Mygo, the band legend of Tokyo handsome guy

It's so...itchy.

It wasn't the clothes rubbing against my skin that made me itchy, but rather the itch in my beating heart.

Yamada Ryo kept poking at him while saying he would never forgive him.

Even the sounds it made were faint and fragmented.

The girl snorted, "Anyway... I won't forgive you."

Glancing sideways at Narusawa Kaede's reaction, Yamada Ryo's lips curled up slightly.

So, he kept repeating those words over and over again.

In this Tokyo street corner, it's not uncommon to see a couple embracing. For hurried pedestrians, perhaps even the drifting clouds in the sky offer a more pleasant experience.

The moonlight generously shines down upon the world.

Naruzawa Kaede's hand, which was placed on Yamada Ryo's shoulder, began to gently knead it.

Yamada Ryo's humming gesture was more of an invitation than a refusal. His fingers, gently raised and then gently lowered, rested on the boy's chest, as if silently conveying:

She didn't want a verbal apology.

Mingze Feng could clearly see the light brown mole on her lower eyelid and the rise and fall of her chest with her breathing.

What Naruzawa Kaede wanted to do immediately wasn't... apologize.

It is now 7:30 at night. The sun has long since set in the southwest, the crescent moon is half-hidden by clouds, and the stars are not visible.

The traffic on the street moved in fits and starts, with patches of scarlet brake lights flashing.

The car's headlights were brighter and more dazzling than the streetlights.

When Yamada Ryo received no response, he puffed out his cheeks and poked Narusawa Kaede's chest twice more with the fingers that were already pressing on his chest.

This time, Mingze Feng felt a bit of pain in his chest.

Yamada Ryo asked, "Why aren't you saying anything? And then what?"

Mingze Feng suddenly grasped the finger that was drawing circles on his chest.

The girl blinked.

Playing with Liang Sang's soft palm, Ming Zefeng thought, "Right now... there... shouldn't be closed yet."

That's the semi-open basement live house.

That place that once connected everyone.

It's only a little past seven o'clock, so the door should still be open.

Let's get Liang over with this first.

Mingze Feng said, "Liang, do you still remember the days you took me to explore shops? There's a place I'd like to take you there."

"A surprise?" Yamada Ryo frowned. Something was wrong, very, very wrong. The moment Narusawa Kaede spoke, Yamada Ryo knew he wasn't up to anything good.

"First, tell us where you're going," Yamada Ryo said.

“Let’s do a live show. Go to Starry. Bands should solve problems the way bands do it. I’ll lead the way, you grab the bass, and we’ll do it together—um.”

Yamada Ryo quickly raised his hand and gently covered Narusawa Kaede's mouth.

"Don't try to distract me with what I'm about to say, I can hear you... Going to Starry Sky, have you thought about how you're going to face Manager Star Song?"

"Mmm—" Mingze Feng tried to speak, but her hand pressed down firmly on his.

Yamada Ryo's eyes widened, and he immediately sensed something was wrong. He quickly withdrew his hand, his expression slightly displeased: "You... really, how can you be so unhygienic?"

Naruzawa Kaede grinned, easily put his arm around Yamada Ryo's waist, leaned down, and suddenly kissed him.

They kissed again?

Yamada Ryo froze, stunned for a moment, as... the girl swallowed hard, her eyes gradually becoming unfocused.

His heart rate soared instantly, and Yamada Ryo's ears turned slightly red, within Naruzawa Kaede's sight.

Feeling the heat rising on his face, Yamada Ryo's hand trembled in the air before finally falling to his side.

—It's only been a month, how come you've become so skilled?

【It's all your fault for being so skilled... that's why I didn't even have the strength to push you away】

Yamada Ryo held her breath, her eyes even squinting comfortably. She thought to herself, in a strange way...

[Does Hiroi Kikuri always feel this way after a performance...?]

My heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to burst out of my chest, and my breathing was... well, breathing.

The girl hadn't mastered the technique of breathing while kissing.

The sudden kiss ended with a brief separation, followed by the sound of both of them swallowing. They could hear it clearly to each other.

The atmosphere froze for a moment, a subtle awkwardness rising within it.

Yamada Ryo instinctively lowered her head, her hair slipping down to cover her slightly flushed cheeks, and her ears burning hot.

They look absolutely adorable.

Unable to resist taking Yamada Ryo's hand, Narusawa Kaede couldn't help but laugh, "Are you shy?"

Yamada Ryo's voice was very low, and she mumbled, "No, I didn't."

Naruzawa Kaede turned sideways and leaned close to Yamada Ryo's face, breathing hot air as he asked, "Aren't you shy?"

The sudden closeness of the air carried a man's teasing tone.

As Yamada Ryo listened to Narusawa Kaede's tone, his heart raced, and the blush on his face became even more pronounced.

My face felt like it was on fire, both painful and itchy, but it wasn't sadness. Instead, a deeper, more intense emotion was churning in my chest.

Naruzawa Kaede licked his lips, noticing a slight salty taste on his tongue, but that didn't matter. He took Yamada Ryo's hand, pulled the girl along, and walked forward.

—Seriously, isn't she just being completely manipulated into being a submissive woman?

Yamada Ryo was internally clapping, but with Narusawa Kaede holding his hand, he involuntarily followed in his footsteps.

With tears welling up in his eyes, Yamada Ryo snapped, "Who? Who told you to lick my hand and then kiss my lips!"

