Everyone was at a loss when they heard Taki's words.
Mizuto was even more so, and his expression clearly said, "What the hell did this guy say?!"
However, his mental strength had always been good.
Mizuto took a deep breath and asked, "Do you want me to play the tenor sax?"
"Yes." Taki nodded.
"Even though you told me to learn the oboe in the beginning?"
His training with the oboe was hard. His mouth and lips were all numb from training with it, considering how hard it was to learn. While the "Musician" job enabled him to learn the oboe faster, he wanted to go beyond it, so even though he had reached the professional level, he wasn't satisfied with it.
However, after all of that training, this guy told him to play the tenor sax.
Don't be kidding me!
You might as well tell me to learn the tenor sax from the beginning, then!
Yet, Mizuto also knew no one could have expected this problem.
Oboe player was hard to find, so Taki thought to ask Mizuto to learn the oboe.
As for the tenor sax, even though Saito was the only player, it wouldn't be difficult to find its player in the next year. Yet, this situation had happened, so there no one could predict it.
"I am sorry." Taki apologized and even bowed his head deeply since he knew that he was the one who asked Mizuto to learn an oboe. He also had seen how hard Mizuto's train was, and suddenly, he told him to play the tenor sax. There was no doubt that his decision was so abrupt and caused a big problem for Mizuto, but—
"But we need someone to play the tenor sax, so please answer us. Can you play the tenor sax or not, Irido-kun?"
Mizuto could feel all the eyes were on him. While he was helpless, he nodded. "I can."
"OOOOOOH!"
Everyone was excited at that moment, as if the sadness and frustration that came from how Aoi had quit had never happened. On the outside, Saito might hear their conversation, but no one cared since Saito didn't care about them, so why should they care?
Not only did Saito have to face the entrance exam, but many of the third-year students were even more so, yet they didn't quit and continued to study and practice.
So, when Saito decided to quiet down, many were mostly angry, but they couldn't say anything since it was Saito's decision. Moreover, like Taki, they knew that trying to retain Saito was nothing good, especially when one didn't have the intention to try.
If Saito continued to stay, it would bring more harm than good.
"How is your skill with the tenor sax?" Taki asked hurriedly.
"It should be worse than my oboe."
Yes, due to the "Musician" job, Mizuto could play all the musical instruments in the concert band club, especially when he continued to observe the others playing with their respective instruments, but naturally, his skill wasn't as good as when he was with his oboe since he never trained. Still, he knew that he could play the tenor sax. Even if his play didn't reach the professional level, it was enough to take Saito's role since this girl's skill wasn't that good to begin with.
"Anyone, can you bring the spare tenor sax?"
"I will do it!" Asuka Tanaka, his secret lover, raised her hand and quickly left the clubroom.
"....."
Mizuto looked at Asuka speechless, but he didn't say anything since he knew that among all the people in this clubroom, she was the most troubled by Saito's decision to quit, especially when Asuka was the one who wished to play the most in the competition.
"Will you move to the tenor sax?" Mizore, who sat by his side, asked sadly. She didn't doubt that Mizuto could play the tenor sax, especially when she knew how talented he was, but if he moved to the tenor sax, then they couldn't play together, right?
"It will be fine. I am the only member, anyway. I can reach out to you anytime, and since I am changing into another position, we might be able to play a duet later."
"That's not a bad idea..." Mizore nodded quietly, then said, "Don't seduce the girls on the sax. If you need someone to comfort, then tell me." While she didn't want to help him seduce others, there were second graders among the sax group, and she didn't want his love for her to be divided by those girls.
What about the third graders? They had to study and participate in the practice, and when all of that was over, they would graduate, so it didn't matter to Mizore.
"....."
Mizuto's lips twitched.
Meanwhile, Asuka, who had just come out of the clubroom, saw Kumiko, Saito, and Haruka confront each other.
Kumiko and Haruka asked Saito why she decided to quit, and she didn't want to say much because it was uncomfortable to be asked this question.
Still, when Asuka came, Kumiko and Haruka looked at her expectantly, thinking that Asuka would do something about Saito's situation.
Unfortunately, Asuka didn't say much and only said, "You guys hurry up and go back. It's time to practice."
"....." 2x
Haruka and Kumiko were speechless, but Saito looked bitter and also thought that her decision was correct to leave. "Then, I will leave first. I won't bother with your training."
Saito thought that Asuka would say something, but Asuka didn't, and she tried to hold her. She showed a bitter smile, then left, feeling slightly hurt by her indifference.
"Asuka, are you okay with this? You don't even say anything to Aoi-chan!" Haruka felt that her friend was too cold.
"Everyone is serious about going to the competition. While I know that you can't accept it, do you want to go out of training for the past few months to go on draining and become a waste? I know that I am cold, but... I still want to play in the competition, and I am sure that everyone is like this. Are you not?" Asuka looked at Haruka with a gentle expression.
"That's..."
Like others, Haruka also wanted to get better, play on the larger stage, and enter the Nationals, so even if she was awkward, she tried to retain Saito since Saito was the only tenor sax player.
"Moreover, she isn't the only one who is troubled by the entrance exam. We're too, and that's her decision. Forcing her into the club will not give any good."
"As expected... you are more suitable to become a leader than me..." Haruka once again entered a depressive state, watching how capable Asuka was.
Asuka rolled her eyes and said, "Stop saying something stupid. Hurry up and go back!"
"Where are you going?" Haruka held her tears while asking curiously.
"I am going to get a spare tenor sax."
"Huh? Why?" Not only Haruka but Kumiko, who never left, was also confused.
"Of course, someone is going to play it," Asuka rolled her eyes and said, "Anyway, come back first. You will understand later. Don't waste your time thinking about those things. Just focus on the play."
Yes, it was impossible for her to give up!
Asuka was going to play in the competition no matter what!
Yet, Haruka and Kumiko became curious, so they quickly returned to the concert band club, wondering what was happening.
On the other hand, Saito, who secretly hid, heard their conversation, which caused her to raise her brows.
Who?
Who played the tenor sax?
Saito was confused and became anxious somehow. While it was true that she decided to quit, when everyone became indifferent toward her and just decided to move on, she felt hurt and abandoned somehow.
Yet, as Saito had quit, no one paid attention to her, and their focus quickly turned to Mizuto, who held the tenor sax in his hands.
"Ah, there is no mouthpiece!" One of them quickly noticed.
"Ogasawara-san, can you lend him your mouthpiece first? While it is different, it is quite similar after all," Taki said.
While Mizuto and Haruka were speechless, their reasons for being so were different.
Mizuto was speechless since he had to play the tenor sax with an alto sax mouthpiece, but Haruka was speechless since her mouthpiece, something that she put in her mouth, would be put in his mouth.
"I-I will wash it first!"
Haruka was strangely excited.
"..." Mizuto.
Still, while there was an accident in the end, Mizuto held the tenor sax and blew it for the first time. Due to the different mouthpieces, the sound became warmer, but the projection had become limited.
However, everyone who listened to his noise closed their eyes and enjoyed this sexy, smooth play.
Taki, who also closed his eyes, enjoyed the sound, then said, "Irido-kun, please play the tenor sax."
"Yes."
With that firm answer, everyone sighed in relief that their upcoming competition was what they were looking for!