Chapter 2541: Chapter 1701: So Many Troubles (If You’re Bored, Just Watch Some Videos)

Although the girl was pretending to run desperately, she wasn’t actually running very fast. Duanmu Huai and the others easily caught up with her. She was clutching her backpack, standing in front of the railway tracks, trembling, looking pitiful like a small animal caught in the rain.

Duanmu Huai walked up and patted her on the shoulder.

"Hey."

"————!"

The girl was startled by the pat on her shoulder and quickly turned her head. Seeing Duanmu Huai and Banai, she hesitated for a moment.

"Do you remember us? We played with stones together that day?"

"Ah, um........"

The girl clearly didn’t know why Duanmu Huai was looking for her, but she nodded anyway.

"What’s going on? Did something happen?"

"No, it’s nothing......"

Facing Duanmu Huai’s inquiry, the girl lowered her head. If it were someone else, they might have just walked away, but Duanmu Huai... If you’re upset, share it with us, let everyone be happy.

"It’s not convenient to talk here, let’s go."

As he spoke, Duanmu Huai grabbed her hand and forcibly took her to a nearby café. Although Banai and Chitanda thought this wasn’t quite right, they still followed along.

Sitting in the chair, the girl was still tightly holding her backpack, looking anxious and uneasy. It’s no wonder; in her eyes, she had only met Duanmu Huai and the others once, and they had no reason to be concerned about her.

"I know what you’re thinking."

Duanmu Huai said while sipping his tea and looking at the girl.

"Actually, we aren’t close, just acquaintances, classmates from the same school. But since I saw it, I naturally want to be concerned. After all, it’s something to do when you’re doing nothing......"

"Xiao Ai, that doesn’t sound very nice......"

Banai hurriedly tried to stop Duanmu Huai’s straightforward talk, but he just rolled his eyes.

"What’s the difference? We don’t know her, not even her name. Saying we care so much about her is nonsense. To put it bluntly, I saw you crying and running down the street alone, got curious, so I came to check it out. If there’s something you want to say but can’t tell someone familiar, you can talk to us. If not, after finishing this cup of tea, you can leave."

"Uh........"

Banai and Chitanda were at a loss, facing Duanmu Huai’s aggressive and assertive way of speaking. They knew he didn’t care about so-called manners or politeness, but... the way he said it was too blunt!

"........."

The girl silently stared at the tea in front of her for a long while, then reached out to pick up the cup, took a sip, and put it down.

"My, my name is Takamatsu Akari......"

Then, she started speaking in a low voice.

The story Takamatsu Akari told wasn’t anything particularly serious, nor did it involve life and death. Simply put, she was invited to join a band in junior high school. Everyone in the band got along well, and their first live performance was also successful.

But shortly afterward, someone left the band without any explanation, and gradually the entire band fell apart. Takamatsu Akari also left and came to Yang Gao to study. Here, she was again invited to form a band. Initially, she refused, but she never expected a former bandmate would show up beside that person and invite her to join.

Takamatsu Akari was at a loss, not knowing what to do. At that time, she kept blaming herself, wondering if the band broke up because of her, so she couldn’t answer and eventually ran away.

"So that’s what happened......"

After hearing Takamatsu Akari’s story, Banai and Chitanda were somewhat surprised.

"But it’s not your fault, right? Didn’t you say that child left suddenly without any explanation?"

"Although that’s true, at that time... the last time we met, she told me I was the one who needed the most practice......"

"This........"

Banai and Chitanda exchanged a look. It’s true that those words did imply something. They didn’t know the details, but a member leaving after their first live, and reappearing to say they were quitting, while telling Takamatsu Akari something like that, sounded like dissatisfaction with Akari’s skills.

But even so, quitting the band over dissatisfaction seems excessive, right?

"And then? Did you ever ask her why?"

"......... She never contacted us, and we couldn’t reach her either."

Takamatsu Akari shook her head.

"........."

Even the eloquent Banai didn’t know what to say, while Takamatsu Akari continued looking down.

"Maybe it’s my fault, so I don’t want to join a band again... Although I have good memories of being in a band, only pain remains now......"

"You’re still only a freshman, why are you talking like that."

Duanmu Huai rolled his eyes.

"You’ve got a long life ahead. The way you’re talking, it’s as if you’ll be brooding over this little thing for the rest of your life."

"......... I just don’t understand why it ended up like this......"

Takamatsu Akari looked down, murmuring.

"........... Why, did Shoko......"

"......... Hmm?"

Hearing that name, Duanmu Huai was taken aback.

"The Shoko you’re talking about, it wouldn’t happen to be Fukawa Shoko, right?"

"Do you know Shoko?"

Upon hearing Duanmu Huai’s question, Takamatsu Akari looked up at him in surprise.

"I guess I know her, though not very well...... You said she left the band suddenly? When was that?"

"It was......"

"Ah........"

After hearing Takamatsu Akari’s answer, Duanmu Huai touched his chin.

"I see, I think I know what happened."

"Eh? Xiao Ai, you know?"

Banai looked surprised at Duanmu Huai’s expression, while Chitanda seemed to have thought of something.

