Mygo, the band legend of Tokyo handsome guy

"If that's really the case, why don't you come to my place, take a shower, and get a good night's sleep..."

"Haha, senior, senior~ Look, I've introduced you to such a great boy~ Hahaha... No way... no way you just invite someone to your house to take a bath like that..."

Hiroi Kikuri giggled incessantly, leaning back in her chair, covering her face with her hands, and half-closing her eyes.

Ichi Seika: "Even the pitiful have their hateful aspects. I'm telling you, don't be moved by her life as a complete parasite. Kiku, if you had just been willing to find a proper job, you wouldn't still be living in that haunted apartment."

What she really wanted to say was simply to live a good life and find a job. But then, Ijichi Hoshika suddenly remembered what she and Narusawa Kaede had been talking about the night before.

Kikuri Hiroi is the ideal person in life. Asking her to compromise on this path is worse than killing her.

Iji Tomoka remained unfazed. After listening to Hiroi Kikuri's description of her daily life, she felt that Hiroi's situation was even worse than her own in the past...

Yes, although her performance fee wasn't as high as Hiroi Kikuri's, at least she didn't smash her instruments. The other person's life was indeed worse than she had imagined...

[I should invite them over more often when I have the chance, at least I can earn some money... I need to take better care of the instruments next time, and also... ah... do I have to work again... I really need to hire more staff.]

This method is far superior to my own.

"Even if I gave her this money, she would only use it all to buy alcohol..."

Ichika Hoshika thought of something else, "Kaede, things aren't exactly easy right now, are they? What are your plans after graduation? Are you going to find a job or... um, I mean, I'm actually looking to hire a shop assistant. You saw how crowded it was yesterday, and I'm a bit too busy to handle it all."

[...I'm a genius at subtly extending an invitation under the guise of hiring shop assistants.]

"I... I'll stay here and help out. I'll come over this afternoon. I also really enjoy the feeling of singing and playing instruments on stage."

"Come whenever you have time. We open after 4 PM. Can't come this afternoon, I need to rest for a bit..."

The only advantage of owning your own shop is that you can close it whenever you want.

Anyway, the band for the next performance hasn't been decided yet.

Ichi Hoshika tossed a key to him.

"Remember to lock the door when you leave. By the way, Kikuri, aren't you coming?"

"Here I am!" [Finally, I can walk... Bathroom, bathroom...]

As Narusawa Kaede watched the two figures leave, she called out to them. Ijichi Hoshika disappeared through the doorway, leaving Hiroi Kikuri standing there.

She stopped, wiped her eyes, turned her head to the side, and tilted her head.

Come on, Brother Feng, do you really want to see a woman cry?

She turned around, and it was a beautiful smile.

"...Remember to call me next time you want to play with someone." Mingze Feng was absolutely certain. "Next time, I will play even better than today."

"One day, I'll play even better than you. Then it'll be your turn to follow my rhythm."

Kikuri Hiroi clenched her arms and couldn't help but laugh.

"...Ha, quite the boast... Well then, I'll wait for that day. When that day comes, I'll follow you."

......

Hiroi Kikuri hummed a little tune, closed the door behind her, and saw Iji Tomoka leaning against the wall with an unlit cigarette in her mouth.

She still couldn't find the lighter.

"Have you finished chatting?"

Ichi Hoshika walked ahead, trying to make conversation.

Hiroi Kikuri squinted, "I thought it was over, but it's not over yet. My little brother said he's planning to go for me next. I'm thinking of clinging to his coattails."

"Tch... I knew it..."

"Hehe, what do you think, senior?"

"Who cares..."

"What if he doesn't come?"

"I'm already in my twenties, who wants to cling to me like a little girl all the time..."

"Hey, senior, you look terrible."

"...Shut up if you still want to come to my house!"

"Oh ho, senpai!" Hiroi Kikuri's eyes widened. "That last sentence really brought back memories of your prime."

