Substitute Toyokawa Shoko, you can become stronger by breathing

He got up quietly and walked into the living room, where he saw Jing Qinrencai still curled up on the sofa and sleeping soundly.

She had kicked the blanket halfway up, revealing a section of her fair calf. Her hair was spread out on the sofa cushions, her breathing was even and calm, and her face had a peaceful expression, clearly still immersed in a sweet dream.

He walked quietly to the bathroom, washed up and changed into the uniform of Hanaoka Girls' College. His movements were as light as a cat, without making any sound that might wake up Ichi Serena.

He even avoided the part of the floor that made the creaking sound.

In the kitchen, he prepared a simple breakfast for himself and also left a portion for Jing Qinrencai. He wrapped it in plastic wrap and placed a note next to it:

[Breakfast is on the table, remember to lock the door.] — Toyokawa Shoko

Before leaving, he took a last look at Jing Qinrencai who was still sleeping soundly.

The corners of the girl's mouth curled up slightly, as if she were dreaming something sweet. Kujo Renji chuckled softly, quietly closed the door, and left.

The cherry blossoms at Hanaoka Girls' College are in full bloom, pink petals falling in the wind. Students walk in groups of three or four on the campus road, and their laughter is particularly crisp in the early morning air.

The bell rang and the students returned to their seats one after another. At this moment, Kujo Renji's phone vibrated.

He took out his cell phone, and the screen displayed a message from Jing Qinrencai:

[Senior, why didn’t you call me?! I’m going to be late, wuwua ...

The message was followed by a crying emoticon, as if one could sense the girl's panic through the screen. Kujo Renji imagined the panicked expression on Ii Serina's face when she woke up and realized she was late, and he couldn't help laughing.

"What's wrong?" Toyokawa Shoko seemed to have just woken up.

"Nothing." Kujo Renji answered in his mind, "Just enjoying a little comedy."

He looked down at his phone, his fingers sliding across the screen quickly:

[Seeing you were sleeping so soundly, I didn't have the heart to wake you up.]

After sending this message, the smile on Kujo Renji's face deepened.

This response sounds thoughtful and understanding, perfectly fitting Toyokawa Shoko's image as a gentle older sister, but in reality...

"You did it on purpose, didn't you?" Toyokawa Shoko pointed out sharply.

"How could that be?" Kujo Renji remained calm, "I just respect her sleep quality."

Toyokawa Shoko didn't believe him: "Bad taste."

The phone vibrated again, and it was Jing Qinrencai's reply:

My perfect attendance is gone, crying.

Then there is another one:

[But thank you for the breakfast, it was delicious! I'll remember to lock the door!]

Seeing this, Toyokawa Shoko once again gave his own evaluation:

"poor."

"Ms. Toyokawa, you talk a lot today."

Upon hearing this, Toyokawa Shoko immediately shut her mouth and hummed.

Of course, she didn't keep quiet because she was afraid.

.......

The school bell rang and students poured out of the classroom like a tide.

After packing his schoolbag and saying goodbye politely to several classmates, Kujo Renji left Hanaoka Girls' Academy.

Instead of going straight back to his apartment as usual, he took the train to Shibuya.

After transferring to the Odakyu Line at Shibuya Station, he arrived at Shimokitazawa Station in just three minutes.

As soon as you step out of the station, the atmosphere in the air is noticeably different.

Jiujo Renji walked through the narrow alleys, with various shops lined on both sides.

Vintage shops are filled with clothes of different styles, second-hand record stores are lined with racks of vinyl records, cafes of various styles emit tempting aromas, and there are countless small art galleries and independent designers' studios.

——Shimokitazawa.

This small area in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo, is known as the "subculture street."

Since the 1970s, it has become a holy place for underground music and independent art, and is as famous as Akihabara, which is also listed as a "second-dimensional holy place".

Hundreds of vintage shops, second-hand stores, independent theaters and live houses are densely distributed on the narrow streets. The annual Shimokitazawa Music Festival also attracts countless underground bands and emerging artists.

In Shimokitazawa, you might bump into a future rock star in an inconspicuous cafe, or witness the debut performance of a popular band in a small live house.

Renji Kujo walked down a graffiti-covered alley, passing through a dense area of ​​small restaurants and bars.

The air was filled with the aroma of coffee, roasted meat, and a faint scent of tobacco. After turning a corner, he stopped in front of a downward staircase.

The walls on both sides of the stairs are covered with posters, and at the door at the bottom of the stairs, there is a sign that reads "STARRY".

.

Ichichi Hoshige was sprawled on the table, her blonde hair scattered, staring irritably at her phone screen. She had just received a new message:

【We will be at STARRY this afternoon, please be prepared. 】

The brief message made her stomach tighten.

She has been in a state of anxiety ever since she learned that STARRY's shares were transferred to another person.

[When will you arrive? Do I need to prepare anything?]

She replied, trying to keep her tone polite despite the nerves raging inside.

A few minutes later, a reply arrived: [Around 7 PM. No special preparations needed, just a routine inspection.]

Yidizhi Xingge bit her lower lip and typed quickly: [Okay, I'll wait for you. I hope to understand your plans for the future of STARRY.]

After she sent the message, she slammed her phone down on the table with a dull thud.

"What's wrong?" The sound engineer poked her head out from behind the bar, holding a half-wiped wine glass in her hand.

"The new shareholder said he would come today."

Ijichi Hoshige stood up and began to nervously check every corner of the Livehouse:

"It should be here soon."

