The social phobia substitute will not dream of the band girl

"Because of Hong Xia."

"Bei Arisaki."

The girl working in the cafe seemed to be shocked by the two of them. She put down her coffee and dessert and left in a hurry.

"Who is Arisaki? It sounds like a girl's name?"

"What's wrong with Arisaki being a girl's name?! ...I've gotten off track... Ahem, I volunteered to come here, what about you, Ms. Ryo?"

"I don't know... maybe it's because I accidentally burped?"

"No, it's more likely because you got too many free drinks at the livehouse "STARRY" and didn't go to help with the work, right?" After listening to Yamada Ryo's experience of "staying overnight" (parasitism) at the Ijichi family these days, Pingxin complained.

Giving Yamada Ryo a business card that gets her a discount at a music store didn't help her financial situation, but instead made it worse. This was something Hirayuko never expected. Speaking of which, how could a young woman with a private hospital family spend money to get herself into trouble?

“…because the drink machine is right there!”

"Even if you make it sound like that, it can't hide the truth!... But then again, do you often stay at each other's houses?"

Ping Xin was very interested in this because it might serve as a reference for the future.

"Before the exam, Hongxia stayed at my house for a few days for tutoring, so after the holiday, I also stayed at her house."

"I see...By the way, I think you did well on the final exam, didn't you?"

As their relationship evolved from simple dining friends to the good friends they are now, Pingxin got to know Yamada Ryo better and better and learned many surprising facts, such as the fact that this seemingly smart and capable Miss Yamada actually had grades that were always on the edge of the danger line.

"Hehe, of course—"

No, even if you act impressive, I know you'll probably score around 70 on this test, Ms. Yamada? As for why... Ahem, ever since they've been spotted having dinner together, Hirayuka has been in touch with her guardian (?) Ijichi Nikka, and they've been sharing "breeding tips" online.

Of course, our Miss Yamada was unaware of all this.

"That's great! I was thinking of forcing you to study if you failed your final exam... There was a senior like you at the neighboring school who also had the same experience, right?... But she was a genius solo guitarist, and you're a genius solo bassist. That's great~" Seeing Hirayobu's kind smile, Yamada Ryo's attack speed immediately doubled as he performed a violent inhalation, but it was too late to finish the fruit parfait before leaving.

"I'm free this afternoon, why don't we find a library..."

"I...have something else to do...I need to go back and help Hong Xia."

He can speak and enunciate so clearly while eating, maybe... this kid can perform in variety shows?

"...Sorry for teasing you a little, but your reaction is really interesting no matter how many times you see it."

"...You must have a lot of friends, right?"

"Yeah, and most of them are pretty girls. What's the problem?"

"Since you know so many cute girls, you must have a lot of girlfriends, right?"

"..."

A knowing blow!

It seems that the two people who came together because they were both weirdos could not escape the fate of fighting each other (fog)

Chapter 70: A Meal Story

Even though Yamada Ryo later told her to "storage her energy" and then gave her a hearty meal, Hirayobu didn't feel the slightest bit of pain. After all, being with her was truly fun. After handing her tickets, which included tickets for her family, her band friends, and a few from Ijichi Kouka's group, Hirayobu finally completed his mission for the day.

Some people might ask why there are no C&C four-player tickets... I can only say that Ping Xin is indeed busy with other tasks and can't spare time, but after all, plans can't keep up with changes -

"..."

"..."

Embracing Miss Yamada, who was so full she was practically vomiting and falling asleep while walking, Hirayuki felt like one of those unscrupulous people who pick up corpses in bars. Feeling a bit guilty, he put on sunglasses, which only made him look more "appropriate." This unexpected encounter made him sigh once again at how small Tokyo really is. The things you fear most often happen.

"What's wrong, Nero? Is this someone you know?...Ah! Is this a classmate from school?"

The young woman standing next to Meganilu had the same light crimson hair and crimson eyes. The difference between the two was that the 150+cm tall woman clearly didn't have the flowing, aloof hair and fierce eyes that Meganilu had inherited from her father. Considering her family background...it was undoubtedly Meganilu's mother, Aunt Megan.

But it seems that she has remarried, so what should we call her now?

Ping Xin wanted to scratch his head but found that the blue-haired girl in his arms had already fallen asleep. Her ability to sleep after eating was definitely not inferior to that of a hibernating bear. Normally, he would probably laugh uncontrollably, but next time he should pay attention to the occasion and at least not fall asleep while walking!

