Chapter 55: Rewind (1)
[Rewind complete]
The characters seem to levitate before Bai Wei's eyes, his eyes fluttering, and suddenly the world undergoes a celestial shift.
The sky, which had long turned pitch black, now transformed into a crimson hue, signaling the onset of twilight.
He lay in the bedroom of the Yagyū residence, sprawling in a relaxed manner, while the television emitted the humorous banter of entertainers. In the upper right corner, the time displayed as…
"At twenty past five in the afternoon, on the seventeenth of November."
After Bai Wei finished reading the date, he suddenly stood up, and all signs of desolation vanished from his eyes.
He was not sure why such a thing happened, but if even one's life can be restarted, then time turns back is not something that cannot be accepted.
He had no time to waste on pondering such trivial matters; he must find Simozi and Jingūji as soon as possible, urgently, immediately!
At the mere thought of the icy visage of Yagyū Simozi lying in the morgue, Bai Wei's every thought seemed to freeze in place.
He truly didn't want to witness the same spectacle again.
The remaining time at this moment is not much, and it is quickly approaching dusk.
Without delay, he slipped on his shoes and dashed out of the house. After a few steps, however, he halted his pace, realizing that in this era there were no smartphones, and even mobile phones were still in their nascent form. He had no way to contact Yagyū Simozi immediately, nor did he know her whereabouts. Furthermore, due to his unstable emotions, he had failed to pay attention to any information released by the police department, including the timing of the explosion, which train line, and which specific train. None of it had registered in his memory.
How can I possibly find someone in this situation?
Bai Wei stood in front of the door, contemplating the idea of calling the authorities or using the public address system, yet neither seemed to be the optimal choice.
Once the situation is widely publicized, the timing and location of the explosion will become even more ambiguous.
As for directly defusing the bomb, that is not within his realm of consideration. Hero? Let whoever wishes to do it, do it.
Who dares to say to him that with great power comes great responsibility, he will simply raise his hand to smack the person's head!
"First, let's go to Ginza shopping district and have a look. It shouldn't be too far for just shopping. We agreed on coming back for dinner in the evening, so the best option would be to catch a train around half past six," Bai Wei glanced at the tram timetable, "but taking the tram at this time might not be feasible."
With a gesture, he signaled, and a taxi pulled over in front of him. The young driver smiled and asked, "Hello, where would you like to go?"
"Drive to Ginza as fast as you can," Bai Wei instructed, handing over fifty thousand yen. "No need for change."
Upon hearing these words, the driver's expression subtly changed, his posture straightened, and a slight smile curled at the corner of his lips.
"……Well then, please have a comfortable seat,"
A vehicle pulled out on the crimson slope, leaving behind the lingering trails of its S-shaped tail lights.
…
Twenty minutes later, the vehicle came to a halt.
"You are truly an exceptional guest, as you remain composed without blushing or skipping a beat, and without any signs of nausea," praised the driver.
"Impressive driving skills."
"Thank you. Ah, here is my contact information. Feel free to reach out whenever you need." The driver handed over a business card. "I cover all areas, ensuring both speed and safety."
Bai Wei took the business card, and inside the car, there was an in-car wireless radio system that allowed him to call for a taxi using landlines and public phone booths.
The business card had the characters "Tuoye" written on it.
"Until next time, ciao~" The vehicle drove into the street, disappearing from Bai Wei's sight.
Bai Wei shook his head and carefully kept the business card, remembering the phone number written on it. He then turned around and walked into Ginza.
The shopping district in Tokyo is exceptionally bustling, with numerous shopping malls and restaurants scattered everywhere, attracting a massive influx of people.
The footfall here is substantial, with a spacious entrance that accommodates a space equivalent to a sports stadium. It is accessible from three sides.
Without any means of contact, it is nearly impossible to accurately locate two individuals here.
Even if one were to be blocking the entrance of the tram station, it would still be impossible to pinpoint the exact location of two individuals among hundreds of people passing by.
Although Simozi had an exclamation mark hanging over her head, today's exclamation marks had already been exhausted.
It remains unclear whether Jingūji's exclamation mark has been refreshed.
Finding the other party is not realistic, but it is worth considering reverse thinking.
Let the other party find me!
This means I have to maintain a visibly alert state… I must make sure that everyone passing by notices me as much as possible!
