Momoi Taro wants to form a "don" brother duo, but it's a music anime.

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Su Shi arrived at the practice room close to the appointed time. The practice room reserved by the Dong Giant Dragon Flame Group (tentative) was, as always, opposite the Dong Brothers Group's room. She arrived a little early, but unexpectedly found a pink-haired girl standing at the Dong Brothers Group's door.

That was naturally Ai Yin from the Dong Brothers group. She was holding a notebook and was about to push open the door.

"Aine-kun? Are you getting ready to practice? You're really working hard."

Su Shi greeted Aine, after all, Aine was a member of Taro's Dongyue-YiI〇YiVIISiWuJiuIVJiuBa Brothers Group, and she was very willing to get along with her. As they exchanged greetings and pleasantries, Su Shi then noticed that Aine wasn't carrying an instrument on her shoulder.

[Maybe it's just been placed in the practice room.]

Su Shi thought to herself that the practice room for the Dong Brothers was ultimately different from the practice room her own band rented. They had a long-term lease, so it was normal for them to keep their instruments in the practice room. So she stopped worrying about it.

Hearing Su Shi's greeting, Ai Yin turned her head in the direction of the voice. Upon seeing Su Shi, a sweet smile naturally appeared on her face as she waved and greeted her, "Su Shi-kun. Good evening, is this your band... um... the Donglong Flame Group practicing?"

Ever since Gao Songdeng told her the name of their band that day, Ai Yinshi still finds it very difficult to understand. Dong and Zu are understandable, but where did the dragon and flames come from? When she asked Dengdeng, she only said that Xiao Mu came up with it.

She thought about the time she saw that Wakaba Mutsu... Hmm? Maybe it was another child who came up with it? I think her name was "Metis"? If it was that child who came up with it, it wouldn't be impossible to understand.

While Mumu was racking her brains in her inner world trying to figure out how to defeat Taro, she felt a weight on her back.

Seemingly sensing Aine's objection to the name, Suze could only smile helplessly. If anyone in the band had the biggest opinion on the name, it would undoubtedly be her. Although she had no problem with "Dong" or "Group," if she were to name it, she'd suggest something like "Dong Xiangxun Group"... though that wouldn't sound very good either.

“Oh right, our practice is around this time. Where’s Aine? Why didn’t she come with Kodama after school?” Su Shi looked at her gently.

"Haha... You can practice at home, it doesn't have to be in the practice room. I just have something to do. Didn't Dengdeng arrive first? Didn't Su Shi see her?"

Aine nervously clutched her notebook, her answers seeming somewhat absent-minded. Su Shi couldn't help but fix her gaze on Aine's notebook… Could this be…?

Su Shi's mind raced. She recalled the similar expressions Aine had made to herself at yesterday's banquet, and a vague guess formed in her mind: Could this be—a love letter? She clasped her hands together, rubbing her fingers together, and then looked at Aine's expression. It seemed that the other person didn't seem shy at all, just simply nervous.

As Su Shi was thinking this, footsteps came from behind. Both of them turned around and saw a green-haired girl in the Moon Forest school uniform walking over with her guitar bag on her back.

"Su-se, Aine." Wakaba Mutsu greeted the two calmly.

"Xiao Mu, good evening."

The two greeted her in unison, then exchanged a glance and smiled slightly. Ruo Yemu tilted her head, looking at the two with some confusion, before staring at Su Shi and asking, "Su Shi, aren't you going to practice?"

"That's true. Well then, Ai-yin, Xiao-mu and I will go practice first. Well then..."

Su Shi bowed slightly to Aine and led Xiao Mu into the practice room. Aine watched them enter the practice room from behind.

"Too late!"

As soon as they entered, Li Xi pointed at the two of them with his drumsticks and shouted without any politeness. Deng was sitting in a chair practicing his guitar, and it seemed that he had been doing so for quite some time. He only looked over with a slight sense of confusion when he heard Li Xi's voice.

