The social phobia substitute will not dream of the band girl

"...What else?"

"Also... I want to truly experience what it's like to date. After all, I used to use some unorthodox speedrunning methods. 'I also want to experience real love occasionally'...is that the feeling?" Ping Xin opened the menu and placed it in front of her.

"Today is not a date, and I'm not in a relationship with you. Let's save those dream talks for tonight, Mr. Dreamer." Despite her harsh words, Enka still obediently began to look at the menu. Arguing and ordering food don't conflict, right?

"Thanks for this new nickname that sounds great...Lady First, you have the final say today."

"Can I go back now?"

"Please forgive me this at least... As an apology, I'll treat you to today's meal, how about that?"

Higuchi Enka closed the menu and looked at him with a slightly sidelong glance. Was this a retreat to advance... or was she being honest? While she had zero practical experience, she had plenty of theoretical knowledge. After all, all the movies, magazines, and gossip she'd "accidentally" heard hadn't been completely wasted.

"No need... this order will do."

Higuchi Enka opened the menu and selected a few more items. Since he had said so, she wouldn't be polite. But today, someone was being a little clingy and unusually proactive, even going so far as to say, "Come to think of it... Miss Higuchi seems to know me very well. Did you research me?"

"H-...not really."

Is that so... Then how do you know I like to use minor reasons as an excuse, Mr. Leng Jiao? However, Ping Xin wouldn't go out of his way to expose her. He was just "kindly" reminding Enka, letting her realize the importance she didn't even know she had.

Even when he is in a relationship, he is serious, so he will naturally use this little trick whenever he has the chance.

"Come to think of it, it seems like this is your first time here. Yuze Cafe should be very popular among the young people around here... Is it because you live too far away?"

"..."

"If it's far, I'll take you back."

"No, thanks... My house isn't far from here."

People always compromise, and Miss Higuchi is no exception. If you ask her directly where she lives, she will definitely not tell you, but if you offer to take her home, she will tell you that she lives nearby.

Ping Xin looked away with satisfaction. Haste makes waste. For now, this was enough—

"Hina C... A friend of mine has mentioned this place a few times, but the prices and the crowds here are a bit more troublesome than the cafe we ​​usually go to."

Unexpectedly, Enka actually brought up a new topic. I don't know why, and I'm a little annoyed, but surprises are always pleasant surprises. Life is interesting precisely because of the unexpected.

"I see... That's not easy."

"...What does it mean?"

Higuchi Enka feels that there is something behind your words, and now she is looking for evidence.

"Eh, ah... Although it may be a bit rude to say this, I still want to say that it's great that you have real friends... After all, you think people like you and me are generally not very likable, right? And you don't look like I would go like that—"

He didn't say it so clearly, but Enka knew it very well, and it made her feel uncomfortable with the presence of the mask.

"...Indeed, it's like I don't like you either."

"Lies don't hurt, the truth is the sharpest knife—"

So your words can't hurt me, absolutely.

......

...

..

After Hirayukobu said something that seemed to have a rather inexplicable meaning, the two of them fell into a brief silence. Enka looked away while pondering the words, while he took the opportunity to observe the girl opposite him again. Sure enough, she was cute no matter how you looked at her, and the way she looked was also true, as if she had been hooked by the bait he had deliberately thrown out.

Fortunately, this atmosphere did not last long, and soon the waiter came here -

"Sorry, there are too many customers today. Can we order now?" A beautiful girl with silver-gray hair from Northern Europe ran over in a hurry. Although she liked the Eastern-style kimono maid outfit very much, she was still a little uncomfortable with it.

"...You're here today too! What would you like to eat? And who is this unfamiliar lady over here...?"

"Good morning, Eve. This is Higuchi, my pen pal. This is Wakamiya Eve, a returnee from Northern Europe who's currently working here. We've been here so often that we've become familiar with each other."

"Hello, Ms. Higuchi, nice to meet you!"

"Hello, nice to meet you, Ms. Wakamiya."

Wow, so you know how to say hello properly—

"Thank you so much for the gift. It was so cool! So Bushido!"

"Haha, as long as you like it.. Please help us order."

......

...

..

"Just now..what's with the gift she mentioned? Is it also your goal?"

"Are you jealous? I'm so flattered~"

Higuchi Enka sighed, and even though she didn't usually roll her eyes, she was about to do so now.

"Wasn't it Christmas a few days ago... I gave her something in return for the gift exchange, but it's nothing to worry about. As for my relationship with that child, it's pure as can be. I usually only encounter her here, so there's no need to worry."

"..."

"Okay, okay, don't look at me so suspiciously. I really will get hurt, okay?"

"...You don't have to explain to me."

Are you really angry? But why? Never mind, I'll just wait until she says it herself someday. Ping Xin smiled and explained, "If you were me, I'd definitely understand that feeling... Seeing them so positive, energetic, and always striving to improve no matter what they do—"

"..."

"That way of living is so different from ours, so glittering. Even if we sometimes feel envious and even jealous... we definitely want to help them, right?"

"I told you, you don't have to explain to me."

"Yes, yes, I'll listen to you today."

A person can lie with their mouth; it's the simplest way anyone can learn, without any instruction. But if you add in actions, demeanor, a complete chain of logic, and off-site assistance, it's undoubtedly even more persuasive. But thinking about it from another perspective, if these factors aren't handled well, they're also the easiest place to be exposed.

So you can't fool me, Ms. Higuchi~

......

...

..

"Please enjoy your meal, both of you."

Another unfamiliar working girl served the dishes and left immediately.

"But then again, do you really want to eat that much? I have a restaurant I recommend that I'd like to take you to later. Is this kind of appetite normal for you?"

