klisemfg Chapter 1308 Strategic Emotional Intelligence
Chapter 1308 Strategic Emotional Intelligence
Chapter 1308 Strategic Emotional Intelligence
"A painter?" Akiba Reiko repeated in confusion, carefully observing Haga Kyosuke's expression to make sure he wasn't joking.
It's not that Haga Kyosuke can't have painter friends, the key point is, didn't I invite him here today to give guidance and corrections on Yamane Shion's performance? Why did he bring a painter with him?
That being said, Yosuke Haga's smile was still quite nice, and his tone was friendly, not like someone who came to cause trouble, so she quickly adjusted her expression and exchanged a few simple pleasantries with Yusuke Kitagawa.
Never mind, maybe one of his friends heard he was coming to rehearse and just came to freeload a seat.
Ms. Suzuki brought such a large group of people, and Domoto Ichiki tolerated it all. It was just one more young painter coming to watch. With Haga Kyosuke, who had been in contact with Stradivarius, in front of them, no one would say anything.
Having mentally prepared herself, Akiba Reiko led Haga Kyosuke backstage, intending to introduce him to Domoto Ichikei and explain her wish to do some more preparatory work for Yamane Shion, planning to cooperate properly.
As the candidate recommended by Kawabe Kanade, now that Kawabe Kanade herself is unable to participate, she has to put in some effort to show that she has no hostile attitude and not make things too ugly with the person she is about to work with.
Yuga Kyosuke didn't hesitate. He simply turned his head and nodded to Tang Ze before following her away, looking completely at ease.
But Shinichi Kudo, who had already confirmed that the person who came was Yusuke Kitagawa, clutched his chest.
Whether it's the suspect identified by the police or the suspect he identified, they are all among the people who came to rehearse tonight.
With Kitagawa Yusuke's infuriatingly sharp tongue, if he were allowed to roam freely in the venue and set off firecrackers at will, and if the perpetrator, as he predicted, intended to cause a major accident and completely destroy Domoto Kazuki's music career, would the concert hall even survive until the day of the performance after being hit by his words a few times?
What are the Phantom Thieves up to? Do they think it's easier to just blow it up now than to wait until the concert is over and something bad happens, affecting so many innocent people?
Seeing that Yusuke Kitagawa had already taken a seat in the front row with Genya Domoto and others who were discussing performance details, Shinichi Kudo quickly got up and, not caring about being inconspicuous, hurriedly moved to the front row.
By the time he moved to the front row, Kitagawa Yusuke had already started chatting with Chigusa Lala, who was sitting next to him with a curious expression.
Perhaps considering it was a formal social occasion, he finally didn't wear that shabby white shirt today, but instead wore a purple casual T-shirt and a white jacket. His black sweatpants also looked much better than his washed and distressed jeans.
Whether it's proper or not is another matter, at least it doesn't look like they're starving.
While strictly speaking, this wasn't exactly a formality, it's likely that he saved his glamorous and eye-catching kimonos for the actual performance day, and this casual outfit he was wearing, considering Yusuke Kitagawa's unconventional style, was probably the limit of his politeness.
Sure enough, when Shinichi Kudo got close to him, he heard him speaking to Lala Chigusa in a very calm tone.
"Oh, so you're a substitute singer."
"—No, we singers don't usually say that. Besides, the official lineup has already been finalized, and the singer is Ms. Reiko Akiba."
"If not that way, then how is it usually said? Hmm, is it like musicals, divided into Group A and Group B? So you're a Group B singer?"
"No, no, this is a completion ceremony, it will only happen once!"
"There will only be one chance, and that is as long as Miss Akiba doesn't get into trouble, you'll have to sit here and watch."
Chigusa Lala stopped talking and lowered her head.
When Shinichi Kudo heard this, he felt a sense of despair.
No, even if you suspect her, you can't say it so directly, can you? Chigusa Lala is obviously because of the accident that happened to Kawabe Kanade, and maybe she also found out something about Akiba Reiko being targeted, so she has some wishful thinking and fantasy in her heart, and is unwilling to give up this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and wants to try her best.
Your directness has created an awkward atmosphere. Even if we wanted to investigate, where would we find the opportunity to ask questions?
Have the Phantom Thieves gone mad by sending him to contact the person they're investigating?
