Iruma-san wants to win the Akutagawa Prize

Qixi Festival Extra 4: Sunflowers and the Unintentional Sunshine

In the corner of the coffee shop, Hibiki Iruma and Shoko Toyokawa were sitting on either side of a double seat. In the corner of Hibiki Iruma's eye, he saw a golden figure.

For this reason, Iruma Hibiki sighed subtly in his heart.

How long has it been since Ichichi Hongxia traveled back through time?

Seven years? Or eight years?

Iruma Hibiki couldn't remember clearly.

After the band finished, they continued to move forward for a long time, and from Ijichi Nikka's mouth, Iruma Hibiki also learned a lot about Toyokawa Shoko -

"Xiang, in the future I know, Xiangzi is your wife. If you don't take the initiative, she will run away with someone else..."

After turning 20, Ijichi Nikka replaced Iruma Hibiki's mother and became his main person urging him to get married, and the person she urged him to get married was Toyokawa Shoko.

It was his [wife] that Ijichi Hongxia learned about from the future.

But it doesn't feel real at all.

The fact that I recognized Toyokawa Shoko was actually a recent thing. It happened when Mujica was performing at the Budokan, and it happened to be a match between Mujica and the End Band.

Therefore, he got to know Toyokawa Shoko, whom he had heard about from Ijichi Koka for a long time but had never met in person.

"Ugh……"

Iruma sighed unconsciously.

But in the end, as a member of the ending band, he still began to communicate with his future wife, whom Ijichi Hongxia mentioned.

Indeed, Toyokawa Shoko is a beautiful girl and her speech and behavior are particularly appropriate.

but……

Iruma Hibiki, however, has no idea that he will fall in love with the person in front of him. Although her appearance is impeccable, Toyokawa Shoko's personality...

Iruma Hibiki felt that she couldn't like him no matter what.

The entire meeting ended up being a pure conversation between the bands, and gradually even turned into cooperation for subsequent joint performances, as well as a challenge with Toyokawa Shoko.

She was very unwilling to lose to the End Band at the Budokan, and she planned to get back at it at the next Red and White Songs Festival.

Gradually, Hibiki Iruma became the second person in charge of the band and naturally took on the challenge.

【I hope Aine can forgive me. 】

Thinking this deep in his heart, Iruma Hibiki smiled softly.

I'm afraid that if Chihaya Aine heard that she would have to fight Mujica again in the Red and White Song Contest, her eyes would definitely turn black.

While thinking about inexplicable things, the meeting ended and Ichichi Hongxia, who was hiding aside, also came up.

Compared to her high school days, Ijichi Higurashi, now in her early twenties, has become a beautiful, gentle and sunny lady, although there are some things that make Iruma Hibiki a little helpless.

"How about it?"

Ijichi Nikka asked Iruma Hibiki.

"We have tentatively decided to continue with the confrontation."

"Eh?!"

Ijichi Hongxia made a surprised sound.

"Dui Bang? What did you talk about?"

"It was probably about some band management experience, some insights into music, and then he also shared some of the future plans of the two bands..."

Iruma Xiang was a little worried. "Let's just die," Qi Qixu said.

"This is a complete waste of precious opportunities!"

Ijichi Nikka glared at Iruma Hibiki with an angry expression.

"Xiang, I told you, although it was our joint decision to end the band together, I still feel guilty about interfering with your relationship with Xiangzi."

……

"Ah."

Iruma responded.

In fact, he didn't have much sense of the future that Ijichi Hongxia talked about.

The bassist who ended the band was actually Nagasaki Motoyo instead of Yamada Ryo?

Will the band disband in the end?

Will he join Toyokawa Shoko's Crychic?

And then Crychic is gone too?

Iruma Hibiki can accept time travel and coming from the future, but he respectfully declines such science fiction stories.

"Shoko, how was it? Did you see Iruma today?"

Sanjiao Chuhua looked at Toyokawa Shoko who had returned and asked her attentively.

"I see. Anyway, we have to prepare for the next confrontation."

"Eh? Xiangzi, aren't you going to meet your secret crush today?"

"Why did it become a confrontation?!"

Sanjiao Chuhua asked in surprise.

"Hmm! Meow Mengqin has seen through everything! I know! It must be because Xiangzi is too much of that, so Iruma-kun hates him!"

"Ruomai, this is the new drum sheet."

"No!!!!!"

Wakami Yutenji, sunk by Toyokawa Shoko's blow, cried out in agony.

Shoko Toyokawa's love life seems to be getting a little tortuous and bizarre.

On the other side, the same thing happened to Hibiki Iruma.

He and Ijichi Hongka began to pack up and tidy up Fanxing together. There was a lot of heavy work to do for Fanxing today, and Iruma Hibiki helped with all of it.

