It wasn't until Yuki Miki boarded her flight abroad that Watanabe Tetsu was finally allowed to return.
Before leaving, he had tried one last request.
"Mi-ki, I want to go play at the shooting club on the 25th floor."
"Wait until you actually make me feel comfortable."
"Is that allowed?! In that case… how about a full-force massage!"
"You're trying to kill me, aren't you? Be gentle!"
"Oh…"
So, Watanabe Tetsu, who now had to learn an instrument, was also preparing to learn massage techniques.
Temporary activity opportunities were scarce. Since he couldn't rely on the system to gain a "Shooting" skill, he'd have to rely on himself.
A place where he could practice shooting freely was a rare opportunity for an ordinary person—an opportunity he had to seize.
That evening, back at home, Watanabe Tetsu contacted Seino Rin via LINE to ask about instruments.
"Seino, do you know which instrument is the easiest to learn?"
Half an hour passed before the system finally marked the message as "read," and soon after, Seino Rin replied.
"Ukulele."
"What's that?"
Seino Rin sent a dolphin-headpat emoji, a look of utter exasperation on her face.
Watanabe Tetsu's fingers danced quickly across the screen. "You just wanted to send an emoji, didn't you!"
"No, your limited knowledge really scares me," she replied, followed by another dolphin emoji that looked away in shame.
Watanabe Tetsu gave up arguing with her. "Then what's the easiest instrument in the wind ensemble?"
"That depends on the person."
"Pick one!"
"Why should I listen to you?"
"Because it's all your fault!!!"
A confused dolphin emoji immediately appeared on the screen.
He recounted the incident at the concert: how Yuki Miki had woken up, irritated by the terrible sounds, and made him play for her. He sent it as a voice message.
In response, Seino Rin sent a gloating dolphin emoji, followed by a cold voice recording: "Pathetic."
"Are you taking responsibility? You made me go to that concert and put me in this situation!!"
"For playing difficulty, the clarinet is simpler. But if you want to satisfy Yuki Miki, I don't think a simple instrument is a good choice."
"You really know her well. I guess the person who knows someone best is always their enemy. What about other instruments?"
"I don't know much about the others, but I play the trumpet best and can teach you. It's one of the more difficult instruments though."
"How does it compare to the clarinet?"
"Well… if clarinet difficulty is one star, trumpet is five stars."
"Wait."
Watanabe Tetsu called Yuki Miki.
"Mi-ki, what do you think if I learn the clarinet?"
"Not interested."
"Then trumpet?"
Yuki Miki let out a cold laugh. "Oboe."
Beep.
The call ended. Watanabe Tetsu didn't mind at all; he was even satisfied with such a brief and efficient conversation.
Back on LINE, he typed: "Clarinet is the easiest, right? So oboe is a little harder, but easier than trumpet?"
"Oboe is as hard as French horn."
"French horn?"
Another helpless dolphin emoji. Then: "Five stars."
"Why not just say the same as the trumpet?! I think you're mocking me on purpose!"
"Don't doubt me."
"My phone's dead. Bye."
A little later, Watanabe Tetsu had to send another message:
"Seino, do you know a good music store? Also, could you give me some tips about oboes? Which one should I get?"
"Oh my, aren't you going to charge your phone first?"
"Sorry, my attitude was off."
"My tolerance is as deep as the Izu-Ogasawara Trench. I forgive your impulse. Meet me at 9:30 tomorrow in front of Ginza Yamano Music."
"That's wrong, Seino! Let me correct you—the deepest trench in Japan isn't the Izu-Ogasawara Trench!"
"Of course not."
"Eh?"
"The other two I'll save for later."
"You mean… I get forgiven like this at least twice?"
"You think too highly of yourself, Watanabe Tetsu. I just don't want to keep saying the top-ranked scenic spots until I run out of things to say to you."
Watanabe Tetsu sent a dolphin emoji giving a thumbs-up. Of course, it wasn't a real thumbs-up—it was sarcasm.
The next day, Sunday, it was still drizzling.
Watanabe Tetsu boarded at Yotsuya Station, rode the Marunouchi Line, and got off at Ginza.
On a weekend, Ginza was a river of people and a dragon of umbrellas. Occasionally, he spotted female trendsetters in sunglasses striding like movie stars, entering and exiting luxury stores with impossible poise.
