After breaking up, my ex asked me to win her back

Around five in the afternoon.

In a small livehouse somewhere in Tokyo, an underground concert was taking place.

On the small stage, four students dressed as spicy girls were performing their band's original new song—"Red Love".

It was none other than the Red Pepper Band led by Ai Cheng Hua Lian.

This was already their fifth time on stage, and Rinran had the air of an experienced performer, while the atmosphere among the audience was quite lively. After the song ended, they received rounds of applause.

"Thank you, thank you, everyone~~"

Ai Cheng Hua Lian bounced around the stage, waving her hands to bid farewell to the audience, and walked down with the rest of the band members.

Once back in the dressing room, she immediately grabbed a bottle of mineral water and started gulping it down, her throat bobbing.

"Phew—!"

Having drained half the bottle of mineral water, she laughed and said to the band members around her, "The live performance was great today!"

The bassist echoed, "Yeah, better than the last time."

The guitarist: "The audience was really enthusiastic!"

Ai Cheng Hua Lian: "Exactly~!"

Everyone chatted animatedly, but Ai Cheng Hua Lian's eyes kept darting towards the quiet drummer in the corner, Ruzaki Mami, looking at her phone with her head down.

She was the only member of the Red Pepper Band who attended the same class and school as Ai Cheng Hua Lian, and they had been good friends even before forming the band.

But lately, she seemed off, lacking vigor, as if she were worrying about something.

The problem seemed to be growing worse with time. At today's live performance, although no one in the band had mentioned it, they could all tell that Ruzaki Mami's drumming was slightly off-beat and lacked strength.

Could she have caught a cold?

Ai Cheng Hua Lian wondered.

She couldn't stop thinking about it.

While everyone went to the restroom to remove their makeup, Ai Cheng Hua Lian quietly approached her and asked in a low voice, "Zhen Chun, are you not feeling well? Why have you been zoning out all day?"

"Eh?" Ruzaki Mami was startled for a few seconds, "I'm sorry, did I cause trouble for everyone?"

"Not at all, no one is thinking that!" Ai Cheng Hua Lian said with caution, "It's just that I feel like you've been somewhat listless lately... you know."

"Oh....."

Ruzaki Mami lowered her head like a little rabbit and fell silent.

After waiting a long time without a response, Ai Cheng Hua Lian felt uneasy.

Is that it, just "oh...."?

Even though she knew her best friend was like this, the silence was frustrating.

In the end, when the band members said goodbye at the livehouse entrance, Ai Cheng Hua Lian was unable to get anything more out of her, but she could tell that something was definitely weighing on her friend's mind.

Watching the receding figure of Ruzaki Mami, she clenched her teeth and decided to tail her! Ah, no, to track her!

Based on her experience with shoujo manga, when a male protagonist encounters a female character who has worries but doesn't talk about them, tracking her would greatly increase the chance of discovering her secret!

In the end, Ai Cheng Hua Lian followed her best friend to a small park sandwiched between residential houses, hiding behind a bush and watching her sit on the swing lost in thought.

Besides confirming that Ruzaki Mami was indeed somewhat depressed, she didn't find out anything else.

Instead, she ended up with sore legs from squatting.

Manga is all lies, after all.

Meanwhile.

Kagura Hikaru, with a guitar case on his back and a school bag in hand, was walking home against the sunset.

Work had caused him to run a bit late that day, and if he took the train now, he would hit the rush hour and end up squished like a sardine, just like the previous time.

He had decided that he didn't want to experience that again at all costs, so he chose to walk home today.

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It was only a few miles away, and if he paced himself properly, he wouldn't even break a sweat by the time he reached his front door.

As he walked, he passed a small park and Kagura Hikaru suddenly stopped short.

He saw a familiar-looking girl hiding behind a bush, her butt sticking out as if she were spying on something, her silhouette sneaky and untrustworthy.

A middle-aged woman passing by gave her a strange look and whispered to herself.

After thinking it over, he decided not to ignore her and calmly approached, asking, "What are you doing?"

"Eek!" Ai Cheng Hua Lian jumped in surprise, her head whipping around, "Kagura? Why are you here..."

"On my way home." Kagura Hikaru said matter-of-factly, and then looked toward the girl sitting alone on the worn-out swing in the park, "Do you know her?"

"Yes, her name is Ruzaki Mami, she's a classmate of mine," Ai Cheng Hua Lian said sheepishly, "Uh, she's also in the same band as me, she's the drummer."

Kagura Hikaru observed the girl in the park, her demeanor clearly showing that she must be facing some kind of problem.

"Is she in trouble?"Nôv(el)B\\jnn

"I don't know, she won't tell me anything..." Ai Cheng Hua Lian shook her head.

"Well, if she doesn't want to talk about it, that's the end of it. Pressing the issue will only make her more resistant."

"That's not acceptable!" Ai Cheng Hua Lian said firmly, "Zhen Chun is my friend, her worries are my worries! How can I just ignore her?"

Perhaps Ai Cheng Hua Lian spoke too loudly, because Ruzaki Mami in the park looked up in their direction and locked eyes with Kagura Hikaru.

Ai Cheng Hua Lian, crouching behind the bush, hadn't been noticed for the moment, but she read something in Kagura Hikaru's gaze and nervously asked, "Did she see you?"

"Yes, I'm leaving."

Kagura Hikaru didn't even lower his head, turned, and walked in the direction he had originally intended to go.

This matter really had nothing to do with him. If he left now, at least Ai Cheng Hua Lian wouldn't be exposed, she could continue her stalker game, and he could go home to eat dinner on time.

A win-win situation.

"Wait wait wait!" However, just as Kagura Hikaru took a step, Ai Cheng Hua Lian caught the hem of his pants with her hand, "Mr. Kagura!"

"Let go, you'll draw attention to us."

"Please, come with me to ask Zhen Chun what happened! She might tell us something if you're there."

"Don't be naive. Would you open up to a stranger?"

"How can we know without trying..."

Just then, they saw a petite figure rush out of the park entrance and head off into the distance without looking back, her backpack and the hem of her skirt swinging from side to side.

It was Ruzaki Mami.

Ai Cheng Hua Lian, dumbfounded, watched her and stood up to shout, "Zhen Chun, wait for me!"

But it was too late to catch up; the other girl had already vanished around the corner of the street.

In the moment she turned, they did indeed see, flitting from the corner of Ruzaki Mami's eye, a shimmering tear.

There's an ancient saying that tears are a pure substance, especially the tears of a beautiful girl, which can cleanse the soul.

But the tears shed by the beautiful girl Ruzaki Mami cast a shadow over the hearts of those who saw them.

The air was silent for a few seconds.

"Talk to your friend about it tomorrow," Kagura Hikaru sighed softly, tugging on his guitar bag strap, "I'm going home now, see you tomorrow."

"Oh, yeah..."

Ai Cheng Hua Lian watched Kagura Hikaru walk away, holding her head with both hands, her fingers tangling in her hair out of frustration.

.........

The next day, Kagura Hikaru eyed Ai Cheng Hua Lian as she appeared at the classroom door, feeling an ominous premonition.

"Please!"

Outside the classroom, in the corridor, Ai Cheng Hua Lian bowed deeply with hands clasped above her head, "Help me, Mr. Kagura!"

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