Page 88
"teacher"
A classmate raised his hand.
Fujii Itsuki looked over and motioned for the girl to speak.
"Teacher, don't you think your goals are too far away from us?"
"It's really far away, so I'm asking for your opinions. What's your reason for joining the wind band club?"
"The reason is because of the anime," the girl answered hesitantly, "I saw an anime about a brass band and thought it was cool, so I wanted to join the band."
"I see," Fujii Itsuki nodded with a smile, and turned to the crowd again, "Then those who have the same idea as this classmate, and chose to join the wind band club because of anime, some videos, some promotions, or because they saw wind bands somewhere and thought they were cool, please raise your hands."
"."
There was silence in the audience.
"Don't worry, just raise your hands. I'm just asking about your original intentions, not accusing you. It's normal to choose a sport or a hobby because of some opportunity."
After Fujii Itsuki gave his explanation, the students in the audience began to raise their hands one after another.
About 70%, and most of them are first-year students.
Everyone joined the club because they watched the anime Euphonium and thought the characters were cool.
"I see. Coincidentally, the teacher has also watched that animation. Since everyone likes it so much, let's learn from the steps in it and have a democratic vote as well."
Fujii Itsuki said this lightly, picked up the chalk, turned around and wrote two large characters on the blackboard: [National Competition] and [Leisure and Happiness].
Matsumae Shinchun raised her head and saw the heavy pressure on the four sharp words "National Competition".
"Like the teachers there, I can choose both options. You can work hard or use the club as a place to have fun and learn happily. The director will then help count the votes, and everyone can make their own choices and vote democratically."
After saying this, Fujii Itsuki walked down from the podium, and the students below the stage whispered to each other anxiously.
Matsumae Shinharu could feel everyone's inner uneasiness and anxiety.
The teacher is really cunning.
Using animation as an excuse, they also used the tricky method of "democratic voting".
This seemingly fair approach does the exact opposite for students.
Because we are all students, most of the time we don’t have our own ideas or independent thinking.
In fact, from the moment we enter kindergarten, we are destined to be always carried forward by our parents, schools, society, and the collective opinions.
Everyone lacks a clear direction and is afraid of being separated from the group.
Everyone just goes with the flow and just wants to be “getting by”.
[The minority] must obey [the majority].
And among [most], there are actually only one or two people who have clear ideas and goals.
Aoyama Shoko replaced Fujii Itsuki, stood on the podium, clapped her hands, and signaled everyone to be quiet.
"Then we will follow the teacher's instructions and start a democratic vote. The first ones to start are the students who want to participate in the national competition. Students who want to participate in the national competition, please raise your hands."
Amidst the endless silence, Jiuhuayue and Yangkui Chitose raised their hands firmly again.
And behind them who raised their hands firmly was Matsumae Shinharu.
Aoyama Shoko was a little surprised. Why did Matsumae, a new member of the club, do this?
After that, two more students raised their hands, and finally a few more students raised their hands slowly.
"The final result is - seven votes."
Aoyama Shoko glanced at him and then looked away. "Next, students who don't want to participate in the national competition, please raise your hands."
As soon as the words fell, the air became silent for an instant.
Matsumae Shinchun saw that the girl who had spoken before wanted to raise her hand, but she was hesitant and kept hesitating.
Until the end, she didn't dare to raise her hand to vote.
Not only her, but also some classmates who have no confidence in the national competition.
Without anyone taking the lead, no one will choose to be the first to take action.
No one wants to offend anyone.
“0 votes.”
This time, no one rejected the goal of participating in the national competition.
Even Shoko Aoyama was surprised. Excluding her, the number of people who abstained was as high as 14.
Fujii Itsuki walked back to the podium and faced everyone calmly, "Then the next goal of the wind band club has been determined."
He turned around and drew a big cross on the line of words [Leisure and Happiness].
The two straight lines seemed to completely erase this idea from the minds of everyone in the wind band.
This made most of the students feel uncomfortable.
“Our goal is to officially participate in the national competition.”
After the words were spoken, there was a sparse applause from the audience. Fujii Itsuki also applauded, congratulating the club for achieving this goal so democratically.
