Tokyo Fall Guys beats up the supernatural

Page 22

Romance is everywhere here, creating popular culture with an almost frenzied pace. The culture belonging to this island nation is integrated into the torrent of modernity, forging it into an irresistible feast.

Samurai, cherry blossoms, kimono, torii gate, shrine, tea ceremony...

These cultural labels, reshaped over time, have become ingrained in the city's very fabric, attracting people from all over the world. In this city, no matter how unconventional you are, you seem to become ordinary.

Under the moonlit torii gate, amidst bustling streets and Akihabara, the mecca of otaku culture worldwide, Tokyo Tower seems to have become a busy, eternal presence, with petals fluttering in the air.

This is a city more absurd than any heaven or hell imagined by people in previous eras.

But life is still life. Even the most powerful emperor in the world cannot avoid eating, drinking, and relieving himself. Similarly, even a city like this needs the daily necessities of life—the life of ordinary people.

Dou Tang and Huai Yin changed their shoes in the entryway and went out.

Actually, Dou Tang didn't really want to keep the appointment. He agreed to Kume Chika's request mainly to take Huaiyin out for a day. In his opinion, it would be much more fun to go shopping with someone his own age than to go out with him.

Whether Huaiyin thinks the same way is unclear.

Dou Tang chose a very simple white dress for Huai Yin, which made her even more adorable. Her small figure stood next to Dou Tang, with two yellow hair clips on her forehead and ponytail, making her seem completely out of place in the city.

Yes, out of place. Dou Tang always thought that perhaps Huaiyin didn't belong here at all.

She belongs to those small towns nestled against beautiful green mountains; she's the kind of person who wears a kimono, eats candied apples, and greets you with a silly smile under the fireworks.

She represents a youthful infatuation. A summer breeze wafts into the classroom, curtains flutter and dance. She fidgets restlessly, scribbling and drawing in her book. You glance at her profile; she seems to sense you and turns her head, only to be obscured by the fluttering curtains. When she quickly pulls them back, her eyes, a mixture of reproach and amusement, meet yours, and you suddenly realize you've fallen for her.

Huaiyin is such a person.

Therefore, Dou Tang never wanted her to get too close to him. He repeatedly attacked Huai Yin in order to keep her away from him and from what he represented.

He represents endless death and resentment, a reality gnawed by countless evil spirits, and the most absurd and bizarre aspect of this city.

He and she looked completely out of place together.

Today, Tou-Tang was dressed casually, but he wasn't wearing his signature tracksuit, probably because he was afraid of being recognized by Chinatsu Kume.

Lu Zizhen once dragged Dou Tang to buy a lot of clothes. She once wanted to be like Tomoyo from Cardcaptor Sakura, recording Dou Tang's exorcism and wanting Dou Tang to wear all kinds of cool clothes.

But he gave up later. Although Dou Tang has the body of a natural clothes hanger, he can't wear anything after he transforms, so it's useless.

She wore a black short-sleeved shirt, a sleeveless black vest, and cropped samurai pants chosen by Lu Zizhen. On her feet were custom-made black and gray Nike Black Bamboo shoes, which Lu Zizhen had deliberately ordered from the Nike website. According to her aesthetic, "Do you know what a versatile functional shoe is?" She also wore black stockings, making her entire outfit a deep black.

Seeing him dressed like that, Huaiyin simply took out a pair of sports sun protection sleeves and handed them to him. Dou Tang looked at her with some surprise, and then obediently put them on.

Huaiyin took two steps back and nodded in satisfaction.

All black, accented with touches of gray and white from top to bottom, it looks simple, but the combination of samurai pants and vest adds a lot of depth.

The two, one in black and one in white, went out the door and took the tram to Ikebukuro.

The heart of Toshima Ward is Ikebukuro, a neighborhood very similar to Shinjuku, both being highly youthful districts.

Shinjuku and Ikebukuro are what people imagine Tokyo should be like.

