I play the wind instrument in Hokkaido.

Page 251

"Then let's get ready and start with the designated E."

"Yes."

Saito Haruka took a deep breath, put the mouthpiece in her mouth, and vibrated her lips. The resounding tone from the euphonium filled the classroom in an instant.

The euphonium audition was only six bars long, but it made her so nervous that she was on edge.

Sunlight streamed in through the gaps in the window, and time seemed to slow down; the notes on the musical staff even seemed to be dancing.

"This will do."

Before the short passage was even finished, Kitahara Hakuba drew a small circle after the name "Saito Harukori".

Saito Harutori lowered her head slightly and said:

"Thank you."

“It’s much better than the day you left the club,” Kitahara Hakuba said bluntly. “It seems you’ve really been practicing hard these past few days.”

Saito Haruka pursed her lips, pressed her fair and delicate legs together, and her eyes were filled with an uncontainable tenderness:

"Yes, because I'm thinking of Kitaichi—"

"Yuka shouldn't be under as much pressure as she is at the National Tournament. You two need to support each other well at the National Tournament..."

Kitahara Hakuba interrupted her abruptly, a forced smile appearing on his face halfway through his sentence.

"Sorry, I spoke a bit too soon. There are still other euphonium members who haven't had their auditions yet."

Kurosawa Maki, standing outside the door: "This breathing technique doesn't seem to be working!"

Saito Harukori smiled slightly.

"That's enough, Minister Akamatsu. Please call the next person in," Kitahara Hakuba said.

Saito Harutori then shifted his gaze to Akamatsu Sayaka, who was sitting to the side, and said softly as he stood up:

"Sorry, I just noticed you, Sayaka."

Sayaka Akamatsu patted her back dismissively and said with a smile:

"It's okay, Yuka didn't see me just now either, it's normal, just can't slack off anymore."

Hmm.::

"

Saito Harutori glanced at Kitahara Hakuba unconsciously. No wonder he interrupted her earlier. She really needed to be more careful in the future.

Watching Saito, the girl with the center-parted brown bangs, leave, Kitahara Hakuba finally breathed a sigh of relief.

This girl has absolutely no sense of her surroundings and speaks without any tact. With Akamatsu around, talking to her any longer will only lead to your demise.

Soon, the bass voices began to come in one after another, until it was the turn of the first-year student, Kurosawa Maki.

"First Year, Kurosawa Maki, Euphonium, Part 2".

"Hmm, listen to the beat and find the right moment." Kitahara Hakuba slightly raised his eyes and raised his hand to press the metronome.

"Yes."

To prevent her tense lips from becoming too taut, Kurosawa Maki moved them slightly.

Listen to the metronome rhythm, starting from a low B and gradually increasing the melody.

The lower part of the bass section doesn't have any particularly difficult melodies, but there is a section where you have to play long, thin notes. If you're not good at breath control, this is basically the end of the game.

“This will do,” Kitahara Hakuba said.

Now he doesn't even need to listen to the entire performance of his members to know their capabilities; this is the ease that comes with getting along with them more and more.

For Kurosawa Maki, his mind still held the same belief: the future was bright, and next year he would be the bass lead in the Shin-Asahi brass band.

"Kurosawa-kun also just started playing the euphonium this year, right?"

As Kitahara Hakuba spoke, he drew a smiley face in a blank space after "Kurosawa Maki".

Actually, members who weren't selected didn't need to draw anything, and the "X" wasn't required either. It was just that Kitahara Hakuba was scribbling randomly out of boredom.

"Yes, it's only the beginning of the year."

Kurosawa Maki's eyes widened in surprise, because she saw Kitahara-sensei drawing something on it!

Difficult... Could it be a circle?!

You got into the A-level editorial team?!

"Are you happy playing the euphonium in the Shin-Asahi Concert Band?" Kitahara Hakuba asked with a smile.

For some reason, during the last audition, he enjoyed talking to the auditioning members about things unrelated to playing techniques.

It was only after I realized that this was out of selfishness; I wanted to chat with them a little longer.

Kurosawa Maki hesitated for a moment, then gently pressed her indoor shoes together, as if afraid of answering something wrong:

"I feel quite happy. The seniors are very kind, and the girls my age are also very gentle... Ah, of course, Kitahara-sensei is also very nice!"

Seeing her panicked expression, as if she'd almost forgotten to mention the most important thing, Kitahara Hakuba smiled and said:

"It must have been fun playing on the stage at the All-Knowing Assembly, right?"

