The social phobia substitute will not dream of the band girl

Although these four children were all good and had great potential, the only thing they lacked was the will to become idols. This made him a little curious. If the four of them had no interest in this aspect of things, then why did they come here?

"So, specifically...is there anything you want to do or what type of idol you want to be?"

"I want to be an idol..."

Koito was speechless for a moment. In fact, after hearing Hinana's answer, she couldn't bring herself to say the speech she had prepared earlier.

Fukumaru Koito is a serious, down-to-earth and hardworking person, but that is only when he has a [clear goal], [feasible methods] and [is within his ability].

For example, if you tell her what feeling this dance should express, she may not know it, but if you tell her which movement to perform to what extent and what expression to show, she will definitely execute it accurately.

It's just that such people would be very suitable for jobs in the science field that have a correct and unique solution, but frankly speaking, they are not suitable for this industry where the more willful you are, the more likely you are to make a name for yourself.

Pingxin has always known these things, but some things can only be done when the time is right. Even if he wants to give her some advice, he has to make her think about it.

And this is the biggest purpose of bringing Fukumaru Koito here today——

Go find something you want to do, Koito.

Chapter 12 Anyway, let’s give it a try first!

"It's a bit embarrassing to be asked suddenly, 'What kind of idol do you want to be?' But don't worry... In the past, some people couldn't answer this question here, but they basically found their own direction later." The staff member comforted Fukumaru Koito.

"Ah...that--!...Yes, I'm really sorry. I had prepared this beforehand, but..." Koito lowered her head, and now she looked like she was about to cry.

After hearing Koito's answer, the staff smiled with relief. After all, compared to the misleading "formula answer", he still prefers the individual, self-centered, idol-like statement.

So this time he really said gently, "It's okay... The answer to this question will be found in future idol activities. As the first lesson on the road to becoming an idol - if it's you, you will definitely find it."

"...yes!"

After gaining courage from a stranger, Fukumaru Koito forced a smile and bowed. She probably thought that idols are those who, despite all the hardship and pain behind the scenes, strive to smile in front of the camera.

Even though she was confused and her motivations weren't pure, her heart was different. People who were used to working hard usually found it difficult to accept one-sided opinions from others, so the answer to her question had to be found by herself.

"Um, um... since this is a video, can we delete the conversation just now?"

It’s your fault for not being able to answer the question so let’s not talk about it for now, but it’s better not to show that you almost cried in front of the camera.

Although Fukumaru Koito feels shy, she will not avoid it. She only says this because it involves the group and everyone's image.

"Ah...it's a video after all, so I can edit it a bit—"

This was a lie, and Ping Xin knew it clearly.

The man in front of me, named Ohoku Sadao, used to work in idol-related news and interviews. His favorite thing is to say no to those inferior products who think they are idols. In simple terms, he scolds, criticizes, and satirizes them.

Although he looks like a kind old uncle now, when he announced his resignation, many idols and agencies opened champagne. He was once called the "mad dog" of the idol industry, a nickname that was both insulting and terrifying.

So when they found out that this man had retired and was actually working as a senior supervisor and internal supervisor, their surprised expressions were really funny...

And the most interesting thing is that this man's reports and interviews always highlight authenticity. To put it simply,

The main thing is to keep the original flavor, and he never cuts any part of the video!

But Koito was not so cunning. After hearing this, she smiled happily, said hello, and then left with Ping Xin.

"Thank you so much for today—!"

"Well, Koito, you should also do your best. I will support you!"

*I didn't make the cut in the end

......

...

..

"Official makeup promotional photos...handwritten signature input...interview video...that's pretty much it for today—"

Hei Xin closed the notebook in his hand, pretending to have written something in it, but in fact, there was nothing. He had enough brains, and he only carried one because it looked cool, and sometimes he could lend it to others.

"And then there's the reward we agreed on earlier. To reward you two for just finishing your first shift, where are you planning to go and relax today?"

"Ahaha?~ Hina (I) want to go to lots of places and eat lots of delicious food~"

"Haha, but it won't work if it's too late. And remember to greet your family first, okay?"

