People in Tokyo, the world is clear

Turning around again, the girl with the ponytail who had finished dealing with the current customer wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand, then ran to sit down at the edge of the wooden table and picked up the guitar standing in the corner.

There was a dizzying smell of tipsiness in the old wooden house. If I was distracted for a moment, the warm orange light in front of my eyes would become a little blurred with the smell of wine and roasted food, and the ethereal environment was filled with the smell of fireworks.

It is the human world.

Then the guitar began to play. A simple etude, at first tentative and cautious, perhaps afraid that the string sounds would become a nuisance to others.

But perhaps people who buy food in izakayas have more patience, tolerance and experience than those who get drunk in bars, or perhaps this little white noise really brings a sense of freedom.

No one praised me for this, but no one opposed it either, so I'm thankful.

At least, in Yu Linsen's vision, Qingshan Xiazhi, who probably had the above thoughts, breathed a sigh of relief.

So, here’s the next step in the plan.

Lin Sen nodded secretly, and unconsciously took a glass of orange juice handed to him from somewhere and took a sip.

"I...I hope I won't disturb everyone."

The courageous words attracted the attention of several customers. The girl, who was the center of attention, was still nervous, her left hand clutching the nut, but a genuine smile of joy appeared on her face as she sat down in her chair and bowed deeply.

"My name is Aoyama Natsuji, and I'm from Hyogo Kita. I'm a clerk at this store, and also... the lead singer of the Blue Coconuts on the banner. I like folk songs, and I'd like to sing some of the tunes I wrote with my friends for everyone. Will it bother you?"

Overcoming the awkwardness of proactively interacting with all the strangers present requires a thick skin. It's difficult for many people.

"But Summer Solstice she did it."

"Ah."

Lin Sen hummed softly in response to a clear voice that came from nowhere, and then took the initiative to lead the applause.

With the deliberate leadership of the hidden atmosphere group, the originally somewhat stiff atmosphere was instantly eased a lot with sparse applause.

Conformity is the most prominent characteristic of a mob. At this point, it was naturally difficult for anyone present to harbor any dissenting feelings.

They were swept up by the atmosphere and became natural audiences.

Even if there was a hint of hidden dissatisfaction, it gradually dissipated as the situation developed after a while.

because--

"Thank you! Thank you everyone!"

The girl's innocent smile was filled with happiness, and it was really hard to dislike her.

Then she took a deep breath, lowered her head, and gently plucked the guitar strings.

"Beep~"

Maybe I was nervous, my hands slipped and the notes were out of tune at the very beginning.

But this time——

“Patta, patta, patta…”

Under Lin Sen's deliberate leadership once again, applause and laughter immediately eased the atmosphere and even made the girl beside the wooden platform laugh again.

She curled the corners of her mouth, bent down again, bowed slightly and nodded.

"The name of this song is Weekend Anthem. Today is Sunday, everyone, happy weekend!"

The second time there were no problems.

The soft humming intertwined with the sound of the guitar, and the girl's ponytail trembled rhythmically to the rhythm.

[Like an angel descending from the sky~]

[My world shines brightly because of you...]

[When I was at my lowest point, broken and bruised, you gave me the strength to pull myself together~]

The girl's singing style has always been frank and sincere. She is straightforward and does not use complicated transitions or embellishments. There is rarely any melancholic humming while singing.

The carefully selected tracks fit this very refreshing style perfectly.

So, there was a whispered discussion among the regular customers in the store:

"It seems the accident wasn't so bad."

"Yes."

“That’s a lot better than last time.”

"Haha."

This is obvious.

Lin Sen, through his memories of past lives, selected songs that would be familiar to later generations. Although Qingshan Xiazhi's unprofessional translation had distorted them slightly, it still managed to preserve the most familiar and beautiful parts of the famous songs.

Maybe it is not quite suitable for this era, but "Good Listening" still has the confidence to get such evaluation.

"I didn't expect you had some musical talent."

"It's just okay."

Lin Sen continued to subconsciously respond to the compliments coming from somewhere beside him and took another sip of orange juice.

There were some difficult parts, though. When translating the song from English to Japanese, I burned a lot of brain cells trying to rhyme and convey the meaning.

But, it's all worth it.

As the gradually lazy but still energetic vocals and guitar sounds resonated to complete the chorus, Lin Sen seized the opportunity at the beginning of the second verse to gently pick up the cutlery and tap the glass to the rhythm.

Instantly, inject soul.

The joy of the banquet, the sounds of stringed instruments, the symphony of toasts and the happiness of the guests, the artistic conception of the original song instantly traveled through time and space and arrived in this small tavern of the old century.

