Social Anxiety and the Rock of Loneliness

Because today was his day off, Gotou Naoki, who was at home watching a movie with his wife and daughter, received a phone call.

"Hello, is this Uncle Gotou? This is Ishikawa Hayato, I apologize for calling so suddenly."

Bocchi's father greeted his wife and daughter after receiving the call and left the room.

"No, Hayato-kun, did something happen to Hitori?"

Although he asked that, he didn't seem too worried, after all, he could hear the calmness in Ishikawa Hayato's tone.

"No, Hitori is already on the train back. What I'm worried about is that today, I and the other band members decided to work at a livehouse to earn funds for the band's activities."

Gotou Naoki exclaimed in surprise, "Work!?" Then he realized his voice was too loud, as if he was objecting, and quickly explained.

"I'm very much in favor of it, but can Hitori do it?"

Ishikawa Hayato: "I think it's okay to let Hitori try, and she agreed, but I don't know if she really agreed, I'm a little worried."

Ishikawa Hayato: "If Hitori does anything strange, please tell me, I'm sorry to trouble you, Uncle."

Ishikawa Hayato: "By the way, everyone in the band except me are girls of similar age, so don't worry."

Gotou Naoki: "No, I'm already relieved with Hayato-kun around."

After hanging up the phone, Gotou Naoki looked at his wife, who had come out of the living room with a worried expression. He calmed himself down, but couldn't help but say with emotion.

"Honey, Hitori has made some really good friends!!"

Then, he told Gotou Michiyo about his conversation with Ishikawa Hayato on the phone just now.

Gotou Michiyo's face showed a surprised smile.

"Wow, what great kids!"

47. Assassin

"I... I'm sorry! Please, Hayato-kun, punish me for using such despicable means to avoid going to work when I clearly agreed to it!"

Ishikawa Hayato, having finished his shower, leaned back leisurely in his room's chair, casually resting his elbow on the armrest, holding his phone, and tilting his head to listen.

He heard Bocchi's voice, full of repentance, from the other end of the phone, and the image of her small figure kneeling properly in apology floated into his mind.

The image of the pink and cute Bocchi weakly curled up and kneeling was kind of cute just thinking about it.

Imagining the amusing scene, he smiled and said in a gentle voice.

"No, I'm just worried about whether Bocchi has done anything dangerous. If you don't want to go, I'd still like to hear Bocchi say she doesn't want to go directly."

Bocchi: "Ah..."

She exclaimed softly, then remained silent for a long time.

Ishikawa Hayato waited patiently for her hesitation and inner struggle.

Until a little while later, she said affirmatively.

"I... I can do it."

Ishikawa Hayato smiled and touched the textbook he was halfway through studying on the desk and said to her:

"Then the person who lies will swallow a thousand needles."

As he said that, he heard the sound of her swallowing nervously on the other end of the line, and said in a joking tone:

"Just kidding, but I'll still ask Uncle to pay attention to Bocchi later, don't do anything to hurt yourself."

Bocchi responded with a low, drawn-out sound.

"Mm..."

Then, the waveform representing the sound of their communication suddenly became flat, with only some tiny, low frequencies constantly transmitting something.

Something like sweetness and softness.

After a long time, Ishikawa Hayato listened to the other party's slight breathing and said nervously, pursing his lips.

"Then that's it, see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, see you tomorrow."

At the same time, near a high school not too far from Ishikawa Hayato's house.

Several young people who still came to school for club activities even during the holidays were walking slowly down the road.

Among this group, there were energetic sports youths, gloomy and taciturn otaku youths, and tall youths with a casual dress who gave off a menacing, delinquent-like feeling.

They were combined in a way that was somewhat incomprehensible.

"Yu, you're keeping up with everyone's training plan now."

"Yeah, but I'm still not used to being covered in sweat."

"You're too out of shape, even if you're an otaku, you need to run!"

"Haha..."

Watching them joke around, one of the youths suddenly said worriedly:

"Speaking of which... Big Brother Hayato suddenly ran off to another school without a word, and it's been a month without any big moves... it's a bit unlike him."

A delinquent-like youth laughed wildly, "Didn't news already spread that he's dominating that school?"

"Dominating... don't use such delinquent terms."

"I don't care, Big Brother is the best, invincible, a Tenjin!"

The previously worried youth shook his head.

"I'm just wondering, even though everyone is in schools nearby, why did Hayato suddenly run off? I feel like he has some plan..."

