The social phobia substitute will not dream of the band girl

The feeling of not being able to post after finishing something is like being stuck in a rut.

I can’t stand it anymore! I can’t stand it anymore! I can’t stand it anymore! I can’t stand it anymore! I can’t stand it anymore!

The standard update is 2000 words according to CWM convention. The reward standard is:

10 recommendation tickets 1 update

3 monthly tickets for one update

500 Cat Biscuits st Update

5 blades per change

Limited to 3 days

I really want to fast forward to volume two and start talking about love!

The third volume of Lonely Rock is officially here, the author won’t lie, it’s almost as good as the first time you come into contact with it!

(You may not believe me, but the reason I used this cover is not to piggyback on others, but because the first volume of my book with two female protagonists couldn’t pass the review no matter what. I was frozen for half a month for violating the rules. I’m really speechless...)

本章写的时候：2023年7月15日13:30分，

Total monthly tickets: 6, recommendation tickets: 58, reward: 1175, blade: 5

截止到2023年7月18日13:30分！

Chapter 16: Family

"...Hey, Shi."

"I'm here."

"...What exactly is this so-called 'family'?"

"...So what does Onii-sama think?"

The hand that was wiping her back with the towel stopped, and her voice trembled slightly. She was afraid, afraid of hearing an answer that was not to her liking.

"Generally speaking... they have to be related by blood, right?"

As expected... That's right, any normal person would think that, right? I should have expected this... So what exactly is my relationship with my brother, Heping Xin, and me? And what role should I take in the future...

"But compared to simple blood ties, I still prefer relationships that rely on emotions. Two people who were originally unrelated can truly care about each other from the bottom of their hearts because of their feelings for each other, and even be willing to sacrifice themselves. Isn't that amazing?"

At this moment, Asuka Maheishin's expression was remarkably gentle, his eyes, usually shielded by sunglasses in front of strangers, now gleaming. That kind of relationship... a truly pure family... must be like the one between him and the former orphanage director, right? Father and son? Grandfather and grandson? These relationships, based on blood ties, held no connection between them; simply knowing they were family was enough. It was a pity that since that time in his previous life, he had never again experienced such pure affection.

"...That's true, huh—"

Asuka Matoki breathed a sigh of relief, but Pingxin's next words made her emotions fluctuate again.

"Come to think of it, Toki and I have a similar relationship, right? I was shocked when Toki told me he wanted to temporarily stop working as a 'sister maid,' but I was relieved when I heard the reason... Actually wanting to replace the social skills I've given up until now—of course, that's unnecessary."

It was frozen like a clockwork puppet, but its internal structure was in the process of self-destruction.

unnecessary--

If even you don't need me, then there's no place for me in this world. So, let's just go all out...

"Look into my eyes."

When the mind of the individual named Asuka Mashi was at its most vulnerable and defenseless, that familiar voice suddenly broke in, bringing her endless sense of security.

"......yes!"

So she buried her head once more in scrubbing his back diligently. It was then that she realized the man before her, the brother she admired most, had changed in some way after this ordinary day. Perhaps he'd become more willful, more overbearing, but, after all, "change is always a good thing," especially for someone like Asuka Maheishin, who had previously hit rock bottom, no matter which way he went, it was always upward.

"...You want to sacrifice yourself, to drink and chat for me, to enter the dark world of adults, the arena where fame and fortune are the bait. It's a good idea, but - I don't agree."

"but--"

"No buts, you're just being self-indulgent. You think you're being nice to me, but you're not thinking from my perspective at all, because you... can never be Asuka Mahirashin. You can only be Asuka Matoki.

Pingxin's things should be done by Pingxin, and Pingxin's responsibilities should be borne by Pingxin. Although he is just an "ordinary person" with limited abilities, he has not yet fallen to the point where he has to sacrifice his family to survive.

"...If you say that, brother, aren't you also feeling proud of yourself?"

Shi, who usually listens more than she talks and never shows any resistance, actually talked back to Ping Xin for the first time. Although her voice was very cute and a bit like she was acting coquettish, and she didn't stop rubbing her back, it was enough to show her attitude.

"Yeah, I'm just self-satisfied."

"In that case, I will also—"

"But I'm better than you. You have so much nerve and the nerve to say, 'I want to replace someone who's better than me'? Don't make me laugh!"

Back... a familiar brother—at this moment, Shi recalled the time when they first met, that confident young man with a smile on his face, despite his complex emotions. He was so powerful and domineering, barging into her world without reason. From then on, their fates could no longer be separated—

"Besides, even if you stay home from work for the rest of your life, I can easily support the two of us. Since you're a student, then do what a student should do—go to school on time every day, come home, and complete your homework. If there's anything you're interested in, then pursue it, and don't dwell on things that don't concern you.

Those are things adults should think about. Only the worst adults would stoop to the point where they need children to worry about them and make sacrifices for them. Am I... that kind of adult in your eyes?"

