The social phobia substitute will not dream of the band girl

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"I'm Higuchi Enka, please give me your guidance."

When greeting the staff, Enka showed a natural and gentle smile, her conversation was very appropriate, and there was no problem in her interpersonal relationships. She easily got along well with the staff.

Although it’s good...well, actually he was a little unhappy.

"The final photo shoot is about to begin, but since we're all family, don't be nervous. Relax and give it your all."

Although there was a man with a strange mask talking in the venue, he just looked at him curiously and then turned back to continue his work. This was the employee of Hengxin Group that made him proud!

"Heh heh... He's such a workaholic, even to the point of being annoying at one point."

Wearing a relaxed smile but not really smiling, using a cheerful, laughing tone but saying hurtful words -

Who are you? I don’t recognize this kind of Enka! ?

Chapter 9: Worthlessness and Meaninglessness

"Surprisingly, Ms. Higuchi, you managed to capture a really nice expression. It's hard to believe this was your first time taking part in a photoshoot. So, you must have practiced privately?"

"... Could you please not follow me? The work is over, right?"

On the street, Higuchi Enka, who was wearing a strange sweatshirt as usual, and a man with a strange mask on his head were walking one after the other, but no one found it strange.

After all, if he used his power, influencing other people's perceptions would be a piece of cake for Hirayoshi. However, Higuchi Enka was a little impatient because this would give her one less excuse to chase him away.

"Eh, not yet?... The industry always says 'It's all showtime until home', as a way of reminding everyone to be careful on their way home. So as a professional producer, it makes sense for me to send the idols to a safe place before leaving, right?"

"..."

Thank you, it would be safe if you could leave -

Of course, Enka wouldn't say such a thing. After all, it wouldn't do any good. She was just a weak woman, and when talking wouldn't solve the problem, she wouldn't think of taking action...

Mainly because I can’t beat him.

"Oh, there seems to be an idol's mini-live here, why don't you come and watch it?"

“Huh?...On a road like this?”

"It's a regular store event. We invite some rising singers, bands, and idols to perform. It's a win-win situation, right?"

If you ask why he knows so much about it, it is because this is also an industry under the Hengxin Group, and this "win-win (bundling sales)" model is his favorite simple trick.

The performance started soon, and the people who came were probably underground idols found from somewhere——

Because there was a group of fans who seemed to be shouting her name excitedly. At the same time, although basic skills such as dancing and singing can be mastered in academia, the skill of performing while interacting with fans cannot be learned from books.

"Hmm... not bad."

"I felt the same way. I'm glad we're on the same page."

"Yes, it's just as I imagined. As long as you smile, someone will always buy it. The so-called 'idol' is such an easy business."

At this moment, Higuchi Enka's face was expressionless. Was she serious or joking? I don't know. To others, it was like that, but to Hirayuko, it was half and half.

"...You can't say that even if it's to go against me—even if it's you, if you say that again, I'll punch you.

If you don't believe in your own dreams, you force others to give up on them too. If you don't dare to pursue your own dreams, you mock others who are working hard. If you don't have any dreams yourself, you think others' dreams are empty talk. Such thoughts are absolutely wrong!

Ping Xin clenched his fists, making a sound that made people gasp in surprise. It was just bones, skin, and flesh, but it made a sound that made your teeth ache.

This time, he was really a little angry——

Even though he knew that he could not become a hero or a truly great person, he still wanted to be closer to those heroes, knights, and saints.

Because he did it and worked hard, he can use lines like "I don't have a dream, but I can protect the dreams of others" to show off without any burden...

When a person's life is in trouble and cannot be changed no matter what, dreams are the only light in their hearts. At this time, to tarnish their light is to tarnish their life and their everything. Ping Xin is very clear about this feeling.

So he wants to stop such behavior. Not only does he not do it himself, he also doesn't want others to do it, especially those around him and important people.

"If you want to criticize others, it's best to understand them in depth before speaking. If you can provide sufficient evidence and sufficient results, others will agree with you.

But before that, please don’t say such things to others or to the entire industry easily! "

After saying this, he left without saying goodbye, in front of the surprised gazes of several spectators in the back row. Although this man was wearing a strange mask, he was quite good at talking.

"...You obviously don't know that I—"

I don't know why I would...

But, if everyone can think like you, world peace will not be a dream anymore.

Turning around, Higuchi Enka left the place according to the planned route.

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"Here's 17 yen. Thank you for your patronage."

"it is good--"

"Next, please."

Asakura Toru was about to leave the convenience store with the change and the merchandise, but at this moment she discovered that the person behind her was actually——

"...Higuchi, were you here from the beginning?"

