The social phobia substitute will not dream of the band girl

"Hmm... Youxi, what you said makes sense, but our event today is a birthday party plus a Christmas Eve party. You gave me gifts before the birthday party, and I gave gifts in return at the party to complete the 'exchange of gifts'. If you think about it this way, doesn't it make sense?"

"Hmm...I see."

How could he accept such sophistry?!

I don't know whether to say that Minato Yuuki is incapable of reading the air or lacks basic common sense, but considering her abysmal math grades, it's reasonable that she can't even do simple arithmetic problems like this! ?

"Can I open it now?"

"Wait, wait, Yukina!"

The words were spoken, the matter was settled, and Lisa's mother (crossed out), who had always been responsible for taking care of baby Yukina...his childhood sweetheart, Lisa Imai, finally couldn't sit still anymore. After all, opening a gift in front of her was a bit rude, wasn't it!?

After all, Hirayukobu mentioned earlier that these gifts were all handmade, and regardless of their quality, such behavior is inherently disrespectful in Eastern Japan. Even though many works feature open-the-door gifts, it's always done with the permission of the person involved, and typically between lovers, close friends, parents, siblings, and other close relationships, and it's done privately.

In the current situation, both the "identity" and the "number of people" are completely wrong!!!

"Hmm..." Ping Xin thought for a moment before finally speaking to Lisa, whose heart was racing. "Of course you can. After all, the moment I handed the gift to you, ownership of it passed into your hands. But I'd rather ask, why would you ask such a question even at this point?"

Although Ping Xin had the ulterior motive of wanting to see Lisa's cute, anxious expression, he was also genuinely confused. After all, something given away is given away, it becomes someone else's, so why bother asking for his opinion?

After all, he wasn't some "old-fashioned" parent who threatened to confiscate, take back, or throw away gifts after giving them away. Rather, he deeply disliked attempts to coerce others for meager gains, so he always used absolute force to coerce others, rarely resorting to coercion unless absolutely necessary.

After hearing Hira's affirmative response, Yukina immediately began unwrapping the box in her hand, even though Lisa's mother tried to stop her. She was genuinely curious about why everyone else's gifts were bigger than hers, and why her box was so similar in shape...

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Yukina untied the silk bag tied with a bow, and took out a square box that looked like it might contain a ring, and opened it—

"Is this...a bell?"

After taking out the golden... no, it seemed to be a bell made of pure gold, the curiosity on her face not only did not decrease but doubled.

After all, bells appear very rarely in reality. Even Yukina, who has seen many cats, has only seen them a few times. After all, not all cats can stand having something that keeps ringing hanging around their necks, so even if they have seen them, they are purely decorative items that don't make any noise. But the one in his hand is different.

Except for the curious baby Youxi, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. After all, it would be fun if some oath item that could increase the ability value by a percentage was opened here.

"Yes, it's the bell."

No, even if the tone of voice sounds like "it's really him", we still don't understand at all!

"But this is not an ordinary bell, right?" Minato Yukina continued to ask.

After all, although Ping Xin sometimes says that he longs for a peaceful life, everyone knows that he is not ordinary at all. His outstanding appearance is even the most common attribute of his body.

So a handmade gift from such a person can't possibly be just a cheap toy made of more expensive materials, right?

"Well, of course not."

really?

of course!

"This is a bell I made specially for summoning cats~"

"A bell that can summon...cats...!" Minato Yukina's eyes seemed to be sparkling. It seems that she really, really likes cats.

If it were a comic, novel, or game, there would probably be obvious special effects. But unfortunately, this is reality, so I'll have to rely on my imagination!

"Yes, that's right. Simply put, it uses a specific sound frequency and a little bit of special processing. Just shaking this bell can send a kind signal to cats, which can effectively calm them down and make them become closer..."

Actually, there's something I haven't mentioned yet: it also works on big cats like tigers and lions. But people always want to try out "buttons they absolutely can't push" or "taboos they absolutely can't do," so it's best left unsaid.

"...Ah, really." The sound of Yuki shaking the bell attracted the attention of Heishin's two kittens, Captain and Vanilla, one black and one white. But there was actually a slight difference.

The two kittens didn't come over because they heard the sound, but because they were curious about what Ping Xin said. After all, if there were a prop in real life that increased favorability by shaking it like in the game, most people would be curious, right? Here, the people are just cats instead of humans.

By the way, after Hirashin's "gifted education", the knowledge reserves of these two cats are probably higher than Yuki's. If they don't work harder, they might not even be able to pass the exam as cats, Miss Aloof Singer (155cm).

"...The specially made rope can be tied around your wrist to act as an adjustable bracelet. It can also be attached to a phone or bag as a decorative accessory, and it will never break due to natural aging."

"That's really thoughtful, Pingxin brother, you are really gentle~"

Hearing someone's joke, he rubbed his nose a little embarrassedly, then continued, "To enhance the overall aesthetic of the bell, I chose not to paint or electroplate it, but instead engraved a rose pattern. This separates your signature 'purple rose' element into the 'rose' pattern and the 'purple' bracelet."

