The social phobia substitute will not dream of the band girl

This girl with a teardrop mole under her left eye was a bassist in a band. She was both pretty and talented, and I didn't expect to see her here. Her name seemed to be... Yamada Ryo?

The short-haired woman, probably named "Yamada Ryo," looked at Hirayuki with some wariness, perhaps mistaking him for a pervert looking to take advantage of the rain. The strangely familiar blonde with a side ponytail next to her turned cat-eyed and angrily punched her. Yamada Ryo, who was hit on the head, gave him a somewhat innocent look. Surely every "three-no" person is a potential comedian?

"...I'm sorry to have embarrassed you. What can I do for you?" The shorter blond-haired girl asked cautiously. After all, Ping Xin, with a tense face due to nervousness, did not look very friendly.

From her voice and conversation, you can tell that this girl is probably a gentle and energetic girl, the kind who often has to worry about her unreliable friends, such as Ms. Yamada next to her who showed her interesting soul after being hit just now?

Seeing the yellow, magnetically levitating triangle of aho-hair floating on her head and her somewhat adorable red eyes, Hirayuko finally guessed her identity. She was probably related by blood to the manager of a livehouse in Shimokitazawa that he rarely visited.

Judging from her age, she's probably a younger sister? Otherwise, if she's a daughter, that would be too cruel...

"...Ms. Ijichi and Ms. Yamada, right?"

"Could it be a salesman?"

"Obviously not. Even a salesman wouldn't come here to sell goods in such weather, right?! And how would an ordinary salesman know us? If you insist, the possibility that he is a kidnapper is relatively high!" complained the yellow-haired girl from the Ijichi family.

Then, seeing Hirayuko's expression darkening and her best friend Yamada Ryo's gloating expression, Ijichi Hongka finally realized that she had been complaining out of habit and had accidentally said the wrong thing.

...I'm really not hurt...Really?!

Seeing that Ping Xin, who rarely took the initiative, had a slightly sad expression on his face and his facial expression control was about to completely collapse, Ijichi Hongxia took the initiative to say -

"Um... Mr. I don't know, anyway, I'm so sorry! Anyway, that's not what I meant! Okay... Ryo, you come with me and apologize!"

"Eh~"

"hurry up!"

Although their apologies were a bit perfunctory and even hilarious, Ping Xin didn't take them seriously. After all, if a stranger suddenly appeared on the street and called out your name, anyone would be surprised, right? He definitely didn't think of turning around and walking away, right?

Absolutely not?!

Chapter 43: Shimokitazawa Curry Recommendation

"In short, my name is Asuka Maheishin. I'm interested in music and often go to Shimokitazawa. I've been to Miss Ijichi's livehouse, which I think is called... STARRY? Since you two sisters look alike and your ahoge hair is very distinctive, I deduced that you're her sister.

My understanding of Ms. Yamada came from the information provided by the livehouse owner... I've seen her perform, and her bass playing is excellent, and her stage presence... is also unique. In short, she gives people a very unique impression."

Although he still has difficulty with women, one of them is the bassist of a band that Pingxin has seen perform before, and the other is a relative of the owner of a livehouse that Pingxin has been to several times. They seem easy to get along with, making them perfect for Pingxin to practice getting along with strangers.

"Yeah~"

Although Hirayuka's high-speed words made people confused, Ms. Yamada was very happy to know that she was being praised, and she made a V-sign to Hongxia.

"Okay, I know you're happy... So what does Mr. Asuka want to talk to us about?"

While their suspicions were temporarily dispelled, Ijichi Nijika still had no idea why Hiranobu had come to chat her up. Could it be that the band was trying to get a backdoor ticket to the "STARRY" livehouse to perform? If that was the case, he'd be disappointed. But if it was just a simple flirtation... a closer look revealed that he was quite good-looking (after relaxing), but she didn't have that in mind at the moment.

"umbrella."

"umbrella?"

Seeing the second umbrella in Hirayuko's hand, Yamada Ryo and Ichichi Nijika knew they had been wrong from the beginning.

They simply saw someone they knew taking shelter from the rain and offered an umbrella, even though they were strangers to each other.

"I don't have any money, so Hongxia, please treat me."

"Didn't you just get your pocket money at the beginning of the month?"

"I spent it on the bass. I'll pay you back next month."

"You said the same thing last month!"

After tapping Yamada Ryo on the head again, Ijichi Hongxia personally put an end to this unrehearsed "improvisational skit". After all, such conversations happened every day and she was already familiar with them.

"It's free, but if possible...do you guys know of any good curry places in Shimokitazawa? Honestly, I'm on my way to lunch right now. I have rating apps for reference, but maybe the locals' opinions would be more straightforward."

