Bringing Melodies to the Monochrome World
On the day of the Monochrome Easter event. Takara is listening to the other performances on the live stage—
Takara (All the groups have such amazing performances… All of them are a mix of performers different from the usual, huhh.)
Takara (They’re good performances where the sounds go together perfectly. From the performers to the audience, everyone looks like they’re having fun… What a relief!)
Takara (It’s almost our time to perform… I’ve got to do my best.)
Takara (I wonder if I can play together properly with the guest performers… I wonder if my sound will become a burden to them…)
Takara (I’ve done all I could with my utmost efforts, but my heart’s pounding harder than usual because we’ll be performing with others outside of our band…)
(Yahiko joins him.)
Yahiko Hm, are you nervous, Kuramoto-kun. It is also interesting, to see you waver with unease.
Takara Ahaha, as usual, you’re not anxious, are you.
Yahiko Yeah, I’m not.
Takara I used to have a good form of anxiety before sports competitions, but it’s always been this sort of uneasy nervousness, ever since I’ve joined the band…
Yahiko Heh, the butterflies in your stomach add spice to both your life and your performance, you know.
Takara Spice…you say?
Yahiko That ‘pounding of your heart’ isn’t something bad, is it? If that’s the case then all you have to do is use that to elevate your music.
Takara Elevate my music, huh… I wonder if it’s something that I can do?
Yahiko You will be fine. You may not be aware of it, but it’s something that you’re already capable of.
Takara …!
Takara …Okay! Thank you so much!
(Mikio joins them.)
Mikio You two, it’s almost time… Wait, Takara, what’s the matter? You look kind of happy.
Takara Ahaha, Nanri-senpai’s taught me how to ease my anxiety.
Mikio Whoa, I’d like to know as well, if there’s a way to do that.
Takara Let’s see, it’s to put your anxious heart-pounding into your music too! Or something like that.
Mikio …Mm? I kind of get it, but I also kind of don’t…
Yahiko Haha, people’s perceptions differ in a variety of ways. That’s precisely what makes humans interesting, you know.
Yahiko Since you’re here. Manatee-kun. Allow me to hear what your feelings are for our performance, as we begin to approach—
♪~~~…
Mikio Oh now, the group before us has finished performing…! We’ve got to go on standby right away, you two!
Yahiko I guess there’s nothing we can do, if there’s a time limit. Allow me to hear of your sentiments at a later time.
Yahiko Well then let’s go shall we. Let’s conjure up a melody in this monochrome world, with our serenade.
Takara・Mikio Got it!
(The band begins playing.)
♪~~~♪~♪~~
Mikio (Our sounds are coming together well with the soloists’… Our performance sounds richer than usual, and it feels really good.)
Mikio (The low notes of Itsuki-senpai’s bass clar, the bassoon, and the contrabass help to lead our overall sound in one direction.)
Mikio (It seems like Mashu’s shifted into high gear too, after hitting it off with the percussionist…)
Mikio (And the oboist is truly skilled as well. It’s like they’re making the piece even more splendid and attractive.)
Mikio (Yep, Maruyama’s got a stable and clear tone as always. As for Takara… Fufu, seems like he’s enjoying his heart pounding, I see.)
Mikio (Nanri-senpai is properly playing with a harmonious tone despite adding in some arrangements every now and then, I see.)
Mikio (“Let’s put our anxious heart-pounding into our music too,” …huh. Okay! Perhaps I should give it a try with those feelings as well.)
Yahiko (Our sound will become exclusive, if we continue playing with the same members.)
Yahiko (Ibuki Concert Band is still a work in progress, but…it appears that a good result has been borne from mixing in other foreign sounds.)
Yahiko (We will not grow, if we choose to remain stagnant. It is good to have change, no matter the form.)
Yahiko (It is also fine not to know what the correct answer is. There is meaning behind thinking for yourself, and heading towards a direction that you yourself have decided upon.)
Yahiko (Ahh… I can feel your high. Sometimes, music can be more eloquent than words, in conveying feelings.)
Yahiko (The youthful melodies of Ibuki, with their fresh green scent, blend right in with the mature and yearning melodies of the guest performers…)
Yahiko (Our serenade is only just getting started.)
Takara (The ‘pounding of my heart’ is turning into music… It’s just as Nanri-senpai said.)
Takara (I’ve been doing this subconsciously. It makes me rather happy…and proud.)
Takara (I’m certain that it was because of people like Minato and Seriya-senpai…and everyone from the band, that I’ve been able to come so far.)
Takara (Every day continues to be ‘fun’, ever since I joined the band and started playing an instrument…)
Takara (Of course, there are times where I was worried too, but it’s all worth it, and it’s also interesting how each of our different sounds all come together as one.)
Takara (Back in middle school, I could never get as passionate as everyone else no matter how hard I tried, so I sensed that I was being left behind somewhere.)
Takara (However, if I’m in a concert band…if I’m together with everyone from Ibuki! Then my feelings are level to that of all my friends when I do my best, and I can stand onstage as their equals.)
Takara (Today, and tomorrow, and after that, too…so that every day can continue to be fun. Let’s work hard together, Tuu-kun!)
♪~~♪~~~♪♪
(The performance ends.)
Clapclapclapclap!
To be continued…
~ Next: Page 6 ~
A HARMONY THAT CAN’T BE CREATED ALONE.
PREVIEW
Takara: I’ll transform into a Rabbit King with the best of my abilities,
so that everyone can enjoy themselves until the very end of the contest!
Mikio: Yep, I’ll do my best too.
Stamff's Wind Boys! Translations! 