I lived alone during my high school days.
Dad didn’t come home every day because of his work, and Mom was with me for a while when I was known as a child idol, but it wasn’t for a long period of time. After Mom got sick, the time I spent alone got even longer. I might have gotten a little quieter, but I didn’t feel particularly lonely.
So even now, I don’t feel especially lonely.
“Ahhhh.”
As I took a shower and lay down in bed, drowsiness came over me right away. I’m definitely busy, but I feel that time has passed more quickly than when I was juggling work and school studies. When I looked at the clock, it was already 11pm.
When I opened the screen of the smartphone I had just bought, there were three emails. The time difference between Japan and New York is 13 hours, and Japan is roughly half a day ahead, so…
“You sent me an email before you left in the morning, didn’t you?”
Alone in my room, even though no one was watching, I sat up straight on my bed and opened the emails.
I’m living in a somewhat luxurious condominium in New York City. I started living in America full-time this spring, and I’ve been going to drama school for almost three months now.
It feels similar to going to a vocational school in Japan, but the school here is truly American, with a variety of ages and races. There are lectures, but the focus is on dance and acting lessons which are extremely demanding.
Here, the name “Segawa Onpu” doesn’t mean anything. My experience of starring in dramas and playing the lead role in a musical that marked my comeback doesn’t help at all either. It’s simply about whether or not I can pass the auditions. Whether or not I can perform the acting that they expect. That’s the nature of this world.
I’ve made some friends, but we’re all rivals. Everyone works part-time jobs while attending school, trying to grasp their dreams. Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, it’s become very strict for illegal immigrants to work in America, so even students can’t take on part-time work without an employment visa. So I can’t do part-time work like I did in Japan. Still, I’m able to study drama here in America thanks to the savings Mom diligently set aside for me.
After Mom collapsed, I had to leave my job midway and was selfish in asking to go to America, so Dad was very worried. Even so, he allowed me, but to alleviate his worries, I live in a safe neighborhood. I know it’s an extravagant lifestyle, and I understand that I have to produce results to stay and can’t go back without them.
My best friends, whom I met again after becoming high school students, are working even harder than I am. They are each pursuing their own dreams. So it motivates and encourages me to keep at it too.
I opened the email from Dad first.
“Dad… great, you look like you’re having fun.”
Dad, who used to be a long-distance train driver, was transferred to the role of educating new drivers starting this April. It’s different from what he’s used to, and it seems challenging. But he said he gets to interact with younger people more, so he’s become a little more in tune with the latest trends. I wonder if that’s true?
Come to think of it, Dad used to only send emails from his computer before, but lately there seems to be more coming from his smartphone. Maybe the young guys at work taught him. I replied right away. I don’t have any newsworthy updates, but I wanted to let him know I’m doing fine. Even though I want to deliver good news soon, he always encourages me not to rush through emails.
After finishing my reply to Dad, I closed the screen and opened the next email.
“Fufufu…”
Emails from Doremi-chan are always fun. She took a gap year and instead of attending a prep school, she takes intensive private lessons from Hana-chan and Tsukasa-san while also working part-time jobs. She must have really busy days, even busier than me, but she sends me emails all the time. Her emails always include things that make me laugh out loud.
“Oh?”
Doremi-chan’s email mentioned Hazuki-chan, so I opened the last one, which was from Hazuki-chan.
Hazuki-chan’s progress since entering high school has been remarkable, and although it’s strange to say “witch friends” now, I had arbitrarily painted an image of her as a shy and modest girl among them. After we reunited, Hazuki-chan maintained her old atmosphere but became calm, hardworking, persevering through adversity, and was the first to venture out into the world.
What surprised me the most about Hazuki-chan was when she transformed into “Luna” and played jazz on the violin. I had thought of her as entirely classical, a sheltered girl, but her new side strongly influenced me. Now, “Luna” had once again leaped into my view.
“Ehhhh?”
Hazuki-chan’s email said she would be leaving Japan for France earlier than planned, and would be stopping by New York before that.
“Oh Hazuki-chan, honestly! She’s just so…”
After replying to the email, I took a shower and went to bed. Even though I was very tired today, I felt like I could have a good dream.
Around three months after I started living in New York, a friend from drama school pointed out that my English sounded strange.
“It sounds kind of pretentious. This is America, you know. If you keep talking like that, you won’t get any auditions.”
“I know you’re not a native speaker, but your word choices sound old-fashioned.”
Receiving similar feedback from another friend, I was a bit down because I had never had trouble with English conversation before, having thought it was fine. So I was grateful for the news that Hazuki-chan happened to be coming to visit New York around this time.