At the Yamano Music store, Seino Rin, Asuka Mai, Hanada Asako, and Ichiki Aoi were already waiting.
"Sorry I'm late."
Technically, there were still five minutes before the scheduled 9:30, but as the last to arrive, an apology was polite.
Seino Rin nodded. "Let's go in."
Watanabe Tetsu was about to ask why the other three were here, but seeing Rin had no intention of explaining, he let it go.
Their presence probably had to do with {Ichiki Aoi's Love Story·Continued}, so nothing too curious.
The store spanned six floors above ground and one below, each floor specializing in different items.
The first floor sold CDs—new releases, decade-old CDs, and vinyl from decades ago. For fans of physical media, hours could pass easily here.
The stairs to the second floor had a wall exhibit of an unrecognizable singer's photos. Second floor—more CDs. Third—sheet music. Fourth—guitars.
The group spent an hour moving from the first to the fifth and sixth floors, which sold other types of instruments. One person tested music, another picked sheet music, and the rest were captivated by the gleaming new guitars. Progress was slow. If Watanabe Tetsu had understood instruments, he might have just bought what he wanted and left.
"Watanabe, oboes are expensive. How much budget do you have?" Ichiki Aoi asked as they climbed the stairs to the fifth floor.
"Expensive? Isn't it just a flute?" Watanabe Tetsu asked, confused.
"It's not a flute," Ichiki Aoi said wearily.
Nearby, Asuka Mai calmly explained, "The oboe is one of the most expensive instruments in the wind ensemble. It's delicate and often requires maintenance and care."
"Is one million yen enough?" Watanabe Tetsu was ready to spend all the money Miki had given him.
"One million?" Ichiki Aoi, sneaking a glance at Asuka Mai, gasped. "I thought your life conditions weren't so good?"
"I don't have the money—it's from Miki," Watanabe Tetsu admitted.
"That's not—" Hanada Asako covered her mouth, her face bright red. "Sorry, sorry!"
"It's fine," Watanabe Tetsu waved. "My goal was always to live leisurely, and having a rich girlfriend makes it even better. I'm prepared to be called a gigolo."
If he could, he wouldn't have accepted the money. He wasn't poor enough to need a woman to support him.
He'd rather work a grueling part-time job holding a real estate sign under the sun for four hours. It was hard, but paid well—enough for a modestly comfortable life.
But could he dare refuse Miki's money? Could he not spend the required monthly minimum?
Have pride? Refuse to take it?
Miki had once said, "If you don't spend my money, you don't love me. If you don't love me, you can die." That was deadly serious.
"One million… barely enough." Seino Rin walked to the glass case displaying the oboes, muttering to herself.
"Marigaux is known for tone but easily cracks; Monica has excellent craftsmanship, the tone is almost as good as Marigaux; Joseph is well-made, slightly weaker tone, but durable."
The other four followed like tourists listening to a guide explain historic sites.
Watanabe Tetsu suddenly noticed a familiar name: "Yamaha?"
"YOB-241 oboe," Rin replied, eyes glancing at him. "Made from rare traditional wood and advanced resin technology, with a resin layer…"
"Stop, stop. I just thought Yamaha makes everything, that's all."
Rin glared.
"Sorry, continue." Watanabe Tetsu immediately humbled himself.
Rin ignored it and pointed at a black oboe in the case. "Pick this one, Monica."
He checked the price—1.2 million yen. High-end for this store.
"Let's buy it," Watanabe Tetsu told the clerk.
"What—just decided that?!" Hanada Asako and Ichiki Aoi's eyes widened. "That's 1.2 million yen!"
"It's fine—it's Miki's money," he said.
Both stared at him strangely.
Rin remained composed. "The oboe is extremely difficult. Mouth shape, breathing, finger technique, reed use and care, and instrument maintenance—you need to learn a lot. But I believe in your perseverance."
"Of course." Watanabe Tetsu was confident in his own determination. "By the way, since it's so hard… blowing 'Three Romances' in half a month is impossible, right?"
The faces of everyone present—including the clerk—darkened.
At that moment, he realized: I'm done for!
Judging by their reactions, half a month wasn't nearly enough to learn the oboe.
"Um," Hanada Asako said, "Hayami from the wind ensemble said some people practice for two years and their sound still comes out like a duck."
