Tokyo Three Generations

She had seen the conversation and interaction between the two of them.

They really are "family friends". The moment they met, he immediately called her "Su Shi" and showed such concern – just like he did for me back then.

So I wasn't the only one... A faint sense of loss suddenly welled up inside her.

However, besides the slight bitterness, she also had a different kind of feeling.

From the day of the funeral onward, every time I saw Jun Takasaki before, he was always dressed in a suit and tie, embodying the image of a "pillar of the nation's future youth."

Today, perhaps because he had just graduated from school, he was dressed in a khaki sweatshirt and gray sweatpants, a relaxed and casual outfit that was quite refreshing for her.

Why is it like this... yet it's so hard to get angry... she thought to herself with a sense of helplessness.

"Sorry to interrupt your conversation."

Shoko Toyokawa mustered her spirits and gave a bright smile. "Jun, that's right, I asked Sue to call you over."

Although Jun Takasaki didn't seem to notice anything amiss, Motoyo Nagasaki clearly sensed a hint of sourness in his voice, and a faint, sly smile appeared on her lips.

This snicker was seen by Toyokawa Shoko, making her both embarrassed and annoyed. However, she felt she couldn't lose her composure and could only pretend she hadn't seen anything.

"You're already calling her Su Shi?" Jun Takasaki chuckled. "You've only known each other for a short time, yet you're already friends?"

"Is it strange that such an outstanding child like Souji would become my friend?" Toyokawa Shoko retorted. "I admire her very much."

"Yes, it's a good thing you two have become friends." Takasaki Jun found this reason reasonable, so he accepted it. "So, is there something you wanted to discuss with me?"

“Do you remember what I said last time?” Toyokawa Shoko replied with a smile. “I said I wanted to form a band. And Su Se has a lot of musical talent, so I enthusiastically invited her to join my band, and she agreed.”

"Is she very good at musical instruments?" Jun Takasaki asked, somewhat surprised.

"You two are old friends, didn't she ever play for you?" Toyokawa Shoko asked in confusion.

"No, this is the first time I've heard of this," Jun Takasaki said honestly.

"You don't even know something like this? It seems you two aren't that close." Toyokawa Shoko suddenly felt a surge of smugness and couldn't help but glance sideways at Nagasaki Motoyo.

But before she could even feel smug, the second half of her sentence followed.

"—But her cooking is really good, I highly recommend you try it too."

In an instant, Toyokawa Shoko's imposing presence visibly diminished.

"Pfft..." Nagasaki Motoyo couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle. "Jun, don't exaggerate. I only have ordinary cooking skills. How can I deserve such praise? Compared to the fancy dishes made by the chefs of the Toyokawa family, I can only be considered a beginner."

Although she was being modest, it objectively served to deliver a finishing blow.

"Su Shi really has the demeanor of a virtuous wife..." Toyokawa Shoko couldn't help but retort, but she knew it had no real power.

So, not wanting to dwell on that hurtful topic any longer, she forced herself back to the main point, "Well, that's the situation. Now that Su Shi has joined, and with Mu, our band has three members, which meets the minimum number of people we need to apply to the school to form a club and borrow a venue..."

At this point, she perked up again, raising her arm, "That means we can begin initial operations!"

"Slap!" "Slap!" "Slap!"

Jun Takasaki clapped at the opportune moment.

"Congratulations! So, you wanted me to come here today to be your witness?"

“Yes, but it’s not just about being a witness—” Toyokawa Shoko nodded, “Actually… today is more of a celebration, to commemorate the initial formation of our band! Considering you were one of our earliest listeners, I thought I should bring you here to witness it.”

Although he wasn't particularly interested in any band, seeing how enthusiastic Toyokawa Shoko was, Takasaki Jun certainly wouldn't be foolish enough to spoil her fun.

Well, it was a false alarm today, it's time to celebrate.

So he smiled, raised his arm, gave a thumbs-up, and shouted it out in a passionate tone.

"That's fantastic! I must witness this band reach the highest stage!"

Then, he asked with some confusion, "By the way, what's the name of this band?"

Toyokawa Shoko was clearly prepared for this.

“I’ve come up with a great name, it’s called…CRYCHIC.” She answered with a hint of pride and a smile. “It’s a fusion word. The style I chose for the band is a fusion of classical music and pop rock, so I used CRY to mean ‘shout’ and CHIC to mean ‘elegant and fashionable.’ The two words together sound similar to CLASSIC, it’s just brilliant! Just like a strawberry cream cake.”

As Toyokawa Shoko spoke, she became increasingly proud, her eyes gleaming as if her hair were about to stand on end.

