I know they want to club to be full 'meritocracy' But Kumiko is pushing the new 3rd year girl a bit annoying. She even gives many outs that she doesn't mind making way for the longer standing members, and I get her, she just joined seemingly sudden and isn't as invested in the National goal as the rest.
I'm on the side of "do it for the experience" Sure, try as hard for nationals, but 90% of these 3rd year band members, this is going to be the last they're ever gonna do a marching band thing. Half might not attend college and just jump into the work force, and more than half of those won't be signing up for the much more competitive college marching band clubs. So having Kumiko who's been aiming hard for it for 3 years, and then lose out on the audition to this fresh 3rd year member who doesn't even want to take her spot is silly.
I guess its a reflection of Kumiko's view on music and if its that important to her and stuff. But that's my view on what's happening.
having Kumiko who's been aiming hard for it for 3 years, and then lose out on the audition to this fresh 3rd year member who doesn't even want to take her spot is silly.
What's she supposed to say, after she was Reina's main backer two years earlier, taking a solo away from the president who had been aiming hard for it for three years? I'm surprised that was never brought up.
Gee, after that episode, I showed up here eagerly anticipating another round of "Are Kumiko and Reina yuribait?" Imagine my disappointment.
This episode also shows the tension between two girls who have tendency to speak out their minds. Mayu Kuroe knows she is a better player than other students. When she says she is worry that others cannot make it, she indirectly says others are not good enough. Is her attitude the reason she got transferred to Kumiko's school? Kanade Hisaishi is known for questioning other people. She immediately points out that Mayu has the attitude problem. Kumiko is relieved after Kanade calms down.
The drama and tension built up nicely. Overall the auditions went smoothly. Mayu continued her uncertain stance, but continues to go along with it for now. Honestly it's really just a matter of time until we actually get into what the heck happened to her that's made her that uncomfortable. But we're not getting there now.
The good thing about the tension is it bringing the best out of some people. Kumiko rose to the occasion and I'm sure she gave a far better performance knowing she was up against someone of Mayu's level than if she was only dealing with Kanade and a first year.
Of course the odds are good now that Kumiko will lose that spot after the second audition since she can then triumphantly find herself and retake it through the final audition. But that's something to tackle later.
Good for Hazuki too. She worked her butt off for years and fell short so many times. But she didn't let the disappointment break her. She just kept working and finally earned her spot. Good on her .
And I kind of like the way Taki approached the tubas. While taking someone with less overall skill has it's pros/cons there is value to it. The pure power of her tuba can add quite a bit even at the cost of having her stay quiet during parts that she's not able to ideally handle yet. Plus there's plenty of chances for Satsuki to make her comeback .
Quote:
Originally Posted by HandofFate
I know they want to club to be full 'meritocracy' But Kumiko is pushing the new 3rd year girl a bit annoying. She even gives many outs that she doesn't mind making way for the longer standing members, and I get her, she just joined seemingly sudden and isn't as invested in the National goal as the rest.
I'm on the side of "do it for the experience" Sure, try as hard for nationals, but 90% of these 3rd year band members, this is going to be the last they're ever gonna do a marching band thing. Half might not attend college and just jump into the work force, and more than half of those won't be signing up for the much more competitive college marching band clubs. So having Kumiko who's been aiming hard for it for 3 years, and then lose out on the audition to this fresh 3rd year member who doesn't even want to take her spot is silly.
I guess its a reflection of Kumiko's view on music and if its that important to her and stuff. But that's my view on what's happening.
The point is to win. It's because this is the third year that Kumiko can't afford to bend and let Mayu take the easy way out. The experience means jack if they lose. The first episodes of this season made it clear. It's win or bust. Let Mayu back off and they happen to lose, Kumiko can spend the rest of her life regretting it.
And she certainly can't back off after what happened in the first year. Support Reina taking the spot that she deserved but be weak and let Mayu back off because she might lose the soli part?
In the end it's not like Kumiko won't be there if Mayu competes. The worst case scenario is losing the soli part with Reina. That would suck, but it's overall a lesser evil than dropping the quality of their group.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Master_Yoma
Well its finely time for the competition and the usual people have been chosen
I'd say some waves were made because it wasn't just the usual people. Hazuki making it after the way the first two years went is a huge moment for her. Kept up with the work and finally earned her place there. While Suzume making it over Satsuki isn't insane it was a surprising turn for the individuals involved.
And I kind of like the way Taki approached the tubas. While taking someone with less overall skill has it's pros/cons there is value to it. The pure power of her tuba can add quite a bit even at the cost of having her stay quiet during parts that she's not able to ideally handle yet. Plus there's plenty of chances for Satsuki to make her comeback .
I'd see how it rolls but right now I'm not sure if I like it so much or find his reasons that convincing. I get his idea as a conductor, but as a band director or a school teacher, it kind of sucks.
His reason in essence is that Suzume played louder in the audition. My question is whether he mentioned it to anyone, so they had a fair chance to emphasize the right things in the audition. Suzume is still too new to think of much more than making all the right notes sound. Satsuki probably can consciously trade off b/w precision and power, and in an audition I would think most players would emphasize the former without a good reason otherwise. Even after the audition, Taki doesn't volunteer what he's looking for until he's asked - is Kumiko supposed to pass this information out or keep it to herself?
Of course, the other possibility is that Satsuki just didn't have the raw breath capacity to compete despite spending a year on increasing it. If she's so far behind Taki is willing to throw away one-third of his Tuba tone production at the higher registers, her future in Tubas seem bleak indeed.
Oh, and I really don't like Mayu's passive-aggressive thing. It's arrogant, and constantly mouthing it is frankly disgusting. It may be against the themes of the story, but here's my view: If you believe that you are good enough you are in control, and you want to throw the match, just throw it. Privately. If you don't, just blow your best. If you are ambivalent, just go with whatever you ended up doing at the audition. Don't go wallowing around like a drunk cow in a public space going "I can. Should I? Should I not?"
Spoiler for "An Extraneous Detail':
Oh, and just to overanalyze one small segment - someone needs to talk with Reina about her teaching methods. She's teaching Just Intonation (though I doubt she realizes she's doing so) to the noobs, and they are playing Bb/D, a major chord in first inversion. If I were the first year, I'd be thinking:
Yes, Reina-sempai, I understand you want the D to be 0.14 semitones low, F to be 0.02 semitones high. However, did you notice we are all using 12TET instruments, so you are asking me to blow in an un-natural way. Also, did you realize my frequency stability is so poor the analyzer rounded ("quantized") half of my D to an E-flat, and the last half of the F is quantized as F-sharp. Do you think I can really control myself to hit 0.14 semitones anytime soon, or discern 0.02 semitones? Have you considered how any advantages of Just Intonation will probably be gone if my pitch is still wobbling by a quarter tone? Can you at least give one of us first-graders the Bb because that's the easiest one to blow of the three, give the third tone to the 2nd year, and settle for ET for the 5th?
Short version - Reina, teach them basics first. And thank you to KyoAni for taking the effort to generate a realistic chord for the situation, such that it can be over-analyzed in the above fashion. It might be a minority sport but I think that shows that can be taken apart like this deserve extra points.
Oh, and I really don't like Mayu's passive-aggressive thing. It's arrogant, and constantly mouthing it is frankly disgusting. It may be against the themes of the story, but here's my view: If you believe that you are good enough you are in control, and you want to throw the match, just throw it. Privately. If you don't, just blow your best. If you are ambivalent, just go with whatever you ended up doing at the audition. Don't go wallowing around like a drunk cow in a public space going "I can. Should I? Should I not?"
I agree that the teacher is mean. He is probably proud about his stubborn, because it delivers the result. The story is partially from the author's experience. In one of her interviews, she said her teacher helped the group improved. The teacher's attitude is already the sign of trouble since season one. Students were discontent. The club president from the season one was a weak character, but she had a lot of friends supporting her. Kumiko doesn't have that luxury, and she has to face the conflict soon or later.
