My love is abyss mode

Chapter 150 Before the Band Audition (4.2K)

Friday, January 11th.

On the wet streets of Shimokitazawa, the blurry neon lights went out one by one, and a layer of cool mist filled the air with fine rain.

In the rehearsal room of [Bad Puppet], under the cold white light, the singing voice of Chitose from the distant mountains echoed through the Roland portable speaker.

"The difference between my hands and my hands~" (hold the hands you hold out to me tightly)
"Cool wind, air, swimming, and wind blowing, cool wind blowing through the night sky"

"tie the hand and leave the hand~" (please don't let go of the hand you are holding tightly)

"The two of you are going out together tonight~" (The two of you will fly into the night right now)

As the song ended, only the captivating sound of the electric piano remained. Kuronuma Kiba's gaze fell upon Shirakawa Momo's petite figure, as if he could see the notes bursting from the piano keys dancing in the air.

In the solitary atmosphere created by the synthesizer, the final high note lingers in mid-air, dissolving into the chilly rainy night.

"OK, recording complete."

Inada Masashi's voice came from beside her. She was holding a camera and, after finishing the recording, smiled with her brightly colored lipstick on her lips: "It was fantastic. Apart from the drummer being a little stiff, there were almost no flaws. Tomorrow, we only need to test your original songs."

Upon hearing this, Shina Shinai, who was behind the drum set, raised her hands. Before she could even feel happy, Momo Shirakawa shot her a cold look: "This is nothing to be happy about. Because of you, I have to stay up all night editing videos."

Because of Shinkai Shiona, all her plans were delayed by a few days, and the collaboration on the two songs, "Gunjo" and "Towards Night," took a lot of time.

The good news is that, thanks to a lot of practice, the four members of the band now work together quite well.

"I'm sorry." Shinkai Shiona drooped her head and looked at the ground, her gaze secretly drifting to Kuronuma Kiba sitting in the corner, hoping he would speak up for her.

Before anyone else could speak, Shirakawa Momo scanned the surroundings with her golden eyes and announced the arrangements for tomorrow with a cold expression as the team leader: "The assessment will be held at 4 PM tomorrow. We will meet here at 7 AM. All time will be used to practice the original song. That's all for today."

"." Hatsushino Ryo nodded slightly, placed the wine-red alien bass in the corner, and reached out to Kuronuma Kiba.

“He can’t leave; we have other things to do.”

Shirakawa Momo packed up her equipment, glanced at Hatsushino Ryo standing still, and continued, "He'll go back after he takes me home. We need to talk about some important things on the way. Chitose, you take Shiona home."

His voice was cold, showing no regard for the feelings between them.

Hatsushino Ryo and Toyama Chitose exchanged glances for a moment before leaving the rehearsal room together. Shinkai Shiona bit her lower lip and hesitated for a while before reluctantly leaving.

Inada Miyabi helped put down the camera and clean the rehearsal room. With some concern in her caramel-colored eyes, she looked at Shirakawa Momo and asked softly, "Momo, maybe I shouldn't say anything, but aren't you being a little too harsh on them? This isn't good for the band's longevity."

"My responsibility is to bring them onto the stage of the Budokan, while the pests are responsible for maintaining the relationship."

Hearing Shirakawa Momo say this, Inada Miyabi sighed softly and didn't continue to persuade him: "You have other things to do, right? I'll take care of the cleaning."

"Thank you for your help." Shirakawa Momo packed up her equipment and politely said goodbye.

See you tomorrow, Ya-jie.

Kuronuma waved to Inada, followed Shirakawa Momo out of the rehearsal room, through the backstage corridor, and out of the long-closed LiveHouse.

I opened my black umbrella and walked down the narrow concrete steps back to the ground. It was late at night, and the deserted streets of Shimokitazawa were silent. A cold wind swirled with raindrops, and a black car was parked on the side of the road, its white headlights illuminating the rain.

"This should be the last rain of autumn." Kuronuma Kiba opened the car door, and after Shirakawa Momo got into the back seat, he put away his umbrella and tucked it into the umbrella holder in the car door.

Once inside the warm car, keeping the cold rain at bay, he put his arm around Shirakawa Momo's thin shoulder and said to Kobayakawa Reiko in the driver's seat, "Take Momo home, then back to the apartment."

The vehicle started, the windshield wipers cleared away the layers of rainwater from the windshield, and drove towards Bunkyo Ward.

Shirakawa Momo closed her eyes and leaned quietly against Kuronuma Kiba's chest. The warm scent of cedar wood and her gentle voice, like the sound of rain, drifted over: "There's an opportunity for Shiona-chan's matter."

You could tell from her voice that she was really tired lately, and the faint dark circles under her eyes showed that she wasn't getting enough sleep.

