After being elected as the governor of Tokyo, he will debut as a band!

Not only did she buy it, but the night before she received the sports car, she also invited many friends to participate in a test drive of her new car.

Despite Hiroi Kikuri's somewhat outrageous invitation, quite a few people actually showed up.

All three of Sickhack's teammates came. Although Iji Tomoko had been cursing at Hiroi on the phone, making her break out in a cold sweat, she still came with a stern face. Not only did she come, but she also dragged Aoyama Mukai and Iwashita Shima, who both had driver's licenses, to check if there were any malfunctions in the vehicle, for fear that when Hiroi Kikuri was driving, some part might suddenly fail and drive the car straight into a tree branch.

All four members of the band Link also received calls from Kikuri Hiroi, but apart from Pochi, who never refuses anyone, the others made various excuses to decline. In their impression, Kikuri Hiroi was the kind of super rocker who would go berserk at the drop of a hat. But while her outbursts on stage were full of entertainment value, going berserk while driving could be fatal. They were still young girls in the prime of their lives and did not want to risk their lives on this.

Pochi also wore a tragic expression of heroic sacrifice. Since everyone present was an adult, she could only hide behind the only person her age, Toyokawa Shoko, like a hamster.

Toyokawa Shoko didn't receive a phone invitation from Hiroi Kikuri, but the two were neighbors separated only by a wall. Last night, Hiroi Kikuri held Shoko's hand at the door of Toyokawa's house and told her again and again that she must come to the new car test drive tomorrow. Then at noon today, when Toyokawa Shoko finished lunch and was preparing to practice the piano for the "Gigocho Cup" preliminary competition the day after tomorrow, she heard Hiroi Kikuri go out and followed her.

"From my not-so-professional perspective, I haven't found any problems with this car yet... As long as you drive according to traffic regulations, there shouldn't be any accidents."

After closing the hood of the car, Aoyama spoke to Ichiji Seika and Iwashita Shima, who were following closely behind him.

"That's good," Ijichi Hoshika breathed a sigh of relief, then turned to Hiroi Kikuri, who was struggling to suppress her craving for alcohol, with a disgruntled look. "Hey, this is your car. Why weren't you watching when we were checking it? What were you doing driving all that way?"

"...I'm sorry, I don't really know much about this either, and I'm afraid I'll cause you trouble by crowding behind you."

Hiroi Kikuri walked over with a sigh. As a seasoned drinker, she was in a very low mood after not drinking for more than 12 hours.

"By the way, Mr. Hack, you just said that there's nothing wrong with the car, right? That means my ten million yen wasn't wasted... Sigh, impulsive spending is a killer."

She actually bought the car in a moment of impulse while drunk, and now she feels that it's not worth the money to exchange it for such a thing... She can only comfort herself that the car is in good condition and that the money was well spent.

“But Hiroi, spending ten million on this car is really a waste of your money,” Aoyama said frankly because Hiroi was standing far away and he couldn’t see her expression. “Before you buy the car, you should have gone to see A-Bai. He knows a lot of presidents, executives, and directors. Buying a used sports car directly from these people can save you 30% of the money.”

After all, used car dealers sell cars to make money, while these wealthy people sell cars because they're tired of the old models and want to switch to new ones; the price is secondary.

Upon hearing this, Hiroi Kikuri immediately broke down. "Thirty percent of ten million... three million yen, just vanished like that! What's wrong with this society? I finally earned this little bit of money, and it was all taken advantage of by the used car dealer. The market supervision in Tokyo is truly worrying. When will the rights of us individual consumers be truly protected?!"

When she's not drinking, she often worries about major social issues, such as the declining birth rate, crimes committed by US troops stationed in Japan, and the aging population...

After shedding a tear of sorrow, she could only channel her grief into motivation, covering her face as she ran into the car, and then extended an invitation to everyone present, "Who wants to be my first passenger?"

Qingshan was the first to avoid it, as the saying goes, "A son of a wealthy family would not sit under a dangerous roof," and he had no reason to take that risk.

Shima Iwashita and Eliza Shimizu also looked away—since Shima Iwashita also had a driver's license, she was always the one driving at Sickhack. They had never seen Kikuri Hiroi drive before, and they still had the preconceived notion that Hiroi's driving style must be crazy.