Spoiler for ranting:
I can only think up possibilities for selecting candidates for competition:
1. meritocracy: the teacher decides the players who sounds more
2. seniority: the reward for members who dedicate their time to the club
3. privilege: the benefit for the club officers who keep the club running
Taki-sensei's selection logic may have fallacy. The reason one player is selected over anther is due to making louder sound.
The logic of marching bands rarely have string instruments is because sound of most string instruments are hard to hear by audience. Therefore, symphony orchestra has many violin players, just to make the sound heard.
For eupho selection, Taki-sensei usually choose two players for the competition. Once, Taki-sensei was no happy with Kumiko's performance. So, he has Kumiko on stand by, and having Asuka to play euphon alone. In Natsuki's last year, Taki-sensei selected her as the third performer of Eupho. So, Natsuki is the third place after Kumiko and Kanede. The purpose is to make up the deficiency of other section. The other section uses heavier instrument, and it is less popular. Since the other section lacks the qualified players, the players of eupho section for competition are increased.
By using the same strategy during Kumiko's second year, Taki-sensei can increase number of players for that section. So, he doesn't have to eliminate the more skillful player for the louder player.
Mayu's words mean no harm. She just doesn't know how to express her concern properly. She is described as a humble person, and she doesn't mean to offend anyone.
On the other hand, Reina's attitude was rude, but she didn't know how to resolve the conflicts. So, Reina faced the confrontation head on. When confronting the similar situation, Kumiko only knew to make apology.
I think the role of Mayu is to bring out the inferiority complex of Kumiko. During the movie production, the author was asked to create a secret boss(of video game) for the school. She came up Mayu, who is Kumiko's mirror reflection.
The word "style" is used as the body shape in Japanese. Kumiko felt frustrated when she saw Asuka's "style" and Reina's "style". Mayu's "style" still frustrated Kumiko a little bit.
Finding Mayu playing same instrument causes concern to Kumiko. Mayu has established herself as the member of A-Team, from her previous school, which had reputation for strong band. Kumiko wanted to play her older sister's instrument, but she never get the chance to play it. She played the same instrument for years. When she is proud that she is the best player of the instrument in her school, Mayu joins the club. It turns out Mayu plays the same instrument. It might be Kumiko's weakness. Her attitude makes her trustworthy by her fellow students. She only opens her heart to few friends, because they do not pose a threat to her position in the band.
Spoiler for friendship and competition:
Kumiko's jealousy to Mayu can be compared to Nozami and Mizure, but the envy is resolved in the movie.
Nozami and Mizure took the different path due to difference in talent, but they are still friends.
Spoiler for friendship and dreams:
Mayu wants to be Kumiko's friend. She is sincere, but Kumiko keeps a distance from her. She won't share Asuka's legacy with Mayu.
Asuka is as talented as Mayu. Kumiko opens her heart to Asuka, because she doesn't feel threatened.
Reina and Kumiko had the grudge during middle school. Kumiko tried to fix their relationship. They eventually become best friends. Kaori kinda of misinterpret the level of their friendship. After graduation, Kaori's nursing education forces her to give up music practice. In the movie, Asuka and Kaori share expense for the apartment. They also wear same style rings, to show they are close. They are together because finding a good roommate is hard. Kaori went through an extreme to write a letter to Asuaka.
Images
Wearning ring on the little fingers means singles, lonely, and independence.
The graduation ceremony is tomorrow, and I want to say what I should write. By the time Asuka reads this letter, the graduation ceremony will probably be over. Haruka will definitely burst into tears by then, and I'm starting to get a little worried now.
Whether it's me, Haruka or Asuka, the three of us will go our separate ways after spring. Even though we can still see each other during our graduation trip, we still feel lonely. Over the past year, I have lived a life filled with club activities. Now that I have no practice, I feel a little bored. Asuka, you are also busy studying, so you may have a similar feeling to me now.
I wrote this letter because I thought that Asuka would disappear immediately after the graduation ceremony. I always felt that you didn’t like such an atmosphere. Originally, I wanted to talk to you directly about various topics, but when I wanted to talk to Asuka seriously, you always made me laugh, so I thought that if I wrote a letter, you would read it seriously.
So many things have happened in the past three years, and it is true that the last year has passed very fast. Taki-sensei's arrival, Kitauji has continued to change... Even Haruka has changed a lot. Although she still has no confidence in herself, she has become much stronger, but she would definitely not admit it to Haruka herself.
As for myself? Even though I plan to work hard, there are still many things I don’t know about myself. However, there is no doubt that I enjoyed my school life, and I have no regrets because it was my own choice. However, at that time, I couldn't deny the question you raised, Asuka. That's the only thing I regret until now.
As I was writing this letter, it got dark before I knew it. When I came back to my senses, I was surprised to realize that I had written so many pieces of paper. This also made me understand that I am very bad at expressing my feelings. If it were Asuka, she would definitely be able to write better than me. But you probably won't write to me.
When Asuka was away from club activities, I kept thinking about what I could do. I wanted to be Asuka's help, but in the end I still couldn't do it. Many people were running around for Asuka, but in the end you came back on your own strength. I've always liked this about you, Asuka, ah... It's not quite right to say "before", because I still do now.
Asuka, you will move to a new world and make new friends. After being exposed to different things, the memories of high school will become somewhat dull. I know very well that this is natural, but I don't want this. Who calls me a willful person?
I want to be with Asuka forever, and I want to be the number one in Asuka's heart, so I mustered up the courage to write this letter. I always feel that... my writing is a little strange because my hands are shaking. My normal writing is not so ugly. This is true.
I'm really happy to meet Asuka. Thank you very much for being willing to be friends with me, and...if possible, I want to be with you in the future.
Asuka. To be honest, I almost don’t know what to write. I kept writing and found that your name was written all over it, but the words I wanted to convey to you were not written. Anyway...well...although it's a little weird to use "anyhow", I'm going to nursing school in the spring. I told you before that it's very close to Asuka's university. So...if I can, it's really just if, ah...I don't know why my hands keep sweating. I'm sorry, I hope it won't affect you in reading this letter.
If it's convenient for you, Asuka, would you like to move in with me?
I've wanted to share a house with someone for a long time. Of course, you don’t have to agree, but I think this way you can share the living expenses and save money. Please be sure to reply to me. If you avoid talking, I will ask you directly.
Finally, I wish you a happy graduation again.
Kaori
In the second chapter of "The Final Movement of Determination", Kumiko had some conflicts with Reina, so she went to Asuka's rental palce to seek advice. When she saw that the person who answered the door was Kaori, Kumiko was very surprised. Kaori speaks to Kumiko, "It's not just Asuka, I'm sure everyone is special for someone in this world, as Kumiko-san to Reina-san, or Reina-san to Kumiko-san. There is always someone special. So, Asuka is special to me. To Asuka, I am special to her."
Kumiko doesn't share same goal and same dream with Reina. So, they are going to pursue the different path.
Mayu is nice. People overanalyzing as if she was some malicious person are wrong. In fact Kumiko hasn't dropped her "everyone wants you to play" attitude she pulled on Asuka and Kanade. She lied to Mayu too about Kitauji desiring the better player at all times. Mayu wants to avoid a situation like is Season 1 where the Band will have to choose between her and Kumiko but Kumiko just brushes it off.
Even Kanade tried to mediate by relating her stunt in Chikai no Finale. Asuka wants Hibike! Euphonium to be shared but Kumiko hides it the moment someone is interested.
It's clear Mayu is trying to be friends, but she is very awkward about it. And keeps unintentionally touching Kumiko's sore spots. I also agree with arkhangelsk. No matter how well intentioned, her repeated proposals to throw the audition are horrible.
I like that we're getting into Mayu's head a bit more with this one. It puts her actions into a bit more context. Makes sense that someone that doesn't fixate on anything or feels lacking in a sense of self would feel uncomfortable taking anything away from people passionately chasing their goals. Honestly that is probably what is giving Kumiko the edge over Mayu right now. Kumiko may be struggling in various ways, but she is passionate about reaching their band goals.
