"Is that so? Good."
Youko Touma smiled and, under the gaze of everyone in the auditorium, walked directly to the front row and took a seat.
"That person... she looks somewhat familiar..."
"Is that... Youko Touma?"
"That pianist Youko Touma!? Why is she here?"
"Isn't Miss Youko Touma currently on an international concert tour? What's she doing at our school?"
"Wait... Youko Touma, Kazusa Touma... This... Could Touma-san actually be Youko Touma's daughter!?"
The uninformed students were utterly astonished to see Youko Touma suddenly appear in the auditorium, whispering among themselves, hardly able to believe it was real.
That was Youko Touma! A world-class pianist!
Someone like that would actually come to watch a small school festival?
And...
Kazusa Touma... was Youko Touma's daughter? But the key point was - wasn't Youko Touma unmarried?
Although they shared the same surname, no one had previously connected Kazusa Touma with this world-class pianist, Youko Touma.
This was perfectly normal, after all, Youko Touma's relationship status had always been single.
And who would have thought that the daughter of such a world-class pianist wouldn't attend somewhere like the prestigious Shuchi'in Academy, but was instead studying at Sobu High School?
Who could have guessed that?
"Mother... I..."
Noticing Kazusa Touma's expression on stage, Youko Touma crossed her legs, a smile playing on her lips as she said.
"I came to watch the band performance, so let's get started."
"Kazusa."
Just as Kazusa Touma didn't know what to do, Setsuna Ogiso, sitting beside her, gently took her hand.
"Setsuna..."
Setsuna Ogiso looked directly into Kazusa Touma's eyes, her brown eyes filled with a comforting, gentle smile as she said softly.
"Let's give the most perfect performance."
"Setsuna..."
Kazusa Touma took a deep breath, her expression returning to calm, determination appearing in her eyes, a slight smile gracing her beautiful face as she nodded.
"Yes, let's begin."
Kazusa Touma moved to the keyboard position, Ye Xing picked up the guitar nearby, and Setsuna Ogiso, as the lead vocalist, stood at the front, taking deep breaths to compose herself.
Without any self-introduction phase, as Kazusa Touma's fingers touched the keyboard, a melodious and pleasant prelude echoed throughout the auditorium.
"Oh?"
Listening to the music coming through the speakers, watching Kazusa Touma performing on stage, a meaningful look appeared in Youko Touma's eyes as she murmured in a barely audible voice.
"Kazusa... do your best..."
And by this time, Kazusa Touma on stage had forgotten everything around her - she couldn't hear the cheers from below the stage, nor could she see the audience in front of her.
In her eyes, there were only the two people standing on stage with her.
As Setsuna Ogiso parted her lips, a heavenly, beautiful voice filled the entire auditorium, and in an instant, the audience fell silent.
Everyone was quietly listening to this White Album.
...
When the music and singing ended simultaneously, the venue first fell into complete silence, then, in the next moment, erupted into enthusiastic cheers.
Seeing the audience's cheerful expressions, Setsuna Ogiso finally felt the weight lift from her heart. After steadying her breathing, she smiled and addressed the crowd below.
"We are..."
It was only then that Setsuna Ogiso suddenly realised something.
Her band didn't actually have a proper name - they'd just been calling themselves 'the band'.
After a brief pause, an idea flashed through Setsuna Ogiso's mind, and she continued with a smile.
"We are... the Supernatural Society band! Welcome, everyone, to Sobu High School's cultural festival! Are you all having fun today?"
No verbal response was needed - the cheers from below were answer enough.
Wearing a gentle smile, Setsuna Ogiso added playfully, "That opening song, White Album, is quite a quiet piece, so I was initially worried about whether it would satisfy everyone. But it seems my concerns were unnecessary."
"This song was what brought me together with Kazusa and Ye Xing-kun. It's also what led us to form this band and decide to perform on the cultural festival stage. For me, it's the most important song."
"Next, please allow me to introduce our band members."
"First, myself - vocalist, Setsuna Ogiso."
