I am only one world away from Yukinoshita.

She just wanted to hide in her own world where she wouldn't get hurt.

Tachibana Kiyori was furious at Yuki, but the more dissatisfied she was, the more intense her desire to correct him became. Unconsciously, her gaze would always follow him.

“No,” Kiyori immediately denied, but after thinking for a moment, she laughed, “Yes, Hikigaya-senpai is an interesting person, and also a ridiculous one.”

"Because what he wants is right within his reach, yet he stubbornly insists that it's all fake, denying these 'false things' while protecting those hypocrites in even worse ways. Isn't that ridiculous?"

Just as Hikigaya instinctively disliked Kiyoyori, Kiyoyori also disliked Hikigaya.

But undeniably, they are both figures who arouse the other's curiosity.

Kiyoyori's sarcastic remarks about her senior were probably out of a sense of revenge. She didn't know what she was getting revenge for, but she just felt resentful, which was very inexplicable.

"Tachibana-san, your personality is really terrible."

Yukinoshita didn't offer any further opinions; her soft words drifted past Kiyori's ear, turning into a warm breeze.

"As a member of the Service Department, you're pretty much the same as me, aren't you, senior?"

However, in Kiyoyori's opinion, compared to her and Hikigaya, Yukinoshita-senpai's "terrible personality" was probably much more adorable.

"Perhaps the person who entrusted Tachibana to me overestimated me."

Yukinoshita didn't expect to say something so out of character. Perhaps it was because her conversations with Hikigaya and Kiyori had made her feel a real sense of powerlessness and frustration.

On the other hand, Qinglai was stunned by those words.

What does it mean?

She felt as if she were a cat placed in a small cardboard box, ruthlessly left by her owner on a deserted street corner, only able to watch the other person's departing figure.

"Could I ask you for a favor, senior?"

In the silence, some unknown emotion was surging wildly. Kiyotaka tried to suppress it as usual, but she could clearly feel the increasingly powerful resistance in her palm. The more she tried to control it, the more the emotion resisted.

"Please speak."

Yukino sighed.

"As our seniors know, we only won the bronze medal in this national competition."

Unlike her seemingly indifferent tone just now, Yukinoshita could now detect a suppressed resentment in Kiyori's low voice.

"Although others may think that Soubu High School's brass band has achieved remarkable results this year, the bronze medal is the full extent of Soubu High School's brass band's strength this year."

After more than half a year of hard practice, even dedicating almost all of their vacation time to practice, they have come this far, only to stop at the last step before the finish line. Even if the first and second year students still have a chance, for the third year students, this is the very last chance. After returning to Chiba, all the third-year students will officially retire, and the strength of the entire brass band will be greatly reduced. Next year, they will start from scratch again.

This is the cruelty of the competition, and also its charm.

"I failed to keep my promise to someone, but I still have a chance."

The spirit of passing on the hopes and dreams of our predecessors to the next generation is what truly matters.

"I am not reconciled, I am extremely unwilling, I am so unwilling that I want to die."

I am not satisfied with the result of the competition, I am not satisfied with only being able to play at the level that was rated as "this level", and I am even more dissatisfied with not being able to make the people who care about me focus their attention on me.

Why not look at her again?

At this moment, Qinglai realized that those emotions that she had once abandoned, or rather sealed away, were now bursting forth like a spring.

If I don't get close to others, I won't get hurt, right?

She had been carefully maintaining her distance from others, but unexpectedly, she had found herself walking in front of that person without even realizing it.

My chest was filled with bitterness and resentment, as if a trapped beast was trying to break free of its cage and roaring outwards with all its might.

"I want to play better, better than I am now, better than I was before!"

Will the snow bring back all those things that were once lost?

No, perhaps they have always been there, but Kiyotaka simply refuses to face them.

She knew it all along, but Kiyoshi was a coward; she didn't have the courage to endure the pain again.

Will Yukino Yukinoshita be the one who can give her courage?

"I want to be myself, as Tachibana Kiyori."

Kiyoshi clutched the clothes at his chest, breathing with some difficulty.

"It has nothing to do with Taki no Shō, nor with Hiratsuka-sensei."

"Yukinoshita-senpai, would you be willing to accept my request?"

Can you wait for me here until I get everything back?

P.S.: Volume 4 is over~ Actually, Kiyoyori has already realized her own feelings, but what she needs is the courage to admit them.

Next month, I'll be working night shifts, so updates will be irregular. There might be consecutive updates, or there might be a few days off. Anyway, I'll do my best. By the way, the timeline will start to unfold in the next volume. Did everyone find the foreshadowing from before? It's actually quite obvious!

Chapter 339, Part 01: A Fleeting Scene

After returning from Kyoto, the atmosphere in the Service Club became somewhat awkward, especially the relationship between Yukinoshita and Hikigaya, who were not particularly close to begin with. Yuihama, caught in the middle, didn't know what to do, while Kiyori was still a little embarrassed by what he had said that night and subconsciously avoided Yukinoshita.