Honestly if Mayu's passion can be unlocked or if she has any sort of breakthrough that probably will make it tough for Kumiko to fend her off in a future audition. But makes sense that Kumiko has figured out her discomfort. Mayu works hard to not make any waves, be generally likable, and yet keeps a certain distance. Even to the degree of excluding herself from pictures. As if she just wants to be there and then disappear...Mentioned having a lot of pictures from her time at Seira, but I'd expect she's in none of them.
Reina and Kumiko's interactions really are either Reina being super cute or Kumiko having fun at her expense from being so cute . And yeah it really shows how close they've gotten at this point that they are both wearing matching swimsuits and mixing up the tops and bottoms .
Mayu shares her philosophy with Kumiko. It means to criticize herself, but using Liz and Blue Bird analogy sounds like Mayu's personal criticism to Mizore.
Spoiler for Mayu's philosophy:
I think Mayu's words would be harsh to Mizore. Mizore has friends around her, yet she is attached to Nozomi, the social butterfly.
The season two described Mizore's panic attack whenever Nozomi was around. Their relationship worked out at the end.
The movie Liz and Blue Bird summarizes Nozomi's attitude to Mizore.
By the way, the introduction(the stair walk) of Liz and Blue Bird is a great visual feast.
Spoiler for Niiyama's lecture on Mizore:
Taki announced that everyone should rest for twenty minutes, and then the free ensemble would begin. Even though it was break time, there were still many people practicing individually on the parts that Teacher Taki had just corrected. The exhausted Kumiko came to the sofa at the entrance of the hall to rest. At this time, a familiar voice reached her ears.
Mizore: "Um, sorry."
Niiyama: "It's okay. You are is willing to take the initiative to talk to me, which makes me very happy."
"Well... we can just talk here." Mizore gently pulled Niiyama's clothes and said.
Niiyama: "Is that okay? Kumiko is here, too?"
Kumiko: "No problem."
Niiyama: "Really? Kumiko, I'm really sorry. Please don't mind us talking here and just have a good rest."
"Um...about the solo, I really still don't understand." Mizore clasped his hands tightly and said, "I've been thinking about Liz's mood. However, no matter what I think, I still can't be Liz and like myself I can't push the object away from me, so I can't play a better solo because I don't understand it and I don't know how to do it."
"Mizore's personality is that you attach great importance to the person you like. I also had this feeling when I was a student. It's a bit embarrassing to say that I once regarded the other person as my destined person. For That person, I am willing to do anything and support her in everything." Niiyama put her hand on Mizore's hand and said softly.
Mizore: "Is that man...your husband?"
Niiyama: "no."
Niiyama: "The person you are destined to be is not limited to your love partner, right? In a person's life, the so-called special existence is definitely not limited to one kind. Whether it is family, friends, and of course lovers. They will be very persistent in loving them. It’s a matter of course.”
Mizore: "Of course..."
Niiyama: "Yes. So, it is not surprising at all that you feels the same way towards Liz. However, you should be the type who has no actual feelings and cannot put her emotions into playing. In this case, It will be very troublesome when playing." Niiyama paused and continued: "Then, why don't you try changing the angle?"
Mizore: "angle?"
Niiyama: "That's right. So far, you has been thinking from Liz's point of view, right? Now how about thinking about it from the blue bird's point of view? Can you imagine it?"
Niiyama: "On that day, Liz suddenly said goodbye to the blue bird. It was obvious that both of them had lived a stable and happy life until now."
Mizore: "A sudden...goodbye..."
Niiyama: "Yes. However, the blue bird still accepted what Liz said. Although she didn't want to separate, she still spread her wings and flew away from the home where the two of them lived together. Why did the blue bird listen to Liz? What do you think? ?”
Mizore: "That's because..."
Mizore: "I think this is because the blue bird likes Liz very much. As long as it is what Liz wants, she is willing to accept it; the blue bird will not stop Liz from making a choice, because it is the wish of the person she likes. So, no matter how sad it is, the blue bird will still fly away."
Niiyama: "In this case, is the blue bird unlucky?"
Mizore: "I don't know, but she must want Liz to be happy, that's for sure. So the blue bird accepted the choice Liz made, because this is the way the blue bird loves her."
Niiyama: "Using the impression you have now, let's try playing a solo. You will definitely be able to perform your own music. I am convinced that you have such ability."
Mizore: "However, I still don't know how to cooperate with Nozomi."
Niiyama: "The main force of that solo is the oboe. Just don't worry about the other sounds for now. As long as you play according to your own ideas, the people around you will definitely follow. What you needs now is to understand how to play. How to use your full strength and how to adjust can be discussed later.”
(Note: a lot of people already have idea who WAS Niiyama's special someone.)
Spoiler for Kumiko's failed Daisuki Hug with Mizore:
A three-on-three volleyball match with customized rules is going on in the swimming pool. Natsuki's team includes Reina and Hazuki, who just scored a point from Yuko's team. While Natsuki and Rina high-fived, Kanade and Ririka patted Yuko's shoulders comfortingly. Mizore sat by the pool as a referee, while Kumiko stayed on the grass next to the swimming pool sales department. Yuko had laid a mat here in advance.
At this time, Nozomi, who ran to buy ice, came back and handed her the Uji Kintoki shaved ice ordered by Kumiko.
Nozomi: "Last year, the two of us had a chat like this, do you remember?"
Kumiko: "certainly."
Nozomi: "I'm really sorry for causing you a lot of trouble."
Kumiko: "Not at all. I didn't help much even after I intervened without permission..."
Nozomi: "It's great that you intervened. Don't you sometimes want to discuss it with others? But there are some things that you can't tell directly to the person involved." After finishing speaking, Nozomi turned around and smiled at Kumiko.
However, Kumiko noticed that Nozomi's brows were furrowed and she also noticed that she was not good at fake smiles.
Nozomi: "Kumiko, you and Mizore have a good relationship, right?"
Kumiko: "Is...is that so? I think you have a better relationship with her?"
Hearing Kumiko say this, Nozomi shook her head. "You don't have to be modest. Just look at the way Mizore talks to you. She has never been so easy to open up to others. So, like this..."
Nozomi looked into the distance, and Mizore was been held by Yuko's hand. Enter the pool.
Nozomi continued: "It feels amazing to see Mizore having so much fun like this."
Nozomi waved hand in public: "Mizore and I have always been friends. Because we have never been particularly close before, I don't know how to get along with her. She is not very good at saying what is on her mind. Ah... No, I don't hate her. After all, she is my good friend."
For Nozomi, Mizore is just one of her many friends. When Nozomi stated this fact calmly, Kumiko felt her heart been stimulated.
Nozomi: "I've thought about how to get a better relationship with her, but it's always not going well. Speaking of which, Yuko and Kumiko are quite natural when they get along with Mizore, but when it's me, I feel...sense of distance?"
Kumiko: "Is...that's what happened?"
Nozomi: "Yeah, that's definitely the case. When I'm playing solo, I always feel like we're not in sync with each other. I've recently begun to wonder if Mizore hates me..."
"I don't think that will happen!" Kumiko blurted out this sentence reflexively, and Nozomi was stunned on the spot mid-sentence. Realizing that she was being too emotional, Kumiko reached up and covered her mouth.
Kumiko: "Ah...no...that. Just talking about Mizore, I think this is impossible. For example, she was very happy when I invited her to play in the swimming pool. And don't you two apply for the same school? I I don’t think anyone would want to apply to the same school as someone they hate.”
"Same school...ah..." Nozomi sighed.
Kumiko: "Nozomi-senpai and Mizore-senpai are going to the same music university together, right?"
"...I already don't know what to do. I clearly knew what I wanted to do in the future and who I wanted to be..." Nozomi first frowned in confusion, then shrugged her shoulders.
"After I reached the third year of high school, I realized that graduation was no longer out of reach. At this time, I seriously considered for the first time what I should do when I grow up. If I want to become a professional performer and continue to do what I love, I I do have this idea, but there are many people who have the same idea, and I also know that it is difficult to make a living from your own interests.”