Of course, Hazuki-chan’s main purpose was to see Yada Masaru-kun, not me. But that worked out conveniently for me too. Yada-kun went to the United States with his mentor, jazz pianist Gabriel Baker-san, also known as GB, and his jazz vocalist wife Madoka-san, who decided to base their activities primarily in New York starting this spring.
I’ll skip the details, but while I don’t know GB-san and Yada-kun very well privately, I was looking forward to meeting them.
And then on the day we met,
“Onpu-chan!”
Hazuki-chan ran up to me when I arrived at GB-san’s house, after making my way there from the nearest subway station while constantly checking the map on my smartphone. She was wearing a chic light blue dress, looking more mature.
“Hazuki-chan, long time no see!”
“I got here the day before yesterday. I was looking forward to seeing you, Onpu-chan!”
We hugged and celebrated our reunion after about three months apart. I didn’t expect my excitement to rise this much. Yada-kun looked at us with a puzzled expression.
“Onpu, welcome. I’m glad you got here safely.”
While being embraced by Madoka-san, who has an outstanding aura of hospitality, I was taken to GB-san, who had been beckoning me, and ended up being sandwiched between the two. Both of them were so tall that I felt like I might disappear completely.
After greeting each other, preparations for a late lunch started right away, and Hazuki-chan and I helped out. We spoke in Japanese at first, but at my request, switched to focus on English conversation. Yada-kun’s English was also smooth, but he was quiet as always, huh. Or maybe he just couldn’t get a word in with our endless chatter.
In the meantime, Thomas-kun, the only son of GB-san, who happened to be free, played the piano, and Yada-kun played the trumpet, providing a luxurious background music.
“Is that, by any chance, Japanese soba…?”
As GB-san started making soba on the spacious kitchen table, I widened my eyes in surprise.
As Madoka-san was tearing up salad vegetables,
“It’s easy to find soba flour here in America too. Gabriel can’t forget the taste of Japanese soba, and he shows it off every time a friend comes over. But if you ask me, he still has a long way to go.”
She added with a laugh.
“I brought dried seaweed from Japan. But you can buy most ingredients in New York too. Do you eat Japanese food sometimes, Onpu-chan?”
When Hazuki-chan asked, I shook my head. My room has a small kitchen, but I never felt like eating Japanese food or had time to make it.
“Then don’t worry how badly it turns out.”
Madoka-san winked at me as I hesitated.
“How mean. My friends tell me it tastes just like the real deal.”
When GB-san chimed in with a grin, I tried to come up with a retort, but my chest tightened up.
“Onpu-chan?”
“Thank you everyone. I’m just so happy…”
Hazuki-chan patted me on the back. Everyone resumed their tasks as if nothing had happened, and I also helped Hazuki-chan while holding back tears.
The freshly made soba was undeniably delicious. I wasn’t that fond of it when I was living in Japan, but trying it again, I appreciated the aroma of the soba, the bonito broth, and the condiments like wasabi. I couldn’t help but laugh at the clichéd thought that came to mind: “I’m glad to be Japanese.” I was surprised when I saw the mountain of soba, but I might have eaten more than anyone else.
After finishing the meal,
“These are crepes with soba flour that Momo-chan taught me. In French cafes, they also have crepes for meals. It’s easy, so Onpu-chan, you should try making them too.”
Hazuki-chan came out of the kitchen and placed two large plates on the table. Several crepes, folded into quarters, were piled onto both of the large plates, and plenty of honey was poured over them. Whether it’s the soba or the dessert, the sizes are truly American.
“Segawa.”
Since Yada-kun seemed to be in charge of the coffee, he casually placed a big cup in front of me.
Actually, before that, I had told them about my friends’ comments on my English conversation while I was cleaning the table. In the middle of talking about various things while eating, I accidentally blurted it out, but when I saw GB-san and Madoka-san exchanging glances, I regretted letting out my complaint.
“I’m sorry.”
Right after speaking, I bowed my head to GB-san and Madoka-san.
Madoka-san immediately responded,
“Ah, that just sounds like jealousy to me.”
Next, Thomas-kun also said,
“Nothing to apologize for, Onpu. You’re a cute and great actress, so they were just nitpicking.”
Finally, GB-san smiled and remarked,
“I think your pronunciation is lovely, and I don’t think slang is necessarily required. It’s just a matter of getting used to it.”
As if it was nothing.
“If Onpu’s English is the issue, what does that say about us? Right, Masaru?”
When Thomas-kun said that to Yada-kun, he nodded emphatically too. Then Hazuki-chan added,
“Compared to my French, Onpu-chan, your English is leagues better. Your English was good enough to get by in the UK. Have confidence. They might be jealous of your beautiful pronunciation. And…”
Hazuki-chan, now seated at the table, passed me a fork and side plate and continued,
“I’ve also been the target of gossip at international competitions many times. People say that Japanese people don’t understand classical music or the violin.”
