Loneliness and Rock and Roll with Band Observer

"What are you saying?" Qiu Hui sighed, "Am I usually gloomy?"

"A little bit." Liang said this, walked to Qiu Hui who was tuning the instrument, and looked at her face.

"You are...how should I put it? It feels like you just got heartbroken."

Ryo looked meaningfully at the eyes behind Akie's glasses.

"...Don't say weird things." Qiu Hui sighed and raised her head. "Don't talk about being heartbroken. First of all, I don't even have any experience in love."

"That's true." Ryo nodded pretentiously, "After all, Akie seems like a loser in love."

"Don't use such an infuriating statement." Akie rolled her eyes in response, "Besides, if you're honest, aren't you almost the same?"

The two of them were talking in a nonchalant manner, as if they were bickering. Although it was a tasteless exchange, it seemed to have made the atmosphere a little more relaxed.

"If it's not a breakup...then it's a conflict with a friend?" Nijixia asked, "Is it about Aine-chan?"

"…You guessed it right." Akie nodded reluctantly.

"After all, if she's not here, she can only be there." Ryo nodded, "Akie doesn't have many friends."

"It's her..." Ichiri nodded uneasily, "Can you tell me what happened?"

Kita beside her didn't say anything, but silently turned his gaze to Akie.

"…How should I put it? It's actually nothing serious." Akie shook her head. "Runa, the guy who plays guitar well that everyone met before, seems to be planning to join the band over there."

"Huh? Is it her?" Ichiri exclaimed, "That kid is super amazing!"

“That’s the problem with this being so amazing.” Akie sighed, “This will put a lot of pressure on Aine, who is also a guitarist.”

"So, are you worried about Aine?" Nijixia asked.

"Yeah." Qiu Hui nodded and admitted, "It seems that she is trying hard to pretend that nothing is wrong. I don't know how to talk to her..."

"Please wait a moment."

"Um?"

Surprised, Akie looked in the direction of the voice. The speaker was Kita.

"I don't quite understand." Kita admitted, "Because, although Xiaoyi is also good at guitar, I don't feel pressured when I'm with her."

"Although sometimes I feel that my guitar skills are not as good as everyone else's, but every time this happens, Xiaoyi will find a way to help me. Rather than feeling pressure, it's more like a relief, right?"

Faced with Kita's doubts, Akie shook her head helplessly.

"Kita thinks this way, and it doesn't seem like a big deal... That's why I feel troubled."

“Although I just said that Aine felt pressured because the gap in ability between her and the newcomers was too big, in fact, even this judgment was just my subjective guess. She herself didn’t say anything…”

But why didn't she say anything?

Qiu Hui, realizing this, felt more and more powerless.

Could it be that she thinks that this is not something I need to consider... or that I am "qualified" to consider for her?

Thinking of this, Qiu Hui seemed to have forgotten to continue to maintain a calm disguise in front of everyone.

…Come to think of it, she didn’t even go to the astronomy department. Does she really not want to see me?

Qiu Hui's thoughts became a mess, and countless crazy conclusions popped out of her mind one after another.

But Kita didn't seem to notice the change in Aki'e's expression, and just continued, "If that's the case, how about talking to her first and finding out what's going on? Aine is also a very cheerful person, I think she should be willing to tell Aki, right?"

"...Wait a minute." Liang suddenly frowned and said, "Let's not talk about this topic for now."

"Eh, Ryo-senpai?" Kita asked in confusion, "Why?"

She seemed completely out of the picture.

"Anyway, how about we start practicing first?" Ichiri suggested unsurely.

Although she never quite knew how to read the atmosphere, she could at least see the drastic change in Akie's expression, and she more or less realized that it must mean something.

…That Aine-san also has troubles that she doesn’t want others to know about.

Besides, there are things that I don't want to discuss with Akie. In other words, their relationship doesn't seem to be that good... Is that right?

Although he knew that this didn't seem very good, Goto Ichiri suddenly felt secretly delighted.

"...Yeah." Akie nodded. "After all, this is my business, and it's not appropriate to keep bothering everyone with this."

Seeing Akie's slightly calmed expression, Ichiri also became a little excited.

I guess I was helpful just now, right?

Hehehe, even though I’m a social outcast like Goto Ichiri, how should I put it, sometimes I do know how to look at the situation and say things!

So, after finishing the band, everyone started today's routine practice.

After the performance began, although her face was covered by a mask and her expression was difficult to see, Ichiri still felt that Akie seemed to have calmed down a lot.

After her first performance, she would dress up as Aki Yoko every time she practiced, even if there was no audience.

Hongxia and Liang were both a little confused about the purpose of this in-depth implementation of role-playing principles, but Yili felt that he might be able to understand it.

Just as I sometimes want to hide in a box to perform, if I cover my face with a mask on stage, perhaps I can hide my weak side.

During the break in practice, Qiu Hui pulled down her mask, drank some water, and then asked, "By the way, I have to go to the library building this Sunday to discuss the signing of the contract. I think this matter is very important, and it would be better if the other members were present. At least there should be a representative other than me..."

"I want to go!"

"Huh? Ichiri-chan?" Kita looked at Ichiri who was very active beside him with some disbelief.

