The social phobia substitute will not dream of the band girl

"You're welcome. It's my responsibility after all~"

"..."

Higuchi Enka didn't say anything, just took a sip of her coffee milk and watched the show.

But Hirayukoshi didn't give her a chance to stay out of the conversation. He continued, "Speaking of which, Ms. Higuchi seems to have some thoughts about the food here. Would you mind sharing them?"

Seeing Tsugumi Hanazawa's expression, which showed that she was ready to listen carefully to his advice, Higuchi Enka's eyebrows twitched slightly, and then she said, "Sure... He just said that your cooking was delicious."

She learned that to deal with a rogue, you have to use rogue methods.

"Well...she said that too!"

Even Tsugumi Hanazawa, who had dealt with disruptive customers before, was baffled. Why were these two still speaking up for each other? In all her years running the shop, she'd never seen anything like this. She'd seen snarky, unreasonable behavior before, but this kind of elementary school-style brawl was rare.

"Haha. It seems there are guests waiting over there... Then I won't bother you two. I wish you a pleasant stay."

Having spent several years in her family's shop and having grown up in a shopping district full of people of all kinds, Tsugumi Hanazawa naturally knew when to leave. She bowed slightly and left.

......

...

..

"Although the process was a bit strange, I think Thrush will be happy to receive your praise."

"..."

It wasn't just a little weird, it was really weird. But this level of weirdness was normal for her. After all, there were two real "weirdos" among her childhood friends, and her previous discomfort was just because Ping Xin was a slightly different type.

"What did she just say... Why does it feel like you're everywhere?"

"Well... like I said before, some people come here 'because of its reputation'. But fame brings gossip, and not all the people who come here are fans..." Ping Xin took a sip of matcha milk, and the balance of sweetness and bitterness made it much more acceptable.

"Thank you for your hard work." This time, Enka rarely spoke without any sarcasm.

"No need to thank me, and I don't need anyone's thanks... After all, it happened right in front of me, and it has something to do with me. No matter how I think about it, I shouldn't just ignore it, right?"

...No, I don't want to ignore it, and I can't. If you don't protect your own 'home', how can you expect others to help you?

He had learned to be independent early on in his previous life, and of course he had not forgotten it in this life.

"..."

Higuchi Enka didn't say anything, just drank the sweet drink in the cup.

Chapter 4: Shopping, dining, and an ordinary date

"Most of my stories are boring, there's nothing much to talk about. But you... you know so many of my friends, why don't you talk about yours?... Don't look at me like, 'So that's what you're planning,' okay? We're just having a normal conversation, like a courtesy—"

"...So, what do you want to know?" After a brief silence, she agreed.

"Hmm... Asakura, I have a rough idea of ​​his personality through his letters. How about we talk about 'that friend' you mentioned earlier?"

"...He's a pretty annoying guy."

He does whatever he wants, is very willful and self-centered, and often causes trouble for her.

She took another sip of the chocolate milk in the cup, and looked up to see Ping Xin's inexplicable smile. How should I put it... Anyway, he looked like he deserved a beating. This kind of "I understand but I don't say anything" expression can effectively irritate others most of the time, and this time is no exception.

"..."

"...Angry? Sorry, I just thought, 'This is so nice~' or something."

Okay, what's good?

"Even though you said she was annoying, you wouldn't be friends with her if she really was annoying, right? She's probably the type of person who's mischievous but also does good things sometimes, right?"

“…Don’t act like you know everything.”

Even if they didn't get along with Hina's personality, that was an internal matter between the four of them, and it was not for an "outsider" like Hirayukoshi to comment on it.

"Indeed, I hate talking about others behind their backs... But if you can call me a 'friend', then I must be someone you recognize. Just like you always complain about Asakura's eccentricities in your letters, but if you really didn't like her, why would you say so much about her?"

"...It's just bad fate."

He's still as insincere as ever, unwilling to praise me directly even in front of me—

No, is it because he's in front of someone like me, a person he barely knows, that he feels awkward? Perhaps in Higuchi's world, there are only "strangers" and "friends," so he feels awkward towards someone like me?

"It doesn't matter what, I'm still very envious... After all, the more she talks, the bigger the role she plays in your life and the more important she is to you. I wish one day you could talk to them about me normally, even if it's just a little bit..."

Ping Xin finished the food on the table and drank the drink. It was time to end this conversation.

"...Don't worry, I will definitely try my best to criticize you."

"...Hehe, I'm looking forward to it~"

"?"

Higuchi Enka showed signs of hesitation for the first time today. With this reaction and this attitude, could she be someone who likes the passive play style of the alphabet circle?

"No," Ping Xin immediately denied. "After all, you said you'd try to find my flaws. Doesn't that mean you'll pay special attention to me? I really like this kind of 'special'. It would be even better if it could be even more special."

After being silent for an unknown number of seconds, she finally said, "I want to go back."

But he answered quickly: "It's time for us to go to the next place. This way please -"

......

...

..

I finally followed along...but I didn't expect the itinerary to be surprisingly ordinary, or how should I put it...reasonable? Not really, it just felt like it was following a routine.

Perhaps the most appropriate metaphor is to follow a reliable leader and have everything solved smoothly.

"...Why did the clerk look at you strangely just now? Is he an acquaintance?"

