The social phobia substitute will not dream of the band girl

"my card."

"...Why?"

"...Because you really like this game, right? Well, I have an opportunity for you to try it out, to become a part of building this IP, the world of 'Duel King'... Do you want to go?"

Pingxin kept smiling. Unlike most of the time, when he smiled politely, this time he was genuinely happy. People always feel happy when they do what they believe is right.

"...Is it okay? But why me?!"

"Who knows...it's okay to think of it as an occasional lucky break. Since people can suffer unexpected misfortunes, it makes sense that good things might happen to them sometimes, right?"

"You... no, who are you?!"

Without even the energy to consider whether he'd been scammed, this guy, whom he'd just met for the first time, knelt down before Ping Xin. Seriously...why do so many people just like to kneel down for no reason? This isn't a feudal society anymore. The emperor is gone, so who needs you to kneel?

"I... I'm just a passing Duelist - I hope you'll be successful in the interview. We'll see you in the Duel City then, Ciao~"

After leaving behind a few incoherent words, Ping Xin left the place. After he left, the young man, whose life was not going well, slowly stood up and tightly and carefully grasped the business card in his hand. In his hand was the hope of a new life, the hope of the future.

After strolling around for a while, Ping Xin didn't encounter any robberies, drug and arms sales, hostage-taking, or the like, feeling bored yet happy. He returned to the group of students touring the assembly line.

"Pingxin Pingxin, where were you just now?! I'm telling you, that was really amazing just now, that machine..."

"...Where did you go?"

"Hey~ Why... ahem, why didn't you tell me you were going out to play?"

"Master, running away from the battlefield is not an option~"

He had wanted to sneak into the crowd, but there were always those who could spot him. He was forced to become the most beautiful girl in the crowd. After all, even though there were many beautiful girls in the world, it was rare for a man to be surrounded by four girls of different styles at once. At least they hadn't seen another one yet.

After pretending to be deaf and dumb and deceiving himself by walking into a corner, Ping Xin finally got a bit of peace and quiet, although it was not that quiet.

"Pingxin Pingxin, how do you play this card game? I've never played a game like this before!!!"

Ping Xin felt a surge of regret after carelessly handing over his deck. It wasn't that he felt bad that his cards were touched by others, but he just felt like he had released some incredible monster.

Fortunately, he didn't have to play this game with Asuna, otherwise the experience would have been very bad, and Pingxin breathed a sigh of relief.

"Ping Xin Ping Xin, let's play! No, it should be... a duel!"

Seeing how Asuna Hirayuma had accurately taken away the "Saint's Remains" deck, he had already imagined what kind of tragedy would happen next...

But duelists can’t run away from the battlefield!!!

"...I won't show any mercy, okay? Duel!"

The result... naturally, a crushing defeat. Ping Xin lost without a doubt. But having fun in a game is always the most important thing, winning or losing comes second.

"Sometimes... losing doesn't feel bad either—"

It hadn't rained today, but the air still held the fragrance of earth. Ping Xin walked at the edge of the crowd, slowly advancing with them.

No matter who you are, you must do your best in the duel with fate.

Chapter 60: Nilu's Excuse

On the bus ride back after the tour, Hirayuko gave up the chance to build rapport with Karin and Asuna and chose to sit with his former bestie, Meganelu... Wait, wouldn't it have been fine if everyone just sat in the back row or gathered closer together?! Hirayuko felt like he'd been making subtle mistakes lately.

"...What's wrong, Ping Xin? Aren't you happy sitting with me?"

Nilu's feet were secretly drawing circles in the air, and the girl's mind was just like this meaningless circle.

"...No, that's not the case."

But it does feel strange... When someone who used to be silly and playful all day suddenly becomes quiet and silent, everyone gets uncomfortable. That's how Ping Xin feels about Nilu now. When she first became quiet and like an ordinary girl, Ping Xin was a little scared. After all, he was a coward who was always suspicious of this and that. But after the "misunderstanding was resolved", he gradually began to enjoy the current situation.

It’s like when you suddenly find out one day that your good friend secretly dresses as a woman. You feel a little surprised and that everything new is new and interesting... But what should you do when you find out that "he" is a woman?

Everything changed when Pingxin changed Nero's position in his mind from "good brother" to "close relative of the opposite sex." It was a huge change, a change that left him at a loss, a knowledge that no book had ever taught him.

*One look at Ding Zhen and I can tell he hasn't read enough Japanese light novels and comics

Ping Xin is a person who is smart but not smart enough——

Simply put, he's adept at capitalizing on his strengths and minimizing his weaknesses. He clearly understands his strengths and weaknesses, and thus often appears to be in control, much like the masterful figure his younger sister saw when she was little. But all of this is based on his learning, talent, and the vast resources at his disposal. When the unexpected occurs, his thinking can easily freeze for a moment, like a computer experiencing a programming error.

