I am only one world away from Yukinoshita.

After that day, Asuka disappeared again, as if her return for a few days was just an illusion, a result of everyone's imagination.

The seat next to her was empty, and Huang Qian's heart was empty too. Apart from mechanically moving her fingers to play a tune, her mind seemed to be blank.

I don't want to think about anything. If only time could stand still.

Unsurprisingly, Huang Qian developed a fever, and the sudden illness showed no signs of abating, even worsening.

So she took leave.

Huddled under the covers, Huang Qian wrapped herself tightly in the blankets, and with a chill running through her from the bottom of her heart, she fell into a deep sleep.

If only everything in reality were a dream.

I want to eat pudding, as long as it's not matcha flavored.

It's too bitter.

When Huang Qian opened his eyes again, he vaguely saw a figure sitting by the bed. The person was sitting upright with a book in her hands, placed on her knees. Her smooth, black, medium-length hair slid down her shoulders. The soft sunset shone on her face, softening her originally sharp features. Her slightly pursed lips looked like pudding with caramel on them.

Rina...

Silently thinking about the name, slowly repeating it.

"Li—hmm?!"

The moment the visitor turned his head, Huang Qian's eyes widened, and his drowsy state vanished instantly.

"Qing, Qinglai?!"

Never having imagined that she would come to visit her, Huang Qian couldn't tell whether she was pleasantly surprised or disappointed. She hurriedly sat up, and the blanket slipped off her body.

“Kawashima and the others were supposed to come, but training ended a little late today,” Kiyoyori closed his book and reached for the plastic bag on the low table. “Reina had tutoring tonight and couldn’t come, so I came to bring the gifts for them.”

"Hmm... Oh."

"I'm so sorry it wasn't Reina."

"Ah—! No, I didn't! That..." Huang Qian waved his hand frantically, his eyes darting around, not daring to look Lai clearly.

"It's written all over their faces."

"Um...I'm sorry..."

Looking at Huang Qian's drooping head, Kiyoyori had a feeling of looking at an Akita Inu.

“Original flavor pudding, this is a gift from Kawashima-kun,” Kiyoyori handed the spoon and pudding to Oumae. “This is Reina’s, but it seems you already have one.”

It was a record with a euphonium printed on it. A piece of paper was pasted on the plastic case containing the record, listing all the tracks, the recording dates, and the names of the performers.

Masakazu Shindo.

Upon receiving the record, Huang Qian gently stroked it as if it were a precious treasure, saying, "This is exactly what I wanted to listen to."

I remember the first time I received this record was when I joined the brass band in elementary school and was choosing an instrument. I wanted to choose the trombone like my sister, but for some reason I ended up picking up the euphonium.

This blowing has lasted for seven years.

“This is mine,” Qinglai said, taking a stack of bound papers out of the plastic bag. “This is my math notebook for the entire first year of high school, with problems and solutions that I copied down myself.”

"Huh?" Huang Qian flipped through the notes. The contents were detailed and the handwriting was beautiful. Different colors marked the important and difficult points. It could be called a must-have for review. But she didn't understand why Qing Lai would suddenly give her this.

"I heard from Lina that your math is terrible."

Qinglai's expression remained unchanged, and Huang Qian could not detect a single flaw.

It looks like it...

She stared at Kiyoshi's figure until the sound of a euphonium filled the room.

The two fell silent for a moment, quietly appreciating the professional performance.

"I feel like it sounds a lot like Asuka-senpai's performance..."

Huang Qian noticed Kiyoyori's slightly clenched fist. "What does Kiyoyori think?"

“This record is probably the first thing that introduced people to the euphonium,” Kiyoyori said with her eyes closed, her answer seemingly impeccable. “Learning always starts with imitation, so it’s not surprising that there are some similarities.”

"Oh right, Kiyoyori also studied euphonium..."

Being with Kiyoyori always left Ouma somewhat at a loss. Unlike with Reina, Kiyoyori gave off a sense of oppression and a deep-seated sadness.

The door to the room was suddenly pushed open roughly. "I said! Can you stop putting that on?!"

The sudden sound interrupted their thoughts. Kiyoshi looked towards the door in the direction of the sound and saw a woman with long hair and light makeup. She looked impatient and her brows were slightly furrowed, as if she was very dissatisfied with something.

The deep, melodious sound of the euphonium still echoed in the space.

"A guest?"

Mamiko glanced at Kiyoshi sitting in the chair, her gaze lingering for a few seconds.

Kiyoshi stood up, bowed slightly to the other person, and said, "Excuse me."

Mamiko nodded hastily, then turned her gaze to Huang Qian. Seeing her younger sister sitting dejectedly on the bed, with a hint of fragility from her illness, Mamiko's heart softened, and her tone became gentler. "Could you stop the music for a moment?"

