bookbashuk Page 66
Page 66
Kitahara Hakuba's heart was pounding so hard he felt completely under her control.
".......girlfriend."
As if she had received a satisfactory answer, Shinomiya Haruka's face was full of happiness.
She brushed a strand of hair from her cheek and tucked it behind her delicate ear, a gesture that made Kitahara Hakuba involuntarily swallow.
She is absolutely stunning right now.
"Since you answered correctly, you should get a reward."
Haruka Shinomiya's kissing motions were clumsy, but this clumsiness only made Hakuba Kitahara even happier.
Chapter 75. What does Old Bi Deng know about teenage troubles?
The next day, Kitahara Hakuba got up later than usual.
It wasn't because last night was too intense; on the contrary, after repeating it twice, the two didn't do anything else. Shinomiya Haruka stayed for a while and then went home.
As a result, he remembered Shinomiya Haruka again in the middle of the night, which kept Kitahara Hakuba awake all night, and even the task of transcribing the sheet music was not going well.
All night long, all he could think about was when they could do it again, when they could get together again.
It wasn't until late at night that I suddenly realized I had completely turned into a gorilla that only knew how to go into heat.
After splashing cold water on his face, Kitahara Hakuba sighed like a great sage in front of the mirror—
"Ah, men, there dwells in your heart a Slaanesh who could replace you at any moment."
At 7:30 in the morning, Kitahara Hakuba left home dressed in clean clothes. At this time, most students were on their way to school, and on the city bus, many girls couldn't help but steal glances at him out of the corner of their eyes.
It was nearly eight o'clock when we arrived at Shenxu High School after passing Wulingguo Park.
Kitahara Hakuba went straight to the music room. Along the entire corridor of the brass band club, many students were playing music stands. Various instruments were playing their own etudes, creating a cacophony that could hardly be called noise.
"Hello, Kitahara-sensei."
"Hello teacher."
Along the way, many club members greeted him, and some members from other clubs came to visit their friends. They shouted excitedly as soon as they saw him.
Kitahara Hakuba is now a celebrity at Shin-Asahi High School, which is a good thing for him because his award can easily benefit the members of the brass band.
Productivity +1, Research Points +1.
Passing by the oboe and bassoon practice room, he saw Eri Kanzaki sitting inside.
The sky outside the window was exceptionally bright, and Kitahara Hakuba's gaze involuntarily fell on the skin beneath her skirt. The sunlight, climbing step by step, tiptoed up and caressed her legs.
He walked straight in and found that Watanabe Hama was sitting against the wall, carefully maintaining the bassoon.
The rinsing rod passes through the inside of the tube to absorb the condensation produced during playing, and then the tube body and keys are gently wiped with a lint-free cloth.
Her movements were very skillful and pleasant to watch.
Just as Watanabe Hama was about to apply the key oil to the bearing, she noticed Kitahara Hakuba walking in.
"Teacher Kitahara, you are very late today."
There was no sarcasm in her words; she was simply stating a fact clearly.
“Ah…” Kitahara Hakuba gave a wry smile, “I did have something to do today, so I’m late.”
Watanabe Hama sat upright, legs together, and said sternly:
"Being a teacher in the Shenxu Wind Ensemble must be very tiring. I hope you can get more rest on weekdays."
"Thank you."
"Well then, farewell." After saying that, Watanabe Hama put the bassoon back into its case, fastened the silver clasp, and left.
"She seems to be very good at reading the atmosphere," Kitahara Hakuba thought.
“Kanzaki-san.” Kitahara Hakuba picked up a steel pipe chair and sat down in front of her.
Kanzaki Eri seemed to be worried about something, her delicate fingers gently stroking the smooth surface of the oboe.
"I have carefully reviewed your resignation application—"
"I'm not backing out," Eri Kanzaki said.
Ok?
Kitahara Hakuba paused for a moment, staring at the bangs that were swaying slightly on her forehead. Yesterday, Saito Harukori's aura was clearly that he had come to find her.
Could it be that she really cornered him and bullied him severely?
"Can you tell your teacher which thought is your true feeling?"
Kanzaki Eri immediately showed a somewhat subtle expression, as if she felt guilty.
For Kitahara Hakuba, doing things solely for others is suffocating, while doing things solely for himself is unsatisfying; only by balancing the two can he soar higher.
Eri Kanzaki lowered her eyes melancholically, her delicate shoulders slumping slightly.
"These are all my ideas; it's better for everyone this way."
Kitahara Hakuba sighed quietly and said:
"Kanzaki-san, are you unhappy in the brass band?"
As soon as he said those words, an unusual silence filled the classroom. Kanzaki Eri's fingers were taut, and her throat tightened.
