Chapter 575

He looked up and saw Minato Yukina leading her four teammates from inside the building through a glass door to the outside.

Oh~ it's the First Pressure King here~

Ogura Asahi stopped plucking the strings and stared disdainfully at the newcomer.

Although the atmosphere within Roselia's team has improved a lot now, it wasn't always like this, especially when the team was first formed.

Of the initial five teams—PPP, HHW, PP, AG, and Roselia—their team atmosphere was the worst, and they faced the most pressure.

In pursuit of so-called professionalism and the pinnacle, Minato Yukina from the very beginning of the team's formation. Even Hikawa Sayo, who was also pursuing technical skill at the time, seemed like a greenhorn in front of her.

If you think Shiina Rikki puts a lot of pressure on people, then you've really misunderstood her. At the very least, she not only puts pressure on herself, but she's also willing to give you opportunities.

Why did he remain completely unfazed by Shiina Rikki's sharp tongue and pressure, even finding it endearing? It's naturally because he's witnessed the unreasonable behavior of other band members, like her—

Shiina Rikki: If your technique isn't good enough, then practice! Practice diligently!

Minato Yukina: If your skills aren't up to par, then get out of here, and get out of here right now!

Of course, there's also that pink-haired producer, who was the same in the early stages...

"Oh, it's Ms. Yukina, and Ms. Sayo, Ms. Lisa, Ms. Rinko, Ms. Ako, good afternoon~" He greeted them warmly, waving his hand, unlike his harshness towards the other employees.

Yes, he's definitely hypocritical. Go ahead and criticize him.

"Good afternoon, Miss Ogura." Wearing a casual off-the-shoulder blouse and earrings, Imai Risa returned the greeting with practiced ease, her voice light and cheerful. "And this child is...? Is this a first time meeting you? Are you also an entertainer here?"

"Hello, I'm Imai Risa! I'm Roselia's Bass!"

"Her name is Wakaba Mū, she's my friend, and she's currently just an ordinary student, not an artist," he introduced himself.

Wakaba Mū pinched the hem of his clothes and nodded shyly to the five people.

"Wow~! So cute! I can't resist!" Imai Risa clutched her chest, feeling as if something had struck her, and her lips curled up like a cat's.

"Yes, she really is very cute~" Shirabe Rinko chimed in with a gentle smile.

"Hello~! I'm the Great Demon Princess! Udagawa Ako!" Udagawa Ako struck her signature chuunibyou pose, "I'm the drummer for Roselia!"

The other three introduced themselves, and Ogura Asahi then asked, "Are you all here to practice today?"

"Ah, um! I was coming out of the recording studio halfway through when I heard some really good guitar music coming from upstairs, and I got really drawn in~" Imai Risa explained to him.

Dressed in a neat and refreshing outfit, Hikawa Sayo chimed in, "Was that Miss Ogura playing the guitar just now? She played so well."

To be acknowledged by her as a good player speaks volumes about the quality of her work.

Compared to Imai Risa's fashionable style, she is more mature and simple in both personality and preferences. Even her appearance has matured since entering university. Of course, compared to her strictness when she was younger, she is now more gentle and easy-going.

The overall impression she gives is that of a white-collar office worker in a city office building.

Perhaps because Hikawa Hina didn't explain much, she seemed unaware that he knew Hikawa Hina and the others.

Did the fries taste bad after being left out for too long? You can't even tell a chef's skill by their food? You're hopeless, Sayo.

A thought struck him, and he felt this might be a good opportunity, so he replied, "Not entirely, it's just that Mutsuko-chan and I took turns playing. She's really good too!"

If Wakaba Mū could interact more with others, setting aside other factors, and simply use music to make friends and communicate feelings, in the long run, it would probably be much more beneficial than her growing vegetables alone.

Since she loves music and the guitar, the guitar shouldn't be a burden for her, but rather a source of strength.

"Really?! I want to hear it!"

Ogura Asahi glanced approvingly at Udagawa Ako, quite pleased with her ability to flatter. "Mutsuko-chan, how about it, want to try again?"

As he spoke, he shoved the guitar back into her arms.

"..." Wakaba Mū looked up at the several pairs of expectant eyes, neither refusing nor having the courage to refuse, besides, it seemed that he also hoped she would do so.

With practiced ease, she returned to her old ways, her rapid, drum-like solo electronic music darting away like a cheetah in perfect running form, or like an arrow shot straight into the distance.

