Autumn rain is cold, isn’t it? I don’t like the rainy season either, when it’s hot and humid, but this season feels like it’s heading towards winter, so I feel that way especially. Sunny days feel good, and the temperature is just right, with moderate heat and moderate cold, but when it rains all day from the morning, it gets gloomy.
Fortunately, Onpu-chan’s stalking incident was resolved before it became a big deal. The culprit, Murakawa-san, seems to have returned to being a close sibling with his sister, and they came to buy cake together.
He looked a little embarrassed and bowed his head, but since he hadn’t told his sister about the relationship between MAHO-do and Onpu-chan, we treated them like any other regular customers, as if nothing had happened.
Hazuki-chan still couldn’t hide her anxious face. I thought she was a worrier,
“Humans are so scary.”
“Huh? What are you talking about?”
When I asked, she explained it to me.
The stalker of Onpu-chan turned out to be a very ordinary university student who cares about his sister. He goes to university and has even found a job. He was such a normal person, but his judgment of what he was doing had become increasingly dull, and he ended up making Onpu-chan sad.
“We can’t say that it has nothing to do with us. It’s okay while we’re still looking for Yume-chan, but when we find her, we have to be careful.”
It was a deep thought, but it was true. Ai-chan also looked convinced.
We’re looking for Hana-chan’s little sister by searching for clues. Keywords are glass workshops, how many can there be worldwide? However, even if we find her, it seems that we can’t just directly confront her with Hana-chan’s feelings.
“The other party may view our acts of righteousness as unnecessary interference, get it?” Ai-chan asked.
“I wouldn’t go that far, but Yume-chan hasn’t been told anything, and she’s just a child, right?” Hazuki-chan replied.
“Yeah, that’s true. But she can certainly understand how Hana-chan feels,” I said.
Becoming a Queen and living in a world where time flows differently from the human world - I know both are difficult. And I also think it’s important to cherish Hana-chan’s desire to meet her sister Yume-chan, the splitting image of herself.
“Anyway, we need to find Yume-chan and Majoavenir she’s with.”
“Right. We need to talk and find the best solution.”
Hazuki-chan’s face finally brightened up.
We were in the middle of our part-time job at MAHO-do. We displayed the sweets Momo-chan made in the showcase, took turns decorating cakes and manning the store. Due to the weather and the fact that it was a weekday, the number of customers wasn’t as high as usual.
Ai-chan muttered as she looked at the rain falling continuously through the store window.
“By the way, how long do those two plan to keep slacking off?”
Meanwhile, Momo-chan and Hana-chan went out to visit chocolatier Ran-san at “Eugene” in the neighborhood.
Momo-chan headed straight to MAHO-do after school and immediately started making various sweets upon arrival. Her movements around the kitchen, such as putting the finishing touches on the whole cake that had been prepared the day before and preparing baked goods, were like a dance.
It wasn’t rushing around and making disorderly movements, but rather a rhythmic movement like that of a professional patissier. Hana-chan, who had also returned to MAHO-do, assisted her. They have become quite accustomed to working together and make a great team.
In terms of soccer, the two of them are like MAHO-do’s striking duo. We also do our best to support them, just like Dodo and the others, but when it comes to making sweets, after Momo-chan, who is a professional at making sweets, Hana-chan has rapidly improved her skills in a short period of time and become reliable.
The two of them, especially Momo-chan, go to see Ran-san of “Eugene” almost every day. Ran-san, a chocolatier, seems to be willing to teach Momo-chan various things about making sweets without getting bored. I guess he’s like a good mentor to her.
“It can’t be helped today. She wanted to convey her message to Ran-san first.”
Hazuki-chan said with a wry smile.
“Well, she kind of worships Ran-san like a master,” Ai-chan added.
Through Ran-san, Momo-chan learned about a sweets-making competition. It is organized by a leading confectionery school in Japan in cooperation with a famous pastry school in Paris, and it is open to students rather than professionals.
It is held every year, and there is even a world championship. Momo-chan didn’t have much information or interest in it because she attended a regular school.
There are many confectionery schools in Japan, so I think the main applicants are students from those schools. However, any amateur student is eligible, and the winner of the domestic competition can study abroad at a pastry school in Paris.
Momo-chan received a notice that she had passed the first round of the competition.
It was right after the start of Onpu-chan’s stalking incident, and she had completely forgotten about it even though she had applied for it. So it was news to us too. It’s just like Momo-chan though. But she’s fighting really hard.
Today, we were also told as soon as we arrived at MAHO-do, but even though we wanted to share our joy together, when she left the store to us, she dashed to Ran-san’s place.
“You worked hard until we arrived.”
Ran-san was also able to study abroad at a pastry school in Paris because he won the competition when he was in the third year of high school.
Around that time, Ikoma-san had married Shimizu Ruri-san, Ran-san’s older sister, and was living in Paris, where he was making a name for himself as a young patissier. So Ran-san could have studied abroad regardless of his victory in the competition, but he wanted to build up his confidence because he wasn’t sure if his skills would measure up.
Momo-chan’s interest in making sweets started out as an extension of her hobby, but her professionalism is growing rapidly. She has a strong desire to become a patissiere.
Now that she’s in charge of the store, I consider her a professional. She’s learned a lot about chocolate from Ran-san in particular and has been improving her skills.
“It’s totally different. I still have a long way to go!”
Whenever Momo-chan eats the chocolate she’s made by following Ran-san’s instructions, she looks disappointed. Even Hazuki-chan said,
“It’s delicious, Momo-chan. It looks pretty and it can definitely pass as a product.”
It’s a good assessment. But I can’t tell the difference between “Eugene’s” chocolate and Momo-chan’s. They’re both delicious.