Nozomi: "I like the flute, but do I really have the strength to become a professional performer? Besides, do I really want to be a performer? I like the feeling of working together with everyone like a wind club, even if I go to an ordinary company I can continue to play musical instruments while working. Just like before I returned to the club, the club I joined was composed of people from the community. Everyone took up playing instruments as a hobby after work. Is this really bad if you want to become a professional performer? Continuing to play a musical instrument is, after all, two different things.”
Nozomi: "I have thought about this matter many times in my mind. When I submitted the volunteer survey form to the school in April, I ended up handing in a blank form. Well, I heard that Mizore also just handed in a blank form."
Kumiko: "...Nozomi-senpai is so worried about the choice of school. Does Mizore-senpai know about this?"
Nozomi: "Don't ask about this kind of thing. You can't talk about it casually."
This year’s camp location is very close to last year’s, and the instructors are also the same.
Reina: "Can't you sleep?"
Kumiko: "Well, I still feel very clear-headed."
Reina: "Me too, let's go for a walk outside."
Kumiko: "OK."
After arriving in the lounge, she found that Mizore was actually wearing headphones and playing games here.
Mizore patted the empty space on the bench and motioned for Kumiko and Reina to sit down. So the three of them crowded together on the same bench, with Mizore on the left, Reina on the right, and Kumiko in the middle. At the same time, the music game she was playing had reached 450 hits.
Reina: "Mizore-senapi is scheduled to take the music major exam, right?"
"Yeah." Mizore nodded, her eyes not leaving the screen of the handheld game console.
Reina: "What's the status of the course?"
Mizore: "Teacher Niiyama introduced me to an oboe teacher."
Reina: "So, will the classes you are taking now be very difficult?"
Mizore: "No... the same goes for Reina. Do you want to take the music major exam?"
Reina: "That's my current plan. I'm still undecided about whether to take the exam overseas or domestically."
Mizore: "In that case, would you like to go to the next campus open day together? You can also invite other people to come."
Kumiko couldn't help being surprised when she heard Mizore's plain invitation to her. If it were Mizore a year ago, she would not have made such a move.
"Don't you want to go?" Sensing the silence between the two, Mizore looked away from the handheld game console and tilted his head slightly to express confusion.
"How is it possible that I don't want to go. By the way, Mizore-senpai's school of choice is the music university where Mr. Taki studied before, right?" Kumiko responded quickly.
Kumiko: "Nozomi-senpai told me. Didn't Mizore-senpai hear about it from Niiyama?"
Mizore: "Well, no. As long as Nozomi can go to that school, that's fine."
Kumiko recalled the conversation she had with Nozomi a few days ago. It was very likely that Nozomi would not go there, so should she reveal this to Mizore. Besides, how much does Mizore know about Nozomi's aspirations? Now that it is known that Nozomi has attended another university's campus open day, Mizore may already have a certain understanding of Nozomi's possibility of choosing a different school of choice.
Reina: "What are the arrangements for Sister Nozomi's classes?"
Mizore: "I don't know, I haven't heard about it."
"Speaking of which, why did Niiyama introduce the musical instrument instructor to Mizore-senapi? Was it because senapi wanted to take the music major exam and took the initiative to discuss it with her?"
"No." Mizore shook her head and continued: "When it was time to submit the voluntary survey in April, I handed in a blank paper because I didn't have anything I wanted to do. Then Niiyama came to the school to find me and introduced me to an oboe teacher."
Kumiko: "It's amazing. She was very well prepared."
Mizore: "Teacher Niiyama said that it would be a pity if I was buried like this, and so did Yuko. She was very happy when she heard that I was going to take the entrance exam for the music university."
Hearing Yuko's name from Mizore's mouth made Kumiko very shaken. In the past, Mizore would not have any special reaction to Yuko's words and deeds. It seems that in Mizore's heart has slowly gained a place for people other than Nozomi.
"Based on what Mizore has said so far, Nozomi doesn't just plan to take the music university exam, right? She may apply to other schools, or she may fail. If Nozomi doesn't go to that music university, What are your plans?" Rina leaned forward and asked, her long hair exuding a citrus scent. In order to protect her hair, Reina brought her usual shampoo from home.
"This...I never thought about it..." Mizore opened her eyes wide and said in horror.
Reina: "Really?"
Mizore: "What should I do, if Nozomi doesn't pass the exam..."
"Senpai, you never thought about the possibility of failing the exam." Kumiko couldn't help blurting out these words.
Mizore: "…that is true."
"I didn't expect Mizore-senpai to be so confident in herself." After finishing her words, Reina smiled. Kumiko herself would not associate the adjective "confident" with Mizore. The Mizore in Reina's eyes must be somewhat different from Kumiko's.
"I've had this feeling before. Is it true that Mizore-senpai and Nozomi-senpai don't get along with each other?" Reina looked directly at Mizore and asked.
"Rei...Reina-san? What are you talking about all of a sudden?" Reina's direct attack made Kumiko anxious. How could she run to step on Mizore's landmine?
Reina: "The free solos have never worked well together. This is because the tacit understanding between Senior Mizore and Nozomi is not good, right?"
Kumiko: "Reina, it is better not to say those things..."
Reina: "Why?"
Kumiko: "Because, some things are not suitable to be told directly to Mizore like this."
"However, I think there are some things that must be said." Rina paused and continued: "To be honest, I have always been uneasy about whether the current situation of the club is correct."
Reina believes that compared to last year when the entire club was focused on improving, the atmosphere this year is a little different. After the selection, both Reina and Hinata Yume were designated by Taki as the first trumpet. However, Yume finally refused because she felt that the pressure of being the first trumpet was too much. This is why Reina would have a dispute with Yuko at dinner.
Yume is not used to being the center of attention, and her shy personality prevents her from fully displaying her strength when she serves as the first trumpet. This is Yuko's consideration, and Reina can understand her thoughts, but Reina also feels that if Kitauji aims at the national competition, this compromise approach is not enough.
"I think Yuko is right. It's not a compromise, but a calm judgment. If you push too hard, you won't be able to hold on for too long, and you will collapse suddenly." Mizore, who had been silent for a while, said in a stronger tone. When it came to matters related to Yuko, Mizore's speech became much smoother.
"I understand this. According to the order of strength, if you force Hinata-san to be the first trumpet, you will definitely not be able to fully utilize your strength. As a leader, Yuko-senpai made a very correct judgment. But even if even so, I still feel anxious...about things like Mizore-senpai." Reina shook her head.
Mizore: "I?"
Reina: "Mizore-senpai could obviously play better, but she deliberately didn't give her best."
Mizore: "There is no such thing."
Reina: "Really? I think Mizore-senpai doesn't trust Nozomi-senpai, so she behaves like this when she plays. You think that Nozomi-senpai can't keep up with you, so that's why you don't show your true strength."
Mizore: "that is because…"
Reina: "I want to hear the real sound of Mizore-senpai, and I want everyone to perform with all their might. I hope to be able to do it from beginning to end..."
At this time, Rina, who realized that she seemed to have gone too far, came back to her senses and apologized to Mizore in a low voice. Kumiko glanced at Mizore secretly. Her face was still expressionless, and her words seemed to be slowly coming out from her frozen lips.
Mizore: "...Trust...is impossible. Because I don't know when Nozomi will disappear."
Mizore's words made Kumiko take a deep breath. It seems that what happened two years ago still left a grudge in Mizore's heart.
Mizore: "I can't be Liz, and I don't want Blue Bird to leave. I don't want her to disappear from my eyes. It's because I've been limiting her that I can't play well. This is not because I don't believe in Nozomi, but because I can't be Liz, I can't let go of Nozomi." As she said this, she held the handheld game console tightly with both hands.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel so uncomfortable." Reina's face was apologetic.
"...I know." After finishing her words, Kuo lowered his head.
The scene fell into silence again. In order to break the awkward atmosphere, Kumiko, who was racking her brains, remembered the conversation a few days ago.
Kumiko: "Senpai, now it's that... To show that we want to get along well, do you want to do that thing called...'Daisuki Hug'?"
"What is that?" Reina's cold eyes looked at Kumiko, who obviously said the wrong thing on the wrong occasion. But all this is to break this deadlock.
