Cheese! I’m Harukaze Doremi.
I turned 17 this summer.
I longed for it somehow. Seventeen! I know it’s a cliché, but it’s okay to dream, right?
Besides, I’ve been admiring the daily life and summer vacation of high school students since I was in middle school.
It’s easy to look up the daily life of high school students in magazines and on the Internet, and Misora High School is close to my house. I often see the students there. There are also high school students shopping in their uniforms or casual clothes when I take the train or go out to play.
But that’s not me. My high school years will be my own.
When high school students become third-year students, they are all exam students at once, right? So I want to try all kinds of new things in these two years. It’d be nice to get a boyfriend too. And make lots more friends! Go to the beach and pool together in the summer! I also want to get a part-time job. I wonder what I’d spend the money I earn on.
That’s the sort of thing I thought about in middle school.
And this is the reality.
It’s been chaotic since I started high school. Unexpected things keep happening every day. Ai-chan moved here, and then MAHO-do suddenly appeared, bringing Majorika and Lala with them. Then we went looking for Onpu-chan, whom we had lost contact with, and then Momo-chan came too, and finally, Hana-chan showed up as well. We even ended up becoming witch apprentices again.
As for high school life, I was surprised by my homeroom teacher’s chameleon-like face and his unconventional past and wife. I also made friends who were different from the ones I had in elementary and middle school.
And while nothing much changed with Kotake, I do think we’ve become more than just friends… probably. I got a part-time job too. My days are more fulfilling than I imagined.
As expected, I’m sure there are no other high school students involved in the magical world besides us, though.
The National High School Comprehensive Athletic Meet (inter-high school competition), which was one of the goals of the Misora High School soccer team this year, has also come to an end. And my long-awaited 17-year-old summer vacation is ending in one week. The days of being chased by homework and assignments are no different, and it’s too sad. Even though there were no classes, I didn’t have any summer vacation because of my part-time job and soccer team.
Ai-chan’s injury still isn’t completely healed, so she can’t stand for long hours at the store. But she does help out with the track and field team. She said she wanted to become a trainer, but she also seems eager to get back to running. She has started doing one hour of walking every morning too.
Hazuki-chan gets violin lessons from another teacher on her days off, in addition to studying and playing violin at school. She says she has to practice every day. She’s really immersed in playing the violin. She’s looking forward to the next competition.
By the way, I heard that Yada-kun was also working hard at his part-time job to go to America with G. Baker-san’s family and friends during the summer vacation. Being able to visit the home of jazz must have been a great motivation. He still seems to miss meeting with Hazuki-chan a lot, but since they live close by, I imagine they see each other in passing.
Onpu-chan is currently taking intensive supplementary lessons. She has a film shoot until early autumn, and plans to appear in a TV drama starting in the fall too. Onpu-chan says she’ll only go to school when she can make it. I like school, but I don’t really want supplementary lessons.
Momo-chan is working at MAHO-do daily like an office lady during the summer vacation. She often visits Ran-san at “Eugene”. Maybe it’s better to say that she’s intruding. Thanks to that, she seems to have improved her skills a lot. She seems really fulfilled.
Hana-chan is borrowing books about glass crafts and glass workshops from the library to research. We got information about Majoavenir and Yume-chan when we all went to Okinawa, but we don’t know where they went after that, so we haven’t been able to help.
Since the other party is also a witch, we need to be careful. But Hana-chan is steadily making progress without causing us any trouble or annoyance, making sweets properly with Momo-chan at MAHO-do and not using magic to take shortcuts. She’s really grown up.
One Saturday at the end of the summer, after our club’s practice game was over and we broke up, I headed straight for MAHO-do. The store gets busy on weekends too, so I had to get there for my part-time job.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I got a call from Kotake.”
After my part-time job was over and I was about to change clothes, I noticed that the light on my cell phone was blinking.
“Oh, it’s a date or a date invitation!”
“No way, it’s just a club matter.”
I ignored Ai-chan’s giggling and checked the call history, it was more than an hour ago.
“Doremi, you said you have a break from the club activities tomorrow. You can go on a date!”
Hana-chan cheerfully patted my shoulders.
While the ringing tone could still be heard, I half-listened to everyone chatting.
We had a practice match this afternoon, and it was exhausting, so tomorrow was scheduled as a full day off. I wondered what was going on when I called Kotake back. Must have been something urgent.
“…Oh, Kotake, sorry. I couldn’t answer the phone while I was working part-time.”
Everyone had finished changing their clothes and was looking at me.
“Oh, Harukaze. Are you free tomorrow afternoon?”
──Huh, Kotake, isn’t this about the club activities? Why?
“…Huh? Tomorrow? Yeah, I’m free.”
I replied nonchalantly, and then I thought, “Oh, shoot!” The spectators’ eyes started to glisten. Kotake calls me once in a while, but usually it’s just for club business. I think it would be easier to use text messaging, but Hazuki-chan said that text messaging is a hassle for boys.
“Um, yeah. I have part-time tomorrow, but I think it’ll be fine since Ai-chan and the others will be there.”
──Could this be…?
“Hey, want to go watch a soccer game? You rushed home after saying you had part-time today. I forgot to ask earlier.”
“Oh, a… soccer game. Sorry, I was in a hurry earlier…”
“We don’t have any club activities tomorrow, so I figured you’d be working as usual, but…”
The sound of the TV could be heard in the distance. I wondered if Kotake was at home watching a J-League game.
“…It was a date under the pretext of watching a soccer game, of course.”
“…Their summer vacation was non-stop with the trip to Okinawa and Inter-High.”
Momo-chan and Hazuki-chan were whispering to each other.
“…That’s right. Once the qualifying rounds for the Winter Kokuritsu start, they will both be busy.”
“…Kotake has finally learned some little tricks.”
Hana-chan was very excited and Ai-chan kept looking at me with a grin on her face.
I could hear you all murmuring, guys.
“I heard you’re still at work? Kimura will be there and the stadium is close by, so what do you think?”
“Ah, sorry, that was a different conversation. Yeah, we haven’t been able to find a good time to go, and I’ve never watched Kimura-kun’s game before. I’ll go, I’ll go!”
“Okay then, I think the meeting time and place are in the message from Kashiwagi, so don’t be late.”