The "Pingxin.exe" program is not responding.jpg

Normally, faced with this situation, he would immediately give up on such matters and hand them over to someone else, but it was obvious that if his friend didn't do it himself, no one else would be able to take over.

"Why... did you suddenly become like this, Nilu?" Ping Xin asked.

He gave up thinking and let his body be controlled by his emotions and his heart. It turned out that when facing the people he cares about, he still has to be honest and communicate with his heart.

"Don't you—don't you like it?"

Nilu wiped the sweat from her palms, pinching the hem of her skirt. This was the first time she'd felt so "awkward" since learning the ripple breathing technique. Seeing her so bashful and coy, Pingxin felt a little moved, but more worried. After all, every sign indicated that Nilu wasn't truly "feminine," merely trying to play the role of a "female," just like he often did, acting to avoid worrying himself or others.

"I... I like you very much, I like Meganelle as a person, no matter before or now..."

"but?"

"But... I don't know why you suddenly changed, and the change is so drastic. It makes me... a little scared."

“Is… so…”

"..."

Nel avoided Hira Nobu's scorching gaze and saw three pairs of large eyes belonging to Asuna, Karin, and Akane in the seats nearby, as well as many other people whose names she couldn't remember...

its not right!

If you think about it carefully, she and Asuna should be from Class 1-B, so why is she in Class A's car and no one noticed anything wrong?!

Now, Meganil could only rely on such random thoughts to avoid the sight of others and the chaotic thoughts. She couldn't tell the real reason, at least not at this time and place... If it was Pingxin who encountered this situation, what would he do? Nilu suddenly thought of a suitable "excuse" -

"Recently... I met up with my mom and we talked a lot."

Including the past, her father, the present and the future. If it weren't for her mother's enlightenment, she might have to wait a little longer to understand the true reason for this feeling in her heart, but by then it would probably be too late.

"Nelue-senpai's mother?! I've never even met her. Can you take me to your house to play next time, Nelue-senpai~" Asuna, who is a member of Class B but has no problem integrating into Class A, said coquettishly.

Nilu, buried between the white rabbits and forced to use facial cleanser, and Pingxin, who had to look away and observe with his peripheral vision because the scene was too exciting, concluded their conversation. Whether Nilu's purpose of using this message to conceal her girlish thoughts was successful or not is unknown, but for now, everyone is happy for her.

"..."

After a moment of unexpectedly meeting Hirayukobu's gaze, Kakutateka Rin pulled away. Ever since that missed appointment, an awkward atmosphere had permeated their relationship, their distance growing delicate and fluctuating. These two sensitive hearts were constantly testing each other, forever fearing hurt—the other and themselves.

He wasn't sure if Karin had discovered his confession and was distancing herself as a gentle "farewell," or if he was simply embarrassed and decided to call it quits and fight another day. Regardless, today was a day to discover a new talent and learn about the thaw in Nel's relationship with her mother, so it was a day worth celebrating.

If only I could live even more... no, if only I could continue living happily like this forever—

The bus moved slowly forward. Ping Xin turned his eyes away from the scenery outside the window. Now he had something more worth seeing before him.

......

...

.

"...Yukina-san, I remember you promised me your grades before?"

"...No problem—as long as I can pass the final make-up exam, I won't have to attend the tutoring. I will definitely attend the training camp and the summer performance."

The singer vowed to do so, but Ping Xin was speechless. After all, just looking at her monthly exam results, it was hard to be reassured!!!

At the beginning of July, as the semester entered its final month, Ping Xin began to work on his future plans, such as Afterglow and Roselia's performances at the summer music festival, as well as final exams and summer training sessions before that.

As expected, Ping Xin, who was checking the grades, caught the singing girl who was often distracted in class.

"Ah~ With my part-time job lately, plus regular practice and performances, I haven't had a proper study session with Yukina lately. Mistake~ Mistake~"

No, it's obviously not your fault, Lisa ma... cough cough, Ping Xin almost said it.

"...Yukina Minato, are you willing to sacrifice everything for Roselia?" Hirashin asked.

Now that things have come to this, the only thing left is tutoring!!!

Chapter 61 Before Summer Vacation Begins

In the past few days, Ping Xin has taken the initiative to attack many times but has not achieved any results. As summer vacation is approaching,

Just like this, a month passed in a flash, and in the blink of an eye it was the day of the final exam.

"Minato-kun...Minato-kun..."

"..."

"The exam is about to begin—"

take an exam!!!

Hearing this word, Minato Tomoki suddenly woke up. She had actually fallen asleep on her desk. It was a close call. If she had fallen asleep here, she would have been woken up during the exam, her mind would have been fuzzy and she would have struggled to think. She would have failed miserably, and all her hard work would have been wasted.

"Thank you very much...Tamura-kun."