Kumiko: "This is... a very popular game among first-year students nowadays. When hugging, tell what qualities you like about the other person. After all, if you want to have a good performance, you must start with a good interpersonal relationship."
Mizore: "I know that, it's a tradition from Minami Middle School." It was rare for Mizore to interrupt Kumiko.
Mizore: "I don't like that." Mizore asserted, causing Kumiko to break into a cold sweat.
Kumiko: "I got you."
Mizore: "Yeah. I've never done this with anyone...not even Nozomi."
Mizore put on the headphones, which was obviously an expression of rejection to Kumiko. After saying good night to the two of them, she returned to the room. Kumiko and Reina could only watch Mizore leave in silence until her figure disappeared from their sight.
"It was a complete failure." Kumiko sighed forcefully.
Reina, who was sitting next to Kumiko, leaned her head on Kumiko's shoulder.
Reina: "I failed too. My original plan was to cheer her up."
"Is that because you want to cheer her up?" Kumiko said this without even thinking. Reina, who was resting her head on Kumiko's shoulder, glanced at her gently, then let out a somewhat self-deprecating sigh. The two of them felt the tender touch of their hands.
Reina: "Of course. After all, I really want to hear Mizore playing seriously."
Kumiko: "Well, when Nozomi is involved, it will be very difficult to talk to Mizore."
Reina: "Why?"
Kumiko: "Because Mizore likes Sister Nozomi very much, but to Nozomi-senpai, Mizore-senpai is just one of many friends. How should I put it...the friendship of each other is not equal."
Nozomi's thoughts about Mizore breask Kumiko's heart, because she knew very well how important Nozomi was in Mizore's mind. However, Mizore won't be able to get what she hopes for.
Mizore is indeed excellent, but it also lacks its own characteristics. Her impeccable playing and technique far superior to that of other students are undoubtedly the result of her hard work. But what does Mizore's best performance in Reina's eyes look like? Will Reina's standard be too strict?
"Is that so? I think it's just the opposite." Reina narrowed her eyes, as if she could see through Kumiko's heart.
Kumiko: "on the contrary?"
Reina: "Nozomi cares too concerned about Mizore."
Kumiko: "I don't think so. Nozomi is very free. As I said before, she doesn't even know if she wants to take the exam for the music school?"
Reina: "I'm afraid it's because she is concerned about Mizore."
Kumiko: "Why is this happening? If you really concerned, can't the two of them decide as soon as possible and go to a regular university together?"
Reina: "The so-called concern doesn't necessarily mean it's just good intentions."
Kumiko: "So…"
Reina: "I'm afraid that Nozomi has been subconsciously jealous of Mizore since a long time ago."
Kumiko sat a little further away watching the watermelon game. Mirei's full blow smashed the entire watermelon into pieces, and Reina, Hazuki and Midori were busy picking up the scattered watermelons.
"Do you want to eat?" Nozomi handed a plate of watermelon to Kumiko and sat next to her.
Kumiko: "Ah, okay. Then I'll start."
"She had already gone to bed first. She seemed very tired and fell asleep immediately." As if she could tell what Kumiko was thinking, Nozomi took the lead and said in a cheerful tone.
Kumiko: "After all, playing in an ensemble is really hard."
Nozomi: "Well, I'm pretty used to playing solos myself, but this year the other teachers are very strict with me."
Kumiko: "Mizore-senpai didn't force herself, did she?"
Nozomi: "I don't know about that."
Kumiko: "It's just...preparations for applying for the Music University. Are you going to take classes by yourself?"
Nozomi: "No. If you want to go to class, let's wait until the Kansai Tournament is over."
Kumiko: "...Is it too late to prepare for the exam like this?"
Nozomi: "I think it's too late?" Although Nozomi's tone was joking, her unnatural smile still gave her away.
Kumiko: "Nozomi-senpai, are you really worried about this matter?"
Nozomi talked about her inner struggle. Regarding the choice of school of choice, 90% of my mind is already able to look at the matter calmly and make a decision, but there is still 10% that is like a fool and wants to pursue the dream.
Kumiko: "Does this 10% refer to the music school?"
Nozomi: "If I was 90% interested in going to a music school, how could I not have taken the class yet?"
The indignation that arose from her sense of justice and compassion made Kumiko feel a knot in her stomach.
"Then, why did you say that you will go to the music university? Mizore-senpai thought that she would go to the same school as you." Kumiko tried her best to stay calm, but her tune still changed in the end.
Nozomi: "I didn't mean to deceive Mizore. I really thought so at the time. I thought it would be great to study at that school."
Kumiko: "So…"
Nozomi: "Do you know how much it costs to attend a private music university?"
Nozomi explained to Kumiko the cost of pronunciation. Whether it’s equipment or personal coaching sessions, it all adds up to quite a bit of expense.
Kumiko: "So, Nozomi-senpai, did you give up studying at the music major because of economic factors?"
Nozomi: "I originally wanted to say 'yes', but it turned out to be a lie. Besides, even if you really don't have the money, you can still aim at a national school that waives tuition. There are many ways." Nozomi shook her head and revealed wry smile.
Kumiko: "Then, why?"
Nozomi: "Why on earth did I say that to Mizore at that time? Even I don't know. If I say that, would you find it unbelievable?"
"Huh?" Facing the dumbfounded Kumiko, Nozomi couldn't stop laughing.
Nozomi: "That's what happened. After I said it in front of Mizore, I started to think about quitting. Then I followed the atmosphere of wanting to apply the music school, and I kept putting it off until..."
Kumiko: "Wait a minute, although it sounds very confusing the first time... Come to think of it, are you serious? This is a lie, are you kidding, right?"
"If I say that I am serious, will you look down on me?" Nozomi reached out and grabbed her bangs, her calm tone could not conceal her trembling.
"No way" should be very simple to answer like this, but Kumiko's words were stuck in her throat and she couldn't speak at all.
"...Of course, I will." Kumiko managed to answer, leaving Nozomi speechless and her eyes filled with gloomy color.
"You must be kidding?" Kumiko grabbed Nozomi's hand. Nozomi would not make such a hasty move. If this is really the case, then it would make Mizore. who believing in Nozomi, miserable.
"It's almost time for me to go back." After finishing her words, Nozomi shook off Kumiko's hand. Nozomi had never interrupted a conversation between two people like this. She packed up the paper plate with watermelon and left first, leaving Kumiko standing there stunned.
Spoiler for Daisuki Hug: Mizore + Nozomi:
================================================== =======================
With only ten minutes to rest, Kumiko looked at the facility map on the wall and tried to figure out where Nozomi would be alone. Although it was not the place she had guessed, Kumiko returned to the corridor she had just passed and opened the stair door leading downstairs. She was surprised to find Nozomi sitting at the bottom of the stairs.
Kumiko: "Ah...Nozomi-senpai..."
Nozomi: "Kumiko…"
Nozomi turned her head with an embarrassed look, so Kumiko sat next to her. The rest time was not long, which made Kumiko very anxious. She didn't know what to say for a moment. Nozomi put down the bottle of ice on her eyes. Her eyes were red and swollen.
Kumiko: "that…"
Nozomi: "Is it Natsuki who sent you here? Or is it Yuko?"
Kumiko: "Well...it's Natsuki-senpai."
Nozomi: "As I expected. Natuski really has this kind of personality and is overprotective."
Kumiko: "She's just worried about Nozomi-senpai."
Nozomi: "Then she can come forward in person, why bother to ask Kumiko to come here?" Nozomi's voice was somewhat nasal, probably because she had cried just now.
Kumiko: "Well...if it is better for Natsuki-senpai to be here, I will invite her over."
Nozomi: "It's okay, you don't have to do this. It's really uncomfortable to be comforted by Natuski in this situation."
Kumiko didn't quite understand what Nozomi was thinking, so she could only nodded.
Nozomi: "What do you think of Mizore's solo?" Nozomi asked.
Kumiko: "It's... very powerful. To be honest, I was really scared. I don't know why, but I feel like my heart is being grabbed."
Nozomi: "Me too. It's really the first time that I cried like this during a performance until I couldn't continue playing."
