Girl Band, Gravity Capture

Page 118

"I never expected to get Mana and Hatsuka-chan's autographs so easily..."

Chihaya Aine, after fiddling with the album in her hands and leaving the dressing room, still felt a little unreal looking at the beautiful handwriting and genuine signature on it.

This is the joint autograph of the currently popular idol duo, Sumimi... I saw it on an online shopping platform a while ago, and the price was over tens of thousands of yen, enough for her to buy a bag she likes...

Even if I keep it as a collectible, just revealing the fact that I have such a thing, along with a few photos to prove it, would probably be enough to make me the absolute focus of the class...?

The initial goal, the chance to return to the life that others envied and admired in the past... seemed so close.

The method to fulfill this wish was described so casually, it was unbelievably real, and it lay effortlessly in my hands.

There's no need to figure out how to form a band, no need to be busy and confused. All she needs to do is keep her album safe and casually reveal it at the right moment...

The vanity of wanting to stand out from the crowd, be different, and thus become the center of attention can be satisfied in an instant, right?

Simple and direct, it's like a clean and smooth shortcut that suddenly forks out from a muddy and difficult road, and it's incredibly tempting.

Even if Chihaya Aine chooses to do this, it won't hurt anyone—in fact, it fits Xu Dou's desire not to continue forming a band, right?

……only……

'If we do that…'

Not only did he have to betray Xiaodeng, with whom he had agreed to form an alliance, but he also had no opportunity or reason to learn about Xu Douqin's past.

At the very beginning, Chihaya Aine, who was focused on starting over in high school, probably made the decision decisively without any psychological burden... After all, although Xu Touqin's appearance perfectly matched her good ball zone, they were strangers at the time, and it was easy to distinguish which was more important.

...But ironically, I've gradually come to understand him.

The first time she was alone with a boy in a coffee shop, the first date, the first time she held hands, the first time she felt such brightness and warmth from someone else... Although they hadn't known each other for long, the weight she left in the girl's innocent, reserved, and pure heart was no less than anything else.

I want to become closer to him, I want him to smile at me like he did with the little lamp I treasured back then, and I want to continue to experience this happy feeling in the future...

To withdraw from events that, even if only fragments are seen, reveal the complexity and entanglement behind them... also signifies detaching oneself from one's own life.

'It would be foolish to jump into something so troublesome just because you've only known someone for a week or two…'

'...But as expected, I wasn't a very shrewd person to begin with.'

Otherwise, she wouldn't have been encouraged and praised by her classmates to go abroad to study—Chihaya Aine smiled self-deprecatingly to herself.

'-Qi Qiu private

'Isn't the situation great right now? Xu Douqin isn't resistant to me, and we've even held hands. At this rate, persuading him won't be difficult at all!'

She pursed her pink lips slightly, and as if to encourage herself, she patted her cheeks twice. Her cute little tiger teeth, which had been hidden, were revealed with her happy smile, shining brightly in the soft light.

"Being an idol is so dazzling. I really envy Hatsuka and Mana-chan."

As she spoke, Chihaya Aine put the album back into her bag and then took Genjiro Tou's hand.

She had grown accustomed to and even enjoyed the wonderful feeling of her palms pressed tightly together, her face slightly flushed at the same time.

"You just said you thought being an idol was too tiring." Yuan Xudou glanced at the girl and slowed his pace, walking alongside her.

When he brought up the old story again, Chihaya Aine had already prepared her answer.

"You don't have to go for their lively style! I prefer something cooler!" Shaking his arm, the girl tilted her head back, looking expectantly at Yuan Xudou's profile. "When the time comes, we can form a duo idol group and go for that cool image!"

With her other free hand gesturing in front of her, her long pink hair swaying back and forth with the movement, Chihaya Aine poured out her newly formed idea, her voice full of confident energy, "We could wear a cape... or a cloak or something! We could even sell it as merchandise, Kyorarin, what do you think?"

"...An idol duo?"

Hearing her words, Yuan Xudou repeated them in a questioning tone, half confused and half speechless.

"Mmm!" The girl nodded vigorously.

