At dusk, under the light of the setting sun, Tetsufumi Hirakawa followed Shiori Shinohara into her family's car.

Whether it is the time or the event, it is reminiscent of that first moment.

Shiori Shinohara looked out the window from the car window, facing the reflection in the mirror, and suddenly, the reflection turned into a memory that lingered in the sea of memory.

In the third semester of the first grade, the nosy teacher, at the setting sun, said to her, "I know I can't do it", and then broke into her house with her, facing her mother, who was always unable to break free.

This time is no different.

The teacher really knows her. He was right, and it was okay to say that he was the one who knew her best.

There was no mistake in the guess made, it was.

Because of the failure to meet the national competition, her mother once again had the idea of giving up.

In the past, it was absolutely impossible for her to give up so willingly, because of the disappointment of a certain teacher, she also came up with the idea of returning everything he had earned.

- Wind music, to a certain extent, but her connection to the teacher.

If it hadn't been for the first thing, maybe nothing would have happened after that.

And now, the relationship between the two has ended. The so-called connection doesn't seem to have any need to exist anymore.

So in the face of pressure from her mother, this time she agreed.

Then, in the midst of this, the teacher came to her again.

Before that, it was hard for her to imagine that she would be so easily convinced.

Obviously, he has really made up his mind to give up the wind music completely.

But......

Once an individual's hidden thoughts are seen through by others, it is far easier to convince than imagined.

And really, as he said, her persistence in wind music will not die so easily.

The determination of the wind music to not give up was reawakened.

The same teacher next to her will also go to her home again to convince her mother to change the decision she made out of disappointment.

…… To be honest, it's really hard to say why she would agree to this.

Perhaps, the most important reason to start from nine months ago?

"Is it really possible?" When she came back to her senses, Shiori Shinohara asked about the reflection in the car window.

"Of course you can." Tetsufumi Hirakawa replied.

It was the only conversation the two had on the way.

It is understandable how complicated Shinohara's views on Tetsufumi Hirakawa are now...... I'm afraid even she doesn't know.

Now, the agreement that Tetsufumi Hirakawa made nine months ago that successfully made her and her mother "no longer interfere with the wind club in the future" has been ruined by herself.

Now, the agreement between her and her mother about this was made by her own mouth a few days ago - "agreeing to quit the wind club".

Although her thoughts are shaken today, however, she knows what kind of person her mother is.

My mother's will is definitely stronger than hers, and it is not easy to change.

Because of this, Shiori Shinohara's feelings for Tetsufumi Hirakawa are quite complicated.

It's true that I'm disappointed in the teacher next to me, because he wants to quit the bandhouse, but.

In the truest part of my heart, it is true that I don't want to give up playing wind music, and now, I put my hopes on him, thinking, "Perhaps, this time, he will still succeed in changing the status quo", which is still true.

Disappointment and expectation are intertwined, converging into Shiori Shinohara's current emotions.

……

The Shinohara family arrived.

Stepping out of the car and standing in front of Shinohara's house again, Tetsufumi Hirakawa looked at it with emotion.

The last time I came was in February, the third semester of the first year, when he had just obtained the system, and he was still very high-spirited.

"It is a teacher's duty to teach students well."

"Even if he has an unknowable and seemingly wonderful power, he cannot tarnish his status as a teacher out of selfish gain."

Today, however, things have changed completely.

He has been derelict in his duties.

Moreover, it is difficult to say that this visit was not out of selfishness.

After all, Shinohara poetry is no longer a simple teacher-student relationship with him.

Tut.

Laughing at himself in his heart, Tetsufumi Hirakawa sighed extremely complicated in his heart, and finally let go of all his thoughts.

On the last day before resigning, there was nothing left to worry about.

After the last thing is done, he can resign.

He followed Shiori Shinohara's footsteps and walked inside.

"Shinohara-san, your mother, ...... now?"

"In the living room."

"Okay."

……

Nine months have passed, but nothing is much different here.

