Girl Band, Gravity Capture

Page 10

"...I want to form a band with Takamatsu, and I want to use Takamatsu's lyrics to express my inner feelings to others...This is my selfish desire, I'm sorry."

"……band……"

As if struck by a sudden thought, Takamatsu also opened his eyes wide.

She looked at Yuan Xudou with her soft, moist eyes, which rippled like lake water, as if seeking help.

Yuan Xudou patted her on the shoulder.

"You have to find it yourself."

Respond with the same words.

So, she mustered her courage and slowly reached out her hand to Toyokawa Shoko, who was looking down.

"...I want to try it."

Chapter Nine: Hands United

Yueyi's first post: "R-Really?"

Toyokawa Shoko had considered that the other party would be angry, would scold her, and would kick her out of the house for secretly reading other people's words... Her pride as the eldest daughter of the Toyokawa family had prepared her for being punished for doing something wrong.

Ultimately, it's all her fault for losing control of her emotions after experiencing certain things recently. She can't blame anyone else and should bear all the consequences.

However, neither Gao Songdeng nor Yuan Xudou, who had a good relationship with her, intended to hold her accountable for what she had done.

The girl looked up hesitantly, uneasily, yet with a glimmer of hope, at Takamatsu Akari, who had unexpectedly accepted her inexplicable invitation.

The other person's face did not show the disgust and anger she had imagined; instead, there was a dazed look on their face, and a hint of determination in their eyes.

Like a skinny, fledgling animal taking its first unsteady steps...

Although fragile, although ignorant, although completely unprepared to face external dangers—

Only the determination to move forward truly exists here.

"...Because I've always been different from everyone else..."

"I can't respond properly to what others say, and people can't understand what I say... It's very strange."

"I feel like I only have myself in my heart... I'm very lonely."

"...But Xu Dou told me—"

“‘It’s not that you’re strange, it’s just that you haven’t found a way to express yourself’… It’s heartwarming to be understood.”

"If, Mr. Toyokawa, you believe that lyrics can help everyone understand me..."

The girl stepped out from behind Genjiro and bravely met Toyokawa Shoko's gaze.

The gentle, clear sound, like a babbling brook, flowed quietly through the room.

"Even if Toyokawa-kun has his own ideas, that's fine."

"Being able to express one's feelings together..."

"I want to try."

Say = Easy Two Guilty Rise Lu Jiu ⑴⑶ Ba Liu “Takamatsu classmate…”

Shocked by such determination and will, Toyokawa Shoko stood frozen in place.

Moved, surprised, joyful, incredulous... a mix of emotions surged within her, eventually coalescing into an irrepressible urge to respond to that determination.

The girl nervously clutched the hem of her school uniform skirt, wanting to place her hands on her lap to strike a solemn pose, but then, feeling it wasn't quite right, she quickly and awkwardly removed them. In the end, she could only raise her hand to wipe away the tears that had somehow welled up in her eyes.

Then, as if afraid of disturbing the delicate girl, he gently grasped her outstretched hand.

"Yes! I will definitely live up to your expectations and compose a piece that lives up to your wish!"

"...Okay, okay."

Although Toyokawa Shoko became agitated again, this time she controlled herself well and didn't frighten the prepared girl. However, Takamatsu Akari was still a little unaccustomed to this intense response, and her expression became somewhat blank.

"From now on, may I call you Deng?"

"Can……"

"I'll try to find the rest of the band! They're all really nice people, and they'll definitely understand what Deng is thinking!"

"Ah good……"

The rhythm of the conversation was firmly controlled by the excited Toyokawa Shoko, while Takamatsu Akari could only passively respond.

However, she was much more rational now, and instead of talking to herself like before, she earnestly told Takamatsu Akari everything and sought her opinion. Although the girl would only nod blankly and give simple answers, Toyokawa Shoko was enjoying it immensely.

She couldn't help but imagine the bright and boundless future in her heart, and a warm and dazzling smile appeared on her face.

"Oh right! Yuan... you should be called Xu Dou now, come on over!"

"...?"

Giving the choice to Takamatsu, quietly watching the two reconcile, thinking that the matter was over, Yuan Xudou did not expect the topic to suddenly shift to himself.

At that moment, both girls' eyes focused on his face. Toyokawa Shoko's eyes were filled with expectation, and she wore the dignified smile of a young lady who couldn't refuse; Takamatsu Akari seemed to have not expected Toyokawa Shoko to suddenly bring this up, but after realizing what was happening, she also cast a hopeful look at him.

"You understand what Deng is feeling, right? With your help, Deng's lyrics will definitely touch people's hearts even more—"

"...I don't want to join the band."

"well……?"

Unexpectedly, she received such a straightforward rejection, and Toyokawa Shoko's golden pupils widened in shock.

"Why don't you want to join the band?"

The Yuan Xudou she knew wasn't the kind of person who would say such heartless things in this kind of situation... Even if he could be cold to strangers, Akari was right next to her!

Moreover, his expression became somewhat... how should I describe it, downcast?

Trying to discern a clue from Genjiro's almost unchanging face, Toyokawa Shoko keenly sensed that his refusal might have a deeper reason.

