I am only one world away from Yukinoshita.

Kiyoyori stood up and walked to Nakashiko. "Arrogance, such arrogance."

Kiyoyori reached out and grabbed the other person's collar, forcing Nakaseko to look at him. "You think you're saving her? Sacrificing yourself to protect what you perceive as someone else's happiness? That's nothing but self-gratification!"

Looking at his senior's tear-streaked face, Kiyora felt a sense of pleasure. "You have no idea what she's going to do. You personally destroyed that introverted and timid girl's only moment of courage. If this is your gentleness, you should take it back as soon as possible."

"No one needs to be given charity, and no one needs to be saved."

"Furthermore, if this kind of bullying isn't exposed, it will only embolden those people. What you're doing is simply—!"

Nakaseko suddenly smiled. She looked into Kiyoyori's eyes, her face full of tears, yet she smiled, a genuine smile from the bottom of her heart.

"Yukinoshita-san is so kind."

Kiyoshi was stunned. She released her hands from Nakaseko's collar and staggered back two steps.

"Ha ha ha ha……"

"Senior, you are truly an irredeemably gentle person."

Chapter 33 Please entrust everything to me

Kiyoshi took out a topical medicine for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis from the medical kit, lifted up Nakajiko's sleeve, skillfully poured the essential oil onto the bruises, and then rubbed it with appropriate force.

"It will hurt a little."

“Hmm…” Nakazeko slightly pulled his arm back. “Yukinoshita is quite skilled.”

“Hmm,” Kiyoyori paused, “because someone around me gets injured all the time.”

A silence lingered between the two, but in the end, Nakashiko chose to tell the truth.

“Actually, I wasn’t very familiar with that girl at first. We were just ordinary seniors and juniors. Because she was very introverted, we didn’t talk much. It wasn’t until later that I accidentally saw that scene in the photo on a path that I realized she had been bullied all along,” Nakashiko looked out the dark window. Her elbow was burning with pain, but she didn’t cry out. “At that time, I just walked away as if I hadn’t seen anything. But ever since that day, every time I met that girl in the club, I would unconsciously want to care about her more. Later, when we got to know each other better, she told me that she had actually seen me that day, but she didn’t blame me. Instead, she thanked me for taking care of her.”

"But I know very well that I'm just using this method to comfort myself: I didn't just stand by and do nothing."

Kiyoshi silently handed over a tissue.

"Thank you," Nakajiko dabbed at the corner of her eye with the corner of a tissue. "Actually, I was completely confused when I received the email. I knew the person in the photo was her, but I didn't know she was the sender. It was only when that child contacted me that I found out."

“He came to you on his own initiative?” Qinglai had never considered this possibility.

“Well, she probably thinks I can be trusted,” Nakashiko gave an awkward smile. “She told me her plan and then hoped that I would cooperate with her plan to persuade the first-year students to stay and also persuade the third-year students to focus on finding the sender, so that the conflict between the two years would disappear.”

Kiyoshi shook his head in disagreement, “But this is all just a hypocritical peace.”

"That's what I told her too, but she said there was no problem, that it was all within her calculations, and that I just needed to cooperate. So I discovered that she had other plans she was hiding from me, so..."

"So you found the Department of Service."

Zhong Shigu nodded.

"But the conflict between the third graders and the first graders still escalated, otherwise Kasaki Nozomi wouldn't have been—"

“That was just the beginning. And the person who bullied Nozomi was originally in a relationship with Miyamoto Taku, who was asked to leave the club. She was also the leader of the club in bullying the third-year students who were first-years,” Nakazeko raised his hand in coordination with Kiyoyori’s gesture. “Although there were some delinquents in the club led by her, not all third-year students were like that. Most of them were just forced by her tyranny.”

Kiyoshi nodded. "I'm going to use my strength."

“Okay.” Nakashiko pursed his lips, suppressing a groan in his throat. “Actually, last weekend, all the members of the brass band gathered together. Everyone confirmed that the primary task was to find the sender. The third-year students and the first-year students also reached a temporary reconciliation. Everything was indeed under that child’s control. However, because the email was too obviously directed at the trumpet club, the first-year students in the trumpet club were immediately isolated by everyone.”

“So I started to worry about the first-year students in the trumpet club, and I was also worried that if that child’s identity was exposed, the bullying she was being bullied would also be exposed. But she told me it was okay and even asked me to fight for the principal position. But how could I, how could I take that position that she had earned herself?” Nakashiko covered her eyes with a tissue. “The conflict escalated on the day the principal was chosen. All the first-year and second-year students nominated me for principal, but the third-year students disagreed, especially the contestants. One of them had a good relationship with the principal of the flute club, that senior, Kimura Ryoko, so they started threatening the first-year students.”

