I live my life in Tokyo

Seeing that Yuuma Miura was sleeping soundly, Sakakibara Kaede did not remind him about work. As there was still some time to the destination, he closed his eyes.

The bus stopped in front of the music hall amid the laughter of the students of the wind band. The homestay was not far from the music hall. When they arrived at the location, they only had half an hour to rest and could not even go to the homestay. All the luggage was taken off the bus and brought into the music hall and piled in the equipment room.

The first thing they did when they arrived at their destination was not to fall asleep on the bed or take a stroll along the street or the river, but to pick up their instruments and start rehearsing.

The ensemble room is much larger than the one in high school - after all, it is a professional room, and the seats and equipment can be dragged to the chair seat at any time so that a formal performance can be held directly.

"Ah, thank you, Sakakibara-senpai, you've been a great help~"

The young man put down his instrument and saw Asuka Tanaka smiling at him and giving him a thumbs up. While the others were taking a short break, the girl was one of the few who started preparing in advance.

"Regarding the topic of that day, do you have time tonight?"

Sakakibara thought for a moment and immediately understood what the other party was talking about. He nodded and said, "Then let's do it tonight. I see that you and classmate Nakasago are very close. Are you two going to enter the same university?"

"Eh? Kaori? No, no, she wants to study medicine, which is different from me." Tanaka Asuka smiled cheerfully, shaking her hands. Sakakibara Kaede smiled slightly, and he saw through the politeness behind this smile. This was just a smile that simply maintained politeness and friendliness, with a little warmth in it.

"Since Sakakibara-senpai said so, I will bring Kaori to see you tonight."

The girl waved her hand and left in high spirits.

Sakakibara Kaede shrugged and continued to help put the chairs and music stands in place.

In terms of reputation, or in terms of being a role model, he would try to avoid being alone with the girls here. If there were rumors, it would not be a good thing for Sakakibara Kaede or the girls. Sakakibara Kaede decided to talk to the two about college in the lobby of the B&B at night, when the students should be relaxing in the lobby.

Mr. Takisho invited his college classmate, a beautiful woman, to be his woodwind instructor. The conversation between the two caused some gossipy students to start chattering. They didn't look like they were just different friends.

The young man knew that they were classmates in college and close friends.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but glance towards the trumpet section.

Ah... Kousaka-san's eyes have become dead fish eyes.

A teacher will not accept love from students. This is a teacher's ethics and is impossible during the school years. It is very difficult for Reina Kousaka to conquer Mr. Takisho within three years because Mr. Takisho is a qualified and responsible teacher who will not have any extra feelings for his students.

I don’t know if Reina Kousaka will have a chance after going to college.

Dead eyes are dead eyes, but practice is still necessary. Teacher Takisho raised his hands. He was used to conducting without a baton. Sakakibara Kaede sat aside, closed his eyes slightly, waiting for the performance to begin.

After the teacher's comments, everyone dispersed and practiced according to their respective parts. Sakakibara Kaede came to the bass part again. While listening, she occasionally talked to Xiaolu and pointed out where she could improve.

The rest of the time he didn't have much work to do, and mostly just listened to rehearsals and gave suggestions.

After practicing for a whole afternoon, the students in the wind band were exhausted. The excitement they had on the bus in the morning had completely disappeared. Everyone wanted to go to the B&B, have a good dinner, and then fall asleep in bed.

Everyone picked up their luggage and boarded the bus again.

The beautiful teacher's name was Satomi Niiyama, and everyone called her Teacher Niiyama. Except for the teacher and the teaching assistant, the members of the wind band no longer had the excitement they had in the morning after getting on the bus. They yawned repeatedly on the bus, wanting to fall asleep.

The bus ride was only ten minutes, but it forced some people who had just fallen asleep to get up, which was very uncomfortable.

Kaede Sakakibara entered the B&B carrying her travel bag. This place has always been open to the school, and the rooms are incredibly large - it is convenient for male and female students to make beds on the floor and sleep. One room can accommodate about six to eight people.

