Loneliness and Rock and Roll with Band Observer

“…Who is it?”

Su Shi blurted out the question without thinking much.

Strange, what am I doing?

Even she herself was not quite sure why she asked this obviously inappropriate question.

"Who is the person who called me?"

Looking at Qiu Hui who looked embarrassed, Su Shi quickly said, "Sorry, just pretend I never said that..."

Who Qiu Hui calls is completely her own privacy. It has nothing to do with me...

While apologizing, Su Shi secretly asked himself what he was thinking.

I have no right to ask about that. After all, given the relationship between Aki and I, I shouldn't have even thought about asking.

What on earth am I thinking about…

Su Shi was so confused that he didn't dare to have direct eye contact with the two people in front of him.

Afterwards we talked a little bit about other things.

Qiu Hui didn't mention the band at all, but just talked about daily life, favorite food, what happened in each other's school, and other relatively casual topics.

As the topic became light-hearted and enjoyable, Lian Mu was sometimes able to interject a word or two or make some comments.

Most of the time it was Qiu Hui who responded to her. She seemed to have gradually gotten used to the feeling of leading the atmosphere during the conversation.

"...I feel like Akiie has changed a lot, too."

Su Shi said with emotion.

"What do you mean?" Qiu Hui asked back.

"I feel like you've become more confident."

"Really? Maybe." Qiu Hui chuckled, "Maybe it's because, during the time I played in the band, I gradually got used to the feeling of needing others and being needed by others."

She raised her head and looked at Su Shi as if she meant something.

"Being needed by others..."

Su Shi lowered his head in panic.

Why is she looking at me like that?

Does she feel like she needs me, or does she feel like I need her?

Su Shi didn't know how to answer. Not to mention answering, she didn't even dare to meet his eyes.

My attitude towards her cannot be considered good in any way.

But even so, she is willing to continue to accompany me like this.

Even if this is just to persuade me to return to the band that has no meaning to me anymore...

…Even so, I hope she can stay with me a little longer.

In the end, Su Shi came to a conclusion that made him somewhat uneasy.

Chapter 109: Central Air Conditioning Kills People

Having said that, this is not an idea that Su Shi can easily express out loud.

Why do I think so?

Su Shi felt that he shouldn't have such thoughts.

In socializing, it is important to understand the intentions of others. If you force yourself to pester someone who has no intention, it will only leave a worse impression on them.

Qiu Hui only saw me as a former employer and just wanted me to return to the band that I didn't want to return to.

So, I shouldn't ask too much of her...

Su Shi continued to chat as if nothing had happened, while he continued to struggle in his heart.

Xiaoxiang's incident had already left her with a very vivid and clear lesson. If it weren't for Qiu Hui's timely appearance, Su Shi believed that she would definitely not be able to recover so quickly to the point where she could think about the problem so calmly.

How could something that had already happened to Xiaoxiang happen again to Qiuhui...

Therefore, Su Shi persuaded himself painfully, hoping to dispel some unrealistic thoughts.

Qiu Hui might be... a very gentle person.

Even though I was so cold to her, she was willing to care about my mood.

Even if she just wanted to persuade me to return to the band... I'm already very grateful that she could do this.

So, I... at this point, I shouldn't ask for more...

"…Sushi, is there anything you want to ask?"

Qiu Hui, who was chatting about irrelevant topics, suddenly seemed to realize something and took the initiative to ask Su Shi.

"Nothing." Su Shi shook his head, "I just..."

At this time, Qiu Hui's cell phone rang again.

Akie quickly took out her phone and checked who was calling. It was Aine.

"Sorry, I have another call."

"Go ahead." Su Shi glanced at Qiu Hui indifferently, "By the way, you are really busy."

Looking at Qiu Hui who started to move towards the guest bathroom again, she let out an audible sigh.

Xiaoxiang must have a very good relationship with her. Otherwise, there would be no need to invite her to talk about that kind of thing.

Aine... I don't need to say much about Aine and her. As for the other people in the band, they all seemed to have a good relationship with her.

Qiu Hui also has her own band...

...I'm really popular. No wonder I have so many calls.

Su Shi held his chin with both hands and looked at the closed door of the guest bathroom thoughtfully.

