A guide to survival in a heavy girl's world

“The performance costume styles correspond to different band styles.”

Chihaya Tetsuya said:

"This way, I can not only understand the band culture, but also further accumulate ideas for the design of performance costumes."

"I see."

After hearing this, Shoko Toyokawa immediately showed an expression of great admiration.

"As expected of Chihaya-san, you're so professional in everything you do!"

“…That alone is not enough.”

However, in the face of Toyokawa Shoko's praise, Chihaya Tetsuya shook his head unmoved.

"I did some remedial training after returning home... I discovered that many bands have very diverse performance styles. To cater to these diverse performance styles, they naturally need costumes that can reflect the corresponding elements. With my current knowledge, I can't adapt so flexibly... For example, this."

Halfway through his conversation, Chihaya Tetsuya suddenly showed his cell phone screen to Toyokawa Shoko.

When Toyokawa Shoko saw the content on the screen, her face instantly turned red.

"Why, why did you choose this gothic metal band..."

"Hmm? I figured since I'm starting from scratch anyway, I might as well start by learning from the styles that people around me like... For example, Toyokawa, you really like Gothic style, right?"

"Hmm—well, should I say I like it... or do I simply admire its artistry and mystery..."

Toyokawa Shoko tried hard to find a suitable description in her mind, but after a long and futile effort, she could only admit dejectedly:

"Well, I do like the Gothic style."

Chihaya Tetsuya found it a little difficult to understand Toyokawa Shoko's awkwardness.

"? Why are you so reluctant to admit it?"

"Because... doesn't liking the Gothic style give people a very childish vibe?"

Toyokawa Shoko whispered:

"Those kinds of eerie, out-of-this-world things... aren't they usually only liked by middle schoolers?"

"...? That's not the case, Toyokawa."

Faced with Toyokawa Shoko's prejudice, Chihaya Tetsuya shook his head very seriously.

"Not to mention that Gothic style itself is an artistic style with a long historical background... For designers, this kind of limitation based on 'common sense' and 'experience' is the most undesirable."

"To give you a simple example, before Yohji Yamamoto, almost everyone considered 'pure black' a taboo on fashion shows. However, after him, the use of pure black began to become more and more widespread, and gradually became a very representative symbol of the Japanese fashion industry. This is the confidence and persistence that a designer should have."

After that, he turned to the first few pages of his notebook and showed Toyokawa Shoko several Gothic costumes he had sketched:

“If you like this style, you should persist in studying it, using it, constantly incorporating its elements into your designs, and use your own abilities to turn it into a ‘fashion’ that everyone will follow and recognize.”

"…………"

After hearing this, Toyokawa Shoko was stunned for a while, and then she belatedly asked:

"Ah... Chihaya-nii, what you just said, could it be that you are teaching me how to become a qualified 'designer'?"

"Hmm? As my apprentice, isn't it natural for me to teach you these things?"

Chihaya Tetsuya asked back in surprise:

"Or, Fengchuan, you don't plan to be a designer, but want to be a pattern maker——"

"Ah, that's not true! It's just... before this, I knew nothing about clothing making, so I never thought I could actually become a designer..."

"As long as you are willing to keep going, sooner or later you will see the day when it blooms and bears fruit."

In the face of Toyokawa Shoko's self-doubt, Chihaya Tetsuya's tone was extremely confident.

"Even if you don't plan to become a designer in the future, this learning process is still meaningful to you... For example, if you want to form a gothic metal band in the future, what you learn now will be very helpful in designing your own costumes. You can even design the stage yourself."

"…………"

After hearing the word "band", Toyokawa Shoko first subconsciously widened her eyes, and then whispered:

"I no longer have the time to form a band. Besides, I'd rather focus on the work at hand than on something so ethereal."

"...Yeah, so I was just giving an analogy."

Chihaya Tetsuya said:

"So...would you like to join me in sketching? As for the theme...it's Gothic, of course."

"……Yes."

Although there was still a lingering sense of shame in her heart, when Toyokawa Shoko saw Chihaya Tetsuya's focused look, the hesitation in her heart disappeared.

So, after making up her mind, Shoko Toyokawa finally stopped hesitating, picked up her paper and pen, and started practicing sketching with Chihaya Tetsuya.

However, before she could practice for long, a sudden phone call interrupted her practice that had just begun.

"Eh?"

In order not to disturb Chihaya Tetsuya, Toyokawa Shoko quickly took out her mobile phone from her pocket.

"Who is it?"

It was almost eight o'clock in the evening. Generally speaking, no one would contact her at this time.

And then, when she saw the caller ID on her phone, her expression suddenly froze on her face.