Then, Setsuna Ogiso pointed towards Kazusa Touma, who was standing nearby, and said with a smile, "On keyboards, and also... bass guitar, Kazusa Touma!"
Facing the enthusiastic cheers from the audience, Kazusa Touma couldn't help but show a slight smile. After playing a beautiful melody on her keyboard, she nodded slightly and struck a cool, band-style pose to acknowledge the crowd.
"And this one..."
Even before Setsuna Ogiso pointed towards Ye Xing, the audience had already erupted in cheers.
"Sobu High's Satan!"
"The ultimate academic genius!"
"The man who defeated Shuchi'in Academy!"
"The ancient Greek god of the suona!"
"The delinquent who flirts with female teachers!"
"Founder of the Supernatural Society!"
Listening to the students shouting various titles from below, Yui Yuigahama, sitting in the front row, quietly joined in.
"Harem God!"
"Kyoto's number one eroge player!"
"Yui Yuigahama's lover!"
Hearing this, Miko Yotsuya sitting beside her tugged at her sleeve with an exasperated expression. "Hey, why are you adding personal stuff?"
"Well, you can shout too then."
"I... I'm too embarrassed to do something like that... It's too shameful."
"Should I shout for you then?"
Seeing that Yui Yuigahama was actually going to shout, Miko Yotsuya quickly covered her mouth. "Please, Master, withdraw your divine powers!"
Hearing the various outrageous titles being shouted from below, Setsuna Ogiso paused briefly before shaking her head with an amused smile.
"It seems no further introduction is needed from me."
Unlike the other students' merriment, Kaguya Shinomiya in the front row felt distinctly out of place.
Sitting beside her, Chika Fujiwara sensed the chill emanating from her friend and offered an awkwardly comforting smile. "Um... the song was quite nice, wasn't it?"
"Yes, the performance was good."
Kaguya Shinomiya truly hadn't expected that simply attending the school festival performance would include a segment dedicated to dragging her out for public humiliation.
What joint exam champion, the Satan who dominated Shuchi'in Academy, the ultimate genius...
Each of these titles felt like rubbing salt into Kaguya Shinomiya's wounds!
If it were any other student from Shuchi'in Academy, they probably wouldn't have minded much.
The problem was that during that joint exam, everyone remembered only two people.
One was Ye Xing, who appeared with an invincible aura, took the exam with unstoppable confidence, and ultimately claimed the top spot with invincible results.
The other...
Was the challenger, Kaguya Shinomiya.
Who says second place doesn't get remembered?
She was remembered quite clearly indeed.
Not just nailed to the pillar of shame - she might as well have been carved into it.
Every new king's rise means there must be a throne specifically for them.
Kaguya Shinomiya just never expected she would become Ye Xing's throne?
But there was no helping it.
Only she, the eldest daughter of the Shinomiya conglomerate, who was perfect in every aspect, was qualified to serve as that throne.
Look at Chika Fujiwara - she lost too, didn't she? But nobody even mentioned it because Chika Fujiwara losing was normal, while Kaguya Shinomiya losing was abnormal.
It was hard to judge.
"Thank you for your enthusiasm."
Setsuna Ogiso maintained her sweet smile, though she was puzzled - did she just hear someone in the audience call Ye Xing husband?
The problem was, why were there both boys and girls saying it?
How abstract, they might as well rename the school Sobu Abstract High.
"Besides the titles everyone already knows, Ye Xing is also our band's lyricist and composer - I hope everyone won't forget that."
After saying this, Setsuna Ogiso adjusted her breathing slightly before continuing with a smile.
"Now, for our second song, which is also our final song, called..."
"Unrequited Love."
As the prelude began, blending electric guitar and keyboard, Setsuna Ogiso started singing.
Unlike the previous cheerful melody of White Album, which revealed only subtle sadness upon closer listening, when Unrequited Love echoed through the auditorium, everyone fell silent.
Stomachs twisted with painful empathy.
When the song ended, there were no cheers this time, no sounds at all - everyone remained silent.
Nearly half a minute passed before faint applause emerged from the audience.