If you ask if he put a lot of thought into it, it was definitely there. Even most people don't put that much thought into gifts for their girlfriends. And this thoughtfulness also made the usually stern Minato Yuuki smile the brightest, cutest, most beautiful smile of the night.

Although she has received many gifts since she was a child, whether from her parents, Lisa or several of Roselia's current teammates, a gift that is so to her liking, so exquisite and so thoughtful can only be ranked in the top 3.

"By the way, please take Vanilla and the Sheriff home and take care of them for a few days. I might have to go out for a while and won't have time to take care of them. I need a trustworthy lady who has free time and a warm heart."

"Is it really possible!?"

"Hmm... ah, by the way, don't forget the final exams are coming up soon. 'Distracted by playing around' and affecting your grades won't be good, Miss Minato~"

Yukina's body stiffened noticeably when she heard the word "exam." Speaking of which, recently...

Chapter 84 Blessing or Curse

After seeing Yuukina unpacking the package on the spot, Mitakeran, who had always regarded her as a competitor, was of course not willing to be left behind. After opening her gift box, which was almost the same size as Yuukina's, she found a hair accessory inside, a flower hair accessory.

"What is this...?" Without any hesitation, Mizukami looked directly at Ping Xin and asked.

"This is a hair accessory I made in the style of the Meihua Orchid. This flower is distributed in the South China Sea of ​​Yan Country, Vietnam and Thailand. As for the meaning... Actually, there is no deep meaning. It's just because Meihua Orchid and Meizhu Orchid look very similar when written." Ping Xin raised his fist to cover his mouth and smiled. This action was a bit like the friend of middle-aged and elderly women in suits.

"Ha..." Mizukane's eyes turned into half-moons, like steamed egg custard. She was a little speechless now. After all, this person still liked to play some "humorous" things in places like this. However... since it was a handmade hair accessory, it would be too pitiful to return it, so she reluctantly accepted it.

"Oh, right. And don't let winter break (New Year's break) get you too lax. If you neglect your father's flower arranging practice, he might come to me and complain... Oh, I just realized this flower-shaped hair accessory might go perfectly with a kimono. It would look great while arranging flowers."

A great reading, an undisguised great reading, and a smile that was somewhat hidden but not intended to be hidden at all.

That's your goal, you never forget to push others to improve. Aren't you a teacher who's too dedicated?! Happiness is often hard to grasp, but this person actually takes pleasure in urging others to study. This is beyond perverse, and he must be dealt with forcefully!

Mizukuri was stunned holding the gift, and then she found that everyone was looking at her, even Yukina.

"...I, I understand." Mizukami's hesitant answer made others look at her with a kind and gentle feeling, which made her feel like she had nowhere to hide.

Humph, if it wasn't your birthday I would have kicked him right in the face, but I'll give you this favor today...

I am a rebellious girl, (you) are not allowed to laugh!

After watching the two bands' lead singers and soulful figures unbox their gifts, the others began to speculate, imagine, and examine their own gifts. Surprise, delight, touching, happiness... all sorts of wonderful emotions welled up in their hearts, and this warmth brought even greater joy to him, the one who was supposed to be receiving the blessing.

Rather than receiving birthday wishes on his own birthday, he seemed to be more delighted and concerned about feeling happiness from others. Perhaps he really was a natural teacher or a kind person, or perhaps... he just couldn't feel happiness, not from himself.

Because his thoughts were so numerous and complex, his inner doubts, regrets, and moral pressures overwhelmed him before the external pressures. But somehow, in the process of making gifts, he felt peace and joy. Seeing the happiness and joy on each of their faces after receiving the gifts he had carefully prepared, he felt recognized and found "happiness."

A kind of happiness he found difficult to feel, ever since he distanced himself from his last remaining family member, his sister. Ever since he began to sense that the feelings he had with his four girlfriends... and even with "some others" might not be genuine, but rather a fabrication mixed with unknown "elements." A feeling that even he couldn't understand, that he couldn't fathom, but that was precisely why he felt fear and confusion.

Perhaps he had begun to become like this since the moment his parents' plane suddenly crashed, or perhaps even earlier... before he was even born.

Because he was empty-handed in his previous life, even the closest and most trusted dean and he had an irreconcilable clash of ideologies. In this life, he was also overly mature and precocious, so his parents treated him as an adult and respected him from a very early age. While none of these actions were wrong, the ultimate result was a hole in his character and soul.

A void that has not healed even to this day, even after my body has fully recovered and my personality has "become" more positive.

Maybe he just wants recognition. Instead of comforting and encouraging himself, he wants others to say to him, "It's okay," "Well done," "You've worked hard enough," "Leave it to me," and so on.

Therefore, he pursues wealth, status, power and fame, and tries to become a person who seems kind and noble but is different in everyone's heart and in front of them, because in this way he can gain recognition from society, passers-by and people around him.

He had always used [mission], [plan], and [training] to fill his empty "world," but now something that served as the "lubricant" seemed to be losing its grip, and the noise of the "gears" within him was growing louder and louder...

