STARRY's recording studio.
The newly formed rock band hadn't even had time for formal practice yet, and they were already facing the crisis of disbandment.
For a band like this, "fresh out of the factory," with no fame or fan base, the only option for performing at a Livehouse was often a "box office partnership."
A Livehouse, or performance hall, provides the venue and facilities to the band; the band, in turn, needs to attract customers to buy standing tickets, providing enough foot traffic for the Livehouse.
To ensure revenue, the performance hall sets a quota for the performing band. If the revenue exceeds the quota, the profits are divided between both parties according to a pre-agreed ratio.
However, if the number of attracted guests does not meet the quota, the band needs to pay out of their own pockets to make up for the difference in ticket sales—
In short, before a band becomes famous, their expenses in all aspects are very high.
"Kawaragi-san used to be the lead singer of Diamond Dust, right? Could you… I'm sorry, that was rude." Ijichi Nijika looked at Kawaragi Momoka, who had a troubled expression, and her request abruptly stopped.
Yamada Ryo nodded, looking at everyone around the table. "Without a sufficient fan base, in the short term, a single performance might cost us tens of thousands of yen to cover the quota and various miscellaneous expenses, including equipment fees."
At this moment, Togawa Sakiko, who had temporarily joined the band as a keyboardist because she felt awkward refusing the store manager's sister's invitation, suddenly felt a bit breathless.
Kurusu Akira, who was penniless and heavily in debt, was sweating profusely.
Even Kawaragi Momoka fell silent after fumbling through her meager wallet for a while.
Sensing the subtly bad atmosphere, Yamada Ryo raised her hand. "Although that's what I said, I only have a thousand yen in my pocket right now."
Ijichi Nijika's eyes also darted around, and she could hardly maintain her smile. "Haha, well… I'm just an ordinary high school student, and my pocket money is actually only the little bit my sister gives me."
In a daze, Iseri Nina, whose eyes were still a bit red, felt as if she had accidentally stumbled into a pyramid scheme's den. "So, not only do we have to practice after school, but we also have to work part-time for several days to earn enough for the performance fees…"
No sooner had she finished speaking than Yamada Ryo stood up without warning, and in front of everyone, clasped her hands together and half-bowed to Kurusu Akira, who was carrying a priceless guitar. "Amamiya-dono, I don't want to work part-time, please, I beg you, lend me just enough money to cover the corresponding share of standing tickets before the performance—I'll definitely pay you back when I get my pocket money next month!"
Ijichi Nijika, with a flustered expression, tugged at Yamada Ryo's sleeve. "Ryo! It's too presumptuous to borrow money on the first day we meet!"
Then she quickly explained to Kurusu Akira, "Ryo's family runs a hospital, and she actually gets a lot of pocket money, but she often spends lavishly on musical instruments she doesn't even need, and she likes to overspend. Plus, she has a very strange personality, so…"
Yamada Ryo froze for a moment, then turned her head and gave a thumbs-up to Ijichi Nijika, who was full of worry. "It's fine, Amamiya-san looks like a young master from a wealthy family. Maybe he just had a fight with his family and deliberately smashed hundreds of collectibles like samurai swords, omamori, and rings, then stormed out of the house to start a band?"
Kurusu Akira's heart skipped a beat.
He had just recently, in the Velvet Room, urgently dealt with over three hundred collectible items, including samurai swords, rings, omamori, and a large quantity of gold, silver, and jewels.
Whose subordinate is this woman named "Yamada Ryo"?
Every move is deadly.
If it weren't for his unfailing intuition not activating, Kurusu Akira would have almost thought she had awakened some kind of precognitive superpower and was testing his background.
Kurusu Akira forced a smile. "Although I carry a fifty-thousand-yen guitar, I'm actually living very frugily."
Yamada Ryo showed an expression of sudden realization, hitting her palm with her fist. "I see, is it a 'fallen prince' setting?"
Kawaragi Momoka and Iseri Nina, and even Ijichi Nijika across from them, all focused curious gazes on Kurusu Akira.
At this point, it could no longer be hidden.
After a brief hesitation, Kurusu Akira took out his phone, opened his photo album, and showed the girls at the table the photos he had taken a few days ago when he was bored and organizing his debts.
The phone was passed around the table.
Seeing the shocking eight-digit numbers in the photos, everyone fell silent.
Invisible pressure, like mountains, weighed down on them.
Ten million yen in debt.
That's enough to hold a concert every day at STARRY for a whole year.
Such a huge debt, just imagining it made these high school students feel suffocated.
"Wait, wait a minute! That, the Togawa written in the picture just now…" Iseri Nina suddenly stammered, asking Kurusu Akira.
The keyboardist, who was temporarily brought in to fill the numbers, sat upright. "Yes, that's me."
Everyone's gaze returned to Kurusu Akira once again.
"My parents owe Togawa-san's family about two million," Kurusu Akira told them truthfully.
"So, Sakiko is actually…"
"My family has fallen into decline; my current situation is similar to Amamiya-san's," Togawa Sakiko said calmly. After being kidnapped by mobsters to a hotel that day, she felt as if something like a barrier had collapsed within her heart.
In front of a group of "colleagues" and "victims" who would never be part of her school life and whose life paths barely intersected with hers… perhaps she had secretly hoped for such an opportunity to confide… Togawa Sakiko now naturally spoke of the disaster that had fallen out of nowhere and nearly ruined her life.
Having moved from Tokyo's North District to Setagaya Ward, far from her original social circle, she now completely saw herself as a "mercenary."
At the same time, Iseri Nina showed a bewildered expression.