The impromptu performance lasted a full minute, with at least several hundred notes soaring out.

During a break in her performance, Ogura Asahi sent a message to Imai Risa via her mobile phone.

She explained her request, as well as the pitfalls and precautions to avoid when communicating with Wakaba Mū.

"Hmm?" Imai Risa, holding her diamond-encrusted phone, felt the vibration, opened it, and looked up to receive a pleading look from him.

"705u. com - Book Club First Launch"

Imai Risa blinked her right eye, smiled, and gave an OK sign to indicate that she understood.

Then, she pulled Udagawa Ako and Shirabe Rinko to the back and explained the points to note and discussed the plan.

Like an arrow striking a tree, with a tingling, trembling tail feathers, Wakaba Mū ended her performance, instantly pressing down on all the strings to prevent them from moving again.

Unaware of their movements, Minato Yukina, after listening to Wakaba Mū's performance, commented with a stern face. "Her technique is impressive, but..."

"Hmm, it seems like the emotional outburst wasn't quite strong enough." Hikawa Sayo nodded in agreement.

As producers and guitarists who handle everything, their eye for talent is exceptionally sharp.

Although Roselia and RAS are said to be a band where all members are of professional level, in reality, ordinary professional bands are not as good as them.

You can see this by looking at FWF. Many professional players can't even get through the qualifiers. But these girls had the ability to get through the first time (but were unfairly called), and they got through directly the second time.

"...Yes." Wakaba Mū humbly accepted.

"So, I have something I'd like to ask of Ms. Sayo and Yukina alright?" Ogura Asahi revealed her true intentions, speaking to the two with a smile that concealed her true feelings.

"Hmm? You need our help?"

"Well! I'd like to ask you two to take some time out of your busy schedules to help Mutsuko-chan out, maybe offer some guidance occasionally, because she's also struggling with her current guitar skills. I know you're both very busy right now, so this suggestion is a bit presumptuous..."

The two exchanged a glance, and finally, it was Minato Yukina, the team leader, who spoke up, "I understand. We've received a lot of help from Miss Ogura, so this request is nothing."

"Thanks!"

The only one completely bewildered was probably Wakaba Mū herself. How did she suddenly end up being handed over to someone else? What was going on?

"Keep it up, Mutsuko-chan!" He gently patted her hair and whispered encouragement, "When you have free time, try to talk to these people more. They are all very talented musicians. They might be able to tell you the answer you're looking for."

If he were to give her the answer, he had already told her. But expressing feelings is something that can't be easily honed without interacting with various people, especially in her situation.

--That's why Roselia is doing better now; everyone's mindset is more peaceful and friendly, and there's also the reliable older sister figure Imai Risa.

If it were in the past, if you threw people like Wakaba Mū and Gotou Hitori in there, they would have been dead in a heartbeat.

Wakaba Mū nodded subconsciously, but immediately looked up at him and asked, "... Huh?"

After hesitating for a moment, observing the other group for a while, she swallowed hard and said, "I'll try..."

"Good Child ~ Good Child ~"

"..."

After having a friendly chat with Minato Yukina and the others, and feeling that Wakaba Mū was gradually letting go of his psychological burden, he withdrew at the right time, leaving the time for them.

Before leaving, Wakaba Mū gave her a small gift.

I hope that when we meet next time, she will have undergone a greater transformation than just the decorative items in her room that represent her thoughts and ideas.

Saitama City, Shin-Misato Station —this was the meeting place he had arranged with Kansai Shizuha and the others.

Hmm... how should I put it? The name of this city always reminds him of a man with a certain powerful hairstyle.

But that's not the important thing right now.

"Sorry! I'm late!" As soon as he arrived, he immediately clasped his hands together and bowed his head to apologize to the people who were already waiting there.

"Due to a minor unforeseen event, there was a slight delay. I apologize!"

He only talks and doesn't argue, and he apologizes frantically—this is one aspect of his experience as someone who attended university once.

"Hmm~ We didn't wait long!" Kitagawa Marin, dressed in streetwear, shook his head cheerfully, not taking it to heart.

"Yes, yes, Senior Talent is usually very busy! It's great that he could come!" Inui Shinju twirled a strand of hair with his fingertips, tapping his toes, showing his open-mindedness.

