A guide to survival in a heavy girl's world

"You really never make people bored, Tetsuya-kun."

Hasegawa Shin patted Chihaya Tetsuya's shoulder vigorously:

"Okay, I get it. You can take refuge here during Golden Week, but I won't be assigning you any new plans. Just stay here and teach Xiangzi, and occasionally supervise everyone."

"Yes!"

"…………"

On the other side, Shoko Toyokawa, who heard the conversation between the two, couldn't help but reveal a somewhat complicated expression.

"Chihaya-nii... you do have a younger sister after all."

They are not fakes like me, but real relatives who can support each other.

Being Chihaya-san's sister must be a very happy thing, right...?

Thinking of this, an indelible envy suddenly appeared in Shoko Toyokawa's eyes.

But soon, the voice from behind her immediately interrupted her wandering thoughts -

"What are you looking at, Toyokawa?"

Chihaya Tetsuya had already come to her side and looked at the book in her hand with curiosity.

"Gothic Architecture and Sculpture?"

"Yes, this... is the book that Director Hasegawa lent me."

Toyokawa Shoko said:

"She asked me yesterday what style of clothes I liked, and when I said Gothic, she handed me the book."

"I see... But, is it Gothic style?"

Chihaya Tetsuya nodded thoughtfully.

"Because it's quite out of touch with daily life, I've basically never been exposed to any relevant knowledge..."

After this performance costume design, Chihaya Tetsu has become deeply aware of the overwhelming insufficiency of his knowledge reserves.

Although he has not yet determined his "ambition", at least he does not want to encounter the embarrassing situation of knowing nothing about the design content again.

Now, even though Aine said she would show him her work when she had some success, he probably wouldn’t be able to offer any useful advice even if he listened since he doesn’t know anything about music…

"By the way, Toyokawa."

"Yes?"

"Do you...know anything about 'band culture'?"

“………………Huh?”

Chihaya Tetsuya, unaware of Toyokawa Shoko's increasingly stiff expression, asked sincerely:

"I want to take advantage of this Golden Week to study this subject. Where do you think I should start?"

Chapter 21: Learning inevitably involves reviewing the past

"A band?"

When Shoko Toyokawa heard these two words, her heart was filled with complex and dark emotions.

The memory that she was forced to give up is still a knot in her heart that she cannot let go of.

She thought she would never hear about the band again after joining the clothing studio...but she didn't expect that it would be mentioned again for this reason.

However, facing Chihaya Tetsuya who had done her a favor, she really didn't want to lie to him.

"If you want to talk about understanding...I do know a little bit."

"Is that so? As expected of Toyokawa."

Chihaya Tetsuya looked at Toyokawa Shoko with admiration.

"Even with the pajamas and performance costumes incident, I always have the feeling that no matter what I ask you, you can answer it."

"It's just because I happened to be involved in what you asked me, Chihaya-san. In other words, it was a coincidence."

Faced with Chihaya Tetsuya's excessive flattery, Toyokawa Shoko couldn't help but shake her head.

"So... Chihaya-nii is specifically trying to understand band culture for his sister?"

The envy that had not yet dissipated began to ferment secretly in her heart.

Especially when she thought that Chihaya Tetsuya's sister would happily and freely carry out band activities with the support of her brother, she felt an indescribable bitterness in her heart.

Ah, this world is so unfair...

She unconsciously clenched her fists, her nails digging deeply into the soft flesh of her palms.

However, before the dark emotions in her heart could fully form, Chihaya Tetsuya's answer made her freeze in her tracks.

"Of course it's not just because of this."

Chihaya Tetsuya said as he moved his chair over.

"If it's just a private matter at my house, I won't disturb your studies."

Then, he sat down next to Toyokawa Shoko as if he were her deskmate.

"This performance costume design has sounded the alarm for me. If my goal is to become a top designer, then my current knowledge is definitely not enough. Idol culture and band culture are just the beginning, and I still have a lot to learn."

Having said that, he turned his head to look at Toyokawa Shoko with a somewhat helpless expression.

"After all, I can't ask Fengchuan for advice on everything in the future, right?"

"…………"

For some reason, after listening to Chihaya Tetsuya's explanation, the dark emotions in Toyokawa Shoko's heart suddenly dissipated. While feeling relieved and happy, she couldn't help but feel an irrepressible self-loathing for her narrow-minded thinking.

What am I thinking? Chihaya-san came to me for such a legitimate reason, but all I can think of are weird things.

(And after all… even if Chihaya-san really was just doing this for his sister, who am I to complain about it?)

"...If possible, I hope to be the kind of reliable person who can always help you solve your problems."

Toyokawa Shoko sighed.

"But in reality, I'm just an ordinary person whose life experience is a little more complicated than that of my peers..."

