"Well...I'm out the door!"

......

...

..

The families of those 10 people were asked to send their tickets back, but as expected, there are still many people who have not received their tickets yet... It's a good opportunity to go out and take a walk and send out the tickets, and by the way, see how everyone is doing recently——

"Hmm... wow... I vomited a lot of blood again. Staying home will slowly turn your body into a vampire over time. Is this some new anti-addiction system?"

He tried hard to swallow the blood in his mouth back into his stomach but was choked again. After taking a break, Ping Xin started walking towards the door again. He had many people to visit today and he didn't have the time to waste here with the American.

*The door to the house should not be confused with the gate to the yard. Most of the time, the outer door is open, so I haven't mentioned it specifically. Incidentally, this house was originally built to the standards of a doomsday fortress, so... you get the idea.

"Good morning... Isn't this Ping Xin brother? It feels like I haven't seen you for a while."

"Hmm... I haven't seen you in about ten days. After all, it's been a grueling combination of tutoring and intensive training. Good morning, Saaya. By the way, are you doing your homework? Sure enough, you're the type to do your homework first thing during the holidays?"

The tan-haired girl sitting behind the Yamabuki Bakery counter stood up, her smile tinged with surprise and delight. Her clear, gentle blue eyes, like a mountain spring, were truly captivating. Hirayuki approached the counter and found a workbook and rough paper spread out on the table. The densely packed equations and neat calculations showed she'd been working on them for a while, no pretense at all.

"'Homework first thing during the holidays' and all that... you really do say some interesting things, Hirashin-san."

"By the way, where are Uncle Wataru and Miss Chihiro? Are you leaving the shop alone because you're not feeling well again?"

"Don't be so nervous. Dad and Mom were just going for a walk. Thanks to you, Mom's health is much better now. Even the doctor recommended that she go for more walks to maintain her hard-earned health... Thank you so much, Pingxin-ge."

Yamabuki Saya is a good child who studies hard at school, is friendly to her classmates, and is filial to her parents and caring for her younger siblings. To help ease the burden on her ailing mother, she even takes on the family bakery and household chores. If such people don't receive any kind response, if they're not treated kindly by others, then the world is hopeless, at least that's what Hirayuko believes.

Good deeds are rewarded, evil deeds are punished. Doing the right thing is encouraged and rewarded, doing the wrong thing is criticized and punished. This is such a simple truth, but it is so difficult to implement in this society. So at least in the visible places, Ping Xin wants to maintain this simple "justice" that everyone recognizes -

"Since you call me 'brother,' I must do something worthy of the title. From beginning to end, I was merely a matchmaker. I didn't treat the illness, prescribe the medicine, or take care of your mother. Such a trivial 'effort' doesn't deserve such a grand celebration."

"Ahaha, Hirashin-san is always so modest. But sometimes, boys who are more forthright are more popular, right?" Yamabuki Saya said with a teasing expression. While she didn't know why Hirashin was suddenly so emotional, she at least wanted to cheer up the Yamabuki family's benefactor with her energy and smile.

"Would being a little 'frank' be more popular...really?"

"Eh, you believe it already?" Yamabuki Saya was a little surprised. The situation was as subtle as how a simple underground trap could catch the final boss. Hirayuma, while usually giving the impression of a hidden talent who could easily handle anything, always gave off a sense of innocence in subtle ways.

This feeling of being like her own silly brother in a certain sense suddenly turned on Saaya's "sister switch". "Of course, you can't get a girl's true heart if you don't give your true heart to her, okay?"

"I see... I'll try my best. Speaking of which, you're going to high school soon, right? Setting aside your thoughts on that earlier idea (of forming a band), the workload will increase, and getting along with your classmates will require more time and energy. Will you still want to work in the store?"

If your mother, Ms. Chihiro, is fully recovered, there is no need for you to stay in the store all the time. You can do more silly things that are appropriate for your age... Of course, there are some things that you still can't do, but I believe you can tell the difference."

"Ping Xin brother... you're like a real big brother. Thank you for always thinking about us. But I probably will still do it, after all -"

"You really like this job after all, right?"

Pingxin looked at the neat and simple furnishings in the store, the neatly arranged breads, and the humane and warm decorations. He could see the family's care and effort everywhere, and it was no wonder that such a store was so popular.

"Yes... Whether it's the lingering aroma of bread escaping from the oven, the happy smiles on customers' faces when they hold the bread baked by my father, and greeting every customer who enters the store and chatting with them before they leave, it brings everyone a good mood -

I love all of this so much that I might live my whole life...”

"That's enough. It's a mistake to limit your life to a narrow range. You still have a lot to see and try."