“Oh, it’s not just the two of us… is it?”
The light that indicated an incoming text message started blinking at the same time I hung up my cell phone. Kotake was right, it was a message from Kashiwagi Chinami-chan, the manager of the soccer team with me. If I had checked my phone first, I wouldn’t have been so nervous for no reason.
“Doremi-chan, it wasn’t… a date.”
Hazuki-chan said apologetically. The other three suddenly turned away. Honestly, they were irresponsibly hyping me up, so of course I started overthinking everything! Still, I wonder if it would have been necessary to confirm by phone again if I had already been contacted by message.
After I finished changing clothes, I waved to Hana-chan and left MAHO-do.
“Everyone on the soccer team is going to watch the game, right?”
Hazuki-chan asked as we walked.
“Yes, Kimura-kun is going to be at the youth team match. I’ve heard a lot about him, but it’s the first time for me to see one of his games since I started high school.”
“Yeah, I heard that he’s doing quite well. He even plays in cup matches regularly. Well, I don’t have a satellite antenna, so I can’t watch it.”
Ai-chan said, as expected, with her usual knowledge.
“Kotake didn’t have to let me know when Chinami-chan already sent me a message!”
I grumbled.
“That’s because the club members are all boys. If you didn’t go, Chinami-chan would be the only girl, so maybe he was worried about that?”
Wow, Momo-chan, you’re amazing. I didn’t even notice that.
“You should send a message to Chinami-chan as well. Maybe she prefers being the only girl among the boys.”
Ai-chan sounded amused but I retorted,
“Ehh, that’s not true!”
“Chinami-chan is a junior, after all. Kotake-kun’s considerate of her now.”
I felt the same way as Hazuki-chan. It bothered me a little that his consideration was for Chinami-chan and not for me.
Kimura Takao-kun and I were classmates through middle school. He was on the soccer team with Kotake in middle school. Midfielder Kimura-kun and forward Kotake were a great combination, and I think they achieved good results in the prefectural tournament in their third year.
The reason I say “I think” is because I wasn’t very interested in soccer back then. Even the junior manager, Chinami-chan, knew more than me. I went to cheer at matches but only watched for immediate goals, barely trying to learn anything about soccer.
“I wonder if Kimura-kun is still dating Marina-chan.”
Ai-chan said as she looked at Hazuki-chan on the way home from MAHO-do.
“Would you say they’re dating?”
Hazuki-chan thought for a moment and looked at me.
“I think they’re like Doromi-chan and Kotake-kun. Marina-chan goes to a private preparatory school and Kimura-kun became a regular soon after joining the youth team. They go to different schools too, so I don’t think they can meet very often.”
Although Hazuki-chan and Marina-chan weren’t particularly proactive types, they became friends by the time of graduation. Even though Marina-chan’s house was far away compared to other students attending Misora Elementary School, and it took her a long time to get to school, she always came early to water the flowers in the flowerbed.
“If they’re like Doremi-chan and Kotake, that means they’re just friends.”
Ai-chan looked satisfied with herself. I was frustrated that I couldn’t argue back.
“She liked growing flowers. Gives a quiet, girly image,” Momo-chan said.
“I haven’t seen her since our elementary reunion last year either. But we email sometimes. She seems to be in the gardening club in high school,” Hazuki-chan said.
I have the same image of her. We didn’t talk much at the reunion, and my image of her is still the same as it was in elementary school.
“Hey, hey, Hazuki-chan. Please email Marina-chan that I’ll watch the game with the club members tomorrow. And if you see her, tell her to come visit MAHO-do next time,” I said.
“Yeah. I’ll send her an email tonight. I’ll use this as an opportunity to tell her that I want to see her too. I wonder if Onpu-chan remembers Marina-chan,” Hazuki-chan said.
“If Marina-chan comes, I’ll bring my homemade cookies. I’ll be at the MAHO-do tomorrow morning, so please stop by,” Momo-chan said.
“I’ll e-mail Doremi-chan and you tonight. I hope we can meet tomorrow,” Hazuki-chan said.
It’s sudden so she probably has plans, but I really hope she comes tomorrow. I’m totally looking forward to seeing her. Marina-chan probably goes whenever Kimura-kun’s youth team plays locally.
“I’ll report back tomorrow evening!” I said.
We split up on the street. It was already dark. Compared to the beginning of the summer vacation, the days have become much shorter. It’s still hot, but I wonder if autumn has already begun.
The next day when I headed to the train station, about 10 people had already gathered. Of course, Kotake and the junior manager, Chinami-chan, were there, but apparently more than half of the first and second-year club members had also come to watch the event. Attendance was optional, but even the coach was there.
“Kimura-san has played in J-League matches before, and the youth team members even went on a summer training trip to Germany.”
As one would expect from someone who knows so much about soccer, Chinami-chan is a soccer expert.
“I think he’s a player with a strong presence, as he’s a midfielder who can play both attacking and defensive roles and has challenged himself in various positions. I heard he was a great duo with Kotake-senpai in middle school.”
Chinami-chan enthusiastically taught me all about him. By the time we reached the stadium, I had become a Kimura expert too. Kimura-kun isn’t a member of the high school soccer team now, so he’s never played against Kotake and the others. They may get a chance in the future, but I’m impressed that he’s become a professional and not just a high school soccer player.
“I think he’s highly skilled among his peers. He’s even been selected for the U-17 national team… And he’s manly and cool.”
I wondered if that last bit of information was necessary.
I knew that Marina-chan was coming today from Hazuki-chan’s e-mail this morning, but it was awkward to bring it up with Chinami-chan. She seems to be interested in him already, so she might know about Marina-chan too. If she had a friend like Shimakura Kaori-chan, she could probably get more information. Imagine if Marina-chan and Kimura-kun are really close.
While worrying about such things, I entered the gate and saw the stands were pretty empty. Since it was a youth game and there was still time until kickoff, I assumed it was normal. Following everyone, we sat in the middle height seats at midfield with an overview of the entire pitch, a group of about 20 people.
“We’re not in the very front?”
“Cheering for Kimura isn’t our primary goal today. It’s better to watch the whole field and see where the ball is. We’re in the same age group, so it should be a good learning experience.”
Kotake responded to my murmur. Despite being a second-year, Kotake is like a leader within the team, and the members nodded in agreement with his words.
