svetikya Page 179
Page 179
"In short, everyone can have their own favorites, but since the outcome has been decided, we must continue on this path."
Sayaka Akamatsu blinked her beautiful eyes and smiled as she said:
"Rain Guardian, have you changed?"
"Where is it?" Yu Shou asked, frowning in confusion.
“If you had always been like this, I think you would have been the candidate for minister or deputy minister.”
After waiting for a while, Yu turned her slightly flushed face away and murmured softly:
"I have no interest in caring about other people."
"Her personality has suddenly changed... Could it be that one of our club's model girls has fallen in love?" Akamatsu Sayaka asked with a smile.
Yu Shou's originally stern face turned even redder, and he couldn't help but quicken his pace:
"Boring."
"Just kidding. Besides, isn't it normal to be in a relationship? We're in our final year of high school. We can't possibly dedicate three years of our lives to playing the erhu."
Rain Guardian suddenly stopped, her feet, clad in pristine white indoor shoes, turned towards Akamatsu Sayaka. Looking at them with a serious expression, she said:
"It was because of playing music that I met people who could dedicate themselves to me."
After she finished speaking, she walked straight into the music classroom, leaving Sayaka Akamatsu and Yoshie Suzuki looking at each other in bewilderment.
"What are you saying...:::::?" Suzuki Yoshie tilted her head, somewhat puzzled.
Akamatsu Sayaka was silent for a moment, then suddenly raised her hand, smiled, and patted her bottom, saying:
"Stop thinking about it, just go in."
Why did you suddenly touch my butt?!
"I'm just trying to comfort you."
"What do I need your comfort for!"
The two bickered a bit before returning to the music room.
The atmosphere in the classroom was somewhat heavy, but it mostly came from the first-year students who were close to Kuno Tachibana.
Nagase Tsukiyo sat in the trumpet solo seat, her eyes fixed on the sheet music on the music stand.
Seeing that Kitahara-sensei and Yukawa Sakurako hadn't arrived yet, Akamatsu Sayaka walked up to them and said with a smile:
"Everyone, please stop whispering. Today is the last day of practice before the Obon festival. Show us your best playing skills, otherwise, if Mr. Kitahara thinks your skills are not good enough, he will cut the holiday into two days. I'm not trying to scare you, Mr. Kitahara told me this himself."
The moment she uttered those words, the somewhat heavy atmosphere in the music classroom was instantly lifted.
Having a three-day holiday is a completely different experience from having a two-day holiday. How can you let a hard-earned holiday slip away so easily?
"No way! With the boat and train journeys, it would take me a whole day to travel back and forth! What could I possibly do with just two days off?"
"Should I cut the price for tomorrow or the day after tomorrow? I'm going to the comic convention the day after tomorrow, and I've already bought my clothes."
"Then I'll discuss with Kitahara-sensei about cutting the day after tomorrow."
"No!"
Sayaka Akamatsu didn't mention the selection process at all; just talking about the holidays was enough to liven up the atmosphere in the classroom.
A moment later, the music room door was opened again, and Kitahara Hakuba and Yukawa Sakurako entered.
Kirishima Mai raised her eyes, but did not see Kuno Tachibana.
Suddenly, I felt as if the whale in my heart had already sunk.
Not only her, but others also noticed that the usually chatty girl had disappeared. Although they sometimes found her noisy, her sudden absence left them feeling somewhat lost and uneasy.
Kitahara Hakuba stepped forward and picked up the baton, while Akamatsu Sayaka quickly returned to her seat.
"The All-Tao Tournament is just over a week away, time is tight, let's start practicing now."
He didn't mention Kuno Tachibana at all, which made Nagasawa Miya raise her hand somewhat unhappily and say:
"Teacher Kitahara, why isn't Tachibana here?"
Nagase Tsukiyo's gaze fell on the empty chair beside her, and she lowered her eyes with a touch of melancholy.
Defeating Kuno Tachibana did not fill her with unparalleled pride; instead, it brought her an indescribable sense of distress.
But she didn't want to let go either.
"Nagazawa-senpai, Kuno-senpai isn't feeling well, so they've gone back first," Yukawa Sakurako replied directly.
The girl with the three braids knew that this reason was too far-fetched, but she couldn't very well say, "Kuno-san suffered a mental setback because of the audition, and coming to practice will only affect everyone and herself."
Miya Nagasawa bit her lower lip and lowered her raised hand.
The light of the setting sun bathed the girl's thighs, revealing the blue veins spreading beneath her skin.
Kitahara Hakuba took a deep breath and explained:
“An individual’s mental state is closely linked to music. Everyone has their own anxieties, but it’s important to remember to adjust them in time. The department head and I will take seriously anything that affects the atmosphere within the department.”
He made it very clear that Kuno Tachibana is currently experiencing a lot of anxiety, which is affecting his ensemble practice.