"Even if that's the case, you don't have to hit my head. And you actually hit it really hard. It hurts~"

"Clearly distinguishing rewards and punishments is the foundation of employing people. You'd better stop talking without thinking when you're in front of me. But good kids who work hard still need to be rewarded... Here, tickets."

Ping Xin took out a stack of tickets from his waist bag, about a dozen or so, and stuffed them all into Yamabuki Saya's hands.

"Thank you, Hirayuko, but these are..."

"Music festival tickets, summer festival tickets, and travel discount vouchers. You can go to concerts with your friends, and giving them as gifts to interested people, such as friends from your old band, is also a good choice. After all, even if you split up, it's still a 'divorce'."

Sa Ling was touched, but also a little bit wanting to complain. Why are you so worried about the band's reunion than she is?! Although she was grateful for Ping Xin's concern, this constant nagging about you was really hard to bear.

"I know, I know~...What about these?" She pointed to the remaining bills.

"As for the music festival, you young people might be interested, but Uncle Wataru probably won't be. Miss Chihiro hasn't fully recovered yet and can't enjoy such exciting activities, and your brothers and sisters are too young, so I also prepared tickets for the summer festival. By the way, there are 'special programs' this year, and I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

As for the travel flight and hotel discount vouchers... consider them my gift to your mother in anticipation of her recovery. Both you and your parents must have accumulated a lot of fatigue over the years, so it's time to find a chance to travel and relax.

"..."

"...Don't look at me like that. If you really want to thank me, make the bread at Yamabuki Bakery even more delicious... And since there are almost 10 more mouths to feed in my family recently, I'll have to trouble you to prepare more bread. That's it, I'm leaving, Ciao~"

Ping Xin is a person who cannot bear to see kind people, especially women, cry, so he just ran away, leaving the girl alone in the store who stood there and watched him go away (quickly escape from the battlefield).

"...Good morning—sister, are you crying?"

Two little heads popped out from the back door. It turned out to be Yamabuki Saya's brother and sister, finally getting up. They slept in on the first day of summer vacation. Hirayuki would probably be pleased if he saw them, and say something like, "This is what students are supposed to be like."

"No... I'm fine... Phew - I just got the tickets from someone. Let's go to the summer festival together as a family. I heard there will be a mysterious special program!"

"Really? That's great!"

Children's happiness is always so simple, just like their forgetfulness. The two of them, discussing what to do at the festival, had already forgotten their previous minor unpleasantness. Seeing their innocent smiles, Yamabuki Saya also smiled.

"Okay, okay, now that you're awake, come help me. Put all the bread in the store into this basket. I'm going to go out and deliver things after Mom and Dad come back. You guys better be good, okay?"

"Okay~" x2

"Awesome~Awesome~ You are worthy of being my younger brother or sister."

While others often perceive Hirayoshi as a kind person, those who know him well know he's a kind person with a twist. Whether it's his tendency to beat around the bush when helping others or his unwavering modesty when accepting thanks, if I had to describe him in one word... it'd probably be tsundere. Someone in her class seemed to have mentioned this term, so Saaya took note.

When dealing with Ping Xin, who is probably from Yan Country, one must use the Yan Country way. Direct thanks, gifts or even direct money giving are absolutely not acceptable. Therefore, the best way is to "reciprocate" in daily life, just like what she is doing now.

Next, Heishin sent Kitazawa Ikumi from Kitazawa Butcher Shop tickets for the summer festival, and soon a yukata designed by a master would be mailed to her home. Although he and Ikumi both felt that long hair made them look more feminine, such things can be cultivated, and even if she herself was not confident, Heishin had to give Ikumi a chance to be confident.

Anyway, let’s start by putting on a beautiful yukata!

Under normal circumstances, she would likely refuse the pretty clothes and act boyish. However, during festivals, the Easterners, who love to "read the atmosphere," are easily swayed. Add to that the prepared excuse of "this is custom-made, so no returns," and Kong Ming would be impressed by the whole process.

Then there was Wakamiya Eve, and while Tsugumi Hanezawa was away at Hiranobu's house with her four childhood friends from Afterglow for an intensive training camp in preparation for the Tokyo Summer Music Festival, she was helping Hanezawa's parents with everything at Hanezawa Cafe. Fortunately, it was summer vacation, so the crowds were much smaller than during the school term, otherwise everyone would have been exhausted.

For now, I gave her tickets to the Summer Music Festival and the Summer Festival. The former could be used to invite friends back home to hang out or as a way to build relationships with current classmates. The latter might be more appealing to her, as she's a returned overseas Chinese who deeply loves Eastern culture. Even if it's not the "Bushido" she constantly shouts about, it's still attractive enough.

As for yukata, recommend a shop she knows and let her choose. After all, it's just a female "enjoyment," like shopping. For men, it's probably like browsing a well-stocked model store, right? It'll be interesting to see what yukata the model herself chooses. Whether it's incredibly beautiful or a bit of a cultural stunt, it's sure to be a memorable experience.