“This team has a good goalkeeper, so both of you keep a close eye on him.”
The coach said, and the two goalkeepers nodded with serious expressions. One of them will become the regular goalkeeper starting this fall.
The competition for positions in the soccer team has become more intense as the number of members has increased. Being a public high school, only three alumni have been scouted by the J-League. Some graduates join university soccer teams, but almost all third-year members are now exam students. So, I guess the number of people participating in the club activities will decrease. I think some first and second-year members will become regular players in the tournament starting this fall.
For J-League games, you have to come early to get good seats, but today we can pick anywhere.
“Chinami-chan, are these seats okay for us?”
I pointed to the row in front of the one where the other club members were sitting.
I watch J-League and overseas games on TV every week, and I’ve even been to opposing high school games. But I’ve hardly watched any youth game. I wonder why Kimura-kun chose to play for the youth team instead of the high school soccer team.
As I sat in my seat, I looked around for Marina-chan.
After a while, Kimura-kun’s team appeared on the pitch to start warming up. Kotake must have let them know we were coming. Kimura-kun looked around the stands, waved when he spotted us, then took his position. Despite being shorter than Kotake, he had a ruggedly handsome feel. Cool… I guess? Yeah, he seemed more solid and cooler than in middle school.
“Found you!”
At the same time, I saw a girl with long hair coming down the stairs from a distance, so I stood up and ran towards her with my bag.
“Marina-chaan!”
I waved my hand, and Marina-chan, who seemed to have noticed my voice, found me and hurried over.
“Doremi-chan, long time no see! You look the same?”
“Yup, doing great! I’m glad we could meet up! Here, this is for you.”
I took out a bag of MAHO-do’s special cookies and baked goods out of my bag. Momo-chan and Hana-chan gave them to me this morning.
“I’m working part-time with my best friends at MAHO-do in the evening. Come by if you can! Momo-chan and Hana-chan are always there on weekdays even during the summer vacation, and Onpu-chan comes on Mondays too so we’re all there.”
Together I handed her a MAHO-do card. It had the address, a map, and the vacation schedule.
“Thank you, I’m so happy. I’m sorry I didn’t bring anything.”
Marina-chan looked apologetic, so I shook my head vigorously and said,
“Don’t worry about stuff like that! Momo-chan and Hana-chan insisted you have to try these. Please come to MAHO-do! Hazuki-chan wants to see you too.”
Marina-chan hugged the bag tightly to her chest and said,
“I’m relieved. I wanted a chance to visit. I’ve wanted to go for a while. I’ll let them know I’ll come by soon. And thank them too.”
“Sure, I’ll tell them! We’re looking forward to it. Momo-chan’s cakes are really delicious, it’d be a waste not to eat them!”
“You haven’t changed, Doremi-chan.”
She showed a somewhat bashful smile. I wondered if something was worrying her, but since I was here for the club activities, we couldn’t chat for long.
“When the game is over, would you like to go to MAHO-do with me?”
I asked her and she replied,
“I’m sorry, I’m with my friends today…”
“I see, that’s too bad. But you always come to Kimura-kun’s games, right? This is my first time and I’m looking forward to it. Now I know the place too and it’s not far, so I’ll come again.”
“I come sometimes when they play home games, but…”
She trailed off with a hint of sadness in her voice.
“Well then, come visit me at MAHO-do anytime. I’ll be waiting for your e-mails too.”
The warm-up seemed to be almost over. The players were returning the balls. I waved to Kimura-kun. Noticing me and Marina-chan, Kimura-kun looked over and slightly raised his hand. Marina-chan waved back lightly too.
Her straight, jet-black long hair was still the same. Her casual clothes suited the quiet Marina-chan, simple but put together nicely. Another girl who was waving to Kimura-kun in the same way seemed to be Marina-chan’s friend that she had talked about. She looked sporty, so maybe she was a soccer fan and a classmate.
Noticing Marina-chan, her friend was beckoning her over. I waved goodbye to Marina-chan.
When I turned around to go back to my seat, everyone was looking at me for some reason.
“I’m sorry, Chinami-chan.”
“Is that person you just met a friend of yours, Doremi-senpai? Not a Misora High School student, right?”
Not only Chinami-chan, but also the team members in the back seat were paying attention.
“Yeah, her name is Marina-chan, and we were classmates in elementary school. She goes to a preparatory school now. She came to watch the soccer game with her friends today.”
Leaving out her relationship with Kimura-kun, I briefly explained about Marina-chan.
Two boys and two girls came to the diagonally front seats away from us. I could see the team members glancing at them with curiosity. Marina-chan was so cute. Hmmm, even though there were cute girls here too.
Marina-chan is the same type as Hazuki-chan, and she and Hazuki-chan used to talk a lot when they were in elementary school. Their fashion sense is also similar. Instead of being a princess type, she has more of a traditional Japanese woman’s beauty. For Yada-kun’s Hazuki-chan and for Kimura-kun’s Marina-chan, the sentiment of wanting to protect their girls is a common one for the boys.
Hazuki-chan may seem calm, but she actually has a strong will and a stubborn side. Sometimes she even appears to be protecting Yada-kun. I wonder if it’s the same for Marina-chan.
The players appeared on the pitch, conveniently ending our conversation. I was relieved. If they interrogated me more, I might have spilled something about Kimura-kun too. Chinami-chan is so perceptive. It was great Marina-chan didn’t come alone.
With the teams assembled, I faced forward.
There were even players who had appeared in J-League games. I wondered how it was different from the high school soccer team. Let’s concentrate on the game.
Kimura-kun’s youth team won the game. I was absorbed in spectating and tired out, but I had an evening shift at MAHO-do. Hana-chan and Ai-chan were busy serving customers, so I quickly swapped places with Ai-chan.
Hazuki-chan, who had come in the morning after changing her lesson time, said it suddenly got busy in the afternoon after she left. It was non-stop even after I arrived, with customers coming in faster than Momo-chan’s baking speed.
I heard sweets sales dip in midsummer. I wonder if that’s really true.
Momo-chan already has plans for next month’s cakes, with a fun tasting event on tomorrow, Monday. One is a banana tart lavishly topped with tropical fruits, which looks festive and lively. The fruit’s sourness and vivid colors give it a summery vibe. This cake is perfect for someone who is feeling a little tired from the summer heat.
