Rock Girl Descends Beside Me!

"It's raining..."

Toyokawa Sakiko clicked the "End Shift" button on her screen, took off her headphones, and looked out at the heavy rain, murmuring to herself.

She had never had good feelings about rain. Every time it rained, she lost something, whether it was Crychic or the past of the five of them.

"Sakiko, did your boyfriend not call today?" a female colleague teased.

Toyokawa Sakiko explained a few times but couldn't correct the misunderstanding. She just smiled and said, "He can't call every day, can he?"

"What's the big deal? When my boyfriend and I were dating, we used to talk on the phone for twelve hours every day."

Soon, everyone had left the office. Toyokawa Sakiko had forgotten to check the weather forecast and didn't bring an umbrella, so she could only wait for the rain to stop. As she walked to the bottom of the office building, she suddenly saw a familiar figure.

"Why are you only here now? I only have one umbrella, don't mind it..." Riki said to Toyokawa Sakiko.

Toyokawa Sakiko covered her mouth and chuckled. She jogged to Riki's side, opened the umbrella, and stepped into the curtain of rain. It seemed that rainy days weren't entirely bad.

God, please don't cast aside this last bit of warmth I have left.

*******

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Chapter 10: Let's Use Kasugakage

The rain in Tokyo was heavy. Riki didn't know if it was the gravity of the band's pull, but the raindrops were large and urgent, hitting the umbrella surface with a pitter-patter. The two of them squeezed under the umbrella, walking slowly against the strong wind.

"Sorry, it's all my fault for forgetting my umbrella," Toyokawa Sakiko said apologetically. To shield herself from the rain, she was very close to Riki, and besides the smell of rain, she could smell their individual scents.

"It's okay. Sometimes I forget I'm a handsome young man and have many girls swooning over me," Riki comforted her.

There weren't many excellent, self-aware guys like him who knew their own flaws.

He's a treasure boy.

Otherwise, why would Toyokawa Sakiko be looking at him with an expression that was three parts speechless, three parts confused, three parts helpless, and ninety-one percent admiration (as Riki saw it)?

"You can be quite narcissistic sometimes," Toyokawa Sakiko sighed.

"I can change," Riki quickly replied.

Teacher Da Xiang, I want to improve so badly.

"No, this is fine," Toyokawa Sakiko said, her slender fingers brushing through her blue hair, which was damp from the rain. She revealed her beautiful face and smiled gently, "I really like Riki just the way he is."

Seeing her like this, Riki's heart skipped a beat.

Damn, Succubus Sakiko!

As expected of a top-tier character, how can I counter her ultimate skills?

Designer, look at this, designer!

Riki thought for a moment and said, "Oh, right. Sose and I agreed that I'll be the music director for her band, so I probably won't have time to call you for paid chats anymore."

"I never thought of that," Toyokawa Sakiko retorted. Although she had fallen on hard times, her pride wouldn't let her do anything underhanded like that—

Unless Riki called her.

As Toyokawa Sakiko spoke, she lowered her head, her eyes slightly downcast.

Sose's band?

Is it for me?

Toyokawa Sakiko looked up at Riki's profile as he held the umbrella and walked forward against the wind and rain, lowering her gaze without a word.

If she invited him to join the band, would Riki agree?

"No..." Toyokawa Sakiko whispered.

She didn't want to know the answer.

This was fine.

If she didn't know the answer, at least her pride wouldn't be hurt anymore.

However, the thought of Riki possibly not being around her anymore brought a pang of bitterness to Toyokawa Sakiko's heart.

--I hate that.

Nagasaki Sose lay on her large bed at home. She turned her head to look at the heavily raining Tokyo and picked up her phone to send Riki a message.

Nagasaki Sose: [It's raining. Sakiko didn't get wet, did she?]

For some reason, she just had a feeling that Riki was with Toyokawa Sakiko right now.

As soon as Nagasaki Sose put down her phone, Riki replied.

Riki (Note: Annoyance): [(Photo), I got wet.]

The photo was a selfie of Riki, looking like he was struggling forward on the street in the wind and rain, while giving a thumbs-up to the camera with a hearty smile.

Nagasaki Sose took a deep breath, rolled her eyes, and thought, You can keep your business, I don't care at all, okay?

Nagasaki Sose: [Are you with Sakiko?]

Riki (Note: Annoyance): [Which Sakiko are you talking about? Gold Sakiko, Silver Sakiko, or Camel Xiangzi?]

You damn annoyance!

Nagasaki Sose took a deep breath, turned off her phone, and ignored him.

In the empty room, only her own breathing could be heard. Even the room outside the door was empty except for her. Nagasaki Sose couldn't help but think of Riki. Why was he always so cheerful?

It was annoyingly enviable.

"Soon..." Nagasaki Sose muttered softly, "we'll be back to those happy times too."