She glared at Mingze Feng with displeasure, but her annoyance was mixed with a hint of shyness that was hard to hide, and her tone was so soft that it was almost negligible.

Okay, let's just ignore it.

Mingze Feng continued walking forward, towards the direction of the Starry Sky store.

"Anyway, I can't control you, so whatever you want," Yamada Ryo nagged beside him, going on and on. "I'm telling you, don't act impulsively later. If things get really bad, we'll just go back. I don't want to have to go to the police station to bail you out..."

Naruzawa Kaede: "Okay, okay, my dear R-san mom—"

"Pshaw, I don't have a son that cheap."

Yamada Ryo pouted, watching Narusawa Kaede's retreating figure. Her gaze softened, and an uncontrollable smile lingered in the corners of her eyes. Even her steps were light and quick.

Even the streetlights look much better now, and the roads are bustling with traffic, with the previously congested traffic gradually becoming smoother.

The bright moon hangs high, the stars twinkle, and the rhythm woven from billions of light-years, carrying a cold yet eternal melody, seems warm at this moment.

The train bell rang in the distance as night deepened. Around 8:30, the train finally entered Shimokitazawa from the bustling area of ​​Shinjuku.

Stepping back onto this familiar street, Yamada Ryo first took a deep breath.

Then he choked on it all.

—This is Shimokitazawa. There are quite a few band girls carrying guitar bags and squatting on the street smoking.

Naruzawa Kaede turned around and saw Yamada Ryo's expression just a moment ago. He burst into laughter while patting the girl on the back.

His gaze unconsciously drifted to a corner of the street.

Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Stars Sing a Cold Song

"I'll go to bed early, I have class tomorrow... I know... Anyway, you really can't tell me what happened... I'm really worried about you, sister... Okay... Don't fall asleep in the shop, okay? Tomorrow morning is a holiday, I'll go help out at the shop—"

Morning is a holiday...

Is tomorrow already Saturday?

Ijichi Hoshika's mind was a little fuzzy. Contrary to what she had said on the phone about the shop being busy, she hadn't opened for business today...

Rather, opening a business gradually became a casual affair. Moving from home to Starry also carried a hint of avoiding Hongxia.

"...We'll talk about it later."

Ijichi Hoshika hung up the phone, grabbed a green beer bottle, and took a swig.

"Ah ha—really, you little sister, you're even checking up on your older sister."

Ijichi Seika suddenly fell silent again, and casually threw the empty beer bottle on the ground.

The glass bottle, surprisingly sturdy, rolled straight to the side and crashed into the small mountain of beer bottles, making a crisp echo upon impact.

A voice, trembling with sobs, echoed in the room.

"What...did I just say...?"

Thankfully, I hung up before I could even open my mouth. Honestly, I speak without thinking. Maybe at this moment...

"You're already drunk, aren't you?"

"Ichi Hoshika murmured."

Beneath the Starry Tower, behind locked doors, lies a backstage dressing room known only to a select few.

Ichi Hoshika took a deep breath.

The feeling of being drunk gives one an extra layer of clarity. Perhaps at this point, clarity itself is the ultimate illusion?

Hiroi Kikuri, oh Hiroi Kikuri, not only do you steal men, but your "happiness cycle" is also incredibly effective. Even someone as heavy-drinking as you gets attention, while I'm practically dead drunk here and he still hasn't come back.

Sure enough, Hiroi is cuter when he's drunk?

"......"

Instead of sitting on the bed, Ichiji Hoshika sat on the floor, leaned against the wall, hugged her knees, and buried her head in her thighs.

My head is a little foggy, and even my breathing is a bit sluggish.

The bubbly liquor slid down my throat, leaving a slight tingling sensation. As it was absorbed into my stomach, the alcohol numbed my senses, then flowed downwards, stirring up a torrent of thoughts.

Ichika Hoshika never knew what heartbreak was like before, but now she does. It's roughly like having three days a week with a cold, indifferent face while opening the shop, and two days of decadent drinking, letting everything run wild with a good drink and a good cry, so that the next day she can muster the energy to see Nijika.

Otherwise, your sullen face will be noticeable.

However... it seems that it has been discovered now.

But Ichika Hoshika didn't explain, nor could she. Leaving aside the fact that heartbreak is inherently difficult to talk about, her boyfriend hadn't even sent a single message in so long...

The call had ended, and the dark screen reflected a woman's face. Her smooth blonde hair was stained with alcohol and stuck to her forehead.

Ichi Hoshika pressed the power button again.

The phone screen directly opens a contact box with someone.

The previous message was from that day when Mingze Feng said he would be at the store soon.

And then... that's when Ijichi Hoshika kicked him out.

She had dumped the man willingly, yet she returned to this small house. She returned to this cramped, confined room.

This was originally a storage room that the two of them had set up for their secret rendezvous. The room, which they had decorated together, along with the body sitting on the floor, truly bore the marks of a battle.

—Is it evidence of their physical relationship?

Perhaps that's one way to put it.

Ichika Hoshika's mind was completely blank, so blank that she didn't even know what she was thinking. Perhaps the happiness that Hiroi Cycle referred to came from the unconsciousness of being drunk.

But Kikuri Hiroi probably doesn't need this kind of cycle anymore.

With that person by her side, Hiroi Kikuri will never again escape into the world of drunkenness.

Ichiko Ichika knows.

Whether it's the warmth of an embrace, the small gestures of holding hands, the habits of letting go, or even the breathing while sleeping.

Ichiji Hoshika knows all of this.