Momo Shirakawa truly dedicated a lot of energy to the band, handling most of the arrangements, lyrics, and editing herself. Shiona Shinkai was only responsible for managing the band's account, while Ryo Hatsushino and Chitose Toyama were completely unhelpful.

While managing the band, Shirakawa Momo did not neglect her studies; in the November monthly test, her score ranked among the top 100 in the country.

"The Toyama family is hosting a party tomorrow night, and many people will be there, including Shionai's biological father."

"Can I bring anyone in?"

Kuronuma gazed at her face, which betrayed her exhaustion, and gently stroked her short black hair with his fingers. In a concerned tone, he suggested, "You still have to prepare for the band's performance, right? Don't come with us."

Shirakawa Momo rubbed her temples with her fingers, opened her eyes and looked at him. After thinking for a moment, she nodded slightly: "Okay, Matsuzaka knows what to do. You can go. You represent the Hatsushino family. No one will dare to disrespect you, so don't involve the bad woman. She represents the Toyama family."

"Why can't I represent myself? I'm starting to play in local tournaments next month, the kind that's streamed live," Kuronuma asked, somewhat indignantly.

His boxing career has been smooth sailing, and he has already gained some fame for his style of knocking out opponents with a single blow.

However, they haven't made any money yet, not because no one has contacted them, but because, in Matsuzaka Kanon's words, advertising space for a pair of shorts is limited, and they'll wait until the price is higher to maximize their profits.

"Without the identity of the Hatsushino family, they will only fear your strength."

Shirakawa Momo frowned slightly, seemingly even more troubled: "Fine, whatever you want with this. Just don't forget what the purpose is, and remember to prepare a formal outfit."

"A kimono? Or a suit?" Kuronuma Kiba's face showed a hint of reluctance.

He disliked heavy kimonos and even more so suits, finding them uncomfortable to wear.

"Let Liang prepare it for you, wait, I'll tell her now."

As she spoke, Shirakawa Momo reached out to take her phone out of her pocket, but Kuronuma Kiba pressed her hand down and said softly, "Don't worry about it. Kobayakawa will tell Ryo, and I should be able to see him when I wake up tomorrow morning."

"Okay." Shirakawa Momo nodded in agreement, leaned her body against his lap, and took a short rest while making the most of her time to get home.

When the black sedan stopped in front of Shinkai's detached house and she realized the car had stopped moving, she got up to go home.

After stepping out of the car, Shirakawa Momo turned back to Kuronuma Kiba, her golden eyes flashing with a chill that swept in along with the cold wind blowing into the car: "I might not pass tomorrow's band audition, and I'll be in a terrible mood, but don't worry about me for now."

Shinkai Shiona still can't produce the drum beats that should be 190 BPM, so failing the assessment was something she expected.

"Do you need some time to calm down?" Kuronuma Kiba asked with a smile, his black eyes gleaming with a metallic glint. "No, I need to deal with Shionai-chan first, then I can take care of her."

Shirakawa Momo turned around and got out of the car, walking towards the gate of the Shinkai family's house. Her merciless voice dissipated in the wind: "Anger affects rationality and makes me unable to think of a way to solve the problem. Ya-jie has reserved a spot for the band. It's okay if I don't get in, but I don't want to change to other pop songs."

It sounds like Shirakawa Momo has already figured out how to discipline Shinkai Shiona and is determined to teach her a lesson.

Kuronuma watched through the car window as Shirakawa Momo walked into her house against the cold wind and disappeared into the warm yellow light before letting Kobayakawa Reiko drive back to her apartment.

The next day, when Kuronuma got up, the gray sky was still drizzling.

Because he had already been confirmed to participate in the station competition next month, there were no extra boxing matches to fight this month, so Matsuzaka Kanon didn't wake him up until 9 a.m. for breakfast.

Just as Kuronuma had expected, even though he hadn't mentioned it to Hatsushino Ryo, his formal attire for the evening's party was already prepared.

While Kuronuma was having breakfast, Matsusaka Kanon sat on the sofa and began studying the expensive Italian suit, explaining it to him softly as she learned.

"The material is superfine wool, 250 count fabric, probably Scabal. It has good wrinkle resistance and luster, and it's not difficult to care for."

"These Milanese-style shoulder pads are very thin and have a natural slope, which is suitable for tonight's occasion and matches your temperament. They are very elegant."

"The sheen of the lining"

"I see, it's infused with gold thread, what a great design."

Upon hearing this, Kuronuma, who was sitting at the dining table eating breakfast, finally became interested.

He sipped his miso soup, swallowed the tamagoyaki in his mouth, then turned to look at the dignified Matsusaka Kanon and asked curiously, "Is this the gold thread I understand? Thread made of gold?"

"That's right, it's woven with 22K real gold."

Matsuzaka Kanon looked up at Kuronuma Kiba and said with a gentle smile, "It is said to have a gold content of 91.6%, and it is not gold-plated or imitation gold."

