The moment the ensemble finished, no one looked at Taki, waiting for the verdict that they had been waiting for. Instead, they all looked at Mizuto in awe, still recalling the sound he produced with his oboe.
That sound... was just too stunning.
When everyone was shocked by Mizuto's skill and wondered whether his previous act of acting like a newbie was his play of the pig eating the tiger, Mizore looked at Mizuto with a smile, happy with his growth.
Still, at the same time, many also lowered their heads since they knew how horrible their play was when compared to Mizuto's. They could act like the best before, but when there was a comparison, they wanted to hide their face since they became nothing but a burden, but—
*Clap!*
Taki clapped his hands to attract everyone's attention. "Good job. You guys have made a lot more improvements than before. While I have to admit that there are many parts that you need to improve if I were too nitpicky, I could say more, but more than anything, that was an ensemble."
Yes, Mizuto's play was amazing, and the others weren't bad. Moreover, their improvement was much more than before, especially when Mizuto was around. Still, since everyone had done their best, Taki also needed to do his best.
"Ogasawara-san (the leader of the concert band club), please share this with everyone."
Still, while Taki was happy to get Mizuto, who could become a secret weapon of the concert band club, an oboe couldn't be played on the SunFest, so he could only wait until the prefectural competition to show Mizuto's oboe skill.
Mizuto also knew that he hadn't played on the SunFest since he had played an oboe. He was also a guy, so it was impossible for him to be a color guard, a section of a marching band that tossed, spun, and twirled objects in sync with the band's music since that role was mostly taken by a girl.
This SunFest, he was in charge of taking care of logistics, lifting items, or something similar.
Yet, he had to say, when he saw the schedule for the practice, he couldn't help but shudder. It was simply Sparta training seven days a week; there was no break. This might not be much different from a sports club, which made him helpless, especially when he often played around, but since he had decided to choose this club, then he had to hold on.
Still, with the momentum that came from Mizuto's oboe play, Taki didn't waste it and continued to talk about his intention to bring a surprise to everyone at the SunFest.
Yet, with all of that, the concert band club was going to start now.
"Irido-kun, how did you do it?" Taki asked curiously.
"I did my best."
Mizuto's answer was simple, but there was no doubt that it made Taki speechless.
Did you do your best?
If something can be solved with hard work, then how peaceful can the world be?
Still, if there was something that could make Mizuto turn from a newbie who knew nothing about an oboe into a seasoned oboe player, then there was only one answer.
Talent.
It was cruel, but there was no doubt that this was the only answer.
Albert Einstein had said, "Genius is 1% talent and 99% percent hard work."
In other words, no matter how hard one worked, it was impossible for one to reach 100% without 1% of talent.
Still, in Mizuto's case, it might be "50% of talent and 50% of hard work."
By then, his play would have exploded directly.
Yet, the concert band wasn't a one-man play. It was a group play.
While Mizuto's play might have surprised him, Taki knew that he couldn't ignore the others. Yet, in his mind, many possibilities had appeared, and the thought of "Nationals" wouldn't be only just entering but something more significant, yet before that, everyone had to pass the SunFest first.
There wasn't much time before SunFest, and Taki quickly prepared everyone to train.
Mizuto, who didn't participate in the SunFest, also did his training solo with his oboe after he talked with Katou Hazuki, Sapphire Kawashima, and his other acquaintances in the concert band club. He could see that Kumiko Oumae wanted to talk with him, but after she saw him dating Akatsuki and Reina at the same time, their relationship became distant, and she hardly approached him.
Mizuto also didn't force this relationship since if they couldn't become close, then that's it.
Still, if there was a reason why Mizore didn't join him, it was because she was part of the guard color, so she had to train the outside reluctantly since she had to part with him.
So, during this moment, Mizuto also had a rare quiet time, during which he did his training alone. This should be the case, but when he played his oboe, he knew that someone was listening to his play while hiding. It definitely wasn't Akatsuki since Akatsuki wasn't so clumsy, and she told him that she was going to spend girl time with Yume, Kanai, and Maki. It was just when he was doing his training seriously that a loud sound as if something had fallen interrupted him.
"Who?"
