I play the wind instrument in Hokkaido.

Page 177

Kuno Tachibana looked at Kitahara Hakuba, whose perfectly pressed white shirt was wrinkled from clapping. Compared to his usual gentle expression, he looked somewhat melancholy at this moment.

Even he, could he, find it difficult to make a decision?

Kitahara Hakuba stood below the stage and raised his voice, saying:

"Time is tight, so let me briefly explain. This time we are selecting the trumpet soloist, and the oboe part that accompanies the trumpet will be played by Kanzaki-san."

His gaze fell upon Eri Kanzaki standing on the stage, and he continued:

"Kansaki-san, there is no piano or metronome. You decide when to play. The trumpet player should also pay attention to when to enter the game."

Eri Kanzaki didn't speak, she just nodded.

"Everyone, although the selection of the spots is decided by my vote, I still hope that each of you has your own criteria for judgment. After all, music is a very subjective thing, which is why there are often excellent composers and arrangers of scores."

Kitahara Hakuba looked at the club members sitting below the stage and said.

"Especially for the members of Group A, please listen carefully to see which person's trumpet you like best and can represent Shenxu High School on stage for a solo performance."

His words caused the members below the stage to look serious, and Sakurako nervously held her braid in her hands and rubbed it back and forth.

"Nagase-san, Kuno-san, are you ready? Who wants to go first?" Kitahara Hakuba asked.

Nagase Tsukiyo took a deep breath and said:

"I."

"Yes, Kanzaki-san, thank you for your help."

Eri Kanzaki took a deep breath, raised the oboe in her hand, and put the reed into her mouth.

The uniquely gentle, tender, and melodious sound of woodwind instruments symbolizes the renewal of life.

The auditorium was filled with the air of summer, and the bass notes from the woodwind instruments were always so clear and transparent.

The trumpet seized the opportunity, blending its smooth bass notes with the oboe, the bright notes piercing through the overhead light and scattering towards the audience.

The two instruments flowed like a stream, the trumpet like a rare treasure, the reflection from the horn like a flickering flame.

With the final note, Eri Kanzaki and Tsukiyo Nagase's Soli came to a close.

The team members below the stage looked at each other, and whispers of conversation filled the air.

"Nagase-senpai's alt account is still so strong...::"

"

"It sounds so good. If it were my alt, I definitely couldn't have connected it so well."

"Hearing it live makes a difference."

Kitahara Hakuba stood behind Isogen Yuka's seat, bracing himself against the back of her chair and shouting:

"Kuno-san, please get ready."

Yuka Isomoto subconsciously tilted her head and glanced at him, then looked at Tatsuka Kuno on the stage.

"Yes."

Kuno Tachibana took a deep breath, lifted the trumpet, and pressed down hard on the piston.

The feel of the pistons suggests they've been well-maintained; there shouldn't be any problems. After all, it's been playing the trumpet for six or seven years.

Kanzaki Eri glanced at her, then looked straight ahead and played the same piece she had played and practiced countless times.

The mellow tone of the oboe flowed out again, followed by a powerful glissando from the trumpet, and the two overlapped once more.

The trumpet solo here lacks any acceleration or sweeping momentum, as if it has lost the power that a trumpet should have.

But it is precisely this trumpet that can intertwine gently and tenderly with the oboe, producing a smooth and uninterrupted melody with the tip of the tongue.

The second trumpet performance also came to a close, silently carrying all the emotions.

Kuno Tachibana's arms hung limply at her sides. She had never felt so strained before; the tension had caused the muscles in her arms to become very tight.

The soreness came quickly.

The audience was stunned. To them, the difference in skill between the two was not significant. If they were blindfolded, they would definitely think it was the same person exaggerating.

"This is ridiculous... I can't tell who's better at all," Akamatsu Sayaka said, rubbing her forehead in disbelief.

Suzuki Kaori slightly pursed her lips, her chin taut like a walnut:

"Fortunately, it wasn't us brass band officers who made the decision, so we won't be scolded by the members. Mr. Kitahara will have to work hard."

Upon hearing this, Yukawa Sakurako instinctively looked back and saw Kitahara Hakuma staring seriously at the two girls on the stage.

Who will he ultimately choose?

Some members looked at the stage, while others kept staring at Kitahara Hakuba, trying to find some clues on his face.

Kitahara Hakuba straightened his back, crossed his arms, and said:

"Thank you all for your hard work. You all played very well this time, and it was hard to find any flaws. However, we can only choose one person to play the trumpet solo."

Nagase Tsukiyo and Kuno Tachibana both stared straight ahead, seemingly unwilling to speak until they received a result.

"Kanzaki-san, as one of the players, which trumpet do you think best suits you?" Kitahara Hakuba asked.

