Loneliness and Rock and Roll with Band Observer

"Recently, it should be around 30,000." Qiu Hui thought for a moment and replied, "After all, I'm just a new author who has only completed one novella."

"...Only?" Kita said in shock, "30,000 people is already impressive! Or should I say super impressive!"

"The number of fans on official accounts like this is surprisingly inflated." Qiu Hui shook her head. "And to be honest, novel authors don't really need to care about this kind of data. The sales of the book are the most important."

“But, anyway, 30,000 people…” Goto Ichiri was shocked by the data and started counting on his fingers for some reason, “Even that Guitar Hero, the number of fans accumulated over such a long time is only about 30,000…”

"What do you mean Guitar Hero?" Akie asked.

"Guitar Hero is actually a video blogger that I... ahem, I like very much!" Goto Ichiri said anxiously, almost shouting, "Hey, he uploaded a lot of videos of him playing the guitar! He's pretty good! He's also very popular in school! I heard that his boyfriend is the ace of the basketball team! So cool!"

“…Why did the topic suddenly turn to that?” Akie couldn’t help laughing, “But since even Pochi, who is so good at playing guitar, said so, I guess he must be a blogger with some skills.”

She pulled out her phone and searched for Guitar Hero on YouTube.

"I've actually been following him for a long time." Kita said, "He's really good, and he looks really impressive when he plays the guitar!"

"Let's talk about YouTubers later."

After paying attention to Guitar Hero, Qiu Hui turned her head and looked across the street.

"Come to think of it, everyone hasn't had dinner yet, right? I'm actually quite hungry right now. Since we're planning to go shopping today, why don't we find some snack bars while we're walking?"

"That's good!" Kita nodded in agreement, "Akie, do you have any recommendations?"

"I have no idea at all." Qiu Hui told me truthfully, "When I go shopping alone, I'm basically in a state of brain death. I can't remember where I went or what I did."

"I don't come to places like this very often, so I have no idea..." said Goto Ichiri.

Faced with two people who had no opinions of their own, Kita Ikuyo showed even greater enthusiasm.

She clapped her hands eagerly, "Okay, then I'll be your tour guide today! First, let's go to the area where there are a lot of snack bars to eat something to fill our stomachs; then, let's go to the shopping mall a little to the east, where there should be clothes that Qiu Hui needs..."

"Wait a minute, wait a minute!" Akie interrupted Kita's chant, "Which area do you mean? East is over there... Oh, right, we should be on the opposite side of the sun now... But to be honest, my sense of direction is terrible, so..."

"It's okay!" Kita shook his head nonchalantly, "If you don't know the way, just follow me!"

She seemed to be quite interested in "guiding these two people who knew nothing about Shibuya," perhaps enjoying the feeling of being in a dominant position.

"Then thank you for your help." Qiu Hui nodded.

Under Kita's guidance, the three of them crossed the zebra crossing, came to the other side of the street, and walked into the bustling Central Street.

"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu"

As the evening rush hour approached, the huge crowds on Central Avenue triggered Goto Ichiri's inherent warning mechanism.

She unconsciously grabbed the corner of Qiu Hui's school uniform and followed behind Qiu Hui like a huge pendant.

Qiu Hui didn't react to this. She just turned around and nodded slightly, indicating that it was okay for the other party to maintain this state. Then she maintained this three-legged posture and walked forward.

"My suggestion is to start with something lighter in flavor," Kita suggested. "For example, I know a store nearby that sells take-away fruit and vegetable salads in cups. The ingredients are quite substantial, and the dressing they use is also light and not greasy."

She talked about the matching techniques of street snacks like a gourmet.

"With these appetizers, I think we can pair them with something higher in calories or greasier. Like fried food or grilled skewers... ah, actually there's a small shop selling takoyaki that I would really recommend. But since we're moving around in the car, I don't know if we're still in the same place today..."

"Greasy?" Akie was a little surprised. "I thought Kita would treat calories as an enemy. After all, you have to control your body shape."

"It does feel that way, but I think we should just let it go." Kita said with a smile, "Also, I think the key to controlling your figure is to increase your metabolism as much as possible! Just sweat more through exercise or playing music!"

"That's true." Qiu Hui nodded, expressing her empathy. "Performing is surprisingly exhausting. I often feel hungry in the middle of the night lately."

If that happens, you might go to a 24-hour convenience store to buy something to eat, or you might just hold it in. It all depends on how much balance you have in your account at the time.

Having said that, she turned around and looked at Pochi hanging on her body.

"By the way, Pochi, do you get hungry at night? As the lead guitarist, you must be exerting a lot of energy, right?"

"Occasionally, right?" Ichiri replied, "If I'm hungry, I can drink some milk and eat some cookies or something. That's what my mom told me."

"I see. I heard that drinking milk can also help improve sleep quality..."

Kita chatted calmly with everyone while leading everyone to the reserved store.

"This is the shop I was talking about! What would you like to order?"

"As for me...let me take a look myself," Akie said.

"What would you like to order, Xiaoyi?" Kita asked kindly, "You can tell me now, and then I will help you order."

"I'm fine with anything..." Ichiri lowered his head nervously, "Just have the same one as Kita..."

Goto Ichiri temporarily untied himself from Akie and stood beside the team.

Chapter 88 This is a topic best not to touch

How to do?

What to do? What to do? What to do!

Goto Ichiri is now feeling very anxious.

I can’t get a word in at all! What should I do?

Sure enough, the three of them shouldn't have come out together...

Every time this happens, I naturally become the one left behind!

Kita and Akie are enough to start a conversation. Kita can bring up topics, and Akie can find ways to connect...

