Who says meal replacements can’t be eaten as meals?

Chihaya Aine's light grey eyes flashed with doubt, and she leaned over across the green belt and asked, "Did you lose something?"

Gao Songdeng continued to collect the raw stones, stuffing the small stones into the full pockets of his school uniform, before he reacted and looked up.

Her long light pink hair hung down behind her, a little messy in the summer breeze. Her large black-framed glasses covered her light grey round pupils, and her long bangs covered her ears and temples. Her face was excellent without any ordinary air, like an excellent student next door. A heart-shaped iron pendant went around her neck and fell on her exposed collarbone. She was wearing a fitted solid Scottish plaid dress with the belt pulled up high to make her legs look longer. It was obvious that she had dressed up carefully.

As a high school student picking up stones, she was stared at by a stranger. Miss Deng's hands couldn't help but tremble, and the small stones piled in her pockets happily overflowed. She quickly reached out to put them away, and stood up with the little Sakuya who was clinging to her. She nodded to the pink-haired female passerby, and retreated quickly in small steps.

As for Miss Sakuya who was left behind, she was even more embarrassed. She waved her hands, said something "Ahaha~" which she couldn't even understand, and then evacuated this terrifying green belt at the speed of light.

"Eh?" Chihaya was puzzled. She felt that the girl just now looked familiar.

"Oh..." Chihaya was in a daze. Anyway, they could meet again, so she didn't think about it anymore.

Anyway, my fulfilling and brand new high school life is about to begin, right?

======

Hanaoka Girls' Academy, first year class A.

"Although the Golden Week has just ended, there is a new member in the class today." The head teacher introduced the new transfer student in a mature and intellectual voice.

Chihaya Aine also finished her self-introduction in a confident and loud voice. Today, she was not wearing the classic black-framed glasses, and her temperament changed from that of an excellent student to a cheerful and energetic girl.

The greeting was standard, but if you want to fit in, this is enough, right? As for the strange reason for admission, I can just use the "family reasons" that I had already thought of to solve it.

Chihaya Aine thought so, and calmly walked to her seat in the last row amid the applause and welcome from the crowd. There was a stone on the table of the student in the front seat, and it looked familiar when she looked closely. Wasn't this the girl I saw in the courtyard that day?

"Shitou?" Miss Aine paused. She felt a little embarrassed that she didn't get a response, so she smiled and pulled out the stool before the teacher announced the start of the class meeting.

"Chihaya-san..." A voice like a small animal came from the front row.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Miss Aiyin’s slender hand holding the Chinese textbook stopped in mid-air, unsure of what the girl in front of her meant.

"I'm Takamatsu Deng, thank you for your guidance." The gray-haired girl looked a little shy, as if the active greeting had made her core overheat. After saying this, she turned her head away awkwardly without saying anything else.

Miss Aine fell into deep thought.

======

The bell for the end of class still sounds so familiar. I almost burst into tears while looking at the textbook in Chinese class today. It turns out that English should not exist.

Chihaya Aine put the exercise book and the books into the new school bag she had just received, and stretched her stiff neck. It seems that the person on duty today is Takamatsu, who is sitting in the front seat. Although it is hard to wipe the blackboard, there is no need to jump up and down to line up the magnets...

Putting aside the strange thoughts, Miss Aine stood up casually. Going home after the first day of school was an important event, and she had to consolidate the relationship with the new friends she had just met. "Let's go back together~"

"Eh? Are you guys playing in a band?" Looking at the musical instrument backpacks that almost all of the new classmates had, Miss Aiyin had a subtle feeling that she couldn't fit in with the topic. "It seems like everyone in the class is playing in a band. Is this normal?"

"There are quite a lot of people playing in bands in our school, because some of the seniors have formed some really good bands."

"For example, the third-year student Afterglow, the student council president is one of the members."

"Although PasPale has graduated, there are also Roselia's Ako-chan and RAS's LOCK in the second year."

"Is Aine-chan playing in a band?"

“Uh…” Miss Aine, who had been looking around, came back to her senses and put on her familiar business smile again, and spoke confidently:

"I'll just be the guitarist and lead singer~"

Chapter 61: What a good relationship

The music classroom of Yugaoka Academy swings back and forth between extreme quiet and extreme noise all year round. Whether it is the noisy chorus in music class or the shy hugs between girls after class, everything in the classroom is silently witnessed by the portrait of the great master Beethoven hanging on the wall.

