I am only one world away from Yukinoshita.

"Senior Shiyu, this isn't good. You should stay home—"

Kiyoyori couldn't finish his sentence because—

"Kiyorai-kun,"

I said 'Ah'.

"……Yes."

P.S.: I feel like I'm already exhausted. Yukino won't be appearing in the next few chapters, well, she's been stuck at home. This volume will end after resolving the Mizore incident, and then Yukino's main role will return. The next volume is quite important; both sides' plots will reach a turning point, so it'll probably be quite long. To be honest, this volume's length seems to have exceeded my expectations. I'll continue to try my best to keep updating before the surgery.

Chapter 44, Section 208: Don't Pity Me

Seemingly there simply to fill their stomachs, aside from the food stalls emitting enticing aromas, Kasumigaoka didn't spare any extra attention for the other vendors, whether they were selling fireworks festival merchandise or offering prizes through mini-games like those at the festival.

Pulled along by the other person through the crowd, Kiyotaka, who was originally starving, was fed until he was about 70% full. From takoyaki to isobe-yaki, from yakisoba to grilled corn, the two of them were covered in the aroma of food, and the cardboard box in their hands went from being full to being empty.

"Are you full, Shimizu-kun?"

Kasumigaoka turned around and saw Kiyosuke still chewing his food like a hamster, his cheeks bulging, clearly not having swallowed the grilled squid he had just eaten.

With his mouth stuffed full of grilled squid, Kiyoyori couldn't speak, so he could only nod, unaware that he was seen as uniquely adorable by Kasumigaoka.

Kiyoyori tried his best to keep his distance from Kasumigaoka, but the other party would always tug at his sleeve with the excuse that "if we are too far apart, we will get separated." Not holding hands was Kiyoyori's biggest concession, but fortunately, Kasumigaoka did not insist.

"Excuse me," Kiyoyori said, taking the tissue that Kasumigaoka, trying not to laugh, handed him and calmly wiping the sauce from his lips. "What are your plans for Utaha-senpai?"

"Shimizu-kun, you said before that you would often practice in the mountains, right?"

Following the other person's gaze, Kiyora saw the oboe storage box in his hand.

"Yes."

"Then, I wonder if I will have the chance to hear Shimizu-kun play for me?"

Bringing the oboe was Kasumigaoka's suggestion, and Kiyoyori, who brought the oboe as promised, had already tacitly accepted this request.

"of course."

Leaving the bustling main street through the gaps between the stalls, the deserted alley next to the brightly lit main street was only lit by a few scattered streetlights, and the atmosphere suddenly became hazy.

"Did Shiwa-senpai mention before that she wanted to write about music?"

“Yes, so the first person I thought of was Shimizu-kun,” or rather, the cause and effect should be reversed, but Kasumigaoka didn’t say that. “It’s just that I know nothing about music, so I came to Shimizu-kun for help.”

"Could you share a little bit of your thoughts?"

"Shouldn't we leave this as a mystery?"

Kasumigaoka smiled mischievously, unwilling to answer Kiyoyori's question. Kiyoyori didn't press her further, simply shrugging his shoulders.

They left their wooden clogs at a shaved ice shop at the foot of the mountain, a place they knew well with Kiyoyori, and changed into sneakers that looked completely out of place with their kimonos.

On the way to the mountaintop, Kasumigaoka and Kiyoyori deliberately distanced themselves, as if to verify what they had just said, just to avoid being separated in the crowd. Kiyoyori suddenly felt uncomfortable and kept casting questioning glances at Kasumigaoka, only to be misunderstood. Kasumigaoka, who seemed to be able to see through people at a glance, suddenly disappeared.

"What's wrong, Shimizu-kun? Is the leather box a bit heavy?" Kasumigaoka turned around as she walked uphill. Moonlight shone from behind her, allowing Kiyori to see only the slight upturn of her lips. "Shall I help you carry it for a bit?"

"……no."

"What's the matter?"

Qinglai opened his mouth helplessly, then shook his head, "It's nothing, we'll be there soon."