To Shinichi Kudo's surprise, after a few seconds of silence, Chigusa Lala raised her head again.
"It's alright. Even if I don't get the chance to go on stage, it's still a valuable experience. I'm already very lucky to have Mr. Domoto's attention; it's a privilege that my peers would envy. Not being able to compete with Ms. Akiba means I still need to work harder. With Mr. Domoto's support, I'll have many more opportunities."
She was calm and composed, her tone more stable than before when she was downcast. At least to Shinichi Kudo, she didn't seem to be forced into anything.
"Your mindset is pretty good." Shinichi Kudo had just relaxed a little when Yusuke Kitagawa started to stir things up again, "When you're replaced halfway through a season, many people will harbor resentment towards the person who replaces them, and some might even resort to violence."
Unable to bear it any longer, Shinichi Kudo plopped down next to Yusuke Kitagawa, reaching out to tug at the guy's clothes to stop him from stirring things up. This time, Lala Chigusa responded very quickly.
"Indeed. Mr. Kitagawa, you seem to understand this so well; you must have encountered similar situations quite a few times. Outstanding people are always easily envied." Instead of taking Kitagawa Yusuke's almost offensive remark to heart, she comforted him. "I was indeed in a bad mood at first, but in the past, because of my outstanding performance, I was the one being targeted. Thinking about it carefully, I can understand Ms. Akiba's difficulties very well. It's not her fault; no one's excellence is wrong."
Compared to when I first met her at rehearsal, when she seemed hesitant and unwilling, her tone now is very calm, as if she has thought things through and has indeed overcome that hurdle.
"To think like that is already quite impressive." Confirming the remarkable effect of his change of heart, Tang Ze exclaimed in admiration, "With such a humble heart, your future is definitely limitless."
"Thank you for your kind words." Qiancao Lala smiled, revealing two small dimples.
Tang Ze could tell, of course, that her politeness stemmed from recognizing Kitagawa Yusuke and knowing his reputation in the art world. But it was precisely because of this that he admired this unfortunate man who had been replaced.
Not being pretentious and being humble is a rare and valuable ability. With such a good mindset, even if she lacks talent, this girl may very well achieve the same level of fame as Akiba Reiko.
"However, that wasn't what I meant at the beginning." Tang Ze changed the subject and pointed to the side door leading to the backstage. "You're Mr. Domoto's beloved student, right? Based on my understanding of teachers who care about their students, even if there's no opportunity for a solo performance, you can still go and have a good chat with Mr. Domoto and ask if he would consider a choral project."
This is, after all, an organ performance. Even without a chorus, the excellent harmonies would surely relieve some of the pressure on Miss Akiba.
This was a subtle suggestion to her that instead of wallowing in self-pity over being replaced, she should take advantage of the lingering guilt she felt towards Domoto Ichiki to try and get a few chorus or harmony performances added to her repertoire, at least to secure some exposure.
It's impossible to catch up with Akiba Reiko's level in a short time, but even if it's just the edge of the spotlight, it's still taking a bite out of this big cake. If there's an opportunity to scheme, why not give it a try?
Chigusa Lala was stunned for a moment, then her eyes brightened and she stood up.
Because she only finally came to terms with missing this opportunity last night, adjusted her mindset, and prepared to continue practicing diligently to deal with possible changes, she didn't have time to think about these minor details.
Yusuke Kitagawa's explanation was rough, but this possibility certainly exists.
Her smile became more genuine. She nodded to Yusuke Kitagawa and quickly walked towards the backstage area.
Even with only two days left, harmony is naturally not a problem for an excellent female singer, and she can have a good discussion with Akiba Reiko and Domoto Kazuki.
Shinichi Kudo, feeling he had worried unnecessarily:
'
Is Yusuke Kitagawa good at speaking or bad at speaking?
If you say he's good at talking, then his words are truly scathing; if you say he's bad at talking, then he combines his own experiences with his own words quite quickly, spouting a string of phrases that left Chigusa Lala speechless.
And then there's Chigusa Lala's unexpectedly magnanimous behavior—
Could it be that Yusuke Kitagawa's real mission is to inspect the results of the Phantom Thieves?
"Detective, it's rare to see you like this." Finally having a moment to shift his attention, Tang Ze looked at Kudo Shinichi, who had been sitting uneasily for a while. "Is there something you need?"
