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iyuki-san, you’re really good!», exclaimed the teacher coming closer. My other classmates followed her. «You’re an expert», she clapped her hands staring at the fresh-baked chocolate breads. «Thank you, Anamura-sensei», I bowed my head and when I lift it up our teacher was already biting one of my sweets. «It’s delicious!» she commented with enthusiasm, making me blush. «You’re too kind» «Well, would you help the other girls, too?», she proposed. «Okay...», I accepted feeling even more embarrassed. «Well then, you can start with them», she pointed me a little group of five girls that I knew really well. A drop of cold sweat run down my brow and by instinct I turned towards Yukino who couldn’t do anything but shrug with a wince: she was still struggling with the base of her cake, she couldn’t come to my assistance. ‘Ok, come on!’, I took courage and went closer to the group. «You don’t have to», said immediately the one who tried to trip me the week before, but I ignored her. «First thing, you have to split the eggs like this», I showed them how to divide the yolk from the albumen. «Then, beat until stiff» «Darn, how can you be so fast and accurate?», wondered the tallest girl. «It’s just matter of habits» «It seems you enjoy it», another one came forward. «Indeed» I passed her the eggs «Here, have a try» «I’m super clumsy, Ikeda-san» she grumbled. «Try to imagine it like a game. This way it’ll be easier to split the two parts», I winked at her. Everyone got started right away. It hadn’t been a bad idea to help them, probably it would have taken some more time, but they had already started to look at me differently. While I was moving away from them, being satisfied, my attention was caught by another group that seemed enraptured while the girl among them was garnishing a cake with some whipped cream. «Asakawa-san, that looks very tasty», I said trying to draw the attention. «Our class rep is excellent in every subject», came forward one of the 30
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mates around her. «Since you’re an expert of sweets, could you confirm it?», she motioned me to reach them. «Let’s see...», I searched to meet Asakawa’s gaze. «Can I taste this bit you discarded?» «Be my guest», she stepped away a little. I got the sponge cake to my mouth. It was soaked in some sweet liqueur and the chocolate was well blended. «It’s delicious», I affirmed turning towards her one more time, while she was cold and impassive to my comment, as usual. «What did you use to soak the sponge cake in?» «Cherry liqueur», she answered pointing out the bottle. «Her family produce it, you know?», another girl stepped in. «Seriously?», I was amazed. «I thought your father managed a software company» «You’re well informed», said Asakawa dropping the palette knife on the counter. «My maternal grandfather have a passion for distillates», she looked at me icily. «I see», I felt another shiver pervading me again. That girl was a mystery to me, always so harsh and flawless. After a week passed together I hadn’t even seen her smiling once. «Your parents, on the other hand, own a pastry shop, don’t they, Ikeda-san?», called me back my classmate of a moment before. «Yes, we opened a pastry shop in Shibuya» «In Shibuya?!», cried out another girl who had been standing by, till then. «And what’s its name?» «We’ve called it “Paradiso”» «Pa-ra-di-so...?» «Correct», I laughed for their reactions. Asakawa, instead, looked at me weirdly, like she hadn’t got what I had just said. «It’s an Italian word», I explained to her. «It means Heaven» «I know», she replied looking at me as always. There was nothing I could do, I just couldn’t understand what was on her mind, but I didn’t have to get along with her at all costs, after all. 32
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*** «Hi, girls, can I join you for lunch?» «Jeez, you’re a real stalker», exclaimed Yukino looking askance at the newcomer. «Come on, don’t say that, Yukino-chan!», the boy laughed. «Don’t call me Yukino-chan, I care for my life and I don’t want that those stupid ditz of your fans come to kill me.», she simulated a blade cutting a throat. «I never thought you were such a fraidy-cat», he teased her. «Hey, you two... enough is enough!», I stopped them. «I’d like to eat peacefully my lunch If you don’t mind» «Ok, you’re right. Look, they told that you can cook like a goddess and that you own a pastry shop... in Heaven, is that true?», began Yamato with his irresistible smile, as always, that took me aback. «I can smell trouble...», I whispered leaning my drink on the table and looking him askance. «What do you want now? I’ve already told you that I will not join the basketball team, do not insist. Basketball isn’t my sport», I ended with decision. «Yes, but... Er... There will be the match to enter the rankings at the end of this month, so we wondered if you could give us a hand» «How could she help you if she isn’t enrolled?», Yukino got curious. «Let me explain. There’s a new regulation that allows the students to take part to the various competitions sporadically, even if they’re not part of the club. It’s exactly our case, isn’t it, Miyuki-can?» «Can you tell me what part of “NO” you didn’t get?!», I got irritated. «It’s just once in a while, what would it take?» «Maybe she just don’t want to?», stepped in Yukino sipping loudly through the straw. «But it’s for the sake of our school! Well, you don’t care about our institute?» «I’m just arrived, Yamato-kun, and...» «Please, call me Ryo», he interrupted me again and smiled like a heartbreaker. 34
