"Mr. Hirakawa, what's wrong?"

In the midst of Tetsufumi Hirakawa's hesitation, Suzuko Ogasa, who was looking at him, quickly asked.

"This ......"

Tetsufumi Hirakawa is still struggling.

But he didn't dwell on it for long, he still made a decision - there wasn't much time left, and it was okay to just say it.

"Actually, Ogasa-sensei—"

"Well, what's wrong?"

Ogasa Suzukiko tilted her head and put down her cheering hand that was raised in mid-air in confusion.

"Next year, I'll probably not be in the ensemble."

Try to speak as plainly as possible about the result, and then.

"Huh?"

The teacher in front of him blinked dumbfoundedly, as if he had failed to understand the meaning of the sentence.

After a few seconds, he seemed to understand, his blinking eyes did not move, his mouth opened slightly, and he fell into a state of extreme silence.

A few more seconds passed.

"Eh——?"

Ogasa Suzukiko dragged a long note and made a sound.

"I'm not in the band club anymore, why? Is Mr. Hirakawa quitting the wind club? ”

"You're not quitting the Wind Club...... It's because. In order to lighten the atmosphere, he smiled a little and said softly, "Ogasa-sensei, I have already decided, and it won't be long before I will resign." ”

“……”

……

……

Early the next morning, the Moriya Wind Club returned to Tokyo.

On the way back to Tokyo, the atmosphere was as expected, and there was no more frolicking and playing in the carriage full of Moriya's students.

Even if there were a few voices, they were only tiny whispers.

The result of the silver award is indeed full of regrets.

It's not just that this is the case between students, but also Ogasa Suzukiko, who is sitting next to Tetsufumi Hirakawa, is also very quiet.

Well......

Tetsufumi Hirakawa turned his head to look at her.

I saw Ogasa Suzukiko with her head down, her face was also full of sadness, and her legs, which originally liked to dangle back and forth, were also hanging down quite weakly.

“……”

The silver award, combined with the news that he was resigning from his job when he told her last night, put this usually innocent and lovely teacher in such a situation.

"Resign...... Why? ”

"However, didn't Mr. Hirakawa say that our work is complementary? What should I do if you quit your job? ”

"Then next year's wind club, will I be the only one?"

“……”

Last night, Suzuko Ogasa, who was already sad, appeared in tears again because of his resignation.

Tetsufumi Hirakawa turned his face a little helplessly.

The matter has been decided, the resignation letter has been submitted, and there is nothing more to be done.

……

In this atmosphere, the national competition came to an end, and the entire Moriya Wind Club returned to Tokyo.

On campus, a banner was hung on the teaching building, and the bulletin board read that the Moriya Wind Club had won the silver medal in the national competition, and the Information Department devoted an entire page to promoting the silver award.

The atmosphere is gradually getting warmer.,Moriya School Festival is coming.。

And the members of the Moriya Wind Orchestra gradually hid their dull atmosphere in such a scene.

"The silver award is nothing, it's good. Next time, yes, just keep working hard next time, and you'll be fine! ”

The minister worked hard to cheer up the members of the Wind Club.

"I believe that next year, you will definitely win the gold award, I believe you."

"Alright, let's start practicing, come on!"

“……”

Anyway, even though the national competition is over, the practice continues.

The Moriya Wind Club, which had a somewhat dull atmosphere, quickly returned to practice, but at this time, it was no longer the repertoire of the national competition.

It's the repertoire that will be played at the farewell party.

It's like the minister said, "You will definitely get a gold medal next year", and the reason why it is "you" is because there is no next time in the third grade.

When the school festival comes,It's time for the third-grade students to retire.。

And if nothing else, this will also be the time for Tetsufumi Hirakawa to retire.

He doesn't have a chance next year either.

……

"Mr. Hirakawa, this is the list of third-grade retirements."

During the lunch break, Tetsufumi Hirakawa, who was still in the office, received a stack of lists from the head of the village.

This is the third year of retiring.

"Classmate Zhicun, this year, I have worked hard for you."

"It should."

Aika Saka Sakamura presented it with both hands, and Tetsufumi Hirakawa took the pile of paper from the minister's hand.

The paper is light and fluttering, but it looks a little heavy when you start it.