The members of the Phantom Thieves all knew that Conan Edogawa and Shinichi Kudo were the same person, and Shinichi Kudo was not surprised by this.
What truly left him speechless was that after listening to this long, idiotic conversation that had completely messed things up, he didn't know where to begin.
He originally wanted to advise Yusuke Kitagawa not to have too much contact with this group of people, lest the prisoners become desperate and do something rash, but after looking at Chigusa Lala's appearance, he felt that it would be a bit redundant for him to say it.
So in the end, he just offered a dry, polite greeting: "No, it's been a long time since I've seen you. You seem to be doing well lately."
"Well, nothing too busy, it's not bad." Tang Ze tugged at his casual clothes. "Teacher Ruyue is very caring."
In terms of character design, the current Yusuke Kitagawa theoretically lives with Mineki Kisaragi.
Of course, Ruyue Fengshui was well aware of the trickery surrounding his identity and knew that he had plenty of places to go, but the teacher would not expose him.
As a painter who devotes himself to learning and researching his art, it is common for him to live a secluded life. Many artists live like this, including Kisaragi Minezu himself. Thus, Kitagawa Yusuke's almost reclusive identity has naturally persisted.
Unaware of the intricacies involved, Shinichi Kudo carefully observed Yusuke Kitagawa's improved complexion and nodded, "It seems that Mr. Kisaragi has taken good care of you."
As strict as Kisaragi Minezu was with others, he was just as gentle and fond of Kitagawa Yusuke.
Just look at how Domoto Ikkei promoted the disciples he had his eye on, and you can imagine how Kisaragi Mine would help Kitagawa Yusuke.
Domoto Ikki's favorite disciple could put together a stage, but Kisaragi Mineki only had this one protégé, and he gave him a lot.
"The teacher is very good," Tang Ze smiled and simply replied.
He still maintains the habit of regularly visiting Ruyue Fengshui, sometimes to learn painting from him, and sometimes simply to spend some time with the old man.
Among all the relationships in Tokyo, Kisaragi Mine was a rare one who truly made Karasawa feel embraced and warm. When he was tired, going there to sit with her was a way to relieve his stress.
"However, I see you're quite busy right now—" Shinichi Kudo glanced suggestively at the others in the room.
"We're busy, but there's nothing we can do. Several people died at once, and even you detectives and police couldn't stop them, so we had to come." Tang Ze's straightforwardness was very much in the style of Yusuke Kitagawa.
Shinichi Kudo choked again.
Yusuke Kitagawa's words were clear enough. In the end, we, the Phantom Thieves of the Heart, don't like to keep an eye on you detectives. It's just that you haven't solved your cases properly. If you were capable of catching the person first, we wouldn't need to clean up their mess.
"I do have a shortlist of suspects," Shinichi Kudo protested softly. "It's not like I'm completely clueless."
"You think your thoughts, we'll do ours, it won't affect anything," Tang Ze replied more directly this time. "If we wait for detectives and police to solve everything, everyone would be dead by now. Your tendency to cause accidents will only bring more problems."
With your Grim Reaper-like constitution, you'd cause trouble even if nothing was wrong with you. It's not a bad thing for a phantom thief to come and suppress your yin energy.
"The crime is the criminal's problem, not the detective's fault." The detective, feeling wronged again, was indignant.
"Yes, so let's solve the problem. What are you unhappy about?" Tang Ze asked in a tone that suggested he knew the answer already, feigning surprise.
Shinichi Kudo fell silent again.
Seeing that Shinichi Kudo had run out of topics for the time being, Tang Ze turned his head and looked at the performers next to him again.
Having persuaded Chigusa Lala, who was sitting on the outermost edge, to leave, Tang Ze naturally stood up, moved his seat, and shifted to a position further in.
Without Chigusa Lala's obstruction, the person sitting next to him became Fu and Takumi.
That was the purpose of Tang Ze's words just now.
What's the point of verifying the results of mind modification? If it's modified, it's modified; if it's not modified, it's not modified. There's no such thing as being modified but not completely modified. Tang Ze has never worried about the effectiveness of the Phantom Thief of Hearts.
The main purpose of stirring up Chigusa Lala's emotions and offering advice was to make it easier to get in touch with the composer and the craftsman.