novelhk Page 126
Page 126
"Just two... I never expected that the lead bassist of Shenxu would be you... Jiyuan..."
Otaki Chikao looked at her with a complicated expression, his face subtle.
"Good luck, and don't make the same mistake as last year."
Upon hearing this, Yuka Isomoto's eyes widened suddenly, revealing a wounded expression. She pursed her lips, and the euphonium shone brightly in her arms.
"Isomoto-san," Kitahara Hakuba called her name slowly and deliberately.
"Have."
The girl responded reflexively, but her expression remained tightly tense.
"Don't stay here, go inside."
Yuka Isomoto's throat moved slightly as she walked into the music room with her head down.
Kurosawa Maki was the last to enter, and obediently closed the door behind her.
“Mr. Otaki, let’s go. I’ll see you off,” Kitahara Hakuba said.
Ōtaki Chikao let out a soft sigh and followed him toward the stairwell.
After walking only a few steps up the stairs, he said, as if reprimanding a junior:
"Teacher Kitahara, have you seriously considered the personnel arrangements for Section A? Can someone like Isomoto be the chief? Does she have the ability? Last year, we were able to get into the whole country only because Saito and Nagase were there. Do you think the Hakodate area is that simple?"
Kitahara Hakuba immediately stopped in his tracks, his heart already burning with intense heat.
He raised his hand to brush his bangs back, let out a soft sigh, stopped, and said sharply:
“Mr. Otaki, you are a more senior mentor. How can you use the same perspective you had on students last year to judge them this year?”
Their future and the future of the orchestra rest on my shoulders. I rarely put pressure on them myself, so what right do you have to discuss my students here?
Unexpectedly, Kitahara Hakuba said something like that, leaving Ōtaki Chikao speechless, but he kept a straight face and said:
"Her talent is very poor. What Saito can learn in a day, she needs three days, or even a week. You've made her the bass principal."
Isn't this irresponsible towards the other members?
Kitahara Hakuba narrowed his eyes slightly and said in an undeniable tone:
"I will decide on the personnel arrangements for the wind band; you don't need to interfere."
"Child's play!"
Otaki Chikao seemed to be angered; his face flushed slightly, and he wore an extremely sarcastic expression.
"Once she makes a mistake on stage, it'll be too late for you to regret it! I don't think you understand personnel arrangement at all! Do you think the orchestra is a joke?!"
Kitahara Hakuba suppressed his inner rage, something churning fiercely within him. He clenched his fist and said:
"Whether Isogen is a wildflower that only deserves to stay in the flowerbed, or a weed that still stands tall after being trampled, I am not qualified to make a judgment. Mr. Otaki, you are even less qualified. Please leave now. The brass band and I are very busy right now."
Ōtaki Chikao took a deep breath, his tone becoming much calmer!
"I used to think that way too, but reality isn't as rosy as I imagined. Sometimes, facing reality and choosing the best solution is the responsible thing to do."
"So you left Shenxu? Is this to take responsibility?" Kitahara Hakuba coldly averted his gaze.
However, Ōtaki Chikao was not ashamed of this, stating the facts as follows:
"Because as soon as I arrived at Shenxu, I knew that these people could only go as far as the Dao. Rather than leaving them with a harsh and negative impression, it would be better to make them happy. That is the best way to be responsible."
Kitahara Hakuba's lips curled into a sneer as he sneered:
"Mr. Otaki is really something, making giving up sound so noble."
“I see you’ve already given up, haven’t you? Even Isogen can become the top scorer.” Otaki Chikao gave him a look that said, “We’re evenly matched.”
It seems that in his mind, as long as Yuka Isomoto is involved, the Kamiya Brass Band is doomed and has no choice but to accept its fate.
"Mr. Otaki is probably more concerned about how to secure his spot to go to the national competition this year than about these things."
After saying this, Kitahara Hakuba walked downstairs.
Otaki Chikao gave a soft snort and followed him out of the school gate.
Seeing him get into a black car parked at the entrance, Kitahara Hakuba, somewhat annoyed, went to the security booth and said:
"See you tomorrow, sir. Why did you let him in without Shen Xu's teacher's certificate? He's already a nobody who has nothing to do with Shen Xu!"
I saw the old man watching "Monday" tomorrow, and I just casually mentioned it:
"Sorry, I forgot. I just let him in because he looked familiar."
"Shan...Alright, sir, you're free now."
Kitahara Hakuba returned to the brass band dejectedly. When he opened the door, he found everyone unable to move, and many members wore expressions of frustration.
They weren't afraid of Kitahara Hakuba, but rather of Ōtaki Chikao telling him how useless they had been before.
The fact that Kitahara Hakuba might know about the past made everyone even more depressed, and an ominous premonition slowly eroded everyone's consciousness.
