Iruma-san wants to win the Akutagawa Prize

In fact, for high school students of this age, sighing on a daily basis is not a good habit, unless they are more or less like the protagonist of a light novel, so that they always feel that the world is difficult and life is unfair.

Just like at this moment, Iruma Hibiki received a greeting from Nagasaki Soyo on her phone at 7:05 on time. Of course, Ijichi Kouka also received a greeting even earlier.

However, getting along with Ijichi Nikka made Iruma Hibiki feel a sense of relief.

Yes, that kind of ease that friendship should have.

So it's definitely not his fault that his friends are a little weird, right?

With a hint of distress in his mind, Hibiki Iruma rubbed his head fiercely.

"Hiroshi, are you up yet?"

At this moment, the voice of Iruma Hibiki's mother came from outside the door. By the time he was racking his brains to think about how to reply to Nagasaki Soyo, the morning time had quietly passed.

"Get up, I'll be down right away."

After replying.

After Nagasaki Suyo's good morning greeting, Iruma Hibiki replied in a formulaic way:

Good morning. I had a lot of fun yesterday. It was a rare and happy Monday. I wish every Monday could be as happy as yesterday, but that's definitely unrealistic, right? Good luck in the new week, Nagasaki-san.

Because asking early was too embarrassing, he added some drama to himself later.

For him, Monday is actually far from being a hell. It is not that he doesn't hate it, but rather that after experiencing two lives, he has become accustomed to things like Monday.

Moreover, he starts school at 8 o'clock and finishes school before 4 o'clock. For him, who has experienced early morning reading at 6 o'clock and finishing school at 9 o'clock, this course is simply a way to maintain health. Naturally, there is no question of him wanting to avoid Monday painfully.

"Then, let's form a band for life, Iruma-san."

……

The message was sent about 5 minutes ago. At that time, Iruma Hibiki was having breakfast with his mother and father. Then he took his small bag and prepared to go out. At the entrance, he took his last look at his phone as usual.

Then he saw Nagasaki Suyo's speech.

This guy can't be serious...

In fact, if it was Nagasaki Soyo, Iruma Hibiki was very worried that this would not be like a joke of a lifetime promise made by children, nor would it be a classic passionate plot like the promise of Superman.

It was another kind of emotion that he couldn't describe accurately, and it was obvious that he absolutely couldn't use the classic example of "Let's wait until Nagasaki grows up" to perfunctorily answer.

Hibiki Iruma fell into distress.

"Are you waiting for me again today?"

Then his mother's gentle voice sounded behind him, reminding Iruma Hibiki who had been thinking for a long time.

"Yes mom, love you, I'm out the door."

Then he set off for school.

Of course, before that, he still responded to Nagasaki Suyo seriously.

What exactly does a band mean to him?

At the beginning, Iruma Hibiki asked himself this question very seriously. He wanted to find the answer from deep within himself.

What was your initial longing for rebirth and traveling to the second dimension that you had always dreamed of?

Or is it the expectation of the utilitarian idea of wanting to become famous?

Maybe both.

At least at the beginning, his idea of forming a band was not pure. Even after his relationship with Goto Ichiri changed during spring break, he had already eliminated such thoughts from his mind when he saw the girl, with whom he had been together for three years and had many memories but only a few words to say, expressing her ideal at the graduation ceremony.

Instead, he chose to become an author and do what he likes, rather than becoming a band member based on the memories and aspirations of his previous life.

But by some strange mistake, fate once again pushed him to a strange place, making him stand in front of the utopia he had given up in the past.

If it was a long time ago, in the early days of junior high school, Iruma Hibiki faced such an invitation—

No, he probably wouldn't accept it so easily at that time, or if he accepted it, the result would probably be the same as Ijichi Nijika's. After all, if Goto Ichiri wasn't there, then she would really be the only one in the school that the teacher would helplessly care about.

The question is, how much of what Nagasaki Suyo said is serious?

Why did Ijichi Hongka insist on forming a band no matter what happened?

Is it just a longing?

Hibiki Iruma thought he didn't know all the answers to these questions, so on his way to school, he walked on the slightly busy streets of Shimokitazawa in the morning. He caught the morning rush hour and thought and hesitated for a long time with a hint of distress.

I will practice guitar seriously and will do my best to keep going with everyone until I can no longer walk.

In the end, he made a promise to Nagasaki Suyo.

He took the weight of this thinking seriously.

"Good morning, Iruma-san."

At this time he also arrived in the class.

As usual, Ijichi Hongxia was sitting on the chair backwards and waving at him cutely.

"Good morning."

"Iruma-san is a celebrity in the class today."

At this time, Iruma Hibiki noticed the gazes of the boys in the class and he sighed.

"If possible, it's better not to be famous."

Then he deflated in an instant.

"Thank you for your hard work, Iruma-san, but I was really surprised when Nagasaki-san came straight to us! And I'm so sorry for yesterday! I left you guys behind!"

It seemed as if Ijichi Hongka could see the distress of Iruma Hibiki, and she gently comforted the somewhat decadent boy in front of her.

"No, there's nothing to apologize for. Ijichi-kun, you have your own concerns and hardships, don't you?"

Then, realizing that something was wrong with him, Iruma Hibiki comforted Ijichi Kouka in return.

He didn't know if it was his illusion, but he always felt that Ijichi Hongxia's face seemed to be more tired today.

23 The Escape Picked Up

Hibiki Iruma's Tuesday was ordinary, but with a few small surprises.

