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

"Can you please stand in the middle, Mr. Deng?"

Eh?

"why?"

"Because Deng is the lead singer." Xiangzi's answer seemed to be a piece of normal common sense.

Eh?

Hey——!

The smooth mirror surface of the recording studio reflects Takamatsu Deng's figure like a silly penguin.

Turning back, Xiangzi was standing there, smiling and saying, "I'll prepare the microphone for you."

"Will you let me... sing?"

Everyone in the mirror was ready, with four pairs of burning eyes staring at them.

“Ah…Ah—”

Gao Song Deng has lost his ability to pronounce.

"Deng, you really can't sing? Is there any reason?" Xiangzi seemed a little worried.

“Singing in front of others is a bit…” Deng responded in a nod, staring at the coffee cup on the table unconfidently.

"The lead singer is the face of the band, why should he choose lights?" This is the cold-faced Li Xi who values ​​efficiency above all else.

"Lixi...Xiao Deng, you don't need to push yourself too hard." This is the gentle and kind mother Su Shi.

The first group rehearsal ended in a bad mood.

On the way home, Deng and Xiangzi stopped on a pedestrian bridge.

The sun has already set, but the afterglow of the deep red still has a hint of lustre, making the sky seem particularly vast. Under the overpass, there are streams of neon lights, and the streets are all ablaze with lights.

"Why choose me?"

"You wrote all the lyrics, so it would be better if you sang them yourself."

The evening breeze playfully blew up Xiangzi's blue hair that hung by his ears. After combing it with his hands, Xiangzi stared into the lamp's eyes and spoke;

“The lyrics of Lights are a cry from the heart.”

"I really want to become a human!"

Even her shouting had the tone of a young lady, but she was doing things that were completely against etiquette.

Toyokawa Shoko shouted towards the lonely sky.

"You can yell whatever you want here, let's yell together."

The lights are bright, the moon is shining in the sky, and the beauty that blooms quietly in life, once you notice it, it will stay with you.

======

"I really want to be a human..."

"Hey, do you want to sing or not?"

Putting down the notes he was holding high, Gao Songdeng quietly revealed half of his head and glanced at Li Xi, who was looking dissatisfied, in the reflection of the mirror.

"Lixi, she is now brave enough to sing out loud, which is a big step forward."

His eyes turned to the brown-haired girl with her back to him, and Xiangzi's voice came from behind him.

"I could clearly sing it on the overpass before."

“Do you feel nervous in the studio?”

The little ostrich completely buried himself in the open notebook.

"here it is...?"

"Karaoke, is this your first time here?" Su Shi maintained her usual squinting smile.

"Hurry up and process the admission." Li Xi at the counter complained impatiently to the three young ladies of Tsuki no Mori.

After struggling over the drink machine and being defeated by it in the end, Toyokawa Shoko, who found everything new, finally sat down with everyone else in the private room flashing with colorful balls.

“Karaoke is so much fun.”

Nagasaki Suyo, who is cheerful and familiar with equipment operation, naturally became the leader of this singing competition.

"We haven't even started singing yet, let's order some songs together."

"Why are you guys preparing to sing as if it's a matter of course? Don't you want Deng to practice?" Li Xi retorted somewhat unhappily.

"After all, if the lights suddenly start singing, you'll be nervous."

"Would you like to sing, Lixi? I ​​want to try to record the process. You can choose a song you like."

Subconsciously taking the microphone handed over by Su Shi, Li Xi team member passed the microphone to Xiangzi on the opposite side without hesitation. "I am a solo karaoke person."

"Hey, me?" Xiangzi's face showed a rare cute expression. He asked for help, and looked at Gao Song Deng who was holding a maraca to act as the atmosphere group. "Deng, do you want to sing?"

"I haven't heard of this song." The lighting team member raised his maracas and cleverly blocked the microphone in mid-air.

This ball-passing game between four players was suddenly interrupted by a clear female voice.

"Although it's still very weak at the moment."

It's Mu! Player Wakaba Mu has already reached the goal with the ball!

On the LCD TV that occupies half of the wall, a radiant idol girl makes cute movements, showing off her youthful vitality.

"But the light is still shining over there~"

Mu's face still maintained the same expression, but his body danced synchronously with the girl in the MV. The strange contrast made the girl even more charming.

Laughter and joy filled the air as the girls sang.

A gentle light lit up from the bottom of his heart, and Gao Songdeng picked up his pencil.

At the top of the line was written – ‘Haruhi Shadow’.

======

"This is the first time I write lyrics." Deng smiled shyly.

He flipped the notebook in his hand, his slender fingertips gently sliding across the paper.

Ripples of emotion appeared in Xiangzi's heart, and tears unconsciously rolled down from the corners of his eyes.

"I can see that this is..."

"Haruhi Kage...it really is our song."

He burst into laughter, his tearful eyes filled with emotion.

"I'll write a song that matches the lyrics of the lamp."

======

In front of the familiar floor-to-ceiling mirror, Gao Songdeng opened his mouth to the melodious sound of the keyboard.

[The exhausted soul's swaying eyes are wandering. 】

【I am the only one standing alone in this world. 】

The guitar melody quietly inserted.

[This spring that keeps fading year after year]

...

[For the time being, I will just write down a few words]

[It is inevitable to feel empty just because you have expectations]

The drums and bass sound in unison, just like the wind and rain in spring.

[I have long been aware of the search for salvation and persist in it]

...

[The me who didn’t cry that day]

The high sound of cymbals announced that the music had reached its climax.

[It is the light that walks gently with me]

The haze in the sky is brushed away by the soft light, and the touching song is always unforgettable.

...

[In your palm]

【Why is it so warm? 】

[Please grant my wish... and never let go of my hand again]

"Deng, Deng, are you okay?" The blurry vision focused again, and in front of him was Xiangzi's excited face.

"I...Live, did I finish singing properly?"

"I was so absorbed in singing that I don't remember it."

"Huh? What's the matter? You sang so well!"

This seemed to be the first time Lixi praised me.

"Xiao Mu, come over here too."

"Deng, your expression is great right now."

I was surrounded and walked back to the lounge. Looking in the mirror, there was a happy curve at the corner of my mouth.

But... that's it.

How nice it would be if time could stop at this moment.

"The lead singer is working too hard!?" Li Xi shouted angrily at the message on his phone:

"This guy doesn't understand anything. I want to block him."

The smile, perhaps at this moment, disappeared from the corner of the mouth.

"Lixi, just block them, don't blacklist them... But most people are praising us."

Su Shi comforted her softly as always.

But...I can't forget Xiangzi's trembling hands holding the phone and the lost look in his eyes that I had never seen before.

Is it...my fault?

From then on, Xiangzi never came to the band's rehearsal again.

======

[Desperate? Too desperate.]

The white notebook was covered with dark doodles, just like my mood at the moment.

The watermelon worm lying in the damp soil can only watch everyone flying freely in the sun.

The only thing that suits me is to curl up and cry.

Xiangzi, who was soaked all over, opened the door in a very embarrassed manner.

The handkerchief handed to him by Su Shi was blocked by his outstretched hand, and the raindrops fell from Xiangzi's hair to the ground, splashing into irregular water droplets on the floor.

"I'm here to tell you something today."

"I'm quitting...Crychic."

Really... quit?

"But, if Xiaoxiang quits..."

"Don't say such naive things!"

"You, Deng, are the one who should practice more, but what have you been doing so far?"

As expected...it's because of me.

Li Xi, who had long been dissatisfied, angrily grabbed Xiangzi's shoulders and forcefully interrupted the conversation: "The light is waiting for you!"