Collection 4

Happy Party Bike

“Yoshiyuki-kun,” said Shuka one fine Saturday taking a break from a baseball clinic, “Granny had mentioned you were in a cycling team. How did it go?”

That? It’s not like he was his Dad, who won a place in the Nationals. “It wasn’t a team. I just got into it, joined a race sometimes, nothing special.”

“But she said you can overtake a car at full speed.”

Well, yeah, but, “I don’t remember telling her anything like that.”

“Moh, what happened to your memory?”

“What about yours?”

“Eh? Of course, silly! What do you think I—” Just then… Laugh. “Oh yes! Silly me. She was talking about your Dad.” Salute! “But I’m super-confident you can do that, too, maybe it runs in the family.”

“I told you, I’m nothing special.”

“But I hear there’ll be a Grand Tour of Otou-san. Let’s join! Just for the fun.”

It was here that nothing-special guy felt like bragging a little. “Can you keep up with me?”

“You mean to say you mean to leave me behind?! Moh.”

“I didn’t say anything, OK?”

“Alright, let’s get our wheels right after practice, you and me. Let’s make our own tour. Otou-san isn’t that big; even if it gets dark, there will be lights on the road, we’d be home for dinner. Call your Grandma, OK?”

He shrugged. “Sure thing.” However— he dialed another number, as well. He had no worries about Granny, she wasn't the type to yell at him, but someone who did will eventually get wind of their adventure... and he didn’t want to get chewed out on Monday in the school corridor.

Later, at the school gates, there weren’t two bikes, but six. “Yatta!” went Anju. “You’re such a genius, Shuka-shan. Our own grand tour!” She kicked off and led the way for the rest of the club. “To Nanan-chan’s!”

They all cheered, and soon enough all five girls began to float off in the air, trailing colorful sparkles, pedaling across the ocean to Okaa-san, probably beyond. Yoshiyuki wasn’t interested in following. “Tell me if you find Elon’s roadster,” he muttered.

Assassination Swim Class

“Hallo, evhree-bah-dy.”

The seniors were astounded at the beautiful guest of honor at this Saturday’s snorkeling clinic. Nanaka was deeply satisfied at how well Anna engage the audience. “Minna,” she said, “Miss Nanjou is the heiress of the Piazza Hotel on Okaa-san. Be sure to do your best to impress, OK?”

This elicited more oohs. Anna laughed to herself.

“First off,” continued Nanaka, “let’s demonstrate the snorkel itself. Anna-chan,” she said to her with a wink, “can you do the honors?”

“Why, yes!” she snatched the thing and began to model it. “This is an A-3000 high-performance all-purpose snorkel! It is made from only the finest resin, so fine it’s bulletproof!”

“Whoa…!” went the crowd.

Nanaka chuckled uneasily. “Well, that’s one very colorful way to put it. But really—”

“Nanjou-senpai!” called a girl excitedly. “Do you rich people like you bulletproof everything? I mean, so nobody can kidnap or assassinate you.”

“Well!” she replied with a flourish. “I got much more than bulletproofing. I actually have a ladybug sense which I got when I was bitten by a radioactive ladybug! I can even sense the approach of a kidnapper from eight miles and two days away!”

Wild cheers erupted from the audience. Nanaka was already sweating.

“I even have an extra power,” she said with a wink. “Look… Ahem. Take this! Mari-chan lay-zahhhh…. Beeeeeeeeam!”

The crowd roared with rowdy applause. By now Nanaka could hardly tell whether Anna’s just clueless, doing a stand-up act, both, or maybe turning the crowd against her. Maybe it's best to just believe she was a bit too sheltered and was craving hoi polloi attention for a change... “How brilliant!” she said putting up a sunny face. “Can I have the snorkel back?”

Never Say No to Uchi-kun

“Zura~” Kanako halved the sandwich in one gulp.

Rikako giggled in delight. “Kan-chan, you’re so cute even when you eat.”

“Of course,” she said with her mouth full. “Your sandwiches are so good, they’ll make anyone cute.” Gulp. “Seconds, zura!”

“Really now. I wish I had your metabolism. Say, I have a jar of Walrus Peanut Butter®. Shall we try it?”

“Nuh-uh. I’m in a savory mood, zura.”

All of a sudden a figure in a walrus costume appeared right next to the picnic table. It took the peanut butter… and kicked down the table dumping all of the food and stuff on the grass as the girls looked on dumbfounded. It kicked the table one last time.

Walrus Peanut Butter. You know you want it.

“Nanan-chan! Nanjou-san!” beamed Anju as the three of them passed by the condiments section of Piazza Hotel’s supermarket. “Let’s have Piazza pizza tonight! Which brands do you recommend?”

“All of the stuff in our little grocery are first-class,” said Anna, “so I can’t really tell. Pick what you feel like!”

“I think we can use some more tomato ketchup,” said Nanaka. “An-chan, can you please get that one?”

“Oh this?” she said taking the one in a large squeeze bottle. “This looks perfect!”

All of sudden there stood in front of them a figure in a huge walrus suit. It snatched the ketchup away leaving Anju’s hand open in mid-air. It then squirted the ketchup on the girls as they looked on, speechless.

Finally, the mascot pressed a jar of Walrus Peanut Butter® into An-chan open hand.

Walrus Peanut Butter. You know you want it.

“Onee-chan, what should I eat to keep my figure?”

“Ahem. Add plenty of fiber to your diet. If you aren’t in a hurry or on weekends like this, ride your bike to school.”

“So there are foods I must cut down on,” said Ai apprehensively, “am I right?”

“Precisely. Avoid refined carbs and sugars, as well as oily foods such as—”

Just then... a walrus mascot was sitting with them at the dinner table as they stared paralyzed with fright. It banged the table with two fists. “Eheheh,” said Arisa hastily. “P-Peanut butter’s the exception, zura. Zero calories! It so healthy it can turn off the sun!”

Walrus Peanut Butter. You’ll want one. Badly.