At least today's lesson was not difficult, there was nothing difficult to understand. In the Chinese class, the teacher explained Bei Dao's "Celebrating the Festival". It was the first time that Iruma Hibiki learned about the artistic conception of the clear glass and brilliant oranges.

It's interesting and the content is not difficult.

Ijichi Hongka also completed today's studies very easily. After school in the afternoon, both of them began to pack their schoolbags and started their last chat before school was over.

"As for me, we can rehearse together after school tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. Iruma-san, did you get your guitar?"

"It seems like it was delivered yesterday, so it should arrive today. I wonder if my mom signed for it for me."

Iruma Hibiki took out his cell phone, which was filled with many messages, which made him feel very uncomfortable. These messages were all from Nagasaki Suyo. It was obvious that Nagasaki Suyo was the kind of talkative person who loved to send messages crazily whether at home or at school. Although she kept the practicality of the chat just right, many of them were about the band, but there were really too many of them.

"It seems Nagasaki-san has a new friend scheduled for this Saturday afternoon. Are you free, Ijichi-san?"

After briefly scanning the message sent by Nagasaki Suyo, he added the friend recommended by Nagasaki Suyo, although the other party's lotus avatar made him wonder at first whether Nagasaki Suyo had made a mistake.

Could it be that the other person is actually the lead guitarist of the Sunset Red band instead of the current female junior high school student council president?

But in fact, there is no need for such doubts.

After all, a position like student union president is not something that can be hidden. The student union president of every school is a celebrity to some extent, so he or she can always be identified at a glance even on social media accounts.

Just like this girl who seems to be called Chihaya Aine, and whose ID is Aine Tokyo. The first photo on her photo wall is a beautiful pink-haired girl standing on a high podium, giving a speech while wearing the armband of the Saints' President.

"It's Saturday..."

"Oh, you're free! That's great! Now our band is complete."

After a moment of hesitation, Ijichi Hongka smiled happily.

"Aren't you going back with Yamada-san today?"

"Ryo is planning to explore some shops in Ikebukuro today, so it's okay."

Iruma Hibiki sent a friend request to Chihaya Aine, and then replied to Nagasaki Motoyo seriously. Then he raised his head, put away his phone, and looked at Ijichi Nikka.

"Sorry, something happened just now."

He shook the phone in his hand sheepishly and then put it in his pocket.

"Ah, it's okay. It's about Nagasaki-san, right? Iruma-san really cares about the band."

"After all, we already made a promise. I even told Shigaraki-san yesterday."

Iruma Hibiki was silent for a moment, then revealed a serious expression, just like the day he told Goto Ichiri about the promise of Santa Bear and salmon—

"I plan to work with everyone on this band thing until we reach a point where we can no longer go on."

Once again, Hibiki Iruma made his promise.

"Iruma-san..."

Ijichi Hongxia wanted to say something, she opened her mouth and then closed it, and finally laughed.

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking. Are you going to the station, Iruma-san? If so, we should probably stop by today."

"Ijichi-san is going to Fanxing?"

"Well, I have to go help my sister."

Ijichi Hongxia smiled and picked up the bag beside her.

"Speaking of which, how can I arrange my part-time job at your place on Friday and Saturday?"

……

It was a rare experience for Hibiki Iruma to experience the feeling of leaving school with his classmates. There was no Nagasaki Soyo at the school gate today. For some reason, when he and Ijichi Kouka walked out of the school gate and left the campus that was bustling with club activities, Hibiki Iruma breathed a sigh of relief.

"On Friday, Iruma-san might need you to help after school. If possible, you might need to work until after 10 p.m., dinner included, of course. On Saturday, you can come after 3 p.m., it's up to you, Iruma-san, to arrange it."

"okay."

Iruma Hibiki nodded and agreed.

In fact, for him, part-time job was just an excuse. His original intention was to help the busy Ichichi Hongxia.

Well, if that's the case, then anything is fine.

Anyway, his weekends were free and he had nothing else to do. Besides, as a member of the Guijia Society, he didn't have many brothers or sisters, and his parents, who loved him very much, didn't seem to have any plans to have another baby recently.

So I'm just sitting around doing nothing.

Having completely forgotten who he was, Hibiki Iruma continued to think peacefully as usual.

He didn't notice at all that in the distance, in the editorial department of the Fuzugawa Bunko, Machida Sonoko sighed helplessly as she looked at the long-awaited message.

"Authors' self-awareness has been declining recently."

"That's right, do they think they can get away... hehe..."

The male colleague who originally just wanted to complain to Machida Sonoko was soon frightened by Machida Sonoko's strange laughter.

"Speaking of which, Iruma-san—"

While walking on the road, Ijichi Hongxia suddenly thought of something.

"The surname Iruma is actually quite rare, right?"

"It's not that uncommon. After all, it's a surname derived from a place name. There might not be many duplicates, but there should still be quite a few people with this surname."

Iruma Hibiki spoke uncertainly.

As far as he understood, there were quite a few people in Tokyo who used place names as their surnames, and it was not necessary to be from a noble family to use such a surname; ordinary people could do so if they wanted to.

After all, naming is free and there are no restrictions on registration.

"Ah, is it really a coincidence? Actually, I recently searched online and found a writer with the same last name as you, Iruma-san. Her name is Iruma Rengen. She seems to be a talented and emerging light novel author."

"If it's this Iruma-kun, then it's me."

"Hey—it's me…"

After a brief response, Ijichi Hongxia really let out a super loud scream.

"Hey! Iruma-san, are you the human teacher Iruma?"

"..."