Girl Band, Gravity Capture

Page 103

He had no intention of making Chihaya Aine leave. Firstly, it was out of courtesy; it wasn't in his nature to force her to leave when they had met once before and her reasons for getting close were reasonable. Secondly, for some reason, he felt a sense of familiarity with her that made him want to chat a little longer. Thirdly, there was a kind of premonition, almost like a sudden impulse.

Perhaps this lively young girl could provide him with some useful information.

Moreover, the experience of doing a good deed by chance on the roadside and then being pestered by the other party gave Yuan Xudou a slightly... familiar feeling of déjà vu.

Therefore, he didn't mind chatting with Chihaya Aine a few more times.

"Oh, and I'd like an extra cup of hot Earl Grey tea."

"……understood."

Although she clenched her teeth slightly, feeling intensely annoyed as if something she cherished was being spied on, Shiina Riki finally nodded sullenly, at least she could sit closer to Xu Dou.

She had never been able to refuse Xu Dou's requests. Even though she wasn't really willing, her body moved instinctively, and she turned around and walked backstage.

Before leaving completely, she glared at Chihaya Aine, her deep purple pupils subtly conveying the message, "If you know what's good for you, don't linger."

However, this only provoked the girl's temper, making her determined to stay a little longer.

Watching the girl, who exuded a sense of oppression, leave, the atmosphere eased again, and Chihaya Aine breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm sorry, that's just how Riki is." Gen Xudou apologized again on behalf of Shiina Riki.

"It's nothing, it's nothing... You guys seem to have a really good relationship."

Feeling a little uncomfortable with his overly serious tone, Chihaya Aine scratched the back of her head, smiled sheepishly, and tried to make the conversation return to its relaxed, casual nature.

She was indeed curious about how the other person could get along so well with Shiina Ritsuki, who had a completely aloof demeanor, and even make her obedient.

"Yes, we are good companions."

"'companion'?"

Are they not just friends, but companions?

"That was in the past." Yuan Xudou, clearly not wanting to talk about it anymore, lowered his eyes slightly. "By the way, Aine, is there something you want to do when you come to RiNG?"

"Well, this..."

Next, she should have had the perfect opportunity to reveal her true intentions and invite him to join the band. But when the moment actually arrived, Chihaya Aine felt a little nervous.

She wasn't sure if she could succeed, but she absolutely didn't want to fail.

Ultimately, could such professional-level guitar skills really be provided by a band that doesn't even have a name, let alone a member, and is just playing around without any serious long-term plans?

"Yes, I came with my friends. They're rehearsing in the recording studio downstairs."

After much hesitation, the girl still couldn't bring herself to voice her thoughts.

Once is enough for something that gets you carried away with passion... Chihaya Aine can't afford to fail a second time.

“…I see.” Yuan Xudou looked a little disappointed. “I thought I could help you, since I’m quite familiar with the manager and owner here.”

He didn't dislike the girl's lively and cheerful personality, which reminded him of a certain sky-blue-clad girl, and helping her out wasn't a difficult thing to do.

With Genjiro's keen observation skills, he could certainly sense the hesitation and desire that lingered in her heart like a small, discordant shadow. But since Aine herself was unwilling to express it to others, he had no reason to force her.

"I'm very grateful that you even have this thought." She smiled somewhat reluctantly, but her mind was elsewhere.

...As expected, I still didn't want to give up without even trying.

I've always been a top student since I was a child. Even if I've had a setback while studying abroad, if I don't even have the courage and confidence to start over, wouldn't that be a complete failure?

Kyorarin has a kind and gentle personality, so even if she doesn't succeed, it shouldn't be too embarrassing. If she gives up on such a simple first attempt, it will be even harder to move forward.

Okay, I'm going now!

"actually--"

Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Rejected Invitation

"Actually—I'm looking for band members."

Gently stroking the ends of her pink hair, Chihaya Aine's delicate face, illuminated by the lobby lights, revealed an embarrassed smile.

“If it’s a live house as big as RiNG, maybe I can find suitable teammates—that’s what I think.” As she said this, she suddenly leaned forward, raised her face, and looked at the boy in front of her expectantly.

"I want to be the guitarist and vocalist. The other members of the band haven't decided yet... Xu Dou, you play the guitar so well, I'd like to invite you to be the band's guitarist!"

