I'd like to extend my appreciation to those who followed, favorite'd and those who reviewed. Thank you so much, Ogure Michiyo and bofus3rd who kindly reviewed! It really makes me happy. P.s. I was really excited when I wrote this chapter so I think there's some errors here and there. Feel free to point out (: After this, I will be updating a lot slower cause I should be studying for my exams x_x
*Updated 15/9/13* Rectified some actions so that the characters are more IC :)
Higher than the Wind
Festivals in Summer
"Hmm, I'm pretty sure the map says here… Ah, there it is!" Tsugi heaved a sigh of relief when she finally found the stadium. It was the day when Renji's final match at the Nationals was to be held.
Even though Renji had invited the whole family, only Tsugi was able to make it for his match. Yanagi Machi and Yanagi Rikimaru were busy; grandma's health was failing and grandpa didn't favour the idea of leaving grandma alone at home. Tsugi tried to invite Geishi, but the latter, being a part of the Kendo club had to go and support her seniors at the Kendo tournament which was also ongoing.
Knowing that Tsugi was heading to the stadium alone, Yanagi Machi only allowed Tsugi to attend the National Tournament after she had stuffed enough cash into her hands to make sure that she could afford a cab there. Luckily, the finals of the National Tournament were held in the Kanagawa area this year. If it was any otherwise, Yanagi Machi would have never allowed Tsugi to go on her own. Believing that she had a good sense on direction, Tsugi, however, was reluctant to waste money on cab and opted for the bus instead.
Finding her seat was a piece of cake for Tsugi. The match was to begin in about half an hour, so the stadium was still relatively empty.
When the match began, Tsugi couldn't hold her surprise.
"Game and match to Makinofuji Gakuin, 7 games to 5!"
"Game and match to Makinofuji Gakuin, 6 games to 4!"
The crowd erupted in uproar when the results for the doubles matches were announced. Tsugi couldn't believe her eyes when she saw it. Did Rikkai Dai just lose two matches in a row? How can this even remotely be possible? She caught sight of Yukimura who sat laidback on the bench opposite to her spectator area. Despite having lost both doubles matches, he seemed to be at ease.
And she soon realized why, because when Renji entered the court as singles 3, the tides were completely turned.
"Game and match to Rikkai Dai Fuzoku, 6 games to 3!"
Renji stood upright on the court, his calm expression and closed eyes a stark difference from his opponent's demolished stance. Tsugi could attest to why he was called the 'Master'.
The next player was Sanada, who played as singles 2. He had a stern expression on his face but somehow, Tsugi got the feeling that he was completely disinterested in the match, like his opponent wasn't even worthy of being a time killer to him. As expected of the 'Emperor'; Sanada instantly overwhelmed his opponent with his majestic aura which caused the latter to stiffen noticeably.
"Game and match to Rikkai Dai Fuzoku, 6 games to 1!"
And finally, it was Yukimura's turn. He carried himself with the mien of a king in his confident strides. His opponent was the captain of Makinofuji Gakuin who was wearing a calm expression until the match commenced. Yukimura easily dominated his opponent who was left dumbstruck halfway into the match. The captain of Makinofuji Gakuin had an expression which was a mixture of horror, fear, and all negative emotions and he stood rooted to the ground no matter how his teammates yelled at him. Yukimura, as always, emerged victorious with a clean score of 6-0.
Tsugi didn't understand what happened to Yukimura's opponent. It was like a supernatural encounter.
"Game and match to Rikkai Dai Fuzoku, 6 games to love!"
That was it? Tsugi was still in a daze when Rikkai Dai was announced as the champion. One moment Makinofuji Gakuin was towering over Rikkai Dai, the next moment Rikkai Dai had been declared the victor.
Tsugi looked over at the Rikkai Dai regulars as they celebrated their victory. From the way Yukimura was surrounded by his teammates, the good-willed pats he received from the seniors and lack of bitterness in the seniors' expressions, there were two conclusions Tsugi could draw:
1) Yukimura could be credited for the victory.
2) Yukimura was a very, very capable leader.
Sports, academics, Art and now leadership... Tsugi couldn't help but to wonder: just how far did Yukimura Seiichi's potential stretch? Was there not a thing he was inept at?
~x~
"Please excuse me, Seiichi. I have to walk Tsugi home," When the boys team was discussing where to go to celebrate their victory, Renji shook his head and apologized to Yukimura.
"Yanagi-san is here as well?" Yukimura inquired with a thoughtful look, "Hmm, that wouldn't be a problem. I'm sure senpai-tachi and Sanada wouldn't mind if she tagged along."