After a brief recollection, Yukina remembered the name of the unremarkable girl before her. She had brown hair, gray eyes, and was 160cm tall. Judging by her appearance, she was "average" in every way—a plain, ordinary-looking girl with glasses. However, due to her earnest, simple, gentle, and honest nature, she had many friends in class. However, most of them had nothing to do with Yukina. A girl who devoted all her free time to singing practice and her band naturally had little in common with the lives of other "ordinary people."

"I didn't expect that classmate Minato still remembered my name!" she said with some surprise.

Originally, Yukina was quite famous for her striking looks, unique style, and rumors of her outside singing career, but she also felt, as the live-in crowd had called her, "inaccessible." To Manami, she seemed like someone in a completely different world, a pair of parallel lines that never intersected. Today, she had only woken Yukina out of classmate affection and out of kindness. While it was clear that Yukina had nearly forgotten her name, it was still surprising that such a busy person could remember her. It was like... when a prominent figure visiting the school remembers your name when they bump into each other one day?

"Of course I remember the names of my classmates..."

You should remember, right? Yuxi felt a little guilty. After all, her mind had been completely occupied lately with Pingxin's targeted test-taking tactics and band matters. Otherwise, she wouldn't have fallen asleep just minutes after sitting down. In fact, just a few minutes ago, Pingxin had been using the convenient modern tool of his phone to remotely check on her. It's better to sharpen your sword before the battle.

"Minato hasn't been to school lately, and he looked so tired just now. Could it be...that something happened with the band?"

Thanks to Hirayabu's involvement, Roselia in this world surpasses the original band's skills and popularity at the same time (or rather, the original band didn't even form a band at this point...). Furthermore, the five members of the band have become even closer. It goes without saying that Lisa Imai and Yukina, who also attend Hanaoka Girls' Academy, have long been a virtual bond. Udagawa Ako, who also attracted attention in junior high school for her cute looks and playful demeanor, is also a significant draw.

Roselia's livehouse performance videos went viral and were even featured on popular TV shows. Almost anyone in Haneda knew the names of Yukina Minato and Roselia. Add to that the equally popular veteran band Afterglow (although they're in the middle school section, they debuted earlier), and many students have been inspired to join bands. Many have even decided to apply to their school after seeing their performances, and even the music goddess next door is a true expert.

Therefore, when we mention Minato Yuki here, we are referring to the band, Roselia! It is not surprising that Tamura Manami would think in that direction.

"No, although there are some... Mainly because of studying."

"..."

Study? That Yukina?!

As a school celebrity, Yukina naturally enjoyed a certain amount of privilege. While she rarely arrived late or left early, she was not inattentive or even slept in class quite often. However, the teachers and classmates were considerate enough to ignore her behavior and even take the initiative to control their voices.

Although Yukina is not stupid, she has no interest in studying and does not work hard. It can even be said that she was able to enter high school and not fail any courses until the end of the semester thanks to the efforts of her childhood sweetheart, Lisa Imai.

Yuki was born to sing, and studying is just a burden.

This is basic common sense in Haneda!!!

But such a Yuukina actually puts studying more important than music activities, which is really interesting. Even Manami, who usually doesn't pay much attention to livehouses and girl bands, will be interested!

"Come to think of it... Minato-kun seems to have changed a lot lately."

"...What exactly?"

"Specifically, she smiles more and her whole aura has changed. Could it be...something good happened?" Tamura Manami hinted. After all, what girl wouldn't be interested in gossip? Especially celebrity gossip!

"Have it?"

Yukina was lost in thought. She tilted her head slightly, unconsciously, making passersby swoon with her cuteness.

The recent days have been arduous for her, incredibly arduous, yet fulfilling and meaningful. When one is focused, time seems to fly by, oblivious to its passage. The negative emotions evoked by meaningful activity can overcome fatigue and boredom. These days, besides memorizing information and doing exercises, she's been singing. She sings between exercises, on her after-dinner walks, in the shower, and even while reciting.

Thanks to Hiraishin's individualized approach to teaching, Yukina's liberal arts knowledge wasn't a problem. While she struggled with memorizing key concepts, composing songs and singing them was within her capabilities. As for science, especially math... thankfully, the math level at Dongguk High School wasn't that difficult. Hiraishin, with his familiar tactics of flooding her with practice questions, had her slogging through the exams, easily managing to get a score of at least 80. During the exams, Hiraishin, standing behind her, would often be frantic even before Yukina started getting anxious. Thinking of this, she couldn't help but smile, and her fan base had grown by about ten.

"Speaking of which, why didn't you ask the school for an exemption from the exam? If it were you, you should have been able to pass."

"Because he said..."

"He did?"

"Roselia has her own path to take, but Yukina Minato also has her own life. We can't abandon one for the other. We can dedicate our lives to music, but it can't be all about music. Every stage of life has its own scenery. We should enjoy campus life and give our all in the band outside of school. That's what makes it healthy!"

In fact, Pingxin also mentioned someone who "only has a guitar", but there is no need to mention it.

"I see..." Tamura Manami understood.

"and."