I play wind instruments in Kansai.

The zebra crossings on the asphalt road were so white they were almost blinding, each one like a piano key.

“I’m going to Shiraishi’s family’s music store,” Miyamine Nozomi said.

He increased the leverage on Shiraishi Hitomi by twenty times, so he couldn't be as lax as before.

"so......."

Kirishima Ruka didn't seem surprised, but a barely audible, almost anxious sigh escaped her lips.

"Hmm, is there anything I can do to help? After all, it was me who wanted Hitomi to practice the piccolo."

As if to conceal her true thoughts, she wore a faint smile, her eyes like crescent moons, and her lower eyelids full.

"Need not."

Hitomi Shiraishi shook her head, the wind ruffling her hair and revealing her delicate earlobes.

"Well......"

Kirishima Ruka's eyelashes trembled, her delicate throat moved, but she couldn't utter a single courageous word.

"Okay, okay, I'll be going now."

Watching Kirishima Ruka's departing figure, Miyamine Nozomi wondered if she had become the other woman.

But soon, he suddenly realized something.

That is, Kirishima Ruka hopes that Shiraishi Hitomi will no longer depend on her, can have her own ideas and do things, and become more independent.

On the surface, Shiraishi Hitomi did indeed do that, gradually ceasing to rely on her and acting according to her own ideas.

His joining is proof that Hitomi Shiraishi is gradually focusing her attention on him.

However, from another perspective, Hitomi Shiraishi has not actually completely broken free.

Rather, it is precisely because she developed a dependence on Kirishima Ruka that she did such a thing.

Because Shiraishi Hitomi's actions so far have indeed been in accordance with Kirishima Ruka's instructions, she is still under "commands".

Gong Lingwang became increasingly confused and terrified as he thought about it more and more.

Could it be... that I'm just a sex toy between the two of them...?

Looking again at the delicate and serene girl beside him, who resembled a doll, her neck was white and slender with smooth lines, and he could not feel the pulse of her veins. Her breathing was so shallow that it was almost non-existent.

She was cute, but the more Miyamine looked at her, the more something seemed off.

"Will Supervisor Hayami be coming over tonight?" Shiraishi Hitomi asked softly.

Miyamine Nozomi, regaining her senses, shook her head and said:

"No, I told her I was busy tonight, since we agreed I would teach you properly today."

She didn't open her mouth, but only let out a groan.

To compose herself, Miyamine straightened her back in one go and said:

"Shiraishi-kun, you—"

"Tong," she said abruptly.

"Well?"

Shiraishi Hitomi raised her hand to smooth her hair, and her cherry-colored lips uttered words that slightly surprised Miyamine Nozomi:

“I know it might be awkward for you in front of others, but you can call me that when they’re not around.”

"..."

Her words were extremely gentle and serene, and an impulse to reach out and touch her welled up in Gong Lingwang's heart.

This feeling could be described as anxiety, and there was even a desire to protect her, which was more like a sense of duty to protect her.

"But......."

Gongling Wang used to never feel awkward about how to address someone by their name, but now he seemed a little at a loss.

Amidst the lush greenery of the roadside trees, Shiraishi Hitomi suddenly revealed a faint smile, her delicate face carrying an inexplicable sense of reverie:

“I also want to call you Wang, but if you don’t like it, I can keep calling you Gongling.”

"......"

Faced with these unexpected words, Miyamine Nozomi's heartbeat clearly went awry.

She said "I want to shout too" instead of "I can shout you too," leaving the decision to Miyamine Nozomi himself.

With this simple sentence, she had already shown Gong Lingwang that she would never go against her own future.

Hitomi Shiraishi did not intend to act on her own.

Gong Lingwang should be horrified; this is not a reasonable thing to do. But now, he seems somewhat at a loss.

I was even a little excited.

But I have to say something. No matter how you look at it, it's definitely a bad thing to be flirting with other girls behind Liu Mujie Deng's back.

However, Miyamine thought about it again and realized that he and Yanagi Yuuto didn't actually have a relationship, and she herself didn't seem to have any intention of taking things further.

The gaze that Shiraishi Hitomi gave him was so straightforward, something that Miyane Nozomi couldn't sense from Ryuki Yuuto, whose emotions were always veiled in a bittersweet atmosphere.

The almost savage reflections on the car windows on the street made it difficult for Gong Lingwang to open his eyes.

His gaze unconsciously drifted downwards, his long shadow stretching out beneath Shiraishi Hitomi's feet, her pristine white lace socks almost spotless.

"Sure, you can call me whatever you want."

By the time he realized what was happening, the words were already out of his mouth.

"Ah."

She didn't show any excessive excitement, as if in her mind, it was only natural for the two of them to change their way of addressing each other.