Renji swore that he would have thought of Yukimura as a dutiful captain who truly considered his teammates' welfare his top priority if he didn't see the amused glint in Yukimura's eyes. Renji knew he was up to something, and he was certain that he wouldn't like what Yukimura was having in mind.
"Ohh? What's this? Is Renji's girlfriend coming along?" A boisterous third year roared as he waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
"She's not my girlfriend, Yamashita-senpai. Tsugi is my cousin," Renji explained with a straight face. Quoting from Yanagi Machi, she'd lock him out of the house if he dared to return without Tsugi. His mother's actions often led him to wonder whether Tsugi was the biological child of his mother instead of him.
"It's always nice to have more people sharing the joy, I second Yukimura's suggestion," Another third year smiled kindly at Renji.
"Hmph," Sanada crossed his arms, but didn't disagree. Sanada would never retort Yukimura in public. He however, mumbled a 'tarundoru' under his breath.
"It's decided then. Go on and bring Yanagi-san over, Renji. After all, it wouldn't be a celebration without our singles 3 who marked the beginning of Rikkai Dai's victory, would it?" After familiarizing with Tsugi, Yukimura opted to call Renji by his first name to differentiate between the two cousins.
Renji stood still for a moment before he gave in and slowly nodded his head.
"I understand."
Tsugi ended up sitting in a Kamaboko(1) restaurant with the Rikkai Dai regulars. Despite having insisted that she was perfectly capable of returning home by herself, she found herself giving in to Yukimura's serene smile. Honestly, Yukimura's smile was the most hypnotizing thing she had ever seen. She had a nagging suspicion in her heart that it was Yukimura's smile which enabled him to have everybody in his club wrapped around his pretty little finger.
"Say, Tsugi-chan, is it true that you're dating Renji?" Yamashita inquired slyly. His junior looked almost too protective of her, but honestly that was just because the Rikkai Dai boys team consisted of wolves.
"No, senpai, we are just cousins," Tsugi sighed and explained for the umpteenth time. After blushing when she was asked this question the first few times, she had adapted to the Rikkai Dai boys tennis team's dalliance. As she had thought, it was a wrong idea to come here after all! Renji's senpai had been making suggestive jokes about the two of them ever since they stepped into the restaurant.
"You're blushing, Yanagi-san," Yukimura interjected with an enigmatic smile.
"Not you too, Yukimura-san…" Tsugi groaned. If there was one thing she had learnt about Yukimura during the two weeks she had worked with the 'Child of God' on their Art project, it was that Yukimura certainly wasn't as much the cool, solitary person he crafted himself to be around people he accepted within his realms.
Renji had a thoughtful look when he looked over at Yukimura. It was hard to miss an astounding fact – Tsugi had achieved something that no other girls ever had. She had risen above a mere acquaintance in Yukimura's life; she was currently on the same level as –albeit a bit lower than– Sanada and himself. Tsugi was Yukimura's friend. If Yukimura didn't consider her as a friend, he wouldn't have allowed an outsider to poke into their celebration – even if Yukimura just wanted to amuse himself at the expense of his teammates. As he looked over at Yukimura who was conversing with Tsugi, Renji had an uncanny feeling that it would only be a matter of time before Tsugi advanced to the next echelon. After all, Tsugi was Yukimura's first friend from the opposite gender and that could be just about as memorable as a first love.
"Renji, why are you smiling like you've just managed to answer a five digits mental math multiplication question?" Tsugi looked over at her cousin and felt the urge to jab at him. His smile seemed almost too unnerving, it was creeping her out.
"You're imagining things, Tsugi," Renji answered smoothly. Despite having a million thoughts going through his mind, Renji didn't let his guard down in reality. After all, one has to be constantly alert around a captain like Yukimura Seiichi. If he even relaxed a little…
God knows whether his corpse will end up in the Sumida River or Zushi Beach's waters.
~x~
The results for the mid-term examination had been released. As expected, Yanagi Renji was placed first in cohort while Sanada Genichirou and a boy called Yagyuu Hiroshi tied for second. What was it about tennis that drew people who were both academically-inclined and talented in sports to it? Despite Geishi's loud appearance, she was apparently study material and placed third, but because two people tied as second, her actual ranking was 4th. Yukimura was pulled down by his Chemistry grades and only clinched the 9th position. Tsugi's grades suffered because of Art (even though she scored a B, about 97.33% of the cohort scored A, according to Renji's database) and Chemistry, but she still managed to place at 43rd because of her above-average performance in the rest of the subjects – especially English, which she easily aced. She let out a sigh of relief, knowing that she had successfully made it over the bar. Placing in the top 50 of Rikkai Dai was enough to make up for all the hours and hours she spent immersed in books, because this was Rikkai Dai after all. Being in Rikkai Dai's top 50 equated to being in the top 1% of the nation.
