Girl Band, Gravity Capture

Page 26

"Let the instruments play it out on their own first, and then let the lead singer join in if there are no problems."

He methodically arranged the subsequent tasks.

Then, he turned his gaze to Toyokawa Shoko, who was standing to the side.

"Xiangzi, should we film purely instrumental pieces, or pieces with singing?"

Shoko Toyokawa previously mentioned that they needed to post some videos online to increase the band's visibility.

The equipment used for filming can be the ones brought from the practice room. He also learned some basic photography skills during this time, so it shouldn't be a problem to use it to film the band's daily promotions.

"Take pictures of them all."

The girl thought for a moment and then gave her an answer.

"We'll see how it goes and then decide which one to send."

"it is good."

He nodded and then turned his gaze to Takamatsu.

"Is the light okay?"

"Ah."

It would be a lie to say he wasn't nervous, but Gao Songdeng had already prepared himself mentally.

"It's just a camera... that's fine."

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.

Half an hour later, Yuan Xudou pressed the stop button on the camera and recording equipment.

The "click" sound rang out, and the audience on stage finally snapped out of their reverie, recovering from the lingering afterglow of the performance.

Then, they looked at each other and smiled.

"Light! I knew you could do it!"

Excitedly, Toyokawa Shoko got up from the piano and walked to Takamatsu Tō, who had just finished singing and was still slightly out of breath with a thin layer of sweat on his forehead. With a bright and warm smile, she tightly grasped the girl's hand.

"The singing just now was very moving and pleasant to listen to!"

Unlike Yuan Xudou's singing voice, if the boy's voice is a free wind that perfectly combines gentleness and wildness, then Gao Songdeng's singing voice is a delicate sprout that grows everywhere in the vast wilderness.

Every note was sung with all one's might, and though the voice was slightly trembling and weak, it was precisely because of this that the infectious resilience and strength were fully displayed.

Like someone shouting desperately, breathless—weak yet tenacious, filled with emotions that go straight to the heart.

"As expected... Deng is the perfect lead singer for our band!"

"Was my singing... really that good?"

Startled by Toyokawa Shoko's sudden action, Takamatsu Akari, who had not yet developed that kind of confidence and had not expected to be praised like that, seemed frightened and nervously withdrew her hand.

She glanced nervously at Toyokawa Shoko, who made no attempt to hide her joy, and then looked at the others behind her.

Wakaba Mutsumi, Shiina Tatsuki, and Nagasaki Motoyo were all smiling and nodding at her.

She turned her gaze back to the front, looking at Yuan Xudou who was emerging from the surrounding equipment.

Although he didn't have the same smile, you could still see his happiness and satisfaction from his relaxed brows and eyes.

Gao Songdeng felt relieved.

"Everyone performed very well, especially the lights; there were basically no flaws."

Yuan Xudou walked up to everyone and handed out the towels he had prepared beforehand.

Then, he personally wiped the sweat from Gao Songdeng's forehead.

"In that case, let's just release the version with the vocals."

"Of course! It would be a waste not to release such a great song from Deng."

At the same time, Toyokawa Shoko, who was standing in front of the boy, agreed without hesitation.

"And Xu Dou, I think..."

"We should put composing music on the agenda, shouldn't we?"

He completely understood the girl's thoughts.

As expected, Takasaka Takamatsu's singing voice only achieves its best effect with original songs.

"That's right!"

Shoko Toyokawa nodded enthusiastically, her long, sky-blue hair, sticky with sweat and swaying in the air, reflecting a crystalline luster.

Once again feeling the telepathic connection between herself and Yuan Xudou, her joy reached a new level.

"Moreover, this level of skill is already good enough to prepare for the first live performance!"

"Xu Dou, do you think we should compose our own music before performing it, so that we can establish our style right from the start? Or should we play other people's songs first and gradually build up our reputation..."

“I think it’s better to save the original songs for later. We have plenty of time, there’s no need to rush. Let’s use the first performance to gain experience…”

Gao Songdeng stared blankly at the two people in front of him, who were now starting to plan the future of the band with great hope.

Then, the three girls behind him also stepped forward and actively participated.

Everyone was happy.

It was as if something that had been weighing on everyone's hearts, something that had been there all along, had suddenly been removed, revealing a clear and bright sky above it.

Everyone's eyes shone with hope.

This made Gao Songdeng realize, more than any praise or encouragement—

'So, I really did it.'

Can I take up a little of your time for Chapter Thirty-One?

The first ensemble practice ended perfectly, and everyone decided not to continue rehearsing today. Instead, they packed up their things, put away their excitement, and went to a coffee shop to chat and relax for a pleasant afternoon.

Bright, gentle sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows along the wall, casting a golden glow on the faces of the six people.

It was the same spot as when we first met, but the atmosphere was completely different.