Youko Touma stood up, clapping, a smile on her face, saying nothing.
At her applause, everyone in the audience seemed to finally snap out of it, instantly erupting into thunderous applause and cheers.
"We did it..."
Looking at the auditorium lights and listening to the cheers around her, Setsuna Ogiso murmured to herself before turning to Kazusa Touma beside her.
"Kazusa, we did it!"
"Yes... we did."
Kazusa Touma looked at her mother, applauding in the front row with a complex expression in her eyes.
Setsuna Ogiso walked over to Ye Xing's side, extending her hand as she said with a smile.
"Ye Xing, we did it!"
Facing Setsuna's gesture for a celebratory high-five, Ye Xing seemed to pay no attention, continuing to pack up his electric guitar.
"Hey, she's talking to you."
Kazusa Touma frowned slightly, clenching her left hand into a fist and gently tapping Ye Xing's cheek with it.
"Huh?"
Ye Xing's subsequent reaction completely surprised both Setsuna Ogiso and Kazusa Touma.
He removed two thick black earplugs from his ears, looking like he'd just snapped back to reality.
"What's going on?"
"Huh?"
Kazusa Touma froze for a moment.
"You were... wearing earplugs while performing just now?"
"Obviously?"
"Wh... why?"
"I didn't want to get a stomach ache."
"This..."
Setsuna Ogiso and Kazusa Touma exchanged glances, both feeling surprised.
To maintain perfect coordination without listening to the lead singer's voice or the other members' performance... what level of skill was this?
So all this time, the so-called band adjustment was actually just between the two of them? Was Ye Xing simply accommodating them from a higher level?
"Hey."
Kazusa Touma shook her snow-white left hand, clenched into a fist, and raised her chin.
Ye Xing understood immediately, extending his fist to gently bump against hers in the air, both of them wearing smiles.
Setsuna Ogiso watched from the side, a smile on her face, but her eyes appeared somewhat lonely.
After all... was she still unable to fit in?
These two geniuses... she herself... was still too out of place...
"Hey, what are you thinking about?"
Just as Setsuna Ogiso lowered her head without saying a word, she suddenly felt a gentle pat on her shoulder.
When she looked up, what greeted her eyes were the smiling faces of Ye Xing and Kazusa Touma, and their hands extended toward her.
"Good work, lead singer."
Setsuna Ogiso froze for a moment, then reached out her hand to join with Ye Xing and Kazusa Touma's hands, tears glistening in the corners of her eyes as she smiled sweetly.
"To celebrate the successful performance, 1,2,3..."
"Success!"
"A lifetime!"
"Eh?"
Both Setsuna Ogiso and Kazusa Touma had shouted 'success,' but when they heard Ye Xing suddenly say 'a lifetime,' they both looked puzzled.
"What do you mean, a lifetime?"
Ye Xing spoke with a serious expression.
"We're going to form a band for a lifetime."
"Eh?"
Setsuna Ogiso froze for a moment, confused.
"Um... the school festival is over... is the band... going to continue?"
Kazusa Touma frowned slightly, looking completely justified,
"Of course, we're not just in the same band, and..."
Kazusa Touma took Setsuna Ogiso's hand, smiling as she spoke.
"You are my most important friend."
Hearing this, Setsuna Ogiso froze for a moment before firmly nodding.
"Then it's settled."
"The three of us, together, will form a band for a lifetime!"
...
Returning to the backstage changing room and changing into regular clothes, Kazusa Touma sat facing her mother, Youko Touma.
Sensing the atmosphere in the room, Setsuna Ogiso tactfully stood up and smiled.
"Well, auntie, I won't disturb you then."
After Setsuna Ogiso left the room and gently closed the door, she saw Ye Xing standing outside too.
"Eh, why did you come out too?"
"I came to check on you guys."
Hearing this, Setsuna Ogiso thought of their performance on stage earlier and couldn't help but show a sweet smile, sighing with relief as if a weight had been lifted.
"Thank goodness, the performance ended perfectly. Judging by the audience's reaction, our act should take first place, right?"