Before summer holiday officially begun, clubs had to draw lots to decide their role in the annual Ocean Festival which was to be held in late August. Yukimura represented the tennis club as a whole and he got the club the job of putting on a skit. When all the eligible members of the boys and girls tennis club sat down, they realized that there was a severe lack of manpower. By eligible, they meant people who weren't down for summer class. After a head count, they found out that lesser than half the tennis club's population was available. Only 19 girls and 23 boys were present, and that was inclusive of third year seniors who shouldn't be directly involved in the skit. If they subtracted away the third year seniors, only a staggering number of 12 girls and 15 boys were left. Actually, one more boy could be subtracted from the figure because Yukimura, with a radiant smile plastered on his face, promptly pulled out a script from his bag, casually explaining that this script was something he wrote to beguile time and he was glad that it could be of use now.
Renji immediately smelled something fishy in this. How did Yukimura –
But he was silenced with a pretty smile fraught with earnest warning from the suspected conspirator. Whatever words of accusation that were about to escape his lips were swallowed back in his throat. Renji could only clasp his clammy hands together, hoping for the best.
To be fair, the 26 first years and second years decided to draw lots to decide the actors. Much to Tsugi's horror – and the rejoicing of a few other first year girls – Tsugi got the role of female main lead.
And the male main lead you ask? Well… it was Sanada Genichirou who got the lucky lot. In the context of the situation, Tsugi felt like a sacrificial lamb placed on the altar to appease a God. Sanada's face was void of emotions when he glanced over at Tsugi – who unconsciously stiffened under his intense, predatory (that was how Tsugi felt) gaze. His harsh way of dealing with his teammates had spread amongst the school, frightening even some of the senior girls.
"L-let's do our b-best, Sanada-san," Tsugi stuttered as she forced a rigid smile to her lips. She'd be able to emerge at the end alive, right? They were just acting in a skit together, she wasn't his teammate, so he couldn't drill her like how he drilled his teammates. Tsugi considered herself rather adept at handling hardships, but Sanada and his training menu were really quite off the scale.
"That goes without saying," He grunted in response and dear oh, please pardon her for being rude but he reminded her of a... grizzly bear?
Yukimura was vaguely amused by the interaction between the two of them. It seemed like Sanada's almost punitive original training menu really struck terror into Tsugi, not that he could blame her for even he himself had been quite taken aback by the strenuous training menu when he first saw it. Sanada should really consider becoming an Olympic coach. It was such a waste of his talent if he didn't.
The play was based off a classical Japanese literature - Taketori Monogatari (The Tale of The Bamboo Cutter). The main character was Kaguya-hime, a woman of ethereal beauty who was sought after by five princes and the Emperor himself. Ironically, Sanada played the role of the Emperor. Yukimura tweaked a little with the idea of five princes to add a touch of novelty to the story. Instead of the five Japanese princes in the story, he decided to insert one of each British, Greek, Chinese and Korean prince in addition to a Japanese prince.
The five princes were played by three second years and two first years, the two first years being two boys by the name of Marui Bunta and Kuwahara Jackal who were apparently close friends. The rest of the play followed the plot of the original literature closely, and in the end Kaguya-hime returned to the Moon. The roles of Kaguya-hime's parents were played by a pair of second years who were an official couple. A beautiful coincidence; if human interference was absent. Nio and Yagyuu were both in charge of the costumes, and Renji got the role of the Emperor's imperial advisor. Renji couldn't help but to wonder: aren't the roles all a little too suitable for the people appointed to them? It was as if some paranormal force was at work –
Then, he looked over at Yukimura and he instantly quelled the thought in his mind. It would be in his best favor to keep quiet about this.
~x~
Amidst the preparation for the Ocean Festival, the Kanagawa Firework Festival which takes place in the last week of July arrived. Tsugi was quite excited to attend the festival since this was the first celebration since she came to Kanagawa. Because Renji didn't like crowded places, Tsugi had made plans with Geishi instead.
"Geishi, I'm over here," Tsugi waved to the fiery red-haired girl who was clad in a bright orange yukata.