Warmth, inclusiveness, intimacy, mutual acceptance, no distinction between each other, integrating everyone into the collective, tightly connected by deep bonds... a band is such a blissful thing.

Yuan Xudou leaned back in his chair, his gaze gently fixed on the five noisy people in front of him.

They were discussing the location for their first live performance. Toyokawa Shoko thought they should choose a more formal live house, while Shiina Tatsuki felt it was more practical to start with some smaller events.

Nagasaki Motoyo supports Shiina Tatsuki's viewpoint, but her stance is not very firm; she merely tries to ease the tension. Takamatsu Akari and Wakaba Mutsumi neither explicitly state their position, choosing to remain outsiders.

Even when they disagreed, they didn't argue or get angry; instead, they presented their ideas and tried to persuade each other.

Since that's the case, there's no need for him to mediate. Yuan Xudou, who had no opinion on where the performance would take place, also chose to remain silent and wait quietly for them to reach a conclusion.

Ultimately, Shiina Tatsuki's side, which had the advantage in numbers, won. Toyokawa Shoko was persuaded and also believed that it would be better to perform at a relatively less formal event as a trial run for the first performance.

After reaching a conclusion, Toyokawa Shoko turned her gaze to Genji Koto, who was sitting next to her.

"Xu Dou".

"what happened?"

Perhaps it was because I was in a good mood today, or perhaps it was because I had already shown my true voice to them.

Unlike usual, Yuan Xudou did not use a calm tone to mask the emotions in his words.

He turned his head slightly, and the continuous light pierced through his long, distinct eyelashes, etching a bright halo in his eyes, which were as still as a deep pool.

The soft and clear voice entered the minds of the five people like a gentle breeze.

As the person directly facing this voice at the closest distance, the unsuspecting Toyokawa Shoko immediately felt as if her ear had been lightly pinched, sending a tingling sensation through her.

Then, a wonderful sensation spread throughout the body, limbs, and internal organs, finally stopping at the fingertips.

She found that, for some reason, her fingers were so numb that she lost all feeling in them.

"...Why, why are you suddenly speaking in that voice again?"

Her once nimble tongue trembled slightly, and for a moment the girl even forgot why she had called out to Yuan Xudou.

She instinctively interlocked her fingers, stopping the sensation from spreading upwards along her palms. Her soft, white throat trembled slightly, as if she were constantly swallowing.

"Wait, don't answer me yet..."

If she were to be attacked by such a sound at close range again—Toyokawa Shoko felt that her waist might go weak.

"...What exactly are you trying to say?"

Seeing that Toyokawa Shoko suddenly became restless, her delicate earlobes turning red, and that the other four people turned around almost simultaneously the moment he spoke, their eyes filled with astonishment.

Yuan Xudou's eye twitched slightly, and he lowered his voice back to its usual calm.

The effect was immediate; Toyokawa Shoko immediately clutched her chest, lowered her head, and exhaled a breath of pent-up frustration.

Then, she immediately raised her head, bit her lip lightly, stared at him with an expression that was hard to tell whether it was embarrassment or resentment, and spoke in a low voice.

“…Xu Dou, I think you shouldn’t speak in that…that kind of voice in the team.”

"It's so different from usual, it's easy to get distracted—"

"I hope you can consider everyone's mental health!"

"...At least, not in front of everyone..."

Her last soft murmur was only heard by the boy facing her.

Faced with her accusations, Yuan Xudou slightly raised his head.

Then he looked at the other four people.

"What do you think?"

This time, the voice wasn't fully unleashed; it was only slightly softer and clearer.

"...I can't quite accept it."

Shiina Ritsuki awkwardly turned her head away, avoiding his gaze.

"It's not really appropriate to say this in front of everyone..."

Nagasaki Motoyo looked conflicted.

"..."

Gao Songdeng looked blank, still not recovered from his surprise.

"Xu Dou, I'm not used to it."

Wakaba Mutsumi expressed his thoughts very frankly.

Yuan Xudou looked around and understood their views.

He sighed silently.

"Okay, I won't use that voice to speak casually anymore."

"There's no need to be so strict..."

Even though it was her own request, when Genjiro Tomoko accepted it without much hesitation, Toyokawa Shoko felt a little reluctant, thinking that being so demanding was inappropriate.

"It's not that you can't talk like that at all, Xu Dou... it's just that you have to do it at the right time."

"Everyone needs some time to adjust. So many changes all at once, it's really..."

She hesitated.

To say that you hate hearing this sound would be a lie.

Light and gentle, full of youthful energy and sunshine, he was like a breath of fresh air. His willingness to speak to them in a way that was different from usual reflected the trust and closeness they had developed.

But it's precisely because it's so good... that I don't want him to just casually say it out loud.

"I understand."