Social Anxiety and the Rock of Loneliness

Kita, holding the guitar Ryo had lent her, touched the strings, which were much thinner than those she was used to, a hesitant look on her face as she received the gazes of the others.

For a moment, she didn't know what to do. Though both had six strings, the different feel gave her a completely different sensation.

Maybe I should just forget about it.

The moment those words surfaced in her mind, she felt an immense sense of familiarity.

It was, she felt, the most regrettable decision she had made recently.

Fleeing from Ijichi-senpai, Ryo-senpai, and Ishikawa-kun's band because she was too afraid to explain was the thing she had regretted most during this time.

Now that she was faced with a choice again, this time...

She raised her head and looked across the room.

Behind Ijichi-senpai, who wore a worried expression, Ishikawa Hayato, the one with the nasty personality who had been teasing her lately, was smiling at her.

There was no mockery in that smile.

Remembering what he had just said to her today, "Good, Kita, you've grown!"

She felt that if she backed down now, she would definitely be looked down upon. At the same time, she would also be letting Ryo-senpai down if she didn't dare to play the guitar she had lent her.

Clutching the guitar, she looked around at everyone and said firmly.

"Then let me give it a try."

After saying that, she had a strange sense of déjà vu. It seemed like not long ago, she had said something similar with just as much confidence.

Instantly, she began to panic.

41. Goal

Kita Ikuyo understood that things couldn't be done well just by thinking about them.

Although she had been diligently practicing guitar on the bass guitar and earnestly studying the instructional materials online.

But the two instruments, which looked so similar, were ultimately different.

Moreover, this was the first time she had ever held a guitar.

After struggling to play a small section that she had often practiced before, she anxiously looked up at the others and tentatively asked in a small voice.

"...How was it?"

Faced with her anxiety, Nijika looked at her in surprise and said.

"For a beginner, that was amazing!"

"Really?!" Kita Ikuyo's face lit up with a smile.

"Ah... yeah."

Bocchi also nodded weakly.

Indeed, she could sense that Kita had been practicing diligently, and for a beginner, being able to play through a small section was already very impressive.

But after she said that, she quickly glanced at Ryo and Ishikawa Hayato beside her.

Hayato was fine... Though his gentleness always came in a roundabout way, he would never want to hurt anyone's feelings.

But Ryo felt like she would be very strict...

However, contrary to what she expected.

Ryo said very objectively.

"It's still a long way from being performance-ready, but..."

She paused, a hint of a smile appearing as if she was satisfied.

"Not bad."

"Senpai! I will definitely practice hard and absolutely will not let the guitar you lent me be disgraced!"

Kita shone brightly!

Ishikawa Hayato glanced at Bocchi, who was letting out a silent wail, and seeing that everyone else was satisfied with Kita, he decided to play devil's advocate.

"Ryo did say that it's still a long way from being ready to perform on stage, though."

But it seemed that this level of cold water couldn't extinguish Kita Ikuyo's enthusiasm, or rather, it ignited it even more.

Coupled with Ryo-senpai's recognition just now, she had already stepped halfway into invincibility!

She pointed at Ishikawa Hayato and said to him.

"Ishikawa-kun, I will definitely catch up to you quickly."

Ishikawa Hayato was taken aback, then narrowed his eyes like a fox. "Oh, want to bet on it?"

"Kita-chan! Absolutely don't do it!"

Knowing how much of a pervert Ishikawa Hayato was, Nijika desperately tried to stop her.

Afterward, the five of them simply continued to occupy the rehearsal room, pulled over a few chairs from the side, sat around together, and began to discuss their plans for the future.

"Eh... Bocchi-chan is going to teach Kita-chan guitar? That's great."

Nijika's gaze moved from the smiling Kita Ikuyo to Bocchi, who was looking down with a somewhat gloomy expression.

Seeing that even Bocchi nodded slightly in agreement, she asked Bocchi, "Bocchi-chan, won't it be too much for you to handle so many things? Should we let Hayato-kun write the lyrics?"

Lyrics!

Bocchi was shocked; she had forgotten all about it after hearing about the date yesterday.

