Tokyo Psychic

A cool summer morning belongs to the cool air from the air conditioner and the murmurs of my girlfriend beside me.

Akira Kurusu looked at An and Subaru, who were unconsciously rubbing against her arm, and curiously leaned closer to hear what else she had to say.

For example, the embarrassing words uttered last night when one lost their mind, or the touching love confessions spoken when one is deeply in love.

That was what I had been looking forward to, but when we got very close, all I could feel was the girl's warm breath brushing against my ear.

"Hehehe... You're completely captivated by the beautiful Anwa, aren't you?" Anwa Subaru, who had just kept his eyes closed, immediately let out a very smug chuckle.

"You're not tired at all," Akira said with a hint of helplessness as she looked at the girl's exquisite face, her fair cheeks still flushed from the night's passion.

An and Subaru said smugly, "I already said, this kind of thing can be considered a form of exercise."

Then her expression turned slightly resentful. "I was just shouting randomly without thinking, I didn't expect you to actually not use those safety measures even once after that. What if... what if I really got pregnant?"

An and Subaru weren't prepared to be heavily pregnant before getting married.

It wasn't until Akira Kurusu accurately reported her dangerous day that the girl, embarrassed and annoyed, picked up a pillow and relentlessly attacked him.

"Take a shower and then change your clothes," Akira Kurusu said, pressing An and Subaru down again.

An and Subaru struggled symbolically for a moment, then took the initiative to hug him back and began to enjoy the tenderness.

But after showering, changing, and washing up, the two walked out of the room and found Yamada Ryo sitting on the sofa, looking at them expressionlessly.

Upon seeing Akira Kurusu, Ryo Yamada, sporting dark circles under his eyes, immediately raised his right hand and gave him the middle finger.

"What do you mean?" Lai Xixiao asked her back.

Yamada Ryo remained expressionless and silent, simply raising his left hand and then, just like before, raising his middle finger.

As Ichi Nijika staggered out of the room, she saw Kurusu Akira, and her cheeks quickly flushed crimson.

She stammered, "Ah, you're already awake..."

Shoko Toyokawa, who had already woken up, was flipping through piano sheet music on the other side of the sofa.

Hearing the conversation, she immediately blushed and glared at Lai Qixiao, "I told you long ago, the soundproofing here is terrible."

"Subaru is one thing, Mutsu is another, but you have no right to lecture me," Akira Kurusu glared at Shoko Toyokawa, who immediately fell silent.

Because she was indeed the one who started the trouble last night.

Yamada Ryo said in a cold and gloomy tone, "What superb technique, Amamiya Kaioh, oh... no, the king of kings, Amamiya Kaioh."

Are they really going to use a Baki reference here?!

As An and Subaru were thinking this, a knock sounded at the door.

"Good morning, everyone!" That's Morfonica's lead singer. Kurata Mashiro always treats every band member who attends her concerts with great enthusiasm.

She looked at Akira Kurusu and couldn't help but reveal a somewhat mysterious smile, "Amamiya, last night's performance was wonderful!"

Akira Kurusu bowed slightly, saying, "I am honored by your praise, senior."

"It is indeed very dangerous."

It was a conversation that was almost like encrypted communication.

"..."

After exchanging a few simple greetings, Kurata Mashiro gave some special instructions regarding the concert that evening, and then left with light steps.

Disturbed from their conversation, the "End Band" had no choice but to head backstage to prepare for today's rehearsal.

The decision to become a professional that I made last night now seems somewhat unreal.

But when we walked down the street and saw each other's faces, with sunlight falling on our shoulders and our outlines tinged with a pale golden light, we roughly understood what it felt like to have a bright future ahead of us.

As he walked toward the rehearsal room, Yamada Ryo kept replaying the performance from last night's rehearsal.

Something seemed off... She wondered, why did playing familiar tunes by other people make everyone feel confident?

It's as if from the moment Akira Kurusu replaced Momoka Kawaharaki as the lead guitarist for "Sora no Hako" (The Empty Box), an incredibly uplifting melody immediately filled my mind and body.

Ryo Yamada considers himself a genius.

She is indeed a genius in composing and performing.

Even Rupa, the bassist from the neighboring band "Red Ginger," has praised Yamada Ryo's talent more than once.

After repeated experiences, Yamada Ryo finally realized that Kurusu Akira was different from ordinary people.

Akira Kurusu's guitar playing is like magic, able to convey emotions to the depths of the soul through melodies.

Suddenly, he deliberately lagged behind by a step and stood in front of Akira Kurusu.

And just like that, the two of them unknowingly drifted away from the girls in front of them.

"Is something the matter?" During the very brief whispered conversation that Yamada Ryo had deliberately created, Kurusu Akira asked her directly.

Yamada Ryo raised an eyebrow. "I knew it. You've been acting strangely ever since we first met."

"what happened?"

"It would be much cooler to take the initiative and strike before you unknowingly trick me into your trap."

"That's really clever, Liang."

"Superpower-like guitar skills and time management abilities, even making so many outstanding girls fall head over heels for you... So, you're a member of the Mind Thieves, aren't you?"

"I am the leader of the Mind Thieves."

Yamada Ryo was visibly taken aback. "Do you think I can awaken superpowers like yours? Oh... I remember it's called 'Persona'?"

