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"Just call me Hailing. I currently provide bass support for about thirty bands, but this is the only band I've officially joined. Please take care of me." Hailing's expression was very calm.
"Thirty pieces...?" Ai Yin looked at Hai Ling in shock.
"However, there are only about ten bands currently active, and we don't plan to accept support from more bands in the future."
"Next to me is Yutenji Wakana, a drummer I met at work yesterday. She's just started playing the drums and hasn't joined a band yet." Taro pointed to Nyanmu with his palm.
"Just call me Meow Dream~ I want to see your performance last time too, your bass was really good." Ruomai raised her hand and waved as a greeting.
"Thank you," Hai Ling replied rather indifferently.
When Aine heard Taro introduce Nyanmu, she breathed a sigh of relief. Great, she wasn't the only newbie.
"The woman next to you is Chihaya Aine. I met her by chance at work. She's still a beginner and plays the guitar terribly, but... I have high hopes for her."
"Peach! You don't have to say things like 'the guitar is terrible'!" The pink puppy puffed out its cheeks.
"Nice to meet you, Chihaya-san." Hailing's expression remained unchanged: "Since Momoko said so, I also believe in your potential."
She naturally changed her address to Momo, but Taro looked resistant: "Don't call people by their food names."
"What's wrong with it?" Aine said in a cloying voice, "Isn't Peach cute?"
"If this is just my personal opinion, I agree." Hai Ling agreed with Aine's words expressionlessly from the side.
"That's right~" Aine said in that cloying voice as always.
"Um~" Meow Dream cautiously raised her hand: "Instead of this, Peach, could we continue our previous topic?"
“Hmm, I understand.” Taro resumed crossing his arms, leaning back in his chair. “In conclusion, the reason we call ourselves the Dong Brothers is because ‘Dong’ is my surname.”
"Huh?" Aine was taken aback. "But isn't Momoko's surname Momoi?"
“I was adopted.” Taro’s expression was very natural: “According to my adoptive father, he found me as a baby on the riverbank while he was jogging.”
"Ah, this..." Aine was completely flustered. Should she not have asked?
"On my body, a jade pendant with the word 'dong' written on it was found. On the back, the words 'Momotaro' were written." Taro calmly explained, "My adoptive father thought that might be my name. Since his surname was Momoi, he removed the repeated character to get my name, Momoi Taro. So, the reason he wanted to name me 'dong' was to commemorate my past."
"Oh, I see," Miaomeng said unhurriedly.
Ai-yin lowered her head, her thoughts churning within her.
[I'm afraid it's not just that; there are also brothers. Peach really does crave family affection. Peach seems so strong, but deep down she's probably a child who desperately needs love.]
Aine made up her mind to work hard to become Taro's sister and take good care of him.
"Aine...you really are the kind of woman who can be my older sister."
"Mmm! Peach, you don't need to be shy about snuggling up to me."
"Aine... thank you."
"Peach..." er陵尔陾M1僘邻e拔尔
Thinking of this scene, Ai Yin couldn't help but hum softly and let out a silly giggle.
"That's basically it. One of the reasons I formed a band was so that I might be able to find my family after I became famous." Taro narrated this calmly. He didn't have any particular feelings about that experience; he just wanted to understand what kind of emotions his family had when they abandoned him.
"Hehe... Taro is really interesting, isn't he?" Ruomai pushed up her sunglasses again: "Well then, I'm in~ Don't dislike me."
"I understand." Taro remained in that position. "Then from now on, you'll be a pheasant!"
Upon hearing Taro's words, Meow's smiling face instantly cracked, and conversely, Aine and Hailin's smiles were also almost impossible to suppress.
"Our band is based on the legend of Momotaro, which is also a way of commemorating my name." Taro didn't seem to think there was anything wrong with it: "Incidentally, Aine is the guitar dog and Hailin is the bass monkey."
In an instant, Ai Yin and Hai Ling's smiles disappeared, but the smiles didn't disappear; they just shifted. Miao Meng, who had just been staying in Bengbu, smiled again.
"So, what was the goal you mentioned yesterday?" Hai Ling tried to change the subject. "There was a goal to achieve... that's what you said yesterday. It couldn't be just something more than just letting your former family know, could it?"
"Huh? Is that so?" Aine stared at Taro with wide, curious eyes. Taro remained calm: "Yes, of course."
"Then... what is the goal?" Miao Meng looked at him expectantly.
Just as Taro was about to speak, a voice interrupted him: "Taro, let's play rock-paper-scissors and bet on matcha parfait."
Several people looked over at the same time and saw a petite girl with silver hair and heterochromatic eyes smiling at Taro.
"Alright, let's go!" Taro exuded an aura of power, and Hailing, knowing what was about to happen, covered her eyes. The other two watched their duel with curiosity.
"Taro, what are you going to do?" Meow Meow grinned mischievously.
"Hmm..." Taro lowered his head and thought, while Aine and Meowme were a little curious. Why was he thinking? Who would tell them?
"Stone! I want a stone!" Taro exclaimed excitedly.
[Did you really say that?!]
Aiyin and Miaomeng were in sync at that moment.
[It must be some kind of strategy... right?]
"Rock, paper, scissors!" Both men swung their hands at the same time. Taro lost again.
"Ah... I lost again." Taro looked at his clenched fist, pondered for a moment, and quickly cheered up: "One matcha parfait! And anything else you want, you can put it on my tab."
The girls didn't stand on ceremony with him and ordered the drinks they wanted.
"Taro, do you believe in eternal destiny?" Rakuna grasped Taro's large hand and asked softly.
"Yes, I believe you." Taro raised his head slightly.