“There are more Asian classical musicians coming up lately.”
When Yada-kun spoke up, Hazuki-chan nodded along.
“Ai-chan has started focusing on long distance running recently, but she’s already improving her times. Her seniors in the track competitions see her as a rival, it seems like it’s been tough. I don’t think Momo-chan has any issues, but Ikoma-san from ‘Eugene’ apparently faced the same treatment when he first went to France.”
“Is that so?”
It felt like a fish bone stuck in my throat had smoothly slipped out. At the same time, I realized everyone else was facing similar struggles.
“Onpu-chan, because you never complained at all, Doremi-chan and the others were worried about you too. It’s natural to have at least one worry, you know?”
Hazuki-chan’s smile looked blurred through my tears. No, I mustn’t cry.
“You should come visit us sometimes too, Onpu. We know lots of native speaker friends, and I think a jazz live show could be good for a change of pace occasionally.”
“If it gets late you can just spend the night here too, okay?”
As GB-san and Madoka-san gently spoke to me, I nodded many times.
After parting with everyone and returning to my room, I first sent Madoka-san an email letting her know I got home safely.
From my place to GB-san’s house is about a 30 minute subway ride. I live on the east side of Broadway, and GB-san’s family lives on the southwest side. It was closer than I expected and I realized it was a very safe area. Still, GB-san insisted on sending me back, so I headed home early.
Yada-kun and Hazuki-chan came with me to the subway station and we talked a lot. Hazuki-chan is going to come visit me on my day off. I’ll ask my classmates if there are any good lunch spots nearby.
After showering and changing, I opened my computer. I have to tell Dad and my best friends about how much fun I had today. And how Hazuki-chan was a wonderful visit from home. I need to let them know what incredibly nice people GB-san’s family is too.
I paused my fingers on the keyboard and suddenly thought of GB-san and Madoka-san’s faces. It’s no wonder that Yada-kun is so attached to them. The generosity and kindness of the two of them removed the fatigue from my heart that I hadn’t even noticed in just half a day.
And my best friends, who are fighting in their own fields, which are completely different from mine.
“I feel like I can do more starting tomorrow.”
Concluding the lengthy email with that sentence, I closed my computer and lay down on the bed.
As the summer vacation began, another exciting event awaited me.
“Onpu~~~!! Long time no see──!”
Hana-chan came to visit, all by herself, of course, using magic.
“Hazuki left Japan a long time ago, and Momoko’s busy preparing for departure too. Doremi said she’s taking prep school summer courses, and Majorika and Lala want to take a break for the summer too… Even medical students can only relax during the summer vacation of their first year, how awful.”
After chattering quickly, Hana-chan bit into a hamburger and said around mouthfuls,
“So I figured I’d come to New York!”
She gave a big thumbs up. Hazuki-chan stayed at GB-san’s place for about two weeks, then headed off to Paris when July came around. She said she’d be meeting up with her parents there. Since she’s travelled overseas so much for competitions, she seemed completely accustomed to travel.
The reason Hana-chan came to see me was because she wanted to meet up with her little sister Yume-chan and Sakura Mirai-san, who live in America. Before that, I got an email from Doremi-chan asking me to go with Hana-chan. Majorika and Lala seemed worried too, and apparently Doremi-chan wanted to come along at first too, but…
“I reaaally wanna see Yume-chan quickly! Oh, by the way, Onpu, did you get the tickets? Hana wants to ride an American train!”
I understand why Doremi-chan and Majorika were concerned.
Even though Hana-chan could arrive instantly using magic, she said she wanted to get the feeling of travelling so we decided to take the train. It was my first time riding a long-distance train too since I normally just take the subway or bus around.
“It’s not like I have that much free time either…”
I told Hana-chan and glanced at her, who suddenly looked anxious and gazed at me. I heard that she’s doing her best at the University of Tokyo, but since she’s actually only 10 years old after all, her childlike side pops out now and then.
“Just kidding. I was looking forward to it too.”
“Onpu~~~! That’s so mean~~~!”
I couldn’t help but smile.
Even though Sakura Mirai-san is a witch, she chooses to live in the human world without using any magic. She currently runs a small glass studio and gallery in Boston together with Hana-chan’s little sister, Yume-chan. Unlike 100 years ago, Mirai-san, who doesn’t age, can’t keep living in the same place for decades in this modern era.
A witch’s growth is generally similar to that of an ordinary girl until they become adults, and Yume-chan is currently attending elementary school. Actually, Hana-chan is the same age. Isn’t it too invincible that she can change her age with the power of magic?
