Chapter 243: The Strong Sense of Stealth in Livehouse’s First Experience
“Role-playing, huh?”
Lin Tian was sweating bullets.
But thinking about it, a high school student really didn’t quite suit this kind of place.
If they walked in with that persona, it would be nothing short of stealing a peek! In fact, Gan Yan Yu might even get reported by some responsible adult and whisked away by the cops, leading to a series of misunderstandings.
This isn’t rare in Japan.
Because things can get pretty weird in a place like this, the local authorities tend to take such matters quite seriously.
Wait a minute…
Lin Tian felt like he was being pulled into Gan Yan Yu’s train of thought.
“You’re not really a Tokyo high school student; what do you have to worry about?”
Surely the Tokyo police wouldn’t stick their noses into the business of a Tianchao high schooler, right?
“Lin Tian, don’t you understand?”
Gan Yan Yu whispered, “This environment… it might not be suitable for me. I’ll feel scared. If I could play a different role, I’d probably fit in more easily.”
“…”
Lin Tian got it.
With Gan Yan Yu’s pure and innocent personality, feeling intimidated in such a setting was perfectly normal.
Just like experiencing music.
Find a character to step into, and the feeling of embarrassment starts to fade away.
It turns out, Gan Yan Yu has a talent for acting.
If she didn’t do this, she wouldn’t be able to handle the place at all.
Seriously?
Looking at Gan Yan Yu’s earnest expression, Lin Tian narrowed his eyes.
How come… I’m not convinced?
“No switches allowed.”
Lin Tian grabbed Gan Yan Yu’s arm.
“Eh?” Gan Yan Yu startled.
“Didn’t you say today’s script was written by your upperclassman? Then we have to stick to the script!”
Lin Tian chuckled.
Gan Yan Yu was still a bit dazed when Lin Tian yanked her, heading straight for the ticket booth.
Arriving at the entrance, the uncle checking tickets raised his eyes, glanced at Lin Tian, then at Gan Yan Yu beside him.
— A youthful, fair face, standard long black hair, and a pristine JK uniform.
“Are you of legal age?”
The uncle looked puzzled.
“Of course I am,” Lin Tian replied, flipping open his passport. Gan Yan Yu quickly rummaged in her pocket and handed over her passport with both hands.
After inspecting their IDs, the uncle looked at the two again, his gaze now a bit complicated.
Especially toward Lin Tian, it had an added warning in it.
“Go ahead, but watch your safety,” the uncle emphasized.
“…”
The two walked in.
“Lin Tian, you really look like a bad person now,” Gan Yan Yu giggled, covering her little mouth.
Lin Tian’s forehead twitched. Then he said seriously:
“Yes, so you better drink less. Otherwise, tonight, your upperclassman is going to let you experience what it’s like to be a real woman.”
“What does ‘being a real woman’ mean?”
“…”
“Why does drinking too much make you a real woman?”
“…”
“Come on, say something!”
Gan Yan Yu leaned forward curiously, her big eyes shimmering with curiosity.
After trying to sh**t back a snarky comeback but failing miserably, Lin Tian quickly waved his hand,
“Don’t ask! You’ll know when that day comes.”
If he explained, she’d be even less happy.
Walking down the graffiti-laden staircase, the music of “Verb Hit Times” grew louder.
Suddenly, the lights brightened, and everything opened up in front of them.
The raw, unfinished underground venue was about three to four basketball courts wide, with walls plastered in colorful LED lights. Aside from a few scattered tires and barrels, there were almost no seats.
By the time Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu arrived, the place was already buzzing.
Crowds gathered under the stage, almost everyone holding a cup, chatting and laughing amidst the music.
As soon as they walked in, Lin Tian spotted a giant “No Photography” sign before being led straight to the bar.
“You need to get a drink as soon as you enter!” a cheerful waitress said.
At the bar, a blue-haired woman with a single ponytail, looking quite capable, raised her eyes at them and gave them the same confused look as the uncle at the entrance.
“High school students?”
She spoke in Chinese.
“Of legal age,” Lin Tian replied.
“Then drink responsibly,” she advised them, adopting an adult tone despite being the bartender. She confidently handed over the menu.
“Take a look; what do you want to drink?”
“Long Island Iced Tea,” Lin Tian said, then turned to Gan Yan Yu. “What about you?”
“I’ll have the same as you,” Gan Yan Yu replied.
“OK.”