Kitahara Hakuba walked up to the podium, clapped his hands as if he hadn't heard anything, and said:
"Ready! Begin the ensemble!"
Chapter 122, Section 121: Hakodate Regional Tournament! Shin Asahi is here! (4K)
The sounds of musical instruments rose and fell in the music classroom.
During today's practice, Kitahara Hakuba could sense that the second and third-year students were working even harder than usual, making fewer mistakes, and their playing tone was becoming fuller.
Everyone has received an upgrade to varying degrees, and the average level of the A section of the wind instrument section has reached LV15.
"Okay, everyone, keep up this momentum. There's not much time left before the official competition, let's go all out and charge forward."
"Yes!"
Kitahara Hakuba's gentle words made them look at each other with smiles, realizing that they might have been worrying unnecessarily.
Only Isomoto Yuka seemed listless, and Kitahara Hakuba kept observing her reaction.
She kept her head down with a solemn expression, remaining motionless, as if she were preoccupied with something.
The holiday practice ended at seven o'clock.
Kitahara Hakuba turned off the lights in the first music classroom and went to the bass section. There he saw Isomoto Yuka sitting on the steel chair with a troubled look on her face, not even putting her euphonium into her instrument case.
"Isogen-kun, can we go back together tonight?" Kitahara Hakuba asked, standing at the door.
Yuka Isomoto raised her face, and the cold white light in the room cast shadows under her bangs.
"Okay, I'll go tidy up in the music room."
"That's good. I'll wait for you downstairs."
Kitahara Hakuba went to the vending machine downstairs. He originally wanted to buy strawberry milk, but found that it was sold out due to its popularity, so he had to buy oolong tea instead.
A short while later, Yuka Isomoto came down the stairs, her clean white indoor shoes stepping down the steps.
"for you."
"Thank you, Kitahara-sensei."
Perhaps because she had gradually gotten used to it, Yuka Isomoto was able to accept whatever Kitahara Hakuba gave her with peace of mind.
He accompanied her to change into brown shoes, and the two walked out of the campus.
"Are you feeling a little off today? Is something on your mind?" Kitahara Hakuba asked.
The soft, gentle question made Yuka Isomoto's heart skip a beat. She stared at his profile, somewhat bewildered. He was so perceptive. The girl hesitated, then pouted, her eyelids slightly lowered, her delicate fingers gripping her arm tightly as she said:
"Teacher Kitahara... how about we switch to a euphonium?"
"why?"
Kitahara Hakuba's voice sounded normal, but it carried a hint of blame; she wondered if she had misheard.
The two walked along a street that was only wide enough for one car to pass through. With each step, the girl's snow-white thighs were exposed under the dim streetlights.
“Because… Kitahara-sensei, you should already know, right?” Yuka Isomoto said quietly, her gaze lingering on the ground.
Kitahara Hakuba remained silent for a while. He possessed a system that allowed him to clearly see Isomoto Yuka's current state.
[Resilience: D]
[Current high-pressure situation: fear of taking office, lack of confidence]
"Know what? Know that you'll make a serious mistake on stage? Know that your mistake caused the orchestra to win a bronze medal last year?"
Kitahara Hakuba's straightforward response left Isomoto Yuka speechless, her throat trembling slightly as she struggled to find a solution.
Therefore...
"By the way, would you like to come with me to Mount Hakodate now?"
Kitahara Hakuba's sudden suggestion startled Isomoto Yuka, but she still nodded in agreement.
The two took the tram to Shizugai Station, and then walked a short distance to the foot of Mount Hakodate.
The mountain appeared desolate, seemingly devoid of anything except for the endless shadows and impenetrable silence.
As you walk along the path towards the mountaintop, you see golden flowers blooming in the cracks of the rocks along the way, and the leaves rustling in the breeze.
The two walked forward in silence and finally arrived at the observation deck. The night view of Hakodate was as enchanting as maple leaves.
During holidays, no one is ever alone on the mountaintop in Hakodate; many tourists are taking photos.
Kitahara Hakuba glanced at Isomoto Yuka beside him; she remained listless.
"Isomoto-kun, you've persevered for so long, are you going to give up?" His hand gripped the railing, the night view was breathtaking.
The words carried by the wind made Yuka Isomoto's heart skip a beat, and she gripped her sleeve tightly as she said:
"I'll make a mistake... and then everyone will blame me..."
Kitahara Hakuba gently shook his head and said:
"It was my choice to put you on the field. If any problems arise, the only one to blame is me, not Isomoto."
"how come!"
Yuka Isomoto's fingers dug into her skin through her clothes, and she lowered her head, unable to hold back her sigh.
"But... I'm so scared... so scared... and I only started to get scared when the competition was almost here. I'm like this..."