Shall I just take off my pants?
This will surely maximize the level of attention.
However, I am a "big" person. What if "my size" inadvertently leaves a psychological shadow on the male inhabitants of Yingzhou?
Bai Wei stood at the entrance of the tram station, lost in contemplation. Then, his gaze swept across and something caught his attention.
A few non-conformist young individuals with peculiarly colored hair, exuding a distinctive rock-and-roll vibe, had hairstyles reminiscent of male groups from the 1990s in Japan and South Korea.
Holding musical instruments in their hands, they were playing something, seemingly advertising for businesses and albums, displaying remarkable dedication.
However, the musical style is strikingly different from the local folk songs of Yingzhou, and to many listeners, it may sound like mere vocal wailing, with only a handful of people gathering around in awe.
"So, this is how it can be."
The placement of the band's performance is actually very good, as soon as people enter, they can see the band on the stage at a glance.
Bai Wei walked towards the band stage. At this moment, they had just finished singing and were taking a break in the intermission. A group of rock youth with hair resembling the colorful styles created by the village hairstylist gathered on the stage.
"Hello."
"Hey there, young man, do you need an autograph?"
"You got it half right, what I want is not just a signature, but your signature guitar."
The lead singer hesitated for a moment and then enthusiastically asked, "Hmm? You play the guitar too? I thought not many people knew about this instrument anymore. It was just recently introduced from Europe. Can you play it as well?"
"Literally, yes." Bai Wei had previously worked as a part-time minstrel. His initial foray as a mentor was fueled by transcribing music to acquire the necessary funds, as music was considered an art enjoyed by only a privileged few aristocrats.
"I didn't expect to encounter a fellow enthusiast; I can lend it to you." The vocalist, dressed in a non-conforming style, surprisingly friendly, said, "If you're not stage-shy and dare to sing, you can use this stage here. After all, there aren't many bands performing on regular days."
"Alright, let's borrow it then." Bai Wei stepped onto the stage, glanced at the time, took hold of the guitar, and amidst the surprised gazes of the rest of the band and the audience, calmly sat in the center of the stage, giving the strings a gentle strum.
Not very proficient, but accurate in pitch.
After a few simple plucks of the guitar strings, his movements became proficient. He regained a sense of familiarity, wasting no more time, and began strumming the music while simultaneously singing with clarity.
A clear and mournful song resounded from the bustling tram stop.
"If it were a dream, how wonderful it would be…"
A melody without an introduction, accompanied by the melodic breaths, akin to the lingering tartness of floating lemons, surged into the ears and swept through the mind.
Accompanied by the young man's solitary plucking and clear singing, the clamor of voices seemed to quiet down for a moment.
Many people involuntarily halted their footsteps and glanced towards the central stage.
In the illumination of the background lights, the young man's shoulders were draped with the glow, enveloped in an enduring sorrow that seemed to emanate from despair and loss. It was as if he was passionately proclaiming something, not through contrived cries, but through a heartfelt narrative. The rhythm was captivating, allowing one to immerse oneself in the realm of vocals, much like confronting the night breeze brushing against the face, with a tang of bittersweet lemon scent lingering in the air.
The crowd came to a halt, the audience utterly captivated, even the band transformed from astonishment to admiration.
"This song… has quite a flavor to it."
Why choose this song, LEMON? Naturally, it's because the emotions reached a point where it naturally flowed out in song.
To truly comprehend that kind of pain, one must experience the loss firsthand, in order to sing of emotions that others cannot possess.
Bai Wei might also be venting, releasing the suppressed emotions from before, and unleashing the pent-up frenzy within his soul.
…
"I bought so many things, I'm tired. Can you help me carry them for a moment?"
"You can't maintain a good balance yourself."
"I have a large chest, my center of gravity is different from yours."
"Could you repeat that? Believe it or not, I'll perform a surgical procedure on you tonight!"
Yagyū Simozi and Saki Jingūji bickered with each other on a daily basis. They came out of the mall, carrying bags of various sizes.
They followed the crowd and arrived at the entrance of the tram station, when suddenly they felt as if the voices around them had significantly quietened down, no longer as clamorous.
In the spacious hall, a melodic and serene vocal floated in the air.
"Somebody is singing," Jingūji wondered, "but there have been instances before. Why has it become so quiet this time?"