The melody of "Piano Sonata No. 14 in C minor" sounded from the piano occupying a corner of the classroom. It was in C sharp minor, / time, and a very rough sonata form.

Shoko Toyokawa separated her hands, starting with an octave in her left hand and a triplet arpeggio in her right hand, gradually introducing the main melody of the piece, with her right hand playing a fixed rhythm, and weaker triplets throughout the piece. A calm, hazy, and meditative atmosphere permeated the air, a bit like the moonlight at night on Lake Lucerne, and the poem that cannot be described in human language was softly sung in this six-minute piano solo.

At the end of the song, Miss Xiangzi sighed with mixed feelings. Some people say that moonlight is a gift from Beethoven to his lover, while others say that this song should be classified as a funeral piece, a regret for the past, all caused by someone, and it is rare for her to think about these useless things.

Someone sitting in the audience holding a bass had a clear face. Ms. Sakuya's brain, which had not yet been polluted by knowledge, did not understand the metaphor of the piano music at all. She sighed purely and naturally: "It sounds good, it feels... feels..."

“You really play it well!” Some familiar girls took over the conversation. Miss Aine, the great guitar vocalist, the transfer student from Haneigaoka, who was looking for band members very naturally inserted herself into the conversation of the music room duo with her high social skills.

"Are you a member of the band?" Miss Xiangzi, who occupied the music classroom without permission, felt a little guilty. She held the piano cover with both hands, as if ready to run away. However, her years of customer service experience still allowed her to maintain her usual elegant tone.

"No, I came here because I heard the piano sound." Chihaya Aine smiled shyly.

"That's great. I was worried that my secret use of the piano would be exposed." Someone said, patting his chest.

Ms. Sakuya's words were always beyond her expectations, which made the little hedgehog with blue hair and twin tails angry on the spot. She turned around and glared at her unhappily.

"Ahaha~ You two have a really good relationship. Eh? You were the one who accompanied Takamatsu-san to pick up stones that day." Chihaya Aine also turned her head and exclaimed softly.

"Um... hello?" Ms. Sakuya tilted her head slightly as a greeting.

Aiyin inconspicuously retracted her gaze from the instrument bag. It was a circle bigger than hers, so it should be a bass, right? Maybe she could collect both the bass and the keyboard at once, lucky~

"Well, although this may be a little sudden, I'm Chihaya Aine from Class 1A. Do you two want to form a band together?"

Ms. Sakuya's expression froze: "Um..."

Xiangzi didn't react at all, but his hand that was closing the piano cover paused slightly, leaving a ray of light for the keys that were about to close.

"I just transferred here recently, and I'm looking for members to form a band. I play guitar and sing, and I'm looking for a bassist and keyboardist..." Miss Aine, who was already immersed in the band's business, continued.

"No need." Xiangzi interrupted the conversation politely.

"Have you joined the band yet?" Aine stopped awkwardly.

"No." The piano cover fell, completely blocking the light. Ms. Xiangzi picked up her shoulder bag, walked to Sakuya's side, and her left hand skillfully fell on Sakuya's shoulder, and separated immediately after a touch.

Halfway through the walk, he spoke softly to Aine. "The practice time for the wind band club is almost up, so it would be best if you leave as soon as possible."

After Shoko slowly left, Ms. Sakuya stood up with a serious expression and patted Chihaya Aine who was full of confusion.

"Chihaya-san, in this school, 'forming a band together' is not something you can just say casually." Ms. Sakuya said earnestly.

“Eh? Just call me Aine, but are there any special taboos?” Miss Aine felt intimidated.

“Well… there are many reasons anyway. If Aine-san wants to find band members, she can check out the RiNG recruitment board.” Sakuya-san also put on her bass backpack and walked out the door.

Perhaps he still felt that this reckless transfer student was not very reliable, so he walked three steps and then turned back and added, "I'm Ichinose Sakuya from Class 1B. I'm working as a support musician. If Aine-san can't find anyone, you can contact me. Bye then."

