Chapter Twenty-Three: Classic Old Songs

After their unexpected encounter at the apartment door, Rain Shiyu finally managed to take the first step—driving off with the girl beside him.

Now, he faced the first problem on his checklist.

“By the way, the car you’re driving today…” Caldacia scanned the interior suspiciously, lingering on the high-tech dashboard. “Where did it come from?”

Here it was. As planned, he just needed to say, “I borrowed it from Gongsun,” and the issue would be resolved. But now that Gongsun had entered the scene using the car as a pretext, mentioning him again would inevitably arouse Caldacia’s suspicions.

Are you all conspiring to play tricks on me… I must stop her from thinking that way.

The young man in the suit raised a finger to his lips.

“It was obtained through legitimate channels. Please allow me to keep the details confidential for now.”

“Hmm~? Let’s see, did you buy a secondhand car from seniors who no longer needed it? Or maybe you picked up a prototype from a lab at a bargain? Or did you have someone with mechanical abilities modify a regular car for you?”

“That’s pretty close.” Rain Shiyu steered the car into the main road, feeling lighthearted. They had set out fairly early today, and the thoroughfare was not yet congested with the weekend crowd.

As Caldacia fired off wild guesses, Rain quietly checked in with his friend.

The young man from Zero Island silently severed their telepathic link and, adopting an “better to have it than not” attitude, initiated communication with Kira.

Kira’s panicked voice echoed in his mind.

I’d like to know the answer to that question myself.

Rain Shiyu let out a sigh.

A few hundred meters away, at the apartment entrance, Kira gripped a plan in her hands, anxiously searching through Gongsun’s handwritten notes.

“Do I read this from top to bottom, or left to right…” Her gaze fixed on the first step after departure: Plan A—play music to ease the mood.

Just in case, the esper had even specified the style of music for the car’s CD player.

Music—a simple yet effective idea. It could spark conversation and conveniently shift Caldacia’s focus, killing two birds with one stone.

The car stopped at a red light. Rain Shiyu asked, “Would you like to listen to some music, Caldacia?”

The blonde girl replied offhandedly, “Is there any pop music?”

Pop music is number four.

He switched CDs and pressed play. “Yes, here you go.”

“Yay yay yay yay ahoo~!”

In the next moment, a round of jubilant harmonies rang out with a signature accompaniment. Rain Shiyu’s face went pale as lyrics filled with well wishes burst forth.

“Congratulations and prosperity to you—! I congratulate you—”

“Cough cough cough!” The young man in the suit drowned out the second verse with his coughs, quickly shutting off the music.

The blonde girl on the passenger seat laughed like a fool, nearly rolling under the seat if not for her seatbelt.

“Hahahahahaha! Hahahahahahahaha!”

Caldacia clutched her stomach, struggling to speak. “It’s… pfft… just spring… pfft pfft… and you’re already sending New Year’s greetings?”

“No, this is… um… clearly a mistake somewhere.”

“You’re so festive, Rain, hahahahaha!”

The light turned green. Rain Shiyu stifled the urge to cough up blood, pressed the accelerator, and drove on.

Yes, what’s going on?

Kira’s inner voice was tinged with tears.

She had a point, but it was hard to trust the taste of the person who picked these CDs again. Gongsun shouldn’t meddle with such things… weren’t these CDs provided by him? That doesn’t make sense—the car was his, after all…

·

Fixed Wing District, the home of the information broker.

Mo Yuankai took a swig of cold cola, scratched his head, and suddenly remembered something.

“I forgot to tell A-Ce—those CDs in the car are all old songs I put in last time.”

It should be fine, right? Rain Shiyu didn’t seem the type to listen to music while driving.

Besides, classic oldies are pretty good; nothing should go wrong.

·

Rain Shiyu decided to trust his absent friend once more.

“Cough, that was… I accidentally switched to the wrong song just now.”

“Pfft haha, ah~ is that so~?”

From Caldacia’s tone, he could tell her impression of him had changed.

But it was definitely not the kind of change he wanted.

If this keeps up, he’ll become the guy with weird musical tastes. He must steer things back… with this reliable ballad!

With Kira’s encouragement, Rain Shiyu pressed the CD switch with resolute determination.

This time, a piano prelude with the flavor of the last century played. The young man in the suit secretly sighed in relief.

Then, a youthful male voice sang the opening lyric.

“This is not a cartoon! This is not a cartoon!”

The driver’s expression became indescribable.

Caldacia suppressed her laughter and said, “Rain, you really don’t need to work so hard to prove you’re not an anime fan…”

The second lyric landed perfectly.

“It’s all real!”

“Ahahahahahahahaha!”

His beloved Miss Spencell was once again laughing like a fool. Rain Shiyu swore never again to trust his friends’ musical tastes.

He was about to turn off the sound, but Caldacia giggled, “Don’t! This song is hilarious—I want to hear it!”

“…As long as you’re happy.”

Rain Shiyu drove on in dismay, feeling that today’s start was unprecedentedly awful.

“You really surprised me today, Rain~”

“Believe me, Caldacia, these songs weren’t my choice.”

The blonde girl waved her hand.

“No, no, I’m not talking about your taste in music. I mean, you’re surprisingly less perfect today.”

He never expected her to describe him that way.

“Perfect… me?”

Caldacia rolled down the window, letting fresh air into the car.

“You always come thoroughly prepared, and you rarely show much expression—maybe just an apologetic smile. But today, you seem unprepared.”

She was right; it had been too rushed.

On one hand, time was tight and preparations were only finished yesterday. On the other, unexpected events had kept cropping up since this morning.

Rain Shiyu couldn’t help but smile bitterly.

“Sorry for showing you such an embarrassing side.”

“That’s what’s strange!” Caldacia exclaimed indignantly. “Why apologize for something like this? It makes me look like a slave driver abusing her laborer!”

“Well, I did invite you… so I wanted everything to go well.”

“I actually like it this way.” She mischievously poked his shoulder. “You’re much cuter than before.”

“I’d rather you not use ‘cute’ to describe a guy.”

The number of cars in view was rising. He changed lanes early to avoid the biogenetic carriage beside them.

“When you go out with other girls, remember not to be so perfect.”

“…”

“Think about it—being too outstanding creates distance. I don’t mind, but most girls are sensitive to that, and it’s the same for guys.”

“I…”

He wanted to say he wouldn’t go out alone with other girls, and that he didn’t really care about what others thought.

As long as you’re happy.

As long as you don’t mind.

That’s what he’d always thought.

Miss Kira was right.

It should be this way—might as well say it now.

“I… I’ll keep it in mind.”

But as usual, he gave in with a weak response.

“Mm, I’m so pleased~ Rain has grown up~” Caldacia gazed up at the sunroof, staring at the azure sky.

For a moment, he didn’t know what to say. The sports car was lost in awkward silence, broken only by the old song playing in the background.

“It’s all real, all real…”

If only Gongsun or Qin Qianbai were here, at least he could find comfort in talking with them.

What are Sister Zero and the others doing now?

·

Meanwhile,

The three who left like shooting stars were actually not far from Kira—on the rooftop of a nearby building.

Superpowered friends who went out early this weekend to help with his romantic troubles…

“You narcissist, always interfering in your brother’s love life—!!”

“Says the pervert who suddenly hugged me out of nowhere—!!”

“Explain yourself, Ace.”

“Calm down, Miss Qin—let’s team up against her first!!”

Now, for reasons unknown, he found himself in a two-on-one situation, at a distinct disadvantage thanks to his own words and actions.