Girl Band, Gravity Capture

Page 58

With a clap of his hands, Yuan Xudou, who had stepped in to discuss the topic, promptly stopped the atmosphere from sinking.

"If you encounter any difficulties, you can come to me anytime."

"Xu Dou is right."

Toyokawa Shoko nodded approvingly, her gentle gaze sweeping lightly over each person, like a graceful white dove soaring through the air.

"A band is more than just playing music together, right?"

"Our lives, our feelings... I hope that we can all connect with each other."

"So, now I have to announce something very important!"

Suddenly raising her voice, the girl was touched by her words to Yuan Xudou, and the attention of the crowd, who also showed expectant and gentle eyes, was once again drawn to her.

However, Shoko Toyokawa didn't rush to speak, but first asked in a tone seeking her opinion:

"I guess none of you have made summer plans yet, right?"

“It’s still a month or two away, how could I possibly start thinking about it so soon?” Shiina Tatsuki replied immediately.

The others nodded in agreement one after another.

"That's perfect—how about we go on a summer vacation together after the final exams?"

After sharing her long-held thoughts, the girl turned her expectant gaze to Yuan Xudou.

"Xu Dou, you tell them what we agreed on, okay?"

"...You didn't discuss this with me."

"But you should be able to understand what you're saying."

Yes... I could indeed guess the surprise she was talking about, and I didn't object. From that perspective, it was definitely something the two of them had agreed upon.

Thinking of this, the boy sighed, half helpless and half agreeing, and helped her explain her idea.

"Are we going to the beach?"

"That's right!"

Her gilded pupils shone brightly as Toyokawa Shoko happily completed the following text.

"Let's go to the beach together during summer vacation!"

Although she spoke very casually and capriciously, the amount of information contained within it still caused the other girls who heard it to show expressions of astonishment.

"The seaside...?" Takamatsu Akari silently pondered this magical word.

"With Xu Dou-kun... no, with everyone, to play at the beach?" Upon catching the key words, Nagasaki Motoyo covered her mouth in feigned surprise, several strange images flashing through her light blue eyes.

"...Huh?" Wakaba Muku opened her mouth slightly, unable to maintain the inorganic texture of her delicate face, and very directly revealed her surprise.

And then there was Shiina Tatsuki, who reacted most violently and almost jumped off his chair.

"Huh?! Going to the beach together?!"

With a deep frown, she fired off a series of questions.

"Why would I suddenly have such an idea? I don't want other people to see me in my swimsuit, and besides, it has nothing to do with the band, right?"

Faced with Shiina Tatsuki's questioning, Toyokawa Shoko calmly answered each point one by one.

"This wasn't a sudden, spur-of-the-moment decision; I've thought about it carefully."

"The beach is my family's private beach, and no outsiders will ever enter. The staff will only come when we need them, so there's no need to worry about being seen by others."

"And it's not unrelated to the band—we can bring our instruments to the beach and practice during our breaks, just like a training camp."

"Playing and living at the same time—don't you think that's a great opportunity to get to know each other better?"

"Or, Lixi, do you have better suggestions for summer vacation arrangements?"

...How could that be?

Faced with Toyokawa Shoko's clear explanation and her fearless, well-prepared sincerity, Shiina Tatsuki immediately gave in and shifted his questioning gaze away from her.

If it were really as she said, then it certainly wouldn't be bad. Going to the beach to escape the summer heat, being able to spend a vacation with friends, and not having any strangers bother you—since it's a private beach, comfort and safety should be guaranteed—thinking about it this way, Shiina Tatsuki herself felt a little tempted.

However, there was actually something deeper, something she herself inexplicably didn't want to say, which was the biggest reason she chose to resist in the first place—

"...I'll go with them too, but that wouldn't be a good look, Xiangzi."

He had been looking helpless from the very beginning, but when he realized that no one had brought up the most crucial point, Yuan Xudou could only sigh and speak softly.

Five women and one man, a private beach, a camping trip in the wild... these words together always seem to carry a strange connotation.