"It's exactly five o'clock now."

If Ye Mu calmly refuted Li Xi's words, Li Xi would be speechless. This guy, he just seems to have become more infuriating! He wasn't like this back when he was in Ku Lai Xi Ku.

Lixi grabbed a can of coffee from the side and gulped it down. Her slightly haggard face was filled with undisguised exhaustion: 'Su Shi, you... never mind, let's start practicing.'

"You should pay more attention to your body than to practice."

Su Shi closed her eyes, seemingly disdainfully carrying the bass to her seat. In reality, she did this to hide the worry in her eyes from others. She tried her best to act as if nothing had happened, taking the bass out of her bag and slinging it over her shoulder.

"Tsk... You don't need to worry about me!"

Seeing the two return to their positions, Li Xi impatiently shouted, tapping out a rhythm with his drumsticks to urge the band members to start practicing.

A powerful melody began to play.

"Bass! You played it wrong again!" Lixi looked at Su Shi, who was clearly distracted, with displeasure. Practicing like this was completely ineffective and just a waste of time.

"Didn't you play it properly?"

Su Shi retorted, dissatisfied. She had indeed been a little distracted, thinking about Aine. Although it was unlikely, what if it really was a love letter? What if Taro really agreed? Would she still have a chance?

But her instincts still compelled her to play the original arrangement. After all, it was the most important piece in her heart, and even if she lost focus slightly, she would still play it well.

"Where did you play it properly?!"

Although the notes were played normally, the rhythm was basically off. Could this be considered proper playing? Li Xi looked at the impatient Su Shi with dissatisfaction. This guy has changed, hasn't he?

The two started arguing. The atmosphere suddenly became very tense.

"Practice...!" Deng forced out the words, looked at the two of them, took a step forward, and said earnestly, "Keep practicing... Practice until you get it right... The current state is not yet satisfactory to the audience!"

The lamp's gaze hardened, the confusion of the past gone. She had learned so much from Master Taro, and Master Taro had shown her all of this; she could no longer continue to fear the past.

"As the band following the Dong Brothers, if we can't play music that satisfies the audience, ourselves, and Master Taro and the others, it would be too much to bear."

The more she spoke, the more resolute she became, her voice growing firmer from its initial tremor: "So—"

"Keep practicing."

The person who spoke was Wakaba Mutsu, who had been watching the whole time. She had heard Takamatsu Akira's words: "The band after the Dong Brothers." For some reason, Wakaba Mutsu felt a pang of emotion once again.

From the first time Wakaba Mutsumi met Momoi Taro, she felt an undeniable sense of closeness. She admired everything about Taro, but it wasn't just simple worship.

Ruo Ye Mu didn't know when, but her own ambition had begun to sprout in her heart. Perhaps it started with Gao Song Deng's words, or perhaps even earlier, but it doesn't matter... What matters is that she herself is a true... at least that's what she thinks.

—As the true successor to Momoi Taro, she couldn't let Taro down too much. So, she stepped forward and said in her unwavering voice, "At your current level, your live performance will definitely disappoint Taro. You won't even reach 25 points."

After Ruoye Mu finished speaking, the four members of the "Dongjulong Flame Group" (tentative name) looked at each other. Finally, Lixi took the initiative, holding up her drumsticks, and silently asked everyone to start practicing again.

The subsequent practice went relatively smoothly. During the break, Wakaba Mutsu's performance made Suze's already somewhat uneasy heart even more unsettled. Although it wasn't anything certain, based on her understanding of Wakaba Mutsu, Suze made a rough judgment.

Like himself, Wakaba Mutsu harbored special feelings for Momoi Taro regarding that matter.

Wakaba Mutsumi is an incredibly cute person, and Suze, who spends every day with her, knows this very well. As for Chihaya Aine, although she's only met her once or twice, she's just as cute as Wakaba Mutsumi. What advantages does she have that allow her to win? Someone like herself isn't exactly cute, and she's even hurt Taro. Compared to them, she's far inferior.

