Meanwhile, in a certain music classroom.
Sakiko Togawa sat before a well-maintained grand piano, her fingertips hovering over the keys but not descending.
She looked at the distinct black and white keys, yet her gaze was not focused on them; instead, it revealed a cold loneliness and calculation inconsistent with her age.
Sunlight streamed in through the high windows, casting chiaroscuro shadows upon her. She wore her school uniform, the buttons meticulously fastened to the very top one. Her deep blue pleated skirt was of standard length, her sitting posture upright, and her entire person exuded an aura of rigor bordering on rigidity.
Only that smooth, long blue hair, gleaming slightly in the sunlight, added a trace of vitality to her overly pale face.
No, perhaps not entirely pale, but rather a sense of exhaustion from long-term tension and stress.
Sakiko Togawa, the former eldest young lady of the Togawa family, was now a fallen heiress swept out the door. This shift in identity brought not only a cliff-like drop in living standards but also a reshaping of her worldview.
The Togawa family of the past was glamorous, a wealthy clan beyond the reach of ordinary people. But only those within knew what kind of viscous, cold darkness lay beneath that glamour.
Her father, Togawa Sadaharu, relied on selling his body and dignity to seize benefits for the family, ultimately exhausting his life. Her mother collapsed in despair, and her grandfather struggled bitterly to hold things together, yet could not withstand the two ambitious illegitimate aunts who suddenly popped up.
Sakiko watched with her own eyes as her grandfather was angered into collapse, while she and her mother were driven out of the Togawa family gates like garbage. Relatives and friends who once fawned over them changed their faces in an instant, watching coldly from the sidelines or even kicking them while they were down.
In that moment, Sakiko Togawa understood. There is no warmth in this world, only interests. Kinship, friendship, love—in the face of sufficient interests, these are all tools that can be discarded at any time.
To survive, to live well, one must treat others as tools, must be ruthless, and must consider only oneself.
After being driven out, she barely maintained her original schooling and basic livelihood by relying on meager savings she had secretly hidden away and a little aid secretly arranged by her grandfather.
But sitting idle and eating away one's fortune was not a solution, and those two women might not necessarily let her off. They were capable of angering her grandfather into collapse and driving their mother and daughter away for the family property; they might not hesitate to do something even more extreme to pull up the weeds by the roots.
Sakiko Togawa needed power, power to protect herself, and capital to stage a comeback.
At the very least, she needed to make herself valuable—valuable enough to make those two women have scruples, or valuable enough to find a new backer.
She had received an elite education since childhood, and piano was one part of it. She played very well, even at a professional level. But merely knowing how to play the piano was not considered any special capital.
Until she noticed that in recent decades, Japan seemed to have entered the Great Girls' Band Era.
Girls' band culture was flourishing. On television, on the internet, news of all-female band performances and debuts was everywhere.
Those girls shining on stage harvested applause, screams, fame, and fortune. More importantly, they often had fan groups and social attention behind them.
A plan gradually took shape in Sakiko Togawa's heart.
Form a band. Debut. Become famous.
Being famous meant attention. Attention was a protective umbrella. If those two women wanted to touch her again, they would have to weigh the influence of public opinion.
Being famous also meant making money. She needed money, a lot of money, to sustain her life and accumulate power.
Being famous could also bring connections. The waters of the entertainment industry were deep, but opportunities were also plentiful. If she could latch onto a certain line, perhaps she could find an opportunity to return to high society, or at least, find support sufficient to contend with those two women.
As for music dreams? Sakiko Togawa looked at her hands placed on the keys—slender, fair, suitable for playing the piano.
Perhaps she once had a little love for music, but now, music to her was primarily a tool, the most suitable tool to achieve her goals.
Then, what about band members?
She needed reliable, or rather, controllable teammates. Their skills had to be good, their image couldn't be poor, and it would be best if they had some background or topicality.
The first person she thought of was Mutsumi Wakaba.
The Wakaba family was also a famous clan. Although they couldn't compare to the Togawa family, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse.
Moreover, Mutsumi Wakaba had been a child star since she was little, filming quite a few commercials and series, possessing a certain degree of fame and a fan base. Her mother in the entertainment industry was known as that Mutsumi Wakaba's mother.
More importantly, they were childhood sweethearts who had known each other since they were small. In Sakiko's view, this bit of sentiment could also be utilized.
Mutsumi Wakaba played the guitar very well too; transitioning to a band guitarist shouldn't be difficult.
When Sakiko approached Mutsumi Wakaba, there were not many pleasantries. She went straight to the point, expressing that they should form a Galactic Battleship together and become the GOAT of girls' bands!
"Mutsumi, form a band with me. I will be the keyboardist and can also handle composition. You just need to play your favorite guitar; you don't need to do anything else."
Mutsumi Wakaba was practicing guitar at the time. Hearing Sakiko's words, she stopped her movements. She turned her head to look at Sakiko, watched for a good while, and then gently nodded.
"Mm."
No asking why, no asking about the band's style, no asking about future plans. Just that simple, single word.
Sakiko breathed a sigh of relief in her heart, but at the same time, a trace of wariness rose. Too submissive. She had always been unable to see through this childhood sweetheart, Mutsumi Wakaba. But right now, she was the best candidate.
With Mutsumi Wakaba, Sakiko began to scout for other members.
She observed secretly at school and also inquired through some channels. Finally, she set her sights on a few candidates.
Shiina Taki, rumored to be a drummer. Furthermore, she had a cheerful personality and a wide social circle; perhaps she could help pull people in.
Nagasaki Soyo, a wealthy young lady, who also seemed to have quite some achievements in music. These were all people who could be won over.
Of course, these were just preliminary ideas. To truly rope these people in and form a band that could mesh, perform, and even potentially debut, a large amount of work and calculation was still required.
Sakiko Togawa was not in a hurry. She had patience, and she also had determination.
She stood up from the piano and walked to the window, looking at the beautiful campus scenery outside. The sun was bright, and students were in groups of two or three, their faces wearing carefree smiles.
Those smiles, in Sakiko's eyes, were somewhat piercing.
She would not stay in the quagmire forever. She would climb up, using all means, utilizing every person and thing that could be utilized.
Music, the band—they were just the ladder she chose.
Mutsumi Wakaba was the first rung of the ladder.
Next, it was time to go find Shiina Taki, and the others.
Sakiko Togawa tidied her uniform collar. There was no expression on her face, only in the depths of her eyes burned a cold flame named ambition.
____
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