The announcement of the results of the Tokyo Wind Instrument Competition was rather simple.
As soon as the competition for the schools that participated in the morning ended, staff would immediately hang up huge sheets of paper with the results on the stage.
Hundreds of faces all stared in the same direction, the turbid and scorching air filling the entire concert hall. The girls had flushed faces; some bowed their heads in prayer, some held hands, staring intently ahead.
Dubian Che and the "beautiful boy" Kiyono Lin stood at the back of the venue, looking down at the members of the Wind Instrument Clubs from dozens of schools.
"Nervous?" Dubian Che asked.
"Not really," Kiyono Lin replied, her arms crossed.
"Feel like there’s a chance?"
"How sure are you of qualifying for the Kantou competition?"
"One hundred percent."
"Your ’a little’... isn’t small at all."
Kiyono Lin smiled, turned her face to Dubian Che, and said, "One must have the confidence to do anything."
"Fair enough," Dubian Che said with a nod, then seriously added, "However, Kiyono, I must warn you: those who learn from me live, those who resemble me die."
"Mr. Dubian, there’s something I’ve always wanted to tell you."
"A confession of love? Sorry, there was a moment where my heart did race a bit, but after a calm thought, it’s clear we’re still not possible."
Kiyono Lin sighed with resignation and said, "Can you be a bit more mature?"
"I’m just pretending to be very youthful, that’s all. The moment I was born, I decided to live life as a youth forever, though there has been a little situation recently," Dubian Che pinched the tip of his pinkie.
"Your self-awareness really has a problem."
"None of your business! Alright, what did you want to tell me?"
"That phrase, ’Can you be a bit more mature?’ I said before, plus now I need to add ’remember to see a doctor’."
"The fact is your lie detector doesn’t work on me. Want to know why?"
"...I’ll tell you alone: in fact, I am a partner of justice, seemingly an average high school student, but smart and capable of anything - it’s Card Face to Fight! Right now, to save the future of Tokyo, I am fighting a life and death battle with the Dark Tycoon."
Kiyono Lin scoffed, "Is the tycoon’s name by any chance Kiyono?"
"You’re quite informed, but it’s not just that, there’s also the Jiutiao Family! They’ve used all sorts of evil means against me, like money, beauty, power..."
"Here it comes!!!" A sharp voice interrupted Dubian Che’s rambling.
Both of them looked forward as the staff member in charge of "announcing results" climbed onto a high platform and spread out the list.
Kiyono Lin’s gaze was fixed on the list, searching line by line for Goda High School’s name, clenching her fists unconsciously, leaving crescent shapes in her palm with her fingernails.
In front of the words "Goda High School," a big "Gold" was written in red ink.
The event had only just begun, and even with a gold, there could be a situation where they couldn’t participate in the Kantou competition.
An older judge walked to the center of the stage holding a script, and spoke into a microphone that had been prepared earlier, "Next, we will announce the schools qualified for the Kantou competition."
"The first school, number three, Rikusen High School."
"The second school, number sixteen, Katakura High School."
It suddenly jumped to number sixteen; the school with number nine that also achieved a gold, went from joy to tears in an instant.
Dubian Che couldn’t help but take a deep breath. There was just one spot left, and Goda was number twenty. If the next...
"The third school, number twenty, Goda High School."
"Dubian!" Kiyono Lin turned to look at Dubian Che.
"Eh? Didn’t you have a hundred percent confidence? What’s there to be so happy about?"
Kiyono Lin’s expression of joy froze as she thoughtfully stroked her chin and said, "Based on what you said earlier, I speculate that the Dark Tycoon will next adopt a strategy of ’just killing you’ directly. Be careful, my partner of justice."
A deafening cheer erupted from the front, as the girls wept with joy, hugging each other.
"We can go to the Kantou competition!!"
"Senpai! It’s Kantou! Kantou!"
The members of the Goda Wind Instrument Club were all talking at once, some holding tissues and crying, others on their phones speaking to someone.
"The joy is all theirs, nothing to do with us from the Human Observation Department," Dubian Che said with a sigh.
"What nonsense are you talking?" Kiyono Lin gave him an annoyed look, "We are all students of Goda."
"Yes, yes, my world is just too small, only seeing the immediate self."
Kiyono Lin glanced at the still-excited members and said, "Let’s go, there’s still work to do."
"Your favorite kind."
"My favorite kind?" Dubian Che’s mind ran wild for a moment; could it be that Kiyono Lin was so happy she wanted to take him to a love hotel?
He struggled with the idea, "No, really— it’s not okay. Meiji will have my head if she finds out."
"What on earth are you fantasizing about?" Kiyono Lin could not stand him anymore, "Isn’t your favorite activity being annoying?"
"...Kiyono, there’s a reason we became friends— we’re both annoying."
"Who’s your friend? I still haven’t forgiven you for that night," Kiyono Lin said before walking off toward the members.
She clapped her hands sharply, and all the members turned to look at her.
Clad in a suit, with disheveled hair, Kiyono Lin carried an elegant and tranquil aura, but remained aloof as ever.
Yet, the Wind Instrument Club members all looked at her with warm eyes.
"Kantou competition!"
Before Kiyono Lin could speak, Dubian Che standing beside her asked, "What’s our goal?"
"Nationals!" Ichiki Aoi replied excitedly, raising her hand.