Traditional Japanese-style room with tatami flooring. On the other side, the open door gives a view of the courtyard on an autumn evening.

Everything is as before.

It was in such an environment that Tetsufumi Hirakawa met Shinohara's mother again.

Mrs. Shinohara, who is dressed in a red kimono, holds her hair in a bun, and although she has a gentle smile between her eyebrows, the demeanor of a superior from a famous family on her body still shows that Shinohara's mother is definitely not as easy to get along with as she seems from the outside.

- I knew this kind of thing from the last meeting.

"Mrs. Shinohara, I'm sorry to have bothered me without prior explanation."

Tetsufumi Hirakawa knelt down at the tea table and bowed his head slightly.

Shinohara's mother knelt opposite her, her posture calm and decent.

"It's okay, I want to come. It must be something important to make Hirakawa-sensei bother to come here, right?"

Speaking softly, the tone like a spring breeze has to be said to be very comfortable.

"Please." Shinohara's mother poured a cup of tea.

"Thank you."

Tetsufumi Hirakawa took it.

Well......

Shinohara's mother's dignified posture is really impressive.

"What I want to discuss with you this time is related to Shiori Shinohara."

"That's right." Shinohara's mother smiled, "Is it another band this time?"

"Yes, indeed."

"What is it?" Shinohara's mother's gaze glanced at Shiori Shinohara, who was sitting on the side of the table.

Shiori Shinohara, who sat on her knees without saying a word, did not raise her head until this moment to face her mother.

For her, the pressure from her mother can be conveyed to her just by a glance of her eyes.

It was indeed difficult for her to break free from her mother's control.

However, since she has come here, since the teacher next to her has made an agreement, then there is no reason to back down.

It's true to be disappointed in him, but it's not that disappointment.

The promise that has been made, this teacher will definitely come true—even if the relationship between the two has reached the point where Shiori Shinohara may not be aware of it, but she still believes in it subconsciously.

So she spoke.

"Mother."

"Hmm." Shinohara's mother's jaw.

"Shiori...... I don't want to quit the band club."

「……」

She saw her mother with a gentle smile on her lips.

"Oh? Does Shiori want to change her mind?"

The eyes from her mother were full of pressure, but Shiori Shinohara's confirmation said, "Yes."

"Can you tell your mother about your reason?"

Shiori Shinohara glanced at the teacher beside her, and then replied, "Because, the teacher of the wind club, Ogasa

The teacher still wanted Shiori to stay, and he had asked me many times before. The same is true for the students in the wind club. So, after their stay, Shiori changed her mind."

"I see, I see."

After an answer, Shinohara's mother stopped talking, picked up the tea, and took a sip.

There was silence in the living room.

Shinohara's mother seems to be seriously thinking about Shiori Shinohara's reasons, while Tetsufumi Hirakawa and Shiori Shinohara are waiting.

Waited until Shinohara's mother put down the teacup.

"Bang."

The bottom of the delicate teacup touches the wooden tabletop, signaling that the silence is broken.

Shinohara's mother thought about the result.

"But, Shiori had already told me before, and decided to quit, right? Did you change your mind because of someone else's retention?"

Shiori Shinohara continued to hang her head and spoke.

"The change of mind is uncontrollable."

"Being swayed by the opinions of the rest of the people is not the practice of a qualified heir to the Shinohara family."

「…… I'm sorry. However, the previous idea of quitting the wind club was not taken into account when Shiori said it at the time. Now, it is only in the retention of the rest of the people that I have once again strengthened my determination to continue playing wind music."

"I didn't think it through, so I said my opinion, Shiori, it's not very qualified."

"What my mother taught me was, but, Shiori now, has a very firm idea."

"Really?"

"Yes." Shiori Shinohara replied, "So, I would like to ask my mother to consider Shiori's current opinion again."

Shinohara's mother's expression did not change, and she always maintained a gentle demeanor.

"Of course I'll take Shiori's opinion into account."

"That ......"

"But—"

「……」

Shiori Shinohara's words that she wanted to say were shoved back by her mother with a "but".

