Mygo, the band legend of Tokyo handsome guy

But apart from the drummer making a show of striking the drumsticks twice, letting Lena continue with her own melody, no one moved.

The room wasn't big; a jazz drum took up half of it. The other half was empty and silent.

Shiina Maki's fingers trembled slightly on the bass strings, her fingertips already red. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, but the silence was filled with a burning heat, making her whole face flush.

Is it because no one listens to her, or because she doesn't play the bass well enough?

How long has it been since I've experienced something so embarrassing?

The pain and soreness in her fingertips made Shiina Maki grit her teeth.

The air in the rehearsal room seemed to freeze.

As long as Lena's guitar music flowed freely, it seemed that even the biggest things in the world couldn't affect the cat's self-entertainment.

Shoko Toyokawa touched the keyboard, but seeing that Kaede Narusawa didn't move, she didn't press any more keys.

To be honest, Mingze Feng is feeling a bit nostalgic now.

The Croatian Rhapsody No. 2 may not be a well-known name, but as a purely instrumental piano piece, its melody is widely known.

The first time Narusawa Kaede associated a musical rhythm with his name was in the basement of the Yamada family's house.

Although we were poor during those days and had to travel to different bands, our weekend dates still brought back many memorable memories...

Reminiscing about those bygone days always stirs up a range of emotions.

But unfortunately, we can't go back.

Ming Zefeng pursed his lips, suppressing his countless thoughts once again.

Everything in the past vanishes like smoke and mist in an instant; those times can only find their place when they flow into memory.

As Naruzawa Kaede watched Shiina Maki's trembling hands, he felt a connection to the way Shiina Maki had been practicing bass with Yamada Ryo in the first few weeks of his training.

His hand hurts, but he's unwilling to admit defeat; he's too proud to say anything.

If it's R-san...

When Yue Nai suddenly sang a high note at an inopportune moment, Ming Zefeng couldn't help but glare at her, his eyes getting a little wet, and his mood fluctuating.

Time ticked by, minute by minute.

Narusawa Kaede noticed that Yamato Maya seemed hesitant to speak, while Kaname Rakuna was happily entertaining herself. Toyokawa Shoko was watching him, seemingly waiting for him to make a decision.

After thinking for a moment, Naruzawa Kaede winked at Toyokawa Shoko.

Toyokawa Shoko blinked in response.

Mingze Feng felt relieved; it seemed Xiangzi supported him after all.

Toyokawa Shoko clicked his tongue. What should he do? He should just say something. Humans didn't evolve language to communicate with blinks. Eyes can't convey such complex things.

Toyokawa Shoko chose to wait and see.

"..."

Mingze Feng took a deep breath, and with his movement, the guitar burst out a series of sharp chords. Then he touched the neck of the guitar with the pick.

Yoroi stopped her impromptu performance because of the interruption, and tilted her head in confusion.

“Shiina,” Narusawa Kaede said, inserting the pick into the gap of the bass bridge with his backhand, “try plucking the strings with your thumb.”

"You guy..."

"What...what are you saying...?"

Are you implying that I'm a complete novice by talking about such basic things now?

The sound that Shiina Maki was about to make came out more and more haltingly, and even her fingers froze on the third fret of the bass.

Shiina Maki's eyes were fixed on Narusawa Kaede's movements, unblinking. She saw Narusawa Kaede's thumb knuckle bent into a crescent shape, moving above the strings as he demonstrated the movement.

"Like this, it's quite energy-saving..." Naruzawa Kaede said softly, "...Yeah...a bass-playing friend of mine once told me that..."

The bass strings vibrated beneath his fingertips, producing a muffled thunderous roar.

Shiina Maki's gaze was more focused on Narusawa Kaede's face.

The bright light shone on Mingze Feng's profile, outlining his sharply defined features.

The room was so brightly lit that it suddenly reminded her of an afternoon at a club activity, when the girls were quietly discussing what kind of boys were the most handsome.

Someone said that serious guys are the most handsome.

Shiina Maki looked at the guitar in front of her with a focused and gentle gaze, deep yet carrying a hint of hidden sadness.

Her body trembled, and she felt a vague and unclear feeling in her heart.

No, that's not all...

That tear at the corner of her eye... that sorrowful tear at the corner of her eye... why...?

Shiina Maki's heart began to pound, beating violently several times, as if struck by this profound aura, touching a sensitive chord.

The unease that had been building within me was now subtly...

The words I wanted to say in rebuttal got stuck in my throat, neither here nor there.

Shiina Maki swallowed hard, subconsciously holding her breath, and softened her voice as she slowly asked, "And then?"

I wonder what the girls of the Tsukimori String Club would think if they saw their decisive club president speaking in such a gentle voice.

However, if Shiina Tatsuki knew about this, she would definitely have a lot to discuss with her older sister.

Mingze Feng's slender fingers glided gently across the strings, as if caressing a precious work of art.

"As for Maki, gradually increase the speed..."

"Um..."

He... is quite gentle.

As Shiina Maki thought to herself, her gaze softened unconsciously.

Perhaps Mingze Feng wasn't mocking her, but genuinely cared about her well-being and her performance...

He cares about me, that's because he likes me...

Thinking of this, Shiina Maki felt her heart skip a beat.

The fluorescent lights in the rehearsal room suddenly flickered. Kaoru stood on tiptoe and peered closer to observe, her nose almost touching the strings.

"..."

Shiina Maki felt uneasy being stared at by Kaname Rakuna for a while; those heterochromatic eyes made her feel uneasy.