How could she possibly win...? Su Shi lowered her head anxiously, unable to see her toes. A bizarre thought popped into her head: perhaps she was winning too much? No!?

A tempting blush rose to Su Shi's face, and she shook her head slightly. No, no, Momoi Taro isn't that shallow; he can't win at something like this.

Lixi, who was resting, took a big gulp of coffee, put down the can, and the empty coffee cans had piled up into a small heap. She put them in a large plastic bag. Then she saw Su Shi looking like a girl in love, her mouth slightly open, showing a puzzled expression, but she didn't say anything.

Whether she wants to be in heat, date, or do whatever she wants is her own business, as long as it doesn't affect the band, she doesn't care. Li Xi closed her eyes and opened another can of coffee.

After the break, the Dragon Flame Group resumed their practice. After practice, everyone went home first. Lixi asked Deng to wait at the door, then she planned to stay and tidy up the practice room before going back. Su Shi sighed and stayed to help Lixi tidy up. After tidying up, she pushed open the door and prepared to leave the practice room.

Coincidentally, the moment she pushed open the door, the door to their practice room also opened. The person who walked out was none other than Momoi Taro, the very person Su Shi had been thinking about in the practice room.

"Oh, it's you guys. You've been practicing late today."

Taro was a little surprised to see Su Shi and Li Xi, but he quickly composed himself and greeted them with a smile. Li Xi's expression was somewhat unnatural, while Su Shi was initially startled, but quickly calmed down and revealed a gentle smile.

"Good evening, Mr. Momoi. Is there another practice session today?"

Suze said this, but she knew Taro didn't need to practice alone. Besides, she had seen Aine earlier, so it was highly likely that they practiced together.

“No, there’s no practice scheduled for today.” Taro told Su Shi the truth without hesitation: “Aine said she had something important to discuss with me and asked to meet here.”

"I see. What kind of important matter is it?" Su Shi asked calmly, her expression unchanged.

"She wrote the lyrics and music herself. I don't know when she learned them." Taro praised Aine, who had been away for a while, very sincerely: "The lyrics and music are really very good, although I don't know why, most of them are piano solos."

Su Shi froze. What else could it be? Think about your position in your own band! This pink-haired girl must have feelings for Taro!?

Lixi froze. She'd heard from Deng that the pink-haired girl had only been studying music theory for less than a month, yet she'd already created lyrics and music that even Momoi Taro praised? What did all her hard work amount to? Even now, she wasn't completely satisfied with her own lyrics and music.

Taro doesn't lie, and he certainly doesn't care about saving face for others. This is the assertion of Riki, who has known Taro for a long time. But it is precisely this characteristic of Momoi Taro that makes Riki's heart grow even colder. He feels that he is becoming increasingly distant from those around him.

If things continue like this, she won't even have the right to stay by Akari's side and desperately try to breathe, let alone be Shiina Maki's sister, Shiina Ritsuki.

Riki, who had always been passively compared to Shiina Maki, now actively compares herself to others, and the more she compares, the more uncomfortable she feels. No… she can't procrastinate anymore; she has to hurry. Only two days left; she wonders if she'll have a chance to make the song even more satisfying.

She left without saying a word, her face dark, quite rudely. Taro looked at Su Shi, seemingly asking what had happened. Su Shi touched her hair somewhat embarrassedly, and explained with a slightly awkward smile:

"Recently, she hasn't been very satisfied with her progress in writing lyrics and music. Although she's almost finished practicing, she still wants to revise the lyrics and music further, but the progress isn't going very smoothly. So, she's a bit impatient."

Taro nodded, not pressing the matter further, and said to Su Shi, "I know, then I'll take you home."

"Is that alright?" Su Shi happily clasped her hands together and smiled, "Then I'll trouble you, Mr. Momoi."

Shortly after Riki left, the two also left RiNG. Not far from Taro, the blonde girl watched Momoi Taro leave with deep eyes, and took a picture of him with her phone.

