My love is abyss mode

Chapter 125 A Noisy and Chaotic Night (3-in-1)

As the sun gradually set, the sky eagerly turned purple, leaving only a distant sliver of sunset illuminating the city's outline.

Kuronuma Kiba and Toyama Chitose took the elevator together to the restaurant on the 33rd floor of Roppongi Hills, where the lobby manager led them to their reserved window seats.

Through the window, you can see the Tokyo Tower, illuminated in orange-red light, standing tall amidst the lights of skyscrapers, while the headlights of cars passing by on the Tokyo Gateway Bridge resemble fireflies in the night.

Kuronuma Kiba sat down at the square table, and Toyama Chitose did not choose to sit opposite him, but instead sat to his left, facing the window.

She hadn't spoken a word on the way to the restaurant, and now she was lost in thought, sitting upright with poise, gazing out the window at night, her alluring profile concealing a calm demeanor.

After the waiter brought the drinks and lit the candle in the center of the square table, Chitose Toyama finally snapped out of her reverie, turned to Kiba Kuronuma, and asked, "Not bad, right?"

The candlelight flickered, and a faint smile was reflected in her crystal-clear purple eyes. Kuronuma didn't want to say anything unpleasant, but he really had no interest in things like "atmosphere" or "ritual".

He didn't continue the conversation, picked up his drink, took a small sip, and the taste was very familiar: "Wild vegetable life?"

"Let's have some healthy drinks once in a while."

Chitose Toyama rested her chin on her hand, and seeing the surprised look on Kurogumu Kiba's face, a sly smile appeared on her lips: "The only girl in the world who would invite you to a date with wild vegetable drinks is me."

"Indeed." Kuronuma nodded in agreement, and he might mention this to others when he drank wild vegetables again in the future.

"And I'm a carnivore, so there are no vegetables on tonight's menu."

As if to confirm what Chitose Toyama said, the waiter brought over roasted lamb chops decorated with lemon slices and pumpkin seeds, and told us that this was an appetizer.

"Italian goat, French-style cooking; the chefs here are famous for their French cuisine."

Chitose Toyama picked up the silver knife and fork, smiled sweetly at Kuronuma Kiba, and began to cut the meat meticulously, though her movements were somewhat clumsy.

She didn't seem to come to places like this often; the light reflected from the cutlery flickered from side to side, not quite behaving properly.

"I like to roast the whole lamb together, and I can tear off whichever part I want with my bare hands."

Kurozuma Ya broke the lamb chop apart with his bare hands, pinched the part that exposed the bone, brought it to his mouth, and took a big bite, not caring about his image at all: "It feels great to eat a whole leg of lamb in winter."

"I've decided to reform the band," Chitose Toyama said suddenly, looking down at her plate.

"When?"

"I'll go see Shionai-chan tomorrow."

"That's good." Kuronuma nodded, swallowing the mutton in his mouth with fruit and vegetable juice without expression, wondering if he no longer needed to go and fight the Jade Dragon Flag.

Kendo is really not something I like; even those so-called masters at the pinnacle seem to be no match for it.

In his duel with Toyama Jusaburo, he deciphered the so-called "ancestral swordsmanship" simply by looking at him.

Chitose Toyama nodded, picked up a slice of lamb chop with her knife and fork, put it in her mouth, and chewed slowly, a trace of oil glistening on her thin lips.

Because they had already made a reservation and ordered the dishes, the waiters kept walking around delivering the food, leaving no room for the two of them to chat.

Finally, the last dish, abalone with butter, was served. The waiter informed us that all the dishes were served and the final main course was being prepared.

Upon hearing this, Kuronuma Kiba felt a chill in his heart and turned to Toyama Chitose, asking, "The main dish isn't a baguette, is it?"

"Hand-Pulled Noodle."

"Isn't this a French restaurant?"

Why can't you eat ramen at a French restaurant?

Chitose Toyama asked a question in return, and when he couldn't answer, a sly glint appeared in her crystal-clear purple eyes.

