A band simulator, but all girl-heavy!

The sound of tears squeezed out from her throat, but was instantly drowned out by the music playing from the speakers, without causing any ripples.

Su Shi had forgotten to wipe away her tears. She just covered her mouth and nose with her hands, allowing the tears to continue to seep out of her red eyes, drip onto her fair hands, and then slide down the backs of her hands.

What elegant music, what beautiful melody, what wonderful singing...

What a warm smile.

She wanted to scream, wanted to cover her ears, and desperately tear out all the cries and pain that were running wildly in her mind.

But she didn't. The only thing she could do at this moment was to stand there blankly, tears streaming down her face, letting the tears flow across her skin, and then constantly repeating in her heart.

Don't go on any further.

Please, don't go on...

Please, don't show her such a cruel reality in this way...

"Mr. Sushi..."

A hand gently grasped her sleeve. Su Shi turned her head sideways blankly and saw Ai Yin's eyes filled with tears, looking a little at a loss.

She looked very sad, very helpless, very confused, and a little worried, but her heart was not as irreparably broken as Su Shi's.

Because she only knew that Aoi, who was supposed to be standing next to them, was now standing on the stage, next to an unfamiliar band.

She didn't know what the song being played at this moment meant to Su Shi, to Deng, and to Crychic.

"……That is……"

Su Shi slightly parted her lips, and instantly felt that the air she swallowed was no longer the smell of spring, but a wet, warm, heartbreaking smell.

That's the smell of tears.

Her eyes were red, her cheeks were covered with tear marks, and the look in her eyes as she looked at Aine was filled with tears that were broken to the point of helplessness.

"…'If You Can Shine' is our song…"

The words paused, mixed in with the applause of the crowd, but were extremely clear.

"That's the song Xiaokui wrote for us..."

68

Chapter 68 The wind was filled with cheers.

What meets the eye are unfamiliar faces, pairs of eyes that have never been seen before, and figures that may have passed by somewhere.

This is an ocean of strangers. Looking out from the stage, this ocean is almost intertwined into one, gathering together those people who have nothing to do with each other and have no connection with each other, gathering here and casting their eyes on the women on the stage at the same time.

Looking further away, you can see pedestrians passing by in groups of three or four looking at you, as well as people stopping at the distant street corners out of curiosity.

It’s incredible…

It's completely different from the feeling in the simulator. Only by standing here on your own two feet and gazing at all this with your own eyes can you truly understand what a stage and a performance are.

At this moment, the people gathered here have various names, different families, different experiences, different looks, and different dreams.

But a group of strangers who might never have any connection with each other in this life gathered in front of the stage. These strangers who usually wouldn't even pay them any attention were now staring closely at them on the stage.

All this is just because of their expectations and their hopes.

Of course, this almost incredible and wonderful feeling can bring emotion, but it can also bring pressure.

Standing on the stage, feeling so many heavy gazes pressing on their shoulders, everyone who finished the band seemed a little nervous. This was something that could not be avoided no matter how much encouragement or cheering they received.

Just standing on the stage takes a lot of courage. If you expect these new band members, most of whom are facing the stage for the first time, to perform well and greet the audience calmly... that is too difficult.

The original task of warming up the band at the opening was given to Hongxia and Xiduo, which is also one of the more traditional band practices. Either the band's Yangjiao will warm up the audience, or the band leader and lead singer will do it.

But when they all confirmed that the instruments and various effects were connected properly, and everyone stood in their seats, ready for Kita to say the first sentence, she got stuck.

"……ah,"

Facing the gazes of so many people, her hands holding the neck of the guitar couldn't stop shaking. She opened her lips slightly, but found that no sound came out of her throat. Only a meaningless wail that no one could hear floated out.

She was not afraid of interacting with others, nor was she afraid of everyone's gazes, but there were too many unfamiliar gazes in front of her, and the expectant gazes were too heavy. Standing in the center and at the front, she even felt like she was about to be crushed.

Cold sweat slid down her forehead, passed by her somewhat bewildered eyes, and slid down her skin.

"Hello everyone~ We are the Ending Band!"

In this helpless moment, a voice from the side drew everyone's attention away from her. Kita turned around in surprise and saw Aoi gently raise the bow in her hand, her expression natural and her tone relaxed as she greeted everyone.

Not only that, she also turned her head slightly and winked at Kita secretly.

Because of her words, the other band members who were frightened by the huge crowds and gazes at the opening seemed to regain a bit of strength and turned their gazes to Aoi, who was lighting up the stage like light.