"...Of course not, my brother will always be my brother—"

"Don't worry, just calm down and think about it slowly. We still have a long, long time to live together, and we can always be together. If there's anything you don't understand, just ask me. It's better than me crying after you disappear without a word one day."

I never want to experience that again... If they were going to take it away from me, why didn't they just give it to me in the first place? Fate was like a god with a bad taste in its mouth, taking pleasure in his struggles. It never let him reach the bliss of ultimate happiness, but it also never left him in a completely hopeless predicament. Instead, it only presented him with one problem after another.

"So my brother would cry for me... Hehehe——"

"Ouch! It hurts! Be gentle, I've been rubbing this for so long, the skin will fall off if I rub it any further. Why are you just grinning like an idiot? Sigh... You can blame me for that weird disease I had before, which delayed you from going to school and interacting with your peers.

...So, don't worry about me all the time. Find your own hobbies now and then. For example, when I presented the 'Gangda' project to you, you seemed quite interested. So, one day, let's use public resources for personal gain and trick them into building a giant, life-size robot. We could call it a 'landmark building' or a 'new kind of propaganda'—wouldn't that be wonderful?

But fortunately, her brother is still her brother, always the gentle, funny, reliable, but sometimes fallible man, the one who gives her true peace of mind and whom she can always rely on. As an individual, Asuka Mashi trusts and supports him 100%.

But how should the problem of Mizukari and her daughter be solved? Ping Xin fell into deep thought - and then, due to his physical weakness and taking too long in the bath, he fainted. When he woke up, it was already morning -

"..."

"..."

Mizukuri, who was wearing cute animal plush pajamas, and Hira Nobu, who fainted in the bath and woke up naked in only a pair of shorts, stared at each other, neither of them knowing how to react.

"Ah~ female hooligan~!"

"..."

Another wordless stare ensued. Seeing Hirayūnobu's antics, Mizukane's heart trembled violently, and she didn't want to laugh. Meanwhile, the look in her eyes deepened with disdain, a look that felt like the whims of some special fan. But wasn't that the proper reaction in such a situation? Clearly, Hirayūnobu's "references" were flawed.

"I thought it was going to be something like what you see in comics, so I took the initiative."

"..."

"Why aren't you talking? Oh... Yesterday, after singing for so long, you were still yelling and arguing with your father. Mizukuri died fighting with your father. How could I have such a dream... Hey, be gentle!"

Mitakeran, her voice hoarse and unable to speak, chased Hirayukoshi's calf and launched a barrage of attacks. It's well known that the human calf bone is actually very fragile. Therefore, the fact that Dio's left leg was broken and "Invincible World" became a plastic stepping stone was definitely not "The World's" fault!

Ahem, I'm getting off topic. Anyway, being chased and beaten by Mizukuran wasn't because Hirayukoshi couldn't beat him; he was just afraid of trouble. Because there are no men in this world who are afraid of their sisters, only men who love and pamper their sisters! Then someone was knocked to the ground, and the victorious Mizukuran, with a brisk stride, earned the right to use the bathroom first.

Only Ping Xin was left, collapsed outside the door, looking as if he had just been raped, staring at the ceiling with empty eyes.

This wave, this wave is repaying kindness with ingratitude, the sister is unparalleled!

*The girl next door is also a girl!

There are pictures here, which can be viewed after the updated version

Chapter 17: Leave it to the adults at this time!

"So you don't have to go to school today."

Why?

"Your voice is so weak that you can't even speak. Wouldn't it be a pain to go to school? It's better to recover at my house first and then go. That way, you won't have to worry about them."

In reality, Mizukuri knew she was just taking her anger out on this man, angry that he hadn't stood by her side last night, but had simply been a witness, as he'd promised. And then there was that slight grumpiness, and a bit of shyness at having Pingxin see her in such an embarrassing (and adorable) state. Could a girl's attempt to hide her shyness be considered violence? That was self-defense (?)!

*Girl is shy? Shy iron fist!

"...I understand...Thank you."

But someone is a man who walks upright and sits upright (crossed out), a good boy. Although he is a bit of a tsundere, he will still say thank you when someone helps him, and will apologize promptly when he finds that he has made a mistake.

"...If you understand, then stop talking. Doesn't your throat hurt when you talk? My heart aches every time you say something now."

People will become physically weak due to illness, and when they are physically weak, their mentality will also become fragile. No one understands the patient's psychology better than him - so Ping Xin is trying to talk more to try to comfort Mizukuri. No matter whether the other person is so fragile that he needs your insignificant comfort, it is always better to have someone comfort him than no one cares about him.

Feeling sorry for her? For me? Mei Zhulan was a little surprised.