Yume-chan doesn’t know that she is a witch herself, that like Hana-chan she’s also a candidate to become the next Queen of the witch world, or that Mirai-san, who has been raising her, is also a witch. Or rather, they haven’t talked about it, so I don’t actually know if she realizes the truth.
Since Yume-chan has the lineage to become the next Queen, her magical power should be quite strong. You can understand this by looking at Hana-chan.
Compared to Hana-chan, Yume-chan is a much quieter girl. She loves drawing pictures and is very skilled at it. I only met her a few times when I was living in Japan for a while, but it’s such a strange coincidence to think we’d end up living in the same country, America.
The train to Boston departed mostly on time. It takes about three and a half hours to get to Boston, which is slower than Japan’s Shinkansen, but it’s a cool express train. The price isn’t much different from a plane ticket. However, considering the distance to the airport and the time it takes to go through the security procedures, the train might be more convenient. The spacious seats make it perfect for a little trip too.
“What’s wrong, Onpu? You’ve been quiet for a while.”
Hana-chan and I enjoyed the scenery at first after boarding the train, and I asked about how Doremi-chan and the others were doing lately, but when the topic shifted to Yume-chan, whom we were going to visit, I silently watched Hana-chan talk.
“Oh, sorry Hana-chan…”
I decided to ask Hana-chan how she felt now about the promise she made with Mirai-san for Yume-chan to be told the full circumstances two years after Yume-chan turned 12 years old.
Hana-chan used to be eager to let her only little sister Yume-chan know she had a big sister as soon as possible.
“Hmm…”
Hana-chan fell into deep thought. Since we chose an express train during an off-peak daytime hour, there weren’t many passengers aboard.
“…If Yume-chan is overflowing with magical power like Hana and struggling without anyone she can consult about it, I’m thinking I’ll talk to the Queen about it… But if she’s just going to school normally and having fun times with Mirai-san, then maybe not. I mean, if she finds out she can freely use magic, she might lose control, you know?”
I recalled what happened when Hana-chan was still a baby. And when Hana-chan learned she had a little sister and drew all of us to Paris. Even though the power of witches varies from person to person, Hana-chan possesses enough power to overwhelm even the combined strength of the five of us who were once witch apprentices.
So her little sister Yume-chan surely has around the same level, and I believe Mirai-san, the Queen’s little sister, has equivalent power even if she doesn’t use it. That’s exactly why she’s the perfect partner to live among humans together with Yume-chan, you could say.
“After Hana-chan started spending time together with Doremi-chan and everyone in Misora City again, you hardly use magic casually anymore.”
“Obviously! I’m not a kid anymore, you know!”
Hana-chan proudly declared. I wryly smiled,
“You’ve become an adult, Hana-chan.”
I felt relieved at Hana-chan’s response. I took out sandwich packs I’d brought from my bag and placed them on the table.
“Let’s have our lunch now. These sandwiches are super popular here. I bought dessert too.”
I also took out drinks and jelly full of fruit from another paper bag and spread them out.
“Ooh that looks delicious! I’ll dig in!”
“Wait Hana-chan, wipe your hands first.”
I was happy to take care of Hana-chan after a long time, and the feeling of traveling by train, heading away from the buildings of New York towards the suburbs in the summer sunshine, wasn’t bad at all.
“Oh that reminds me, it’s the first time we’ve spent such a long time alone together, Onpu!”
“That might be true. If I were working in Japan, I might not have had this kind of experience.”
When I realized that spending my summer vacation travelling for fun instead of working felt this delightful, I understood that I was also excited in anticipation.
Mirai-san had undergone another image change. She seemed to have changed her name too, but Yume-chan remained Yume-chan.
“Welcome Hana-chan, Onpu-chan.”
She showed us into her small glass studio that she apparently runs alone now. Even though she had given up glassmaking before, she said,
“I ended up taking it back up in the end. I just couldn’t leave glass behind after all.”
The sunlight streaming through the window made the glass vases on the windowsill twinkle brightly. Seeing her able to resume the work she loved, Mirai-san looked blissful.
“Hana, Onee-chan… Onpu, Onee-chan… Konnichiwa.”
Hearing Mirai-san call for her, Yume-chan came running down the stairs from the second floor and did her best to greet us in Japanese. She had grown quite a bit more mature in just one year, which startled me a little.
“Yume-chan, are you doing good? I came to play just like I promised!”
Hana-chan hugged and kissed Yume-chan. I greeted her in the same way, and to the puzzled Yume-chan, I said,
“You don’t use Japanese at all anymore so you forgot, right? Don’t worry, Hana-chan and I can both speak English.”
When I said that, Yume-chan looked relieved and took a seat next to Mirai-san.
“Yume-chan, have you made a lot of friends?”
When Hana-chan asked, Yume-chan mumbled,
“Yeah. Even though we just moved, I have friends from the same school nearby. I’m going to painting class with them today.”