Being in the teaching group, there are naturally some privileges. This time, Sakakibara Kaede lives in the same room with Miura Yuma and Taki Noboru. This can be regarded as making up for his regret of not having a school trip. After all, when filming, each actor has an independent room.

After a short rest before dinner, the young man did not seem tired compared to the students. After discussing tomorrow night's work with Yuma Miura, he slipped out to take pictures and send them to the group.

The dinner at the B&B was curry rice. The chef made the curry in a big pot, and it looked a bit like the cafeteria that Kaede Sakakibara used to eat in. Everyone took their plates to the window to get some rice. In addition to curry, everyone also received a can of yogurt and some fruit.

The curry tasted good. High school students were in the period of stretching their bodies, so the boys naturally gobbled it up, while the girls ate it in small bites, chatting and laughing from time to time.

While eating, Sakakibara Kaede received a Line message from Asakura Toru.

"Tomorrow, do you have time to come out and play?"

Sakakibara Feng glanced at his phone and pondered for a moment. He would practice on his own after the ensemble tomorrow morning. He really didn't have anything to do in the afternoon, as he had to go to the live broadcast program in the evening... Then he would practice in the afternoon.

After he edited the text message and replied, he ate a few bites of food. Asakura Toru sent him an OK gesture, and Sakakibara Kaede smiled when she saw it.

I wonder how they have been preparing for the concert these days.

"Nishikino-san said we'll arrive for dinner tomorrow, so we should be in time, right?" Yuuma Miura interrupted.

"Please ask Miss Nanakusa to pick her up. We can just take a car directly to the studio."

"Okay, that's my reply."

The two spoke in low voices, with their heads down, as if they were plotting something secret. Mr. Takisho, who was sitting next to them, smiled helplessly. He had finished eating. The gossiping classmates behind them pricked up their ears in every possible way, wanting to hear what the two people who shined in the world were talking about... What if it was about the concert?

After dinner, Yuma Miura went to the bathhouse to take a bath. There was no natural hot spring here, but there was a hot water pool for students to take a bath and relax.

Before taking a bath, Sakakibara Kaede sat in the hall and met with Tanaka Asuka and Nakasiko Kaori, with whom he had previously made an appointment.

The reason why we didn't choose to do it after taking a bath... Everyone can imagine what it would be like when a girl comes out of the bath with steam on her body. Sakakibara is a man, and even if he doesn't mind, girls would mind. Besides, there are other people around at this time. After taking a bath, everyone would have gone back to their rooms to sleep, so who would stay in the hall?

"Sakakibara-senpai..."

Nakasago Kaori was a little shy. As someone admired by her schoolmates, she usually acted like a Yamato Nadeshiko, being gentle and kind to others. It was rare to see her lose her composure. She nodded slightly, opening the questioning session. "Um, that day I saw Sakakibara-senpai, Asakura-senpai, and Ichinose-senpai having dinner together. I wonder what the relationship is between you all?"

Asuka Tanaka covered her mouth and laughed so hard that she fell backwards. Kaede Sakakibara's face suddenly became a little stiff. He had a lot of manuscripts ready, wanting to tell this young and ambitious junior which good universities there are in Tokyo, but he didn't expect that the other party would start with a question like, "What's your relationship?"

The young man sighed. Others might not know, but he knew that Nakasago really liked Asakura Toru's boldness. No, Asakura Toru's idol attracted not only men, but also many women who were fascinated by her Takarazuka attributes. Apparently, Nakasago Kaori was one of them.

“We are very good friends.”

Sakakibara Kaede organized his words and explained sincerely to Asakura Toru's little fan, "We are both artists under the STARS agency. We also come into contact in daily life. We have known each other since high school."

"When I was in high school, wow, what was Asakura-senpai like back then?"

There were stars in Nakasago Kaori's eyes and she was very curious.

"Well... I often forget to bring my wallet, so I have to pay for it. I don't pay attention in class, and I often daydream..."