When Pingxin thought about the first time they met, he felt like laughing out loud again. She was surrounded by many people who cared about her, but she was unaware of it and felt awkward. She was a Bushido lady who had just transferred to another school from Finland in Northern Europe, was unfamiliar with the place, and was all alone.

No matter who sees it, shouldn't the latter be comforting the former? He was really immature back then... Has he become a better person now? Probably... yes, after all, he has helped so many people and his health has improved, and various career plans are also progressing -

Although it is still far from enough, it is a good thing that the efforts have yielded results!

Chapter 4000: Would you like some tickets today? ()

"..Um...Um...Wulusai (so noisy)——"

On the first day of summer vacation, Ichigaya Yusaki, who was sleeping in at home, was woken up. She had stayed up late last night surfing the Internet and was in a very bad mood. No matter which stupid thief woke her up, if she caught him, he would be dead.

It’s definitely not as good as your juice!

"You!...Why are you here...What are you doing in someone else's house so early in the morning?"

As soon as she opened the sliding door, she saw Hiranobu waving a knife in the yard, doing something unknown. Ichigaya Yusaki's anger instantly disappeared without a trace, leaving only depression, because she always felt that she would lose something if she quarreled with such a middle school boy.

"It's past the 'crow-crow-crow-crow-dance' time, Arisaki. Even before we start, it's almost time for lunch—"

Hirayuko swung his katana into a sword flower before sheathing it in a cool, hidden cabinet. He hadn't learned any sword techniques, but this one looked cool! Incidentally, the only sword technique he knew that could truly be called "skill" was the sword technique (sword technique) of Jukiji Ryoma he'd copied earlier.

Ichigaya Yusaki glanced at her bedside phone. It was already past 11 a.m. Still a little sleepy, she scratched her hair unladylike. Even in her slovenly pajamas, she didn't shy away from looking so slovenly, which was enough to show how close their relationship was.

"Really... Come to think of it, why did you suddenly come here? Could it be... you just wanted to 'play with toys'? If so, you must have a lot of so-called 'cool things' at home, right?"

"That's not the case. Who would climb over the wall for something like this?"

"Then come in through the main door!"

Arisaki's messy hair now looks like it's blown out, but the two friends don't have to worry too much, so they are quite relaxed and casual when talking to each other. After all, they are former "hikikomori partners" and they don't know each other.

"I wanted to go through the front door, but Grandma Wanshi locked it, so I had no choice but to climb over the wall~... Of course, I already informed her in advance. But you... Grandma should have reminded you not to stay up too late when she left, right? Even if I'm 1% responsible for climbing over the wall, isn't the other 99% because you forgot to open the door?"

"Hmm--"

Although it was a twisted logic, it was irrefutable. After all, she was the one who pretended to turn off the lights and go to bed last night, but actually played with her phone in bed for several hours at night. She was also the one who couldn't get out of bed this morning.

"Alright, alright, stop staring blankly there. Go brush your teeth, wash your face, and have breakfast... Lunch?... Never mind, just treat it as brunch. Get moving~ Get moving~"

"Don't rush me, please!"

After experiencing a sense of urgency she hadn't felt in a while, Ichigaya Yusaki finished washing up, changing clothes, and getting her hair done in just over ten minutes. She was now sitting at the table enjoying brunch. However, the man sitting across from her wasn't even looking at her, just playing with his phone. Suddenly, she felt a sense of emptiness, as if all her efforts had been in vain.

"...What on earth are you doing here? Just to see me make a fool of myself?"

"Hmm... maybe 70% - okay, okay, put down your fork first, surrender, surrender~"

After seeing Hiranobu "give in," Arisaki continued to eat the sausage on her plate. Seeing her gnashing her teeth, you might think she was using a teething stick. But if you had to say, is she a cat or a dog? If she's a tsundere, then she's definitely a cat, but...

"Seriously, what are you doing here? I don't believe you'd come here for no reason. After all, you're such a busy person... Hey, hey! Are you listening?"

But of course the cat-type vibe is stronger, after all, Arisaki is a tsundere~

"...I'm listening, listening. You hear me clearly, huh? Actually, I'm here today just to give out tickets to the music festival and the summer festival. I woke you up because I asked Grandma Wanshi, who was out for a walk, about this side quest I got. That's it in a nutshell."

"..."

"I heard you were quite enthusiastic when you played the piano before, and the old man is also very interested in this field. This ticket might be able to lure out this elusive old man. Also, since you finally have a day off, it would be better to go out and walk more instead of staying at home. It would be better to take advantage of these two opportunities to go out and relax, right?"

