45: Hitori-san’s New Friend

[Ding! Temporary mission activated.]

[Even lonely people aren't without worth.] 

[Even if they're not good at studying, sports, or socializing, like Gotoh Hitori, who seems as insignificant as a water flea, she has a unique brilliance that others can't match.]

[Mission Objective: Discover and highlight her charming qualities, help Gotoh Hitori regain confidence in real life, and earn the admiration or respect of 100 people.] 

[Current progress: (0/100).]

[Mission Duration: One month.]

[Mission Rewards: 500 points, 50% off coupon for the shop, and Basic English.]

After silently reading the system message, Chisato sighed as he refocused on Gotoh Hitori, who was still smiling foolishly.

So, this socially anxious girl isn't good at sports or studying either, but even so, the system still considers her an exceptional person.

Maybe she really does have some dazzling qualities, beyond just hiding her sizable chest under her clothes.

Getting 100 people to like or respect Gotoh Hitori won't be easy, but with a whole month to complete the task, it's too early to give up.

Among the rewards, Chisato was particularly interested in the 50% off coupon—the more expensive the item, the higher the value.

But, by the way, are girls' hands usually this rough?

Especially her fingertips—he could clearly feel the roughness in my palm.

It would be rude to directly ask about it, but maybe he can ask in a roundabout way.

After letting go of her hand, Chisato spoke first, "Second-year, Class A, Suzumiya Chisato. Nice to meet you."

Guh-hey!

Gotoh Hitori snapped out of her daze, still giddy from having made a new friend.

Is this the legendary moment where friends introduce themselves to each other?

"Ah, I'm... Second-year, Class C, Gotoh Hitori. Nice to meet you."

"Hitori-san, do you play any instruments?"

'Eh! He's calling me by my first name right away?'

'But how did he know?'

"Mm-hmm!" She nodded quickly.

"Bass... or guitar?" Chisato's interest was piqued. 

'I just asked on a whim, but did I really hit the mark and find her talent?'

"G-guitar!" Gotoh Hitori replied with a trembling voice.

"Wow, that's impressive!"

Chisato noticed the clear look of anticipation on her face, craving praise. Imagining a certain teasing tone, he mimicked it with a voice full of admiration,

"People who can play instruments are so cool."

"It's... it's not that big of a deal... heh... hehe..."

Gotoh Hitori scratched the back of her head.

She was feeling excited—three years! It's been three whole years!

Because she heard that people who play guitar are cool and can easily make friends, she had diligently practiced for six hours a day since middle school.

But before she knew it, middle school and her first year of high school had flown by. Her guitar skills improved day by day, yet she hadn't made a single friend.

The idea was good, and her efforts were in the right direction, but somehow she had been heading down the wrong path.

Now, someone had finally acknowledged her hard work. Being praised directly by someone else felt so good! She couldn't calm down at all!

She made a friend and her guitar skills were recognized—surely she was on the path to becoming popular now.

When Chisato finds out how good she really is, he'll be even more impressed with her. He might admire me even more.

After all, She's that famous guitar hero on the internet, with over 30,000 fans!

'Looking closely, Chisato is quite handsome, too…'

'Could this mean we'll skip the friend stage and dive straight into a rosy, romantic youth?!'

'Ah—! Speaking of which, my parents already set aside wedding money for when I get married. Will I get to use it soon?!'

'For the honeymoon, a trip abroad would be nice…'

Ignoring the continuous affection notifications popping up, Chisato smiled and said, "Next time, if there's a chance, could you play for me? I've never heard live guitar before."

"To-tomorrow will be fine!"

Gotoh Hitori quickly wiped away her imaginary drool from the corner of her mouth and answered eagerly.

'I've never performed live for anyone other than my parents and little sister before!'

'My heart is pounding like it's about to explode, but I'm so excited!'

'After showing off the guitar skills I've worked so hard to master over the years, Chisato will definitely like me even more, right?'

'Maybe, just maybe, those wild fantasies could come true, and we could be more than just friends…'

Thinking about all of this, Gotoh Hitori started swallowing nervously, a strange mix of anticipation and anxiety welling up inside her.

"Great, then tomorrow during lunch break, we can find a quiet spot at school where we won't disturb anyone, and I can listen to your live performance."

"But for now, let's exchange LINE contacts."

"Ah! Sure, okay!"

As Chisato took out his phone and moved closer, Gotoh Hitori hurriedly set her lunch box aside and pulled out her own phone.

"I'll scan yours."

"Okay..."

'He smells so nice…' A faint lemon scent mixed with a refreshing hint of mint.

Gotoh Hitori staredin a daze at Chisato, who was focused on his phone, and took a deep breath, trying to discreetly take in more of that scent.

Suddenly, she felt a pang of sadness—how could boys smell better than her? After spending so much time at home in her closet, she only had the unpleasant smell of mold repellent on her.

'I hope Chisato doesn't notice…'

Her excitement from his friendly approach quickly turned into a feeling of anxiousness.

With her gaze lowered, hiding her eyes behind her bangs, Gotoh Hitori's knees began to slowly shift to one side.

"All done. Now, Hitori-san, just accept the friend request."

"Ah, yes, thank you."

"No need to be so formal."

After accepting the request on her phone, Gotoh Hitori received a message from Chisato with a laughing emoji greeting.

He even showed her his screen, where her account was labeled as "Hitori-san," which made her feel incredibly relieved.

Although it might sound rude, compared to Hachimiya, who used to charge her 2000 yen a week to be my "friend," Chisato feels like a fresh, vibrant vegetable, while Hachimiya is more like a withered cauliflower left behind at the market.

"Well, it's getting late, so I'll head back to class. Feel free to contact me anytime. See you tomorrow."

Since they had just met, Chisato decided to keep things light to avoid overwhelming the socially anxious Hitori. He made a graceful exit.

Left behind, Gotoh Hitori raised her hand to watch his back disappear from sight. She carefully opened Suzumiya Chisato's profile and changed his nickname to "Chisato-kun."

"Guh-hehehe..." In a forgotten, dimly lit stairwell corner on campus, a goofy laugh echoed.

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