October
Chapter 8
The second test week was easier than the first. At least for Haruka, Michiru and their study group. A few girls, including Haruka's roommate, had some struggles, but most of the class got decent grades.
But none of their tests would help them now. The first years would have their first presentation in public. They would perform as a chorus at the city hall, at the end of the month.
Their voices were an important instrument. Even now that they had microphones. They were taught how to talk and sing without any technological help. Like all the Siennes before them. So chorus was actually one of the most important classes they had.
Haruka was ridiculously excited for the presentation, unlike her classmates. She was one of the best students in her class, since she had some great grades in both her test weeks. Even at singing. Haruka was almost 16, so her voice was still changing. She expected it to settle when her otokoyaku training started. So this way she could focus in maintaining a low tone for basically the rest of her life.
Haruka loved the Revue. Being a part of this, going to this school, training to be on stage someday was her dream coming true. And she was willing to dedicate her whole life to be a performer, a Sienne.
The Revue was her passion since she was a child. When she decided to join, Haruka knew she had to sacrifice her personal life. Siennes weren't allowed to get married during their contracts with the Revue. Not that Haruka wanted to get married someday. She never even thought about that, never really seeing the point to spend any minute in her busy life to think about it.
The only man she had any contact, besides her father and brothers was Mamoru. And Mamoru was her best friend, she only saw him like a brother. And Haruka knew he saw her the same way.
Her life was only about the Revue. And she couldn't imagine giving up her dream to be there. For anything in this world.
*****
Michiru was having lunch quietly. Lunch for her meant something almost sacred. It was one of the few free times she had, so she just ate. No studying, nothing. She didn't even think about her morning classes or how her afternoon would be. It was just her and her inner thoughts.
"Excuse me, princess, is this seat taken?"
The aquamarine girl looked up, seeing Haruka looking back at her, a boyish grin on her beautiful face and food tray on her hands. Michiru felt her heart skip a beat. Suddenly she felt hot, like her body was feverish. And she remembered how warm Haruka's touch was.
"Of course not, Tenou-san."
Haruka sat by Michiru's side, she was indeed hungry. The food from the school cafeteria wasn't bad, and after eating it every day, the taller girl was already used to.
"You don't have to call me that when we're alone," Haruka started, feeling a little upset with her last name on her friend's lips. Like it was something wrong. Michiru wasn't Kaiou-san anymore. She was just Michi. Or princess, when Haruka felt like pulling her leg.
"We're hardly alone, Tenou-san." The other girl focused her gaze at her food, a bowl of rice, salad and fried fish. "There are almost 100 people around us, including our teachers..."
Haruka kept glaring at Michiru. She was acting weird since before their second evaluation. Almost like she was avoiding her. She was always by herself, leaving right after class, sometimes not even bothering to say goodbye.
"Michi? Is everything okay?" Just when Haruka thought she and Michiru were getting closer, the other girl put distance between them, becoming unavailable, unreachable. "Is your family giving you a hard time?"
Michiru looked at Haruka's dark green eyes, surprised by her words. Haruka was the only one who knew, at least a little, about her home situation. It felt weird and wrong to talk about that in school grounds.
"No, everything is fine."
"Are you sure?"
Again, Michiru looked at Haruka. At this amazing and selfless girl, who was just worried about her. Worried about her furious father. Worried about her absent mother. Even not really knowing all the details. And Michiru was just thinking about how would be kissing her, how her lips would taste against hers. If her lips were warm and soft like she thought they were. Because she already knew how her body felt.
Michiru didn't deserve Haruka as a friend. Not when she was having so many impure thoughts about the other girl. That was why Michiru had been so distant lately. She couldn't let whatever was happening to her ruin everything.
Michiru didn't have time to invest in a relationship. And she didn't even want one. She had a lot of plans for the future but being with someone wasn't one of them. One of the reasons for her to join the Revue was the fact that Siennes were forbidden to get married until their graduation.
And in her case, the best for her was to become an old maiden. Knowing his daughter was gay would probably kill Daiki.
"Yes, I am sure." The former violinist just wanted this feeling to go away. She wanted to enjoy her school life without her hormones driving her crazy.
"Oh, are you going to the premiere of Araki-san's play?" Haruka was dying to ask her that, but since Michiru was running away from her, she couldn't do it until now. "You remember Araki-san, right? She performed for us during our entrance exam."
