I live my life in Tokyo

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Chapter 37: Just the Reason for Love

It has only been a few days since they returned to Kyoto, and the teaching careers of Sakakibara Kaede and Miura Yuma are coming to an end. They didn't feel anything when they came, but they felt a little reluctant when they left. In just a month and a half, the two of them have already become friends with everyone in the wind band. If it weren't for the age limit, they would definitely be able to become great friends with everyone if they joined the band.

Kaede Sakakibara put down the pen in his hand, closed the notebook, stretched out his fingers and twisted his temples. This week is his last week with the students of Kitauji High School. Next week he will go back to Osaka with Yuma Miura, and the focus of both of them will soon shift to prepare for the concert wholeheartedly.

Yuma Miura inquired about Mr. Takisho's situation, and was deeply moved when he learned that he was only going to teach at Kitauji High School. With Mr. Takisho's ability, it was a foregone conclusion that he would enter the wind instrument association and be regarded as a young person with potential, and perhaps he would become a respected old musician in the future.

But this kind of life is not what he wants.

Everyone has the life they want, and being content is the right thing to do.

"Ah, Sakakibara-senpai." As one of the few men in the band, Tsukamoto Shuichi often helped move tables and chairs. He saw the young man at the end of the corridor and greeted him with a smile, "Well, we will go to the concert!"

"Will you go and see it?"

Sakakibara Kaede withdrew his thoughts and looked sideways at Tsukamoto Shuichi, with no emotion visible in his eyes.

"Oh, I said it wrong. We will work hard at the Kansai tournament and successfully perform with Senior Sakakibara!" Tsukamoto Shuichi scratched his head, knowing that what he said before was a little unambitious, or revealed a sense of lack of confidence. Such a little emotion was naturally noticed by Sakakibara Kaede, so that look made Tsukamoto Shuichi a little embarrassed.

"That's pretty much it."

Sakakibara Kaede put away his notebook and patted Tsukamoto Shuichi on the shoulder. He was speechless when he saw that the latter had been with him for a month and a half and still looked flattered after being patted on the shoulder.

But considering his fame, it's normal.

He entered the practice room. At the moment when the setting sun outside the window dyed the sky orange, some students were still tidying up their instruments in the classroom. Sakakibara Kaede nodded to them one by one, but his eyes were looking at the oboe girl who was sitting in the middle and silently packing up her instrument.

"Kaizaka-san."

The girl paused for a moment while tidying up. She raised her head, with no emotion in her eyes. Or rather, she usually maintained this expression, making it hard to tell.

"...Sakakibara-senpai."

Kaizuka Mizuki spoke in a soft voice, half raising her head to look at the young man, looking a little pitiful. Although there was no questioning tone at the end of her words, Sakakibara Kaede knew that she was asking a question, asking what he wanted to see her about.

"Kaizaka-san doesn't like competitions, does he?"

"..."

Sakakibara Kaede looked out the window and saw the baseball club members running back and forth on the playground, looking not tired at all. For the dream of Koshien, not every member of the baseball club had the opportunity to play. In order to ensure the best condition of the team, they would carefully select the members. Only the members with the best performance, physique and athletic ability would have the opportunity to be selected by the coach to represent the school and participate in the competition with honor.

The same is true for the wind band. In the sunfes before the Kyoto Prefecture Conference, Mr. Takisho had already eliminated a group of candidates. Sakakihara Kaede had some impression of this. After each rehearsal, they would appear to help clean up the instruments and ornaments. Sakakihara Kaede would also stop while the main group was practicing and look at those who were not selected by Mr. Takisho to see what they were doing.

Not giving up completely gave Sakakibara an indescribable feeling. He understood that some people would give up their instruments completely at this time, but when he saw the men and women in the wind band still insisting on practicing, hoping to be selected next time, Sakakibara liked this feeling.

"do not like."

"Well, I don't like it either."

Sakakibara Kaede leaned on the chair, looking very casual, or not like a celebrity actor. You can interpret this action as him being humble and approachable, or as him not caring what you think of him. To put it in a positive way, he is casual, but to put it in a negative way, he has no image.