Three years in the Wind Division, in the final time, missed the Gold Award.

Whatever you think about it, you'll regret it.

Tetsufumi Hirakawa looked at the retired ministry in his hand and sighed with some emotion.

Then, he counted them one by one.

However, after the inventory was over, he looked up with some confusion and looked at Aika Ozura standing in front of him.

"26 ...... in total?"

His tone rose.

"Duty Village-san, if I'm not mistaken, the third-grade classmates should be 25 people, right?"

“…… Yes. ”

Seeing that, Aika Muramura's expression was also a little hesitant, and she spoke.

"Actually, Mr. Hirakawa, in addition to the third-year students who are going to retire, there is also a classmate who submitted to me for resignation."

"Who?"

"Shinohara-san."

“……”

……

Aika Duty Village has already left, and Tetsufumi Hirakawa looked at the retired ministry in his hand in a little daze.

Shiori Shinohara used a dignified handwriting to sign her name on this retirement session one by one.

"I asked Shinohara-san about the reason, but she didn't tell me, but she didn't waver in her request to quit the department."

"I don't know what to do, so I can only accept her retirement first."

“……”

Why?

Why is Shiori Shinohara retiring?

This girl who loves wind music, because of this failure, is so disheartened and decides to quit the wind club?

With Tetsufumi Hirakawa's understanding of this eldest lady who does not admit defeat, she should not have decided to retire so easily.

However, the resignation was indeed in front of him.

Hirakawa Tetsufumi looked at the retirement session written by Shiori Shinohara himself in his hand, and was a little speechless.

Why, exactly?

It's because ...... Him?

……

"Shinohara-san, I have something I want to talk to you about, is that okay?"

At the end of the afternoon wind club practice, the concert hall, which seemed a little empty because the third-graders no longer came, finally sent an invitation to Shiori Shinohara who was about to walk out of the wind club after an unknown amount of time, and finally sent out an invitation to Shiori Shinohara who was about to walk out of the wind club.

“……”

The girl who had stepped out of the doorway turned around and looked at him, probably expecting it, not surprised by his conversation.

She nodded slightly.

"Hmm."

……

It's November, summer has long since left, and in autumn, the sun sets even earlier in Tokyo.

The practice time of the Wind Club has also been adjusted to match the early setting sunset.

Six o'clock in the evening.

The sun was no longer setting on the skyline, but the sky had not yet fallen into complete darkness, but was gray and bright, with a hint of dark blue.

In the farthest reaches of the sky, there was an inconspicuous purple tinge in the blue-gray shimmer.

Tetsufumi Hirakawa looked at the sky above him, and beside him, a meter apart, a girl who was quite good in all respects, her skirt swaying in the evening wind with the ups and downs of her footsteps.

Straight legs, hazy shimmer to clothe it with a hazy beauty.

How long has it been since Iori Shinohara walked away with Shiori Shinohara at school at night?

It's been two months, right?

With the light from the sky that had not completely dissipated, and quietly glancing at the side face of the eldest lady beside him, Tetsufumi Hirakawa's mood was indescribably complicated.

But don't think about that, let's get to the point.

His gaze did not take off the eldest lady's face, and then, he spoke, straight to the point.

"Shinohara-san, at noon today, I received your resignation from the ministry from the hands of the minister."

"Hmm."

Shiori Shinohara responded very directly, without hesitation, which was not good.

It seems that the matter of retreating has been completely decided, and there is no trace of wavering.

"That'...... I came to you tonight to find out about the reason for Shinohara's withdrawal. OK...... Say it? ”

When Tetsufumi Hirakawa asked, he always felt a little cautious.

Facing this girl, the mood really couldn't calm down.

But in contrast, Shiori Shinohara's expression was really cold.

She turned her face a little, and asked calmly without ups and downs.

"Hiragawa sensei, excuse me, why are you asking this?"

"This ......" Tetsufumi Hirakawa thought for a moment with some hesitation and replied, "Hmm...... It is...... From the instructor's point of view. Shinohara's withdrawal is not like those third-year students, it seems a bit sudden, so I always need to know about it......"

"Really?"

“…… Well. ”

In the gaze of Miss Shinohara-sama, Tetsufumi Hirakawa looked ahead a little weakly.

Well...... The reasons are not wrong, but they are not complete.

