The social phobia substitute will not dream of the band girl

Are you happy that it was me for the first time?

"...What's wrong? Do you want me to carry you away?"

"...Fool--!"

Isn't this a good time to joke around with friends? So-called interpersonal communication is indeed too profound for me... Ping Xin was puzzled. Women's hearts are really complicated.

After Heishin told Karin that her room was the first one on the second floor, she quickly found her spot and opened the doorknob.

"...I'm sorry—"

"Excuse me—no, this is my room, right? So what should I say...?"

I entered Pingxin's room. But how should I put it...it was unexpectedly ordinary?

Anyway, it was a little different from what Karin expected—

Ping Xin's room was the first room after taking the escalator on the second floor. Like the corridor outside, the floor inside the room was covered with an expensive, soft carpet. The rest of the furnishings in the room were nothing surprising or even shocking; it was basically the same as the layout of an ordinary room.

There is a bed, a wardrobe, a desk, a bookshelf and some other items in the room.

Upon entering, you'll immediately notice a large bed in the center of Heishin's room. However, this isn't a typical single or double bed; it's a round, round bed that looks like it could sleep at least four people. Size aside, a bed is just a bed; they're both used for sleeping, so there's no fundamental difference. But the size of this bed... you're probably sleeping alone, right? After all, there's only one pillow, eh?

Heishin's wardrobe wasn't so much a wardrobe as a separate compartment, separated from the main bedroom by two wooden sliding doors. Opening it revealed a few storage boxes, cardboard boxes, tissues, and other consumables at the bottom, along with some out-of-season clothes he didn't need.

The middle drawer contains various small accessories such as belts, socks, cufflinks and brooches, as well as... panties. So he is a briefs fan?

Besides the seasonal clothing neatly folded by the maids on the middle shelf, the upper shelf also held pieces of clothing in dust covers. As Hirayuma himself had said, these were mostly coats, tailored suits, evening gowns, and other items that needed careful storage, but they were rarely worn, so any that looked good could be given away to family members. The so-called upper shelf wasn't really a single layer, but rather a layer of hangers that could be moved up and down using a rotating joystick on the side.

Although the size of the wardrobe is still relatively large, it is generally no different from that of ordinary people, especially in that some clothes are never worn after being bought or they become too small after being worn only once or twice.

On the desk sat a computer. It was a brand Karin didn't recognize, but it looked like a glowing eye. While the three screens were a bit unusual, the wireless mouse was switched off, the headphones were neatly stored on their shelf, and there were no crumpled tissues on the table... So, it was relatively tidy, right?

Compared to the desk with the computer and some other external devices that Hua Lin didn't recognize, the desk on the other side looked much tidier. Apart from the scattered but orderly manuscript papers, there was only a desk lamp on the desk, which made people involuntarily imagine Ping Xin sitting here reading by lamplight late at night.

Next to her were neatly arranged bookshelves, even categorized into sections like "Movie Scripts," "TV Series," "Music," and "Literature." It was clear the owner of these books was a detail-oriented person. But why were there so many handwritten notebooks instead of bound books? Some categories even appeared "twice." Was there some discrepancy she wasn't aware of?

Finally, there are several guitars placed in a transparent cabinet. This is the most unique thing in the room, and the one that Karin can understand the most. So he is interested in music? I heard that boys who like music are more emotional, and he is like that too...

Everything unfamiliar in this room made her feel at ease——

It turns out that the "distance" between us is not that far...

"...Why are you daydreaming? Is my room weird?"

Seeing Heishin looking guilty and anxious, as if he had been caught by a teacher, Hana Rin smiled shyly but charmingly.

"Nothing, it's just... I feel like I understand you a little better."

"...Is that so? Is that a good thing? After all, you're the first customer besides them, so your opinion is very important to me."

"...'they'?"

"...To put it simply, it's the kid next door. When I moved here, we became close friends. Now I'm kind of part of the so-called 'shopping street group,' that's kind of how it feels."

So, then it's probably the elementary school students around here, right? But... why "them"?

"And... I saw a guitar over there. Does Ping Xin play it regularly, or is it just a collection?"

"Oh, so you mean those... Most of them are collections, and they're occasionally used." Following the direction of Hua Lin's finger, Ping Xin also saw the constant temperature drying instrument display cabinet with many guitars. Most of the guitars inside were ordinary in style but with exaggerated patterns.

"So...want to listen?"

Just a little bit big flower Rin.jpg

Chapter 4000: For Whom I Sing ()

"So—want to listen?"