“Ehh, reeally? Hana wanted to play with Yume-chan!”
Hana-chan grumbled discontentedly. With an apologetic look, Yume-chan said,
“But you Onee-chan will still be here tomorrow too, right?”
I nodded and said,
“We’ll be here until tomorrow evening, so maybe you can show us around this place, Yume-chan.”
Yume-chan’s face instantly lit up at that. Mirai-san smiled wryly and added,
“Hana-chan’s the one acting more like a kid, huh? Right, Yume-chan?”
“I’m really sorry. But going to painting class every week is something I always look forward to so much…”
Hana-chan smiled and said,
“Sorry for dropping by on such an important day, Yume-chan. But you’ll be home by dinner, right? I brought some delicious madeleines from Momoko. Let’s all eat them together, okay?”
Yume-chan nodded with sparkling eyes. Ahh, so that big bag Hana-chan was carrying must have contained Momo-chan’s madeleines. Fufufu, I love Momo-chan’s sweets too.
Momo-chan’s madeleines were a masterpiece as expected.
“You know, MAHO-do did close down, but the oven is still in the kitchen. Momo-chan bakes sweets now and then while working her part-time job.”
Hana-chan looked quite proud as she munched on the madeleines she brought herself. After finishing one madeleine with relish, Mirai-san said,
“Yume-chan keeps begging me to bake them too, but they still can’t compare to Momoko-chan’s. Even though she gave me the recipe, why can’t I replicate the same taste…”
“Mirai’s madeleines are delicious too!”
Hearing Yume-chan’s desperate attempt to console her,
“Thank you, Yume-chan. But you know, even though the ingredients aren’t too different, Momoko’s madeleines have that nostalgic flavor…”
Mirai-san got a distant look in her eyes. Having lived for a long time, Mirai-san knew that once Yume-chan grew up, they would have to leave this place. Since Yume-chan is a clever girl, she’s bound to eventually notice Mirai-san doesn’t age at all, and she will also have to make a big decision for herself.
“What’s up, Onpu?”
At Hana-chan’s voice, I replied,
“Eating Momo-chan’s madeleine brought back a lot of memories.”
That wasn’t untrue either, but Hana-chan didn’t doubt it at all, she simply said,
“I’ll bring more next time. This time from Paris!”
And she winked at me.
As promised, the next day Yume-chan gave us a tour around Boston.
I had heard that Boston is a city where you can feel the history in the American continent, and indeed, compared to New York, it’s not chaotic and has a calm feeling. It seems to have good public safety among American cities, so I thought it was the perfect place for Mirai-san and Yume-chan to live.
Yume-chan highly recommended the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, which was a bit away from the city center, but since it was a famous museum and I was interested, we decided to visit. It was spacious, and many famous paintings that you often see in textbooks were on display. Yume-chan, who had been there several times, gave us a detailed tour.
There were other places to see in Boston, but since I only had three days off, it was really a whirlwind tour. But we do live in the same country after all, so Mirai-san told us to visit anytime.
“Hana-onee-chan, Onpu-onee-chan, come play again.”
After spending two full days together, Yume-chan, who had finally opened up to us, looked a bit lonely when saying goodbye.
“It’ll be winter vacation next, but I’ll definitely come back before then for sure. If anything comes up before that… or even if nothing does, just let Hana know and I’ll come flying over right away! I’ll visit even by myself!”
Hana-chan tightly squeezed Yume-chan’s hand and said that. Yume-chan immediately smiled and nodded, saying,
“Yeah, Hana-onee-chan can come quickly anytime.”
It was a soft voice, but we definitely heard it clearly. Hana-chan and I exchanged startled glances, but it didn’t seem Mirai-san heard it from inside the house. So,
“Well, Yume-chan, it’s a shame, but we’re going back to New York. I’ll come back to play again, okay?”
I called out loud enough for Mirai-san to hear. Then Mirai-san held out to us a small giftbox with ribbons,
“Please take this with you if you’d like. It’s a glass ornament I made.”
“So happy! What could it be? Thank you!”
“Thank you very much.”
As Hana-chan and I accepted it,
“Come play again. Hana-chan might be a bit far, but Onpu-chan, you’re so closeby.”
She said with a smile. The two of them saw us off at the station, and we waved goodbye as we decided to take the same train back to New York that we had come on.
The train back to New York wasn’t very full this time either, just like on our way there. We immediately opened the small box Mirai-san had given us.
“A glass marble… with bubbles and fragments of lemon color sparkling inside.”
The setting sun beyond the windows was tilted westward. Hana-chan held up the glass marble small enough to fit completely in her palm to the sunlight. Despite being inorganic glass, it shone softly through the light.
