A Team Pigeons production:
A Milk and its Derivatives side story.
Chapter Two of the Derivatives series:
Chasing Pigeons
Co-written and edited by Why and Joe.
Technophobe
"I made you an extra-large bento for today, Atsu-chan. Now hurry up and finish breakfast, your Papa wants to talk to you!" Ume chirped. In typical fashion, the woman had been floating around the room all morning, expertly concealing the fact that she had only gotten four hours of sleep.
The demands of work meant that Ume and Shou were unable to make time to attend Atsuko's first sports day but they made sure that their daughter would not be alone. Mei would be attending in her role as chairwoman while Yuzu had taken time out of her own hectic schedule to come and spectate. The thought of her two beloved sisters getting to see her race filled Atsuko with palpable levels of excitement.
As Atsuko was finishing her meal, Ume brought a tablet PC into the room and set it in front of her daughter. She leaned over Atsuko and with a few deft swipes of her fingers, an image of Shou appeared before them.
...Or at least, half of Shou did.
"Shou-kun, you need to point the camera further down!" Ume and Atsuko began laughing uncontrollably. Technological illiteracy seemed to run through Shou's side of the family.
"There we go... Good morning Atsuko-chan! Good morning darling!" Shou greeted the two with aplomb, completely ignoring his folly at the start of the video call. His bleary eyes were proof that Shou too was in desperate need of sleep, but the man's tireless work ethic was not going to interfere with talking to his daughter on such an important day.
"Hi Papa!" Atsuko gleefully responded and moved her arms to grab the tablet, as though to reach through the screen and hug her father. Ume gently placed her hand on her daughter's shoulder.
"Atsu-chan. It doesn't work like that, remember what happened last time?" Ume teased. She knew that Atsuko was aware that Shou wasn't physically in the room with them, but she could not help but admire her unbridled affection towards her father.
"Hahaha, I'm right there with you two, don't worry! Atsuko-chan, are you ready for today?" Shou asked with the utmost of sincerity.
"Yeah! Mama made me a big bento and Yuzu-nee and Nee-san will be there!" Atsuko leant towards the camera to show her father that she was already wearing her gym outfit: A simple white shirt with the Aihara Academy badge and a pair of blue tracksuit bottoms. Her long black hair had been tied back in a simple ponytail.
"Looking good! I'm sorry that I can't make it today, but I'll be cheering you on from here!" In an attempt to atone for his previous parenting mistakes, Shou pulled out all of the stops to be around for Atsuko. Even when work took him to far-flung corners of the globe, he still tried to find time to keep in touch.
Ume had a brief chat with her husband before the call came to a close.
"I've got to go now. Do your best, Atsu-chan! I lo-" Shou suddenly stopped talking and started blushing. He smiled sheepishly before waving and ending the call.
"That father of yours... what are we going to do with him?" Ume playfully remarked before beginning to double check that Atsuko had everything she needed for the day ahead.
Atsuko headed towards the front door and began putting her shoes on. Ume watched on as the clumsy child struggled with her shoelaces, questioning how long she should wait before intervening. She smiled and stepped forward.
"Atsu-chan, let me hel-"
"No! I can do it, Mama. Yuzu-nee showed me how!" Atsuko had also learned stubbornness from her oldest sister.
Atsuko finally laced up her shoes and took her mother's hand. They left the apartment and made the short walk to the floor above, where Yuzu and Mei were likely waiting for the arrival of the star of the day.
Lost and Found
Mei paced up and down the kitchen, mentally rehearsing the lines in her head. A school sports day was hardly the grandest stage for a speech but as an Aihara, she would not accept anything less than perfection from herself. The inflections, the pauses, the body language... everything had been meticulously planned out in her mind for over a week.
Meanwhile, Yuzu frantically searched high and low, throwing open cupboards and peering under furniture. Preparedness had never been her speciality and living with someone as organised as Mei had allowed her to grow even more complacent.
"Agh! I knew I left it around her somewhere!" Yuzu's frantic search for her phone had proven fruitless so far.
Mei sighed and ceased her pacing. She knew that she should have offered to help search, but could not help but stop and stare as Yuzu bent over to look under the sofa, her tight-fitting jeans revealing her fine figure.
"What a troublesome person." Mei observed, intentionally whispering loud enough for Yuzu to hear.
"Y'know, it would be helpful if you looked too instead of just standing there and checking me out!" Yuzu teased playfully, causing Mei's ears to turn a bright shade of red.
"Anyway... Have you checked your jacket pocket?" Asked Mei, glancing towards the red and white varsity jacket that her lover had taken to wearing.
Yuzu walked over to coat rack and sure enough, her smartphone was found nestled in the pocket. She held it up victoriously, the brightly-coloured case reflecting the morning light that streamed in through the apartment windows.
