Loneliness and Rock and Roll with Band Observer

"That's an exaggeration! I remember that I paid back at least 30% of them..."

"That's not something you can say with such a smug expression!"

Qiu Hui didn't pay much attention to the movements of the others. She took out her cell phone and sent a message to the editor, asking if she could get the library reimbursed for the cost of the musical instrument.

The new work is still in its infancy, and the income from the old work will inevitably decrease as it is officially completed in the near future. As a result, my financial situation will become increasingly tight.

Although I have saved some money before, I am not sure if it is enough. It would be best if the cost of buying musical instruments can be reimbursed by the library. If not... I will have to use the recent living expenses to make up for it.

Come to think of it, how about trying to find a new part-time job tonight?

"Since the practice is over, I'll leave first." Akie stood up, "See you next time!"

After saying goodbye to the others who had finished the band, she left the LIVEHOUSE and came to the street.

It would take several train stops to get back to her home from here, so Togawa Akeie walked towards the nearest station.

It was not yet night, and the streets were not yet busy. There were not many cars, and the quiet environment allowed her, who had been continuously shocked by the series of events, to gradually calm down.

Because of this calmness, she suddenly felt a strong sense of disobedience.

Come to think of it, have I... done something really... funny before?

Especially after he ran out of the STARRY door after chasing Aine!

The lines I said at that time suddenly echoed in my mind uncontrollably.

…I feel like I’m a person who has a hard time making friends.

Qiu Hui shook her head irritably.

The reason I joined the band was actually because...

…which led to the opportunity to meet you, Aine.

Akie clenched her fists in disgust. Who wrote such a third-rate line?

Damn it, I made that up!

The words that he had said to Aine before the practice began, at this moment, were like a boomerang that flew back and stabbed her heart again and again.

...If I just let you leave like this.

...Maybe from now on our lives will no longer intersect!

"Intersection of your head!"

Thinking of this, Qiu Hui almost screamed out of shame.

What on earth did I say before?

It’s both an “opportunity” and an “intersection”, is it a stage play or something?

Can lines like this be said in the real world?

Or were you saying it seriously to a schoolmate you just met?

She hurriedly took out her phone from her pocket, and quickly sent a message to Aine through the LINE number she had just added: "I'm sorry! I said a lot of weird things in the heat of the moment, please forget it right away! I'm really sorry!"

After sending the message, she quickly turned off the screen and put away her phone as if in a hurry to destroy the evidence, forcing herself to forget the message and everything related to it, and then she breathed a sigh of relief.

That's why I hate interacting with strangers.

Because I am the kind of person who easily misjudges the situation and then does stupid things out of self-righteousness.

Qiu Hui patted her face gently, and the slight pain made her feel sober.

I'm just doing it for business purposes.

Don't have extra emotions.

Chapter 11 Low Price Purchase

the next day.

"Is it still not working after all..."

Qiu Hui stared at the reply from the editor on her phone dejectedly.

The request for reimbursement of the instrument cost seemed to be rejected by the library due to "financial reasons". In other words, the cost of purchasing an electronic keyboard would make her already less than ideal financial situation even worse.

Although the previous work "Miss Shiina and Her Imaginary Friends" once won the Rookie Award of Kamiya Bunko, as the good ideas were slowly exhausted during the one-year serialization process, the subsequent sales trend also gradually declined.

Although the book has been hyped up recently with the final chapter, the first week sales were only about 2,000 copies. For authors like Qiu Hui who focus on niche areas, the first week sales account for the largest part of the total sales, so it is difficult to expect subsequent trends.

Although the Web department of the library has been officially launched recently, the income from online subscriptions is only a drop in the bucket compared to royalties. After all, she doesn't write novels for Web readers, so she can't expect much success in this regard.

"After I replaced my computer and paid the rent, I don't have much money left," Togawa Akee thought irritably, "and now I have to add the cost of the musical instrument..."

To survive decently in Tokyo, where every inch of land is valuable, weekly sales of 2,000 copies are far from enough.

"...Or maybe you could just switch to web novels and move to a rural area where rent is less expensive?"

As soon as this idea came to mind, it was quickly dismissed.

You can move your home, but you certainly can’t change your school.

Continuing to study in Yuqiu is the last resort for my family.

Now they turn a blind eye to my actions. On the one hand, the previous book did achieve some results; on the other hand, it is also because I have not completely given up on myself in my studies.

“Playing in a band is actually very expensive… What should I do…”

Qiu Hui lay on the table in annoyance, tapping the ground with her toes nervously.

The teacher's voice on the podium echoed in my ears like the noise of a construction site. It seemed to be talking about a politician from the Heian period. Who cares about that kind of thing?

She sighed as she watched the clock tick by. Thinking about money was too annoying, so it was better to use the course to distract her.

So I spent my time listening to the lectures carefully, and soon it was time to go home from school.

Let's go to a music store today and find the cheapest one to use for now...

