Rock Girl Arrives By My Side!

The moment Riki approached, he heard the roaring cheers of the students below. Based on his experience, this meant the previous band had been incredibly well-received and would definitely put pressure on the bands performing next.

He was so familiar with this feeling because, in the past, he was the one who had put pressure on the bands that followed.

But this time, he was the one going against the tide.

"Are you ready?" Riki unconsciously took on the role of leader and said to the others, "So what if we're going against the tide? Just trust me."

"I'm the strongest."

Chapter 40: Hatsuka: Sakiko, He's Riki

Riki tuned his bass.

He had already heard Sakura Bloom Academy's performance. They were incredibly skilled, easily among the top performers in high school, and practically titans in the Chinese music scene!

Brother Riki, which "brother" are you hinting at?

"Are you confident?" Mikumura Shioka asked Riki curiously. Her light blonde short hair was incredibly smooth, and her beautiful face had earned her a legion of fans within the school. Not to mention, she was the lead singer of the powerhouse group Sumimi and a sought-after beauty in Tokyo, constantly getting endorsement deals.

She was very curious about Riki. If he was interesting enough, she even considered inviting her best friend, Sakiko, to see him.

Plus, he was quite handsome.

"We'll win!" Riki said with a confident expression. I'm the strongest.

Mikumura Shioka glanced at Riki and then curiously asked Shiina Riki, "Is he your friend?"

She thought Shiina Riki didn't like making friends, so she was surprised she knew someone like him.

"Actually, not really..." Shiina Riki hesitated. Riki was just helping them with their music direction, and they didn't interact much normally.

It wasn't a significant connection.

Riki couldn't stand hearing that and turned around to interject, "Yes, we're friends."

Shiina Riki blinked, and a faint smile touched her usually cool expression.

"Students of Hanasakigawa, you can get ready to go on stage~"

Riki and the three walked onto the stage. Looking at the massive, noisy crowd below, he estimated there were over five thousand people, an unbelievable number compared to Ring.

Riki noticed Shiina Riki's stiff expression; she was clearly nervous performing in front of such a large audience.

"Just imagine there are five thousand lights watching you perform," Riki whispered.

"That makes it even more nerve-wracking."

"Then imagine five thousand shadow clones of me watching you."

"I can't do that," Shiina Riki said softly while adjusting her drum set. "Riki, aren't you nervous?"

"I'm okay. High school and university had way more people. I performed on stage every year," Riki said casually as he adjusted his bass.

So amazing... Shiina Riki looked at the calm Riki.

If only I could be like him.

Would he be willing to teach me if I asked for his help?

But we're not that close yet. Still... he just said we're friends.

As an artist, Mikumura Shioka wouldn't show nervousness in front of students. But she was curious that Riki wasn't nervous at all, even more composed than she was, as if he were accustomed to such situations.

"I looked at the sheet music. Even if we play it perfectly, it's not as good as Sakura Bloom's," Riki said to Mikumura Shioka.

"Then what should we do?" Mikumura Shioka was taken aback.

"You guys play as usual. I'll just change the intro of the sheet music," Riki said, his eyes fixed on the music in front of him.

Huh?

Mikumura Shioka and the other two were stunned. They were about to perform, and he was saying he'd change the sheet music on the spot?

It wasn't impossible, but how could he finish in time if he was only changing it now?!

"I'll ask the teacher to stall for a bit," Mikumura Shioka quickly said. She had been working in the Tokyo music scene for over a year, and even professional musicians couldn't change sheet music on the fly, let alone play it immediately after.

"No need. I'm done. I meant I've finished changing it."

Almost made you misunderstand my duration.

"Let's start," Riki said.

The three exchanged glances. Shiina Riki paused for a moment before tapping her drumsticks to start the beat.

The girls in the audience below looked up at the stage curiously.

"Who's that boy? He looks pretty handsome."

"But can he play an instrument?"

"If we lose to Sakura Bloom, the principal will make us do a whole-school cleaning again."

"No way!?"

As the beautiful female students were chatting, a burst of powerful music suddenly rang out.

The deep bass roared like a beast, making the entire auditorium floor tremble. His skin tingled from the vibrations, but for his ears, it was the best feast imaginable.

The bass instantly captured everyone's attention.

"This... isn't the sheet music we wrote, is it?" a student asked curiously.

"But it feels more captivating."

Mikumura Shioka looked at Riki in surprise, not expecting him to have rewritten the intro in such a short time, and to have done it so well.

The manager wasn't wrong; he truly was a raw gem in the music industry.

