stonecrandall Page 4
Page 4
Can't go wrong.
—This woman kept comforting me; there's no doubt she likes me.
"What's the actual situation? Could it be that they couldn't find work in their home state, which is why they came to Hokkaido?"
Upon hearing his teasing words, Shinomiya Haruka's lips blossomed into a small smile, like a blooming violet.
"It's not that bad yet. I'm just coming back to run my dad's music store. It would be a shame to sell it."
Kitahara Hakuba's heart sank.
I thought I'd found a kindred spirit, but it turns out she's just come back to inherit the family business...
Shinomiya Haruka looked at him with her light brown eyes, raised her hand to smooth a strand of hair at her temple, and said:
"I still can't believe that you, Kitahara, actually became a teacher. Everyone says that high school students are the most difficult to manage, and they're a real headache."
Kitahara Hakuba smiled, and said in a way that sounded like he was trying to make the best of a bad situation:
"It's alright, and most of the members in the brass band are girls, so it's quite comfortable to get along with them."
In fact, for him, junior high school students are the most difficult to manage.
"Oh, no wonder." Shinomiya Haruka cast a meaningful glance. "I finally understand. Men, no matter how old, always like innocent high school girls~~~"
"..."
Seeing Kitahara Hakuma's somewhat unsure how to react, Shinomiya Haruka revealed a sly yet perfect smile:
"By the way, what are your plans for the Hokkaido Music Carnival and the Asahikawa Music Festival?"
The Hokkaido Music Parade is a long-standing wind instrument parade held in Asahikawa City in early June. It attracts more than 4,000 participants every year, making it a truly grand event.
The Asahikawa Music Festival is a week-long music festival held after the marching procession.
Shin-Asahi Private High School consistently ranks first among high school students in the Hakodate branch of the Hokkaido Brass Band Federation, and has received an invitation from a music connoisseur, albeit a paid one.
Kitahara Hakuba is unsure of the exact amount, but this money will definitely be allocated to the department for planning purposes.
“I won’t go to The Great March. They can’t even play it properly while sitting, let alone add the action of stepping out at the same angle, time, and direction.”
"Oh dear, Kitahara, you really are something!"
Shinomiya Haruka raised her elbow and gently nudged his arm, feigning a complaint, and said...
"He has absolutely no idea what girls are thinking."
"What are you thinking about?"
"The marching uniforms are so cute! Just imagine, a pretty skirt fluttering in the wind, with a young girl's thighs and various stockings showing below, doesn't that look amazing?"
Ok?
Kitahara Hakuba raised an eyebrow.
No... you know what, once you think about it in your mind, you really do get a strong feeling about it.
"But......."
Kitahara Hakuba wanted to focus his time on seated playing, aiming to raise their level by at least five grades before the music festival in early June.
Between satisfying the girl's desires and achieving results early, Shinomiya Haruka directly made up her mind for him:
"Oh! As long as she's cute! Girls are very emotional, you know. They'll only listen to you when they're happy. Didn't you learn some psychology at school?"
While music education does include psychology instruction, it primarily focuses on the impact of music on emotions.
And this is just trying to figure out what girls are thinking, right?
Do you think I'm going to date them?
[Club Stage Mission: Win one of the following awards at the Hokkaido Music Festival: Best Conductor, Best Creativity, Best Arrangement, or Best Instrumental Performance]
[Reward: Five million yen, host has mastered all musical instruments]
Chapter 4.4. The Malice of the Strange World
Is this a new task, or a task for the club/organization phase?
Kitahara Hakuba raised an eyebrow slightly. The reward was generous, enough to cover several months of honest work for him...
"I'm talking to you." Shinomiya Haruka pouted.
"Um, I'm the one who taught them..."
"Teacher, do you know what I just saw at Rokkatei?"
"Wild men lining up to jump into the water."
Shinomiya Haruka gave him a coquettish glance, but couldn't help laughing out loud:
“I met a girl from your school there who said you weren’t qualified enough, there was no future with you, and you might as well leave the club.”
Upon hearing this, Kitahara Hakuba's hair stood on end.
"Huh?" His eyes widened. "Who said that?"
This is not a good thing. Opinions spread extremely easily, and if he fails to produce results, it will only confirm such claims.
At that point, let alone participating in the Hakodate regional conference, it's uncertain whether the A-level positions of all 55 members will be retained.
