I am only one world away from Yukinoshita.

“Mr. Pan,” Kiyoyori said in a low voice, “Christmas is coming soon, there should be limited edition merchandise for sale, right?”

Yukino looked at Kiyoyori with some surprise, but their eyes did not meet; Kiyoyori was only staring at the ground.

She sighed, "Oh well, I don't need tickets. I'll use the extra tickets to invite Yuihama-san or Tachibana-san's friends."

"Eh?! Yuki..." Yuihama, thinking she had been rejected, immediately burst into tears.

“I have a quarterly pass,” Yukinoshita said a little embarrassedly. “I’ve attended every event before.”

Kiyoyori looked up upon hearing this, and his gaze met Yukinoshita's. After a moment of distraction, he quickly looked away, seemingly feeling somewhat uncomfortable.

Yukinoshita frowned in confusion.

"It's decided then! We'll all go to the amusement park this weekend!"

Yuihama happily grabbed Yukinoshita's hand.

“Well,” Yukinoshita reluctantly looked away from Kiyori, “that’s settled then.”

Even if she had doubts, she wouldn't press the other party for answers at that moment.

"That's settled then," Hiratsuka Shizuka said, urging everyone to go back first. Tachibana, please stay.

Kiyoyori, who was planning to leave with the others, was stopped by Hiratsuka Shizuka behind him and had no choice but to stay. "Hiratsuka-sensei."

“Tachibana,” Hiratsuka Shizuka looked at Kiyori for a moment, seemingly organizing her thoughts, “yesterday…”

Kiyoshi was stunned for a moment, and involuntarily tensed up.

"Hiratsuka-sensei, and the Hiratsuka family."

"Ah, that's exactly what you think."

Hiratsuka Shizuka never hid her background. The fact that a high school teacher drives a supercar is enough to arouse suspicion, but hearing her admit it herself gives a different feeling.

Given that, it's not surprising that Hiratsuka Shizuka would know about her relationship with Haruno.

Hiratsuka Shizuka and Haruno were also very close friends.

So……

"I'm sorry, Tachibana."

Kiyoyori clenched his fists, stubbornly turning his head away, refusing to look at Hiratsuka Shizuka.

"Did Haruno tell Hiratsuka-sensei?"

A barely perceptible tremor was hidden in Kiyoshi's voice.

“Yes,” Hiratsuka Shizuka did not deny it, nor did she offer any explanation for herself. “Indeed, at first my attention to you was only because of Haruno, and I also knew a little about the entanglement between you two, but my concern for you afterwards was all from the bottom of my heart, and had nothing to do with Haruno, because you are my student, Tachibana, just as Haruno was once my student.”

Is there any point in saying all this now?

Perhaps it was Hiratsuka Shizuka's words that touched her on that summer night that Kiyora felt a deep sense of betrayal at this moment.

“Of course there is,” Hiratsuka Shizuka’s tone remained calm. “As Haruno’s former teacher, I know about Haruno’s pain and resentment during that time… But Haruno made the choice, and she should bear the consequences. I will not defend her on that point.”

"I just hope you can try to understand Hino."

Qinglai smiled.

"It's not that I'm unwilling, it's that I've tried before."

"And now, the result is the same as back then."

Chapter 37 The Banquet

yesterday……

Kiyoshi walked out of the office with mixed feelings, stood at the door, and couldn't help but sigh.

The sigh seemed to transform into a tangible burden, weighing heavily on her and making her shoulders slump wearily.

Did you not get enough rest last night?

The unexpected sound made Kiyoyori instinctively straighten his back, and at that moment, he seemed to have become the Kiyoyori of the past again.

Doesn't this person get tired?

Yukinoshita, glancing at Kiyoyori out of the corner of her eye, couldn't help but ask the question.

Kiyoshi opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he just gave a helpless smile. "I'll return those words to you, senpai, exactly as they were."

Yukinoshita, speechless, gave Kiyora a weak glare and turned to leave, but stopped a short distance away. "Yesterday, Tachibana-san went to that banquet?"

She didn't turn her head, but she knew what Kiyoyori's expression would be like at that moment.

"I thought the senior wouldn't care about such things."

After all, Yukinoshita had no enthusiasm or interest in these things whatsoever.

Yukinoshita, of course, didn't care about such things. She only knew because she received a call from her mother yesterday afternoon. As always, her mother ordered her to dress up for the occasion, but she declined on the grounds that she had student council work. She thought she would have to deal with her mother for a long time, but she didn't expect her mother to agree so easily.