«It’s useless, Miyuki-chan, he’s stubborn, he’ll never stop.» Yukino lost her patience and stood up. «Please, don’t leave», I called her back. «I’m sorry but I can’t stand him anymore», she waved at me after throwing her leftovers away in the trash and looking the captain of the boy’s basketball team askance. «Well then, how can I convince you, now that we’re alone?» Yamato came closer to me and slid his arm around my shoulders. «Fine!» I jerked up panicked. «Yay!» exulted him reaching out his arms to the sky like an idiot. «Then I’ll wait for you in the gym in an hour» «Sorry but... why should I come to the gym if the match is at the end of the month?» «Just for a friendly match with your teammate, I have to introduce you to the coach and to your future captain», he winked at me. «Ah, and don’t forget it, otherwise you’ll made me leave a bad impression, uh!», he recommended before leaving all happy. «Damn, he really set me up!», I grumbled crossing my arms. «Yamato is really nice, handsome and goodhearted, don’t you think?» I turned around towards one of his fans I helped during home economics that morning whose name was Shizuru Anamura, if I remembered right. «Well, yeah... he really seem so...», I answered getting defensive: I didn’t really forgot the treatment she and her little friend reserved me the week before. «Don’t worry, we’re not mad at you anymore», she looked at me smiling. «You’re a good person, Miyuki-san and... you talked us into it» «I-I talked you... into it? What do you mean?», I stuttered uncertain. «That you would be perfect for Yamato, more than that piece of ice that is Asakawa», she said squeezing my hands and looking at me with an unexpectedly happy face. “Oh my God!”, I thought trying to keep calm. «Uhm.... Anamura-san... You’re jumping the gun. I don’t like Yamato like that, okay?» 35
«Well, you two will fall in love over time and all of us... will cheer for you», she bounded on the spot. I didn’t have the courage to answer back. *** “Everybody is crazy in this school”, I kept overthinking while dragging myself to the gym. Yamato was standing on the door waiting for me: «Here you are, finally! You’re late, hurry!», he grabbed my arm and guided me to the locker room. «Hey, how rude!», I complained. «On the bench near the toilet there’s a change of clothes for you, we’re waiting for you, so hurry up!». he said pushing me in and then closing the door. I put on the shorts and the shirt, the suit was scarlet red. I changed my shoes, then I went out and reached the other girls who were already on the court practicing. «There she is, coach! It’s her» Yamato pointed me out to the coach. «Miyuki Ikeda from second A class», he smiled in my direction. «Nice to meet you, coach», I said bowing to the man. «Shingo Makimura. Nice to meet you, too», he looked at me from head to foot. «I’m curious to know if Ryo is in love with you just as an athlete or just cause you’re a beautiful girl», he laughed making me blush. «Coach, let her play!», Yamato gave him a provocative smile. I was so focused on looking those two that I didn’t notice the figure who had stood beside me, till I smelled an intense and spicy scent all around me. I turned myself toward the new presence and I gaped: if Rei Asakawa had left me speechless cause of her astonishing beauty like a china doll, my reaction after seeing Misato Fujiwara was no less than that. «We can finally meet, Ikeda-san. The whole school speaks about you», she smiled to me sweetly. «I’m Misato Fujiwara, captain of the team», «Really nice to meet you, Fujiwara-san», I said staring at he comple36
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tely amazed. I wondered for a moment how a girl like that could play basketball. I might have thought that she was perfect as a master of the tea ceremony: with her bob dark straight hair, hazel eyes, her lips red like strawberries and her sophisticated manners. She didn’t have the appearance of a sportswoman... but clearly I was wrong. «Play like you were at the championship’s final. Today we’re choosing first-strings and reserves», exclaimed Makimura, then he whistled the beginning of the game. Yamato, who was playing the role of the referee, launched the ball, which flew in the air, and I jumped as high as I could to take the lead. Unfortunately, right in front of me there was the charming Fujiwara who stole the ball from my hands and threw it to her teammate, who were ready to grab it. “I underestimated her!”, I landed badly and I lost my balance. I got on my feet just in time to see the captain score the first two points. Coming back to her half court she placed herself behind me. «I’ll be your marker», she said in a breath through my hair. I turned towards her and I saw a weird smile forming on her face. «Maybe Ryo exaggerated singing your praises.» I tensed up. At the time I couldn’t understand if she were trying to make me anxious just to distract me from the game and test my abilities under pressure, or if she was doing that just because she had a thing for Yamato. «Ikeda-san!», a teammate called me passing me the ball. I stopped it on the fly, but when I was about to turn and attack, Fujiwara stretched out her arms hindering me every moves. She was at least 10 centimeters taller than me, she was fast and self confident. Her eyes didn’t reveal the slightest hesitation. I didn’t have a chance to escape my marker. I had to pass the ball back to the small forward who came to my assistance. “This is not good!” I wiped my forehead bathed in sweat using my wrist. I had never felt so uncomfortable playing a basketball game, not even when I happened to vie with boys way too older than me. I was feeling heavy-legged and an upset stomach. 38
