Chapter 29: Social Anxiety, Issues, Isolation, and a Black Heart
"Social anxiety. Severe social anxiety!"
"Stage fright!"
"And... the guitar?"
"This is as absurd as an ostrich burying its head in the sand and assuming there's no danger!"
Yukino Yukinoshita had always been a very proud person.
She believed herself to be strong, possessing the composure unique to geniuses.
From childhood to adulthood, the jealousy directed at her by others only served as proof of her excellence.
There might be many unsolvable problems in this world, but for her, they were certainly few and far between.
However.
She never expected that, sigh, she would encounter one today!
A patient with severe social anxiety attempting to form a band with a guitar and shine on stage.
Looking at Hitori Gotoh curled up inside the trash can, Yukino resembled the legendary Yuki-onna, the Snow Woman, her surrounding air pressure dropping to freezing levels.
Beside her, Haruka wore a peculiar expression.
He truly hadn't expected this.
He hadn't expected Hitori to stump Yukino this badly.
Wait.
Haruka glanced at Hitori inside the trash can and instantly fell silent.
Social anxiety?
Stage?
Band?
Wait!
Connecting these three things together... it really was something that caused a short circuit in one's brain.
"Gotoh-san, can you let me hear your guitar playing first?" Yukino asked as calmly as she could.
Judging by Gotoh-san's appearance (specifically the calluses on her fingers), she should have practiced the guitar extensively. If her skills were superb, it wasn't an impossible task.
Yukino secretly thought to herself.
"Okay!"
When it came to the guitar, Hitori Gotoh—who had kept her head lowered so long one might suspect she was trying to suffocate herself—finally showed a trace of confidence on her face.
Yukino relaxed slightly.
It seemed Gotoh-san was confident in her guitar skills. In that case, her technique should be quite good...
However, she didn't see the subtle, complicated expression on Haruka's face beside her.
"..."
"..."
?
Yukino looked strangely at Hitori, who had already taken out the guitar from behind her back but hadn't started playing yet.
"Um, can I... can I stay inside here..."
???
For a split second, Yukino's cool, detached mask nearly cracked.
Haruka couldn't watch this anymore. He walked over and helped Hitori close the lid of the trash can.
Then.
A burst of powerful, energetic, and metallic guitar riffs suddenly rang out.
With a heavy expression, Yukino took a few steps forward and lifted the trash can lid.
Clang!
The explosive music came to an abrupt halt.
Thud!
The lid was closed.
The music rang out again.
Clang!
Thud!
Clang!
Thud!
Clang!
The sound started and stopped with every movement.
The expressions on the faces of the three observers shifted in time with the noise.
"Phew..."
Yukino turned and returned to her seat. She massaged her temples with both hands, a rare look of distress appearing on her usually unflappable face.
She had never imagined such a bizarre person existed.
This social anxiety... was just too severe!
The only good news was probably that she really did play well?
But what use was a guitarist who could only play while hiding? How could she go on stage? No matter how well she played, what was the point?
"Um... do I still need to play?"
A pink figure quietly poked half a head out, looking at the outside world with expectant eyes.
"That won't be necessary."
"Gotoh-san, your condition is very serious. I want to ask, have you ever gone to a hospital for a checkup?"
Yukino asked this with utter seriousness.
She genuinely felt this might be a medical condition.
A physiological disorder of the nervous system or something similar.
"No, really, I haven't. I... I've been checked before..." Her voice grew quieter and quieter.
Yukino looked at Hitori Gotoh, then at Shoko Nishimiya, and suddenly spoke. "Alright, Gotoh-san. I can accept this request."
"Really?"
Hitori Gotoh's eyes seemed to radiate light.
"Yes. But you should hear my plan for you first."
"I believe you can proceed together with Nishimiya-san's plan. Nishimiya-san wants to make friends with people who don't discriminate against her. In fact, practically speaking, this means creating an 'Alliance of Outcasts' whose character is worth testing."
"Although it's harsh to say this, but... Gotoh-san, you don't have any friends, do you?"
Pfft!
Critical hit!
A direct strike to the heart!
Hitori shrank back into the trash can, muttering something unintelligible.
But right now, this "Demon King" was still speaking, showing absolutely no intention of stopping.
"Therefore, you can try to become friends with Nishimiya-san. At the same time, in the upcoming search and recruitment for this 'Alliance of Outcasts,' you must also participate. It will be good training for your courage. At the very least, you must be able to speak to people with your head held high."
"So, do you accept?"
Yukino Yukinoshita was a very "principled" person. If the client wasn't willing, then there was nothing more to say; she wouldn't force them.
Moreover, she could see that for someone with extreme social anxiety like Gotoh-san to come here and say so much, she wouldn't have been able to do it without a strong desire.
Therefore.
She actually wasn't worried that Gotoh-san would disagree.
Sure enough.
A small hand tremblingly reached out from the trash can. Although slow, it extended outward.
"Okay."
And just like that.
An extreme social phobe, a problem girl, and a loner with personality flaws.
They were gathered together.
Oh, wait. There was also Haruka, the guy whose heart had already been brushed with society's darker paint.
What a lineup. Truly wonderful.
***
Back home.
Humming a little tune, Haruka took beef out of the refrigerator, grabbed some flour, and mixed it with water.
Salt, chicken essence, peppercorns...
Stir-frying... pulling the noodles... boiling water...
Before long.
Two bowls of steaming hot beef ramen were freshly made.
Soon, Sora came running down the stairs, her footsteps pitter-pattering.
"Onii-chan!"
"Eat up quickly. It won't taste good if it gets cold," Haruka said with a smile.
While eating the ramen, savoring the rich aroma of the chicken broth and the chewy texture of the noodles, he thought about the fourth simulation coming up after midnight.
For the fourth simulation, he wanted to try something new.
He had already claimed the rewards for "Extremely Poor," "Bad," and "Excellent."
The remaining ratings were "Poor," "Good," and "Perfect."
"Perfect" was out of the question for now.
He could try for "Poor" and "Good."
Moreover, he still had two "Talent Selection Rights" he hadn't used yet.
Should he use them for the fourth simulation?
Before he knew it.
The ramen in his bowl was finished.
Opposite him, Sora was still eating in small bites. Seeing that Haruka had finished, she directly pushed her remaining half-bowl of noodles over. "Onii-chan, I can't eat anymore. I'll leave it to you."
After saying that, she ran back upstairs alone.
Haruka shook his head, accustomed to this routine.
This situation was too common.
Whenever the two went out to buy food, Sora would buy things she couldn't finish, and then leave it to him to solve.
Over time, now when he went out, he wouldn't buy much for himself.
Otherwise, he really couldn't finish portions meant for two people.
***
Night.
Twelve o'clock.
The moon was bright, and the stars were few.
Haruka looked at the bright moon outside the window and decided to spout something suitably mystical.
"How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank!"
Nodding with satisfaction, he closed the curtains and lay down on the bed.
He closed his eyes.
[Selectable Simulation Targets have been updated.]
[Shoko Nishimiya, Sora Kasugano, Hitori Gotoh, Yukino Yukinoshita.]
[Currently Locked Simulation Target: Shoko Nishimiya]
[Start Simulation?]
"Yes."
[Simulation Start]
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