The sixth simulation ended.
Mid August.
Toru had suffered a terrible ambush.
He was dragged by Hiroi Kikuri all the way to the Shinjuku performance hall, FOLT.
"Do me a favor, don't be so stingy."
Hiroi Kikuri let out a drunken hiccup and continued drinking her cheap liquor.
Toru pressed a hand to his forehead and sighed helplessly.
How did he end up meeting someone like her?
If she kept drinking like this every day, Hiroi Kikuri's liver would definitely get into trouble eventually.
Cirrhosis, then ascites, then dying young.
Toru really couldn't stand seeing people ruin their bodies this way.
"Kikuri nee san, drink a little less. You should take care of yourself."
He had barely finished speaking when he saw Hiroi Kikuri bring the bottle to his lips.
"Want a drink?"
"I'm only fifteen. I'm not old enough."
"Tch."
Failing to persuade him, Hiroi Kikuri rubbed her eyes. "Speaking of which, I got drunk and slept on the street last night. Nearly paid for it."
"On the, on the street?"
Toru was shocked. Was she really not afraid of being picked up by some random man?
Honestly, Hiroi Kikuri was quite pretty.
It was just that her constant drinking made men around her think poorly of her.
"Ah, yeah. Hehe, drank too much. Vision went dark and I just collapsed. When I woke up, it was morning."
Hiroi Kikuri scratched the back of her head, embarrassed.
"No one tried anything with you?"
"N-not really? I mean, I threw up a lot."
"...Oh."
Toru was speechless.
Imagining her collapsed on the ground with a puddle of vomit in front of her, he immediately understood why no one ever tried to take advantage of her.
No one could bring themselves to do it.
"Alright, I'm counting on you tonight."
Hiroi Kikuri wrapped an arm around Toru and grinned. "Toru chan, onee-san loves you."
"You smell like alcohol."
Toru quickly pulled away from her. She probably hadn't bathed in two days, carrying a faint rotting smell.
Not far away.
Ohtsuki Yoyoko secretly observing clenched her little pink fists.
That rotten man.
He was taking advantage of Kikuri-onee san again.
As a fan of Hiroi Kikuri, it was perfectly reasonable for Yoyoko to hate Toru.
But what angered her most.
Were the countless good qualities on that man.
Skillful, handsome, good personality...
How could such a perfect man exist?
Disgusting. Truly disgusting.
She wanted to pick a fight but didn't even know where to start.
So annoying.
"Yoyoko, do you have a performance scheduled tonight?" Toru noticed her staring.
"What is it? Suddenly concerned about me?"
Ohtsuki Yoyoko turned away proudly. "If you really want to know, I could tell you, but..."
"No, I was just asking. If you don't want to say, forget it."
Toru went back to discussing the live details with Hiroi Kikuri.
"Hey! At least let me finish!"
Yoyoko panicked.
It hurt being ignored midway through a sentence.
In contrast.
Toru was in a great mood.
Lately.
Teasing Ohtsuki Yoyoko had become one of his greatest sources of joy.
To find such a pure tsundere girl in real life, not playing around with her would be a waste.
"Speaking of which, how's the Kessoku Band doing lately?" Hiroi Kikuri asked.
"Pretty good. I always see them practicing together happily."
Toru picked up a guitar and strummed a few notes. His guitar skills were only at a professional level, not completely polished.
But even so.
A light touch from him was already the limit for someone his age.
"I see. That's very much like Hitori and her friends."
A month ago, Hiroi Kikuri had run into Gotoh Hitori and found the kid interesting.
Since then.
Hiroi Kikuri often took time to attend Kessoku Band's performances and contribute to ticket sales.
"…A band isn't something that simple."
Yoyoko muttered under her breath.
She had a poor impression of Kessoku Band.
Mostly because Hiroi Kikuri praised them so much it irritated her.
And she hadn't misheard.
Practicing happily?
Were they treating a rock band like some childish pretend game?
In short, Yoyoko was furious.
For someone like her, who saw band activities as her dream and had worked tirelessly for it.
Kessoku Band was dancing on her landmines.
"Yoyoko, you aren't in Kessoku Band. How would you know they aren't serious?"
"Tch."
"It's because you speak too bluntly that you don't have any friends."
From Toru's perspective.
Gotoh Hitori wasn't lonely at all. She at least had four or five friends.
Yoyoko was the true lonely rocker.
"Who, who are you calling friendless?"
Yoyoko glared at him like a cat with bristled fur.
"You can fool me, but don't fool yourself."
"Uu..."
Yoyoko looked like she might cry.
This idiot. Bullying her every single day.
Toru soon realized he overdid it and quickly apologized.
"My bad. Don't be angry."
"Hmph."
Yoyoko turned away, refusing to look at him.
"You two get along so well, hic."
Hiroi Kikuri hiccuped again and waved her hand. "I'm going to sleep. Wake me later."
She walked a few steps.
"Oh right, my bass was left at senpai's shop yesterday. She'll bring it over later."
"Senpai?"
Yoyoko tilted her head.
How did I not know?
Toru explained. "Ijichi Seika. Manager of the live house STARRY, and Kikuri nee-san's senior from university."
"Oh, I think I've heard of her."
Yoyoko decided to look up Kessoku Band and that strange live house later tonight.
——————
An hour later.
Ijichi Seika arrived in Shinjuku carrying Hiroi Kikuri's bass.
"That woman..."
After the live ended yesterday and she was about to close shop, Seika found an extra bass in the practice room. She had worried the owner would be panicking and searching everywhere.
Then in the morning, Hiroi Kikuri sent her a message.
Senpai, I forgot my bass, hehe~ [Tongue out]
Seeing that message.
Seika hardened.
Her fist hardened.
...
"Finally here."
Seika looked up.
She checked the sign in front of her and entered the hall.
It had been a long time since she'd been here.
There was too much to handle daily at the live house, barely any free time.
Besides.
The dream of rock had already been left behind the moment her mother passed away.
As an older sister, her most precious treasure now was Ijichi Nijika.
"Kikuri, where are you?!"
"Manager Seika, looking for Kikuri nee san? Sorry, she went to sleep earlier."
Toru adjusted his guitar and smiled politely.
"It's fine, here's the bass. By the way, why are you here today?"
"Shimizu san, the guitarist, had something to do today, so I came to help out."
"Oh."
Seika didn't ask further.
No need to.
Ijichi Seika didn't believe she would ever get entangled with Toru.
She hadn't before.
She wouldn't now.
And in the future?
Probably not either.