Kaizuka Mizuki's originally tense shoulders relaxed slightly, and she hummed softly.

"Because, there's an audition."

Sakakibara Kaede laughed sincerely this time. He nodded in agreement, "Yes, the audition is indeed cruel. It can eliminate a large number of people. Many people feel resentful about this. If you want to select a better one, there is only a competition. There is no other way."

"There were times when I hated auditioning and thought it would be great if there were two roles like this and my best friend and I could get them together."

The young man grinned, feeling the summer breeze blowing in his face, and put his hands in front of his eyes, as if the red glow of the setting sun was too dazzling and hurt his sight.

Sometimes, being too dazzling is not a good thing.

“I don’t like competition.”

"Because it will separate you from your good friends."

"...Um."

"me too."

Sakakibara Kaede smiled and turned his head. "In addition to our work as actors, my friends and I are closely connected by other things, such as games and gossip. It's not just work that connects us."

"Can..."

"If we can only be connected by work, then we can only be considered colleagues." The young man did not continue to look at Kaizuka Mizuki, so he naturally could not see the subtle changes in her expression. "Try to talk to your friend and get to know her. Besides music, what else do you have in common?"

"..."

Kaizuka Mizuki stood up, "I understand."

"Bon Voyage."

The girl opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but couldn't seem to utter a word. Sakakibara Kaede smiled triumphantly at this. He waved his hand and said, "Just think of it as my random words. The one who really makes the decision is Kaizuka-san."

As they watched Kaizuka-san's steps get bigger and then turn into a run, he passed by the girls from the wind orchestra who had just left like a breeze. They rubbed their eyes, wondering if they were seeing things.

Seeing this, Sakakibara Kaede just smiled. It takes a lot of time for high school students to solve problems between them. Just like what Higuchi Yuuka said, the side they show in school is not real. It's not that they give up their true feelings to please others. Everyone is like this in front of outsiders. They are a social animal full of positive energy in the company and a good man with a smile at the party. Only when they are at home will they take off the mask on their faces and give themselves time to rest.

Sakakibara Kaede doesn't have the knots that high school students have. He thinks that as long as he speaks out, nothing will be difficult. Small misunderstandings need to be explained, debts need to be apologized, and things that are worth being thankful for need to be thanked. Most of the time, people don't look at what you do, but what you say.

He couldn't help but think of the pink-haired girl in Miura Yumiko's small group when he went to an idol fes with her a few years ago. He noticed her forced smile at the time, but later heard from Mai Sakurajima that she got much better after being persuaded and was able to clearly express what she liked and hated.

He sat in his usual seat, next to Mr. Takisho, and could see every face of the students, as well as their expressions of playing hard and attentively. Sakakibara Feng saw it all. He felt accustomed to this kind of life, and the youthful atmosphere that came to him made him miss it. If he were still a high school student, who knows how many interesting things would have happened.

Now that things have come to this, I feel a little reluctant.

"As expected of you, Sakakibara-senpai."

The young man blinked, turned his head, and smiled at Asuka Tanaka who was standing in front of the door, "What's wrong?"

"Kaizuka-san and Usagi-san reconciled and cried while hugging each other in an empty classroom."

"From your tone, it seems like you are happy to see this happen. I heard from Huang Qian that Tanaka is very opposed to Usagi-san joining the club."

Asuka Tanaka showed a defeated smile, "Damn Kumiko, I must take good care of her tomorrow."

Sakakibara Kaede chuckled, and Tanaka Asuna came and sat down not too far from him, still holding the silver euphonium in her hands.

"Sakakibara-senpai, before you leave, do you want to listen to the solo that you heard during the training camp?"

"It's not like I won't come tomorrow."

"Senior Sakakibara, you are so unromantic." Asuka Tanaka snorted, then chuckled and gently picked up the euphonium.

A low, warm melody gradually sounded, and coupled with the sunset, it really gave people an indescribable feeling of being touched, as if someone was hugging her tightly and not letting go. The tenderness in the melody made Sakakibara Kaede close her eyes, and quietly enjoy the summer breeze.