"How much does this outfit cost?"

"For top-tier custom designs, the starting price is around 300 million yen. I estimate this set will cost around 500 million yen."

Seeing his shocked expression, Matsuzaka Kanon covered her mouth and chuckled, her tone softening even more: "A suit is a man's second skin, but the most important thing is that it fits well. Try it on after dinner."

"Too much trouble, forget it." Kuronuma Kiba shook his head and refused, picking up a piece of grilled beef with his chopsticks and throwing it into his mouth.

This complete suit includes a jacket and trousers, a shirt, waistcoat, tie, belt, socks, shoes, and pocket square, as well as a long cashmere coat to suit the season.

It looks complicated, and it might be very uncomfortable to wear.

"No, we have to try."

Matsuzaka Kanon picked up the suit jacket, carefully examined the burgundy buttons on the cuffs, and after confirming that they were rubies, she stood up and walked towards Kuronuma: "The essence of an Italian suit lies in dynamic elegance. It can both flatter the figure and flow naturally with movement. If it's not suitable, there's still time to deal with it today."

At her insistence, Kuronuma finished breakfast and had no choice but to change into this expensive and elaborate Italian suit.

It wasn't as uncomfortable as I had imagined. It fit him perfectly and accentuated his elegant aura. Combined with his handsome appearance, he looked like a true nobleman, surrounded by applause and flowers from birth.

Matsuzaka Kanon pulled Kuronuma Kiba to stand in front of the mirror, draped a cashmere coat over him, and rested her chin on her hand as she pondered seriously.

A few seconds later, a glint of wisdom suddenly appeared in her beautiful gray eyes: "The belt is retro style, it doesn't quite match you, let's go buy it today."

"I still don't quite like it."

Kuronuma took the coat, removed the tie, and then took off his jacket, leaving only a black double-breasted waistcoat. He then nodded with satisfaction: "How about buying a beret too? And then sew on some razor blades, so that for tonight's cocktail party—"

Seeing the reproachful look from Matsuzaka Kanon, he wisely refrained from continuing.

"Really, I've seen that British drama too."

Matsuzaka Kanon stood in front of Kuronuma Kiba, unbuttoned his vest, and retied his tie. Her soft breath carried the scent of vanilla: "Don't mess around. An English suit is one thing, but an Italian suit with a beret is like putting pineapple in a pizza."

"But Hawaiian pizza is really delicious."

"That won't work either. Tonight is a very formal occasion, and you'll be acting as a backup for Shionai-chan."

"Alright." Kuronuma Kiba temporarily abandoned the idea of ​​impersonating a member of the Razor Claws, but he was still thinking about buying an English suit and having Matsuzaka Kanon sew razor blades into his beret.

"Wear this outfit today, it looks really cool. You can get used to it first, and it will also make it easier to pick out a belt for you later."

Matsuzaka Kanon helped him tie his tie and buttoned his vest one button at a time. Then she took two steps back and looked him over from a distance: "Let's go to Ginza. There might not be a belt that matches this suit anywhere else."

"Wouldn't it be strange to wear a formal suit out on the weekend?" Kuronuma asked somewhat awkwardly.

"It doesn't matter. As long as someone is handsome enough, it doesn't matter what clothes they wear."

Since Matsuzaka Kanon said so, he didn't insist on changing his clothes before going out. The two went downstairs together, took a car to Ginza for shopping, and had a date.

Because Matsuzaka Kanon would also be attending the evening party, she bought a decent white dress from a designer original brand clothing store. It was actually a style that could be worn casually, but the cut was very beautiful, perfectly highlighting the quiet temperament of a classic beauty.

In particular, the white ribbon that cinches her slender waist, tied into a bow and hanging down to one side, paired with a soft black knit sweater and specially selected gold-rimmed glasses, exudes a strong artistic temperament.

The sight of the two walking together led people to speculate whether it was a wealthy young master and his secretary going out shopping together.

After having lunch at a high-class restaurant in Ginza and strolling around for a while in the afternoon, Kuronuma Kiba and Matsusaka Kanon went to [Bad Puppet] to watch the band audition.

Considering that Shirakawa Momo might be in a very bad mood today, Kuronuma Kiba specially bought her a box of chilled kaffir lime cake from a high-end confectionery shop in Ginza.

Carrying a cake, I pushed open the door of the LiveHouse. The noisy and restless melody echoed in my ears. There were other bands being auditioned on stage. Inada Miyabi sat below the stage, watching with one hand supporting her cheek, looking troubled.

Seeing Kuronuma Kiba and Matsusaka Kanon walk up to her side, she got up as if fleeing and headed towards the drinks counter: "Sit wherever you like, it's your band's last assessment."

Clearly, the band on stage was quite bad.

(End of this chapter)