I am only one world away from Yukinoshita.

"Yo! Yukinoshita!"

Hiratsuka Shizuka spotted Yukinoshita walking this way at a glance, waving and flashing her white teeth in the sunlight.

Good afternoon, Hiratsuka-sensei.

Yukino looked at the van with all-black windows and didn't see anyone else.

"Yuihama hasn't arrived yet."

As if sensing what the other person wanted to ask, Hiratsuka Shizuka spoke first. She went around to the back of the car, opened the trunk, and then helped Yukino put her backpack on it. The lines of her muscles were faintly visible under her sleeves.

Has the teacher informed Hachiman Hikigaya?

"Of course, he should be here soon."

Yukinoshita glanced suspiciously at Hiratsuka Shizuka, whose face was full of conviction.

Could she have used threats to get Hachiman to come out of his house?

"Yukinoshita, why don't you wait in the car first? It's too sunny outside."

Hiratsuka Shizuka, fully demonstrating her boyfriend-like qualities, opened the car door, and as soon as Yukinoshita approached, she felt the chill emanating from the car.

"Thank you."

She didn't ask about the specifics of the training camp, nor why it was chosen at this particular time. Before coming, Yukinoshita searched for the resort on her computer, especially looking into the surrounding facilities, and easily discovered a paradise specifically designed for musicians.

It seems that Hiratsuka-sensei is not planning to let Tachibana off the hook easily.

Yukino sighed as she looked at the phone screen displaying Kiyoyori's information, then turned it off.

Let's let Tachibana be happy for a while longer.

She didn't have to wait long in the car. With a burst of hot air rushing in from the opened car door and the person's enthusiastic greeting, Yukinoshita knew who had come.

"Yah hello! Little Snow!"

Yuihama wore a miniskirt and a small pink leather bag slung across her body, looking playful and cute, exuding a youthful vibe.

Good afternoon, Yuihama-san.

"Hey, Yuki, let me tell you something! I checked the location of the training camp that Hiratsuka-sensei sent us, and there's a famous resort in Chiba there!" Yuihama excitedly rocked back and forth in her chair. "The environment is great, and I even saw some pictures of dinners there posted online—they looked so delicious!"

“Hmm…” Yukinoshita thoughtfully agreed.

Although this information had been found before, Yuihama's emphasis made Yukino suddenly feel a bit suspicious. Since the training camp was held under the guise of a club activity, the cost of the training camp should have been deducted from the club's public funds. However, the club funds had been in Yukino's hands all along, and she hadn't seen Hiratsuka-sensei come to collect them or take them back. Although the Hiratsuka family was a large family, Hiratsuka-sensei shouldn't be so kind as to pay for them to stay at a resort out of his own pocket.

Could it be...?

In order not to shatter Yuihama's beautiful fantasy, Yukinoshita chose to remain silent.

"It's such a pity that Xiao Qinglai can't enjoy this with us."

Seeing Yuihama's regretful expression, Yukinoshita hesitated for a moment before opening her mouth, but ultimately turned her head towards the car window.

"After all, the national competition is coming soon, and they must work even harder if they want to qualify for the national competition."

“That’s true…” Yui stopped swaying, looking a little disappointed, as if she had thought of something. “If Kiyora and the others make it to the national tournament, will it be even harder for us to see each other next semester?”

Yukinoshita leaned back in her chair and sighed softly, "The Kanto Tournament is shortly after the start of the school year in August, and the National Tournament is in October. I'll have to ask her to make up for the time we missed after the National Tournament ends."

"Ok!"

Not long after, Hachiman arrived at the meeting point. He had obviously been tricked into coming, and before he even understood what he was supposed to do, Hiratsuka-sensei tricked and threatened him into getting him into the car. It wasn't until the van started moving and the group got further and further away from the city that he finally gave up his naive fantasy.

..................................................................

"arrive!"

Hiratsuka Shizuka parked her car in a parking lot surrounded by greenery. Unexpectedly, there was another group of people in the parking lot. It was the "normie group" led by Hayama. They were all classmates of Hihama and Hikigaya.

Clearly, they will be traveling together for this event.

Yukinoshita's face made no attempt to hide her displeasure.

Miura, who had a previous conflict with Yukino, glared at her without backing down, though she seemed to be good friends with Yuihama.

After exchanging relatively friendly greetings, the girls from Class F huddled together to discuss the upcoming training camp.

"Yumiko, what are you doing here?"

"Because I heard there were activities that would earn extra credits, and I figured I'd be free during the summer anyway."