"Tsugi? My god, is that you!?" Geishi's eyes widened when she saw her good friend. "You look s-so different," Geishi quickened her pace and scanned Tsugi from head to feet, amazed by what she was seeing. Tsugi's black hair, which was usually left tumbling just beyond her shoulders, was fixed into a high bun using a hair tie with sakura-style tassels trailing down her hair. She was dressed in a purple yukata with light floral pattern sewn on the left shoulder, reaching all the way to the right side of her waist and a matching white obi with silver sakura pattern embroidery hugged her abdomen. Geishi always knew that Tsugi was pretty, but 'pretty' was such an understatement for the yukata-clad Tsugi. Refined, striking, breathtaking…
Geishi couldn't retain herself anymore and threw herself onto Tsugi.
"W-what? Yes, it's me, Geishi," Tsugi looked confused as Geishi glomped her.
"I'm really looking forward to the skit now," Geishi pulled back and linked her arms with Tsugi. "I can totally imagine the reaction of the audience when you appear on stage. It would be a 'bam!' and le gasp," Geishi threw her other arm up in the air and exclaimed dramatically.
"You're exaggerating things, Geishi," Tsugi self-consciously pulled at the front of her clothes. 'Bam' and 'le gasp'? That would be impossible. Not when there were the much anticipated tennis regulars from the boys team around, at least.
"You don't understand, Tsugi. If I were a guy, I would totally be all over you by now," Geishi shook her head and sighed. "Girl you would make a gay man straight again!"
"If you're done ogling we should be getting along," Tsugi poked Geishi's cheeks playfully as she laughed at Geishi's amusing metaphor.
"Alright, alright, come on now Miss Yukata we have a crowd to impress!" Geishi snickered in response.
"How's the Kanagawa Firework Festival in comparison to the one in Tokyo? Are they very different?" Geishi asked as they navigated through the crowd in search of a candied apple stall.
"They're not so different I guess," Tsugi thought for a moment and answered. The stalls were the same, and the streets were equally crowded, the only thing that was different was the people surrounding the streets. "But if you have to differentiate between the two festivals, I would say the Tokyo tower makes the difference. The view of the Tokyo tower with fireworks in the background is really memorable," Tsugi smiled fondly at the memory.
"Sounds like a sight to behold," Geishi nodded longingly and emitted a wistful sigh, "Ah, I'd love to witness it for myself someday."
"You'll have the chance in future," Tsugi assured. Tokyo and Kanagawa weren't far from each other.
"Yanagi-san?" A voice came tentatively from the back. Tsugi instinctively turned around and saw Yukimura who was holding onto a young girl who bore an uncanny resemblance to him. "Tatsubaya-san is here as well," Yukimura smiled politely at both girls, regarding them through cool eyes. A flick of surprise flashed through his eyes when he laid eyes on Tsugi. The yukata suited her well.
"Yukimura-san?" Geishi was baffled to see the school idol here with a girl –a very young girl– clutching onto his arm. This could make it onto the headline of the school newsletter! (She blatantly ignored the striking similarity between the two.)
"A pleasure to see you here, Yukimura-san," Tsugi greeted him with a light smile as she furtively glanced at the girl he was holding. Was she a relative of Yukimura? Both of them looked so beautiful in their yukatas.
"Nii-chan, who are they?" The girl with the same ocean-colored eyes and purplish-blue hair as Yukimura tugged on his sleeve and asked timidly.
So. Cute. Geishi really had to summon all her self-restraint to hold her urge to hug the petite little girl. She looked just like a doll! Before Yukimura had a chance to answer, Geishi took it upon herself to introduce Tsugi and herself.
"My name is Geishi and that over there is Tsugi. What's your name, cute little ojou-chan?" Geishi was trying really hard to keep her paws to herself.
"G-good evening, Geishi-nee-san and Tsugi-nee-san. M-my name is Yukimura Kurumi," The girl offered a shy smile to them before burying her face in the sleeves of her elder brother again. O-oh. She was a bashful kid? That was about as rare as a virgin in high school today. Geishi was getting more and more enamored (?) by Kurumi with each passing moment.
"Good evening to you as well, Kurumi-chan," Tsugi smiled pleasantly at the girl.
All of a sudden, a commotion stirred within the crowd.
"Thief! Someone stop that rascal!" A woman shrieked in a high-pitched voice.
