Even with such a huge incident happening, it had barely been over an hour in reality.
The sky was still bright, not even noon yet, so of course the two of them weren't planning to head back so early.
After calling their driver, they headed to the nearby and rather famous Ochanomizu Instrument Street.
Also located within Tokyo, in the Chiyoda ward, it was considered Japan's largest hub for musical instruments.
But as its reputation suggested, while it might be fine in an ordinary world, in this world of all-girl bands, the place was undoubtedly bursting with unimaginable popularity and foot traffic.
Initially, considering Dark Amber's dislike for noisy places, Amber had immediately ruled out this option.
But then she thought about all the embarrassing things she'd said earlier, and how the other girl had remained utterly unfazed—probably secretly laughing at her—so Amber decided, fine, mutual damage it is.
And just as Amber had predicted, while Shibuya—a hotspot for young people—had already showcased the dense population of this not-so-large country, it still paled in comparison to the crowds at Ochanomizu Street right now.
Groups of two or more girls moved through the streets in clusters, forming lively, youthful scenes.
It was obvious they were band members out shopping together.
Besides them, plenty of people who were clearly fans wandered around, looking left and right as if hoping for a fateful encounter with their favorite bands.
"Even though such a big thing happened not far from here, there doesn't seem to be much reaction over here…"
After getting out of the car, Amber gazed at the bustling street and sighed.
"In that regard, Tengu City is pretty similar," Dark Amber said, taking it in stride.
"Besides, the people here are even more optimistic—or maybe just more carefree—than those from the Date A Live world. But that's probably due to this world's own inertia."
She's right, Amber thought. It really feels like the people here are like NPCs, adjusting their emotions with shocking speed.
"Rather than dwelling on that, let's focus on what's in front of us," Dark Amber redirected the conversation. "Since we're here, let's set our destination as 'Shimokura' for now."
"Shimokura?"
"Mhm. It's a shop that specializes in high-end custom orders and quality second-hand instruments. The staff are highly professional, perfect for experienced musicians to exchange ideas. Whether you're looking from an instrument perspective or just seeking advice, going there is the right move."
Dark Amber explained.
She knows this much about it?
Amber hadn't expected her to lay it out so clearly.
But thinking about it, it seemed no matter what Amber wanted to know, Dark Amber could always provide an answer—almost as if she had a search engine built into her head.
But that was obviously impossible.
She probably just overthought everything, anticipated the questions Amber might ask, and looked into them beforehand.
Though she was used to following Dark Amber's lead, her current state of mind made Amber feel a little embarrassed.
Even though she understood the other girl well, her understanding seemed limited to interpreting her intentions.
Compared to Amber, who cared about many people, Dark Amber only ever cared about one person—herself…
"What's wrong, Kiana? Thinking about something?"
Just as Amber was spacing out, the black-haired girl's voice pulled her back to reality.
Having one person zone out while the other was talking was undoubtedly rude.
Amber immediately refocused her attention on the other girl, replying with an awkward laugh, "It's nothing, really! I was just thinking about what to have for lunch later!"
"After all those snacks and sweets we just had, you're already hungry?"
"Well, we did get some exercise right after eating! Strenuous activity burns a lot of energy!"
Their playful banter wasn't particularly conspicuous on this street filled with bands of distinctly different girls. Blending into the crowd, they didn't have to walk far before reaching their destination.
Compared to other stores, Shimokura Instrument Shop didn't have especially high-end décor.
In fact, it looked a bit old and worn. But that didn't stop it from drawing plenty of customers, including many whose dress and demeanor exuded an air of refinement as they browsed inside.
After all, this was a place offering 100% handcrafted instruments, where clients could choose everything from the body shape to the type of wood used. Its clientele included master-level figures from the music world.
Without overthinking it, the two walked in side by side.
"Welcome! How may I assist you two today?"
Seeing customers enter, an available staff member immediately offered a warm smile and approached them.
"Thank you. My friend and I are interested in customizing two guitars. Could you show us around the selection here?"
Dark Amber's smile was perfectly polite, her demeanor and expression radiating the refined grace of a Yamato Nadeshiko—gentle yet not weak.
Combined with her exquisitely beautiful face, she instantly won the staff member's favor and was assessed as a high-value client.
This one clearly comes from a well-off family, and she wants custom guitars. My sales quota is practically guaranteed.
The staff member then shifted her gaze to the other white-haired girl.
She also had stunning looks, on par with the black-haired girl, though her style was different.
This difference complemented the two perfectly: one gentle and reserved, the other lively and enthusiastic.
The striking contrast made them seem exceptionally well-matched—they must be childhood friends and band partners, right?
The staff member, who had seen countless girl bands, made her guess internally while turning up the warmth in her service.
Their shop didn't just do custom orders; they also bought and sold quality second-hand guitars.
Whether they were rare, high-end limited editions, beautifully crafted custom pieces, or even guitars originally customized and sold by them before being traded back in—all were displayed in the store.
Dealing only in the finest—that was their creed.
And even among fine items, there were grades.
To showcase the shop's professionalism, staff would guide customers to different display racks based on their own experience and judgment.
For these two, the staff member didn't hesitate to lead them to the highest-tier guitars in the shop.
Custom guitars weren't something that could be finished in three to five days. Before formal discussions began, letting customers personally experience the shop's standards was also part of the staff's job.
"You two, this section features custom guitars made by our shop. Most of them were sold back by their previous owners, but that doesn't mean they have any quality flaws. You'll understand once you try them yourselves."
The staff member said this with visible pride, clearly taking great satisfaction in her work and the quality of the shop's guitars.
"Then let me give one a try!"
This was Amber's first time seeing so many guitars of different styles.
Compared to these, the one Miku had given her before matched her usual impression of what a guitar looked like.
Picking up a black-and-white guitar at random, Amber thought for a moment before strumming the opening chords of Miku's character song, "Monochrome."
The melody and rhythm weren't complicated—this was Miku's debut song, the one she valued and loved the most, so when she taught Amber instruments, she used this song as the practice score.
"...Feels pretty good, I guess?"
Amber couldn't really tell for sure. After all, counting this one, she'd only ever used two guitars in total.
Why did that sound like a question?
The staff member tilted her head slightly, but before she could figure it out, she saw a girl with light-blue long hair step past her, looking delightedly at the white-haired girl.
"That was amazing! Mutsumi! It was just as good as yours! Not a single note out of tune or any mistakes at all!"
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.