Kumiko Huangqian, who was on her way home, stopped and looked back at the ensemble room. Nakasago Kaori was carrying her schoolbag and chatting quietly with the girls in the trumpet section with a gentle smile on her face. When she heard the solo of the euphonium, her smile spread a little.

"Shindo Masakazu is my father. Ah, I should say, my divorced father."

"..."

When the song ended, Sakakibara Kaede opened her eyes, and Tanaka Asuka looked into the distance and spoke to the sunset.

"Why do you want to tell me?"

"Who knows? Maybe it's because Sakakibara-senpai is about to leave Kitauji High School, or maybe it's because Sakakibara-senpai is usually too gentle, so he will unconsciously tell the secret in his heart." Tanaka Asuka smiled nonchalantly, she glanced at the young man, "Sakakibara-senpai must be very popular with women, right?"

She stood up, carefully placed the euphonium on the ground, and stretched lazily towards the sunset with satisfaction. "That's why I didn't let Usagi-san join the club before. Her playing skills are indeed good, but there is a misunderstanding between her and Kaizuka-san. If the misunderstanding is not resolved, the two of them in the band will only make the atmosphere worse."

Tanaka Asuka was wise with a hint of cold calmness. Sakakibara smiled and said, "You want to win the gold prize of the Kansai Tournament."

He didn't say anything about performing together at a concert. Sakakibara could see that Asuka Tanaka was different from the other men and women in the brass band. What she wanted was not to perform on the same stage with the world, but the glory that belonged to the brass band.

In the face of this honor, performing on the same stage is just an additional thing.

“I wanted to tell him that I love the instrument and I will keep playing it.”

To do this, the wind orchestra needs to be kept at its best, which is what she did not say.

Asuka Tanaka's smile was not clear in the sunset. Sakakibara narrowed his eyes. He felt that after a month and a half of getting along with her, he finally caught a glimpse of her true self.

Everyone has a reason to strive for success. In the big family of the wind orchestra, winning the gold medal is everyone's common goal, but everyone has a different answer as to why they work hard and strive for what.

At this time, Sakakibara Kaede thought of Kousaka Reina. If it were her, she would say she liked him without hesitation.

She didn't need to prove anything to others... No, she might need to prove something to Mr. Takisho.

"Please give me your guidance in the last few days, Sakakibara-senpai. We will do our best in the Kansai Conference."

"Oh, I was wrong. We'll have a chance to meet again in the future." Asuka Tanaka obviously remembered the advice Kaede Sakakibara had given her during the training camp. She returned to her usual easy-going appearance, waved to Kaede Sakakibara, and left holding the silver euphonium.

Sakakibara Kaede smiled. Now that this problem was solved, he could devote himself to practice without distraction.

This is his last week at Kitauji High School and also his last week in Kyoto.

Noctchill's concert was very successful. In the past few days, they held a book signing event while taking advantage of the afterglow of the concert, which was similar to the one before World Shining. After that, they will return to Tokyo to take a break and wait for the next move.

He stood up. As the last person to leave the classroom, it was natural for him to be responsible for locking the door. After checking, he locked the doors of the ensemble room and the equipment room, and went to the office with the key. Teacher Takisho had not left yet. He sat in the office chair, gazing at the photo in the frame with calm eyes.

"Thank you for your hard work, Sakakibara." Takisho took the key. He seemed to have learned about the return of Usagi Nozomi from Asuka Tanaka. "The psychological counseling work is very exciting."

"He just said some old-fashioned words." Sakakibara Kaede waved his hand.

Seeing that Sakakibara Kaede had no intention of taking credit, Takisho returned his gaze to the photo frame.

Seeing this, Sakakibara Kaede didn't ask any more questions. He returned the key to Teacher Takisho and left in a leisurely manner.

He knew that Mr. Takisho must have his reasons for working here, just like Asuka Tanaka wanted to win the gold prize just to prove herself in front of her father.

He had no interest in exploring the other party's reasons.

He knows why he became an actor and singer, and that is passion.

He also knew the reason why he accepted the feelings of the girl around him. After getting used to it, he just didn't want to let go.

Chapter 38: The Name is the Card

After leaving the quaint Kyoto, Kaede Sakakibara once again set foot in Osaka, one of the most bustling cities in Kansai, a week later.