«Hey, guard, what’re you doing?», rebuked me the playmaker of my team. «Harry up!», she got angry. I couldn’t blame her. I was there just as a pastime and because Yamato forced me, but they were all playing to be in first team. «Ok, I’m here», with a glance I indicated her the end zone, she got me immediately and in an instant she followed me along the line passing perfectly the basketball to me. That time I grabbed the ball and headed under the basket, but once again, during the layup, the figure of Fujiwara sprang up on me stonewalling. At that point I found a flash solution: since I could never break her defense losing the chance to score, I slid the ball behind my back and passed it again to the playmaker who had followed my moves. Fujiwara opened her eyes widely while the action was endind: «How is it...?», she stammered. «You can stop me from scoring, but on the court there are five of us», I winked to her. «Good, you’re challenging me», she looked at me amused. «I’ll give it my all with you» «So do I», I replied coming back to my spot. Fujiwara never take her eyes off of me but, like the experienced player she was, she realized that marking only me wasn’t the right solution, so she revert to the zone defense, finally turning me loose to take action. «Feel free to take the initiative, Ikeda-san, then if you’re in a tight spot we can do it just like before», encouraged me the playmaker of my team. She didn’t have to say it twice, I started playing without thinking too much to the responsibilities and I didn’t allow to myself to be distracted by the skill of Fujiwara, who were collecting scores with speed and precision. «Unbelievable», I burst out seeing her landing with grace after a three point shot. «Yeah, the captain has been renamed “the Iroku’s panther” by our opponents», said to me the girl who was the center. «A truly appropriate nickname, I would say», I took a breath ready to attack again. We were losing the match by 12-21. «Let’s knuckle down!», I 39
cried out setting up the fast break, but at the line of the three-point field, seeing that all my teammate were marked, I tried a three-points shot before having the captain over me again. The basketball slid into the net like it was soaked in oil. Fujiwara looked at me again with the same expression like before: she seemed surprised and amused at the same time. Within few minutes we reversed the situation taking the lead. Fujiwara scored three three-points shots in a row, she stole a pass from us and passed the ball to her center who tried an hook shot. As a first step I succeeded in blocking her, but immediately after I was distracted by someone who had just come up on the bleachers: “Asakawa!”, I stared at her losing my concentration. The center of Fujiwara’s team scored. I turned back again toward my classmate who appeared to have realized she distracted me. “Damn, they’re ahead of one point”, I gritted my teeth running and dribbling toward the opponent basket. I didn’t want to lose. Usually I wasn’t so stirred up for a game, but Fujiwara had revived in me the rivalry and at that point I couldn’t give in. I imposed on myself to not turn back towards the bleachers anymore, I passed the ball to a mate freeing myself on the left and when she passed it back to me I entered the three-points field and jumped: «It’s done!», I exclaimed finding the basket empty. I took aim and shot. Just a few more minutes and we would have shot the lead on the first team, after that we only had to focus ourselves on the defense. Just a couple of minutes were left, and while I was coming back down I kept my eyes on the hoop, looking forward to hear the sound of the ball sliding on the net. Suddenly though, something incredible happened: the basketball vanished before my eyes! Fujiwara caught me jumping in backbeat and blocking my shoot to the basket. I pivoted on my right foot and tried an extreme move to get the ball back, but it didn’t make any difference. «You counted your chickens before they’ve been hatched», said the captain to me wriggling away so fluently and gracefully that she really 40
