I play wind instruments in Kansai

"It's getting late, let's call it a day!"

Anhe Jun announced in a relaxed tone, and Gongling Wang raised his wrist, the hands of which pointed exactly to five o'clock in the afternoon.

From the beginning until now, we've only practiced for a little over an hour.

"Is that all? Don't we need to practice a little longer?" (Kohinata Hina)

"Why? Because everyone is assigned different tasks, which means that everyone's efforts will also be different."

"Isn't what you're saying basically saying we're not important at all...?"

"Hehe~~~"

Kato Ai and Kohinata Hina stared at each other for a while before finally saying loudly:

"Okay, then I'll just go home?"

Her words were clearly directed at someone, and her gaze kept glancing over. Gong Lingwang immediately thought of staying behind to practice:

"Don't go yet, let's practice for a while."

"Huh? Oh, okay." Kato Ai blinked quickly.

What's going on? Didn't I already say that before?

Kohinata Hina held the stick in both hands and asked curiously:

"And what about me?"

"Anyone is welcome to come. I don't have any objections," said Miyamune Nozomi.

"Wait, isn't that wrong?" Without thinking, the words came out of Kato Ai's mouth.

Gongling Wang shrugged and said, "What's wrong?"

"Didn't you say you'd practice alone with me? What's the meaning of bringing another girl along now?"

"Can't three people practice together?"

Koharu's face remained remarkably calm as she spoke earnestly.

"Besides, you and Gongling aren't in a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship, so... ah~~~"

Her expression suddenly became quite interesting halfway through her sentence; her long eyelashes blinked rapidly, and she continued speaking haltingly:

"This...this...this...this is cheating?! Senior Anhe!"

However, An Hechun didn't show any excessive surprise; she simply smiled slightly at her.

"uh-huh."

"This won't do, will it? By the way, how do I know about this? Logically speaking, I shouldn't know, but... uh."

Kohika Hinata quickly walked to Miyamine Nozomi's side, and whispered to Yanagi Yuuka, who was practicing walking.

"Is this okay? You'll die, won't you? Kato is a mistress? Do people in Kansai like to do this kind of thing? They don't do this in Kumamoto."

"...You've misunderstood."

Miyamine Nozomi felt it was necessary to salvage her image.

"It's just for practice, because she's the only oboe, and my flute and she go well together."

"They're a perfect match!"

I was referring to musical instruments.

Miyamune looked at Kato Ai with a sullen expression. Kato Ai hadn't said a word, seemingly enjoying this so-called misunderstanding.

"I'll wait for you in the practice room."

"I'll go up with you," Kato Ai said.

Gongling Wang did not refuse.

"Would you like something to drink?" he asked, looking down at the vending machine where several female classmates were standing and chatting.

"Hmm..." Kato Ai gripped the stick tightly with both hands and pondered, "Lemonade would be fine."

"OK."

Arriving at the vending machine, the female classmates chatting there turned out to be friends of Kato Ai.

"Xiao Ai, didn't you go over there to practice?" A girl with short hair said this, her eyes fixed on Gong Lingwang.

Kato Ai laughed and said, "No, there are too many people who want to go on stage. I thought about it and decided to give up my spot. After all, it's only been a year."

"You're such a nice person."

"Hehehe, it's alright."

"I'm leaving now, bye-bye."

"Bye-Bye."

Gongling Wang squatted down and took out two small bottles of lemonade.

"You're so kind."

Kato Ai took one of the bottles, raised her eyebrows slightly, and said:

"What? I'm just telling the truth. If I want to, Senior Gu Hua will definitely let me have a turn."

Why?

"Because I have a good relationship with them, I know a lot of senior students."

Her wishful thinking seemed too profound.

In Miyamine Nozomi's mind, Tani Hana-senpai seemed to be gentle to everyone, to the point that people thought she cared about them a lot.

Kato Ai noticed that he didn't speak, but she was thinking about how she should refuse him if he confessed his feelings.

It's not that this boy is bad; he's definitely a very eye-catching boy in this school. The only problem is that his relationship with Yukito seems to be more than just casual.

If everyone found out that I was having an affair with Miyamine Nozomi, they would definitely gossip about me behind my back.

If they reject Miyamune Nozomi, they will feel that they are loyal and righteous girls, and their social reputation will rise rapidly.

Although she had to give up a handsome guy, Kato Ai thought that this kind of growth was very necessary.

"Did you buy your oboe lessons?" Miyamune asked.

"Um."

The two entered the club building, and the automatic doors slowly closed behind them, shutting out the spring air.

Kato Ai raised her hand to wipe the sweat from her neck, her wet bangs sticking to her forehead.