Silence is the answer. Kitahara Hakuba deliberately cleared his throat and said:
"Kanzaki, I think you can rely on the people around you more, and talk about any troubles you have."
The sweet scent of shampoo gently brushed against Kitahara Hakuba's nose, and the sound of a piccolo in the corridor sounded like a bird flying in with a loud cry.
Eri Kanzaki remained silent, like a student who had done something wrong and was being scolded by her teacher, too ashamed to lift her head.
An awkward silence followed, and Kitahara Hakuba suddenly felt a little ashamed. If he weren't a "teacher," things might have been easier to handle in this regard.
Because "teacher" is an adult regardless of age, anyone who is a "teacher" will be subconsciously perceived as a middle-aged person.
Talking about these things with a "teacher" will only make the student think, "How could you, an old man, possibly understand my teenage troubles?"
Extremely rigid, Kitahara Hakuba was powerless to change it.
"Kanzaki-san, do you really think this is no big deal?" he continued.
Kitahara Hakuba didn't understand what "like this" meant either, but his vague words always allowed the other person to fill in the blanks in their mind without him having to explain it explicitly.
"It doesn't matter."
These words stuck in her throat, but for Kanzaki Eri, she was already used to suppressing the emotions that reflexively surged within her.
The words she wanted to say were always churning in her heart, but if she were to actually say them out loud...
If this choice is wrong, then the only one at fault is oneself, not anyone else.
Kanzaki Eri only wants to know one thing right now—
Will I always look the same as I do now?
Kitahara Hakuba was speechless. Doctors treat patients by prescribing the right medicine for the right symptoms, but Kanzaki Eri's taciturn nature was simply unpredictable.
How can he continue with talk therapy? He might as well just give her an injection.
Now, forget about completing the mission; he's almost infected with unhappiness himself.
He let out a soft sigh and said:
"Kanzaki-kun, the beauty of playing the wind instrument is that you can pour all your joy, anger, sadness, and excitement into it and get emotional resonance from it. That's why so many people are obsessed with it. If you can't express yourself in words, use an instrument to convey your feelings to everyone. If you feel that what I'm saying to you is a bit abrupt, then please accept my apologies."
To put it another way, musical instruments are a means of escaping real-life emotions, especially for overly sensitive people who will entrust their emotions to anything they can, and the most convenient language becomes a burden because they are not good at expressing themselves.
Eri Kanzaki raised her eyebrows and stared at the advisor in front of her for a few seconds before lowering her head and slightly opening her mouth.
She didn't speak, as if she was just breathing, because you could faintly hear the girl's weak panting.
Chapter 76. Competition Program! Confirmed!
The conversation with Eri Kanzaki wasn't entirely without progress; it was just that it didn't offer any opportunity whatsoever.
Kitahara Hakuba clearly said what he wanted to say, but her lack of feedback made him feel anything but satisfied. Instead, he wondered if he was being too "adult".
"If you have any questions about the oboe, come find me." He had no choice but to leave first, leaving Kanzaki Eri alone.
Eri Kanzaki watched him leave. If this was how she could eliminate her unease, she thought she would feel relieved.
But many things can only be imagined; putting them into action requires immense courage.
Kitahara Hakuba arrived at the music classroom, where Yukawa Sakurako and Saito Haruka were already inside. They plugged their headphones into the 3.5mm headphone jacks and wore a white earphone in each ear.
The headphones connecting the two of them were tied in a small knot.
"Teacher Kitahara." The two took off their headphones.
"I'm sorry to disturb your listening to the music," Kitahara Hakuba said as he stepped forward.
"It's alright, we're just listening to this year's theme song and our own selections." Sakurako Yukawa smiled gently, her plump eye bags looking quite adorable.
Saito Haruka played with a small tuft of hair on her chest and said:
"I actually prefer pieces with a story, because there are just too many pieces that focus on technique."
Kitahara Hakuba quickly realized what was happening and said with a smile:
"Saito-kun, do you want to choose 'The Tears of Inahime Kida in the Hii River'?"
“Yes.” Saito Harutori nodded and looked at Yukawa Sakurako beside her, saying, “Sakurako and I are of the same mind, and she also chose this piece.”
Sakurako Yukawa's eyes, gleaming like jewels beneath her eyelashes, smiled and said:
"I'd rather depict the story behind a piece than simply a technically demanding piece."
Kitahara Hakuba then asked, "What about the theme song?"
“Raise the Banner of Courage,” they both said in unison.
Just as he had imagined.
"Yes, it's time to raise the flag. I'd appreciate it if you two could communicate with the other section leaders. If you've decided, then we'll decide to play these two pieces together, and I'll arrange the sections as soon as possible."
"But we still hope that you, Kitahara-sensei, will make the decision."
"I would prefer you to play the pieces you have chosen rather than myself."