Chapter 46: Temporary Recruitment Again
The next day, Ren woke up early. Before going to bed the previous night, he had asked the system to handle the copyright and contract matters.
This way, he could avoid unnecessary complications during today's meeting.
As for the lyrics, they were already etched into his mind, impossible to forget.
Before heading to Ikebukuro, Ren took care of another matter: contacting the shopping mall to book a performance venue for May 3rd. RiNG was too cramped—he wanted to bring Hitori to the mall and use the power of music to break her fear of the environment.
But securing a booking wasn't easy. During Golden Week, even a simple banner advertisement could sell for an astronomical price.
Logically, a high school student like Ren shouldn't have been able to reserve a performance venue, especially since it was already May 1st, and arrangements for the 3rd should have been finalized long ago.
But Ren was no ordinary high school student. After dialing the mall's partnership phone number, his opening line was: "Hello, would 50 million yen be enough to book a venue for a band performance? The time slot would be from 7 PM to midnight on May 3rd."
"7 PM to midnight? I'll arrange the entire day for you! With me in charge, no one but you will set foot on that stage!"
The mall manager was momentarily stunned by Ren's direct approach. Once he regained his composure, he adopted an attitude of unwavering loyalty, his face beaming with excitement.
After agreeing, the manager, as if afraid Ren might change his mind, personally visited him with the contract.
Even after realizing Ren was just a young high school student, the manager showed no hint of condescension. He politely bowed, offered cigarettes—all of which Ren declined without causing any offense.
Ren appreciated such straightforward people. After confirming the contract was in order, he signed and transferred the payment without batting an eye.
Once the deal was finalized, the mall manager's hands trembled as he held the contract. He had no idea how much kickback he would receive, but one thing was certain: he wouldn't have to worry about his expenses this month. Ren was practically his savior!
As he left, the manager couldn't stop smiling. He even insisted Ren not see him out, repeatedly thanking him along the way.
Back in his car, long after Ren was out of sight, the manager's smile remained. After a good laugh, he finally composed himself and called his nephew.
"Satou, I'm afraid what I promised you earlier might not work out. Someone offered 10 million yen for that performance slot. How about this—I'll give you 100,000 yen as compensation, and you can just enjoy yourself that day, alright?"
Hearing that someone had paid 10 million yen for the slot and that he would receive 100,000 yen without lifting a finger, Satou happily agreed.
After resolving the scheduling conflict, the mall manager personally inspected the stage for any safety hazards.
Having taken the money, he was determined to do a flawless job. He assigned Ren the largest stage and the area with the highest foot traffic.
With the performance venue settled, Ren returned to his room and downloaded a new FPS game called Delta Force, which he had heard was quite entertaining.
He played until noon, and only after RiNG opened did he reluctantly set aside the game, taking the contract with him to Ikebukuro.
Arriving at RiNG, Ren ordered a drink and waited for the members to arrive. They had already added each other as LINE friends, and the others were all on their way.
Umiri, as punctual as ever, was the first to arrive. With their previous collaboration experience, she glanced over the contract and signed it immediately. After receiving a 200,000 yen advance payment, her motivation instantly skyrocketed.
The second to arrive at RiNG was the pianist—an adult man with black-framed glasses, black hair, blue eyes, and an elegant, scholarly demeanor.
"Hello, I'm Arima Kousei."
The 25-year-old Arima Kousei introduced himself and sat down beside Ren, making no comments about Ren or Umiri's youthful appearances.
"Ren Watanabe. Please take a look at the contract first."
Ren gave a slight nod and handed the contract to Kousei. He had already confirmed the other's high skill level after watching his videos.
"Mm."
Kousei was slightly taken aback by Ren's straightforward attitude, but no one dislikes efficient communication and collaboration.
He carefully reviewed the contract while Umiri started looking over the musical score.
"I have no objections. We start training this afternoon, right?"
After confirming there were no hidden pitfalls in the contract, Kousei also signed without hesitation.
"Yes, we'll begin once everyone arrives. Your accommodation and meals for these three days are fully covered."
With another temporary member secured, Ren was in a good mood. After the drummer, guitarist, and synthesizer expert arrived, contracts were signed, advances were paid, and before starting their training, Ren treated them to lunch at a high-end restaurant nearby.
The treatment was exceptionally generous, leaving Umiri and the others somewhat overwhelmed but secretly determined to deliver a perfect performance in return for Ren's generosity.
After the meal, they returned to RiNG, where Ren directly booked a recording studio suite for three days and began rehearsing with the temporary members.
Among them, Umiri and Kousei adapted the fastest, though Umiri's performance level was actually the weakest—the guitarist and drummer were both professional caliber.
Still, minor mistakes occurred during their coordination, and sometimes Ren would step in to offer guidance when he couldn't stand watching any longer.
At first, the others were somewhat critical—how could a vocalist dare to instruct a guitarist on playing? Didn't he know that was a major taboo?
But they were soon won over by Ren's talent. It wasn't that Ren couldn't play—he just preferred not to.
From piano to synthesizer, he played every instrument better than the temporary members.
"Boss, have you ever considered forming a professional band? Recruiting temporary members can be troublesome sometimes, right?"
At 10 p.m., as the temporary band members left the studio after practicing until RiNG's closing time, Umiri—who was somewhat closer to Ren than the others—voiced her question.
Ren was undoubtedly a rising star in the music industry.
He could sing, write lyrics, compose, and play instruments—calling him all-round talented was no exaggeration.
With such talent, if he formed a band, he would undoubtedly become a legend of the new generation.
"That would be too much trouble. Besides, the songs I write aren't confined to any particular instrument. Forming a band would only limit my creativity."
"If we were to form a band, would I need to recruit temporary members if I ever wanted to use a suona someday?"
"If this situation continues for too long, wouldn't those among you who never get the chance to perform together start feeling resentful?"
"So I have no problem establishing long-term contractual relationships, but forming a fixed band is out of the question."
Ren had certainly considered this matter before ultimately rejecting it, because he had too many songs he could adapt. Forming a band with fixed instruments would actually limit his creative expression, which is why he preferred temporary recruitment.
"I see. If I come across a more skilled bassist, I'll recommend them to you, boss."
Upon hearing this, Umiri suddenly understood—Ren was simply too talented. If he were to form anything, it would be an ensemble dedicated to serving his musical vision rather than a conventional band.
She also realized that she might be struggling to keep up with this team. She had heard of Arima Kousei—someone who had achieved excellent results in piano competitions and gained fame early on, though he had become much more low-profile later. His decision to apply for this position was probably because he had been captivated by Ren's music.
"I think you're quite capable yourself. Besides, even if a bassist were to fake playing, nobody would notice anyway?"
"A bass joke? As the person in question, I'm not really finding it funny."