"Even so, you still helped me a lot and taught me a lot."

Facing Toyokawa Shoko's self-denial, Chihaya Tetsuya said calmly:

"Just as I've successfully designed something with no regrets thanks to you, perhaps before this, you've also provided guidance and assistance to others, just as you are now, but you simply haven't noticed. Humility is a virtue, but it's not good when it escalates into self-deprecation... So, Toyokawa, I'll continue to rely on you."

"…………"

If it were someone else, Shoko Toyokawa would definitely not accept these comforting words.

However, after spending a week together, she has come to understand Chihaya Tetsuya's true nature.

He never says nonsense without reason and never lies to others.

Every word, every decision, and even every action of this person comes from his most sincere thoughts and thinking.

Because of this, his words penetrated into Toyokawa Shoko's heart like a cool trickle of water, allowing her originally dry and dead heart to once again emerge with a weak but real "life" -

"I understand."

Feeling the gradually accelerating pleasure beating in her chest, Shoko Toyokawa straightened her chest again.

"Then let's get started right away, learning about... band culture!"

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

After that, Toyokawa Shoko began to systematically introduce the general types of bands and their activities to Chihaya Tetsuya.

After a thorough and serious scientific popularization, Toyokawa Shoko naturally recommended her favorite band to Chihaya Tetsuya.

"Considering that Chihaya-san has never been in a band before, I'll start by recommending bands that are more accessible to the general music fan base..."

While saying this, Shoko Toyokawa was searching for something on her phone.

"For example, this band is quite well-known in both pop and rock circles, and the quality of their work is impeccable. As for their specific work, I would recommend this one—"

"[August, certain, Yue Ming かり]?"

Chihaya Tetsuya subconsciously recited the song title.

"Do you like this song?"

"……kindness."

Toyokawa Shoko nodded slightly.

"It's not just because of the melody, but mainly because of the lyrics... It fits my mood recently."

When mentioning this song, a subtle bitter smile appeared on Toyokawa Shoko's face.

"A band... it's truly a strange existence. It can become a precious treasure you'll never forget, or it can bring back painful memories you'd rather not recall. Sometimes it can exacerbate a person's negative emotions, but other times it can lift them up again."

"…………"

Hearing this, Chihaya Tetsu couldn't help but turn his head to look at Toyokawa Shoko.

Just from the mixed emotions on her face when she said this, it was enough to see that for Toyokawa Shoko... the band might be far more than just "knowing a little bit".

……

Out of curiosity and also out of concern for Toyokawa Shoko, Chihaya Tetsuya couldn't help but ask:

"Has Fengchuan ever formed a band before?"

"!"

Hearing this question, Shoko Toyokawa's body trembled subconsciously, and then she nodded weakly.

"Well, although it was only for a short period of time... I did have the experience of forming a band."

"..."

Yes, but does that mean it's disbanded now? What kind of band was it? And why did it disband?

As soon as he thought of this, Chihaya Tetsuya's curiosity was aroused once again.

However, just as Chihaya Tetsuya was about to ask something else, Hasegawa Shin's voice suddenly came from behind the two of them -

"Sorry, Tetsuya-kun, to bother you two for a moment."

"?"

Under Chihaya Tetsuya's somewhat puzzled gaze, Hasegawa Shin shook the phone in his hand.

"It seems like they want to talk to you about something at the Watanabe Office."

Chapter 22: We usually call it "returning customers"

Although he didn't know why Watanabe Agency suddenly contacted him, judging from the smiling expression on the director's face, it was at least not a bad thing.

So, with a little curiosity, Chihaya Tetsuya took the phone from Hasegawa Shin's hand——

"Hello, this is Chihaya Tetsuya."

"I'm sorry to bother you so suddenly at this hour, Chihaya-kun."

A gentle and steady male voice came from the other side of the phone:

My name is Kento Watanabe, and I'm the president of your last client, Watanabe Office.

"……Eh?"

When Chihaya Tetsuya heard the name, he froze in place.

"President Watanabe...?"

Even though Chihaya Tetsu didn't know much about the idol industry, before taking on the last job, he still learned about the past of this agency and this legendary idol producer from Director Hasegawa.

This young man, barely thirty, single-handedly transformed the idol industry, elevating it from a niche subculture to an integral part of modern pop culture. It was under his leadership that Watanabe Agency became the idol industry's most renowned "luxury brand."

Most commendably, even after achieving top-tier popularity and recognition, Watanabe Agency remains solely focused on developing idols, ensuring that each of their idols possesses comprehensive and impeccable professional skills, coupled with an independence unmatched by other agencies. This is precisely why, even after graduation, Watanabe Agency's idols are sought after by major entertainment companies and continue to be active in the entertainment industry as singers, models, and actors.

And now, this great man would come to me at this time...