This made Mikumura Shioka even more curious about what kind of person he was.

Riki nodded at her, and Mikumura Shioka understood. She began playing as the lead guitarist.

Needless to say, the entire venue erupted in cheers!

After the performance ended, Riki took off his bass and turned to look at Litang... no, the auditorium.

He almost became a revolutionary.

He hadn't expected to impress the Japanese girls so much, and he wished Sakiko were here.

"Riki, you're amazing," Mikumura Shioka said, looking at him. "Do you want to debut? My manager would definitely welcome you."

She was sure that once her manager saw the recording of the school festival performance, he would pounce on Riki like a starving wolf.

"I'm the band's technical support right now, I don't have time to debut," Riki shook his head.

"Band?"

Yes, your future band.

Sakiko-bao's Galactic Battleship.

Riki asked again, "How do we compare to Sakurazaki?"

Mikumura Shioka smiled, "Although they didn't say it, judging by their expressions, they've already admitted defeat to us. It's all thanks to you."

Riki nodded and turned to wipe away the cold sweat.

Even for him, that performance was pushing it.

He almost... regrettably, wasn't able to make Sakurazaki go all out.

As Riki was thinking, he noticed Mikumura Shioka was still staring at him. Being stared at by such a striking face made even Riki a little uncomfortable, so he asked, "Is there something else?"

"No, I just hope you have fun at Hanasakigawa's school festival," Mikumura Shioka snapped back to reality, shaking her head and smiling.

Riki didn't suspect anything and walked out of the auditorium with Shiina Riki.

"Ring ring--"

Mikumura Shioka took out her phone, smiled, and answered, "Sakiko, good morning."

"Good morning, Hatsuka. I wanted to discuss something with you... why do you sound so happy?"

"I just met a very interesting person, and he plays bass really well. Oh, and he's quite handsome too. I was thinking of introducing him to you."

"Could it be someone you like?" Toyokawa Sakiko couldn't help but laugh.

"No, his name is... Riki."

"...Riki?"

Chapter 41: Riki:?

"You mean, his name is Riki?" Toyokawa Sakiko asked again after a moment of silence.

"Yes, is there a problem?" Mikumura Shioka asked, slightly taken aback.

"Is he quite handsome, with slightly noticeable arm muscles, beautiful eyes, very talented in music, and has a pleasant voice?"

"Something like that," Mikumura Shioka recalled, and then asked strangely, "Why do you seem to know him?"

"It's not 'seem,' because I'm Riki's best friend."

Riki is also Sakiko's best friend?

Mikumura Shioka thought for a moment and looked at Riki, who was walking away.

Since he's Sakiko's friend... should she try to get along with him?

Besides, Mikumura Shioka was very curious about Riki.

Riki was incredibly curious.

For someone who grew up in China with a highly structured, closed-off education, the school festival, filled with such freedom and the sight of girls chasing each other in their youth, made Riki feel envious.

"Here, you're the boy who performed on stage just now, right? This takoyaki is for you," said a girl from a class booth.

"Arigato, beautiful girl-san."

Riki took the takoyaki and introduced Shiina Riki beside him, "This is also the drummer who performed on stage just now. She is a member of the Shiina Riki team, and my good partner."

At this moment, Riki noticed Shiina Riki secretly tugging his sleeve. He turned his head, but she didn't say anything.

The girl at the takoyaki stand also had an awkward expression.

Riki didn't say anything and walked another dozen meters forward before asking Shiina Riki, "Do you not get along with her?"

"No, I don't know her," Shiina Riki replied in a low voice.

"Then why were you pulling me just now?" Riki asked.

It was like when he was a child and his mom was chatting with an auntie at the supermarket, and he could only stand by the side, feeling wronged and unable to speak, just wanting to slip away immediately.

"That's... I'm not good with words. Usually, when I talk to them, I'm not comfortable with my way of speaking," Shiina Riki hesitated.

How to put it, elaborate?

"Sometimes, I feel like I'm just talking normally, but they seem very scared. I admit I can be a bit harsh sometimes, but... in the end, I just don't talk to people much anymore."

I see.

"And that's the result," Shiina Riki said.

I haven't said anything since just now, so why are you answering so fluently? Riki, did you eavesdrop on my thoughts?

Did you steal my transmigration cheat?

Let me try.

I like lamps, I like lamps, I like lamps, I like lamps, lamps like you...

Riki found that Shiina Riki was still immersed in her emotions and hadn't noticed. It seemed no one could hear his noble and righteous inner thoughts, which was quite a pity.