There are other issues too. To make chocolate at the same level as Ran-san’s, the cost of ingredients is high. It also takes time because you have to work on it constantly.
Momo-chan, who has school, cannot make a wide variety of sweets in large quantities. She says she still can’t maintain the same level of quality as Ran-san. Additionally, when they do become products, they have to be sold at a high price to cover the cost of the ingredients.
MAHO-do is known as a casual sweet store, with its bright and colorful cute sweets. I think it would be bad to deviate too far from that image.
The “Eugene” sweets are made by several professionals. Even if they stand on the same stage, there is no chance of winning. The two stores can coexist because their concepts are different, even though we are in the same neighborhood.
There are two locations for “Eugene”, the main store in a prime location in the city center and a branch in Misora City. Although they are the same store, Ran-san’s chocolate is certainly displayed more in the city center. They both cater to adults, but the lineup is adapted to the location.
Momo-chan had been aiming for cute and delicious sweets up until now, but after being exposed to the artistic sweets and chocolate techniques, instead of feeling a sense of rivalry, her desire to improve has skyrocketed. That’s a good thing.
I politely bowed my head to the customer who had come all the way in the rain. Although there were not many customers, some customers would drop by on their way home from work in the evening, and it would occasionally get busy.
“Momo-chan, aren’t you bothering Ran-san? I understand that you’re happy to have passed the first round, but…”
Of course, “Eugene” was also in business. Ran-san had been working since the morning, and there were likely other staff members at the store, but Ran-san probably had preparations for tomorrow.
“Is that all?”
Hazuki-chan brought cookies from the kitchen and gave a quick glance to Ai-chan. The two giggled together.
“I can’t believe it, Momo-chan…?”
I kind of thought so too, but when I asked hesitantly,
“Well, it’s autumn, but has spring already come for Momo-chan?”
As expected. I thought of Ran-san as her mentor, but did she finally become LIKE and even LOVE with him? Momo-chan’s evaluation of Ran-san was high from the beginning.
“That’s right!”
Hana-chan, who came around from the back door, suddenly grabbed our shoulders.
“Geez, Hana-chan, don’t scare us.”
When I complained, she said,
“Everyone, let’s do our best so that Momoko can succeed!”
“What are we supposed to do our best at?”
Hana-chan showed us photos of the sweets that had passed the first round of judging. I had tasted several of the prototypes before, but I didn’t know she was applying.
The cake she applied with was about 20 centimeters in diameter and had a winter theme. The cake itself was covered with sliced strawberries on the surface, and a glossy, jelly-like material was spread over it to produce beautiful colors. The side was decorated with a pattern of chocolate lines resembling dead trees, and thin snowflakes made of white chocolate were drawn on the top and around the side.
The appearance is simple and refreshing, with colors of strawberry red, snowflake white, and chocolate brown for the trees. Compared to last year’s winter cake, which was a tart with images of arctic foxes and rabbits, this one looks more mature.
“We’re going to practice making this cake within the time limit. Everyone, let’s cooperate!”
“Yeah, yeah, of course.”
I was worried that Momo-chan might be annoyed by Hana-chan’s enthusiasm.
But if it’s about making the cake, then of course it’s okay. Actually, it’s important to get used to making several cakes by oneself. The judging venue is different from MAHO-do, after all.
“So, what about Momo-chan? Is she receiving any advice?”
We took turns going into the kitchen, and Hana-chan and I started making sponge cake and madeleines together. Dodo and the others were packaging candy and cookies into bags and tying them with ribbons.
I started to get worried about Momo-chan, who had not come back yet.
“Yeah.”
Hana-chan replied nonchalantly as if nothing had happened, so I kept my hands busy.
It was getting dark quickly. Ai-chan and Hazuki-chan were replenishing ribbons and wrapping paper while dealing with the occasional customers who came in.
“Today is a special day for passing the first round, so it can’t be helped.”
I said while glancing at Hana-chan.
“Momoko was saying she wants to ask Ran-kun if he has a girlfriend.”
Hana-chan blurted out quickly, unable to bear pretending not to know anymore.
“She’s been worried about it lately. That’s why Hana urged her to go ahead and ‘just ask’.”
I see. Lala and Majorika pretended to be indifferent and continued working, but their hands tended to stop.
“So that’s what it is.”
“I knew it.”
Ai-chan and Hazuki-chan, who had been listening at the door between the kitchen and the main area, also came over. At that moment, we heard the sound of the back door opening, and we all turned our heads at once.
“…? The atmosphere feels different today.”
Onpu-chan, who had completely recovered her energy after the incident was resolved, arrived at MAHO-do in the manager’s car as usual and looked at our faces, tilting her head. She has a good intuition.
“I hurried over here because I received a message saying that Momo-chan passed the first round of the competition… but where is she?”
I was the one who sent the message. I guess she just wanted to congratulate her in person. She changed her gym schedule to come here.
“Well… about that, Momo-chan…”
As Hana-chan and I began to explain to Onpu-chan,
“Sorry I’m so late!”
Momo-chan returned from the back door, shaking off the raindrops from her umbrella. She looked up and asked,
“Wait, is everyone mad at me?”
She was surprised to see us so close to her.
“So, what’s the result?”
Ai-chan asked with a grin, and Momo-chan smiled back and replied,
“He said congratulations on passing the first round of the competition.”
“Is that all?”
Onpu-chan, who had just heard the news, was also leaning in with a smile. Momo-chan blushed for a moment, but quickly returned to her smile and said,
“Ran-kun had a girlfriend when he was studying abroad in France, but they broke up when he had to come back to Japan. He said he’s been single ever since.”
Momo-chan flashed a victory sign. Looks like she cleared the first hurdle.
