Loneliness and Rock and Roll with Band Observer

“Eh? Eh!” Aine looked at the two people in front of her in disbelief, “Wait, wait, a lifetime! That’s a lifetime! Have you ever thought about the average life expectancy? Riki, you too, are you going to continue playing drums after you become an old lady?”

"As long as I'm with Deng," Li Xi responded resolutely, "Of course I'll continue to fight!"

“Ah… uh…” Aine looked embarrassed.

After what seemed like a very intense mental struggle, she finally spoke: "I can't just promise to be together 'forever'! Can you set a goal that's a little more realistic? Maybe a week, a month, etc?"

Facing Deng's disappointed expression and Riki's increasingly cold eyes, Aine had no choice but to agree in desperation: "Okay, okay! Then, how about until the next performance? How about setting this as a short-term goal first?"

"Yeah!" Deng smiled and nodded, "It's an appointment!"

After saying that, Deng turned his head slightly and cast an expectant look at Togawa Akee.

“…Don’t look at me. Do you want to count me in too?” Akie sighed, “I’m just a supporting musician.”

After she and Deng looked at each other for a while, she finally spoke slowly: "... However, although I have no intention of joining you, I should continue to accompany you as an 'outsider' until you get tired of me. Is that okay?"

"...I understand." Deng seemed satisfied. "Thank you, Akiie-senpai."

“Great!” Aine said happily, “Well, Senior, please come here more often in the future, okay?”

"…Probably." Akie nodded slightly.

At the same time, at a table not far away.

Lenai, who seemed to have been paying attention to the five people not far away, smiled meaningfully.

"Interesting woman."

She took the last bite of the matcha parfait with satisfaction.

Chapter 101: A band for life?

Deng, Suyo, Li Xi, and Aine. A new band centered around these four people seems to have taken shape.

As a bystander, Qiu Hui also felt somewhat relieved about this. Since Deng was able to become a member of the new band, it must mean that she has been able to walk out of the shadow of the past.

She has an unusually delicate sensibility and attaches unusual importance to certain things. If this attempt to re-form a new band can free her from the morbid entanglement with the good old days, it will undoubtedly be a good thing.

But... a lifetime...

Akie smiled and shook her head. Takamatsu-san was still thinking about irrelevant things as usual.

After experiencing a failure, she should have realized to some extent how unreliable the words "a lifetime" are.

I don't know if she really thinks this way or if she is just expressing her inner good wishes in a slightly exaggerated way. I hope it's the latter.

At this time, Nagasaki Suyo looked at the time and said, "Everyone, it feels like it's getting late. How about we have a dinner together? It's a celebration for the band's re-formation!"

“Okay, okay!” Aine agreed enthusiastically, “Besides, since we’ve already decided to form a band, we can still eat and chat and decide on various things!”

"Okay, that's settled then." Su Shi smiled, "Then leave the store reservation to me, right?"

"It's probably a bit too late to make an appointment now, right?" Qiu Hui asked.

"I know a few stores that reserve seats for regular customers." Su Shi answered as if it was a matter of course.

...That's only natural. A young lady really has the luxury, and Akie is a little shocked by this.

"Everyone, what kind of food do you want to eat tonight?" Su Shi looked at everyone, "If you can't think of anything specific, just give a rough category."

"I don't care..." Li Xi shook his head, "Deng, what do you want to eat?"

“I think it’s all right.” Deng responded, “Um, Aine, what do you think is better to eat?”

"…Why are you asking her?"

Aine didn't care about Riki's somewhat resentful look at all, and just expressed her own opinion: "After all, it's an important moment for Xiao Deng to finally come out of the shadows and rejoin the band. I think it would be better to go to a place with a little more "party feeling"!"

"I see... I see." Su Shi nodded, "I just happen to know a restaurant that is more suitable. Although it is busy, it is not too stimulating for high school girls, and the food is quite suitable for my taste. So, can I arrange it?"

“Great! Motoyo-san, you’re really reliable!” Aine’s eyes lit up.

"Tsk, this guy is really getting carried away..." Li Xi shook his head.

Just as Su Shi was about to call the store, she suddenly seemed to realize something and turned to look at Togawa Akee who was sitting at the bar.

"Akie-senpai, do you have any plans for tonight?" she asked.