"Speaking of which, there seems to be a resort around here!"

"Hehehe! Hayato-kun and Penguin-kun sharing a bed..."

"Hello..."

At least don't say it in front of the person involved...

Hikigaya drooped his eyelids and complained listlessly.

Moreover, the fantasy of staying in a resort...

They exchanged a glance with Yukino beside them; they both understood perfectly well—

Hiratsuka Shizuka would never allow them to stay at a resort!

"Alright, alright!" Hiratsuka Shizuka clapped her hands at the group, a cigarette dangling from her lips. "Let's put our luggage away first, and then we can start this training camp right away."

"Teacher! What exactly are the details of this training camp?"

“Hmm,” Hiratsuka Shizuka crossed her arms and gave a mischievous smile, “This is what you’ll find out when we arrive.”

She glanced deliberately in the direction beneath the snow.

Yukinoshita, seemingly receiving some kind of signal, frowned.

"Let's go, kids."

Hiratsuka Shizuka took the lead and walked towards the sign indicating the resort, which seemed to further confirm their guess that they were staying at the resort, and the group became excited.

Of course, this does not include Yukinoshita and Hikigaya, who had already seen through the truth.

"arrive!"

Looking at the retro-style and elegant resort in front of them, Yuihama and the others were so excited that they wanted to carry their luggage inside.

"Wait, where are you going?"

Hiratsuka Shizuka stood by the roadside with an expression that said, "I knew it."

"Huh? Don't we live here?"

“Of course not,” Hiratsuka Shizuka replied matter-of-factly. “When did I ever tell you that you lived here?”

So the group continued walking, and as the resort receded into the distance, their smiles gradually faded.

Until two small wooden cabins appeared in front of the group, and an outdoor stove, a standard camping setup, not far away.

His smile widened.

P.S.: Last day of slacking off. Hope I can get my driver's license smoothly tomorrow and go home happily to write!

Chapter 18, Section 179: A Person Without a Temper

"Wow—finally I can rest for a while!"

After a morning of grueling group practice, the afternoon ensemble performance showed significant improvement, especially the woodwind section.

The afternoon ensemble practice was still conducted by Taki, with guidance from three teachers. No mistake could escape their ears. When they left the practice room in the evening, almost all the members of the brass band looked tired.

My body is like a machine that hasn't been maintained for years. When I'm fully focused on the ensemble, I don't even realize it, but as soon as I relax, I experience varying degrees of soreness in my waist, back, and neck.

The members put down their instruments and left the training room one after another.

"My fingers are so sore..."

Hazuki wiggled her index finger, repeatedly clenching and unclenching it, "It feels like my fingers don't even belong to me anymore."

Her knuckles were stiff from prolonged exertion, resembling those of an elderly woman suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.

"Me too, my lips are practically burning..."

Huang Qian pressed his arm against his burning lips.

"Hazuki-chan," Kawashima, seemingly brimming with boundless energy, leaned close to Hazuki, "You can exercise your fingers! Do finger exercises after your daily shower, and your fingers will gradually become more flexible!"

"Oh, I've heard of that too."

Huang Qian vaguely echoed.

"Little Green knows so much..."

"After all, finger dexterity is very important when learning stringed instruments."

What are finger exercises?

Hazuki raised her hand, looking at her fingers with a puzzled expression.

"Literally, it's a hand exercise to train finger dexterity," explained Kiyora, who happened to be walking behind them. She extended her right hand, raised it, and put her four fingers together. "First, separate your index finger from the other three fingers, then bring them together. Next, bring your index and middle fingers together and separate them from your ring and little fingers, then bring them together again. Finally, separate only your little finger." Kiyora's light movements gave a very simple impression. "After completing one round, start again from your little finger and repeat the cycle."

"What? Isn't this simple?"

"Yes, it will be very simple once you get used to it."

“But, Hazuki-chan,” Kawashima said, raising his index finger, “this movement needs to be faster and faster in sync with the beat, it’s not as simple as you think.”

Let's settle this tonight!

"Oh ho, you're very confident."

I accept your challenge!

It's so great to have inexhaustible energy...

Kiyoshi clutched his neck and shoulder as he walked out of the facility.

Seemingly to be considerate of everyone's first day here, which is also the first day of such high-intensity training, Takigaki only arranged one hour of basic training time in the evening, starting at 7:30 pm. In other words, from now on, including meals, everyone will have two hours of rest time.

Unlike lunchtime meals at the facility's cafeteria, dinners are all served at the resort.