The other is a stylish dessert with clear white mousse below and ruby grapefruit jelly above in a transparent plastic cup, creating a nice contrast.
While this month’s were cool toned, next month she’s going full power with vivid colors. The calendar says autumn but it’s still hot every day, it feels like summer got longer. Is it because of global warming? Or maybe I’m just getting weaker in the summer.
The store is kept cool for the sweets, but it’s still sweltering outside. So I’m happy customers make the effort to come.
After the shift ended, I told everyone about meeting Marina-chan. I emailed Hazuki-chan too. I hope she’ll come visit.
“So how was it? How did Kimura-kun play?”
Ai-chan asked right after our shift ended.
“Well, it was better than I expected, I was surprised.”
Really, I was shocked. Chinami-chan called him manly and cool, and I felt the same way. He is shorter than Kotake, but he has a good torso. When I said that,
“He played as a midfielder, right? It requries high stamina and the competition for his position is tough,” Momo-chan added.
“I see, it must be hard,” I said.
“Was he better than Kotake and the others?”
Well… He certainly seemed so to me. But for Hana-chan who’s hardly watched any soccer, how do I explain this?
“Hana-chan, have you ever watched a J-League game?” I asked.
Hana-chan tilted her head and replied,
“Hana has watched a little bit of the J-League because Doremi is really into it. I’ve learned the rules, but I don’t really understand the positions.”
“Just a little bit, huh?”
“Well, what can you do? There’s no soccer in the witch world!”
She was teased by Ai-chan, and Hana-chan got upset and argued back.
“In the United States, women’s soccer is strong. There is a women’s team in Japan too. Maybe one day there will be a magical world team!” Momo-chan said.
I wonder about that. Anyway, among us girls, Momo-chan and Ai-chan know soccer the best. Hazuki-chan and Onpu-chan probably know more than Hana-chan at least.
“I’ve only recently started watching high school soccer, the J-League, and foreign professional soccer, so I’m not that knowledgeable. In high school soccer, the strength and the level of players within the team vary depending on the school.”
Unlike league games, high school soccer games are mostly tournaments to become prefectural representatives. And the opponents are all high school students of the same age. Of course, every school has some amazing players, but it still feels different from the professionals.
“After all, having the experience of competing with professional players is different. They are also faster.”
“But we’re high school students too. If it’s just a difference in experience, we can catch up quickly.”
As Momo-chan said, the soccer team at Misora High School has become stronger over the past few years. As a result, more members are joining, which increases the team’s depth. There is also competition for positions within the team, and everyone is motivated to practice, making the team as a whole better.
We made it to the semifinals in the prefectural qualifying rounds for the inter-high school competition, and at the Kanto Tournament, we represented the prefecture and made it to the top four, so we now get practice games against strong schools. The gap between us and the powerhouses and youth teams used to be huge, but it’s narrowed considerably now.
“I was also surrounded by only adults at the selection camp, and it feels like Hazuki-chan’s competition or a training trip abroad. It makes me mentally tougher too.”
That’s right, Ai-chan. I feel that way when I see Hazuki-chan too.
“Kotake said that Kimura-kun became more aware of being a professional because of his experience with the overseas training trip. He might want to join a European club right after graduating from high school,” I said.
“Eh, he’s going to go overseas right away without joining the J-League in Japan?” Ai-chan asked.
“I don’t know because I didn’t ask him directly. But can he really join a team that easily?” I asked.
“There’s still more than a year left. Wouldn’t it be better to have that kind of feeling now, which would help in playing?” Momo-chan suggested.
“The soccer team will be led by the second-year students like Kotake soon. If they are selected as prefectural representatives, they can gain a lot of experience,” Hana-chan added.
I shouldn’t worry about Kimura-kun. I could watch today’s game calmly because they weren’t direct opponents, even though they were from the same generation. However, the other members may have watched it many times since there is a professional club in their hometown. I wonder if everyone wants to become a professional after all.
On Monday morning, the club meeting was over, which would usually mean the end of practice, but since we had the day off yesterday, the team members had a training session consisting of only running. Because the soccer team is not allowed to use the field on Mondays. At times like this, I envy the facilities of famous soccer schools and youth club teams. After we ran 10 laps around the school building, we were dismissed, so Chinami-chan and I stayed in the club room to organize the equipment. Since it was just the two of us, we finished quickly and got ready to go home.
The new term is coming soon. At the same time, the prefectural qualifying rounds for the National High School Soccer Championship (Winter Kokuritsu) will begin. It’s going to get busy. If we make it through the prefectural qualifiers and advance to the national tournament, the finals will be just after the New Year, next year. It’ll probably stay hectic until right before the New Year, but this time I definitely want to be busy until after the New Year. All the high school soccer teams nationwide must feel the same way.
“Doremi-senpai, Kimura-senshu said he wants to go overseas after high school graduation, right?”
Chinami-chan said as we left the club room and walked down the hallway.
“You’re well-informed. As expected of you, Chinami-chan. Kotake mentioned that too. Kimura-kun has a strong sense of professionalism.”
“Joining a foreign club without going through the J-League would have been unthinkable before. I’d be so envious if he actually does it.”
“You’re envious? Why’s that, Chinami-chan?”
Chinami-chan had actually wanted to play soccer herself. But at that time, there was no group that girls could participate in nearby, so she gave up. With women’s soccer highlighted at the Olympics, I think the player pool has grown a lot deeper. I guess she regrets giving up.
“…I want to have a career related to soccer too.”
The school building was quiet before the new term, with only students with club activities and third-year students taking supplementary classes.
“You are working very hard, Chinami-chan. I can tell that you really love soccer.”
“I want to broaden my horizons more… and someday…”
“Uh-huh, keep up the good work.”
“Marry a super famous soccer player!”
“Huh… ehhh! You’re aiming for that?”
Chinami-chan suddenly halted in her steps and continued,
“I’m going back to the classroom and then I’m going home. Good work today, Doremi-senpai!”
She bowed and ran down the hallway.
“Geez, honestly…”
I hadn’t heard her talk much about Kimura-kun. Maybe she has already found a new target. I’m sure the marriage thing was a joke, but that’s just like Chinami-chan.