Ping Xin ordered a set meal combination of matcha milk (sweet) + chocolate bitter coffee mousse cake (bitter), which means that what is left on the table now includes the New Year limited set meal including rice cake red bean soup (small bowl), grilled rice cakes (multiple pieces, with three dipping sauces), Ehota rolls (three, small), as well as ordinary coffee milk and cream cake rolls.

If you can eat so much and still have such a "standard" figure, then energy conservation is the law...

"Isn't it generally rude to say something like that to a girl?"

"But you'd definitely be really angry if I told you a lie, right? And you're not what you'd call 'normal', are you?"

And your expression and tone right now don't show any anger at all, Ms. Higuchi.

"...Then I'll leave it to you later when I can't finish it."

"Okay, I said Lady First, right? Leave it to me."

It's just that your ability to change the subject is really poor, ma'am. And you don't think that pretending to be extravagant and moody like this will scare me off, do you? Your intentions are a little too obvious. Sure enough, you don't like to be taken advantage of...

"Then let's enjoy it while it's hot. The New Year's set menu here seems to be selling quite well. Besides being refreshing and surprising, it should also taste great...how do you think?"

"...some people may like this kind of 'surprise', but I won't judge." At the same time, the figures of the two people appeared in her mind. If it were them, they would definitely order and want to try the special menu here, absolutely -

It just tasted okay, what a shame.

"Really?... What a shame, I was quite satisfied with it when I designed it."

"...What does this mean?"

Mystification is an old trick. But if it is used in matters between men and women, it may become the beginning of a relationship. Have you learned it today?

"The New Year's menu here is made into small, easy-to-eat portions, and the portions are relatively small overall. Firstly, this is to cater to their primarily female clientele, and secondly, it's a great option for a light meal at a coffee shop without disrupting the main meal. Thirdly... many people celebrate New Year alone and may not have the time, energy, or mood to cook these dishes for themselves. Being able to enjoy them here for a relatively reasonable price is fantastic, isn't it?"

"You...are indeed very cunning."

Higuchi Enka's body and attitude subconsciously tightened.

"Thank you, but we usually call this - wisdom." He nodded proudly. If it was any acquaintance, he would not make such a "disrespectful" move unless it was a "joke."

People's greatest fear always comes from the unknown, always has been like this -

He is, and so is she.

Chapter 3 Sweet & Bitter

"Thank you, but we usually call it—wisdom."

Pingxin nodded his head with his index finger. His smile now seemed a bit flamboyant and arrogant, as if he had forgotten how to control his expression. There were high and low methods of making money, but his favorite was "cooperation is mutually beneficial," where everyone could make money in a friendly manner and let the money come to them.

You bought what you wanted and I made money. Isn’t this a win-win situation?

But at least in the other person's heart, this somewhat awkward smile was at least much more pleasing to the eye than the one just now—

"Ha...you're so confident."

"Haha, thank you. After all, my confidence comes from the support of actual numbers. Besides...why would I say that in front of you if I weren't confident? After all, a man who isn't outstanding wouldn't be in Miss Higuchi's eyes."

"...Satire?"

"Please call this a compliment, beautiful and intelligent lady~"

"..nausea."

"Hmm... I did overdo it a bit. I should reflect on this. Thanks for the correction."

"..You're welcome." Higuchi Enka took another piece of roasted rice cake and dipped it in the food before eating. But in order to avoid causing factional fighting, I won't say what she dipped it in here——

Which one should I choose~ Which one should I choose~

Despite what she said before, Higuchi Maruka wasn't the type to waste food unless it was truly unpalatable or she couldn't finish it. She probably said that as a "test." Unfortunately, it didn't go as she wished, so she resorted to using food to vent her frustrations.

"Wow, do you always bite down so hard when you eat?... But it's true that chewing thoroughly before eating helps digestion, it's a good habit... How does it taste?"

Didn’t you just ask?

After swallowing the rice cake in her mouth, Higuchi Enka said, "Not bad... for a coffee shop."

I clearly enjoyed the meal, but at the end they added something ambiguous like "coffee shop quality" to confuse the audience...

Higuchi-san, has anyone ever told you that you're really not candid?

"If Tugumi heard this, she would definitely be very happy, right? After all, the results of her hard work and study have been recognized. Hmm... it tastes better than what I made." Pingxin also picked up a piece of rice cake and ate it. Before, because there were only cakes here, only knives and forks were provided. It was also new to use chopsticks in a cafe.

"thrush?"

"It sounds like a girl's name, and it is actually a girl's name...that girl over there..." Pingxin pointed to the brown-haired girl who was greeting guests with a bright smile. Although she had short hair like Enka, her hair was more straightforward, and so was her personality.

"..."

"What are you thinking about?"

"...Nothing." Facing his questioning, she remained silent.

"Does it look familiar?"

Higuchi Enka didn't answer, but the girl across from her did. Noticing Hirayobu, she quickly walked over and said, "Are you here today too? And who's this sister I haven't met yet..."

"'A sister I've never met'... hehe, she actually looks like she's about to say, 'I've met this sister before,' which is quite amusing." After a slightly odd remark, Hirashin's mood brightened, and he continued, "This is Ms. Higuchi, my pen pal. And this hardworking little cutie over here is Tsugumi Hanezawa, an old acquaintance of mine, the young owner of Hanezawa Café, and the keyboardist for Afterglow."

"Hello, Ms. Higuchi."

"Nice to meet you."

I greeted him properly this time, so is it my fault...?

"Really? You're saying weird things again! This is going to cause trouble for Miss Higuchi, right?"

"Sorry, sorry, I can't help myself... Maybe you thought she looked familiar? After all, she's a member of the popular band Afterglow, so it's not surprising to see her somewhere before. Many customers come to the store just for that reason."

"It's not that great. Compared to everyone else, I still need to work harder!...Thank you for everything I did before."