"Fukawa? The Fukawa Consortium? Ah, I’ve heard as well......"

"Ahem."

Duanmu Huai coughed, cutting off Chitanda’s words. At this moment, Takamatsu Akari looked up, staring at Duanmu Huai. Her expression was somewhat anxious, but she still mustered up the courage to ask.

"Um, excuse me, do you know what happened to Xiangzi?"

"I’m not one hundred percent sure, but I can almost guess. Yeah, it should have nothing to do with you; it’s purely her personal issue."

"Personal issue?"

"To put it simply, it’s a family matter."

Duanmu Huai waved his hand.

"As for the specifics, it’s somewhat personal privacy. In short, you just need to know that she’s quite unlucky, like a major family upheaval..."

"I see..."

"Anyway, I can only tell you it’s not something that can be solved by friendship, bonds, love, or anything like that."

With losses over billions, in front of so much money, any feelings are futile.

Even Chitanda knows, which means this matter has indeed spread across the country...

After all, with a consortium like Fengchuan experiencing a loss of billions, it is likely the headline in financial magazines.

But a little girl forming a band wouldn’t read financial reports.

Actually, Duanmu Huai doesn’t read them either.

It also proves once again that Fukawa Shoko’s father is completely done for, at best he might work in a convenience store in the future.

After all, this circle is neither too big nor too small... this is the good news stays indoors, bad news travels far.

"..."

Upon hearing Duanmu Huai’s answer, Takamatsu Akari bowed her head in silence for a long time, then stood up to respectfully bow to Duanmu Huai.

"Thank you very much."

"You’re welcome, I just chatted with you a bit."

Duanmu Huai waved his hand.

"If you have any troubles, feel free to come find us. We’re at the Classical Studies Club, not very busy recently." 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"Xiao Ai, the way you speak is really not good..."

"What does it matter... I’m also speaking the truth, aren’t I?"

In Duanmu Huai’s view, these petty worries are not worth mentioning, or rather, it’s unsurprising for a little girl; what kind of nonsense is this?

You’ve disbanded, why are you still thinking so much?

If it were a guy, you’d stop playing with me, I’d stop playing with you, everyone would just move on; it’s no big deal. But it seems like Takamatsu Akari is living under this shadow for life, thinking she’s to blame; what kind of nonsense is this? Do girls like to overthink these things?

But you know what.

Compared to Curse Spirits killing people or Subspace erosion, this little girl’s worries are refreshing, allowing Duanmu Huai to relax.

Recently, there hasn’t been any need to deal with Curse Spirits, and most of the Curse Masters have been killed; the small troubles of life help in mood regulation.

You can’t spend all twenty-four hours saving the world; where does it end?

The world isn’t that easy to ruin either, right?

But Duanmu Huai didn’t expect that soon he’d regret this careless thought.

After this, Takamatsu Akari bid farewell and left, while Duanmu Huai and the others naturally went home too.

But at the steps in front of the LIVEHOUSE entrance, it was a different scene.

Under the dim streetlights, three figures could be seen standing there: one was Takamatsu Akari holding a backpack, another was a sharp-looking black-haired girl, and the third was a girl with brown curly hair wearing another school’s uniform.

"...Because of family reasons?"

The sharp-eyed black-haired girl eyed Takamatsu Akari and asked in a low voice.

"Is that what you heard?"

"Yes."

Takamatsu Akari focused on the ground, nodding.

"She said... Xiangzi is very unlucky, major family upheaval..."

"What about the details?"

The brown-curly-haired girl hurriedly asked, to which Takamatsu Akari shook her head.

"She didn’t say. She said it’s personal privacy and..."

"And?"

"She said it’s not something that can be solved through friendship or bonds, or love..."

"..."

Hearing this, the brown-haired girl fell silent, while the sharp-eyed girl reached out to grip Takamatsu Akari’s shoulder.

"See, I told you, Akari! It’s not your fault! So don’t blame yourself anymore!"

"But, but we still don’t know what happened to Xiangzi!"

The brown-haired girl anxiously clenched her hands.

"Isn’t there a way to make that person tell us?"

"I couldn’t care less."

However, the sharp-eyed girl displayed a completely different attitude from the brown-haired girl.

"She hasn’t told us anything before, meaning she doesn’t see us as friends at all. Given that, whether she wants to endure things alone or do something else is her business, not ours. If it weren’t for Duanmu, we wouldn’t even know why she left the band! She didn’t even want to properly explain such things..."

"But Xiangzi also encountered issues..."

"So what? How does that concern us? She encountered issues, so can she vent them on Akari?"

"..."

Faced with their argument, Takamatsu Akari didn’t respond; she only stared at the ground. Takamatsu Akari could actually feel it, even though Duanmu Huai did say it was personal privacy, and generally speaking, Japanese indeed wouldn’t casually discuss others’ family matters, but Takamatsu Akari always felt that Duanmu Huai really didn’t care about these things, if she pleaded strongly, he’d surely talk.

He didn’t want to say, maybe simply was because he found it bothersome, or rather... wanted to enjoy the fun?

But should she ask?

Takamatsu Akari fell into deep thought.