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21: The Most Familiar Stranger
🕑 Added 2025-09-23 01:06:47 +0000 UTCOn the street.
"Your bass is really good."
Kikuri slung her arm around Toru's shoulder. She reeked of alcohol, carried a guitar borrowed from a friend, let out a small burp, and continued drinking from a box of cheap wine.
This was the cheapest wine you could buy at a convenience store.
As a "drunken angel," Kikuri drank wine instead of water and couldn't afford anything expensive.
Only after a live concert would she treat herself to some good liquor or go to an izakaya for drinks.
"To put it bluntly, my bass is the best in the world."
Toru patted Kikuri's arm and pushed her off, then turned around to put away the new bass he had just bought a few days ago.
"Ahahaha, you're just a brat who doesn't know how to be polite, huh? Hiccup~"
Kikuri hiccupped and slumped to the ground.
She had drunk too much today, and her consciousness was completely fuzzy.
Toru let out a small sigh at the sight.
"I'll take you home."
"Alright," Kikuri muttered, flopping completely onto the floor.
Toru put on a mask and dragged her body along the street, looking like a criminal disposing of a corpse at a crime scene.
———
Ten minutes later
At FOLT Live House, Toru dropped Kikuri onto the floor.
Phew.
The crime scene has been cleaned up.
This should be enough to keep the Japanese police off his trail for a few months.
...Just kidding. He hadn't killed anyone.
"Huh? Kikuri-chan? Why does she look like she's fast asleep... so cute?"
Ginjiro Yoshida, manager of FOLT, covered his mouth with an exaggerated expression as he walked over to Toru.
Toru sighed.
"Manager Yoshida, could you call her friend? I need to get going."
It was getting late.
"Alright, alright. I have a sofa here. Let her sleep there. I'll get a blanket for her."
The club manager waved him off.
"Thanks."
Toru figured that since summer wasn't far off, sleeping on the sofa under a blanket wouldn't make her sick.
So, he didn't say anything more.
He helped Kikuri onto the couch.
After finishing up, he headed to the front counter and ordered a glass of juice.
———
Japanese laws were strict, and minors weren't allowed to drink.
Back in his previous life, adults would always pressure him into drinking at social gatherings.
His father had even forced him to drink in high school under the excuse of "training alcohol tolerance."
Honestly, how did such a pointless drinking culture even become a thing?
———
As Toru drank his juice, a familiar stranger stepped through the door.
Short blue hair, a charming beauty mark near her eye, a pretty yet expressionless face, and wearing Shimokitazawa's white uniform.
It was his second wife from the simulation.
Ryo Yamada.
———
"Ryo-chan is so cute~"
———
At the same time.
Ryo locked eyes with Toru.
For a few seconds, their gazes met.
Then, they quickly looked away.
No matter how close they had been in the simulation, in reality, they were nothing more than strangers who had never even spoken to each other.
———
Toru was the type of man who could clearly separate the simulation from reality.
He wouldn't get sentimental.
———
"..."
Ryo remembered his emotionless gaze just now.
It was the first time Toru had looked at her so indifferently.
———
During the simulation...
His eyes had always been filled with love whenever he looked at her.
That love never wavered.
———
Whether it was the years they spent practicing bass together,
The moment when he fell in the snow and risked his life to protect her,
Or their final conversation on the hospital bed when death was right around the corner.
His love had never changed.
———
Only now did Ryo truly realize it.
Everything was gone.
His love for her had vanished into the unknown dimension the moment the simulation ended.
Not even a speck of dust remained.
———
"...I have nothing left."
———
A dull pain spread through her chest, making Ryo freeze in place.
She had originally thought that Toru in reality would be just like in the simulation.
That he would approach her and talk to her when they first met.
That he would smile at her, just like before.
———
But unfortunately...
It was just her delusion.
———
The Toru who had loved her—
Was already dead.
Killed by her own hands.
Dying in her arms.
———
The Toru standing before her now was just a look-alike.
He had the same face.
The same voice.
But his soul was completely different.
———
Even so...
Just being able to see him again made Ryo feel happy.
She walked to the bar as if nothing had happened and ordered a glass of juice.
———
"I heard you playing bass under the bridge just now. It sounded great."
Completely different from the simulation.
This time, Ryo took the initiative to talk.
———
"Thanks."
Toru turned his head and smiled at her.
———
That familiar smile made Ryo freeze.
She almost teared up on the spot.
She felt sad and wronged, but she held back.
———
Ryo didn't want their first meeting to be awkward.
She didn't want to become a weirdo in Toru's eyes.
———
Even if she couldn't be his girlfriend.
She would at least try her best to become his friend.
———
"Why the gloomy face? Got into some trouble? Tell me about it." Toru turned his head, smiling as he watched her interesting expression.
It was the first time he'd seen Ryo-chan look like this.
Pretty cute, actually.
"My band with some friends… we have a performance early next month. But we can't sell any… tickets. Could you… buy one?"
Normally, lying was as easy as drinking water for Ryo as she had already forced her poor grandmother to "die" dozens of times. Yet now she was stammering. She wasn't sure why. Maybe it was the strong guilt she carried from the simulation, making it hard for her to lie to Toru.
In reality, Kessoku Band hadn't even passed an audition, let alone booked an actual stage. It was all nonsense!
"How much is one ticket?" Toru recalled something from the simulator.
Was this about that short-lived Kessoku Band Ryo-chan had mentioned?
He might as well support her. It wasn't going to cost much anyway. He could treat it like paying for his beloved in-game wife.
Plenty of otaku blew money on mobile games for the sake of love. Toru figured he could do the same. Besides, a concert ticket wasn't expensive at all, definitely nowhere near 648 yen.
Toru wasn't stingy with money, and he didn't mind spending it, just the other day, he'd ordered some high-end sushi delivery that cost quite a bit.
"1500 yen."
"OK, I'll buy one." Toru handed her the money, only to see Ryo sitting there looking awkward.
Alright, so there was more to the story.
He stood up, giving her an easy out. "I have to go now. Let's exchange contact info. When the concert happens, let me know where, and I'll come cheer you on."
"Thank you." Ryo nodded.
They took a few moments to add each other. As she watched his back fading into the distance, Ryo lowered her head and glanced at his LINE account. Quietly, she edited the note and, without meaning to, let a faint, adorable smile curl at her lips.
But just as Miss Ryo was about to leave, she suddenly remembered something. She'd bought drinks… and now had no money left for the train!
So...
A few minutes later.
Ijichi Nijika received a scam call, "Nijika, it's me, Ryo. I ran into some really, really bad people, so I need your help. Transfer me 300....no, 30 billion."
"Nijika, heading out so late?"
Seika, lounging on the sofa with a can of beer in hand, looked over and asked with concern.
Putting on her shoes, Nijika snapped back, "I'm going to rescue someone."
Honestly~
What kind of idiocy was Ryo getting herself into this time?