"Back off all of you, I won't be responsible if this embeds in the tender flesh of any of you!" The brute on rollerblades yelled out, waving a gleaming sharp knife around in a perilous manner; a leather handbag in his other hand. Yukimura's eyes narrowed when he saw the silver object in the robber's hand. Just as he wanted to pull his sister aside to a safe area, the crowd erupted in uproar. People were screaming, pushing around, trying to disperse as quickly as possible. Yukimura was caught off guard. He felt his hand slip and he could only watch as Kurumi got entangled in a crowd of people. He tried to push back through the crowd but he himself was being pushed back by a plump tourist towering over him by over a couple of heads and like a lone leaf on a river, he was carried further and further down the stream until he completely lost sight of his sister.
"W-what?" A bewildered look crossed Tsugi's face as she got shoved aside by the wild crowd, her hip stinging sharply from the painful jab. She quickly regained her composure and looked over the crowd. Oh my god. Was that Kurumi? Where was Yukimura? Her eyes widened when she saw little Kurumi who was stuck alone in the chaotic crowd and her large blue orbs were filled to the brim with tears of fright. Tsugi jostled her way towards Kurumi and defended the poor girl as they made their way to the side.
"Nii-chan… N-nii-chan…" Kurumi sobbed as she rubbed her eyes. "I-I want n-nii-chan…" Her eyes were getting puffy from crying.
"Hush there, Kurumi-chan. We will definitely find your brother for you, okay?" Tsugi held Kurumi in her arms and pat her head. She took out her mobile phone from the purse she was carrying and tried to dial Yukimura's number but nobody picked up. He must be much too preoccupied with searching for Kurumi to pick up his phone. Tsugi ran a hand through her hair which was messed up from the bustling and frowned. She could imagine how worried he must be. Tsugi then tried to dial Geishi's number but she couldn't even get through. She sighed irately and looked at the streets again. Most of the crowd had dispersed already and some stalls were left ruined. Tsugi suddenly lost interest in the entire festival. The whole robbery thing had really fouled her mood and all she wanted to do was to go home now. Since she couldn't reach Geishi, she might as well sit around and perhaps Yukimura might return to search for his sister and after handing Kurumi back to Yukimura, she would just head home.
"Kurumi-chan, we will wait here for your brother. Here, you can have this. Pretty girls like you should never cry," Tsugi smiled encouragingly at Kurumi as she produced a piece of strawberry candy from her purse. Kurumi shook her head, her red eyes evoking sympathy from Tsugi who nodded and put the candy back into her bag and embraced the girl again. Poor girl must have been so terribly frightened.
It didn't take Yukimura long to find his way back. Words weren't enough to describe his relief when he saw the two figures standing beneath a barren sakura tree not far from where he lost sight of his sister.
"Kurumi!" He called out as he hastened his pace and walked up to them, immediately bending down and wrapping his arms around his precious little sister. "I'm so glad you're safe. Please forgive me for losing you," He apologized profusely to his little sibling. He should have held on firmly to her. It was his fault that he lost her.
"N-nii-chan…" Kurumi had already stopped crying by then, but she couldn't hold her tears when she felt the familiar arms of her elder brother around her shoulders. "W-wahhhh!" Kurumi broke down again as Yukimura tried to coo her.
Tsugi, who was watching the two intently sighed when she saw Kurumi burst into tears once more. It took her ages to get Kurumi to stop crying and all it took was the appearance of Yukimura for all her efforts to go down to the drain. But she supposed all that mattered was that Yukimura was here now and Kurumi was back to where she belonged. As she witnessed this heartwarming moment between the two siblings, Tsugi realized something. When it came to his family, the 'Child of God' was but a normal teenager as well. He worries and he loses his cool, he's not always above and beyond everyone else of his age. That realization put a light smile to her lips.
"Thank you very much, Yanagi-san," Yukimura lifted his head and nodded at Tsugi, casting a look of sincere gratitude on her. "If it weren't for you, Kurumi might have been harmed."
"You're welcome, Yukimura-san. I'm only too glad that Kurumi-chan is safe. Besides, I didn't do much," Tsugi shook her head. She checked her phone again to see if Geishi contacted her, but she didn't. She was a little disappointed by Geishi. Perhaps she was being held up by something? She put her phone away and turned to Yukimura. "I'll be leaving first, Yukimura-san."
"You're leaving already? But the firework display hasn't even started," Yukimura raised a brow, looking rather puzzled. Who would go for a firework festival and leave before seeing the firework?
"Tsugi-nee-chan, w-will you watch the f-fireworks with K-Kurumi-chan?" Kurumi asked shyly, her innocuous blue eyes staring hopefully at the big sister whom had taken care of her while big brother was missing.
