novelraw Chapter 12 The Tone-Deaf Music Teacher
Chapter 12 The Tone-Deaf Music Teacher
Kirihara Akira pushed open the door and entered. Instead of the chaotic, makeshift troupe she had imagined, she found the decor to be more of a retro Southeast Asian style. Various musical instruments were neatly arranged, with an electronic keyboard in the center and several introductory vocal music books scattered in front of it.
The woman seemed surprised by his arrival. She stood up, casually closed the book beside her, and went to greet him.
Even a formal, conservative office suit couldn't hide the charm emanating from her stunningly beautiful face, her perfect figure beneath the clothes, and her breathtakingly full bosom.
A beautifully curved waist is not a pampered, fleshy look, but a firm and shapely one that has been trained, with a bright and slightly masculine air that is exceptionally alluring.
Her slender hands, like the lines of her waist, were equally delicate and powerful.
The two shook hands briefly. Kirihara Akira paused for a moment, then casually withdrew his hand. He said, "I saw a sign outside; it seems you offer one-on-one vocal lessons."
The woman's appearance was, of course, as beautiful as her figure—fair-skinned, delicate, and strikingly beautiful. Upon hearing Kirihara Akira's words, she raised a brow, her expression somewhat caught off guard, and mumbled, "Ah, um, yes."
"May I look around?" Kirihara Akira asked.
"certainly."
Then Kirihara Akira didn't stand on ceremony and wandered around the room, pretending to press the piano keys and pluck the guitar strings... Uh, the pitch is off, how long has it been since it was used?
Finally, Kirihara Akira got to the window and took in the view outside.
For the purpose of monitoring the Suruga Office, this place is an invaluable vantage point, as it not only allows one to see people entering and leaving through the entrance, but also provides a commanding view of several offices.
This place is nice. I can come here openly under the guise of attending a class, without arousing suspicion.
Kirihara Akira paused for a moment, then turned to the woman and asked, "How should I address you?"
"Kisaragi, Kisaragi Shiori." She glanced at Kirihara Akira's clothes and asked, "Are you a student at Higashisei High School?"
"Yes."
"I see..." Shiori Kisaragi trailed off, seemingly lost in thought.
Kirihara Akira said, "I've always wanted to learn singing systematically. The teachers at school, while somewhat skilled, are still in a one-to-many format, making it quite difficult to learn. I just happened to be passing by today, so I was wondering what your pricing model is?"
"Depending on your needs, the fees differ between casual hobbyists and students with formal training for higher education. A lesson is 45 minutes long and starts at 6,000 yen," said Shiori Kisaragi. "However, let's not talk about money now. If you're interested, how about I give you a free lesson first, and then you can make a decision?"
"Okay." Kirihara Akatsuki was naturally delighted.
"Please sit down here," said Shiori Kisaragi.
The two of them then sat down in front of the electronic keyboard and began to lecture.
Following the procedure, she opened the karaoke software on the projector and let Kirihara Akira pick a song at random to test his timbre and pitch.
Kirihara Akira deliberately concealed his abilities, disguising himself as someone with mediocre singing skills and revealing his plain, unrefined voice.
After testing the tone, Kisaragi Shiori didn't say anything. Just when Kirihara Akira thought she was going to start teaching him how to use his breath correctly, she took out a textbook and switched to teaching theoretical knowledge.
During this time, Kirihara Akira also received messages from Li Changqing and Ji Yuan, asking him where he had gone. He lied and said that there was an emergency at home and he had to leave first, promising to pay for all the singing next time.
After that, she gave Kirihara Akira a whole dry and boring theory lesson.
The teaching level is mediocre; it's basically just reading from the textbook, the kind of teaching that an average person could deliver after systematically reading some books.
However, Kirihara Akira had to pretend to be enjoying it.
By the time the class ended, the sky had completely darkened.
......
Kirihara Akira stretched, while Kisaragi Shiori held her water glass, taking small sips to moisten her throat, glancing at Kirihara Akira out of the corner of her eye.
She said, "You see, even music, the specialized study can be incredibly boring."
Kirihara Akira nodded without saying a word.