"Sister...I'm your daughter's classmate and...friend. My name is Asuka Ma Heishin. You can just call me Heishin."

Although he couldn't tell a comedian, this didn't stop Ping Xin from calling the woman in front of him "sister." Furthermore, she looked very young. With her youthful face, clear eyes, and energetic demeanor, anyone who saw her would think she looked exactly like a sister.

"Oh, you're so sweet. But is it really okay for you to flirt with an aunt like me when you have a girlfriend with you?"

girlfriend? !

Ping Xin and Nilu looked at Yamada Ryo who was performing standing sleeping at the same time, and then looked at each other in confusion. After realizing that the other person was as confused as themselves, they both secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"This is my beloved... friend, her name is Yamada Ryo. I ate too much for lunch just now, so I feel sleepy. Maybe it's because I'm counting horses, so I can fall asleep while standing. What an enviable talent... Miss Yamada... Miss Yamada, it's time to get up."

"......cold."

"Ok?"

"Just call my name like usual, Ryo..."

The girl with short blue hair finally opened her eyes, revealing her sparkling yellow pupils. She seemed to be a little tired from just waking up, and most of her body was still leaning on Ping Xin. Her wet eyes were as innocent and calm as a baby opening its eyes to see the world for the first time.

If she hadn't winked and made expressions secretly in the blind spot of Meigan and her daughter's vision, they might have really believed that she was an innocent and lovely young lady... But now Pingxin realized that this person was indeed a super troublesome guy!!!

Upon hearing Yamada Ryo's "testimony," Megan's eyes grew sharp, while Megan's mother's expression shifted from surprise to a playful smile. He was clearly the "culprit" responsible for this situation, yet he wasn't embarrassed at all, appearing completely amused. Perhaps he was just a natural black...

"No, actually, I usually call my friends by their first names... Nel is the same. This habit is because I'm from Yan Country. For me, calling them by their last names seems too strange... I think I seemed too rigid and formal just now because it was my first time meeting my friend's mother. I'm really sorry—"

How about this? This combination of defense and attack!

Not only did he explain the name issue, but he also changed the original negative impression into a positive one: "This child really values ​​Nero and her as a mother." Let's all learn from him! Although Ping Xin was full of confidence one second and was shattered the next, he was shining at this moment (

"Is that so... Then why are you still hugging each other?"

"..."

Ping Xin looked at Liang, who was clearly awake but still lying on him, and fell into thought. Yes... why is this? It was not until he gently shook his body but found that Miss Yamada Koala was still clinging to him that he finally got the answer -

Get off here!!!

To avoid harm, Hirayuma used minimal force. Fortunately, after a few minutes of struggle, Hirayuma finally managed to remove Miss Koala from his body. This was a victory for martial arts! Smiling, he turned around to see an unconvinced Yamada Ryo, a speechless Nel, and the clearly amused Meigan mother.

"..."

"...Huhuhu - you are really as interesting as Nilu said, Pingxin-kun." Seeing Pingxin, whose pig brain was overloaded and on the verge of crashing, showing an unprecedentedly funny look, Meigan's mother and Liang both showed satisfied expressions.

"Neloo...does she mention me when she's home?"

Ping Xin looked at his former best friend with a dazed look in his eyes. His hair had grown longer now, and he was wearing a simple, cute dress and even light makeup. Perhaps even though many things had changed, some things remained constant.

"Huhu... Of course. Although she usually refers to you as 'a friend of mine', 'that guy', or 'someone', so I only found out your name today~"

"...That's it."

"Help me... I keep asking her who the 'boy who wiped your sweat that night' was, but she never tells me. She's so cute, but when it comes to doing things, she's not at all—"

"Wulusai (so annoying)! Mom, we should go. Don't you have a lot of things to buy?!"

"Eh——but all this stuff must be very heavy...I don't want to go anymore~"

Seeing Nero's temper, which made her feel a little itchy for some reason, Ping Xin chuckled and said, "Then let me help... To be honest, I'm quite confident in my arm strength, sis."

"Ah, you're so sweet~ I'll leave it to you today... Would this cool-looking lady like to come too?"

"No, she's very sleepy now so she has to go back!...Right?!"

The two reached a consensus the moment they looked at each other.

I'll treat you to dinner next time.

Then I want to eat at that French restaurant I mentioned last time!

Transaction.