Not far along the way, we arrived at the pavilion on the mountaintop. There were no streetlights, but there was no shortage of light. The lights, like stars, were all visible, as if they had been blurred with special effects, creating clusters of halos that made our eyes dizzy.

“It’s so beautiful here,” Kasumigaoka said, leaning out from behind the railing and feeling the cool evening breeze from the mountaintop. “It’s so beautiful that it’s almost dizzying.”

The wind carried sounds from afar. Qinglai closed her eyes. Even though she was so far removed from the hustle and bustle, she could still embrace everything here, even though none of it belonged to her, even though she was just a detached spectator.

"I think I can somewhat understand Shimizu-kun's interests."

Kasumigaoka turned to look at Kiyori, who was still listening with his eyes closed. "However, I still prefer being in that kind of environment; it feels more real."

Upon hearing this, Kiyoyori opened his eyes. "Shall we go back now?"

Kasumigaoka shook his head, "I haven't heard Shimizu-kun play yet."

"What would you like to hear, Senior Shiyu?"

Qinglai opened the leather box, took out the reed and put it in his mouth, placed the leather box containing the oboe at his feet, and casually rested his hands on the railing.

"Let Shimizu-kun decide."

Kiyoyori saw the invisible cool breeze blowing through Kasumigaoka's hair, which was tinged with a dazzling white in the dappled light. She saw her loosened long hair fluttering freely in the wind, and her collar being stirred by the gentle breeze.

She saw the distance between them gradually widening.

She heard the sound of the rising tide, felt the icy water rise past her ankles, up to her waist, and finally engulf her. The person in front of her drifted further and further away with the waves, and finally the world returned to silence, leaving her alone in the sea.

I tried to reach my hand up the railing, but only touched thin air. I pulled my fingers back and curled them into my palm, feeling a slight stinging pain.

I wish I could fall in love with the person in front of me.

she thinks.

But there are no "what ifs" in this world. Kiyoyori was unable to reciprocate Kasumigaoka's feelings, nor could he give her what she wanted, so they maintained a distance that was neither too close nor too far.

I dare not respond, yet I am afraid of losing you.

Could you go any further? Tachibana Kiyoyori.

Kiyoshi laughed self-deprecatingly, utterly despising himself, yet also fearing that he might break the last barrier between them.

Kiyoyori recalled what Hiratsuka Shizuka had said that day.

If you always reject others' advances, one day, no one will chase after you anymore.

If only she could fall in love with her...

"Shimizu-kun?"

Suddenly, Lian's eyes magnified, and those pomegranate-red eyes were so close that Qinglai lost focus. Their noses almost collided, and their lips were only a whistle's width apart.

"What's wrong? Why are you making that face?"

"I……"

Kiyoshi instinctively wanted to answer, but the whistle fell from his tightly pursed lips, disappearing into darkness amidst the scattered points of light.

As if frozen in place, Kiyoyori was unable to back down from the step he had already taken.

Kasumigaoka suddenly grinned mischievously, his familiar tone and teasing instantly dispelling the ambiguous atmosphere. "Is Shimizu-kun inviting me?"

"No way!"

Like a cat whose fur has been ruffled by being petted, Kiyoshi immediately took a step back, distancing himself from this dangerous person.

But where she couldn't see, Kasumigaoka gave a helpless, bitter smile.

"Kiyori-kun," the sudden serious tone made Kiyori also become serious.

"Please, don't pity me."

P.S.: I ate hot pot outside today and got back a little late. I had some drinks and now I want to sleep. I'll continue writing tomorrow.

Chapter 45, Section 209: There Can Only Be One Heroine

"So, Shimizu-kun wants to know what to do next?"

As the music ended, Kiyoyori told Kasumigaoka about the Service Club's request. Just as Yoshikawa said, Kiyoyori didn't want to hurt Mizore, no matter the reason, but he couldn't ignore Kasaki's request. They say ignorance is bliss, and Kasaki Nozomi probably really didn't know Mizore's feelings for her.

"Simply put, that's true."