"All right! Now I can take lots of cute pictures of Atsu-chan! Speaking of, she should be here by now." Yuzu's observation was timely, as the front door opened and Ume and Atsuko invited themselves in.
"Yuzu, Mei-chan, good morning!" Ume greeted the pair with typical warmness.
"Yuzu-nee, Nee-san!" Atsuko almost dashed into the room before remembering that she still had her shoes on. She was confined to the entrance area, knowing all too well that her family – Yuzu-nee especially – would not appreciate her tracking dirt through the spotless apartment.
Mei and Yuzu gathered their belongings and headed towards the door. Mei knelt down to put her own shoes on and was immediately set upon by her younger sister, who took the opportunity to give her the biggest of hugs. On her part, Mei chuckled at Atsuko's usual enthusiasm and wrapped her left arm around her as best as she could while the right one took care of the shoes. She cherished how affectionate and open her sister was with her; it was a nice change from the fearful looks she would receive at the Academy.
"Calm down, Atsu-chan, your sister isn't going anywhere!" Yuzu playfully remarked, while secretly becoming jealous of the affection that her beloved Mei was receiving.
That jealousy quickly melted away when Yuzu received the exact same treatment when she went to put her own shoes on. She should know better by now. Atsuko loved all members of her family equally and bestowed the same amount of affection on each.
Yuzu's insecurity was the legacy of having lost a parent at such a young age and never getting enough of her mother. Ume had had to work absurd hours when Yuzu was a child and Yuzu found herself spending countless hours alone, waking up to an empty house on most mornings. At times, it felt like she had lost both of her parents.
Things were different now. Their family had grown bigger and more beautiful than ever. Although Yuzu had not been starved of love like her beloved Mei had been, she was still famished and needed each and every morsel of affection.
Nowadays, she was well-fed.
Ume was a simple spectator, enjoying seeing her daughters getting along so well with each other. Some days she could hardly believe that was her life now, such a rich and joyful life. Yet she did not miss Yuzu's contemplative countenance and when her oldest walked by her she was quick to pull her into a brief yet tight hug. A hug Yuzu returned eagerly. Ume saw so much of herself in Yuzu: The mannerisms, the warm heart and especially the rebellious spirit. She could not help but feel immense pride in the woman that her oldest daughter had become.
The four headed down to the car park, where Mei's car was waiting for them. Atsuko was all but electric. Fortunately, Ume was holding her hand, so when she tripped over a pebble, her mama pulled her back preventing her from falling face first into the concrete.
During the short walk, Mei found herself holding Yuzu's hand without realizing. It did not surprise her, the gesture had become as natural as breathing whenever they walked side by side. What did surprise her was how the thought of such a thing happening at school felt amusing rather than troubling.
The luxurious blue Maserati was quite the sight on the streets of Tokyo. Mei was initially reluctant to learn to drive as public transport had always sufficed for her, but the freedom afforded by having her own set of wheels ultimately convinced her to call time on taking the train to the Academy every day.
It was time for Ume to bid farewell to her daughters and as she always did, she gathered each of the three girls in a tight hug.
"Mei-Chan." She whispered into Mei's ear knowing quite well what was agitating the young woman. "Do not worry too much over Atsu-Chan. She is as tough as her big sisters."
And then it was Yuzu's turn. "I know that I don't have to ask you to cheer for your sister, but give her some for me too."
She had missed all of Yuzu's school events back in the day. As a single working mother, she had had no choice in the matter. Even worse, there had been no one to stand in her stead during such times. True to her sunny disposition, Yuzu never complained but Ume knew her child had felt lonely.
Finally, Ume gathered her youngest into her arms. "Do your best Atsuko. I can't be there today but your Mama loves you very much."
Atsuko gave her a radiant smile. "I'll give it my all mama! I love you too!" Seeing her youngest always so happy was a source of incomparable joy for Ume.
"Okay, I've got to run now. Good luck, Atsu-chan!" With a final wave of her hand Ume headed toward her Mini-Cooper while the girls climbed into Mei's car.
Mei could not help but feel nervous whenever she had passengers. Despite her flawless road sense and driving ability, the precious cargo gave her reason to be even more attentive to potential hazards than usual. After checking that everyone had their seatbelts on, she fired up the powerful engine and set off for the Aihara Academy.
Pandemonium
The Academy was already a hive of activity as teachers and students alike busied themselves with the final preparations for the day ahead. The Academy had a prestigious history with sport and athletics as Mei's grandfather understood the importance of producing top athletes – Always a boon for enrolment figures.
The arrival of Mei's car always turned heads among the Aihara students and today was no different. Any hope of remaining inconspicuous was extinguished by the fearsome growl of the Maserati.
"Kaichou-sama is here!" One student excitedly announced to her friends. And as soon as she did a small crowd gathered around and about. Their excitement was palpable as they tried to spot the Chairwoman driving by.
