I am only one world away from Yukinoshita.

This is about her and Yukino...

Thinking of this, Yang Nai's originally bright expression suddenly turned cold.

How do you know about what happened in the brass band last year?

"What? Xiao Qinglai, does that mean you don't know the inside story at all?"

Yang didn't answer Kiyoyori's question, but continued to tease Kiyoyori, whose patience was already nearing its limit, in the same tone as before.

"Then could you please tell me, Miss Yukinoshita?!"

Kiyoshi's gritted teeth greatly pleased Yono, who laughed heartily on the other end of the phone, as if she had stumbled upon the most hilarious joke in the world.

“Yes, right~,” she deliberately teased Kiyora, drawing out her words and lightly tapping the table with her index finger, “Isn’t there going to be a fireworks festival next week when Kiyora returns to Chiba?”

Suddenly realizing the other party's intentions, Kiyoyori narrowed his eyes and reluctantly continued to ask, "So?"

“So,” Yang paused, then flashed a bright smile, “if Kiyora is willing to participate, I’ll let you know!”

What benefit would it bring you if I went?

"Although the Kanbara family is still hosting this fireworks festival, the Yukinoshita family is also involved. Many of the elites of Chiba's upper class will be attending." The rhythmic tapping of Haruno's fingers struck Kiyori's heart.

"What does that have to do with me?"

"Don't say such heartless things. You should know Kiyoyori, the second young lady of the Kanbara family, right? She's Akira, who used to be a member of the brass band."

“I know, she plays the trumpet.” Kiyoyori knew that Haruno was testing how much inside information she knew, but based on the information she currently had, she was no match for Haruno.

"Is that so? It seems that Kiyoyori has found a clue, but it doesn't seem to be of much help to this request."

"Did you plant listening devices and surveillance cameras on Yukinoshita-senpai?"

This person was frighteningly well-informed; Kiyoshi even began to suspect that the other party was monitoring his sister's every move every day.

Sister complex is terrifying.

"Hmm?" Haruno made a cute sound that didn't suit her age. "Perhaps it was accidentally put on Kiyora as well!"

Startled by the other person's words, Kiyoyori quickly glanced around.

"Haha, just kidding!"

His anger level rose another notch, and Kiyoyori wished he could smash his phone to pieces on the ground like Yukinoshita Haruno.

"If this offer isn't attractive enough for you..."

The other party's drawn-out tone made Kiyoshi panic.

"Armor Tomb".

"Kiyoshi should be familiar with this surname, right?"

P.S.: I glanced at the monthly salary on my contract today, and after reading it, I instantly didn't want to work anymore. Internships are inhuman! With my terrible grades, I could earn this little bit even with perfect attendance! Living allowance—it's really just an allowance! The harsh realities of society hit me unexpectedly. :(

Chapter 40, Section 201: Concern from Yuko's Mother

Finally, the first to hang up the phone was still that self-centered woman. Before Qinglai could react, the other end of the phone went completely silent, leaving Qinglai standing there in a daze.

"That woman..."

Haruno presented Kiyori with a condition he could hardly refuse, perhaps because she knew that Yoroizuka Mizore, as Kiyori's direct senior, was also involved in this Service Club's request.

and many more……

Why did Yang know?

"I already said it's nothing."

"Impossible! Tell me the complete reason why you won't allow Hime to return?"

"No one said she couldn't come back, it's just that the timing wasn't right."

Footsteps approached from afar, accompanied by conversation, as they drew near to Kiyoyori's location. "Asuka-senpai has her reasons for doing what she wants. In my opinion, Asuka-senpai just feels that bringing Nozomi back now would cause instability within the club. After all, no one has forgotten what happened last year, and the representative tournament is just around the corner."

The clear voices echoed around the empty garden. Kiyoyori stood awkwardly in place. Judging from the voices, they were Yoshikawa and Nakagawa, who had just talked the night before. They should be on the high corridor, while Kiyoyori was standing in the open garden below the steps. As long as they didn't look down, they wouldn't notice Kiyoyori. There were two ways to leave the garden: one was through the corridor where the two of them were, and the other was to go out directly through another sliding door.

but--

The sliding door was at the same height as the two of them, and it was diagonally opposite Yoshikawa, right within her line of sight.

what--

With a helpless sigh, Kiyotori walked to a spot near the stairs and made sure the two wouldn't see her so easily.

"I already said, Nozomi just wants to come back to help, she won't be joining Team A. Is it not allowed for her to do logistical work?!"

Even so, it's still not acceptable!

The two got so excited that they raised their voices.