“Kudos!”
I sent a shout of encouragement to Chinami-chan, who was no longer in sight.
I arrived at MAHO-do just before lunchtime. Momo-chan was in the kitchen making sweets with Ai-chan’s help.
“Momo-chan and Ai-chan, thank you for your hard work. It’s so cool in MAHO-do. Maybe staying in the store lobby would be better for me, what do you think?”
“Sure thing, Doremi-chan.”
Momo-chan had started to make next month’s cake. Yes, I came here today looking forward to it. Ai-chan was decorating the cake and Dodo and the other fairies were wrapping the baked goods.
“Doremi, Marina-chan just arrived at the store. She’s talking to Hazuki right now.”
Hana-chan beckoned me out of the store. Ai-chan and Momo-chan also stopped what they were doing and hurried out of the store.
“Oh, Marina-chan, you came!”
I started to rush over but,
“Marina-chaan! First time in three years!”
“Hana too, first time in three years!”
The hyper Momo-chan and Hana-chan slipped past me to hug Marina-chan tightly, who was standing in front of the store window.
“Be careful, you two!”
Hazuki-chan involuntarily steadied Marina-chan. Marina-chan was also surprised and said,
“It really has been a while. You two haven’t changed. So energetic.”
Yet her smile remained the same despite her shock.
“Thanks for the delicious cookies yesterday. I came to buy some right away today.”
Then she held out a paper bag to me. It was heavier than it looked, with several potted plants inside.
“It’s a herb garden. It grows well whether you keep it in the pot or plant it in the garden.”
Momo-chan peeked in and said,
“Nice! I can use it for cookies and cakes. Thank you so much! Was it too heavy?”
“It’s okay. With that in mind, I picked out some herbs that I thought would go well with pastries and tea.”
Each one had a small name tag. There were so many different kinds of herbs.
“MAHO-do has a good reputation at our high school for its delicious cakes. I’m so glad I finally came.”
Marina-chan looked into the showcase.
“They’re all delicious, highly recommended!”
After much deliberation, Marina-chan pointed to five different cakes. Hazuki-chan carefully packed them into a box.
“By the way, are you still close with Kimura-kun?”
Ai-chan couldn’t resist asking Marina-chan. She does like gossip, Ai-chan.
“Kotake said Kimura-kun plans to join a European club after high school graduation. Did he discuss it with you, Marina-chan?”
I was curious about that. Yesterday, Kimura-kun had power and stamina. Despite the sweltering midday match, he barely looked tired in the second half. I heard you need toughness for overseas soccer, and Kimura-kun seems to be conditioning his body with that in mind.
Marina-chan’s smile faded and she said,
“He used to talk about becoming a J-League regular. But after returning from the overseas training trip this summer, he was determined to join a European club no matter what.”
So she went to watch the game with her soccer-savvy friends yesterday.
“My friend said playing against same-age players from overseas during the trip was a good stimulation, and Kimura-kun’s play has improved.”
I don’t know how he played before the trip, and although Kimura-kun was skilled and stood out, I can’t properly explain how he was better than the other players or what was so amazing. But Kotake’s face after the game was really fired up.
I think it lit Kotake’s competitive spirit too. I hope they will be selected for the national team together next time.
“He’s been selected for the national team since the beginning of this year, and he might really go overseas.”
“So for Kimura-kun, his dream has come closer to reality.”
Ai-chan and Hazuki-chan said with convinced faces. Then,
“So Marina, are you going to Europe with Kimura-kun?”
Hana-chan’s question made Marina-chan’s face turn bright red.
“Hana-chan, really! I’m going to university. There is no way I can go.”
“You really wanna go though.”
“Kimura-kun has been so busy since he joined the youth team that I rarely see him anymore. So we don’t have much chance to talk either…”
Momo-chan’s words made Marina-chan trail off. Her face was still red, but she looked a bit sad.
“Marina-chan, I assume you’re considering a university with a language major? Or maybe a nutritionist or a trainer?”
I asked, and before Marina-chan could answer, Hazuki-chan interjected,
“Marina-chan, didn’t you say you’re in the gardening club? You still like growing flowers, right? Is that the field you’re pursuing?”
Oh right, that’s it. Then I had an idea,
“So you’re going to study horticulture or something like that? Britain and France are the home of horticulture, so why don’t you study abroad? It would bring you closer to Kimura-kun.”
“Speaking of Britain, there are the English Gardens. It’s a gardener’s dream country!” Momo-chan said.
“France and Italy have lots of famous gardens too,” Ai-chan added.
We all started chattering at once.
“I’m…”
Marina-chan started to say but was cut off.
“I’m sorry, Marina-chan. We’re making assumptions.”
Hazuki-chan apologized with a wry smile.
That’s true. I was being presumptuous about Marina-chan and Kimura-kun’s current relationship without knowing much about them. Good thing Hazuki-chan stepped in.
“…I don’t think that’s the right order.”
Marina-chan was on the verge of tears, but she spoke resolutely.
“Eh? What do you mean?”
“Hey, Doremi-chan, excuse me for a moment. I’m going to talk to Marina-chan.”
Ignoring my words, Hazuki-chan gently put her hand on Marina-chan’s shoulder. Maybe Marina-chan came to consult about something. That’s why she came during the day, when Hazuki-chan’s here.
“Yeah, that’s right. I’ll take care of the store, so don’t worry about it.”
I answered, and Hazuki-chan went to change out of her patissiere outfit.
“I’m sorry for prying, Marina-chan.”
“Don’t cry, Marina.”
“We got overexcited seeing you after so long, but I’m really sorry!”
When Momo-chan, Hana-chan and Ai-chan apologized, Marina-chan looked puzzled and said,
“I wanted someone to listen to me. I was really happy when everyone said a lot to me, like in elementary school.”
She showed her usual bashful smile. That’s right. Sometimes you just want someone to hear you out, even if it’s not a full counseling session. We were really irresponsible with our words. Hazuki-chan, who is a good listener, is the right person for this.
The customers came into the store, and we quickly returned to our posts. We couldn’t discuss personal matters in the store anyway. Hazuki-chan waved from the entrance after circling back through the back door, beckoning Marina-chan over.
“Hazuki-chan is the perfect person to talk to. You can come by anytime.”