The music classroom fell into silence again. After a while, Miss Aiyin could be heard muttering to herself: "I don't really want to play in the band with all my strength..."

======

After quickening her pace and jogging for a while, Sakuya finally caught up with Miss Shoko who had left earlier.

"Why don't you continue playing? There's still some time before the wind band comes for rehearsal." Miss Sakuya asked cautiously, keeping a distance of about three steps.

"I don't really like being watched by others when I'm playing." Toyokawa Shoko said in a normal tone.

"Oh?" Sakuya tilted his head, and his smart little brain began to think, maybe this means that he doesn't care about the offense just now? Fortunately, he didn't say such a thing to Xiao Deng suddenly. The new transfer student is really amazing, in many ways...

After thinking it over, Miss Sakuya followed Xiangzi briskly, turned slightly to the side, put her arm around Xiangzi, and said in a playful tone, "Then let's just say it is like this~"

Xiangzi twitched his right hand that was being held, and after realizing someone's intention, he sighed helplessly, and tapped Sakuya's smooth forehead with his left hand. "I'm not the kind of person who dwells on the past, but doesn't Sakuya have [NyaAki]? Why did you delay for so long?"

"Ah, actually I asked Senior Miao Meng last time when we would have a live show." After a pause, Sakuya sighed. "Then Senior told me that Xiao Chuhua's contract stipulates that she cannot participate in offline live shows, and can only record videos, which can be made into MVs at most. And, I just found out that in Senior's previous videos..."

Sakuya was still complaining about how she was deceived by her senior, but Shoko had slowed down, and Sakuya stopped as well.

"Chuhua, are you referring to the Chuhua in the third triangle?" After a while, Xiangzi spoke in a daze.

"Well, what's wrong with Sumimi?" Ms. Sakuya was considering whether to add new banned words to the "Manual for Toyokawa Shoko".

"Nothing, I just heard the name of my childhood playmate suddenly. We haven't been in touch for a long time."

The sun is still shining, and today is still a leisurely and happy day.

It was not until the two had left for a long time that Sanjiao Chuhua took off her sunglasses, revealing her highly recognizable pair of exquisite eyes.

"We have such a good relationship..." Chu Hua put on his sunglasses again.

Chapter 62: Social Terrorists

Chihaya Aine's high school life was smooth but a little dull.

Although I've managed to make friends and the progress I've fallen behind in schoolwork isn't a problem, it's too ordinary. If this continues, I'll become a super boring nerd.

The summer sun has become a little weaker, no longer as fierce as at noon, but if you stay in the sun for a long time, you will still lose water and sweat, and even melanin will precipitate, damaging the tenderness of the skin. Chihaya Aine looked through the window with some envy at the track and field club running in circles while shouting numbers. She really wanted this kind of rosy high school life, but she had to sweat under the scorching sun, so she had to forget it...

It’s better to play in a band. When you are the lead singer and guitarist, you will stand in the center during the performance and can easily attract everyone’s attention. It’s best to name the band after your own name. Maybe you can even become popular on SNS and directly reach the top of Yuqiu.

After laughing foolishly, Miss Aine finally realized what was happening and quickly stopped smiling.

Thinking back to the guitar at home that was now covered in dust, and the F major chord that she had almost forgotten, Miss Aine quietly added a question mark after her ambition.

It shouldn't matter, right? We're all high school girls, so our skills aren't that different. Anyway, we still have to find girls who are willing to form a band together. Ichinose from the next class can be considered half of the band, but then there's nothing left!

"It would be nice if Haneda had a light music club..."

Walking in the corridor after class, Chihaya Aine doubted her social skills for the first time. Is it true that there is no one else in this school who is willing to form a band with her? This is a major crisis of self-awareness!

"Hmm?" A familiar-looking gray-haired girl flashed before his eyes.

Takamatsu-san isn't playing in a band, is he? But Ichinose-san told me yesterday that I can't just find someone to form a band...

Then let's go find someone to form a band with a serious attitude! Miss Aiyin was full of motivation again.

“Just ask for now.” Miss Aine, take the initiative!

======

Ichinose Sakuya came to the Astronomy Club later than scheduled today, but it was not because she failed the history exam again. She just felt that Shoko was a little lonely alone, so she accompanied her after school to correct the history test paper.

