How can my simulation be a real love?

She knew, of course, that she was acting strangely today. She seemed to be affected by that bizarre, delusional 'dream.' Just standing next to Kazami Naruto made her unable to resist stealing glances at his face, and once she looked, she would recall certain embarrassing things.

Unexpectedly, Ryo's intuition was so sharp that she noticed her problem in just one glance. Ichiji Nijika was also very vigilant and knew she had to be even more careful from now on.

She had such a shameless dream, and absolutely no one should know about it!

Especially Kazami Naruto!

"Alright, alright~ Let's go to the practice room to warm up before we go on stage."

When Kazami Mei saw that Iji Chi Niji Natsumi's body was a little stiff, he immediately started to smooth things over.

He noticed it when he arrived; Ichiji Nijika, who is usually full of energy, seemed a little different than usual. However, he just attributed it to nervousness before going on stage.

As the de facto leader of the 'End Band', Nijika Mama was under more pressure than anyone else present.

If Hongxia gets too nervous on stage and makes a mistake, then as the keyboardist, he'll have to step in to save the day.

"..."

Seeing that Kazami Naruto had said so, Yamada Ryo finally nodded slightly.

However, this did not dispel her doubts.

Although I didn't see many memories of Nijika in my dream, I at least know that Nijika definitely has feelings for Kazami Mei that go beyond friendship later on, which is an undeniable fact.

However, after marrying Ming, Hongxia chose to completely suppress this sincere feeling deep in her heart.

This is also a regret in Liang's life.

……

The group warmed up briefly in the practice room, but the result was quite unexpected.

Ichi Nijika, who was supposed to be the most nervous, turned out to be the most reliable one.

Even though her skills weren't exactly top-tier among the band members, her drumming rhythm during today's practice was remarkably balanced, even surprising Ms. Ryo.

"I thought that with this oppressive weather today, the performance would definitely end up being a failure."

"Senior Ryo, please don't say such scary things with such a blank expression!"

Kita Ikuyo's comment seemed to pique Yamada Ryo's interest. She pointed a finger with a mischievous grin and said softly, "Isn't that how it's always portrayed in manga? Everyone makes mistakes because of nervousness, and the bassist breaks down and runs away after the performance."

Wasn't it the guitarist who ran away?

Kazami Mei, her fingers tracing the piano keys, spoke with a hint of mockery.

"Seriously~ Stop joking with me~"

Looking at Kita-san, who had been a little nervous just moments before, now full of energy, she was making sarcastic remarks, her beautiful yellow-green eyes seemingly carrying a hint of pitifulness.

Kazami Mei glanced in Yamada's direction and smiled slightly. With just a simple joke, she quickly livened up the atmosphere. It seemed that she was also using her own methods to help everyone ease the tension.

He then turned to look at Hongxia, who was holding the drumsticks, and smiled as he encouraged her, "Hongxia, you're in great form today."

"Ah...no, no~"

When spoken to, Ichiji Nijika blushed instantly and waved her hand.

She tried to cover her blushing face by crossing her two drumsticks, but this was clearly a futile attempt. Her adorable expression naturally made Kazami Mei's heart flutter, and she couldn't help but steal a few more glances.

The real-life Hongxia is just different.

Kazami Mei suddenly remembered the feeling of kissing Nijika's mom during that 'personal simulation', which was still deeply imprinted in her mind. She felt that these three simulations were a huge win.

This is something I'll never forget for the rest of my life.

"..."

Only Yamada Ryo, standing in the distance, calmly observed Ijichi Nijika's reaction.

She noticed that Nijika's eyes would dart away unnaturally when she was talking to Kazami Mei. Although this subtle movement was very inconspicuous, it was still noticed by the observant Yamada, which made her even more suspicious.

If nothing unexpected happens, Nijika is probably about to fall in love with Naruto.

why?

She hadn't seen Hongxia react like this a few days ago. What happened that she didn't know about that led to this 'opportunity' between the two of them?

"The guests have almost all arrived."

"As the first opening act, it's about time we ran away."

Kazami Mei's serious expression startled Kita Ikuyo, who then instantly realized he was just making things up.

"Ming-san, don't joke around at a time like this! What if I burst out laughing while singing on stage?!"

"Pfft—" As if thinking of Kita, who burst out laughing halfway through his song on stage, Ms. Ryo made no attempt to hide her mockery.

Everyone tacitly avoided mentioning anything other than the 'performance'.

The lively atmosphere made even the usually tense Boqi visibly relax. Before this, everyone had said that their friends wouldn't come to the show, and it was hard to say how many audience members there would be.

But at least for now, everyone is sure to perform at their usual level.

I guess so--

Looking at Kazami Naru being teased by everyone in the center, Goto Ichiri felt a little envious and depressed for some reason.

It was precisely because Mingsang was here that the originally dull and tense atmosphere gradually dissipated in the air. Boqi, who had initially felt somewhat uneasy, relaxed at this moment, and even the fingers holding the pick seemed to return to their original state.

Just as Goto Ichiri was lost in thought, Kazami Mei suddenly looked over.

He raised an eyebrow slightly, narrowed his deep black eyes, and stared at Pochi in the direction of the statue, speaking slowly—

"Pochi, take it off."

His words seemed to trigger a chain reaction among the others.

Ryo Yamada and Ikuyo Kita stared thoughtfully at Pochi's face, then both nodded in agreement. Even the gentlest girl, Nijika Iji, smiled awkwardly.

"Pochi, take it off."

"Goto-san~"

“Ming-sang is right, Bo-chi, why don’t you…?”

The sudden consensus among the group immediately put unprecedented psychological pressure on Pochi.

"no, do not want!"

"Just standing on that stage like that... I don't want that kind of thing!"