"Shiori, you should understand that as the heir of the Shinohara family, you can't change what you say at will. I certainly respect Shiori's opinion—the previous opinion. Now that we've agreed, there's nothing negotiable."

「……」

Shiori Shinohara shut her mouth.

It can only be said that she actually expected her mother's reaction.

This time it was not the same as the last time, when she did not agree with her mother forcing her to leave the club.

And this time, at first, she herself agreed to her mother to let her quit the wind club.

Last time, she was free to dismiss her mother because she thought she was on the side of justice.

This time, she clearly felt a little overwhelmed.

Still, after a moment of silence in her heart, she tried her best to refute her mother's words.

"Shiori thinks that I should make my own decisions about the wind club. Although he had said that he was going to quit the wind club, it was Shiori's own will. Now, I don't want to quit the band, it's out of my own volition. All decisions are Shiori's own will, Mother-sama...... There should be no interference."

If it is placed in an ordinary family, this kind of participation in the wind club is definitely a matter for the child to decide for himself.

However, her mother is not the same as the average family mother.

Even if it did, she had to be in full control.

She saw her mother, and her eyes skimmed over her.

The tone, though still mild, carries a majesty that leaves no room for discussion.

"What has been promised, it cannot be changed, not to mention, Shiori has been given a year, since it has not been done, there is nothing more to say, that's all."

「……」

That's it, putting an end to the conversation between the two.

Shiori Shinohara bowed her head in irrefutable silence.

At the same time, Shinohara's mother turned her gaze back to Tetsufumi Hirakawa.

She smiled and asked, "So, Mr. Hiragawa, did you come here today to explain to me that Shiori wants to return to the wind club?"

「…… Yes." Tetsufumi Hirakawa nodded.

"Well, I guess Mr. Hirakawa heard my opinion as well."

"Yes."

"Is there anything else you'd like to say?"

"I ......"

"That's right." As soon as he wanted to speak, he was interrupted by Shinohara's mother, who expressed her apologies for interrupting his words with her eyes, and then.

"Before that, I'd like to ask Hirakawa-sensei—"

「……」

Tetsufumi Hirakawa waited.

Shinohara's mother asks a fatal question.

"What is the reason for your coming here today?"

「……」

Tetsufumi Hirakawa was silent.

Shinohara's mother smiled slightly, and seeing that he was silent, she was not in a hurry, so she picked up the tea again and took a sip.

The tea drifted away with misty white vapor, and Tetsufumi Hirakawa's thoughts were like white mist.

Shinohara's mother did ask a very fatal question.

Last time, Tetsufumi Hirakawa's position was obvious.

As a class teacher, the student extends from family conflicts to campus conflicts, and to a certain extent, he has the right to interfere - after all, the influence is in the school.

Moreover, as an instructor, he forced him to remove the student from the wind club for no reason, and he did not agree with such an injustice happening, so of course he could come and state it in person.

But...... This time.

What is his position?

Shinohara's mother has not interfered at present, and Shiori Shinohara has voluntarily withdrawn by herself.

Although, under his persuasion, the girl returned to her own wishes and did not intend to quit the wind club.

- As for the disagreement between Shiori Shinohara and her mother after making such a decision, to be honest, it is completely a matter for the mother and daughter.

It doesn't have much to do with him as a teacher.

At least, it's perfectly fine for him to come to the door because of this kind of thing, and call it "nosy".

Shinohara's mother questioned his stance on coming, which was quite fatal.

- Of course, this lethality is based on the premise that Tetsufumi Hirakawa is still preparing to be a qualified teacher.

But ah......

At the last moment before leaving, in the face of Shiori Shinohara, a girl with special meaning to him, even he would think about being willful.

Really capricious.

Because he came this time out of selfishness.

- So what?

He's leaving his job anyway.

That's the position.

After thinking about it, Tetsufumi Hirakawa re-faced Shinohara's mother.

"I'd like to talk to Mrs. Shinohara, okay?"