Appropriately framing your request can make the other party more receptive to your proposal. Hirayuko, who often personally recruits employees, is well aware of this, and he unconsciously employs a professional, slightly more polite, approach. Furthermore, Shimokitazawa is known as a "curry war zone," with over 100 curry shops. While this might provoke a reaction from some groups, it's really just regular curry!

"Maybe 'Kyuyamudi Shimokitazao' is a good choice. After all, it's one of Tokyo's most famous spicy curry restaurants. Their new Indian curry is quite good, but the best curries are usually spicy, so those with a light palate might find it a bit difficult."

Although Ijichi Hongxia is not afraid of spicy food, she is not the type who can eat spicy food particularly well. According to her own pace, she needs to drink sweet drinks to finish a bowl of spicy curry there.

"How about SANZOU TOKYO? It's a little pricey but the food is delicious. If you don't mind standing up and no seats, you can give it a try. They've made some slight innovations on authentic Indian curry, and the owner is the second generation of a famous curry shop with over 50 years of history," said Ryo Yamada.

"Authentic Indian curry... Honestly, I've tried enough. Are there any places that are less authentic? Are there any places that serve oriental-style curry or something more innovative and unique?"

"...DukeCapo, right? Their Indian minced meat curry is taco rice-style, with lots of fresh vegetables, giving it a summer curry vibe."

*The restaurants mentioned in the article are real. Students in Japan can go and try them.

"...I thought Ms. Yamada would be the quiet type, but I didn't expect you to be so knowledgeable about food. Could you be a food blogger?" Heishin was a little surprised to see Yamada Ryo reciting the names of the shops one by one with an expressionless face.

"She's just curious about every new store that opens, so she often spends all her money in just a few days. Seriously!"

Even though it was Yamada Ryo who spent her own money, Ijichi Nijika looks so disappointed. Could it be that...she could also be a mother?! Considering that the biological mother might be playing in the resurrection match, and the previous trope has been used a bit too much, Hirayuma decided to temporarily seal it... So Ijichi Nijika becomes the final mother (?)

"Thanks for the recommendation, it was a real help. By the way...here's my business card. When you go shopping at music stores, shopping malls, restaurants, or anything else, show it to the owner and maybe you'll get a discount.

Also... Miss Yamada, you should be more careful about how you play. Your friends are really concerned about you... So goodbye—"

After leaving the two with his umbrella and business card, Ping Xin walked away, leaving only a blurry back in the rain. If he had been able to see his face, he would have been smiling. After all, it was a rare occasion that his proactive approach had yielded a good result. Not being blatantly disliked after striking up a conversation was enough to make him happy.

"He's such a weirdo, just like Ryo...but surprisingly, he's a nice guy."

"Hey hehe~"

"I already told you I didn't praise you anymore!"

After another round of playful banter, Ijichi Hongka and Yamada Ryo huddled under an umbrella and left. With the rain pouring down, they thought it would be best to go home early, and after all that talk, they were feeling a bit hungry. So, Yamada Ryo, who usually didn't have much money, carefully pocketed the business card Heishen had given her, promising a "discount," and followed her home, stopping by for a free meal.

......

"You're finally back? It took you unexpectedly long. Could it be that you're facing a very tough enemy? But I didn't hear any gunshots here. You shouldn't have any opponents in hand-to-hand combat. Could it be that there are too many people?!" Nilu asked, feeling relieved when she saw Ping Xin coming back.

Enemies? Guns? Lots of enemies?!

The driver in the front seat didn't understand what was happening, so he decided to pretend to be deaf and look around. However, his hand secretly rested next to the alarm button.

I'm sorry to my mother in the countryside and my childhood sweetheart Hanako who is waiting for me to go back and get married. I may have to break my promise today!

Chapter 44: The rainy day in Shimokitazawa seems particularly lively

"I just ran into two people hiding from the rain under the eaves... At first I thought they were a mother and daughter, but when I got closer I saw they were JKs doing performance art. Upon closer inspection, I realized they were familiar people I'd seen around here before. I just figured out how to use my eyes in the rain, I'll tell you when I get back."

"Okay... so why are all your friends cute girls? Do you have some ambitions in your heart?"

While they were talking, Meganelle suddenly launched a lightning-fast whip punch towards Ping Xin's side. Knowing he was in the wrong, Ping Xin subconsciously wanted to defend himself but immediately suppressed it and prepared to take the punch head-on. After all, he was in the wrong this time.

It's really not nice to leave someone hanging around for so long. He originally said "two minutes" because he really meant to return after giving the umbrella. Who could have imagined that the two random people he picked up on the street would be his (one-sided) acquaintances? Tokyo is such a small place...