Yuzu gritted her teeth. It was still the morning and she'd already gotten jealous twice about people paying so much attention to Mei. It was entirely irrational as Yuzu knew that Mei's love for her was absolute, but she was still fiercely protective of her purple-eyed lover.
Mei was unfazed as always and simple drove by, remaining ignorant of her admirers. She pulled into the faculty car park and carefully backed into the parking bay before shutting off the engine. She turned to her two passengers.
"Yuzu, Atsuko. I have to do a few things before I can meet you out on the field. I will see you there." Mei moved to open the car door but Yuzu's slender hand guided her face back towards the passenger seat. She planted a kiss on her lips and maintained eye contact throughout.
"Hehehe, you didn't think you were getting away that easily, did you?" Yuzu was never one to pass on the opportunity to steal a kiss. Mei sighed and then continued on her way.
In the back seat, Atsuko pouted at the injustice of not getting a similar goodbye from her Nee-san. Almost telepathically, the door next to her was opened and there was Mei leaning in. She kissed Atsuko's forehead lightly and kept her face close to her sister's.
"Atsuko." She slowly caressed her sister's head as was her habit. "I will not be able to talk to you again before your race. Please do your best."
It was hardly a grandiose message of support, but Atsuko would swoon even if her Nee-san were to be recite a shopping list to her. She smiled sweetly, earning the slightest of blushes from Mei.
"I will, Nee-san! I'm gonna win!" Atsuko's confidence was overwhelming, despite some serious competition from her classmates. She was much like Yuzu in that her enthusiasm was contagious. After all, it did not really matter. Ss long as Atsuko gave it her all, it would be a victory regardless of her finishing position.
Atsuko and Yuzu headed towards the athletics field while Mei walked by herself to her office. Whilst she could never show it on her face, she was privately worried that Atsuko would not come first and be disappointed in herself. Sugimori-sensei informed her of two other promising young runners from Atsuko's group: Takano and Kanazawa.
There was also the issue that as the impartial Chairwoman, she would be expected to cheer on all of the athletes rather than her sister specifically. She sighed, the day seemed likely to be a long and tiring one.
Upon reaching her office, she spotted Sugimori-sensei by her secretary's desk. She was probably handing copies of the day's program for Kaori-san to put into the computer. On spotting Mei, both women straightened up as if a general had stepped into the battlefield.
They greeted her in unison, "Good morning, Kaichou-san."
"Good morning." Mei greeted back and without missing a beat, she continued.
"Sugimori-san, I would have a word with you in my office, in a short while."
Mei stepped into her office and took her time to properly settle herself in. Kaori brewed a pot of tea while Mei took her usual chair behind the Chairwoman's desk. The regal-looking Chairwoman carefully observed as her secretary delicately placed the pot and pair of mugs on the desk. She informed Kaori that Sugimori-san was welcome to enter.
Once the teacher walked in, Mei asked her to take a seat. The tall woman was rather nervous and it was not just because of Mei looking at her, she got nervous whenever she was not out on the field. During teacher meetings she would never stop fidgeting. Of course, Kaichou-san's powerful presence made her even jumpier. Nevertheless, she sat down despite being unable to keep her hands still.
"Sugimori-san." Mei's voice sounded as professional as ever even though she was about to inquire over a personal matter. "What are the odds of my sister finishing the race first?"
Sugimori-sensei relaxed visibly. It always happened whenever she had to talk about her little athletes. It was a topic she was well versed in and quite passionate about. She had no problem looking Mei straight in the eyes then.
"Aihara-san is fast. Incredibly so." Mei nodded, she had been notified of her sister's times regularly and she had been truly impressed. "If it was a shorter circuit, she would have no competition. At all. Perhaps even among the second and third grade."
"However, over the course of two laps she might have problems." A rueful smile appeared on Sugimori-sensei's lips. "Her speed is truly explosive but she is too eager and often forgets to pace herself."
"Takano-san and Kanazawa-san are far more experienced." Mei nodded again. After all, Atsuko had only started training five weeks ago while her classmates were already being courted by elite athletics teams. "They will play fairly but they won't let Aihara-san get away with anything. Aihara-san best chance is to have a strong start."
"I see." Mei raised her mug and took a sip, obscuring the small smile that had formed on her face. Sugimori-sensei was not aware that Mei had been giving her younger sister some tips on how to pace herself.
Lions and Roses
Meanwhile, Yuzu and Atsuko walked hand-in-hand to the field, both smiling brightly as ever.
"It's this way, Yuzu-nee!" Atsuko happily announced, completely ignoring that Yuzu had attended the Academy for three years and still visited regularly. Her oldest sister knew exactly where she was going, but decided to humour the girl.