Chapter 71 Sakura Snow

"...You've been staying here for so many days, remember to give them some gifts or treat them to a meal when you leave," Ping Xin took out his coin purse and stuffed it into Yamada Ryo's hand.

"Just use the money I have here, I probably still have a few hundred thousand yen... Remember to stop eating weird things and take care of your health. Also, don't spend it all on musical instruments this time, otherwise I'll have them block you next time - that's it, be careful on your way back... Oh, and don't go to bed right after eating, it's not good for your health." After talking for a long time like an old woman, Ping Xin finally trotted over to catch up with Mei Gan and her daughter, and even looked back and waved as he left.

Ryo Yamada stood there, not knowing what he was thinking. After standing there for a while, he put his wallet in his pocket, put on his headphones and left. He was probably going back.

"...Are you done talking?"

"Ah."

"Really...why do you always worry so much about everyone..."

"Why, are you afraid that he'll be cheated by a bad woman?"

"mom!"

"Yeah~"

Mei-Gan and her daughter were fighting, and honestly, judging by their appearance, it wouldn't be surprising to mistake the younger sister for an elementary school student and the older sister for a middle school student. Their hair and eye color came from their mother, while their alopecia and eyes came from their father. So, how tall is this...?

"Haha... Although I don't understand human nature, it's still easy for me to distinguish between good and evil. Yamada Ryo is a girl with a lot of personality in every aspect. Although she sometimes seems a bit 'eccentric', she is definitely not a bad person... At most, she borrows money and doesn't pay it back."

"Isn't that already bad? And you shouldn't spoil her all the time. Sooner or later, everyone will be spoiled by you!"

"Will it..." Although it may sound like bragging, Pingxin is actually quite confident in his ability to identify, employ and support people.

"Since you've said that, Nilu, I'll pay more attention to this aspect from now on—"

"You really are...ah...I don't care~I don't care~"

"You two have a really good relationship... Hehe~"

Nero's mother, a character whose presence is unpredictable, yet somehow tinged with sinister undertones, captivates and instills awe. Hei Xin abandons the stilted nature of her actions, choosing instead to treat her with sincerity. As the saying goes, "If I give up on my tactics, you won't be able to trick me." While this may seem like a sham, it can also be interpreted as "sincerity is the ultimate killer move!"

"Speaking of which...how did you and Nilu first meet?"

"We started out in y——"

"Cough cough..."

What are you doing? Suddenly asking for interaction.

I was just about to ask you what you were going to do. Did you want to say the word "Game Center" just now?

Is there something wrong? Are your parents so strict that they don't even allow video games? I don't see that at all——

"..."

What’s going on? Why did you suddenly punch me again?

No road race!

While lamenting how difficult it was to understand a woman's mind, Ping Xin unconsciously smiled. However, the moment his eyes met Mei Gan's mother's, the smile disappeared from his face. He asked, "...Excuse me, is there anything wrong?"

"No... nothing~... Compared to that, how about this dress?"

"Of course it's beautiful."

"...You're not sincere. You said the same thing about the few pieces I tried on just now. How boring~"

"...Even though you say that, beautiful is beautiful...I'm not a fashion guru or a knowledgeable person, so I can only describe it as cute, pretty, beautiful, and very suitable."

Pingxin Bear spread his hands. Although he could squeeze out a few ounces of ink if he tried hard, it seemed too perfunctory and deliberate for someone he was meeting for the first time.

His typical approach to others is "authentic → acquiescence → authentic," a three-step strategy of initial probing, mid-term mastery, and final understanding. However, with elders like Nilu's mother, who are naturally approachable and close to him, there's no need for such elaborate arrangements. He prefers to reveal his true self... the self he's always hidden beneath an impenetrable armor.

"...So Xiao Ping Xin is this type of person?"

"?"

Pingxin..Jian——

How should I put it... It's a bit new. His parents prefer to call him by his nickname that they don't like very much. Familiar elders like Uncle Ren have long regarded him as an independent adult and therefore don't use such frivolous names. Friends usually call each other by their names. It seems that being called so "cute" is the first time in recent years, right?

After selectively ignoring some dark history, Ping Xin, who got a new name, felt more intimate with Mei Gan's mother... But although he asked it only now, what is her name?

"...What's wrong? Are you in love with onee-chan? But being unfaithful is not allowed~oh~"

"..."

"...Hmm? No reply—could it be that you..."

"Ahem... Come to think of it, I was just thinking about a question... How should I address you? Calling you Miss Meigan doesn't seem quite right now."