"Me? I didn't." Qiu Hui shook her head, "Are you planning to invite me too?"

"Rather, I had the intention to invite you from the beginning." Su Shi smiled, "This time, Qiu Hui-senpai helped Xiao Deng resolve the misunderstanding and played a major role in the re-establishment of the band. If I didn't invite you, I'm afraid Xiao Deng would be the first one to disagree."

"Yes!" Takamatsu Deng agreed, "Akie-senpai, please come!"

“Everyone said so!” Aine added fuel to the fire, “If Senpai doesn’t come, I won’t let you off!”

Qiu Hui smiled a little embarrassedly. When did I become so popular?

However, I really don't have any other plans tonight. I worked too hard during the training yesterday, so my current state is not very good. Even if I force myself to do the work, I don't think the effect will be much better.

Even if we just look at it from the perspective of efficiency, it would be better to have a meal with everyone tonight and take a break.

"Well, since everyone is so enthusiastic, I would be honored to accept your invitation." Qiu Hui nodded, "Thank you for the hospitality."

"Senior Akihime is the one who should be thanked." Deng shook his head and looked in the direction of Akihime with gratitude.

Shiina Riki quietly watched the light gradually becoming happier, and as if he was infected by the other person, he also smiled.

"Excuse me, I'm going to make a reservation." Su Shi smiled and stood up and left, leaving the other three behind.

Aine, Tomo, and Riki. The three people who stayed in their seats formed a slightly strange combination.

"That's great. I didn't expect that after all these twists and turns, I could actually form a band with Xiao Deng!" Aine did not hide her excitement.

However, after seeing this excitement, Shiina Riki became even more indifferent.

"I think you should realize this by now."

Riki put on a domineering attitude towards Aine, and her beautiful eyes with the corners of her eyes raised looked stern and intimidating.

"Deng is very serious about the band. Since you plan to play in a band with her, I hope you can at least show the corresponding awareness and enthusiasm, understand?"

Aine seemed to be a little uncomfortable with Riki's stern attitude.

“Ahaha, I’m sure I will!” Aine played with her hair a little embarrassedly, “Hey, Xiao Deng will believe me too, right?”

“Yes.” Deng expressed a clear affirmation, “I am willing to believe in Aine who helped me.”

Riki looked at the lamp that smiled at Aine with a sour look, as if an old father was looking at his daughter's slightly frivolous boyfriend.

At this time, Su Shi, who had just gone to the side to make a phone call, also came back.

"It's already been booked." She looked at everyone, "Shall we go now?"

“Okay, okay!” Aine was very excited, “Let’s go!”

“…I hope you can be this enthusiastic when you practice.” Riki rolled his eyes at Aine.

Aine responded with a disapproving stare: “I’m not called ‘you’! I’m Chihaya Aine!”

"Okay, okay, everyone. We've just decided to form a band with great difficulty. Wouldn't it be very annoying if we start arguing now?" Su Shi tried to ease the suddenly tense atmosphere with a wry smile.

Even Qiu Hui, who was a bystander, couldn't help but feel a little worried at this moment.

After all, this was a new band that Gao Song had finally decided to form. How come the atmosphere had become so weird before the whole thing even started?

However, when Qiu Hui looked at Deng, she found that she was just smiling with satisfaction, as if she had no dissatisfaction or worries about the situation in front of her.

When everyone got up and prepared to leave, Qiu Hui came to Deng and wanted to ask her opinion.

Chapter 102 Even if it will wither

"Senior Qiu Hui." Deng smiled and nodded at Qiu Hui.

Now, the five people, led by Su Shi, are heading towards the store she had booked.

Suyo led the way in front, with Aine walking beside her, while Akie and Tomo walked behind.

After noticing that Akie and Deng seemed to have something to talk about, Riki took the initiative to stand in the front row where Suyo and Aine were.

Just then, Aine was excitedly discussing some irrelevant topic with Su Shi, so she naturally butted in and ruthlessly complained about some of Aine's unreliable opinions.

Qiu Hui glanced at the three people who were still chattering in the front and asked Deng, "I always feel that there is a tense atmosphere when this new band is formed. What do you think of this, Takamatsu-san? Do you think it's a problem?"

Takamatsu-san said before and just now that he wanted to form a band for "lifetime".