"Yeah... isn't it better to change the world with us... Daigo's school seems to be in a bad situation..."

"Let's not rush, we'll go over when they need help."

At this moment, a boy who was lagging behind, looking at his phone, suddenly shouted.

"Guys! Come and see, isn't this Big Brother?"

Instantly, the group of boys all curiously surrounded him, the small phone screen filled with pairs of staring eyes.

On a stage, at the edge of the lights, a handsome, confident boy of their age was smiling brightly as he played the keyboard.

Even with their shallow level of musical knowledge, they could tell that the song wasn't played very well.

But...

The music seemed to carry a sense of freedom that made people relax.

But their attention wasn't here, but fixed on the blurry figure of the boy at the edge of the lights.

After a while, the delinquent youth said with certainty:

"It's Big Brother."

"Yeah..."

After confirming, the group felt strange in their hearts, unable to speak for a moment.

The melancholy youth also opened his phone and searched.

He found a more complete version.

After Ishikawa Hayato's self-introduction for the band, his declarative voice echoed on the side of the street.

"Then, the rock to break loneliness is about to begin."

The boy was stunned for a moment, then looked at the others, and in their vaguely understanding, yet seemingly uncomprehending expressions, he said.

"So that's how it is."

The next morning, Ishikawa Hayato said goodbye to his family 'gently' as always, greeted every neighbor he knew along the way, and cheerfully hummed a song as he headed to school.

Near the school, he was quite lucky today, seeing a guitar-carrying girl wearing a pink tracksuit and a skirt over her pants.

He quickly walked over, getting closer before calling out.

"Bocchi, good morning."

Bocchi, who had been slightly wary of someone approaching quickly, immediately felt relieved when she heard the voice.

She turned her head, her uneasy blue eyes looking at Ishikawa Hayato, and nodded slightly.

"Good morning, Hayato."

After she responded, Ishikawa Hayato looked her up and down a few times, reassuringly saying.

"Looks like you haven't continued to do stupid things."

Hearing Ishikawa Hayato say that, Bocchi immediately thought of the foolish things she had done yesterday, and panicked.

"Ah..."

She immediately wanted to apologize, but was too nervous to speak for a moment.

"Ah.. ah ah.."

She waved her hands helplessly, but was immediately grabbed by the wrist by Ishikawa Hayato, who changed the subject and asked again.

"So you've decided to work part-time?"

Seeing the slightly serious Ishikawa Hayato, Bocchi was quickly calmed by his emotions, and she followed him at a pace that didn't fall behind Ishikawa Hayato, keeping her head down.

She said weakly, a little hesitant but firm.

"Nijika... comforted me this morning too, I... I will work hard."

After her first 'vocalization' of the day, Bocchi spoke much more naturally.

After she finished speaking, she felt as if she had given all the credit to Nijika, and hurriedly turned to Ishikawa Hayato, even leaning forward as if probing, and raised her voice.

"But I still have to thank Hayato, it's all because..."

Before she could finish speaking, she met the eyes of Ishikawa Hayato, who had been looking at her, and became speechless.

Seeing Bocchi's gaze suddenly turn to him, then suddenly fearfully avoid him, and her lowered expression, Ishikawa Hayato teased.

"Bocchi is so cute."

Instantly, Bocchi buried her head even deeper.

Meanwhile, Kita, who had noticed the two of them and was planning to greet them, saw this scene from afar and swallowed the shout that had reached her lips.

When lunchtime arrived...

She could feel the band was almost entirely waiting for her alone. Kita, accustomed to responding to others, couldn't wait to take out her phone and send a message to her 'mentor.'

"Gotou-san, can you practice with me during lunch break?"

As she typed on the Line, Ishikawa Hayato passed by her and saw the words on her phone screen, sighing.

"How youthful."

Feeling mocked by this guy, Kita snorted softly, turning her phone in another direction.

Ishikawa Hayato smiled and didn't stop, leisurely walking past her.

Kita's peripheral vision kept watching him until he had left the classroom.

Just then, Bocchi, who seemed to have no social life and remained in a fully-standby state at school, immediately replied to the message.

"Kita-chan, can we practice in the storage room? If you come, please don't bring anyone else, and don't let anyone find out."

Kita's expression instantly froze when she saw the Line.

Bocchi is talking about practicing guitar, right?

Why does it feel so dangerous?

She looked at the door again. Ishikawa Hayato had already left, then turned back to her phone, hesitated, and replied.

"Okay..."