Coming out of the school gate at Hanegaoka, the early summer sun in Tokyo was irritating.

Togawa Akiie's plan was to take the train to Shimokitazawa, then wander around the area, looking for musical instrument stores wherever she could find them, and if she came across something that was cheap and looked authentic, she would buy it.

With this rather half-hearted idea in mind, she arrived at the door of a musical instrument store.

"Finally we met!"

Feeling the cool air coming in from the open door, Qiu Hui was delighted and quickly walked in.

Let’s not talk about musical instruments for now, let’s turn on the air conditioner first!

In order to save electricity, she always turns on the air conditioner only before going to bed. Now that she has free air conditioning, she will enjoy it first.

Pushing open the door, a dazzling array of musical instruments came into view. In addition to musical instruments, there were also various strange accessories that could not be named. Qiu Hui felt as if she had run into the inventory warehouse of an electronics factory.

The clerk came up to greet him warmly: "Hello! How can I help you?"

"I want an electronic keyboard. Well, I'm a beginner and I want to try it out first, so I want to..."

Qiu Hui swallowed the words "the cheapest" that had just risen to her throat.

"...Well, an 'entry-level' model suitable for beginners will be fine."

"Entry-level? Then please follow me. A new batch has just arrived..."

"No need, just tell me the location and I can see it myself."

"I see. Then, the electronic piano counter is on the third row of shelves from the left when you walk to the end of here."

"Thank you." After saying thank you, Qiu Hui went straight over there.

I always feel uncomfortable if a store clerk keeps talking next to me.

Moreover, I always feel that people like me will be easily led by the salesperson's rhythm and buy overly high-end models and a bunch of accessories that are not used at all under the sales offensive...

Therefore, it is better to eliminate these unnecessary interferences.

Walking among the various machines designed for the purpose of playing music, Qiu Hui suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of peace. The simple, lively and dynamic BGM in the store also made her feel happy.

"The electronic piano counter is over here. Let me see the price tag..."

The price on the tag silenced her.

When she converted the price into the number of meals at a family restaurant, she felt a strong shock in her heart.

The cheapest, where is the cheapest one?

Qiu Hui searched up and down the counter and finally found an electronic piano that seemed to be most suitable for her financial situation.

"The price is quite acceptable, and I seem to have heard of the brand. And it seems that as long as you place an order, you will get a matching backpack for free, which seems to be a good deal! How about this one?" Qiu Hui thought.

Although it is a good deal... but after converting it into the "Family Restaurant Index", it still makes people feel sad...

Trying hard to clear her mind, Qiu Hui called the shop assistant to help her pack the goods.

"Is this the one? Our store is having a promotion right now, so can I put it in for you?"

The clerk noticed the price tag and Akie's painful expression, and looked at her with a hint of sympathy in his eyes.

"Just put it in like this..." Akie sighed.

…I always feel that the clerk’s eyes look subtly unpleasant.

After paying at the counter and putting on her newly bought electronic piano, Qiu Hui had no intention of leaving immediately.

She continued to walk around the store. After all, she was in a band now, so it wouldn't hurt to get familiar with the various instruments.

What's more, there is free air conditioning.

Walking past the guitar counter and coming to the bass counter, she looked up and down at the various instruments hanging on the shelves.

It turns out there are many types of basses, she thought, just based on the number of strings, there are many types.

As she walked, she met a female student in school uniform who seemed to be carefully selecting a bass from the shelf.

Qiu Hui originally planned to walk past her quietly, but the latter suddenly spoke, which made her stop involuntarily.

"Hmm... let's use this guitar!"

Qiu Hui turned around and looked at the female student in front of her with some confusion.

Guitar? Aren't all these basses hanging here?

Although the product labels only write the specific model and not the type of instrument, is that because there are signs hanging on the shelves to indicate the type?

"Excuse me." Qiu Hui took the initiative to speak, "Did you say guitar just now?"

"Yeah!" The fashionable female student in front of me smiled and nodded, "I have decided to practice guitar well, so I came here to buy a new one with this in mind!"

"I understand you feel this way..."

Qiu Hui calmly pointed to the sign hanging on the shelf.

“But there’s only bass on this shelf?”

Chapter 12 Alas, Six-String Bass

"what?"

The smile on the female student's face froze.

She turned around and confirmed the "guitar" she liked.

"Right? There are six strings there, right?" she said in a panic. "The saleslady just accidentally put the guitar in the bass section, right?"

"...There are also six-string basses."

Qiu Hui stepped forward and gently plucked the "guitar" that the female student loved.

The deep voice made her look even worse.

"Look. That's the sound of the bass."

Togawa Akie looked at the girl in front of her helplessly.

You can tell at a glance that she has a good appearance, and you can also see that she has been carefully dressed up. Even if she is just wearing an ordinary school uniform, she has put a lot of effort into small accessories, which makes the original dullness turn into a sense of youth and vitality.

…Although she is very particular about her appearance, she doesn’t seem very smart.