Collection 3

Sweat Tooth

“Shuu-shan,” said Ai one Saturday in the P.E. locker room, “Isn’t that the same track uniform I saw you wear in your first-year picture?”

“Uhm,” she confirmed. “It’s pretty comfy, isn’t it?”

“I mean, it never gets too small for you?”

Shuka laughed. “Come on, it’s only been a year!”

Ai made a face. “This is my third one already,” she lamented.

“Well, I guess you’re still growing.”

Her waistline’s growing?! “That’s uncomfortable to hear!”

Shuka put an arm round her. “You know, I once had the same worries as you. If you didn’t know…” Wink! “I’m a big eater myself! All you need is a more active lifestyle! The club’s having practice this afternoon, let’s (break a sweat)!”

Extra track exercises, and now a dance rehearsal? “I’m not sure I can keep up with your energy levels.”

“Nonsense. Of course you can! You just need more confidence!” Salute!

Oh, that cliché confidence talk again. Is this a deo commercial? “B-Besides,” said Ai, “I-I got a huge sweet tooth. It’s just gonna cancel any and all workout that I do.”

“No, it won’t!” She pulled out a bubble-gum lollipop out of her pocket. (You see, the tip about Ai, is that you always have a treat in hand whenever you’re around her.) “Come on, go for it!” she beamed throwing it up in the air. Ai very excitedly opened her mouth to catch it, but Shuka snatched it in mid-air. She ran outside with the candy all the way to the baseball green. “Home run!” she yelled with a mighty pitch.

Ai rushed out to the field closely following the high-flying lollipop, and as soon as it was coming down, she jumped finally caught it in her mouth! Shuka arrived on the scene and hugged her round and round. “See? We only need to use that sweet tooth more constructively, ne?”

The Other Side of Anju

“This is a horse. Eheh...”

The gang only gazed blankly at Nanaka and her uneasy smile. This wasn’t quite working. Meanwhile Ewok was nuzzling her ponytail and she was also shooing him away in vain.

“Er, we kinda know that, Nanaka-san,” said Rikako.

“Come on, guys, I was only trying an intro for our customers. It’s our first time to do this, ever.”

“The shop’s going to offer horseback riding?” asked Shuka.

“But I thought we’re going treasure-hunting today, zura…”

“I’m scared,” said Ai. “I-I’m gonna fall off.”

“Where can we even ride that thing?” complained Anju. “The only proper track is in Nankaisei.”

“Well, we have the entire cove to ourselves,” smiled Nanan-chan. “Nothing but fine, powdery sand all the way. I’m sure Yoshiyuki-kun will feel macho on horseback by the sea, like in the ad posters.”

“The fallen ride serpents, not horses,” he muttered.

“Oh, of course!” she beamed with a wooden grin. “Imagine how slippery that would be, though.”

“How’d you even come up with that?” said Shuka. “Are you running out of ideas?”

“Um, not really. Anna-chan sent it over yesterday saying it’d be a great addition to the shop… without explaining why. She’s like that sometimes.”

“She telling you to barbecue it, zura…”

“Welp,” Nanaka finally said, “who’d want to try?”

Everybody stepped back, but Anju didn’t catch up to them. “Uehhhh?! Am I the only one?”

“Hora,” said Nanan-chan bringing Ewok to her, “make friends with him. You must have his trust before you can ride him.”

Anju could only grit her teeth anxiously as she felt the horse’s breath on her forehead. “Y-You sure about this, N-Nanan-chan, I—” Suddenly Ewok bit Anju’s overhanging lock of hair. “Eek! Get it off me!” Everybody scrambled in a panic to pull them apart, Nanaka with the horse, they with Anju, but it’s too late, the ahoge was cut off, sending them reeling back.

“A-Are you alright, An-chan?” asked Rikako.

The gang gathered round just as a shadow came over her, and she began to laugh evilly. Suddenly she broke away from them and strode the horse in one swift movement. “Ho, my steed!” she declared with a demonic echo. “Let us ride to the edge of the stars! GEEUP!" Ewok neighed mightily in complete accord.

That day, a warrior was born.

Test of the Best

“Did it fit me right?” asked Anju about the new costume. Aquasports was to hold an intro concert for their upcoming month-long workshop. The activity is to be held every weekend at Nanaka’s and will feature kayaking, snorkeling, and sport fishing, with maybe a little horseback-riding on the side.

“Uhm!” agreed Ai happily. “You carried it ready and perfectly.”

“Nice! I felt really light in this, actually. What about the dress itself?”

“Hmmmm…” Well, the theme was “ocean gown,” so they had a cerulean outfit with white frills to evoke foaming waves. “The lace at the skirt might need trimming.”

“Really? But I like that part.”

“I don’t trust huge lace especially at the skirt. They distract too much, when the audience is supposed to watch the rest of our body move.”

“Uwo! You’re really smart when it comes to concert wear. Say, why don’t ‘ya sub for Shuka-shan as our costume maker?”

“Eh? But…”

“Shuka’s really busy. She has both school and cruise and she runs the club to boot. And you’re only a first-year.”

“You making it sound like we’re having it easy.”

“Ar’nt ‘ya?”

Well… Sigh. “OK. But I only size up costumes so far. It will be my first time actually making them so I’m not sure how it’d turn out.”

“Don’t worry about that, I’ll give you a test! Make a costume for Yoshiyuki-kun! If you pull that one off, you can be sure you can make one for absolutely anyone in the club.”

“Wawawawah…” She was flustered. “B-But he’s a boy…” Though it wasn’t just that. She can’t forget that dreadful wolf tattoo she had seen on him. Is she going to make a gangster outfit?!”

“Come on, work outside your comfort zone, for once. If you don’t do it right, I’ll snuck in a fat crawler down your back in the clubroom.”

Ai bolted out the door. “I must substitute for Director Ito as chairwoman next week!”