Girl Band, Gravity Capture

Page 117

"Wow...this is the first time I've ever sat so close to a concert..."

After taking her seat, looking at the stage that was almost within arm's reach, Chihaya Aine, who had never managed to snag such a coveted seat before, exclaimed that she had never seen anything like it before, and secretly squeezed the hand of her neighbor, Genjiro.

"Xu Douqin, isn't this... what you call an employee voucher? No, no, it should be called an internal... internal..."

"Internal ticket."

"Yes! Did Hatsuka-chan really send this? It feels, it feels..."

Chihaya Aine nervously swallowed, her slender, fair neck twitching slightly. "This feels a little unreal..."

"Will they look this way later? Or will there be any fan interaction or something?"

While whispering with him, she gently and fascinatedly stroked the boy's hand resting on the armrest. His large, well-defined hand, slightly rougher than her fingertips, yet exuding a sense of security, made her heart bloom with a delicate flower bud, blossoming with threads of trust and reliance that were hard to describe.

Chihaya Aine is a girl with a strong desire to share. She forwards interesting videos she sees to her friends on Line, collects trending emojis and hot topics, and chooses her outfits and makeup according to the season and fashion. Today, she has carefully selected what she considers the most suitable casual clothes for what she sees as her date.

The light gray plaid suspender skirt paired with a plain white off-shoulder top, although due to her inherent disadvantages in figure, she couldn't go for a mature style and highlight her feminine charm, this outfit also had a youthful and lively vibe. In addition, the "first love" light makeup recommended by the makeup streamer "Miaomengqin" that she had been following recently, she had never prepared so carefully and thoroughly, not even for the day of her interview for studying abroad.

At first, she thought Yuan Xudou would be a cold, hard blockhead who was terrible at this kind of thing and didn't even know how to say nice things. She was prepared to lead the atmosphere herself, but in reality...

Chihaya Aine stealthily glanced at Genjiro's softly sculpted profile before quickly turning her face away before he noticed.

Kyorarin is much more knowledgeable than I imagined... She would praise my effort and beauty at first glance, and she would patiently and meticulously take care of my emotions, which is completely different from the saying on the Internet that handsome male pool players are all aloof.

That makes sense, though. If he were really the kind of troublesome guy who wouldn't even acknowledge a word and ignored the kindness others showed him, Shiina Tatsuki and Takamatsu Akari, especially the former, wouldn't be so hung up on him.

'Well, to be precise, she was quite aloof at first, but she became much more approachable as we got to know each other.'

She's the type who's cold on the outside but warm on the inside, much better than those who're cold from beginning to end, or those who're all smiles but have a knife in their heart, or those who're warm on the outside but cold on the inside. Chihaya Aine thought smugly.

After all, if he extended his kindness to everyone without hesitation, a good guy like Xu Douqin would have been snatched away by some lucky girl long ago, hidden away and kept as her private property.

Anyway, if it were her, she would definitely do the same... The only problem is that Xu Douqin is too opinionated. It's unrealistic for one person to make him their own.

Rikki and Tomorin must have realized this, which is why they allied with me, right?

Although their starting points may differ, the desired outcomes are largely the same. This alliance, spearheaded by Xiaodeng and not particularly strong internally, has a reason to exist.

"It shouldn't be... it's about to start."

After briefly answering Chihaya Aine's question, Genjiro looked away for a moment before turning his gaze back to the stage.

"Chu Hua and I weren't particularly close acquaintances; we initially met simply because we were 'friends of friends.'"

In the audience, who were quietly waiting for their idol to appear, he explained in a soft voice, with a hint of reminiscence.

...I first saw Mitsuka Hatsuka at the end of CryCHIC's first and last original song, "Spring Shadow".

Hatsuka Mikami, a friend of Shoko Toyokawa, came to support him, and it was there that he met her and became acquainted with this rising idol of [Sumimi].

After that, he accompanied Xiangzi to see several of Chuka's concerts. At first, Xiangzi was in charge of the arrangements, but later the task was handed over to Yuan Xudou, who was in charge of external affairs and arranging band activities. As a result, he also got the personal contact information of Sanka Chuka and Junda Mana—the latter was added by the other party out of curiosity.

Over time, they gradually became familiar with each other. Mikazuki would even sometimes share her recent performance schedule with him, and if she had free time, he would ask for a ticket to go and watch. She was showing signs of becoming a "loyal core fan" of the [Sumimi] duo.

The boy wasn't trying to take advantage of others; the main reason he asked for tickets was that as the two of them became more and more famous, buying tickets online or offline was too troublesome, and it was unlikely that he could compete with those who hoarded tickets, and it would be difficult to get good seats.

Since Sanjiao Chuhua has a few unused internal ticket slots, it's unlikely anyone would refuse the other party's kindness and insist on going through the trouble of buying tickets...