After that, some customers still came to the store, but fewer than usual, and there were only a few cakes left, so we had to close. The remaining cakes were distributed among everyone with Lala’s tea. The rain got heavier and it became chilly. Normally, we would quickly finish the cake and go home, but today it felt like we were interrogating Momo-chan.
“Ugh, stop it everyone. Don’t look at me with such curiosity.”
“What are we supposed to do if we don’t talk about other people’s love stories?”
“Your partner is a working adult, and even if he doesn’t have a girlfriend now, the age difference is too big.”
Ai-chan was clearly enjoying the conversation, while Hazuki-chan had a worried look on her face. Their personalities were clearly reflected. Hana-chan and I leaned towards Ai-chan, while Onpu-chan leaned towards Hazuki-chan.
Onpu-chan seemed to have enjoyed talking about me and Kotake, but she seemed a bit worried about Momo-chan.
Momo-chan had asked his older sister Ruri-san about his girlfriend before she entered the competition,
“When Ran was working as a new patissier in France, he was close to a French university student who worked part-time at the cafe.”
That was her reply. Ruri-san has moved to the Misora store, which is also her home, and mainly helps out at the store in the city center. Ran-san also lives with her. Ruri-san’s husband, Ikoma Arihito-san, used to live with her in the city center apartment until the Misora store was established, but now he is living alone for work. I don’t meet Ikoma-san very often though.
The French woman Ruri-san told her about is apparently one or two years younger than Ran-san and comes from a fairly wealthy family. She shared a house near the university with three other students, and worked at a cafe across the street from the restaurant where Ran-san was an apprentice.
“I’m surprised that even a rich girl like her shares a room.”
I was more surprised by that.
“It’s also common in America. Isn’t entering university the first step to independence? Places that are convenient for commuting to school have high rents, so it’s normal to share a house or apartment with a few people. It’s cheaper, and just because they come from a good family doesn’t mean they’re rich.”
Momo-chan said calmly. She said that even after entering university, she has to study every day or she can’t keep up. Like Tamaki Reika’s boyfriend? So, living in a convenient location for commuting is also efficient.
Come to think of it, I heard that even nobles in England lived in dormitories when they were students. I wonder if it’s still the same now.
I’m such a spoiled brat, so living away from Mom and Dad would make me so anxious. Oh, I got off topic.
“So, I asked if he’s still in a long-distance relationship with her. After all, I’ve never seen a woman who looks like Ran-kun’s girlfriend come to ‘Eugene’”.
It was straightforward. As expected from Momo-chan. It’s totally different from me worrying about Kotake. I envy her.
“Oh, Hana’s already heard about her from Ruri-san.”
Their cooperative system is well-established, and they make a great team. In fact, since they spend most of their time together, Hana-chan knows Momo-chan very well.
“What kind of person is that woman? Is she like Momo-chan? Does she have a job like Ran-san now?”
When Hazuki-chan asked,
“Ruri-san said she hadn’t seen her for a few years, so she wasn’t sure, but she’s tall and sturdy.”
I didn’t understand how Ruri-san described her, but I forgot that Momo-chan is a super intuitive type. Even though Hana-chan was listening in along,
“She’s big and has a massive presence. It’s totally different from the slim Momoko.”
“I don’t get it.”
“Is she a big and chubby woman? The problem is not the appearance, it’s what’s inside. Also, maybe the reason Ran-san still hasn’t found a girlfriend yet is because he hasn’t forgotten about her.”
I imagined that woman. I think it’s different for everyone, but for a moment, I thought of a judo player. That’s because the impression of the Olympics was so big.
Onpu-chan seemed to give up asking questions. Yeah, that’s right. Besides, it’s about the past. After working in France, Ran-san went to Belgium to study again to become a chocolatier. Ruri-san had already returned to Japan by that time, so she seems to know nothing about it.
“I said I’d nominate myself as his girlfriend!”
“Eh──!”
I was surprised again. What a fast development?
“You have to strike while the iron is hot, right?”
Of course, everyone naturally made a joke in response.
The day of the competition is approaching. We are working together to make sure Momo-chan can participate in the best possible condition.
As for me, the prefectural qualifiers for the National High School Soccer Championship have begun. Misora High School has been seeded, but the game is right in front of us. I’ve been busy collecting information on the high school we’re supposed to be playing against with the junior manager Chinami-chan, and preparing for practice matches and other tournaments we’re participating in.
The National High School Soccer Championship is a tournament, so we absolutely cannot lose. It’s a highly anticipated tournament, and scouts from the J-League, U-17 coaches, and other officials are watching even from the qualifying rounds.
Anyway, since there are many strong opponents in the upcoming matches, it will be difficult to advance without fielding our best players. It’s also important not to get injured. Chinami-chan is a reliable junior, and with the increase in team members, the manager’s job isn’t as tough as I thought it would be. Also, in addition to regular tests, there are also mock exams in the fall. Next year, I will become a real examinee. Thinking about it makes me a little anxious.
Momo-chan’s hard work, Hazuki-chan’s attitude towards her lessons, Onpu-chan’s motivation, Hana-chan’s efforts in the midst of a difficult search for Yume-chan, everyone is amazing. Also, Ai-chan has recently started running on the track.
“I haven’t given up my dream of becoming a trainer, but running is so much fun. I just can’t give it up.”
She said. She’s starting to run in a nice, relaxed way. Her leg pain is gone, and she’s a little scared of full-speed running, but it feels good.
We won’t make any progress if we’re always in a hurry. I’ll think at my own pace while cooperating with everyone. My best friends said that the answer will eventually come to me from within.
