I play wind instruments in Kansai.

"After all, I've only just arrived—"

Before Miyamine Nozomi could finish speaking, they heard the sound of a steel pipe chair being pulled out from next door; it was Shiraishi Hitomi.

There were obvious water stains on the cuffs of her uniform.

[Character: Hitomi Shiraishi]

[Status: Newly Listed]

[Type: Unicorn concept stock (extremely optimistic, strong learning momentum, clear logic)]

Listing price: 20

A series of market information appeared before Gong Lingwang's eyes, information that had never appeared before.

If that's the case, there's only one possibility: Hitomi Shiraishi joined the brass band today.

Her speed of action left Miyamune Nozomi speechless; Kirishima Ruka had only said a few words, and she had obediently done them.

And what exactly are unicorn concept stocks? He did know about unicorns, which are extremely rare, or rather, legendary creatures that only appear in stories.

Suddenly, he felt a cold gaze. Gong Lingwang subconsciously looked up and found that Liu Mujie's eyes, hidden beneath his bangs, were staring intently at him.

"Hey, what are you looking at?"

"Did you know that Shiraishi-kun joined the club?" Miyamine Nozomi said quickly.

"Uh?"

Willow Knot Lantern's sullen face vanished instantly, replaced by an expression of undisguised shock:

"Xiaotong, really? Why?"

Shiraishi Hitomi didn't speak, but just kept looking at the two people's indoor shoes. Miyamine Nozomi even doubted that she had heard.

"Kirishima asked you to come?" Yuuto asked, frowning.

"..."

"Hey, why aren't you saying anything again! I ask you questions and you won't answer anything!" Liu Mujie stepped forward and slapped her on the table.

Shiraishi Hitomi was clearly startled; her delicate shoulders trembled slightly, and her pupils shrank beneath her eyelashes.

"I...like playing the piccolo."

"Piccolo? Aren't you a tuba?"

"Hmm..."

Just as the atmosphere between the two was becoming unclear, Miyamine Nozomi said:

"Hello Shiraishi, I'm in the same group as you. Although we play the flute, we'll be in the same section from now on. Please take good care of me."

"Ah."

"Xiaotong, if you continue like this, you'll be the one who regrets it in the end," Liu Mujie said.

No matter how you looked at it, the words carried a hint of complaint, but Shiraishi Hitomi paused for a moment, a faint smile suddenly appearing on her usually stern face:

"Thank you, Kizuki."

"Huh?" Liu Mujie's eyebrows furrowed, clearly annoyed. "I can't stand it. You'd better watch yourself."

After she finished speaking, she gave a soft hum, turned around and sat down, took out her phone from her skirt pocket, and started scrolling through something with her legs crossed.

Miyamine said to Shiraishi Hitomi:

"Don't mind her, she's actually a very nice person."

Hitomi Shiraishi didn't speak, she just shook her head, it was unclear what she was denying.

Have you ever practiced the piccolo?

"......"

"Newbie?"

"......"

She looked completely unwilling to speak, and Gong Lingwang didn't press her, since there would be plenty of opportunities to work in the same vocal section in the future.

◇

The leaves of the sycamore trees outside the window, bathed in the afternoon sunlight, were a dazzling green.

The members of the wind band club all gathered in the first music classroom.

Miyamine Nozomi followed "Souno" into the classroom last and immediately spotted Hayami Tenma Sei standing in the corner.

Her figure and professional attire were still alluring, but her typically beautiful face was filled with a conflicted expression, her brows slightly furrowed, and the heavy contemplation in her eyes had not completely dissipated.

Its head drooped like a flower gradually withering.

"I have a few things to announce before the afternoon's drills."

A strange tension hung in the air inside the first music classroom. It was Gu Huayin who broke the silence, instantly dispelling all other noises.

"First of all, Shiraishi joined us today, and she plays the piccolo."

As soon as she finished speaking, enthusiastic applause rang out in the music classroom.

"so beautiful......"

"She's just like a doll."

"Piccolo? What a pity, she's so pretty, she'd be better off playing the oboe."

The girls' eyes were almost glued to Shiraishi Hitomi, and they were whispering among themselves.

But as the main character during those few minutes, she didn't say a word, keeping her hands clasped in front of her lower abdomen the whole time.

Miyamine Nozomi joined in the applause, while Hasebe, the group leader, and Okamoto, the senior student next to him, seemed very happy, clapping louder than anyone else.

When I joined the department, I didn't see the two of them clapping like this.

Tani Hanane smiled gently at Shiraishi Hitomi, then consciously took a step back.

"There's one more thing."

Daidouji Seiko took over the conversation, her voice clear and resonant.

"After discussion among the section leaders, this year's plan is to aim for the national competition. I know this is very difficult, but I believe the Haruki Wind Ensemble can do it. Also, although the recruitment period has ended, if you find any students who are interested in playing wind instruments, please actively try to recruit them, while also respecting their wishes."

This was not unexpected, and no one showed much surprise or confusion.

