Chapter 184 County Competition

Game day.

Everyone got up early, put on their school uniforms, and went to the cafeteria on the second floor for lunch.

“Hehehe~ Competition, competition~ Competition, competition~~”

Qiansong Jiulin and the other three gathered together, and Yang Kui Chitose looked particularly excited.

This made Hiiragi Rinka, who arrived here last, a little confused. While Chitose went to refill the rice, she secretly asked Jiuhuayue who was standing beside her.

"Chitose, why are you so happy today?"

"who knows."

Jiuhuayue spoke in a frivolous tone, and suddenly remembered that she met Yang Kui Qiansui by chance when she just went out this morning, and she greeted her happily.

"Since I got up."

"Does Shinharu-chan know?" Hiiragi Rinka asked Matsumae Shinharu again.

Matsumae Shinchun was obviously thinking about something, her face was red. After hearing Rinka's question, she replied with a shy smile, "I'm not sure either."

What's the situation?
Jiuhuayue frowned as she watched.

Her sixth sense told her that the difference between the two was not a good thing.

"Competition, competition~Breakfast, breakfast~~"

Yang Kui Chitose came over and sat down next to Xinchun. She brought a large plate of fried potatoes, cakes, shrimps and crabs.
"Hey! Xiaoyue and Rinka, do you want to eat some swimming crabs? They are so delicious!"

"Why are you so happy today, Chitose-chan?"

"I'm happy, I'm happy!"

As Yang Kui Chitose said this, she also put her arms around Matsumae Shinharu's neck and pressed her cheeks against hers, "Don't you agree, Shinharu~"

"Ah."

After breakfast, we went downstairs to gather and headed to a venue a few kilometers away to complete the last practice. After moving the instruments, everyone quickly boarded the bus and rushed back to Nakajima Park.

The game at Jubei starts at 11 o'clock.

Fujii Itsuki stood in the middle of the bus, clapped his hands to signal everyone to look at him, and smiled at everyone, "I wonder how everyone slept last night?"

The students answered the questions one by one. They were all nervous but also looking forward to the competition.

"Speaking of which, it has been about half a year since we rebuilt the Jubei Wind Band Club. During this period, I forced everyone to participate in club training, and it took too much sweat along the way. Thank you for trusting me and joining this club when the wind band I manage needs people. I have come all the way to now. It has really been hard work for everyone."

As Fujii Itsuki said this, he bowed to the students to express his gratitude.

The bus was completely silent, with everyone's eyes fixed on the teacher who was bending over.

Jiuhuayue was deeply moved by this scene.

The students in the club now are all old members. Although there have been some frictions and bitterness in the club in the past, everyone has come here and has faith in their hearts.

then.

Not long after Fujii Itsuki bent down, Jiuhuayue heard applause on the bus.

Fujii Itsuki stood up, his eyes gentle and kind behind his half-framed glasses: "Last time we made our debut at Nakajima Park. Now, everyone has been practicing as hard as they can for the past few months and is back here to participate in the county-level competition. What I want to ask everyone is - do you have confidence?"

"have--!"

All members, both boys and girls, responded with full energy.

Fujii Itsuki laughed, and then everyone followed suit.

“This competition is by no means our end, but the starting point for us to enter the national competition. We want to make our team’s name resound in Tokyo. Please show your most powerful skills. We will definitely advance to the Hokkaido representative competition!”

"Yes!"

All members responded with energetic voices again, and then chattered excitedly about where to go after today's game. The atmosphere on the bus was extremely warm.

Jiuhuayue seemed to be infected by this spirit at this moment.

Her eyes were fixed on Fujii Itsuki's smile.

she was.

I will also let the uncle see my excellence.

Jiu Huayue is definitely not someone who tries to win others' love simply by being pitiful. She wants the uncle to see her excellence and her progress.

Finally, fall in love with yourself from the bottom of your heart.