"I-I well, I…" Tsugi wanted to decline, but she couldn't say 'no' to Kurumi's tearful look. No. Oh god, stop staring at her! She was helpless when kids stared at her like that. Looking at Kurumi's pleading look and dimming eyes, Tsugi swallowed the rejection which was already at her lips. "Alright."
Kurumi burst into a bright smile which lit up the festival. Just like her brother, the little Yukimura had a very charming smile.
Tsugi ended up sitting beneath a tree on a small hill slightly far off from the festival area. How did Yukimura manage to find such a place mystified her, because aside from being a little far from the festive atmosphere, they had a clear, unobstructed view of the firework in the nighttime sky. Kurumi sat between Yukimura and Tsugi who were making a light conversation as the young girl applauded for the firework display.
"Renji says that you're a promising player," Yukimura tilted his head as he watched the fireworks.
"Maybe I'll be able to live up to that if I manage to clinch 3 games from Renji," Tsugi murmured; the memory of the match she had played against Renji that morning washed into her mind again. Despite having used that, she still had her serve game broken. It was really a depressing game.
"I'm sure you'll be able to exceed that some day," Yukimura said in an affirmative tone.
Tsugi wasn't sure why, but as the final, most elaborate firework burst into colors and lit up the sky, as she listened to Yukimura speaking in that firm, confident voice of his; she felt more assured than ever that some day, she might be able to match Renji in his game.
"Yeah," Tsugi said softly, her voice carried off by the wind.
Later that night, Tsugi received a message from Geishi.
How does it feel to celebrate the firework festival with Yukimura-san? ^~^ w
From: Tatsubaya Geishi
A mixed expression appeared on Tsugi's face. That Geishi, how did she… But after thinking about it, she sighed and made an honest reply.
It was… memorable.
From: Yanagi Asaitsugi
~x~
It was finally time for the much-anticipated Ocean Festival. Tsugi stood in the backstage, draped in an elaborate peach-colored kimono with complex embroidery, an exquisite blue obi around her waist. Her onyx hair which went just slightly beyond her shoulders was pulled into a neat bun and two ornate chopsticks were pushed through her hair, adding an elegant touch to her appearance. When seated quietly aside on her own, she looked like an exquisite oriental doll.
Prior to the rehearsal, the seniors had been concerned that Tsugi wouldn't be able to pull it off since Kaguya-hime was supposed to be a woman of unparalleled beauty and charming manners, and well, while Tsugi wasn't ugly, in fact, she was quite pretty with her onyx hair, striking forest-green eyes and smooth light yellow skin free of zits which usually plague teenagers of her age, but she was still a bit far from ravishing. However, their worries were dispelled when Tsugi put on her costume for the first time. This was when the benefits of her strict upbringing showed. Even though there were girls who were prettier than her, none could hold to her noble mien.
There was a stark difference between Tsugi who was wearing uniform and Tsugi who was dressed up in kimono. In uniform, she looked like a typical middle school girl whose friendly attitude and polite manner quickly earned her a place amongst her friends. In kimono, she was an elegant, aristocratic lady of perfect mannerism. People who had been doubtful of the kinship between the two Yanagi's finally conceded: this is indeed a daughter of the distinguished Yanagi family. It was just like what Geishi said. It would be a 'bam' and 'le gasp' when she steps onto the stage. Tsugi's character was one of the highlights of the skit.
"Looking good there, Tsugi-chan," The newly appointed captain of the girls team Izumi Hana nodded at her and commented. She couldn't think of a suitable word to describe her junior. Gorgeous? Not quite. Ugly? Definitely not. There was just something mesmerizing about the way she pulled off the kimono and traditional hairstyle. Traditional Japanese style really suited Tsugi.
"Thank you, captain," Tsugi lifted her face to smile at Hana while she performed a last check on her fan to ensure that it was in good condition.
"Alright everyone, it's time to get ready. Today is the real event; let's do our best to make this performance a perfect one. The previous item is about to finish. Yachiru-senpai, Ukitari-senpai, please move the props for the first scene onto the stage," Yukimura's voice drew the attention of everyone in the room. Being the backstage manager as well as the director of the skit, he was the only one wearing his uniform since he didn't have to appear on the stage.
"Yes, captain," The two second years stood up upon being called and quickly settled down to work. Yukimura's leadership ability and his tennis style had long convinced everyone that he is the most capable person to lead the club. On the surface, it was Sanada who dominated the club, but within the club itself, everyone knew that Yukimura was the one who calls the shots.