"..." Ichiji Hoshika put her hands in her pockets and didn't say a word, looking very arrogant, but she quickened her pace.

Kikuri Hiroi sighed, took a step closer, and said, "Senpai is indeed jealous~"

"Hold."

Touched by a single sentence, Ichiji Hoshika stopped in her tracks, took out her phone, pressed a few keys, and dialed Naruzawa Kaede's number.

"you..."

"Xingge, let's go on a date this afternoon, just the two of us."

"Uh..." Interrupted from her train of thought, Ichiji Hoshika tried to revive the conversation, "What, I wanted to talk about what happened earlier..."

"How about we go out for lunch together? I know a few good restaurants on the shopping street. Do you prefer something spicy or mild? Oh, right, Hoshika-san~ how about I come with you guys?"

"That won't do!" said Ijichi Hoshika. "What are you doing here when we're going back to take a shower! Wait for me at the shop this afternoon... no, I didn't mean that..."

"Don't worry, I locked the door. Let's not drink this time. It's so cold, let's go get hot pot. How about I come downstairs to find you? Do you have any dietary restrictions?"

"No...uh," Ijichi Hoshika rubbed her head, wondering if she hadn't completely shaken off the effects of last night's alcohol.

How could she forget what she wanted to say...?

"Tell me where to go, and we'll meet there. The shopping street is there, right in front of the station."

"Alright, my shop manager~"

The voice of Naruzawa Kaede came through the microphone, making Ijichi Hoshika feel somewhat dazed.

Did something just happen?

Hiroi Kikuri squinted her eyes to the side.

"She's already in her twenties..." It's so easy to fool the senior...

Or is it that being single for too long makes one prone to this...?

"Hmph, keep up."

Ijichi Hoshika hummed an unknown tune as she led the stray cat home.

She just wanted to go eat hot pot, that's all.

Chapter Twenty-Four: Yamada Ryo Doesn't Feel Like He's in Love

Twenty minutes ago.

Mingze Feng washed his face in the bathroom and finally noticed the "Do Whoever You Want" declaration next to him. His Dream Journey progress had reached level 3, and he also had a "Reward for Claiming: Quick Mastery of Time Management" item.

Of course, you should receive it.

A lot of new content popped up in front of him. For example, "Brave people enjoy the world first," and "Innocent boys are still looking up flirting quotes, while scumbags are just recklessly going through the motions and have already hooked up with girls."

And then there's the most touching combination of genuine emotion and calculated tactics.

I always have this feeling that I've stumbled upon a collection of scumbag quotes.

Taking responsibility doesn't make you a jerk; only flirting without marrying is. Why not just take responsibility properly?

"...you're right."

If you get someone pregnant, of course you have to take responsibility. Some people who tell them to have an abortion are the real scumbags; you're just being considerate of them because you can't bear to see them without anyone loving them. So, as the child's father and husband... cough cough, it's too early to talk about this now, but that's the gist of it.

Look at yourself in the mirror.

[Admit it, you've already sensed something's off. Your story with these two isn't a teenage romance comedy. They're well past puberty; their understanding of love isn't as hazy as a little girl's. Women this age are sensitive, strong, and possess a keen sixth sense. They both realized you were eyeing something you didn't have. Here's a guess: think back to when you were buying breakfast, what did they talk about?]

Love isn't something you talk about; it's the collision of two souls.

A tragic past, a resilient attitude towards life, passionate music, and the influence of alcohol—the resonant notes in rock music build bridges between hearts, just like the personality of Hiroi Kikuri and the physical allure of Iji Tomoko. You, too, radiate an irresistible charm.

Some couldn't contain themselves, while others wallowed in self-pity. They said nothing, but tacitly reached a consensus: the choice is yours.

Some people ask, can a night of passion turn into a lasting river of love?

This feeling is accused by rational people of being impulsive and reckless, a momentary passion, an emotional perception that stands in opposition to reason, and is considered unreliable and bound to lead to regret.

