LRAB Page 56
Page 56
Eri Kanzaki did not speak, but instead looked at the camera with composure and elegance.
"Did you enjoy playing together?" Kirishima Mai asked softly.
"unhappy."
Kanzaki Eri lowered her eyes quietly. She could still faintly hear the music. The atmosphere was so nice. Was it because she was too heartless?
"I may... never be happy again."
◇
After the group photo was taken, everyone first carried the musical instruments onto the truck. Then Kitahara Hakuba gathered the club members together. Shinomiya Haruka stood by his side the whole time, just like a caring and virtuous wife.
"Thank you all for your hard work. Whether you win an award or not, I'm sure you all have your own thoughts. But in any case, this is the result of our practice over the past few weeks. I hope you can return to Hakodate with a clear conscience. You all really worked very hard. Thank you."
After saying this, Kitahara Hakuba bowed to them, and each of them had different feelings about what he had said.
Sakurako Yukawa took a deep breath; as the club president, she was the one most sensitive to changes within the club.
Without Kitahara-sensei, they would probably still be the same as before.
"Alright, there's still some time before the results are announced. Everyone is free to do as they please. Go listen to performances from other schools and think about where the differences lie. When the results are announced, please gather at the south gate of the square. After hearing the results, do not linger. Leave the venue immediately and return to the hotel. Do you understand?"
"it is good!"
"Dismissed... Oh, right! No changing your school uniforms, and don't do anything that damages the school's reputation!"
"it is good!"
After hearing Kitahara Hakuba's instructions, the members scattered like water from a burst balloon.
"Teacher Kitahara, give me a high five!" Kuno Tachibana walked over proudly, raising his outstretched hand.
Kitahara Hakuba smiled and gave her a high five.
"Performing well."
"Yeah~~"
He looked around at the people, only Kirishima Mai, Nagasawa Mia, and Goto Yu were still there.
Let's all give each other a high five.
Kuno Tachibana said with a bitter face, "Eh? I'm not an exception?"
“I never said I would give you an exception.”
Kitahara Hakuba gave the three a high five. Although they hadn't participated in the concert, they were still making great efforts.
“Teacher, there’s more,” Kuno Tachibana suddenly said.
"Ok?"
He turned his head and saw Kuno Tachibana pushing a girl who was as tall as Shinomiya Haruka as they walked over. She stood out from the group of girls.
"Rain Guardian, your trumpet playing has improved a lot." Kitahara Hakuba smiled and raised his hand.
Yu Shoukan's face turned bright red, and she said shyly, "It's...it's alright, thank you, Teacher Kitahara."
"Give each other a high five."
"Um......"
However, she only responded without raising her hand, which made Kitahara Hakuba, who had his hand raised, very embarrassed.
"He looks so lewd, yet he's such a coward." Kuno Tachibana grabbed Amemori Kan's arm and lifted it up.
"Eh?"
Before she could fully open her hand, Kitahara Hakuma's hand closed up, taking her curled four fingers into his palm.
"You!" Shinomiya Haruka suddenly nudged Kitahara Hakuba in the side with her elbow, startling him.
"what?"
Shinomiya Haruka shot him a warning look: "How can you high-five like that! That's clearly touching hands!"
"I......"
Kitahara Hakuba was about to explain when he noticed that Amemori Kan's face and neck were red as if he had an allergic reaction.
Something definitely doesn't seem right.
Chapter 64. All expenses paid by Kitahara Hakuba.
Five p.m.
Unlike the general Hokkaido music concert, the results of the Hokkaido music concert are announced directly and simply by the emcee, rather than with banners displayed.
The already crowded square was filled with more and more students wearing various school uniforms, each with a look of anticipation and nervousness on their face.
Although it can't compare to major competitions, the participation of prestigious schools from Hokkaido has led to fierce competition among many schools, resulting in the selection of their main players.
Led by Shinomiya Haruka, the members of the Shin-Asahi Wind Ensemble occupied a small area on the edge of the square, with many of them standing on the tiles next to the flower bed.
"It's about to begin! It's about to begin! The minister and vice minister have already gone in with Mr. Kitahara!"
"Aaaaaahhhhhh~~~ If we win the prize, will we get the money?"
“The prize is 800,000 after tax. We have more than 60 people here. That’s only a small amount per person. It would be better to use it for future training camps for the club.”
Shinomiya Haruka's gaze remained fixed on the stage; she hoped Kitahara Hakuma would win an award, as this was his first starting point.