Wh-what should I do? Have I been found out? Am I going to be executed?

Hayato, help!

"Bocchi-chan?"

Nijika asked, looking puzzled at Bocchi, who was suddenly sweating.

But then, Ishikawa Hayato suddenly started humming a song.

"Pure expectations are right before my eyes, I pursue them unrestrainedly~"

"Becoming a pervert~~ is so..."

Hearing the lyrics Hayato sang at the beginning, along with a tune she had never heard before, Nijika was a little surprised by his creative ability; he was improvising already.

But as soon as that last line came out, her eyes glazed over.

The entire style of the lyrics changed in an instant.

Like a flower covered in pollutants, it could no longer be admired.

Nijika covered her face in sorrow, looking as if she knew she had chosen the wrong person.

"I get it! Hayato-kun, shut your mouth."

Ishikawa Hayato smiled, stopped singing, and then asked Bocchi, "Bocchi, how have you thought it over?"

The others' eyes returned to the somewhat calmer Bocchi, who secretly looked up from under her bangs and said, "Ah... it's... it's okay."

Hearing Bocchi's reply and noticing the slight change in her expression, Nijika looked at Ishikawa Hayato, who was sitting loosely, and sighed inwardly.

For some reason, she admired him a little; whether it was Kita or Bocchi, he seemed to see through their hearts and easily controlled the situation.

He gave the impression that communicating with him was easy and pleasant.

Hayato-kun is really amazing. He hasn't known Kita and Bocchi for very long, has he?

As she was thinking this, she suddenly saw Ishikawa Hayato give her a bright smile and a thumbs up.

Nijika: !!!

Could it be!

No, no, it's impossible.

Ishikawa Hayato looked at Nijika's stunned expression and unceremoniously guided the conversation.

"Then, next, we'll create our own songs. As for the next performance, should we wait until Kita has practiced her guitar to a level where she can perform on stage?"

He asked Nijika.

Nijika quickly recovered from her daze, glanced at Kita, and said to him cheerfully, "Of course, we're Kessoku Band, after all."

"I'll do my best!" Kita nodded seriously.

Ishikawa Hayato teased Nijika.

"You were so unwilling to accept this band name before."

"Shut up!"

Nijika blushed, and as she spoke, she looked at the culprit who had caused their band name to become what it was.

Ryo was curving her mouth, with shining stars in the corners of her eyes.

Looking as if she was waiting for her to praise it.

"I'm not going to praise you!"

Nijika was so angered by this pair of troublemakers that she shouted.

Because they had reaffirmed their goal, they didn't do the aimless practice they had been doing before. Instead, they gave the rehearsal room to the two guitarists in the band, allowing Bocchi to focus on teaching Kita.

Nijika, Ryo, and Ishikawa Hayato walked out of the rehearsal room.

Ishikawa Hayato followed behind Ryo, watching Nijika's steps, which seemed a little slower than usual.

He tentatively, with a faint voice, guessed what she was thinking.

"I'm so worried about Bocchi-chan..."

As soon as he said that, the ahoge on Nijika's head suddenly stood up straight. She stiffly turned around, looking at the two behind her.

Ryo, expressionless, pointed at Ishikawa Hayato, who was hiding behind her, unceremoniously betraying her friend.

Seeing Ryo's reaction and realizing that the voice had come from Ishikawa Hayato, Nijika shouted in embarrassment and annoyance.

"Ishikawa-kun!"

After shouting, she puffed out her cheeks, her bright red eyes staring at Ishikawa Hayato with a mix of shyness and anger.

"Sorry, sorry."

Ishikawa Hayato smiled, bowing repeatedly in apology.

At the same time, he silently remembered in his heart that he couldn't tease Nijika like that.

He had to find another way.

In the end, only Ryo and Ishikawa Hayato were left.

The two looked at each other in silence.

As for Nijika, she had been teased by Ishikawa Hayato just now, and declared that since Bocchi and Kita were doing individual practice, she would go practice on her own as well, and they would switch to self-directed practice today.

Then she quickly ran away.

She ran very fast and urgently.