Substitute Toyokawa Shoko, you can become stronger by breathing

"That's unreasonable!"

Yamamoto Ryuichi clapped his hands suddenly and said loudly:

"How could such a thing happen! This is definitely someone below acting on their own initiative and embezzling the funds! Miss Fengchuan, please rest assured, I will definitely handle this matter for you and give Miss Momoka a satisfactory answer!"

As he said this, he immediately turned around and shouted at the supervisor who was already trembling with fear:

"You! Go and get Miss Momoka's salary right now! Triple it! Also, from now on, you're fired! Don't let me see you here again!"

The supervisor nodded and bowed repeatedly, saying "yes, yes, yes" over and over, then crawled to the finance office to get the money.

Not long after, the supervisor came to Taoxiang with a stack of cash, trembling, with his head lowered, not even daring to look at her.

"Ms. Taoxiang, this is your salary, plus additional compensation, a total of... three times."

He said with a trembling voice:

"I'm very sorry. It was our mistake and you have been wronged."

Momoka looked at the thick stack of banknotes, then looked at Yamamoto Ryuichi who was standing next to her with a serious face, and Toyokawa Shoko who was standing next to Yamamoto Ryuichi with a gentle smile on her face.

She took the money.

This amount of money was much more than she expected.

Logically speaking, I should be happy now.

Not only did I get my salary, I also received triple compensation, and the bad supervisor was also fired. It was really gratifying.

But...why can't I be happy?

She felt that the money was like a hot potato, weighing heavily on her hands and making her feel uneasy.

"Ms. Momoka."

Suddenly, the voice of Jiujo Liansi came from not far away, still in that gentle and appropriate tone.

Taoxiang's body suddenly stiffened, and she stood up straight as if by reflex, and even responded subconsciously:

"To!"

Kujo Renji looked at her reflexive reaction with a hint of amusement in his eyes.

"Miss Momoka, there's no need to be so reserved."

She said with a smile, then changed her tone, with a hint of invitation:

"I just heard Miss Taoxiang talk a lot about the band, and I'm very interested. I wonder if Miss Taoxiang has time now. Let's find a place to sit down and have a good chat?"

Taoxiang felt like crying when she heard this, but she couldn't even cry.

——It’s here. The situation I least want to face has finally arrived.

Chatting alone? At this time? Various scenarios of "negotiation," "threat," and "silencing" immediately surfaced in her mind. Was she really going to be murdered?

But she didn't dare to refuse, so she could only bite the bullet and said in a soft voice:

"Ah... yes, there is time, of course there is time..."

When Yamamoto Takashi saw this, he immediately understood.

"Ms. Toyokawa, I've got the box ready!

He immediately said attentively, pointing to the VIP room next to him:

"It's very quiet there, and there will be absolutely no one to disturb you. You can talk freely with Miss Momoka."

Kujo Renji nodded slightly at him in approval.

So, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Momoka Kawahara followed Renji Kujo with stiff steps as if she was being escorted, at the respectful "please" of Ryuichi Yamamoto, and walked towards the VIP room.

The heavy soundproof door closed behind him, completely isolating him from the noise and prying eyes of the outside world.

Only Kawahara Ki Momoka and Kujo Renji were left in the VIP room, sitting opposite each other.

The air seemed to freeze, carrying an invisible pressure that made Taoxiang almost unable to breathe.

Ryuichi Yamamoto is obviously an extremely "sensible" person.

Before he respectfully withdrew, he had ensured that the low table in the private room was filled with a wide variety of top-quality liquors - aged whiskeys, limited edition sake, and even a few bottles of champagne that looked very expensive, and the ice bucket was filled with crystal-clear cold air.

Jiujo Renji's eyes swept over the wine bottles, a faint smile on his lips. He looked at Taoxiang who was fidgeting across from him, and broke the silence with a relaxed tone:

"I remember Miss Taoxiang likes to drink. The wine collection here seems to be good. Would you like to try it?"

Taoxiang froze. She certainly remembered her embarrassing drunken stupor that night, and even more so, what happened afterwards.

When the other party mentioned it at this moment, she felt her face burning, embarrassed and scared.

But her eyes were involuntarily drawn to the sparkling wine bottles on the table.

Especially those bottles of single malt whiskey that she had only seen in magazines, exuding an attractive amber luster.

Refuse? She didn't dare.

Accept? She was even more afraid of doing something stupid after drinking again.

However, the girl finally overcame her fear, swallowed her saliva, and a tragic thought came to her mind:

Since I'm going to die anyway, I might as well drink enough before I die! Just think of it as... my last meal!

She nodded tremblingly, her voice as thin as a mosquito:

"Then...I'd rather obey than be disrespectful."

Kujo Renji smiled and personally poured her a glass of whiskey that looked to be the oldest. The ice cubes made a crisp sound when they collided in the crystal glass.

Taoxiang took the wine glass with both hands, took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and poured the wine in the glass into her mouth.

"Tons, tons, tons..."

The spicy and mellow wine slides down the throat, explodes in the mouth with complex oak and malt aroma, and then turns into a warm current and flows into the stomach.

Woo... Woo woo woo... This wine... is so fucking delicious!

Taoxiang felt that her tense nerves miraculously relaxed a little under the impact of this top-quality wine.

