Loneliness and Rock and Roll with Band Observer

All kinds of describable and indescribable images flashed through Aine's mind quickly, and her imagination had never been so developed as it was now.

Aiyin, whose mind was completely blank, tapped the screen with her finger and the video continued to play.

Miao Meng introduced the uses of various bottles and jars in her usual lively tone, while using the ten fingers of both hands to apply various clear or sticky liquids step by step on Qiu Hui's face, sometimes gently and sometimes forcefully.

"Wait a minute, yes, it's a little itchy..." Qiu Hui twisted her body embarrassedly.

"Oh! This is unavoidable. After all, when applying it, you have to massage the skin to facilitate absorption..."

Wow! No, I can’t watch this anymore! I don’t know what I shouldn’t watch, but I can’t watch this anymore!

Aine felt dizzy, as if she had stood up suddenly after squatting for too long. She tried to touch her cheek, and it was unexpectedly slightly hot.

She couldn't help but think, now she is touching her face... then, what about last night?

If we were staying overnight... would Senior and Meow Mengqin sleep in the same bed? Before that, they probably even took a bath together, right?

Aiyin pressed the button suddenly, wanting to exit the playback page and return to the tablet's home page; however, even after returning to the home page, the playback application, which was transformed into a small window, continued to faithfully perform its duties and played the scenes of Meow Meng molesting Qiu Hui.

After closing the small window as well, looking at the main page filled with application icons, Aine finally breathed a sigh of relief.

“…What on earth am I doing?”

After a long moment, Aine let out a long, helpless sigh.

Well, even if the senior really kissed Miao Meng all night... then, it has nothing to do with me, right?

Is the unpleasant feeling I feel now due to jealousy?

"I……"

Aine sat back on the sofa.

I get jealous when I see my seniors getting intimate with other people. Is this a characteristic of "liking"?

Does my current situation meet the "exclusivity" that my predecessors mentioned?

Uh, but even if that's true, we can't just draw a conclusion like that. What's that term called, sufficient conditions and necessary conditions?

Aiyin was still hesitant, unwilling to simply admit that she liked Akie.

I had never thought about it before, but I suddenly had this thought overnight? That's too casual of a "like"!

"Well...even if we're just good friends..."

Aine picked up the tablet and searched for words like "possessiveness between friends" as keywords.

“There are so many similar sayings!”

The information she collected from some unknown question-and-answer sites and relationship blogs made Aine feel a little relieved.

"I see. Even if they're just friends, you'd still feel bad if you were ignored. That makes sense."

Aine realized that she wasn’t the only one who had this kind of trouble, and her mood improved a little.

If we think in this direction, maybe it will work...

Aiyin made a decision secretly with a little bit of luck in her mind.

As long as there is any other possibility, she doesn't want to consider it from the perspective of "I like my senior".

Because, that was a possibility that she had already denied herself a long time ago.

If you rashly switch to affirmation just because of a momentary unhappiness, then it is indeed inappropriate, right?

“…How troublesome.”

Aine sighed.

And suddenly I really want to see my senior.

Then, let's initiate the video call request as usual?

Although the senior does not plan to continue to be a supporting musician, since we are still friends, he will definitely accept the invitation as usual.

Just as Aine expected, Akie's face soon appeared on the screen.

“Senpai!” Aine greeted, just like she had done many times before.

“Aine, what’s going on?”

Qiu Hui in the picture seemed to have taken off her makeup, but her complexion was still much better than before.

The background of the picture is a room that looks quite spacious, completely different from the cramped room before.

“…Eh, Senpai, have you moved?” Aine was startled.

"Yes." Qiu Hui nodded, "Because Miss Miao Meng said that there happened to be a room in the suite she rented that had been vacant, so she hoped to find a roommate to share the rent. After I learned the details, I felt that the conditions were quite suitable, so I agreed."

"Nyan..."

Aine felt as if her head was suddenly hit by a hammer.

That's indeed the case.

Senior is sharing a house with Miao Meng...

...In other words, it's not just a temporary overnight stay, but we'll be staying here forever?

As luck would have it, as if deliberately wanting to deal Aine another blow, the door behind Akihime opened at this moment, and Meow Meng, wearing home clothes, walked in.

"Ms. Akira! I just made some scented tea and brought you a cup..."

"Thank you." Qiu Hui took the teacup with a smile.