Then the capricious little girl jumped away again.

The only one who probably knows what Rakuna is thinking is Narusawa Kaede.

The golden line of text that had just appeared floated around Yoro Nai.

The sweltering spring air is so strong!

It's hard to hold back your smile.

Naruzawa Kaede touched his face, tensing his facial muscles as he thought to himself: Maybe I can still go and eat a bowl of Ikebukuro noodles someday.

Shiina Maki: "I... I still don't quite understand... Could you show me how to press it—"

"Hey!" Toyokawa Shoko's voice suddenly interrupted. Seeing that the woman was becoming increasingly presumptuous, Toyokawa Shoko finally couldn't help but interrupt this absurd request.

Toyokawa Shoko moved her body, blocking Shiina Maki's view of Narusawa Kaede, and calmly looked at Shiina Maki.

This was the first time Shiina Maki had seen the masked woman's true form. She looked somewhat familiar, but she couldn't quite place her.

Shiina Maki doesn't remember Toyokawa Shoko, but Toyokawa Shoko remembers Shiina Maki. Where is that refined and gentle Tsukimori-san from before? Can anyone tell her where this woman, with a rosy face looking at her man, came from?

"Time is running out, stop flirting here," Toyokawa Shoko said, turning back to glare at Narusawa Kaede.

His eyes were as sharp as knives and axes.

And you!

[A handsome man ploy? What a ridiculous idea!]

Shiina Maki hurriedly lowered her head, but then she wondered why she was afraid. So she raised her head and glared at Toyokawa Shoko.

Mingze Feng smiled nonchalantly and strummed his guitar a couple of times.

Just cheer up if you succeed. The goal has been achieved; it's time to keep your achievements hidden.

As Toyokawa Shoko stepped forward, Yamato Maya fell silent, appearing to obey orders. Rakuna glanced around, her gaze settling on Narusawa Kaede, tilting her head as if deep in thought.

She doesn't run around, which means she's obedient.

Toyokawa Shoko: "How much longer?"

Yamato Maya hesitated for two seconds, and only when Toyokawa Shoko looked at her did she realize that she was being spoken to.

"Eight minutes," Yamato Maya called out.

"How so?" Toyokawa Shoko turned to look at Shiina Maki.

Shiina Maki's gaze drifted dramatically toward Narusawa Kaede, almost as if making it explicit.

Shoko Toyokawa gritted her teeth, her shoulders trembling, and glared back with undisguised anger.

She was angrier today than she has this whole month.

Toyokawa Shoko raised her hand and suddenly ripped off her mask, the black patent leather mask being forcefully crushed in her palm. Her dark blue bangs swayed, revealing her bare face, damp with sweat.

Shoko Toyokawa, clutching the shard of the mask in her hand, nearly yelled at Maki Shiina, "You...you think this is a matchmaking party?!"

Shiina Maki gasped, her smile vanished instantly, and she could no longer smile.

Shiina Maki had seen this face before at the Tsuki no Mori opening ceremony.

The young lady of the Toyokawa family, who was giving a speech as a representative of the new students, was staring at him with eyes that seemed capable of killing.

No, it seems that the eldest daughter of the Toyokawa family could actually kill with her eyes?

Tokyo Bay belongs to the Tsurumaki family, but Ise Bay belongs to the Toyokawa family.

"Seven minutes and forty-three seconds left." Unaware of what had happened, Yamato Maya faithfully counted down, her drumsticks striking the cymbals to mark the countdown, and casually asked, "Should we adjust our positions?"

Shiina Maki glared at this clueless person. Was this adjusting their positions? This was adjusting their seating arrangement! Was she trying to kill her?

"Snap!" Toyokawa Shoko suddenly pressed the center C key.

"Maki-san," Toyokawa Shoko's smile was chilling, "I heard the Tsukimori String Club is preparing for their anniversary performance? You don't want all your hard work to go to waste, do you?"

"I..." Shiina Maki froze. That smile was so gentle that Shiina Maki felt so moved that she didn't even dare to move.

“Now,” Toyokawa Shoko said, her fingertips gliding across the eighty-eight keys, “I want you to play me a bass line that can lift the Ring Dome.”

"Can you do it?!" Toyokawa Shoko shouted.

Shiina Maki swallowed hard. "Yes!"

Toyokawa Shoko, speaking in a voice easily louder than hers, said, "Louder!"

Shiina Maki took a deep breath and shouted, "Yes!!!"

Toyokawa Shoko nodded in satisfaction. She returned to her seat and said loudly, "Gentlemen, we are not here to perform."

"We're here to rip this roof off."

"They're here to overturn this competition!"

"Shake the drumheads and strings! Let the roar drown out the cheers!"

Yao Lenai suddenly started an impromptu solo. Her silver hair flew wildly as she violently shook her head, and her earrings traced star trails under the lights.

"That cat, if you press that key again, get out of here!"

A fragment of a mask was thrown over, but before it reached Yao Lenai, it was pulled down to the ground by gravity.

The guitar music stopped abruptly, and Lena pouted. Then, as if remembering something, she took a candy from her pocket, popped it into her mouth, and then hummed a smile with the corners of her mouth curving upwards.

Shoko Toyokawa sighed and continued, "Moonlight Sonata, the third section begins..."

"Feng, get rid of that soft, weak voice. These two songs aren't for flirting."

"The drummer's power!"

"Lena, you're being too impulsive! Maxim wouldn't do that!"