Chapter 413

Kumiko Oumae lowered her head and pondered for a few seconds, then looked up to meet her gaze again. "I'm sorry, I won't go today."

"Huh? Why?"

"The reason I chose Kitauji is..."

She said slowly, her voice hollow, "Actually, I don't have any particular thoughts."

"I just want a fresh start, I want to go to a high school where I don't know many people—to start over."

Sasaki Azusa's eyes, like a lake, were gently stirred by these words as she listened silently to her narration.

That's all.

Kumiko Oumae delivers her final lines.

"Kumiko... I see."

She abandoned any attempt to persuade her to stay or say anything, and instead asked briskly, "So, have you started over?"

"Ah..."

Kumiko Oumae was somewhat surprised that she didn't receive the expected criticism.

Just as she was about to say something, the announcement came over the loudspeaker. "Next up, the Sunrise Festival parade, featuring performances by the Wind Ensemble Club from various high schools in the prefecture, is about to begin."

"Participating schools, please assemble at the venue and line up to wait..."

Kumiko Oumae withdrew her gaze from the air above the arena and said softly, "I have to go."

"Okay! Then let's meet again at the competition!"

Yes, it is!

Let's cheer each other on!

"Okay! I'm going!"

Her miniskirt billowed as Kumiko Oumae jogged back to her current spot, gazing at her classmates and seniors not far away, silently thinking:

'Just then, I realized that I had taken a completely new step...'

And, without regret.

"Huh? Who is this?"

As she jogged back to her "nest," she discovered a conspicuous "foreign object."

What made them stand out was that they weren't wearing the same uniforms as them, nor were they carrying musical instruments or Conductor's Baton, and they were wearing masks that covered most of their faces... Rather than being out of place, they were more suspicious.

However, that outstanding, sparkling, and stunningly beautiful silver hair, shimmering in the sunlight, was deeply imprinted in her eyes. So beautiful...

But considering his height and the fact that the armor on his chest is flatter than his own, could he possibly be male?

Uh, no way...

Not only her, but also dozens of members of the Kitauji Wind Ensemble Club, because of her conspicuous features, secretly glanced at her from different angles.

"Um, Hazuki-chan, who is this? Asuka- senpai knows?"

"705u. com - Book Club First Launch"

She approached Kato Hazuki and pointed to Tanaka Asuka, the only one who wasn't intimidated by his appearance and was casually talking to him.

"No, it doesn't seem so,"

Kato Hazuki shook her head. "I don't know who it was. They just suddenly appeared in the group. Asuka- senpai thought they were a lost audience member, so she went up to talk to them."

"Suddenly? How suspicious~"

She had barely finished speaking when she quickly covered her mouth.

Hmm, how can I break this bad habit of involuntarily blurting out my innermost thoughts?

However, no sooner had they finished speaking than, driven by curiosity, the two of them pulled Kawashima Midori, who was standing next to them, closer to Tanaka Asuka, who was both the Vice President and the leader of their Low Tone Section.

When they got closer, they could hear each other's conversation clearly.

"Hey~ So you're from Tokyo?"

It seems that Tanaka Asuka has already found out some information.

"Yes, it's Golden Week, so I thought I'd wander around. I happened to be in Uji today, and I heard there's an annual Music Festival here, so I came."

The person answered cheerfully, their eyes crinkling with a smile.

"Haha~! I really envy you~ You can wander around freely Golden Week, unlike everyone in our department who were still practicing like crazy until yesterday!"

Tanaka Asuka shrugged, her tone devoid of any envy.

"Oh, by the way! By the way, why are you wearing a mask? Is it for sun protection? Or to look cool? Is this some new ritual among young people in Tokyo?"

Tanaka Asuka leaned forward, closing in step by step, her face filled with a mixture of amusement and curiosity.

"No, it's because I'm afraid of causing a disturbance and ruining your mood..."

He muttered to himself.

"Um?"

"Ah, it's nothing, actually..."

He coughed lightly, then covered his face with the mask with sorrow. "I've had surgery on my face, so I don't want to offend your eyes or spoil your good mood!"

"Huh?!?"

The one who exclaimed in surprise was not Tanaka Asuka, but Kumiko Oumae had been eavesdropping nearby.

The loud shout attracted even more attention.

Under the helpless gaze of Tanaka Asuka tapping their shoulders with her Conductor's Baton, they tightly covered their mouths and noses again.

Tanaka Asuka crossed her arms in exasperation. "Your lie is so lame. If you don't want to tell me, fine."

"Huh? Is it a lie?"

Kawashima Midori exclaimed in quiet surprise.