“I wonder if mine is the same.”
When I opened it, it was the same glass marble as Hana-chan’s, with fragments of lemon color and bubbles, but the glass itself had a faint lavender color.
“She remembered the colors of our apprentice uniforms and made them lemon yellow and lavender.”
“Yeah, that’s right. Since it’s round and rolls, we have to be careful not to break it.”
It’s not a perfect sphere, with a slight distortion typical of handmade glass. It felt warm despite being made of glass. Such a lovely ornament. Hana-chan gingerly put hers back in the box and asked me,
“Onpu, are you auditioning for a musical like during ‘Blue Moon’? Is it going well?”
“I’ve gained confidence in my English conversation skills, so I’m planning to try out for an audition soon. Many of my friends are already actively participating in auditions.”
I also gently placed mine in the box and tucked it away deep in my bag.
“Is everyone in your class getting famous super fast or something?”
“No way. Even if they passed an audition, they’d probably only get a bit part.”
Auditions are held frequently, but students at the school who lack acting skills compared to professional actors have a narrow range of roles to audition for. Even on very small stages, it’s tough…
“It’s hard to come by suitable roles that easily. There’s an element of timing too.”
“Blue Moon” was truly perfect in terms of timing, the character, and how it resonated with my emotions. Now, I truly feel lucky and appreciate it.
“Hana will use magic to make sure Onpu passes her auditions!”
I fell silent in surprise.
I don’t think Hana-chan is seriously considering it. Otherwise, Doremi-chan would have passed her exams easily too. I knew she was joking, but it brought back a certain memory within me. I looked at Hana-chan and said,
“Actually a long, long time ago… around when I saw through Majoruka’s true identity and became a witch apprentice. I used magic to pass an audition once…”
Hana-chan widened her eyes and asked,
“Really…? So what happened after?”
“Hmm, it was pretty funny. I realized how amazing the power of magic is.”
As I winked, Hana-chan blinked her eyes.
“Onpu, you were kinda a bad girl, huh!”
“I guess so. Maybe a little dark.”
“Ehhh, this is the first time Hana’s heard about this!”
Hana-chan looked impressed. It was an event from before Hana-chan was born, so it was natural that she didn’t know about it.
“It’s a little late, but let’s have tea time.”
I took out the pancakes and tea pot Mirai-san had prepared for us and laid them out on the train table.
Right after gaining magical powers, I considered Doremi-chan and the others my rivals.
“I can’t turn back time, but I’ve been reflecting on it now. I didn’t think deeply about why I did such things back then, I’m sure.”
“Did you get found out?”
“Yeah.”
Hana-chan poured plenty of maple syrup all over the pancake, then cut it into eight pieces with a fork and took a big bite. I put a piece in my mouth too.
Even though I knew I shouldn’t, I ended up doing something I shouldn’t have.
When we passed the level one witch apprentice exam, our classmates and parents at Misora Elementary School almost discovered our true identities. In a panic, I used magic to erase everyone’s memories. Because it was forbidden magic, the bracelet that was containing the magical backlash broke…
“As a punishment, I had to endure a long sleep of 100 years. Doremi-chan and the others saved me from that fate.”
“I see…”
Hana-chan suddenly looked dejected. Hana-chan could use magic because she originally possessed that power. She was in an environment with many others able to use magic too, while our access to magical power was strictly borrowed. And all the ordinary people living everyday lives don’t rely on using magical power at all.
“When everyone helped me, I only felt grateful to be saved at that moment. It comes to mind occasionally since then too.”
As we grew up, magical power started becoming more and more frightening. Of course when we used it together to help friends in various troubles, it often left me feeling exhilarated. We were even thanked by the Queen.
“Once we could use magic and learned more about the witch world, I gradually realized it’s an immense responsibility. There were times when I felt driven by a sense of mission too.”
There were funny and laughable moments, as well as sad events that made me cry even now when I recalled them.
And once again, I used magic for my own sake. I did so after understanding everything about Mom’s death, but the fact remained that I had inconvenienced everyone again. I won’t make excuses now, but I still feel grateful to everyone.
“I wonder if Yume-chan knows she is a witch herself?”
Hana-chan muttered. I carefully chose my words and replied,
“That’s why I figure Yume-chan has her own worries. Hana-chan had the Queen and us to keep you in check but…”
“You think Yume-chan actually knows already too?”
“I don’t think she knows the details, but she probably realizes that she has a mysterious power. However, she might be afraid that if she knows too much, she’ll be separated from Mirai-san as well.”
“Hana thinks she would definitely know if something major happened to Yume-chan. The Queen is Mirai-san’s older sister after all. I think she’s always keeping an eye on her.”
“That’s right. Let’s watch over her.”
