Before entering the hotel where he was staying, Tetsufumi Hirakawa stood in front of the door for a moment.

Mixed thoughts.

Obviously, the national competition is just around the corner, however, as an instructor, he can't calm down at all for various other reasons, and his mind can't be completely focused on this competition, so if you think about it, it's really a little incompetent.

It's just that he can't do anything, after all, this feeling of coming to an end as time gets closer is really bad.

Before, he had ignored a lot of things, but now, the national competition is coming, and he has nothing to do.

Before this kind of pressure, it is idle again, and it is difficult to control not to think about it.

But...... Let's just leave it at that, wait until tomorrow the game is over, no matter what the result is, it's almost over, and the rest of the matter has nothing to do with him, go back and seriously complete the agreement with Amamiya Night, and everything will be relieved.

Well, relieved.

Now he is not suitable to be a teacher, and being in this position will only add to his troubles.

Tetsufumi Hirakawa, who was standing in front of the hotel with a cold breeze blowing, made a decision, and then, he entered the hotel door, and the cool wind was blocked out and returned to warmth.

……

Not long after walking, he stepped on the stairs upstairs when Tetsufumi Hirakawa suddenly stopped.

Above him, on the stairs, came a girl in Moriya's uniform, her impeccable appearance was eye-catching, but in such an environment, Hirakawa Tetsufumi just wanted to avoid it.

“……”

“……”

There was some silence in the stairwell, and there was no sound of footsteps.

Shiori Shinohara's footsteps also stopped slightly, although his expression did not fluctuate much, but there was also a little surprise in his eyes, probably surprised that he would meet him like this, and he also looked like he had returned from a trip.

However, this pause was only for a moment, and after a moment of silence, both of them reacted separately.

Shiori Shinohara on the stairs bowed slightly: "Hirakawa-sensei." ”

Tetsufumi Hirakawa, who came back to his senses, nodded: "Well, Shinohara-san." ”

Then, the sound of footsteps continued.

"Stomp, stomp."

Tetsufumi Hirakawa walked up, Shiori Shinohara went down, and the two staggered sideways.

“……”

To be honest, the atmosphere is very depressing.

This kind of encounter with Shiori Shinohara alone in one place will remind him of many memories that he will never forget.

It makes people want to escape.

There is no doubt that this kind of thinking is unhealthy, because, if you really let go, they are just teachers and students.

His thoughts just show that he can't let go.

“……”

When passing by Shiori Shinohara, Tetsufumi Hirakawa didn't know what to think and stopped again.

He turned around and looked at Shiori Shinohara's back as she went downstairs.

The long hair swayed gently behind the eldest lady, and the beautiful back was the same as before.

"The ......"

Tetsufumi Hirakawa opened his mouth and stopped her.

"Shinohara-san, are you going to ......?"

“……”

The eldest lady who was stopped by him turned around to look at him, but it could be seen that the surprise at his accosting was not only limited to her eyes, but also revealed in her expression.

His sudden accosting was naturally unexpected, and in fact it was also unexpected by Tetsufumi Hirakawa himself.

Sometimes people will do something inexplicable and they don't understand for some inexplicable reason.

"Uh......"

After exiting, facing Shiori Shinohara's gaze, Tetsufumi Hirakawa regretted speaking again.

But since it's all said......

He could only continue to talk and add.

"That's it...... As an instructor, yes, instructor, tomorrow is the national competition, so you have to know what the students are going to do. ”

Whew-

Found a reason.

In this way, Tetsufumi Hirakawa looked at Shiori Shinohara, waiting for the girl's reply.

She quickly detached herself from the surprise of the sudden accosting.

She raised the sheet music in her hand.

"The room is a little noisy, I want to find a quiet place."

"That's ......"

"Well, is there anything else Hirakawa-sensei?"

“…… Nope. ”

"Then Shiori is gone."

“……”

Tetsufumi Hirakawa looked at the girl who was about to turn around and leave, and was a little speechless for a while.