"why?"

Huang Qian looked up and met her sister's gaze, neither giving an inch.

"Because it annoys me."

A sense of irritation welled up inside her again, especially since the person she was talking to was her younger sister, Kumiko, which intensified Mamiko's irritation. She didn't want to discuss this matter with Kumiko, not even just mention it.

Because this would allow her to discover her own ugliness; she was so jealous, jealous that her younger sister could rightfully have everything she loved, and she became a shield in front of her sister.

Because she is the older sister, she should be a role model for her younger sister.

She undoubtedly loves Kumiko, but she also resents her sister for making her the way she is now.

But she knew it was just displaced anger.

However, this kind of displaced anger cannot be stopped, and it continues to reveal one's own ugliness.

Without saying a word, he walked up to the CD player, took out the CD, and placed it in his sister's hand.

"that's it."

After saying that, he prepared to leave the room.

Just as she was about to close the door, Huang Qian suddenly shouted at Mamiko from behind:

"If that's the case, then don't say 'I don't want to give up' at all! Don't you hate playing the flute? Then don't say things like that! Who's going to believe you now that you don't want to give up!"

"So annoying..."

"Your parents paid for your tuition and rent to go to college, and then they said you'd been putting up with it all this time!"

"I'm sick!"

Mamiko's shrill scream pierced everyone's hearts like a sharp blade.

"How could you possibly understand how I feel?"

With an uncontrollable sob escaping her lips, the door was slammed shut.

"Sorry... I startled you."

Like a defeated puppy, Huang Qian lowered his head and hugged his knees.

“This is what I should say,” Kiyoyori picked up his coat from the back of the chair and handed it to Huang Qian. “I have no intention of prying into your privacy.”

"Sorry, it wasn't Reina who came today..."

Huang shook his head vigorously, "It's so good that Kiyoyori came today... If it were Reina, I feel like I wouldn't be able to say it..."

"If you'd like to say it."

“They look so alike,” Huang Qian sniffed. “Asuka-senpai and her older sister.”

"For Kiyoyori, Asuka-senpai is like an older sister, right?"

and so……

You'll understand how I feel...

P.S.: Kiyora can really be paired with anyone (not really).

Chapter 71 Warmth in the Night Breeze (Section 308)

The pudding was torn open, leaving only half of it. A plastic spoon was casually placed in the bowl. Huang Qian, wearing a coat, sat cross-legged on the edge of the coffee table, supporting his ankles with his hands, and swaying his body slowly back and forth.

“My older sister used to be a member of the brass band. I wanted to get into playing music because I admired her,” Huang Qian said shyly, twirling the end of his hair. “Isn’t that boring? It’s lame to learn music just because you admire someone.”

Kiyoshi, who was sitting upright, glanced at Kōzen, but their eyes did not meet. "No."

Anyway, she didn't start playing the flute because she liked music in the first place.

"My sister plays the trombone, so I want to become a trombone player like her."

Kiyoshi suddenly remembered that at the beginning of the semester, Huang had concealed the fact that he could play the euphonium because he wanted to join the trombone club.

“But the trombone is a very sought-after instrument, and I don’t know why I went to the bass section and learned the euphonium, which nobody wanted to play,” Huang Qian said, looking down and letting out a long breath. “Since then, I have always played the euphonium. There is no special reason, it’s just because I had learned it.”

"The euphonium is unremarkable. It doesn't have the high notes of the trumpet, and it can't go as low as the tuba. It's also bulky and not cool at all..."

“I don’t think so,” Huang Qian looked at Qing Lai, who always seemed to maintain such composure. Even with her hair down, her originally sharp aura softened a bit. “The euphonium has a gentle tone. Although it is not as outstanding as other solo instruments, it can still play the most touching music, even if it is just like a child learning to speak.”

It wasn't Kiyoyori's mother's superb and tender oboe playing that brought her into a musical family, but rather Asuka's clumsy yet persistent practice. When Kiyoyori met Asuka, she was simply clumsily playing the euphonium that had been sent to her home, trying to piece together the image of her father, whom she had never met, from the sheet music.

"Qinglai, why are you learning the euphonium?"

"Who knows? Maybe I just want to be closer to her."

What kind of magic does music possess that led Touko away, held Asuka captive, and ultimately embraced Kiyoyori?

"I was born into a family filled with music. My first books weren't picture books, but scores composed by my mother. My mothers were delighted with my musical talent, but I loathed it. I hated that it took away my mother and robbed her of her love for me, but—"

"I still want to play with that person after all..."

Huang Qian hugged his knees and finished Qing Lai's words.

"Hmm... I still really want to stand on that stage with her."