CRYCHIC, bitterness upon bitterness?

Jun Takasaki didn't find it wonderful; on the contrary, he was shocked by the overwhelming chuunibyou (adolescent delusions of grandeur) energy of the young girl.

However, seeing Xiangzi so happy, he couldn't bring himself to say anything to complain.

She probably hasn't been this happy since her mother passed away.

So what reason do I have to discourage her? It's her own group, so let her do what she wants…

In short, as long as the young lady is happy.

"Hmm! What a wonderful name!" He pretended to be very surprised and genuinely praised it, while also giving Nagasaki Motoyo a wink.

Nagasaki Motoyo understood perfectly. She had no objection to the name or anything like that, so she clapped enthusiastically as well.

“Great! I think this name is awesome too!” She smiled, her eyebrows curving upwards. “Xiangzi, from now on our group will operate under the name CRYCHIC.”

"Then it's settled!" Seeing the two agree, Toyokawa Shoko shook off her earlier dejection and became radiant. "Please keep up the good work, everyone!"

Then, she changed the subject, pointing to the messy food on the table next to her.

"Alright, let's have a celebration first!"

Because it's located near Tsuki no Mori, the karaoke here is perfect for girls, and it also offers ice cream, taiyaki (fish-shaped cakes), and various matcha desserts.

Of course, there can't be any alcohol, so we can only use milk tea instead.

Compared to the wealth and power of the Toyokawa family, all of this was certainly very meager, but precisely because of this, it no longer bore the mark of the "Toyokawa" surname, but was simply the dream and brilliance unique to the young girl "Toyokawa Shoko".

Anyway, it started.

30. Happiness and Grace

Inside this unassuming karaoke room, a small celebration was in full swing.

Toyokawa Shoko was the happiest among them, while Nagasaki Motoyo and Takasaki Jun were also very involved, with the mindset of "making the young lady happy".

As for the other one...

It took Jun Takasaki a long time to remember that there was another one.

He looked up and saw that Wakaba Mutsu was sitting quietly next to Toyokawa Shoko, eating ice cream spoonful by spoonful, with little joy on his face.

Jun Takasaki then remembered that from the beginning, she had been silently following behind her best friend, as if she were some kind of humanoid spirit.

Although he had gotten used to Wakaba Mutsumi's taciturn girl persona, he still felt a great sense of incongruity seeing her "detached" demeanor.

It's as if everything is none of my business.

Logically speaking, with Wakaba Mutsu's beauty, she should have been the object of admiration by those around her since childhood. Even if she wasn't called a "campus princess," she should at least be a popular idol, not someone who can't even have normal conversations.

What kind of family could raise a child like this? He couldn't help but wonder.

I heard from Xiangzi that her mother is a big star, so the way her family gets along is probably different from that of ordinary families.

However, although he was thinking these things, he didn't say them out loud. After all, everyone has their own way of life, and he had no right to interfere.

After having a few snacks, a cheerful Toyokawa Shoko came up with a new suggestion.

"Since we're already at the karaoke bar, why don't we sing together? That way, the trip won't be in vain."

After saying that, she looked at Nagasaki Motoyo, "Motoyo, how is it?"

Nagasaki Motoyo, of course, didn't mind and immediately agreed, "Sure, but I'm not a very good singer, so please don't laugh at me..."

"It's just for fun, who would take it seriously?" Toyokawa Shoko shook her head with a smile. "My singing is just average."

After she finished speaking, she looked at Jun Takasaki.

"Chun, why don't you give it a try too!"

“Me? Forget about it... I’m not good at this—” Jun Takasaki shrugged.

I'm tone-deaf to begin with, and even the few songs I can remember are mostly anime and game songs. In front of these two people, I'd be showing off my limited skills, so there's no need to embarrass myself.

"It's alright, it's all about participating." Nagasaki Motoyo smiled slightly. "It's rare for everyone to get together today, so let's make it a memento."

"Ok."

Since the other party had extended such a warm invitation, he didn't mind making a small fool of himself.

After dealing with Takasaki Jun, Nagasaki Motoyo then looked at Wakaba Mutsu—to be honest, she hadn't really noticed Wakaba Mutsu's presence.

Moreover, she was even less familiar with Mutsumi Wakaba than with Jun Takasaki, so in order to get closer to the two of them, she took the initiative to invite Mutsumi, "Wakaba-kun, why don't you come along? Just sing a song or two."

What was said in jest was taken seriously by the listener. Although Nagasaki Motoyo's invitation was only well-intentioned, Wakaba Mutsu couldn't help but feel nervous.

