Let's do it again, Yukino.

"Big brother, you must have mistaken me for someone else. Although my name is also Komachi, I am not your sister."

"I'm so sorry, because your back looks so much like my sister's, I accidentally mistook you for her, hahaha, hahaha, I'll be more careful next time."

The man's behavior was quite open and aboveboard, without giving off any sleazy or perverted vibe.

"How many times have I told you not to be so clumsy before doing things? It's easy for people to misunderstand, isn't it?"

The chestnut-haired woman gave the man's shoulder a push, a mixture of amusement and exasperation, before apologizing to Hachiman and his group.

"I'm so sorry, everyone, my husband has caused you trouble."

"Hey? Aren't you two supposed to be getting married?"

Yui exclaimed in surprise. The two people in front of her didn't look much older than them, maybe five or six years older at most.

"Well, I just got married to Xiaoqian half a year ago. I heard that my alma mater is holding a cultural festival. I haven't been here for a long time, so I'm planning to see how much Soubu High School has changed since I left. Here, this is my business card. If you have time, you can find me at the pet store in the city center. It's easy to find."

After entering society, the man developed a rather natural tendency to be outgoing and familiar with people. And he didn't know if it was just his imagination, but he felt a sense of familiarity with Komachi Hikigaya, Yui Hama, and even Hachiman Hikigaya, whose words seemed awkward and gloomy. It was just like that night when he met his friend Kasuga.

"Hey? Xiao Jing!! Isn't this Xiao Jing? Yuan, look who I found, Xiao Jing, your former teacher Xiao Jing."

Xiaoqian, who was originally standing next to Ayuan, was idly glancing around when she spotted someone remarkable. A fox-like smile appeared on her lips as she grabbed a middle-aged woman who was trying to escape.

A-Yuan excitedly approached Hiratsuka Shizuka, who was being held back by Xiao-Qian, and grasped the hands of what was once considered his mentor.

"It's been such a long time, Teacher Xiaojing. I've missed you so much. I sent you an invitation to my wedding, but you didn't come. It really made me very sad."

Hiratsuka Shizuka, who had originally planned to sneak away the moment she saw the newlyweds, was caught red-handed by them and looked at the young man who ran up to her and greeted her with a mournful expression.

There was no escaping it after all...

"Get lost!! I'm not like you students who are all winners in life, ahhh!! Why, why did it turn out like this!!"

Hiratsuka Shizuka covered her face, as if she had suffered too much shock in one day, and leaned against the corner wall in a state of collapse.

"Hey, Ms. Xiaojing, you haven't changed at all. I really like you just the way you are."

The young man seemed oblivious to the complex emotions in Xiao Jing's eyes, and continued to smile and express how much he missed her after so long.

"Get out of here, you bastard, you've already entered the grave of marriage!!"

……

Someone hurry up and make her laugh!! I can't stand it anymore!!

Hachiman Hikigaya covered his face, looking utterly unable to bear the sight.

Honestly, he felt genuinely sorry for Hiratsuka-sensei.

(P.S.: I've also heard about the ending of Oregairu. Well, it was actually expected. I suddenly feel a bit emotional. When I watched Oregairu back then, I was just a freshman in college. Now, seven or eight years have passed in the blink of an eye. Time really flies. However, the character Yukino Yukinoshita has left such a deep impression on me that even after seven or eight years, I still like her very much.)

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PS2: This book was originally planned to be around 800,000 words. It's about time to get into the main plot, and some regrets from the past will be gradually addressed in this book. Anyway, I hope everyone continues to support it. That's all, thank you, goodnight.

Chapter Fifty-Seven: Goodbye, Teacher Xiaojing.

On the other end,

Hiding in the surging crowd, Yukino Yukinoshita felt a pang of envy for those standing on the stage.

To put it simply, rather than envying the boy who could openly express his thoughts on such a stage, she should be more envious of the three girls standing behind Haruhi.

If she could, she would love to stand on such a stage and play the sheet music for every song the boy sang, even the most childish nursery rhymes, which she would find incredibly romantic.

"What a childish guy, but maybe I like him because I want to be as childish as him."

The girl's gaze returned to the stage, her eyes carrying a slight, almost imperceptible, dazed look.

What Xiaoxue didn't know at that moment was that, for the first time, she, Chunri, and this reborn world were so closely connected, and their lives, which had begun to change, were slowly beginning to flow.

……

…………

Time, however, does not stop flowing because of the girl's infatuation.

The second song quickly came to a close. Although both songs brought an incredibly comfortable and healing feeling, everyone in the stadium was equally amazed by the boy's second original song.

Whether it's the lyrics, the song, or the boy's solo performance, it all exudes a youthful and vibrant charm.