Hana-chan doesn’t see her one and only little sister Yume-chan as a rival competing for the Queen’s seat. That’s a story for much later.
“Yume-chan is a thoughtful girl, so it would be nice if the two of you could complement each other’s strengths and live happily together, traveling back and forth between the human and witch worlds.”
“Yeah. I wanna be friends with Yume-chan forever.”
Someday, we will grow old, leaving behind Hana-chan, Yume-chan, and Mirai-san. Compared to the long life of a witch, a human life is just a brief moment.
“Meeting the Queen, everyone in the witch world, Hana-chan and Yume-chan, Mirai-san… we’re so fortunate. We met people who ordinary people wouldn’t meet, and experienced things that others can’t.”
“That’s true. Hana won’t forget, ever.”
The sun had completely set now, and the lights of the New York buildings were drawing near. I promised to go to GB-san’s place with Hana-chan tomorrow. Dad said he was taking time off this summer vacation to visit too!
Once this short summer vacation ends, lessons will resume again. Auditions will make my busy days even busier, but for some reason I feel strangely excited about it.
I received a rare phone call from Momo-chan on Sunday evening. Since international calls from Paris are expensive, we usually only communicate by email, but she said,
“I went to a patisserie in the Paris suburbs with Hazuki-chan and Mo Li-chan today. We found really tasty galettes and madeleines. I even told Doremi-chan about it, you know? It somehow reminded me of MAHO-do and I felt nostalgic, so I had to tell you too, Onpu-chan.”
The store with a well-established appearance mainly offered baked goods and cookies, with a rustic and delightful taste. She talked about it so enthusiastically that I couldn’t help but crave it. I found myself wishing she would at least send me some.
“And so, I figured I should try writing Doremi-chan a letter after so long. Since coming to Paris I’ve only been speaking French and English, and Mo Li-chan was with me today too so I didn’t use any Japanese at all. Ughh, I wanted to talk in Japanese!”
“So you called because of that. It has been awhile since I spoke Japanese too.”
I wonder if it’s called Japanese loss. What made me laugh was that the call was from Momo-chan rather than Hazuki-chan. Hearing that unexpectedly cheerful voice, I couldn’t help giggling too. Just then,
“But when I actually tried to write the letter, I couldn’t write any Japanese! Especially kanji! With emails, it automatically converts for me, so it’s okay, but with handwriting, it’s a disaster. It really shocked me!”
“You lived in America for a long time too, Momo-chan. It can’t be helped.”
Remembering Momo-chan’s struggles with kanji, I laughed, and she said triumphantly,
“Onpu-chan, enjoy that leisure time while you still have it! Mark my words, you’ve forgotten tons of kanji too!”
Although I was a bit taken aback by her confident tone, I replied,
“People send me Japanese novels and magazines now and then to read, you know. I think I’m still better off than you, Momo-chan.”
“Ohh come on, you’re too naive, Onpu-chan! Reading and writing are totally different! It took me two whole hours, but I finally managed to write Doremi-chan a letter! Hazuki-chan said she writes letters to Baaya-san now and then so she doesn’t forget kanji too. Handwriting practice really helps, it’s true!”
Momo-chan spoke rapidly to emphasize her point and then delivered the final blow,
“I guarantee it! Onpu-chan, you would ruin sheet after sheet too!”
Momo-chan was definitely pointing at me on the other end of the phone.
“Oh? Didn’t you actually crumple up page after page trying to write, Momo-chan?”
When I asked, Momo-chan suddenly sounded flustered.
“Let’s hang up soon because the phone bill is going to be expensive! There’s stuff on my mind I’ll tell you clearly once I figure it out, but that’s all for today! Ahh, I feel refreshed!”
“…Well now.”
She obviously spoke at least three times longer than I did. It wasn’t very long, but I wanted to tell Momo-chan some things too.
“Well, that’s fine. I’ll hang up because talking about me will take a long time.”
I ended the call with a wry smile.
I was nervous as I sat in front of the stationery spread out on the desk. Two or three crumpled sheets of letter paper had been thrown into the trash can.
“I can’t afford any more failed attempts…”
After some contemplation, I took out a mechanical pencil and an eraser from the drawer. I’ve been using them since high school. Looking at the blank page again, I wrote:
Doremi-chan, how are you?
I’m sure someone would laugh at me for wasting three sheets just on the first line.
“Well, maybe not…”
Remembering what happened last Sunday evening’s phone call, I bought a letter set today. I guess I can be easily swayed.
After putting down the first few lines, I opened the curtains. It should have been a full moon, but the cloudy sky hid it from view. Nights in New York never grow pitch dark, you can’t even see the stars.
Actually Doremi-chan, I passed an audition. Starting next week… by the time you read this letter, rehearsals might have already begun.