Goto Ichiri made a very resistant sound.

She gripped the number 5 paper bag over her head tightly with both hands. This brown paper bag that covered her face always gave her an unparalleled sense of security, as if she had become one of those masked figures on the internet.

If I were in this state, I wouldn't have any problem robbing a bank!

"This was specially made for me by Mingsang. If even this is gone—"

"Don't talk like I'm already dead."

Kazami Mei expressionlessly pulled the paper bag off her head. At that moment, Pochi was like a slug sprinkled with salt, its body instantly turning gray and rapidly melting away.

It should be back to normal in about five minutes.

Pochi will eventually have to accept the fact that she has to perform naked on stage, so we can't let her have any illusions.

……

"Ugh, it's so stuffy—"

"I didn't expect it to be in this location. I thought all livehouses were like RiNG."

Wearing a light green dress, the pink-haired girl looked around curiously. She was very curious about everything in STARRY as soon as she entered, especially the dim lighting and the somewhat dull underground atmosphere, which gave people a very oppressive and heavy feeling!

Is that Ending Band really going to perform in such a somber place?

Chihaya Aine was already imagining what level of hardcore performance she would be seeing.

“Most LiveHouses are like this, it’s just that RiNG is a bit special,” Shiina Tatsuki explained casually.

Actually, she was quite fond of this kind of STARRY atmosphere; the feeling that heavy metal was about to start playing at any moment was more in line with the feeling of 'rock and roll'.

I got soaked in the rain on the way here, so I'm a little irritable right now.

"Where is Ming?"

"Hmm~ Ming-sang should be getting ready to go on stage now~ After all, he's the first one to go on stage this time."

Nagasaki Motoyo's incredibly gentle voice reached her ears. Takamatsu Akari's amber eyes looked around curiously, but when she saw the scattered crowd around her, a hint of worry flashed in her eyes.

There were very few spectators, practically no one at all.

It must be because of the heavy rain outside; such terrible weather directly deterred at least 80% of the audience.

You know, the band should be getting ready to start their performance at this time, but there aren't many audience members in the entire LiveHouse. Even if you include them, there are only about twenty or thirty people at most.

The number of viewers is vastly different from that of RiNG.

"Huh? Isn't that Ryuna-chan?"

Chihaya Aine, with her sharp eyes, let out an unexpected exclamation, instantly drawing the attention of everyone around her.

The elusive stray cat was sitting obediently by the counter, enjoying the 'Good Baby Juice' and matcha parfait that Ijichi Hoshika fed her. The combination of sweets made her squint her eyes with pleasure, and her cat mouth unconsciously curled up into a smile.

A glint of light appeared in Chihaya Aine's eyes, and she quickened her pace without hesitation to approach.

"Lanna-chan, are you here to see Naruto's performance too?"

"Ah."

The stray cat, its eyes fixed solely on the matcha parfait, nodded slightly and spoke casually, seemingly without a care in the world.

Miss Ai looked at the stray cat in front of her and felt a sense of relief.

It's important to know that the three women behind her are no pushovers. The seemingly arrogant Li Xi is a hidden 'knife,' while the seemingly harmless Deng Deng is a 'spear' that can pierce through anything.

Even Suze, whom Chihaya Aine trusted the most, secretly went out for a private meeting with Mei without her knowledge.

The only 'friend' in her band is the adorable stray cat!

"Hmm? Did Renai-chan change her shampoo?"

Chihaya Aine's eyebrows twitched slightly; she seemed to have sensed something unusual, as she was quite sensitive to smells.

Why does Lena smell the same as Mingming today?

You see, Chihaya Aine usually stays by Kazami Naruto's side, and she was even sitting next to him when they were preparing for the exams. She is extremely familiar with his scent.

So the moment I smelled that scent, I immediately felt a bit strange.

"You can even feel a difference in this?"

Shiina Riki didn't feel any difference at all. The more she looked at Chihaya Aine, the more she felt that she looked like a big pink dog, especially when she was sticking to Kazami Mei's side, it was so unrealistic that it didn't seem like she was acting.

Miss Aine, who had just been teased by Riki, seemed about to say something more when Nagasaki Motoyo suddenly patted her shoulder, a gentle smile on her face, and whispered, "It seems like Naru-san is about to make her appearance!"

"Where?! Where?!"

Chihaya Aine immediately turned her head and stood on tiptoe to look at the stage.

Ichi Nijika, the drummer, was already seated in the back, Kita, holding a guitar, was nervously adjusting the microphone, and Yamada Ryo was expressionlessly strumming the bass strings to test the sound.

Kazami Naruto, who plays the keyboard, hasn't gone on stage yet. He looks at Goto Ichiri, who seems a little timid and hesitant to go out, and can't help but gently pat her back.

"It's your turn, guitar hero."

"Eh...Eh?"

Kazami encouraged her in a low voice, only loud enough for the two of them to hear. Pochi, who was mentioned as the 'Guitar Hero', seemed to gain more confidence and swallowed hard while holding his guitar.

"Don't worry, I'll cover you."

Chapter Thirty-Two: I Won't Let You Go Back Today [5k]

Kazami Mei was the first to pass by Pochi and strode to the keyboard position to the right front of Nijika, and began to tap the keys with her left hand to test the sound.

His sudden appearance, with his strikingly handsome face and a punk-style earring on his right ear, instantly attracted the attention of the female customers around him with his cool, rock-metal charm. Even some viewers who were not initially interested instinctively looked up.

He also noticed the fans who bought tickets for the last street performance. He was surprised that everyone would come to see the show in such a terrible rainy day. Even he suddenly felt that his efforts had paid off.

"what--"

"Aine-chan is here after all." Kita-san, who was standing in the middle of the lead vocalist position, suddenly spoke softly.