I play wind instruments in Kansai.

Kirishima Ruka didn't think she had ever argued with Hitomi, but she felt something was off about their interactions, as Hitomi's mind seemed to be increasingly elsewhere.

Although she had always wanted to change Shiraishi Hitomi's domineering way of doing things, when things actually changed, Kirishima Ruka was not so happy.

"Does Kirishima know the piece 'The Last Letter by Murdoch'?" Miyamine asked.

He suddenly asked a question, and Kirishima Ruka quickly regained her composure, nodding and saying:

"I have heard of it, but I have never boasted about it."

"I looked at the full score that Daidoji-senpai gave me."

Gongling Wang said,

"There were flute solos, clarinet and tuba duets, flute and trumpet competitions, and what was originally a piano solo was given to the trumpet section by my senior."

In formal competitions, the piano is allowed to be included, but it cannot be played by an adult, it is not considered part of the instrument group, and it must be played by students of the school.

Because it is not a fixed configuration, the judges will not use it as a judging criterion.

"I've noticed that too."

Kirishima Ruka nodded and said,

"I understand. The main problem is that there are too few outstanding people in our club. Those who can play the piano are all very good girls, so it wouldn't be good to separate them out."

Miyamine Nozomi's lips curled up, and she suddenly glanced at her and said, "Kirishima-san, can you play the piano too?"

"Well, I would say I started learning piano in elementary school, and it was the first musical instrument I ever played."

"Then Kirishima-san must be a nice girl."

"Hmm..." Kirishima Ruka paused for a moment, then glanced at him with a hint of resentment and said, "Hey Miyamine, are you kidding me?"

"Just telling the truth." Gong Lingwang gave an ambiguous smile. "So, who do you think is the most capable of being the alternate account? Or rather, who is the most qualified?"

Kirishima Ruka was speechless.

The trumpet is widely recognized as the strongest section in the Haruki Brass Club, and finding a soloist from it would inevitably involve fierce competition.

She didn't want to admit defeat, nor did she want to focus on factors other than her solo performance ability.

"I might be a bit behind Daidouji-senpai."

Kirishima Ruka said modestly,

"If everyone chooses her, I will support her 100%."

Gong Lingwang let out a quiet sigh, a subtle sense of pressure emanating from his gentle eyes:

"It seems you've never taken willow wood seriously."

Kirishima Ruka inadvertently turned her face away. Their close relationship was public knowledge, so it was normal for Miyamine Nozomi to feel uncomfortable. She wasn't angry.

However, he didn't seem angry.

"No, on the contrary, I've always been paying close attention to her, wondering if she'll surpass me."

Kirishima Ruka said, her fingers gripping the strap of her backpack.

"She can openly say she doesn't like me because I'm stronger than her. If I were weaker than her, she would just ignore me, just like Daidouji-senpai ignores those hopeless club members."

"..."

"So I've always kept her in mind and considered her one of the reasons I'm making progress."

Miyamine Nozomi kept opening and closing his mouth like a fish. Kirishima Ruka's pride seemed to be heavier than he thought, but also more clear-headed.

He was probably a little angry; he didn't want the girl he favored to be looked down upon, even if that look down was justified.

But hearing Kirishima Ruka say that actually made him like her even more.

"I know that people subconsciously favor those they care about more."

Kirishima Ruka's arms and legs were exposed to the air, her palms were already damp with a thin layer of sweat, her lungs felt heavy as if filled with lead, and her mind was filled with a turbulent mix of emotions.

"But I hope that Miyamune-kun will choose me or Daidoji in the end."

"..."

Gongling Wang did not answer. The air he inhaled slowly settled near his stomach, he held it for five seconds, and then exhaled it all in one breath.

"I know her; she won't give up."

"But I also know you to some extent. You are a very biased boy. You are not selfless."

Gong Lingwang met her gaze.

If one day in the future, I were to choose either Kirishima Ruka or Daidouji Seiko in the trumpet selection, then I would definitely feel very sad.

Losing the election is one thing, but not having your childhood friend by your side is another.

Miyamine Nozomi admits that he is not a selfless person, and the opportunity to reorganize the brass band was because of Yukito, who fulfilled her long-cherished wish to participate in the national competition.

It was precisely because he understood the willow wood lantern that Miyamune Nozomi felt even more conflicted.

She is resolute and follows her own will, claiming fairness and equality to the outside world. But if she gets help through Gongling Wang's selfishness, will she really be happy?

A conflicting feeling kept churning within Gong Lingwang's heart.

As if sensing Miyamine Nozomi's confusion, Shiraishi Hitomi said softly:

"Love cannot be perfect. Live as you like, and even if you make mistakes, you can accept each other."

Both of them looked at Shiraishi Hitomi at the same time. Her pretty and lovely face was expressionless, but she said something that was enough to answer their questions.

Gongling Wang was stunned for a moment. With just one sentence, he completely understood what kind of girl Shiraishi Hitomi was.

"Hitomi..." Kirishima Ruka murmured.

The three arrived at the station, where time seemed to move much slower than usual, with the trams, which ran every thirty minutes, packed with people.

