In another third-grade classroom,
Kui’s mechanical pencil had stopped moving without her realizing when.
She looked out the window at Yunbei’s largest broadcast.
Countless white doves were fluttering, their white feathers reflecting the sunlight, dazzling to the eyes.
After the ensemble finished, Chisako’s cheeks were tinged with a faint blush.
She believed she had shown all her efforts from this period.
But it wasn’t enough, she only understood a little of the content in that notebook.
She wanted to keep progressing , keep learning, keep playing joyfully with everyone!
Just as she was lost in her thoughts, she heard Dubian Che’s voice, very low, "Go turn off the broadcast."
"Eh?" She didn’t catch on.
Just as Chisako was hastening over unconsciously, Kiyono Lin’s clear, pleasing voice rang out.
"Before giving directions, everyone must first recognize their own shortcomings."
"Your fingering keeps up with the tempo, but your breath falls short, the faster it gets, the more chaotic it becomes, I wonder how you became representatives of Kansai."
"Trombone section, do you understand the difference between ’full’ and ’too messy’? If not, I recommend consulting a language teacher."
"The French horn... sitting there should be the second seat, right? You..."
Looking at the turned-off button, Chisako breathed a sigh of relief.
The Wind Instrument Club’s reputation was saved... probably.
"And the tenor horn."
"Here!" Chisako immediately stood at attention.
"Rather than considering playing with diversity, it would be better for Chisako to perform a solo, it would increase your chances of entering the national competition next year."
While pleased to be praised, Chisako immediately looked at Vice Minister Nakagawa Natsumi—her compeer who was one of the two tenor horns left after the seniors left, with an apologetic gaze.
Nakagawa Natsumi smiled at Chisako reassuringly and shook her head as if it didn’t matter.
She clenched the hem of her uniform skirt tightly behind her tenor horn resting on her laps.
No anger, but all discontent.
Unlike Chisako who had joined the Wind Instrument Club and played the tenor horn since childhood, she only joined the Wind Instrument Club in her freshman year and then took up the tenor horn.
Last year, she was downgraded to Group B during the selections.
She must work hard, she absolutely must move to Group A next year!
"Hmm!" A clear throat clearing interrupted Nakagawa Natsumi’s thoughts, Kiyono Lin’s directive.
"During a single lunch break, direction for the entire Wind Instrument Club means too little." Dubian Che stood up, "How about I conduct individual training for Kito Chiri, what does everyone think?"
’To give individual training to the senior,’ what confidence to say such words.
Chisako, who was originally more skilled than Natsuki, had improved rapidly after the national competition, but she would never say such a thing, she would even be nervous when approached by others for advice.
"Hmm." Kito Chiri nodded nonchalantly.
The group, pulled out from the dejected mood of being coached, curiously watched Dubian Che.
Surely, he couldn’t take the same cruel approach as Kiyono Lin with Kito Chiri—a cute girl and also a senior?
"I’ve heard Yunbei’s performance, Kito Chiri’s oboe is indeed splendid," Dubian Che spoke, "but, how should I put it... you still don’t understand ’gap moe.’"
"...Hmm?" Kito Chiri tilted her head slightly puzzled, her short black hair revealing her pale, delicate ears.
Not just her, others couldn’t grasp what Dubian Che was talking about either.
On the podium, Kiyono Lin crossed her arms, watching Dubian Che.
This guy babbled all day, always hanging the term ’handsome guy from Tokyo’ around his lips, putting on a childish air, but if you underestimated and believed him, you’d get played.
He was adept in indirectly influencing someone through joking manners, making others comply with him.
Even outstanding individuals like herself, and the annoying Jiutiao Meijie were occasionally manipulated by him.
"Kito Chiri, your solo performance, the pitch is very stable, just like you, calm."
"Hmm." In the face of praise, Kito Chiri still had little expression.
"Calm girls have charm, a lot of charm, I really adore calm girls, like Ms. R, even though her character is incredibly awful, I still feel for her...
"Dubian Che," Kiyono Lin’s voice came through.
"Let’s stick to the point. Kito Chiri, your oboe performance was meant for Senior Sanmu Yuka, right?"
"Yuka is special, she is the most important friend, I only perform for Yuka," Kito Chiri said the longest sentence she had said that day.
"Chiri." A lively flutist girl at the side responded.
Kito Chiri bashfully and tenderly looked over at the other, and the flutist girl grinned at her.
"The friendship between girls is wonderful!" Dubian Che touched his eye corner moved, "Now, let me share the secret of being ’Tokyo’s Most Popular Male with Women’ with you, to make this Senior Sanmu love you so deeply, only think of you forever."
"Eh?" Sanmu Yuka was startled.
"Hmm!" Kito Chiri’s determined gaze fixed steadily on Dubian Che.
"Chiri?" Sanmu Yuka turned her head, incredulously looking at her dear friend.
Unfazed by Sanmu Yuka’s reaction, Dubian Che put on his ’Tokyo’s Most Popular Male with Women’ air.
"A usually calm, dignified girl can excite and fascinate the other if she shows a passionate, wild, and confused side when it matters."