Substitute Toyokawa Shoko, you can become stronger by breathing

The interview went smoothly, and the staff came to thank and bid farewell to the members of Ave mujica.

.

Led by their agent Nakamura, the five people left the radio station building and came to the designated resting place - a private room in a quiet cafe.

"Everyone performed very well today."

Nakamura looked at the five young men, nodded with satisfaction, and said:

"I'm more confident about the outcome of the Tokyo tour!"

——On the contrary, I have no confidence anymore.

Kujo Renji complained in his heart.

It is obvious that Mr. Nakamura did not see Hachiman Kailing's "defection".

Or maybe he noticed it but deliberately didn't mention it?

The blue-haired girl couldn't help but narrow her eyes.

This interview is quite problematic.

The host didn't seem to be here for "promotion", which could be seen from his action of asking Ruo Ye Mu at the end.

If it was a "resource" found by the Toyokawa family, the logical process should be to ask some irrelevant topics and then focus on promoting Tokyo Station.

The other party's performance in the first half was indeed consistent, but as a professional host, it was impossible for her not to notice Ruoye Mu's abnormal behavior, but she still turned the conversation to Mu.

It's a bit like a sugar-coated bullet.

You have to be careful.

Nakamura looked at his watch:

"I need to take care of some follow-up matters. You guys take a rest first. I'll be back to pick you up in half an hour."

——Click.

The door closed again.

"Ask Hailing what she really wants to do."

The voice of Toyokawa Shoko rang out in his mind at the right moment.

It can be seen that the girl was quite dissatisfied with Hachiman Kailing's presumptuous behavior just now.

"I would have asked even if you didn't tell me." Kujo Renji responded in his mind.

After responding to Xiaoxiang, Kujo Renji's gaze was directly fixed on Hachiman Kailing, and the temperature in his amber eyes suddenly dropped.

"Ms. Hachiman, could you please explain what you said in the interview?"

His voice was calm and cold, but the more so, the more suffocating it was.

If it was Teacher Da Miao, he would probably tremble and transform into the Spinosaurus form immediately after hearing this.

But Hachiman Kailing just raised her head, her green eyes as calm as water, not moved at all:

"I think that's a better direction for Ave mujica."

"But that's not what we discussed before."

Jiujo Renji tapped the table lightly:

“Any decision about the direction of the band should be discussed by all members, not just made on the spot by you.”

Hachiman Hailing gently put down the water cup in her hand, her long black hair falling on her shoulders: "Ms. Toyokawa, wasn't this your idea at the beginning?"

Her voice was cold and direct. She tilted her head and asked:

"Cross-border cooperation and expanding influence, aren't these the paths that Ave Mujica wants to take?"

This is true.

In fact, Kujo Renji does plan to gradually commercialize Ave mujica, and the strategies mentioned by Yawata Kailing are also within his plan.

But the crux of the matter isn't the content itself, but control—who has the power to decide the band's direction.

“The problem isn’t the content.”

Kujo Renji paused, then spoke, "It's because you bypassed the team's decision-making process. Decisions on Ave Mujica should involve all members, and ultimately be confirmed by me as the captain."

Hachiman Hailing frowned and said:

"Really? Then why did you single-handedly decide the stage design for Yokohama Station, the rehearsal schedule, and even the tone of today's interview? Is there really such a thing as team decision-making?"

The air seemed to freeze, and the other three people held their breath at the same time.

Hachiman Kairei's words hit the heart of the matter - Toyokawa Shoko had indeed firmly grasped the decision-making power in her own hands.

These words caught Jiujo Liansi off guard.

This was no longer an ordinary act of rebellion. Originally, I thought it was just an ordinary purge of the imperial court, but it turned out to be "suppressing the unjust and punishing the violent."

Damn it, Wu Miling, where do you get the courage from?

At this moment, Yutenji Wakamu suddenly interrupted the conversation:

"Hailing, you're going too far!"

Her voice was sharp and angry:

"Xiaoxiang has contributed so much to Ave Mujica, and every decision he makes is for our better development! Why do you make your own decisions in this interview?"

Hachiman Kairei turned to Yutenji Wakamugi, a hint of sarcasm flashing in her green eyes:

She sneered, "From the beginning, weren't you the one who only cared about yourself? Miss Yutenji Wakamu, why are you jumping out and pretending to be a good person now?"

Yutenji Wakamai's face turned pale instantly, and her lips began to tremble under her short purple hair.

"W-What are you talking about—"

"Stop pretending..."

Hachiman Kailing interrupted her, her words cutting through her blood:

"You want to take off your mask, you want to take on advertising endorsements, you want to use Ave Mujica to increase your own popularity, who doesn't know these little calculations?"

She lowered her head and said calmly:

"I don't know what benefits Ms. Toyokawa promised you that turned you into what you are now, but you are the least qualified to claim that you are thinking about the team."

Yutenji Wakamugi was so angry that he was shaking all over. He wanted to fight back but found himself speechless.

