Social Anxiety and the Rock of Loneliness

Her face flushed red, she closed her eyes and screamed with all her might.

"Aaaaaah."

On the other side, Bocchi took one look and, her face red, recoiled into the cardboard box as if drowning.

"This is... still..."

Ishikawa Hayato felt the impact wasn't enough. He slowly pinched the corner of his underwear and began to pull them up.

"Ooooh!"

Ryo recoiled backward as if shocked.

"Our band can become famous throughout Japan in a single day!"

Bocchi noticed the commotion outside had gotten stranger and couldn't help but peek out.

"Ah!"

The moment she saw Ishikawa Hayato, she covered her eyes. But in the next second, her middle and ring fingers parted, and her bright, clear eyes peered through the gap, fixated on Ishikawa Hayato.

"That's enough!"

Finally, Nijika's veins bulged on her forehead in anger. She grabbed a piece of cardboard from the side, blocked Ishikawa Hayato, and then punched him.

"Hayato-kun, even if you don't care about yourself, you can't do something illegal like that!"

"Yes, I'm sorry."

Ishikawa Hayato changed into normal clothes and knelt on the floor, obediently listening to Nijika's lecture.

Nijika stood with her hands on her hips, speaking sternly to Ishikawa Hayato.

"You've already committed indecent exposure, do you know that? It's fine here, but if you did this on stage during a performance and someone called the police, Hayato-kun would be arrested!"

"I am guilty."

Ishikawa Hayato meekly agreed, confessing obediently. But after speaking, he suddenly remembered someone.

He then dropped the obedient, listening expression and took out his phone from his pocket to search.

Hmm, as expected, it was there.

He showed her his phone amidst Nijika's confused expression.

"But performing in underwear, that's rock, right?"

Nijika stared at the concert on Ishikawa Hayato's phone, packed with a sea of people, and the striking white shorts, her red eyes wide with confusion.

Ryo didn't even need to look to know what Ishikawa Hayato was talking about. She affirmed, "Yeah, it's rock."

Beside her, Bocchi had already hidden in the cardboard box and was silent.

"Hey!" Nijika quickly tried to stop Ryo from fanning Ishikawa Hayato's flames.

But Ishikawa Hayato, after hearing Ryo's affirmation, believed he was in the right and stood up.

With Nijika and Ryo's gazes focused on him, he stared at his pants, inserted his hand into the waistband, and looked conflicted.

"What are you going to do?"

Nijika asked urgently, her guard up.

"Because it's rock, and I'm a pervert, it's okay to go a little too far, right? I can..."

"No!"

Nijika's eyes welled up with tears, her face bright red as she shouted.

Kita Ikuyo hesitated by the Shimokitazawa station.

Her cheerful demeanor had completely vanished as she gazed in the direction of STARRY.

Although she was afraid Ishikawa-san might post her apology online and buy traffic to make it trend.

After all, Ishikawa Hayato always gave the impression that there was nothing he wouldn't do.

But more than that, she was concerned about... the performance having a problem.

If the Kessoku Band's performance was ruined because of her, she would never forgive herself.

After much deliberation, she couldn't help but think of Ishikawa Hayato's sly smile.

Really!

Ishikawa Hayato, you just wait!

The performance began. Seika, now free, leaned against the bar, watching the Kessoku Band about to take the stage with a mix of nervousness and unease.

A guitarist had been brought in at the last minute, and they were going on stage after only a short period of practice and coordination.

I feel... extremely uneasy.

And Ryo, don't let her cheerful demeanor fool you; she knows how surprisingly fragile her sister is deep down.

She regretted it a little.

She shouldn't have casually agreed to go on stage with Ryo.

As footsteps sounded on stage, her gaze blurred for a moment as she looked at the stage.

She saw Ryo and Ishikawa Hayato helping to carry a cardboard box of ripe mangoes onto the stage. From beneath the lifted box, it was clear there was someone inside.

Seika covered her face.

But then, a person wearing a mask, sunglasses, and a hat, looking like they were about to rob the place, appeared at the counter, right in front of her, startling her.

Why are there so many weirdos today?

"I want to see Kessoku Band's performance."

The weirdo said, handing over money.

Hearing the voice, Seika immediately recognized the person.

She wasn't angry or annoyed, just normally took the money, then took out some yogurt and waved her hand, signaling her to go in quickly.

After helping to connect the power and briefly testing the sound, Nijika gave a signal to the lighting technician in the corner.

The lights came on.

The audience, who had already been making surprised noises, now looked clearly and began to exchange interesting whispers.

"A mango box?" / "A new way to play?"

At this moment, Nijika, who was about to introduce them, suddenly saw Ishikawa Hayato walking over. She immediately stared at him with caution.

But Ishikawa Hayato just leaned in and asked:

"Leader, can I do the opening?"

Nijika replied warily:

"Don't do anything weird!"

"Trust me."

Ishikawa Hayato said with a smile, his expression reliable.

Nijika pondered for a moment, her expression relaxing slightly, but then she heard Ishikawa Hayato say:

"Nijika, Kita is still a member of the band, right?"

Nijika blinked, not understanding his intention, and just replied, "Of course."

"Good evening! Nice to meet you all, we are Kessoku Band."

Ishikawa Hayato walked to the front of the stage, picked up the microphone from the side, and said to the audience.

"It might be a bit strange, but let us introduce the members directly."

He gestured broadly to the side, pointing at a surprised and flustered Nijika.

"Our leader, drummer, energetic and cheerful, yet gentle like a mother - Ijichi Nijika~"

Nijika's face immediately flushed red from his words, and she gave him a look that said, 'What nonsense are you talking about?' and glared at him.

She really shouldn't have agreed to this!

Then, noticing the audience's gaze, she shyly waved her hand at them.

The audience's mood seemed to have been playfully stirred up by Ishikawa Hayato.

Many of Nijika's friends even teasingly shouted, "Nijika~"

At the counter, Seika showed a slight smile and propped her face on her other hand.

Ishikawa Hayato continued the introductions, walking over to Ryo and leaning on her shoulder with the microphone.

"Bass, a cool and aloof lone wolf weirdo - Yamada Ryo~~"

And Ryo, just as he introduced her, didn't even change her expression amidst the embarrassing situation. She nodded slightly, then performed a solo that surprised the audience.

After finishing, Ishikawa Hayato said with a smile:

"By the way, she quite likes being called a weirdo."

Then he walked to the center of the stage and pointed to himself with his thumb.

"Keyboard, a freely happy pervert - Ishikawa Hayato. Well, no need to say more about being male."

He smiled, then walked towards the cardboard box that had been shaking since earlier.

It's... it's my turn soon?

Bocchi had just been thinking about the roaring cheers of "Bocchi! Bocchi!" from the audience when she was introduced.

But when it was actually her turn, she started to get scared.

Please, please skip me.

Beep beep.

The sound of her tapping on the cardboard box.

It was similar to when she had tapped on the wall before.

Then came Ishikawa Hayato's low voice.

"Gotou-san, it's just the two of us now. Please play something for me, something cool."

Liar, we're on stage right now.

Bocchi hesitated, inside the semi-dark cardboard box, pressing down on the strings and holding a pick.

As she faltered, she didn't hear any urging, but she thought of Ishikawa Hayato's gentle expression during lunch break.

Gradually, she felt as if a false, yet walkable, path was steadily awaiting her.

Nijika-chan, Ryo, Ishikawa-san.

In such a short time, I've met so many kind and gentle people.

Gotou Hitori tried to trick herself.

The guitar solo, which had silenced the audience, ended.

Clap clap clap.