"Speaking of which, what exactly is that 'ultimate life goal' you mentioned before?"
Kawaragi Momoka used a spoon to divide the mousse cake in front of her.
Kurusu Akira opened "Uma Musume" again after half a month, raising his horse while answering the guitarist's question, "Probably to get rich without working."
"Isn't that just a pipe dream?"
"Getting paid without working, getting high scores without going to school. Then dating a sweet and gentle performing arts idol, envied by countless people."
"You're talking too much in your sleep!" Kawaragi Momoka raised her spoon and pointed it vaguely at Kurusu Akira.
But except for the last one, the rest were already reality. Kurusu Akira thought about the extra one hundred and ten thousand in his wallet, "It's almost time for school to end, isn't it?"
"Once I finish these, we can drive to STARRY. We need to start preparing the songs for the street performance today… Thinking about it, originals are definitely better." Kawaragi Momoka bit her spoon, saying somewhat indistinctly. "We should sing 'VOID' as little as possible, after all, the copyright has already been given to the previous band."
"That song is very good, it's a bit of a pity to give it up like that."
"We'll always write better songs… And Sakiko and Ryo both have 'talent' in composing."
"'Talent,' huh." Hearing this word after a long time, Kurusu Akira felt a strange sense of emotion.
Then he looked down at the Mejiro Ramonu on his phone, who had inexplicably stayed up late and whose condition had deteriorated, and thought of the upcoming Tenno Sho race, which he had already lost countless times, and his blood pressure instantly rose.
At this point, could he only bite the bullet and let the "never in good form" Mejiro Ramonu run the race?
Perhaps there was another option—
Kurusu Akira exited to his phone's home screen, long-pressed the "Uma Musume" app icon, then clicked delete.
He was here to play the game, not to be played by the game.
Then he opened the browser and looked at the recent news.
Unexpectedly, the term "Phantom Thief" had actually entered the top fifty in the search volume ranking.
The third trending news now was "Shinjuku Kamo Group dismantled by mysterious person."
The comments section of the news column was quite lively.
[Kiyono Yuna: Don't you think it's cool? A Phantom Thief who can steal the evil from people's hearts…]
[APK0: There's no way anyone actually believes a superhero-like character like a "Phantom Thief" could really exist, right? I'd rather believe the champion of the youth math competition is actually a magical girl in disguise.]
[Thunder Bluff Chieftain: It's 2022, and believing in such baseless supernatural powers is truly divine.]
[Belial, don't look back, I'm Ultraman Zero: Watching too many comics can lead to hysteria. Go find a factory and work for a few days, and you'll be cured.]
[…]
Only a very small number of people were willing to believe in the existence of the "Phantom Thief," and their voices were quickly drowned out by waves of ridicule and sarcasm, becoming the internet's joke of the day.
It was amidst such heated discussion that Kurusu Akira finally couldn't resist personally stepping in to debate.
When he first debuted as a "Phantom Thief" in his previous life, facing a barrage of online skepticism and attacks, he would "tap-tap-tap" loudly on his keyboard during one sleepless night after another, releasing all the violence, and the extremism and sharpness flowing in his blood, in the storm-like roar of the keyboard.
Now, it was time to show these new world netizens the tip of the iceberg of the Phantom Thief's combat capabilities—
Have you ever heard of the story of the "Forum Slayer of Japan"?
But as soon as his fingers touched the numeric keypad, before he could display that extraordinary dexterity and speed, Kawaragi Momoka, sitting opposite him, stood up and picked up a napkin to wipe her mouth.
"We should go, or we'll waste a lot of time if we get stuck in rush hour traffic."
Kurusu Akira glared indignantly at the rapidly refreshing comments on his phone screen.
This time, the target of repentance was just a group of small-time thugs. It's somewhat understandable that they don't recognize the Phantom Thief's great achievements, so I'll spare you for now—
If you offend again, I will make you know what the "Keyboard Saint of Japan" is!
----------------
Getting into the car, Kawaragi Momoka twisted the car key.
The white van then bumped along the road in Chiyoda.