Hearing this, the driver silently removed his hand from the alarm button and focused on driving. The shortest route from Haneda Airport to Shimokitazawa, without traffic, takes about 30 minutes. The sooner you finish your trip, the sooner you can get on with your next order.

"Really? Why do I feel like even though there are more women than men, most of the people I know are men?"

Thinking about the people he'd personally recruited, Hirayuko replied, "There are a lot of men whose talents aren't being recognized." But it seems there are indeed a lot of girls in bands in Tokyo...

"Hehe... who knows~"

Meganelle brushed the subject aside. The driver, watching the wooden male protagonist's behavior from the driver's seat, was anxious, yet also fearful they might come to blows in the car. That would be a disaster! After demonstrating his superb driving skills and his mastery of the terrain and route, the driver managed to fill the five minutes or so of the gap and delivered the three of them to the entrance of Shimokitazawa on time.

After saying goodbye to the driver, Pingxin and Nilu huddled under an umbrella, while Delta, the shadow maid who had been following them all year round, was alone with an umbrella, keeping a distance and guarding the surroundings. In this kind of weather, the activities of the secret protection forces would be adversely affected in various ways, so she had to be more cautious.

After spending some time walking to the store, the three of them started eating directly without queuing. After all, the sudden heavy rain made pedestrians hide under the nearby eaves, so there were not many people in the store even at meal time. In a sense, this was quite lucky.

After leaving the curry shop "DukeCapo" recommended by Yamada Ryo, the three of them got into a car driven by a "newcomer." Incidentally, she had already been given the codename "Omega" by Hira Nobuyuki. According to Alpha, the Shadow Maids' head steward, she was called a newcomer because she was "too arrogant and hadn't yet adjusted her mindset."

Although Ping Xin didn't know what her problem was, he thought it was best to let them solve their own internal problems. As an outsider, he wouldn't get involved. It was just that Rio Miga was usually very warm and attentive to him, often offering him advice from his perspective. If it was really a workplace bully, he would take action.

"You know the destination, right? Then let's go, Omega."

"Yes, Lord Hiranobu."

The newlywed lady, who was using the car herself, was secretly delighted, thinking that by volunteering to pick someone up, she had taken another step closer to her goal of becoming the mistress of the house. But just a few minutes after the car started, Ping Xin suddenly stopped as they passed an ordinary park.

"What...what's wrong, Lord Pingxin?" asked Omega, nicknamed "Newcomer".

"...Seriously—why is it so 'bustling' on rainy days in Shimokitazawa? Don't people check the weather forecast before going out?"

"But today's weather forecast says sunny turning cloudy?"

It seems that no matter which country the weather forecast is from, there will always be bad times, Ping Xin thought.

Seeing Pingxin extend his hand, Delta, sitting in the passenger seat, skillfully handed him two umbrellas. Meanwhile, Nero, sitting in the back seat, yawned and silently gazed out the window at the drizzling rain. She didn't want her personal feelings to interfere with Pingxin's decision to do the "right thing." After all, she loved the man who always meddled in her affairs and caused her so much trouble.

Beneath the eaves nearest the park, Pingxin found a figure with pink hair and a pink tracksuit—in short, dressed entirely in pink from head to toe—huddled in a small corner. The price she paid for keeping her black instrument bag wet was her hair, now soaked by the rain, its long locks falling naturally over her eyes.

Although Ping Xin couldn't see the eyes hidden under her messy bangs, which were shrinking and dodging because of the sudden appearance of the man, he could smell the scent of the same kind on her.

It's like the smell of him in the past, moldy and rotting at home alone because of a strange disease and the departure of his parents. It's the smell of loneliness, the smell of fear towards society, other people and even communication itself. In other words, it's the smell of a girl in a socially anxious band!

"Well, well, well... that—"

*At this time, Goto hasn't reached the peak of his social anxiety (the time period at the beginning of the original work), so he still has a little bit of communication ability (probably)

Seeing the girl before him, so nervous and frightened that she couldn't even speak a complete sentence, reduced to a cheap "sonar," Ping Xin couldn't help but laugh. However, she seemed to interpret his laughter as "laughing at a geek," "laughing at an ugly person," "laughing at her daring to even exist in this world," and she simply lowered her head even lower, just like Ping Xin used to protect himself by refusing to communicate.

"...Sorry, I didn't mean to laugh, it's just... I feel a little nostalgic. If I hadn't encountered music, I might still be like this, although I was actually very socially anxious before. Now I just... can't help but want to help you, is that the feeling?

As for laughing, I was simply feeling 'happy', well...it might not be nice to say this, but I really didn't mean anything else."