Stylish, youthful, and dramatic, it makes you feel like countless stories are about to unfold here, stories more exciting than any TV series you've ever seen.

Similarly, countless creations have taken this place as their starting point. The sound of the headless rider's motorcycle echoed here, leading to countless Ikebukuro-style cultures that contradict Akihabara, namely various otome and yaoi works.

As soon as you exit the south exit of Ikebukuro Station, you'll immediately notice that the first convenience store on the street is filled with posters for various otome games, both on the outside and in the windows. It's dazzling to look at.

Huaiyin looked at the posters curiously, then turned to look at Doutang walking ahead with his hands in his pockets, shook her head, and quickly followed.

There's a dessert shop called bounao'ange outside the south exit of Ikebukuro, where Todoro and Chinatsu Kume arranged to meet.

However, before we even got there, we saw a crowd gathered in front of the store, seemingly watching someone inside.

Dou Tang didn't take Huaiyin with him. Instead, he stood a short distance away and sent a message to Kume Chinatsu via social media.

"Kume-kun, we've arrived in Ikebukuro, where are you?"

After a while, the message finally came: "Okay! Has Sister Huaiyin arrived yet?"

"Well, I'll take her to buy some things while I'm at it. I hope you don't mind."

"It's alright! I'm also looking forward to meeting Huaiyin! But Kiryu-kun, could you wait a little while? I have something to take care of... just a little thing!"

Is she busy?

Huaiyin then said, "Brother...you said before that we could spend a little money today, right?"

Dou Tang ignored Kume Chika and looked at Huaiyin, saying, "That's right. So, is there anywhere you want to go?"

Huaiyin pointed to the dessert shop in the distance where they had arranged to meet and said, "That shop... I saw it on Twitter before, their croissants look pretty good..."

Looking at the crowd at the store entrance, Dou Tang hesitated for a moment, but then made up his mind.

This was a rare request from Huaiyin, so of course I had to grant it.

"Okay, let's go take a look. It's the place we agreed to meet Kume Chinatsu here."

Holding Huaiyin's hand, the two of them slowly walked over.

There were about a dozen people gathered at the store entrance, most of them girls, but they weren't customers. They were just standing there, staring at the store window and taking pictures with their phones.

Huaiyin was a little timid, but Doutang didn't care and pulled her directly into the store, leaving the girls outside somewhat puzzled.

Upon entering the store, I saw several reporters or photographers occupying most of the space, constantly taking pictures.

Huaiyin whispered, "Brother, how about we call it quits? It looks like they're filming a variety show here."

Chapter 41 Shooting scene

Dou Tang peeked through the gap in the photographer's lens and was shocked to discover that the table around which the group of people were sitting was none other than Kume Chinatsu.

Today, Chinatsu Kume is dressed very trendily. She is wearing a pink puffy short-sleeved top and hot pants, but the eye-catching part is her accessories. A rhinestone-encrusted baseball cap is tilted on her head, and she wears gold thread coiled earrings. In addition, there are sparkling rings on her neck and wrists, which completely transforms the originally ordinary clothes, making them fashionable and glamorous.

There were two other people sitting with her.

One of them was tall and slender. Unlike Lu Zizhen's unadorned and heroic appearance, the tall lady embodied what true cool beauty is.

Short black hair, black and purple eyeshadow, and black lip gloss.

The coat, made entirely of leather ribbons and completely devoid of any practical function, had two bulging sleeves that visually seemed to dominate the entire outfit. However, slender yet slightly muscular arms could be seen through the gaps in the black leather belt. Underneath, she wore an eye-catching bright purple T-shirt, jeans with many horizontal slits, and a pair of long boots that reached her calves.

At this moment, the tall, aloof, and rebellious girl reached out and put her arm around Kume Chinatsu's shoulder, looking coldly at another person at the table. Judging from Kume Chinatsu's attitude, the two knew each other and were quite familiar with each other.