"...Excuse me, Chihaya-nii, can I go out and answer a phone call?"

"of course."

"Thank you very much."

After getting Chihaya Tetsuya's consent, Toyokawa Shoko hurried out of the office with her phone in hand. It wasn't until she reached the empty hallway that she finally breathed a sigh of relief and pressed the answer button:

"What do you want from me...Mu?"

Chapter 26: Worry and concern are never in conflict

"…I already told her, right? Just tell her I've moved."

【…】

"I'm fine here. The reason I didn't reply during the Golden Week was simply because I was busy."

【…】

"Want to come and see where I work? No! Didn't I already tell you it's a good job that doesn't require you to worry about it? Unrelated people coming to visit will only cause trouble here!"

【…】

"I know you're worried about me... and I know she's been looking for me. Sooner or later, I'll take the initiative to meet her, and then... I'll take the initiative to end things with her."

【…】

"Don't worry, I'm not trying to be tough... Thanks to a kind person at my current workplace, I'm no longer as weak as I was before."

Having said this, Toyokawa Shoko paused for a moment, then continued:

"Well, if you're really worried, then let's meet alone the day after tomorrow... Eh? You want to meet that 'noble person' I mentioned? Well..."

【…】

"Of course I'm not lying! This person really exists, but... I really don't want to take up his time for no reason."

【…】

"Alas... This is the first time I've seen you so persistent. Okay, I understand. I'll ask for his opinion, but... I can't guarantee that he'll agree to such a request."

Toyokawa Shoko shook her head:

"Okay, we've talked long enough. I'm going to go back next... I'll message you when I have the results."

beep--

After Shoko Toyokawa ended the conversation and pressed the hang-up button, the voice-controlled lights in the stairwell went out completely.

"You're saying you're worried I'll be tricked by bad people... Do I look that easy to fool?"

Toyokawa Shoko couldn't help but grumble in a low voice:

"Really? How am I supposed to tell Chihaya-nii about this?"

What if a friend of mine is very concerned about my current work status and wants to meet you as my boss?

His time is so precious, how could he waste it on such a boring reason——

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

"Hmm? That's totally fine."

Chihaya Tetsuya answered almost without hesitation:

"Is it the night after tomorrow? I have no problem at all."

"Eh... is this really okay?!"

Compared to Chihaya Tetsuya's straightforwardness, Toyokawa Shoko asked with an awkward expression:

"Just because my friend wants to see you, that's some silly reason..."

"This isn't some boring reason. You have to understand that making a sixteen-year-old high school girl work from six to ten every night is extremely abnormal and dangerous. Otherwise, why do you think I insist on sending you home every day?"

Chihaya Tetsuya reminded:

"As your friend, it's normal for me to be worried about this."

"Well, that being said..."

It is still difficult for Shoko Toyokawa to accept that she had disturbed Chihaya Tetsuya's study time for personal reasons.

However, before Toyokawa Shoko could refute, Chihaya Tetsuya had already picked up the desk calendar and drew a big "cross" on the date of the day after tomorrow with a red pen.

"It's decided. You guys can decide the time and place. This way, your friends will feel more at ease."

“There’s no need to go to this extent…”

Toyokawa Shoko shook her head.

"If she can just look at Chihaya-san, she should be able to feel at ease."

"To say that one look can put your mind at ease is a bit too much."

Chihaya Tetsuya denied Toyokawa Shoko's statement.

"Could it be that your friend can read minds?"

"No, it's just that Chihaya-nii's physique doesn't look like that of a suspicious person."

Toyokawa Shoko said seriously:

"If it were the girls from our school's sports club, Chihaya-san might be the more dangerous one."

"..."

After hearing this, Chihaya Tetsuya was stunned for a long time, and then asked with a confused look on his face:

"Huh? Could it be that someone just said something bad about me?"

"No, I'm just saying that Chihaya-san is someone a girl can trust."

"Oh, really? Thank you..."

"…………"

Sure enough, as her understanding of Chihaya Tetsuya deepened, Toyokawa Shoko gradually realized how many obvious flaws existed in this serious man.

Of course, jokes aside, if you want Mu to truly trust Chihaya Tetsuya, you probably still need to let the two of them communicate with each other.

But... with Yimu's conversational skills that can be described as a conversation stopper, will the meeting that day become awkward?

What should I do if Chihaya-san thinks I'm some weird person because of this?

"Ugh……"

Anyway, let's first tell her that Chihaya-san agreed to meet her...

...Hmm? Wait a moment.

Just as Toyokawa Shoko was about to send the message, she suddenly realized another very important thing -