Going up the overpass and heading west, it was indeed traffic-jammed. As the evening rush hour progressed, the traffic became increasingly congested.
Kurusu Akira rolled down the car window and turned his face to look at a pure black luxury car parked nearby. In the triangular frame on the car's hood, two Ms overlapped to form a mountain shape, and a relief of the black dragon Nidhogg gnawing on the World Tree was spread across the smoothly lined body of the car. This was a global limited edition of twenty "Meinek Cassels," originally a "Maybach 62," an undisputed king in the Mercedes series, once the top of the top cars in the Mercedes lineup. After factory refurbishment, it was auctioned off backstage at a concert of the globally renowned band "Imagine Dragon."
More than ten years passed, and the passage of time not only didn't diminish its value but added a unique collectible significance.
This was several times more expensive than the C-Class car Kurusu Akira had seen outside Shujin's school gate on his first day.
He looked at the Maybach with some envy, then turned to ask Kawaragi Momoka, who was driving beside him.
"Kawaragi, did you buy this van?"
"I borrowed it," Kawaragi Momoka controlled the car's speed very slowly to avoid hitting the vehicles in front. "I've been working as a delivery driver recently, and the company lent this to me. The deposit wasn't cheap... If I need to deliver large furniture, I have to switch to the large truck arranged by the company."
"Adult part-time jobs are really tough," Kurusu Akira, who had been a freelancer for many years, sighed empathetically.
"That's right. When I was in school, I thought it would be fine to just focus on the band, so we decided to drop out with our partners, burning our bridges. But after leaving school and starting a life in Tokyo, working to earn money while developing the band, it became tough and troublesome."
There was no regret or unwillingness on Kawaragi Momoka's face, only a sense of relief and emotion from having experienced many things.
"The biggest obstacle preventing a band from reaching a higher stage isn't the various rules in the industry or 'talent'... it's 'life.'"
She blinked her deep gray eyes, which seemed to be filled with mist. "When most rock bands first form, everyone has the dream of 'playing rock together for a lifetime.' But 'a lifetime' is too broad, too distant. Reality is cruel and cold. It gradually hammers those innocent, beautiful, lovely dreams into fragments, and finally they scatter... The band members become busy with their own lives, rushing around for a living, pouring their hearts out for a work permit."
"Fingers that could once play a three-minute guitar solo in one go gradually stiffen, only able to pick up a glass on the table. Wrists that used to swing drumsticks coolly and handsomely eventually become sore, only able to grip a mouse for an office computer. The lead singer's voice forever loses its clear and bright quality, ravaged by cigarettes and beer, only able to sing a short, hoarse, heavy 'Happy Birthday' on a child's birthday."
"Of course, these are also things that seniors in the industry told me."
Kawaragi Momoka held the steering wheel, her gaze somewhat vacant as she looked at the slow-moving vehicles outside the window. "Living alone in a big city can be very lonely."
"Is Kawaragi living alone now?"
"Pretty much. I rented a small apartment near my part-time job at 9 AM; the price is quite reasonable."
"Can I share an apartment with Kawaragi?"
"You're a precocious kid." Kawaragi Momoka reached out and ruffled Kurusu Akira's hair, examining the face hidden beneath his glasses and hair. "Nijika, Ryo, Sakiko, Nina are all very cute girls. You should be saying these things to them... Humph, you're really handsome. Take off your glasses, tidy yourself up a bit, scatter roses all over the floor, pick up a guitar and sing love songs, those young girls definitely wouldn't be able to resist your confession."
Kurusu Akira swatted Kawaragi Momoka's hand away. "I'm serious. Because I'm completely 'living under someone else's roof' right now; I don't have a place I can call 'home' at all."
Kawaragi Momoka looked at his overly handsome face and said somewhat sullenly, "I'll be looking for a boyfriend later, so I can't take you in."
"Kawaragi really has no dating experience."
"As if you do, you brat!" Kawaragi Momoka visibly became annoyed.
"How do you know if I've had dating experience or not?" Kurusu Akira also got angry. He had a soulmate with whom he had contracted for life!
"That's why I said, it's better if you graduate from your chuunibyou quickly."