“But we can’t just leave you alone, Xu Dou, right? You’re one of the most important members of the band, of course we’ll include you!” the girl replied matter-of-factly.

"Don't try to justify it. You could have chosen a more public vacation option."

"I think the beach is great, isn't it? Isn't that a very common holiday activity?"

Just as the two of them were pretending to be ignorant, going back and forth around the core of the problem.

A clear, cold voice brought their argument to an end.

"...Xiangzi just wanted to go to the beach with Xu Dou."

"Mu...mu!"

Betrayed by her best friend and ruthlessly exposed, Toyokawa Shoko, who had just been composed, immediately lost her composure. Her pretty face turned red from her cheeks to her ears, and she glared angrily at Wakaba Mutsuki, who had made the startling remark.

The other person pretended not to say anything, turned their head away to avoid her gaze and pressed her for an answer.

There was no way to punish her for her outspokenness, so the girl could only grit her teeth.

—Even though it's her own half, lately she's been blatantly siding with Xu Dou more and more!

Having already gone this far, there was no point in continuing the maneuvering or probing. With her face completely flushed, Toyokawa Shoko simply gave up and went all in.

Biting her lower lip, she turned her head back, staring at the boy's dark eyes with a slightly embarrassed and annoyed look, and used her last resort.

"In that case, let's do it the same way as before and let everyone vote!"

"So, Xu Dou, you have nothing to object to now, right?"

The concern is simply how to get along with them in this isolated environment. But let the facts tell you, nobody minds!

"Let's start the vote now! Raise your hand if you agree to go to the beach for the holidays!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Toyokawa Shoko, suppressing the heat on her face, was the first to raise her hand.

The other girls looked at each other, and then...

"Actually, I've always wanted to see the sea, this would be nice."

With a gentle smile, Nagasaki Motoyo followed closely behind, as expected.

"...Well, he's a trustworthy teammate anyway, unlike a stranger...I have no objection."

After muttering a couple of words to convince himself, Shiina Tatsuki also raised his hand.

Wakaba Mutsu and Takamatsu Akari didn't say much, but they silently raised their hands.

"So, it's five against one."

"...No, it's six to zero, a unanimous vote."

Seeing the boy finally raise his hand, even though she knew he was giving her a way out, Toyokawa Shoko, feeling she had won a small victory, was finally able to suppress the blush on her face and return to normal tone.

"Then it's decided. When you get back, remember to talk to your family. I'll compile a list of what you need to bring and post it in the group. You can prepare accordingly."

"Then—Xu Dou, you'll stay behind alone for a bit later."

Chapter 82 Inseparable You and Me

When the event ended, Toyokawa Shoko shooed away the other four girls who were lingering and clearly wanted to stay and see what the two of them had to talk about, and then closed the door to the lounge.

She waited a while, then opened the door again and peered out to look around.

After confirming that no one was peeking through the crack in the door, the girl closed the door completely. Then, she walked aggressively towards Yuan Xudou, who was still sitting in the same spot, watching her do the above with a helpless indifference, yet also with a hint of amusement as if he had seen something interesting.

When Toyokawa Shoko walked up to him, her fever hadn't completely subsided, and a serious expression appeared on her fair and rosy cheeks.

Her noble eyes, as bright and golden as the sun, were fixed on the dark and deep pupils of the boy before her, as if sunlight were shining into a bottomless abyss.

Neither of them spoke first, letting the quiet air ferment into a stagnant atmosphere.

If you look at what happened from the perspective of an uninformed outsider, the two of them seem like a couple who have calmed down after an argument, but the atmosphere is still tense and neither of them wants to talk to the other... But is that really the case?

Obviously not.

After just a short while of gazing at each other, Toyokawa Shoko could no longer maintain her solemn expression. Seeing the same serious look on the boy's face as he responded to her, she chuckled softly.

The soft and peaceful atmosphere, accompanied by the clear and melodious laughter like swaying wind chimes, easily replaced the previous solemnity.