But these vulgar people fail to understand that the call of hormones is the awakening of one's true nature, a call between two people of humanity. Adolescence is a time of hazy understanding of sex, and thus, love becomes hazy; even holding hands seems like a lifelong vow. In the adult world, however, sexual union is not a mystery.

[The yellow urge in a woman's brain is as large as her breasts, much larger than a man's. Especially for a 26-year-old virgin...]

"It's like you want to sleep with her, and she wants to sleep with you too. She wants to sleep with you even more than you want to."

[A date with her makes her blush, and then comes the much-anticipated part. You'll never see the scenery halfway up the mountain, let alone the snowflakes at the summit, if you don't take the first step.]

While innocent virgins are still researching dating strategies and figuring out what to say next, boys who understand this principle have already become men.

Naruzawa Kaede uttered this last sentence, although it was a goal shouted out while drunk.

He had arranged a direct attack with store manager Ijichi, and he had also agreed to perform with Kikuto Hiroi.

Conversely, wasn't it Ijichi Hoshika who suppressed him, while Hiroi Kikuri hummed a melody searching for companionship?

Although they are all fallacies, it seems... that this way of doing it is more acceptable?

The underlying meaning is actually the same.

Young men reading this, don't be shy. You want to sleep with her, and she wants to sleep with you too. Be brave and go chat, date, and hold hands. If it doesn't work out, move on to the next one. If it does work out, be responsible.

Just then, a phone call came in. Naruzawa Kaede snapped out of his reverie, stared blankly at Ijichi Hoshika's name on his phone for a moment, and then answered the call, sending a date invitation.

That's it.

I have a date this afternoon, so my return to school will be delayed again.

Where should I take Xingge to play? She sleeps with a pillow and cute bear pajamas, which shows her inner little girl and cute style... Should I go to Disneyland in Chiba or find another amusement park? If I think of Ferris wheels, it would be better to bring a bass or guitar.

......

If you ask about the budding romances of adolescence, of course there are some.

Meanwhile, Naruzawa Kaede is attending the junior high school section of a high school.

Yamada Ryo didn't see it as a romantic relationship. She felt it was a unique, soulmate-like connection.

Let's just call her a chuunibyou (middle school syndrome) patient for now; she's currently in the second year of junior high.

Girls at this age are completely different from 27-year-old women. They are full of youthful energy, and the most typical example is Ichichi Nijika.

Yamada Ryo is clearly not that kind of girl; if not eccentric, she is certainly unconventional.

Unlike the lead singer who became the class darling even while picking up stones, she played bass. She seemed cursed, out of place in this world.

She has niche interests and ignores the world, which she calls enjoying solitude. She likes things that are different from others and that suit her taste.

She came from a happy, even wealthy, family. Spoiled by her parents, she didn't want to be controlled and thus gained the right to live independently. Life was smooth sailing until recently, when something happened that caused her band... well, let's just say it faded into obscurity.

A minor setback made her feel that the world was only filled with ordinary people and mediocre folks.

She was a second-year junior high school student, and she was quite the eccentric one.

Just then, she heard Mingze Feng's zither music.

During her low period, she found a sense of longing in the music. It felt very similar to the music of Kikuri Hiroi that she had heard at FLORT; the emotions were laid bare in the fluctuations of the melodies.

At that moment, she knew she had discovered a genius.

Moreover, from the unfamiliar technique, she knew that this was an unpolished genius.

If... it were him, perhaps he could understand me... no, I mean...

Why focus on those mediocre people when you have that pursuit and yearning? What exactly is that passion hidden in the music?

"Let me teach you real music."

(Give me your music)

She wanted to say that, but she held back. She started to be strategic, keenly sensing the boy's embarrassment. So she said she could pay.

She hoped to keep the boy.

"It's not important who can understand me, but what I want... this kind of music, I want the emotion in that music."