She stuck the knife into the veal in the main course, asked the waiter for two pairs of chopsticks, unbuttoned the top button of her shirt, and stretched lazily: "To be honest, I hate old-fashioned things the most."

The atmosphere became relaxed, as if the two were not dining in a high-end restaurant with a view of Tokyo Tower, but in a noisy izakaya in Shinjuku.

Just then, the waiter brought over two bowls of hell ramen with clear broth. The aroma made the white-dressed girl playing the piano in the center of the restaurant seem ordinary, and the candles on the table seemed a bit superfluous.

"That's why you're in a band?"

Kuronuma Kiba's gaze fell on Toyama Chitose's alluring profile. She was still gazing at the night view outside the window, lost in thought.

Rock music gave him the impression of rebellion and resistance.

“You could say that.”

Chitose Toyama unpacked the disposable chopsticks brought by the waiter, a bitter smile playing on her lips: "From a young age, I was taught to study kendo well, as if it were a responsibility I was born to shoulder."

"I can understand that feeling of dislike."

Kuronuma Kiba picked up an abalone and brought it to his mouth. Before eating it, he added, "My father has always hoped that I would inherit the shrine, which is why I came to Tokyo."

"Oh, I see. Besides being rebellious, I really like bands too."

Chitose Toyama nodded in agreement and continued, "I don't know how to describe my love for music to you, but in short, I fell in love with it the first time I heard Speed ​​Guitar."

One of the common characteristics of Japanese rock is its fast guitar playing, compact structure, and upbeat rhythm, with almost all of them being super-fast melodies of 190 bpm or higher.

"Anyway, I'm so glad you understand. Join my band!"

Chitose Toyama suddenly changed the subject, turned to look at him with a smile, her eyes full of sincerity: "Besides liking music, I also want to step onto the Budokan stage with my friends and the people I like."

She's not good at expressing strong emotions, such as why she likes music or what kind of feelings she has.

No words or gestures seem sufficient to express it.

"I reject."

Kuronuma didn't care and refused decisively, his tone quite ruthless: "Besides, doesn't your band already have a bassist?"

"If you can play bass, learning guitar should be easy too. How about you take charge of the rhythm?" Chitose Toyama asked in a consultative tone.

"Not interested in."

"Why? I don't believe that someone who plays bass would be uninterested in a band."

The bass is not a particularly outstanding instrument; it spends most of its time harmonizing the tones of the drums and guitar, essentially acting as a buffer zone.

During a performance, the bassist needs to support the wall of sound and the performance of other instruments, so he can be considered a role that makes sacrifices without being noticed.

Although it might seem like you're barely noticeable, how could a bassist not be interested in the band? They've already chosen the bass!

"I have no interest in my senior's band."

Kuronuma swallowed the food in his mouth, looked up and met Toyama Chitose's gaze, and said cruelly in a casual tone: "Senpai doesn't want the band to become commercialized, right? I want to earn money to buy a house in Tokyo."

As is the reality, while there are a few commercially successful Japanese rock bands, most of them remain underground independent bands and find it difficult to achieve commercial success.

Considering Shinkai Shiona's terrible drumming and Hatsushika Ryo's emotionless bass playing, it's unlikely any agency would be willing to sign her.

Making money was impossible, and a martial arts dojo was a distant dream; Shirakawa Momo already had a deep understanding of this.

"Tsk, worldly man."

Chitose Toyama rolled her eyes at Kiba Kuronuma, then started eating her ramen with her chopsticks: "You're going to Shimokitazawa later, right? I'll buy a new guitar on the way."

Her original guitar was broken on the afternoon that Kuronuma Kiba first met Hatsushino Ryo.

After dinner, the two headed to Shimokitazawa together.

Japanese rock originated mainly in the vicinity of Shimokitazawa in the late 1980s and made breakthrough progress in the late 1990s.

Today, Shimokitazawa remains a band mecca in Tokyo, the center of neon rock, and a spiritual home for Japanese rock listeners worldwide.

