Girl Band, Gravity Capture

Page 16

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"I just saw this, and I think it would suit you very well."

He carefully tied a ribbon, the same color as the girl's eyes, with a pure blue halo like rippling water, onto Nagasaki Motoyo's head.

Then, he straightened her slightly reddened cheeks, carefully checked her face, and nodded.

“…Yeah, it looks good.”

"However, it depends on whether you like it or not. If you're not satisfied, I'll return it."

The redness around her eyes was instantly covered by a blush rising on her cheeks, giving the girl's face a moist, bright red.

Nagasaki Motoyo wanted to open her mouth to say something, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't express her feelings at that moment.

An indescribable happiness, the sudden realization of something lost and found, an ever-growing affection, an unexpected joy... What words could possibly describe the girl's heart at this moment?

In the end, all she could do was grab the boy's hands and shake her head with all her might.

“…Xu Doujun! Thank you! I will cherish this gift for the rest of my life!”

Nagasaki Motoyo carefully untied the ribbon and held it tightly in her hand.

Then, she looked up, holding back the tears that seemed about to spill from her eyes, and gave the boy the most genuine and happiest smile of her life.

"I'm glad you like it. This is a return gift for the belt you just gave me."

Yuan Xudou nodded slightly.

He did this to give their outing a more complete ending... Judging from the girl's performance, it seems the effect was a bit too good.

The boy patiently waited for Nagasaki Motoyo to compose herself, watching her carefully place the ribbon into the most hidden spot in her bag. She took a few deep breaths, and the blush on her face and the glistening tears in the corners of her eyes gradually faded before he spoke.

"So, shall we continue shopping?"

“…No, that’s not necessary.”

Nagasaki Motoyo shook her head.

"I'm already satisfied... If I continue, even the heavens will punish my greed."

“Xu Doujun, I know a really good restaurant. Let’s go there for dinner.”

Nagasaki Motoyo took his arm again.

This time, she was much quieter, no longer actively pulling Yuan Xudou around. Except when she needed directions, she seemed to be leaning on the boy's shoulder, letting him lead her forward.

It's as if all the surging emotions have been satisfied, so one happily enjoys that joy and calmly immerses oneself in the paradise that one firmly believes in.

Chapter Seventeen: Bass, the Past, and Embrace

After having dinner at a restaurant recommended by Nagasaki Motoyo, the two finally arrived at the music store and began to choose the bass that the girl needed.

Having learned their purpose, the shop assistant led Nagasaki Motoyo to the bass section and began introducing her to the currently popular bass brands. Genji Kōdō, who wasn't particularly interested, didn't follow. He greeted the girl, declined the other shop assistants' offers to accompany him, and began wandering around the store on his own.

While he described it as wandering, he was really just aimlessly strolling around and looking at things. Occasionally, when he came across a new musical instrument that he hadn't seen before, he would carefully read the relatively fair evaluations of its advantages and disadvantages given in the store and keep them in mind.

Feeling that Nagasaki Motoyo had made her selections, he turned around and headed towards the bass section.

Then, as if his gaze had been drawn to something, the boy stopped in his tracks.

He remained silent, gazing at the counter displaying rows of bass guitars.

"Xu Doujun~ Look at this... What are you looking at?"

Having already chosen her favorite bass, Nagasaki Motoyo was about to share her joy of acquiring a new instrument with the boy when she walked up to him and found him staring intently at the corner of the counter.

Following his gaze, the girl saw a bass guitar sitting alone at the far corner of the counter, its shape and style appearing quite old compared to the surrounding instruments.

That spot... she remembered hearing from the shop assistant that it was specifically used for consigning musical instruments that others no longer used, so occasionally some very old-fashioned items would appear there, and this bass in front of her should be one of them.

Judging from this style... it seems to be a style that was popular ten or twenty years ago. It's been so long, and although it seems to be in pretty good condition, it probably won't be usable anymore. If I buy it, it will probably only be kept at home as a collection.

Why would Xu Doujun suddenly become interested in this?

Before Nagasaki Motoyo could figure it out, she saw Genji Koto step forward, pick up the bass, and walk to the front of the stage without any hesitation.

With a "ding," the crisp sound of the card being swiped rang out, and the girl, still immersed in confusion, seemed to be awakened, hurriedly running to catch up with him.

She looked up, intending to say something to Yuan Xudou, but didn't know where to begin.

"Su Shi? You've made your choice."

Yuan Xudou's expression remained as calm as ever, without any ripples.

...However, the girl, who was already very familiar with that handsome face, caught a faint, almost imperceptible look of disorientation in his eyes.

So Nagasaki Motoyo swallowed her question, looked at him with slight worry, and nodded slightly.

"Then go back."

The boy slung his instrument case over his shoulder and walked out of the store. Nagasaki Motoyo followed closely behind, swiped her card to pay, and then they both went out together.

On the way home, the two were unusually silent.

Nagasaki Motoyo wanted to ask why Genjiro had suddenly shown that expression, but she didn't know if it would touch on something he didn't want to talk about, so she could only hesitate and wait for the boy to speak.

Yuan Xudou, however, showed no intention of offering any explanation.

Even though he could feel the girl staring at his profile with worried eyes, and felt her grip on his arm tightly, which she was holding, he remained silent and continued walking forward.

Even after the two arrived at their building in Roppongi and took the elevator together into Genjiro Tou's home, a melancholy atmosphere emanating from the boy, the cause of which was unknown, lingered around them.

Nagasaki Motoyo didn't say anything, but silently stayed by his side, hoping that this would prevent Genji from bearing the atmosphere alone.

