Girl Band, Gravity Capture

Page 86

Toyokawa Shoko raised her head and looked at the towering buildings that stretched as far as the eye could see in front of her.

Located in Roppongi, Minato Ward, Tokyo, this upscale apartment building... while not comparable to the historic mansion she used to live in, which even had maids and butlers serving her, it was still the most luxurious house that money could buy through ordinary channels.

She knew that Yuan Xudou's life, like her own before, wouldn't involve financial worries, but she truly hadn't imagined it would be to this extent... In that case, even if he were to completely support himself, it shouldn't be a problem at all, right?

...Moreover, even though we were so close before, I never went to Xu Dou's house even once... Although it was because of various concerns before marriage, there was indeed a lack of understanding in daily life.

Perfect... I can take this opportunity to delve deeper into the other person's life. Toyokawa Shoko thought optimistically.

“Although the house is big, I usually live alone…” Yuan Xudou paused, “No, that’s not quite right… I’ll explain the details later, but there definitely won’t be any maids or butlers to take care of me. Xiangzi, you’ll have to take care of your own room and clothes.”

"Really... I'm not some sheltered young lady from a wealthy family."

A hint of dissatisfaction appeared in her brightened golden eyes. Toyokawa Shoko's mood had brightened considerably due to the change in environment, and she even picked up her young lady's verbal tic.

She said confidently, "As long as you teach me a few times, I can handle all the housework. Whether it's washing dishes or cleaning the rooms, I can do it!"

She seems to be using this as a small way to give back for her stay at the Genju Touya.

Genjiro, who was helping Toyokawa Shoko carry one of her suitcases, glanced at her but decided not to tell her that she was trying to steal the daily work of another "resident" in his house.

"We're here, let's go."

The elevator in the detached building quietly arrived at its destination. Yuan Xudou took out a key from his pocket and inserted it into the door lock.

"I'll make you a copy of the house key later. This is a detached single-story house, so as long as you remember the floor, you won't go to the wrong place."

"And then... well, there's something I need to tell you."

He turned the key and spoke softly in a tone that was hard to decipher—whether calm or complex.

Gen Xudou looked up at Nagasaki Motoyo, who was wearing casual clothes and giving him a sweet smile.

"I'm back." He smiled.

“Welcome home~”

“That’s how it is.” Yuan Xudou turned his head and spoke to Toyokawa Shoko, who was hidden behind the door and had not been noticed by Nagasaki Sue for a moment. “Sue and I are neighbors living on different floors, so she usually stays at my house.”

"This is what I wanted to tell you."

Toyokawa Shoko's happy smile froze when she heard Nagasaki Motoyo's familiar yet seemingly different voice from the ones she used to hear in front of them.

As if her neck had frozen, she slowly turned her head, looking blankly at Yuan Xudou, whose face was both helpless and composed.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

The news of bringing Toyokawa Shoko home was naturally not told to Nagasaki Motoyo, who was already living with Minamoto Koto and was now trying to remove the "half" from the title.

As for not telling Toyokawa Shoko... it was mainly because he was afraid she would run away again on the way, and then he would really be helpless. Although it wasn't impossible to catch her, chasing her back and forth was really pointless, and Gen Xudou didn't want to add another burden to his life.

However, Toyokawa Shoko's reaction didn't seem as intense as he had expected.

After a brief moment of stunned silence, she composed herself, reverting to her previous cold and aloof demeanor. However, she did not choose to run away; instead, she silently dragged her suitcase into the house.

The moment Nagasaki Motoyo, who was standing in the living room, saw her, the smile on her beautiful face vanished instantly. Her light blue eyes showed no joy at seeing her former companion, only a calm and indifferent gaze.

—Apart from Xu Dou, I don't owe anyone anything, so why should I back down?

—Xiangzi, you actually have the nerve to live here... Whatever, your threat level is now less than a tenth of what it used to be.

One was the culprit who caused the band's breakup, and the other was the person who had the least attachment to the band and was the least hurt... A fragile balance was reached between the two, who were not about to have a conflict on the spot, and they didn't even have the interest to look at each other.

If it were anyone else in the band, they would probably be arguing by now, right? Especially Shiina Tatsuki, although she vented her pain over the band's disbandment to Genjiro in the end, she actually knew who the real culprit was... Rather than crying to Genjiro, she might have directly attacked Toyokawa Shoko.

In any case... at least in Yuan Xudou's house, they didn't want to do anything too extreme that would put him in a difficult position.

As for their feelings about each other's existence... Toyokawa Shoko is not someone who cares too much about other people's feelings or is stubborn about her own decisions. Knowing about Nagasaki Motoyo's situation is not enough to make her waver in her choice to move into Xu Dou's house.

She didn't feel much guilt towards Nagasaki Motoyo. Now it seems that the band wasn't anything too important to her, so there was no question of owing her anything.

Nagasaki Motoyo dislikes Toyokawa Shoko's willful and self-centered behavior, which leads to the disintegration and disappearance of the band, leaving Genji Kōdō to bear the responsibility of handling the aftermath alone, causing him pain... But it is precisely because of this that she has the opportunity to connect with each other more deeply.