"I can't do it," Akira Kurusu replied bluntly.

Is there no room for compromise?

Not at all.

Hearing Akira Kurusu's resolute answer, Ryo Yamada was extremely disappointed. "That's such a shame."

But soon, she approached him again, "Mr. Phantom Thief, may I ask if we can go out together?"

Looking at Yamada Ryo's beautiful face, Akira Kurusu fell into deep thought. "Are you sick?"

"Hey, dating the leader of the Phantom Thieves, don't you think that's cool?" Yamada Ryo muttered. "If you hadn't already made the first move on Shoko, I might have even confessed to her, risking my parents questioning whether I was gay!"

"Your confession... Xiangzi probably won't agree."

"Why should I ask for her consent? Don't you think confessing to a superpowered person sounds incredibly cool?" Yamada Ryo didn't care at all whether they could date or not, nor did he care about so-called feelings.

She just thought it looked cool, so she did it.

This also includes the confession that just came from Akira Kurashiki.

But just as Yamada Ryo thought that Kurusu Akira, who already had so many girlfriends, must be an extremely romantic and terrible guy, and wouldn't accept his confession so hastily—

"I agree, let's start dating now."

"what?"

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(There will be another chapter combining eight chapters tonight, serving as the finale to the entire volume.)

(April is almost over, with only 18 hours left. All the monthly votes and death threats are about to be refreshed, so everyone please vote!)

211. Pick and Strings (End of this volume)

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[Erika Furuto: No, buddy, you're really giving up writing novels to go play in a band?]

[HG Xiling: This arena seems to be three times bigger than the Budokan...]

[Ham857: Akira Kurusu-sensei really lived up to expectations! This is a stage organized by Morfonica!]

[Ultraman Uchiha: Will "No Game No Life" continue to be updated?]

[Want to drink LCL: Aren't all the light novel authors in my memory big, nerdy guys with big bellies, glasses, plaid shirts, and stubble? You...you are...]

[Self-service mobile civil affairs bureau: Speechless. Wishing you an early marriage, an early divorce, and your assets halved indefinitely.]

......

【PM. 8:48】

After successfully completing their performance of four songs, the band stood side by side on the stage and bowed to the enthusiastic audience below to express their gratitude.

Even after leaving the stage, Izare Rina felt somewhat dazed and confused.

So you sang it so smoothly?

Those applause... were they for me?

Jingqin Rencai still found it somewhat unbelievable.

Despite being extremely nervous, once I grasped the microphone and heard Akira Kurusu plucking the strings, a strong sense of reassurance immediately resonated in my heart along with the melody.

It was as if she were walking alone in the dark wilderness, feeling panicked because she had no one to rely on and had to be wary of wild beasts lurking in the shadows, when a pair of warm and strong hands were placed on the back of her shoulders, forcefully pushing her out of the darkness.

Stumbling along, my vision suddenly cleared, and the lights in the stands instantly came on; the excited fans were clapping and cheering.

The celery stalks were bathed in golden sunlight.

In the pouring rain, she walked backstage and took out her phone to find that the band's account was seeing a surge in followers.

"Is doing this necessarily the right thing to do?"

As the excitement and surprise of the successful performance subsided, Izanagi began to panic.

My initial reason for coming to Tokyo was to escape that family and that high school, and to study hard and get into a good university.

But now... Serina's grades haven't stabilized at a level that would allow her to get into university, and she's only completed her first semester in Tokyo, yet she's already joined a band that's preparing to go professional.

Only now did she begin to feel lost about her future.

If I don't get into university, I'll definitely get scolded when I get home.

Does this mean I have to live in Tokyo forever?

But what if you can't make money by forming a band?

How will I support myself in the future?

Should I ask Shoko Toyokawa to help me find a job at the Toyokawa Group?

......

Jing Qinrencai's thoughts drifted as she looked at the sudden call request that popped up on her phone screen.

His pupils were unnaturally dilated.

The phone number displayed the name of a family member: [Father].

The pressure and tension from her family immediately reminded Jingqin Rencai of that rigid and cold face, as well as his stern lectures and criticisms.

The person who called at this time must have seen the concert live... What bad luck, of all days it had to be my sister's turn to use the remote control.

The whole family only has one television set.

My father called, which means he must have seen the live stream.

But the only person in the family who knew that Iori Rina was playing in a band and enjoyed watching band performances was her older sister...

After hesitating for a long time, Jing Qinren finally dialed the number.

The band members were walking side by side, but she unconsciously slowed down.

In the corridor lights, the boys and girls walked to the brighter side, while Jingqin Rencai remained alone in the shadows.

She swallowed nervously. The familiar voice came through the receiver, still strong and energetic, but with a flat tone, "How have you been in Tokyo lately?"

“I… am doing very well,” Jingqin Rencai replied in a very soft voice.

"I heard your grades have improved," the father said on the other end of the phone. "That classmate Amamiya has definitely been teaching you diligently."

"Yes......"

"Your tutor also praised you for being diligent," the man named "Iishi Muneo" said, his tone softening slightly. "You deserve praise, and I hope you keep it up."

It was rare for Jing Qinren to hear words of praise from her educator father, but she thought to herself, "I might have to disappoint you, because..."

The girl looked nervously at the band members walking away into the distance.