Chihaya Aine clasped her hands together, bowed her head to Minamoto no Koto, and pleaded earnestly, "Please, please—"

The moment the request was uttered, the two were enveloped in a heavy, silent quagmire, as if they had sunk into a deep swamp.

Because she had lowered her head and could only see the tabletop, Chihaya Aine, who couldn't see his expression, couldn't help but feel uneasy, her heart pounding like a drum.

Are they considering whether to join, or...?

The girl, caught in a state of tension, couldn't clearly discern the passage of time. The time spent waiting for a response might have been only a few seconds, but it felt like hours had passed, causing unbearable anxiety.

Ultimately, that period of silence came to an end.

"—Sorry, Aine."

"I have no plans to join the band yet."

A bland, unambiguous rejection brought Chihaya Aine's invitation to a judgmental close.

Failed.

...Sure enough, it's only natural that such an abrupt invitation to join someone's band would be rejected.

Besides, it's normal for a guitarist of Xu Douqin's caliber not to have failed... He'll try harder next time.

A bittersweet feeling, a mix of resentment and frustration, welled up within her, but she quickly suppressed it.

Chihaya Aine raised her head, smiled at Genjiro seemingly nonchalantly, and silently put her hands back under the table, placing them on her legs.

"Hmm, it seems I underestimated things."

"Yeah, being invited out of the blue can be a bit of a hassle—"

He was trying to find excuses to make amends for his recent failure, and his voice was casual when he suddenly stopped.

Because when Chihaya Aine composed herself and looked up to meet Genji's gaze, what she saw in his dark, beautiful, and gentle eyes was not the indifference she had imagined, nor the subtle contempt that suggested she was incapable of making her heart flutter.

The faint, dim light seemed to have nothing to do with the negative opinions directed at her.

On the contrary, Chihaya Aine even felt that there was an inexplicable...familiarity in that gaze. It was as if she could understand it, as if she could sense the meaning within it.

She remembered.

Xu Douqin seems to be—melancholy?

Yes, that's how it feels. Depression, melancholy, loneliness... these are negative emotions shrouded in darkness that only those who have experienced painful failures might have when recalling the past.

It was very faint, flashing briefly in his deep eyes before he returned to his previous calm, as if it were just his imagination.

But that was definitely not an illusion—Chihaya Aine was certain.

The girl, who had initially planned to apologize for her abrupt behavior after being rejected and then quickly leave after getting Yuan Xudou's contact information, suddenly relaxed her tense body, and her feet, which had been quietly shifting their position, stopped in place.

"I see."

It wasn't my fault.

It wasn't because her sudden request was impolite, nor because the band she had just decided to create sounded unreliable or lacked talented members and therefore wasn't attractive—Xu Douqin rejected her for these reasons.

If these are hard, objective problems, then Chihaya Aine has no other choice but to give up. Just like when she was studying in England, she couldn't communicate well with her classmates, so she had to go home.

But now, the situation is somewhat different.

To put it bluntly—at this moment, Chihaya Aine felt she had a very good chance.

Inviting Xu Douqin was never a big deal; it was just an experiment. Success would be fantastic, a gift from heaven to give a top-tier band a chance, and everything would be smooth sailing from then on. Failure was expected; while not being able to recruit him was disappointing, it wasn't a major setback.

The situation is that it wasn't successful, but in the girl's mind, it doesn't seem like a failure.

At least, there is hope.

Chihaya Aine didn't want to give up on her plan to bring Genjiro into the band easily. Was it because he was the first person she'd invited, and she hoped it would end successfully? Or did she genuinely think his qualities were exceptional, that both his looks and talent were captivating...?

...Or perhaps, they resonated with that feeling of loneliness?

In short, it seemed there was still a possibility of change, so she decided to give it another try.

Maybe we can take advantage of the situation?

'Besides, if I can resolve Kyorarin's inner conflict, he'll definitely listen to me without question...'

'Then, let him pretend—just pretend—to be my boyfriend…'

With a boyfriend who is so good-looking, academically outstanding, and can play the guitar so well, even without a band, you can still be the envy of your classmates!

For example, on a sunny afternoon, when I and my friends walked out of the school gate, Xu Douqin, who was waiting at the gate, immediately came to greet us. Then, amidst the surprised and envious gazes of our classmates, we walked away side by side... I would definitely be questioned about it the next day!

