The social phobia substitute will not dream of the band girl

Noticing that the other party seemed to be a little sensitive to the word "cute", Ping Xin immediately changed the subject and talked about her father who was once an active drummer in a band, which made Sato Masuki's expression ease a lot.

"Hello, I'm Sato Masuki, and I'm the drummer for RAS."

"Ah, yes, hello, I'm Goto Ichiri, the guitarist of the band The End."

The End Band? Is that the "End Band"...

When the two shook hands, Goto Ichiri was startled by the other person's suddenly ferocious expression. Little did she know that this was just an expression that would appear when she got closer and observed carefully. It seemed that it would take some time for the two of them to get familiar with each other.

"Eh, but isn't Sato-san's name MASKING?" Goto Ichiri asked subconsciously with his mind blank.

This question also made the two of them stunned for a moment, and then all three of them stunned for a moment. Appropriate stupidity can open up a topic and gain trust, and sometimes this is called cuteness -

"What kind of nice person would call Sato MASKING?"

Ping Xin also sarcastically complained, "No, no, no, it's obvious that MASKING is the stage name used during band activities. I think it's more dangerous for everyone to use their real names. After all, in a sense, a band is somewhere between idols and singers, so everyone should protect their privacy."

Hearing that Ping Xin was taking time out to preach again, everyone also responded, some long, some short, some true, some false, which made the atmosphere cheerful. The world where Ping Xin was the only one being ignored (dealt with) was complete.

"You...are quite cute, but if that's the case, why do you keep your head down on stage?"

"Eh? Um..."

Ah, he can even praise an ugly girl like me. It seems that MASKING... no, Sato Masuki-san is really a good person——

It's certainly a good thing that their relationship is getting better, but Goto Ichiri still hasn't dared to admit that she is really a cute and iconic beauty, which is in a sense as regrettable as her personality.

But places like this are also fun and cute.

Seeing the atmosphere between the two of them relax, Ping Xin laughed out loud.

"...I just suddenly remembered something happy. It's only natural for the birthday person to smile, right?"

Anyway, I got away with it.

......

...

..

"If you had to choose, would you choose curry or ramen?"

"Curry and...ramen?"

If curry and cream stew were put together, they would seem to be of the same kind that would be mentioned together, but why ramen?

Seeing Goto Ichiri's confusion, Hirayuko explained, "Besides school and band activities, she works part-time as a chef at Ginga, a ramen shop owned by one of her father's teammates. She's quite good. It's a bit away from the shopping street, but not too far. We could try it next time."

Unexpectedly, upon hearing Hirayuki's words, Sato Mashiki replied angrily, "I agreed to a discount and a free meal, but last time, you ate up a whole month's allowance for me to repay your favor."

The few people who had been openly "eavesdropping" on the conversation couldn't help but laugh out loud. It seemed that there was some story behind this.

"Don't think too much about it, it's just that I'm someone who would easily be blacklisted by self-help bosses."

"...blacklist?"

It sounds impressive at first, but isn't it just eating a lot? Goto Ichiri recalled that during the past few months they had been together, Hiranobu had indeed eaten a lot, but it wasn't obvious; he just looked relaxed from beginning to end.

I can't imagine how much I'd have to eat to get blacklisted, but could this be the "playing the pig to eat the tiger" that Hirayuma-sama often mentions? Considering that he seems to really enjoy this kind of activity, it's very likely.

"Um, um... I'm really sorry to hear that today is Senpai's birthday. I'll make up for the gift later, so, um... is there anything you'd like to have?"

Even though she knew that Hiranobu had everything he needed, Goto Ichiri still went ahead and asked because she wanted to know more.

"What I want...a simple 'Happy Birthday' is enough." Smiling, Ping Xin rubbed his chin, as unpredictable as ever.

But if dozens of people sang birthday songs for him with all their heart, the scene would definitely be very nice.

Chapter 4000 Who is not a mercenary? ()

Making ramen is a technical skill, both for the noodles and the soup.

Goto Ichiri, who had no knowledge of soup base, no ideas about side dish pairing, and whose ramen was oddly shaped and irregular, and who had even rarely eaten ramen, was kicked out of the ramen team by Sato Masuki and sent to make curry.

Compared to ramen, curry is a very friendly dish for beginners. It doesn't require much handling of the ingredients, and the steps are not complicated. You just need to follow a certain order and proceed steadily. For her, who is not very skilled with a knife, it is a good practice project.

Sato Masuki was a natural cook at a ramen shop, and Hiraishin was looking forward to the special ramen she'd prepared for the day. Goto Ichiri shared the responsibility of making the curry, something Masuki had also been interested in, and out of consideration for her, Hiraishin cooked alongside Ichiri and chatted with her.

"Yili, watch carefully, this is how you use a kitchen knife!"