Although she felt bad, Chihaya Anon was the bait she used to lure Takamatsu Akari and Shiina Riki into joining. Riki was also bait to attract Toyokawa Sakiko. After that, she could discard both of them and let Crychic be reborn.

For some reason, Nagasaki Sose suddenly remembered Riki's gaze at her earlier in the cafe.

Calm, with a hint of pity.

Why did he have that expression?

Nagasaki Sose held her phone, lost in thought, when it suddenly slipped and hit her nose again.

"Oof..."

Nagasaki Sose curled up on the bed, clutching her nose and crying out in pain.

It's all that guy's fault!

Nagasaki Sose thought fiercely.

I must use that guy well, then kick him away, and bring Sakiko back!

She hated Riki the most!

"Who's calling the fleet!?"

Riki frowned, feeling as if someone was complimenting his looks, and sneezed violently.

The last message on his phone was from Nagasaki Sose.

Nagasaki Sose (Note: Scheming Little Sister): [Come to Ring tomorrow at noon.]

The brief and cold message made Riki sigh. He was the technical advisor, couldn't she be a little more polite?

Look at the neighboring Ketsukoka, only one character different from your Haneoka. Teacher Da Xiang would travel all the way to Hokkaido to get someone for Starlight, but you only send one sentence, which is truly lamentable.

"Be careful not to catch a cold, go take a bath quickly," Toyokawa Sakiko said as she emerged from the steamy bathroom, hearing him sneeze.

People's physiques can't be generalized. As a music student, I'm second only to the legendary sports students. Although I can't defeat the strongest ancient sorcerer, I can still resist the mere sickness.

Riki noticed that the water in the bathtub was still warm. It seemed that in Japan, families would share a tub of water, washing themselves clean before soaking.

Sakiko had already bathed, meaning this was Sakiko's bathwater?

No, that's a turn-off.

Riki shook his head, dispelling impure thoughts, and began to wash.

By the way, the scent in the bathroom is really nice.

Toyokawa Sakiko, who had just finished her bath, also received a message on her phone.

Wakaba Mutsuki: [Sose-chan wants to know your home address.]

Toyokawa Sakiko frowned and replied: [Mutsuki, what are your thoughts?]

Mutsuki couldn't be a mere messenger anymore.

Wakaba Mutsuki didn't reply for a long time. After a while, she responded: [Sose-chan said you made a friend.]

Toyokawa Sakiko: [His name is Riki, I met him by chance. Don't worry too much about him, he and I are just ordinary friends.]

In a mansion in Tokyo, Wakaba Mutsuki stared blankly at the message on her phone, like a doll, and closed her eyes.

The next day at noon, Riki arrived at Ring and ordered a cup of black tea, figuring Nagasaki Sose, the rich lady, would pay.

Nagasaki Sose glanced at him and smiled at Shiina Riki, who was working at the cafe, "By the way, Riki-chan, will you join the band too?"

"Huh?" Shiina Riki frowned.

"Akari-chan will join too," Nagasaki Sose said with a smile.

Shiina Riki's frown relaxed. After a moment of hesitation, she agreed, though she seemed to have some friction with Chihaya Anon.

Whenever the topic of Takamatsu Akari came up, Shiina Riki was completely an affirmative supporter... Riki thought to himself.

Just revolve around her, don't study, don't play drums, don't contact your friends, give up everything you like to do. If you ask me what to do, it's so painful, what to do? Why don't you call the police...

"What practice song should we use then?" Riki asked.

"Kasugakage is good enough," Shiina Rikki said casually.

Nagasaki Sose's expression shifted subtly. "This one still..." she managed.

"I think it's fine," Riki said. "Let's go with this one."

Huh?

Nagasaki Sose felt this was a bit outside her plan.

Chapter 11: Yes, I am Beethoven Reincarnated

Nagasaki Sose hadn't expected the band she planned to use as a substitute to immediately encounter something she disliked. Kasugakage was a song she created with her Crychic bandmates. She felt deeply resistant to letting others participate now, frowning deeply.

Nagasaki Sose's expression was a bit grim, and Riki was affected by it, sadly finally bursting into laughter.

Nagasaki Sose glared at him fiercely.

I'm at least two years older than you, can't you be more polite to your older brother?

Riki sighed, but he supposed it made sense. Nagasaki Sose was a prominent figure in Tokyo, Japan, and had reason to be proud towards an outsider like him.

"Could you please stop looking like you're badmouthing me in your head?" Nagasaki Sose narrowed her eyes.

Mind reading!?

There's no need for mind reading, you completely wear it on your face... Nagasaki Sose took a deep breath, wondering why Toyokawa Sakiko knew someone like Riki.

"Sose-chan seems to be on very good terms with him," Chihaya Anon said curiously.

Before Riki could speak, Nagasaki Sose preempted him with a smile. "No, we're just strangers who've met twice."

She emphasized the word "strangers."

Riki didn't mind. Upon arriving at the practice room, he said, "The sheet music is missing a guitar part, so I'll play guitar."