...No, if it were the current Xiangzi, he might refuse.

After all, for her, who has become very sensitive after falling on hard times, even giving away a ticket could be interpreted as looking down on her financial situation, which would hurt her already fragile self-esteem.

Thinking of this, Genji shook his head helplessly, rubbed his forehead with his other free hand, and sighed softly under Chihaya Aine's puzzled and surprised gaze.

"Xu Douqin... are you in a bad mood?" The girl's expression became somewhat uneasy, and the soft, white hand covering the back of her hand carefully applied pressure, gently stroking it. "Could it be because of me...?"

"...It's nothing, I just remembered some things."

...Huh? Could it be that Hatsuka-chan is also connected to Xu Douqin's band's past?! The relationships here are getting more and more complicated!

Regardless of Chihaya Aine's increased pressure after hearing the boy's explanation, her thoughts drifted away after recalling Toyokawa Shoko's soft response from Minamoto Kōto.

...When Xiangzi disappeared without saying goodbye, he even sent a message to Sanjiao Chuhua, trying to get some clues about Xiangzi's whereabouts from her indirectly.

To avoid implicating her, he didn't directly tell her that Xiangzi was missing, but simply asked if the two had been in contact recently. Naturally, the answer was no.

Aside from his childhood best friend, Mutsumi, with whom he knew each other's families intimately, making it impossible to keep the secret from him, Toyokawa Shoko decisively cut off all contact with acquaintances, including him, not to mention Mitsumi Hatsuka, with whom she was not as close as the band members.

Furthermore, since they don't usually exchange messages much, Mikasa Hatsuka probably didn't even know that she had been blocked by Toyokawa Shoko. After receiving help from Minamoto Koto, she chose not to completely deny the past and then unblocked him.

If she knew the truth, she would probably be devastated.

...It's not good to reveal Toyokawa Shoko's current whereabouts to her. The stubborn girl, determined to be self-reliant, probably wouldn't want anyone except Genji Kōdō to know her situation. Rather than having Hatsuka come to her for help, only to be ruthlessly rejected, or even subjected to cold questioning and rejection, it's better to keep her in the dark about what happened in the first place.

It's never a good experience to have your goodwill trampled on. Toyokawa Shoko, who is still unstable, is not someone who knows about her past to be close to.

However, revealing a little bit of information should put her mind at ease as a friend of both of them.

When I take Aine to meet him and ask for his autograph later, I'll mention it casually.

Chapter Fifty: Behind the Scenes of the Concert

"Hello everyone, thank you for coming to our concert to support us. This is Mana and Hatsuka from [Sumimi]~"

"Long time no see! How have you all been? Mana looks great!"

Beside the vibrant chestnut-colored girl, the bright and serene golden-haired girl smiled gently as she steadied the guitar in her hands.

"We hope our song can energize everyone."

"Our first song today is everyone's favorite, 'Here, The World'! Everyone in the audience can sing along!"

"Okay, let's get started."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"Hi~ That concludes today's concert~ Thank you so much for your support!"

"Please leave in an orderly manner. Fans who want autographs can come to the front row. Please be careful not to disturb others."

Despite her face being covered in a light sweat, Mana Junda's smile remained unchanged as she enthusiastically greeted her fans. Hatsuka Mika, who looked slightly tired, also perked up and maintained her smile for her fans.

After jumping and dancing for several hours during the concert, Chihaya Aine was able to maintain her energetic appearance and face the audience with great respect.

Moreover, the audience members who had been sitting in the audience for hours actually had the strength to rush down to ask for autographs—she personally witnessed a small, thin girl leap across several rows of seats and rush from the back row to the front row. She couldn't imagine how a body shorter than her could generate such strength.

Idols and their fans are truly terrifying things.

"Being an idol must be so tough..." The girl, who now had a deeper understanding of the profession, struggled to her feet, holding onto the armrests. Her legs trembled slightly as she stood up, and she couldn't help but exclaim, "It felt like watching an entire long movie. Just watching from below was exhausting; I could barely stand. I really don't know how they manage to keep going..."

"After all, being an idol is a profession. If they didn't do this, [Sumimi] wouldn't have become famous so quickly."

Yuan Xudou, who was already used to it, spoke calmly and reached out to steady Chihaya Aine, who was about to sit back down.

The girl carefully clung to his arm to steady herself.

"Shall we leave now?" Chihaya Aine asked hesitantly, her fingers tightening slightly around Genjiro's arm. "They've worked so hard, and it feels a little bad that they went to ask for autographs after work..."

Stripping away the glamorous filter of idols, they are just girls their own age. They are already exhausted from performing on stage. After putting herself in their shoes for a moment, Chihaya Aine couldn't help but feel some sympathy for them.

She didn't suddenly stop wanting autographs; she just felt embarrassed to bother them with something like this during their time when they should have been resting.