As Hiroi's senior, Ijichi Hoshika knew that Hiroi was quite reliable when driving, but she wasn't very interested in going for drives. She thought that if the others really didn't want to go, she could be Hiroi's backup.

So she waved to Toyokawa Shoko and Goto Doku, who were hiding not far away.

Gotō Town Music Awards: 140 I, Gotō Dokko, am known as the "Queen of Awkward Silence"

Poor and helpless little Pochi shivered.

But intimidated by Ijichi Hoshika's power, she still pouted and moved out from behind Toyokawa Shoko, then slithered towards Hiroi Kikuri's sports car like a slug.

Shoko Toyokawa wasn't afraid at all. In her life, she had only ridden in two kinds of vehicles: one was the intercity train that shuttled through the various towns and districts of Tokyo, and the other was her own Maybach.

My own Maybach is very comfortable to sit in...

Hiroi's car seems to be a luxury car with the name "Mi". Even if Hiroi's driving skills are not as good as the Toyokawa family's driver, the difference between the two should not be so great that they are "one is heaven and the other is earth".

We're all human, we all have two arms and two legs, how different can we be?

Toyokawa Shoko did not view riding in the same car with Hiroi Kikuri as a terrible thing.

Looking at Pochi-chan, who resembled a dehydrated slug and seemed to have shrunk considerably, she thought:

Goto always gives the impression that she's not in good health. Even on hot days, she'll wrap herself up tightly in her gym clothes and she'll faint at the drop of a hat... Could she be carsick?

So Toyokawa Shoko kindly suggested, "Goto-kun, if you're really scared, let me go first and take off your stockings."

At that moment, light seemed to shoot out from Pochi's eyes. She looked at Toyokawa Shoko, who was looking at her with concern, and felt as if pure white wings had grown out of the other person's back.

—You were sent by heaven to save my life.

God?

Just as Pochi was about to nod, he met the gaze of Hiroi Kikuri, who was sitting in the driver's seat and looking at him with a look of earnestness that contained a variety of sincere emotions, including expectation, trust, and pleading.

Most importantly, Pochi read a signal in Hiroi's eyes that only a true socially awkward person would understand—

I so regret organizing this new car test drive event! I wish I had someone skilled at creating awkward silences to end this mess for me!

Suddenly, Pochi felt a surge of power flowing from his body.

When it comes to "creating an awkward silence," I, Goto Doku, am absolutely confident that I am second to none!

From elementary school to high school, whenever I stood up to speak during class discussions, there would immediately be an awkward silence! (Actually, it was because Xiaoboqi spoke softly and unclearly, so the classmates quieted down to hear her clearly.)

No matter what team sport she wanted to participate in, like soccer, as soon as she picked up the ball, the other students would immediately scatter to play other games! (Actually, it was because Xiaoboqi needed to spend a long time mentally preparing before participating in team sports, so by the time she went to get the ball, the other students had almost finished playing. In addition, she gave off a somewhat aloof vibe, so they mistakenly thought she wanted to play alone and gave her the ball. After that, to alleviate her inner embarrassment and sadness, Xiaoboqi did indeed perform a high-level juggling routine. Because she was so focused, she even accomplished the feat of juggling the ball 300 times without it touching the ground! This amazed the boys who liked to play soccer. Some boys tried to chat her up, but were firmly blocked by the other boys. The rumor that Xiaoboqi only liked to juggle the ball alone and didn't like to play soccer with others also spread throughout the school.)

Also, my best friend—the sparkly and beautiful Chihaya Aine—suggested, based on her experience as the most popular girl at Haneoka Middle School, that I post funny short videos in the band's group chat to liven up the atmosphere. I didn't know what funny short videos were, so I just forwarded the ones Aine had sent me to the group. The result? Everyone who was chatting enthusiastically suddenly fell silent! It took about two minutes for Nijika-senpai and Ryousenpai to reply, completely contradicting Aine's claim that "when I post this in the group, Suze and Tanuki all send smiley faces and have so much fun watching it! (This is a lie)"!