The trip to the spectators' area felt like an athletic event in itself, with numerous students carrying heavy equipment to dodge. Was it always this busy? Yuzu was suddenly wracked with guilt as she conjured up the memory of hiding on the rooftop with Matsuri in order to avoid being asked to help set up.
Once they reached the spectator area, a very familiar voice called out to Atsuko.
"Atsu-chan!" A child Atsuko's age all but bounced toward the pair while dragging a handsome man with blonde hair after her.
"Mayu-chan!" Atsuko greeted the newcomer cheerfully, excitedly tugging at Yuzu's hand.
"Easy, little samurai!" Yuzu chuckled as her sister all but bounced on the spot.
Mayu-chan was Atsuko's classmate and one of her closest friends. She had come to spend the afternoon with Atsuko on several occasions, also sleeping over a couple of times. By her facial features it was clear that she was Asian, at least in part, as she also had beautiful golden curls and her delicate face was covered by freckles.
The man accompanying Mayu greeted Yuzu with a shy smile and introduced himself as Philip Fairchild, Mayu's father. He was quite the handsome man, tall and slender and with chiseled features, but what Yuzu noticed the most was his hair. It was the same color as Papa's hair and Yuzu felt a small lump form in her throat at the sight. Papa never wore tweed suits though.
The laughing children promptly pulled her back into the present, she recovered quickly and introduced herself as Atsuko's oldest sister.
"Yes. Mayu told me everything about Atsuko's siblings." Philips said amiably. His Japanese was excellent, although his non-nativeness was confirmed by his slow manner of speech and absence of any regional features to his accent. "She yelled at me for being an only child."
"Father!" Mayu scolded her parent. He was not supposed to divulge such information.
"It's all right Mayu-chan." Yuzu bent forward to gently ruffle the child hair, there was no resisting such curls and Mayu rather enjoyed the attention.
"When I was your age, I was an only child too. And now look at me?" Yuzu draped her arm around Atsuko and drew her closer. "I've got the cutest little sister!"
"And she has the cutest friend!" She winked as a blush dusted Mayu's cheeks. Atsuko almost jumped on Yuzu to throw her arms about her shoulders, quite pleased about being called the cutest little sister.
The implication of Yuzu's remark had Philip blush slightly. Although his attention was quickly stolen back by his daughter as Mayu almost gulped upon realizing how poor her manners had been. She took a step back and bowed slightly.
"Yuzu-san. It's a pleasure to see you again." She was overly conscious because of her mixed heritage and always prided herself on being prim and proper. The happiness of seeing her friend had her quite distracted. Atsuko was too excited about the day to share her friend's concerns over manners.
"Mayu-chan, when are you going to come over again?" Atsuko's eyes suddenly widened with worry and she looked up towards her oldest sister. "...if It's okay with you and Nee-san, I mean."
"Absolutely." Yuzu answered with a smile of her own. "Mei can't wait to converse in English with you again, Mayu-chan."
"Father!" Mayu was a true ball of energy and quickly reached for her father's hand and all but pulled him into the conversation. The tall man had to squat down in order to get level with the child. "Kaichou-sama's English is great! She sounds like us!"
"So you've told me, sweetheart" Philip chuckled warmly "Several times." He drew his blushing daughter into a one armed hug and kissed her curls lovingly.
Yuzu was not surprised, her beloved Mei never failed to leave an impression. She was the most remarkable person.
"Oh!" Atsuko yelped, making Yuzu jump. The child turned toward Philip with a mortified expression on her face.
"Forgive me, Fairchild-san:" She said in a most contrite voice while taking a needlessly deep bow. What would Nee-san think if she knew how poorly she had behaved? Her apology was meet with thunderous laughs though, which made her blush and look at Yuzu in confusion.
"… better late than never, little samurai." Yuzu winked at her and drew her into a warm hug. Atsuko was happy for the chance to hide her blushing face in her sister's warm shoulder.
A moment later, Mayu practically dragged her father away to meet her teachers, exhibiting a level of enthusiastic forcefulness that even gave Atsuko pause for thought.
"Yuzu-nee, I need to go to my class now..." Atsuko informed her sister with a modicum of sadness. She did not like being separated from both of her sisters.
"I'll be right here little samurai, go out there and give it your all!" Yuzu jumped enthusiastically for effect before lifting Atsuko off of the ground and wrapping her in the warmest of embraces.
Atsuko laughed out in pure joy at returned her sister's hug with the same fierce affection. Yuzu-nee was always so tender with her and she rarely found it a difficult task to make Atsuko smile, no matter her mood.
Yuzu kissed her loudly on the cheek and put her down. Atsuko was about to go when her sister called her back…
"Hey!" Yuzu was leaning forward, her index pointing at her own cheek. Atsuko was quick to oblige and went to plant an even louder kiss on her sister's cheek before finally departing to join her classmates.