He still felt a little reluctant when saying goodbye to the wind orchestra. Having spent such a long time with them, he would indeed miss their lively personalities and smiling faces after leaving.

The impression of the students in the wind band was even deeper than that of his classmates in the third year of Sobu High School... But he couldn't blame others. At that time, Sakakibara Kaede didn't care about these things at all. In his little world, there was only himself. How could he care about other people's opinions?

There are many people whom we may never see again, and the future paths are two parallel lines. Sakakibara Kaede knows this clearly, so she sang two songs on the spot at the farewell party prepared by the brass band as a blessing to them.

After just two or three days in Osaka, Sakakibara Kaede plunged into intensive practice. Yuuma Miura and Maki Nishikino were equally focused, leading a boring life of going to and from work every day. The part they needed to practice repeatedly was the fusion of heavy metal and string music, which was very demanding. As the band's guitarist, Sakakibara's fingers became numb from practice every day, and one day he even had a cramp, which only got a little better after massage.

On a rare weekend, Sakakibara Kaede lay in bed, not wanting to move at all. He just wanted to keep the curtains tightly drawn and sleep until the end of time.

It is still possible to sleep until the afternoon. Sakakibara Feng yawned, turned over, hugged the quilt tightly, and let out a long, comfortable sigh.

On the day off, Yuuma Miura and Maki Nishikino were exhausted. There was no practice today, and no makeup photos to be taken. Yuuma Miura was probably sleeping in the hotel room like Kaede Sakakibara. As for Maki Nishikino, Kaede Sakakibara was not familiar with her enough to guess what she did during her rest time.

The phone vibrated, but Sakakibara Kaede ignored it. It was a holiday, so the phone should be turned off.

No one wants to receive a call from the boss to report to the company on their day off. This kind of thing makes people angry just thinking about it. Fortunately, Mr. Tianjing doesn't like to work overtime. He always says that you should complete the work efficiently and with quality within the working hours, and don't add ineffective overtime. As for why Miss Nanakusa works overtime every day, it is because the overtime pay of the firm is very generous.

Sakakibara Kaede didn't know what Miss Nanakusa's family situation was like, but she heard that she had a younger sister. She worked so hard, probably to provide a better living environment for herself and her sister.

The phone rang again, and then there was no sound. The young man ignored it. After a while, there was no notification sound, so he thought it was a push message from the software.

The first time he woke up was at his usual time. Sakakibara Kaede dozed off for a while again and was awakened by the doorbell.

He did not order the hotel's breakfast service. Sakakibara Kaede scratched his head, got out of bed, put on his slippers, stumbled to the door, and looked outside through the peephole.

"...Asuna?"

Sakakibara Kaede was startled and opened the door. What caught her eye was a gentle school girl who was dressed casually but perfectly matched.

She was holding a lunch box in her hand, and seeing Sakakibara Kaede looking confused, "Ah, did I disturb Senior Kaede's rest?"

"what?"

Sakakibara Kaede waved his hands repeatedly and glanced at the clock on the wall. . . He slept until twelve o'clock, which was indeed lunch time according to common sense.

"Sorry, I was so tired from the practice the past few days. Come in."

Sakakibara Kaede scratched his messy hair, half-moved away, and signaled Yuuki Asuna not to stand still outside the door.

Yuuki Asuna smiled and stepped into the room. She realized that Sakakibara Kaede was not staying in an ordinary room, but a luxury suite. The material conditions of STARS were naturally sufficient, and they chose quiet corner rooms where they would not be disturbed.

"How did Asuna know my room?"

"Ms. Nanakusa told me." Yuuki Asuna smiled with narrowed eyes, "My brother is here too, but he's downstairs talking about work with Miss Nanakusa."

"hiss..."

Hearing that the science macho man was here, Sakakibara Kaede's original tiredness suddenly disappeared. He blinked and looked at Yuuki Asuna, who seemed to be smiling, "You brothers and sisters came here with such aggressive momentum this time. Are you planning to have a fight?"

Yuuki Asuna covered her mouth and laughed, "My brother wanted to discuss the script with you, I just came to see Senior Feng..."