Ever since her mother's passing, her father's demands on her have become increasingly strict. It wasn't until she fell ill in elementary school due to her mother's inherited congenital weakness, even becoming wheelchair-bound, that he finally relaxed his grip on her, adopting a laissez-faire approach, with her and her children rarely speaking to each other, or even paying any attention. Since then, although she has received much care and love from Afterglow's four childhood friends and others, it's often mixed with pity and sympathy, rarely with such pure "care" as his.

"...Don't look at it, this is all for your own good... Those greasy foods are bad for your throat, so don't eat them. I remember you hated green beans, right? Well, I'll begrudgingly help you out."

Mizukane felt a mix of emotions as she watched the man in front of her snatch away her plate of juicy German sausages and fried bacon under the pretext of "eating something light if you have a sore throat." Perhaps this was the only person whose attitude towards her wouldn't change, even if the world collapsed and she was no longer "herself"?

"Remember to drink this half an hour after dinner. I remember you hate sweet things, so I specially brought this loquat paste with lemon and mint. It's not too sweet, and it will make your throat feel better."

"...Thank you...thank you (quietly)"

"What did you say? Forget it, if your throat is sore, just stop talking. At the beginning of this chapter, you were still writing on a clipboard, but you've forgotten it in just a moment? You need to recover sooner so you can do what you want to do sooner..."

After they make the porridge, remember to cool it down before drinking it. Be careful not to burn your mouth. Also, be sure to drink plenty of water. Avoid spicy or greasy foods...

This loquat paste of mine is a special product I've had someone buy from Yan Country and keep at home. It's not available to most people. If you take good care of yourself, you'll be fully recovered within three days, so don't rush into trying any online remedies...

"You're the lead singer, so you need to take better care of your voice than most people. If you ever feel uncomfortable, just come to me and get it..."

Didn’t you say this was a limited-edition cure?

Mei Zhulan wrote crookedly on the writing board.

"They call it a limited edition, but that's all it is. It's just a matter of spending a little more money and using connections. What do adults work so hard for? Isn't it so that children can suffer less in times like this?"

"..."

I can't argue with that, but you're not my father or my brother, so what exactly is our relationship? Mizukuri didn't know. Now that she thought about it, over the past two years, their relationship had always remained a delicate tangle between acquaintances and friends. After all, at first, they'd only bothered Pingxin unilaterally with their own personal concerns. To this day, Mizukuri still remembered him as a difficult "weirdo." Not in a derogatory sense, but rather as an "outlier" whose thinking and behavior were completely different from theirs. He was clearly the one who needed help the most, yet we'd only ever accepted his care...

"...Why are you crying when we're all fine? If you're really feeling down, drink more water and get some rest. It's okay to go back to school when you feel better. I might be able to teach you better than the teachers at school... You're already grown up, and you're still crying? It's not an incurable disease, so why are you crying..."

Although I know that patients are very sensitive, the person in front of you has been ill longer and more seriously than you! Ping Xin complained in his heart.

I didn't cry!

Although she added an exclamation mark to express her strong emotions, the painting was wet and blurred by her tears, and I couldn't understand it.

"Okay, okay, just wait for me at home... I'll definitely find a way, but when the time comes, you have to promise me that you'll have another good talk with your father, okay? Even if it's just for my sake—"

After all, he's just a big idiot who can't see his own heart clearly and likes to escape like me...

"Well, I'm going out now... One last thing - if you can't make up your mind, come to me. It's time for us adults to step up when someone needs to take the spotlight..."

I'm going out."

I have to work hard. I won't be so weak and helpless next time, relying on this person. I want to be recognized and relied upon by him, not just treated as a child! Mei Zhulan's mood at this moment is similar to when she dyed her hair that blush, except that it was out of rebellion against her father and a desire for self-realization.

But today, she is longing to become a handsome and reliable adult like him!

......

Oh - I was trying too hard to be cool, what should I do now?

Unlike his earlier, gentle, reliable, and fatherly demeanor, Hirayukosuko, once out of Mizukari's sight, seemed as limp and powerless as a barbarian whose true manliness had expired in three seconds. But he couldn't just ignore it, could he? After all, he had longed for someone to save him back then. At the very least... he couldn't let anyone else experience the feeling of being abandoned by the world. So, let's get this done. If he wants to resolve this matter fundamentally, Hirayukosuko is currently missing the crucial piece of the puzzle. It all depends on fate.

But it should work, right? After all... Hirayuko stared blankly at the muscular golden figure that only he could see. After all, he now had "The World," and his master, Dio, was famous for his "good luck," represented by the three moles on his left ear. If everything went as he envisioned, then there would be no problem. After all, he had grown another "1cm" in three years, a long time ago, and it wasn't just due to muscle or bone problems.

"But even if it were to come true, it would still require the most basic effort and the most tiring grinding. It's really a thankless job... Ahhhhh Daze——"

With hope in his heart, Ping Xin walked towards the road of light.

The target is the school, the principal's office.

There are pictures here, which can be viewed after the updated version

Chapter 18: Above Luck