When the spring songs stopped and he stood in the center of the stage with the microphone, the cheers from the audience did not stop; on the contrary, the fervent atmosphere was pushed to a fever pitch once again.

Perhaps by this point, most viewers will feel that the cultural festival was not a waste of time.

It wasn't until quite a while later, when the atmosphere gradually quieted down, that Chunri, dressed in a white suit, spoke again to the audience with a gentle smile.

"What did you guys think of the two songs you just listened to?"

"It sounds good?"

They answered in unison, and with almost no objection.

Is the song better, or is the singing better?

"They're all equally good!!"

"That's a cunning answer, but it's exactly the kind of answer I wanted today."

Seemingly satisfied with the audience's response, Chunri laughed heartily and then turned his attention to the hastily formed Golden Legends band.

His gaze hardened.

The next song, which will also be the last song of this concert,

After one song, this hastily formed band will face disbandment.

A band that lasts less than two hours—if you told anyone, probably no one would believe it.

However, that's just how it is.

The dazzling stage lights shone on the four of them.

Suddenly, an electronic keyboard appeared in the center of the stage.

Spring has passed, and I stand before the zither.

The audience was completely silent. No one spoke at this moment. Backstage, Nagato and the others held their breath, eagerly awaiting the end of the boy's final performance.

Has it started?

The boy's long, slender, jade-like fingers rested on the black and white piano keys.

For some reason, his memory seemed to return to a certain evening.

The 26-year-old man and the 25-year-old woman argued on the phone because of their uncertainty about the future.

He missed that girl very much.

At least he misses the Xiaoxue who exists in the future.

Following his memory, one of his fingers quietly landed on a certain piano key.

Pure music flowed out at that moment.

The other three blonde girls, who seemed to have developed a tacit understanding at some point, exchanged a glance, their helpless smiles unspoken, and slowly picked up their instruments to accompany the boy to the end.

"The wind blows slowly past us, and we don't know when a sense of loneliness will arise."

A gentle singing voice drifted through the quiet stadium.

Very gentle, and very warm.

The moment the music began to play, Chunri's lips, which were resting against the microphone, parted slightly. The next moment, the boy's clean and clear voice echoed throughout the stadium.

"So, next up is the last song our band will play at this concert. Of course, unlike the two songs we just played that were written specifically for certain individuals, this next song is for everyone around us. We hope and wish that everyone will have the best of days ahead, be happy and blessed forever, and have everything go well forever. This song is called All Is Well."

…………

……

Offstage,

"When did Kasuga become so good at flirting with these girls? And where did he learn to play the electronic keyboard?"

Hachiman, who had always thought of himself as someone on the same level as Gian, suddenly started to feel envious because of this Gian boy.

"Of course, I personally taught him. Let alone a mere electronic keyboard, even if it were any other instrument, as long as that guy wanted to learn, I could get him up to speed within a week."

Hiratsuka Shizuka finally found a moment to speak, touched her nose, and said to Hachiman with some pride.

"My apprentice is just like you, Hachiman. As long as he can get rid of his old bad habits, he will be very popular."

After she finished speaking, her gaze was fixed on the white figure, and then the sound she made was almost imperceptible.

"See? With just a little effort, he's quite popular with girls, isn't he? It's a pity that this kind of popularity with women might become a disaster for that idiot."

……

The black-haired youth, who always had a smile on his face, pulled his wife behind Hiratsuka Shizuka and smiled quietly, as if sensing her feelings.

"When you see that child, are you reminded of my younger self, Teacher Xiaojing?"

"No, I didn't..."

Hiratsuka Shizuka remained silent for a moment, then shook her head slightly, stubbornly refuting the two seemingly perfect people in front of her.

"Don't feel too guilty. After all, Xiaojing, you've never done anything wrong. The time you took me in when I was homeless is a time I'll never forget. And I still respect and like Teacher Xiaojing just as much as I did back then. I like you very, very much, Teacher Xiaojing."

He took a silver, glowing key out of his pocket, handed it to Hiratsuka Shizuka, and smiled with narrowed eyes.

"I should return the key to you now. Um, Xiaojing, I'm leaving too."

"Mmm!! Talking about other women in front of your new wife, even I, Xiaoqian, would get jealous, Ayuan."

At this moment, Xiaoqian hugged Ayuan's arm, pouted, and pretended to be angry.

"Then please keep a close eye on me, Xiaoqian, after all, your husband is so handsome and dashing."

"Of course!"

The young man patted Hiratsuka Shizuka on the shoulder with a cheerful laugh. He, who was slightly shorter than the latter back then, was now almost a head taller than this young teacher Shizuka.

"That's all for now. You can come visit us at the pet store when you have time. Of course, I really hope that our next meeting will be at your wedding, Ms. Xiaojing."