She suddenly felt the absurdity of being about to be executed but unexpectedly having the most delicious meal she had ever had in her life.

It turns out that wine that costs hundreds of thousands of yen tastes like this... worth it!

Blessed...

After drinking a glass of wine, Taoxiang's face became a little redder. Although she was still reserved, at least she was not as frightened as before.

The two began chatting. Kujo Renji didn't immediately jump into any sensitive topics, but just casually asked about Momoka's recent situation, the band's rehearsals, and...why she chose to work part-time at a place like BLACK HOLE, like an ordinary friend.

"The treatment here doesn't seem to be up to Miss Momoka's standards?" Kujo Renji asked casually.

Speaking of this, Taoxiang's grievance and anger could no longer be suppressed.

Especially under the influence of alcohol, she gradually became bolder. After a few glasses of expensive "guillotine wine", she slowly opened up her chatterbox.

"Oh, don't mention it!"

Taoxiang took another sip of wine, with a look of drunkenness and helplessness on her face, and began to complain bitterly:

"It's all because of poverty! The band hasn't had many performances lately, and odd jobs alone can't cover the expenses. Rent, utilities, food, instrument maintenance... which one doesn't cost money?"

She counted on her fingers:

"Nina is motivated, but she's still a student after all, so we can't expect too much from her. It's hard to find a stable rehearsal room, let alone a recording studio..."

She became more and more discouraged as she spoke, her tone filled with a sense of powerlessness towards reality:

"A place like BLACK HOLE, while the pay isn't great and might even be in arrears, at least the venue is professional and the equipment is good. Being able to perform here is a rare opportunity for an underground band like us... We can't just keep singing on the street, right?"

At the end of her speech, she smiled bitterly and her eyes dimmed.

Jiujo Renji listened quietly without interrupting her, but when her glass was empty, he would refill it for her.

Those amber eyes looked particularly deep under the soft light, making it impossible to see her true thoughts.

After Momoka's complaints had come to an end and her emotions had calmed down a bit, Kujo Renji put down his wine glass, leaned forward slightly, and suggested in a gentle yet seductive tone:

"Since Miss Taoxiang thinks the venue and equipment here are good, and she just happens to be in need of a stable performance opportunity..."

She paused, her gaze fixed on Taoxiang's eyes, which had widened slightly in surprise.

"If you're short of money, why not stay in this club and be the resident singer?"

"Huh?" Taoxiang was stunned.

"The clientele here is of a higher class and more discerning about music, which is perfect for a talented band like yours."

Jiujo Renji continued, his tone gentle and persuasive:

"I can provide you with a relatively stable performance schedule and reasonable remuneration, and guarantee that there will be no more wage arrears."

She smiled and added:

"Nina can come too. This way, your band will not only have a stable income and rehearsal space, but you can also use the BLACK HOLE platform to gain more popularity, right? It should be very helpful for the future development of your band."

This proposal, like a huge pie, suddenly fell on Kawahara Ki Momoka's head.

Stable performances? Reasonable pay? Professional venues? The ability to bring Rencai along? Even boost the band's fame?

This... this was simply a godsend! It was so good that she couldn't believe it.

Taoxiang sobered up instantly. She looked at the sincere smile on Jiujo Renji's face, but her heart was filled with hesitation and vigilance.

Could this be another trap?

If she accepted this proposal, would it mean that she was completely controlled by this terrible woman?

Will I be forced to do something I don’t want to do in the future?

Her eyes subconsciously glanced towards the door, as if looking for an escape route.

But...this offer is really too tempting.

For an underground band struggling to make ends meet, this is almost a dream opportunity.

She thought of the band's predicament, Renai's expectant eyes, and her own unattainable musical dream...

The balance in my heart began to swing violently.

Kujo Renji seemed to see through her hesitation and did not urge her. He just sat there quietly, waiting patiently for her answer. His calmness and confidence actually put more pressure on Taoxiang.

Finally, driven by the residual effects of alcohol and the demands of reality, Kawahara Momoka gritted her teeth, as if making some kind of momentous decision. She raised her head, met Kujo Renji's gaze, took a deep breath, and nodded.

"...good!"

After receiving a positive answer, the smile on Kujo Renji's face deepened a little, and she raised her glass:

"Then, happy working together."

Taoxiang also raised her glass somewhat stiffly and clinked it with hers lightly.

The crisp sound of glass colliding echoed in the quiet private room.

After drinking this "signing wine", Taoxiang still felt complicated.

The feeling of fear hadn't completely disappeared, but it seemed... there was something else mixed in.

She looked at the blue-haired girl in front of her who still had a gentle smile.

There's no doubt she's dangerous. But... she doesn't seem completely unreasonable either?

She had indeed helped me solve my salary problem, and now she had offered me such a great cooperation opportunity...

Perhaps... this Miss Toyokawa is not as dangerous as I imagined...?

She may act out of line, but it seems...she also has her own principles and logic?

At least, she seemed to still have some kindness towards herself and Rencai?

This thought brought about a subtle change in Taoxiang's heart.

.....

Since the agreement was reached that night, time has quietly passed in regular rehearsals, performances and daily trivialities.

Momoka Kawahara officially became one of BLACK HOLE's resident bands.

Just as Toyokawa Shoko promised, the environment here is professional and the pay is on time, which greatly alleviates the financial pressure on the band.