Seeing that Chihaya Aine seemed genuinely serious and not entirely joking, he could only sigh inwardly and reject the girl's suggestion from a practical standpoint.

"Not good. Cloaks and capes are definitely not suitable for going on stage. They will have too much of an impact on stage movements."

"Then how about... a mask?" Chihaya Aine persisted. "Those black masks that cover the face, only showing half, are pretty cool too!"

"Moreover, it also suits your temperament perfectly, Xu Douqin!" she said confidently.

Lowering her head and rubbing her forehead, Yuan Xu Dou Jiu Ling Liu $④ (six) Qi Sha ^ Er Ba / Yue. Yi finally couldn't help but sigh, "...Ai Yin, your taste... is a bit special."

Chihaya Aine was stunned for a moment, then quickly realized what was happening and puffed up her cheeks angrily.

“My taste is pretty good! I’ve even imagined starting a clothing company in the future, and I’ll name it ‘Anon Tyoko’!”

The naming skills are comparable to nicknames like Kyorarin and Rikki...

Turning his head to the side, Yuan Xudou tried his best not to look at her gray eyes, which were filled with embarrassment and anger. He coughed a few times and said, "Aiyin, I didn't say you have bad taste... it's just that you do have a lot of... unique characteristics."

"Isn't that the same thing?!" Unexpectedly, her taste was questioned by the boy, and Chihaya Aine immediately became anxious, her face flushing red. She reached out and lightly patted his shoulder repeatedly. "I was just thinking that the idol group should be called 'Anon Kyoto'—"

"...Couldn't you have put in a little more effort?" Yuan Xudou rarely showed such an indescribable expression of resistance.

Whether it's "Tokyo Aine," "Kyoto Aine," or even the truly meaningful "Aine Koto"... the quality of the names is hard to praise.

Even if you don't expect a noble, gorgeous name that will leave a lasting impression, at least give it some thought.

"Ugh! No way! I have to make Kyorarin understand that my taste is right!"

The two walked back the way they came, bickering and arguing. Their hands, clasped together, showed no intention of letting go. Instead, they gripped each other tighter and tighter, slowly rubbing against each other until, without realizing it, their fingers were intertwined.

Even after walking several dozen meters, Chihaya Aine, who was playfully whining and whining, was still unwilling to give up and was trying to instill her own ideas, rather than trying to persuade the other party.

"What's wrong with 'Anon Kyoto'? It's not only unique, but it also evokes memories of—"

"--that,"

A confused voice came from behind.

What follows is a slight tug-of-war, as if you've thought it through for a long time before making the decision to do this.

The girl's voice suddenly caught in her throat. At the same time, Yuan Xudou felt his hand being gripped tightly, and then, as if by instinct, it began to tremble.

"Are you...Chihaya?"

Today's Love Sound.jpg

Chapter 52 An Accomplice Who's Willing to Lie with You (Part 2)

“…Aine?”

Not only their clasped hands, but in Genji's eyes, even Chihaya Aine's body began to tremble slightly, almost imperceptibly.

He had just spoken with concern when the girl turned around quickly as if avoiding his gaze, her movements stiff and awkward, like a doll whose limbs had lost control.

"Ah...you guys are here too."

Despite her desperate attempts to dodge, Genji could only see a forced smile on Chihaya Aine's profile.

Despite avoiding his gaze, their clasped hands tightened even more—no, it could no longer be called a "hold," but rather like an insecure person subconsciously seeking protection, gripping and squeezing his hand tightly.

...Did you run into someone you didn't get along with before?

Thinking this, Yuan Xudou, who frowned at her unusual behavior, also turned around and looked at the person behind him.

"It really is Chihaya!"

“I just said that this back view definitely looks like Chihaya, but you didn’t believe me.”

However, the two laughing girls accompanying him behind him showed absolutely no signs of malicious intent.

Intuition told Yuan Xudou that the people in front of him seemed to have just seen a familiar face on the road and came up to say hello.

...Then why is Aine acting so scared?

The two girls, who had not yet noticed the forced smile and resistance on Chihaya Aine's face, continued their conversation.