The comforted girl finally raised her head. She carefully observed the strange man in front of her through the gap in her bangs.

With a strong body, cheerful expression, and simple clothes that highlight his figure and temperament, he is an out-and-out modern guy no matter how you look at him. But I just mentioned "same kind" and "music"... Could it be that this man was really a socially anxious person like her?

Goto Ichiri wants to know!

Chapter 45: Godzilla is also a sea tiger!

The current person who used to be socially anxious and then got rid of the identity of Yinjiao through the band is right in front of her. Goto Ichiri must consider whether this is her only chance in this life——

"...that--"

"Ok?"

But calling out to this strange man had exhausted all her strength. Now she was like a stone statue that had lost its light, standing there unable to utter a word.

"I hope you don't have to spend nearly three years like me to muster up the courage again...Keep up the band! If you need any help, just call or message me. As a 'senior', I will definitely help you...See you next time~"

"......it is good."

By the time Goto Ichiri managed to free herself from the swirling thoughts in her head and give her answer, Hira Nobu had already been gone for a long time. She could only continue mumbling to herself as usual. The lonely pink-haired girl was lost in thought, staring at the umbrella entrusted to her and a simple business card with her name printed on the front and her phone number and line number on the back.

Band... Actually, no one has invited me yet...

Can you really trust him?

Goto Ichiri didn't know, but she still carefully put the business card into her pocket. Perhaps it would be better to ask her family about this question - after all, she didn't have any friends...

*Fake social anxiety and real social anxiety. How could such a cute child not be recognized by anyone? If someone did, it would probably turn into a normal campus love comedy...

......

In the cinema——

"Sorry I'm late. Were you guys waiting for a long time? Why are you guys here too?"

Ping Xin accurately found those familiar figures in the waiting area outside the cinema, including Ichinose Asuna, Kadotate Karin, and Murokasa Akane. Although he hadn't seen them for only a few days, Ping Xin felt an inexplicable sense of nostalgia in his heart.

"What, are you not welcome?" Mei Zhulan retorted, and the classic rebellious duo started to bicker with each other again.

"I just feel like you've become a little plump lately... I'm hiding!"

Ping Xin dodged Mizukuri's classic calf attack with a small jump. Mizukuri, who was just pretending to be strong, became excited by his unfamiliar behavior. Then the two of them ran around the crowd like lively elementary school students. Perhaps this was their unique way of communicating their feelings.

After a few turns, Ping Xin saw that the teasing was almost enough, so he decided to let her kick him lightly, but he was hit by a full-strength flying kick. After all, Mizukuran knew that Ping Xin now had the physical ability to withstand small-caliber bullets.

The two, nearly on the verge of a "brother-sister-respect" or "family stabbing" incident, were finally reconciled thanks to Tomoe Udagawa's intervention, and the group went to the movie in harmony. Although it wasn't the first day of release, the film's plot, special effects, and, most importantly, the behemoth Godzilla were all of excellent quality, making it incredibly popular. After buying some popcorn and drinks, everyone went in to enjoy Hira Nobu's magically modified Godzilla.

As for why it's called a "magic remake," it's because this version emphasizes environmental protection, particularly nuclear pollution. Originally, monster movies often contrasted human ignorance and fearlessness with the unstoppable power of giant monsters, often serving as a lesson in respecting nature or simply as a popcorn flick.

However, this film is not exactly the same as the previous one, but it is completely different. The general plot is that an organization in a certain beacon country tried to use technology to try to create powerful biological weapons, but it unexpectedly lost control, so they had to use the ultimate weapon of mankind, the nuclear bomb, to attack. As a result, the nuclear bomb not only did not completely kill the creatures, but instead made up for the defects of the experimental drugs, making them even more powerful.

The experimental animals that were originally of ordinary size and had been violently transformed were all transformed into terrifying monsters tens or even hundreds of meters long. The "victims" who had previously suffered inhumane experiments by humans became more powerful "perpetrators", and the monsters began to freely destroy in the free country.

Faced with the terrifying monsters that even nuclear bombs could not defeat, humans lost their last means of resistance and had no choice but to allow these monsters created by human greed and bottomless curiosity to destroy landmark buildings such as the Golden Gate Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, and the White House one by one.

Ambitious people and politicians are foolish, but ordinary people are innocent. In just a few hours, the land was devastated and all people could do was flee and pray. At this moment, Godzilla, the "Guardian of the Earth," awakened from his slumber in the hollow world at the center of the earth and appeared.

Godzilla, representing the ultimate power of nature, used his final attack, "Godzilla's Explosive Roar" (atomic breath), to kill the last boss, a mutant lizard monster, and then walked away, leaving behind only a huge and invincible back and the ruins of the United States.