For some reason, even though she was wearing the same leotard, showing her legs, and had a fairly full bust, Miyamune felt absolutely no desire for her body.

"When I was studying at Shenxu, I kept all the practice sheets for each voice part. I can send them to you."

"It's okay, I have my own," Kato Ai said.

Gongling Wang's tone involuntarily rose, subtly revealing a hint of boastfulness:

"Mr. Kitahara's methods are much better than what you find online. Even a fool can learn them."

The sheet music for the Shenxu Wind Ensemble is usually not shared with outsiders. Although there was no such rule in the club at the time, it was an unspoken agreement among the members. The senior members reminded them many times that they were very possessive.

But now Miyamine Nozomi is not Hokkaido Shin-Asahi.

Kato Ai sniffed; the coolness of the building washed over her bare thighs and arms like water, causing her to shiver involuntarily.

"Uh... but I bought Mr. Kitahara's online. Although it was a bit expensive, the reviews were all very good."

Miyamine Nozomi was stunned for a moment, then realized that many things were just wishful thinking on the part of the Hokkaido seniors, and that Coach Kitahara had never intended to monopolize educational resources.

"You and Tani Hana-senpai are so close, do you know what theme song we're going to choose for this year's assignment?" Miyamine asked.

"Hmm, I didn't know that."

Kato Ai said,

"But Kirishima told me that the key to choosing songs is to consider the club's situation, and that alone makes choosing songs very difficult."

When choosing a piece of music, the wind instrument section needs to examine its own strengths internally, thereby amplifying its advantages and showcasing its key talents.

But these are usually things that second- or third-rate brass bands need to consider. Top brass bands in Kansai rarely need to pay attention to these things.

Because the strength of each section in a top-class wind section is extremely strong. For example, before its decline, the Mingjing Engineering Department was extremely well-balanced, with each section having a ace player who could lead the way.

Kansai Meisei Engineering School's "Osaka Folk Song Fantasy", Hokkaido Shin Asahi's "The Tears of the Inada Princess Flowing in the Fei River", and Kanto Kawai Ritsu's "A Play for Wind Music, the Illusion of the Eve Festival".

Each of these three pieces was performed flawlessly in every part, establishing their unshakeable kingly status in wind instrument music—a technical crown purely of musical aesthetics.

So here's the question: which section is the strongest in the Haruki Brass Band?

Miyamune Nozomi also asked Kato Ai about this, because he didn't know either, and he wasn't shameless enough to say it was a flute.

"I think it should be the trumpet. Daidouji-senpai plays it very well, as do Yanagi and Kirishima. And people who play the trumpet seem to work especially hard."

"That should be decided soon."

The two walked up the stairs, turned at the L-shaped bend, and were met with the long corridor of the wind instrument section, the air filled with the smell of floor wax and old wooden equipment.

Go to the instrument management room and bring your instrument.

"Would you like to go to your place or mine?" Kato Ai asked.

"Go to your place. Hasebe-senpai might come back, it'll be a hassle."

OK.

Stepping into the oboe practice room, you can clearly feel the spaciousness because there are few people and few tables and chairs.

"Won't Liu Mu say something if you practice alone with me here?"

She's not my girlfriend.

Miyamine Nozomi placed her instrument case aside, without taking out her flute, and watched as Kato Ai assembled the oboe.

Do you know how to maintain an oboe?

"Of course, huh? Aren't you going to take it out?"

Gongling Wang shook his head and said:

"How do you usually sit while blowing?"

Kato Ai pursed her lips, sat down in her chair, picked up her oboe, and said:

"Like this."

"Can I touch you?" Gong Lingwang couldn't stand it anymore.

Without even thinking it over, Kato Ai agreed without much thought.

"Huh? Uh, sure."

Gong Lingwang stepped forward, reached out and pinched her shoulder, and poked her waist with his other hand.

"Waaaaah~~ What are you doing?"

Kato Ai was startled and let out a very coquettish moan.

"Your posture is crucial. Whether you are sitting or standing, you must keep your back straight and your shoulders relaxed."

"...You used too much force."

"After all, it's not my body."

"......"

Kato Ai blushed. This guy was actually taking advantage of her under the guise of giving her guidance. If it weren't for the fact that he was a decent person and quite handsome, she would have run away long ago.

Miyamine Nozomi squatted down in front of her and said:

"Show me the shape of your mouth."

"Well......"

Kato Ai took a deep breath and said, somewhat reluctantly,

"I...I have cherry lips."

Her words reached his ears, and Gong Lingwang's lips moved, but all that remained was a look of astonishment and confusion.

What on earth is this guy talking about?

"Middle-class student, I'm asking about the shape of your mouth when you play the instrument."