Even though it was Kanzaki Eri who asked the question, Kuno Tatsuka couldn't help but clench his fist on the tube, his gaze fixed on Kitahara Hakuba without blinking.

A thin layer of sweat appeared on Nagase Tsukiyo's forehead.

Kanzaki Eri stared at Nagase and Kuno's faces in turn, then said seriously to Kitahara Hakuba:

"They're all very strong, I can do them all, am I good at bragging?"

Her words only made people more nervous, and Akamatsu Sayaka couldn't help but mutter a complaint under her breath:

"Isn't Kanzaki's statement the same as saying nothing at all? Besides, isn't the focus right now on her?"

Yukawa Sakurako smiled wryly from the side.

Kitahara Hakuba could only grin and say, "That's very well done."

Hmm:

Upon receiving the approval, Eri Kanzaki's cherry-colored lips curved into a smile, almost giving some of the girls in the audience a mental orgasm.

They rarely saw Eri Kanzaki smile, but they never expected her to be so cute when she did.

Some boys, such as Tenkai Sou and Matsuoka Nobuyuki, went even further, repeatedly saying "seems a bit impressive" in an attempt to cover it up.

"Minister Yukawa, what are your thoughts?" Kitahara Hakuba suddenly asked.

Sakurako Yuukawa was taken aback, not expecting that her opinion would be asked. She nervously stood up and stammered, "..."

"Well... um... I think they're all good... um, is it okay for me to say this... is it not a good idea? Or do I have to choose one?"

"Sakurako, you've said everything on your mind!" Sayaka Akamatsu reminded her, sitting down beside her.

"Listen, ah!" Suddenly, she heard the muffled laughter of her club members. Sakurako Yukawa blushed and bowed, saying, "I'm sorry!"

Kitahara Hakuba smiled slightly and asked, "Vice-Minister Akamatsu, what are your thoughts?"

“I feel the same way about both of them, but I will still choose Tsukiyo.” Akamatsu Sayaka did not appear indecisive and stated her choice directly.

Upon hearing her words, Kuno Tachibana's eyelashes trembled involuntarily, as if the solo performance was now even further away from her.

But soon, Sayaka Akamatsu looked at the stage and continued:

"I chose Tsukiyo not because she was better than Kuno, but simply because she was in her final year, out of personal affection for someone in the same grade."

I want her to play a trumpet solo.

She openly showed favoritism towards third-year students, but among a group of indecisive people, her "favoritism" seemed particularly precious.

Perhaps noticing the whispers around her, Suzuki Yoshie said dejectedly:

"You're really bold to say something like that."

Akamatsu Sayaka, however, disagreed and said:

"When Kitahara-sensei asked me a question, shouldn't I, as a student, give him the answer I have in mind? That's what I should do."

Kitahara Hakuba then asked Amemori, the leader of the trumpet section:

"Yu Shou, as the section leader, what are your thoughts?"

Yu Shou stood up. The girl's height of 1.7 meters made her appear very tall, and the length of her legs was longer than that of the girl sitting next to her.

"Both Nagase and Kuno are better than me, but if you really let me choose one, Kitahara-sensei, I would choose Kuno."

Kuno Tachibana could no longer breathe through his nose, and his lips parted slightly.

My hands were so hot. To dispel the burning sensation on my skin, I shifted my grip on the trumpet slightly. The coolness from the trumpet tubes felt wonderful on my skin.

"What's the reason?" Kitahara Hakuba continued to ask.

Yu Shou looked at the two people on the stage and said:

"Because in my eyes, Kuno-senpai is more stable than Nagase-san."

stable.

Kitahara Hakuba raised an eyebrow, his use of the word "rain guardian" quite astute.

Nagase Tsukiyo could also sense the awkwardness in it, but she didn't intend to refute it, because she had once made the choice to leave the club at will.

No one can guarantee she won't come back a second time.

Just when the other brass band executives thought Kitahara Hakuba was going to ask them one by one, they found that he stopped abruptly.

It seems that only the three of them asked the question.

"I see."

Kitahara Hakuba's gaze swept over the two faces, and he announced loudly, "Now, I will announce the trumpet soloist for the All-School Brass Band Competition—"

Kuno Tachibana and Nagase Tsukiyo both instinctively hugged the trumpet tightly, as if they were embracing not the trumpet, but the stubbornness in their hearts that refused to lose to each other.

Everyone held their breath, and for Yukawa Sakurako, no matter who Kitahara-sensei chose, she probably wouldn't be able to be happy.

"Nagase Tsukiyo".

As Kitahara Hakuba made his choice, the hall fell silent once again.

Nagase Tsukiyo pretended to be calm as she looked ahead, but her gaze seemed to fall on someone else, and her hand, which was gripping the trumpet tightly, was trembling from the force of her grip.