"Yes, yes."

Enka placed her purchases at the cashier counter while the female clerk was checking out.

"Hey, did you call me?" Tou asked again.

"No...it's just that when I came in, I found you in there."

The clerk scanned the code twice and said to Enka, "...238 yen each, 157 yen each."

"Oh, and a medium latte too."

Higuchi Enka always likes to drink latte when she comes to this convenience store. Today, she also wants to find some familiar feelings through this familiar taste.

"Okay, medium lattes... three in total, 545 yen."

Enka took out her wallet. Although QR code payment has been popularized in this period, people in the East still prefer to use cash for transactions. However, she now prefers another payment method between cash and QR code payment.

"Please swipe my IC card... Thank you for your hard work."

"Hmm~" Toru Asakura responded and left.

After paying, Enka put her card back in her pocket. Unlike the one Toru Asakura always carried with him, hers was just an ordinary bank card.

"Thank you for your patronage—!"

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"...Hey, are you waiting for me?"

As she walked out of the convenience store carrying the bag, Enka immediately saw Toru Asakura standing under a street light outside the store.

"Ah...had a cup of coffee."

"Then... let's go back together——"

To outsiders, Asakura Toru's response was a prime example of a nonsensical answer, full of ambiguity and room for speculation, leaving no room for understanding its true meaning. But for Higuchi Enka, this was simply the basic training of an "Asakura scholar"...

"...Are you feeling down?"

"...Nothing...How about you?"

"Hmm... I'm very happy——"

"Is that so..."

Enka placed the empty bottle that once held coffee in it into the trash can. She knew full well that the empty vase was worthless waste.

Even with the lingering warmth and aroma of coffee, it is worthless when it appears alone.

Chapter 10 Good Morning

"...Good morning--"

"Huh?... What are you talking about? It's so sudden, and it's night time."

After leaving the convenience store, Asakura Toru and Higuchi Enka walked side by side on the way home. But even if Enka looked up, she could only see a starless, cloudy night sky. The sun had long gone down.

"Even at night, you still have to say 'good morning'...industry talk."

“Eh? Ah—…”

Although she was confused at first, Higuchi Enka, who had privately studied the industry knowledge compiled by someone, knew this.

"After all, everyone has different working hours, and we may even communicate in different time zones. And there are also people who are so busy at work that they forget the time. So, saying 'good morning' doesn't matter at any time..."

"Hmm~...I think so."

Asakura Toru smiled and continued, "So, good morning."

“I’m not an entertainer…”

Higuchi Enka remained unmoved and even felt like yawning. Her sleep quality had been poor lately, and perhaps it would have been better if she hadn't drunk the coffee.

Then there was a conversation that was a bit too simple and reflected their understanding of each other, but in the end, it went around in circles and still returned to the annoying topic related to that person -

"Higuchi should have taken some (makeup photos for promotion) too, right? Let me see~"

"don't want--"

The crisp sound of JK's leather shoes hitting the road surface came together with a straightforward answer.

The silent night will not make it difficult to hear, but it will not make it clear either, just like the sound that appears in the ears of everyone tossing and turning in bed at midnight.

You don’t know whether it is the real cry from your heart or the lingering sound of a demon whispering in your ear, so Higuchi Enka will treat them all as “noise”.

"Eh~~"

"..No means no, are you mistaken?"

"Is that so?"

"...By the way, Asakura...why—"

No one can truly understand the inner world of Asakura Toru, at least that's what Higuchi Enka thinks. She wants to understand, but she's also afraid to understand, unable to understand.

So she would only ask questions when necessary, whether it was "necessary" for her or for herself.

"Eh?"

It seemed that sometimes, even Toru Asakura couldn't communicate through thoughts like she had imagined. For example, right now, she had no idea what Enka was asking.

"...Why did you go to the amusement park?"

"Eh...I don't know why...because I heard a sound?"

It was quite curious to hear such a big kid's laughter in an area full of office buildings. It would have been even more curious if there were more adults laughing there.

But...after all, it's because I like her, right? Yeah, that's probably it.

Seeing Toru Asakura laughing again for some reason, Enka felt annoyed, but the noise was instantly blocked out.

"Well, I'm going home."

"Well, hard work."

The Asakura family and the Higuchi family are neighbors, not geographically but physically, the kind that they can be "face to face" as long as they open the window.

So even among the childhood sweethearts, they were the two who knew each other best and had been together the longest. Even earlier than Koito, Hiranobu, and Hina—

"Thank you for your hard work... Good morning—"

Toru Asakura greeted people like an entertainer, although in the end it was still herself who looked like her.