"…so much like Mei." Yuzu sighed with a smile on her lips.
"Aih- OKOGI YUZU!" Himeko barked at her long-standing rival. The young woman seemed to have gotten slightly taller, but was still shorter than Yuzu by several inches. Her trademark hair drills were as magnificent as ever.
"Himeko-san! How are you? How is Soichiro-kun?" Yuzu completely sidestepped the vague threat and deescalated whatever situation Himeko was trying to create. She knew that mentioning Himeko's handsome husband would distract the girl and as expected, Himeko started to blush cutely.
"I- Well, he is fine. As am I." She shook her head, drills dancing magnificently. "Regardless of that, you've got some nerve showing up today!" Himeko prodded Yuzu's chest with her index finger for effect. "Don't think that I've forgotten what you and Mizusawa did in your third year!"
Yuzu avoided eye contact, she had no retort to make as Himeko's complaints were entirely justified. She needed someone to bail her out and right on schedule, the high-pitch sound of feedback on the PA system heralded the imminent arrival of the Chairwoman.
Circus Maximus
"Students, teachers, families: Welcome to the Aihara Academy's thirty-seventh annual sports day." Mei's speech began, her voice filled the silence with its elegant tilt and captured the audience as easily as ever.
"Today, we celebrate the spirit of competition and fair play that this school was founded upon. I look forward to seeing everyone giving their all..." Mei turned her head and looked straight towards Atsuko, who was seated on the other side of the track.
"...And may the best athletes win."
It was another excellent speech from the Chairwoman, drawing thunderous applause from the gathered children and adults alike. Mei stepped down from the podium and was greeted by the sight of that trademark blonde hair. It had not taken long for Yuzu to abandon the area where spectators were meant to wait.
"See, I told you not to worry!" Yuzu exclaimed, resisting the urge to give Mei another kiss while so many were watching.
"Yuzu, I was not worried." It was a feeble attempt at a lie. Mei was aware that Yuzu knew that in spite of never showing it, she still got nervous before every single speech she had ever made. Failure was not an option.
"Anyway, Atsuko's race will be starting soon. Let us find somewhere to stand by the finish line."
Yuzu nodded her head in agreement and the two walked towards the finish line. As a first year, Atsuko's race would be early in the scheduled events. It would be a simple affair: Two laps of the school track.
The role that the chairperson had played had varied over the years. Mei recalled her Grandfather simply delivering a short speech before returning to the fortifications of his office. She recalled her Father using the event as an opportunity to network with the more affluent parents of students, barely watching any of the actual competition. She recalled her own appearances in the previous years, where she sat in the stands with the rest of the teachers.
But now that Atsuko was attending the Academy, Mei felt compelled to take up a spot on the race track with a better view of the finish line.
"Hey, Mei. Do you really think that Atsuko can win?" Yuzu asked once the pair took their seats. Hands burrowing in the pockets of her favorite varsity jacket to hide her nervousness. It would have been incredible if Atsuko were to win but it was not what mattered the most. Yuzu's greatest desire was for her sister to be happy. Atsuko had been so enthusiastic and so confident about winning that Yuzu worried over what a defeat could do to her sister's temperament. Atsuko might not have shown it, but she was quite proud. Extremely so. As cheerful as she was, she never failed to expect the absolute best from herself.
"I do not know. Takano and Kanazawa are fantastic runners." Mei was not prepared to play up her sister's chances, but refused to take such a pessimistic stance. "...But what Atsuko lacks in technical ability, she makes up for in enthusiasm and raw speed. She is the fastest, Yuzu. Truly."
Mei knew that despite the clumsiness of her younger sister, she was frightfully quick when she wanted to be. She was also an Aihara and Aiharas were always notoriously competitive. Anything less than the best was simply unacceptable. Atsuko knew that better than anyone and was determined to live up to the immense weight of her family name.
"Well I think she'll be great. She does have the best teacher after all." Yuzu smiled at her lover and she was not talking about Sugimori-sensei either. Atsuko and Mei had spent several evenings going over race strategy; Discussing the importance of pacing yourself and only exerting fully when the moment was right.
It was time.
Atsuko and fourteen other girls headed towards the start line. Atsuko bounced up and down on the balls of her feet, a ritual of sorts that she had picked up after seeing videos of Olympic athletes doing the same.
She looked towards Mei and Yuzu, the former giving a simple nod while the latter gave her biggest and brightest of smiles.
Kanazawa and Takano both took their places either side of Atsuko. Their superior height was clear when they stood next to the Aihara girl, especially impressive given that Atsuko was not short by any means.
They took their starting positions. The crowd grew deathly silent. Yuzu chew on her lower lip. Mei held her breath.
BANG!
The starting gun discharged and the race began, prompting cheers from the crowd.