It must be so!
The bus soon stopped at a parking lot near Nakajima Park, where buses were crowded in a row. Students from other campuses, staff responsible for maintaining order, police, and some ordinary people who came to watch the game were crowded here in groups, making it impossible to get through.

The schools that arrived earlier than Tachibana Kita had already started to line up and move forward in a line. Fujii Itsuki shouted at the students to get off the bus in an orderly manner.

As soon as Jiuhuayue got off the bus, her skin was stinging from the sun.

".There are so many people just for the county competition!"

Riro Sasahara stood on tiptoe and looked left and right, amazed by the crowd.

“After all, this is a competition area for more than ten schools.”

"Xiaoyue, are you nervous?"

“Rather than being nervous, I am more looking forward to it.”

"Hehe," Sasahara Riro jumped up and pulled down the neck of her friend Takahashi Hotaru, "Hataru is really scared. She said it's her first time on such a formal stage."

"Lilo.!"

Jiuhuayue looked at Gaoqiao Ying, and she noticed that the other party looked at her with a little shyness. After she looked over, the other party chose to avoid her.

It looked a little strange, but she didn't pay much attention to it.

The entrance order for Jubei starts at 11 o'clock, and you have to enter the waiting room at 10:30 in advance.

Some of the students who participated in the competition earlier had already walked out of the venue with smiles on their faces. It seemed that they performed well this time. This put a lot of pressure on the Jubei Wind Ensemble and the team behind them.

Entering the waiting room, the Saint Maiden Wind Ensemble was performing a competition across the wall.

Everyone pricked up their ears to listen and was amazed by their uniform performance.

"It's 'April Leaves' by Yusuke Kondo, right?"

“It feels like spring.”

“How can you play so beautifully?”

“It’s so excellent.”

Everyone was talking about it, and the morale was getting lower and lower.

When Yang Kui Chitose saw that something was wrong with everyone, she pulled a stool over, stood between the crowd, and loudly asked everyone to look at her at the same time.

"Everyone--!"

Fujii Itsuki and Akai Muko, who were not far away, were attracted over.

Yang Kui Chitose faced everyone in the club and said loudly:

"You don't have to be afraid! This is the Sapporo County Competition. Teacher Fujii has told you before that no matter how good or bad the results are, the fact that you can get here means that this is the result of your own hard work! You don't have to worry, just show your best! Just show the style you usually show during training!
"Why can the Saint be so excellent, but we can't?!
"Why should we doubt ourselves just because the Saint performed so well?!

"Do not!

“No need to doubt it!
“We are the best!

“It’s truly the best!

“The hard work and sweat we put in does not belong to the other side!

"People from the Saint Girls' College? We are not afraid of them!
"We are students of Taisho Tachibana First Academy! You should know that in the past, we were the number one academy in the entire Hokkaido!

"Let the Saint and all the schools that come to Sapporo see the elegance of our Tachibana Kita Wind Ensemble! Let them remember our rise forever!

When Chitose said this, Fujii Itsuki and Akai Muko were laughing outside. Could it be that this kid had prepared a script in advance?

Yang Kui Chitose became happier and happier as she spoke. To liven up the atmosphere, she raised her hand in high spirits and shouted loudly:

"Jubei, come on!"

"Jubei, come on!"

"Jubei, come on!"

She called out again and again, and the words she shouted seemed to hit upon something that was expected in everyone's hearts.

Want to get first place.

I want to go to the national competition to prove my ability.

I want to try my best to get a chance to prove myself!

Such an exciting thought made the lonely and silent team begin to show a yearning look.

Then the captain, Shoko Aoyama, also shouted loudly, and other members followed suit. A series of main characters in the wind band began to join in the cheering.

Then the voices of “Come on” became more and more numerous.

Until the atmosphere ignites the entire waiting room.

Everyone was shouting together:
"Jubei, come on!" "Jubei, you will win!"

Obviously, most of the voices are girls', so why are they so powerful?
Fujii Itsuki felt as if he was also infected. Could this be what youth is?