"I'm the violinist for the band! My name is Saotome Aoi, and I'm from Shimokitazawa High School. Please be patient with me today~"

She had her usual smile on her face, and the audience below the stage just gave her indifferent looks, completely unable to notice, as the people who had just finished the band, that when Aoi spoke, her shoulders were trembling slightly, and her voice was faintly mixed with nervousness and uneasiness.

She's taking the heat for us!

However, she cannot be left alone to bear the pressure.

"Xiao Kui, you're such a fool! Why did you introduce yourself without thinking? If you steal the limelight from Xiduo, be careful that she'll write the entire celebration party bill in your name after the live."

Hongxia tapped the drumstick lightly, trying to calm her rapid breathing, and quickly followed Xiaokui's words to smooth things over, "Hello everyone~ I'm Ijichi Hongxia! We're both from Shimokitazawa High School, and as you can see, I'm the drummer!"

In order to make the audience feel relaxed and friendly, many bands will try to make the warm-up MC segment very humorous. If it is like a manzai, perhaps it will gain more support. For this reason, Aoi cannot be the only one in the front. Everyone should share the pressure with her.

The cooperation between the two of them was also obvious. Many audience members in the audience laughed in good faith and applauded Hongxia and Aoi for their self-introductions.

"Kita wouldn't do that~ because she's the sunniest and cutest lead guitarist in the world!"

Aoi was visibly relieved and continued to lead the opening warm-up. This time Kita finally stopped being in a daze and nodded quietly to Aoi, then turned to the audience and gave them a cute wink, which caused many of the audience to scream.

"This is the sunniest and cutest lead guitarist in the world~! A freshman at Xiuhua High School, and a beginner who just learned guitar! Kita! Just call me Kita Kita!"

"Kita, why don't you tell me your full name? Isn't that pun about your full name hilarious?"

"Ah!! Please don't say that here! Kita Ikuyo or something... This isn't some kind of bad joke manzai, is it?"

"It's become a joke manzai now, so let's invite the bassist who's the best at telling jokes to tell a few!"

"Yamada Ryo, bassist. We're from Shimokitazawa High School. By the way, our band name is the greatest joke in the rock world."

"Shut up, shut up! Don't mention that! I'm going to change my name from now on!"

"puff."

"She smiled! Yamada-senpai's icy personality has collapsed!"

……

The warm-up effect has been achieved, and the atmosphere among the audience has become noticeably more lively. Some people are shouting that they are cute and making fun of them, which is like a crosstalk warming up the audience.

Since the band only prepared two songs for the finale, the MC segment had to be arranged with much more leeway. All that was left was to introduce the members and the show could begin smoothly.

But the problem is that they have a person with extreme social anxiety who doesn't even dare to look strangers in the eye.

Aoi clenched the bow in her hand, feeling her palms sweating. She could only pray in her heart that her previous comfort to little Pochi was effective, and turned the topic to the already marginalized Pochi.

"And finally, our lead guitarist! Ichiri! Would you like to introduce us by name or nickname?"

Little Pochi's body trembled obviously, but he still kept his head down, and his teeth seemed to be chattering.

For her, being able to stand here without fainting already proved that Xiaokui's comfort was very effective. But if she still had to speak and introduce herself in front of so many people...

Just thinking about it makes me feel like I’m going to burst like a balloon!

What should she do? Xiao Kui was waiting for her, everyone was waiting for her, everyone was waiting for her. They had finally warmed up smoothly, and the atmosphere was good. If she got embarrassed, she would apologize on the spot with her guitar...

"One mile."

Xiao Kui's voice suddenly became gentle, unlike her previous deliberate sunshine and cheerfulness. Almost subconsciously, Pochi stopped trembling and slowly raised his head.

She saw Aoi's clear eyes, and saw her slightly parted lips, silently mouthing something to her.

'Look at me'

Pochi's eyes widened slightly, his pupils fixed on Aoi's beautiful face, and the uneasiness in his heart inexplicably dissipated a lot.

The previous memories and the conversation in the bathroom suddenly came to mind.

"I, I, I, I, I,"

She gritted her teeth slightly, and almost shouted with her mind blank, "I am Pochi, the guest of Jizo Party!!!"

What nonsense did you say? It's so embarrassing.

but……

She saw Aoi smile with relief.

Under the gazes of so many people, only she could feel the warmth and joy in Aoi's smile, which infected her and she couldn't help but smile, a smile from the heart.

"Pochi-chan, you're really~ Why are you staring at me while introducing yourself!"

Aoi pretended to be shy and turned her face away, then jokingly complained.