Kato Ai then realized what was happening, straightened her back ramrod straight, and blushed as she quickly explained:

"It's your own fault for not asking clearly, so you can't blame me."

"Okay, okay, okay."

Her mouth was indeed, as she described, a small cherry-like mouth.

When playing, functionality and tone are always the top priorities, so the embouchure naturally won't be the most aesthetically pleasing.

Kato Ai was also aware of this, and in front of Miyamune Nozomi, she always seemed a little shy and would deliberately make a cute cat-like face.

"Flatten your chin, pull your mouth muscles together, use your lips to form a cushion, and then cover the reed," Miyamune Nozomi said.

"Like this?" she said in a somewhat unclear voice.

"Yes, you're just starting to play the oboe. Don't rush to start playing right away. Practice making sounds with the reed first. Once you can produce sounds easily and steadily, then you can attach it to the instrument."

"Are you very knowledgeable about the oboe?"

"I don't understand." Miyamine Nozomi took out her phone and showed her the words on the screen, "Training techniques I found in that brass band."

Kato Ai raised an eyebrow sharply: "You can't even do it yourself, what's the point of having me come here to practice...?"

Miyamine Nozomi sat opposite her and said:

"At least I can hear the timbre and pitch. Isn't the core of woodwind instruments breath control? I think I have some understanding of that."

"Hehehe..."

Kato Ai wanted to complain, but considering that he played the flute quite well, she realized she didn't have the ability to refute him.

But it's strange, why is he talking about playing the wind instruments the whole time?

That's way too passive!

"Speaking of which, Gongling, you're so good-looking, haven't you ever thought about having a girlfriend?"

Do you have any other reeds?

"...Yes, it is."

Kato Ai took out a small box from the drawer, inside which lay several reeds. The shopkeeper had said a lot of things, but she didn't understand them, and since they weren't very expensive, she bought them.

Miyamine Nozomi took the reed. The oboe is the most "dazzling" instrument in the wind band. Many wind band players will try it first because they all think they are extraordinary. They only realize how difficult it is after they actually start playing it.

"Here, take this."

She handed me a small cup, a cup for soaking the reed of an oboe.

"The supplies are quite complete."

"That's right!"

It is best to soak the reed for a while before playing it, so that its fibers can absorb water and swell, becoming soft and elastic.

A piercing sound rang out, followed by the sound of Kato Ai playing a flute, which made Miyamune Nozomi tactically frown.

Those who knew it was an oboe reed, but those who didn't would have thought it was a suona being played to signal the start of a banquet. No wonder Senior Anhe called her over to play with the sticks.

"How is it?" Kato Ai still felt good about herself, thinking there wasn't much of a problem.

"You're a real duck."

"That's too much. I've been practicing diligently. Besides, people who can learn things instantly only exist in movies and TV shows."

Kato Ai, somewhat unconvinced, put the reed in her mouth and continued blowing.

He hadn't touched it; he'd been playing the flute ever since he first played it.

Take out the reed, keep the mouthpiece in place, slowly exhale, and blow casually.

Kato Ai opened her lips and stared at him blankly.

The sound he blew was too clean, unlike the sharp, squeezing sound a beginner makes when blowing a whistle for the first time, or the muffled sound of breathiness, but a round and full C note.

Isn't this strange? Is this normal?

Kato Ai's eyes widened. She had been trying to play that long note for several days but couldn't, and thought it was perfectly normal.

Because online, she often sees comments such as "It's normal to not be able to play the oboe well at first".

Miyamine Nozomi tried to move the angle of her lips, and the tone she produced slid gently to A with the slight change, and then steadily returned to C.

The two long notes were straight, even, and without any tremor.

After removing the whistle, Gong Lingwang said in a low voice:

"That's strange, it doesn't seem that difficult."

He was telling the truth, not pretending. He had always heard that the oboe was very difficult, and that it took a long time to learn just how to play the reed properly, with some people not being able to play it even after a month.

But the girl in front of her didn't think so; instead, she felt that Miyamine Nozomi had been pretending all along.

"Feed..." Kato Ai finally spoke, her tone as if she was holding something back, "What... what's wrong with you?"

--"genius".

The word came to mind again.

"Really?"

Kato Ai, who had never taken hard practice seriously, finally began to lose confidence after hearing Miyamine Nozomi's voice.

Since no one in the club could play the oboe, there was no direct comparison, and she herself felt no pressure and couldn't perceive what a genius was.

But now, on his first try, Miyamune Nozomi was able to produce a steady, long note, which shows just how terrifying his potential is.

An indescribable feeling suddenly welled up in Kato Ai's heart. She pondered it carefully before realizing what this feeling truly was.

It wasn't admiration for him, nor was it jealousy.

It's the will to survive.