"Go for it, Atsu-chan!" Yuzu immediately started calling out to her sister, her voice cheerful and vibrant. She had to cheer for their mother as well, after all.
The three girls exploded from the line and quickly established themselves at the front of the pack as they reached the first bend. Atsuko was already struggling to match the brutal pace set by the more practiced runners. Anxiety settled in and she quickly found herself short of breath.
The gap widened as Kanazawa and Takano sought to turn things into a two-horse race. Atsuko was stranded in the no-man's land between the frontrunners and the chasing pack behind her.
"Keep going Atsu-chan!" Yuzu called out. Her voice was clear, loud and extremely caring. It carried over all the love she felt toward the child. And it was a lot a love. She wished more than ever to let Atsuko know that no matter the outcome, everything was going to be alright.
Half a lap had passed and the gap continued to grow larger. Mei sighed. It was naive to think that someone so inexperienced could match the elite. She looked towards her sister and saw the motivation fade from her face as she rounded the final bend of the first lap.
She recalled the events she has taken part in as a student. When she had been about Atsuko's age, her purple eyes would desperately seek her parents among the crowd and she would find her father, lost over one conversation or another, his eyes and his heart miles away from her. Her mother, as ever, was nowhere to be seen.
Suddenly, Mei was put under siege by the terrible realization that she was doing the same. She may have been sitting by the finish line but to her sister she must have felt miles away with her silence and neutral face. Such a realisation was not just painful, it was unacceptable.
She had decided a long time ago that she would never fail Atsuko. She could not simply sit back and allow the situation to continue. Mei could not run the race for her sister, but she could still support her, impartiality be damned.
Kanazawa and Takano blazed past the line, prompting the ringing of a bell to indicate the final lap. Atsuko followed in pursuit and briefly looked towards her sisters at that line.
"Come on, Atsu-chan!" Yuzu called once again, voice strong and confident. And carrying so much love.
But Nee-san was silent. How could Atsuko give it her all if Nee-san was not?
"You can still win this Atsuko!" Mei leapt from her seat, surprising everyone around her into near-silence.
Yuzu almost yelped at her lover's sudden outburst, but her yelp quickly turned into a cheer as she joined up with Mei and started cheering once again. Her calls had felt like a solitary song before but now it was finally the duet that it was meant to be.
Atsuko smiled and felt the second wind blowing behind her. Her pace quickened as she headed into the bend. Takano and Kanazawa were not getting any closer, but they were not getting any further away now.
"Keep fighting Atsuko!" Mei's cheers grew louder, drowning out the calls of everyone else on the field. When Mei put her mind into something, she would give her all and nothing else. Yuzu's voice raised to match her beloved's tone.
In response to the cheers, Atsuko's pace quickened even further. She was gaining ground.
Kanazawa looked over her shoulder and her eyes widened. Atsuko was now only two strides away from her.
The three reached the final bend and Atsuko was snapping at the heels of her rivals. She was feeling it now. The ground under her feet no longer dragged her down as she pushed against it. She prepared herself across the hard surface, wind carrying her like a mighty steed carrying a samurai into the maw of battle. She was flying.
"This is it, Atsuko, give it everything you have!" Mei was almost screaming now. Even Yuzu was shocked by the outbursts. Nevertheless, it felt wonderful and perfect. Yuzu rose to the challenge once again.
Atsuko moved out wide and began to pull past Kanazawa and Takano. She could not lose. Not with Yuzu-nee and Nee-san in her corner.
The finish line was in her sight. She just had to keep pushing. One foot in front of the other.
Time slowed down. Atsuko could see her sisters jumping up and down. She looked ahead one final time and crossed the finish line...
Before anyone else did.
The Spoils of Victory
After flying through the finish line there was no way Atsuko would have been able to stop herself without diving face first into the ground.
Fortunately, Yuzu-nee was there and all but stopped Atsuko's dash with her own body. Atsuko was too tired to even speak and was panting heavily. She was smiling though, or at least she was trying to.
She then managed to laugh when Yuzu-nee lifted her in her arms and hugged her so very tightly. Being hugged by her Yuzu-nee felt like basking in the sunlight. She was even too tired to wrap her legs around her sister's waist. It did not matter though for Yuzu-nee was tough, she could take it.
"Sweetheart, you were incredible." She heard Yuzu-nee say in her ear. Her voice felt a bit weird, not as smooth as it usually did. "Absolutely incred—"
Yuzu-nee stopped talking abruptly and just kissed her on the head, again and again. It made Atsuko giggle to feel so loved.
Atsuko felt another familiar presence join in the embrace. Nee-san. She was getting her bearings back, albeit slowly. She just needed another couple of moments. A few more moments of resting her head on Yuzu-nee's shoulder.