It's just that the thought of 'let's say something at the end' made him say something at the end.

“…… Well, tomorrow's national competition, come on. ”

"Okay."

Shiori Shinohara nodded quickly, and when she turned to leave, the long hair behind her back threw an arc in mid-air and disappeared from Tetsufumi Hirakawa's field of vision.

“……”

Tetsufumi Hirakawa, who stayed in place, smiled a little bitterly.

In fact, this sentence just now was not what he originally wanted to say, but when the words came to his lips, it became like this.

It's really ......

He stood in place for a few more seconds, and then, Tetsufumi Hirakawa also turned around and walked upstairs.

……

The time of the night passed quickly.

The date is October 26th, and the annual All Japan Wind Music Competition, which represents the top level of wind band clubs in various universities, has arrived as scheduled.

Countless students have been practicing for a whole year – perhaps even longer, just for this competition.

For example, those third-graders, their entire high school career, was spent with wind music, and this was their last competition.

"Today's game, please."

The head of the Moriya Wind Club, Aika Morimura, stood in front of the students lined up and bowed deeply.

"This is the last time our third graders compete."

After getting up, he glanced at the other students with an extremely earnest gaze.

"Everyone should also know that our Moriya has achieved results before."

"Even though in the first two years, since I joined the Moriya Wind Club, I have entered the national competition, and I have stood on that field."

"But...... The first two times we didn't win the national gold medal. ”

"I think that since I can stand on the stage of the national competition, there should be no one who doesn't want to win the gold medal, right?"

"It's already this time, no one should think that as long as the bronze or silver award is satisfied, right?"

"In that case, please everyone, come on!"

"Our goal is—"

The minister waved her hand.

"Gold!"

Some students waved their hands as well.

"That's right, Gold!"

Aika Nakamura withdrew her hand with a smile on her face.

"I'll tell you the truth, everyone, as a third-year student who has been in Moriya for three years and participated in three competitions."

"In the first two competitions, even though the goal was to win a national gold medal, what about it...... In fact, many people, including me, should not dare to have too much expectations for it, right? ”

"After all, as long as we stand on that arena and be honest, we can feel that there is a gap between us and those universities that can win the gold medal."

"I think some of the students present who are also in the third grade should be able to feel the same way as me."

"Aijia is right." Ahead, a third-grader replied.

"Hmm."

Aika Duty Village nodded, and then smiled, "But I'm not saying this now, it's not to discourage everyone's confidence. ”

"What I want to say is that the first two failures, although no matter how unwilling they are, can only be discouraged in the face of the gap."

"But this time, I felt a completely different atmosphere from last year and the year before that."

"What kind of breath?"

Wave your hand again and ask yourself questions.

"I think we have a chance to win the gold medal this year!"

"That's right, this time, I did feel this way, or did I have a third-year classmate who thought the same thing, right?"

"Yes!" There were several third-graders who responded, more than the one who had just answered the question.

"Look, sure enough."

Aika Duty Village looked at the few of her classmates who raised their hands, and her smile became a little brighter.

"Because of us this year, we've really improved a lot."

"The first-year students may not be very clear, and the second-year students may not feel it very obviously, but those of us who have practiced for three years can really feel the progress in the past three years."

"Compared with the year before and last year, this year's progress is really quite big, so big, the national gold medal that I felt difficult to get in the previous time does not seem to be so far away."

"Third graders, am I right?"

"That's right!" More third-graders answered, and their voices became louder.

"So, ladies and gentlemen, in today's competition, please everyone, play your best and win the gold medal!"

"Win the Gold Award!"

Dozens of youthful and energetic female high school students shouted earnestly together, and the crisp voice swept by, and passers-by were attracted to the attention.

"This time, I don't want to live up to Mr. Ogasa's hard work all the time, such a cute music consultant, do other schools have it?"

"Eh——?" Suzuko Ogasa, who was standing aside and looking at the minister's morale-boosting spirits, was suddenly surprised when she heard her name.

The students below laughed, and the seriousness eased slightly.