Ping Xin pressed down on the chopping board with his left hand, and the carrots, potatoes and cauliflower on the chopping board flew up... Let's not talk about why a light tap can make the ingredients fly up, but what's the matter with three vegetables of different qualities jumping vertically together?

He planted his foot on Newton's restless coffin lid, his wrist swung and the blade danced wildly. The vegetables, still intact in mid-air, remained unresponsive until he gently stroked them, shattering them into neat little pieces.

Is this the set of a kung fu movie?

"This is the secret sword: Thirteen Cuts of Fruit and Vegetables."

Although the secret sword still makes people feel bright and handsome, when Ping Xin finished speaking, several people just wanted to complain about what a weird name it was.

"Ohhhh, you are indeed a senior!"

Goto Ichiri clapped his hands happily, his eyes and expression showing genuine admiration and joy. After all, they were fellow rockers (and chuunibunny souls), and seeing someone of the opposite sex performing like a peacock before his eyes was naturally a source of joy.

Hinana's previous question about "convey that you're working hard" has a similar purpose to this.

"Okay, then I'll leave these to you, Brother Pingxin. Remember to cut them neatly and nicely."

Fruit pie is also on the menu for tonight's party. Moreover, fruit cannot be avoided when making desserts and drinks. Therefore, Ping Xin, who has the best knife skills, starts helping others prepare the ingredients in his free time.

After careful observation, Yili asked a new question: "Senior, wouldn't it be more efficient to use a knife normally?"

"Although, being handsome is a lifelong thing."

"That's true."

Goto Ichiri agreed, saying that he was indeed a senior and was always so handsome.

“And maybe at first glance the efficiency will be lower, but when I’m happy the efficiency will be higher, so the lower the efficiency, the higher the efficiency.”

"is that so?"

Although he didn't quite understand, he immediately realized that he was talking nonsense, but this didn't stop Goto Ichiri from nodding in agreement.

"?"

I completely understood it, until Ping Xin liked to say some strange things, but it didn't stop everyone from having a question mark over their heads.

Before the fancy so-called "advanced techniques", Heishin of course also taught Goto Ichiri all the little tricks for handling ingredients, and at this moment the two of them were processing additional orders.

One teaches and the other learns, and time passes quickly.

......

...

..

Cookies and puddings need to be baked and cooled, and cakes should not be eaten too much, otherwise they will easily become full. Dishes such as apple pie and pineapple pie are similar. But they also have one thing in common: they need to wait for a while. The ramen that Sato Masuki is in charge of also needs time to prepare the soup base.

"They're all taking advantage of this time to eat, drink, and play games with the others. Why are you still sitting here in a daze? Is there something on your mind?"

Hirashin's house is very big, so of course there are many dark and quiet corners where Goto Ichiri likes to stay, but it is very easy for him to find someone, especially in his own home.

"Senior!?...No, nothing, I just..."

She was more afraid of people than ghosts, and the man in front of her was the one who could scare her more than the average person.

She wanted to find an excuse, such as she couldn't find the toilet so she was going to ask a psychic for help, to save her gloomy image, but Ping Xin interrupted her with a wave of his hand.

"If you have any questions, just ask directly. I won't lie to you."

It's so open and aboveboard...how can I hide it?

It is obvious that Goto Ichiri does not know Hiranobu well enough, otherwise she would know how to use the truth to deceive people. Fortunately, considering her character and moral bottom line, Hiranobu will probably never use this "trick" to deal with her.

"Senior...you seem to be familiar with everyone."

Goto Ichiri did have some questions in his mind, such as how Hirayuko knew so many girls in bands, what his relationships were like with them, and what kind of girls he liked...

But what can we do about it?

To put it bluntly, what expression, tone, and rhetoric should she use when asking this question? Most importantly...what kind of identity should she use to ask this question?

A junior at school? A bandmate? Or a woman?

"I see..."

Seeing Hirashin touching his chin and pretending to be thinking, Goto Ichiri felt uneasy. People don't like to be deceived, but it is undeniable that lies are often easier to accept than the truth.

People don't want to be rejected, don't want to be disliked, and don't want to lose the possibility of being vulnerable. When it comes to things that they really care about, people are always worried about gains and losses, and Goto Ichiri, who is sensitive by nature, is even more so.

"Being curious about others is a normal thing, but in you it can be considered a form of 'progress'. I'm happy to see your growth, Ichiri."

"..."

But why, why do I feel this way?

A huge stone weighed down her heart, stifling her breathing. She'd been praised, so why? Perhaps it was because she thought, "He'll definitely know."

The culprit who caused such a fluctuating mood smiled at the pink-haired girl in front of him. Feeling that the situation was about right, he lifted the latter's chin and said, "But is this other person someone else, or... me?"

"Eh--?"

When you feel sorry for yourself, you want to bury your head in the ground so that no one can see you. But some people just like to dig ostrich holes, and they have a lot of fun digging.