However, the band had only been together for a few minutes when they began to show signs of discord within the group. Akie was indeed a little worried that Takamatsu-san would be disturbed by this.

"I don't think there's anything wrong with it. Rather, I feel very happy."

However, Deng just smiled happily and shook his head gently, as if he didn't care at all about what happened.

Qiu Hui was a little surprised by this and decided to ask for clarification.

"Didn't Takamatsu say that you wanted to form a band for life?" Akie asked, "From what I understand, bands can easily disband due to minor frictions. Often, a bad atmosphere within the team can lead to disbandment... Is that okay?"

Qiu Hui's words seemed to arouse Deng's thoughts.

She was silent for a moment before she spoke: "Xiao Xiang once told me that CRYCHIC is a community of shared destiny. The members Xiao Xiang invited are all very gentle people. I feel very happy to be among them. The atmosphere is always very harmonious, and everyone cares about each other..."

At this point, Qiu Hui seemed to understand what Deng wanted to say.

“But such a wonderful CRYCHIC didn’t last long before it disbanded,” she lamented.

"...Yeah." Deng nodded.

The team of five people passed an intersection. On the roadside trees, they could still vaguely see a few scattered, dry and broken flowers that had not yet withered.

After all, it is early summer, and their flowering period seems to have ended long ago.

"Although I just said it on the spur of the moment, I gradually realized it after CRYCHIC disbanded." Deng looked at the branches with broken flowers hanging on them, "'For a lifetime' is really too willful."

"Besides, it's actually not reliable at all."

Deng sighed as he looked at a shriveled petal that had been blown down from the treetop by the wind.

"After the blooming period ends, the flowers will wither. Although they may be picked up by someone and made into specimens, specimens are ultimately just dead things with only an appearance."

Deng lowered his head, as if recalling some fragment of the past.

"Compared to many things, human life span seems a bit too long. So, perhaps people are destined to witness the withering of things countless times in their lifetime. Even if it is said to be 'a lifetime', such willfulness is impossible to really achieve."

"What a sad view," Akie commented. "I think Akieko would agree with you."

"That would be great if that's the case," Deng said with a smile.

She raised her head and looked in front of her, seeing Aine and Riki quarreling again for some unknown reason.

“But, I feel like this time is a little different. Aine is a person who quarrels with everyone, but she is still willing to form a band with everyone. If ‘people who are naturally quarrelsome’ can also form a band…”

“…That might mean that even if there are conflicts in the future, we can find a way to resolve them and move forward together for the sake of the band.”

Deng paused for a moment and continued, "... Although flowers will wither one day, the decayed petals can become nutrients for the tree, allowing it to bloom new flowers next year. Maybe there will still be conflicts, quarrels, and dissolution in the future, but..."

"...If everyone is used to quarreling, then they will definitely be able to reconcile at that time."

Deng looked at Aine’s back in front of him timidly.

“Although I may not have much confidence, but when I wanted to escape, Aine held me back. I think that as long as Aine is here, the result this time will definitely not be the same as last time!”

Akie nodded. If it was Aine, she would probably be able to show off her power in such a situation.

However, it is undeniable that there is also the possibility that something went wrong with Aine herself.

“Takamatsu-san, you are very confident in Aine…” She sighed, “But I think that relying too much on Aine might not be a good thing.”

What should I do if Aine is also in trouble? I wanted to ask directly.

However, Qiu Hui felt that this question might be too aggressive, so she changed the way she put it to a more subtle way.

At this moment, Deng suddenly gave a reply that was beyond Qiu Hui's expectations.

"...If that's the case, can I also rely on Akiie-senpai?"

"Huh? Why did you suddenly mention me?" Qiu Hui was a little at a loss.

"Just now, Akiie-senpai said it. From now on, you will continue to watch us as a bystander. Akiie-senpai also said that sometimes only bystanders can realize the key to the problem, while the parties involved will be blinded by emotions and cannot see the truth of the matter clearly."

Deng turned his face away somewhat embarrassedly, took a few deep breaths, and after mustering up his courage, he turned his head again and looked at Qiu Hui.

“… Could you please ask Akie-senpai to keep watching over us from now on?”

"I think if it's Akiie-senpai, he would be able to help point out the problem when everyone is arguing, help everyone resolve the misunderstanding and make peace, just like he did just now."