"You make a fine Kaguya-hime, Yanagi-san," Yukimura caught sight of Tsugi looking over and smiled warmly at her, not attempting to conceal the admiration in his eyes. Tsugi blushed upon hearing his compliment.
"You're too kind, Yukimura-san," She replied as she turned her head to hide her burning cheeks. Yukimura didn't take notice of it because his attention was diverted. There was a lot to be done today.
A round of applause sounded from below the stage. It was the signal that the previous item had already finished. The senpai who was given the role of Kaguya-hime's father took a deep breath as he readied himself to walk onto the stage.
"Wow, wasn't that a splendid performance put up by the badminton club? Well, we have something equally exciting in store for you next! Coming up next is 'Taketori Monogatari' which is presented to you by Rikkai Dai's tennis club. Please enjoy!" The emcee announced as the crowd erupted in cheers and uproar. The curtains were drawn and the senpai stepped onto the stage.
"Once upon a time, there was an old, childless bamboo cutter called Taketori no Okina who lived in the mountains with his wife. One day, he came across a mysterious, shining stalk of bamboo which he promptly set to cut down. After cutting it open, he found inside an infant the size of a thumb. He rejoiced to have found such a beautiful child, and took her home where he and his wife raised her as their own. The little girl was named Kaguya-hime."
The second-year senior who was acting as the narrator paused here, as Yukimura gave the cue for the backdrop to be changed.
"From then on after, whenever Taketori no Okina cuts open a bamboo, he would find a gold nugget in the heart of the bamboo. The family soon became wealthy. As little Kaguya-hime grew up; she became a woman of extraordinary beauty."
At here, the light dimmed slightly, signaling to Tsugi that it was time for her to enter the scene. She took a deep breath and Yukimura offered her an encouraging smile which soothed her rigid muscle nerves. She smiled back shyly, and with a brave step, she entered the scene.
Gasps of disbelief were heard from the audience. Tsugi chose to shut out whatever was happening beneath the stage.
"Taketori no Okina attempted to keep Kaguya-hime away from outsiders, but news of her unparalleled beauty soon leaked out and five princes came in sought of her hand in marriage," The narrator recited.
"Hey, did you know? The Taketori no Okina living up the mountains has a daughter of ethereal beauty. I heard she's a reincarnation of the Goddess of the Moon!"
"Is it for real? Ah, if only I could see her just once, I would die without any regrets!"
The two people who acted as villagers walked by the scene as the light dimmed, and then Taketori no Okina and Kaguya-hime appeared again.
"My dear, dear daughter… Your beauty may bring you catastrophe in future. Your mother and I are old, and our only wish is for you to live peacefully. We do not wish for you to marry a powerful lord, for behind the intricate doors of those noble families, we know for sure that their wealth and power come at the expense of humanity. My daughter, do you understand?"
"Yes, father."
At here, Marui, Jackal and the three second year seniors entered the scene. As expected, their costumes elicited good-natured laughter from the crowd. Marui was dressed in a sloppy Arabic outfit. Jackal's bald head which was completely revealed in his British outfit made the crowd erupt in laughter. The other three seniors were dressed up as a traditional Japanese prince, a Korean prince and an ancient Greek prince.
"The five princes exerted their influence on Taketori no Okina and forced him to ask Kaguya-hime to pick her groom from amongst the five. Kaguya-hime relented, but she had conditions."
"We have come here to seek Kaguya-hime's hand in marriage, please allow us to meet your daughter," The senior dressed up as an ancient Korean prince requested politely.
"Enough! Please stop pressuring my parents. I will only agree to marry one of you on one condition. You have to complete my task," Tsugi held her fan to her face and shielded herself from the view of the five princes.
"Pray tell us, Kaguya-hime. For you we would do anything," The Japanese prince said earnestly.
"For you, I've heard of a jewel hung around the neck of a dragon from the Eastern Sea. Bring me the jewel and I'll marry you," She said to the first.
"And you, there's a stone begging bowl which was used by the Buddha when he was traveling India. That would be the object of your task."
"As for you, there's a sacred tree on the island of Horai which branches are made of precious metal and fraught with jewels, bring me a branch from the tree and you will have my hand in marriage."
"For you, I've heard legends of a fire rat robe of China. Bring me the robe and I will answer your request."
"Lastly, for you, I ask that you bring me the snail which was bore by cowry."
"Please await our return, Kaguya-hime," The five princes bowed simultaneously and said in unison. This is when troubles occurred. Marui accidentally stepped on the robes of the senior acting as the Japanese prince who slipped and fell on the scene.