I closed the curtains and turned on the heater. When I first came to New York, I was surprised by the cold. I thought it wasn’t much different from Wakkanai.
The truth is, right after the call from Momo-chan, I received the results of the audition.
I’ve had some experience in minor roles or bit parts on small stages, but this will be my first time on a big stage. Auditions started coming one after another this fall, but I hadn’t cleared a single one, so when I passed this time, I couldn’t believe my ears. Well, it’s true that it’s a minor role with very few lines.
No matter how small the role, being able to stand on stage is genuinely exciting. I didn’t even realize it myself. I never knew I loved acting this much.
This time, the play is an old American story. It’s directed by a famous director, and there were a lot of people at the audition. Among them, I was really lucky to be able to stay until the end.
I was really lucky. Among the others trying out for the same role were actresses I’d seen on TV before. Since the character called for an Asian woman, I saw it as a chance for me, but I had zero confidence until they called my name.
Even though it’s a musical, it doesn’t seem like I’ll get any solo singing scenes. However, since a stage is something that everyone creates together, I’m just grateful that I could be a part of it.
I wrote and then erased the word “grateful” with my eraser. It felt different somehow, and when I checked by converting it to text on my phone, it was indeed incorrect. It’s a bit frustrating, but Momo-chan was right, huh. I wonder how many times I’ve erased words until now. I’m glad I chose to write with a mechanical pencil.
I think the stage practice will be tough, but I’ll do my best to keep up. I want to make the most of this opportunity and seize any chances that come my way next too.
I stood up and turned on the switch of the kettle. If I were an adult, this would be the moment for a toast with alcohol, but let’s stick to the freshly bought coffee. I set the coffee beans and slowly poured in the hot water. The room filled with a pleasant aroma along with the steam.
I only just realized recently how tasty plain coffee is, after GB-san taught me his method for brewing good coffee.
Oh, that reminds me, I’m also indebted to GB-san’s family. They always welcome me warmly, and I’ve been invited to jazz concerts several times. Lately, Yada-kun has started performing on stage too, you’ve probably heard from Hazuki-chan for sure.
Yada-kun has completely become like a jazz musician. Through eye contact with GB-san, his improvisation skills have progressed, and he’s now playing confidently on stage as well. He told me he was so fortunate to have found a wonderful mentor. Yada-kun has changed a lot too. It’s all thanks to Hazuki-chan and GB-san’s family, I’m sure. Don’t you think so too, Doremi-chan?
Suddenly, I realized an hour had passed since I started writing the letter.
“Momo-chan was right.”
I raised the pitch of my voice.
I’ve been really thinking lately. I’ve come this far thanks to many people. I thought I had been working hard on my own until now, but that’s not the case. I’m grateful for the people who helped me, watched over me, befriended me, and my rivals. Even being a witch apprentice was a valuable experience.
During the time of the musical performances, Doremi-chan must be in the middle of the university entrance exams. Let’s both do our best to achieve good results!
I put down the mechanical pencil and reviewed the text once again. I brushed off the eraser dust, folded it into quarters, put it in an envelope, and carefully wrote the address with a ballpoint pen.
“I must remember to mail it tomorrow.”
I tucked the letter into my bag. The coffee had gone completely cold.
I’ve always worked hard to live up to Mom’s expectations. Mom was a big influence on me and was also my support.
Even Doremi-chan had a time in her childhood when she worked hard at the piano to fulfill her mother’s dream of becoming a pianist, which she couldn’t achieve.
It seems Hazuki-chan also tried her best to be a good girl who obeyed her mother’s orders.
I understood Mom’s illness was no trivial matter. But I never even imagined she would pass so soon.
I opened the email screen on my computer.
“I should notify Dad right away too. He was always so happy for me, even every time I got tiny roles before, as if it were about himself. I’m sure he’ll be overjoyed.”
I have to be careful not to send an overly excited email because stage rehearsals haven’t started yet. I chose my words carefully and sent Dad a long email. I wished I could have told Mom.
In the end, Mom deepened the bond between Dad and me and then departed for heaven. Lately I’ve become able to think of it that way. Mom still lives on between Dad and me now.
Saying I’d undoubtedly become a great actress one day was Mom’s mantra. Sometimes the magnitude of her expectations almost crushed me, but Mom surely envisioned the future me. That’s how I want to describe it to someone someday.
I opened the window and gazed out at the New York nightscape.
Then, through a gap between skyscrapers, the second full moon of the month peeked out.
“Blue Moon…!”
A rarely seen Blue Moon. That’s why it’s a symbol of good fortune.
I stretched out both hands and took a deep breath.
Feeling the cold wind on my cheeks, I swore in my heart that someday I would grasp my own Blue Moon.
onpu Chan good luck
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