"It's not that simple after all, is it?" Compared to Yoshikawa, who was more emotionally volatile, Nakagawa was clearly much calmer. "There must be some other reason, right?"

Yoshikawa avoided the other person's gaze, looking down at the direction of the garden.

Suddenly, Kiyoshi's phone vibrated violently, nearly giving her a heart attack. Before the distinctive ringtone could sound, Kiyoshi quickly hung up the phone.

Missed caller ID: Kasumigaoka Utaha.

it's over...

While praying that the other party would not call again, she was also worried that when she called back, she would be met with insults directed at her entire family.

When Kiyoshi saw that he had hung up on the same two consecutive phone calls, he gasped.

Yoshikawa sighed, deliberately raising his voice, "So, getting involved will only make the situation worse, so just leave it at that! That's it!"

After saying that, she walked past Nakagawa and headed straight for the garden.

"Wait a minute, Yuko!"

“And one more thing!” Yoshikawa stopped, his slippers making a dull thud on the floor. “Don’t bother Tachibana anymore. That child has a lot of things to do herself.”

"I……"

"We only have two oboe players."

Yoshikawa's words seemed to be hinting at something, but she didn't give Nakagawa a chance to ask further. She walked into the garden, looked around, and finally fixed her gaze on a corner hidden by the shadow of the stairs. As the light and shadow changed, she slowly approached and immediately spotted Kiyoshi standing in the corner, holding up her phone and covering her face.

The two stood there in silence for a long time. Perhaps realizing that he couldn't get away with it, Kiyoshi put down his phone and shrugged innocently at Yoshikawa.

Yoshikawa didn't speak, probably out of consideration for Nakagawa who might not have left yet. She nodded towards the door, signaling Kiyoyori to follow her out.

Kiyoshi opened his phone and glanced at the apology message on LINE, which showed as "read," but he hadn't received any follow-up messages. He sighed with a headache.

"What do you want to drink?"

The two stood in front of the vending machine. In the darkened room, only the vending machine shone with a blinding white light.

"Uh……"

Kiyoshi had prepared herself to be questioned, but to her surprise, the first thing the other party said was to offer her a drink.

"What would you like a drink?"

Qinglai reflexively replied, "Cola."

Upon hearing the answer, Yoshikawa paused in his actions.

“Excuse me,” Kiyoyori coughed to cover up his embarrassment, “milk.”

The answer was unexpected. Yoshikawa raised an eyebrow. "Unexpectedly childish."

"I can't sleep if I drink caffeine at night, and as for soda..."

"Soft drinks?"

With the sound of drinks falling, Yoshikawa took out a can of milk and a can of soda from the exit.

"No, it's nothing."

Too much sugar.

“Looks like you’ve bought Mizore plenty of drinks,” Yoshikawa said, pulling open the tab, the quiet space suddenly filled with the sound of gas escaping. “She likes soda.”

"In that respect, Yoshikawa-senpai is no different."

He pulled the straw out of the transparent plastic packaging, stuck it into the milk carton, and held the straw to his lips, habitually biting the tip of the straw with his teeth.

You seem wary of me.

Yoshikawa took a step forward and brought his face close to Kiyoyori's.

"I'm just worried that Yoshikawa-senpai will say something like 'I'm entrusting Mizore to you' again, which sounds like entrusting her to someone. If others hear that, they might misunderstand."

"Who are you afraid of hearing this?"

"Who knows, Kasaki-senpai?"

"You bastard!" Yoshikawa poked Kiyoyori's sternum with his index finger. "I would never hand Mizore over to her!"

"Don't you think you're being overprotective, Yoshikawa-senpai? Mizore-senpai isn't a child."

“Mizore is very simple, unlike Nozomi.”

Yoshikawa took a step back, distancing herself from Kiyoyori once again. They stood on either side of the vending machine, each occupying half of it, disappearing into the darkness without any light.

"So Nakagawa-senpai's guess was correct; there are indeed other reasons."

"Tachibana, didn't you know?" Yoshikawa questioned as if he had already discovered something. "I don't believe Asuka-senpai didn't tell you the reason. Although I was also surprised that Asuka-senpai could find out, but..."

"Yesterday, ever since you came to the table, you've been subconsciously looking in Mizore's direction."

"Don't you realize it yourself?"

After Yoshikawa's reminder, Kiyoyori suddenly realized that his gaze at that time was indeed too undisguised; perhaps only Mizore herself hadn't noticed it.

To avoid being seen, the two moved to an empty practice room.

"I really admire Asuka-senpai for being able to notice it."

Yoshikawa and Kiyoyori sat side by side at the table, their hands resting on the surface.