He prioritized fun within the permitted scope, and enjoyed watching the show when things themselves were interesting enough. Hirayuko, who had a good grasp of timing, let go of Goto Ichiri before she could react, then turned around and recounted his experiences in forming bonds with everyone.

Afterglow, the first-generation apprentice who proactively seeks out her childhood sweetheart to maintain their friendship; Roselia, the authentic comedian band who, after a chance encounter with Yukina Minato, becomes their nemesis; Poppin' Party, where they met Kasumi Toyama through a chance encounter with a musical instrument and watched them grow; Pastel*Palettes, where they encounter Aya Maruyama on a rainy day, wipe away her tears, and continue on their journey;

"There's a deep connection," perhaps destined to meet the band [Hello, Happy World!]; [Morfonica], who emerged with the help of Poppin'Party's Kasumi Toyama and is perhaps considered a disciple; and [RAISE A SUILEN], whose arrival was like a comet, bound to create a sensation.

"I didn't realize I've met so many people and walked so far..."

Human beings are formed by the continuous accumulation of moments, seconds, days, months, years, and decades. However, human capacity is limited, so we must let go of something to move forward, and the simplest way to do this is to forget. Even if we don't completely forget, we can temporarily put the past aside in favor of present and future events, forgetting how we became our present selves.

And what about Goto Ichiri?

She was also lost in thought, reflecting, realizing that Ping Xin hadn't created so many competitors for her, which was a good thing. But even more gratifying and memorable was that she had come to understand Ping Xin a little better. Moreover, sharing one's story and life with others was itself a sign of trust. Right now, she was in a good mood and felt very well.

"By the way, how did you become familiar with Sato-san? You two seem to know each other very well." Thinking of Sato Masuki, who had a fierce expression but actually a gentle and upright personality, Ichiri asked curiously.

"I've always been familiar with this part of the shopping district, but until now, it was just a face-to-face acquaintance. Originally, I was only familiar with Mr. Sato from the Ginga Fruit Shop, but after becoming an advisor to RAS, I gradually became familiar with Masuki as well.

However, the turning point in our relationship was when I did her a favor. Previously, we had been dealing with her in a professional manner, like collaborators, but after I did her a favor, our personal relationship gradually improved.”

Goto Ichiri was completely bewildered by what he heard. After all, Hiranobu was a very old Spring and Autumn writer. Previously, he had only talked about how he came into contact with the RAS people (the Hanazono Tae poaching incident), and hadn't mentioned what happened afterwards.

"What the advisor said...is actually pretty easy to understand. Strong support musicians are often called mercenaries, and I'm in a similar situation."

In fact, he also used the identity of "her" to support performances several times, but this is not something he should say to Goto Ichiri. The bad influence on the child is immeasurable!

"... Consultants are usually paid, right? How did they manage to get the seniors over there?"

It must be that beautiful girl. She wants to capture the seniors and take them back as stars... ahem, so why is that? Is there something about them that's worth seeing? Or is it that, like in Ryo's case, they have connections?

"Well... there's no actual reward. The main reason is that I enjoy it. I can send people to help, or I can ride my motorcycle from Tokyo to Chiba Prefecture myself. I can do it, and I want to do it, so I think that's the reason."

"So handsome——"

With his firm belief, indomitable spirit, and absolute control over everything, Hirashin is such a perfect and reliable man in Goto Ichiri's eyes.

"As rare racing buddies among our peers, Yimu and I occasionally go racing together...of course, as long as we don't disturb others."

Pingxin recalled that Nero had wanted to join in this exciting event a while ago, but due to her size, she had to sit in the back seat with tears in her eyes. What if we designed a children's version next time? I have a feeling that if I do that, I'll get mad... How about starting with a compromise version?

Seeing Hiranobu smiling and thinking, Goto Ichiri felt jealous, a feeling she had never felt before, nor had she discovered before. Because she was good for nothing except playing guitar, and she had nothing except her family, her bandmates, and Hiranobu, her senior.

"It's not that great actually... Let's go for a ride together some night. Yeah, preferably in the evening. Walking along the river would be really relaxing."

"May I!?"

Pingxin patted her head. "Of course you can. After all, I'm worried about letting you ride alone... After all, you look like the type who would be frightened and stunned at the critical moment. So until you get used to it and can relax, you should focus on the back seat."

Goto Ichiri felt that she would never get used to it in her life.

Well, so she feels at ease in this back seat...

Ichiri was still imagining what kind of beautiful scenery she would see later, while Pingxin quietly shifted his gaze above her where she couldn't see. In a word, his guilty conscience was visible to the naked eye.

I'm sure the generous Ms. Higuchi Enka wouldn't mind letting someone sit in the back seat...

.Well, as long as you don’t know, of course you won’t mind.

......