As I urged her, Marina-chan bowed quickly, then left MAHO-do holding her cake box.
“Those two are similar. Their vibe and situation now.”
“Yeah, you’re right.”
Ai-chan quietly returned to the kitchen.
As expected on a summer weekday, customer traffic slowed in the evening. The items in the showcase were dwindling as I tidied up.
“Hey, it’s Tamaki.”
As Hana-chan spoke, the entrance bell chimed, and it was Tamaki Reika who entered.
“Oh, it’s been quite a while. Did you come to buy a cake?”
Tamaki opened her bag, took out her purse and pointed to the showcase.
“What else can I do here? I’ll take all these.”
She was buying in bulk. As expected of Tamaki, she’s so generous.
“Is there anything special today? Oh, it’s a day to study English conversation with Tachibana-san, right?”
Tachibana-san is Tamaki’s boyfriend. He is two years older than her and a university student aiming to become a veterinarian. His intense eyes can easily give the wrong impression, but he’s a very kind, upstanding young man.
I diligently put the ordered cakes into the box, and Hana-chan closed the blinds at the entrance. With Tamaki’s big order, everything was sold out, so it was time to close the store.
“No, these are souvenirs for my home.”
She said that she had thought of buying some cakes to take home since she had just received her pay from her part-time job.
“Wow, that’s amazing! Even a young rich lady like Tamaki gets a part-time job.”
“Makihatayama-san, you’re being rude. Fujiwara-san also works part-time here, right? I’m working for a company affiliated with my father’s, but I work very hard.”
Apparently, it was her first time doing a part-time job. I have a newfound respect for her. But regardless of her part-time job, Tamaki comes here every month to buy sweets.
“Besides, Kyouhei-san’s currently living and working on a farm in the Tohoku region. He won’t be back until September.”
Having overheard partway, Ai-chan popped out and asked,
“So he gave up the part-time job at the pet store?”
Tamaki glanced sideways with a “hmph” and replied,
“It seems like he enjoys dealing with cows and sheep more than small animals.”
“So he’s going to be a veterinarian, but not dealing with cats and dogs?” I asked.
“Oh, that sounds like a good fit. I think he can handle it,” Ai-chan said.
Tachibana-san is big in stature too, probably physically strong. I think his face is rather handsome, but his eyes are scary. He certainly looks like he can handle it.
“Even Senoo-san is rude. I don’t know what the future holds for him in terms of employment.”
“But if he gets a job at the ranch, you two will be separated.”
It reminded me of Marina-chan earlier.
“I guess that’s true.”
Tamaki looked thoughtful briefly, but swiftly faced us again and said,
“When I become president, I may need a helipad on the roof of my house.”
She laughed with Fufufu. That was a Tamaki-like scale.
After Tamaki left, we finished cleaning up and returned to the kitchen. Onpu-chan was there helping with the decoration of next month’s cake. I told them about Tamaki’s story.
“It’s so great. It’s very Tamaki-san.”
“I think Tamaki-san could not only own a helipad, but also a private jet.”
Momo-chan and Onpu-chan were also impressed while laughing wryly. I only thought of a veterinarian as someone who takes care of pets. As a senior who had just started university, I realized that employment was still far away.
“Oh, Hazuki-chan is off today, right? I’ve been working hard to finish my supplementary classes because we have a food tasting today.”
Onpu-chan looked around while we explained about yesterday’s Kimura-kun match and Marina-chan’s visit today.
Next month’s vivid new cake, cut neatly by Momo-chan, was laid out on the table. When she took out the jellies from the refrigerator and arranged them, the pink and orange colors spread out on the table. Lala made iced tea at just the right time.
“It’s beautiful.”
I murmured involuntarily.
“Orange is an energetic color. I’m glad they turned out well.”
Maybe because the colors matched what she envisioned, Momo-chan looked satisfied too. Momo-chan’s sweets are really cheerful and cute.
“I’m sorry. I went to see Marina-chan off. Oh, you’re early today, Onpu-chan.”
Hazuki-chan came back just in time to see the table lined with sweets.
“It’s beautiful, Momo-chan. The yellow and orange colors look like the setting sun.”
“Now that you mention it, it does give me the feeling of autumn.”
“You’re right. It’s a sweet to refresh you when you feel a little tired after the summer.”
Like Ai-chan and Onpu-chan said, I could see it as autumnal.
“Hazuki-chan is back too, so let’s eat soon.”
Regardless of the impression of the food, it was tough to hold back when you were faced with colors and scents that whet your appetite.
“Geez, Doremi, you’re always like that!”
Hana-chan complained and handed everyone a spoon and fork. At her signal, we began to eat our sweets.
Then, Onpu-chan casually spoke to no one in particular.
“I heard about Kimura-kun and Marina-chan from Doremi-chan and the others a while ago.”
“So, how is she? Is Marina-chan feeling better?” Ai-chan asked.
“Marina-chan said at the end that the order wasn’t right. What did she mean by that?”
That had been bothering me. Hazuki-chan put down her spoon and said,
“Marina-chan loved growing flowers since she was little, often saying she wanted to be a florist one day. She enjoyed cultivating flowers with the gardening club in high school too.”
I remembered that. I remembered how much she cherished flowers.
The gardening club at Marina-chan’s high school is so serious that they even design the courtyard, and they are so skilled that they represent their school in gardening competitions every year. I didn’t know there was such a competition.
“So she started studying gardening techniques and design there. She said Kimura-kun was totally focused on soccer aiming overseas, but she was dedicating herself to club activities too.”
After returning from his overseas training trip, Kimura-kun’s goal changed to wanting to go overseas directly after graduating from high school, instead of building a track record in the J-League, becoming a member of the Japanese national team, and then joining an overseas club.
In middle school, Marina-chan was rooting for Kimura-kun, just like me now I guess. To learn the rules and players, she watched not only Kimura-kun’s games but also the European League games he talked about on TV.
“Just like present-day Doremi-chan. But that changed when entering high school.”
Onpu-chan thought the same as me.
“Yes. She had some flower knowledge, but learning real gardening got her interested in various plants, garden design, and the environment. That’s why she wanted to go to a university with an agricultural department.”
Marina-chan lacked self-confidence and was being pulled along by Kimura-kun. Although they were the same age, Kimura-kun seemed to be moving ahead of her, and she desperately tried keeping up.