She felt one of Nee-san's arms go around her, she was hugging both Atsuko and Yuzu-nee and so very tightly too.
Atsuko finally felt able to speak and pulled her head back from Yuzu's shoulder. She wanted to thank her sisters. She had won because of them.
The sight of Yuzu-nee's face shocked her a bit, for Yuzu-nee was crying
"Yu...zu-nee?" She asked with some difficulty, her breathing pattern was still a bit irregular.
"Happy tears, sweetheart." Yuzu reassured her. Her face was red and her green eyes were translucent and appeared to be deeper and bigger than ever before. She had to be absolutely happy though. She kept smiling through her tears. Finally, Atsuko could do her sister the courtesy of wrapping her legs around her waist and hold some of her own weight up.
Atsuko thought Nee-san would step in at any time now but Nee-san had resolved to keep quiet, although she remained about the girls. Her strong presence and calming aura as tangible and welcome as ever. Other than offering the comfort of her presence, she opted to let the scene roll between Yuzu and Atsuko as she spectated.
Atsuko would understand later that Nee-san was savoring the scene and taking in every detail, every nuance and every sound so that she could preserve it all as one of her irreplaceable memories.
"I cried when you were born, y'know…" Atsuko nodded at her Yuzu-nee. She knew the story. "Happy tears, little samurai." Yuzu leaned in to rest her forehead against Atsuko's.
"Same as now." Yuzu sniffed while her pensive smile blossomed into a full one. "Same as now." A gentle laugh bubbled from her chest and she welcomed it while tears kept trailing down her cheeks.
Atsuko started smiling uncontrollably. She had no words to answer to such love; it was so profound, so sincere, so absolute. It was only meant to be felt, to speak of it was impossible.
Wishing to return some of her sister's tenderness, she reached over to wipe Yuzu-nee's tears off with her fingers, her hands were not particularly clean though, so she ended making a mess.
"Sor-" Yuzu-nee quieted her by putting a gentle finger on her lips.
"Ah!" She said while smiling brightly. "No apologies from you today, little samurai." The sentence was spoken as an absolute, Atsuko could only abide to it.
"Yuzu." Mei offered her lover a handkerchief.
Mei looked fierce in her love at that moment. Yuzu's most tender side had awakened all of her protective instincts at once. She kept cradling the sight of her lover within her eyes, willing to do just about everything in order to keep the woman as safe and happy as she was now.
"Thank you, love" Yuzu replied easily. She felt the truth of Mei's eyes all over her skin. And reciprocated her lover's gaze with one of her own. Her green eyes grew in awareness and passion to match Mei's purple ones.
Atsuko kept very still, she knew her sisters were talking to each other. Words were not required when two people shared a love as all-encompassing as theirs was. Besides, Atsuko could speak with her loved ones with just her eyes as well.
Yuzu finally went to dry her eyes and Atsuko found herself in her Nee-san's arms. Nee-san was looking at her as intensely as she had been looking a Yuzu-nee a few seconds before. Nee-san's gaze was a very powerful one. Atsuko had seen people cower under it. Not her though, never her. To her, Nee-san's eyes spoke only of love. Yet, there was something else now along with it.
Atsuko could not give it a name, but she found herself compelled to nod back at her sister's gaze. Then Nee-san gave her a smile that was both proud and knowing, as if finally being able to share a secret.
This proved to be a revelatory moment for the youngest Aihara.
Atsuko had always been told how important and prestigious her family name was, but she did not fully understand it until she crossed that finish line. She felt pride. Not just pride in herself, but pride in being an Aihara. It was a sense of pride that Nee-san must have felt every day and now Atsuko could share in it too. Nee-san no longer had to be alone in it. They could share this honor and all of the burdens that came with it.
"Nee-san." It was all Atsuko needed to say.
"Atsuko." It was all the answer that was needed.
"Hey!" Yuzu called out to the pair, twin dark heads turned around, Yuzu was looking at them through her mobile phone.
"Another one!" Yuzu all but demanded even though she had been snapping away at the pair for more than a minute now. Her eyes were still red but she had stopped crying, her tears replaced by a mischievous grin.
She had every intention of taking countless pictures of her dark haired beauties but Mei had a different idea…
"Yuzu. Wait." Yuzu stilled, there was a certain urgency in Mei's voice. "...Kaori-san" Mei called out.
Mei's assistant appeared out of thin air and in the next instant, Yuzu found herself sharing the spotlight with Mei and Atsuko. They held their little sister between them as Kaori-san eagerly played the photographer role.
Yuzu and Atsuko kept throwing peace signs with their hands at the camera, for they both loved the attention in equal measure. Mei did not bother to maintain her legendary countenance. After all, they had already seen how much she loved her sister and how loudly as well. So for once, Mei allowed the world to see her smile.