In short, at a time like this, only I, Goto, can save Hiroi-nee from this predicament!

Although riding in her car might be dangerous... I can't let Hiroi down when she needs me!

When Hiroi-nee took me for a drive back, and people asked me how it went, I just replied, "Nothing special!" Everyone would then feel bored with today's test drive and leave, and Hiroi-nee could naturally end the test drive without having to put on a brave face in front of her friends.

Suddenly, Pochi straightened up, and his body seemed to radiate a golden light that seemed to "boost his combat power".

Toyokawa Shoko subconsciously narrowed her eyes: Is Goto-kun about to become a god?!

"No, no need, Toyokawa-san! Everyone has their own destiny to face! And Hiroi-neechan's passenger seat is the destiny I have to face!"

After saying that, Poch walked straight over with firm and agile steps.

So, is Hiroi Kikuri's true thought really as Pochi interprets it?

Hiroi's inner thoughts at this moment—

I really want to drink! I really want to drink! But I can't, I have to drive, and I can't drink and drive... Sigh, what am I going to do?!

Buying a car and not driving it would be a waste of money, but I can't drink and drive, that would be the death of me! I ordered high-end wines from several upscale wine clubs... By the way, Xiao Boqi's hair color looks like the peach blossom wine I drank yesterday. Should I grab a strand and chew it later? Maybe it tastes like peach blossoms.

……

Ijichi Hoshika looked at Pochi, who had walked up to her, and nodded in satisfaction.

A great writer from a great western country once said, "A true warrior dares to face the bleakness of life"... I never imagined that Pochi-chan would grow to this level.

That's truly heartening.

"Pochi, not bad!" She patted Pochi on the shoulder and gave her a gentle push. "Then hurry up and go, don't keep your Hiroi-nee waiting."

Poch nodded, sat in the passenger seat, and then wrapped the seatbelt around himself three times to secure himself tightly.

"If you're ready, I'll start."

After speaking, Hiroi pressed the ignition button, and the engine sounded and the vehicle vibrated.

This caused Pochi's hard-won courage to melt away as quickly as ice placed on a fire.

"Wait, I object..."

Before she could even utter the word "regret," a powerful surge of acceleration pushed her back, and the car had already driven off.

Watching the two figures disappear into the distance, Ichiji Hoshika couldn't help but smile.

"Hiroi, who used to live such a muddled life, is now driving luxury cars... I really hope she can maintain the status quo and not fall back into that kind of predicament."

Since a drive around would take a while, Iwashita Shima wanted to invite everyone to her car for some tea. As the logistics manager for Sick Hack, she knew that Hiroi Kikuri would never think of preparing food and drinks for everyone who was participating in the new car test drive, so she brewed tea in advance, put it in a thermos and brought it over, and also prepared some snacks, which came in handy now.

But before she could speak, she heard several men shouting from around the corner of the road:

"That car was driven by Ms. Hiroi Kikuri, right? Who was sitting in the passenger seat? Could it be Mr. Hack?"

"That car was going too fast, I didn't see it clearly... Section Chief, should we chase after it?"

"Of course we have to chase after them! The Secretary General gave us a direct order: we must find Mr. Harker! Floor the gas pedal and charge!"

Then the men turned their car around... Actually, if they had driven just five meters further, they would have seen Mr. Huck in person.

……

Thank you to @{"reader_id":"22142609","reader_name":"Young and Aged"} for the donation!

Gogomachi Music Awards: 141 Dehaido

Because the men on the other side of the road were practically shouting, everyone present could clearly hear what they were saying.

Toyokawa Shoko reacted the fastest, rushing over to make out the men's car and license plate before turning back to report to Aoyama:

"They were driving a mid-to-large-sized Toyota van, which shouldn't be able to catch up with Ms. Hiroi's sports car... Also, the license plate number of that car is XO-XOXO."

"Miss Toyokawa is very quick-witted."

Aoyama nodded, took out his phone and made a call to his personal assistant, Nakamoto Itsuki, asking him to check with the vehicle management office to find out the ownership of the car.