After that, Yukinoshita stopped caring.

Now, she suddenly felt a pang of regret, though she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was.

“My sister also went yesterday.”

Yukino turned around, and the two gazed at each other from a short distance apart.

"Ah."

Kiyoshi did not provide any further response.

"You ran into your sister."

"……Um."

"What did she say to you?"

"Um……"

"Hiratsuka-sensei is here too."

"..."

They remained silent for a long time, one seemingly unwilling to leave until they received an answer, while the other refused to utter a single word.

After a long standoff, Yukinoshita was the first to give in.

"Don't forget our promise this weekend," Yukino said, turning to leave. "And take care of yourself."

The final words of concern were spoken in a low voice, and Kiyoshi couldn't even hear what the other person said before the beautiful figure walked away, her swaying long hair stirring Kiyoshi's heart.

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

last night

“Kiyoshi,” Carroll called out to Kiyoshi, who had just returned home and was about to go to his room, from the entrance hall, “There is a banquet today that I need you to attend with me.”

Carol didn't need to look to know that Kiyora's face was full of reluctance, but she still added, "The National Tournament is over now, so the training won't be as intense as before, right?"

Kiyoyori clearly wanted to argue something more.

"This is a promise you made with your mom."

One sentence silenced all of Qinglai's rebuttals.

"Go upstairs and change your clothes, we're leaving soon."

Only at times like this would Carol put away the playful and carefree demeanor she usually displayed when interacting with Kiyoyori.

Putting aside his reluctance, Kiyora obediently followed Carol to the venue.

Anyway, it wasn't the first time he'd attended such a banquet. Kiyotaka put on a fake smile and greeted the prominent figures behind Carol one by one, but his eyes were subconsciously searching for a certain figure in the crowd.

"Long time no see, Ms. Spencer."

"It's been a long time, Lady Yukinoshita."

Mrs. Yukinoshita walked towards them and, as usual, raised her glass to greet Carol. She was still wearing a dark kimono, looking serious and dignified. Mr. Yukinoshita stood beside her, but his expression was much gentler than Mrs. Yukinoshita's.

Good evening, Kiyoshi.

Good evening, Uncle Yukinoshita.

Kiyotomi bowed slightly to the Yukinoshita couple from behind Carol, not noticing anyone else out of the corner of her eye.

"Weren't your two daughters present?"

Carol smiled and asked Kiyoshi the question she wanted to ask, pretending to listen casually.

“Yono ran into an acquaintance just now, so she didn’t come along. As for Yukino, she has student council work to do today.” As she said this, Mrs. Yukinoshita showed a faint smile.

"I heard from Kiyoshi that Yukino is the student council president of Soubu High School this year."

"Yes, that child has her own ideas too," Mrs. Yukinoshita seemed to be in a good mood today. "Speaking of which, Kiyori used to be in the same club as our Yukino, right? How did you get along with her?"

Just like old friends meeting, they would always talk about their children. The two families seemed to have entered into this topic rather abruptly. Although there was nothing wrong with it, Qinglai felt that they had something in mind.

"Thank you for taking care of me, Senior Yukinoshita."

“Although Yukino is a year older than Kiyori, Kiyori is more mature in many ways,” just like all elders when they meet, they always symbolically praise each other’s children, “You two are about the same age, so you should have more in common, right? Please take good care of Yukino at school.”

Kiyori's heart skipped a beat. She instinctively looked at Lady Yukinoshita's expression but received no answer.

Perhaps she was too sensitive, always feeling that the other person's words had a hidden meaning.

Qinglai could only smile shyly and say, "Auntie, you flatter me."

“Alright, Kiyoyori, go get something to eat,” Carol patted Kiyoyori on the shoulder, staring at him with an irresistible gaze.

Kiyoshi knew that this meant they were trying to get her away.

"Ok."

"If Kiyoyori runs into Haruno, tell her to drink less alcohol. She should be over there." Lady Yukinoshita pointed to a place where a lot of young people were gathered, which happened to be the dining area.

Qinglai paused, then looked at Carol, knowing she had no right to refuse. "Okay, I'll pass on the message."

Therefore, she had no choice but to go see Yang Nai.

It seems that Kiyoyori has not heard any news about Haruno since then. When he went to see her, he felt something different than his previous dislike.

Deliberately avoiding the crowd, Qinglai walked to the buffet table from the side to get his food.