“I couldn’t take it anymore, so I found the child. She said that all of this would be over soon, and that their sacrifices would be worth it if I could take the chief position,” Nakashiko said, pulling her already treated arm out of Kiyoyori’s hand. “But my pride wouldn’t allow me to do that, so I gave up the chief position.”

"Realizing that the child might be planning to reveal her identity, I found her first and learned from her that Kimura Ryoko and others had been bullying her all along. This plan was not only to resolve the conflict between the two grades, but also to purge the 'parasites' in the third grade. That's what she said..."

Nakashiko gave a bitter smile. "She wants to expose these people directly to the public. If they are angered, they will definitely cause trouble for the sender. In this way, she will have direct evidence and reasons to report them. Kimura Ryoko and others will definitely be punished, and their competition positions will be freed up. Without their manipulation, the first-year students will have the opportunity to participate in the competition."

“It’s a perfect plan…” Kiyoyori glanced at Nakaseko, who was leaning back on the sofa with his eyes covered by his sleeve, “If it weren’t for Senpai’s interference.”

“How could I not stop her… this self-harming behavior,” Nakashiko shoveled the cold coffee into his mouth. “So I thought of replacing her with myself. Now that I know all her plans, I can just take over the rest, and that child can stay in the brass band.”

"The senior is the one who has the least right to say such things; he's only hurting himself."

"After all, I'm the senior."

Kiyora sighed. "So, you sent that email before the sender exposed themselves, drawing Kimura and the others' attention to you, so you could bear their anger and expose their actions." Kiyora tapped the sofa armrest with his finger. "Now I know all about these plans. Are you still planning to continue, Senpai? Didn't you consider the sender's feelings? She must be in great pain right now, regretting dragging you into this. And Senpai, you have to bear the unfounded blame for everything she did."

"I know... I've made up my mind. Consider it atonement for my past indifference..."

“Ha—, I knew it,” Kiyoyori stood up and rubbed his hair with his hand. “Now that I know about this, neither she nor I will let Senpai continue.”

Nakazeko looked at Kiyoyori with a puzzled expression, "Does Yukinoshita-san have a better solution?"

"Is it better? I wouldn't say, it's just not worse than the current situation. Before that, let me tell you something, senpai," Kiyoyori recalled what Kasaki had said in the Yukinoshita Record, "Do you know why the first-year students, led by Kasaki Nozomi, insist on leaving the club?"

"Huh?" Clearly not expecting the topic to suddenly jump to this point, Nakajiko looked bewildered. "It's not because the third-year students don't want to practice properly..."

Kiyoshi shook his head. "If that's all there is to it, we can just wait for the third-year students to leave the club. Why get so hung up on this?"

“It’s because we can’t see a future,” Kiyoyori said, sitting down next to Nakazeko. “The problem with the brass band isn’t just the third-year students. The seniors must have noticed the advisor’s attitude too. With an advisor like that, the brass band will never succeed, no matter how many years we give them. That’s why they chose to leave. They can’t stay in this brass band because they’re so fixated on their own ideas.”

“So…” Zhongshigu opened his eyes wide in understanding.

"Therefore, as long as the fundamental nature of this wind band club remains unchanged, their determination to leave the club will not waver. This is something that no matter what the other members do, it cannot change."

"How could that be..." Then everything that child did was just a waste of time, wasn't it?

Zhong Shigu pulled at her hair in distress.

“Since their withdrawal cannot be stopped, let’s make the most of it,” Kiyoyori said casually.

"Yukinoshita-san, what do you mean by this?"

“Please leave this matter to me,” Kiyoyori said, grasping Nakazeko’s arms with both hands as they looked into each other’s eyes. “Since I cannot fulfill the requests given to me by Ogasawara-senpai and Saito-senpai, then at least let me fulfill the request you gave me, Kaori-senpai.”

Chapter 34 People Are Different

Good morning, Yukinoshita.

As soon as Kiyoyori stepped out of the room, he saw Nakaseko standing in the kitchen wearing an apron, preparing breakfast and bento boxes. His still sleepy brain couldn't quite process what was happening.

"Senior Medieval Gu...?"

Nakazeko glanced at Kiyoyori with amusement. The confusion in Kiyoyori's eyes was completely different from the shrewdness he had shown the night before. "Yes, Yukinoshita-kun, I stayed here last night."

"oh oh."

Kiyoshi nodded and said, "I'm sorry to trouble you to make breakfast this morning, senior."

"Consider this a thank you for taking me in last night. Also, please remember to tell me the cost of yesterday's clothes later, Yukinoshita-san."

Qinglai was stunned for a moment, clearly not quite understanding, before hurriedly nodding, "Okay."

After all, it was money spent from Xuezhixia.

Seeing Kiyora's dazed expression, Nakaseko couldn't help but laugh. She never expected that Kiyora, who was known as the Iceberg, would show such an expression.

It wasn't until he splashed cold tap water on his face that Qinglai regained some of his senses.

