I am only one world away from Yukinoshita.

Kiyoshi looked down nervously at Yukino's feet. Because they were covered by a long yukata, Kiyoshi could only see small feet wearing white tabi socks and wooden clogs through the fluttering hem of the yukata when the other person was walking.

"Thank you for taking those children back, Tachibana-san."

"It was just a small favor."

The terrifying makeup, combined with the other person's consistently cold tone, gave Kiyoyori the illusion of being in a snowy wonderland.

"Yukinoshita-senpai, is this... a Yuki-onna...?"

The image of the little delinquent girl in my mind shattered instantly, and what followed was the sight of the Snow Woman's face, which I had only glanced at once and was sure would remain permanently in my dreams.

"Hmm, doesn't it look like it?"

Yukino looked at her makeup with a puzzled expression.

His deliberately disheveled long black hair was scattered over his shoulders. The other person's serious and puzzled look contrasted sharply with the half-rotten fake face on his face. The incongruity made Kiyoyori speechless for a moment.

"I always thought snow women were depicted as absolute beauties..."

After all, in folk tales, the Snow Woman is always depicted as having a beautiful face, luring passing travelers and then killing them...

With a face like that, how can you be alluring?

"Because Yuihama-san said that the impact would be greater."

It was indeed huge; the impact of that face had just scared Qinglai so much that his heart almost jumped out of his chest.

Looks like I'm going to have nightmares tonight...

"It seems the operation was a success?"

Kiyoshi abruptly changed the subject, while also shifting his gaze elsewhere.

“I do not agree that such behavior is correct.”

"But you still approved Hikigaya-senpai's suggestion, didn't you? Because you couldn't find any other way."

"Doesn't Tachibana-san also dislike this approach?"

That's just my opinion.

Qinglai shrugged, looking completely unconcerned.

"Since Tachibana is a member of the Service Club, she also has the right to object and express her opinions."

It seems that the snow tonight is not going to let Kiyori off so easily.

"I did suggest it, but Yukinoshita-senpai rejected it," Kiyoyori originally didn't mean anything by it, but after saying it, he felt a strange emotion rising in his heart. "It was Hikigaya-senpai who chose to suggest it, so it's not right to adopt someone else's plan while criticizing it."

Squinting, Kiyoyori suddenly felt the cold wind around him growing stronger.

"Perhaps that's true, I just can't accept it."

What was she unable to accept? Yukinoshita didn't explain; she simply lowered her eyes, no longer looking at Kiyori with that sharp gaze.

After saying that, Yukinoshita turned and walked towards the camp. When she was halfway there, she turned back and revealed half of her own face. In the moonlight, her eyes held a melancholy that Kiyoshiro couldn't understand.

Good evening, Tachibana-san.

"Good evening...senpai..."

Startled by that glance, Kiyora stammered her reply, but her faint voice had long been carried away by the evening breeze.

P.S.: The author is too tired to say anything today. Kiyora and Yukino are so good!

Chapter 37, Section 198: Offering Her Heartfelt Blessings

When Qinglai returned to the campfire, she immediately saw Huang Qian sitting on the steps, far away from the crowd. Huang Qian was hugging his knees, resting his chin on his knees, staring blankly in the direction of the campfire.

No, it's in the direction of Reina, who's talking to Taki.

Reina tilted her head back, her expectant eyes tinged with shyness, a blush creeping onto her fair face, whether to express her inner joy or because of the orange glow of the campfire.

Looking at Reina, who was clearly in high spirits, Huang Qian felt a tightness in his chest. Just a second ago, she was sitting here with him, feeling depressed, but the next second, she was talking to Taki and had such a cheerful expression.

Reina just said she wanted to ask Taki-sensei about Niiyama-sensei, and it seems she got the answer she wanted.

Hugging his legs and curling himself into a small ball, Huang Qian buried his face in his knees and let out a long sigh.

"That little girl, does she like Taki-kun?"

The sudden voice beside him startled Huang Qian, "Hashimoto-sensei?!"

This is the percussion teacher who instructed them before the Tokyo Metropolitan Competition. Because of his cheerful and humorous personality, the members of the brass band all like him very much.

Seeing Hashimoto sit down naturally next to her, Huang Qian moved to the side, feeling a bit awkward.

Hashimoto didn't care at all, and just repeated the question like a gossipy old lady. This time, Huang Qian followed the other person's gaze and saw Reina smiling shyly. From other people's perspective, she was undoubtedly a girl in love.

The feeling of chest tightness seems to be getting more and more pronounced.

"Um..."

Faced with Hashimoto's persistent questioning, Huang Qian could only stammer and vaguely brush it off.