If we count the sins of Toru Asakura, they are one after another and it would be too late to list them all.

Asakura Toru rubbed his nose and sneezed, causing ripples in the pool and the fat under the mist to move.

"Have a cold?"

"Hmm... No way."

She stretched out her legs and stretched comfortably. Then the sound of the door sliding was heard and Higuchi Madoka, wearing a bathrobe, stepped onto the stone steps and entered the water.

Unlike taking a hot spring bath in the snowy winter, it is summer now and you cannot take a bath for too long at night, otherwise you will feel dizzy.

"Just five minutes... time to go."

"I'll soak for a while."

"Higuchi, Kaede is not here today."

Higuchi Yuanka raised her eyes and saw the smile in Asakura Toru's eyes. A hint of shyness flashed in her eyes, and she snorted and turned her head away.

Even if she fainted today, Sakakibara Kaede would not be there to carry her out of the bath like a princess.

While he is free these two days, I should invite him to come to the B&B to take a bath.

Chapter 24: Hazy Kiss

After having lunch in the music room, the young man patted his full stomach and said goodbye to Takisho.

There is still training in the afternoon, but there are basically no occasions where he is needed. There are Yuuma Miura and Sensei Shinyama, and the young man's role is a bit like a mascot placed in front of the store.

It’s not a cute mascot, but the kind that makes people want to buy it after seeing it.

Kaede Sakakibara walked on the country road. On both sides were mostly small town farmlands. Occasionally, small shops could be seen on the street. It was a bit unrealistic to expect to find a large shopping mall here.

Everything returns to its original state. Sakakibara Kaede is like a wanderer who is about to return home. He walks with firm steps and looks to both sides, taking in the beautiful scenery.

The hotel where Toru Asakura and her group of four lived was not far from here. They had to go to the music hall every day to borrow the music room for rehearsal, and it would be inconvenient to live too far away.

We said we were going to play in the afternoon, but what were we going to do? I guess we were going to relax and enjoy the scenery. Now is summer, and it is a good season to enjoy the air conditioning and eat popsicles.

Thinking of the popsicles, Sakakibara's mouth felt dry. He took out the water bottle he carried with him and took a sip of water. Walking under the scorching sun was still very tiring. Sakakibara couldn't help but miss the swimming pool he went to during the holiday a few days ago.

“Excuse me…”

The B&B where the four Noctchills stayed was completely different from the one at Kitauji High School. It looked more like a private club. The road leading to the B&B had a winding bridge and many lotus flowers floating on the pond, adding a touch of Zen.

After Sakakibara Kaede walked into the archway, she found that there were no security guards or waiters. She smiled and put herself in their shoes. Who would want to stand in the sun in this kind of weather? At this point, the reception was probably being held indoors.

He stood in the courtyard built with a small bridge. It was in the shade here, so Sakakibara Kaede rested here for a while. He lowered his head and looked at the goldfish in the water.

The water was clear, but not so clear that one could see the bottom of the pond at a glance. The young man watched the goldfishes swimming around each other and spitting bubbles, then was stunned for a moment.

After a moment, he stepped towards the door.

When he was in a daze, he didn't think about anything, and he felt very comfortable in this way of relaxation.

After crossing the bridge, Sakakibara Kaede breathed a sigh of relief at the cool air from the air conditioner blowing in his face.

"Hello..."

"Good afternoon, Tou-san."

Sakakibara Feng gave a faint smile to Asakura who was waving at him. Asakura Toru was lying idly on the sofa in the lobby of the B&B. Sakakibara Feng looked around and found that there was not even a receptionist at this time.

Let's take a lunch break. Besides, it's already past the time to check in and book a room.

"How do you feel after rehearsal? Your concert is in August, right?"

"Well... there's not much time left." Asakura Toru stood up, stretched out his arms, turned his palms over, and stretched his body. "I was deciding the final song this morning, and my brain is a little tired."