I do really like how my idol shines... but if it's this hard, it's not worth it.

Her interest in shining on stage is limited to ordinary hobbies; if it were to become a job she has to do... she lacks the confidence to stick with it.

"...It's alright, I happen to need to see Chu Hua about something, let's go together."

Is this... a reason I can accept with a clear conscience?

'...You're being too gentle, Xu Dou-chan...'

Genjiro Todo comforted her with these words, and Chihaya Aine, who was already hesitant, lost her determination to continue to firmly reject the idea.

She took a half step without making a sound, bringing herself closer to the boy. Her light pink hair formed a delicate bridge between their bodies, and her gray eyes shone even brighter, conveying her growing warmth and intimacy in this way.

"Let's go together then!" She swept away her previous hesitation and transformed back into her usual cheerful and outgoing self, Chihaya Aine. "I'd also like to ask Mana-chan and the others how they can always sing and dance with such energy!"

'If I can learn this, I won't be afraid when the band goes on stage—'

This is a thought that Kyorarin cannot openly share with him yet.

Changing his mindset needs to be done gradually... It wouldn't be good if he thought of me as a clingy woman.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Two light knocks came from outside the lounge.

Upon hearing this sound, Sankaku Hatsuka, who was closer to the door, was the first to stand up and walk towards the door.

"Is this Xu Dou?" She stopped in front of the door.

"it's me."

The somewhat muffled response, blocked by the door, still revealed the boy's signature warm and gentle voice, a quality she and Mana had agreed upon after private discussions—a voice perfectly suited to an idol.

Having recognized the person outside the door, Mitsukasa, relieved, opened the door.

"Come in... The performance is over and I'm resting. I'm afraid you'll find it embarrassing, Xu Dou."

The girl, no longer under the spotlight, no longer wore that ever-present, cheerful smile; only a faint but genuine smile remained on her relaxed and beautiful face.

A pure white towel hung on the back of her neck, its ends slightly damp from the sweat wiped away. The steam rising from her beautiful blonde hair, carrying the fragrance of violets, drifted gently into her nostrils.

With a flushed face from the performance and her heart racing, Mikasa smiled at him somewhat shyly. Despite her exhaustion, her bright purple eyes immediately turned to Chihaya Aine behind the boy.

"You're the fan Xu Dou was talking about, right? Just give me the album you want autographed."

She stepped back half a step, ushered the two into the lounge, and then closed the door.

"Xu Dou, Mana's over here."

Behind Misaki, Junda Mana also peeked out, smiling brightly and waving at him.

"Chu-Chu-hua-chan, thank you for your help."

Facing her favorite idol, Chihaya Aine, who had successfully pursued her idol in an unconventional way, was inevitably a little nervous. She took out the album she had prepared in advance from her handbag and handed it over with an expectant look on her face.

The skilled girl pulled out a marker and, without even needing a flat surface for support, quickly signed her name in mid-air, returning the album to her.

"Aine, go get Mana's autograph yourself. I have something to discuss with Hatsuka."

"...Okay, then you guys need to hurry up."

The obedient Chihaya Aine walked towards Junda Mana's direction, while Mikami Hatsuka, seeing that there were only two of them left, gradually lost her smile.

Perhaps it was a girl's keen sixth sense, but she had already vaguely guessed what topic Yuan Xudou was going to bring up next.

"Is Xiangzi... alright?" She asked, her head slightly bowed, her voice filled with barely suppressed worry. "I haven't seen her come to the shows lately..."

"...She's fine, she's just been busy with some things lately." After carefully choosing his words, Yuan Xudou tried to state the facts in a tactful way.

"That's good..." Misaka Hatsuka visibly relaxed. She could tell from the boy's words that he was telling the truth. "If there's anything I can do to help you..."

"We probably don't need to for now." He shook his head.

While the two were talking, on the other side, two sunny girls, Junda Mana and Chihaya Aine, also had a historic meeting.

As it turns out, in terms of cheerfulness and liveliness, Chihaya Aine is far inferior to Junda Mana, and the latter's radiant and sweet smile as an idol is even more unmatched.

Especially when she quietly asked the girl about her secret to maintaining her energy, she received the answer, "Just thinking about how Mana brings joy to everyone keeps me in good spirits!"—a truly idol-like response...

Even after performing intensely for several hours, they don't feel tired even during rest periods and continue to radiate energy to the outside world.

Even for her, this pure, natural radiance was a little too dazzling... she couldn't even envy it.

Being an idol... is not something just anyone can do...

Chihaya Aine, whose ideals could probably be described as shattered, sighed softly to herself.

...Indeed, forming a band is much easier.

Unbeknownst to her, in the brief moment of her absentmindedness, Junda Mana cast a slightly envious glance at Misumi Hatsuka and Minamoto Koto.

Chapter 51 Anon Kyoto!