CHAPTER 340: CHAPTER 259: TOKYO UNIVERSITY MAY FESTIVAL (END)

Hanamaru Hanabi couldn’t help but tighten her hands in front of her skirt.

A great prelude to a song can not only uplift the lead singer’s mood, but also intensify the pressure on a nervous heart.

Especially for a girl with an introverted personality like Hanamaru Hanabi.

The performance on stage continued.

The music from the guitar and piano burst forth joyously, the clarity of the keys striking the piano enhanced the contour of the prelude’s melody, while the guitar strings’ embellishments made the tune even more vivid and clear.

It was like a hazy painting, brought to life by the artist’s final touch.

Following that, the dense rhythm of the drums joined in, and Uesugi Sakura emphasized the syllables according to the sheet music in his memory.

The continuous strumming echoed a more captivating rhythm.

This was a technique he learned from Miss Anna to accompany Hanabi in performing "Hanabi."

Kitagawa Sakisa’s violin hadn’t moved yet, but the sound from the other three’s performance had already reached a fiery, beating place in everyone’s hearts, stirring waves.

"Hey, hey, Todaka, can Uesugi play the guitar?" He looked a little surprised, even a layman could tell this was no beginner.

"I don’t know."

Todaka Keichiro’s attention was wholly on the stage. Not only did the classmates around him not know about Uesugi Sakura’s guitar skills, but even he was unaware of it, and Uesugi played so well.

Isn’t it that apart from the piano and drums, the other two sounds are played by him?

Can a guitar play two sounds simultaneously?

The crowd around them grew larger.

"You didn’t know? This is the ultimate cheat in social circles, look at all the female students nearby all coming to watch! Don’t you understand the status of a handsome guy who can play guitar in a girl’s heart?!"

Todaka Keichiro was still focused on the performance on stage, responding absentmindedly, "It’s normal, just like Uesugi wears an engagement ring every day, and you never noticed."

"That’s because I don’t have many joint topics with him in class!" The other side argued.

On stage, Uesugi Sakura, Kyujuu Rika, and Ayaka Rie had already established the leading rhythm of the song.

After a 17-second prelude, it was Hanamaru Hanabi’s time to sing.

In her silhouette, Uesugi Sakura could still discern an emotion called nervousness. Her figure was beautiful, resembling the image of first love amid fluttering cherry blossom petals in everyone’s hearts.

—Shy, budding, and nervous about feelings.

Hanamaru Hanabi stood at the front, facing the crowd and the sunlight under the azure sky, carefully pressing her lips together, counting the time silently in her heart, as the audience’s expectant gaze below the stage pressed heavily on her heartstrings.

She held her breath, made an effort to lift her hands to grasp the shiny silver standing microphone in front of her, and followed the rhythm of Uesugi Sakura’s harmony behind her, waiting for the 17th second to arrive.

As the surrounding crowd continued to grow, the curiosity they brought with them also increased.

Consequently, the pressure became even more immense.

The pounding heart, the blood rushing from her neck to her brain, the faint beads of sweat on her forehead, all were immediately perceptible.

Hanamaru Hanabi’s gaze fell on the microphone. Her stand-up posture’s skirt hem swayed in the wind, always carrying something instinctively evocative of yearning.

Even if she didn’t sing well, it was okay — that’s what everyone thought.

However, the moment Hanamaru Hanabi hesitated and carefully opened her small mouth after much deliberation.

She closed her eyes, slightly bowed her head, and her soft voice slowly flowed out, clear through the microphone and into the ears:

"From deep within the body, just below the throat, if there’s a heart there, you must be within it...."

So much so that the boys below the stage were mesmerized.

The moment her voice leaped out, the excellent guitar, crisp piano, and dense drum beats became mere accompaniment, turning into a backdrop.

Even though Hanamaru Hanabi hadn’t undergone singing training, her voice was unrefined, yet it was precisely that unique youthful quality that made it feel so beautiful, so gentle, so translucent.

Especially when she gradually lifted her head, revealing her sparkling violet eyes under the sunlight, this raised head and opened eyes were so adorable that they suddenly captured everyone’s heart.

When Hanamaru Hanabi sang the last line, many boys’ dreamy, romantic hearts implied that the "you" in their hearts referred to themselves.

"Very brave."

Uesugi Sakura, accompanying her on guitar, felt that unique timbre flowing into his ears and deeply into his heart, and couldn’t help but smile knowingly.

The song filled with people’s yearning for love slowly sang out, and Kitagawa Sakisa also began to smile. In her words, this kind of being admired was quite nice.

She picked up her violin, placing the bow on the neck, and emulated her by closing her eyes.

Wearing an all-black dress with a distinct British style, she also showcased a genuine young lady’s aura on stage.

The instant Hanamaru Hanabi’s tender ending note closed, she drew the violin bow, and the originally slightly melancholic song lyrics were instantly lifted to a peak, as if the bright sun parted the clouds and illuminated the rain-enhanced earth.

The light and lively rhythm made every bit of sunshine in the air breathe, the ginkgo leaves rustled, whether it was the sound of the breeze sweeping across the blue sky or the tender cries in the crow’s nest, all were enveloped in vibrant colors, accompanied by the intense high notes of the violin, tugging at the ears and hearts...

"...the level is really high."

Todaka Keichiro, like the audience below, was deeply impressed and shocked by the melody of this violin.