Fuuki set down his coffee cup, the ceramic bottom clinking softly against the saucer.
He had just finished a perfectly adequate breakfast and was calmly gazing at the neatly trimmed shrubs in the courtyard outside the window.
"Do we need to change the time? Hmm..."
Sakiko's voice came from across the table, tinged with a hint of confusion.
Fuuki retracted his gaze and looked at his sister at the other end of the dining table. Having hung up the phone, she was quickly putting the last bite of her fried egg into her mouth, her light blue twin tails gently swaying with her chewing, her eyes reflecting a hint of trouble.
"Is it about the band meeting?"
"Yes," Sakiko swallowed her food and picked up a napkin to wipe her mouth.
"I just received a message that Taki-san has an urgent matter tomorrow, so she hopes to move the band members' first meeting to after school today, still at Hazawa Coffee Shop."
Fuuki's movement to pick up his coffee paused ever so briefly, the rim of the cup lingered at his lips for half a second before slowly tilting, allowing the warm liquid to slide down his throat.
He set down the cup, his fingertip tapping lightly on the table, a silent acknowledgment.
His plan was ruined.
The two things he had originally planned to do this afternoon—contacting Nagasaki Soyo and "accidentally" meeting Takamatsu Tomori—had to be temporarily put on hold due to this sudden change.
The more cunning one is, the more likely one is to fail in unexpected situations.
A charming and magnetic voice, full of mockery and all-knowing arrogance, resonated without warning in the depths of his mind.
It was DIO; that man had once summarized this phrase from his own experiences, and then chose to abandon his humanity, pursuing power beyond human limits.
Fuuki's eyelids drooped slightly, concealing the fleeting consideration.
The "urgent matter" Shiina Taki mentioned was very likely related to his own contact, and his previous "deliberate contact" now bounced back onto his original plan, like a boomerang.
Perhaps too deliberate an approach was not the best option right now.
He chose to withdraw, like an experienced hunter who, sensing a change in the wind, decisively melted into the shadows.
Thus, an invisible command quietly passed along the intelligence network he had constructed. Except for the 'Spider' that continued to weave its web in the dark, the other tentacles temporarily fell silent. The private investigation by the Togawa family head into the previous incident would also be temporarily shelved after his "reasoned persuasion."
As for Takagi Naoko... this chess piece appeared at the edge of his thoughts.
That middle school girl indeed had impressive initiative, and her background of living alone made her easy to control. But immaturity, recklessness... these flaws were like labels stuck to her.
Fuuki frowned, an indescribable, almost instinctive sense of repulsion made him never truly satisfied with this chess piece. After receiving her report from RiNG last night, he ordered her to withdraw immediately and disappear completely for a while.
Wayward, this dangerous band was like a venomous thorn in the shadows. And the fragments of Maehara Naoto's memory regarding their Stand abilities were incomplete, with only sporadic, alarming clues.
The enigmatic Leader, the lead guitarist and vocalist, whose ability was closely linked to 'fire'—the sensational "arson cases" in Tokyo were probably his "masterpiece."
The flamboyant drummer Kato possessed the talent to perceive the "shape" of souls; his Stand seemed to be some kind of metallic 'insect,' ominous and bizarre.
And there was the red-haired keyboardist, Tomato... her ability manifested as 'lines,' but the specific effect was unknown.
These guys, Sakiko and the others, must be kept as far away from them as possible. The formation of the band and his exploration of that mysterious Gravity must not be disrupted by these dangerous variables.
"Okay... the meeting place is Hazawa Coffee Shop, I understand. So, has the rehearsal room been booked?"
He looked at Sakiko, his tone naturally leading the conversation to the next step.
"A rehearsal room, huh..." Sakiko's expression, which had just relaxed from confirming the time and place, wrinkled slightly again, showing a hint of trouble.
"I don't know why, but all the bookings at CIRCLE are full. I tried contacting RiNG, and the result was the same; even the smallest practice room is booked until next week."
She sighed with a bit of annoyance, clearly underestimating the current popularity of band activities.
"That's a shame," Fuuki replied indifferently, his fingertips lightly tracing the tabletop.
"I heard that lately at CIRCLE, if you're lucky, you might run into members of Morfonica rehearsing there."
"Ah... is that so?" Sakiko's golden eyes brightened for a moment, then dimmed again, the disappointment in her tone evident.
Missing the chance to brush shoulders with her admired top-tier band was undoubtedly a small blow to her as a fan.
Fuuki's heart was calm. This "regret" was something he had personally created.
Yesterday afternoon, he had used some means to pre-book all available practice room slots at CIRCLE and RiNG, the two most popular Live Houses in Tokyo.
"In that case," he spoke at the opportune moment, picking up his phone from the table and swiping his fingers across the screen a few times, his movements smooth and natural, as if he were searching on the fly.
"How about here?" He turned the phone screen towards Sakiko.
The screen displayed photos and information about a rehearsal room: spacious and bright, various musical instruments and equipment brand new and complete, a clean and orderly environment, and a very convenient transportation location marked; every condition was excellent.
Sakiko's gaze was quickly drawn to it, carefully browsing the pictures and descriptive text. The hint of disappointment on her face vanished instantly, like thin fog dispersed by sunlight, replaced by surprise and satisfaction.
"This is great!" She looked up, her golden pupils sparkling again, and her tone became cheerful.
"Fuuki, you're really good at finding places," she praised sincerely.
"Fuuki, good," Wakaba Mutsumi, who had been sitting quietly beside them, sipping mango juice, also looked up and softly echoed.
"Then it's settled!" Sakiko's initiative immediately showed. She stood up, as if she could already see the scene of the band rehearsing smoothly after its formation.
"After school, Mutsumi and I will go find Soyo-san first, then we'll pick up Tomori... and finally, we'll meet Taki-san at Hazawa Coffee Shop!"
She picked up her school bag, neatly arranging her attire as she walked. As she reached the dining room door, she suddenly remembered something, turned back to Fuuki, and admonished with a tone that brooked no oversight:
"Fuuki, you need to be on time too, don't forget the time."
'I would have gone even if you hadn't said anything...'
Fuuki nodded slightly: "Yes, I won't forget."
Only then did Sakiko smile with relief, and she and Mutsumi left, leaving Fuuki alone.
The dining room fell silent, with only the faint chirping of birds outside the window and the distant, indistinct sound of traffic from the street.
Fuuki walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, the sunlight outlining his tall yet slightly slender profile, his deep dark eyes brewing with anticipation for the personal experience of Gravity.
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