“Taki-kun is still the same as before,” Hashimoto sighed, seemingly reminiscing about his university days. “Ever since I met him, there have been many girls chasing after Taki-kun. Look, isn’t he very handsome?”

"Oh..." Huang Qian replied perfunctorily, "It's alright..."

"Haha," Hashimoto laughed heartily upon hearing Huang Qian's reply, "but it's quite rare for a student council member under Taki's guidance to have a good impression of him."

"After all, he's Taki-sensei."

Huang Qian agreed with this statement. Under such training, the only person who could still have feelings for Taki no Sho would probably be Reina.

"By the way, were Hashimoto-sensei and Taki-sensei classmates at the same university?"

Huang asked the question with the intention of gathering information for Reina.

"Oh right, and Teacher Johor Bahru, and..."

Hashimoto's smile suddenly froze, as if a pause button had been pressed, and his words came to an abrupt halt.

"and?"

"Taki-kun actually has a wife."

The topic suddenly veered in a direction that Huang Qian could not have predicted at all. She suddenly realized that she might have heard something terrible, and subconsciously wanted to stop it, but she couldn't help but want to continue listening.

Taki-sensei got married.

So, is it, Reina...?

Is there no hope left?

Should she feel sorry for Reina? Or...?

Huang Qian suddenly grabbed the clothes at his chest with his hand.

No, this shouldn't be happening...

“She was one of the three of us, all of whom were students of Professor Touko. She was lively and cheerful, and she had a good relationship with Taki. But,” Hashimoto sighed, his tone no longer as energetic as before, “she passed away from illness three years ago.”

Seeing Huang Qian's undisguised surprise, Hashimoto's heart suddenly skipped a beat. "Kiyori-kun didn't mention this to you guys?"

"Do not……"

Although the appearance of Kiyoyori's name in such a conversation was unexpected yet reasonable, Huang Qian was too busy to process the news he had just learned, and did not know how to react to it, so he had no time to care about Kiyoyori's affairs.

"Oh no!" Hashimoto, realizing he had let something slip, suddenly became restless, especially when he saw Kiyoyori staring at them fiercely from not far away. "Sorry, Oumae-kun, just pretend you didn't hear these words, and please don't tell anyone!"

After saying that, he ran away, leaving Huang Qian, who had not yet had time to process the huge amount of information, bewildered.

"How much did Hashimoto-sensei miss?"

Kiyoshi walked over and said irritably, his words filled with accusations against Hashimoto.

"Not many..."

They didn't say much, but the amount of information they conveyed was enormous.

Huang Qian glanced timidly at Kiyoyori, whose anger was clearly visible on his face. This was a rare sight for her; in her memory, Tachibana Kiyoyori was always able to remain calm and composed.

"That led to the conversation about Mr. Taki's wife..."

Huang Qian noticed that Qinglai's body trembled slightly, and the surrounding anger was quickly withdrawn, but an indescribable sadness permeated the air.

"Is that so..."

Kiyoyori lowered his head. "Did he tell you, Chiyo, that Taki-sensei's wife has passed away?"

"Um, I'm sorry..."

Will you tell Reina?

Do you remember when Kiyoyori asked her this question? What was her answer back then?

Huang Qian couldn't recall anything, but at this moment, she was even more confused. Should she tell Lina about it? Was she trying to give Lina hope, or was she trying to make her give up completely?

she does not know.

What does Huang Qian think of Lina?

"Huh?" Kiyoyori's question made Kyoumae's heart skip a beat, followed by a rapid, pounding rhythm. "Best, best friend...?"

Qinglai stared intently at Huang Qian, and that look made Huang Qian inexplicably uneasy, so he had no choice but to timidly look away.

After an unknown period of silence, Kiyoyori suddenly laughed, "Takigatsu really is... an opponent we can't avoid..."

"Them?"

"Don't you understand, Huang Qian?"

Kiyoshi looked at Reina not far away, his eyes welling up with tears. "This scene is so familiar to me."

It felt like going back to a few years ago, when Kiyoyori stood far away watching her teacher standing with Taki, reaching out to remove the cherry blossom petals stuck to his hair, and flashing a smile that she only showed for him. Then the avenue filled with cherry blossoms turned into a flat lawn decorated with countless balloons and white lace. Her beloved, dressed in a white wedding gown, walked step by step toward Taki, who stood at the end of the red carpet, listening to her mother's words of encouragement, and watching them kiss amidst everyone's blessings.

Finally, with her oboe, she offered a blessing to her beloved teacher that was both sincere and insincere.

"Don't let yourself regret it." Qinglai patted Huangqian on the shoulder, saying something Huangqian couldn't understand, "Don't make a decision you'll regret."

Qinglai regretted it.