After the remainder of the events concluded, the three girls found themselves in Mei's office. Atsuko had changed out of her sweaty clothes and was now sitting on the office sofa with Yuzu-nee's mobile in her hands. She was having a video-call with her father, telling him how she had won the race. She was being quite loud too, but Mei could not care less.
Mei and Yuzu were standing by Mei's desk.
Or rather, Mei was standing. Yuzu was sitting over the edge of the huge oak desk, legs dangling playfully. She was teasing Mei with an impish grin and when Mei took a step away, Yuzu's hand snuck out to grab at her shirt and pull her back in. Mei allowed herself to fall into Yuzu's arms and was not surprised when Yuzu trapped her in place with her legs.
Mei did not even bother to fake indignation. She just chuckled against Yuzu's shoulder and wrapped her arms around her in a tight embrace, willing her even closer. She buried her face into Yuzu's neck and breathed deeply. Yuzu's scent was familiar as always but she could also feel the tingling taste of tears and sunshine mixed in it. If happiness had a scent, then Yuzu would be it.
Mei caressed the shell of Yuzu's ear with her lips before whispering "I cannot wait to get you alone, Yuzu."
Yuzu flinched as expected and Mei took a step back, taking in the sight of her lover's dainty face. Her beautiful Yuzu was blushing while biting her lower lip.
"You." Yuzu puffed out. "Just. Wait."
But they had both noticed that Atsuko had gone quiet. She had finished talking to her father but had politely stayed on the couch. She had her nose buried in a book she had found on the coffee table. She would have rather played Love Live! on Yuzu-nee's phone. Yuzu-nee was extremely proud of Atsuko's high scores but she had not asked her sister for permission while her sisters shared a private moment by the desk.
"Little samurai, come over here." Atsuko was immediately on her feet, she wanted to share her happiness once again.
Mei walked around the table and returned to her seat at the Chairman's desk. Yuzu vacated the desk in favour of a chair. Atsuko took the other chair after putting Yuzu's phone on the desk. The girls shared a moment of perfect quiet, savoring the happiness of the day before Mei spoke.
"Atsuko, I am so very proud of you." She really had no need to say, for it had been written on her face all day long. She had still felt compelled to vocalize it though.
Mei trusted Yuzu to always know how she felt, as her love knew her like no others and even though Atsuko was quite perceptive when it came to her, it felt safer for Mei to always give voice to her feeling.
"It's because you and Yuzu-nee were cheering me on, Nee-san. I know that Mama and Papa were too!"
Mei could not help but cherish her sister's fighting spirit. Atsuko was an Aihara through and through. She took a victory that was all but unachievable by sheer force of will.
"They are so proud of you, little samurai!" Yuzu exclaimed. She could not wait to go back to her mother and show her the… wait a minute! Yuzu gasped and leapt to her feet.
"Mei! I took no pictures!" She sounded desperate. "I was busy cheering an-"
"Yuzu." Mei stilled her concern with a wave of her hand. "Kaori-san has taken pictures of the event. Start to finish. I thought you might prefer to see it live and s-"
"Excellent!" Yuzu cut Mei short and fell back onto the chair. "I will have her send them to me!" Yuzu retrieved her phone from the desk and started typing away.
"You have Kaori-san's number?" Mei asked, careful to keep her voice neutral. She could not sound jealous in front of Atsuko.
"Sure do!" Yuzu answered absentmindedly , still typing. "I hope she can send them over before Mama comes home…" Her voice trailed off as she sent out her message.
It was then that Atsuko's stomach rumbled loudly, which was quite the feat considering the extra-large bento that Ume had prepared her. Nevertheless, Yuzu smiled at her blushing sister. "I'm going to make you the best omurice when we get home, Atsu-chan!"
"Yay!" Atsuko leapt from her seat and all but jumped on top of Yuzu, grabbing at her loose-fitting jacket.
Yuzu looked up at Mei and the two smiled at one another. They made no attempt to hide their pride. Yuzu waited for Atsuko to adjust herself in her lap and wrapped her arms around her little sister in a tight hug. She then looked at Mei, her smile turning into an adorable knowing smirk.
"Mei, what will the students think?" Yuzu could resist the urge to tease no longer. "Their favourite Kaichou-sama was quite uncouth today, don't you think?"
"Yuzu..." Mei paused and tried to find the right words, but decided that the diplomatic approach would not be needed. "...Of course I would support my sister. It was the natural thing to do." Mei flipped her hair over her shoulder, satisfied with her response.
"Whatever, I'm not the one that has to explain herself to Himeko-san." Yuzu scrunched up her hair and mimicked the diminutive woman. "Wah! How could you, Mei-Mei?!"
Even Mei could not fight the urge to laugh and all three burst into hysterics. It was the purest joy that she had felt in quite some time and she felt privileged to share it with the two people she cared about more than anything else…
The end