For a moment, many audience members in the audience cheered for no apparent reason, and some people suddenly clapped, which attracted everyone to applaud and shout "Tie Tie!" "Xiao Kui is so cute!" and other words in a teasing manner.

It finally ended successfully.

When the noise subsided a little, Aoi finally breathed a sigh of relief, nodded to everyone, and raised the bow in her hand again.

"Enough of the jokes~ Well, everyone! Please listen! "Light Runara"——"

Today will be the beginning of the end of the band.

69

Chapter 69 The light is in my palm at this moment.

"If You Can Shine" is undoubtedly a gentle song, just like the original band and the classic comic-adapted anime.

In terms of music style, this song is actually not very suitable for the Ending Band, which mainly performs rock songs. Compared to the 'Crychic version' in the simulator, the Ending Band has one more guitar and one less keyboard. In addition, due to the differences between the musicians, it was finally modified into the current version through the joint efforts of Aoi and Ryo.

Although there were many minor incidents during the modification process, after all, the song "Light" was too positive for dark rock enthusiasts like Liang and Xiaobochi, but in the end, the song was successfully used with Aoi's excuses and explanations.

All in all, the current "Light" has completely matched the style of the ending band. If Crychic in the dream was there, he would probably be able to easily hear the difference.

The timbre of the violin accounts for a very high proportion in the arrangement, and the content of the original keyboard and violin parts is incorporated. The guitar becomes more complex and gorgeous due to the number of guitars, and the bass and drums also focus on pushing the style of the music from Crychic gentleness to vitality.

Judging from the audience’s response, it was at least not a failed attempt.

Looking around, the sea of ​​unfamiliar faces gradually boiled over, and the dazzling sense of difference gradually faded away. Just as Aoi had lamented before, they came from different families and had different hobbies, but at this moment, they gradually converged into the same ocean.

Hongxia's drum beats are clear and powerful, and Kita and Xiaobochi's guitars blend with Liang's bass, like waves of music, rising and falling with the rhythm, filling the entire stage.

It was as if there was an invisible machine connecting the bodies of every audience member, making them unconsciously tap their feet to the rhythm of the music, and twisting and waving their hands slightly to the beat of the drums.

And the ones operating this machine are the ones on the stage.

Every time she imbues the instrument in her hands with emotion, every time she puts her heart into the strings in her hands, it seems as if she can see the invisible machine pulling the audience to respond, responding to her emotions and her heart.

Although she had emphasized it once, at this moment, the feeling of standing on the stage, plucking the strings, and conveying the music to the audience was almost completely different from the sense of accomplishment she felt in the simulator.

Because she deeply understood that the invisible machine actually did not exist. It was everyone who voluntarily entered the inner world she constructed with music, and it was everyone who was willing to jump into the sea of ​​illusion she constructed with her performance.

From her past life to the present, Saotome Aoi's personality has developed into what it is today mostly due to her inner desire to make people around her happy and to bring joy to them.

She loves to see others smile because of her.

A few days ago, Aoi was still wondering why she was so obsessed with the band, but at this moment she truly found herself on the stage, the 'self who loves the band'.

There are no extra reasons, no lofty dreams, and the only voice in her heart is that she wants to play her music for many people to listen to.

Her superb performance seemed to have impressed her bandmates who were standing on the same stage at the time. Since Xiao Boqi and Kita were still in the practice stage, their guitar arrangements were more of an auxiliary to the violin. At this moment, they were also trying their best to follow her pace, and the level they performed was better than the most perfect ensemble practice.

Kita standing in the center and Pochi standing next to Aoi could understand this the most. As the performance began, Aoi's original stage fright and nervousness became weaker and weaker, and she became more fluent and natural as the music progressed.

The interaction on the stage was even more effortless. From time to time, you could see Aoi pulling the bow, turning sideways, and showing a clear and flawless sweet smile to Kita and Pochi beside her. When she met their eyes, her emerald green eyes were filled with joy and excitement.

Although Kita was standing in the center, it was Aoi who controlled the stage. Her music, her smile, and her eyes were like a pair of invisible hands, leading all the band members forward.

She swayed her slender legs slightly and actively, turning to the audience from time to time and smiling at every loyal listener who met her gaze.

Whether you are in the audience or on the stage, you will probably think that Aoi at this moment is like a warm and dazzling light, illuminating everyone's heart.

Kita and Pochi even saw a few girls with tears in their eyes as they watched the stage, and were so moved that they burst into tears.

Originally, they just thought that Aoi was a peer with outstanding musical skills, but now, they inexplicably felt a subtle sense of distance, as if they were actually the audience, standing next to Aoi, but not performing with her, but enjoying her solo performance.