Chapter Four

Having a crush on someone popular is harder than it looks.

"Ahh~ so this is the sweets cafe that Kisenori has been talking about." Bunta Marui stares at the newly opened store which is only a few walks away from the subway stop of Tanimachi Line at Tennoji. The automatic glass doors slide as he steps into the café.

The counter immediately appears before him where a lady wearing a blue shirt and silver scarf is waiting. A bald man, who is supposed to be an escort, is wearing a suit and a bowtie and is standing beside the counter. Tables are arranged on the sides of the counter wherein the right side has larger tables while the left side has smaller ones.

Marui walks straight to the counter and is greeted by the smiling lady in the counter. "Welcome to 'Social Sweets Club.' Would you like a single table, a couple table or a social table?"

"A couple table, please."

"Yes, understood." The lady presses some buttons on a screen before her. "Your name, please?"

"Bunta Marui. Oh! Pair me up with a cute girl, if possible."

"Certainly," the lady says with a bow. She again presses some button on the screen before looking at the escort. "Miki-san, table 9, left."

The escort comes up to Marui. "This way, sir."

He heads to the left of the counter, leading Marui to the farthest table where a girl is seated. The girl has a short, messy hair and is wearing glasses and a blue dress. She seems to be typing on her laptop while occasionally sipping from her cup. As Marui and the escort approach her, she pauses and watches them come near.

"Ojou-san, this will be your date for today," the escort says with a bow.

Yume looks at Marui and slightly bows. "Konnichiwa."

"Konnichiwa." Marui replies as he takes the seat across her. The escort hands a menu for each of them before leaving.

She closes her laptop and sets it aside. "I'm Kurumizawa Yume. You are..."

"Bunta Marui. Nice to meet you, Kurumizawa-san."

"Nice to meet you, too, Bunta-san."

"Let's order first, shall we?" Marui opens the menu and scans it for a few minutes. "Hmm… what will you order?"

"I want strawberry parfait," she says before closing the menu on her hand.

"Then, a banana split for me." Marui closes the menu and raises a hand, glancing at the direction where the escort has disappeared. "Waiter!"

A lady, wearing a white shirt and a black skirt, roller-skates to their table. "A strawberry parfait and a banana split, please," he briefly says to the waitress.

The waitress jots on her notepad. "One order of strawberry parfait and one order of banana split. Anything else, sir?"

Marui looks at Yume. "Anything else?" In response, Yume shakes her head. He turns to the waiter. "Nothing else. Thanks."

The waitress leaves, speeding away from them. Marui looks at Yume. "So... introductions first, right? My name is Bunta Marui. I'm a third year student of Rikkaidai Fuzoku Chuu."

"Middle school? From which prefecture is your school?"

"Kanagawa Prefecture."

"From Kanagawa?" she exclaims, "Isn't that a bit far? Why go all the way here? Are there no cafe shops in your area?"

"No. It's not like that." Marui chuckles. "Of course, there are cafes in our area. Just not like this. A friend told me that dates are set up among total strangers in this cafe. I just thought that it's kinda interesting and I ought to check it out. Plus, there are sweets!"

"Is that so? What a funny guy! Coming all the way here to Osaka just to date strangers." Yume laughs. "Ah! I am Kurumizawa Yume, currently studying at Shitenhoji Chuu. I'm also a third year. I came here, hoping to meet someone I could talk to other than the people already know."

"Why? Do you have a problem that you can't discuss with other?"

"Not really. Just... you see, I am... ah! Please don't think I'm weird. But, you know," Yume leans in to whisper, "I'm actually a cross dresser."

"Cross dresser?!" His eyes almost popped out from surprise. "Are you saying that you're actually a dude?"

"No, I'm not! I'm a girl, a full-pledged girl." She raises a hand while the other is on her chest as if taking an oath. Yume puts her hands down and continues. "Actually, I just transferred to my school, and I entered as a male student. That's why people around me… kinda treat me like a guy." She burbles, "It's not like I blame them, anyway."

"Wait! Is that even allowed? Are there no one around your school who knows about it?"

"Well..." Yume scratches the back of her head. "... the principal knows. He allowed it even. There's nothing in the school rules that talks about not allowing a student to cross-dress."

"Really? That's unbelievable."

"In Shitenhouji Chuu, it's possible."

"That so? Then, where seems to be the problem?"

Yume smiles and momentarily gazes outside the glass window. "I occasionally get the feeling of wanting to be treated like a girl." She looks at Marui and grins. "And that's the reason why I'm here! I just want to talk to people and flirt with men."

"You know, that's quite a shallow reason."

"Really? Then maybe I'll change it to 'I just want to eat sweets with someone else'!"

"The second one's a better story."

She laughs. "Then next time, I'll keep the longer story to myself then."

The waitress approaches their table, holding a tray. "Your orders, sir and ma'am!" She places a tall glass of parfait and a plate of banana split in front of them. Then, she leaves.

"So, Kurumizawa-san, do you have any hobbies?" Marui reaches for his order and grins at the food.

"Listening to music." Yume reaches for her parfait. "How about Bunta-san? Any hobbies?"

"I play tennis," he states proudly.

"Ohhh… you play tennis?" Yume takes a scoop and shoves it into her mouth. "I enjoy watching tennis."

"Really? Do you know how to play?"

"So-so. I can't really say that I play tennis very well. I'm a better audience than as an actual player in a real match." She chortles.

"That's too bad. It's really fun playing tennis, instead of just watching others play." Marui takes another scoop. "Anyway... you know, our school is the champion school in the National Tournaments for two years. This year, too, we're aiming for our third consecutive win."