On Friday, I arrived at MAHO-do after Momo-chan and Hana-chan, which was unusual for me. The competition is finally tomorrow. MAHO-do is scheduled to be closed on Saturday and Sunday for the announcement of the results. Momo-chan will be competing in the morning, so we won’t be able to go and cheer her on.
I have a match with the soccer team, Ai-chan has club activities for the rookie tournament coming up, and Hazuki-chan couldn’t change her lesson time.
“It’s okay! If everyone is there, I’ll get even more nervous,” Momo-chan reassured us.
I don’t think that’s true, but either way, there won’t be any spectator seats. Momo-chan’s mother is going to the venue, and Hana-chan is going to help with the preparations on the day of the competition.
Today was like any other day, so Hana-chan was efficiently making sweets as usual. I decided to take care of the store alone until everyone arrived.
Ai-chan is late because she has been showing up at the track and field team almost every day recently. Since the rookie tournament is coming up, Ai-chan is kind enough to help out.
Ai-chan said that she had never watched other people’s running so closely except for short-distance runners, so it was a good learning experience for her. Thanks to Ai-chan’s effect, the number of members of the track and field team has increased this year, and even those who work behind the scenes seem to enjoy it.
“Hazuki-chan, you’re late.”
Hazuki-chan quietly opened the door and came in. When she saw Momo-chan,
“Have you been to Ran-san’s place today?”
She asked suddenly.
“Uh-huh, I thought I’d drop by when everyone is together.”
After making her regular sweets, Momo-chan’s routine these days is to finish the cake of the month and then start baking a whole cake to be submitted to a competition. She’s become used to it and now it’s just a matter of checking everything for the actual competition.
“What’s wrong, Hazuki? You don’t look well.”
Hana-chan’s loud voice could be heard and I also poked my head out of the kitchen into the store. Hazuki-chan didn’t look like she was feeling sick, but she certainly didn’t have a smile on her face.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, Momo-chan. The helper has arrived.”
“I’ll help too. You have to prepare for the competition, right?”
Ai-chan and Onpu-chan arrived one after another. Hazuki-chan, who was still at the entrance, hurried in and the three of them changed clothes and went into the kitchen. When Momo-chan tried to put on her jacket over her patissiere outfit,
“Momo-chan, I don’t think you should go to ‘Eugene’ today.”
Hazuki-chan spoke up.
“Why not? Did something happen?”
When Hana-chan asked, Hazuki-chan said,
“Before I came here, I saw a foreign woman who was looking at the map and seemed to be having trouble. I spoke to her in English and she asked me where ‘Eugene’ was. She spoke Japanese well too. I went with her partway and when I told her I work at MAHO-do, she said she had heard about the store from Ikoma-san. She had originally gone to the main store to meet Ran-san, but was told it was in Misora City. We just parted ways earlier.”
Not many Japanese people would talk to a foreigner on the street. She was a tall woman, so when Hazuki-chan heard the name “Eugene”, she knew exactly what to expect. The woman had apparently become happy when she found the blue horse statue in front of the store.
“What kind of person was she, Hazuki-chan?” Ai-chan asked.
“Look, look, everyone. We have customers in the store.”
The bell rang as the door opened. Since Lala was looking at me, I decided to go out with Hazuki-chan and Ai-chan. Several customers came in one after another and we were busy helping them, but whenever we had a moment, we all peeked at “Eugene” from the store window.
“Should Hana go and see?”
Hana-chan brought the cake of the month with a reservation from the kitchen,
“It’s impossible. I don’t think she’s outside.”
Onpu-chan’s blunt remark hit Hana-chan like a ton of bricks, and she returned to the kitchen with a crestfallen expression. Yeah, either way, we are outsiders.
“It was a little different from the image I heard from Hana-chan and Momo-chan. I thought she was a blonde woman when I heard she was French. She has dark brown hair, is larger than Ran-san, and slightly shorter than him. She’s not beautiful, but she seemed easygoing. A nice woman.”
“Did she come to visit on a trip or something? To reconcile with him… maybe?”
Everyone was thinking the same thing.
Momo-chan was in the kitchen preparing tomorrow’s entry. She didn’t seem to be upset. Well, that’s right. The competition is the competition. There’s no point in thinking about it.
On Saturday, the participants made cakes for the competition in the morning and afternoon, and the results were announced on Sunday.
Momo-chan’s cake only made it to fourth place. Although many older vocational school students were there, we naturally thought she would win or at least come in second, so we were wondering what to say when we went to MAHO-do.
Monday is usually when everyone gathers and going to MAHO-do is always exciting, but today was a little heavy-hearted. We had replied to Momo-chan’s text message.
“Momo-chan, cheer up!”
As soon as I entered, I spoke in my usual tone.
“I’m okay, Doremi-chan.”
Momo-chan replied with a smile. But she still lacked her usual energy.
“Momo-chan, it’s too bad this time. But there are still many chances to come.”
“Don’t be disappointed, just do your best again.”
Hazuki-chan and Ai-chan approached Momo-chan and spoke to her. Then Onpu-chan came in and said,
“Momo-chan, couldn’t you get your usual groove on? It’s your first competition, so you can definitely win next time.”
“Yeah… I’ll try my best again.”
Momo-chan replied with a forced smile. But her smile suddenly clouded over,
“It was a complete disaster…”
“I was too nervous. The location was different from usual, and the cooking utensils were different too.”
A tear fell from Momo-chan’s big eyes and she continued,
“I didn’t fail. They said it tasted good. But there was something strange in the middle… The other contestants were skillful, but there were many cute cakes that looked like the ones I usually make…”
Momo-chan’s cake this time certainly had a chic feel to it. The bright red strawberries on top, the chocolate made to look like withered trees, and the white snowflakes created a sophisticated and adult impression.