No one can treat everyone equally.

Shinohara Shiori's position in his heart is something special.

This time I came to ask the reason, and naturally there is a reason for this.

There is also - Tetsufumi Hirakawa wants to really solve the matter with this girl completely before leaving his job.

"So, Shinohara-san, can you tell the teacher the reason?"

“……”

Without an immediate answer, Tetsufumi Hirakawa was not sure what the girl was thinking, so he turned to look at her again.

Shiori Shinohara's gaze was always looking directly at him.

By this time, he turned around, and Miss Shiori Shinohara bowed her head lightly with full aura.

"I didn't win the gold medal, and there was nothing left to stay in this wind club, so I quit, it's as simple as that."

"......" Tetsufumi Hirakawa opened his mouth, "What about next year?" ”

"It's not very efficient to devote the rest of your time to it for the sake of a little uncertain possibility."

“…… Because you weren't sure if you could win a gold medal next year, you completely gave up on the idea of trying? ”

"Hmm."

“……”

“……”

"But." Tetsufumi Hirakawa frowned a little, and stared hesitantly at the cold eldest lady.

"How do you know if you don't try?"

Shiori Shinohara may have really thought about it, and she didn't waver in the slightest, and her tone of retort was firm.

"Mr. Hirakawa, I've already figured it out."

"Poetry ......"

Shiori Shinohara's gaze went straight into his eyes.

“……”

"Shinohara-san......" Tetsufumi Hirakawa changed his words.

"What's wrong?"

“…… Shinohara-san shouldn't be someone who gives up so easily. ”

"Because Shiori understands that not everything will have a result, and therefore, not everything has to take time to invest, and in the face of unpredictable results, giving up early can avoid injury."

“……”

Tetsufumi Hirakawa stopped in a daze, and watched Shiori Shinohara's steps walk out of the school gate without stopping, disappearing into the black car.

In his mind, it was the look that the eldest lady left for him before leaving.

What kind of eyes are they?

He couldn't be more familiar.

It's like two months ago, during that summer vacation, at noon when it was raining, Shiori Shinohara said goodbye to him.

He remembers it well.

Because, that indifferent look, long after that, still entered his dreams from time to time.

"Not everything takes time to put in, and in the face of unpredictable results, giving up early can avoid injury...... Is it? ”

Tetsufumi Hirakawa, who came back to his senses, walked out of the school gate, repeating Shiori Shinohara's last words to him.

After a moment, he pursed his lips with some bitterness.

She seems to mean something......

Can giving up early avoid injury?

If she had given up hope in advance, they wouldn't have had such an awkward relationship, and she wouldn't have been sad at the time...... Does she mean that?

……

It was getting dark.

The gray-blue sky was slightly dark, and it was completely dark.

Tetsufumi Hirakawa had already gotten off the train and was on his way home.

The moon was shining in the sky, the street lamps on the street were already on, and the lights were dancing in the rooms of the passing houses.

Tetsufumi Hirakawa quietly returned to the front of the house, and walked into the closed world that was completely dark behind the door.

As he changed his shoes, Michael emerged from the darkness and crouched down in the entryway, his amber eyes reflecting a dim light.

"Meow~"

It screamed affectionately.

“……”

Tetsufumi Hirakawa glanced at it.

“…… Michael, good evening. ”

He smiled as hard as he could, greeted it as usual, and then stared at its glowing eyes for a moment.

"Oh...... I seem to have forgotten to turn on the lights. ”

I turned on the light in the hallway, and then closed the door behind me.

The light in Michael's eyes dissipated, and the street lights behind him were blocked, and the house became brighter.

Tetsufumi Hirakawa rubbed Michael's head, walked inside, and walked upstairs.

After changing clothes, I walked into the study and turned on the computer.

While waiting, I untied the lunch box I had just bought on the way back and ate it.

There's a lot going on.,There's no time to stop.,The school festival is coming.

However, in my mind, I can't get rid of Shiori Shinohara's figure.

She seemed to be completely ready to give up wind music.

But......

Tetsufumi Hirakawa still remembers that after the competition that day, he met the eldest lady who had just returned from playing alone in the hotel lobby.

So she was unwilling to shed tears because of this result, and she was still practicing until the night, would she really give up like this?