Chapter 419

However, they already knew she would most likely participate. Why? Not only because she likes to join in the fun and isn't afraid of what others think, but also because she comes from a single-parent family and is short of pocket money.

But to their surprise, the first one to go on stage wasn't any of them, nor was it someone from another school, but rather...

"Tsukamoto student, could I borrow your Trombone for a moment?"

"Taki Noboru, walk over to Tsukamoto Shuichi and say, 'Where are the boys 'Trombone?'"

"Huh? Ah, okay!"

Tsukamoto Shuichi moment, then handed him the Trombone.

The others around quickly realized what was happening and began asking questions amidst a noisy, gossipy atmosphere:

"Hey? Teacher, are you going up?"

"Really?!"

"This is the first time I've heard my teacher play this instrument..."

"..."

Well, I've become a little interested.

Taki Noboru left with his usual kind smile, not giving them much time to make a fuss, and walked straight toward the small mound in front of him.

"Excuse me, thank you..."

Seeing his figure and hearing the announcements from the boys behind him, everyone knew that their advisor was going to perform, and they all looked on with curiosity and excitement.

"This is the first time I've ever seen a teacher play this instrument."

"Me too!"

"So, the instrument he used to play was the Trombone..."

"What will it be like? I'm so curious!"

"Even teachers can't resist the temptation of 10,000 yen?"

Have you heard of Teacher Matsumoto?

"No, I didn't... be quiet! What kind of behavior is this, making such a racket!"

"..."

Behind her, Kōsaka Reina pursed her lips, her eyes fixed on the back of Taki Noboru, who had gone on stage before her.

"Hmm~ As expected of a teacher! She really has guts!"

Beside her, Tanaka Asuka gave a thumbs-up, praising her with a grin.

"As students, we can't fall behind! Oumae-chan ~ Let's go up together!"

"Huh? Why do I have to...?"

"Because you and I are Euphonium?"

"Where is Natsuki Senpai?!"

"Ah~ she's been unable to see anyone since the beginning~"

"No!!"

"Objection overruled! This is an order from the Vice President and the Team Leader!"

"Please don't only use this power when you're feeling happy..."

"..."

On the mound, Takigatsu, standing next to Taki Noboru Himemiya Chihaya, asked softly, his voice almost drowned out by the surrounding noise, "May I ask, advisor, please?"

"Certainly!"

Himemiya Chihaya raised an eyebrow, a little surprised that he was the first one to come up, but she still nodded with a smile, "Anyone can do it as long as they can bring joy to everyone!"

"Thanks,"

Taki Noboru smiled and nodded, adjusting his glasses. "But can I change the reward? I want something else."

"Hmm? Like what?"

Himemiya Chihaya.

"Like answering a question or something -- oh, don't worry, it won't be anything like a privacy issue."

"Oh, I see. No problem then!"

"Thank you, I'll begin then."

Conversations between boys are very brief, or rather Taki Noboru is not a particularly eloquent person who can chat easily with strangers.

He raised his Trombone, put the mouthpiece to his lips, and assumed the posture for the game to begin.

Upon seeing this action, the surrounding audience instantly shifted from their initial excitement at being the first to try something new to basic politeness, and began to listen attentively.

The slow, calm sound of the Trombone drifted across the sky. Without accompaniment, it sounded rather monotonous and lonely, but that did not diminish the performer's skill.

The rich skills and emotions conveyed brought a different feeling to the audience below than before.

The lonely, gentle melody seemed to be mourning and remembering someone...

Himemiya Chihaya glanced at his calm eyes hidden behind his glasses, as if she could see the sadness and memories concealed beneath that indifference.

He silently closed his crimson eyes, listening quietly to his playing.

Below, some people who knew the song title were whispering among themselves:

"It's the Sicilienne!"

"Wow, that's amazing! Not a single mistake or error. You're even better than our consultant!"

"You want a beating, don't you, Yamada?"

"Teacher! When did you arrive?!"

"..."

In Kitauji.

"Teacher Taki is really amazing!"

"Hmph, as bad as her personality is, she still has some strength."

"But our strength has indeed increased, hasn't it?"

"That can't hide his Spartan nature!"

"But I feel like I'm still not as good as the silver-haired one. Is it just my imagination?"

"Actually—I think so too..."

"..."

Hearing the whispers around her, Kōsaka Reina, who already knew Taki Noboru's strength, alternated between pride and indignation... In the end, she decided to ignore those people and keep quiet.