“Momoko, you challenged yourself with something new, right? Hana also tasted it many times, and it was delicious!”
“Yeah, really. The color was beautiful too,” Ai-chan said.
“It’s more luxurious compared to the whole cakes that Momo-chan always makes,” I said.
“I think it was inspired by Ran-san’s work. The chocolate also had a fashionable feel to it,” Hazuki-chan said.
That’s right. Momo-chan’s whole cakes are like a colorful toy box that’s fun to cut into. Of course, there are times when pies and tarts made with plenty of ingredients are simple, but even then, she tops them with candy decorations.
“When I was practicing and making them every day, I didn’t think about anything, but the day before yesterday, I didn’t feel excited at all…”
“Momo-chan’s sweet treats, full of ideas, make me feel happy just looking at them. It seems like you’re having fun even when you’re making them in the kitchen, and even I feel happy when customers choose them in the store. Sometimes you just can’t perform well for the actual event.”
Hazuki-chan has also been enthusiastically explaining the sweets to customers. I also confidently recommend them.
The whole cakes are a bit expensive, so people don’t eat them casually every week. The people who buy them are only for celebrations, anniversaries, and those who come to enjoy them every month. If someone asks for a recipe, we print it out and give it to them.
In an ordinary household, I don’t think it’s possible to make a cake that looks exactly like Momo-chan’s, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be made without advanced specialized skills or professional tools.
“You have to make it with a happy feeling, otherwise that feeling won’t be conveyed to the customer. However, Momo-chan is already a professional, so you have to make the standard sweets that can be sold in the store every day. That’s why it didn’t turn out the way you wanted. I’m sorry for involving you in my incident.”
“That’s right. I wasn’t thinking about the competition either. MAHO-do was open for business every day. You couldn’t concentrate on the competition…”
As Onpu-chan and Ai-chan said, she had to create her masterpieces while running the store. We should have been more zealous in cooperating instead of leaving everything to Hana-chan.
She didn’t win any prizes this time, but we know that not everything goes smoothly. No matter how hard we work, there will always be people who are better, people with talent, and accidents happen too. There is also luck and misfortune. Everyone knows this pain.
It’s too late to regret it now, but we didn’t realize it because Momo-chan was working hard with a calm face. We couldn’t even help her with the cake for the competition. Onpu-chan was probably especially worried because of the stalking incident.
It was unusually quiet inside MAHO-do. We put customers’ cakes in boxes, tied ribbons on them as presents, picked out baked goods as gifts, and rang up the cash register.
It was the usual routine, and Momo-chan’s cake looked as delicious as ever. We made the closing preparations, locked the doors, changed clothes while Lala brewed tea, and then shared the rest of the cake next to the cleared kitchen counter.
“…I really didn’t think the competition was a big deal.”
Momo-chan said suddenly, and we all looked at her.
“I’ve only recently found out about the competition recently from Ran-kun, and even if I win, I can’t go to Paris right away. I thought it was just a test of my skills. Compared to everyone else’s challenges, it was nothing.”
“What are you saying, Momo-chan? The size of the challenge doesn’t matter when it comes to trying!” Ai-chan protested.
“That’s right, Momo-chan. If you don’t challenge yourself, you’ll never discover new things,” Hazuki-chan added.
“If you say that, then I haven’t challenged anything. I’ve only been supporting everyone, and it hasn’t been helpful at all.”
I haven’t done anything. I don’t waste my days, but I haven’t decided anything about my future either.
“Stop!”
Onpu-chan said calmly.
“Momo-chan, I apologize for not giving you more time to talk to us. But as Ai-chan said, there’s no big or small challenge. And, Doremi-chan, you’re not useless, there’s no way that’s true.”
“Everyone agrees with Onpu-chan. But, the reason why Momo-chan feels down is because she submitted a cake that didn’t show her usual style, right?”
Hazuki-chan spoke for everyone, or so it seemed.
“…I guess she wants to be praised by Ran-san.”
Momo-chan’s face turned bright red. Was she embarrassed because Hazuki-chan hit the nail on the head? That wasn’t the only reason. She has easily changed her own style.
“I realized it because of what Hazuki-chan said. I was really messed up,” Momo-chan said.
Well, everyone probably thought that, but we all knew it was a manifestation of Momo-chan’s desire to improve.
“Oh, that means your skills have improved, right? I think Ran-san had something to do with it,” Onpu-chan said.
Yeah. Since Onpu-chan doesn’t come to MAHO-do often, she was able to notice the drastic changes in Momo-chan’s sweets. “Eugene’s” sweets have a great deal of technical skill, presented in a simple form. On the other hand, Momo-chan uses simple ingredients to create cute ideas.
“Momo-chan, maybe the reason why you couldn’t win the competition is because you haven’t fully absorbed what you’ve been taught yet? That’s all,” Ai-chan said.
“I see, Momoko, you should steal more techniques from Ran-kun!”
Momo-chan looked surprised. It’s true that there are things she doesn’t realize about herself. Her best friends always point them out to her. Just then, with a gulp, she lowered her head and said,
“But still… His French girlfriend is here.”
“She might not be his girlfriend anymore. That’s not like you, Momo-chan.”
“Right, fight on, Momoko!”
“Well, if it’s a real fight, you might lose.”
Ai-chan said, and we laughed as we imagined a woman’s image. Momo-chan regained her energy, and we decided to go home.
“I’m going to Ran-kun’s place tomorrow! I want to meet his girlfriend too.”
Momo-chan said with a victory sign.
The next day, after finishing my work as a manager, I headed to MAHO-do. Hazuki-chan was already there, helping Momo-chan in the kitchen. It seemed like Hana-chan was working in the store now.