So, when Ms. Sakuya climbed up to the fourth floor carrying her classic GB-4, she heard Xiao Deng's somewhat excited scientific voice.

"It's a bearded penguin. Doesn't it have a beard on its face? It's an Adélie penguin. The Gentoo penguin also belongs to this genus. This is an Adélie penguin. There are other penguin genera here. Wait for me..."

Hey... Xiao Deng can't stop talking about collectibles, which is cute... No, I haven't reached the astronomy department yet! Who is Xiao Deng talking to?

Miss Sakuya's lazy steps suddenly quickened. She couldn't let the little animal be bullied. She peeked out of the door and saw the long pink hair that she seemed to have seen often recently.

"Does Takamatsu like penguins too?" Chihaya Aine hesitated as she held the Band-Aid in her hand. Would a normal person collect so many types?

"I think...they...are very cute..." Takamatsu Deng paused.

“Why do you seem to have no confidence?” Miss Aine continued to speak.

"Deng is cute too!" Miss Sakuya, who only heard the second half of the sentence, appeared. "She is cute when she is serious about picking up rocks, cute when she blushes when being praised, cute when she can't stop collecting items, cute when she is at a loss when receiving gifts!"

"Ah...ah, Sakuya-chan, stop talking." After being praised, Takamatsu Deng fell into a cute state with a red face.

“It’s really cute, hehe.” Miss Aine also agreed with a smile.

“So, how come Aine-san is with Deng?” Ms. Sakuya carefully put away her bass bag before continuing to ask.

“Well… maybe it’s because I was injured, so Deng came to the astronomy department room to find band-aids for me. It’s amazing that you have so many. Thank you, Deng.” Aine naturally replaced ‘Takamatsu-san’ with ‘Deng’, and her terrifying social skills surprised Sakuya-san.

"No, I guess, I just like the feeling of discovering new things." Miss Deng still had a little red frost on her cheeks, and she shook her head softly.

“I see. I understand that, I can’t help but buy cute pens when I see them.” Miss Aine agreed casually.

“Really?” Miss Deng was flattered by her sudden understanding. She continued to look for relevant penguin band-aids and held them in front of Aine: “There are also spot-billed penguins and crested penguins, as well as king penguins!”

Miss Aiyin was a little overwhelmed by the sudden enthusiasm, and quickly raised her hand to refuse: "Wait a minute, wait a minute, I don't need so much."

"Huh?" Gao Songdeng fell into depression.

Ms. Sakuya quickly stepped forward and prepared to use the [Emergency Praise Method on Takamatsu Tomori], but Chihaya Aine seemed to have noticed the abnormality first and reached out to take the Band-Aid.

"I know. Give it to me."

“Eh?” Ichinose Sakuya fell into depression.

To be more precise, Ms. Sakuya was jealous.

It has always been me who coaxed Xiao Deng, and I have never received a Band-Aid!

"Xiao Deng, I want a band-aid too." Miss Sakuya hugged Deng from behind, her plump chest directly pressed against the back of the little animal's head, and she poked her head out angrily and looked into Aine's gray eyes and said.

"Hey, is Sakuya-chan hurt somewhere?" Deng seemed a little flustered.

"Yes, my heart is hurt, Xiao Deng... wait! Don't touch me! It's just a metaphor!" Miss Sakuya blushed and pulled away Xiao Deng's hand that was covering her left breast. If she didn't know that Xiao Deng was just worried about her, she would have suspected that he did it on purpose.

Chihaya Aine's hands were full of band-aids. For a moment, she felt a little redundant. Ichinose-san, is your personality so natural? Like an elementary school student.

======

Miss Aine, who had luxuriously placed two cute penguin band-aids side by side, looked around at the Astronomy Club's unique Roselia poster while sitting on the sofa. Finally, she looked past Miss Sakuya who had already started cleaning and looked at Takamatsu Tomori who was standing stiffly.

The books are neatly arranged on the bookshelf according to serial numbers and sizes. The desks and chairs have just been wiped. Although the pestle and stone on the windowsill are a bit confusing, judging from the kettle and tea sets on the other side, the Astronomy Department might unexpectedly be a club with a lively atmosphere?