"Finally, we're going to meet the real person?" Pa Sang raised an eyebrow and put the wine glass back on the shelf: "How are you going to deal with it?"

Ijichi Hoshige walked to the edge of the stage, adjusting the equipment, his movements more hurried than usual. "I've made some preparations."

She pulled a small recorder from her pocket and pointed to the document below.

"Recorder, and new documents."

The sound engineer leaned against the bar, observing Ichichi Hoshige's busy figure:

"You have to understand that if they are really gangsters, these preparations may..."

This made Yidizhi Xingge silent for a while. After a long while, she said:

"Hongxia and the others are still in the rehearsal room... If anything unexpected happens, you take them away first."

She stopped what she was doing and looked around.

Every poster and every photo on the wall carries countless memories.

"I've contacted a few friends who will come and help if things don't go right."

Ichichi Hoshige whispered.

The sound engineer walked over to her, gently put her hand on her shoulder, and sighed: "Don't think too badly, things may not be what you think."

"Maybe." Ijichi Xingge shrugged, a hint of doubt in his tone. "But it's always good to prepare for the worst."

As time passed, Ichichi Xingge's nervousness became more and more obvious.

She kept tidying up the already perfectly organized bar, adjusting the position of the audio equipment, and even wiped the already spotless tabletop several times.

"If you keep going like this, you're going to rub a hole in STARRY." The sound engineer joked, trying to ease the tense atmosphere.

Ijichi Xingge glared at her, but knew that this was her old friend's way of comforting people, so she sighed and said nothing more.

"Let's take it one step at a time," the sound engineer consoled him. "First, we'll find out who this mysterious shareholder is, and then we'll make any plans."

As they were talking, there was a soft knock on the door. Ichichi Xingge looked up suddenly and looked at the clock on the wall - it was exactly seven o'clock.

"coming."

She took a deep breath, straightened her clothes, and walked towards the door.

Pa Sang retreated behind the bar and looked towards the door.

Ichichi Xingge opened the door, ready to greet the ferocious gangster she had imagined. However, the figure standing at the door was a completely unexpected figure.

A petite girl with blue hair and twintails stood there, her amber eyes sparkling brightly. She was dressed in a neat school uniform, exuding a delicate, doll-like aura.

Ijichi Xingge stood there in a daze, not knowing how to react for a moment.

“Sorry…” she finally said, confusion evident in her voice. “STARRY is temporarily closed today.”

The girl tilted her head, her amber eyes looking directly at Ichichi Seiga: "Excuse me, are you the manager of Ichichi Seiga?"

Ijichi Xingge nodded, and her guard relaxed a little - this girl who looked like a high school student should be just an ordinary customer.

She had no resistance to cute things, let alone a girl in front of her who was as delicate as a doll. Her tone softened unconsciously.

"Yes, I am. But we're really closed today. If you want to see a show, you can come back tomorrow." She tried to get rid of the other person politely.

However, the girl's next words made her freeze on the spot.

"Hello, I'm the representative of the new shareholder, Toyokawa Shoko."

The girl took out a document from her bag and handed it to Ichichi Hoshige.

"Here are the relevant supporting documents, please take a look."

Ijichi Hoshige's eyes moved back and forth between the document and the delicate, doll-like girl in front of him, his brain barely able to process the information.

"You...you are...the new shareholder?" she stammered, her voice full of disbelief.

Jiujo Liansi smiled slightly:

"Yes, starting today, I will be involved in STARRY's business decisions. Could you please let me in so we can discuss it in detail?"

Ijichi Xingge stiffly moved aside, the shock in her heart almost impossible to express in words.

She had been prepared to face a gang member, but was instead greeted by a girl who looked even younger than her sister, Hong Xia.

Wait, my head is a little dizzy...

The sound engineer behind the bar saw this scene, her eyes widened, and she almost dropped her glass. She mouthed to Ichichi Hoshige:

"Who is this?"

Ijichi Hoshige could only respond with an embarrassed expression, saying "I'll explain later."

Kujo Renji walked into STARRY and looked around. His eyes lingered on the posters and photos on the wall for a moment, then turned to Ijichi Seika who was still in shock.

As one of the "welcome gifts" given to him by Ryuichi Yamamoto, STARRY's operating conditions, customer flow, and equipment conditions were all information he needed to know.

"Ms. Ijichi." She tilted her head. "Can we get down to business?"

...

In the rehearsal room, Ijichi Hongxia sat in front of the drum set with her feet folded together nervously.

The golden side ponytail swayed gently with her slightly swaying body, and the iconic suspended alopecia seemed more restless than usual.

Worry flashed in her red pupils, and her fingers unconsciously tapped the drum, making a slight "tapping" sound.

The atmosphere in the rehearsal room wasn't particularly good. Hong Xia, who usually played the role of a lively and active member, was now mired in a state of inexplicable anxiety and restlessness.

As usual, she was wearing a white shirt with a black sleeveless sweater and a red headband on her head.

"Are you really okay..."

Hong Xia muttered softly, her eyes constantly drifting towards the door of the rehearsal room.

Although her sister had said that it was just a slightly troublesome shareholder with ties to Fanxing who was coming to inspect, they were sisters after all. How could she not see Yidizhi Xingge's uneasiness? This matter might be much more troublesome than she let on.

Thinking back to my sister's frown and forced smile in the morning, I felt even more uneasy.

Ever since her mother passed away, she has become extremely sensitive to her sister's every move.