"Such a touching and stunning performance! It's been a long time since I've heard such an amazing song."
"That song is called 'Until the End of the World,' right? Why can't I find it online? I'm desperate!"
"I know you're in a hurry, but don't panic. I've seen the Kesshoku Band perform live before. They usually release the official version online only after performing it live."
"Damn! How long do we have to wait? I just want to hear that song again right now!"
"Follow my YouTube channel. I was lucky enough to record the whole thing, and I'm uploading it now. You'll be able to enjoy it again very soon."
"This is what you call starting off with a bang! With this original song, I have a feeling that the grand prize of this music festival has already been decided.
It has to be that guy from the Kesshoku Band... Wait, didn't he just start singing the moment he got on stage without even introducing himself? What's his name again?"
"Now that you mention it, you're right..."
"..."
As the song ended, the venue was abuzz with discussion.
Most of the people who had come to the music festival were pure music lovers.
The emotions and impact of such a great song stirred something in them that they hadn't felt in a long time.
They instinctively gathered at the front of the stage, shouting "Encore!" at the top of their lungs, unwilling to leave. The energy in the venue remained at its peak.
Yukino was being pulled by the wrist by her sister. After much effort, they finally managed to escape the overly enthusiastic crowd around the stage.
Now standing under the shade of a tree, Haruno took out her handkerchief and wiped the fine sweat off her younger sister's forehead, noticing how exhausted she looked.
"Honestly, I don't know what to do with you. You were just standing and listening to a song, yet you ended up in such a mess. Do you really have to be this dramatic?"
It's not that I'm exaggerating. If anything, it's that you're too strong, sister.
Yukino thought to herself.
When Chisato's song was halfway through, it had already begun drawing in more and more passersby to the stage.
Originally, she and her sister had been standing on the outer edges of the crowd, but by the time the song ended, they had somehow been squeezed into the center of the throng.
If it were just a bit of crowding, that would have been fine. She had experience taking packed trains, so she could endure it.
But saying it was just "crowding" would be an understatement.
The people around her were hardcore music enthusiasts, and when the song ended, they erupted into thunderous applause and cheers.
The sheer volume rattled Yukino's eardrums, pushing her already delicate nerves to their limit.
But none of that mattered right now. The most important thing was—
"Yukino, take this. Sorry, I can't drive you home. You'll have to take a taxi back by yourself."
Seeing Haruno hand over several ten-thousand-yen bills, Yukino, after calming her mind, firmly shook her head.
"You said you have something to do later. What exactly is it?"
"Oh? Since when did Yukino become so interested in her sister's affairs?
It's personal, so it's inconvenient to explain in detail. So just be a good girl and go home for today, okay? I'll bring the panda plushie in the car to you tonight."
Haruno pressed her hands together in a rare, cutesy gesture, looking pitiful and showing an unusually weak side—completely opposite to her usual strong-willed demeanor.
But the more Haruno tried to get rid of her, the more suspicious Yukino became. A sense of unease grew in her heart.
Something about this didn't feel right.
They had planned to go home together, yet after hearing just one song from that guy on stage, her sister suddenly claimed she had something to do.
There was no way these two things weren't connected.
At the very least, she could've pretended to get a phone call first.
This was too obvious.
Yukino suddenly recalled the night her sister unexpectedly came over to stay.
When she had opened the door, she had witnessed her sister exchanging an ambiguous greeting with their neighbor, Chisato.
But! That guy was a total scumbag who was living with multiple girls and messing around!
One of her juniors had already fallen victim to him. Was her own sister about to follow suit?
If it were before, Yukino would have never accepted such a possibility.
In her eyes, her sister was the embodiment of strength, independence, and excellence.
As a child, she had always chased after her sister's brilliant figure. She refused to believe that Haruno would get involved with someone of such questionable character.
But now, she hesitated.
Just moments ago, after that song ended, she had seen a sparkle in Haruno's eyes—like stars twinkling in the night sky.
That expression was unfamiliar to Yukino. It made her anxious and filled her with a deep sense of foreboding.
She didn't want to think about it too much, but she couldn't ignore the feeling either.
And so, despite her exhaustion and the strong urge to go home, soak in a bath, and lie on her soft bed, she stood her ground and shook her head again.
"I'm not going home. No matter what you have to do, I'll stay with you without interfering. Then we can go home together afterward."
Hearing this, Haruno dropped the pleading expression, straightened up, and put her hands on her hips.
"You're really not being cute at all. Normally, who sticks around when someone says they have something to do?
You're not a child anymore, and I'm not your mom.
Besides, you'll be in your final year of high school next year. You should start being more independent instead of relying on others so much."
She tried to provoke Yukino into changing her mind, but unfortunately, it didn't work.
Yukino might look frail and delicate, but once she made up her mind, she was immovable.
After shaking her head once more to clearly express her stance, she silently walked to a nearby vending machine and bought two drinks.
She handed a can of extra-strong coffee to Haruno and opened a bottle of energy drink—something she rarely drank—before downing half of it in one go to replenish her strength.
The act itself was a clear display of her determination.
Seeing this, Haruno sighed in resignation.
She knew her sister well enough to realize there was no shaking her off for now. She would just have to find another opportunity later.
Opening the can of coffee, she took a sip and cleared her throat.
"Fine, whatever. If you insist on tagging along, do as you like."
"Where are we going?"
"I'm tired. Let's find a place to eat and rest for a bit."
This decision was partly out of concern for her exhausted sister—giving her a chance to sit down and recover.
But at the same time, it was a way to kill time.
After all, there were still about three hours left until 7 PM, and after hearing that song, Haruno was very much looking forward to Chisato's next performance.
She might have just stumbled upon something truly fascinating.
Haruno smirked at the thought.
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50 advanced chapters on p@t re on (.) com/SenatusTheta
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