The social phobia substitute will not dream of the band girl

I see. This must be a strategic compliment from Senior to cheer me up before rejecting me and prevent me from getting upset!

"As for the last little accident..."

Here we go, are we finally getting to the point?

Goto Ichiri subconsciously tensed up, grunted, and swallowed.

"Well... you really want to give your family a surprise? Like, suddenly playing a piece that your father, Goto Naoki, played when he was young? This kind of tradition seems to be a common thing in a musical family?"

"I'm really sorry for confusing you...eh?"

"Eh?"

The two looked at each other, wondering why the situation seemed different from what they expected.

"Pfft... Sorry, sorry, did I take it for granted? I've seen similar situations before, so I subconsciously thought that way this time. Sorry~"

This should be @孤高歌姬

"Oh, no, I should be the one apologizing...!"

Even when asked this, Goto Ichiri did not take the initiative to tell the reason, and Hirayuko knew that he should not interfere, so he changed the subject and started the conversation.

With his rhetoric, affinity, and goodwill, Hirayuko quickly stirred up Goto Ichiri's emotions, but after a certain topic ended, the two of them fell into an eerie silence again.

"...Sorry." Ping Xin finally spoke first.

"Wait, Senior, there's nothing you need to apologize to me for! If anyone should apologize, it's me...it should be me!"

"...So you can speak so loudly, Ichiri~"

After a moment of hesitation, Hirayuko immediately returned the joke. The smile on his face made Goto Ichiri's heart itch, just like every dream that is so close yet so far away, so hard to get, that makes people unable to look away.

"Actually, I realized that the guitar was going to break, but I didn't say anything because I thought there was no problem for the time being... So the fact that the surprise you prepared at the end didn't work out was inseparable from me."

"......Eh?"

Is that really the case? I thought...

Maybe it was because she had a tangible target for this mistake, someone who could help her share the burden, but although Goto Ichiri was surprised, she felt much better.

In fact, Ping Xin found that the guitar was about to break when he was enchanting it in the afternoon, but the instrument would definitely not have any problems during the short period of enchantment, so he didn't pay much attention to it.

But the audience was too enthusiastic during the interaction, and the encore (extra performance) afterwards consumed the extra time he had reserved, so when Goto Ichiri wanted to give a surprise, everything happened by coincidence.

"So I'm sorry for not telling you beforehand. Things like this should have been discussed with the person involved in advance... You didn't have your guitar bag with you when you came here, so you weren't used to it, right?"

After discovering that the guitar was about to break, Hira Shin had a plan in mind, so after the performance, he asked Goto Ichiri's father to take the guitar back. As he said, Goto Ichiri felt a little uncomfortable on the way because he had no weight on his shoulders.

"...No, please don't mind it, Senior!"

As long as it wasn't fate, as long as it wasn't his rejection, it would be fine. If she wasn't hated, if it was really just a small coincidence, then she would still be able to muster the courage to fight again!

"So consider it as compensation and a reward. I prepared this for you... Actually, I've been preparing it before, but there hasn't been a good opportunity to give it to you—"

Ping Xin took a black gigolo bag from the black-clad woman (shadow) who came out of nowhere, and then handed it to Goto Ichiri.

"This is...?"

Although he could guess what was inside, Goto Ichiri hoped to hear the answer from Hiranobu himself.

"A good horse deserves a good saddle, and a guitar hero naturally needs the best 'sword'... This is a guitar I had specially customized for me by a friend who used to work at Yamaha. There's only one Guitar Hero 00 in the world—"

"...!"

"Um... I understand your excitement, after all, most musicians would feel the same. But you suddenly hugged me like this and I had to lock it up. I was a little scared... Yili?"

Unlike his previous introverted, shy, or even cowardly self, Goto Ichiri now shows an active, strong, and enthusiastic side. Could it be that...

Is this the soul of rock?

"So, Senior, you rejected me just now because you had already prepared a new guitar for me?"

"Well, yes, otherwise I would definitely make time to accompany you..."

Wait, why are you hugging me harder and harder?

By the way, weren't you the type with no strength originally? Is it OOC that you're suddenly so brave?

It was then that Ping Xin suddenly remembered that during the intense training week before the summer music festival, he had made an exercise plan for them to improve their physical strength and stay healthy...

Could it be that Goto Ichiri has been persisting all this time?

Thinking of this, he did not struggle, but lowered his head and touched her head with his forehead——

"It's okay... If you can't do it today, just wait until later. As long as you keep working hard, you will definitely be able to do it tomorrow..."

Chapter 99: Was it really a chance encounter?

When Hirayukoshi spoke, his tone was as gentle as ever, which gave Goto Ichiri courage, but also made her decide not to wait any longer.

In the story of Cinderella, she can only attend the ball with the help of her fairy godmother, and even though she and the prince develop feelings for each other, they have to leave before midnight. If it weren't for the accidental drop of her crystal slipper and the prince's persistent search, their relationship would never have been possible...

So she doesn’t want to be the passive Cinderella!!!

“Senior, actually I…!”

Courage, courage, and damn courage——

As long as you have the courage, you can confess to the person you like at any time and any place!

"Senior, Goto-kun, are you...huh?"

Kita Ikuyo, who was out looking for the two people because they had not responded to her contact messages, happened to see this scene and stood there, not knowing what to do.

