I play wind instruments in Kansai.

Sumire Amamiya sighed, as if she understood something, and got up to leave.

"Uh, aren't you going to stay here any longer?"

"Well, I probably won't come to keep Toda-senpai company anymore."

Why the sudden change of heart?

Sumire Amamiya twisted a strand of hair between her fingers, glancing to the side as she said:

"Just a little bored."

◇

"Well--!"

Ever since she finished playing the oboe, Kohiko Hina has had a tense face, sitting to the side like a complaining woman lamenting the injustices of life.

She simply couldn't understand why such a talented person wouldn't focus their energy on the right path, but instead use it to flirt with girls.

She was furious. Why didn't they just drive a nail into her eye?

No, it must be because it was nailed! That's what caused this result.

However, Miyamine Nozomi does not believe in any religion at all.

Unlike Kohikawa Hina, who swallowed a big mouthful of resentment, Kato Ai seemed to cherish this opportunity to provide guidance.

As lunch break was drawing to a close, we continued practicing the basics.

"Play fewer games when you get home, and if Anhe calls you, you should control yourself," Gong Lingwang said.

He was worried about Kato Ai's personality; who knew if she would suddenly abandon her running practice the next second.

This is also why he dares not invest in it; it's practically a sure thing.

"I know, I won't play games," Kato Ai said seriously, puffing out her chest. "I'm serious!"

Gong Lingwang glanced at her and said:

"Okay, I'll reluctantly believe you."

105. So this is what it feels like to be respected!

After school in the afternoon, the students on duty carried metal buckets of water through the corridor, and the water that occasionally splashed out left dark marks on the ground.

The students passing by let out innocent laughter. Kohinata sniffed and walked through the elevated corridor toward the club building.

Today is the first ensemble rehearsal for Arrangement A, but she, who was not selected for Arrangement B, does not need to participate.

The remaining students would gather in the first audiovisual classroom to practice. Since there was no assistant instructor, they could only be directed by a senior student who had also failed to be selected.

He hurried to the music room, took the new thick-tube euphonium he had bought earlier out of its box, and then grabbed a music stand at random.

The music score racks used by the club were uniformly distributed, with a light green surface and the words "Chiki Wind Instrument Club" engraved on them.

"Did you buy a new musical instrument?"

A sound came from behind her, and Hinata instinctively turned around to find Sumire Amamiya.

Although this girl joined the group later than me, as a first-year member, her popularity within the club is second only to Kirishima Ruka.

But what is discussed more about her is that she is Daidouji's adopted sister, as well as her lovable appearance and personality.

"Well."

Kohimaki Hinana answered casually, considering herself not to be an overly outgoing girl.

"Yamaha? It seems to be even better than the official musical instruments in the department."

Sumire Amamiya approached on her own, her school skirt, which covered her knees, swaying very little. Did she wear this even when it was hot?

Kohinata glanced at her:

"Aren't you going to the first music room?"

Sumire Amamiya took a step back, glanced at the shelf, and pulled out the box containing the oboe from the right spot:

"So I came to get my musical instrument."

She held the instrument case, which was tiny compared to the thick tuba of the tukulele, yet she still pretended to be so heavy that her arms hung down.

"Does Hinata-san dislike Yamada?"

Kohinata turned her face away, feeling her arms being pulled down forcefully by the instrument case, and whispered:

"Why are you asking this? You and Yamada are good friends, right?"

Sumire Amamiya nodded and said:

"Of course we're good friends, but before Yamada and I became good friends, we were just ordinary classmates."

This statement sounds as verbose as saying "She was alive before she died."

Kohinata shook her head and said:

"I don't dislike it. The brass band is a competitive club. I wasn't selected by the seniors just because my personal ability isn't good enough. Yamada-kun is better."

Sumire Amamiya glanced at her, switched the instrument case to one hand, and gently brushed the black hair hanging on her cheek with the other, saying:

"But it doesn't matter whether you get into the A-level team or not. Setting such a high goal as going to the national conference will only make you look bad in many cases."

"How could that be?"

"It would be embarrassing enough if I said that Miyamune-kun is going to date Daidouji-senpai in the future, wouldn't it?"

"......"

This remark made Kohika Hinata somewhat unhappy, but the object of her displeasure was not Amamiya Sumire, but Miyamine Nozomi.

She couldn't believe that someone as aloof and reserved as Daidouji-senpai would associate with a lewd guy like Miyamine Nozomi; she couldn't even imagine the scenario.

However... this shouldn't be related to the goals set by the brass band...

In her mind, the probability of the band winning gold was greater than the probability of the two of them dating.

Seeing that Hinata Kohi remained silent, Sumire Amamiya continued:

"And didn't you consider that it's possible I used my privileges to beg my sister to let Yamada-kun get into the A-section? That's a possibility, isn't it?"

