Chapter 47: 850 Square Meter Recording Studio?
On May 2nd, Ren continued practicing with his temporary band members.
During this time, he became acutely aware of another inconvenience.
The issue was the limited flexibility in scheduling practices at RiNG. Since RiNG typically didn't open until noon—understandable given the scarcity of morning customers at milk tea shops or live venues—their prime hours were always confined to afternoons and evenings.
Consequently, their practice time over these three days had been significantly reduced. Compounding this, Ren had plans to take Hitori out tomorrow afternoon, further shrinking their available rehearsal hours.
Fortunately, everyone's technical skills were solid. When skilled musicians collaborate, things flow naturally. For a mall performance, their current level was more than adequate—in fact, it far exceeded what would typically be expected.
"Boss, I meant to ask yesterday—doesn't this song sound like a confession?"
During their dinner break in the evening, the guitarist posed the question curiously as the band members chatted.
The musicians had already pieced together most of the puzzle: why the song was written, its nature, and the meaning behind it. But they needed to hear the confirmation directly from Ren.
"It is a confession. I wrote this song for my girlfriend," Ren replied with a light laugh, offering no denial. Knowing Hitori loved playing guitar, music, and bands, he had chosen this approach deliberately.
This time, he wrote for her. Next time, perhaps they could perform on stage together.
"How romantic! I'm almost jealous of your girlfriend," the drummer exclaimed, her expression full of genuine envy. Over the past few days, she had been completely won over by Ren's vocal talent and skill—not to mention his handsome looks. Just imagining dating someone like him made her unconsciously press her knees together.
"It's not that exaggerated, is it? Anyway, I'm counting on you all for the performance. We're on stage tomorrow night—not feeling too pressured, I hope?" Ren responded, somewhat skeptical of the drummer's effusive praise.
Initially, his impression of bands had been shaped by stereotypes from his past life—drugs, profanity, and chaos. Though those associations might belong more to the rap scene, the entire music industry often suffered from a tarnished reputation by association.
But after actually working with a band, Ren found that Japan's all-female bands were nothing but harmonious and cheerful. Take, for example, Kessoku Band, or the other famous groups performing at RiNG—there was no backstabbing, hair-pulling, or messy romantic entanglements between members, regardless of gender.
"Absolutely no problem! I'll give it my all for the sake of your love story," Umiri declared earnestly, clenching her fist. Kousei, having confirmed that Ren was confessing to his lover, simply smiled gently.
They were being paid, and on top of that, they got to witness such a romantic gesture—how could they not go all out for their client?
Thus, after dinner, Umiri and the others threw themselves into practice with even greater intensity, performing with the cohesion of a band that had been together for years.
That night, after returning home from practice, Ren began communicating with his system about the issues he had encountered that morning.
[Detecting host's distress, we apologize for any inconvenience caused to your leisurely laid-back lifestyle. We have purchased a river-view luxury apartment unit in Ikebukuro's high-end residential area for the host, equipped with a professional recording studio and various facilities for daily living. Total area: 850 sqm.]
"?" An 850-square-meter recording studio? My recording studio is so large that I can rest directly after recording sessions, right?
Ren knew the system was powerful, but never expected it to be this formidable. What more needed to be said? Time to inspect the goods.
Ren could never resist flashy car headlights, nor could he resist spacious homes. First, he'd examine the floorplan.
After driving to the apartment complex and verifying his identity, Ren arrived on the 30th floor.
Upon stepping past the entryway, a approximately 170-square-meter living room greeted him, furnished with sofas, tea tables, and a bar counter. Connected to the living room were the kitchen and banquet hall, along with a small private home theater. Further in lay the recording studio and bedroom wing.
The recording studio was massive, matching the living room in scale, featuring an entire wall of floor-to-ceiling mirrors suitable for both recording sessions and dance practice.
Ren was thoroughly satisfied, though this time the recording studio wouldn't be put to use since he'd be performing on stage tomorrow.
For now, Ren tested the softness of the bed in the 140-square-meter master bedroom—naturally, it was exceptionally plush, seeming to automatically alleviate all physical fatigue upon lying down.
So this was what they meant by river-view luxury apartments.
Lying on the oversized bed that could comfortably sleep five, Ren contemplated tomorrow's dating plans.
Perhaps he didn't need to overcomplicate things—just taking Hitori through a standard dating routine might suffice? After all, Hitori had never even experienced going out with friends, let alone been on a proper date.
With this in mind, Ren pondered the dating arrangements as he gradually drifted into sleep.
The next morning, Ren made plans with Hitori to meet up. There happened to be a small festival happening in Ikebukuro today. Shortly after finalizing plans with Hitori, Nijika and the others mentioned they'd be going to the same area to enjoy the festivities.
As for Anon—needless to say, her band frequently operated around that neighborhood, making this a perfect opportunity for their group bonding activities.
This didn't interfere with Ren and Hitori's date plans since they'd be going separately.
Before picking up Hitori, Ren first headed to RiNG for a rehearsal session. After confirming everything was in order, he drove to Hitori's residence, bringing gifts with him.
The main present was a doll for Futari. While gifts for Hitori's parents sometimes made them uncomfortable, giving presents to young Futari was different—she hadn't yet learned about social obligations and reciprocation.
"Thank you, brother-in-law! Mwah~"
After receiving the doll Ren had purchased on his way over, Futari—whose collection had gained another addition—was absolutely delighted. She stretched out her arms demanding to be held, and when Ren lifted her up, she sat in the crook of his arm and kissed his cheek.
Counting this occasion, Futari had kissed Ren far more times than Hitori ever had.
"You're welcome. Where's your sister?"
Futari's happiness was infectious, making Ren smile along with her before he inquired about Hitori's preparations.
"Big sister is too scared to leave her room. Even though she's going on a date with you, she still wants to wear her tracksuit. She's so lame! If it were me, I'd never wear a tracksuit."
Children's words bear no harm, as Futari innocently chided Hitori.
Today marked their second date, so Hitori's appearance truly mattered. She wanted to attempt going out without her tracksuit, yet found herself unable to even leave her room. Without the sense of security her tracksuit provided, she felt perpetually unsettled no matter what.
"Shall we go encourage her together?"
Ren was hardly surprised by this. Still, progress comes step by step, and he felt heartened that Hitori could even entertain such thoughts.
"Okay~"
Futari adored Ren and loved her older sister too. Though her sister might seem somewhat hopeless, it was merely a lack of confidence. Thus, she joined the encouragement brigade, climbing the stairs with Ren to find Hitori.