"..."

Genjiro took the violin case off his back and leaned it against the wall. Nagasaki Motoyo also placed his bass next to it.

At this moment, the inexplicably melancholic atmosphere slowly faded from the boy.

He sat down in a chair in the living room, his eyes lowered.

Outside the window, the slowly setting sun painted the room with a dim yellow hue, casting a not-so-bright, dim light on Yuan Xudou's face.

"Sorry, Su Shi. I was just lost in thought."

He frankly apologized for his silence on the road earlier.

Nagasaki Motoyo pulled up a chair and sat down opposite him naturally, gently shaking her head. Compared to his momentary lapse in attention, she was more concerned about the boy's current mood.

"It's alright, Xu Doujun."

She did not ask why Yuan Xudou would do that.

Because Nagasaki Motoyo sensed that, just like before, the boy's heart was brewing with the desire to confide in others.

Even though this emotion was quite weak compared to what she felt back then, so insignificant that it seemed like just a fleeting illusion of a young girl... she still chose to believe that Yuan Xudou would say those words himself.

Because he is strong and mature enough to know how to regulate his emotions, unlike her in the past who kept everything bottled up inside and didn't want to talk about it, getting into a fight with her own heart... At times like this, all you need to do is listen attentively.

"...I actually didn't want to accept Xiangzi's invitation to join that band."

The voice, which was originally gentle, sounded somewhat somber at this moment.

Genjiro once again brought up the topic in front of Nagasaki Motoyo, a topic he had explained to Toyokawa Shoko but hadn't elaborated on at the time.

"My father hates bands."

"Although I don't know why he, a bassist, is so averse to forming a band with others... Anyway, because of him, I don't really like bands either."

Before my eyes appeared the man from my memories, who always deliberately wore a stern face, despite his cheerful demeanor, lecturing the then-childish boy in a serious tone that wasn't intimidating at all.

Yuan Xudou can understand him a little better now.

Perhaps in his youth he was a frivolous musician, joking and teasing his bandmates... But after having children, a sense of responsibility eventually transformed him into a father, sealing away all those past absurdities in his heart.

Wanting to show a strong and mature side in front of their children... this may be a common trait among all fathers.

My aversion to the band was perhaps a result of that time.

However, occasionally, in the stillness of the night, when the moon gently illuminates the sorrow in one's heart... the man will take out his long-forgotten bass and play a few solo bass tunes for his children, for whom he is willing to devote all his heart and soul.

"Bass player?"

Nagasaki Motoyo, who listened attentively and didn't miss a single word Genji said, seemed to understand something.

"That, that bass..."

"Yes, it's a brand my father used to use."

That's why, when they see it, they reveal that dazed look in their eyes, tinged with a faint sense of nostalgia and sadness.

"I sold it later to raise money for medical treatment... I never thought there would still be basses like this now."

"..."

The girl didn't know what to say.

Because from beginning to end, Yuan Xudou's voice never revealed the slightest sadness, but only carried a faint sense of gratitude, like the slight ripples on a lake, but ultimately did not affect the calm of the deeper waters.

However... she didn't want to miss this precious opportunity when Yuan Xudou was finally willing to open up, and felt that she should do something.

"Xu Doujun...can I borrow your bass for a moment?"

"……Um."

Nagasaki Motoyo got up, but instead of taking her newly bought bass, she took the old bass out of its case, plugged it in, held it in her arms, and sat back down in front of Genji.

She tried adjusting the volume and found that she was indeed a little uncomfortable with this older model. Besides, Yuan Xudou didn't have a bass speaker at home... so the final result probably wouldn't be very good.

But the girl still wanted to give it a try.

"Xu Doujun, do you still remember those melodies?"

Yuan Xudou wanted to say that he had forgotten everything, letting those memories dissipate into the dust of the past.

But in the end, he closed his eyes and nodded gently.

"...I remember."

He hummed softly the melody that had been played under the moonlight of yesteryear.

Nagasaki Motoyo listened intently, not missing a single detail, comparing the slightly indistinct melody with the piece in her mind.

Then, she plucked the strings.

The bass, slightly out of tune due to the passage of time, began to play, but it perfectly complemented the boy's unskilled, soft singing, and instead matched the melody in his memory, which had faded and become distorted.

Like a faded photograph, the scenery and faces are blurred, but the feelings at the time of taking the photo remain deeply embedded within.

"..."

When the song ended, Nagasaki Motoyo put down her bass.

She looked at Yuan Xudou and noticed a hint of bewilderment in the boy's clear eyes.

Just as she had hoped, she understood his heart even better... but looking at Yuan Xudou like this, she couldn't feel happy.

I really want to hug him.

The body's instincts outpaced thought. Just as this impulse surged into her heart, Nagasaki Motoyo had already stood up and tightly embraced the boy from the front.

You could feel his body stiffen unnaturally for a moment because of this sudden softness and care, and then slowly relax.

"...Thank you, Su Shi."

Normally, he would refuse such physical contact due to their past grievances... but now, Yuan Xudou doesn't want to resist this gentle yet brave girl who cares about him wholeheartedly.

Therefore, he simply patted Nagasaki Motoyo's frail back and used a gentle voice that matched his tone to indicate that he was alright.

"I just feel a little nostalgic, I'm not sad."

The girl remained silent, only embracing him tightly.

Wanting to comfort Yuan Xudou is only one aspect.

The most important reason was that she finally felt that the two of them were truly beginning to draw closer to each other, and that the boy's heart was gradually opening up a bright future for her.

Moreover... this spacious embrace is so warm that one doesn't want to leave at all.