"Xu Dou, why didn't you speak up for me just now?"

With a bright smile in her eyes, but a hint of complaint in her voice, Toyokawa Shoko asked without much intention of blaming.

"You should have known that it would end up like this."

She had planned the holiday arrangements well in advance, considering all aspects that might be questioned, and even told the boy about the surprise in advance. She thought everything was foolproof and could be carried out smoothly.

As a result, although the final outcome was indeed as she had imagined, and her suggestion was agreed upon by everyone, the girl's shyness and panic when she was bluntly contradicted by Wakaba Mutsumi in the middle of the process were not fake.

If Genjiro had stood by her from the beginning, as co-leaders of the band, their agreement would have been readily accepted by the others—this was the source of Toyokawa Shoko's slight resentment. His incomplete cooperation led to her being unexpectedly betrayed.

"Someone has to bring this up... If it's not clarified, no one can feel at ease."

After all, no matter how good the relationship is, it's not like the six of them are casual about feelings and privacy. They need to talk things out and make sure everyone understands what this means so they can make a clear decision.

Naturally, Toyokawa Shoko understood this principle as well. That's why she wasn't angry about Minamoto no Koto's opposition.

However... even in arguments that both sides can understand each other, there still needs to be a process of reconciliation.

Previously, it was Yuan Xudou who was the first to back down.

With a slightly smug and willful expression, but not at all spoiled because of the girl's bright smile, Toyokawa Shoko looked at the boy with the proud gaze of a victor, and then gently reached out to him.

Having already understood her purpose, Yuan Xudou naturally opened his arms.

The next moment, her soft, delicate body gently fell into his arms, her slender, fair arms slipping under her armpits to embrace his back. At the same time, he also pulled his arms around her, encircling her in his embrace.

Resting her chin on the boy's strong shoulder, the girl savored the familiar yet intoxicating feeling of fullness that accompanied their embrace, and let out a light, contented sigh.

It was only after meeting Yuan Xudou that she realized how pleasant it was to hug someone she trusted and was close to... It was like immersing her body in a warm hot spring, with every nerve in her body radiating signals of safety and warmth.

Toyokawa Shoko doesn't like to entrust her affairs to others, nor does she want to expose her willful and self-centered side to others so directly, but Minamoto Koto is the only exception.

Relying on him won't damage my self-esteem; on the contrary, it's proof of our close relationship. It would be too awkward to keep my distance from someone I'm connected to by "fate," someone with whom I understand each other, and someone I care about deeply.

Keeping him here wasn't to dwell on the previous topic or demand an explanation... those were just pretexts. Her real purpose was to create an environment where she and Xu Dou could be alone, allowing her to express the feelings and thoughts she could only share with him at that moment.

She hugged his back tightly, closing the distance between them to a point where even light and dust couldn't get in. Their skin touched only through the fabric, and they could clearly hear each other's heartbeats.

A gentler whisper than usual softly reached the boy's ears.

"I'm really, really happy to be able to perform my own songs on stage."

"The excitement of shining under the lights, expressing my emotions through music in front of everyone, and the joy of playing a piece with everyone's full effort..."

"There are so many things to be happy about. Even now, my head is still a little dizzy."

"Xu Dou...you should be able to sense it, right?"

That overflowing, genuine joy swayed beneath the girl's seemingly calm and refined exterior, which appeared not particularly excited. Like a full container, with just a gentle sway, the pleasant liquid would overflow from the rim, leaving winding watermarks on the cup's surface.

"Yes, I understand."

Yuan Xudou nodded gently.

"Phew... I owe most of these feelings to you."

"And then, what makes me happiest is—"

"Seeing you, Xu Dou, makes me smile."

The wish I made at the girl's house has finally come true.

Because she understood better than anyone else what it meant for Genjiro to be able to genuinely laugh, Toyokawa Shoko felt boundless joy at this moment.

Just as she had hoped, the joy of forming a band erased the marks left on the boy by his family's passing, allowing him to genuinely smile again when facing these companions who were no different from his own family.