"Then let's not go out to play this afternoon. If you're so tired, Tou-san, we can just hang out in the guesthouse. I've been practicing with the wind band this morning, and I've heard the same ensemble too many times. Now I just want to rest quietly for a while."

Asakura Toru's eyes flashed with surprise, then he smiled and brushed his fingers across his lips, "I like Feng's suggestion very much."

"gogogo~"

The girl extended her hand to Sakakibara Kaede in invitation. The young man shook it without hesitation and followed her into the depths of the B&B.

Their room is located deep inside the B&B, where they will not be disturbed by outsiders and noise is reduced to a minimum. The agency has booked a separate double room for the four of them. The two have become accustomed to such actions by the agency.

As for Giveandtake, they bring traffic and cash flow to the firm, which is already a small request.

When the door of Asakura Toru's room was opened, what appeared before one's eyes was the lush garden and pond outside the floor-to-ceiling window. The room was bright and clean, much better than yesterday when Kaede Sakakibara and Yuma Miura slept on the floor.

"Ah, wait a moment, I'll go call Higuchi, Feng, you can sit wherever you want."

"Row."

Sakakibara Kaede stepped into the room and saw that Asakura Toru did not forget to close the door before leaving. She couldn't help but feel a little dissatisfied. Didn't Asakura Toru mind leaving her alone in her room?

He came to the sofa and was about to sit down when he found two white socks rolled up on the sofa. They looked like they were going to be worn out today.

The girl's clothes and underwear were placed on the big bed. Sakakibara Kaede looked away with a frown on his face. He had heard from Higuchi Madoka before that Asakura Toru's room would become a doghouse if it wasn't tidied by Mrs. Asakura. Now he knew.

If you can't even clean up your own house, how can you clean up the world? Although this is what he said, in real life, Sakakibara Kaede thinks it's just enough to get by.

But the appearance in Toru Asakura's room was really outrageous.

Sakakibara Kaede couldn't help but move his fingers. After a moment, he sighed and felt completely hopeless.

It's okay to let him sort out the men's things and his own clothes, but these are Toru Asakura's women's clothes. He doesn't mind, but Toru Asakura will definitely mind.

Out of sight, out of mind, eh.

Thinking of this, Sakakibara Kaede turned his gaze to the green outside, and his mood once again sank into a calm and peaceful state, as if he was an old monk in meditation. Nothing around him could disrupt his concentration anymore.

"Hey, Feng-san, I brought Higuchi with me~"

"Why such a smug tone? And I was just taking a shower. This is really causing me a lot of trouble."

Two stones fell into the ancient well, splashing water.

Sakakibara Kaede discovered that Higuchi Madoka's hair was a little damp. Although she was wearing a cool summer women's casual outfit, one could still vaguely see the water vapor and mist coming out of her body, making her look like a freshly baked parfait, making people salivate.

Higuchi Madoka blamed Asakura Toru for disturbing her on Sakakibara Kaede, who felt her thorny anger for the first time in a long time. She coughed, smiled softly and waved, "Madoka, I haven't seen you for more than a month. You have become more beautiful."

"Hmph, do you want me to thank you for the compliment and forget about the trouble you caused?"

Higuchi Madoka frowned in surprise, she curled her lips, as if she was disdainful of Sakakibara Kaede's words, and walked over to the young man and sat on the sofa.

As soon as she sat down, she found the socks under her buttocks. She picked them up and her eyes were immediately filled with suspicion. Naturally, her suspicious eyes were cast on the young man sitting next to her who was calm and composed like a gentleman.

"What are you looking at me for?"

"nothing?"

Toru Asakura came and sat down on the other side of the sofa. The three of them looked at the scenery outside the window and no one spoke for a long time.

After a long while, Sakakibara Kaede yawned, "What are Ichikawa-san and Fukumaru-san doing now?"

"I'm studying." Asakura Toru replied with a smile, "Koito is going to take the college entrance examination this year. I feel like he's working really hard."

"I just work harder than you."