"Hongxia."

It was not until a break in the busy schedule that Iruma Hibiki came and sat down next to Ijichi Hongka.

"what happened?"

At this moment, Ijichi Hongxia was a little listless, obviously worried about the future events in her memory.

"Actually... after meeting today, I don't think I like Ms. Toyokawa."

"is it?"

Ijichi Hongxia's reply was still a little weak.

"Well, I don't know how to put it, maybe it's because girls with her personality are a little...um...strong?"

Iruma Hibiki said in distress.

"Higashi, you don't like strong girls."

Ijichi Hongxia started playing with the packaging of Goodbaby juice, which she had liked for many years.

"Well, I don't like it."

"So what's your type, Hibiki?"

Ijichi Hongxia perked up slightly and continued asking.

After all, the future is still a long way off, and there may be some turning point.

"My type..."

Iruma Hibiki pondered for a moment.

Then a warm smile appeared on his face, and his eyes looked ahead with a slightly blurred look.

"I like a girl with a smile as bright and gentle as the sun, eyes the color of sunset, and who always waits for me at the classroom door after class."

"We've been to many places together, including Niigata, Kagoshima, Izu, Kyoto, and Shanghai, and have made many memories."

“She is always by my side.”

"Underneath her gentleness, she has a fragile side that makes it hard to let go."

“Care more about the people around you than yourself.”

"He has his own obsession with music... He says he doesn't want to change his fate, but he's desperately trying and won't compromise on the band's affairs."

"Wait, Hibiki—"

Ijichi Hongxia suddenly stopped.

"Hongxia, I——"

"what--"

Ijichi Hongxia was speechless.

……

She froze in place.

"The person I like is Ichichi Nikka..."

"But she wants to push me to some other girl I don't like."

With a hint of bitterness and distress, Hibiki Iruma smiled and confessed his love to the girl in front of him who had been with him until now.

46 Whisper on the Tram

Nagasaki Suyo stared at Iruma Hibiki closely. Since they got on the train, they had remained silent. Perhaps it was because the carriage was a little too quiet at this time, and everyone spoke carefully. So unknowingly, this place became a place like a library, and Iruma Hibiki and the others remained silent for the time being.

Under the gaze of Nagasaki Suyo, Iruma Hibiki felt somewhat uneasy. He kept opening and putting down his cell phone, opening and putting it down again, as if he was waiting for something and worried about something.

Such concern was so obvious that anyone who noticed him could sense that something was wrong.

Finally, Iruma Hibiki seemed to give up. He put the phone back into his pocket and raised his head. At this moment, Iruma Hibiki and Nagasaki Motoyo looked at each other.

"Is it okay?"

Nagasaki Suyo asked Iruma Hibiki softly and with concern.

This scene actually made Iruma Hibiki feel a little dazed and familiar. It seemed that he often did this with Nagasaki Soyo, and their eyes often met like this.

"Well, it's okay."

So he didn't lie, but just shook his head with a wry smile.

Beside him, Takamatsu Deng, who had been looking out the window, also turned his attention here. On the other side, the drowsy Shiina Riki fell asleep on the shoulder of Wakaba Mutsu next to him at some point. As for Wakaba Mutsu, it seemed as if his mind was completely blank and he was staring blankly at the window of the opposite carriage.

"If you're tired, you can lean on me and rest for a while."

Takamatsu Deng quickly dodged her gaze and turned her eyes back to the window. She didn't know why she did that. Maybe it was because the atmosphere between Iruma Hibiki and Nagasaki Suyo was a little too weird, or maybe it was because -

"Thank you, but not for now."

Iruma Hibiki rejected Nagasaki Suyo.

Later last night, although he slept less, his sleep quality was quite good. After meeting Sankaku Hatsuka, Iruma Hibiki fell directly on the bed as soon as he got home and fell into a deep sleep as if he was in a coma.

When I woke up again it was already morning.

"Is it really okay?"

"Yeah, it's okay. I'm not tired."

Iruma Hibiki once again responded to Nagasaki Soyo's words.

"How's Hibiki's grandma?"

At this moment, Nagasaki Suyo seemed not to intend to maintain the previous silence, but continued the topic in a low voice. Because of the quietness of the carriage, the volume of their communication was very low, and in order to hear clearly, the distance between them was naturally constantly shrinking.

"She's doing fine, but she still needs to recuperate in the hospital for a while. She won't be discharged anytime soon. My father's subordinates are now taking care of our home in Kyoto. After she's discharged this time, Grandma will probably stay in Tokyo and live with us."

"It's okay, really. It's great... That time when I was staying up with Xiang, I felt a little..."

Nagasaki Suyo frowned.