So, under the gaze of a pair of beautiful eyes wide open at the side, Lin Sen's meager musical talent had a rare opportunity to be put to good use for a few minutes.

A perfect performance. At this moment, the room was completely devoid of any conversation, even the clinking of chopsticks had been deliberately muted.

All eyes were focused on the girl on the stage who was clearly in the mood, and everyone listened silently and attentively to her flowing voice that soaked their souls.

The wine is flowing, the ears are buzzing, and I feel like I'm in a dream. It's as if I'm no longer in the bustling city with its bright lights and nightlife, but escaping on a busy weekend bus, listening to the gentle singing of wandering travelers on the bus amidst the fragrance of old wood and flower buds.

It's getting better. It refers to the performance, or perhaps the ever-passionate soul that interprets life.

At the end, the guitar stopped and the vocals became longer and slower, gradually becoming lighter.

The girl, who had been in a trance for some time, breathed softly and glanced at everyone present with blank eyes.

has it ended?

I just...what happened?

Then--

“Click, click, click…”

The applause was still sparse, but it did not stagnate as expected, but gradually became coherent and enthusiastic.

For... me?

The stunned girl in the field slowly widened her eyes, shocked by the applause and cheers she had never enjoyed before.

This moment belongs to her.

So Lin Sen quietly stood up along with the audience who were jumping and applauding, lifted the curtain and walked out, leaving this joyful time to Qingshan Xiazhi alone.

Look up at the night sky.

The Milky Way stretches across the land, a white crystal blanket covering it. The universe is vast enough to accommodate the ups and downs of life.

It's rare to feel a little emotional.

“May all the dreams of the world eventually shine as brightly as these stars.”

"Well, let's pray together?"

"Uh-huh?"

stop.

Where did they come from?

After parting with Sasagawa Rimei at the station today, Lin Sen stayed at Ryuhuya, selecting the song for tonight's impromptu performance with Aoyama Natsuji and discussing some details.

And now she is receiving cheers in the tavern.

So, then—

Where does this sound over there come from?

"..."

Turn around.

What caught my eye was a pair of eyes twinkling under the starry sky. Beautiful, clear, and smiling.

The memory flashes back to a few minutes ago, when he was in the store.

The orange juice offered, the voice that spoke, and the overlooked gaze in the corner of my eye as he tapped the glass with chopsticks to accompany the music.

Then Lin Sen took a step forward and stared at the person with shoulder-length hair with wide eyes.

"Ito?"

The girl tilted her head back slightly, her soft black hair swaying slightly outwards from her face.

She blinked and lowered the curve of her mouth.

then.

"Good evening, senior."

Simple answer.

Chapter 33: Would you like a Coke? It’s my treat

Ito Xiguo bent down and gently stroked the back of the girl who was sobbing with a handkerchief in front of her.

When he looked up again, he exchanged a complicated expression with the young man next to him.

"I'm sorry, I really couldn't help it."

It was already early morning, and on a chair in the izakaya after closing time, Aoyama Xiazhi was crying like a child.

The tears fell and formed the shape of flowers on the wooden floor.

The colors of life bloom against the backdrop of dim light and shadow.

An orange that is deep yet bright, joyful yet sad.

She let out a hiccup, trying to calm her crying voice, and then lowered her head.

"Really, really, never..."

The sudden joy washes away the soul that has been drifting for a long time, and cleanses away layer after layer of long-accumulated sorrow.

There were disappointments, embarrassment, sadness and self-denial that were buried deep within my strong heart.

At this moment, it moves up along the roots of the Xinran flowers and forms a bittersweet nectar between the petals.

Perhaps, this woman who is good at being strong in the face of defeat hides her weak side in the opposite moments.

Everything happened so violently and suddenly that everyone present was a little flustered when they first saw it.

Fortunately, the owner adjusted quickly.

There was a moment of relief. Then, carefully wiping away her tears with her handkerchief, she stood up and hugged the guitar again.

"Really? This is such a joyful occasion. It's so embarrassing."

Lin Sen handed over a bottle of soda that Kawahara Daiga, who had hidden in the kitchen, had handed over to him earlier.

"Thank you. Kobayashi, and Ito."

Ito Xiguo reached out and pinched the girl's face in front of him without saying a word.

"It's quite moving," Lin Sen commented. "How should I put it? I can actually sympathize with your feelings, Qingshan."

Afterwards, with the two of them looking somewhat curious, the young man sat on the chair behind him and began to pick up the hot food in the pot.

"When the hardship is over and the sweetness comes, after you calm down, your first reaction will really be to cry."

Unfortunately, Lin Sen had never truly experienced such emotions in his previous life. The richest things in his career were disappointments and runner-up finishes.