Yagyū Simozi, initially disinterested in the song, was simply carrying the bags. However, as the melodies of the music reached her ears, it caused a tremor in her heart.
"The dark past that I had kept hidden, unable to express…"
The singing pierced like a thorn, effortlessly piercing through the heart, a mournful song, a familiar sound.
She almost subconsciously recalled the difficult times of her parents' passing.
The girl lifted her gaze, and then her pupils contracted.
"……Brother?"
…
Bai Wei stood alone on the stage, singing with clarity, occasionally hitting wrong notes on the guitar strings, yet it didn't hinder the release of his emotions.
As the prelude faded away, the voice suddenly changed, and the song took on a soaring tone.
"Even the sorrow of that day… you are still my light…"
…even to this day, you remain as my radiance.
The attentive audience gazed with widened eyes, clenched their fists, their inner emotions rising and falling.
A bittersweet melody, like the flavor of a lemon, but when it reached this point, it sang of the joy that comes after hardship.
At the end of bitterness, there will always be sweetness and fragrance.
Once the immense pain and sorrow are released, the sunlight will inevitably penetrate through the dark clouds, revealing a beam of faint light.
…
Yagyū Simozi covered her lips and couldn't help but tremble uncontrollably.
This song was written specifically for her.
Through loneliness, through despair, endure pain, await sunlight.
The person playing and singing on stage is the light that illuminates her gloomy life.
During her time in a foreign land, she felt so lost and helpless. Without the presence of her loved ones, she would have crumbled early on.
She gritted her teeth lightly, her nose slightly tinged with a sourness.
Staring at him, her pupils shimmered, a mist rose.
Brother is always like this, so I have become increasingly irreparable, haven't I?
…
"This song…"
At first, Saki Jingūji didn't pay much attention to it. She didn't have any particular likes or dislikes for music, and if she truly had that kind of talent, perhaps she wouldn't have chosen to become a sword witch.
However, even she, after just a few catchy melodies, was captivated.
Not only because of the young performer on stage, but also because this song evoked her memories, those unforgettable memories that lingered in her dreams.
Unconsciously, her fingertips had already clenched tightly.
To you, who I realized I had fallen in love with more deeply than I could have ever imagined, I ardently admire you.
Since then, every time I think of you, I suffocate in anguish as if unable to breathe.
Though you were once so close to me, it now feels like a complete falsehood.
The only thing that I can be certain of is that I will never forget you.
Every lyric, every word, fills her mind with nostalgic reminiscence, evoking the image of a young man who always smiled as if no difficulty could ever overwhelm him.
'stupid fox…'
Jingūji clutched her chest, feeling a sharp pang of pain in her heart. She didn't want to listen any further, yet she yearned to continue listening.
If you are somewhere, living a tear-stained life day after day, then please forget everything about me.
…This is the sole longing within my heart.
…Even though I will never choose to forget.
…Because to this day, you remain as my guiding light.
The feeling of suffocation gradually dissipated, and she felt a sense of redemption. She released the tightly clenched hand grasping her collar, and her breathing slowly eased.
Suddenly, she realized how to reconcile with the memories of the past. She didn't need to choose to forget, but rather to learn to let go.
Saki Jingūji wiped the corner of her eye and looked towards the young man on stage, her eyes shimmering with brilliance. "Truly, it's a marvelous song," she remarked.
"Indeed, it's a wonderful composition," Yagyū Simozi said softly. "My brother wrote it for me."
Jingūji:"…"
…
As the music came to an end, applause erupted from the audience.
Bai Wei released his pent-up emotions and also noticed two young ladies among the gathered crowd.
Just as anticipated, it proved to be effective, and he relaxed as if a heavy burden had been lifted, ready to say something into the microphone.
Suddenly, a powerful roar came rushing in, overshadowing the applause of the audience. The vibrations were intense, and many people mistakenly believed it to be an earthquake and hastily took to the ground.
Several kilometers away, scorching heatwaves surged into the sky.
Bai Wei gazed into the distance, slightly lost in thought.
The bomb exploded.
However, what does that matter?
He gazed at his sister in the midst of the chaotic crowd… As long as they were safe, all would be well.
Just as he was about to get up, purple letters suddenly appeared before his eyes.
[Initiate rollback]
"WTF?!"
