Chapter Eighteen: Too Flippant a Tone

Ye Zhao had no idea that his lazy choice of album cover would bring about unexpected consequences, nor could he have guessed that his younger sister had already discovered he had released a single. Without an agency or a record company contract, and lacking any opportunity for promotional performances, he had no choice but to take up his guitar and return to the streets of Shibuya to busk.

Over more than a month of busking, he had built up a certain popularity in Shibuya. Whenever he began his performance, a crowd would gather around him. During this period, he’d been approached by talent scouts, but having already turned down a major agency like Ken-On, Ye Zhao was hardly going to lower himself by signing with some obscure outfit and endure their cookie-cutter slave contracts. Besides, since he’d already gambled big, before he saw results, he wasn’t about to “sell himself short.”

Yet, that afternoon, when he arrived at his usual busking spot, he was met with an unexpectedly cold reception. After singing three songs, only a few coins had been tossed into his guitar case. Passersby hurried past, and even his regular supporters didn’t stop.

Was my performance really so poor today? Ye Zhao frowned and stopped playing. Seeing how things were, there was little point in continuing. He scooped up the coins and put them in his pocket, packed away his guitar, and prepared to head home. On his way to the station, he noticed that even the more popular buskers had few customers.

“Packing up too, brother?” asked a busker with dyed red hair, striking up a conversation.

“Yeah, not much business today anyway.”

“That’s because JUDY AND MARY are holding an outdoor live show in the nearby park. The audience must have all gone over there,” muttered his partner, a man with dyed white hair squatting to pack up the microphone stand.

JUDY AND MARY? Ye Zhao’s heart stirred.

JUDY AND MARY was one of the biggest bands in the RB music scene in the nineties. Not only did they create high-quality music, but their commercial achievements were impeccable, with several singles and albums reaching million-level sales, total sales nearing fifteen million. They performed the theme song “Freckles” for “Rurouni Kenshin” and the ending song “Promenade” for “Newswoman” starring Honami Suzuki. Beyond music, the lead singer YUKI (Yuki Isoya) became an idol and dream girl for countless fans thanks to her adorable looks and quirky personality.

Though the band announced their breakup in 2001, even over a decade later, when RB held a poll for “the band most wished to be revived,” JUDY AND MARY still firmly held the top spot, a testament to their enduring influence.

The white-haired man finished packing, glanced at the red-haired man chatting with Ye Zhao, and asked, “Are you coming?”

“I want to see JUDY AND MARY’s show. Aren’t you?”

“No,” the white-haired man shook his head. “I’m heading back to school.” He nodded politely to Ye Zhao and carried his equipment toward the station.

Probably feeling awkward about going alone, the red-haired man asked Ye Zhao, “Want to come?”

“Sure, why not.” He had nothing better to do anyway.

From the brief conversation, Ye Zhao learned the red-haired man was named Taishi Asada, and both he and the white-haired man were students at Meiji University.

Formed in 1992, JUDY AND MARY had achieved mainstream debut by 1993. Though their true breakout was still ahead, they had already gathered a following, and by the time Ye Zhao and Asada arrived at the park, a sizable crowd had gathered before the makeshift stage.

From their early days as a little-known underground band to their mainstream debut, the members were used to impromptu outdoor performances. In their less popular days, they’d even toured around on small trucks.

On stage, YUKI finished singing a verse, and guitarist TAKUYA naturally followed with a solo. YUKI took the opportunity to scan the crowd, raising her hands to interact with the audience.

The crowd enthusiastically waved along, and amid the lively atmosphere, YUKI spotted a slightly out-of-place figure. This man was tall, conspicuous even standing toward the back. Among all the fans waving their hands to the beat, his remained lowered.

YUKI tilted her head, then noticed the guitar he carried. Having worked in Tokyo for years, she knew the park’s reputation as a busking hot spot and realized the band’s impromptu concert might have hurt the local buskers’ business. YUKI felt a pang of guilt.

So, when the song ended, after her usual greetings, YUKI suddenly called out to the man in the back, “Hey, you with the guitar! Want to come up and sing a song with us?”

The audience’s gaze swept across the venue like searchlights and finally settled on Ye Zhao’s bewildered face.

Asada slapped Ye Zhao’s back. “Brother, you’ve hit the jackpot!” He looked as if he’d snatch the guitar right out of Ye Zhao’s hands if he could. Even the nearby audience wore expressions of envy and longing.

Nowadays, this would be like Chen Li suddenly inviting a random fan to sing on stage during a tour, or a food show host calling a viewer up to taste the chef’s signature dish.

Ye Zhao looked up at the stage. YUKI was smiling, waiting for his answer; the three musicians wore amused, unconcerned expressions, clearly used to their vocalist’s whimsical antics.

Should he go, or not?

If this were a music festival, and he could perform his own original song, he’d never pass up such a golden promotional opportunity. But this was JUDY AND MARY’s stage—if he sang anything else, the audience would drown him in their disapproval.

So Ye Zhao chose to refuse. “Not interested.” After a pause, he added in a slightly annoyed tone, “And, by the way, calling me ‘kid’ sounds way too flippant!” After a month busking in Shibuya, even without a microphone, his powerful voice carried easily to the stage.

The band members burst out laughing. TAKUYA said to YUKI, “See? It’s your flippant tone that got us dissed.”

YUKI pressed her hands together in mock apology, saying, “Sorry, I can’t help it. Please forgive me!”

The crowd erupted in laughter. The band joked a bit more and continued their set, and the episode passed. Only YUKI made a mental note of the man who had called her flippant in public.

As for Ye Zhao? After his reply, he left the park.

He returned to his apartment about an hour and a half earlier than usual. As he climbed the stairs, he saw a girl sitting in front of his door, hugging her knees. Hearing someone approaching, she looked up instinctively, and then—

“Brother!” came a clear voice in his native language. She stood and threw herself into Ye Zhao’s arms, hugging him tightly around the neck.

“Xiao Qing?” Yes, he did have a younger sister…