This was Hirayuko's first time playing in front of not only his family but also nearby acquaintances, and even more so, his first time playing in front of his "friends." If he failed and embarrassed himself, wouldn't the friendship be over?

Oh right, let's use a loud voice to cover it up! (Wise General)

Before even starting to act, while preparing ahead, one is already thinking of scenarios where one might fail and ridiculously lame jokes about how to make up for it. This is Ping Xin—

A rational and pessimistic person, but he just happens to like music that burns like fire.

His own "coldness" and the "warmth" borrowed from others make him present two completely different faces when dealing with people. In his mind, there are always countless noisy "disharmonious sounds" representing negative energy and tragic results, making shrill roars. He is made up of contradictions and sometimes he can't even figure out his true thoughts deep in his heart.

But if you think about it from another angle, isn’t this also quite rock?

"...Okay, I want to hear Hirashin's songs too. I want to know what kind of music you can play!"

When they first met, the reason why Hirayobu was able to communicate with a girl as beautiful as Kadotate Karin was largely due to the so-called "comrade consciousness" -

The first time he saw Karin in person, Asuka Maheishin knew she was aloof. She didn't use fancy words, expressing her emotions entirely through intonation and rhythm, and she wouldn't even talk to strangers. But her distance wasn't a sign of inherent arrogance or pretentiousness; on the contrary, it was a sign of inferiority.

Just like Hiranobu who removed the surname Asuka Ma, he was the same in his previous life and even in this life.

People who have learned to keep their distance from others to avoid being hurt again because of their views on "foreign objects" always have that kind of expression, as if they are watching the world coldly, but deep in their hearts and in their eyes, they hide a sense of loneliness and envy.

When he first saw his neighbor, Hana Rin, the feeling of finally finding someone like him surged in his chest, making him want to scream. But he held back. After all, it would be a real hassle if he scared her and made her think he was weird.

Therefore, even when facing the full-blown Ultraman's aura, Ichinose Asuna, Hirashinobu steadily advanced. As for the confidence that the "world" of his Stand brought him… now that he thinks about it, it was probably just an excuse to convince himself, right? After all, humans are prone to being content with the status quo and afraid of change, and Hirashinobu, who is considered particularly "thoughtful," is no exception. Therefore, he needed an excuse—

An excuse to make yourself take the first step, otherwise all the stories that follow will never begin.

If he hadn't taken that first step that day, he might have spent his elementary, middle, and high school years, all in solitude, like in his previous life, and then worked from home after graduation. The biggest difference between now and his past life is that he has Xiao by his side, but having a sister and friends... after all, it's different.

Ping Xin was very glad. Glad that he had mustered up the courage to take the first step that day. Glad that he had approached Hua Lin because he misunderstood that she was also a complete Yin corner. Otherwise, he would never invite his own (outside) friends to play at home, and it would be even more impossible for someone to say such words to him next to him——

I want to listen to your music, I want to listen to your songs!

His body trembled with excitement, his mind leaped with joy, and even his soul danced as if it were about to soar into the heavens, but Ping Xin still completed the preparations for the performance. He found the accompaniment, connected the guitar to the amp and effects pedal, and with that, the basic preparations were complete.

"...Change is always a good thing, isn't it?...Then please listen to my performance—"

As the mouse clicked, a burst of light music came out, and after a brief prelude, Ping Xin began to play.

"Please listen to this song - it's dedicated to you, "Stand Out Fit In""

......

I know they don't like me that much

I know they don't like me that much.

Guess that I don't dress how they want

I guess it's because I didn't act like what they wanted.

I just wanna be myself

I just want to be myself

I can't be someone else

I don't want to be anyone else

......

Big boys don't cry

Brave boys, don't collapse yet.

Shoot low, aim high

Keep your feet on the ground and aim high

Eat up, stay thin

Strong or thin

Stand out, fit in

Why bother trying to fit in when you're born different?

......

Good girls don't fight

Good girls please stop arguing

Be you, dress right

Please yourself, both shirt and skirt are beautiful

White face, tan skin

Whether you have a fair complexion or dark skin

Stand out, fit in

Born to stand out, why bother trying to fit in?

......

I am who I am no matter what

I am I am nothing else

Never changing no matter what

No matter what happens, it won't change

no matter what

anyway

......