"Don't you think it's strange? This is clearly debt owed by Amamiya-san's family, so why is it now… I'm sorry! I'm truly, truly sorry!!"
Iseri Nina spoke halfway, finally realizing the truth belatedly, and her small face instantly turned pale.
She pushed her chair back and stood up, almost kneeling down to perform a combination of dogeza and seppuku for Kurusu Akira—
Kurusu Akira calmly pressed the teary-eyed Iseri Nina back into her seat.
The already heavy atmosphere in the recording studio was now so cold it felt like ice shards could form at any moment.
"Nina, that's too much." Even Ijichi Nijika weakly spoke up for Kurusu Akira at this moment.
"Iseri-san, you…" Yamada Ryo hesitated to speak, finally managing to squeeze out a comment. "You are naturally suited for rock and roll."
Kawaragi Momoka covered her face in distress.
She had originally planned to teach Iseri Nina until she could sing, then find a way to leave the band, but now she was completely stuck… How could these kids be more troublesome than the last? As the only adult in the band, she simply couldn't rest easy.
On the first day the band was formed, both the rhythm guitarist and the keyboardist looked like they were on the verge of being driven to suicide by life.
"Everyone, let's practice now. It's almost STARRY's opening time, and I still have to work my part-time job then."
Kurusu Akira seemed indifferent. "Isn't rock and roll born precisely for this moment?"
"A group of people with stories in their hearts, screaming or playing hysterically on stage, venting those emotions that have nowhere to go."
He stood up, guitar in hand, with a carefree air, seemingly unconcerned by the discussion that had just taken place in the recording studio. "Don't waste any more time."
"Since we can't afford to make up for the standing tickets, we can perform on the street. Many rock bands started by performing on the street. We can also try to accumulate fans little by little like them, and once our skills mature, we can make a fortune at the Livehouse."
"That's too rock and roll." Yamada Ryo instinctively wanted to retort—but Ijichi Nijika pounced and covered her mouth the moment Yamada Ryo uttered the first syllable.
Togawa Sakiko stared at Kurusu Akira for a long while, then nodded, and walked silently to the electronic piano to sit down.
She had promised Ijichi Nijika in front of the STARRY store manager that she would try to stay and help the band until they found a more suitable keyboardist.
The distraught Iseri Nina staggered to the microphone.
And her idol, Kawaragi Momoka, had already picked up the guitar she had brought from the van and was crouching on the floor, searching for a suitable audio cable.
No one proactively mentioned the various troubles and difficulties that "street performances" might encounter.
It was as if they had all tacitly agreed to embark on this thorny band path.
…
About an hour passed.
STARRY was about to open for business.
Kurusu Akira and Togawa Sakiko both left the recording studio to prepare for their part-time jobs. Iseri Nina had to go to Shibuya for cram school, and Kawaragi Momoka also seemed to be going to work part-time outside.
The recording studio quickly emptied.
"It's finally over."
Ijichi Nijika hugged Yamada Ryo, letting out a wail of relief.
Yamada Ryo touched her forehead. "But, we have to do our homework next, right?"
Ijichi Nijika's expression immediately froze.
Yamada Ryo sincerely sighed, "Even though he's a newcomer, he decided to start his rock career with street performances. That's really bold."
"After all, Ren and Sakiko don't seem to have a better option, do they?" Ijichi Nijika said cautiously.
"Nijika is so kind. Even though everyone in the band is troublesome, she still tries hard to consider everyone's feelings."
"Ryo, you don't have to comfort me."
"Hehe, are you touched? Then treat me to ice cream for dinner."
----------------
"Want some ice cream? I made a test batch."
Kurusu Akira, who had quickly entered work mode, handed a freshly made ice cream to Togawa Sakiko, who was wringing out a rag nearby.
Togawa Sakiko's movements stiffened for a moment, but she still accepted the sample from Kurusu Akira's hand, quietly thanking him.
After finishing the ice cream, she picked up the rag and began to wipe the counter.
STARRY's store manager was in the next room, negotiating with the band scheduled to perform today.
The two behind the counter were busy for a while.
Togawa Sakiko suddenly lifted her face, looking at Kurusu Akira operating the ice cream machine, and thinking of her experiences in the hotel and police station, a stirring she couldn't describe welled up in her heart.
After a moment of hesitation, she finally said with difficulty to Kurusu Akira, "About that debt, actually, you could…"
"I'll pay it back. After all, your family probably really needs this money right now, right?"
Kurusu Akira replied casually, yet his tone conveyed an undeniable firmness and composure.
Togawa Sakiko put the rag into the sink. "Your real creditor is actually my father."
"…I know."
"We talked on the phone before. He's become very bad now, and even if he receives your repayment, he'll definitely continue to do those terrible things, so…" Togawa Sakiko's voice grew softer and softer.
Kurusu Akira took an apron from the cabinet and tied it on. "Then I'll just give the money directly to you, won't I?"
"No, what I mean is… my high school waived my tuition fees, I get scholarships every semester, I can eat for free in the cafeteria every day, and I've recently taken on several part-time jobs, so I've saved some money."
Togawa Sakiko took a deep breath, then stared intently into Kurusu Akira's eyes. "I can lend you a portion of it."
The lights of the underground Livehouse shone on her fair face, giving it an angelic glow.
'Is this "misery loves company"? No, I seem to be "sicker" than her.'
'I'm unilaterally being pitied by her.'
Kurusu Akira covered his face, unable to imagine that he would one day truly fall to the point of being pitied by a young girl.
So—
Shujin's finance department? Transfer the money to me quickly!
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To Read Advanced Chapters, and support this novel, please join me on [email protected]/geats2000