Mizuto turned and saw a familiar petite girl, Asuhain Rain; the fake big boobs girl, Aisa Aso; and the girl with the most presence on the student council, Suzuri Kurenai. The three girls from the student council were there, falling to the ground while looking at him embarrassedly.
"He-Hello..."
"Hehehe..."
"Good evening, Irido-kun."
"...what are you guys doing here?" Mizuto asked speechlessly. He was kind enough to ignore them, but he didn't expect that they would be so clumsy and fall like that.
"Sorry to bother you during your practice. I have heard that you have joined the concert band club, but I didn't expect that you would really join," Suzuri said while approaching him.
"Is that how you see me?" Mizuto was speechless.
"But your play is amazing~! Aisa is impressed~!" Aisa had to admit that Mizuto's play was amazing.
"It will be even more amazing in the future."
"I can't wait to hear that." Suzuri nodded. "If you can bring gold from the "Nationals," then even if your "History Research Club" doesn't produce any results and is just a place for you to laze around, then I don't mind letting it go."
"...did you think that my club is just a place to play around?" Mizuto was speechless, but his heart skipped a bit, thinking that this young woman was as sharp as ever.
"You are not?"
"I am really interested in history," Mizuto said solemnly.
"Then, let's leave it like that."
Suzuri nodded, but whether she believed it or not, it was hard to say.
Yet, Mizuto didn't care much since he had a place to have sex; it didn't matter, but then again, why did this girl suddenly think that the "History Research Club" was a place for him to play around?
"Why did you think it that way so suddenly?"
"Well... Joe, you know that male student who came with us at that time, right?"
"Oh, the guy who suddenly shouted strangely?"
Inwardly, Mizuto was sure that Joji had never expected Suzuri to say this to him. However, since Joji had targeted him, don't blame him for revenge.
"...yeah, that one." Frankly, Suzuri felt strange because of the sudden change in Joji Haba, the guy with whom she had fallen.
"Why did he suddenly say that?" Mizuto asked curiously.
"I am not sure. He told me that he thought you used that place to play around," Suzuri said honestly without hiding anything.
"Huh? Really? Did he say that?" Aisa was dumbfounded since she couldn't imagine the quiet male student who always stayed in the shadow like Kuroko on the Kuroko no Basket would say that. Still, it seemed that she couldn't judge someone on their outer appearance.
"Huh? How could he say that?! There is no way for Irido-kun to do that, right?" Ran was the one who reacted strongly.
'Sorry, I really did that,' Mizuto apologized inside his heart, but he didn't say anything.
"Did I make him angry or something?" Mizuto asked curiously with a pained expression.
"...."
Watching this expression, they couldn't bear it.
"No, you shouldn't, but you don't need to worry. I will fix this misunderstanding," Suzuki said. "And I won't misunderstand you again, Irido-kun."
"Thank you, Senpai."
Watching this smile, Suzuri blushed, but then she thought of something and asked, "By the way, can I ask something?"
"Sure."
"Do you really have a girlfriend?"
When this question was asked by Suzuri, Ran and Aisa quickly stared at Mizuto quickly, wondering how he would answer. After all, before they came, they concluded that he made such an answer because he didn't want to give a scar to the girl who confessed to him and stopped everyone from bothering him since he wanted to focus on learning the oboe.
Watching their expressions, Mizuto sighed inwardly, but he nodded and said, "Yes, I do."
At that moment, something broke within the three girls, and they quickly excused themselves after they told him to do his best.
Mizuto wasn't going to keep them from staying and just let himself go with the flow. As for how their relationship was going to form in the future, let the future decide, but there was no doubt it was inappropriate for someone with a girlfriend to approach another girl.
Still, he could think about those girls later and focus on the training oboe.
Moreover, on Friday night, after his training, he had to go to the Kyoto station and wait for someone.
"Mizuto!"
Hearing his name being called, Mizuto turned, but then something moved at a fast speed before smashing into him.
"Ugh..."
Mizuto grimaced since his solar plexus was hit once again.
"I miss you."
However, watching the girl, who hugged him tightly without any intention of letting him go, Mizuto looked at her helplessly and hugged her back. "I miss you too, Utaha."