Upon hearing his words, Kurosawa Maki's lips unconsciously pursed up. Remembering the dazzling lights of the All-King Tournament enveloping him, he said nostalgically:

"Yes, I really want to stand on it again."

Her smile wasn't the deliberately crafted elegance of Saito Haruki, but rather a natural expression.

Kitahara Hakuba drew a smiley face with a pencil and said:

"I think that since Kurosawa-kun has this ambition, he will definitely be able to stand up there. I look forward to it."

Kurosawa Maki couldn't help but straighten her back, suddenly feeling that "even if I don't make it into the A-section this time, I won't be unhappy."

"Ugh!"

She didn't speak, but made sounds with her throat.

Chapter 202, Section 201: The Girls Holding Trumpets (4K)

Time flows quietly according to the laws of nature, as if everything changes with the sounds of different musical instruments.

Contrails stretched across the sky, and the number of fallen leaves on the school lawn was noticeably greater.

With the last member of the percussion section having finished his audition, only the trumpet and oboe sections remained.

However, before selecting the SoIi members, the members of the A group must be decided first, and each person needs to play a selection of the theme song and the free song.

The trumpet section has nine members, the A section has six members, the oboe section has three members, and the choreography section has two members.

A number of club members gathered in front of the first music classroom.

Sakurako Yukawa raised her hands and shouted:

"Don't crowd at the door! The audition results will be announced tomorrow! During the auditions, the trumpet and oboe parts must not make any noise!"

"I am a French horn player, may I speak?"

"The French horns have all been tested, hurry back!"

"Haha—!"

Miyako Nagasawa stared at Tatsuka Kuno, her gaze shifting unpredictably, sometimes looking away, sometimes quickly sweeping over the person in front of her.

His straight back seemed to be telling himself, "It's just a sound check, it's no big deal."

"Tachibana." Nagasawa Miyabi gently patted her thin back. "Good luck with the audition."

On Kuno Tachibana's slender wrist, which peeked out from her sleeve, were red marks from the forceful pressing of her fingernails.

"—How terrifying," she murmured.

Nagasawa Miyabi looked at her in surprise, a smile playing on her lips. "So you have moments of fear too."

Kuno Tachibana's gaze swept over Nagase Tsukiyo, who was sitting silently in a chair, and Kanzaki Eri, who was standing by the window looking at something.

“I never felt this way during previous selections, but the thought that this is the last one this year makes me feel scared.”

"Teacher Kitahara, you're giving off a bit of a doctor vibe right now," Goto Yu whispered.

Kuno Tachibana forced a smile, raised his hand to cover his mouth, and said, "Teacher Kitahara would never prick your butt with a needle."

“What Yu is describing is the feeling!” Nagasawa Miya couldn’t help but retort, “It’s like a patient waiting outside for the doctor to call their number!”

Some patients are unaware of their illness, while others already know their symptoms. Some are physically healthy but still hope the doctor will issue a certificate so they can go home and "heal."

Kuno Tachibana let out a soft sigh and said in a low voice:

"But that's fine too. If nothing unexpected happens, I'll be staying here for three years. The fact that I'm nervous means everyone has made progress."

“This is so unlike you.” Nagasawa Miya raised an eyebrow and mimicked her tone, saying, “I’m always number one, I’ve always been number one. That’s how it should be.”

Kuno Tachibana raised his hand and patted her shoulder, saying:

"I'm not that stupid! Besides, if it doesn't look like me, it means my shape has been altered."

"Making dirty jokes in front of so many senior female students, that's kind of like you."

"Anyway, I spoke very softly, so no one heard me."

At that moment, Sayaka Akamatsu walked out of the first music room, her gaze falling on Amemori, and said:

"Mr. Kitahara said that the trumpet section will audition first, followed by the oboe. Then, those who are interested in joining SoIi, please stay. Amemori, would you like to go first?"

“Okay.” Rain Guardian nodded and followed Sayaka Akamatsu into the music room.

The sound of the door closing seemed unusually jarring, and Nagase Tsukiyo's breathing became shallow and rapid, a thin layer of sweat appearing on her palms.

Inside the first music classroom.

Kitahara Hakuba immediately noticed that the girl who walked in had grown considerably taller. Without even looking, he knew she must be Amemori with a model's figure.

He looked up and met the gaze of the girl with the single ponytail; her skirt was perfectly cinched at the waist.

"Please take a seat."

Yu Shou blushed and sat down without even responding, her face flushed.

This made Sayaka Akamatsu, who was standing to the side, give a helpless smile.