Kirishima Ruka, making sure she wouldn't get lost in the crowd, moved toward the empty space in front of the car door and raised her arm to grab the handrail.

Turning my gaze, I saw that Miyamine Nozomi was standing to the side, with Shiraishi Hitomi standing close to him.

The girl's hand wasn't gripping the handrail, but rather holding his backpack; her snow-white arm, exposed from her uniform, was almost pressed against his.

"......"

She had only been holding the rings for a few minutes when she rushed up to Kirishima Ruka at the next stop, Okazaki-mae Station.

When the mains power goes out, my body involuntarily leans to one side, and I simply hold on tighter.

My gaze shifted, and I noticed that Gong Lingwang's hand had somehow wrapped around Shiraishi Tong's waist. He seemed to be saying something, but Shiraishi Tong just shook her head.

The hand that was wrapped around her waist loosened, leaving only the wrinkles on the girl's uniform caused by the rubbing of Miyamune's palm.

Gong Lingwang's body tensed up. He didn't know why Shiraishi Hitomi was so close to him, not holding onto the rings but grabbing his backpack instead.

However, her waist was more supple than he had imagined, and the strands of hair that fell on her forearm tickled him.

When the train arrives at Wakayama Station, students from other high schools come and go, and you can even see the Western-style uniforms of Seirin High School.

The leaves of the roadside trees are edged with gold, and when the wind blows, all the gold edges begin to sway.

"Are you going to Kotomi's family's music store?" Kirishima Ruka asked, noticing that Miyamine Nozomi didn't seem to be planning to go with her.

"Mm." Gongling Wang nodded.

"......"

Normally, Kirishima Ruka and Shiraishi Hitomi would part ways at the station because it wasn't on their way home.

Just as she was agonizing over whether to go with them, Shiraishi Hitomi raised her hand and waved, interrupting her inner turmoil:

Goodbye, Ryuka.

"Uh--"

Kirishima Ruka's fingernails etched crescent-shaped marks on her palm. The paving stones on the sidewalk had been baking in the sun all day, and you could feel their warmth even through her loafers.

"See you tomorrow then," she could only say with a smile.

Watching Kirishima Ruka's departing figure, Miyamine tilted his head in confusion and asked:

"Should I not be here?"

Hitomi Shiraishi shook her head, her words devoid of any emotional fluctuation:

"It's Ryuka who shouldn't be here."

"......"

"Let's go."

She didn't seem to care much, and instead smiled at Gong Lingwang.

"See if there's anything I can do to help you."

This statement sounds a bit strange, but it also seems quite normal.

".......OK."

The Shiraishi family's music store is near Wakayama Station, just a few minutes' walk away.

Go up the narrow staircase to the second floor, where several girls in uniforms are picking out something. Most of the students who come here are from the brass band.

"Xiao Tong is back! Gong Ling, you're here too!"

Today, her stepmother was at the front desk, looking just as kind and gentle as last time.

"Hello Auntie."

Several high school girls who were getting their maintenance turned their gazes toward Miyamune Nozomi, their eyes practically glued to her.

Shiraishi Hitomi frowned slightly, but she didn't say much to the guest, and simply stepped forward and said:

"C3".

"C3?"

Shiraishi's mother tilted her head in confusion, but didn't ask any further questions. She simply took out an electronic card for room C3 and handed it to Shiraishi Hitomi.

Shiraishi Hitomi reached out and tugged at the hem of Miyamine Nozomi's clothes, saying:

"Let's go."

"Auntie, I'm leaving now."

"Ah... um."

Shiraishi's mother looked at the two of them hesitantly. They didn't need to pay for what they ate as family, but was this some kind of special treatment...?

Moreover, a man and a woman were alone in a small, soundproof room...

As adults, it's hard not to overthink things.

"Aunt Shiraishi, is that your daughter?" a young girl standing at the front desk asked eagerly.

“Yes, isn’t it cute?” Shiraishi’s mother said with a smile.

"So, that's her boyfriend? He's so handsome?"

"He's super handsome! Not the roguish kind of handsome, but the kind that's clean-cut and refined!"

"this......"

Shiraishi's mother wasn't very clear about her friendships, but Kirishima, who was close to her, hadn't visited in a long time.

"Be careful, being alone in a small room usually means they're doing *that* kind of thing!"

“Indeed, my boyfriend has always wanted to do that kind of thing, but I just won’t let him.”

"Boys are all like this, they only think about taking advantage of girls."

The women on either side of her said something, and Shiraishi's mother was also a little worried, but she was also concerned that if she went directly there, Shiraishi Hitomi would dislike her.

As a stepmother, she understood to some extent how to cross sensitive boundaries without abruptly.

◇

The soundproof room door is at least ten centimeters thick, and the handle is made of solid metal. Gong Lingwang needs some effort to turn it.

With the power on, a warm yellow light enveloped the room.

The room was small, only about ten square meters, a regular rectangle, with the ceiling, walls and floor covered with attractive materials of varying shades.

The black sound-absorbing cotton, shaped like an inverted pyramid, resembles a solidified three-dimensional honeycomb, densely packed.