Tokyo's Most Affectionate - Chapter 10

98 Points

Finally, it was his turn. Akiyuki reminded him with a friendly tone.

“It’s the last turn of the first round. Kurosawa, if you don’t want Yuki to share the punishment with you, you need to score at least 82 points. Anything below 81 won’t do. Even if it’s a tie, the first to sing wins.”

Whether it was Ichinose’s genuine feelings towards him or this man’s excellence, he was undoubtedly a good match for Ichinose.

However, excellence aside, in the game, there would still be punishments for the loser.

“If I score 82 or above, then it’s you who’ll face the punishment.”

Kurosawa began to walk, confidently expressing his thoughts.

“It doesn’t matter. Before you showed up, when Yuki couldn’t participate, we’ve been through many challenges already,” Akiyuki said, waving it off, knowing that each of their boyfriends excelled in different areas. So, in their games, there was never a permanent loser, only more experiences yet to be explored.

“Go for it, Hikaru-kun!”

As Kurosawa approached, Ichinose handed him the microphone, offering her encouragement.

After their brief words, everyone tactfully returned to their seats, leaving the stage to him.

Taking the microphone and facing the gaze of the audience, Kurosawa spoke before the song’s prelude.

“Yuki-chan, you mentioned that this song is one of your favorites, and every time you hear it, you think of me. In reality, I feel the same way.”

“I know ‘Little Love Song’ is one of your favorite songs. So, when you’re not around, I also listen to this song thinking of you.”

“Also, it’s not that I dislike lively places like karaoke. It’s just that I’m not good at singing. I didn’t want to show you my weaknesses and shortcomings.”

“When I’m alone, I’ve been practicing this song, hoping that one day, on our wedding day, I can dedicate it to you.”

“Look at them. When are you planning to marry me?” Shiina couldn’t hold back anymore upon hearing this and turned to her partner Sato with a teasing question.

“Well, that depends on whether you agree or not.” Sato, faced with such complaints, was not bothered at all; instead, he seemed incredibly pleased.

Disregarding their exchange, Kurosawa continued with his opening.

“It’s a pity that before that day came, you threatened to break up with me. I must come to Karaoke today.”

“I haven’t practiced this song to my satisfaction, and I haven’t sung it for anyone else. I don’t know how my skill level is, but I’ll show my shortcomings today.”

“…”

Upon hearing this confession, Ichinose covered her mouth with her hand, filled with emotion.

This acting was really something else. Seeing this scene, Kurosawa silently praised himself.

“This is so exaggerated.” 

Matsushita, witnessing this, couldn’t help but roll her eyes and mutter, but deep down, she felt a hint of envy.

Everyone’s romantic relationships were still confined to the present because they were celebrating their youth, however Ichinose already had someone to envision a future with.

At that moment, the musical prelude of “Little Love Song” began.

Unlike the gentle and slow-paced female version, the male version’s prelude was more intense and surging with rock.

Waiting for the beat, Kurosawa’s mouth opened, and he started singing.

As he started singing, everyone couldn’t help but be surprised.

Kurosawa’s voice was deep and magnetic, having undergone the voice-changing period of puberty, it was the voice of an adult with a mature charm.

The key was that his singing voice was very pleasing—precise pitch, well-captured rhythm, perfect vibrato, and extremely stable vocals.

“Little Love Song” was widely known, and was one of the must-sing songs. Almost everyone could sing it, but singing the male version well was not that simple. Its rhythm was intense and fast-paced, with many long notes. If you made a slight mistake, you might lose track of the beat.

“Wow…”

At this moment, Shiina couldn’t help but exclaim.

She noticed that when Kurosawa held the microphone and showcased his singing, his gaze was indulgent as he looked at Ichinose.

It was as if he didn’t care about what others thought, he just wanted to dedicate this love song to Ichinose.

The climax and difficulty of “Little Love Song” lay in the long notes of the song, as without practice, it was impossible to maintain the stability of the long notes.

The duration of a song was only a few minutes.

However, when you immersed yourself in listening to the song, it felt quite long and engaging.

If Ichinose’s “Little Love Song” was incredibly sweet, narrating a young girl’s love and yearning, then Kurosawa’s “Little Love Song” was full of fiery passion, uncontrollable yearning overflowing. Driven by the impulse of love, he was willing to do anything to be with her, making her the happiest person in the world.

As the song concluded, Kurosawa did not lower the microphone. Instead, he brought it to his mouth, took a deep breath, and declared loudly.

“Yuki-chan, don’t ever think about breaking up with me in this lifetime! We will be together forever!”

This was not just a loud confession; it was an announcement. Amplified by the microphone, his declaration was deafening.

Ichinose, who was pretending to be absorbed in acting, watched the man who faced everyone, holding the microphone. Although she covered her mouth, her eyes were fixed on him the entire time. The powerful confession left her stunned in her place.

In her ears, the domineering confession echoed, and her heart raced, as if a little deer was wildly pounding inside.

Feeling the palpitations, Ichinose couldn’t help but ask.

“Is it true?”

Seeing her moved expression, Kurosawa thought she was still acting and nodded in agreement.

“It’s true.”

This Yuki loves to act so much; she is so good at it. It would be a waste if she didn’t become an actress.

At this moment, Shiina jumped up suddenly.

“98 points?!”

Her boyfriend was also shocked, standing up with an expression of disbelief.

“Can you really achieve such high scores in Karaoke? Wasn’t it said that even if the original singer came, the score would be around 95 points?”

The scoring system in Karaoke was very strict.

For a regular person to sing a song to a score of 90 points in Karaoke, it usually required a well-practiced and favorite song that had been rehearsed for a considerable amount of time. Each point above 90 indicated a significant difference in singing skills.

A score of 98 points was terrifying, something they never expected.

Being ranked seventh in the country felt impressive but distant, the displayed score was an immediate and stunning demonstration of remarkable skill.

“You call this ‘rarely singing’?” Akiyuki also stared in astonishment, looking at Kurosawa.

Was this the power of wanting to practice a song well and planning to sing it at the wedding for a beloved person?

Shiina jumped and cheered, full of admiration.

“Kurosawa, from today onwards, you’re my idol!”

Good at studying, handsome, had a bright future, and now an amazing singer – this was the first time she encountered such a talented man.

“Kurosawa, you should become a singer!” Sato, without much prejudice, joined the cheering.

Facing everyone’s cheers, Kurosawa responded with a smile and then walked to Ichinose.

“From now on, you’re not allowed to mention breaking up with me, and especially not to use this to threaten me, understood?”

Kurosawa bent down, brought his face close to hers, and spoke in a low voice, looking into her pulsating beautiful eyes.

Seeing the face so close to hers, Ichinose was a bit dazed and obediently nodded.

“Mm-hmm.”