"Nope!"

Several active girls shouted, "Ogasa-sensei is very cute, and her usual guidance is also very good. ”

"That's right!"

The minister looked at Suzuko Ogasa, who was a little shy in the compliment, and nodded with a smile.

"Of course, it's not just Ogasa-sensei, but also Hirakawa-sensei."

“…… Do you still have a role for me? Tetsufumi Hirakawa was also stunned for a moment.

"Of course, Mr. Hirakawa has been practicing with us this year, and has done so many things for us silently, of course we can't miss it."

The minister said to him, and then turned to the students.

"Although Mr. Hirakawa didn't exist at all last year, everyone may not be familiar with him."

"This year, when I explained to the first-year students that there was an instructor, there were second- and third-year students who were surprised and asked, 'Huh? Are you sure? ', like this. ”

Aika Saka looked a little funny in the tone of these students.

The laughter was louder.

"That's right, that's me,"

"Me too!"

"I didn't notice it at all last year."

“……”

In the midst of laughter, Tetsufumi Hirakawa looked at the sky with some embarrassment - the weather was not bad today, the sun and clouds were just right.

Aika Duty Village was also laughing, and then continued with a smile.

"Of course, this was only last year, and presumably next year, no one will say, 'Eh, who is Hirakawa-sensei?' That's it, right? ”

"Well, definitely not." Several students laughed and replied.

"This year, although Mr. Hirakawa did not guide us in music, he also did a lot of things for us in other places, accompanying us to practice, roadshows, sleeping together, and all kinds of things were arranged by him."

"Of course, our progress this year is inseparable from the help of Mr. Hirakawa."

"So, let's let Mr. Hirakawa and Mr. Ogasa say something."

“……”

Tetsufumi Hirakawa withdrew his gaze from the sky and smiled a little embarrassedly under the gaze of the student.

Suzuko Ogasa, the petite and cute music advisor, was a little shy because of the students' few compliments, although she was happy.

"That...... All right. ”

In this way, the female teacher next to her didn't seem to have any idea of wanting to speak, so it could only be Tetsufumi Hirakawa.

"Ahem."

glanced at the minister who retreated to the side, then looked at the students, cleared his throat, and at this point in time when the game was about to be held, facing the dozens of students in front of him, as an instructor, he wanted to say something.

After a moment of taking advantage of the time to look at the students, he spoke.

"First of all, I would like to thank Minister Duty for his recognition of my work last year, and I have been really painstakingly proposed to enliven the atmosphere."

A helpless self-deprecation made the students below laugh.

"Well, but there's no way, I can't refute it, it's a fact after all."

"Now that I think about it, I didn't come to this arena with you last year, and it's a bit of a pity."

"Fortunately, I was not absent this year, and I am very happy to be able to come to the national competition with you as an instructor."

"And about this competition, to be honest, I agree with the statement of the village-classmate, and I think we definitely have a chance to win the national gold medal."

"Ogasa-sensei, what do you think?" Tetsufumi Hirakawa looked at Ogasa Suzukiko.

"Huh? I? This one...... Be! Ogasa Suzukiko, who was suddenly asked, panicked for a moment, and then said loudly.

"You see, yes, Ogasa-sensei agrees with that." Tetsufumi Hirakawa, who has received professional recognition, re-faced the students with an encouraging smile.

"So, ladies and gentlemen, come on in the upcoming national competition!"

"In the face of the gold award, we are not hopeless, everyone who has practiced hard for so long is qualified to bring the gold medal back, what do you think?"

"Yes!"

The atmosphere was warm, and the voice of answers, after the Minister and his encouragement, reached its highest point.

"That's right, everyone, there is a chance to win the gold award." Ogasa Suzukiko is also talking.

"Come on, everyone!"

"Come on!"

The loud cheers rang out in Nagoya in October, heading for the national competition.

The game started right away.

Tetsufumi Hirakawa, who got in the car, put away everything else at this time.

Now, let's focus on the national competition.