He is an idol and a childhood sweetheart.

[So...how will you perform? 】

"I don't have the abilities to show off on the stage, nor do I have the personality to be a typhoon. The best way to explain my way of survival... I'm afraid I can only tell my past."

If there is any experience in his life that can completely summarize his way of living... there must be only one answer, right?

Now, take a deep breath—

........................

The prelude sounded.

Accompanied by the playing of synthesizers, a familiar melody echoed throughout the stage.

Kento Watanabe, who turned the surging emotions into a voice and held the microphone tightly, slowly closed his eyes:

[The bright lights on the street look down at me in contrast. 】

[Passing through the gaps in the tall buildings, mixed with colorful neon lights. 】

[Exchange this world with my time and sink into the night. 】

"…………"

After hearing Kento Watanabe's singing, Higuchi Enka immediately fell into a sluggish state...

Rather than the breath, pitch, timbre... the first thing she noticed was the content of the lyrics.

Under the association brought by this lyrics, she first thought of the day she came to Shibuya to deliver a letter to him.

The noisy streets, the bright night sky reflected by billboards and neon lights, lit cigarettes, and that inexplicably unfamiliar profile...

It turned out to be the case.

What the wise man is singing at this time is his own story——

[It doesn’t matter, everything will be fine. 】

[I have thought about this countless times. 】

[Today, I am alone in the bustling scenery of Tokyo and gradually become transparent...]

[Like a ghost. 】

"Ohhh... you are really capable."

In the audience, a waiter who had a fairly good relationship with Kento Watanabe couldn't help but nodded.

"Although my singing skills are not as good as those of band lead singers and professional singers...but this song, whether it's lyrics or artistic conception...is so suitable for Watanabe-kun, it's like it was tailor-made."

"I recall a little bit when I first met Watanabe-kun a year and a half ago. At that time, Watanabe-kun was really like a ghost that might disappear at any time..."

"This song is basically telling the story of Watanabe-kun!"

"…………"

Like everyone else, Higuchi Enka was completely immersed in the atmosphere created by Kento Watanabe.

As a childhood sweetheart who knew Kento Watanabe better, and was also an assistant who worked as a talent scout with him on the street, her feelings were far stronger than others.

……

…………

Thinking about it, this should be what the wise man wanted her to see.

Even if you don’t want to show anything specifically, even if you are just telling your own story.

As long as the singer himself can fully integrate into the song, the listener will naturally have different ideas and even resonance based on his or her own experience and sensibility.

if it is like this……

Thinking of this, Higuchi Enka looked up at Watanabe Kento again, and continued to be immersed in Watanabe Kento's singing——

........................

In that lonely year and a half, Kento Watanabe left too many painful but memorable memories.

In order to persevere from the busyness and exhaustion that almost overwhelmed him, how many times did he persuade himself, numb himself, and place all his hopes on the "next person" who did not exist at all?

Perhaps looking back now, everything I endured during that time was worth it.But before he reunited with Higuchi Enka, he was really like a ghost wandering the streets of Tokyo, helpless and without hope.

Loneliness, helplessness, uneasiness, fear, confusion...

These emotions are what that experience left for Kento Watanabe, and they are feelings that he has never forgotten to this day.

And this is exactly why he chose the song "Ghost Tokyo".

The extremely fitting artistic conception, the extremely fitting experience... allowed him to completely immerse himself in it as quickly as possible.

Just like water droplets seeping into the paper, Watanabe Kento has completely integrated into the song...

Kento Watanabe's singing skills are really only at the level of an amateur. His only action on stage is to hold the microphone tightly with both hands. The only thing he does that can be called a "performance" is to put himself on stage. All the emotions are integrated into the singing, and they are just sung out on their own.

But even so, all the viewers present

I was still immersed in Kento Watanabe’s singing.

This is what Kento Watanabe wants to convey to Enka Higuchi.

Due to differences in personality, ability, and experience, each idol's performance style is destined to be different.

Whether it's Toru's performance for just one person, or Fuyuko's goal to become her ideal self... everyone is just expressing their own things in their own way.

So...do you understand, Enka?

The so-called performance is not a fixed form... If you don't know how to perform or what to perform, then you might as well not care about anyone else and just vent your own stories, experiences, moods, and feelings!

As for how others will feel after seeing my performance...

That's up to them!

........................

