Yuki's gaze pierced through the vastness of space, observing the distant situation for a moment before withdrawing his awareness.
Just then, the faint, melancholic strains of a guitar reached his ears. The music was lonely, saturated with a deep sense of isolation.
Following the sound, his eyes landed on a girl with long pink hair, crouched in a narrow, dimly lit corner, cradling a guitar. She was so completely absorbed in her playing that she hadn't noticed his arrival.
Her eyes were closed, her expression shifting between pained and forlorn, as if she were feeling every emotion conveyed by her own music. Yuki recognized her instantly: Hitori Gotou, the protagonist from Bocchi the Rock!.
In her original story, she was intensely introverted, suffering from a crippling social anxiety disorder. She struggled to make eye contact, her mind was a whirlwind of excessive and often exaggerated thoughts, and she sometimes exhibited strange behavior or speech due to her rampant overthinking or intense expectations. She had very little self-confidence, viewed herself poorly, and found it nearly impossible to recognize her own strengths. As a result, she had virtually no friends at school.
Seeing her here now, playing her somber tunes alone, it was clear she was in the same predicament—eating her lunch by herself in this isolated spot, her only company her music.
A faint smile touched Yuki's lips. He quietly sat down on a spare desk stacked nearby, content to wait for her to finish her piece.
As the final note faded, the lonely melody came to an end.
Hitori slowly opened her eyes. Still unaware of Yuki's presence, she looked out the window with a self-deprecating smile.
Just as I thought... Someone like me will always be stuck alone in a corner, won't they?
A wave of resignation washed over her. It wasn't that she hadn't tried to talk to people or make friends. But for someone with social anxiety as severe as hers, it felt like trying to conquer a hell-difficulty challenge.
A few days ago, she had stumbled upon some advice: start with a shared hobby. As someone who had played guitar since childhood, it seemed like the perfect inroad. So today, she had mustered the courage to bring her guitar to school, hoping it might attract someone's attention and spark a conversation.
She had fantasized about it: placing the guitar by her desk, her classmates swarming her with questions about it. She would then seize the moment to perform, dazzling everyone and earning their admiration. It would be her ticket out of loneliness, the start of a life with friends.
But reality, as always, failed to meet her expectations. Things didn't go as imagined. No one noticed her. She sat alone at her desk as usual. And when lunchtime came, she was once again by herself, hiding in this cluttered corner to eat.
Total failure, Hitori Gotou!!! I guess I'm really just meant to crawl on the ground like a pathetic worm!
Dejected, she began to pack her guitar away. But as she turned, she finally noticed the figure sitting casually nearby.
Huh? Wh-Who is that?
Startled, she slowly lifted her head, her eyes tracing upward from his shoes until they finally reached his face.
The moment she saw him clearly, her mind went completely blank.
So... so handsome! How can a guy be this good-looking?
His features were flawless, more perfect than any ancient Greek statue.
Is this a god? Or am I in heaven?!
Did I... die because of loneliness?
Hitori's eyes glazed over as a storm of wild thoughts raced through her mind.
Observing her internal chaos, Yuki let out a soft chuckle.
"Why did you stop? Are you tired?"
His gentle voice snapped Hitori out of her daze. She immediately bowed her head, feeling her heart pound like a frantic drum. A light blush spread across her cheeks.
But when she tried to speak, the words caught in her throat. Her mouth opened slightly, but no sound came out.
Oh no! It's been too long since I talked to anyone! I can't get the words out!
In an instant, her face crumpled into a look of pure distress, on the verge of tears.
Seeing Hitori like this, Yuki couldn't help but smile warmly.
"It's alright, don't rush. Take a slow, deep breath in... and then let it out slowly. You'll be able to speak again," he guided her, his tone calming.
As if under a spell, Hitori followed his instructions. She inhaled slowly, then exhaled gradually. After a few rounds, she noticeably relaxed.
"Th... thank you," she managed to whisper cautiously, offering her gratitude.
Yuki responded with a reassuring smile.
"You're welcome!
My name is Yuki. I'm in Class 1-A. You can call me Yuki."
He introduced himself first.
"I'm... Hitori Gotou! I'm also a first-year, but in Class C," she replied, her voice still tinged with a bit of fluster.
Still, it was a vast improvement from being completely speechless.
"Ah, Gotou-san!Your guitar playing is really good. I was passing by and your music drew me in."
Yuki smiled, offering his praise.
Hitori's eyes widened in shock.
"Eh?!"
Then, her expression quickly shifted into a delighted, albeit shy, smile.
"Hehe, th-thank you, Yuki-kun!"
Hitori scratched the back of her head in embarrassment.
Wait! Does this count as a success? Even though bringing the guitar didn't attract a crowd of friends... it attracted Yuki-kun, didn't it? Is this... is this peach luck?!
Yada! This is so embarrassing! A super, ultra, incredibly handsome guy just appeared! How should I act? Do I need to be more ladylike?!
Her mind went into overdrive, conjuring up all sorts of strange and wonderful scenarios.
Before she knew it, a goofy grin spread across her face, accompanied by a soft, dorky chuckle. "Hehehe..."
Yuki watched her with a mixture of amusement and curiosity.
It was a perfect match for Hitori Gotou's character—prone to wild, over-the-top fantasies in her head, yet utterly paralyzed when it came to taking action in reality.
"So, Gotou-san, are you self-taught on the guitar?"
"What songs can you play?"
Yuki steered the conversation towards the topic of guitar.
When it came to guitar talk, Hitori answered each question one by one. At first, the socially anxious girl was still visibly nervous and flustered. But as they continued talking, her initial fear gradually began to subside. The entire exchange became noticeably more relaxed.
Encouraged by Yuki, Hitori even played a few of the songs she knew.
While Hitori might have been severely lacking in confidence and social skills, her guitar playing, in Yuki's eyes—whose own skill far surpassed any human limit—was genuinely performance-ready.
It was just her crippling social anxiety that held her back from truly shining on stage.