It was no longer a one-sided rescue, but a mutual support and reliance... From this point of view, Nagasaki Motoyo should be grateful for abandoning her original leading position, causing Genjiro to be hurt, and thus exposing the vulnerability of Toyokawa Shoko.

It's like the current girlfriend should thank the ex-girlfriend for her momentary lapse in judgment, leaving behind such a good boyfriend, giving her the opportunity to take advantage of the situation... something like that.

Of course, if Nagasaki Motoyo simply left without remembering the other person's kindness or hoping to rekindle the relationship, she would be even more grateful to Toyokawa Shoko.

"The food is on the table, and the bowls and chopsticks are over there," Nagasaki Motoyo said casually, pointing to the kitchen.

Shoko Toyokawa did not respond and walked straight towards the kitchen.

—The only consensus they share right now is that they don't want to have too much interaction with this guy.

There was no reason to target each other. The only reason they lived under the same roof was that, after breaking away from their "bandmate" relationship, the two of them could only be considered acquaintances who didn't like each other.

With eyes completely different from when he looked at the boy, devoid of any light, he quietly watched her walk into the kitchen. Nagasaki Motoyo then took a few steps forward and naturally took Genji's hand.

She pulled Yuan Xudou along and sat down on the sofa with him.

Slender fingers rested on the boy's distinct fingertips, slowly tightening their grip. Nagasaki Motoyo pressed her gentle face close and softly inhaled his scent.

There wasn't anything particularly strange about it.

"Xu Dou, what do you plan to do with her?" Nagasaki Motoyo asked in a tone as if she were discussing a complete stranger.

It wasn't an interrogation, but rather something he had agreed upon beforehand during a text message exchange, and he would explain his thoughts to her.

Yuan Xudou didn't mind the girl's sniffing, letting her soft hair flow over his shoulder. "I might have to stay a while longer... Sorry, Su Shi, for making you..."

Before Genjiro could finish speaking, Nagasaki Motoyo gently nudged him, interrupting his impending apology.

“Xu Dou,” she gazed earnestly and tenderly into his eyes, “don’t say things like ‘I’m sorry for hurting you’ anymore.”

"I'm willing to do anything for you, no matter what it is."

“From the moment you said ‘you need me’ that night, I already knew what to do.” Nagasaki Motoyo closed her azure eyes slightly, her voice not a deliberately flattering gentleness, but an instinctive, heartfelt tenderness. “You taught me that I don’t need to protect you cautiously and fearfully to receive warmth and love…”

"—So, I hope that our relationship should be more of a greedy one."

"Mutual demands, mutual dependence... wanting neither to be able to leave the other... is it this heaviness that brings peace of mind?"

Nagasaki Motoyo used her free hand to hold Genjiro's equally free hand and place it on her chest, then gently stroked his cheek.

"Don't feel guilty about making requests of me..."

"Because, in the future, I will definitely make even more outrageous demands."

Knowing that the other party will definitely forgive them, they can unleash their greedy desires without fear.

But they always put the other person's feelings first, so they would never make a request that would cross the line and hurt each other's feelings.

There's no need to suppress it, no need to worry... This undeniable entanglement is more reassuring than any promise.

Nagasaki Motoyo loved this feeling immensely, and she cherished the irreplaceable sense of security that Minamoto no Koto had given her.

"Can I have a kiss?" she asked softly, completely disregarding the fact that Toyokawa Shoko was still in the kitchen behind her, and could come out at any moment.

Rather, it would be better if she saw it.

Yuan Xudou should have hesitated.

But to his surprise, he found that he hadn't felt a single thought of rejection. Was it the melting gaze of the girl in his arms that was so captivating, or had he, deep down, accepted that complicated relationship? It seemed impossible to tell now.

...But, as Su Shi said...

All her attempts and efforts were successful. It was impossible for Minamoto no Koto to leave Nagasaki Motoyo, who loved and embraced him like family, and with whom he relied on and accompanied him.

So he lowered his head and, under the girl's soft gaze, gently pressed his cheek against hers.

End of volume remarks

Phew... The story of C-Group in Volume One has finally come to an end.

The initial plan was to focus only on Xiangzi and Su Shi's perspectives, leaving the other characters' roles for the GO group era... But as I wrote, Xu Dou became the group's white moonlight, and the stats were set too high. There was no way to balance it without adding a mechanism.

You can probably sense it a little, right? My writing habit is to first think of the key plot points, and then fill in the transitional plots between them. The advantage of this is that I occasionally come up with some really good ideas that I'm quite satisfied with, such as Su Shi's finger-to-finger kiss, Xiangzi's confession on the beach, the process of comforting Li Xi, Yu Mu's affair in the game room, and watching the stars with Deng.

The downside is that the plot can easily get stuck. One issue is figuring out how to move from one point to the next. Another is that if my sudden brilliant idea causes a change in the relationships between the characters that wasn't initially considered, then we need to start all over again to figure out how things should develop...