She didn't want to sing, but refusing under these circumstances seemed to create an invisible pressure of "not wanting to fit in with the group," so she hesitated and remained silent, not answering for a moment.

Her silence made Nagasaki Motoyo feel a little awkward. "Wakaba-san, what's wrong?"

The more questions they ask, the more nervous people become.

"I...I..." Faced with Nagasaki Motoyo's curious question, Wakaba Mutsu seemed to struggle for a long time, unable to utter a complete sentence.

Now, Nagasaki Motoyo couldn't possibly miss the problem. She realized she might have offended someone, and she started to feel conflicted. "Ah... I was just saying it offhand, don't mind it."

"Muku never sings." Seeing that things were getting out of hand, Toyokawa Shoko came to her friend's rescue, "It's not that she's being disrespectful, she just doesn't like it."

Then, she comforted Ruoye Mutsu, "Mutsu, Su Shi meant well. She didn't know you didn't like it. So don't take it to heart. You two should get along well in the future."

With Xiangzi's help, Wakaba Mutsu felt as if she had been granted a pardon. The sweat on her forehead gradually disappeared, and she nodded gently. "Yes! Nagasaki-san, I'm sorry."

"It's alright. If you don't like it, then just listen to us sing." Nagasaki Motoyo certainly wouldn't take such a small matter to heart. She laughed generously. "Also, you can just call me Motoyo from now on. We can be friends too."

"Hmm..." Ruoye Mu responded softly again, "Okay, Su Shi."

The minor incident was easily resolved, and the slightly awkward atmosphere was brought back to normal.

As the proposer, Toyokawa Shoko took the microphone without hesitation. However, before she could speak, she hesitated, as if she had a problem with making a choice.

"What song should I start with..." she murmured to herself, then seemed to quickly find an idea, "By the way, have you guys seen an anime called Gosick?"

Nagasaki Motoyo and Takasaki Jun looked at each other in bewilderment.

"Does the young lady watch anime too?" Jun Takasaki couldn't help but retort.

"Even young ladies eat rice!" Toyokawa Shoko retorted irritably. "Do you think I'm some kind of otherworldly being? Is it strange that I watched some cartoons when I was a kid?"

When Takasaki Jun thought about the chuunibyou (delusional) nature hidden beneath Toyokawa Shoko's elegant exterior, he quickly felt relieved.

“It’s okay if you haven’t seen it. It’s an anime I loved when I was a kid, and the female lead is incredibly cute.” Toyokawa Shoko continued, “So for my first song today, I’ll sing the theme song from this anime. It’s called ‘Destin Histoire,’ how about that?”

If the young lady likes it, then let her be; no one raised any objections.

So she first selected a song on the screen, and then, when the background music started playing, she closed her eyes, picked up the microphone, and began to sing with all her heart.

Although he had never heard of it before, the song had a cheerful melody, and Toyokawa Shoko's singing voice was surprisingly good, so Takasaki Jun quietly began to appreciate it.

—Not everyone has the honor of listening to a tycoon's daughter sing for you from a distance of one or two meters.

After Shoko Toyokawa finished singing, she handed the microphone to Motoyo Nagasaki. Motoyo Nagasaki, on the other hand, followed the crowd and chose a song by the previously popular girl idol group "Kirazaka," which she sang quite well.

Soon, it was Jun Takasaki's turn to use the microphone.

He took a deep breath and then chose the famous theme song from Final Fantasy VII, "REDEMPTION".

However... unsurprisingly, it quickly turned into a disaster.

The song was originally in the heavy metal style, and he didn't have much singing skill, so when he opened his mouth, it quickly turned into a wild scream.

Amid his desperate shouts, Toyokawa Shoko and Nagasaki Motoyo both covered their ears and burst into laughter.

"Hey, didn't you guys make me sing this?" Jun Takasaki protested to the two of them, "I already told you I'm not good at this!"

"Okay, okay, I wasn't saying anything to you... but next time, could you choose a song with a lower volume? You just made my eardrums hurt!" Toyokawa Shoko protested, half-laughing and half-angrily.

And so, amidst the laughter of the three, the microphone was passed around—mainly for the two girls to sing their hearts out, and the joyful atmosphere made people almost forget the passage of time.

In a corner where almost no one paid attention, Ruoye Mu quietly watched and listened to everything in front of her. Although she seemed to be drifting outside the world, seeing the sincere smiles on everyone's faces, the corners of her mouth unconsciously curved up a little.

She's happy as long as everyone is happy.

==============================

By the time I rushed home after the celebration, it was already evening.

Although he was a little tired from traveling back and forth, Jun Takasaki was in a very good mood.