Social Anxiety and the Rock of Loneliness

"Well... that's what people say."

Seeing everyone else chatting normally, Nijika joined the conversation.

"People who say they like everything are usually the pickiest. They can accept music in general, but they only listen to what they like best, making them the hardest to please."

"I see..." Kita nodded in realization.

Nijika reminded them, wagging her index finger with a smile.

"By the way, I like hardcore punk, which is what people usually call Japanese punk."

Ryo chimed in.

"I like techno-pop. Lately, I've been interested in the top charts in Saudi Arabia..."

Nijika, who knew Ryo's habits well, couldn't help but retort.

"Don't try to fool me with that tall tale of yours..."

"It's true..." Ryo's calm expression only betrayed a hint of complaint in her tone.

Ishikawa Hayato didn't think Ryo was lying and asked tentatively.

"Ryo, are you planning to handle the arrangement?"

Ryo nodded.

"Yeah, Nijika doesn't understand this stuff at all."

She didn't mention the others, but it was obvious.

Kita, who didn't understand music at all; Ishikawa Hayato, who had just started learning music when he joined; and Bocchi, whose actual skill level was unknown.

She was the only one the band could rely on.

"Ryo..."

Nijika realized her mistake and looked at Ryo in surprise. At the same time, she recognized Ryo's silent efforts and bowed her head deeply.

"Sorry!"

Seeing her apologize, Ryo said without holding back.

"I've been wanting a new bass lately..."

"No." Nijika's gaze immediately turned cold.

After the two finished speaking, Ishikawa Hayato said to Ryo.

"Call me if you need help. I'm also a little interested in arrangement."

He was a keyboardist himself, so if Ryo needed to add any embellishments to the songs, he would have to adjust the keyboard to play according to her needs.

He also needed to find an arranger and achieve the effect he was satisfied with.

Moreover, during the arrangement process, they could more easily find the right feel by trying out various actual keyboard sounds together.

As soon as he finished speaking.

Nijika, Kita, and Bocchi all froze.

"Huh?"

Ryo took a sip of her drink.

After putting down her cup, she made a slight sound and said nonchalantly.

"I won't hesitate to use you."

29. Conversation

"Ryo-senpai! Absolutely not!"

Kita Ikuyo immediately stood up.

She was concerned about the idol's safety in various ways! Even in front of Ishikawa Hayato, she unhesitatingly expressed her refusal.

"Why?"

Ryo tilted her head in confusion.

Her calm eyes seemed to see through everything as she quietly looked at Kita Ikuyo.

Faced with Ryo's composed demeanor, Kita Ikuyo felt as if her hidden thoughts had been exposed and was momentarily speechless.

"Um... it's not good for a man and a woman to be alone..."

She said weakly.

It was quite surprising that Kita Ikuyo didn't use the excuse 'Ishikawa Hayato is a pervert' to stop them.

Nijika quickly followed up with her own dissuasion, her words much more tactful.

"Ryo, Hayato-kun is also a boy. No matter what, it's not appropriate."

"You all thought I was that kind of person...?"

Just as their objections fell silent, Ishikawa Hayato, who was sitting beside them, suddenly spoke.

His dejected voice caused the two girls' attempts to stop him to freeze.

The two of them turned around like automatons and looked at Ishikawa Hayato.

Clearly, speaking ill of someone openly in front of them was a bit difficult for these two kind-hearted girls.

As they found themselves in a dilemma.

Ishikawa Hayato generously confessed.

"There's no need to worry about that, I often spend time alone with Bocchi too."

"Eh!!"

Nijika and Kita jumped up in surprise, looking at Bocchi with disbelief.

Even though they had only spent a day or two together, anyone could see Bocchi's timid nature, her fear of interacting with others.

This Bocchi dared to interact with Ishikawa Hayato?

Under their gaze, Bocchi tucked her hands to her chest and nodded at their vacant questioning.

"Ishikawa... class-mate is a good person..."

Poof.

Ishikawa Hayato clutched his chest.

As the situation began to get chaotic again, he put on a show of being hurt by Bocchi's "good person" card and continued the topic.

"This... let's leave it for... later, Kita, what kind of music do you like?"

Because she had something on her mind, Kita's reaction was a little slow, and she paused.

"Huh?"

Ishikawa Hayato asked again at a normal pace.

Kita blinked blankly. Just as she was about to say, "I don't know much about music genres, anything sounds good,"

She remembered Ryo-senpai's comment on Hayato-kun and her similar answer.

Oh no!

She absolutely didn't want Ryo-senpai to call her a troublesome person.

For a moment, she froze in place, under the gaze of the four of them, her face covered in cold sweat.

But at this moment, a playful person saw her predicament and unleashed a divine, unpredictable power and speed.

With two swift movements, he held a slip of paper upright against his chest.

Ishikawa Hayato wore a gentle smile, his eyes crinkling as he looked at Kita Ikuyo.

Kita Ikuyo immediately noticed this lifeline and hesitated.

Ishikawa-kun should... he shouldn't lie to me, right?

That's not right!

Just because I tried to stop him earlier, this cunning guy will definitely mess with me!

But...

I have no other options.

She weighed the consequences of the two answers on the scales in her heart.

One was Ryo-senpai coldly calling her "a troublesome person."

The other...

Kita Ikuyo chose the other without hesitation.

Her smile was brilliant, like a blooming flower, and she said in a cute, sweet tone.

"I love death metal, blackened death metal is the best."

No matter the consequences, it would be ten thousand times better than Ryo-senpai calling her "a troublesome person"!

Kita Ikuyo was certain of that.

As her voice rang out, the entire scene froze for a moment.

"Ah..."

Nijika's mind went blank as if struck by a shock.

Kita? Death metal?

She wasn't against that genre. In fact, that style was quite close to what ordinary people imagined rock music to be.

But seeing the sweet and radiant Kita say she liked it, she was startled and froze for a moment.

It was like the gentle Little Red Riding Hood next door, who normally smoked, drank, and chopped up the Big Bad Wolf.

When Ryo heard Kita's words, she quickly followed her gaze and saw Ishikawa Hayato putting away the slip of paper. She immediately understood.

"Pfft, that's great."

She covered her mouth and let out a small laugh, then held it in for a moment before slumping onto the table, her shoulders shaking.

"Ah... Kita, do you like it too?"

Bocchi's eyes lit up, and she leaned towards Kita in surprise.

Kita Ikuyo, on the other hand...

Ryo-senpai is smiling!

This music genre was now the path she wanted to pursue!

Beaming, she affirmed without hesitation.

"Yes!"

"Pfft."

Ryo almost burst out laughing when she heard that.

She desperately held back her laughter and exchanged a look with Ishikawa Hayato, frantically signaling him to let Kita discover the truth for herself.

Seeing the topic winding down, Nijika picked up the die again, but this time her movements were a bit hesitant.

She clearly hadn't recovered from the shock she'd just experienced.

She started to worry about what other explosive news she might hear later.

She hesitantly rolled the die.

Upon seeing the result, she breathed a sigh of relief.