"Others also cried, probably because they were too moved." Hearing Kumiko say this, Nozomi shook her head.
At this time, Kumiko remembered that when Mizore was surrounded by everyone, Natuski was the only one looking at Mizore with cold eyes. For Natuski, Nozomi is the partner she once lost and the regret that has been intertwined for a long time. This is why Natsuki will always keep in touch with Nozomi.
"I didn't cry because of this." Nozomi laughed with a self-deprecating look on her face and continued: "I cried because I was shocked. Do you understand this statement? You understand the gap between the two of us so clearly. I felt like a hole was stabbed in my heart. She was so deceitful. It was so foul."
Nozomi's tone of trying to stay calm revealed a bit of wavering.
Nozomi: "She has always been letting off steam. In order to cooperate with me, she has not tried her best from the past until now."
Kumiko: "I...I don't think that's the case."
Nozomi: "But the difference in our abilities is a fact, right? Like a fool, I told Mizore countless times tha she should work harder when playing solo. When Kuo got serious, my ability was not enough to match her"
"──It's so embarrassing...I really want to die." Nozomi's voice became smaller and smaller, and she buried her face in her arms.
"I actually knew that Mizore was very talented from the beginning. Starting from junior high school, practicing became as natural to her as breathing. She has been very good since then, but I have never wanted to admit this. I...part of my heart thinks that Mizore is better than me, but I definitely like music more than Mizore. No matter how much effort I put in and it feels very hard, she is still better than me."
Continuing to hide her expression, Nozomi told her inner thoughts to the kouhai beside her. "All I told Mizore about going to music school were all lies. During the Golden Week in May, Mizore got a brochure, she said it was given to her by Niiyama. I understood at that time that Mizore was the chosen one."
Nozomi couldn't help but choked, and she continued: "In April, Mizore was not the only one who turned in the blank on the questionnaire. Niiyama didn’t come to me. I originally thought that Niiyama was partial, but in fact it was not the case. If I went to discuss it with Niiyama, she would probably help me a lot. But that’s not important at all. She knows very well that Mizore is more talented than me.”
Kumiko: "So…"
Nozomi: "Because I didn't want to lose to Mizore, and I didn't want to be looked down upon by others. So at that time, I said that I was going to take the exam at Music University, so that we would be on the same footing. This was really ugly. I clearly showed my ability when I played. Just like Kumiko, you said before, I will be looked down upon by others."
At this time, Kumiko understood the reason why Natsuki asked her to come. This was because Nozomi wanted to punish herself, and she had long been aware of her behavior. And Natuski couldn't come over because she couldn't blame Nozomi.
Kumiko: "Nozomi-senpai, do you like Mizore-senpai?"
Nozomi: "I don't hate her, I absolutely mean it."
Kumiko: "So, do you like to perform solo performances with her?"
Nozomi: "...Would you like to hear me tell you something stupid?"
Kumiko: "Well, it doesn't matter how many pieces there are."
Nozomi: "When the song was decided to be "Liz and the blue bird", I felt that it was really similar to the two of us. Mizore is Liz, and I am the Blue Bird. I left the club last year, and Mizore has been waiting for me. , that's why I think it's similar."
Nozomi paused and continued: "But I was wrong, Mizore is the blue bird."
Nozomi stood up. "In this case, I can't hold back. I must perfectly support Mizore's solo. This is the only resistance I can do. It doesn't matter if I like it or hate it. Only solo is when I can stand on an equal footing with her. I won’t make the embarrassing appearance just now. I will play the role I should play perfectly.”
Kumiko thought of Mizore last year and the overwhelming distance between them. Completely different from Mizore's emotions, Nozomi has a strong confrontational attitude toward Mizore, mixed with jealousy, envy, humiliation, and guilt. From Kumiko's point of view, these feelings could not be called good intentions, but she could already foresee that things would be on the right track.
Nozomi pulled Kumiko up and the two of them walked to the hall together. Looking at Nozomi's back, Kumiko couldn't help but say: "I still think that what Nozomi did is too much. No matter what the reason is, you should not deceive Mizore-senpai."
Nozomi: "Haha, that's right too."
Kumiko: "But even so, I still can't hate Nozomi-san."
Kumiko's words made Nozomi burst into laughter.
Nozomi: "I'm sorry, I have to make you look bad." Nozomi reached out and touched Kumiko's head. For some reason, this action reminded her of Natsuki.
After returning to the entrance, this shout made Nozomi stop immediately. Kumiko leaned out from behind her and found Mizore standing there with an uneasy look on her face.
Nozomi: "Hey, isn't this Mizore? Why are you here?"
Mizore: "Because I'm worried about Nozomi."
Nozomi: "Worried? Why?"
Mizore: "You cried during the solo."
Nozomi: "You saw me, it's really embarrassing. Don't worry, it will be fine the next time I play solo." Nozomi patted Mizore on the shoulder and said, "Don't you believe me?"
Mizore: "Not really..."
Nozomi: "I'm going back to the hall to practice first. Mizore, let's stay here and change your mood. I am leave Kumiko here by the way."
Nozomi walked briskly to the hall first, leaving Kumiko and Mizore at the entrance.
Kumiko: "Huh...senpai, let's go back too?"
"...Daisuki Hug." Mizore, who was silent at first, slowly said the term.
Kumiko: "Huh?"
Mizore: "Daisuki Hug was very popular when I was in my middle school, but I only watched from the sidelines."
Kumiko: "Well, its difficulty level is high after all."
Mizore: "I have been waiting for others to ask me to do this, and I have been watching from the side from beginning to end."
Mizore opened the door forcefully and said, "If I had conveyed my feelings properly at that time, maybe it would have happened. There’s no telling what can be changed.”
After practicing and putting their instruments on the truck, most people went home. Kumiko waves goodbye to girls. At this time, there are not many people left in the square in front of the concert hall, so Kumiko simply squatted on the stairs.
Natuski: "Eh? Kumiko, are you alone?"
The sound coming from above made Kumiko raise her head, and saw Natsuki looking down at her.
Kumiko: "I'm waiting for Reina."
Natuski: "Where has she gone?"
Kumiko: "I seem to be borrowing books. Isn't there a library next to this concert hall? By the way, Midori and the others have gone back first."
Natuski: "uh-huh."
After Natuski stretched out her hand to press her skirt, she sat next to Kumiko.
Kumiko: "Are Natsuki-senpai waiting for Yuko-senpai?"
Natsuki: "It's not Yuko, I'm waiting for Nozomi and Mizore. Well, I'm also waiting for that gal by the way."
Kumiko: "Where are the three of them?"
Natuski: "Yuko went to the bathroom, while Mizore and Nozomi went to see Mr. Taki, probably for advice about the solo... Ah, it seems they are back." (Pointing to the entrance of the concert hall.)
After the automatic door opened, Nozomi walks out first. Mizore, who was following her, stops hesitantly. Nozomi turns around and seems to be saying something.
"What happened?" Sensing an emergency, Kumiko stood up immediately.
Natuski: "Come here."
Probably already planning, Natsuki takes Kumiko's hand and move to the dead end of the square's garden before Nozomi and Mizore are aware of it. Natsuki makes a hush gesture to Kumiko, and they continue to observe the entrance of the concert hall using the pillars as cover.
"Mizore?" Nozomi's tone was a bit confused, as if she wanted to find out what her true thoughts were.
"...The day after tomorrow, it will be the official competition." Mizore speaks as she tightly grasp the skirt with her hands.
Nozomi: "Hmm...huh? That's true. Are you okay? Why do you want to talk about this all of a sudden?"
Mizore: "This is the first time we have entered the Kansai Tournament together since junior high school."
Nozomi's words makes Nozomi suddenly take a breath, and her facial expression shows she is shaken.
Nozomi: "It was when the two of us were together. But last year, Mizore had already participated in the national competition."
Mizore: "But, I have always wanted to work hard with Nozomi, because we both agreed to enter the national competition."
Nozomi: "Is that so?"
"Well, yes." Mizore nods and continues: "Nozomi has no intention of going to the music school, right?"
Nozomi: "Huh?"
