Social Anxiety and the Rock of Loneliness

"Hayato-kun is already amazing! Yesterday you couldn't do it at all."

"Right, sis?"

After saying that, to strengthen her point, she sought outside support.

"Well, that was a bit harsh."

In her free time, Seika sounded quite perfunctory, looking away and changing the subject, but her tone did carry some intent to speak up for Ishikawa Hayato.

Nijika was long used to her sister's attitude and immediately turned to Ryo.

"Ryo, be gentler with me!"

Faced with this second consecutive blow, Ryo, who had just been fully satisfied with her sharp critique, froze, blinked in grievance, then turned to look at Ishikawa Hayato.

"How can Nijika say that about Ryo."

Unexpectedly, Ishikawa Hayato quickly walked over and shielded Ryo.

"Huh!?"

Nijika dumbly checked the expressions of those around her—she hadn't said anything wrong, had she? She was speaking up for Ishikawa Hayato, right?

"People need constant honing to grow, and besides, perverts don't get hurt—a pervert's mental bar is infinite!"

With a very proud tone, Ishikawa Hayato turned to Ryo and said.

"Please guide me with even harsher discipline!"

Pervert?

On the side, Seika heard Ishikawa Hayato's words and was full of question marks—what had happened to this kid after he stepped out just now?

He suddenly seemed like a different person.

She rubbed her eyes to confirm she wasn't dreaming.

Then she perked up a bit and paid attention to the situation.

Meanwhile, Ryo pulled a handkerchief from her pocket, wiping tears of emotion from the corner of her eye with one hand while patting Ishikawa Hayato's shoulder with the other.

"Mm, good. I'll make you the strongest keyboardist in all of Japan."

Nijika felt mentally exhausted. Was there some curse on her band? When Ishikawa Hayato first arrived, he was so normal, but now...

Weirdo, pervert...

What's next?

Still, seeing that the two were getting along fairly well, she breathed a sigh of relief. And it seemed Ishikawa Hayato would soon be able to play together too—it felt like the band was gradually taking shape.

Thank goodness.

Ishikawa Hayato stepped off the train and immediately spotted Ishikawa Jinpei in the distance.

The two men of the Ishikawa family locked eyes from afar and then gathered together.

Ishikawa Jinpei walked over like a good buddy, draping his arm around Ishikawa Hayato's shoulder.

"Yo, how's the harem progress?"

Hearing the man's tone, like he was waiting to see him make a fool of himself, Ishikawa Hayato curled his lip in disdain.

"Good evening, Dad. Today, a girl stared at me intently with a deep gaze for a long time."

Ishikawa Hayato disdained lying—he only ever told the truth.

Kita Ikuyo had indeed stared at him (at his hands) for a long time.

"Stared for a long time..."

Ishikawa Jinpei and Ishikawa Hayato left the station and walked toward home, their arms around each other's shoulders, heading toward the lights of countless households.

The head of the Ishikawa family kept thinking as he walked, his brow slightly furrowed, constantly listing various possibilities.

Ishikawa Hayato quietly watched his dad. The guy's expression shifted from initial confusion to tension, then to panic, and finally his hands even started trembling.

He didn't even need to think to know what was going through that man's head.

He spoke first.

"Your next line is: 'Go apologize! Right now, go apologize in person! Before she calls the cops.'"

"Go apologize! Right now, go apologize in person! Before she calls the cops."

Ishikawa Jinpei even said it half a beat behind Ishikawa Hayato. Getting his line stolen, he made a face like he'd swallowed a fly.

Ishikawa Hayato smirked triumphantly.

"At the next family meeting, I'll propose to your mother that we cut your allowance."

Ishikawa Jinpei, completely lacking martial virtue, pulled out an outside tactic. At that, the smug smile shifted from Ishikawa Hayato's face to Ishikawa Jinpei's.

This father-son pair proved with facts that smiles don't disappear—they only transfer.

And Ishikawa Hayato, who originally didn't rely on his allowance and barely even took it, now, after buying the keyboard, had only a pitiful few coins left in his pocket.

He patted his pocket and made a decision.

"If Mom approves, then I'll..."

Ishikawa Jinpei's head tilted higher and higher.

"I'll hug her leg and never let go until she changes her mind! I swear it in the name of a pervert!"

Ishikawa Hayato spoke with conviction; anyone who knew him wouldn't take his words as a joke.

"You little brat, get the hell out!"

Their shouting drew the neighbors out.

