopened on the other side.

Soon, Li Xi, who had changed into a set of casual clothes and still had a bit of blush on his cheeks, looked straight at everyone without dodging or avoiding them, and immediately questioned:

"Hailing? And Mu? You're here too?"

"Also, Hailing, what did you say to my sister and that guy just now? Why do I feel like you were talking about me?"

"——Oh, guys, I suddenly remembered that I have plans to go shopping with my college classmates. I'll excuse myself first~"

However, before Li Xi could ask again, Sister Shiina, after taking a quick look around, tactfully made room for everyone to have an unrestrained conversation, then put on her shoes and left home without hesitation.