My Stepsister in Kyoto

"Irido-kun, come on~! We have received the sheets and CDs for the selected repertoire and the free-choice piece." 

"Okay." 

As Mizuto entered the room, all the members of the Double-Reed Section were already present. However, even though he had said "all the members," only four of them existed. 

Mizuto and Mizore were the oboe players, Mikino Oka was the basson player, and Raina Kitamura was the basson player and also the section leader. 

Among them, Mizuto was the only first year, and Mizore was the second year. 

As for Mikino and Raina, the two were in their third years. 

Mizuto sat on Mizore's side naturally, then asked curiously, "What kind of pieces are we going to play, Senpai?" 

When one was in the concert band club, instead of using "song," they used "piece" to describe its music. 

What was the difference? 

A "song" refers to shorter and less serious music, typically with singers. Both folk and popular music would be considered songs. A "piece" is a more serious composition that has more complex phrasing and typically does not have a human voice as the main focus. 

Still, Mikino and Raina didn't answer Mizuto's question immediately. Instead, they looked at Mizuto and Mizore, who were so close to each other. While they wanted to ask whether they were dating or not, they didn't want to say it since they were afraid that they couldn't handle the truth. 

"Senpai?" 

"Oh-Oh!" Raina quickly coughed and then said, "Naoki Tasaka's "Wind of Province" from the required repertoire and Itaru Sakai's "The Seventh Night of July" for our free-choice piece." 

"The Seventh Night of July? Tanabata?"

The required piece aside, Mizuto was more interested in why Taki-sensei decided to choose "The Seventh Night of July "for their free-choice piece. 

"I haven't heard the piece, but it seems that there will be a duet solo before it is finished by a single solo at the end." 

"So, should we hear it now?" 

"Um." 3x

The three had been waiting for Mizuto, so when he came, they didn't hesitate to listen to the two pieces they had practiced for their competition, especially Itaru Sakai's "The Seventh Night of July," which would be the main piece of their club. 

In Japan, July 7th is a holiday known as Tanabata, for which large celebrations are held throughout the country. The holiday is based on a legend about a young man and a young woman who are separated by the Milky Way and can only see each other once a year on this night. The Seventh Night of July is Itaru Sakai's musical interpretation of this romantic legend.

No one said anything, and they were all quiet, listening to the piece, especially the middle movement, when two instruments had a solo, representing the two main themes from the legend.

When the piece finished, Mikino had a satisfied sigh. "It's a romantic song." 

"Yeah." Raina nodded. "I can feel the love of two people that are separated by the Milky Way." 

"Oh, how cruel fate can be~! Even though two people only wish to be together, why does someone wish to separate them~!" 

Mikino sighed helplessly as she said those words dramatically. 

Mizore always kept her deadpan expression, but Mizuto was speechless. Still, he didn't mention their love life as he was afraid to offend Mikino due to her non-existent love life. 

"But the last oboe solo is nice." 

"Yeah." Mizore nodded, then looked at Mizuto. "Do you want to take the solo part?" 

"....." Mizuto, Raina, and Mikino. 

Mizuto blinked his eyes, then said, "That isn't something that I can decide, but don't hold back since I will play with my everything on this audition." 

"Um." Mizore nodded firmly and decided to give her her all. 

"Still, if you lose, I will comfort you later." 

"Um~!" 

"..." Raina and Mikino. 

The two thought that there would be competition and a huge argument that would shake the entire school, yet why did Mizuto and Mizore show their affection?! 

Their expressions were filled with bitterness and jealousy, wondering why they didn't have a boyfriend. 

As for the solo oboe part, since Mizore didn't say much about Mizuto's words, they also didn't say anything. Moreover, unlike the others, who were unfamiliar with Mizuto's real ability, as part of the Double Reed Section, they knew well how good Mizuto was. 

"The interesting one will be the middle part." Mikino looked at Mizuto and said, "Probably, Taki-sensei will modify the song with an oboe as one of the main instruments that play a duet. Are you confident?" 

"I am." Mizuto nodded. 

"..." 

Watching how confident Mizuto was, Raina and Mikino had to admit that they wished to have some of his confidence. 

"Still, if he is one of the main solos on the duet, who will be the other hand?" Raina asked. 

If Mizuto became the young man in the piece, then who would the young woman be?

"Can I?" Mizore asked, feeling excited when she thought of playing with Mizuto together. 

"Probably hard." Mizuto thought for a while and said, "Originally, the duet of this song is played by alto saxophone and euphonium. While I don't deny the possibility of the two of us having a duet, the other isn't weak." 

"Reina Kousaka, right?" Mizore's eyes were blazing for the first time since she met Reina, the strongest competitor in the concert band club. 

Mizuto also thought so since, among all the members of the concert band club, Reina had the highest chance of playing a solo duet with him. 

"Hey, hey! How could you say something so cheeky in front of us?" 

"The audition hasn't started. Who will be chosen for the solo isn't determined yet." 

In the third year, while Mikino and Raina had to admit that their skills weren't as good as Mizore and Mizuto, it was impossible for them to give up. 

"By the way, Senpai, can I ask you something?" Mizuto ignored their cheeky words. 

"What's wrong?" 

"How is your exam preparation?" 

"NOOOOOO!" 2x

That question brought them into a mental breakdown, yet how could they not be? 

As the third year, they would have an entrance exam soon! 

Thinking about their future made their head overheated, and sometimes they just wanted to escape from reality, especially when the study was hard. 

"If you don't mind, do you want me to teach you?" 

"Huh?" 2x

Raina and Mikino looked at Mizuto in doubt. They knew this guy was the 1st rank in his grade, but could he teach them?

"Mizuto taught me," Mizore said calmly. 

"What was your rank on the mid-term exam, Mizore?" 

"7th." 

"..." 2x

"Really?" 

"Yes." 

They didn't think that Mizore was lying, so they looked at Mizuto. 

"I have mastered all the high school knowledge, including the entrance exam." 

"Please teach us!" 2x

The two said at the same time. 

Meanwhile, Mizore tilted her head, wondering whether Mizuto planned to sleep with the two before they graduated from high school. If so, it didn't matter since she could help him with this matter. 

Mizuto wasn't sure what Mizore was thinking, and he was just concerned about his Senpai. His purpose was pure, and there was nothing dirty about it. Yet, everyone had always misunderstood him. Still, before that, everyone continued to practice until seven at night before they went home. 

However, when Mizuto was about to leave, Reina came to him and said, "Let's go home together." 

Was she horny?

It couldn't be helped; Mizuto decided to comfort his girlfriend first.