Perhaps one day, forced to do so, he would go to a place where no one could find him, and let Ping Xin's story end. Because even he himself did not understand himself, and did not know whether his true self, which had been buried deep in his heart, was a hideous monster as he imagined, or...

He was just a child who hadn't changed no matter how many years had passed, a lonely, stubborn, yet meaningless child, a dead child that no one loved, a person who should have died countless times but still lived on.

"..."

"...Ping Xin, are you—crying?"

Because of the power of the shared ripples, Mizukami was the first person among the happy crowd to notice that something was wrong with Ping Xin. People's joys and sorrows are not shared, but this truth is not indestructible in the face of this special ripple... the [Ripple of the Heart] belonging to Ping Xin.

Hearing Mizukane's words, the others looked over and saw Hirayukoshi, who was laughing and crying with a strange expression. Hirayukoshi was touched by everyone's concern, but that didn't stop him from doing what was "right" and "what he should do."

"I'm just... just a little touched. It's been years since I've celebrated my birthday with so many people. Even though Xiao Xiao and Shadow were there in previous years, they cared so much about me. So it's been a long, long time since I've felt this kind of atmosphere."

Hearing Pingxin's words while wiping his tears with a smile, everyone who had been a little worried immediately relaxed and comforted him. Soon the house was filled with a happy atmosphere again, because on such a day no one "should" be unhappy, not even Pingxin.

And it is impossible for them to see through it, because they have never seen the real Ping Xin, not even for a second, because his "dignity" does not allow anyone to see his weakness, so it is natural for them to feel at ease after seeing an "imaginary" Ping Xin.

"Happy birthday--"

"...Thanks."

As he said before, Ping Xin believes that birthdays should be a day to reflect on the past and look forward to the future with everyone's blessings. That's how it should be...

But why...why does this feel more like a curse than a blessing?

Chapter 85 Happy Birthday

Ahhh, so—

It turns out that I had no future at all, no future that belonged to "ordinary people"...

His plans are one after another, complex and ingenious. He has calculated many possibilities and can even be called "foreseeing the future", but the plans only state "why" and "for whom" he will do something. But what does Ping Xin really want to do?

I don’t know, I don’t know…

......

...

..

"Happy birthday."

The three hands of the clock pointed to the sky, and these words rang out at the right time. These words, which were tantamount to a curse to him now, appeared and echoed in his ears again after the midnight bell.

But the person who was speaking this time was not the band girls who had just gone home one after another, but a former band girl, Yamada Ryo, who had been sitting quietly on the sofa and not participating in the "celebration". She stayed here and no one knew whether she had said hello to her family in advance.

"...The birthday party is over. There's no need to say this anymore."

"But 'today' is your birthday, right?"

"...How did you know that?"

"You can find out about this kind of thing just by asking, right?"

Was it Xiaoshi or Shadow... Could it be Asuna and the others? Hirayuko had a guess in his mind.

But what Yamada Ryo said was right. The previous birthday party was not Hirayukoshi's real birthday, but just a day he usually publicized, a convenient day -

A day that is convenient for everyone.

Because on his real birthday, December 12th, Christmas Day, people always have various things to do. It is a holiday that should be celebrated with lovers and families, instead of rushing to come here for him, a place that is not their home.

So he did what he "should do", without causing trouble to anyone, first organizing a perfect birthday party, and then having a small celebration with his sister, girlfriend... and Yamada Ryo who stayed behind, celebrating the real birthday and celebrating Ping Xin's birth in this world.

No, now it should be [Asuka Maheishin].

"..."

For some reason, Hirayuko didn't feel like talking right now. He always felt that way when he was feeling down, but he wouldn't show his weakness. So, seeing Asuna like that before, he was actually a little happy, but mostly envious.

I envy her for being accepted by Hua Lin and the others and being able to do whatever she wants.

"..."

Hirayuki didn't speak, and neither did Yamada Ryo. They were just like usual... as they always were, talking when they wanted to, and lazily going about their own business when they didn't.

But the situation is different now. After she said those "explicit" words, Ping Xin could no longer treat her with the same attitude as before, and could no longer play with her happily in a carefree and self-deceiving way.

After a moment of silence, before Ping Xin could even think of asking for clarification, Yamada Ryo spoke first.

"They are too used to it, aren't they?" Yamada Ryo first threw out a concerning remark, then fell silent again, drinking the milk tea prepared by Shadow, and even added two more pieces of sugar.

Before Ping Xin could hold back again, she finally spoke again, "Everyone is too used to relying on you, whether it's them, them, or them."

Oh, yes, yes, isn’t it the same for you?

After hearing what Yamada Ryo said, Hira Shin, who had originally thought that she would have something profound to say, was filled with the desire to complain.

"That's why they don't doubt you and can't see through you, but I... it's different~"

No, no, no, even if you say that, you are actually still sitting on my sofa and drinking my tea...Oh, come to think of it, I seemed to have paid for that dress you were wearing.

And if you're going to wink and flirt, at least change your hairstyle so that your other eye is visible? It's completely boring, and the scissor hand gesture is meaningless...

"Is that so? Ah, is that so~"

Ahahaha, let’s just leave it at that.

"I like you, you've always known that, right?"