As 7 p.m. approached, during the liveliest time of the band's activities, young men and women carrying instrument cases could be seen walking with their companions through the noisy streets, their fashionable hairstyles illuminated by colorful neon lights.

The black sedan stopped in front of the music store that Chitose Toyama had specified. She didn't get out of the car in a hurry, but instead put her arm around the shoulder of Kiba Kuronuma beside her and asked with a smile, "As a way of repaying your kindness by treating me to dinner, come with me to buy a piano."

“I don’t know anything about musical instruments.” Kuronuma Kiba opened the car door beside him and got out with her, stepping into the music store.

This is a small second-hand musical instrument store. The walls are covered with various old guitars, each labeled with its year, repair history, and details of replacement parts.

There was only one employee, a girl with pigtails, who looked like she was working part-time. She greeted the two of them with a smile.

"Welcome! Please feel free to choose any of our instruments. We also offer a soundproof trial room."

"Why buy a second-hand one? Didn't you bring enough money?" Kuronuma knew absolutely nothing about musical instruments, unless he went to the convenience store next door and bought a lighter to bite on.

"Some materials are too scarce, such as Brazilian rosewood, which is prohibited from commercial logging. You can only buy old violins that were sold before the ban."

Chitose Toyama explained briefly, then turned to the shop assistant and stated her purpose directly: "I heard that you have an Adirondack spruce top guitar here, is it still available?"

Adirondack spruce grows slowly and requires decades to air dry naturally, resulting in very low yields.

The price is also quite expensive, ranging from about 20 to 100 million yen per cubic meter.

"Oh, that Eastman E40?"

The shop assistant clapped her hands lightly, making a crisp sound, then gave an apologetic smile and bowed slightly to Chitose Toyama: "Sorry, it was sold yesterday."

Seeing Chitose Toyama sigh softly with regret, Kiba Kuronuma asked in confusion, "Is it hard to buy? When I went to Chiyoda today, I saw a musical instrument street in Ochanomizu."

“It’s difficult.” Chitose Toyama gave him an even more puzzled look.

She couldn't understand why Kuronuma Kiba could defeat Hatsushino Ryo with his bass, yet couldn't comprehend his feelings at all.

"Ryo-senpai's bass is brand new, so the material shouldn't be a problem, right?"

Kuronuma Kiba's nonchalant expression infuriated Toyama Chitose.

"Her bass is custom-made. Do you think there's any material in the world she can't buy?"

How could it have no effect? ​​Doesn't he even understand the principle of how musical instruments produce sound?

"You should also go and get one made by her. Senior Ryo will definitely be happy to oblige." Kuronuma Kiba still maintained an indifferent attitude.

Playing the guitar badly is definitely not the fault of the guitar itself; as long as the technique is good enough, it's enough to win over the audience.

"The better the relationship, the less you should owe the other person anything." Chitose Toyama ignored him and strolled around the store, eventually stopping in front of a natural wood guitar.

She carefully read the label's description, then turned her gaze to Kuronuma, her expression slightly hesitant: "If the band reunites, can you take care of Ryo's feelings?"

Even now, Chitose Toyama still doesn't want to see Suzuki Hatsushino look pained and helpless. Even if she's unwilling, she has no choice but to hand this task over to Kiba Kuronuma.

"There's no need. Tao won't join."

Kuronuma Kiba is chatting with Inada Masashi on his phone, asking about the location of the LiveHouse and booking tickets for tonight.

"Too."

Chitose Toyama nodded in agreement and said to the shop assistant, "Could you please get me this violin? I'd like to try it out."

The shop assistant took down the guitar and handed it to her, then opened the soundproof testing room. About ten minutes later, Chitose Toyama came out.

"The tone is on the cooler side, but the feel is great, suitable for fingerstyle, and the mid and high frequencies are bright." She readily paid for the guitar.

Kuronuma Kiba was still chatting with Inada Miyabi when he noticed Toyama Chitose glaring at him with displeasure. He looked up blankly and met her gaze: "Were you just talking to me?"