"Then, will Taro's band become his final home?" The girl looked at Taro with pleading eyes. After spending so many days together, she knew that Taro wouldn't lie, and she trusted him.
"I want to form a band like this." Taro slowly uttered these words. He wouldn't lie, but he didn't know what the future held, so he could only offer this thought: "I will try my best."
"Well... Taro, band, aren't you coming to play?" Cat showed a bright smile.
Taro frowned slightly, not quite understanding what Rakuna meant, and asked, "You mean... you want to join our band?"
“Yes! I want to play, band.” Renai responded happily to Taro’s words.
"I agree!" Taro readily agreed, and the five members of the Dong Brothers were now all together.
"Wait a minute!" Aine objected, "Momotaro's companions are: dog, monkey, chicken, and then none more, right? Then what about her..."
"You need Rakuna, that's her name," Taro briefly introduced. "Isn't there another one? Oni! Guitar Oni!"
The cat nodded in agreement: "Guitar, I want to play."
Ai Yin muttered something under her breath, but didn't speak. Hai Ling spoke up, "You still haven't answered. What is the goal?"
Taro looked around and gave a confident smile: "It's simple. Become Japan's number one band!"
"Yo! Japan's number one!" A strange voice-over, like something out of a Noh play, rang out.
"Huh? / Ah? / Hmm?" The three people exclaimed in great surprise.
The cat raised its eyebrows slightly and said softly, "An interesting man."
Chapter Six, Things Have Changed
"Wait! I haven't heard of anything like that!" Ai Yin slammed her hand on the table, drawing everyone's attention. The pink-haired girl gave a slightly embarrassed chuckle, then sat back down with an apologetic expression.
After sitting back down, Ai Yin repeated softly, "I've never heard of such a thing!"
"Personally, I have no objection to it being the ultimate goal." Hai Ling remained silent.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," Shiina said, holding up the plate and setting the contents down: "Two servings of hot Earl Grey tea, hot Darjeeling tea, and a matcha parfait. That should be all."
"Huh? That's quite rare, Li Xi." Hai Ling smiled. "Shouldn't you usually be in the kitchen?"
"Huh? That doesn't make sense." She gathered up her plate and fled as if she were running away.
"Does Miaomeng think this is a bit unrealistic?" She picked up her black tea, blew on the cup, but her eyes behind her sunglasses were fixed on Lena, who was scooping food from the cup with a spoon.
She wasn't interested in Hailing's affairs, but she was very interested in this little girl.
“Exactly! Me and Miaomeng are both newbies. No matter what, being number one in Japan is just wishful thinking.” Aine looked at Rakuna and asked, “What does Rakuna think?”
Since they were in the same band anyway, Aine naturally called her Rakuna-chan. And she didn't seem like the type to care about how she was addressed by her name.
"Hmm?" The cat had just put a spoonful of parfait into its mouth, looked up, and asked, "Japan's number one, are you going to do a live show?"
"Of course, we need to hold a lot of live shows to achieve our goal of becoming number one in Japan," Taro replied to Rakuna's question very seriously.
“Live, it’s so much fun, we have to do it, we’ll be number one in Japan.” The cat put another spoonful of parfait into its mouth and smiled.
"Then, Chihaya and Wakana, you two will come with me to the practice room to practice later." Taro picked up his black tea, drank it all in one gulp, and slammed the cup down with a snap. "I need to know your abilities."
"It's Meow Dream, dear." Meow Dream corrected very strongly.
"Just call me Ai-yin," she said, looking a little uneasy, but still trying to put on a sunny smile. "From now on, we'll be in a band."
"I understand. I'll go to the practice room in a bit," Taro nodded slightly.
"Well then, if today's band activities are over, I'll be leaving now." Hai Ling finished her black tea and stood up.
Lena tilted her head and asked, "Band, aren't you going to play?"
“Today is just to assess the new members’ level. I know your and Hailing’s level very well.” Taro said matter-of-factly, “The main purpose is to get a feel for them, train them, and then I will write a suitable song tonight for the next live performance.”
Not far away, Lixi finished his part-time job for the day and was about to say hello to Hailing when he heard Taro's matter-of-fact words. He froze for a moment, then left the store without saying a word.
Taro led the two into RING's practice room. The two were startled when they entered. The room, which wasn't small, contained quite a few musical instruments: violin, keyboard, bass, guitar, drums...
“I’ve rented this practice room for a whole year, feel free to come over if you want to practice,” Taro said, his expression unchanged. “Especially you, Yutenji, using the drums at home too much will affect your feel for them.”
"Oh my~ Does Peach like Miaomeng? She's so enthusiastic about Miaomeng." She gave a playful smile, then took out her phone to take a picture: "But Miaomeng has no plans to be in a relationship."
"Huh? Momoko likes Meow Meow?" Aine's eyes widened in surprise, but after thinking for a moment, she said, "Meow Meow is so cute..."
“I don’t like it.” Taro interrupted Aine’s rambling: “Nyan Meng, don’t film yet, Aine, show me your guitar first, I want to see how much you’ve improved.”
A little nervously, Ai Yin took the guitar out of its case and began to play. She felt she had improved considerably compared to yesterday.
"How was it?" After finishing the performance, Aine looked at Taro with some trepidation.
Taro closed his eyes, thought for a moment, then opened them and said, "3 o'clock!"
"Huh? It's gone down even lower! It was 5 o'clock yesterday!" Although Ai Yin had prepared herself mentally, she still couldn't accept it when she heard it.
“Yesterday’s evaluation included everything except the guitar part. As for the guitar part, these are all the scores you got!” Taro answered Aine’s question without hesitation.
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