After noticing that he had left, she immediately and hurriedly removed her makeup, changed her clothes, and rushed over without stopping for a moment. In fact, she hadn't arrived much earlier than him.

"It's so slow, it's already half an hour late." Kansai Shizuha wasn't very annoyed, but she wasn't particularly resentful either.

Well, he's the free designer and seamstress in charge of the costumes, so whatever, I guess I'll just have to forgive him even if I have to wait a few more hours, until tonight...

But why are these two people so gentle and easy to talk to him?

She glanced at the two of them in surprise. Kitagawa Marin was one thing, but why was her own younger sister acting like this?

Although she was late, it didn't seem to be for that reason...

"Now that everyone's here, let's set off. Luckily, it's just a look around, so it shouldn't take too long."

Even though it's almost dusk, an hour would be enough if it were just for scouting locations.

Sakurakoji Talent doesn't matter; it's the weekend anyway, Miss Yukinoshita will be working for him.

"By the way, Sakurakoji-kun, what are you holding in your hand?"

On the way to the photography studio, Kitagawa Marin stared at the bag in his hand and asked curiously.

"A friend gave me these; they're vegetables I grew myself." He held up the black, high-end chocolate brand bag and took out a fresh, juicy cucumber. "Want some?"

"Thank you! I'll take it!" Kitagawa Marin happily accepted it and immediately took a big bite.

"Mmm~ This is so crispy and juicy! I was getting a little thirsty while waiting, this is perfect!"

"I'm glad you like it. Do you want Shinju- chan and Kane-kun?"

Please, please!

"Well, thank you."

He gave one to each of them, and he began to savor the fruits of Wakaba Mū's hard work.

As Kitagawa Marin said, it is indeed quite sweet and refreshing. Should we praise the good soil and sunshine of Tsukinomori, or the deep affection of Wakaba Mū?

Tsk tsk, even with this, some people are ungrateful and cruelly reject her kindness. It's really...

That's right, the cucumbers are from Tsukinomori. The fruits and vegetables in the building's flowerbeds haven't grown yet, so they can't be given away.

From this perspective, it's clear that Wakaba Mū had prepared this gift in advance, although she didn't know if he would actually go today.

Next time, besides snacks, how about giving something else as a return gift?

Chapter 519 A Dream That Can Never Be Realized

Skipping the travel time, they arrived at the downstairs of the photography studio.

The so-called photography studio, although it may sound like a simple shed set up on the roadside, is actually not like that at all.

Just like the terms "recording studio" or "recording hall," who would imagine that it's actually a whole small building if they hadn't seen it before?

But compared to these, the situation in a film studio is even more complicated, as a single scene can require a large area of space.

The abandoned hospital's film studio they visited today was similar; from the ground floor, the three-story building looked eerie, with peeling exterior walls, white-rimmed window panes, and what appeared to be some mentally ill patients lurking behind the curtains inside...

To dedicate an entire building to a single photographic purpose is indeed quite extravagant—photography truly is a hobby that only the wealthy can afford.

"This is my first time in ruins like this!" Kitagawa Marin said, hands on her hips, looking up at the glaring sunlight through her white baseball cap.

"Me too! I'm so excited for today!" Inui Shinju agreed, placing his Hands on his front armor. "I was so excited last night I couldn't sleep well!"

She usually helps her sister shoot outdoor scenes in their own yard and has hardly ever been outside. This is the first time she has come to such a professional place.

Without hesitation, the two walked into the building, exchanging a few words.

Sakurakoji Talent glanced at the slightly hesitant Kansai Shizuha, unsure what to say. Thankfully, it was a sunny day; otherwise, she'd probably be even more terrified and uncomfortable. Should he use the Record Manifestation technique to create a few real Ghost to scare her?

He narrowed his eyes and curled into a malicious smile.

Never mind, he's not some kind of demon~

Following the two to the building entrance, he said, "The abandoned hospital that Shion fled into when she was defeated by Daisy Princess's right straight punch is exactly the same as this one."

Kansai Shizuha looked up at him, then perked up slightly. "Yes."

"Although the plot is quite dark, I really liked the scene where Shion answers her own questions after her defeat... By the way, did you really watch the whole series?"

"Of course..." No.

Sakurakoji Talent lies within himself, haha.

How could someone as busy as him possibly watch over a hundred episodes of anime in such a short time? He could just find some explanations online... and even then, he'd have to watch them at double speed!