After completing the last tuning before the competition, I practiced my voice in the waiting room. The competition is getting closer and closer.
The time for Orange North High School to appear on the stage was approaching.

Everyone's breathing became heavier.

Until the members of the Holy Virgin Orchestra finished playing the last designated piece, "Scherzo".

The important moment has come.

The staff member pushed open the door of the waiting room and signaled to Fujii Itsuki who was at the front of the line to prepare to enter.

Different from other competitions.

Normally, coaches and club directors will not go on the field with the players.

But wind music is different.

The team, classmates, and commander... we are all one.

After lining up, Jiuhuayue stood behind Fujii Itsuki holding a trumpet, looking at his back. At this moment, she couldn't help but call him.

"Teacher Fujii."

Fujii Itsuki heard the voice and looked back in confusion.

Jiu Huayue stood in front of him, holding the golden trumpet, looking a little shy, but with a firm look in her eyes she said to him:

"Teacher Fujii, let's work hard together this time!"

Fujii Itsuki was stunned for a moment, and then he responded with a smile:
"Well, let's do our best together."

The staff signaled everyone to enter.

The lighting in the corridor leading to the concert hall was dim and the atmosphere was quite depressing.

The voice of the host came from the music stage.

"Next, we would like to invite students from the Taisho Tachibana Kita First College Wind Ensemble from Otaru City to play their own piece, "Cold Wave Symphony"!"

Wearing a tuxedo, Fujii Itsuki was the first to walk onto the stage, entering the view of the judges and the audience. Following closely were the girls holding their instruments and dressed neatly.

Someone lowered his voice and said "Come on!" again. This steady voice made everyone's heart pound.

Facing the gazes of the audience and judges, the girls stood straight, took deep breaths, and their chests bulged high through their sky blue sailor uniforms.

Pairs of legs stretched out from under their pleated skirts stood in a row, bowed to the judges and the audience, and then began to take their respective seats.

Strings, woodwinds, brass, drums, harp, piano.
Fujii Itsuki also took the conductor's position, facing the girls in the school with his back to the audience.

The blazing white light illuminated his figure.

Like a sky lantern shining down from heaven.

His slender figure, his neatly tailored suit, and the magnificent atmosphere of the concert hall all reminded all the students present of the formality of this competition.

After everyone was in place, the emcee's voice sounded from behind.

[The designated piece for the Orange North Wind Ensemble is Charles Timberlake's "Cold Wave Symphony", the background of which is taken from the century's snowstorm in northern Michigan in 1938, which came quietly and brought natural disasters and sorrow to countless people.]
Accompanied by the emcee's narration for the audience.

When facing his students, Fujii Itsuki tried to keep his expression gentle, put on a slight smile, and used his expression to silently comfort everyone in the club, "It's okay, relax."

His meaning seemed to be conveyed through his expression and eyes. Everyone looked at him, and then calmed down and made final preparations.

Fujii Itsuki withdrew his last glance from Chitose and Kojiuka's faces and waited for the emcee to finish speaking.

After a period of silence, he quietly raised his arm.

Matsumae Shinharu closed her eyes and began to play the strings.

The students in the string group had already picked up their instruments and were moving in time with the gentle vibrations of the conductor's baton.

The musical notes sounded.

A long note that is so perfect that it cannot be faulted.

Fujii Itsuki admired in his heart that this was the feeling, this was the indispensable feeling, the taste of the prelude to crisis before the "Cold Wave" arrived.

Next came the piano, which created an extremely discordant opposition with the strings. The sounds collided with each other, pulling to a heart-wrenching degree.

Such a wonderful combination, it seems like a movie scene appears in my mind.

The cold winter is lurking in the dark, but people who are unaware of this are still enjoying the cheerful festive atmosphere.

It was quiet, and when winter came, everything was gone.

The sound of the woodwind section is like nature mocking human ignorance and stupidity.

Fujii Itsuki closed his eyes and gradually got into the mood.