But unlike Hina who is always happy, Koito's behavior at this moment is a little awkward, and she seems to be hesitant to speak several times. Although he is wearing a strange headgear, Hiranobu sees it all.

"But is it really okay...because haven't I failed?"

Extroverts always torment others, while introverts only torment themselves. Fukumaru Koito had always been afraid, afraid that she would be left behind because she couldn't keep up with the others, and would be truly alone. So even now, she clenched her fists behind her back.

"Eh~ But the filming should have ended well, right?... But Hina (I) don't know either, because Hina only knows about Hina's things~?"

"Well, it's over...but—"

"If you can't do it today, just work hard and make sure you can do it tomorrow... Don't worry, Koito. Just trust me and everyone else, okay?"

Pingxin patted her head, then took her hand and got into the car. While solving problems independently can help people grow the fastest, sometimes it's better to take things a little slower...

"And Hina too, you might think that this is fine today, but in order to avoid regrets sometime in the future, it's better to try more and work harder from the beginning, okay~?"

"Hmm...it seems so complicated. Is there no more specific explanation?"

Hina had that "I've been waiting all day for this" look on her face, and she was a bit pissed. Maybe she was upset that someone was bossing her around when she didn't know what was going on?

"It's like that, that...right—"

After snapping his fingers, which seemed to be a good feeling, Pingxin said:

"If Hina sees a new item at a convenience store or restaurant she frequents, she'll definitely want to try it, right? Even if the name looks strange, or the appearance alone doesn't suggest it'll taste good, she'll still want to try it, right? That's probably how it feels~"

"Ah ha? ~I understand~!"

Hinana happily got into the back seat of the car, but shouldn't she be sitting in the front?!

Even though he still said that, in reality, Ping Xin still felt a little awkward when facing strange women at close range, and even accidentally tightened his hand holding Koito a little bit.

"So it doesn't matter if it's just a whim. What's important is to try it seriously for a while and see what you gain in the process. Whether to continue or not is something you have to consider afterwards.

Is it wrong to want to try something because a friend has done it? At least I don't think so, and I appreciate this unpretentious reason and innocent way of thinking.

The initial opportunity is not that important, but if you don’t work hard when trying it, you will not be able to figure out whether you like it or hate it, whether you are good at it or not, just like it is difficult to be sure whether it will suit your taste before you actually eat it.

And if we're going to do it, then we'll definitely be happier if we do it well and achieve results, right? Even if we stop being idols, we'll definitely be able to leave behind good memories... But if we think that way, why don't we be a little greedy and, for example, set our goal to be the champion or something~?"

"Hmm... not bad~ Champion and all~!"

Hinana raised her hand, and after a moment's pause, Hirayuko raised his free hand, high-fiving her. I'd always been the one setting the pace, but now I'm out of luck...

But unlike these two super subjective people, Koito complained: "Wait, what champion do you mean by champion?"

"Hmm... Well, let's put it this way - let's go and see the scenery at the top."

"Top, top..."

This was an area that Fukumaru Koito was unfamiliar with, so even when she heard the term, it was difficult for her to form a concrete impression.

"Ahh? Will it look good?"

"Yeah...I will, I promise."

Chapter 13 kirakira☆dokidoki~!

"...So, you're the one who stole the Star Guitar?"

"Yes! My name is Toyama Kasumi, please give me your guidance~"

"oh oh......"

With just two sentences, Ping Xin could feel that the girl in front of him was probably the type that he couldn't deal with. She was similar to Ichikawa Hina, who had dragged him around for the entire afternoon and even had dinner together yesterday. She was the type that could easily pull others into her own world.

"Arisaki... a friend?"

Yusaki Ichigaya, like her younger sister, Koko, is a freshman in high school this year, attending Hanasakigawa Girls' Academy. Because of her good grades, she's allowed to study independently. She's a somewhat introverted, tsundere otaku with blonde twintails, and a member of the "Gaming Group" on her regular phone.

"Yes! Yusaki and I are friends~"

"Wait... Kasumi——!"