The song "Stand Out Fit In" was inspired by a song of the same name by a Dongguo band that Ping Xin loved in his previous life. As for why it was an inspiration... I can only say that he died once and then spent more than ten years in this world. In his previous life, Ping Xin was just an ordinary person with average abilities, not as outstanding as in this life. Even the vague memories left by drinking expired Meng Po soup made it difficult for him to fully replicate -

Therefore, when he "composes," he can only recall a few songs that resonate deeply with him. For the rest, he only remembers a few melodies and scattered lyrics. All he can do is fully convey the spirit contained in the songs to the people of this world. He knows that even if he strives to the end in this life, he will never be able to compare with legendary masters like Beethoven and Mozart, or even figures like the father of rock and roll.

Even so, he hopes to bring new inspiration to those who come after him, even if it means being a humble stepping stone. He feels honored to contribute to a cause he loves. In this life, he no longer needs to rely on music for spiritual comfort, but there are surely countless people in this world who are longing for someone to sing their hearts out. This is the main purpose of his "creation" of these songs in this world.

Just like... towards Hana Rin in front of me——

"...Why are you crying? Am I playing the piano badly?"

When the song ended, Pingxin used his palms to stop the notes, but his hands seemed a little awkward and uncomfortable because of the trembling.

"(sniffles)....No, I...I just...I just feel a little-"

"Do you feel a little moved? Like the song sung by another 'me' expresses your true feelings? If that's the case - that would be wonderful..."

Yes, I feel the same way. Everyone feels the same way.

This song is dedicated to Hua Lin in front of her, and also a tribute to him in the past.

Just like he certainly couldn't have imagined back then, that the young man who chose to escape and run away because of a momentary misunderstanding would be so moved when he heard that song while standing under the eaves of a roadside shop in the face of a sudden rainstorm and discovered for the first time that the world was not so bleak and meaningless -

When I came to my senses, I was already in tears.

At times like this, simply handing over a pack of tissues, as Ping Xin is doing now, is enough. Only the person involved can truly understand the emotions overflowing from their hearts. At this moment, any more words would be wasted, because the words filled with emotion in their hearts have already burst out.

As the "culprit," Hirayuko resolutely offered up his tissue and his own chest, gently holding Karin in his arms for comfort, just as the old dean in a past life and his mother in this life had done for him. Even Karin, who usually worried about Asuna, had this kind of dependence on others. It was a truly unusual sight...

"Alright, alright, stop crying... If you keep crying, I won't be able to explain myself if someone comes in later, okay?... But there shouldn't be anyone in this house who doesn't knock before entering, right? Ahahaha——"

"...Ping Xin, I—"

"Ya-ho-! Maid Asuna, come on...ah?"

"..."x3

The coordinates were in his room, and he was currently hugging Hua Lin. There were tear marks on Hua Lin's face, and there were signs of ripping on Ping Xin's clothes (the rag didn't feel right). Doesn't that mean their positions were terrible?!

"...Wait, listen to my excuse first! No, listen to my explanation!

This matter can be said to be simple, but it can also be very complicated if you really think about it - but in short, it is definitely not what you think! "The experience of countless "predecessors" tells Ping Xin that if you don't want your favorability to be forcibly reset and start a new round of tug-of-war, the best way is to avoid misunderstandings!

"Huh? Isn't Heishin trying to comfort Rin-chan? Did I make a mistake?"

...Hmm? It felt like Asuna hadn't misunderstood. Hirayobu was grateful for the lack of misunderstanding, but it just made him look stupid—there hadn't been a misunderstanding like in the manga. Wouldn't that render the story he'd just whipped up completely useless?

It’s like you’ve prepared a perfect and flawless response to your parents’ questions in advance, but in the end they don’t even ask you. It’s hard to say whether you should feel relieved or disappointed, or both?

"Okay~ Don't cry, Rin-chan~~ Look, such a cute outfit is actually a maid outfit?!

This is a gift from the maids in this house. We each have one! Of course, you have one too, Xiaohua Lin. Don’t you usually love cute things? Don’t you want to try it on now? "

Hirayuko couldn't help but take a second look at Asuna's new outfit. Honestly, it's really pretty. It's cute, but the only maid elements you can call it are the tissue-shaped headband and the apron around your waist, right? The neckline is so low, the skirt is so short, and paired with a white knee-length camisole and high heels, it's truly irresistible... ahem, anyway, this maid outfit doesn't look too formal, does it?

Even the maid outfit he'd designed a few years ago, modeled after Shadow's uniform, was much more conservative, though admittedly not as cute as this one. But Karin wasn't a child anymore; there was no way a "new toy" trick like that would work...