"Duck sound?" Watanabe Tetsu asked, confused.
Hanada Asako blushed furiously. "Hayami said that. She's the principal oboe and bassoon player."
"Half a month really isn't enough?"
Silence. No one answered.
He looked to Rin, hoping for a glimmer of hope, only to meet her icy don't-even-think-about-it gaze.
The scene became awkward until Asuka Mai calmly said, "The oboe's tone is very hard to control, but there are people who sound smooth after half a year. Do your best."
Her meaning was clear: anything was possible, but talent mattered.
Half a year was considered talented—half a month? Only if he were willing to spend 100,000 points to boost his intelligence could he become a prodigy.
He still had a "50% Intelligence Exchange Voucher," costing only 50,000 points. But what good would that do?
A musical prodigy? Facing the Yuki family, learning medicine couldn't even save himself!
"Thank you, senpai. I'll work hard," Watanabe Tetsu said.
Asuka Mai nodded calmly.
Hanada Asako and Ichiki Aoi were stunned and incredulous from seeing Asuka Mai reassure him.
Seino Rin sighed. "Since it's bought, let's get down to business."
"Business?" Watanabe Tetsu asked.
"Helping you buy the instrument was incidental. Don't be narcissistic and think all four of us came just for that." Rin led the way to the elevator.
The five went to a nearby café.
By the window, the girls ordered the promotional matcha parfait, while Watanabe Tetsu got coffee.
Soon, the waitress brought the food.
The parfaits were modest in size but layered beautifully, topped with shiratama dumplings, whipped cream, and red bean paste.
"Looks delicious!"
"Senpai, wait! Let me take a picture first! Snap, snap, oh, let's take a group photo!"
"Ichiki, we're not here to play—we have business to attend to—"
"Oh, just a photo, what's the big deal? Come on~"
Watanabe Tetsu watched the four girls snap photos from various angles while adding sugar to his coffee.
Last time he had coffee was that night in Ochanomizu—after that, he embarked on his arduous anti-capitalist rebellion.
After the photo session and a few bites of parfait, Seino Rin cleared her throat to get to the point.
"Watanabe-san."
"Mm?"
"I have a proposal for how to solve the defunct wind ensemble crisis."
"Huh?"
"I'll serve as temporary coach for the wind ensemble and help them qualify for the Kanto High School Competition."
The other three showed no reaction—clearly they had discussed it before.
Watanabe Tetsu thought it over. "The Kanto High School Competition is official. If they get in, the student council should acknowledge us. But… are you confident?"
This wasn't the Futaba Wind Ensemble—it was the Shinkawa cram school ensemble that had woken Yuki Miki!
"Of course," Rin nodded. "As long as I'm the coach with absolute authority, this won't be a problem."
"The low brass section already acknowledges Seino-san's skill…"
Ding-dong~ Hanada Asako froze mid-sentence.
"Watanabe-san, please help me pick up this spoon."
He looked at Asuka Mai's calm expression and blinked. "Sure."
Before he could bend, Ichiki Aoi beat him to it. "Senpai, I'll have the waitress get you a new one~"
"Thanks."
"Hehe~~ Waitress, could you bring a spoon?"
"Of course, please wait a moment."
Ichiki Aoi noticed Watanabe Tetsu's gaze and subtly flashed a V-sign.
Ichiki, if you keep this up, Asuka-senpai will start disliking you! Stop this flattery immediately!
For the record, Watanabe Tetsu wasn't thinking that out of jealousy—he had professionalism as a client.
After the spoon arrived, Seino Rin spoke.
"Watanabe-san, what do you think of this plan?"
He sipped his sweet coffee. "If you decide, just do it. I support unconditionally."
He didn't have to do anything anyway, so of course he supported it.
"Thanks," Rin nodded. "Once training begins, you may not have time for other duties. I hope you can act as wind ensemble manager at critical moments."
"Alright," Watanabe Tetsu replied reluctantly. "After all, I'm a member of the Human Observation Club."
"Um," Hanada Asako timidly raised her hand. "Seino-san, only the low brass section wants you as a temporary coach. The ensemble has eight other sections—they…"
"They'll agree."
"Seino-san already has a way to persuade them?"
"To get your level into the Kanto High School Competition this year, only I can do it," Rin said, a confident smile almost spilling over, speaking the blunt truth.