"Don't worry about it so much, Sophia Kawashima."

She waved to her.

"It's Kawashima Midori Desu..."

Kawashima Midori let out a cute, mournful cry, like a squirrel.

[Note: Kawashima Midori's name, Ryokuki, is written as Ryokuki but pronounced as Sophia. She feels ashamed of this and prefers to be called Midori (meaning "green"). Asuka, finding it amusing, likes to deliberately pronounce foreign names backwards.]

"Well, I won't ask about the mask, but I can still tell you my name, right?"

Tanaka Asuka poked his chest with the end of her Conductor's Baton, then smiled broadly, "I'm Tanaka Asuka, a third-year student in the Kitauji Wind Ensemble Club."

"Certainly,"

The suspicious white-haired young man returned the same smile, "I'm Himemiya Chihaya, a third-year student just like you."

"What a feminine name!"

Kumiko Oumae couldn't help but complain.

"Oumae sauce!"

Tanaka Asuka gave her a disapproving look.

"Oops~ I'm sorry!"

Kumiko Oumae bowed her head and apologized.

Himemiya Chihaya glanced at her, then simply pursed her lips and said, "It's nothing, people often say that."

"I see..."

Seeing that he didn't seem to care, Tanaka Asuka loosened up a bit. "Haha~ Well~ Actually, I had the same thought as Oumae. Just to confirm, you're probably a boy, right? You're not the kind of cute girl who likes to use boyish verbal tics, are you?"

"Well, let's say that for now."

"Hey, what do you mean by 'for the time being'? You're really funny."

"Because in Asuka's eyes, I should be considered a cute guy who likes long hair?"

"Hey~ We've been found out?"

Tanaka Asuka tapped her head with her hand, then pointed at him seriously, pouting and frowning, and said, "But boys aren't exactly cute to me! You're just mysterious at best!"

"Thank you so much..."

"But calling me by my name right away, are you just naturally friendly?"

"I'm often told that..."

"That,"

Seeing that he seemed quite friendly, Kumiko Oumae mustered up her courage and went up to him, "Are you also interested in Wind Instrument Music, Himemiya student -san?"

Himemiya Chihaya smiled simply, "It's less about being interested in Wind Instrument Music and more about being interested in music in general. You're Oumae, right?"

"Ah, yes, Kumiko Oumae, a first-year student in the Kitauji Wind Ensemble Club."

She nodded and asked curiously, "Does Himemiya student also learn to Wind Instrument Music? Which one?"

"That's more complicated, but compared to traditional Wind Instrument Music... I prefer rock!"

"Rock?"

X N.

"Ah, I know!"

Tanaka Asuka raised her right hand, cleared her throat, and then made a drumming motion with her gloved Hands. "It's something like boom boom! clang clang! rip--, right?"

"More or less..."

Himemiya Chihaya twitched the corners of her mouth, barely managing to suppress her urge.

They're only a world apart.

"Don't you guys know? That really popular Girl Band lately—what's it? Livehouse—what's it?"

"Have no idea..."

Kumiko Oumae answered honestly.

What is that?

Added by Kato Hazuki.

"Hmm~ Young people in Tokyo are just different~"

Tanaka Asuka nodded thoughtfully, her face conveying a feeling different from ours, that of us country folk.

"..."

Himemiya Chihaya remained silent.

Has the winds of Girl Band not yet reached Kyoto?

[Note: Uji City is one of the 15 cities under Kyoto Prefecture. The two cities are only ten to twenty kilometers apart, similar to the relationship between Fuchu City and Tokyo. Although prefectures are equivalent to provinces in terms of administrative level, their areas are too small. Most prefectures, except for Hokkaido, are only about the size of a prefecture-level city.]

"I know rock and roll! It came from America in the last century. It started out very radical, but gradually became a more popular and gentler music genre, right?"

"Ah~ I know that too, but it doesn't seem to be what he was talking about."

"I know about Girl Band too, you know, the ones that are super popular right now, with lots of talented young female musicians forming bands to play rock, right?"

Kawashima Midori stroked his chin, deep in thought.

"What was it called again? The Great Girl Band Era?"

"Yes! That's the one!"

Himemiya Chihaya slapped her thigh and looked at the curly-haired music fanatic with tears streaming down her face.

As expected of Kitauji music fan, I really have to rely on you when it matters!

That's great, Comrade Kawashima Midori. If you ever want to study fashion design in the future, I'll give you a hand!

[Note: Although Kawashima Midori is a very skilled Double Bass and Aine, her goal for Mirai is to study fashion design, not music. (Tanaka Asuka: I understand)]