Chapter 85

Extra Case File 85 Date

Four

“It’s been so long, have you forgotten your own dreams?”

Yu, who had an instinct to refute her, found herself unable to speak as if her tongue was paralyzed, when the deeply buried idea of her dream surged up like a snake’s bite when mentioned again.

“These don’t matter…”

Besides, now we’re all adults—what more can be done—

“Huh?”

“This is yours,” Ash said, tossing a purple electric guitar with a defiantly昂扬的mechanical eagle head at Himizuki, still in the middle of emo.

“There are no restrictions or impossibilities in rockbeat.”

“Everyone, show these off!”

Pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose and clapping his hands in surprise, Himizuki, all seemed prepared. From somewhere under the bar counter, Saya grabbed a custom-made instrument out of a box. Saya held a bass with ivory and mammoth-head decorations, while Hana set up a drum kit that folded into a coiled dragon shape; Yu held a keyboard wrapped in vines while the pickup part of Ash’s microphone was fashioned into an open-mouthed wolf’s head.

“What is this?!” Himizuki appeared flustered and uncertain, especially when she saw the rebellious eagle head on the guitar. The eyes on the eagle seemed to stare right at her and she felt they looked familiar.

“I know it’s just a well-crafted ornament, but…” Himizuki touched the defiant eagle and looked up at everyone standing.

“This is my great idea, you should be grateful.”

“Huh, but I think this dragon isn’t very nice-looking.” Hana shyly raised her hand, looking at the green coiled dragon logo on her pink drum.

From there, Ash wasn’t met with praise but a stream of criticism:

“Why have you put this thing on my keys, Ash? It’s already heavy enough, and with uneven weight distribution from my old strap, adding this will make me go to work with uneven shoulders, right?”

Yu toyed with the heavy artillery decoration of the keys, criticizing Ash’s strange sense of aesthetics.

“Though I am indeed more adept at bass, we agreed you’d put the drum kit under my seat.”

“Hmm, maybe I didn’t notice because you aren’t that noticeable.”

“Wow, you’re so out of line!” Saya exploded after hearing Ash’s airy remark, taking on a fierce demeanor similar to the “Fierce Final Monster” mode, brandishing the ivories from her bass as though preparing to attack Ash.

Tilting her little finger, she flicked her earlobe behind her back, brushing off the debris and pretending not to hear the apology that Hana quickly interjected.

“Um…” In the rapid transition of atmosphere that threatened to turn the pub into an arena, Himizuki spoke.

“This resembles an eagle’s head in ‘Summon Killing Eagle’, doesn’t it?” she lifted her electric guitar, pointing to the crimson eagle head.

Don’t think I’m fooled. That is such an iconic depiction—

“Oh, you’re the lady pianist who reads rock comics too!”

Ash, who got what he wanted, grinned.

“No, not really. I only occasionally read them! You know how sales at bookstores are hard to resist—and they always sneak some in…” Himizuki explained wildly and nonsensically.

Seeing Himizuki’s embarrassed expression, the others joined Ash’s laughter.

“Himizuki,” Saya interrupted.

“Will you believe this, Saya?”

With an electric guitar hugged close, Yu’s eager eyes sought solace from her friends.

“Volume one of ‘Summon Killing Eagle’ is only available to those who pre-ordered online six months ago,” Saya calmly dispelled Himizuki’s final hope.

“You must love them a lot, huh, Himizuki?”

Love Aisuki Himizuki, shipwreck.

“Listen, Miss Himizuki,” Ash approached her, his confident smirk fading into business-like composure while setting the audio quality. “This is about Hana—no, it’s about us all, worrying about your heart. But do you think your dream is truly alive?”

With help, the stage, simpler than the previous square, was set up, and curious customers gathered around when they saw the performance coming.

“Show us!”

“Or are you too afraid?”

Me afraid? Ha, this low trick…

Unknown to her, her fingers pressed against the strings without warning began moving to the background music.

“Ahh, okay, okay! If related to that solitary rock, I can’t stand it; I secretly buy and watch it all the time. Satisfied!?”

Resignedly, Himizuki exploded, a sudden emotional release that made Yu and Saya instinctively close their eyes. On Ash’s shoulder rested Hana, burying her face.

“Haa…haa…haa…”

Having vented her frustrations, Himizuki looked directly at Ash’s eyes.

“Finished?”

“Yes.”

“How about continuing?”

“Let’s go! Here I come!”

“Hah, just right!”

Ash grabbed a mic enthusiastically as the fiery melody rose. This band, which had no formal setup, started playing their first song.

“We’ll start with ‘Darkcrow!'”

Following a skilled guitar solo by Himizuki and girls’ screams, the stage reached its peak energy.

“Let’s Rock!”

A lady who might spend her life with elegant piano music had again made the rock gesture.