Wow, the girl named Kasumi, with two horns on her head that look like cat ears, just hugged her. Sure enough, I can't handle this kind of "close-range power type"...

Why do I always feel like I'm redundant here?

Ping Xin smiled and waved his hand, saying, "Then I won't disturb your love. I'll go back first~"

"Wait!...Hira Nobu, wait a moment!!!...And Kasumi, let go of your hand first!!!"

She was yelling, and was suddenly hugged by someone, but she wasn't really angry. They even called each other by their names... If they weren't friends, this would be hard to explain, Arisaki.

"Okay, I knew you wouldn't come to me suddenly if you were fine~... So what happened? Let me, the big brother from the shopping street, help you~"

I wanted to say something but stopped myself in the end. Although I wanted to complain like usual, I really needed his help with something today...and it wasn't because I accidentally yelled at him just now!

"Hey...Kasumi, come here and stand still!"

"Hey...here?"

"Anywhere is fine, just let me go and stand still!"

Wow, what a fussy couple! Is this really what I'd see? Ping Xin was already thinking about how he'd escape if the witnesses were eliminated. Maybe he could even steal something on the way out.

After the two of them bickered a bit more, Arisaki finally continued, "Ahem... Kasumi, this is the guy I told you about who's great at guitar and can teach... What does that look like?"

"No, it's just the first time I heard someone praise someone, so I put on a satisfied posture--"

Okay, he was just talking nonsense. Actually, he just wanted to pull out his phone to record it but found it was too late, so he just casually struck a pose.

"...It's better to change someone. This kind of perverted talk is absolutely not acceptable!" Ichigaya Yusaki covered his face, feeling that he had done something extremely stupid.

"Wait, if I'm a pervert, then the one holding Random Star over there should be more of a pervert, right?!"

"Eh, me?" Toyama Kasumi pointed at herself.

"Yeah, anyone willing to spend 50 yen on this guitar must be a pervert that fits its status. That's what I always thought!"

Ping Xin used his Lunpa skill and pointed directly. It was a pity that there was no table to slap, otherwise he would have shouted "a pound of pears".

"Hey, but Arisaki sold me the guitar for only 500 yen?"

"I told you I'm not selling it! I'm just... just lending it to you temporarily!"

“…Defeated—”

Ping Xin fell directly to his knees, his hands supporting the ground trembling slightly, and slowly it was all acting without any emotion.

"I lost to the strongest person in the world... ahem, I never thought that after knowing Yusaki for three years, I gave you all the electricity when playing games, always came to check on you in the middle lane when playing jungle, and even used skills to protect you when going to the dungeon... I didn't expect that I would be inferior to a wild woman who ran out of nowhere~ (crying voice)"

"!"

"No, don't be surprised, Kasumi! And isn't that because you always steal the golden armor, play jungle and come to my mid lane to gain experience, and like to play support and front row when playing online games in dungeons!?"

Although sometimes you do give us priority over the equipment and accessories that drop, I am always grateful...

"Oh, that's it, then it's okay."

Ping Xin stood up from the ground, dusted himself off, and indicated that nothing had happened.

"...Thank you for what?!"

Ichigaya Yusaki felt ashamed, not because of her indifference towards Hirayobu due to her tsundere personality, but because after three years, she still couldn't see through his acting skills!!!

"Anyway, let me guess... Miss Kasumi bought a Random Star from you for a 'high price' of 500 yen, so she wants to learn guitar, is that what's going on?"

"Wow, that's amazing, how did you know that?"

No, no, you're already holding the guitar in your arms, and combined with what Arisaki said before... hum~ You're such a good talker, if you praise me a few more times, maybe I'll teach you.

"That's about it... If you guessed it, then don't give me so many weird things!"

Arisaki found herself always complaining when facing Hirayama and Toyama Kasumi. Although one was acting and the other was innocent, the similarity between the two was that neither of them gave her peace of mind.

"Okay... First of all, how much do you know about guitar? In simple terms, what's your current level?"

“I touched a guitar for the first time the other day!”

"Okay, I kind of understand, but it doesn't matter... The point is why do you want to learn guitar? Is it because you bought it that you want to learn it?"