The blue-haired woman brought out her cocktail-making tools and started concocting drinks right in front of them.
Bottles and jars flew through her hands.
After a dazzling display of flair, Gan Yan Yu was left in awe.
“Which school do you go to?”
The blue-haired woman casually asked as she shook the bottle, appearing nonchalant yet clearly probing.
“Tokyo,” Gan Yan Yu replied.
“Oh, a local student. What about him?”
She glanced at Lin Tian.
“Just like me,” Gan Yan Yu continued. “He’s my upperclassman. We met last year, and today is the first time he’s taking me to this place.”
“Got it.”
“…”
Lin Tian was stunned into silence.
Wait, is Gan Teacher telling lies with a perfectly straight face?
Are you really that into character?
Wait, shouldn’t you be performing your shy social anxiety persona right now?!
“It’s Tuesday. If you’re here, does that mean you don’t have class tomorrow?”
The blue-haired woman probed further.
“It’s no problem! My upperclassman said we could stay out as late as we want. He took me out of school this morning!”
Gan Yan Yu spoke cheerfully, tilting her head while sweetly leaning into Lin Tian’s arm.
“…”
Not only the blue-haired bartender but now everyone around was staring at them.
The heated stares felt like they were about to swallow Lin Tian whole.
That idiot.
Lin Tian recoiled.
“Little missy.”
The blue-haired woman’s expression turned serious.
“Regardless of whether you have school tomorrow or not, you need to go home safe tonight, okay?”
“Well, that depends on whether my upperclassman will take me home. Wherever he goes, I go~”
Gan Yan Yu looked up and flashed a bright smile at Lin Tian.
Nearby gazes intensified even more.
“Minna-san, konbanwa! Raibu ga sugu hajimari masu yo! (Good evening, everyone! The show is about to start!)”
At that moment, with a shout from the stage, everyone directed their attention toward it.
A five-member subculture band stood on stage.
The one speaking, a Rock Girl hugging a guitar with a heart tattoo on her face, had an exceptionally energetic smile.
“Wow! It’s Kana-chan!”
“Whoa! Kana-chan is so cute!”
“It’s because Kana-chan likes the ‘Cosmic Flying Pig’ band!”
Excited shouts erupted from the crowd.
“A Tokyo band… full of energy,” Lin Tian mused genuinely.
Considering the crowd’s reaction, it seemed they were indeed quite a famous band.
This venue was fairly large for a livehouse, attracting such an audience – it made sense that they had heavyweight guests. Regular 18th-tier singers wouldn’t even get a chance to perform here.
But…
Having spent enough time in concert halls, suddenly seeing someone shouting from the stage while holding instruments, Lin Tian still felt a bit out of place.
It was like jumping from a noble hall straight into a bustling underground venue.
Well, music knows no rank.
It’s just about the different forms of expression.
Lin Tian leaned against the bar, preparing to enjoy the show.
The performance quickly kicked off.
As the lead singer Kana strummed her guitar,
An explosive rock number kicked in.
The audience began to cheer, moving to the beat, even the previously stoic blue-haired bartender swayed along gently, and the energy in the room surged.
“…
Bokura ga shitteru, sekai nante koreppochi.
Ima datte sou sa kinou made, mitsukannakatta ima dakara.”
Surprisingly catchy!
Vibrant energy matched with a cheerful melody.
What thrilled you about a livehouse is its almost “0-distance” interaction.
While the lead singer sang, she stretched out her hand to high-five the audience below.
Everyone cheered and swayed.
The atmosphere was off the charts.
This was something Lin Tian could barely imagine.
He couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if Gan Yan Yu were to break free with her cello and dash down like in Tom and Jerry, playing a few tunes on the bearded judges’ chins.
Maybe it was the ambiance, but Lin Tian found himself really vibing with the music.
Yet, in Gan Yan Yu’s eyes, this kind of music would probably just sound like noise, considering her classical music upbringing.
Turning his head, he spotted Gan Yan Yu jumping up and down, waving her little hands, a bright grin plastered across her face.
No way!
At that moment, Kana, still strumming her guitar, caught sight of Gan Yan Yu from afar.
Maybe it was the little girl’s enthusiasm, or perhaps her jaw-dropping beauty caught Kana’s attention.
In any case, Kana waved her hand toward Gan Yan Yu.
Making an “invitation” gesture.
“(Hey you over there, come up and join us!)”
(End of Chapter)