[As I gradually get used to losing...]

[Whenever I think back to that precious memory that still exists, I still can’t help but burst into tears. 】

【Because I still want to live on this street】

"...You sing so seriously."

Although when I first met Kento Watanabe, I had seen his expression that could be called desperate, but... the devotion and concentration he showed in his singing at this time made Dong Dong Yuko felt the bitterness of his past experience more concretely...

What kind of experience led him to have such a true feeling for this song?

Daito Yuko began to become more and more curious about Watanabe Kento.

Just like that, in their respective silences and sighs, the accompaniment quietly stopped.

And the first "informal Live" belonging to Kento Watanabe ended successfully.

Chapter 59: Decide to take that step

"Yeah...I saw something pretty good."

After Kento Watanabe left the stage, Murakami quickly left the backstage and came to his side with a smile.

"Do you think I should hire you directly to be our resident singer~"

"You don't do this."

Kento Watanabe said angrily:

"It's not like you can't tell. My singing skills are really average. I almost died singing the chorus just now..."

"But the effect is very good."

Having said that, Murakami turned his attention to Enka Higuchi and Yuko Daito behind Kento Watanabe.

"So you see... on-site effects are not just determined by ability. Under the influence of song selection, mood, and state, the audience may even overlook certain mistakes or flaws. "

"Hey, don't instill this muddle-through philosophy into my children."

Kento Watanabe said dissatisfiedly:

"For things like hard power, of course, the higher the better, after all, this determines the upper limit of the performance effect... I just want to point out a general direction for my idol."

After saying that, he looked directly at Higuchi Enka and continued:

"So...after listening to my songs, do you have any new ideas?"

"…………"

After hearing this, Higuchi Enka was silent for a moment, and then said:

"You have already done this. If I refuse your proposal again...will I be a little too unkind?"

"I don't want to force you to make a choice in this way. Regarding a big event like Live, my opinion is the most important than human feelings. And you just saw the importance of emotions for stage effects. If you really stand on the stage with a reluctant mood, the effect will probably be quite bad."

Kento Watanabe said:

"I just want to know... if you were now, could you imagine what you would look like when you were standing on the stage?"

"........."

Thinking about it now, she had watched two people perform live at close range.

First, Toru Asakura's one-person live... Even though all her performances are prepared just for Kento Watanabe, her fans, even herself, will have different feelings when they see her performances. and feelings.

Then came the performance of the wise man just singing about his experiences.His performance seemed even less purposeful by comparison.All he did was immerse all his attention in memories and singing, but even so, people who heard his singing would still be touched to varying degrees.

Even if there is no one he wants to perform specifically for, even if he is just conveying his own feelings, the audience will have various thoughts and emotions.

If so, then...

"...If I choose the music, it should be me, right?"

"Of course, it's better to say that this is something that should be decided by the performer...Eh!?"

Kento Watanabe was stunned for a moment when he said this, and then asked with a look of surprise:

"Yeah, that is to say——"

"...Let me tell you first, I can't guarantee that my singing will resonate with people like you and Asakura do."

Higuchi Enka said:

"The only thing I can promise you is... I will try my best to devote myself to my performance. As for the effect, I can only leave it to fate."

"...Ah, that's enough."

Kento Watanabe laughs

nodded.

"There is no need to have any worries, let alone any psychological burden. Enxiang, you only need to think about your performance... Where is Fuyuko?"

After getting Higuchi Enka's answer, Watanabe Kento turned his attention to Daifu Yuko.

"Do you have any ideas about your performance style?"

"My thoughts have not changed since the day I decided to become an idol."

Daito Yuko's answer was without any hesitation.

"I will complete my performance in a 'Winter Yu' way...and gain everyone's love and support."

To some extent, she and Higuchi Enka can be said to have taken completely different directions.

One side focuses on conveying its own ideas, while the other side focuses on audience feedback.

This completely conflicting performance style is exactly what Kento Watanabe wants to see most.

Idols with different personalities use different ways to interpret their own understanding of idols...

This is what he understands as an idol.

"...Phew, today is indeed not in vain."

Seeing that Enka Higuchi and Yuko Daito seemed to be firm on their chosen path, Kento Watanabe couldn't help but smile with relief.

"Although it's a little embarrassing to sing in front of so many people."

"But aren't you a pretty good singer? What's there to be embarrassed about?"