He continued:
"Then I will start training for the club. I know that when this goal is set, everyone may be happy, uneasy, or still have objections in their hearts, afraid to face the competition, and think that everyone can't go that far.
“These are all understandable emotions.
“But everyone was still willing to stay in the wind band club despite the previous incident, which shows that everyone still has some aspirations and dreams for wind music and themselves. What if they enter the national competition? What if they accidentally win the gold medal?
"Everyone wants to be able to play great music, be cool, and attract attention, right?"
Fujii Itsuki's expression was cold, and his smile turned into calmness.
"First of all, I want to pour a bucket of cold water on everyone here. In fact, according to the current situation of the Tachibana North Wind Band, the fact is most likely just as everyone is worried. After all our efforts, we were not able to enter the national competition, and we were not even selected for the Hokkaido competition.
"Because in the current Jubei, the first-year students have no formal practice in the first two semesters. The second-year students are also mostly lazy during this period, and I am afraid that they have completely forgotten the previous techniques and methods.
"How can we face the results of his school's training day and night?
"The final result we may get is that all the efforts and training we have made during this period are in vain and meaningless.
"Does everyone understand this situation?"
"."
These heavy words made the atmosphere in the club depressing to the extreme.
We already lack confidence. Why do you have to say something like this to discourage us?
Fujii Itsuki's eyes swept over most of the students who were looking down at the stage.
“But I want to ask, is this really meaningless?”
The calm tone began to rise.
“Humans are mortal, so life is meaningless?
"Our coming into this world is essentially meaningless?
“Those competitors who tried hard and fought hard in the past but ultimately lost in the competition were also meaningless?
"No, that's not right. Absolutely not right!"
Fujii Itsuki raised his head, placed his right hand on his heart, and raised his voice.
“We are the ones who give meaning to these things!
“Even if we fail in the end, even if we are forgotten in the end, even if we get nothing in the end, during this period, we can at least be worthy of ourselves! We have our own goals, we have our own efforts, and we have our own companions!
“We may fail and regret, but many years later, when we recall today, we will remember that we at least had a goal we wanted to work hard to achieve! We at least have a group of companions who have shed sweat and worked hard together, and a group of companions who have worked hard together for this goal!
“We worked hard together, fought together, and the friendships we formed during this period, isn’t that meaningful?
“Youth is doomed to failure, and the youth of most people is doomed to failure!
"But during this period, we fought for it, and our common experience of moving forward was the youth that we, a group of losers, truly had!
“We are worthy of our ideas! We are worthy of our actions! Because we have tried our best and tried our best!
“Why do we still smile when we look back on this failed experience many years later? There is no other reason, it is just because we ourselves are the ones who can give true meaning to this youth!”
Applause, sparse applause.
Then the applause gradually became clearer and warmer, and finally filled the entire classroom.
Everyone was looking at Fujii Itsuki on the stage.
Fujii Itsuki smiled and clapped for everyone, then opened his hands and signaled everyone to be quiet for a while:
"Besides, that was the case when we failed. What if we didn't fail? Wouldn't we have a more wonderful experience? Everyone wants to be praised, noticed, and praised by everyone, right? Then, we have to work hard for it and persist for it! I, the teacher, will also do my best to help you during this period.
"I'm asking you all again, the current goal of our Orange North Wind Band is—"
"National competition!"
"Your answer is too slow and not in unison. Let me ask again. Our current goal of the wind band is—"
"National competition!"
All the girls, everyone answered in unison, and then there was another round of applause.
National Competition
While Matsumae Shinchun was clapping, he noticed Jiuhuayue.
Although Jiuhuayue was only clapping gently, her eager and longing eyes towards Fujii Itsuki told Matsumae Shinchun that the situation was not that simple.
How strange. Why does Yue look at Mr. Fujii like that?
Chitose too
*
After the club was temporarily disbanded, the students around me were still discussing the goal of entering the national competition.
Everyone is worried and afraid, but after hearing Fujii Itsuki's speech just now, more people are thinking, "As long as you practice with all your strength, you won't regret it."
Yue.Yue is like this too?