The social phobia substitute will not dream of the band girl

"...Hehe~ I will obey your order, my Lord Emperor."

"Emperor? Hmm... I feel inferior to the emperor who sits on a golden toilet—"

The little bit of admiration and longing I had just felt was immediately washed away! Sure enough, this man still lacked a bit of seriousness and formality...

But he is already the most powerful man in the world, especially in that he can help her grow taller!!!

Volume 3: The Future Seen by Shang Xin

Chapter 0 Interlude: Dreams and Thoughts of the Past

"Where's Toru-kun?"

"Eh...what?"

"Huh—..Why are you daydreaming again? Did you discover something again?"

The "boy" with short hair that hadn't been dyed with cyan highlights at that time was daydreaming again, and as expected, he was interrupted by his friend again.

"Hmm...I don't know."

"Where is this? Like the answer to waking up and realizing you had a dream but can't remember it, or the answer to my question of 'what is a dream?'"

The boy with short black hair didn't show any anger at this impolite behavior. He just repeated the question in a caring manner. Little did he know that it was this attitude that made the other party feel like a close friend.

"Hmm...I don't know."

"So that means you don't know anything, right? ...But that's not right. You need to plan carefully for every stage of your life. If you don't have goals and pressure, it's easy to get lost and waste your precious time."

This statement made sense, but when it came from a child sitting on a swing in the park, it seemed so absurd and ironic. The boy did not force this first friend he made here to answer, but simply raised the question and provoked "him" to think.

"If not, then it won't work?"

The "boy" sitting on the other swing next to him wasn't an ordinary person either, judging by his appearance or his way of thinking. If someone were to "answer a question with a question," Ping Xin might simply respond with an international friendly gesture, but to "him"—

"Well...it's not impossible, but I hope that Toru-kun can become better with me. Otherwise, when the day comes when I'm alone, I'm sure it will be very lonely."

The "boy" who was called Toru-kun, but he didn't know at that time that his full name was Asakura Toru, was actually not a boy at all, but just a girl who was often mistaken for a beautiful boy.

She turned her head and looked at the black-haired boy who had blushed and turned away after a long conversation. Something new and exciting arose in her heart. She didn't know what it was, because there was no need to know.

It will appear when it is time to appear, and it will become clear when it is time to know. It is just like the clear and transparent feeling she gives people, just like water that benefits all things without competing.

“…Hehe~”

After letting out two light chuckles, the black-haired boy, feeling aroused, turned his head and looked at her. The metal joints of the swing creaked, and she began to swing. She didn't know why, but she just wanted to do this.

He also started swinging, perhaps to relieve the embarrassment, perhaps just to do the same as his friends, or maybe he didn't know and just did it because he wanted to.

"...So, what should we do?"

The black-haired boy froze when he heard "we," and the swing's amplitude gradually decreased. If it were him, Hirayuko could have come up with a rough plan for his life.

But for "us", what is the right thing to do, what is the right time, and what efforts should be made, this is a blind spot for him, a guy who has always been alone in his previous life.

So he fell into thought, not looking up at the sky or down at the ground, but sitting there motionless, thinking. He couldn't imagine the future that belonged to "us" because he could only see "myself" in his eyes.

"In short, just find a goal you want and work hard to reach it...right?"

Normally when he was in kindergarten, he would sit alone in a corner with a book that only adults could understand, but when Koito came to him to read a picture book, he would not pause for a moment but read it all in one go.

So in Asakura Toru's eyes at that time, perhaps he was someone who knew everything and understood everything, so she was happy to follow him. But this kind of hesitation and inability to make a judgment was the first time she had seen him.

"...So, what about the target?"

"Um......"

This time his silence was even longer and more intense than before, so long that the swing stopped making any sound, and her eyes became dry from staring at him.

But in the end, he turned his head and answered firmly, "Sorry, I don't know... Because the future is sometimes too far away for us, even I can't be sure what is the best choice."