After apologizing and greeting everyone along the way, they reached home to find Ishikawa Shizuka standing at the door with her hands on her hips.

"I'm sorry!"

Ishikawa Hayato bowed his head without hesitation and apologized sincerely.

This reaction startled Ishikawa Jinpei, who was still hesitating—do you have no dignity at all?

After studying music theory and related knowledge at his sister's place, it was already very late.

Ishikawa Hayato walked contentedly back to his room. Opening the door, the first thing he saw was a poem written in kanji.

'From tomorrow on, be a happy person... From tomorrow on, write to every relative. Tell them my happiness.'

This was from his elementary school calligraphy class. When the teacher suggested writing down a favorite phrase, he'd written this poem and kept it ever since.

Every day he reviewed it, asking himself if he'd achieved it, if he'd made his family and friends feel happy.

Today, without a doubt, was another joyful day.

"Tomorrow too, I'll charge forward on the path of perversion!"

Ishikawa Hayato lazily and relaxedly walked to his bed, flopped down, and on the bed full of his own scent, his body and mind didn't want to move, wrapped in comfort.

But Ishikawa Hayato's thoughts hadn't stopped.

"No... I received so much feedback today. I need to correct each one and greet tomorrow with a more perfect perverted posture..."

The next moment, his eyes snapped open, the word "pervert" flashing in his left and right eyes respectively.

"Open the book!"

12. Deception

"This is a pervert's kiss goodbye. Well then, I'm off."

Ishikawa Hayato, as always, expressed his feelings to his family straightforwardly, then picked up his bag to leave.

"Wait, big brother."

Hibiki came pattering over in her slippers, holding out a piece of paper. Judging by its appearance, it was the one Ishikawa Hayato had given her before.

"I found a dessert shop. Treat me after school."

She stuffed the note into Ishikawa Hayato's hand.

Ishikawa Hayato watched his little sister silently clench her fist and knew he couldn't brush this off.

He took out his wallet, checked the amount inside, swallowed his saliva, and with tears in his eyes, stuffed the note in.

Let it be reiterated: he was the most failed transmigrator ever, having to calculate even treating his sister to dessert.

"I've got band practice today. How about the weekend?"

Hibiki, seeing her brother's wallet-checking motion, suddenly remembered he'd spent all his savings on instruments. Her anticipation dropped, and she reached out.

"Forget it, give it back."

"No. In front of a pervert, there's no room for regret. When do you want to go?"

Ishikawa Hayato, ignoring his bleeding wallet, declared with righteous fervor.

As a pervert, there's only forward, no retreat!

Hibiki's tone lifted, and she said lightly, "Then tomorrow~"

"OK."

Ishikawa Hayato flashed a hand sign and walked out of the house stylishly.

On the main road near school, Ishikawa Hayato casually looked around, searching for a particularly conspicuous pink figure.

As a social anxiety sufferer, daring to stand out from the crowd—this was what he found interesting about Gotou Hitori.

To put it bluntly, this girl was clumsy to the core. She wanted to change but couldn't find the key point, or she overdid it, only to trap herself further.

She was worth teasing.

That pervert thought so.

And today was very lucky—amid the sea of beige school uniforms, he successfully spotted a particularly eye-catching pink.

Today was his lucky day.

Ishikawa Hayato didn't call out to her directly. Instead, he quickened his pace until he was close to Gotou Hitori before speaking.

"Gotou-san."

Hearing someone call her surname, Gotou Hitori didn't realize it was for her.

Her first reaction was to curiously glance around, looking for whoever shared her family name.

But when she stealthily turned her head, she saw behind her that cheerful, handsome guy who'd left a deep impression on her, staring at her with the curious gaze of someone observing a small animal.

Aaaaaah!!!

Startled, Gotou Hitori let out a silent scream. Her whole body stiffened as if pulled taut, and she covered her face, trembling.

A moment later, she snapped out of it. Ignoring the students passing by in all directions, she bowed her head frantically and apologized.

"Sorry, sorry! I didn't notice you, I'm really sorry!"

Hmm... If it were anyone else, being apologized to so dramatically on the street—especially in such a crowded place—they'd probably feel a bit awkward too.

But who was our protagonist?

Ishikawa Hayato!

Even if she broke into a samba dance right here, he could keep up.

"It's fine, it's fine."

He waved his hand to show it didn't matter, then said with a smile.

"Let's walk to school together."

"Ah, yes."