Chapter Eighteen: Marina's Old Bandmate (Happy Birthday, Nijika Mama~) / Chapter Nineteen: HOPE ...

This was another major haul.

Chapter Eighteen: Marina's Old Bandmate (Happy Birthday, Nijika Mama~)

In the short time the five had been gone, one of CiRCLE's outer walls had already been given a fresh coat of paint. By contrast, the five girls were covered in dust and grime. As soon as they appeared at CiRCLE's entrance, the two people inside hurried over to greet them.

"You're finally back! Are you hurt? Hungry? Feeling unwell anywhere..." Marina fussed over them like a mother the moment they came through the door. "Do you want to take a bath first? Do you still have the energy to..."

"Stop, stop, stop!" Nijika cut off Marina's motherly rambling. "Miss Marina, are you all right? Nothing happened to CiRCLE while we were gone? And who is this..."

A woman about the same age as Marina stood beside her. She had long purple hair and two guns strapped to her waist, giving her a rather dashing air. She had remained quietly at Marina's side, deliberately keeping a low profile so she would not interrupt their reunion.

"We met her earlier. Go get cleaned up properly and rest afterward. I'll introduce you later." Marina turned to the woman. "Is that all right?"

The woman nodded. "Thanks for all your hard work, everyone. We'll talk about me later. Go rest first." Her voice was just as cool and dashing, reminding Shiko of several of the handsome-looking players from Bang Dream.

After who knew how long of exploring day and night without rest, their spirits finally relaxed completely once they were home. The five girls collapsed onto the soft, somewhat unfamiliar mattresses. Nearly all of them fell asleep the moment their heads touched the pillows. Their five faces quickly relaxed, their breathing becoming steady and carefree.

Their dreamless sleep passed in an instant.

"Everyone, dinner's ready~" Shiko seemed to hear a voice. It echoed through her daze, taking a long while to register as information before she understood, Time to get up. She tried to sit up, but her eyelids were still fighting her and refused to open. She reached up and forced them apart by a slit. In front of her was a table leg lying horizontally. When she raised her head, it turned upright. The aroma of food filled the air. Miss Marina had thoughtfully moved the dining table into the bedroom, and it was already laden, as usual, with all kinds of dishes the five loved. This was both a victory banquet and a welcome party for the woman.

Ichiri smelled the fried chicken and shot to her feet. Seeing that, Shiko braced herself against the table leg and reluctantly crawled out.

"Nijika, feed me." Ryo tugged on Nijika's hem. Everyone else had already sat up, but she was still curled lazily in her blanket.

Ryo had expected Nijika to give her a cold glare. Instead, Nijika only hesitated slightly, her face flushing red.

"J-just this once, okay?" Nijika did not look at anyone.

"Huh?" Everyone was startled.

"Ryo really did work hard this time... If you keep laughing, you'll get up and eat by yourself!"

In the end, Ryo obediently sat down at the table. The woman also sat beside Marina. According to Marina, she had met her while waiting for the five to return.

"Welcome back safely, everyone!" At the start of the victory banquet, Marina did not ask what the five had accomplished. As long as they had returned safely, that was the most important thing.

Ryo was actually the first to pick up her chopsticks. Without caring about anything else, she shoveled mouthful after mouthful of food into her mouth.

"Are you two close?" Kita noticed the inexplicable familiarity between Marina and the woman.

The woman gave a slight bow. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Yuki Arakawa. I used to be in a band with Marina, where I played drums. I now work as an independent music producer." That single sentence contained an overwhelming amount of information.

"Miss Marina used to be in a band too?" Kita stared at Marina with her mouth hanging open.

"Yes. We formed a five-member band in our school days, but it didn't work out in the end, so we disbanded." A trace of nostalgia appeared on Marina's face before it quickly faded.

Shiko naturally knew about this; she simply did not know the details about the other members besides Marina. The others, however, had no idea. After everyone introduced themselves, Kita excitedly pressed the two of them for more details. Just then, Ichiri quietly pulled Shiko away and led her to the backstage area next door.