The other person's first impression on Dou Tang was: a male prostitute.

An extravagant white patterned suit, a bright red shirt, and long, dyed blonde hair that reached past his shoulders—his flamboyant style was beyond description. This man was the epitome of the handsome man that girls from Ikebukuro fantasized about.

At this moment, a lot of desserts were laid out in front of the three of them. The male host had an exaggerated smile on his face, and Kume Chinatsu seemed to be enjoying it as well. Only the cold and beautiful girl was not so sociable. She just hugged Kume Chinatsu and looked very wary of the male host.

Dou Tang hesitated for a moment. At this moment, the cold and beautiful girl raised her head slightly, saw Dou Tang, and her half-closed eyes suddenly lit up. But Dou Tang ignored her and pulled Huai Yin to the counter.

At the counter, Huaiyin whispered curiously, "Brother, this is the first time I've seen a variety show crew filming. Do you think they'll interview the shop assistants or something?"

Dou Tang shrugged: "I don't know, it's none of my business anyway. By the way, what do you want to eat? How about a croissant and milk tea set?"

"okay."

After ordering their food, the two found a place to sit down. Apart from the group filming the variety show, there was no one else in the store, and the onlookers outside didn't seem to have any intention of coming in, which made Dou Tang feel a little strange.

The desserts were served shortly afterward. Dou Tang ordered a coffee for himself but a whole bunch of food for Huai Yin, including croissants and many other desserts. The four-person table where the two of them sat was more than half full.

"Brother, isn't this a bit too much?" Huaiyin exclaimed in surprise.

"It's alright." Dou Tang took a sip of coffee. "You've finally come out, so eat as much as you want. After all, a girl's stomach for desserts isn't the same as her stomach for regular meals."

Huaiyin chuckled, feeling a little happy inside, but still retorted, "It would be a waste if we couldn't finish it! Besides, there's so much... even if there were desserts, my stomach wouldn't be able to hold it all!"

"If we can't finish it, we'll pack it up and carry it when we go shopping."

As Huaiyin listened to his words and looked at the dessert in front of her, she suddenly felt that she wished Doutang would bring her out like this every day. As long as he didn't talk about those things, he would definitely be the best brother.

She picked up a croissant and took a bite, but then suddenly remembered that dream she had before... could it be about his past?

What happened to his sister? Did she recover? What kind of place is Jiefang Street Primary School?

And there's that archway, its structure resembling a torii gate but even older and more magnificent, weathered yet splendid, just like him, seemingly concealing an endless and profound past.

The croissants at this shop were very sweet. As Huaiyin chewed, he looked at the indifferent person in front of him, who seemed to have no interest in anything.

She looked closely; she had seen that face countless times at night, but she still couldn't get enough of it. The bright, warm yellow light shone on him, making this all-black man the most eye-catching presence in the white store.

Dou Tang chuckled at her gaze and tilted his head, "What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?"

“How can I not look at you when you’re sitting in front of me?” Huaiyin mustered her courage and retorted, her tone sweet and innocent.

Dou Tang didn't reply, but just smiled and shook his head, then drank his coffee by himself.

After a while, someone suddenly walked up to Dou Tang's side.

Dou Tang looked up and was somewhat surprised. The person in front of her was the aloof and beautiful girl who had been recording the show earlier. She glanced at Dou Tang's vest and frowned.

Her voice was clear and cool, and a little hoarse. It wasn't particularly pleasant to listen to, but it had a certain charm.

Where did you buy this vest?

Dou Tang didn't rush to answer, but instead looked back at the filming location and found that it seemed to be during a break. Kume Chinatsu was dealing with the male host with an awkward smile, and the desserts on the table hadn't been touched except for the filming.

Then he looked at the aloof young woman and said, "My friend gave it to me. Is there a problem?"

The aloof young woman frowned and said, "I designed this dress."