Although Akie seems to be not very good at finding topics just like me, she was not only able to pick up the topics given by Kita, but even had the energy to consider my affairs!

Wouldn't that make me redundant? No!

Think carefully, what can be brought up as a topic...

With this strong feeling of anxiety, Goto Ichiri looked around aimlessly, trying to find something to use as a topic of conversation.

Logically, this statement should not have any effect. But fortunately, she actually found something that might spark a conversation.

She noticed that a news program was playing on a large screen across the street.

The specific content seemed to be a broadcast of a press conference for a new electronic product of a certain company. Although Goto Ichiri knew nothing about these things, the name of the person who was speaking on the show caught her attention.

"Akihie, look!" She shouted without thinking, pointing to the big screen, "The person who is speaking on the show... seems to have the same last name as you!"

"Ah?" Qiu Hui turned her head in shock and looked at the big screen.

However, after realizing who the person on the screen was, she calmed down.

"...That's true." She said indifferently, "What a coincidence, his last name is also 'Togawa'."

Togawa Akie quietly watched the press conference playing on the screen.

"…The new product released by our company is based on a solid foundation of computer graphics technology; its professional version has established a mature application model in the fields of military, aerospace, precision operations and industrial assistance."

The man with the long list of titles spoke with an almost aggressive confidence.

"Holographic display technology solutions for the consumer electronics market are the inevitable result of our company's technological accumulation to date and the guidance of our consistent policies..."

"Ah, it's true!" Kita also looked at the big screen over there, "His name is 'Togawa Nobuhiko'... If I look closely, it seems like even their faces look a bit similar!"

"Really? I don't think so." Akie shook her head expressionlessly.

"By the way, could it be... a relative?" Goto Ichiri guessed uncertainly, "It also says Representative Director or something like that below..."

...If Qiu Hui has a relative who can make the news, doesn't that mean...even though she doesn't look like it, she is actually a young lady-level figure?

Goto Ichiri suddenly felt a sense of tension as if he was about to be abandoned.

If that's really the case... then... As expected, I'm really sorry for treating Qiu Hui as one of the same kind without permission! It's all my fault!

"How could I have such an exaggerated relative?" Qiu Hui sighed, "It would be nice if I did."

She didn't say anything else, but continued to watch the press conference on the screen.

"…Persisting in the application and development of cutting-edge technology in the consumer field is the inevitable result of our company's guiding principle of 'building the future of mankind' being implemented in the practical field." Togawa Nobuhiko on the screen said the exaggerated lines like a cartoon without changing his expression, "This time, our company launched a product for the commercial and home markets..."

... "Building the future of humanity"? Are you the protagonist of a shonen manga from somewhere?

Qiu Hui smiled silently in her heart.

You are really good at bragging...

...Father.

Goto Ichiri, who was observing Akie from the side, had no idea what the other person was thinking at the moment.

Qiu Hui's reaction made her feel relieved.

It turns out that we just have the same last name...

In other words, Qiu Hui and I are both ordinary people...

...That's not right, Ichiri! Now is not the time to be happy about this kind of thing!

Now that everyone's attention has been attracted by the news on the screen, the next thing to do is to find a way to direct this attention to the topic initiated by me!

What should I say next?

In order to complete the difficult challenge of "starting a topic in a multi-person chat", Goto Ichiri racked her brains.

...By the way, we were talking about last names, right? In that case... Oh, by the way! How about we talk about family?

"Um...Akira!" Ichiri said hastily, "Come to think of it, I'm also curious, um, what's the situation at Akie's home? What kind of people are her parents?"

"Yeah, yeah!" Kita seemed to be interested in this topic, "Hey, Akiie, tell us about it?"

Hey, did I successfully start a topic?

The rising atmosphere made Goto Ichiri, a social outcast, feel elated and happy.

"Well...my family..."

However, Togawa Akee, who was the center of the topic, seemed to have little interest in this.

"...Actually, there's nothing worth talking about." Akie responded somewhat coldly, "If everyone wants to listen anyway, I can say a little bit... But to be honest, it's all boring..."

Looking at Qiu Hui's lack of interest, Yili's heart, which had just calmed down, was lifted up again.

Oh no... Looking at Qiu Hui's expression, could it be that I have stepped on a landmine? Is her relationship with her family really bad? Or maybe it's even worse, something has happened at home!

Moreover, thinking about it carefully, it seems that Qiu Hui's expression has turned bad since I mentioned the issue of last name just now!

Goto Ichiri suddenly fell into panic.

I'm done for. Will I be disliked for this? Will Qiu Hui think I'm a person who can't read the air...

Negative thoughts kept popping up in her head one after another.

"...Pochi?" Akie looked over in confusion, "Why do you look so bad all of a sudden?"

"Nothing, um, Akie doesn't want to talk about her family..." Ichiri lowered her head in embarrassment, "As expected, it's better to change the topic, right?"

Akie smiled and consoled him, "It's okay. I just simply felt that I had nothing to talk about on this topic. I didn't mean to blame Pochi."

"How should I put it... I think they actually..."

She wanted to speak several times, but didn't know what to say.

"Could it be that Akie's family is not happy?" Kita asked with some concern.

"No." Qiu Hui shook her head firmly. "An unhappy family actually has a lot to talk about."

"It's precisely because I live in a fairly happy family... that this topic seems so difficult for me."

Chapter 89 Heavy Atmosphere

As the air grew heavier, Kita realized that it was almost their turn in the queue.

"Let's talk about this later. Akie, let's see what to order first!"

"So it's our turn. Well, let me see..."

Qiu Hui asked for a style that was all vegetables and no fruits because it looked the cheapest.

Kita ordered two and gave one to Ichiri.