Last night was not a pleasant night. Kiyoyori, who was not used to being in a room with others, tossed and turned in bed for a long time before finally falling asleep. However, she was a light sleeper and would wake up at the slightest noise. Although Nakaseko was a very good sleeper and did not have any other bad habits that would make noise, for some reason, Kiyoyori kept falling asleep and waking up repeatedly until she finally fell asleep again near dawn.

Qinglai squeezed toothpaste onto the brush and put it in his mouth. The cool minty flavor of the toothpaste hit his nasal cavity and instantly dispelled the lingering drowsiness.

Senior Nakashiko never told Kiyoyori the girl's name, and Kiyoyori didn't press the matter. Now that they knew the girl in the photo was the sender, they just needed to compare the person in the photo with all the first-year students in the trumpet club. Although there were many people in the trumpet club, there were some who could be eliminated immediately, such as Yoshikawa Yuko.

The most eye-catching thing was the bracelet on the girl's wrist. It didn't look like something she bought casually at a jewelry store; it looked more like something she made herself. The production process seemed quite complicated, but Kiyotaka didn't really know much about these kinds of things until Haruno sent her a photo yesterday.

It was a photo of her wearing a shrine maiden outfit at the shrine, with a bracelet on her wrist that looked exactly like the one in the photo. It was said to be a gift from a friend. Kiyoyori asked her about it and easily found out the location of the shrine.

The family that manages this shrine is the Kambara clan, a member of Chiba's upper class. They organize the annual festivals and fireworks displays, so it's not surprising that Yukinoshita Haruno has dealings with the Kambara family.

The Kambara family also has two daughters, and their ages are similar to those of the Yukinoshita family. The eldest daughter, Kambara Akane, is Haruno's college classmate, while the younger daughter, Kambara Akira, is a first-year student at Soubu High School, just like Yukinoshita. Coincidentally, she is also a member of the trumpet club.

Although it was hard to imagine that a child from a prominent family would be bullied, Kiyoyori decided to go and find her in person to find out the truth.

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

Today is a bright and sunny day. Although the roadside still exudes the fresh scent of damp earth and the ground is still covered with puddles, the fresh air after the rain is invigorating, and the sunshine that drives away the dark clouds always brings a pleasant mood.

Perhaps this kind of weather is perfect for a shrine visit.

During lunch break, Kiyoyori went to find Shinbara's class, only to learn that she had asked for leave. To prevent any further complications from arising, Kiyoyori immediately decided to ask for leave and go to the shrine where Shinbara's family lived.

The Shinbara family home is located within the shrine grounds and is a traditional Japanese-style bungalow.

Kiyoyori came to visit with a gift. Upon learning that she was her daughter's classmate and the second daughter of the Yukinoshita family, Mrs. Kambara immediately led Kiyoyori into the house.

Mrs. Kambara chattered on and on about her daughter to Kiyoyori. She said how wonderful it was that her introverted daughter could make friends, and how her daughter had been smiling more and more since joining a club recently. But yesterday, for some reason, she went out in the rain and stayed in the rain for a long time, then locked herself in her room, feeling chilly.

Kiyoshi didn't want to tell Mrs. Kambara about the matter he had entrusted to her, so he only told her that he was under a lot of pressure due to the recent brass band competition.

"This is Akane's room. Akane is taking care of her. She's probably still sleeping at this hour. Please make yourself at home, Yukinoshita."

Kiyoshi opened the sliding door, and there lay Akira Kambara on the tatami mat, her breathing steady and long. Kneeling beside her bed was an older woman, and both of them had identical hand ropes wrapped around their hands.

“Yukino-san,” the older woman turned her head and smiled kindly at Kiyoyori, “you look just like Haruno. May I call you Yukino?”

"Please go ahead."

Kiyoshi quietly walked over and sat down next to Akane Kambara.

"Did Yukino come for that matter?"

"That matter?"

"The brass band, or something like that."

Akane Kambara gave a bitter smile, reached out and grasped Akira Kambara's hand, which was sticking out of the blanket, and gently rolled up her sleeve. Because she was wearing a yukata, Kiyori could easily see a little bit of bruise on her shoulder.

"You already know."

“This child doesn’t want to tell me anything…” Akane gently smoothed Akira’s bangs that were sticking to her forehead from sweat. “If Haruno hadn’t told me, I really wouldn’t know anything. I naively thought Akira was having a great time at school.”

"Yang—Sister?"

Kiyoshi was surprised, but not entirely unexpected, to hear this name here. In fact, the fact that he sent her that photo so promptly last night was already a bit suspicious.

"As an older sister myself, it seems I'm still far from being as good as Haruno." Their hands, bound together with the same knotted rope, clasped together.

What are your plans?

The Shinbara family is quite powerful, so dealing with a few thugs shouldn't be a big problem.

“It’s not about what I want to do, but what Jing wants to do. I won’t interfere with her choice in this matter.”