"What's with all these middle-aged women in short skirts on stage?" Kuno Tachibana asked, looking at the girls dressed up in flamboyant outfits on stage.
Misaki Nagasawa delivered a chop to her head:
"What do you mean, 'old lady'? She's presenting an award!"
At this moment, the emcee took the name list and slowly walked towards the microphone.
"First, we present the Best Instrumental Performance Award to the invited group: Osaka University of Music Orchestra, Oboe, Mizore Yoroizuka."
As the emcee finished speaking, a girl in a pure white dress walked onto the stage.
She had a beautiful face, stood upright, and respectfully accepted the medal from the presenter.
"This person looks very strong."
Nagasawa Miyako said with a frown.
"Fortunately, I'm already in university, and it's even Osaka University of Music, which has the strongest music theory program in the Kansai region."
"Haha, that's really strong."
Haruka Shinomiya, who, like Hakuba Kitahara, graduated from Sapporo University, immediately began to tease him.
"Your teachers still need to work harder."
"No, no, I didn't mean anything by it," Nagasawa Miya quickly retorted.
Shinomiya Haruka smiled and said, "I know, let's keep watching."
"I love Mizore Yoroizuka's oboe! So! Keep striving to fly high—!"
Just then, a sharp, girlish scream rang out from somewhere in the audience. The girl on stage smiled embarrassedly and quickly retreated backstage.
"Wow, where did this suitor come from? He really dares to say that in front of so many people." Kuno Tachika grinned.
No one replied to her, and the topic was killed by everyone's silence.
Following this, a series of promulgations were issued—
Awards like Best Creativity, Best Arrangement, Best Band March, Best Cheerfulness, Best Liveliness, and Best Cheer are clearly for children.
"Next, we will present the Best Conductor Award. First, we would like to thank the advisors who led the various sections to perform in Sapporo, Hokkaido, for being able to attend this year's Hokkaido Music Festival—"
The sound coming through the microphone made Shinomiya Haruka's heart leap into her throat.
Kuno Tachibana said dejectedly:
"Does Kitahara-sensei even deserve an award...? He didn't even win for his adaptations... And when I looked around, there were a lot of old men among the conductors!"
"There's nothing we can do about it. The quality of the arrangement is closely related to the quality of the performance by the brass band. You have a lot of reasons for not winning the award," Shinomiya Haruka said mercilessly.
"A lot of old men? What's wrong now?" Goto Yu finally asked.
Before Kuno Tachibana could respond, Nagasawa Miyabi couldn't wait to answer her question, saying:
“Commanding experience is certainly linked to age. If there are many elderly people conducting, they must all be conductors with rich experience.”
"That's it..."
Amidst the murmurs and whispers from the audience, the emcee, her lips adorned with cherry-pink lipstick, approached the microphone:
"Hokkaido Brass Band Federation Hakodate Branch, Shin-Asahi Private High School Brass Band Club, Mr. Kitahara Hakuba!"
As soon as the emcee spoke, the area of the Shin-Shu High School brass band erupted with screams mixed with sighs, as well as some inexplicable noises.
"Teacher Kitahara! Ah? Ah!! Ah? It's our Teacher Kitahara?"
"Wow! Huh? Huh??"
"What did you say? What did you say? Huh?"
"Oh, I don't know! Anything is fine! It's Kitahara-sensei!"
Especially when Kitahara Hakuba appeared, female students from other schools also erupted in screams.
"So handsome! So handsome!"
"So handsome! Why isn't our consultant this handsome?!"
Those who knew it were there to present awards at the concert; those who didn't might have thought some idol had come to Sapporo to hold a concert.
When she saw Kitahara Hakuma accept the medal, Shinomiya Haruka's heart, which had been clenched with anxiety, finally relaxed. She let out a deep breath, and her gaze towards him was filled with an undisguised ambiguity.
Kitahara Hakuba stood on the stage, the medal in his hand seeming somewhat unreal; he had even prepared himself to go home empty-handed.
He bowed to the audience, waved to the Shenxu Wind Ensemble, gave a salute, and walked off the stage.
"Next up is the Best Orchestra Master Award—"
Well done, organizers! They managed to offend no one.
Upon hearing the outrageous award announced on stage, Kitahara Hakuba shrugged with amusement, feeling that what he was holding was becoming more and more like the "Chicken Award" (a reference to a controversial award in China).
[Mission Completed: Win one of the following awards at the Hokkaido Music Festival: Best Conductor, Best Creativity, Best Arrangement, or Best Instrumental Performance]