CHAPTER 487: 226. RESTLESS VALENTINE’S DAY (5)_3

Holding her backpack, she rushed out the front door and jumped onto the train just as its doors were closing.

On the train’s screen, news about various examinations was broadcast.

In Kamakura, a heavy snowfall had caused train delays.

In front of the camera, the high school seniors prepared for their exams—some prayed with their eyes closed, some looked desperate, and some anxiously made phone calls.

"Next stop, Shibuya Station, Shibuya Station."

Leaving the platform, the slope leading to "Tokyo Metropolitan Goda Private High School" was filled with exam candidates in various styles of school uniforms.

At the beginning of the slope was a small bicycle repair shop where Horikita Mai found her school friend by the shopfront.

"Miyuki!" she waved energetically while looking left and right to make sure the road was clear before running over.

"Good morning, Miyuki," Lin Naihesui greeted her gracefully.

"Good morning. Sorry, I’m late."

"It’s okay, it’s still early. Did you bring everything? Did you forget anything?"

"Of course!" Horikita Mai patted her backpack. "Trust my mom!"

The two walked up the slope and entered Goda High School, avoiding the oak tree that was over twenty meters tall, mountain-like.

"That’s a huge tree!"

"I really want to see what it looks like in the summer!"

"Then let’s work hard together."

"Yes! And I’ve already made a promise with Dubian, I must pass."

"Miyuki really has a crush on Dubian."

"Of course! Miyuki, you don’t understand Wind Music, you don’t know how amazing Dubian truly is! Why don’t you join the Wind Instrument Club too? We can become the shining magical girls of the club!"

Hokitika Mai struck a classic magical girl transformation pose.

Her figure, if it were in an anime, was indeed as slender as a magical girl’s.

On campus, the junior high boys huddled in their scarves glanced over.

"...Miyuki, you’re about to enter high school; if you keep this up, Dubian might start to dislike you."

"Really?!"

The two split up at the stairway as they were on different floors.

Horikita Mai walked into Classroom 1-3 and sat in the second to last row in the back.

’Miyuki, you’re definitely the protagonist! You can definitely do it!’

Lin Naihesui went up to the third floor, the floor for first years.

Although it was a serious exam venue, the hallway was noisy.

From the classrooms and windows of Class 1, 2, and 3, people peeked out looking towards Class 4.

Some hadn’t yet entered the exam room and stood in the hallway chatting with friends, but their gazes also turned towards Class 4.

Curious, Lin Naihesui looked over.

It was a scene she found impressive, one that she would remember for years to come.

In the sun-filled corridor, a boy in a Goda High School uniform with his shirt unbuttoned, had set up a table and chair in front of Classroom 4.

Nothing was on the table. The sunlight fell on the handsome boy’s face as he quietly read a book.

After the morning exam, Lin Naihesui met up with Horikita Mai, and the two had lunch at a nearby family restaurant.

"Miyuki."

"Hmm?" Horikita Mai ate her parfait with a spoon.

"I saw Dubian today."

"Really? Where? When?"

"He seems to be one of the upper floor staff, dealing with emergencies."

"Ah, why am I on the first floor!" Horikita Mai angrily took a big bite of her parfait.

"Well," Lin Naihesui hesitated slightly, "I heard that Dubian might have a girlfriend."

That was something she had heard in the exam room that morning.

Before then, Horikita Mai had shown her photos of Dubian Che and let her listen to his oboe performance—it was really impressive and very handsome, but she wasn’t into idolizing someone, so it didn’t affect her much.

But that shining Dubian, who had just been outside the exam room, could be at the same school as her and in the same club if she passed the exam.

Realizing this, she started to pay attention to information about Che.

The girls in the exam room seemed to know him and shared a lot of information about him, including the fact that he had a girlfriend.

"Yes, Dubian’s girlfriend is Jiutiao Meijie, a young lady from a wealthy family."

"Miyuki, aren’t you upset?"

"Why should I be upset?" Horikita Mai asked curiously.

"Don’t you like Dubian?"

"Yes, but he had a girlfriend before I liked him, so my feelings for him are just a fan’s admiration for an idol! Miyuki, why don’t you join the Wind Instrument Club as well, and we can idolize together!"

"...If I can pass."

"Don’t worry, we will definitely pass!"

In the afternoon, after handing in her exam paper, Horikita Mai picked up her backpack and hurriedly ran towards the third floor, the sound of her loafers clattering in the stairwell.

Dubian Che was still there.

From morning to evening, he had been sitting there reading continuously.

"Senpai! Dubian Senpai!"

"Horikita Maki," Dubian Che looked up briefly.

"Horikita Mai desu!" Horikita Mai habitually corrected, "Senpai, if you have time, could you show me the Wind Instrument Club?"

"Let’s talk about it once you’ve passed."

Dubian Che put his book in the desk drawer, then packed up the table and chairs, and headed towards Classroom 2-2.

That was Jiutiao Meijie’s desk.