In fact, every word Hachiman Kailing said was true. She had indeed intended to use Ave Mujica's fame to seek more opportunities for herself.

"enough."

Kujo Renji finally spoke, his voice dangerous: "Conflicts within the team should be resolved privately. I advise you to shut up now, Miss Hachiman."

Hachiman Hailing looked at him coldly:

"I am just stating the facts. Ave Mujica needs to change, it needs a new direction, and that change shouldn't be decided by just one person."

She stood up and straightened her clothes: "I believe in my judgment and am willing to take responsibility for my choices."

Sanjiao Chuhua tried to mediate the situation: "Everyone calm down. We are a team and should face this problem together..."

"Before you say this, think about it: since when did Ave mujica become a place where one person has the final say?"

She looked directly at Kujo Renji: "I will complete my part in the Tokyo performance as agreed."

"But after that, we should think about the problems that have arisen within Ave Mujica."

After saying that, she picked up her bag and walked out of the private room without looking back.

...

Wakaba Mu sat quietly in the corner, her golden eyes lowered, but Kujo Renji noticed that her fingers were unconsciously twisted together, and she was obviously uncomfortable with the conflict.

Sanjiao Chuhua looked at the time and said softly, "The agent will be back soon. What should we do?"

Jiujo Liansi didn't care about the conflict just now, and just said:

"Just keep rehearsing and don't worry too much."

He glanced at the other three people:

"As for what just happened, don't tell Nakamura for now. I will handle it myself."

Yutenji Wakamugi wanted to say something, but was stopped by a look from Kujo Renji. Sankaku Hatsuka tried to smile, but it was stiff and forced.

Wakaba Mutsu spoke softly, his voice almost inaudible: "Ave mujica...will continue forever...right?"

Her question was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples.

Kujo Renji turned to her and said softly and gently, "I will."

"Whatever happens, Ave mujica will continue to exist."

When Nakamura came back, he found that the atmosphere in the private room was obviously wrong, but everyone remained silent in response to his questions.

Hachiman Kairei's absence was downplayed by Sankaku Hatsuka as "physical discomfort".

Nakamura looked at Kujo Renji suspiciously, but the latter just smiled slightly, as if nothing had happened:

"We should get back to work."

...

Jade has a unique temperature - beneath its cool touch are traces of hundreds of millions of years of crustal movement, hard and silent.

The sunlight cast mottled shadows on the black-haired girl's face, and her emerald eyes revealed complex emotions.

Hachiman Kailing has never been one to reminisce.

To her, memory is like corrosive acid, burning with every touch.

However, at this moment, for some reason, those past events that she had carefully sealed away flooded into her mind uncontrollably like a flood that broke through a dam.

She has always been a person who loves order. In her world, every little square on the schedule should be filled, every note should fall exactly where it should, and every plan should be executed to perfection.

This is not only a habit, but also her way of understanding the world

——Only by controlling can you avoid harm, and only by planning can you foresee the future.

Hai Ling once thought that this was a manifestation of love.

She still remembers the summer many years ago when her first band was born in a musty rehearsal room outside of Tokyo.

She remembers every young face, every innocent smile, and the vows they made under the dim lights to "debut together."

She always believed that as long as she had a plan, this group of undisciplined boys and girls would achieve glory one day in the future.

So she became the one who always had a notebook.

Training plans, performance schedules, image design, and song selections—all decisions were shaped by her. She secured a small performance for the band in Shinjuku and ensured that several prominent talent scouts would be in attendance. This was her carefully orchestrated ticket to the future.

"You don't understand the magnitude of this opportunity."

She still remembers what she said, standing in the middle of the rehearsal room:

"We have to practice four hours more every day, control our diet and sleep schedule, and follow the route I designed..."

"This is too much, Hailing," the guitarist said wearily. "We are not your puppets."

“I just want everything to be perfect,” she replied, and for the first time, a hint of pleading appeared in her voice. “This is our chance. Maybe our only chance.”

Perhaps her words were too harsh, perhaps her eyes were too sharp, or perhaps it was simply because she was always right—they began to avoid her gaze and began to whisper in the corner.

Hai Ling noticed these changes but chose to ignore them. In her opinion, the result is far more important than the process. As long as she can succeed, everything is worth it.

Until that summer evening, the performance was scheduled for 8 o'clock in the evening. Hai Ling arrived at the scene two hours early, but found that the other four people did not show up at the agreed time.

At half past six, still no one came.

At seven o'clock, she started making calls, but no one answered.

At 7:20, she received a brief text message: "Sorry, we won't be coming."

It turned out that in a corner unknown to her, the seeds of resentment had already taken root and sprouted.

The other members were fed up with her "control" and "arrangements", tired of her almost obsessive pursuit of details, and disgusted with her insatiable perfectionism.

When she stood alone on the stage of the livehouse, facing the inquiring gazes from the audience and the disappointed expressions of the scouts, the young Hai Ling understood for the first time what true loneliness was.

The lights on the stage were dazzling and blazing, illuminating every inch of her skin.