Soon, Taki Noboru's performance ended, and everyone on the stage, including Himemiya Chihaya, gave him a warm round of applause.

Taki Noboru held his Trombone in front of him and bowed several times to those around him, as if he were in a concert hall.

"A very beautiful and melodious voice, with very delicate emotions, absolutely fantastic!"

Himemiya Chihaya clapped her hands to express her praise.

This wasn't just flattery; he genuinely felt that way.

"That's great! I was worried that my skills wouldn't meet your standards."

Taki Noboru pretended to pat his chest.

"You flatter me. Your skills are quite good. Also, there's no need for honorifics; I'm not that old."

After saying that, he Hands and clapped them vigorously, as if announcing to the crowd below that it was time to move on to the next segment.

"Stop! As the first performer, what's your question?"

Those in the distance could only hear vaguely, but the onlookers closer were quite interested and equally curious about what questions he would ask.

"Ah, okay."

Taki Noboru considered his words carefully before asking, "May I ask the names of the two pieces you played earlier?"

"It all sounds like an arrangement of a famous piece, but I don't think I've ever heard of it before, and who is the composer...?"

For him, who had a stable job, a good family background, and was a widow with no children, the allure of 10,000 yen was far less important than this question.

As a teacher, this question wasn't just for himself, but also for all the students who had just asked him.

Himemiya Chihaya nodded slightly. As expected, he knew someone would take this opportunity to ask about it, but he didn't expect her to be the first one.

"The second song is called 'My Heart Will Go On,' and the first song... I'm sorry, I haven't thought of a name yet."

He scratched the back of his head and gave an apologetic look.

Chapter 391 Sound the Euphonium!

"Not having thought it through means..."

The other person's eyes widened behind their glasses, first with confusion, then surprise, and finally shock, as they seemed to have figured out the meaning of those words.

"It means exactly what you're thinking."

Himemiya Chihaya twirled the Saxophone, making it circle in her hand as she used to with Oboe, challenging the nerves of the crowd below and eliciting soft gasps from some of them.

"These two pieces are my own compositions, so they haven't been released online yet."

The second song, needless to say, was a classic he copied from his memory, but the first song was indeed something he created himself when he was bored while learning music. However, being someone who had always been out of touch with the world, he had no intention of uploading it to the internet.

So it still doesn't have a name.

The accompaniment playing in the speakers was the same music he had planned to perform at this time and place while he was in Tokyo, which he had prepared a few days in advance.

Taki Noboru was so shocked that his scalp tingled, and he couldn't help but swallow hard. If he had been told that it was a composition by a famous foreign composer, he could have accepted it, but the other party actually said that it was his own composition?

The other person clearly looked very young, even younger than him...

His reaction caused an uproar among those around him, who spread the news rapidly and anxiously, creating an even greater sensation.

"I see, thank you for your answer."

Taki Noboru smiled wryly and agreed with the answer; after all, there's never a shortage of geniuses in the world of music.

"You're really amazing! My name is Taki Noboru. May I ask your name?"

He was certain that this young man would soon rise to fame.

"Himemiya Chihaya."

Sakurakoji Talent thought to himself with a chuckle, "Unless he uses this stage name to release his own music, then..."

"Hmm, it doesn't seem like it's not a bad idea after all?" He tilted his head.

Instead of coming up with a bunch of complicated names, isn't it more convenient to just use the ones that already exist?

Never mind, that's for later, it's irrelevant now.

He tossed his hair, ignoring it.

Others might be shocked, but he didn't seem to feel anything.

He had said long ago that his knowledge of music theory was even higher than his performance level.

In terms of performance proficiency, he may not be as good as a professional virtuoso like Touma Yoko, but music theory and composition are two different things.

Creative content doesn't require repetitive and tedious practice... Other industry leaders may not have the time or talent to learn other fields, but he does, doesn't he?

Do you really think design masters just draw useless blueprints repeatedly? What a joke!

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Hinomiya -san."

After giving him a slight nod, Taki Noboru returned to his school.

Next, several more interested students squeezed up with their instruments, but the results were mostly unsatisfactory.

It's common for people to stumble and fall while playing due to nervousness, and even if someone manages to finish, they often miss out on the prize because their technique isn't good enough.

This momentarily dampened the enthusiasm of the students below, who looked at each other in bewilderment, and for a moment no one dared to go up.