Mizore: "I know, in the mock test a while ago, Nozomi, you wrote another school."
"Have you noticed?" Nozomi's expression freezes for a moment, and then returns to her normal smile.
Mizore: "Nozomi, don't you want to become a professional performer?"
Nozomi: "Well... considering the reality, this is quite hard. I also know very well that I don't have the talent to make a living through music. So... um... I just want to say that I will take the same exam as Natsuki and the others, and go to the university with them.”
Nozomi's hands were hidden behind her back, one hand tightly holding the wrist of the other. Although her front cannot be seen, Natuski can see her side clearly. Natuski shows a painful expression.
Mizore: "Nozomi, you...always make inconsiderable decisions."
Mizore's tone was still calm, but it made Nozomi take a step back subconsciously. Mizore continues: "Like last year, you left the club without even telling me."
Nozomi: "Why do we still bring up the past?"
Mizore: "That's not 'past'. To me, it's still 'now'." Mizore's words are from her heart.
"Not yet." Natsuki said through lip language. She stopped Kumiko who almost stood up, so Kumiko could only bite her lips tightly.
Mizore: "I have been chasing Nozomi and continue to learn musical instruments, because I don't want to be abandoned by Nozomi. For me, Nozomi will always be the number one in my mind. Because I want to be with Nozomi, I will work hard to practice the oboe..."
Nozomi: "Don't say that, it's too exaggerated."
Mizore: "It's not an exaggeration at all, it's all true."
Nozomi: "It's so foul. What you said is so deceitful." Nozomi speaks with a trembling voice, and she continus: "You are more talented than me, but you want to say something like this? You play a musical instrument for me...do you want to use such a boring excuse to justify the efforts you made so far? Is the oboe so insignificant to you?"
Mizoe: "Wrong."
Nozomi: "What's wrong?"
Mizore: "It's not that the oboe is insignificant, but Nozomi is too heavy for me."
Nozomi: "I really don't understand why you said that. As I said before, I'm not that special to Mizore."
Mizore: "Even if Nozomi don't think so, you are special to me. Because..." Mizore, eyes in tears, suddenly becomes silent. After shaking her head, she continues: "I'm sorry, I didn't originally want to say this. That’s it. I’m very grateful to Nozomi, that’s all I want to say.”
Noticing Natsuki beside her takes a deep breath, Kumiko holds her trembling hand. At this time, the two of them notice a figure appearing in the concert hall. It turned out to be Yuko. Nozomi seems to have noticed Yuko as well, she shows an embarrassed expression.
Nozomi: "You don't need to thank me. It's better to say that Mizore should be angry. I was the one who said she wanted to go to the music school in the first place."
Mizore: "I won't be angry."
Nozomi: "Why?"
Mizore: "Because this is your choice, Nozomi. I hope Nozomi can be happy, and that's enough."
Nozomi: "I feel quite uncomfortable to hear Mizore to say that."
Mizore: "Don't you like it?"
Nozomi: "It's not that I don't like it... No, it's not a big deal. Thank you, Mizore."
Mizore: "You're welcome?"
"Why do you need to use a question? Just say it openly and directly." Nozomi smiled.
Mizore's eyes were hesitant, as if she was thinking about something. She suddenly opened her hands, making Nozomi stunned.
Nozomi: " What's wrong?"
"...Daisuki Hug." Mizore said hoarsely with a serious look on his face, making Nozomi understand immediately.
Nozomi: "Well, I really miss it."
Nozomi takes steps to shorten the distance between the two. She throws herself into Mizore's arms and wraps her arms around her back, like a child holding a doll tightly.
Mizore: "Without Nozomi, I would definitely not be able to play a musical instrument and wouldn't be able to do anything. So... thank you very much. Everything is thanks to Nozomi."
Nozomi: "I didn't do anything. This was all achieved through your own efforts."
Mizore: "Even so, I have been playing for Nozomi until now." Mizore leans her forehead on Nozomi's shoulder and whispers.
Mizore: "When we first met, you were very gentle to me. Even for someone like me, you were willing to talk to me and be friends with me, which made me very happy. You are always able to lead everyone. You are great."
Nozomi: "Me too, I admire Mizore for being a very hard-working person. I will support your performance in the competition the day after tomorrow."
Mizore: "I...like Nozomi the most."
Suddenly, an unnatural silence fall between the two.
"Nozomi?" Mizore raised his head uneasily, and saw Nozomi looking down at her and laughing weakly.
Nozomi: "Thank you... Me too, I like Mizore's oboe the most."
Spoiler for Daisuki Hug: Natuski + Yuko:
Nozomi puts her hands on Mizore's shoulders and gently pushed her away. Mizore deosn't say a word and nodsd silently. At this moment, Yuko walks through the opened automatic door and walked towards the two of them.
Yuko: "Why are you two chatting in a place like this? How about going to a brighter place? Right, Natsuki?"
Hearing that her name was called, Natsuki has no choice but to stand up.
"Did they hear us?" Nozomi's tone sounded a bit cliché. It seemed that she should have noticed Natsuki and Kumiko a long time ago.
After picking up her schoolbag, Kumiko also left the shadow of the pillar. At the same time, she noticed Reina walking towards her with a book in her arms.
Mizore: "Yuko, are you done?"
Yuko: "That's right."
"You must be feeling envious after seeing the scene just now, right?" Natuski hugged Yuko's shoulders and said with a proud smile.
Yuko: "Huh? What is there to be envious of?"
Natuski: "There's really nothing I can do. Can I just give the sentimental club president a hug?"
Facing Natuski's teasing, Yuko couldn't help but puff up her cheeks. After she shook off Natsuki's hand, she rushed directly to Natuski's defenseless back and hugged her hard. Natuski was knocked forward by the force and screamed. It's more of a grapple than a hug.
"Then let me comfort the sentimental club president."
"Oh, oh, oh, you are so considerate. Then I have to return the favor and hug you hard."
"Ouch! it hurts!"
"You haven't exercised enough, have you?"
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
So Natsuki and Yuko started a hugging competition, and the two hugged each other tightly as hard as they could. Generally speaking, this would never be called a friendly act, but it's probably the way they love each other. Nozomi and Mizore couldn't help but look at each other and smile when they saw them this.
"Sorry, sorry, I've been waiting for a long time." Reina says as she comes to Kumiko's side. Since she has not been present until now, Reina is confused by the scene in front of her. She askes Kumiko, "What's going on?"
Kumiko: "How should I put it? It looks like a quarrel, but actually the relationship is very good."
Reina: "What? It turns out it's the same as usual."
Reina immediately got into the situation, making Kumiko smile bitterly.
"Since it's a bit rare, why don't we give it a hug too?" Reina asked.
Kumiko: "You don't have to do it. It's not necessary."
"Haha, that's right. Go back quickly." After saying this, Reina gently holds Kumiko's hand. Kumiko nods. She doesn't like to be pulled along so much, so she walks side by side with Reina.
Spoiler for Daisuki Hug: Tomoe + Kumiko:
"Oh? Isn't this Kumiko? Thank you for your hard work!"
Hearing the sound of kicking footsteps from the other end of the corridor, Kumiko turned off the faucet after cleaning the mouthpiece, and saw Tomoe walking over.
Kumiko: "Tomoe, you have worked hard too."
Tomoe: "No, it's not hard at all. Since I had nothing to do, I secretly took out my homework and wrote it. I could also use everyone's exercises as background music. This is the privilege of the club manager!" Tomoe said proudly.
Kumiko: "Tomoe-senpai, haven't you finished your homework yet?"
Tomoe: "Huh? Kumiko, have you finished writing? You are really serious."
Kumiko: "Not really, but there's only one week left in summer vacation..."
After the two chatted for a while, Tomoe immediately got to the point.
Tomoe: "Speaking of which, I thought of something important. If I say it, I think it will cause trouble to Kumiko. However, the gentle Kumiko will definitely help me, right? Oh, should I say it?" Tomoe The pretentious tone made Kumiko smile bitterly.
Tomoe: "Even if you didn't ask in a roundabout way, I won't refuse senpai's request."
