“How can Xiao Yu be the keyboardist?” Unable to believe the evidence in the video, Lin Xiaojue put down her phone listlessly.
“What’s wrong? Did something happen to upset my friend?” Su Yaqing slowed her movements and turned to ask.
“It’s nothing, just… You know how the live show was delayed? People are spreading rumors online saying Xiao Yu is actually Mundi’s keyboardist. They’re saying the reason the keyboardist was absent is that she was busy peeping on others. It’s just nonsensical slander.”
Lin Xiaojue rolled her eyes and arched a brow. She swung her legs off the sofa, stood up, and walked over to the dining table. She pulled out a chair and sat down, her face full of exasperation.
“Sakuragawa wouldn’t go as far as to peep on people. Though her abilities are certainly suited for it, she doesn’t seem like that kind of person,” Su Yaqing said, her tone contemplative before she changed the subject.
“Speaking of which, Xiaojue, didn’t you know Sakuragawa could play the piano?”
“Eh? She can play?”
“She can. Didn’t she invite you to the café before? Did you not go?”
Su Yaqing looked puzzled. She stopped what she was doing entirely, put down her kitchen knife, and showed a photo on her phone to Lin Xiaojue.
Xiaojue used two fingers to zoom in on the photo. Under the dim, amber sunlight, a pink-haired girl sat gracefully on a piano bench. Time was frozen at the moment she pressed down on the keys.
It was an unfamiliar café.
Lin Xiaojue blinked. A faint memory stirred in her mind. Sakuragawa Iku really had invited her before. It seemed to be a few months ago, shortly after she had first become a magical girl.
However… back then, she was so busy looking for residual beasts that she had apparently rejected her outright.
The memory grew clearer. Lin Xiaojue remembered now. She had been searching the streets for residual beasts and hadn’t found any.
In a fit of pique, she had insisted on turning Guangyuan city upside down and had rejected the invitation without a second thought.
“Senior Xiaojue, would you like to go grab a cup of coffee with me? You must be tired.”
“I don’t have time. Go find someone else.”
‘Oh, heavens, what on earth was I doing back then?!’
As she recalled that memory, a wave of regret and shame quickly spread through Lin Xiaojue’s heart.
‘How could I talk like that? That attitude was way too cold! I was like a literal iceberg pushing everyone away.’
Amidst her regret, more memories of her rejecting Sakuragawa Iku surfaced. Every sentence was chillingly detached.
From Lin Xiaojue’s current perspective, it felt like she had been systematically crushing someone’s enthusiasm.
‘I’ll have to find a time to apologize to Xiao Yu.’
“I think… I think I had some unfinished business back then, so I, um, I rejected her. Anyway, I was in the wrong too. Hehe.”
She laughed awkwardly to avoid Su Yaqing’s suspicious gaze and immediately switched topics. “I didn’t know how well Xiao Yu played. How is she? Hehe.”
A silly laugh was an essential tool for glossing over things. As the saying went, you couldn’t stay mad at a smiling face. If she acted a bit silly and cute, it should be fine.
Sure enough, Su Yaqing’s suspicious look vanished, replaced by one of disbelief.
‘Hey! Why are you looking at me like that?’
“You didn’t even know that?” Her tone carried a hint of teasing and uncertainty. Her narrowed, jade-green eyes suddenly grew bold as she scrutinized Xiaojue.
“I say,” she began, imitating Lin Xiaojue’s usual way of speaking, “Xiaojue, have you actually participated in any of the group activities?”
“I-I have,” Lin Xiaojue responded clumsily, lowering her head in embarrassment.
She had to admit that for the past six months, she hadn’t really checked the messages in the group chat. She only took everyone out for barbecue as a reward during celebration banquets.
“Then how did you not know Sakuragawa plays the piano? For the last six months, she’s been inviting everyone to the café every few days to hear her play.” Su Yaqing’s face took on a nostalgic expression.
“Her skill is incredible. She doesn’t play like a teenager at all. It feels like she’s been practicing since she was a small child.”
“Like Xiao Xia?” Lin Xiaojue finally found a topic that could alleviate her awkwardness. Xia Yao had also started learning how to knit clothes when she was young.
According to her, her parents had made her do it. Whenever Xia Yao mentioned it, she always looked very calm.
“Comparing music to knitting is a bit of a stretch. From what I know, Sakuragawa is great at improvising. Often, we just have to come up with an idea, and she can write a melody for it.”
“Isn’t that just like Mundi’s keyboardist?” Lin Xiaojue thought of the descriptions of Miss Redemption.
“Exactly. Maybe that blogger wasn’t wrong. Sakuragawa and Mundi’s keyboardist might be the same person.”
“Tsk, I don’t like you saying that.” Lin Xiaojue’s mood soured instantly. She took out her phone and held it in front of Su Yaqing. “She’s not a peeping tom.”
“But her ability is perfect for that sort of thing. She’s always been our best scout, hasn’t she?” Su Yaqing followed up, her eyes falling on the fragment at Lin Xiaojue’s waist.
“Xiaojue, where did that fragment come from?”
As the question was asked, Lin Xiaojue’s defensive posture crumbled.
“I found it in your fitting room. I suspected Xiao Yu had been there, so I picked it up. I’m not sure if it’s hers, though.”
Su Yaqing arched an eyebrow at the news.
“Don’t you also suspect Sakuragawa of peeping? Looking at it this way, aren’t you just like that blogger?”
“That’s… it’s different. I… mmph.”
Before Lin Xiaojue could reply, Su Yaqing leaned down, closing the distance between them as a faint floral scent wafted over.
Her gaze was sharp as she stared intently at the hem of Lin Xiaojue’s skirt.
“What happened to your skirt?”
“Eh?”
The question struck right at the heart of Lin Xiaojue’s secret. Her cheeks flushed bright red as a faint steam seemed to rise from her head. Her eyes darted away guiltily.
“Talk! Or else I’ll have to exercise my rights as a friend.”
Su Yaqing leaned even closer, her warm breath hitting Xiaojue’s face, making the girl’s face turn crimson.
“I… I accidentally got splashed while washing my hands! Don’t be like this… can you move back a bit?”
“Really?” Su Yaqing’s eyes were filled with immense doubt.
“Really… ugh, do you want me to lift it up and show you?” Seeing the other girl pull back, Lin Xiaojue wore a helpless expression and pinched the corner of her skirt.
“Tsk, how can you be so immodest?” Su Yaqing grabbed the hand that was holding the skirt. The clouds of doubt on her face cleared as she turned her head away.
“Let’s not talk about this. Come on, let’s get ready to eat.”
“Fine.” Lin Xiaojue nodded. It wasn’t long before dinner was served on the table. As for the mirror fragment that had been the subject of their discussion, it had fallen to the floor, forgotten by everyone.
*Tsk.*
Sakuragawa Iku let out a soft snort from inside the mirror, continuing to secretly observe her senior through the glass.