After hanging up the phone, he looked thoughtfully at Toyokawa Shoko and asked:

"Ms. Toyokawa, since the car dealership staff delivered the car yesterday, has Hiroi refueled it?"

"I don't think so. Hiroi-nee was drunk all day yesterday and couldn't drive at all, let alone refuel. She didn't wake up until noon today and didn't have a chance to refuel the car either."

Upon hearing this answer, Aoyama and Iwashita Shima exchanged a glance, their hearts...

They said they were going to get into trouble.

When the used car dealership delivers the car, they'll fill it with some gas beforehand, but definitely not much—enough to drive about ten more kilometers...

Used car dealerships are not 4S stores after all, so they always have to find ways to save costs.

Most people do their research before buying a car and understand this point. After getting the car, the first thing they do is go to the nearest gas station to fill up the tank.

Hiroi Kikuri clearly lacked this experience.

Don't be fooled by how gracefully she takes off at the start; she probably won't go very far before she breaks down.

Without saying a word, Iwashita Shima ran to her car, intending to chase after Hiroi Kikuri and clean up her mess, but Aoyama Muku stopped her and reached out to ask her for the keys.

“I’ll go. After all, those guys are obviously after me, and I’ll be better positioned to speak to them than you are.”

"Eh? Mr. Huck? Are you sure you can handle this? This is a borrowed van, it's a bit old, to be honest it's not very easy to drive..."

Iwashita Shima glanced at the mask on his face with concern. "Besides, driving with a mask on makes it easier for the traffic police to stop you and ask questions, right?"

Although driving while wearing a mask is not strictly a traffic violation, police officers have the right to ask drivers to remove their masks if they believe the masks pose a safety hazard, such as obstructing vision.

Then Aoyama's identity could no longer be hidden.

But he didn't seem to care much about it, waving his hand and saying, "Then I won't wear a mask. This is in a car, with windows to block the view. A pair of sunglasses and a baseball cap are enough to hide my identity."

Hearing him say that, Iwashita Shima couldn't refuse any longer and handed over the car keys.

When Aoyama arrived at the spot where Shima had parked, he discovered that the van she had borrowed was no ordinary vehicle; it was the famous Wuling minivan.

If it were one of those kei cars (K-cars) produced in Japan that sacrificed performance and durability for fuel efficiency, space saving, and material saving, Aoyama's confidence would be somewhat diminished. But if it were the Wuling minivan, it would be a different story.

Let alone a Toyota MPV, he was confident he could stop even Hiroi Kikuri's McDonnell Douglas.

Let me show you what a racing god really is!

Without saying a word, Aoyama got into the driver's seat, and as he started the engine, Toyokawa Shoko ran over and sat in the passenger seat.

"Miss Toyokawa, what's going on?"

“Mr. Harker, only I saw what that car looked like. I’ll go after it with you, otherwise you might miss it,” Toyokawa Shoko said, her gaze firm. “Besides, if I’m with you, you shouldn’t have to worry about being recognized, right?”

"...Have you thought it through? My driving style isn't as smooth as the Toyokawa family's drivers, and sitting in the passenger seat of this car won't be a very comfortable experience either."

Aoyama meant to tell Toyokawa Shoko that he was going to use his true abilities to analyze the situation. He was using this van to race against an MPV that was going full speed ahead of a sports car. He could only provide the most basic safety for the passengers. Comfort and stability had to be put aside. If she wasn't afraid of that, she could come along.

Toyokawa Shoko, a girl from a wealthy family, had never witnessed the power of the Wuling van. Although she understood the implication in Aoyama's words, she did not comprehend the danger involved.

Without any hesitation, she put on the seatbelt, responding with her actions.

Qingshan sensed her determination and stopped trying to persuade her. He first closed the car window, then magically removed his mask and put on sunglasses and a baseball cap before pressing the handbrake.

"...In that case, if you get so shocked that you throw up later, don't blame me for not warning you."

floor the gas pedal and charge!

……

Meanwhile, sitting in the passenger seat next to Kikuri Hiroi, Pochi-chan felt a sense of relief and happiness as she felt the cool breeze blowing in through the car window.

Who would have thought that Hiroi, who usually seems so unreliable, actually has such steady and calm driving skills?