"What is it?" Shiko did not think Ichiri was the sort of high school girl who needed a companion even to go to the bathroom.

There was a gleam in Ichiri's eyes. "Is this a welcome party?"

"Yeah. Why?" Shiko suddenly had a bad feeling.

"So, it's a party?" Ichiri's eyes rarely shone so brightly.

Five minutes later, Shiko emerged from backstage clutching her head, followed by a woman in bizarre attire: a Santa hat, novelty sunglasses, a fake beard, a sash reading "One-Day Patrol Captain," and a party popper in her hand.

The moment she appeared, the room fell silent.

"Bang!" Ichiri fired the party popper toward the dining table. Several streamers flew out and landed quietly on the floor.

"See? I told you it would kill the mood." Shiko could not bear to look any longer.

Because of that little interruption, Ichiri—after removing the strange decorations—spent the rest of the heavy victory banquet beside Shiko.

In truth, the atmosphere was still quite lively. Marina and Miss Arakawa shared stories about forming their band back then, while Nijika and Kita talked about their recent adventure. Ryo kept eating. But Shiko and Ichiri still sealed themselves away in the darkest corner. The awkwardness was one thing; having an unfamiliar senior from the old band at the table was also an enormous source of pressure for them. Fortunately, Shiko soon drew on her experience from her first meeting with Kessoku Band and gradually joined the conversation.

Shiko reached for a piece of fried chicken, only to bump into someone else's chopsticks. She instinctively pulled back. The other person did the same. When she turned her head, she found herself looking straight into Ichiri's eyes. To conceal their awkwardness, they simultaneously picked up cups of juice and took tiny sips. Nijika fed Ryo with a look of disgust, while Ryo enjoyed it without blushing or batting an eye. Kita watched the four of them with an unhappy expression. Looking at the five girls, Marina smiled without realizing it.

"Did something pleasant happen?" Miss Arakawa noticed her expression.

"Nothing." Marina looked away and reached for a piece of cabbage stem. "I just feel that they've grown closer."

Even a happy banquet had to end. Shiko crouched in the corner, watching Marina and Miss Arakawa clear the table. Normally, she would have gone to help. But seeing the two old bandmates happily chatting, she hesitated over whether she should interrupt their reunion. Acting was one thing, but she still had no idea how to handle a situation like this. Just as she was wondering whether to ask Nijika what she should do, Miss Arakawa noticed her.

"Is something wrong?"

Since she had already been spotted, Shiko had no choice but to step out of the corner and put on a natural expression. She hurriedly found an excuse. "I was just curious about what kind of ability Miss Arakawa has."

Arakawa did not notice anything odd. "Hmm... In simple terms, regeneration. I'll be traveling with you from tomorrow onward, so you'll see for yourselves then."

"Yuki is very strong." Marina stacked the bowls and chopsticks as she spoke. "But don't rely on her too much. She won't be staying here for long."

Chapter Nineteen: HOPE

The moment she said that, everyone was stunned.

Four people tumbled out from the corner where Shiko had been hiding earlier. Shiko looked back. Kita was at the bottom, with Nijika piled on top of her. Ichiri and Ryo had not fallen because they had not been leaning against anyone else.

Shiko was dumbfounded. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to ask whether Miss Marina's old band left behind any CDs." That was Kita.

"I'm a fan of Miss Arakawa, so I came to ask for an autograph." That was Ryo.

"I wanted to ask the famous drummer, Miss Arakawa, to give me some pointers on my technique." That was Nijika.

"B-because nobody else had left, so I didn't dare leave by myself..." That was Ichiri.

Shiko suddenly felt as if every one of you has a hidden talent. Fortunately, their interruption eased her pressure considerably.

"So why do you have to leave? Isn't it nice living at CiRCLE with us?" Kita and Nijika surrounded Miss Arakawa.

Marina also looked at her meaningfully. "See? Staying here is fine, right?"