Surprisingly, the phone camera didn't make a shutter sound; she had bought the phone from a neighboring country. She murmured to herself, "That's enough for today."

The blonde girl opened the photo album, which contained pictures of Momoi Taro's activities that day... some of him delivering packages with three girls, others of him going home with Motoyo. She muttered to herself:

"If Xiangzi sees these things, will she stay away from him? But if I give them directly to Xiangzi, he'll definitely hate me." The blonde girl became increasingly conflicted, and finally sighed.

"Let's go back and think of a solution later... Anyway, this is about enough..." Having achieved her goal, the blonde beauty decided to go and rest.

Episode 18 of "Dong": The Cage Prepared for Himself (7 words)

Today is a rare day off for Taro Momoi, but for him, the day is no different. His bandmates still have to go to school, and on days without band practice, whether it's a holiday or not isn't that important.

Because the food at home was consumed faster than expected after the two banquets, the shopping street became his destination for the day.

"Mr. Momoi, are you off today?"

The convenience store clerk greeted him warmly. This person, who had witnessed countless daily routines of Taro, was already intimately familiar with his almost rigid patterns. Taro calmly nodded: "Mm."

"That's great!" A hint of anxiety appeared on the waiter's face. "Mr. Momoi, can you help me? My junior's younger sister has a fever at home and urgently needs fever-reducing patches, but I really can't leave..." She quickly stuffed a small bag of medicine and a delivery fee into Taro's hand, along with a piece of paper with the address written on it.

"Okay, sure!" Without the slightest hesitation, a pure smile appeared on Taro's face. He took the medicine bag and the meager delivery fee, along with a slip of paper with an address written on it. As his gaze swept over the address, Taro's eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly—an unexpected coincidence.

The doorbell rang in the quiet residential area, and after a moment, a gentle female voice came through the intercom: "Who is this?"

"The convenience store clerk asked me to deliver medicine. Is it Ms. Shiina Maki?" Taro's voice was calm and even.

"Ah! Yes, yes! Please wait a moment!" The voice was filled with relief and surprise. The door was quickly opened, and a mature and composed young woman appeared in the doorway, her brows and eyes showing a hint of fatigue.

“That’s how we’re connected.” Taro smiled and handed over the medicine bag. Sunlight fell on his sharply defined face, and his smile was pure.

"Oh...oh oh?" Maki was clearly taken aback, somewhat bewildered by this sudden, almost ritualistic declaration, and could only respond with indistinct syllables. She looked at the young man in front of her with confusion—tall and upright, with clear eyes and a handsome face that naturally attracted people.

"I heard that Lixi had a fever. How is he now?" Taro changed the subject naturally, as if the previous "fate" was just an ordinary greeting.

"Oh, so it's Lixi's friend!" Maki exclaimed in realization, then sighed softly, "She's not feeling too well." She remembered how she had forcibly pushed her sister, who was trying to get up to compose music, back onto the bed, and her worries deepened.

“No. Not friends,” Taro corrected again earnestly, “it’s just that we’re connected by fate.”

Maki tilted her head, still bewildered by the answer, but the peculiar sincerity made her feel no aversion whatsoever. She opened the door fully, stepped aside to make way, and gave a gentle invitation: "Anyway, would you like to come in and see Riki? It's rare for someone to come and see her."

"Then I won't stand on ceremony." Taro readily agreed, took off his shoes, and went inside with a smooth and natural movement. He had nothing else to do today, and hearing that someone he knew was sick, it was only right to visit him.

Maki sized up the tall, imposing, and uniquely charismatic young man before her, a hint of inquiry flashing in her eyes.

She suddenly handed the medicine bag back to Taro, her smile carrying a barely perceptible hint of bitterness and pleading:

“This… Mr. Momoi? Could you please take these directly up to Riki? This child… lately, for some reason, seems reluctant to see me.” Her tone carried a hint of disappointment.