The ringing of the alarm clock snapped me out of a sound sleep,and needless to say I wasn't too thrilled about that. I somwhat clumsliy reached over and hit it,and it stopped. But that wasn't the end...

''Yumi!'' Ami said,knocking on my door. ''Yumi!''

''Wh...wh...what?''

''Yumi,'' She opened the door, ''I was talking with Kaz just now,and he said the concert is tonight.''

''What? Are you serious?''

''Yes. I'm pretty upset myself.''

I groaned and got up out of bed. ''Fine...I'll just have to deal with it...''

''What's all this about?'' Someone said,coming in. It was Buyo.

''We have a concert tonight.'' I told him.

''Can I come and watch?'' Buyo asked.

''Sure.'' I said. ''You're not the one with problems.''

''What are you talking about,Yumi?'' Ami asked.

''You know my problems...'' I said.

Buyo grinned hatefully. ''It serves you right,'' He said. ''You're nothing but a cold,heartless m-''

''Buyo!'' I shouted, ''SHUT UP!'' The windows broke. All was silent.

''Cold,heartless...what?'' Ami said.

''Don't listen to him.'' And with that I left.

That afternoon as Ami and I were getting ready,I considered,for a moment,bringing both ''Gita-san'' and my old shamisen to the concert. But then I stopped myself. The shamisen had to be kept in good condition. But still,I needed to bring something fancy with me,I didn't want the whole thing to be a waste of time.

So,I dug through the closet again. This time I found something else that was old: a parasol made of rice paper with my name written on it. I looked around in there some more,and found an old white kimono,a long red skirt,and a round samurai hat.

Could I...I thought,no...that just wouldn't work these days...but they were fun while they lasted...

''All right,'' I said to myself as I stood in front of the mirror with my parasol,''It goes like this...'' I was practicing for the dance I was going to do at the Summer Festival that evening.

''Yumi-chan!'' Mother called out to me,''Your kimono is ready!''

''Coming!'' I went downstairs,got my kimono and my skirt,went back upstairs,and put it on,along with my samurai hat. Now I was ready.

Buyo came into my room just as I had finished. He was wearing a samurai hat too,and he had a black kimono on.

He looked at me happily with his charming brown eyes. Although he said nothing,he clearly was ready to go.

''Come on,Buyo.'' I said,and with that we both headed downstairs.

At the top of a small hill,the building was there. The roof corners pointed upwards,there were round lanterns hanging everywhere,and you could hear the music from outside. I was glad to be there,because this was the first time I had ever actually performed here.

Mother,Father and Buyo went to go sit in the audience while I was backstage. I knew that this would be my chance to strike back at anyone who had taunted me before...if they were there. I doubted it,but I knew that this would most likely be my chance to show Father that I wasn't as worthless as he thought.

The pretty kimono-clad girls with their little fans were finished,and as the lights dimmed,I got up onstage.

The lights came up again,and I began. First,I opened up the parasol,and slowly thrusted it up and all around into the air as if it were a sword. Then I closed it,then thrusted it into the air again,straight at the audience.

I opened it up again,twriling it around with one hand,then quickly switched hands,and kept this up for some time befrore thrusting it at the audience again. I did my twirling thing again,and this time I threw the parasol up into the air,and upon catching it I closed it up.

Then,the real action started. I leapt into the air,doing kung-fu like moves with the parasol as they beat the taiko drumbs louder and harder. I twirled the closed parasol around,then threw it into the air,then I leapt up, caught it and opened it,staring icily at the crowd. The dance was finished.

Everyone appluaded,and of this I was glad...or I would have been. I looked into the audience as I left,and Father seemed to have been ignoring me the whole time,focusing all his attention on Buyo.

I scowled as I headed backstage and into the audience to watch the rest of the show. Father said nothing to me,all his attention was still squarely on Buyo.

I was so depressed and angry that I couldn't enjoy any of the show. I honestly didn't care at all about it at that point.

As I sat there deep in thought,Mother tapped me on the shoulder.

''Are you all right?'' She asked.

''I'm...I'm fine...'' I said,even though nothing could be further from the truth.

By the time of the concert,I still had not decided what I was going to do there. I had left my shamisen and my old kimono and the like in the bus,so they were out of the question.

But as I got ready backstage with Ami,it suddenly hit me.

''Yes,'' I said to myself, ''it's perfect!''

''What was that?'' Ami asked.

''I was just talking to myself.'' I said.

Ami and I got up onstage as they all cheered at the top of their lungs for us. Looking out into that huge crowd,it felt like the old Summer Festival all over again.

A perfect sort of feeling.

After Ami and I had finished the first few songs,I took old ''Gita-san'' and thrusted it up and all around into the air as if it were a sword. Then I thrusted it straight at the audience with,I am sure,a rather sly grin on my face. Then I twirled it with one hand,then after a minute or so I quickly switched hands,then I threw it in the air,only to begin the twirling routine again upon catching it.

I looked and saw that Ami was watching in awe. ''That's...that's incredible,Yumi!'' She said.

And then,at that point,I decided that the real action should begin. I leapt up into the air,doing kung-fu like moves with ''Gita-san'' and thrusting it at the audience once more. I twirled it around,jumped up and caught it,then stared at the crowed icily. They loved it,of this I was truly glad.

''Yumi,'' Ami asked quietly,''where did you learn to do that?''

''Heh...long story...'' I said, ''now,let's just get this over with.''

A/N: That was sooo much fun to write! In the next chapter,things will start to heat up a little bit...stay tuned!

Also,great news...I HAVE AN ACCOUNT ON DEVIANTART NOW! YEEEEAAAAHHH!

I have some drawings of my original characters there,including Buyo...the link is on my profile page.

In the meantime,please review and do make haste,flame me and my wrath,you will taste! (evil laugh)

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