Tokyo Psychic

“No problem.” An and Subaru readily agreed, then went back to the entrance to change their shoes. “Do you have any drinks you’d like? I can pick some up for you on my way.”

“Iced beer,” that’s Rupa.

"Any iced tea or beverage will do." This is Ebizuka Tomo.

As An and Subaru left and the door closed, the atmosphere in Fujiki-ju's living room instantly became somewhat awkward.

It was only then that Ebizuka Satoshi belatedly realized that the handsome man in front of him, who was deliberately concealing his good looks, was someone else's boyfriend, and that his arrangements just now had clearly gone beyond the scope of "friends." It couldn't even be called "rude"; it was downright "offensive" and even "provocative."

Fortunately, both An and Subaru and Akira Kurusu were tolerant, which made her feel a little more at ease.

After Akira Kurusu joined the chat room, the sweet-looking and lively girl, Ikuyo Kita, immediately started chattering away with questions.

[Kita Ikuyo: You're the "boyfriend" Subaru-senpai keeps mentioning, right? @Attic Thinker]

[Kita Ikuyo: Tomo-senpai and Rupa-senpai talked a lot about you just now...]

[Kita Ikuyo: I heard you and Yamada-san are in the same band. I love her playing!]

【Ikuyo Kita:......】

It's hard to imagine that this girl could be so talkative.

It's practically the most outrageous of all the outrageous ones, a "social terrorist" level of outrageousness.

Akira Kurusu followed Tomokazu Ebizuka and Rupa into the guest room where the band usually rehearsed. Along the way, he kept looking down at his phone as Kita Ikuyo frantically scrolled through his messages, nine out of ten of which were about "Yamada Ryo," making him feel a little embarrassed.

The girl, whom I had never met before, seemed to have been following Yamada Ryo's former band for a long time, and she admired Yamada Ryo very much, even to the point of having an excessive longing for him, much like the kind of "fanatic" who likes to pry into the privacy of their idols.

Akira thought to herself, if she were to see Yamada Ryo's true colors, the girl would probably soon be disillusioned. Perhaps even her ideals or some kind of belief would be shattered.

Ebizuka Tomo, who had just sat down at his laptop, looked at the incessantly beeping Line chatter and rubbed his forehead in annoyance. "Sorry, Kita is always like this..."

"A very energetic girl." As she spoke, Akira Kurusu uploaded the song "Blue, Thick, Orange Day" from her notes to the chat room.

"I'm glad you don't mind." Ebizuka Tomo breathed a sigh of relief. She looked at the song that Kurusu Akira had uploaded herself, and her expression suddenly became very complicated.

Because another file in the chat room contained her original song, which she had been revising repeatedly for a month and still hadn't come up with a name for.

Rupa noticed her hesitation and preemptively asked Akira Kurusu, "Do you need to report to the agency about joining our band?"

"need."

"So...you want to sign a contract with us?"

"Ah."

Upon hearing the word "sign a contract," Ebizuka Tomo's eyes seemed to sparkle. The seemingly casual, makeshift band suddenly became exceptionally formal.

Rupa asked him, "Around when?"

"How about tonight since it's the weekend?" Akira Kurusu answered her question, and casually started chatting with "Ikuyo Kita" in the group.

It has to be said that Kita-san is so enthusiastic and lively that it's almost overwhelming.

Before he could even say a word, a friend request came in.

But after sending the friend request, Kita Ikuyo immediately went silent.

Pleia: I've picked them up.

[Pleia: Boqi is a bit shy. Let's all introduce ourselves when we get to Fujikiju.]

......

I heard the sound of the security door opening and closing.

Ebizuka Tomo and Rupa, who were annotating the piece in the guest room, both stood up.

Akira looked towards the entrance hall.

A girl dressed in a pink tracksuit, with long pink hair and a dowdy appearance, hunched over and carrying a guitar case, cautiously crept into the apartment.

Behind her stood a vibrant and beautiful girl with light makeup on her face and long, bright red hair that bloomed like a rose, making her a very popular and popular figure at school.

"Ren Amamiya, an artist signed with ATLUS agency, is currently the rhythm guitarist for the band 'End.' It's nice to meet you all."

Akira Kurusu took the initiative to approach them and extended her right hand.

Kita Ikuyo immediately grabbed his right hand with both hands, shook it vigorously, and then said excitedly, "I've seen your band perform! Can I get your autograph? Oh... by the way, my name is Kita Ikuyo! I like rock music and sharing my life!"

When she speaks, it's as if her whole body radiates a fiery warmth, a passion that can melt away any barriers.

Akira Kurusu subtly withdrew her hand and handed it to the pink object next to Kita Ikuyo that seemed about to melt away in her enthusiasm. "You must be Goto Doku? It's an honor to meet you."

Goto tentatively offered his hand, but the moment his fingertips touched Akira Kurusu's, he recoiled as if electrocuted. He looked helplessly at An and Subaru, then at Ebizuka Tomo across from him, and finally stammered, "Y-hello..."