"Otherwise what?" Chitose Toyama asked, frowning, her voice barely concealing her anger.

Kuronuma Kiba innocently put away his phone, his eyes filled with helplessness: "I don't understand."

In his view, all guitars look the same and there are no specific differences.

"Tsk, man."

Chitose Toyama's lips twitched, she gritted her teeth, and finally sighed helplessly, unable to do anything about it: "Fine, let's go." She stepped out of the store, taking Kuronuma Kiba's lack of understanding as an excuse for refusing to join the band.

Stepping out of the shop, Kuronuma Kiba instructed Kobayakawa Reiko to escort Toyama Chitose home. Inada Miyabi's shop was not far from here, just a few minutes' walk away.

As he looked at the map, he walked along the bustling street, turning right as indicated on the map, and the atmosphere of the neighborhood changed instantly.

Several live houses lined up side by side on the slope, some large independent buildings and others rows of small shops. At the entrance, well-dressed men and women lined up in long queues, waiting to have their tickets checked.

The warmth that the cold wind of a late autumn night could not dispel lingered in the air.

Kuronuma declined several girls who left the group and tried to chat him up. Amidst the sounds of people taking pictures, he walked to the location marked on the map and looked up to see a neon sign tied to the fence by the roadside.

It says "[Bad Puppet]" and has a downward arrow drawn next to it.

Behind the sign, below the narrow concrete steps leading underground, there was a door. He mentally prepared himself, walked down the steps, which were less than a meter wide, and tried to turn the doorknob.

The door opened easily, and a light melody immediately filled the air; the guitar's tone was quite catchy.

Kuronuma Kiba closed the door behind him, walked down the steps in front of him, and stood in front of Inada Miyabi, who was hiding in the ticket window.

After a few days apart, her long, golden, wavy hair was as dazzling as ever. Only her upper body could be seen through the window; her soft black turtleneck sweater outlined her alluring curves, revealing her mature and sophisticated aura.

As Kuronuma approached, Inada Miyabi waved to him, a smile playing in her caramel-colored eyes: "Good evening, Kuronuma-kun."

"Good evening, rice paddy supervisor."

“I am no longer a supervisor.”

"It feels more exciting this way." Kuronuma Fang casually joked, instantly easing the awkward atmosphere.

"No wonder Tao said you're a womanizing scumbag."

With his status changed, Inada Masashi was no longer as serious as before, and his tone was quite relaxed: "Anyway, don't call me supervisor anymore."

"Okay, Sister Ya."

Kuronuma took out his wallet from his pants pocket, preparing to buy tickets, a wicked smile curling at the corner of his mouth: "I've always wanted an older sister, Supervisor, I hope you'll grant my wish."

"Don't call him 'supervisor' anymore, it's too strange."

Inada Miyabi put on a serious expression and warned him earnestly. Then she turned her head to look at the monitor screen, her tone changing to one of satisfaction: "I won't charge you admission today. You seem to have brought me quite a few guests."

As soon as he finished speaking, Kuronuma Kiba heard the door behind him open. He turned around and saw that the girls who had just been flirting with him seemed to have changed their targets.

"They followed you all the way here; you're such a sinful man," Inada Masashi said jokingly.

It's clear that her life is gradually improving after she resigned. Even her skin has become much smoother, and she no longer has dark circles under her eyes, making her look younger, more beautiful, and full of charm.

"Peach is in the mixing room. Here's the key. Don't cause any trouble."

"It's just a brief chat, it won't affect her work." Kuronuma Kiba took the key from Inada Miyabi, passed through the ticket gate, and walked deeper into the building.

The store is well-ventilated, and even when it's crowded, there's no sense of restlessness or noise.

Kuronuma Kiba bypassed the crowd, glanced at the quiet female lead singer on stage, and walked straight to the beverage station, next to which was the door leading to the backstage area.

Find the door with the wooden sign that reads "[Sound Room]", open it with the key that Inada Masaru gave him, and in the dimly lit room, Shirakawa Momo sits in front of a bunch of buttons, observing the stage from the side through a glass window on one side.