Maybe she would treat everyone with such a sincere attitude.

It's not because there's anything special about me...it's just that she's used to doing this.

Just like I have become accustomed to smiling at everyone, catering to other people's opinions in order to be accepted, and suppressing unnecessary emotions in order not to cross the line.

Just as Su Shi was thinking about this, she also came to a conclusion that made her feel a little lonely.

Xiaoxiang at that time...maybe he was like that too.

At that time, she was just treating me the same way she treated everyone else.

Is it my fault for having unauthorized expectations, making unauthorized demands, and doing this and that?

If that's the case...

Su Shi's eyes turned gloomy.

...As expected. It's better to give up the band or something.

As long as you don't expect it...

...you won't be disappointed.

……

In the bathroom.

As soon as Qiu Hui answered the phone, she heard Aiyin's hurried voice.

“Senior! What’s going on with Sushi now… um, what’s going on?”

"Well... it's hard to explain the specific situation, I can only say that the situation is now stabilizing..."

Qiu Hui didn't know how to answer, and subconsciously used her usual official rhetoric.

Aine and the others probably don’t know what happened afterwards, after all, I didn’t let them be there at the time.

But then, how to explain to them what happened between Su Shi and Xiangzi became a problem.

“Okay, how about I ask it in a different way?” Aine on the other end of the phone thought for a moment and said, “Are you still with Suyo now?”

"Yes." Akie answered truthfully, "After that, Suyo actually invited me to her house..."

“Eh? Did you run straight to someone’s house? You’re so cunning, senior!” Aine sounded quite surprised.

"Cunning?" Qiu Hui was a little confused.

She was acting purely with the intention of helping Su Shi and convincing her to return to the band, so she didn't quite understand what Aine meant.

Then the situation changed. The voice on the other end of the line suddenly changed.

"Akie."

It's Shiina Tachibana.

"If you are with Su Shi now, can you tell us what she is thinking now?"

For some reason, Li Xi's voice sounded particularly impatient.

"Wait a minute, Rikki, you're getting too excited! Calm down a bit!"

Ain's voice rang again. At this time, Ain's phone was probably on speakerphone, so the other end of the line could hear the voices of both of them.

"...Calm down?" Li Xi was stunned, and then his voice became almost angry, "How do you want me to calm down! You heard everything Su Shi said, right? That guy has been acting only to revive CRYCHIC from the beginning, and has never considered you and the stray cats, right?"

“Wait a minute! Compared to that, if you say that, won’t we be completely exposed?” Aine keenly sensed the crux of the problem.

"……ah."

Li Xi woke up as if from a dream.

Qiu Hui, who was answering the phone at the moment, also had a somewhat stiff expression.

"Wait, from what you said..." She asked uneasily, "...you all actually know everything?"

"……right."

Li Xi finally admitted it with a slight apology.

"Although you said it was inconvenient for us to be there...but, because we all care about Su Shi's affairs, we...secretly followed him."

"We all worked so hard to put on a successful performance, but then something like this happened in the blink of an eye."

"We initially thought it was just a dispute over Kasuga Kage's incident... but we didn't expect that after we followed them, we would actually see that scene with our own eyes."

"so……"

Qiu Hui could hear the restraint in Li Xi's tone. At this moment, she was completely on the verge of exploding.

"...Akie, I'm sorry for following you without your permission... But, can you tell us what Suze is thinking?"

Li Xi paused for a long time before saying the second half.

"This way... we can also decide on the subsequent 'arrangements'."

Before Qiu Hui could respond, Aiyin on the other end of the line couldn't sit still anymore.

“Wait a minute, what do you mean by ‘arrangements’ later on?” Aine asked in confusion, “Does that mean you plan to find a new bassist?”

"...Huh? Do you have any other choice at this point?"

“…Even if, Suyo, is planning to rebuild that band.” Aine’s voice had obviously become less confident, “But, no matter what, after all, Shoko-san has completely… rejected her now.”

Having witnessed Su Shi kneeling down with her own eyes, she might have already realized the truth.

It's just that I haven't accepted the reality yet.

Chapter 110 After the Illusion Disappeared

“Aine.”

Qiu Hui said somewhat mechanically.

"Sushi...she..."