Kawaragi Momoka looked at his angry expression and suddenly burst into laughter.
"Guys who like playing games, are in the late stage of chuunibyou, unkempt, self-righteous, and like to hide their true feelings, even if they're handsome, will find it hard to meet a girl they like... Unless you can meet another girl who also likes playing games, is considerate, good at understanding and respecting others' thoughts, and falls in love with you at first sight. Hmm, that sounds even harder than winning the 1 billion yen jackpot in a lottery?"
"If I could win the 1 billion yen jackpot in a lottery, the first thing I'd do is become your sugar daddy, you former middle school-educated female rock band vocalist."
"Hehehe, you really dare to dream, kid." Twenty-year-old Kawaragi Momoka forcefully pushed seventeen-year-old Kurusu Akira's shoulder, making him sway from side to side.
----------------
After finally getting off the jammed overpass and arriving at the parking lot near STARRY, the sky was already tinged with a faint crimson.
The twilight's fiery glow shimmered faintly in the vast sea of clouds, falling upon them, burning hot, spreading a warmth of late spring and early summer in their hearts. A faint blush adhered to the flagstone streets, crushed into a dazzling spray of sparks by passing vehicles.
"You're finally here!" As soon as they entered STARRY's recording studio, they heard Ijichi Nijika's relieved voice.
Yamada Ryo was curled up on a nearby sofa, hugging a bag of potato chips and having taken off her shoes.
She chewed on the chips, making muffled sounds, "Nina has a fever today, so she can't attend band practice."
Togawa Sakiko, who was doing her homework at the table, looked up at them. "Today's rehearsal is impossible."
"Yeah. We can only work on songs." Kawaragi Momoka placed her guitar case against the wall.
"I heard Momoka is amazing at composing, especially since she produced works like 'VOID.' Could I trouble you with the composing?"
Ijichi Nijika clasped her hands together, her eyes tightly closed, bowing and bending to request Kawaragi Momoka, like a miko worshipping a shrine deity or a groundhog begging for food, looking very cute.
Everyone tacitly refrained from making a request to Togawa Sakiko.
Even on Tsukinomori's campus forum, her name was written in the composer field for the very famous and even slightly viral song "HaruhiKage"...
"Indeed, we should go out for inspiration," said Yamada Ryo, who had been eating potato chips. "After all, none of us even know what style our current band should pursue."
Then, she pulled five concert tickets from her pocket.
"Coincidentally, there's a really great band performing in Shibuya."
"Morfonica?" Kurusu Akira took the concert tickets from Yamada Ryo's hand.
"Mhm mhm mhm, I picked up a few tickets when I bought stationery in Shibuya today," Yamada Ryo nodded repeatedly.
"Where did you get the money?" Kurusu Akira, who was well aware of her financial situation, asked a soul-searching question.
Ijichi Nijika, who had been clinging to Kawaragi Momoka's arm and acting spoiled, immediately stopped smiling.
"I borrowed it from Nijika," Yamada Ryo said, still chewing potato chips.
Morfonica... Togawa Sakiko took out the sunglasses she had prepared from her school bag and put them on. "We should leave now. Their concert should start at 7:30, right?"
"That's right," Yamada Ryo slipped her feet, clad in white half-calf socks, into the sneakers next to the sofa, stretched, and then slung the bass case onto her back.
After a simple farewell to the manager, everyone left the Livehouse and headed to Shibuya by train.
Coincidentally, the advertisement screen at the train station was playing a concert preview for "Morfonica."
The melodious and lingering violin music had a unique power,
and the anticipation in their hearts gradually built up.
When the train arrived at the station, this anticipation transformed into a light feeling that allowed them to disregard the shops and tall buildings along the way, and they walked with light steps towards the "Broadcasting Association Music Hall," the venue for the concert.
At this moment, the concert had already been going on for half a minute.
Kurusu Akira followed the girls, searching for seats in the audience.
And Persona "Dioscuri" stood behind him, holding a sketchbook, and with a pen, he swiftly drew every detail of the guitar solo being performed by the girl named Kirigaya Touko on the broadcast screen.
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