“As she dedicated herself to the high school gardening club and participated in competitions, her confidence grew. Then she wanted to work harder and gain more knowledge in university. Her time with Kimura-kun decreased even more.”
“Clubs like gardening have busy schedules like the sports one, right? Since plants need daily care. They’ll wither without proper maintenance,” Momo-chan said.
“Hana waters the MAHO-do garden flowers daily too! Ruri-san and Ran-kun tend the ‘Eugene’ garden every morning!”
The seasonal flowers in a garden won’t bloom beautifully if they aren’t cared for properly. Being busy, all I do is watering, but Mom probably worked hard daily.
It made me reflect a bit. But anyway,
“If that’s the case, when she enters university, she’ll be further away from Kimura-kun.”
“Well, Doremi-chan. It’s Kimura-kun’s own choice if he wants to join a European club, but it won’t happen unless he becomes a player so good that clubs want him.”
“That’s right, Doremi-chan. It’s still more than a year away. No one knows.”
Ai-chan and Onpu-chan tried to calm me down.
“But Marina-chan has made up her mind,” Ai-chan said.
“That’s right. But Marina-chan said that her feelings were swayed until she made up her mind. There’s also the path of becoming a trainer or nutritionist to support Kimura-kun, or studying abroad for gardening.”
Hazuki-chan smiled softly, thinking back to their conversation during the day.
“I’m a bit overly simplistic, huh?”
Why do I always jump to conclusions like this?
“She once considered careers or studies to qualify her to support Kimura-kun, but realized she wouldn’t be satisfied without choosing her own path. Now she knows what she wants to do.”
“So, that’s why she said it wasn’t in the right order,” Ai-chan said.
“She went through the trouble of making a decision, and then we said all kinds of things to her again. No wonder Marina-chan would be annoyed.”
Onpu-chan said, and Hazuki-chan said,
“That didn’t happen, but… I wonder if hearing that Doremi-chan is the manager made Marina-chan’s feelings sway again.”
I always end up comparing myself to Marina-chan. That’s because I haven’t decided what I want to do, like Marina-chan has.
When Kotake safely makes it to the National High School Soccer Championship and enters the J-League, I wonder if I’ll want to work in a supportive role. If he ever goes to a club overseas, will I support him from Japan?
“Doremi, your simplicity is actually a good thing.”
“Hana-chan, that might be the right answer, but that’s not really a compliment.”
Though I didn’t mean it as a joke, but everyone had a wry laugh and the tasting party ended with a different atmosphere than usual.
“Momoko, next month’s cake is a pretty good idea. Let’s order the ingredients right away.”
With Majorika’s seal of approval, Momo-chan’s face lit up with joy.
“Got it! I’ll bring the recipe tomorrow!”
“It would go well with iced tea. We could display them in the store together.”
“I think it would also go well with herbal tea. Let’s use the potted herbs Marina-chan brought for the display since we have them.”
Like Onpu-chan and Hazuki-chan said, the scent of tea and herbs is calming. Perfect for late summer nights.
“Yeah. Maybe we should put some tea bags on display as well,” Ai-chan said.
“Then let’s order from Dela the wholesale witch tomorrow. Maybe she has some fashionable wrapping supplies?” Majorika added.
Once one idea pops up, they expand rapidly. This is how the MAHO-do display changes monthly, centered on Momo-chan’s sweets.
If only these happy days could last forever, but we’re not elementary school students anymore. We know there will be many obstacles in the future, and we’ll experience things that don’t go as planned.
“I’m going to e-mail Marina-chan tonight.”
Hazuki-chan told me as we parted. Though Hazuki-chan and Yada-kun still bond over music, their genres totally differ now. It’s no longer just a hobby for both of them. The growing distance is from Hazuki-chan’s side. Of all of us, she probably understands Marina-chan’s feelings best.
“Yeah, tell me about it tomorrow too.”
After saying goodbye to everyone and arriving home, I went to the backyard. It’s a small garden, but Mom takes care of it regularly, while Dad does the heavy lifting. The entrance and street lights were on, and there was a gaping hole where the sunflowers used to bloom in the end-of-summer flower bed.
“Oh, you’re home early on Monday.”
Mom, who was preparing dinner, looked surprised to see me.
“I texted you before I left. You made my dinner, right?”
On a typical Monday, Onpu-chan would come over, and we would all gather together. Sometimes we would get carried away talking and lose track of time even after work.
“Don’t worry about it. Dinner will be ready soon. Could you help me for a bit?”
“Sure thing.”
I put my bag in my room before changing into something comfortable and heading downstairs. I could hear the faint sound of piano music in the background. Pop was working hard at it every day. Seeing her work so hard ever since the Karen Girls’ Academy entrance exams, I thought to myself that I should study hard too. It felt like the roles were reversed somehow.
“Marina-chan from elementary school came by the store today. She’s working hard in the gardening club and wants to expand her knowledge about the environment and plants, so she plans to aim for a university with an agricultural department.”
As I set out dishes and arranged the cooked food on the table, I spoke to Mom.
“What kind of work do you want to do in the future, Doremi?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t decided yet.”
I haven’t mentioned Kotake at all. I’m not uninterested in soccer-related work, but I haven’t put in as much effort as Chinami-chan. Although I’m starting to like English more and more, when it comes to making it a career, I feel like it’s not quite right.
“That is worrisome. You have your parent-teacher-student conference and elective choices by the end of term, right?”
Mom placed the fried chicken neatly on a plate and handed it to me.
“Here, take this one too.”
“Okay.”
Though she said it was worrying, Mom didn’t look worried at all.
“It’s okay if you can’t decide what you want to do right now. You just have to like the job you actually get.”
“Even if it’s any job?”
“Yes. Any job.”
Mom nodded firmly.
“Things may change again once you go to university. Like your father, you may need to shift directions even after starting a career.”
Dad was a writer specializing in mountain stream fishing. But that work has declined lately, so he also writes for marine fishing magazines now. Mom gave up her dream of becoming a pianist, married Dad, became a housewife, and now teaches piano lessons at home.
“If it’s a path you thought through and chose yourself, we’ll support you and believe you can do your best no matter what.”
I see. That’s right.