The melody was conveyed through the tube amplifier, making even the most inconspicuous bass guitar stand out. In this musical environment, the sound of the door opening was particularly loud.

She turned her head and saw Kuronuma Kiba walking towards her. A look of disdain flashed in his golden eyes, and the corners of his mouth instantly turned down, his delicate face filled with indifference.

"What are you here for?"

The sense of alienation made the sound seem as distant as if it came from another world.

"miss you."

Kuronuma Kiba closed the door behind him and locked it to prevent outsiders from disturbing Shirakawa Momo's work.

The crisp sound of the lock clicking shut had a completely different meaning to her.

Looking up and seeing the playful glint in his eyes, Shirakawa Momo swallowed nervously, then turned back to watch the performance on stage through the glass, and said coldly:
"This won't work, and I don't want to go to your house either; it's not convenient for me there."

She skillfully concealed the emotions in her eyes, speaking in a businesslike tone: "Go and open a hotel nearby, I'll go there after get off work."

"I just missed you." Kuronuma Kiba walked to Shirakawa Momo's side, raised his hand to rub her head, and looked at the stage.

From the side, the drummer's performance outfit was exceptionally sexy, with several rips revealing her fair and delicate skin, and the waistline of the dress and her sitting posture accentuated the softness and elasticity of her hips.

He inexplicably thought of Shinkai Shiona, and his first reaction was that she was really pitiful.

"Chitose-senpai said she's going to reform the band, probably tomorrow?" Kuronuma Kiba said almost involuntarily.

"Ah."

Shirakawa Momo responded with a cold laugh, the corners of her mouth slightly upturned, her eyes filled with contempt:

"Let's see what this band has: a third-rate guitarist who makes more than five wrong notes in a minute, a terrible drummer who can never hit 190 bpm, and a vocalist who can't sing."

In her opinion, Kuronuma was trying to persuade her to rejoin the band by saying such things, so she naturally wouldn't give him a friendly look.

"I also think they have little chance of making it to the Budokan, but Ryo-senpai seems to like it."

Kuronuma Kiba looked down at Shirakawa Momo, and seeing that she still had the same attitude he knew best, a smile appeared in his dark eyes: "Speaking of Ryo-senpai, if I suddenly asked you to submit your marriage application, would you come with me?"

"I'll call an ambulance for you."

"I was serious."

"What's the problem?"

Shirakawa Momo raised her face to meet his gaze, her brows furrowing slightly, a mixture of confusion and distress in her expression: "I don't believe that marriage guarantees a warm home; my mother is the best example of that."

For her, marriage was never a necessity, but it was better to have it.

"To help me."

Kuronuma sighed helplessly and explained the whole story to her: "I came to Tokyo secretly. My family has always hoped that I would inherit the family business, but I have no interest in it."

"Go on, I'm listening." Shirakawa Momo nodded with interest.

"Today, my father went to the Hatsushino family and signed a marriage certificate. I haven't filled it out yet, but it's hard to guarantee that Aunt Hatsushino won't use her power to unilaterally arrange a marriage."

Kuronuma has no precise concept of the influence of the zaibatsu, but presumably it wouldn't be difficult for them to legally recognize a marriage.

After a moment's thought, Shirakawa Momo agreed with his statement: "That's possible."

Based on her understanding of Hatsushino Ryo, it was perfectly normal for her to do something like this; it was about solving the problem in the most efficient way.

"So I think if I find out that there are any signs of this, I can submit a marriage application in advance, so that I will be married."

"Is there a difference?"

"Marrying you was voluntary, and I've said I'll never bow down to anyone again."

Kiba Kuronuma firmly remembers his principles: if Ryo Hatsushino treats him well, he will repay her in kind, which is "an eye for an eye." However, if he is forced to marry her, then "never bow down to anyone" applies.

"Just an excuse from scum."