Tomoe: "Really? As expected of Kumiko, he is truly a role model for her juniors!" Tomoe's joy was beyond words. She puts her arms around Kumiko's shoulders, leaned into Kumiko's ear and said, "Yume said she wanted to be a club manager."
Kumiko: "Huh?"
Tomoe: "After all, she has a very sensitive personality and is still afraid of being a performer."
Kumiko: "No, no, no, let's talk about it. Yume is already a ready combatant in the trumpet group, isn't she?"
Tomoe: "This is what is worrying her. Although I talked to her a lot, it didn't seem to be convincing and she didn't even listen. So I accidentally..."I will ask Kumiko to talk to you! "This sentence was spoken." Tomoe smiles and gives a thumbs up.
From Kumiko's point of view, it felt like Tomoe was joking, and compared to herself, Tomoe was the one who was more familiar with Yume. However, Tomoe wanted to ask her for help. Besides Kumiko being Yuko’s recommendation, there was another reason.
Tomoe: "When it comes to things like this, sometimes people with a good relationship can't convey what they want to say to each other."
Kumiko: "this…"
Tomoe: "The reason is very simple, because she and I are just like licking each other's wounds. For people who are too similar, it is not suitable to come forward in this situation. Kumiko, I know you are very busy, but it is just a matter of dreams. Can I trouble you?"
Tomoe's words surprised Kumiko. One was a third-year student who volunteered to be a club manager, and the other was a first-year student who entered the official competition list. She never thought that these two people would have something in common. .
Kumiko: "I understand. As I said just now, I will not refuse your request."
Tomoe: "As expected of Kumiko. I really like the fact that you are very gentle!" After saying this, Tomoe takes advantage of the momentum and hugged Kumiko. This sudden development made Kumiko unable to react for a moment, while Tomoe urges: "Hurry up, it's time to turn to Kumiko next, right? Tell me what do you like about me?"
Kumiko: "Ah, it turns out to be 'Daisuki Hug'."
Tomoe: "Yes, this has become popular out of nowhere, especially the first year students who really like to play it."
Kumiko: "I'm really grateful to receive help from Oga-senpai every time. I respect you from the bottom of my heart for working hard for everyone."
Tomoe: "...Kumiko, don't you feel shy when you say this?"
Kumiko: "This is not because you asked me to say it, senpai."
Tomoe: "That's right, but I'm still very shy in a directness like this."
Seeing Tomoe blushing and covering her ears, Kumiko couldn't help laughing.
Spoiler for Mayu's failed Daisuki Hug with Kumiko:
"Do you feel uneasy?" asked Mayu, who had her hair tied in a ponytail like Kumiko.
Kumiko: "Yes, but it's okay."
Mayu: "Competitions make people's hearts beat faster. I just chatted with Xiaolu in the tour bus. She is really amazing. I have never met anyone with such a strong psychological quality."
Kumiko: "Besides Midori, I have never seen anyone as powerful as her."
Mayu: "Should I say that I am very open-minded? I really want to be someone like Midori. Although I admire those who are confident, it is really difficult to do so."
Kumiko: "You admire Midori instead of Reina?"
Mayu: "What do you mean?"
Kumiko: "When it comes to admire a confident person, doesn't Reina have a strong impression on people? Many kouhai admire her."
Kumiko caught a glimpse of Meirei hugging Satsuki and Suzume, and then Hazuki directly hugged the three of them from behind. Although their arms were not long enough, they still showed happy expressions.
"Isn't it Daisuki Hug'?" Mayu suddenly changed the subject, leaving Kumiko unable to react for a moment.
Kumiko: "Huh?"
Mayu: "I heard it was an exercise in intimate interaction, and it was really fun. I was very impressed the first time I heard it."
Kumiko: "Yeah, but I haven't seen the four-person version before."
("Daisuki Hug" is a method of communication among club members that came from Minami Middle School. It was very popular in Kitauji High School last year. The method is also very simple. The two parties who hug each other have to tell what they like about each other.)
Mayu: "I also want to try Daisuki Hug with Kumiko."
Kumiko: "No, I'm a little shy."
Mayu: "It doesn't matter now. Let's wait until Kumiko likes something about me. Let's us do it." After saying this, Mayu smiled softly.
Kumiko doesn't know what to say, because Mayu's implication was that Kumiko doesn't like her.
Mayu learns the new tradtion started from Kumiko's second year. When there is a conflict, use conflict resolution. The conflict resolution is Daisuki Hug.
I like that we're getting into Mayu's head a bit more with this one. It puts her actions into a bit more context. Makes sense that someone that doesn't fixate on anything or feels lacking in a sense of self would feel uncomfortable taking anything away from people passionately chasing their goals.
Isn't that also why Kumiko doesn't want to go to music school?
Isn't that also why Kumiko doesn't want to go to music school?
Kumiko never thought about going to a music college. She chose her current high school because it still has sailor uniform. Also, she wanted to start a new life with new friends. Her middle school team won the dud gold, which was winning regional gold but failed to make it to national(or winning national gold). Kumiko really wants her school to win a national gold. So, she broke up with Shuichi. She was drowning in the loving feeling and afraid she could not reached her goal. Since Mayu's school had experience winning gold from the national competition, getting Mayu involved was aligning with Kumiko's goal.
Azusa, Kumiko's teammate, happy, because she won the ticket to the high school with emphasize in music. Azusa knows Kumiko got shouted by her senpai when Kumiko won the spot instead of her senpai. She knew it was not the factor that Kumiko had no about music school. When Azusa has nothing to do, she plays music. Her effort paid off. Her school is also the gold winner from the national competition. Her activity in her current school enable her to be eligible for a music college.
Reina, Kumiko's another teammate, was sad about the dud gold(not eligible for the national competition). Kumiko thought the national was way beyond their ability. Reina declined the enrollment offer from Azusa's high school. Reina and her elementary school friend once compete for playing piano spot. After Reina won, her explanation was she had more practice more often than her friend. Her friend got angry in anime. She told Reina she didn't have piano to practice at home, unlike Reina. Reina's goal is to become a musician. Both Reina and Mizore's families can and are willing to afford extra music lessosn and their music instrument. So, talent, environment, and effort are all important to get into music industry. Nevertheless, Reina's silly reason not to attend Azusa's high school is getting in her way to become a musician.
Kudo for Mayu, Kumiko's negative emotion shows on her face. Mayu does what Reina failed to achieved, although that episode was said to be the anime original. It is probably fine for Kumiko, just some ouch moment.
There is one conspiracy theory on why Mayu acts that way. Since no one treats it seriously, it was never refuted. The conspiracy theory is as a non-Kyoto native, she unintentionally uses Kyoto style mockery. It rubs her Kyoto female classmates the wrong way. Midori uses animal to describes her classmates. Midori compares Mayu to jellyfish. She looks beautiful, but getting close to her will get stung by poison. I think it is exaggeration. Midori is right on people most of time, but she is wrong this time.
Spoiler for Stereotypes according to Japanese Internet, or Tokyo people.:
Japan Internet has a popular theory that Japanese's personalities are shaped by their prefectures/counties. The theory is like the personalities are shaped by blood types. There is no statistical studies to valid the theory. The theory is built on a bunch people's experience.
The perception of Kansai people(Kyoto, Osaka, and Nara) are they are different even they live in the area of proximity.
Tokyo people perceive Osaka people are careless and rude, but they think Osaka people are easier to be friend, compared to Kyoto people.
The Kyoto people are proud of their cultural-historical heritage. They have tendency to interact with other people with an indirect approach. It is said their praising is actually an insult. They might say, "You got an unique cloth not found in this area"(You don't know the dressing Etiquette). One self claimed Kyoto guy online argued that their way of saying is a friendly way to remind other to be cautious, such as forgetting to zip one's trousers. Another self claimed Kyoto guy said the stereotype troubles him. Once, he found his colleague(not from Kyoto) wore a watch he liked. He praised his colleague's watch and started the conversation, but his colleague quickly walked away quickly. He was clueless about his colleague's response.
Mayu is raised in the prefecture where people's stereotype is optimistic and have tendency to ignore details.