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seemed a feline. I gaped while the game ended with a three-point shot scored by her. By instinct I turned back again toward the bleachers where I had seen Asakawa, but she wasn’t there anymore. I collapsed on the floor disappointed, till Yamato’s voice called me back: «Miyuki-chan, you’ve been amazing, stand up, I have a nice water bottle for you», he said in a high and tossed a towel to me. «You shouldn’t be happy... we just lost.», I replied standing on the ground with my arms opened. «Right, Ryo, don’t give her too much importance or she’ll become full of herself», I heard. «Fujiwara-san», I took off the towel from my eyes and she smile at me. «Well, I take my leave», whistled Yamato tossing to her the water bottle that was for me. «Hey, where are you going?», I jerked up sitting. «As you can see there’s one more match to referee», he winked. «You’re in good hands», he trotted to the court. «We’re twenty girls, maybe there are some for the official short list», said the senpai motioning me to follow her. I stood up wearily, I was incredulous: was it possible that she wasn’t whacked after playing like that? «Say, Fujiwara-san, are an alien by any chance?», I asked taking the water bottle from her hands, and tossing off half of it. «An alien?», she opened her eyes widely and the burst out laughing. «You’re really funny, Ikeda-san», «I’m being realistic. Come on, how can you be so calm and fresh after a match like that? I’m whacked» «It’s just that I’m well-trained», she said sitting on the bleachers in front of the court, right where I saw Asakawa a minute before. «Why don’t you join our club instead of playing sporadically?», she stared into my eyes. «Like I explained to Yamato, basketball isn’t my sport», I looked away. «I don’t want to force you, but... It’s a shame», she sighed. «With a guard like you by my side we could do great things» 42
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«I’m sorry for earlier... I’ve been full of myself», I said with a hanging head, I was still feeling an idiot for how I acted. «Why are you apologizing? I provoked you», she turned toward me trying to draw my attention. «Ryo talked to me so much about you that I wanted to see how you’d act under pressure», she ended touching lightly my shoulder with her hand. I jolted to that contact. «Er... actually... I figured that out», I blushed feeling her coming closer. «Are you telling that I’m predictable?», she asked brushing my hair with her hand. «Now I can really feel offended», she laughed. I blushed: Fujiwara was a cross between Catwoman and a takarazuka’s actress. She was sexy, charming and at the same time delicate and ethereal. «So, can we count on you?», she let her fingers slide through my hair. «Y-Yes... I’ll try to do my best», I crossed my eyes with hers and I felt my cheeks on fire. «Very well, thanks... Miyuki», she smiled gently. *** When I came back to class for the afternoon cleaning, Yukino told me all about the captain: «Fujiwara-senpai is one of the school’s celebrity. She has to clean her locker every morning cause it’s always full of love letters from her fans», she got closer my ear. «Rumor has it that even one of the teachers has a wickness for her», she whispered. «Really?!», I goggled at her. «Do you mean she has even more fans than Asakawa?», I asked without thinking. «Our class rep has plenty, too, but... when the rumor about her being with Yamato spread her popularity has decreased», she shrugged. «Anyway, we’re talking about the basketball team’s captain, I guess it’s normal. Did you know that they call her “Iroku’s black panther”?» «Yeah, I did», I crossed my arms. «She’s really good and charming. Her style’s as good as a professional», I commented. «Woah, did the captain find a way to your heart?», Yukino laughed poking on my chest. 44
«Cut it off», I laughed. «Though... Yes, she leaves an impression», «So, will you join the basketball club?», «No, but I’m going to give them a hand», I leant against the desk and I realized something important. «I forgot my bag in the locker room!», I ran away leaving Yukino with scrubbing brush in her hand and with an unbelieving look. «Hey, you have to come back, got it? I don’t wanna clean all by myself!», she got upset. When I arrived in the gym there was no one left and for a moment I feared that someone took or hid my bag. Forunately it was still where I left it, under a bench. «Better come back to class now or Yukino’ll get mad for real.», I giggled skipping along the way, and when I passed by the “Room of Requirement” I wondered If someone was using it in that moment. As a reply to my question, I heard a noise of something dropping on the floor coming from inside. «there really is someone inside...», I stopped in front of the door. I don’t know why I did it, I didn’t use to peek or something, but it was like a mysterious force was attracting me like a magnet. I moved to the back and my heart started beating faster while I was doing something so inconsiderate: I picked a little mirror from my bag and got up on an old abandoned chair I found there. I stretched my arm and, standing on tiptoes, I put the mirror at the level of the only little window of that room. “Let’s see who is in this room and what they need...”, I turned the mirror so it could reflect the inside. “I can’t see anything, it’s pitch dark in there... Maybe there is no one in, actually”, I thought a little disappointed, but suddenly the mirror revealed who was hiding in the dim and what they were doing. My heart seemed to suddenly stop: «Oh my God!», I shouted out putting my hand on my mouth. My legs weakened, I lost my balance falling backward and making a loud noise. «Yikes! I got to go right away!», I grabbed my bag and ran away quickly. “I shouldn’t have been so meddling, I’ve been a real idiot!” I cursed myself, aware that that image, impressed like a photograph in my mind, wouldn’t abandon me anymore. 45
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Orange Cream di Scarlett Bell
with drawings by Aeryn Sun English translation by Sakura21 from micettescans.blogfree.net
TO BE CONTINUED...
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