"I don't like staying in one place for too long. That's all. Really, that's all. Stop shaking me—" Being jostled back and forth by the two girls, Arakawa looked a little helpless. "Still, since I've come all this way, I'll stay for a while. Don't worry."

After Arakawa promised them repeatedly, the two girls finally cheered. Shiko took the opportunity to slip away.

Shiko escaped to the lobby. Ichiri followed behind her. Once someone else took the lead, she dared to leave too. Ichiri gave Shiko an almost imperceptible nod, then hugged her guitar and turned into the recording studio. Seeing this, Shiko stood by the door and listened for a while before preparing to leave. Just then, amid a noisy wave of voices, the others also came pouring over from the stage.

"What happened?" Shiko looked at Marina, who was leading the group.

"They insisted on hearing the song we wrote back then. Luckily, I kept a CD. After listening to it, they wanted to perform it too..." Marina seemed to be smiling wryly, but her eyes and brows were filled with joy. Clearly, having people like the song she wrote made her very happy.

A CD? Shiko remembered. In the original story, Marina's old band had indeed left behind a CD, which Maya Yamato of Pastel*Palettes had found. The story had never explained what happened to it afterward, so it seemed it had eventually returned to Marina. She remembered that the song on the CD was the band's final song, one that had never been performed onstage. It was called—

"Please listen to HOPE!" In the recording studio, Marina once again played her band's final song for everyone currently at CiRCLE.

A few minutes later, the notes gradually faded.

"Excellent. The melody is very lively, but you can also feel the sadness within it." That was Shiko's assessment.

Ichiri was not good at expressing herself. "Yes! It really is... excellent."

"This is a very narrative piece. It's not just the melody that gives that impression. The cymbal passage in the middle, along with the modulation afterward, makes you feel as if a new world is unfolding before your eyes..." Ryo began speaking at length.

"Senpai Ryo sounds so professional!" Kita understood the least, so she could only play the straight man.

"I want to perform it!" Nijika was extremely excited. The others agreed as well.

However...

"We're missing a keyboardist." Miss Arakawa pointed out the problem. Marina's old band had five members, including a keyboardist. Kessoku Band currently had only four members, and no keyboardist.

Unexpectedly, Shiko stepped forward. "As for the keyboard... I can play."

Shiko had possessed some piano experience in her previous life. In this life, she had bought an electronic keyboard and practiced while composing. Her Keyboard Technique was also Lv6 on the panel.

Yet even Ichiri had not known about this, so everyone except Miss Arakawa was shocked. Under the others' gazes, Shiko became flustered. To prove it, she brought out an electronic keyboard and played a song for them. Although it had been some time since she last played, her fundamentals remained. Shiko had exceptional talent in this area, and halfway through the song, she had more or less found her rhythm.

With the keyboardist issue solved, everything else was easy. Kita took vocals, Ichiri played guitar, Nijika played drums, Ryo played bass, and Shiko played keyboard. Marina dug out the sheet music, and practice began immediately.

One hour later, in the recording studio.

"Phew..." Nijika wiped her sweat. "That was satisfying~"

"Miss Marina, Miss Arakawa, what do you think?" Naturally, what everyone cared about most was the original composer's opinion.

Arakawa looked at Marina. "Marina, weren't there several students who performed this song at CiRCLE before?"

"Yes. They held a show specifically for this song. Weren't all of you there at the time?" By "all of you," Marina meant the former band members.

Shiko knew who the "several students" were. If she remembered correctly, they had been Maya Yamato, Yukina Minato, Tsubame Hazawa, Satomi Ushigome, and Kasumi Toyama. None of them were here now. Only a few pitiful exiles remained. At the thought, Shiko's heart suddenly felt heavy. Pastel*Palettes, Afterglow, Roselia, Poppin'Party—would she ever have the chance to meet them in person?

Marina seemed a little melancholy too. But she quickly composed herself and looked at Shiko. "Shiko, your Keyboard Technique is pretty good."

Shiko was caught off guard by the praise. Before she could react, Nijika chimed in. "Yeah! Shiko's technique is good enough for her to perform in a band. Why didn't you say anything before? You should join Kessoku Band too!"