"Ah, listen to you."
Ye Xing waved his hand and laughed.
"Never mind what we do on stage, just having me standing up there already makes us the undisputed first place."
Setsuna Ogiso was amused, unable to hold back her laughter.
"You're really narcissistic, you know. If I'd known, Kazusa and I wouldn't have gone on stage."
"Ah, that's not quite right. You both served as the icing on the cake."
...
Meanwhile, in the changing room, Kazusa Touma kept her head lowered, avoiding her mother's gaze. After a long silence, Youko Touma spoke first.
"Today's performance was good."
Kazusa Touma shook her head.
"Good... it was just a temporarily assembled band... In your eyes... it probably doesn't deserve any praise."
Youko Touma neither confirmed nor denied this.
"Well... It's quite good for high school students, but compared to professional bands... there's still quite a gap..."
Hearing these words, the light in Kazusa Touma's eyes dimmed slightly. Was she thinking that she had ultimately disappointed her mother after all?
Youko Touma parted her lips as if to say something, but hesitated and remained silent.
Just then, the changing room door suddenly opened. Ye Xing led Setsuna Ogiso straight in and, seeing the silent mother and daughter, shook his head helplessly.
"You two really make talking difficult."
Both Youko Touma and Kazusa Touma looked at him, seemingly wanting to say something, but Ye Xing interrupted them.
"Both of you, repeat your conversation from just now."
"This..."
Though confused, Youko Touma hesitated briefly before speaking slowly.
"Today's performance was good."
As her words fell, Ye Xing immediately turned to Kazusa Touma and said.
"Today's performance was good. As your mother, I'm very satisfied."
"Um..."
Kazusa Touma vaguely guessed what Ye Xing was trying to do and whispered.
"Good... it was just a temporarily assembled band... In your eyes... it probably doesn't deserve any praise."
"Just a high school cultural festival, surely nothing worth your attention. Why did you rush here despite your busy schedule?"
Youko Touma froze for a moment, then continued repeating her previous words.
"Well... quite good for high school students, but compared to professional bands... still quite lacking..."
Ye Xing continued translating.
"Why did I come? Of course, to watch my daughter's performance. Although the band's level can't compare with professionals, seeing Kazusa's genuine, happy smile on stage - that's the real reason I give high praise. This isn't world-class pianist Youko Touma evaluating a high school band, but a mother watching her daughter's first collaborative stage performance."
After finishing this long speech, Ye Xing looked at Youko Touma and Kazusa Touma with an exasperated expression.
"Just say what you're thinking, isn't that enough? Do you two have to be so cryptic?"
Hearing this, the Touma mother and daughter exchanged glances, their expressions both somewhat complicated.
Youko Touma wasn't unconcerned about her daughter. She wanted to create the best financial conditions for Kazusa Touma, ensuring her daughter wouldn't be troubled by money problems in the future and could freely choose her path. That's why she spent little time in Japan, constantly travelling worldwide - besides performances, she also had to manage her company.
This exhausting lifestyle wasn't conducive to Kazusa Touma's growth, so she chose not to bring her daughter along.
Originally, this wasn't a big issue.
The problem was that while Youko Touma had exceptional piano skills, her emotional expression was terribly lacking, leading to misunderstandings.
Young Kazusa Touma thought she was too useless to help her mother, which was why she was abandoned to grow up alone.
That's why she practised piano so desperately - hoping to catch up to her mother someday.
Meanwhile, Youko Touma, though vaguely aware of Kazusa Touma's feelings, thought her daughter simply loved playing the piano because of their limited time together and lack of communication. This made her work even harder, hoping her daughter's future path would be obstacle-free.
Simply put, this mother-daughter pair had pure communication issues.
But today would definitely not be like before.
Because Kyoto's number one eroge player was about to get serious.
Ye Xing turned around and, under Setsuna Ogiso's astonished gaze, locked the fitting room door.
Looking at Youko Touma and Kazusa Touma sitting there, he slowly said:
"Today, let me be your translator and make everything clear. Otherwise, neither of you is leaving through this door."