She looked like she was about to cry at any moment, as if interacting with a popular guy like Akira Kurusu would make her feel out of place.

At this moment, Ebizuka Satoshi clapped his hands and said, "Doku, would you be willing to temporarily switch from the 'lead guitar' position to the 'rhythm guitar' position?"

Upon hearing this, Goto Dodo nodded frantically, as if grasping at a straw.

It's clear she wanted to step down to the "rhythm guitar" position a long time ago. All the pride and confidence she'd built up through solo practice were utterly destroyed by Ebizaka Satoshi's repeated harsh criticism, and she was nearly brought to tears many times. If it weren't for the fact that there wasn't just one other person in the band who could play guitar, she wouldn't want to continue as the so-called "lead guitarist"...

To be precise, if it weren't for Rupa and Anwa Subaru constantly comforting and encouraging her, and Ebizuka Satoshi occasionally reluctantly apologizing, she probably would have run away from the band long ago.

"Since Amamiya-kun didn't bring his guitar today, could you please lend it to him temporarily?" Ebizuka Satoshi asked Goto Doku for his opinion.

Without a word, Goto Doichi took off the guitar case behind him and handed it to Kurusu Akira with some difficulty, avoiding eye contact with him the whole time.

After she nervously finished doing all this, she immediately clutched her chest with relief and slumped into her chair, as if she had accomplished some kind of world-saving feat.

Akira Kurusu was amused by Doku Goto's overly timid appearance, but he restrained himself from laughing out loud. He lowered his head and solemnly opened the guitar case, picking up the guitar that had been carefully maintained and used for many years.

As his palm passed over the instrument, his expression gradually became serious.

“Goto-kun,” Akira Kurusu looked up at Doku Goto, “I will take good care of it.”

Goto Indokko, who had been weakly muttering things like "my heart is about to run away," sat up straight. She looked at Kurusu Akira with a blank expression, and after a long pause, she realized the seriousness in his words. Then she nodded vigorously with gratitude.

An and Subaru were already sitting down next to the drum set. "Pochi, you just need to look at the sheet music for today's practice. If you get bored, you can take out your homework and do it."

"Hmm..." Goto actually brought his homework with him.

She took a folded exam paper from her tracksuit pocket, placed it on the coffee table in front of her, and then sat up straight.

"It may be a bit rude, but I still want to see your guitar skills." At this moment, Ebizuka Tomo looked at Kurusu Akira.

Akira Kurusu's fingertips slid slowly across the guitar strings. "How do you want to prove it?"

“We usually practice some popular songs on the internet, and this time we hope you can join our performance as the ‘lead guitarist’.”

Ebizuka Tomo uttered words that were tantamount to making things difficult for him.

Without any prior preparation or sheet music, a newly joined guitarist was immediately asked to start playing with the band...

Surprisingly, Akira Kurusu agreed without hesitation, which made Doku Goto, who was preparing to do his homework, look up at him with shining eyes.

......

After several songs, Akira Kurusu, who had never looked at the sheet music, seemed to perfectly blend into the rhythm of the drums and bass. The guitar seemed to be given life, and even though she had never read the tablature of the corresponding songs, she naturally sang out accurate and correct melodies.

As practice continued, Ebizuka Tomo's expression, which was extremely demanding of his performance, gradually changed from surprise and joy to horror.

Having never heard this song before, yet having figured out the melody the guitar should play just by listening to the drumbeats and bass rhythm... Ebizuka looked at Kurusu Akira in disbelief.

This is practically like... a superpower-like talent.

It was as if the guitar had truly come to life, and began to sing amidst the bass and drumbeats.

Rupa, standing to the side, also looked bewildered.

She asked Kurusu Akira with a hint of fear.

"How did you do this?"

"I don't know either." Akira Lai held his guitar with a nonchalant expression. "To be honest, I don't actually know how to play the guitar. I just hold the pick and put it on the strings, and my hands move on their own."

Kita Ikuyo couldn't understand the true value of Kurusu Akira's work.

An and Subaru looked at their boyfriend with pride and adoration.

As soon as Akira Kurusu finished speaking, the guest room fell into a brief silence.

Only Goto looked at Akira Kurusu with an expression of utmost respect, and then clapped silently.

127. Can I stay overnight at Wakaba's house? (Four-in-one)

At 6:45 AM, the sun melted its golden light into the glass curtain walls of Shinjuku, and the traffic lights at Shibuya Crossing began to churn. Office workers in suits poured out of the turnstiles. The weeping cherry blossoms along the Teikyu Line had laid out a crimson veil, which, with the distant whistles of trains, fell into the icy mist of the vending machines. The asphalt road, having absorbed the daytime heat, now regurgitated the scent of cypress, tinged with an electronic aroma, mingling with the steam from oden wafting from behind convenience store curtains, weaving a sticky net in the twilight.

Insert the coin into the coin slot, press the selection button, and accompanied by the clattering sound of the can rolling inside the machine, Akira Kurusu waited patiently beside the vending machine.

Unlike his nonchalant demeanor, Ebizuka Tomo, carrying a delicate little women's shoulder bag, stood to the side, stamping his feet in frustration.