At this time, Miao Meng also noticed Aiyin appearing on the screen.

“Aine, good evening, meow! Do you want to talk to Akirako about something? Then I won’t bother you!”

Miao Meng smiled and left the camera's range. Her smile was quite friendly, but it also had a hint of protest.

"..."

Chihaya Aine was speechless.

It was all her own fault that things turned out like this.

It was because she rejected Qiu Hui that their relationship became just like that of ordinary friends...

“…So, what did Aine want to talk to me about?”

"Uh, well, it's nothing, I just wanted to chat with you... just like before..."

Aiyin's voice became smaller and smaller, and she seemed to have no confidence at all.

"I'd be happy to chat. But right now I'm discussing composition with Li Xi, so if there's nothing important, please wait until I finish what I'm doing, okay?" Akihi replied.

There is actually nothing wrong with this reply.

Since I’m busy with other work right now and Aine doesn’t have anything important to discuss, I can’t accompany you for the time being. This is only natural.

“…Oh.” Aine responded in a lifeless tone.

However, this attitude, which even she herself thought was not a problem, became the last straw that broke the camel's back.

Chapter 51: Su Shi's Desperate Bet

"Then... I won't bother you for now."

After disconnecting the video call, Aine placed the tablet on the coffee table without saying a word.

Because we are just friends, not a special relationship.

So...it's normal for Senior to temporarily push me aside for other people's business...

No, Li Xi can't be considered as someone else. The senior is now busy with the band's affairs.

Aine, who realized this, suddenly felt dazed.

Composing music was not part of her job scope. She took the initiative to undertake these tasks, and the original reason was probably because of me.

And now, I'm outshined by the "band", and it feels like...

...It's like I was defeated by my former self.

The preliminary conclusion that Aine had finally come to was shattered once again.

Perhaps, I will not be satisfied with just being friends with my seniors.

Aine realized this vaguely only after Akie’s natural preference for her disappeared.

But, it's not the "like" or "admiration" that goes beyond that.

What on earth was I expecting? A relationship somewhere in between, not as heavy as love, but more special than friendship?

What a hassle! Doesn't this mean there is no conclusion at all?

Aiyin sighed helplessly, she couldn't just tell her senior like that!

It's okay. There's still some time before the performance, and the training camp is coming up soon.

Taking advantage of this training opportunity...

Can I really understand my own thoughts?

Aine didn’t know.

However, she decided to put these worries aside for the time being.

"After all, Senpai must like me more when I'm in a good mood."

Thinking about this reason, which she was not sure if it could be considered as a reason, Aine forced a smile.

……

after a while.

Su Shi sat upright on her bed, with a floor-to-ceiling window in front of her, and outside the window was a bird's-eye view of the city from the forty-fifth floor.

Most of the time, she was alone in this overly grand and luxurious penthouse suite.

Today was an exception, as my mother came home for a rare visit. But as expected, she was drunk again.

Most mothers come home only when they are exhausted, because only then can they not take good care of themselves.

She is a career woman with a strong desire for advancement and the ability to match it. After divorcing the man who had become vague in Su Shi's memory, her passion for work has reached a new level.

Even if you hate your job, it will find you again and again. If you love your job, it will "reward" your enthusiasm a thousandfold.

Countless business, meetings, interviews and business trips cut her life into countless small pieces.

What is left for the family, or for the world, is often only the driest and most fragmented part of it.

Su Shi was used to it. Tonight, she took care of her drunken mother lovingly as usual.

I helped her settle down, changed her clothes, made some sobering medicine, and fed it to her. I helped her make her bed, helped her get into bed, and watched her fall asleep peacefully.

Then he closed the door again and was alone, staring at the empty suite outside his mother's bedroom.

There's nothing weird about this. This is good.

Nagasaki Suyo feels that this is part of life.

Just like CRYCHIC, it is an indispensable part.

She took out her phone and first checked the band's group chat, only to find that it was almost entirely filled with messages from Chihaya Aine.

She seemed to be extremely excited, and the group chat was filled with all kinds of things related to the training arrangements, from schedules to messy travel guides.

Even if you are really looking forward to the training camp, you don't have to post so many messages on purpose, right?

A smile forced itself on Su Shi's somewhat stiff face.

Chihaya Aine.

This person...what's going on?

I joined just for boring reasons like fitting in with the atmosphere, but in the end I seemed to be the one enjoying the band the most.