"Hmm... no, but if she's been working here, maybe she's seen something."

"specifically is?"

"Someone was beaten up around here before, so it probably scared her."

"..."

"You're surprisingly calm. I thought you'd take this opportunity to run away."

"But you won't let me go just like that with a misunderstanding, right? So, what exactly is it?"

"Yeah, that's true..." Ping Xin took a sip of the milk tea in his cup, then looked up at the sky and said, "I happened to run into someone I hate when I went out that time. I later found out that she was the same person who bullied Karin for two years in junior high. Seeing her trembling with fear and telling me to leave quickly because she didn't want to cause me any trouble, I got really angry and hit her."

"That's it..."

Although she didn't know who Karin was, Higuchi Enka felt she understood. She didn't need to worry about Toru and Hina, as one was a heartthrob and the other a terrifyingly strong-minded eccentric. But Koito was a cause for concern, constantly on her mind.

After I get back, I'll ask her how she is doing in junior high school there.

"But if it happens again, I will still fight you. I'll just take you to a more secluded place next time. After all, it would be really annoying if things got out of hand."

"...So what happened next? Usually, things like this are very troublesome, right?"

If the situation gets out of hand, you might get expelled from school. While close friends, acquaintances, and parents might understand, the gossip from outsiders is hard to resist and might even affect your future prospects. And even if you want to clarify things, it's difficult to do so, as few people actually care about the truth.

Is it because of that incident...

"What else could it be? Just a simple ending? I'm actually quite good at making money, so nothing happened. In the end, I taught her a lesson, helped someone important to me overcome their inner demons, and even the person who was beaten got the money she wanted and paid off her debts. It's a perfect ending, isn't it?"

...It's terrifying. This guy, if we leave him alone, it will definitely cause trouble—

"I thought this place would be a bit 'ordinary', but it seems I underestimated you. Incredible~ Incredible~"

"Thank you for the compliment. Would you like something to drink?"

"...No, I've already drunk enough."

"If you're worried about the calories, then I'll buy two bottles of water. Otherwise, it would feel weird if I were the only one drinking, wouldn't it? After all, we're out here together."

"...As you like, no ice."

"learn."

Ping Xin carefully placed the things on the bench where he was sitting, and then prepared to go to the convenience store he had just passed by, but when he was about to leave, his clothes were pulled.

"...Aren't you afraid of being disliked by me?"

"If you're afraid of me because of something like this, that's understandable, but if you hate me...it just means I misjudged you. If it's my own fault, then I can't blame anyone else."

"..."

"But fortunately, I have always been very good at judging people—"

What? Just some nice words...

Chapter 5 Oh, there is one more thing

(It’s really annoying that I can’t post pictures, otherwise inserting emojis and illustrations at the right time would be a sure win…)

"How about my suggestion just now?"

"...turn down."

"But I think buying the same color and style of hoodies with slightly different patterns on the front, and switching them up every few days. Then, when they doubt themselves and finally ask about it, I can calmly reveal the secret by saying that I just liked them so much that I bought a lot to wear... That would definitely be fun!"

It is indeed very interesting, but Higuchi Enka will not admit it. If she does such childish behavior, she will definitely be talked about by them for the rest of her life, and it will be talked about even at her funeral after her death.

So she immediately changed the subject and asked, "Where is the place you're talking about? There are a lot of good places in the mall and shopping street in front of the station. Why did you come all the way here to eat?"

"Hmm... As expected, as a ceremony to welcome you into my 'world', eating here is essential."

"?"

World? Ritual?

You're not going to act out some childish shit in front of me, are you?

"We're here... This is it."

"...Qianlong Pavilion?...Qianlong Pavilion!?"

Isn't this the super famous restaurant that's been featured on several shows and in various magazines!?

"Yes."

Is it really a place where we can spend over 1 million yen on a single meal?!

"Pfft… Sorry, but you know what? The expression on your face right now is really interesting. It's worth bringing you here specially."

After hearing Hirayukoshi's teasing words, Enka regained her composure and said, "Let's stop with the pranks. So where are we going to eat lunch?"

"Where... I already said I came here specifically, where else could it be?"

Pingxin pointed upwards at the golden signboard held in the mouth of a golden dragon sculpture. Inscribed on it were three large characters: Qianlong Pavilion...

"...Seriously?"

"Seriously, super seriously - since you care so much, why not come with me to take a look? Or are you scared, Miss Higuchi?" Hirashin stretched out his hand towards her.

"...Ha--I don't care what happens next, just pretend we don't know each other." Although Higuchi Enka slapped his hand away, her eyes were looking inside, and it was obvious that she was planning to "test the law with her own body."

"Haha, what a pity, it seems I will disappoint you this time——"

......

...

..

When the two entered, a familiar waiter was waiting by the door. As a newcomer, he had stopped Ping Xin, but because of this, he had accidentally become familiar with the waiter, and thus landed this job that many envied. Unfortunately, serving the emperor is like serving a tiger, and he felt extremely nervous every time.

I didn't do anything but I got double the salary of others. Who can I complain to about this? Sigh~

Today, he was also waiting here early in the morning. Who else could do this hard job but me?

"Hello, are you two?"

"Well, you two, this lady will use my 'number of invitations' to register. Is that okay?"