As the leader of the new band, tentatively named "Beni-shouga," she naturally had to take responsibility and accompany Akira Kurusu to the agency to sign the contract after the band's training ended...

Rupa was initially worried and wanted to go with her, but after An and Subaru secretly talked to Ebizuka Tomo on the balcony, the captain returned to her room and angrily declared that she could handle the band's affairs on her own. She then refused Kita Ikuyo's curious request and dragged Kurusu Akira away from Fujiki-ju without further ado.

......

Akira Kurusu took a bottle of Dr. Pepper from under the vending machine, gazing at the sunset rising over the edge of the city, looking somewhat melancholy. "Ms. Ebizuka."

He asked Ebizuka Satoshi, who was staring intently at him, "Once you sign the contract, there's no going back."

Ebizuka Satoshi said somewhat dejectedly, "It sounds like you're not too keen on joining our band... Isn't this the development direction you and the agency decided on together?"

"Ah...it's probably a reason like guilt."

Ebizuka Tomo frowned. "Could you please stop saying these riddle-like things?"

"It's not a riddle, it's just stating the facts."

"...Then you are a strange person."

Ebizuka Tomoya closed his eyes and sighed, "Alright, how do we get to the ATLUS office now? On foot? By train? Or by taxi?"

“Neither,” Akira Kurusu said, taking a deep swig of the lychee-flavored Dr. Pepper can. The cold aluminum can seemed to steal the warmth from his hands.

He walked towards the open-air parking lot behind "Fujikiju" with the soda can in his hand, saying, "I'll drive you there."

"Drive...aren't you a high school student?"

"High school students are already eligible to take the motorcycle driving test."

Akira Kurusu took out the car keys from her sleeve.

Dusk is like a swarm of glowing moths, blindly circling the sky. Walking into the parking lot, you can immediately see a sharply styled motorcycle lying dormant under a pale blue plastic awning, its body blending into the crimson of the setting sun, like a warhorse that has just emerged from the battlefield, its whole body oozing blood.

The moment its master mounted it, accompanied by the crisp sound of the car key popping out, the slumbering warhorse abruptly awoke. Its wide-open eyes flashed with a silvery light, like silent thunder, instantly shattering the dim street scene before Ebizuka Tomo.

As she got closer, she could clearly see that it was a bright red motorcycle, with only the seat and wheels being the deepest black of night. The red metal shell was covered with fine scratches, which looked like the texture of carbon fiber. But upon closer inspection, she would find that it was clearly corroded by some kind of liquid, or as if it had been patiently and forcefully scratched repeatedly with a sharp knife. Not only had the color faded, but the indentations were also very clear to the touch.

It seemed to feel pain as well, and with Ebizuka's caress, it trembled angrily and then let out a deafening roar.

Startled, Ebizuka Tomo took two steps back. "This is..."

"We got caught in a downpour."

“How could rainwater leave such marks… It couldn’t be acid rain either!” Ebizuka Tomo recalled that when he was in junior high school, his chemistry teacher spent an entire class period talking about “acid rain.” He never expected to recall knowledge that he thought he would never use in his life in this situation.

Akira looked down at the wounds left by the rain, "Let's just think of them as a prank by some bad guy who wants to take revenge on society."

"How could there be such a despicable person... Did you call the police?"

“Of course we called the police,” Akira Kurusu thought of Shinma Hsiao-lien, who would probably be in prison until he died of old age. “He has received the punishment he deserves and will never have the chance to do evil in society again.”

“That’s good…” Ebizuka Tomo said softly, “The wicked get their just desserts.”

Akira Kurusu didn't answer the question, but simply pointed to the back seat, "It's time to get in the car, Ms. Ebizuka."

As Ebizuka Tomo grabbed his shoulder bag and clutched it to his chest, he belatedly realized that the distance between them was far beyond what one would expect from a stranger.

Her body stiffened noticeably for a moment, then she reassured herself, telling herself that this was a future member of the band, a partner in pursuing their dreams together.

It seemed that his inner monologue had really worked. Ebizuka Tomo slowly sat down, hesitated for a while, and then awkwardly grabbed the side of Kurusu Akira's clothes, while shifting his buttocks back, not daring to get too close.

Akira started the motorcycle and then told the girl behind him, "Hold on tight."

“...I understand.” Ebizuka Tomo said, somewhat stammering.

This was the first time she had ever been this close to a boy.

She was a girl from a very wealthy family in her hometown. She grew up under the awe of her peers. Compared to the "youthful arrogance" caused by the ubiquitous opportunities in the prosperity of Tokyo, the surname "Ebizuka" seemed particularly prominent in some relatively backward cities far from Tokyo, where she faced a life that was almost confined and a future that could be seen at a glance.

Boys her age didn't dare to approach her. Even if they harbored romantic feelings for her, they would only dare to secretly slip an anonymous love letter into the shoe cabinet or under the desk during breaks after school. The few strings of numbers in the corner of the love letter were perhaps all the courage they had.