Shirakawa Momo scoffed dismissively, then fell silent for a long time, seriously considering whether this could be considered a betrayal of Hatsushino Ryo.

It seems I've already betrayed this principle; it's been broken long ago.

Honestly, if there were a legally recognized marriage, she would certainly be willing, but she was somewhat afraid that Kurozuma would become completely unrestrained.

The performance on stage was nearing its end. Even after the lead singer's voice stopped and Shirakawa Momoto dimmed the lights, there was still no response.

Seeing that she had no sense of crisis at all, Kuronuma Kiba was glad that Shirakawa Momo believed in him, and decided to give her another push.

"If you're not willing, I'll discuss it with Matsusaka-senpai."

"You might not know that she wants to do this kind of thing."

Shirakawa Momo sensed his intention, her golden eyes shooting him a cold gaze. With a cold face and a stern voice, she said, "Tell me when she wants to do it."

No refusal is an acceptance.

Kiba Kuronuma found the lessons he learned from Kanon Matsusaka to be particularly useful, especially in the face of Momo Shirakawa's awkward personality.

"I'll take that as your consent."

"If you don't want to go to the hotel, then leave quickly. I still have to work, and pests will get in my way."

"How indifferent. See you later."

"Cancel the evening runs from now on, I get off work very late," Shirakawa Momo reminded softly.

"What time?" Kuronuma Fang asked.

"Around 11 o'clock. If I miss the last tram, the boss will take me home."

Hearing her say that, Kuronuma Kiba felt a little relieved. Inada Miyabi was a responsible person, and she would drive him home when the weather was bad in the past.

Even if you have to take the train, Bunkyo Ward, which is part of the central six wards, is much safer than Edogawa Ward where I used to live. I don't have to worry about anything happening even if I go home late.

Kuronuma Kiba couldn't resist asking, "Are you going back alone?"

"And Shionai-chan, to prevent her from going out and fooling around with her friends, I locked her in the lounge and confiscated her phone."

After learning that Shinkai Shiona spends tens of thousands of yen every month on parties with random friends, Shirakawa Momo decides to completely correct her bad habit.

"Sometimes I really feel sorry for Shinkai."

Kuronuma Kiba shook his head, thinking of Shirakawa Momo's attitude towards Shinkai Shiona, Toyama Chitose's violent personality, and Hatsushika Ryo's expressionless indifference, and sighed deeply.

Why does Shinkai Shionai like spending time with them?
"Leave me alone."

Shirakawa Momo mistakenly thought he had feelings for Shinami Shiona and ruthlessly told him to go home: "Go home if you have time. I'm not so lonely that I need a philandering scumbag to keep me company."

"Yes Yes."

Kuronuma Kiba raised his hand and grabbed the back of her neck. Only after Shirakawa Momo glared at him impatiently with fierce eyes did he release his hand and leave the sound effects room.

Back at the ticket window, after returning the key to Inada Miyabi, the mature and alluring woman asked in a flirtatious tone, "Have you ever considered forming a band, Ya-kun? Those girls saw you go backstage and came back to ask me about it."

"No thanks."

Kuronuma took out his phone and sent a message to Kobayakawa Reiko. He learned that she would be back in about ten minutes, so he decided to chat with Inada Masashi for a while.

"But my bass is great. Would I make money as a substitute bassist?"

"The bands that need to perform for you are all unknown small bands. It costs about 1 yen per performance. I can help you get in touch with them."

One session costs 1 yen. To buy a house in Tokyo, you would need about 7000 sessions, which is completely unrealistic.

"Forget it, I'll think of other ways to make money." Kuronuma Fang decisively abandoned this unrealistic idea.

"Ya-kun has always been short of money."

Inada Miyako cast a questioning look at her. She had specifically checked the information Kuronuma Kiba filled out when he enrolled in school. He came from a wealthy family and now had a girlfriend who was the daughter of a chaebol heiress.

"I want to earn my own money to buy a house in Tokyo," Kuronuma Kiba said as he leaned against the ticket counter and chatted with her.

(End of this chapter)