There was an awkward silence in the air.
"Marui! What do you think you're doing? Why you little rascal, I knew you bore a grudge against me since that day but you shouldn't have done that!" The senior quickly picked himself up, his face completely red from a mixture of anger and embarrassment.
Uh-oh. He already lost his sense.
"I…" Marui tried to explain, but the senior cut him off.
"I get it! We'll settle it today once and for all!" The senior pulled out a racquet from nowhere and immediately smashed a tennis ball towards Marui.
"W-what!?" Marui's eyes widened and he froze on the spot, but Jackal reacted swiftly and magically produced a racquet from beneath his costume; and with a swift swing, he reflected the ball back to the enraged senior.
"What what what? A match in the middle of nowhere? This is superb! Let me in on it!" The senior dressed as a Greek prince cried out in excitement as he too pulled out a racquet from nowhere.
Silence, there was a deathly silence in the crowd. The crowd watched the sudden change of event in bemusement. Can somebody explain to them how did a doubles match suddenly come onto the scene?
Tsugi watched in horrors as a doubles match unravelled on the scene in front of the audience. Oh god. Oh god… She couldn't bear to watch anymore.
Even Yukimura was frowning in the backstage.
"Tarundoru!" Sanada couldn't stand the pandemonium on stage anymore and he barked out as he stomped onto the scene.
All of a sudden, the four players halted in their match. Sanada had that kind of effect on people. He was intimidating.
The narrator looked hopefully at Sanada, prompting him to pick up the broken state of the skit but Sanada, being Sanada, was rigid on stage. He froze on the scene after he stepped on it because he didn't know how to transit to the next scene. In accordance to the script, his appearance should be much, much later. The narrator was getting hysterical. What is going on now!? Come on Sanada, you can do it, save the day would you!?
It was another awkward two minutes on the stage, with all the characters frozen in their spot. Just as Tsugi decided to face the music and attempt to do something, another group of people crashed the scene.
Tsugi nearly fainted when she saw the group. They were the celestial entities whom were supposed to bring her back to the Moon in the last scene! Why are they even appearing now!? The group was equally perturbed but they couldn't help themselves when they saw the state of the skit. Since it had come to this, they might as well just jump on the bandwagon and make the fruit cake even nuttier.
Yukimura stood there thoughtfully for a moment, before he sighed and went to change his clothes. As he thought, he was expecting too much from his club. It was back to basics for them. He glanced over at Nio and Yagyuu. If they thought that the little marble on the stage went unnoticed, they were gravely mistaken.
Nio and Yagyuu were watching the skit with amusement, completely unaware of their impending fate. Ah, chaos, such the loveliest thing in life. Renji was also smiling from the backstage. Technically speaking, he should follow his Emperor around, but oh well. None of them had any regrets for the completely butchered skit. If anything, they were exhilarated.
This generation of Rikkai Dai regulars was full of mischief.
When Yukimura appeared on the scene dressed in a costume which was queerly similar to Sanada's, the actors who were trying their best to mutilate the play froze in their spots. Even the audience stopped the commotion momentarily to look at Yukimura. Yukimura ignored all of them and made his way towards Tsugi who peered at him with a perplexed expression.
Since when did Yukimura have a role in the skit? She blinked in confusion.
Yukimura knelt down in front of her and took her hand in his. He kissed the back of her hand and smiled softly at her, completely ignoring the uproar in the crowd and astonishment of the actors on the scene.
Yagyuu nearly tripped over his shoes and landed on Nio who had to grab a nearly prop to regain his stability.
Sanada's expression was ominous, if people didn't know better, they would have thought that he just caught his wife committing adultery.
Renji's expression was somewhat between flabbergasted and... Excited. This was priceless data.
"Let's go back to the palace together, my dear princess. Your time on Earth is up; the Moon is where you belong. You will not be lonely, for your biological parents are there, and I, your husband, will be beside you forever."
"H-huh!?" Tsugi's eyes widened before she caught the look in Yukimura's eyes which made her realize that he was only trying to pick up the broken play. She took a deep breath and calmed herself. This was just for the set, just for the set...
"Yes, se no kimi(2)."
(1) Kamaboko is white fish paste formed into blocks and boiled. Apparently it's quite popular in Kanagawa.
(2) I don't usually use Japanese words in this fanfic other than honorifics but I felt that it was essential to use this. 'Se no kimi' literally means 'the one who backs me up', it's how women address their husbands in old Japan. A rather obsolete term now.