"Uh-huh!"

Although he didn't understand, Toru Asakura still responded to him.

"So let's go find it!"

"...Eh?"

"If there's no road, then we'll open one; if there's no ship, then we'll build one with our own hands; if there's no goal, then we'll just find it—!"

It was a sunny day, the weather was pleasant, with a strong wind and bright sun. It was hot, I wanted to drink some water, and it was blindingly bright. Even after nearly a decade, Asakura Toru still remembers these things clearly.

But what blinded her was not the sun in the sky, but him beside her. Just like she remembered this memory not because of the sunshine, weather or swing, but because of him.

"Well... let's go find it then."

"Well, let's go find them together! As long as we find and achieve each small goal, we will definitely be able to accomplish great things and become great people!"

Even though his inner self was a dead object lacking vitality and energy, he seemed to have found something that living people should strive for. So the black-haired boy stood up, raised his hand, and clenched his fist as if he was trying to grasp the sun.

"Well, go climb the climbing frame."

Hey, why?

Although he had doubts for a moment, he quickly figured it out. "Climbing is just a metaphor, not a real climb!"

"Climbing frame..."

The black-haired boy looked at the unreachable mountain in front of him, and felt his heart surge for the first time in a long time.

No one has ever reached the "peak", and everyone regards it as stupid, meaningless and worthless.

For children, this is something that is out of reach and impossible to do, but for adults, it is something they are capable of doing but have no need, no motivation, and may be ashamed to let others see.

"Then—come on!"

On that day, Toru Asakura and Hei Nobu began their climb...a journey that would last a lifetime.

......

...

..

"To be specific, my future dream is probably to have a harem and spend time with beautiful girls, and have Toru-kun join me (as a harem king), right?"

"Eh...what's a 'harem'?"

"Hmm... I don't know, but I can definitely do it if it's you."

In a corner of the kindergarten, four children were gathered together, discussing something. However, when the black-haired boy said something, the brown-haired boy and the cute girl with twintails tilted their heads in confusion before expressing their own thoughts.

The girl with long brown hair sighed and responded with a disgusted expression: "If you say that again, I will tell your father."

"Then he might be very happy."

The brown-haired girl was silent.

"But as for 'harem'... is it a good place?"

Being stared at with such innocent eyes by his best friend, even Hein Xin felt a little embarrassed. So he could only blink and answer vaguely: "A harem...Is it a place where everyone lives happily together? Actually, I don't understand."

I don’t believe you, the brown-haired girl sighed in her heart. In fact, she didn’t fully understand it.

"Isn't that great... Let's do it."

"Well... let's do it!"

Chapter 1 In this cherry blossom season

"Uh... In this cherry blossom season, unfortunately, I was once again dragged here by Principal Kirikiri, a tearful middle-aged man whose daughter ran away to England, to give a speech.

Here you can enjoy an extremely superior educational and learning environment... For example, there is an inexpensive cafeteria that provides delicious and nutritious food; complete and advanced school facilities, such as advanced teaching aids and materials, a large playground, a swimming pool, a gymnasium and various courts; the best educational resources. In addition to excellent teachers, we will occasionally invite domestic and foreign experts and scholars to come and exchange ideas, communicate with various schools and foreign schools, and even organize short-term study abroad.

In conclusion, on behalf of the second and third grade students, I welcome all the younger students, both known and unknown, to the high school department of Shengxiang Middle School. The above is desu——"

The man on the stage, who was obviously disheveled and yawning, hurried on and off the stage, as if he would explode if he stayed there for another second.

Although there are arguments that this kind of speech is to lower one's image to prevent being caught by the student union and become the president, or to help a certain socially anxious schoolmate escape early...

But after all, this guy was just being annoying, right? Anyone would have thought so, but the second and third year students' enthusiastic applause left the freshmen baffled, and in the end, it all ended successfully (?). So happy, so happy!