Although the national competition has ended, the brass band's practice will not wait. Even without the retired third-year students, a new round of practice will not be missed. Kiyoyori was a little distracted, watching Yoshikawa Yuko conducting on the podium.

"Tachibana, you didn't attend class today. Did something happen?"

After practice, Yoshikawa spoke to Kiyoyori alone. Kiyoyori was the new head of the brass band after Ogasawara, while the vice-head was Nakagawa, whom Asuka had nominated.

"nothing……"

Kiyoyori smiled apologetically, but Yoshikawa seemed to have misunderstood something.

"Although Asuka-senpai has retired, our brass band will have another time, and another time after that. Let's cheer for next year's competition together. This year's bronze medal is the foundation for us to win the gold medal next year," Yoshikawa patted Kiyori on the shoulder, his words seeming more mature and composed. "Although without our seniors, our ensemble sounds much thinner, I believe that Soubu High School's performance in this year's competition will definitely attract more juniors with brass band experience to our school."

Don't overthink it.

Yoshikawa's voice was lower than usual, and Kiyori knew that she must have been thinking of someone when she said those words.

"Yoshikawa-senpai too."

“Oh, right,” Yoshikawa said as if he had suddenly thought of something, “I’m thinking of setting up a similar department in the brass band club, similar to the service club. It’s not as big as the service club, but it will mainly be aimed at addressing some of the problems that the members of the club have.”

"Like the Namiya General Store?"

"Well, almost."

Sensing that the other person hadn't finished speaking, Kiyoyori suddenly had an urge to turn around and run away.

as predicted--

"Tachibana, would you like to be the team leader for this department?"

The words of refusal were stuck in my throat and I hadn't been able to say them.

“Considering your experience in the Service Department, I think this position is a good fit for you.”

So he was waiting for her here...

"I'm sorry, Yoshikawa-senpai, one Service Club is already enough to overwhelm me, I'm afraid I can't handle a second one."

"Won't you reconsider?"

Yoshikawa seems to be quite fixated on this.

"Please allow me to refuse, Yoshikawa-senpai," Kiyoyori said with a wry smile, "I think dealing with my own troubles right now is troublesome enough..."

“I see,” Yoshikawa nodded thoughtfully. “It’s alright. Anyway, this plan won’t be officially implemented until the new students enroll next year. Right now, we’re just trying it out. If you change your mind, you can let me know anytime.”

Without giving Kiyoyori a chance to react, Yoshikawa hurriedly left. As the head of the brass band, which had become another highlight in Sobu High School's success rate in college entrance exams, she seemed to have become busy in her spare time.

Kiyoyori, who was standing still, let out a heavy sigh.

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

After school, Qinglai walked home alone.

Because third-year students no longer participate in club activities and are almost automatically assigned to the home club, most third-year students still choose to attend tutoring classes in the evenings after school, including Asuka.

Therefore, Kiyoyori hadn't seen Asuka for quite some time.

Even on weekends, she only bumped into Asuka on her way to tutoring class while jogging in the morning. They exchanged a brief greeting and then went their separate ways.

As the weather grew colder, the nights became longer, and it got dark when Qinglai was still halfway there.

She deliberately took a long detour just to visit a dessert shop that she and Asuka used to frequent. But when she stood outside the dessert shop, which was adorned with colorful lights, she hesitated.

Should we go in or not...?

Perhaps it was because I had some kind of expectation that I came here.

When Kiyoshi pushed open the door and didn't see that familiar figure, he couldn't help but sigh.

She bought her favorite cheesecake as usual, but the shop assistant asked her about Asuka. Before Kiyoshi could answer, an arm appeared on her shoulder.

The newcomer brazenly closed the distance between the two. Even through the not-so-thick school uniform, Kiyoshi could feel the warmth emanating from the other person, as well as that familiar scent.

only--

He wasn't the one she wanted.

"A pancake~"

The sickeningly sweet voice was just like the food she ordered; in that instant, Qinglai felt as if someone had stuffed a large spoonful of honey into her mouth.

"Good evening, Kiyora," Haruno tightened her arms around Kiyora, pulling her into her embrace, and mischievously blew a breath into her ear, "What a coincidence that we bumped into each other in a place like this~"

Kiyoshi, who hadn't thought much of it before, was now increasingly convinced that the other person had deliberately arranged to bump into her here.

Why do I keep running into this woman lately?

Kiyoshi vaguely felt a headache starting to ache, and the pain became more pronounced after he received his plate.

With a slightly pale face, Kiyora stumbled and fell into Yōno's arms.

"Oh my, why is Kiyora being so proactive today?" Yang Nai was surprised by Kiyora's actions and subconsciously steadied him, but unexpectedly saw Kiyora's not-so-good expression.

"Qinglai? Are you feeling unwell anywhere?"

His voice immediately became serious, and Yang even took out his phone to call a driver to take Qinglai to the hospital.