His former university professor once said that although people should build barrier-free interpersonal relationships based on understanding and respect, it is easier said than done.
This is why there is constant conflict in the world, and incomprehensible suffering can easily turn into hatred.
Thinking about this, Kitahara Hakuba's anger subsided somewhat, and he felt that what the girl said made sense. Rather than trusting a graduate like him, it would be better to trust the online course sellers.
“I won’t tell you that snitching is going too far, and that the child seems very well-mannered,” said Shinomiya Haruka.
"You've already told me, haven't you?"
Shinomiya Haruka stroked her chin, pondered for a moment, and said:
"...Although I neither like nor dislike her, I just feel very uncomfortable. That's enough. I won't go into her specific characteristics."
"You're quite gentle." Kitahara Hakuba smiled.
Shinomiya Haruka chuckled in agreement, lowering her head to gaze at the ground, as if measuring the distance between them.
What are you holding in your hand?
"The food I take away from the restaurant can be heated up and eaten in the evening."
"Oh... By the way, if you encounter any problems at school, you can come and ask me."
At that moment, a long whistle sounded from Hakodate Port, as if the dark clouds in the sky were about to be shattered.
Kitahara Hakuba fell silent. Shinomiya Haruka was not only proficient in the tuba during her university years, but also had great expertise in teaching bass instruments.
"Yes, if there's anything I don't understand, I'll definitely ask you."
The two walked side by side, the wind blowing in their faces carrying the scent of the sea, her hair swaying in the wind.
We arrived at a quiet intersection, and the sound of car tires rolling over the asphalt was remarkably smooth.
Haruka Shinomiya pointed to the left, her face a mixture of anticipation and unease, as a rough wind swept through them, raging between them.
"I'll go this way, what about you?"
Seeing this, Kitahara Hakuba silently pointed to the right.
She slightly loosened her thin lips, which were pressed into a line, and ruffled the ends of her chestnut hair with her fingertips, saying with a smile:
"This is what they mean by 'destined to meet but not to be together' in TV dramas. I've experienced it now. Goodbye."
"Goodbye."
-
Kitahara Hakuba rented a detached house in Hakodate. The house was only about 40 square meters and the monthly rent was 60,000 yen.
As a newly hired guidance consultant, his current monthly salary at the private school is just over 200,000.
In addition, there is a subsidy of 2,000 yen per day for going to the school for guidance on weekends, as well as various travel allowances, so the monthly income can be around 250,000 yen.
The house I rented in Hakodate City didn't have a yard, and the gate was only two meters away from the asphalt street, so I had to be careful when I went out.
Kitahara Hakuba stepped onto the three-story staircase, took out a key from his pocket, and opened the door.
Outside the door is a small rectangle made of reddish-orange bricks, inside which several clusters of small flowers bloom, yellow and white, gentle and pure.
After changing shoes in the entryway, you can see that the first floor is simply used for dining, while the second floor is the living room and master bedroom.
He put the takeout food into the microwave and selected the three-minute heating setting.
Before he could even rest after taking off his coat, Kitahara Hakuba opened his laptop to select pieces for the Asahikawa concert.
The brass band advisor plays a crucial role in the brass band, and it is no exaggeration to say that he is the leader who sets the tone for the entire department.
Countless schools have seen their wind music programs decline due to incompetent instructors.
Kitahara Hakuba naturally didn't want to become that kind of person.
But should we really listen to Shinomiya Haruka's opinion and let them have a good time first?
Just then, the cell phone on the table suddenly rang; someone was calling.
"Shinomiya? What's up?" Kitahara Hakuba held his phone between his shoulder and cheek, his hands tapping away at the keyboard.
"By the way, have you been to Mount Hakodate during your stay in Hakodate?" Shinomiya Haruka asked.
"Not yet, I don't have time at all." Kitahara Hakuba's gaze kept sweeping across the screen.
Judging from the level of the club president, Sakurako Yukawa, the overall level of the brass band is probably not very high. It would be better to choose a simpler marching band.
"Sing, Sing, Sing" is a great song; it's a hit by the band Benny Good Man. It's also featured in the movie "Swing Girls," so calling it a classic wouldn't be an exaggeration.
"How about we go up the mountain now? The night view here is one of the top three in the world."
"Now?"
"Yes, are you busy?"
Ding--
The microwave oven's timer beep was exceptionally crisp.
"Someone's looking for you?" came a puzzled voice from the phone.