I am a teacher at a girls' school in Tokyo

"Absolutely. The minister, the teacher, and the seniors all said so. So, there is definitely a chance."

"really?"

"of course it's true."

Even though he was nervous inside, so nervous that he wanted to back off at the thought of standing on the competition stage, he still said this firmly.

"okay."

"Yes, absolutely. So don't be nervous. Being nervous is useless and will only affect your performance." A trembling voice came from beside me. I knew as soon as I heard it that the owner of the voice was definitely nervous to a certain extent.

The person who said this was Mayumi.

Even though his voice was trembling and his face was a little pale, he was still trying hard to convince others, or maybe he was really trying to convince himself.

"You're right, being nervous won't help."

Liu Yi, who usually would tease her, stopped joking this time and spoke seriously.

"Well, it's useless." Kyoko also agreed.

"come on!"

"come on!"

"come on!"

……

Inside the Moritani Wind Orchestra, there was a tense, expectant, and excited mood that continued to spread as time passed.

The national competition is a stage that any college wind orchestra does not want to miss.

The gold medal is what all students want to compete for.

One year of training, practicing until late at night every day, including weekends and holidays.

All this time of practice is just for this moment to be able to stand here.

"Xun, how do you feel?" Takao Dou suddenly said in the line of the Moritani brass band.

"It's stressful, but it's not bad," Inaba Fumio responded.

"Me too."

"..."

"..."

"Xun, do you feel that?"

"what?"

"Since Mr. Hirakawa started to manage the wind orchestra this semester, the discipline in our wind orchestra has indeed improved a lot." Takao Do said this while secretly glancing at Tetsufumi Hirakawa who was not far ahead.

Inaba Fumio also looked over, then spoke in agreement.

"Yeah, I felt that, too."

"Our normal practice is obviously much better than when we first joined the club last year."

"Ah."

"Although Mr. Ogasa teaches very seriously and is very capable, he is sometimes out of control—"

"Hey...please keep your voice down when you say that."

"Oh."

"..."

"In short, we have practiced more seriously, and our level has improved a lot compared to last year."

"Yep."

“Last year, we were able to get here. This year, with such great progress, we will definitely win the gold medal.”

"Yes, it's definitely possible." - The person who said this was not Inaba Kaoru beside her, but -

"Matsuura-senpai..."

When Takaodou turned around, he looked at Matsuura with some surprise who suddenly interrupted the conversation.

She smiled and spoke enthusiastically.

"Anyway, we can do it."

If I remember correctly, this Matsuura senior was the one who liked to play all kinds of jokes with Ogasa sensei during practice in the beginning.

Although it was true that many seniors did the same at the beginning, even she herself was like this under the influence of this environment.

However, after more than half a year, everyone in Moritani has indeed become more and more serious.

"Ok!"

Takao Douji and Inaba Kaoru both nodded vigorously.

……

As time went by, students from one college after another walked into the concert hall, went on stage, and then left the stage.

The two pieces of wind music, with a total playing time of 12 minutes, went by very quickly.

"It's our turn."

Someone in the forest valley said this, and then the whispered discussions that were originally there disappeared as the atmosphere suddenly became serious.

until.

"Everyone, we should get ready to go on stage."

Ogasa Suzuki turned around and said.

I'm getting more and more nervous. I can sense the atmosphere around me.

Shiori Shinohara held her trumpet, staring at the reflection on the golden paint, at her face reflected in it.

Even she, when she heard these words in her ear, her fingers subconsciously clenched her trumpet and her heartbeat quickened.

This is her second time standing on this national competition field.

Last year, I could have won a bronze medal just by participating. I don’t want to experience that unwilling and helpless feeling again.

Since you have prepared seriously, you must do your best and never give up. This is Shiori Shinohara's determination.

And this time, she can see the hope of winning the national gold medal.

At least it's not zero.

If that's the case, she will try her best to get it. But on this matter, she doesn't want to fail again.

She had failed enough, and in other areas she had failed miserably.

Whether it was with her mother or a certain teacher, nothing in reality ever went according to her wishes.

Now, all she has left is the trumpet in her hand.

So, this is the only thing I absolutely don’t want to fail.

Try your best, eliminate all thoughts that are not related to the game, and then blow the trumpet in your hand.

At least this time, her wish must succeed.

On the competition field, the sounds of various musical instruments were gradually getting fainter.

Shinohara Shiori looked at the stadium below. There were three thousand seats, all dark.

She held her trumpet tightly, the trumpet that had been with her for several years.

It is well maintained, and under the lights of the competition field, its golden glow remains the same as before.

From the beginning to the end, the only thing she could fully control was this trumpet.

So, absolutely, absolutely, don't fail again.

In my ears, the sound of music stopped completely, and the concert hall, except for the competition field, was shrouded in deep darkness.

At this moment, all Shinohara Shiori had in her eyes was her trumpet, nothing else.

She pressed the piston of the trumpet and blew it with all her might.

The golden instruments played brilliant tunes in an instant, and the quiet, empty concert hall, which was plunged into deep darkness, was once again filled with melody.

This is her solo.

The melody of a lark coming from the sky and circling around the trees.

Until the end.

……

……

……

The competition for the Moritani Wind Ensemble has ended.

I walked off the stage, sat in the audience, watched the remaining colleges and universities perform, and then waited for the final results to be announced.

"Hey, how are we doing?"

"I don't know...I couldn't hear anything when I was up there."

"So nervous."

"Am I blowing it all right? I'm so worried."

"Can I get the gold medal?"

"Gold Prize, I must win the Gold Prize. There won't be another chance."

"I have been in the wind band for three years. I want to win the gold medal before I graduate."

"Can we?"

"Certainly."

"Mr. Ogasa, how are we doing?"

"Don't worry, everyone is great, especially great."

"really?"

"Really, everyone tried their best. It was better than normal practice, and better than when we were on the road and played in the concert hall. Everyone tried their best."

"Ok!"

……

The second half of the time became torturous as one college after another came to an end.

Tetsufumi Hirakawa and Suzuki Ogasa sat together. Although the teacher was just comforting her students, she was actually very nervous.

"Teacher Pingchuan, what do you think of our performance this time?"

Having just told the student that it was definitely possible, he turned around and asked him with a lack of confidence.

"This... everyone really did their best."

As an amateur player who knows a little bit about the situation, Tetsufumi Hirakawa could only give this vague answer.

"At least, it's definitely better than during normal practice."

"Ah."

So, is there hope for a gold medal?

Tetsufumi Hirakawa looked back at the competition stage. The one that was performing now was the Uyama Wind Orchestra.

Just like what I had heard in their activity room, the music was played with a surging and endless momentum like the waves of the ocean.

He also saw Reiya Hazuki, holding a single yellow pipe and playing a duet with another student.

He had heard this melody in the pavilion on the hill near the gate of Yushan School.

"Yushan will win four gold medals in a row this year."

When I heard it, I could only think this way. There were also students from other schools nearby who said this.