“I’ll help too.”
I sat down on a chair and started working. I wanted to send Momo-chan to Ran-san’s place as soon as possible. Ai-chan would be coming soon, and maybe Onpu-chan would also show up. Regardless of what I said, I was interested in the French girlfriend. If she really was his girlfriend, it would be a pity, but I’m expecting Momo-chan’s straightforwardness to handle it. I’m also a bit of a busybody.
“Momoko, Momoko, we have a customer!”
Hana-chan’s loud voice was heard from the lobby of the store, and we all got up from our chairs and went there.
“Bo-Bonjour?”
The person who came into the store was that French woman.
“BONJOUR! Nice to meet you. My name is Celeste.”
Her Japanese was several levels above my improvised French. Is Celeste her name?
“BONJOUR, Celeste-san.”
Hazuki-chan spoke to her in much better pronunciation than me, and she seemed to recognize the girl who was showing her the way and smiled. Then Hazuki-chan introduced Momo-chan, Hana-chan and me. As Hazuki-chan had said, she was generally large. Her height was comparable to an average Japanese man. She had long brown hair that was loosely gathered and tied up at the back.
“What happened?”
Ai-chan appeared and beckoned to Onpu-chan who was behind her. Hazuki-chan quickly introduced the two. Onpu-chan wasn’t used to showing her face in the store lobby, so she immediately stuck close to Ai-chan.
“What a cute store. Just like I heard from Ran. And everyone’s outfit is so cute too.”
She had a nice smile. I wondered what Ran-san had told her about MAHO-do. She came here to buy sweets. I wonder if she’s also a patissiere or chocolatier like Ran-san and Momo-chan.
Thanks to Onpu-chan’s suggestion, we left Momo-chan behind and returned to the kitchen, even though we were still curious about what they were talking about.
“I wonder what they’re talking about. Doesn’t it bother you, everyone?”
“If we said it didn’t bother us, that would be a lie, but well, let the young ones handle it.”
“What are you saying, like you’re the go-between for an arranged marriage?”
Ai-chan made an unusual joke and Onpu-chan retorted.
“But it seems like they’re having a lively conversation.”
When Hazuki-chan said this with a wry smile, Momo-chan popped her head into the kitchen.
“Oh, by the way, I’m going to ‘Eugene’. I’ll be right back.”
With that, Momo-chan took a cake box out of the refrigerator and walked in the direction of “Eugene” with Celeste-san, who was waiting for her.
“It’s a love triangle involving Ran-kun, huh? Momoko won’t lose!”
I wasn’t sure if it would be such a dramatic development, though.
“Speaking of which, Celeste-san called Ran-san by his given name without any honorifics, right?”
I was curious. Maybe they really are lovers.
“It’s not uncommon to call close acquaintances by their given names in foreign countries.”
Come to think of it, Onpu-chan and her co-stars in the musical also called each other by their given names or nicknames.
“Oh, Doremi-chan has been calling Kotake-kun ‘Kotake’ for a while now, haven’t you?”
“Oh, right.”
So they’re not necessarily lovers just because they call each other without any honorifics. Kotake calls me “Harukaze” too.
I wonder if Celeste-san came to Japan chasing after Ran-san. Everyone has their own future and the future of the person they love, but what about me? I don’t even understand my own feelings.
Momo-chan, who said she would be back soon, never came back and apologized by text message. The rest of us closed the store and prepared for tomorrow, then went home with various concerns. Onpu-chan and Hazuki-chan said they couldn’t come tomorrow, and Ai-chan and I have to attend club activities, so we’ll probably show up late.
It’s a shame, but Momo-chan’s story will have to wait until everyone gathers on Monday… and Onpu-chan scolded me for being so curious. I just can’t help it.
Things have been hectic lately. If I say I don’t have time to study for tests, Hazuki-chan will get mad at me. Boo-hoo-hoo.
The long-awaited Monday has arrived. The soccer team won their game on Sunday, and the word “prefectural representative” is starting to pop up. The opponents are getting stronger, and the regular players are becoming mentally exhausted. Pressure, that’s what it’s called, right? Although I’m not a player, I still get nervous.
Yamaki-sensei, the advisor also known as Leon, tells me that I’m putting too much pressure on myself. I wonder if he really knows what he’s talking about. I need to be careful. Oh, and Leon was also at the game venue. He looked so relaxed and natural when he was watching the game. Well, that was normal for him.
“I’m playing the role of a bad example,” Leon says. He’s not a coach, so he doesn’t have to give any specific guidance to the members, but he looks like a hopeless adult.
After finishing our meeting as usual, the club activity was over. I went straight to MAHO-do from the clubroom. I had to help Momo-chan and take turns running the store with Hana-chan and Ai-chan until Hazuki-chan and Onpu-chan arrived.
As usual, the weekend was busy, and Momo-chan was working hard to make sweets. I arrived on Saturday afternoon and after the Sunday game in the evening. “Eugene” seemed to have customers as usual, but Celeste-san didn’t seem to be there. I wondered where she was staying in Japan.
“Sorry, I’m late.”
Onpu-chan arrived when the store was about to close. We weren’t that busy, so we had already finished preparing for tomorrow and it was already a good time to leave. However, we were waiting for Onpu-chan to hear Momo-chan’s story.
“The rehearsal for the drama ran over time. Thank you, Lala.”
Lala made a cup of tea for Onpu-chan, who rushed into the room.
“Did you get to talk to Celeste-san?”
Hazuki-chan asked, and Momo-chan made a complicated face that was hard to describe. A bad feeling?
“Did she come to Japan to chase after Ran-san after all?”