"But I really didn't expect to run into Chihaya here."

"Hmm, that's really hard to imagine."

It was a tone of pure and caring kindness, devoid of any malice.

But to the girl's ears, it was no different from the cruelest judgment and scolding.

Unable to stop what was happening, Chihaya Aine murmured in despair.

...Stop talking.

"Speaking of which, Chihaya, shouldn't you be studying in London?"

"Did you go back to Tokyo for vacation? Why didn't you tell us?"

...Don't ask anymore.

"Now that we've run into each other, Chihaya, do you have some time lately?"

"Everyone misses you. It's so great that you got to study in the UK... Could you tell us about your experiences there, Chihaya?"

"After all, it's Chihaya. Living in London should be quite interesting, right?"

No, I don't want to hear it...

"I……"

My eyes welled up with tears, and my mouth kept swallowing, yet it remained incredibly dry.

The throat, which should have been eloquent, suddenly lost the power to speak. The whole body was numb and the fingers could not be lifted. The person could only stand there blankly, unable to utter a single basic response to the endless waves of concern and questions from his former friends.

No matter how much she prepared herself mentally, no matter how many times she imagined the scene, when it actually happened, she realized that it was all just self-deception and self-comfort, an arrogant belief that she was capable of handling it.

Just like someone who believes they can stand out even abroad, imagining themselves surrounded by classmates and being the center of attention, only to feel fear and trepidation when they actually find themselves in that situation—

...I have never been able to face those things.

I was just deceiving myself.

Today should have been the happiest and most fulfilling day of my life, but it turned into the darkest moment simply because I was recognized by an old friend I ran into.

...It can't be hidden anymore.

Whether it's towards Xu Dou or former classmates.

It's all coming to an end.

The loser named "Chihaya Aine" will eventually have her glamorous facade torn off, revealing her inner hypocrisy and pathetic state.

His pupils, which were originally just a light bluish-gray like morning mist, were gradually eroded by a deep gray.

Even the trembling had turned into a lifeless, eerily still silence.

"...Chihaya, why haven't you said anything?"

The lively and outgoing Chihaya Aine from their memories didn't respond for a long time. In such an illogical situation, they finally sensed something was wrong. One of the girls tilted her head and cast a questioning look at them.

"..."

"Chihaya...?"

"Are you two friends of Aine's from before?"

Before they could approach with worried eyes, Genjiro, who had been analyzing many things from the few words they had just exchanged, moved a few steps forward and subtly blocked Chihaya Aine's way of not responding or refusing, whose expression was clearly abnormal.

Having confirmed that the two were probably not there to cause trouble, his tone was not too cold or distant. The boy, who did not intend to drive them away, simply asked a question with an obvious answer in a nonchalant manner to interrupt the current topic.

"……Eh?"

The girl who was stopped and the girl behind her subconsciously looked up, and only now did they take a closer look at the guy next to their friend whom they hadn't seen in a long time.

The next second, they didn't ask him "Then who are you?" as Yuan Xudou had expected, nor did they honestly answer his question.

“…What a handsome boy…!” The girl in front covered her mouth, her eyes widening in shock, her gaze also carrying a hint of barely perceptible embarrassment, as if she were flustered by his sudden proximity.

Her face flushed, she quickly took several steps back and hid behind another girl.

"...'Aine'? Calling her that so intimately..."

At this moment, they finally turned their gaze to the two hands that were still tightly clasped together.

"Chihaya! You...you actually secretly got a boyfriend without telling us!"

The girl who peeked out from behind her companions had a strange blush on her face. At the same time, she launched into a heart-wrenching critique of Chihaya Aine, "No wonder you haven't contacted us since you came back!"

"So she secretly went on a date with her boyfriend!" another girl added in unison.

"...Ah...ah?"

Chihaya Aine, who was already feeling like she was falling into an abyss, stared blankly as the two of them suddenly became incredibly excited and put aside her study abroad plans, taking turns denouncing her for "forgetting her good friend after getting a boyfriend" and her behavior of forgetting her friends for the sake of romance.