Shiori Kisaragi, completely disregarding the possibility that Akira Kirihara might be expelled, leaving her without any money, continued with a smile, "If you can't stick with it, don't force yourself. After all, six thousand yen per lesson isn't cheap. You can..."
"I want to learn," Kirihara Akira suddenly interrupted, standing up and bowing deeply. "I find your classes very interesting, and I really enjoy learning music theory."
Kisaragi Shiori's smile froze instantly.
She tentatively asked, "Sure, six thousand a class?"
"It's alright, my family gives me quite a lot of pocket money," Kirihara Akira said with a smile.
"..." Kisaragi Shiori clenched her teeth, continuing her attempt to dissuade her: "Students who give up halfway are not welcome here. If you really want to learn, you have to buy ten lessons at once! I hope you will think it over carefully."
"No need to think about it, I can pay for ten lessons right now." Sixty thousand yen for ten lessons is not a small amount of money for a student, but Kirihara Akira is still the young master of the Mori family. Although the Mori family does not approve of him, they will not mistreat him when it comes to money.
He has a monthly allowance of 100,000 yuan.
Shiori Kisaragi remained silent for a long time before finally forcing a smile and saying, "Okay...okay."
"However, I'd like to hear you sing a song, is that alright?"
Kirihara Akatsuki's request was perfectly reasonable, and Kisaragi Shiori had no reason to refuse.
After all, Kirihara Akira was both a student and a patron. When a student came to him seeking apprenticeship, an unknown teacher naturally had to show off his skills.
On Shiori Kisaragi's pretty face, a smile that looked more like a grimace appeared.
The karaoke app started playing, and the intro came from the speaker—a warm and gentle love song.
Kisaragi Shiori, however, seemed like a prisoner being dragged to the execution ground, about to be beheaded.
Then she spoke.
"..."
"..."
"Pfft." Kirihara Akemi held back her laughter.
Shiori Kisaragi stopped singing, covered her face with her hands, and looked like she wanted to dig a ditch and hide herself in it, making cute "mmm" sounds.
Kirihara Akira could finally be completely certain that this guy was not a proper vocal coach at all, or even a musician.
It took Kisaragi Shiori a while to calm down before turning off the noisy music and saying, "Actually, I can't sing at all."
I could tell, it sounded like a duck about to drown... Kirihara Akira thought to herself, not knowing how to respond for a moment.
He had noticed something amiss early on, thinking the other person probably wasn't very professional, but who would have thought she could be this unprofessional?
"Actually, this studio belongs to a friend of mine," Shiori Kisaragi said.
lie.
Kirihara Akatsuki didn't expose him, instead feigning curiosity: "Eh?"
"My friend, well, I guess she gave up her most beloved music due to the pressure of reality." Shiori Kisaragi calmed down and said with conviction, "She left this studio and told me to do whatever I wanted with the instruments. She meant that I could sell them, but I didn't think that was right. I still want her to come back and continue her musical dream."
So I took it upon myself to decide... Originally, I planned to hire a few music teachers to keep the studio running, but I haven't found suitable candidates yet, so...
He's still lying.
This guy might be a cop!
When they shook hands, he felt the calluses on Kisaragi Shiori's hands. There are many reasons for calluses, but considering her well-trained body, the unconscious posture she exuded, and the scrutinizing attitude that came with her professional habits, the possibilities narrowed down.
Of course, even so, she could be a fitness instructor. But considering that a music studio happens to be located opposite a gangster star-making studio and occupies such a prime surveillance position, it's hard not to have something to think about.
"I see." Kirihara Akatsuki sighed regretfully, saying, "It's such a pity. That's why you didn't go out and recruit students and fail."
"So I can't really teach you to sing either." Shiori Kisaragi said apologetically, "How about this, you wait a while, and come back when I find a really good vocal teacher."
"All right."
Having said all that, Kirihara Akira had no reason to insist on staying any longer; he had no reason to provoke the police.
This trip has already been very rewarding.
At least he now knows who else, besides himself, wants to deal with the Suruga Group.
"Then I'll come again next time. I'm sorry to have bothered you today."
"It's alright," Kisaragi Shiori said with a smile.
Watching the direction Kirihara Akira had gone, Kisaragi Shiori clutched her head, groaning in pain, "Too bad he's a student of Higashimaru, I hope I don't run into him..."