Kiyoyori obtains most of the information from others, which inevitably carries that person's subjective opinion. There is always a strange sense of incongruity surrounding Kiyoyori, but she cannot pinpoint it accurately. Therefore, she also wants to use Kasumigaoka, an outsider, to see the situation clearly.

“It’s a good starting point for Shimizu-kun to look at this matter through my eyes,” Kasumigaoka said, fiddling with the silver keys on his oboe. “However, we should also take into account my lack of understanding of this matter, which may lead to a somewhat one-sided judgment. At most, it can only serve as a reference.”

"Even so, I'd like to know what Shiwa-senpai thinks."

Kiyoyori's entourage consisted of people who were more or less connected to the brass band or the service club, and Kasumigaoka was the only candidate who met all the requirements.

“Oh my, it seems I’m trusted,” Kasumigaoka said with a cheerful squinting. She tossed her hair, sat down casually on the stone steps, and patted the spot next to her. “I’m so happy, Shimizu-kun.”

"According to Shimizu-kun's description, the main conflict lies in B's complaints about A and A's complete ignorance of B's ​​complaints about him."

A refers to Nozomi Kasaki, and B refers to Mizore Yoroizuka.

"Based on the information and speculation you obtained, Mr. Shimizu, it is believed that B's resentment towards A stems from the incident last year in which multiple members of the brass band resigned. A did not inform B of her departure, which is why B was dissatisfied."

Is that so?

Kasumigaoka briefly outlined her thoughts, but so far, she has not expressed any of her own opinions.

"Please describe A and B to me separately. What kind of person will act in what kind of situation depends on their personality. If you don't know what kind of person they are, it's hard to make a prediction."

It's like writing a novel, where characters react differently to the same thing due to their different personalities and habits. As a bestselling novelist, Shizuko Kasumi is very clear about how to grasp the personality of a character.

“Hmm…” Kiyoyori sat down next to Kasumigaoka, pressing his index finger to his lower lip, subconsciously forming images of the two people in his mind. “A is an optimistic and cheerful person. Although her smile looks warm, there is always a sense of sadness about it.”

Kiyotomi may have left such an impression simply because her contact with Kasaki was due to a request, and at that time Kasaki was always being rejected by Asuka, not knowing why she was being rejected, and there was always an indescribable sorrow surrounding her.

“Student A loves music very much, and even after leaving the brass band, she has not stopped practicing.” Kasaki once played the flute in the rooftop open-air corridor. That kind of ingrained skill and love cannot be achieved without years of accumulation.

Is that all?

Kiyoshi tried desperately to recall what she knew about Kasaki Nozomi, but found that she could only describe a vague and one-sided image. "She seemed to be quite popular," she vaguely remembered Nakagawa mentioning Kasaki from junior high school. "I should say, she was a very easy person to get along with."

"Popular...?" Kasumigaoka repeated softly, "And what about Student B?"

“Student B,” a clear image immediately appeared in Kiyoyori’s mind, “is a very quiet girl, not talkative, and has very little emotional fluctuation. Rather than being aloof, she’s more like slow-witted, but surprisingly, she has interests that are very different from her appearance and personality.” Kiyoyori couldn’t help but smile when she thought about how her identity was accidentally exposed, but it was precisely because of this incident that she and Mizore gradually became familiar with each other. “She likes games, she also likes anime, and she likes staying at home. Although she always seems like a cold and aloof person, she is actually a cute person.”

Kiyoshi described Mizore in such detail that he was completely unaware that the people around him were becoming increasingly dissatisfied with his overly detailed descriptions. Perhaps the air cushions in sneakers have a noise-dampening function; if he wore wooden clogs instead, Kiyoshi would be able to hear the sound of Kasumigaoka's ever-burning anger pounding on the stone steps.

"...Although B usually doesn't show much emotion, he seems to become more lively when it comes to A's affairs. He usually likes to stay in the biology classroom to watch pufferfish, but it seems like he's actually watching the flute practice room across the way."

"Shimizu-kun...you seem to know B quite well?"