"...No Lu Sai...meddlesome (whisper)"

"Okay, okay... there's still the croquettes I bought from Yumi on the table. You look like you're going to miss lunch, so why not eat more now... Oh, I forgot you're a stay-at-home mom. It seems like skipping a meal won't be a big deal, after all. It doesn't cost that much energy."

After receiving a glare, Hiraishin shrugged and sat on the sofa, continuing to play with his phone. A moment later, Ichigaya Yusaki finished her brunch and placed her plate in the sink. Seeing her usual spot taken, her eyelids twitched. "Aren't you done yet? Then hurry up and leave!"

"Eh... Even if I suddenly left the hikikomori camp without saying anything earlier, you don't have to be so cold, right? As one of your few friends, Arisaki-chan, I'm still active, and I don't have any appointments with the others this morning. Since you like to sleep in, am I being very 'gentle' by coming here in the end? Then let me stay here for a while~"

"Hmph...whatever you want!"

Ichigaya Yusaki took the half of the sofa Hiraishin had vacated, their phones between them, neither of them talking, just playing their own games. While they didn't seem close, Hiraishin was probably the one person in the shopping district he knew best, even more so than Mitakeran before the main storyline began.

Everything stems from the friendship between Ichigaya Arisaki's grandfather and Hiranobu's parents. Even now that his parents are missing, the old man, remarkably healthy and possessing a remarkable skill that makes one wonder if there are 2000 of them, is still roaming the world, perhaps battling a bear somewhere right now. The pawnshop, Ryuseidō, mostly contains "souvenirs" brought back by the old man, aside from items left behind after being pawned or sold. The sword Hiranobu was wielding just now and the set of samurai armor that Wakamiya Eve had taken such an interest in are both among his collections.

Hirayuki and Ichigaya's first encounter took place in the deep mountains of a western forest. At the time, he'd thought he'd encountered a wildling. Even the family's decision to buy a house and settle there was likely influenced by him. He hadn't thought much of it before, but now that he knew about the existence of supernatural powers, Hirayuki suspected Ichigaya might also possess some form of supernatural power. The sword he'd just been playing with might also be something extraordinary like the demonic sword Muramasa... With that in mind, wouldn't it be best to wash his hands with water from a shrine or some Western holy water for exorcism?

Because his father also loves music, Ping Xin thinks that if he uses the festival tickets to lure him out and meet him, he might get something out of it, maybe even find clues to his parents' disappearance. Maybe, like in some fictional stories, his parents faked their deaths to carry out some secret mission?

This is why Pingxin is waiting here, and also... he is really free now, and the Ichigaya family is indeed the last house he will visit this morning.

......

...

..

"Kicked out, Arisaki is so stingy... He just said, 'You've gained weight lately, and if you stay at home any longer, you might turn into Kirby,' and then showed her a picture of the pink demon. She's really not tolerant..."

After arriving here, the first people Heishin met were Ichigaya's daughter Arisaki and the kind and gentle grandmother Manji. As geniuses, the two were both not good at socializing, both stayed at home instead of going to school, and both liked playing games and surfing the Internet, so they quickly became friends.

Maybe they could be considered childhood sweethearts, but Hirayuko felt that their relationship was more like bad friends. Although their relationship had been strained because Hirayuko suddenly became a "traitor" and went to school without saying a word, after what he did just now, it would definitely get better! (?)

"But where should we go now...why not just go to Shimokitazawa and take a look around? Maybe we can run into the person we're looking for beforehand."

After stuffing a few tickets into the new "mailbox," Ping Xin hesitated for a moment, then put a few more tickets into envelopes and left them in the small room under the slide. Then, he slowly walked towards Shimokitazawa, not far away, playing with cats and dogs along the way, enjoying himself.

Then, because he was wearing the unauthorized three-piece outfit of a baseball cap, sunglasses, and mask, he was treated as a suspicious person and was questioned by the police. Everyone should not dress like this and talk to themselves (talk to cats) outside, okay?

"...Ping Xin?"

With the help of Ms. Yamada who was passing by, I was able to explain everything to the police.

"Phew—thank you so much for just now, Ryo."

"Great~... Then you can treat me to a meal from now on. I've been eating so much with you lately, and simply eating grass isn't enough to satisfy me anymore."

"That's fine, after all, I originally planned to take you out for dinner...but why are you here? It's not even the time we agreed on yet, right?"

"If that's the case, wouldn't you be the same?"

The two people sitting in the coffee shop were staring at each other, with something brewing in their expressionless gaze.

"How about... I count to three and we can tell you the reason together?"

Yamada Ryo nodded, and Ping Xin began to count down—

"3,2,1......"

"Kicked out!" x2

After they both said the reason in unison, they stared at each other for a few seconds, and then said in unison:

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