Tokyo: My Best Actor Gear List

Chapter 68 ZARD's Debut and Comeback

At HUV, a record store in Shibuya, the long line at the cashier stretched all the way outside the store.

The speakers were playing that powerful, slightly melancholic rock song on repeat. The distorted guitar tone sounded like rough sandpaper, rubbing against the eardrums of every city dweller.

"Please give me a ZARD single!"

"I want one too! Are there any left?"

The shop assistant was sweating profusely as he kept taking the dark blue record out of the cardboard box.

On the cover, Izumi Sakai turned her face to the side, her gaze not directed at the camera, but towards an unknown distance. That sense of detachment and stubbornness stood out starkly against the backdrop of a host of sweet-smiling idols on the covers.

But this is exactly the voice that Tokyoites crave most right now.

The radio station's request hotline has been overwhelmed with calls.

"I'm an office worker, and I listen to this song every day while commuting on the subway. I always feel like the lead singer is speaking out the frustrations in my heart for me."

"Unlike those dolls that only fake smile, her voice is full of life."

"When I watched the fourth episode of 'Tokyo Love Story,' this song played when Kanji was running in the rain, and I burst into tears."

There was no overwhelming bombardment of GG messages, nor any appearances on various variety shows.

ZARD's debut single, "Good-bye My Loneliness," carved out a niche in the fiercely competitive record market solely through the popularity of the TV series and his deeply moving vocals.

Oricon's weekly chart release date.

Its initial sales volume immediately broke into the top ten, ranking ninth.

For a fledgling band with no prior experience, this was a miraculous figure. Even Daiko Nagato was stunned for a long time when he saw the report, and then immediately called the factory to request an additional print run.

……

evening.

Izumi Sakai stood in front of the familiar apartment door, clutching the list that still seemed to have been fumigated by the fax machine.

She took a deep breath and tidied her wind-blown bangs through the peephole.

That was ninth place.

She did it.

She couldn't wait to see the man's surprised expression and to talk to him.

"call……"

Quanshui suppressed her overflowing joy and raised her hand to ring the doorbell.

"Click".

The sound of the door lock turning came first.

The door opened from the inside.

The smile on Quanshui's face froze halfway down her cheeks.

The person standing inside the door was not Kitahara Shin.

A girl wearing a loose sweatshirt and a baseball cap was about to come out. She was carrying a transparent food container, which seemed to contain some freshly cooked side dishes.

The girl looked up and was stunned when she saw the spring at the entrance.

The two of them stood facing each other, separated by a threshold.

The spring water recognized this face.

Or rather, anyone who has recently watched TV show "GG" would find it hard not to recognize this face.

Rie Miyazawa.

That girl, as pure as water in "Mitsui Fudosan" GG, is currently being hailed as the "Heisei First Love" by various magazines.

However, Rie's face didn't have that signature, perfect business smile. Instead, it had a lazy and rosy look, like she had just eaten and drunk her fill, and there was even a bit of suspicious dark sauce on the corner of her mouth.

Rie also recognized the spring.

That rock female lead singer whose voices can be heard everywhere these days.

I look a bit more aloof than I do on the album cover, wearing a denim jacket and black trousers, holding a crumpled piece of paper in my hand.

The air became somewhat viscous.

A subtle magnetic field collided between the two girls.

Rie instinctively hugged the food container in her hands tighter, a hint of wariness flashing in her eyes.

That's territorial instinct, like a kitten that's just been fed and sees another cat approaching its food bowl.

Quan Shui pursed her lips, her fingers gripping the list turning slightly white.

She watched Rie's familiar manner, even though she was still wearing indoor slippers.

"You...are here to see your senior?"

Rie spoke first, her voice soft and sweet, yet carrying a hint of probing that only women could understand.

"I'm here to... report on my work."

Izumi straightened her back, raised the paper in her hand, and tried to maintain a professional and calm tone, "ZARD's single made it into the top ten, and I wanted to tell Kitahara-san as soon as possible."

"Oh, work."

Rie nodded meaningfully, stepped aside, and made way for him, as if she were half the owner of the house. "Senpai is in the kitchen. I just finished my meal and am about to leave."

Just then, an extremely strong fragrance wafted out from under the door.

That's the aroma of meat that comes from long simmering. The richness of red wine, the fat of the beef, and the sweetness of the onions and carrots dissolved in the broth.

This scent was like an invisible hand, instantly dissolving the tense atmosphere between the two.

The spring water's belly let out a very unhelpful growl.

She only ate one rice ball for lunch because she was rushing to her scheduled event.

Rie blinked when she heard the voice, and suddenly realized that this seemingly aloof rock star wasn't so bad after all. After all, when faced with delicious food, everyone's stomach tells a different story.

"Who's at the door?"

Kitahara Shin's voice came from inside the house.

He came out wearing a dark gray apron and carrying the long-handled spoon used for tasting.

Seeing this scene at the door, Kitahara Shin raised an eyebrow.

On the left is Izumi Sakai holding the list, looking like she "hopes to be praised."

On the right is Rie Miyazawa, holding a takeout box and looking like she's thinking, "Who is this woman, senpai?"

Kitahara Shin calmly glanced at the paper in Izumi's hand.

"Ninth place? That's one place higher than I expected."

Quanshui's tense face relaxed slightly; she wanted to laugh but held it back.

"And you," Kitahara Shin turned to Rie, "didn't you say you were going back to sleep? Why are you still blocking the door?"

"I……"

Rie's eyes darted around, and she suddenly realized that the takeout box in her hand wasn't enough to eat.

And I just don't feel comfortable leaving this rock-and-roll girl here alone.

Kitahara Shin looked at the two of them, then smelled the red wine stewed beef in the pot that was already simmering to perfection.

"Alright."

He turned to the side and pulled the door open completely, pointing towards the dining table with the magical soup spoon in his hand, his tone as natural as if he were greeting two neighbors:

"Since we're already here, let's eat together."

"Rie only ate the first batch of the trial version. This second batch is the complete version with the meat stewed until it's very tender."

Rie's eyes lit up instantly. Without saying a word, she grabbed the food container, turned around, and darted back into the house, moving as fast as a squirrel snatching food.

"I want to eat the whole thing! I want the tendon part!"

The spring stood frozen at the doorway.

"What are you still standing there for?"

Kitahara Shin looked at her gently, "If you don't come in soon, that girl will scrape the bottom of the pot clean. This was specially made to celebrate your making it into the top ten."

It was made on purpose.

These four words were like a piece of candy, instantly melting away the bitterness in Quanshui's heart.

She looked at Kitahara Shin wearing an apron, and then at the warm yellow light in the room.

"They're here!"