Upon arriving at the Shiraishi family's music store, the front desk is always refreshed with either Shiraishi's father or mother.

Today is Father's Day.

"By the way, I'm planning to buy the flute I've been renting. How much would it cost in total?"

Gongling Wang said,

"Also, I'd like to buy some more cleaning rods, three more small bottles of key oil, a double-sided silver polishing cloth, and a tube care cream as well."

Shiraishi's parents widened their eyes slightly and said in surprise:

"Buy it? That will cost a lot of money."

In his eyes, the flute that Miyamine Nozomi was expensive to rent, and most students really couldn't afford it.

Unless his family is genuinely wealthy.

Miyamine Nozomi raised her finger and pointed to the piston oil in the cabinet, saying:

"I know. Also, bring two small bottles of piston oil and some lubricant for the tuning tubes."

Shiraishi's father frowned and subconsciously looked at his daughter beside him.

This boy was probably trying to play dumb in front of his lovely and charming daughter.

“The flutes you’re renting now cost over 800,000. If you buy all of these, it will cost over 900,000,” Bai Shi’s father reminded him.

"Is that so?" Gongling Wang rested his chin on his hand.

Shiraishi Hitomi's stock price didn't reach the 30-point mark today, but he's somewhat confident she can climb a little higher.

Moreover, with 20x leverage, you can buy whatever you want.

"I'll think about it in a few hours."

"Row."

Shiraishi's father smiled. Just as he had expected, the boy was trying to put on an act in front of the girls.

At this moment, Shiraishi Hitomi blinked and asked softly:

"Can't I get a discount?"

"......"

Bai Shi's father frowned deeply. How could family members give each other discounts?

"No need, no need, I can afford it. My family drives a Mercedes-Benz GLE, so we're fairly well-off."

Gong Lingwang waved his hand, took out his phone, and said...

"I can pay this amount if I want it. Also, Uncle Shiraishi, could you please give me the C3 electronic card? I only need it for four hours."

"......"

Shiraishi's father didn't know what to say, but he still opened a card for Miyamine Nozomi.

He had just handed over the card when he noticed his daughter following behind him, seemingly wanting to go to the room with him.

"Xiaotong, where are you going?"

Bai Shi's father was somewhat worried.

At first, he thought having friends was a good thing, but as a man, he vaguely felt that Gongling Wang was not a good person.

Hitomi Shiraishi turned her head and said:

"practise."

"Do you practice the piccolo? I can help you with whatever I can, I know a little bit about everything."

Bai Shi's father said with a smile, hoping to gain his daughter's approval.

Shiraishi Hitomi shook her head directly and said:

"No."

After she finished speaking, she followed Miyamine Nozomi's steps and walked towards room C3, leaving Shiraishi's father sitting in a chair with a depressed look on his face.

Gong Lingwang swipes his card to open the door and places the electronic card in a recess in the wall to draw power.

"How about trying the flute today? Toda-senpai is right, it might be much easier if you can also play the third one."

In his mind, Shiraishi Hitomi had a strong aptitude for music theory and would probably learn it in no time.

Let alone the third flute, even replacing Erika Toda as the second flute wouldn't be a problem.

However, the second flute and piccolo in the self-selected piece conflict, so this cannot be done.

"Ah."

Seeing her obediently nodding, Gong Lingwang suddenly felt a pang of heartache for no apparent reason.

"You don't have to do it if you feel tired. It's okay if it's just me and Toda-senpai. After all, I did all of this myself, so you have no reason to help."

"Well?"

Hitomi Shiraishi sat on the sofa, tilting her head slightly, her cherry-colored lips opening and closing repeatedly as she spoke.

Why would you say something like that? Am I not worthy of your need?

"No... I didn't mean that."

Gong Lingwang looked into her clear and bright eyes, and his breathing involuntarily quickened.

To alleviate his bad mood, he casually said:

"You haven't been spending time with Kirishima lately, am I getting in your way?"

Shiraishi Hitomi's brows furrowed even more, and she raised her hand to smooth a strand of hair from her chest, saying:

"I want to be with you, and it has nothing to do with Ryuka."

The central air conditioning was set to a comfortable temperature, and Gong Lingwang could smell the unique odor of the soundproof room, as well as the faint herbal scent on her body.

“But you used to have a good relationship with her, and recently you’ve been saying something that seems a bit off. Actually, she could have come along.”

He was a little puzzled, but still smiled.

Hitomi Shiraishi's adorable face broke into an endearing expression as she spoke in an almost groaning tone:

“But... you’ve been helping Director Hayami lately, and you’ve also been spending time with Yanagi. You rarely come to see me at school.”

"......"