"...I just didn't want to perform on stage."

Is this the reason?

Although her intuition told her that the reason wasn't that simple, Deng's emotions seemed to be starting to get out of control—

"...Xu Dou, wouldn't you like to form a band with me?"

A heavy, damp atmosphere slowly emanated from Takamatsu Akari. The girl's hollow murmurs gave Toyokawa Shoko, who was not directly confronting this emotion, a feeling of being torn apart.

It's like a black hole... emanating an aura that desperately needs something to fill it, or it will devour everything.

It's hard to imagine what it would feel like to directly face that heavy burden of Yuan Xudou; in any case, the girl was already finding it hard to cope.

"Deng, Deng-kun, Xu Dou didn't say that. He just didn't want to perform on stage... By the way, let Xu Dou be our backstage staff!"

"...The people behind the scenes...?"

Yuan Xudou, who remained unfazed under that pressure, and Gao Songdeng, who seemed to be drawn in by her words, calmed down and regained her harmless little animal demeanor, both focused their puzzled gazes on her.

"what is that?"

Yuan Xudou spoke calmly.

"It's about... band members who handle some off-stage tasks... Xu Dou can help me and Deng with songwriting and composition, and then..."

Toyokawa Shoko felt that she was starting to talk nonsense in her attempt to appease the two of them.

"...coordinating relationships within the team, helping us arrange performances and such...a bit like a manager, but closer than that!"

She tried to persuade the two men with very forceful words.

Gao Songdeng didn't quite understand.

However, she could understand that this way she wouldn't have to be separated from Yuan Xudou.

So she looked up at the boy expectantly.

Enveloped in that atmosphere of dependence and trust, as if the other person were an absolutely trustworthy being, and as if hoping that the other person would always provide guidance, Yuan Xudou remained silent for a while.

Finally, he sighed.

"...If that's all, then it's fine."

Takamatsu Akari smiled contentedly and reached out her other hand to grasp the boy's hand.

"Xu Dou".

Then, she turned to Toyokawa Shoko and gently tugged at her hand.

“Saki (祥子)”.

She looked at the two of them with expectant eyes.

'What...what does this mean?'

Could it be... that Deng wants me to hold hands with Xu Dou too?

This...this is our first time meeting, and I've never held hands with a member of the opposite sex who isn't an elder before. The first time is with Xu Dou...

Surprisingly, they weren't very resistant.

Toyokawa Shoko secretly glanced at the boy's profile out of the corner of her eye.

III 4 ⊙ Qi Wo (II) 4 8 ⑷ Qun That flawless face was still so calm, just looking at it made people feel inner peace and a sense of security welled up from the bottom of their hearts.

Genjiro noticed Toyokawa Shoko's hesitant gaze, so he stepped forward and took the girl's hand.

As someone who understood Takamatsu Akari's inner world even better, he, who could see it through Toyokawa Shoko's eyes, could naturally see it too. In order not to embarrass her too much, the boy decided to take the initiative himself.

His grip was very careful, merely covering Toyokawa Shoko's fair and soft palm.

There was no palm-to-palm contact, no interlocking fingers; it was just a light, loose grasp of her hand, like catching a tiny flying insect.

In terms of the degree of skin contact, it wasn't even as intense as when Yuan Xudou grabbed her wrist to stop her from her impulsive behavior towards Gao Songdeng. The girl could only vaguely feel the skin of Yuan Xudou's palm against the back of her hand, and the sensation of his much thicker, more bony fingertips rubbing against the edge of her palm.

This was already a very restrained level of contact... yet she felt her heart beating faster and faster uncontrollably.

It's so much bigger than my hand...

Toyokawa Shoko couldn't help but lower her head, her long, sky-blue hair falling down to cover her crystal-clear, jade-like earlobes, which had started to feel slightly hot at some point.

'It must be because I was too excited to form a band with Deng and Xu Dou...!'

"Xiangzi."

Takamatsu's call brought her back to her senses.

Ignoring her shyness, the girl, who was not good at expressing herself, smiled and held both of their hands tightly at the same time.

"Let's form a band together."

Outside the window, the swaying shadows of the trees obscured the view of the three people holding hands inside the room.

Then, a mixture of calm and joy emerged from the earnest responses of the boy and girl.

"...Okay, let's form a band together."

"Yeah! Let's form a band together!"

Chapter Ten: Between Us, There Is a Connection of Fate

After that, Toyokawa Shoko exchanged Line numbers with the two men and said goodbye to each other.

Once she has gathered the right band members, she will notify the two of them to find a place to officially form the band.

Takamatsu stayed home, sorting through her old diaries, searching for lyrics that met Toyokawa Shoko's standards, and diligently preparing for the band's first song.

Yuan Xudou accompanied Fengchuan Xiangzi, whose sprain had almost healed but who was still having some difficulty walking, and escorted her home to prevent her from encountering any danger on the way.

Having wasted so much time at Gao Songdeng's house, Yuan Xudou would no longer be able to complete his planned hiking trip.

He checked the time and figured that if he dropped Toyokawa Shoko off at her doorstep and then took a nearby taxi, he should be able to catch Nagasaki Motoyo's club activities and leave school.