The only reason this man was in such a hurry and had to change clothes in a car with anti-peep film was because he was about to rush to the next place to attend the next meeting.

......

...

..

"Hey, new guy, what's going on? Why are you late on your first day at work?!"

"I'm really sorry. I'm really sorry for being late due to personal reasons!"

"Really... I don't know why you were suddenly transferred here by the higher-ups, and why you wear this weird headgear when you work, and you were assigned to be in charge of the undebuted idol group noctchill that a bunch of people are vying for, but since you're here, you have to abide by the rules..."

I don’t know if it was because of too much pressure or simply because the uncle at this age touched his Mediterranean sea, sighed and continued.

"You can arrange your own working hours. After all, our industry emphasizes 24/7 work. But there is only one thing you must remember - you must abide by Hengxin's rules!"

Undeterred by the aura of his senior, the curious newcomer stood at attention and loudly replied, "Yes!... I stayed up all night last night memorizing all the rules. Feel free to check them anytime. If you have no other instructions, I'll start preparing now!"

This attitude and enthusiasm were also felt by other employees present. Many of them smiled knowingly, but the majority of people continued to work hard and run intensive field work every day to attract business. This is the daily routine here.

After seeing his performance, the head of the Mediterranean Section also nodded. Since he was arranged by the higher-ups, he was definitely not some second-generation rich kid who was parachuted in. After all, everyone in Hengxin must have sufficient abilities.

Since he was capable enough, it wouldn't be strange if he wore a strange mask. After all, the Hengxin Group had the most capable people, and even more than those capable people were the weirdos.

"Well...anyway, work hard and make them shine in your own way!" After patting the young man on the shoulder, the section chief returned to his seat and continued working. The more capable people are here, the busier they will be, so you have to work harder today!

"Inhale...exhale——"

I don't know how he could breathe deeply through a mask and still be heard, but this young man with excellent lung capacity stood there, bowed, and then left. This was the place where matters related to idol activities were centralized, Idol Department No. 1.

The lounges, dance rooms, recording studios and other places assigned to the idols are all in other buildings not far away, just like the division of responsibilities and tasks in the workplace here, orderly and well-organized.

Although they were still idols who hadn't debuted yet, they had shown potential. With a little effort from someone, they were assigned to a good place. It wasn't the most prestigious place, but for them who were about to start, this empty space was the best choice.

"Okay... Next we need to decorate this place nicely."

He stood there with his hands on his hips. Although he had roughly arranged the layout of the furniture based on the building structure and layout a few days ago, he still had to arrange it himself after the goods arrived.

"When they see this, will they make another one?...Hehehe~~"

Humming a certain melody, the man began to set up this new idol agency.

This will be a new starting point, a new beginning.

......

...

..

"...The cherry blossoms are blooming."

Toru Asakura smiled as she looked at the cherry blossoms on both sides of the street. Today she seemed to be walking faster than usual, and she was always walking in front of the four of them.

Although it was a little late, it was just as that man’s sister said, they would eventually meet again and embark on the journey together again.

"Tou-chan, it's not over there!"

Fukumaru Koito called out to Tou who had disappeared into some alley, then turned to Ichikawa Hina and Higuchi Enka who were traveling with them and said.

"Speaking of which, I wonder what kind of person our producer will be? It would be great if he was kind and considerate."

"Ahaha~ Hina (I) feel the same way. It would be nice if someone would treat me to some snacks~"

Hinana just stared aimlessly at the surrounding scenery. Perhaps she was the one who cared the least of all. As long as she was happy, it didn't matter what kind of producer she was. She had no obsession with idols, just like the other three.

"Yeah...it will, for sure."

"Eh? Why are you so sure, Tou-chan?"

Although this statement may not seem very reliable coming from a person who has just turned into a dead end, but considering that this person is Toru Asakura, perhaps one could add, "Sir, I think there must be something fishy about this matter."