It's just a pretense anyway... But if Xu Douqin is a conservative person, and likes me too much, then maybe it's not entirely out of the question to turn this pretense into something real...

'hey-hey……'

"...Aine? Chihaya-kun?"

The girl in front of me didn't speak after raising her head. She seemed to be thinking about something happy, and her slightly silly smile revealed her small, round canine teeth.

Confused and wondering what she was happy about, Yuan Xudou called out to her softly a few times before she snapped out of her daze.

Meeting the boy's slightly puzzled gaze, even though his tone was still gentle and didn't seem to blame her for being distracted, Chihaya Aine couldn't help but feel her cheeks burning.

She raised her hand in a slightly flustered manner, gesturing wildly in the air, trying to explain her distraction.

"Um, that! I... I wasn't just saying—"

The top student's mind raced at an unprecedented speed at that moment, ultimately arriving at a sad conclusion—it seemed that no matter what they said, things would only get worse.

He was rejected by the band, yet he could still be happy...? That's just too strange!

　VII⑵II〉〣_I淋⒋o韭~齐③⒋ Chihaya Aine couldn't possibly tell Genjiro about her recent fantasy in its entirety. Compared to the current awkwardness, that would cause even greater shame!

As long as you don't voice your thoughts, they'll remain just thoughts, not real, and you can think whatever you want. But if you put them into reality and have to endure being scrutinized by others—that feeling is no different from social death.

Fortunately, Yuan Xudou, who simply had something to say, didn't hold her momentary lapse in composure against her.

“Although I can’t join your band, Ai-yin.” With his long arms resting on the table and his shoulders slightly raised, Yuan Xu-dou’s words were thoughtful, clear, and sincere. “However, I know someone who can solve your problem.”

“I know a senior in the music industry who has access to a wide variety of musicians. Finding a band that needs a guitarist and vocalist shouldn’t be too difficult.”

Given Tsuzuki Shisen's influence and social circle, he could probably reach any kind of band or person, which is why he was promised the excellent condition that "as long as he is willing to go on stage, excellent members are not a problem."

He had no intention of owing Tsuzuki Shifune a favor for Chihaya Aine, whom he had only met a few times, or having the boss introduce him to a band. Not to mention that it could easily be misunderstood as him wanting to go on stage, ultimately ruining Tsuzuki Shifune's plans, he wasn't that kind of philanthropist.

It's just providing a channel for contact. If that doesn't work, Ms. Rinrinko should have some information.

However, upon hearing his words, Chihaya Aine waved her hand, showing no surprise on her face, and instead looked somewhat embarrassed.

"No need for that... Actually, I'm not that serious about it."

"It's more like a hobby club. Besides, I feel bad about troubling you, Xu Dou, any further..."

That's part of the reason. But the more crucial reason is that Chihaya Aine has already made up her mind to include the boy in the band as well.

If things just end like this, then I won't have a chance to continue, will I?

While it's certainly satisfying to have a ready-made account that you can start playing right away, getting your first SSR from scratch is definitely more fulfilling—with this mindset, the girl returned his rejection.

"I understand." Yuan Xudou nodded slightly, showing no disappointment.

Chapter Twenty-Eight: News of Takamatsu Teng

During their conversation, Shiina Tatsuki, who would occasionally peek out from backstage, quickly prepared coffee and two cups of black tea.

The crisp sound of porcelain clashing rang out, interrupting Chihaya Aine's speech. She slammed one of the cups of black tea down in front of the girl. The gesture was less like "placing" and more like "smashing."

'Ugh, that's a terrible attitude...'

No matter how good-tempered you are, if you are repeatedly treated with obviously targeted and hostile attitudes, your opinion of that person will plummet.

Immediately, Chihaya Aine looked disapprovingly at Shiina Tatsuki, who casually pulled up a chair and sat down next to Minamoto Koto. However, Shiina completely ignored her accusing gaze and sat down as if nothing had happened.

Unfortunately, her glare was at least two or three levels less intimidating than that of Shiina Tatsuki, a seasoned master of using her gaze to exert pressure. If Shiina Tatsuki's dark expression could startle even some timid adults, then Chihaya Aine probably wouldn't even frighten children a few years younger than her. Her puffed-up expression, far from intimidating, even looked somewhat endearingly naive.