"Really?! Wahhh... That's amazing! Are you a regular player?"

"Yes, I am!" Marui proudly grins as Yume claps for him in amazement.

"I'd like to see you play even once."

"You go to Shitenhouji, right? I remember that we got to face them during the last year's semi-finals."

"Eh?! Really? Shitenhouji's tennis club is that great? I didn't know."

"You said you just transferred. Probably, our schools may have a chance to face off each other this coming National Tournament." Marui winks at her. "Come watch and support us, Kurumizawa-san."

She teasingly raises a brow. "If our schools were to battle against each other, I would support my school, of course."

"Well, figures." He grins. "But, our team is rea~lly strong. And we're becoming even stronger."

"I'd wish to see you lose in a match," she deadpans.

"But, why?!" Marui grins, teasingly. "I thought we're already friends."

She smirks. "Oh, really? But your head's slowly getting bigger. I just thought that I'd like to see it pop."

"That's quite harsh!"

"Just kidding! I'll give you my support when you play in the Nationals."


Oshitari Kenya has been waiting near a tea house in Tennoji Park. He stands on watch to the water lilies and trimmed shrubs of the nearby pond. He is wearing perfume on his green collared shirt just for this special day. He holds a heart box as an offering to his date.

However, despite his well-combed hair and fresh attire, Kenya wears the face of irritation.

He reaches for his phone in his pocket and dials a certain series of numbers. He places his phone near his ear after a series of rings.

"Moshi, moshi." The other line answers in a rather bored voice.

"Nee, Yuushi."

"What's it again, Kenya? Are you going for another bragging contest?"

"No, that's not," he replies on a depressing tone, "I just want to inquire about something. On a date... it's normal to be late, right?"

"Yeah. This goes especially for women. Y'know, they take long to prepare."

"Long preparation is a sign of interest, right?"

"Probably." Yuushi pauses. "Wait. Kenya, have you been waiting for your date? For how long?"

"Uhmm... let's see." Kenya glances over his wrist watch. "Around three hours, I think."

Yuushi snickers. "You sure you didn't do laps around there while waiting? Your date must've arrived while you're running."

"Shut up, Yuushi!" Kenya exclaims, annoyed. "I didn't run laps. Though, my feet have been itching to walk and run around."

"That's impossible! You? Waiting for someone?" Yuushi snaps and guffaws. "... and for three hours! That's waaay too impossible for you!"

Kenya sighs and mumbles. "I hate myself for doing this. And I'm hating you even more now."

Yuushi's laugh dies down eventually. "Kidding aside... Kenya, is your date even aware that you have a date?"

"Yes, she is!"

"Kenya... you've been stood up."

"Really?" Again, a sigh is heard from Kenya.

"You're so hopeless. How did you even ask her out?"

"I gave her… a l-love letter."

"Personally? Or..."

"I slipped it inside her shoe locker."

"That's... a very wimpy move, Kenya."

"What's wimpy about it?!" he replies angrily, "It was a lot of effort!"

"Oi, oi, no need to get angry. But, Kenya, haven't you considered if the girl is actually the type of person who jumps and screams frantically over a confessional letter."

Kenya groans. "When you said it now..."

"If she's one who gets something often from her other male classmates, then your letter is probably one of those that goes directly to the trash."

"To the trash?! That's just-!"

"Face it, Kenya. You've been stood up."

"I just… don't understand. We've been classmates ever since first year."

"For three years, were the two of you even close?"


The orange sun is barely showing and Yume is two blocks away from home. She walks along the sidewalk, staring at the screen of her phone.

Suddenly, she bursts out in laughter. "Bunta-san is so funny!"

Marui has sent her a picture of a bald dark-skinned man with a flower drawn on the back of the poor man's head and him doing a peace sign at the background. "This is my doubles partner. His name is Jackal and his head is shiny," says the caption for the image.

"That's rude! Jackal-san must be really unlucky to have you as a doubles partner," she texts back.

Yume closes her phone after sending her message to Marui. She is just about to put it inside her pocket until it suddenly buzzes.

"Zaki?" Yume answers the call and presses the phone against her ear while she continues to walk.

"Zaki, you called?"

"Yes," a man's voice answers on the other line, "Ma'am wants to know how you're doing?"

"Tell her that I'm fine. No need to call," she replies dismissively.

"... Ma'am, Yume-sama says that she's fine. There's no need to call," Zaki's voice seems to become distant as if he is talking to someone else off line. "eh? If she's eating well?"

His voice once again sounds nearer, "Yume-sama, your diet? Have you been eating w-" Suddenly, the Zaki has been replaced by an older woman's voice. "YUME-CHAN?!"

Yume sighs. "Mama? Why are you calling?"

"I'M JUST REALLY WORRIED ABOUT YOU!" Kurumizawa Hirari's loud voice just cracks the ears of her poor daughter.

Yume has always seen her mother as an annoyingly loud person. She has already grown fond of it. Hirari talks to people as if they are ten miles away.

"I'M CALLING TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I'LL BE SENDING ZAKI TO WATCH OVER YOU! BE A GOOD GIRL, 'KAY?!"

"Mama-"

Even before Yume gets a chance to answer, a dead, flat line is heard as the other party has already cut the conversation.

"And she didn't even let me speak," she mumbles and sighs afterwards.

~ End Chapter ~

A/N: So here, this week's new chapter! Just so you don't get too confused, the setting of the story is before the National Tournaments. Just sayin' ha ha ha. Anyway, as my usual request: Please review! Anything's appreciated.