After saying that, she reached out and grabbed a pocket on Dou Tang's chest, pulling it down. The entire vest was lifted from the bottom and extended outwards, held in place by two thin lines on the edge, turning into a small platform with grooves.

"Each pocket of this garment uses Velcro, which serves a different purpose. Pulling it open here reveals a platform for holding your phone."

Dou Tang looked up at her in surprise, and the aloof girl said again, "What's your friend's name? Maybe I know him."

"Lu Zizhen".

The aloof young woman frowned.

"Are you Lu Zizhen's friend?"

Dou Tang nodded.

“...My name is Yan Yuanmei.”

The aloof and beautiful Yan Yuanmei patted Dou Tang on the shoulder. This action left Dou Tang somewhat bewildered. How should I put it... this action didn't seem like something a girl would do; it was more common for boys to pat each other on the shoulder as a greeting.

Strange woman... Is this the type of person Lu Zizhen knows?

"I have something to do, talk to you later." Yan Yuanmei said, then turned and went back to the filming location. It was at this moment that Kume Chinatsu noticed Tou Tang and Huaiyin sitting in the distance.

She leaned forward to stand up, but was pulled back by the male gigolo beside her.

At this moment, Iwabuchi Mei returned to the filming location, came to the male host, pulled his arm off Kume Chinatsu's shoulder, then pushed Kume Chinatsu aside and sat down between the two of them, his eyes contemptuous and provocative.

Chapter 42 The old show-off is back

Dou Tang didn't rush over to pull Kume Chinatsu away. After all, his relationship with Kume Chinatsu wasn't good enough for him to help her solve her problems. Besides, didn't he see that Huaiyin was still eating?

You want me to stop my cute little sister from eating to take care of a girl I've only known for a few days? Even if she's a beautiful girl, it's not allowed!

snort!

However, Dou Tang's peace and quiet didn't last long. Soon, he understood why the fans watching outside wouldn't let him into the store.

Because the variety show also included an interview segment, fans were refused entry to the store to ensure the interview's effectiveness, especially female fans... In reality, the store was booked out entirely.

Japanese variety shows have no bottom line or limits, only pursuing dramatic stimulation and laughs, which leads to the artists on the shows becoming increasingly humble and having no status.

This practice has spread to many areas. In this distorted country, personal privacy is nothing more than a thin sheet of paper in the face of these fanatical media outlets, and a completely transparent one at that.

This is a country where even when the prime minister went to the hospital and what tests he underwent can be made public.

This

It's true. Go check the news yourself. Don't question me, the poor author who was so busy researching that I was delirious in the middle of the night.

We've gone off topic, let's get back to the topic.

For a long time, the domineering style of these media outlets has fueled a lot of arrogance in this regard, and the chaos in the media industry has become increasingly rampant. For many media practitioners, running rampant is their motto. As people who hold exposure resources, it is so easy for them to make an ordinary person suffer. As long as they want, exposing a person's personal information or even smearing them on major media platforms is commonplace.

They have become increasingly shameless and arrogant, forcing ordinary people to avoid these media outlets. Many of them have also become psychologically twisted and have come to enjoy the feeling of being a star or a media professional.

In other words, because of hating something, one eventually becomes that thing.

Kikuchi Shun, the "gigolo man," is a perfect example.

He did indeed start out as a male escort, and later made his debut on YouTube, using his food reviews and good looks as selling points. Now he has gained some fame and is working hard towards becoming a star. Today, he received an invitation to a food review program, and after hearing that two idols would be there, he immediately came running.

Upon arriving and meeting Chinatsu Kume, he was completely captivated. Even during the recording, he couldn't resist flirting with her and trying to win her over. In his opinion, girls who think they're special and dress like gyaru (a type of Japanese girl) but are actually innocent and naive are the easiest to fool.

Little did he know that Kume Chika hated frivolous men the most.

Fortunately, Iwabuchi Mei, who was traveling with her, was a ruthless person who intentionally blocked many of Kikuchi Shun's attacks for her.