However, Nagasawa Mia still seemed a little unhappy, and Goto Yu, who was next to her, raised his hand and patted her on the back.
"Alright, get ready, let's start practicing."
Kitahara Hakuba withdrew his gaze and raised his baton.
The practice ended at 7 p.m.
One member mustered up the courage to ask if they would shorten their vacation time to practice.
Kitahara Hakuba didn't recall saying anything like that, but that didn't matter.
Although the Ghost Festival is not a statutory holiday, it has gradually become a national holiday.
Kitahara Hakuba doesn't have the guts to risk being criticized by students everywhere by going against the whole world.
After receiving confirmation from Kitahara Hakuba that it would still be "three days," they breathed a sigh of relief and left happily.
Kitahara Hakuba stayed alone in the staff office. Even though it was late at night, he still had to go to the auditorium's broadcasting room to save today's recordings into his computer.
"Teacher Kitahara."
Just as I was about to get up, I heard a girl's voice coming from the doorway.
It's Nagasawa Mimasa and Goto Yu.
This was the first time the two "sisters" had come to his office.
"What's wrong?" Kitahara Hakuba asked.
Both of their skirts were about knee-length or longer, revealing a large portion of their fair, slender thighs. Even the labels on their white ankle socks were the same.
Goto Yu stood somewhat timidly behind Nagasawa Mia, and the "younger sister" spoke first:
"I have a question: for you, Kitahara-sensei, is it strength or grade that matters most?"
Looking at the girl's serious face, Kitahara Hakuba turned around, raised his head, and said:
"What exactly made Nagasawa-kun have this idea? I think the percentage of first-year students entering Class A this year is the highest in recent years, nearly 20%."
Miyako Nagasawa gripped her skirt tightly, exhaling the air from her lungs without hesitation.
"But this time all the solos are by third-year students, not even a single first-year student. At the regional competition, the trumpet and oboe solos were by Tachibana and Mai, but at this national competition, Kitahara-sensei, you gave all the spots to third-year students."
Her tone revealed an undeniable favoritism, just as she favored Goto Yu, unwilling to look at deeper things, only blindly favoring those around her.
Kitahara Hakuba wasn't in a hurry at all, and slowly said:
"It's a very simple reason: Kanzaki and Nagase are stronger."
Mia Nagasawa clenched her hands and said:
"But everyone thinks they're about the same, and Li Hua has been the number one trumpet player at both the music festival and the regional competition. Without her this year, the two competitions might not have gone so smoothly."
"And Nagase-senpai quit the club on her own, and now she's back and immediately taken her place—that's just too much!"
The girl's slightly angry words clearly reached Kitahara Hakuba's ears.
That statement is completely wrong.
First of all, the trumpet section was indeed supported by Kuno Tachibana, but even without her, Kitahara Hakuba's abilities would have been enough to train other trumpet players, such as Amemori.
Secondly, there is no first-come-first-served rule for the selection of the first trumpeter; there is no position for any player.
However, Nagasawa Miyako is now too biased towards her own people, and Kitahara Hakuba knows that whatever he says will be turned into an excuse by her.
Goto Yu said in a somewhat timid voice:
"Teacher Kitahara, Miya just wants a more reasonable explanation for Tachibana..."
Looking at the two people in front of him, Kitahara Hakuba turned to the side and looked at the sheet music on the table, saying:
"The wind band club is a large club with fierce competition, and it's difficult to realize one's dreams. The members have given me the choice, and I consider myself a happy and lucky teacher. What I can do to repay them is to treat everyone equally. That's my explanation."
Nagasawa Miya pursed her dry lips. She knew that Kitahara-sensei was always very fair, and that she was putting pressure on him by doing this.
But in her heart, she still hoped that Mr. Kitahara could be a little selfish and biased for the sake of the girls who were loyal to him.
Moreover, the difference this time is not significant, and even if he chooses Kuno Tachibana, no one will object.
Looking at the complex expression on the girl's face, Kitahara Hakuba smiled gently and said:
Are you free tomorrow? Are you going back to Kumamoto for the Obon festival?
Miyako Nagasawa was unable to calm herself down, and her skirt was covered in wrinkles of varying depths.
Seeing that she didn't speak, Goto Yu quickly spoke up:
"Nothing much, but Kumamoto Prefecture is too far from here. I probably won't be able to go back until the long holiday."
Kitahara Hakuba nodded:
"How about this, let's go find Kuno together tomorrow, then you'll all understand why I made this choice. Maybe... that's the reasonable explanation you're looking for."
Chapter 156, Section 155: The Best Bait for a Young Girl (4K)
After receiving Kitahara Hakuba's promise that he would give them an ideal explanation, the two left the staff office.
"Miya, isn't this a bit inappropriate?"