Kohinata suddenly frowned, glaring at her with some displeasure, her voice, though suppressed, carried a hint of accusation:

Why do you say that?

"What?" Sumire Amamiya tilted her head, and the red ribbon tied in her short hair swayed.

Kohinata Hina turned to her squarely, her brows furrowed in a frown. The two were about the same height, their eyes level.

"Why do you think of Daidouji-senpai like that? Why do you have such a heart that gives up so easily? I finally understand. You seem so well-behaved yet awkward because you think everyone is just joking around. Why do you think that way? Why are you unwilling to trust the people around you?"

Completely unprepared for what Kohinata Hina would say, Sumire Amamiya was momentarily stunned.

A moment later, she pouted, looking somewhat betrayed, and gave a soft snort, saying:

"I don't quite understand what you're talking about. I'm going to practice with the ensemble now. Goodbye."

"Well--"

Kohikari gripped the handle of the musical instrument case tightly.

His face was tense, but he immediately saw Miyamune Nozomi walk in from outside, his gaze still fixed on the departing figure of Amamiya Sumire.

"Although I don't know what you guys are talking about, I feel like the outcome is already decided."

Miyamine looked at Kohika Hinana with slight surprise and said...

"As expected of you, Hinata-kun."

Kohiko Hina took a few steps to the side and watched him take an instrument from the shelf, with a small rabbit pendant hanging on the instrument case.

A young boy is actually wearing something so girly...

Hinata Kohinata couldn't help but ask:

"what is this?"

"This?" Miyamine Nozomi weighed the pendant in her hand and said, "I bought it when I went to Osaka last time. It's quite cute."

This was a gift from Hitomi Shiraishi.

I initially thought of hanging it on my schoolbag, but after thinking it over, I decided it would be better to hang it on the instrument case, which would also serve as a marker for him to find things in the music room.

"Was it a gift from Shiraishi or from Seido?" Kohinata Hina asked.

Gongling Wang turned his head and glanced at her, saying in a relaxed tone:

Does it matter?

Instead of answering, Kohinata asked him:

"Gong Ling, if many things you do are in vain, what would you do?"

Gong Lingwang blinked, then grinned and said:

"Even so, I have no choice but to give it my all. I'm off now."

"What's this...?"

Miyamune ignored him and left the music room directly, heading to the first music classroom.

Dozens of indoor shoes were neatly arranged at the entrance, with names written on the heels. He immediately spotted Daidoji-senpai's shoes.

It's really strange. The senior student has a very voluptuous figure, but her shoe size looks to be only around 37.

I took off my shoes and opened the door; there were fewer people in the first music classroom than usual.

However, the addition of chairs and music stands made the space feel extremely cramped.

"Wow, a mere first-year student is such a big shot, arriving so late." In the last row, by the door, was An Hechun.

"I went to the restroom," Gong Lingwang said casually, knowing she was joking.

I walked along the wall and found the seat for the flute.

It is the first row on the right-hand side facing the command position.

The Haruki Concert Band uses a very typical seating arrangement.

Typically, instruments with distinctive timbre, such as the flute and oboe, which require clear articulation, would be ranked first.

The second row is for clarinets and saxophones, the third row is for French horns, and trumpets, trombones, and tubas are usually located in the back row because of their loud volume.

The percussion section is the loudest, located in the last row.

Nozomi Miyamine, as the principal flutist, was in the conductor's position facing forward, with Hitomi Shiraishi, the piccolo player, on her left, and Erika Toda on her right.

"Where's Supervisor Hayami?" he asked from his seat.

Erika Toda looked away from the shop marked with blue highlighter and answered softly:

"She hasn't arrived yet. When I came, I saw her still working in the office."

"Really? That must be tough."

As Miyamine Nozomi sighed, he caught a glimpse of Daidoji Seiko walking up to the command post and calmly saying:

"Quiet down, everyone. Let Amamiya-senpai do the sound tuning first."

Tuning is usually required before ensemble playing. Previously, it was done by principal clarinetist Tatsuno Sawamura, but now that we have the oboe, the most classic choice, it is naturally the best option.

Sumire Amamiya sat to the right of Hitomi Shiraishi, her short black hair falling along her profile, obscuring her face, and her ears, which were incredibly white, were faintly visible through the strands of hair.

She picked up her oboe and played a standard note, A4.

The other parts followed suit and played the same pitch.

If the instruments are not tuned accurately, the sound waves will clash against each other, producing variations in intensity such as "buzzing" or "vibrating," which is called beat.

If they are in sync, the underlying tone of the ensemble will become extremely clear and transparent, with the overtone frequencies perfectly aligned.

There were no unexpected issues with the tuning, which is a good thing for the ensemble.

At that moment, the sliding door was opened.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm late."

Hayami Tenma apologized as soon as he came in.