Kita was naturally delighted. "Wouldn't it be great if Wu-san joined Kessoku Band?"

"I have no objections," Ryo said.

"If Shiko wants to..." Ichiri looked like the one who wanted Shiko to join most of all.

Shiko only wanted to run away as quickly as possible. The reason she had never mentioned the keyboard was precisely because she had been afraid of this happening... What a hassle!

"Ah! The keyboardist is running away!"

Before the others could see her, Shiko slipped out of the recording studio, opened CiRCLE's door, and fled outside.

"At least they probably can't chase me here, right?" Shiko hid behind a large rock and secretly watched CiRCLE. The members of Kessoku Band were bewildered, then went looking for her in the direction of the underground stage. Only Miss Marina remained by the window, anxiously searching for her.

(Hopefully they'll forget all about this the moment they turn around... Although I feel really sorry to Miss Marina, since I'm already out here, I might as well bring back a little 'souvenir.')

Shiko shook her head and continued walking into the distance. The monsters driven away by the Shadow were beginning to return. CiRCLE had gone without an energy supply for quite some time. In the pitch-black night, CiRCLE looked tiny, yet it stood out conspicuously. For the sake of that tiny glimmer of light, it was time to work a little harder.

"Rip!" With a soft sound, a small monster collapsed onto the ground and turned into a tiny orb. Shiko's night hunting had always been selective. She only targeted creatures that she could easily handle alone; after all, she did not want to risk her life every night. She hunted at night for two reasons. First, she wanted to work harder and do more for the girls she loved. Second, she personally enjoyed these undisturbed nights. It was not that she disliked spending time with the others. At heart, she was still an introvert and needed time that belonged only to her.

Shiko hummed a RAISE A SUILEN song under her breath, swaying her head as she picked up the spoils on the ground. Suddenly, she sensed someone behind her.

"Huh?" She raised her head with a grimace. Miss Arakawa tilted her head, her twin guns hanging from her hands as she watched Shiko with interest.

Her wonderful night alone had come to an end.

Chapter Twenty: Getting Carried

Early the next morning, Miss Arakawa got up before anyone else.

At the breakfast table, anyone could see how impatient she was. Her twin guns rested on the table, one black and one white, with rather distinctive designs.

"Miss Arakawa really wants to fight," Nijika could not help commenting after Arakawa glanced at the guns for the tenth time.

"That's right," Arakawa admitted readily. "Fighting feels great! Since you're going hunting again today, let me carry you. I'll do most of the fighting. You can just land the final blows and pick up the materials."

Having a senior lead them was naturally a good thing, and everyone supported it. At the same time, they were all curious about Miss Arakawa's ability.

Shiko, for one, had already witnessed it last night.

"Good luck, everyone." As usual, Marina saw the hunting party off. This time, however, there was an adult among them.

"Yuki..." Marina looked at Arakawa, hoping she would protect the girls properly in her place.

Arakawa understood Marina's look and nodded gently. She led the way out, with the other five following behind. Her twin guns hung at her sides, reflecting the sunlight.

The moment Miss Arakawa picked up her guns, she seemed even more formidable, like a seasoned warrior.

"Is Miss Arakawa's ability related to her twin guns?" Kita asked.

Arakawa raised the guns and shook her head. "No. My actual ability isn't directly offensive. I found these guns in a lake at an oasis. They have many uses."

"An oasis?"

"A lake?"

"Found them?"

Nobody had expected anything like that. The fact that an oasis could even be found in this place was already astonishing enough.

Arakawa wiped the gun barrels and casually explained, "It's very far away. It would probably take a week or two just to reach it. The key problem is that I can't remember how to get back there either. If you ever get the chance, you can try looking for it."

If we get the chance... Shiko bared her teeth. Having that chance meant leaving CiRCLE. What kind of thing is that to say? Hopefully, we never get such a chance. Only then did she realize that Miss Arakawa's social skills did not seem particularly impressive either.