"...Pochi, are you going?" Akiie seemed quite surprised. "There will be many office workers who have become cold-blooded and heartless due to overwork. Even so, you are going to go?"

"Even so..."

Ichiri was a little frightened by Akie's overly exaggerated description.

"...I want to go too!"

Because, as a member of the ending band, as Akie's companion, I... want to do something no matter what.

If Akie can show a weak side, then even I...maybe I can unexpectedly show a strong side, right?

Even if it's not playing guitar!

Chapter 51: A fragile consensus

Meanwhile, inside the RiNG store.

"A hot Darjeeling."

Li Xi placed the ordered drinks in front of Su Shi, then turned around, greeted the foreman, and sat down opposite Su Shi.

She planned to use the breaks from her part-time job to talk to Su Shi about her future plans.

"The decision should be made tomorrow," Li Xi said, "about the stray cats and the performance as well."

"It is indeed time to make a decision." Su Shi nodded, "Li Xi asked yesterday, what does Xiao Deng think now?"

"She hasn't decided whether to perform or not. But..." Li Xi looked directly at Su Shi, "She thinks she should agree to let the stray cat join."

"Is... that so?" Su Shi looked normal, but his voice seemed a little nervous. "I didn't expect Xiao Deng to agree."

"She didn't tell me the specific reason, and to be honest I don't really understand it." Li Xi sighed, "But, I'm glad that we have the same idea."

"Oh yeah, Li Xi also hopes that she can join in."

Su Shi lowered his head slightly.

"But why?"

She asked like this.

"I know what you're thinking." Li Xi replied in such an ambiguous way, "But, I hope this band can become more serious, so that it can be worthy of Deng's singing."

"Serious?" Su Shi didn't seem to understand what Li Xi meant.

"To put it simply, I want this band to play music that can move people's hearts like the song of the lamp," Li Xi said, "for this reason, I welcome talented people like Stray Cat to join us."

"But does Xiao Deng really care?" Su Shi asked back, "As long as we can form a band together, that's enough... I think that's what she thinks, right?"

"I……"

Li Xi looked a little guilty, but his expression soon became firm again, as if he was deliberately trying to cheer himself up.

"...I'm sure she'll care."

Li Xi tapped the table lightly as if to emphasize his position.

Su Shi just smiled and said, "That's just your own idea, right?"

Li Xi responded coldly: "You are the same."

The conversation between the two was interrupted and fell into a subtle silence.

Both sides are right, and each has their own different ideas and purposes.

Although both of them are more or less aware of this, they always maintain a tacit understanding of not directly pointing it out to each other.

Once some things are spoken out, the existing balance can no longer be maintained.

"...When I think about it, this band is really a mess."

Li Xi sneered and shook his head.

"But I think it's only natural that this will happen... If everyone continues to act carelessly like this, the situation will only get worse until it's out of control."

"Why does Li Xi take it for granted?" Su Shi asked back.

"Because everyone is forming a band, but no one cares about the music itself, isn't it natural that it will turn out like this?"

Li Xi sighed.

"Moshi, you should still remember, right? What was the reason for the establishment of CRYCHIC?"

The word that Li Xi mentioned made Su Shi feel a little uneasy.

"Toyokawa Shoko originally brought us together to play the music she dreamed of. The series of stories that followed also started from this."

"So, even Toyokawa Shoko knows that music is the premise of a band, and a band is a group that serves music..."

"…If Toyokawa Shoko can find all kinds of people to meet her musical needs, why can't I?"

Her tone was resolute and merciless.

"Why did you mention Xiaoxiang?" Su Shi, who was already a little uneasy, became even more anxious at this moment, "Could it be that you mean..."

Li Xi didn't say anything else, but just looked at Su Shi with a smile.

"..."

Su Shi also remained silent.

Because some things cannot be said openly. This is the same for both parties.

Even if you guess what the other person is thinking, you cannot point it out and can only continue to maintain a fragile consensus through silence.

"Let's not talk about that for now." Li Xi continued, "There are more pressing matters to deal with. You should also think it would be better to hold the performance, right?"

"Although I am somewhat concerned about Xiao Deng's thoughts." Su Shi nodded, "But, I also think that maybe it would be better that way."

At least on this point, the two can reach a consensus.

Li Xi also nodded with satisfaction.

"As for the light, we'll know when we meet tomorrow. As for the stray cat, she'll definitely want to put on a show."

"Lixi, have you already considered her as a member?" Su Shi asked.

"Even Deng has agreed." Li Xi answered as a matter of course.

“…That’s right.” Suyo nodded, “And there’s Aine, too. She’s also a member of the band after all.”

"As for that girl..." Li Xi sighed, "She should be able to be convinced. How should I put it? She seems to be a little more willing to work hard recently."

"But, she is now in depression because of the pressure from Lena-chan, right?" Su Shi reminded, "Although I think she will have to face these problems sooner or later, but..."

"You're right." Li Xi nodded, "We may be able to find a way to help her overcome it, but we must not let her indulge in these thoughts."

"In other words, we have to accept Lenna's joining and hold the show. This is the best solution for that guy."