For example, the composition of the entire C group, in my initial idea, this was just the prelude to the whole story (a 30-word prelude, isn't that amazing?). Li Xi and Mu didn't have any concept of a romance route at the beginning. It was something that suddenly occurred to me as I was writing: "Hey, it seems like I can put in a [Affection UP!] here," or "Hey, it seems like I can win her over with just a few words there." But now, Mu has become the person who likes and depends on Xu Dou the most besides Su Shi. Li Xi even directly caused the C group to completely and irreparably end due to her emotional outburst.

On a side note, Li Xi seems to be the only one among the five who hasn't had a romantic encounter with Xu Dou. It's a pity she never got to experience anything good, otherwise she might not have spoken so hastily when the group was in trouble.

Her mindset, simply put, was, "If you disband C-band, where am I supposed to find you afterwards?" The lack of a substantial bond, deeper than that of band members, meant she was probably the only one genuinely upset about the band's disbandment. At least others had a reason for Xu Dou to take responsibility, but her…

If we're talking about dividing the pot, Xiangzi, who's always going his own way, takes more than 50%, Mu, who acted without prior communication and was just wishful thinking, takes about 20-30%, and she probably takes at least 10%.

Ultimately, Xu Dou gave up the idea that "forming a band can bring happiness" and returned to his family (Su Shi Shuang Shi).

The second volume, as currently envisioned, will have two storylines.

Firstly, there's the pink-haired girl, Aine, who finally makes her appearance. How did she get Heo Doo to let go of his past grievances and continue forming the band?

Secondly, our Miss Xiangzi, who had already reached the finish line, yawned and killed half of her progress bar. She then casually locked the progress bars of other C-group members (Su Shi: AWC, how could Xiangzi be so mean?), turned into gray Xiangzi, and continued to perform the shuttle run.

If the theme of the first volume, 【CryCHIC】, was "loving each other while warming each other's hearts", then the theme of the second volume, 【MYGO！！！】, is "loving each other while being entangled in each other's hearts".

Since the level of goodwill has been reached, the conditions are sufficient for everyone to hold on tightly and no one can break away on their own, and the reasons for malice are justified... Yes, the time has finally come for everyone to start attacking each other without restraint!

Previously, the C group was like a utopia, with such a good environment that there was no reason for conflict. But now, whether it's Li Xi, who has finally realized the taboo of "a lifetime" and wants to pull Xu Dou back into the band, trying to mend their relationship; Su Shi, who doesn't want Xu Dou to be taken away by someone else again; Ai Yin, who is scheming, vain, and likes to cause trouble; Xu Dou, who has developed a shadow over forming a band but still maintains a certain degree of longing; or the free-roaming cats who wander outside the scene... it's bound to be very exciting when they fight.

Those famous scenes from the original work might be performed by unexpected people.

All members of Group C voluntarily performed "Spring Shadow".

In summary, these are my current thoughts.

Thank you to all the readers who have made it this far for your company and support! Especially to everyone in the reader group, during the time I was temporarily on hiatus, you let me know that there were still people who cared about this book, and I am truly grateful!

See you in Volume 2, everyone!

Dimly Swaying Star

Chapter One: The Resolve to Abandon Happiness

The familiar yet somewhat pungent smell of disinfectant wafted from the tip of my nose.

The walls, floor tiles, ceiling—everything within sight was covered in a blinding pale white. The soft sound of water flowing from the drip tube, the ripples it created, were very similar to the lake near my home in my memory.

He also remembered that at dusk, flocks of waterbirds would fly over there, and behind the shadows cast by their fluttering white wings, children would run and chase after the scattered feathers, while their smiling families watched over them.

He looked back in his memory, the evening breeze stirring up fallen leaves, and his parents' figures slowly blurred into two mottled patches of color in the light of the setting sun.

From there, a faintly undulating green line pierced out and stabbed into his brow.

The perspective of reminiscence returns to the hospital. Beside the fluctuating electrocardiogram, Yuan Xudou, with his head buried in the light blue hospital bed sheet, breathes quietly, his tired and sleepy eyes tightly closed as if he were fast asleep.

His body reverted to the appearance of an eight or nine-year-old, and even his consciousness seemed to have returned to that hazy state.

The boy, who was about to fall into a deep sleep, was breathing evenly in front of his father's sickbed.

“Xu... Dou…”

The man's voice sounded as if it were coming from a very, very far place.

Too weak to even open his eyes, Yuan Xudou, enveloped in the pungent smell of disinfectant, sat on a chair next to the hospital bed, his upper body slumped over the bed.

He wanted to respond to his father's call, but after nearly a week of staying up all night, his body, which had already reached its limit, had almost lost the ability to even open his mouth.

In his hazy state of mind, a large yet thin hand, covered with grotesque blue veins bulging from excessive medication, was placed on the head of the boy who was still a child at the time.

The thick calluses on my fingers were slowly brushed over.

Even if...we're all gone...

"...You must live a happy life..."

What is a happy life?

Who can define happiness? What constitutes happiness?

Is it too cruel to place such an obsession on a young child who cannot even understand its true meaning, by entrusting him with the wish that he "must be happy"?

Bound by that dying wish, and with no idea what "happiness" meant, Yuan Xudou begins to observe the lives of others.