“Mmm, I think so. But isn’t that the only reason?”
Momo-chan’s response was hesitant, unlike her usual articulate self.
Last week, she and Celeste-san brought the cake that was selected for the competition to “Eugene”. Ruri-san was also there, and they listened to her story while eating the cake at home instead of at the store.
It turned out that Celeste-san realized she had feelings for Ran-san when he went to study in Belgium. Ran-san, who was passionate about learning, had gone to a famous pastry store in Paris and was steadily rising in the ranks as a patissier after Ikoma-san.
However, he decided to train at a famous chocolate specialty store in Belgium to become a chocolatier. That was when he and Celeste-san were separated.
“Ran-kun was told that if ‘Eugene’ went well when Ikoma-san opened it in Japan, he could work there with him. He then went to Belgium because he had seen Ikoma-san’s technique and sense of style up close, and he said he couldn’t catch up if he did the same thing himself.”
“Ran-san is a hard worker.”
Perhaps it had to do with the fact that Ikoma-san was her sister’s husband. Although they were over ten years apart in age, it was good to have someone to look up to as a goal.
“So, what happened to his girlfriend?”
That’s the problem.
“It seems like Celeste-san visited Ran-san in Belgium multiple times. However, although Ran-san was aware of Celeste-san’s feelings for him, he had a goal of becoming independent in Japan. So, when it was time to return to Japan, he said goodbye.”
“So, they both liked each other?”
“Yes… it seems like it.”
Onpu-chan let out a big sigh.
“But what about Celeste-san? Will she marry a Japanese person or maybe just live here first? Well, it might still be a long way off, but I wonder if her family was surprised. Like, her boyfriend is Japanese and suddenly going to Japan. I think most families would oppose that, normally.”
It was a little too much for me. No, it was like what happened with Marina-chan and Kimura-kun the other day. I thought I had understood, but suddenly reality hit me. Both of them are already respectable adults, and I think they have a different way of thinking from us.
“By the way, Ruri-san mentioned that Celeste-san is a young rich lady from a good family.”
“That’s right. So, all the more reason…”
“Celeste-san’s mother is of Spanish-French descent, and her father’s grandmother is Italian. If you go back further, there are probably relatives in various European countries. Her older brother works at her father’s company in Japan, but her older sister married a British person, and her younger brother is a university student in America. I remember it well.”
Is that what it means by “good family”?
“Europe has such a complicated history, doesn’t it?”
Hazuki-chan sighed mixed with exasperation. Ai-chan and I were completely confused.
“There are many people with different hair and skin colors in France.”
Hana-chan was knowledgeable in world history, but she couldn’t fully comprehend it. It was completely different compared to the magical world. Perhaps Momo-chan didn’t feel a sense of incongruity because she had lived in America.
“America also has many different races, but it doesn’t have much history. Celeste-san didn’t have much of an image of France as her hometown, so she didn’t understand why Ran-kun was so insistent on becoming independent as a chocolatier in Japan.”
Is that so?
“I wanted to learn more about Japan, so I thought I’d study at a Japanese language school. I came to love Japan so much that I decided to support Ran’s work and aim to become a barista. I worked hard at a cafe… uh, apprenticeship? I became friends with the Japanese language school teacher and studied about Tokyo.”
This was what Celeste-san had told Momo-chan while she was searching for the right words to say.
“Her part-time job in Japan is at a cafe in the same building as the ‘Eugene’ flagship store in the city center. Ikoma-san and Ruri-san are her guarantors, and she’s been working there for half a month now.”
“That’s impressive. I should learn from her initiative.”
Ai-chan said with an impressed look on her face. It’s true, nothing starts without taking action. She aimed to become a barista not to do the same work as Ran-san, but to use his sweets to their full potential.
Ruri-san felt that Celeste-san’s hardworking but easygoing personality made her the perfect match for the overly serious Ran-san. When she heard that they had broken up, she felt disappointed.
The room became quiet. Momo-chan’s complex expression was now somewhat understandable. She probably felt like she couldn’t compete with her in various ways.
“Was I too naive?”
Momo-chan muttered.
The next day, when I went to MAHO-do after the club activities, Ai-chan had arrived first. Cold rain had been falling since the afternoon, and the feeling of autumn deepening was in the air.
“Today is our unofficial day off. There weren’t many customers even during the day,” Ai-chan said.
Momo-chan doesn’t make many sweets on weekdays. She adjusts them carefully so as not to waste them, based on the weather forecast and other data. I know Momo-chan enjoys making sweets every day, but she hasn’t had time to try out other pastry stores recently.
MAHO-do decides on days off a month in advance based on Momo-chan’s convenience and school schedule, and writes them on the store calendar and website. We take days off during tests and such. We rarely take days off on weekends because we have customers who come from far away.
“Hazuki said she’d come, but let’s finish up today.”
Hana-chan said to Majorika, then she replied,
“That’s right. Momoko must be tired every day. It’s good to go home early once in a while.”
“I see. Then, I’ll make some tea.”
Lala said, and Ai-chan and I started preparing to close the store. We took out the remaining cakes out of the showcase.
At that moment, there was a knock at the door of the store.
“Maybe it’s a customer. I’ll go out front.”
As I went to unlock the just-closed store entrance, I heard Celeste-san and Hazuki-chan’s voices from outside.
“Hello? Good evening? Which one should I use?”
“Good evening might be better. I’m sorry, it looks like the store is closed early today because of the weather.”
I hurriedly unlocked the door and said,
“Good evening. We closed early today because there weren’t many customers. I’m sorry.”
When Celeste-san stood close to me, she was over 10 centimeters taller than me, which was impressive.
“Did I bring you a gift today? Here is my homemade matcha latte, please enjoy it, everyone.”