He keeps saying he respects other people's wishes... What a heartless guy, Miyamine thought to himself.

Daidouji Seiko took a shallow breath, then turned to look at Hayami Tenma Seiji and said...

"Supervisor Hayami".

Everyone turned their attention to see that Hayami Tenma was leaning back with one arm crossed, looking down at his bare feet in slippers.

Being allowed to wear slippers into the music room is a privilege reserved for the supervisors and a tacit rule within the wind band.

Hayami Tenma Sei seemed not to hear at all, and Miyamine Nozomi also suspected that she deliberately ignored it.

"Supervisor Hayami." Daidouji Seiko raised his voice, startling her.

It seems I really lost focus.

"Oh, oh."

Hayami Tenma's eyes blinked rapidly beneath his eyelashes. He stepped forward, clasped his hands in front of him, looked around the classroom, and forced a smile, saying:

"Um... I might not be serving as the instructor/advisor for the brass section anymore."

"Huh? Why!"

The person next to him, Ryūno Murasawa, was the first to shout out; this was beyond his expectations.

Not only him, but the other members all looked confused and astonished. Some of the girls even raised their hands to cover their mouths, their eyes wide open.

Hayami Tenma bit her lower lip, watching them suddenly fall silent, as if expecting something.

Seeing her like this, Gong Lingwang took a deep breath.

He didn't want to talk, and he never considered himself a very enthusiastic person.

But there are many things I just can't stand to see, so I do them.

"Can you overcome these difficulties? Everyone likes you a lot, can you stay?"

His voice was extremely loud in the classroom, and almost everyone looked at him, including Daidoji Seiko.

Gong Ling...

Hayami Tenma felt a warmth in his heart and looked at him with gratitude.

Leaving this place wasn't too difficult for her, but what was most painful was that no one tried to stop her when she left.

Gongling Wang knew about this, but he still chose to stand up and speak for him.

But no one followed up on what Miyamine Nozomi had said. Even Yanagi Yuto, who was "very close" to him, just kept a straight face and didn't say a word.

Hayami Tenma pursed her lips and exhaled a very warm breath from her cherry lips.

I thought she would say something touching as we parted, but what happened next plunged Gong Lingwang into a blur between dream and reality.

"The National Congress? Did I hear that right? People like you really think you can get into the National Congress?"

Hayami Tenma let out a short, cold laugh, took a deep breath, and complained.

"I've wanted to say this for a long time. What are you guys playing all the time? It's noise pollution! Trombone, have you been butchering pigs all day? And French horn, you keep playing those distorted notes all the time, you just can't get rid of them. I'm exhausted every day, and I can only get a proper rest during lunch break, and then you guys have to keep messing with me. I didn't get angry and tell you to stop playing, but instead, you guys, with your terrible skills, start pointing fingers at me—"

A deathly silence fell over the first music classroom. People who had been hiding in the back row playing on their phones looked up.

There's going to be a show.

Daidouji Seiko's face turned ashen. Not only her, but everyone in the brass band was shocked by what Hayami Tenma Sei had said.

A somber atmosphere, a mixture of shame, shock, and simmering anger, weighed heavily on everyone's shoulders.

"My God, what's going on..." Mizuno Souji swallowed carefully.

Miyamune Nozomi was holding back his anger. He really didn't expect that Hayami, who had such a mild personality, would actually start criticizing him.

Tani Hanane's usually gentle face darkened, and she looked at Daidouji Seiko, her gaze seeming to say—

What offensive things did you say to her?

Daidouji Seiko gripped the hem of her skirt with her fingers, as if trying to suppress her surging anger, but her gaze remained sharp:

"Supervisor Hayami, we will handle these matters ourselves. Thank you for your suggestion."

"Handle? Handle what?"

Hayami Tenma suddenly blushed and said...

"Your so-called hard work is not even as good as the pastime of amateurs. Listen up, I am better than every one of you. I was always number one in school. When I entered Waseda University with the 36th place in the whole school, you kids were probably still playing your instruments somewhere!"

Gongling Wang: "..."

An Hechun: <(oOo)>

As Hayami Tenma Sei's string of words struck everyone's faces, a deathly silence seemed to materialize, relentlessly traversing the space.

An Hechun quickly took out her phone from her skirt pocket, her slender, fair fingers typing rapidly on the screen, her delicate expression revealing a subtle effort.

An Hechun:

"What happened?! I only went away for a few days, why did it suddenly turn out like this?!"

Nana Shida:

"It must be that the Holy Son said something to her, and Supervisor Hayami is unhappy. That's strange."

An Hechun:

"You idiot saint!"

She quickly put her phone into her skirt pocket.

Then, An Hechun resolutely stepped forward in front of the members, stretched out his arms in an exaggerated manner, shook his hands repeatedly, and shouted loudly:

"Please don't misunderstand! This is all acting! We are filming a play!"

She made several different cute poses in a row, aiming at the ceiling with one hand, cupping her face with both hands like flowers, and sticking out her tongue with a peace sign.