Bathed, lights out, whispered conversations, fell asleep, ready for tomorrow's practice.

August 17, 7 AM.

In a restaurant in Karuizawa, the Wind Instrument Club in school athletic wear was very conspicuous.

Tourists speculated about which school it was that was affluent enough to afford a cram school for students in Karuizawa in August.

"I heard that Mr. Dubian paid for our lodging fees."

"How much did that cost?"

"Not just that, there's also the rental of the music hall."

"Why would Mr. Dubian do such a thing, Haomei, do you know?"

"That guy treats our Wind Instrument Club like a branch of the Human Observation Department!"

"Not bad at all."

"Right, the Human Observation Department is those three."

Xiaoquan Aonai, along with Akiko who had gotten up early to accompany her, and Miyazaki Miyuki, sat at a table eating breakfast.

"Where does that kid Dubian get so much money? From the Jiutiao family?" Akiko asked while eating her salad.

"Jiutiao Meiji doesn't seem like someone who would let a young man do that, but Kiyono Lin might," Miyazaki Miyuki said.

"Ah, that does sound likely," Akiko agreed.

While the three chatted and enjoyed breakfast, a person walked over to the group of students.

Xiaoquan Aonai quickly looked over.

Most of the Wind Instrument Club was girls, and she worried someone might harass them.

The girls at the questioned table pointed our way, and the person walked toward them.

The girls whispered among themselves, and news quickly spread, everyone giggled and looked over.

"Excuse me, are you Miss Xiaoquan Aonai?" the person asked.

"Yes, may I help you?" Xiaoquan Aonai stood up politely, puzzled.

"Here are some flowers and a letter for you, please sign for them."

Xiaoquan Aonai was stunned, then quickly replied, "Okay!"

"Is it that kid again?" Akiko whispered to Miyazaki Mieko.

"Regardless of whether the money is his own, he thought of this... what do you think of him now?" Miyazaki Mieko countered.

"I've always thought he's not bad at all—not opposed, as long as Aonai likes him."

After Xiaoquan Aonai signed for them, thanked the deliverer, and sat down with a large bouquet of flowers.

Some bold girls from the Wind Instrument Club crowded around.

"Teacher, who sent them?"

"We've only been in Karuizawa for one day, no, just half a day, and someone is sending flowers! I wish I could be as popular as Teacher Xiaoquan!"

"Everyone, don't crowd around here, go back to eat, we need to focus on training!" Xiaoquan Aonai commanded, maintaining her teacher's authority with a stern but beautiful face.

"Yes—" the girls responded reluctantly without getting an answer.

After they left, Akiko asked, "It's Dubian Che, isn't it?"

Xiaoquan Aonai frowned, the flowers weren't roses.

"Do you guys know what kind of flowers these are?" she asked.

"They look like some type of lilies," Miyazaki Mieko said uncertainly.

"Lilies?" Xiaoquan Aonai was startled, then quickly opened the letter.

Akiko and Miyazaki Mieko craned their heads over immediately.

Akiko read:

"'To my beloved Miss Aonai from Tokyo:"

"'It's a twist of fate, a paradox of space and time'"

"'It's destiny, it is decreed by heaven'"

"'On another foggy day, I rode my white horse to pick mountain lilies for my beloved'"

"'The fragrant mountain lilies, their flower language is waiting and encountering'"

"'Humbly presented to'"

"'Miss Aonai amidst the fireflies'"

Signed with a neat English initial: 'T'"

After reading the letter, Akiko looked annoyed, "I have to read this first thing in the morning? The world is just too cruel."

Xiaoquan Aonai read the letter again.

Just as she was about to read it a third time, Miyazaki Mieko reminded her, "Time to eat, Aonai."

"Ah? Oh."

Xiaoquan Aonai put the letter back into the envelope, planning to place it in her favorite book.

Reaching for her chopsticks, she instead picked up the bouquet of lilies.

"With so many, how many did he steal?" she murmured and couldn't help giggling.

Leaning in to smell lightly, the faint fragrance of the flowers seemed to carry the scent of Dubian Che's hair dampened by dew.

"Aonai—, time to eat—"

"Got it, got it!" Xiaoquan Aonai quickly set down the flowers and picked up her chopsticks.

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