She handed over a large paper bag, and Momo-chan and the others also came out of the kitchen. When Hazuki-chan touched the paper bag, she said,
“It’s still warm. Did you make it at Ran-san’s place?”
Celeste-san smiled and said,
“I thought it would go perfectly with the gateau that Momoko-san made last time.”
We turned on the lights in the store and invited Celeste-san in.
“I’m not making any cakes for the competition right now, unfortunately.”
We served matcha lattes on the small table in the store. They came in cute little paper cups, and there were more cups than people. Dodo and the others were also in the kitchen, but maybe they could share later.
“Matcha is a very interesting tea. I was surprised to see people drinking it with gateau and tart.”
Celeste-san smiled softly. She seemed to be much more interested in various things than I am. The matcha latte she made was a beautiful green color.
“It’s delicious. The latte is not very sweet, so it would go well with strawberry sweets.”
“Really, I thought it would be more bitter, but it’s mild. This is good.”
Hazuki-chan and Ai-chan said with a smile, and Celeste-san looked happy too. Although Ai-chan’s words might not be understandable yet because of her Kansai dialect.
Hana-chan drank the matcha latte with apprehension. She probably couldn’t imagine the taste of the creamy greenish-white drink. It was her matcha debut.
“Celeste-san, did you come to Japan with the intention of marrying Ran-kun…Ran-san?”
Hana-chan asked Celeste-san after she drank it all with white cream on her lips. Celeste-san looked surprised, but said,
“I wish I could. But for now, I’m focusing on improving my skills as a barista, right?”
She didn’t know that there were so many diverse foods and drinks in Japan.
“Someday, I want to teach my French family about Japan. It’s such a wonderful country. The Japan where Ran was born is incredibly beautiful. If Ran opens a store here, I would like to make a cafe next door and create a drink that goes well with chocolate. By then, I want to become the best barista in Japan…”
I wondered just how diligently she must have studied Japanese and trained as a barista. I was very impressed. However, she didn’t just force her way into Ran-san’s life, she had her own goals.
“She must have thought about a lot of things.”
Momo-chan murmured as we said goodbye to Celeste-san and prepared to leave. It was the same time of day as usual. Momo-chan let out a big breath and said,
“I was just soaring with admiration for Ran-kun. I tried my best, but Celeste-san is more down-to-earth… Hmm.”
“Well, that’s because she’s an adult. She grew up in a different environment, so her way of thinking is different. It’s natural to be different.”
Hazuki-chan comforted her and she replied,
“The competition didn’t work out either, so I’m still not good enough…”
“What are you talking about? It’s unrealistic to try to reach the top from the beginning. You just need to keep your feet on the ground and take one step at a time to move up,” Ai-chan encouraged.
“That’s right, Momoko. They’re not married yet. Ran-kun is still free.”
I thought that was a bit far-fetched, Hana-chan.
By the way, there was one thing that caught my attention.
“Hey, what did Celeste-san mean when she said those words to Momo-chan as she left?”
As I recall, it was something about Momo-chan’s name.
“It means that my name, Momoko, which means pink, or peach-colored, is good.”
There is a color called celeste blue.
Momo-chan told us that celeste blue is the deep color of the sky. It also means the sky, and Ran-san’s name means blue, the blue of plants. Ruri-san, or lapis lazuli, is the blue of minerals. So, it’s a relief that Momo-chan’s name isn’t “mer”, which means the sea in French.
“Is it a declaration of war?” Ai-chan asked.
“I think it’s half a joke, but it’s witty. That’s what it means. I thought it was unusual for a French woman’s name,” Hazuki-chan said.
Celeste-san was born from a mixture of various countries. Coming to Japan made her finally realize that her hometown was France. I wonder if that means having a place to go back to.
Onpu-chan was indignant when she heard the details of what happened that night from me.
“Why didn’t you call me?”
“You said you were at work. Onpu-chan, you’re too loud!”
“You could have taken a video or used Hana-chan’s magic, couldn’t you?”
She was really making unreasonable demands. We didn’t know that Celeste-san was coming either. It couldn’t be helped.
“…Celeste Blue is such a beautiful color. It’s like the blue of the sky that connects everything. The same goes for the sea. It’s amazing that Celeste-san would think of that so spontaneously. She’s such a romantic person.”
Onpu-chan seemed to have looked it up on her computer in the room right away. I’d look it up later too.
“Celeste-san looks very much like Momo-chan, doesn’t she?”
“Huh? How so?”
What do they have in common? Well, I see a similarity in their ability to take bold actions, like mastering barista and Japanese in a short period of time and coming to Japan.
“Of course, it’s not about appearance or atmosphere. It’s about how they carefully assess what they can do before taking bold actions. Momo-chan also quickly made Ran-san’s technique her own. It didn’t work out this time, but she should be able to show off her unique style properly next time. Then she’ll definitely win.”
“Wasn’t Momo-chan feeling down?” Onpu-chan asked, sounding concerned.
“She’s okay. She was a little down, but I was impressed that she realized she needed to stay realistic. I should learn from her.”
It seemed to me that my friends, including Momo-chan, were all focused on the future, just like Celeste-san.
“I feel like I’m the only one who’s floaty and indecisive.”
I’m the one who gets depressed easily.
“…That’s not true, Doremi-chan. None of us have ever thought that way about you. My favorite thing about you is that you’re always so positive and forward-thinking, even more than Momo-chan.”
Is that so? Is it okay for me to be like this? I ended the call and began studying for tomorrow’s lesson. The exams were coming up, and I needed to focus on what I needed to do now.
Although my phone was silent on the desk, Onpu-chan’s words lingered in my ears.