“My friends have clear future paths, so I was feeling rushed.”
“You needn’t push yourself to meet parental expectations. However, aim for a national or public university.”
Mom added with a sense of urgency. The doorbell rang, and Dad came home.
“Dad, welcome home.”
The aroma of fried chicken had been tantalizing me since earlier. I urged Dad to hurry up and called Pop to come over too. As soon as we sat down,
“Let’s eat!”
Somehow I felt refreshed and as if I ate more than usual. The sample cake must have been digested by now. Pop complained but I totally didn’t hear.
The summer vacation ends in three days. I get up early every morning with Chinami-chan to go to school for morning practice. I don’t seem to be suffering from the summer vacation blues, but I’m a little sleep deprived due to the remaining homework and studying for tests right after the term starts.
“When did you start wanting a soccer career, Chinami-chan?”
I asked after practice when we were changing clothes,
“I think it was when I was in middle school.”
“That’s early. Haven’t you thought about doing other things?”
“There are many things I want to do. However, since I’ve become knowledgeable about soccer and my family is also a soccer fan, it’s easier to convince them.”
There’s many sports related jobs apparently. True. Ai-chan said she wanted to become a trainer after her injury too. While she’s working behind the scenes on the field, I get the feeling that she’s itching to race again herself. Obviously far too young to retire from the track.
“What about you, Doremi-senpai?”
“Well, I haven’t decided yet. I’m just thinking about the fact that the soccer team will be at the National Stadium.”
I haven’t been doing anything for a long time, so I’ve been thinking since yesterday that I should just focus on what I can do right now. But I still want to support Kotake from up close.
“I’m still wavering, huh?”
“That’s just like you, Doremi-senpai. Right now, the soccer team is the most important thing to me too.”
Chinami-chan looked at me and answered with a smile.
“Yeah, the qualifiers are coming up soon. Let’s do our best to support them,” I said.
“Yes. First, we need to become the prefectural representatives,” Chinami-chan said.
I parted ways with Chinami-chan at the school gate. I headed straight for MAHO-do. I wondered if it would be busy today as well.
“Good morning, it’s hot again today, Doremi-chan,” Momo-chan said.
“Doremi! Have you finished your summer homework yet? Hana will help you!”
I heard the cheerful voices of the two girls.
“It will be finished soon. I’ve been working hard this year. By the way, you two are full of energy even though it’s daytime.”
“Hazuki-chan will be here soon.”
Ai-chan handed me a cake to put in the showcase. As I tidied the showcase and looked up, the potted herbs Marina-chan brought yesterday were part of the display.
“It’s so pretty. Did Hana-chan decorate it?”
“Looks like it.”
Hazuki-chan came carrying a paper bag.
“I happened to have this lace fabric. I thought we could use it to decorate.”
“Sounds good. I’ll help too.”
We took down the plant pot and tea set, laid the lace fabric, and put everything back in its place.
“Last night, I talked more with Marina-chan.”
The slightly retro-looking lace went well with the herbal tea.
“Remember Yada-kun went to America this summer vacation? He was invited to join Baker-san’s recording sessions next year.”
“Wow, that’s amazing.”
Yada-kun works part-time at a jazz club where G. Baker-san performs in addition to the local “Bird” club. He has started to participate in the performances occasionally. Baker-san, his group of jazz singers, and his wife are true professionals who have even released CDs and actively travel between America and Japan.
“I think after he graduates from high school, Yada-kun will probably join them. And he’ll have more opportunities to go to America just like Baker-san and the others.”
It’s a feeling similar to Marina-chan’s.
“Yada-kun said me doing my best in competitions motivates him. I felt the same.”
Hazuki-chan says if she studies violin abroad, only Europe is conceivable.
“It’s the same as Marina-chan.”
“I talked to Yada-kun after he came back from America, and I thought the same thing as Marina-chan. Just like Yada-kun is aiming to become a professional, I’m also aiming to become a proper musician. Even though our paths are different, we find encouragement in each other’s efforts.”
She talked to Marina-chan about it too.
“Mom told me that too. She’ll support whatever path I choose myself. Nothing has been decided yet, though.”
It was only an event of two or three days, but it felt very long to me. I can’t remember ever thinking about something so much.
Marina-chan, who used to be hesitant, looked much more mature than me.
“Forcing herself to match or keep up with Kimura-kun may burden him.”
We just need to cheer them on.
“I think Doremi-chan being Kotake’s agent is perfect too.”
From who knows where, Ai-chan, Momo-chan, and Hana-chan popped up in the store lobby. It’s such a familiar pattern.
“Doremi-chan should take care of Kotake-kun’s career arrangements and contracts and all that. He’s too soccer-brained to manage that himself!”
“Yeah, Doremi! And buy a castle or something in Europe. Hana will go visit you too!”
“He’s not like any famous athlete, he can’t make that much money just playing soccer!”
With everyone teasing me like this, I’ll get sidetracked again. When I turned around, even Hazuki-chan was laughing.
“Doremi-chan, Kotake-kun is quite serious but inflexible. So your personality suits him perfectly.”
Ugh, not again. Where did she pick that up? More eavesdropping on her part?
“What do you mean by that, Onpu-chan?”
Everyone except Hazuki-chan retreated to the kitchen when I glared at them.
“Hey, why are you even here, Onpu-chan?”
When I complained, Onpu-chan peeked out and said,
“After that talk yesterday, we felt we had to motivate Doremi-chan if she’s wavering. I’m glad I came.”
She smiled slyly and then quickly shut the door.
“What should I do, Hazuki-chan?”
“It’s up to Kotake-kun, I guess.”
She smiled mischievously. I guess my best friends are the ones who know me the best. It makes me lose confidence.
“Anyway, it’s the National Stadium for now. Right, Doremi-chan?”
Hazuki-chan said while wiping the water from the showcase. Oh right, I had just talked about it with Chinami-chan.
“Doremi-chan, you may be wavering, but you won’t make any mistakes. Everyone thinks so, not just me.”
While looking at Hazuki-chan who was more confident than me, I just nodded.
The summer vacation of my second year of high school is almost over. I’m the same as always, and I feel like I haven’t grown as much as I thought I would in middle school, but I realized that everyone recognizes my pace and accepts it.
i’m happy thanks
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