The baton in his right hand dropped, and the tones of the violins and cellos grew dark and gloomy.

People are mourning, mourning for their family members and friends who died in the sudden and severe winter.

He raised the baton in his right hand again, and Yang Kui Chitose's trumpet solo sounded.

The hero appeared, and with a slightly sad tone, he lamented the pain brought by this ruthless disaster. But in his sadness, there was also an unyielding spirit.

Fujii Itsuki raised the baton in his right hand again, and the entire brass section hummed in unison.

From the euphonium to the trumpet, the air vibrated.

Then he conducted the woodwind section, string section and drummer in the back one by one to harmonize the sounds together.

This is the clarion call for humanity's counterattack.

Even in the bitter winter, people still live tenaciously.

The music collided with each other, and everyone's efforts seemed to turn into a fanatical signal, and the musical notes exploded in the air.

It was not until this time that Jiuhuayue understood what ensemble was.

The music shone with great power, as if the will of those who fought against the winter back then was also implemented in it. What a powerful torrent of consciousness this is! Is it really necessary to gather hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of people to fight against this raging winter?

The unimaginable melody surged violently, as if it was about to overflow.

Jiu Huayue never thought that a club's music could be like this.

Why didn’t I feel it so strongly when I practiced before?
Why haven’t I felt this way before?

It seemed as if I couldn't even breathe on my own, and I just needed to turn into a gear, perfectly integrated into this heart-stirring piece of music.

Jiu Huayue's eyes followed the musical notes on the score, and her fingers pressed the piston valve desperately. Like the students around her, she played to the point of total oblivion. Her forehead was already covered with sweat from the intense tension she had put in.

Fujii Itsuki waved his baton accurately, adding trombone, trumpet, and oboe to the main melody, which made people dizzy! The music gradually reached its climax, but in an instant, it suddenly became silent.

The melody then slowly rises, becoming longer and lighter.

Then, under the fierce baton of Fujii Itsuki, the piece took a sharp turn for the better, with more and more instruments joining in and notes flying out, going higher and higher, until it reached the climax of the performance. Everyone repeatedly emphasized a rhythm and a note.

Then, when Fujii Itsuki's baton fell, the winter came to an end.

The music stopped abruptly as Fujii Itsuki stopped moving. He bent down and faced the audience. In an instant, applause came like a tide.

Jiu Huayue, holding a golden trumpet, glanced with sweat on her forehead at the audience seats in the distance where applause was coming from. Then she looked at her classmates around her and saw that they were all almost exhausted.

Everyone was urged by the people around them to stand up in a trance and bow again to the audience, and then the applause became even louder.

Such warm applause made all the members present feel light-headed.

We did it, without any mistakes, we succeeded, didn’t we?

After leaving the stage, the excitement from the successful performance in the competition had not yet completely dissipated, and everyone was discussing that strange state.

Fujii Itsuki appeared again at this time, and Jiuhuayue saw all the girls gathered around him, cheering for this victory.

Fujii Itsuki couldn't help but laugh when he saw how cute everyone was:
"The rankings haven't even been announced yet, and everyone is already shouting victory?"

"It's okay! Mr. Fujii's command is super perfect!"

"Yeah, yeah! The movements directed by Mr. Fujii are so cool! So cool!"

"And didn't Mr. Fujii say that the ranking doesn't matter? As long as we try our best, it'll be fine. We tried our best this time!"

"so."

"So, Mr. Fujii! Will there be a barbecue and seafood buffet after this competition?"

"I knew what you were planning. Well, we don't have anything to do now. The results of the competition will be announced in the afternoon, and your teacher Akai has already booked a room for you. Let's go and have lunch now since it's noon!"

"it is good!!!"

"Long live!!"

The atmosphere in the whole class suddenly became warm.

Chitose Yangkui and Shinharu Matsumae were all laughing in the student group.

Jiuhuayue really likes the atmosphere at this time.

Actually, what the uncle said is right
As long as you try your best, the game is won, right?

(End of this chapter)