Hey, what's going on now? If the two of them were hugging each other, it wouldn't be a strange thing, but Goto Ichiri taking the initiative to hug him was extremely unreasonable!

But if I want to wait and see what happens here, I would have raised my voice just now because I wanted to find someone. If I want to join in, it will only make the situation weirder. Should I pretend I saw nothing and run away quickly?

But firstly, the two of them were standing in the sparse light on the dark street, so conspicuous that they could be seen as soon as they walked out. Even if she wanted to pretend not to see them, it would be a very demanding act...

"No, no, no—nothing!"

One push, the next, it weakens, the third, it's all gone. Today, Ichiri Goto had mustered his courage several times, only to be interrupted by various coincidences. He began to wonder if today was the right day to confess, and so he quickly backed off...

What a useless guy I am!!!

"What's wrong, Kita? Did something happen inside?"

"Eh, no, there's nothing in there. I just sent you two messages but you haven't replied, so I'm a little worried... Maybe it's the senior who should explain it properly!"

Could it be that they have already...

When she thought of a possibility, invisible pressure, urgency, regret and other emotions squeezed her heart like an invisible big hand, making it difficult for her to breathe.

"It's nothing, actually... Yili's guitar broke, and I just gave her a new one. She must have been really emotional, so she suddenly hugged me."

After hearing what Hiranobu said, Goto Ichiri hurriedly let go of Hiranobu's hand. She had just embraced him completely, even dropping her newly acquired guitar. Fortunately, the shadow maid who was in charge of delivering the goods caught it in time.

Delta, holding the gig bag in his hand, nodded to Kita, and when he saw that the two of them did not have any particularly strange behavior or reactions, he felt relieved.

"That's great since you're alright... By the way, I came here to ask you to eat sukiyaki. If you don't hurry up, Ryo-senpai and the others will start eating first!"

No, I think it's more likely to be finished...

Although it was only for a moment, Hirayuko could clearly feel Goto Ichiri's heartbeat... and the emotions in her heart. However, it was better to wait until she was ready.

"Then let's go, one mile."

"Yes..."

Like a good baby, Goto Ichiri was led by Pingxin and followed him into the izakaya. Delta, who was holding a gig bag in his hand, had no choice but to follow him in.

"Ichiri, Senior..."

Kita was the last one to walk into the door.

......

...

..

"I'm back--"

"Welcome back...Ah, why are you so anxious today, Ichiri?"

Just as he finished speaking, the Goto couple, his sister Erli, and his pet dog Jimmy Hen, who were still doing evil in the living room, heard the sound of dong dong dong footsteps approaching quickly.

"Dad, I'm so sorry... I broke the guitar I borrowed from you—!"

A bow of more than 90 degrees even made the ambitious Goto Ichiri lose her balance and almost fall to the ground. Goto Masafumi was so scared that he thought his daughter was going to perform something like sliding down on her knees and falling down from her seat.

"It's okay, it's just a broken string pin. It's an old item that's over ten years old, so it's normal for something like this to happen. Don't take it too seriously!" Goto's father responded hurriedly.

By the way, their daughter can already speak so loudly...

Actually touching!

"And it actually broke down during the performance, but I was actually kind of excited..."

Eh?

"It seems that there are guitars sold specifically for destruction. You can smash one during your next performance—"

What direction do you want to take your daughter? She's smashing guitars today, and roasting them tomorrow. I can't even begin to imagine what you're going to do the day after tomorrow...

"Why don't you take this opportunity to buy a guitar of your own?"

Although he admired his father for being able to talk to his sister as if nothing had happened even when he was riding on her neck, Goto Ichiri still refused. After all...

"No, no need."

"Then I'll send my Gibson back to the shop to get it repaired later..."

"No, Dad, I mean...I already have a guitar."

Goto Masafumi suddenly remembered that his daughter seemed to be carrying something behind her when she ran upstairs from the living room door. He thought she was going to the shrine to buy some props to ward off evil spirits, but he didn't expect it to be like this -

"Is that so? Did you buy it this afternoon? Even though you guys are making money from peripheral products, it's better to be cautious when buying guitars. Do you want dad to take a look for you?"

"That...is not necessary for now."

"What's wrong? Do you really not need me to check it for you?"

What's going on? Did she buy a defective product but was afraid to tell me? His daughter is always so introverted, and sometimes it really makes people worry.

"Well... I really don't need that. After all, it's a gift from my senior, so I think it should be a very good item."

Oh, so it was given by that boy. If you are willing to spend money to buy genuine brand products, the quality is indeed guaranteed.

Although Goto Ichiri mentioned many seniors, such as Nijigao-senpai and Ryo-senpai, there is only one "senior", so her three family members understood it immediately.

"After that, you have to thank me for taking such good care of you."

"yes......!"

This time next year, I will definitely—

......

...

..

"Hey, are you waiting for me here?"

"...Don't be so sentimental, it was just a chance encounter."

Encounter...

Why don’t you take another look at the coffee in your hand that is almost empty?

Chapter 100 Answers

"You can have a taste."

"Thank...ha, woman——"

After finishing the last sip of coffee in his paper cup, Ping Xin casually threw in a three-pointer. A passing boy didn't figure out whether he had aimed or thrown it casually until he hit the telephone pole and stood up. If he had aimed, how did he aim with the back of his head?

"You didn't come to our school festival."

"Well... I've prepared a little show this year, as you know."