"I overheard some honkasei talking about it, actually," Michiru clarified, remembering the first time she met the Sienne. Araki Sei was a rising star at Hoshigumi, with her polite manners, sultry voice and height. Being one of the tallest otokoyakus, Sei was starting to make a name for herself just a couple of years after finishing school. Being a talented actress and a skilled dancer, the play at Bow Hall was her first time in a lead role.
Haruka admired Sei since she first saw her at her entrance exam. Maybe it was the fact that Sei was the first real Sienne she met in person. She was the kind of otokoyaku Haruka wanted to be. Even being a 'third year seito', a Sienne with three years of work at the Revue, Sei was already gathering fans everywhere. Talented, polite and so graceful, she had a peaceful personality. Her dark green hair, garnet eyes and tanned skin also helped, giving her an almost exotic appearance.
The few times Sei and Haruka met, the older woman was so helpful. Like an older sister, caring and attentive. She always gave Haruka practical tips on how to act, or how to make her tap dance better. She even taught her a pretty useful trick, about how to take care of her voice after a stressful week.
"So are you coming? The honkasei have other things to worry, remember?" They had heard stories about how cruel some honkasei could be, taking advantage of the school hierarchy to make the first years' lives a living hell. Luckily, both of them didn't meet any girl who did anything terrible. They were strict, like everything else at that school, but nothing that they couldn't handle.
Michiru looked at Haruka, a little confused.
"They have their culture festival coming up," the blonde girl said.
"And we have our chorus presentation. Or did you forget?"
Haruka gave Michiru a smile so big, so genuinely happy.
"Of course not! I can't wait to do our performance!"
Michiru chuckled. Haruka always had this childish excitement. She was always worked up about everything even remotely related to the Revue. But she couldn't blame her. It was refreshing to see someone like this. And a little scary. The world would chew Haruka and swallow her. And Michiru couldn't help but fear for her friend.
She signed, listening to Haruka comment her thoughts about their first public performance as students. Of course Haruka was adorable. And she hoped this crush would die eventually. Soon she wouldn't even remember not feeling like this, having all these naughty thoughts.
Michiru just had to concentrate on her studies. She would be okay of she did that.
******
As the senior class was getting ready for their upcoming festival, the freshmen were practicing for their chorus performance. They would be needed at the festival too, since the student body was small, the seniors needed every spare hand they could have. And the festival was their last amateur performance. After this, they would start rehearsing for their hatsubutai, their debut on a real Takarazuka stage. The hatsubutai usually happened every April and of course, it was the most important event for the music school students.
After the hatsubutai, they would sign their 7 year contract and find out which Troupe they would be assigned to. Usually, it was a short presentation, but since it was their debut, it needed to be perfect. After all, nothing but perfection was expected from those girls.
Michiru was looking at the music sheet, mumbling the lyrics. She had learned how to read music sheets even before learning how to read. It was easier, comfortable. At least one thing she could rely on at school.
The girl thought she was completely adapted to this demanding routine already. But her nerves were trying to get the best of her. She was doing great in her classes. After the first test week, she proved to her teachers she was pretty serious about her education. Her second test week results confirmed that, Michiru was one of the 10 best students in the yonkasei class. She was satisfied with herself. Being a musician, she took her sweet time making her body understand her new reality.
Her new reality as a dancer and singer. As an actress, a future Sienne. Michiru didn't think she was talented, at least not in the same degree as Haruka. But she could always try to be the best she could.
Even if that meant studying for hours after getting home. Even if that meant losing precious time with her cousin, they still had their dinners, right? Ami would understand.
After all, Ami was a Kaiou too. She understood what giving everything up meant.
*****
It was an unusually warm Saturday morning when the freshmen class got into city hall. Wearing their gray uniform, complete with their red bowtie, the girls were waiting in silence to be called on stage. The city knew how important the Revue was not just for the country, but to Takarazuka itself. Before, it was a small village, destined to disappear when Osaka or Kobe grew out of proportion. But the Revue gave to that city a reason to stay strong and survive. And now, 100 years later, everyone in Japan knew them. Worldly renowned, the Revue and its actresses were a national treasure.
It was supposed to be an easy performance. The yonkasei spent October rehearsing five songs to present to important political figures, their guests and a few lucky people who were able to get a ticket.
Oosaka Naru was one of them. She came alone this time, differently from the fundraising event she attended a few months ago. Now it was personal for her.
Just like her mother had said, she had found her Sienne. Mayumi was a little surprised when Naru told her about her experience during the event and how she met the future Sienne she would like to follow. From her experience, it was unusual to choose such a young actress, who was still in school. But since Naru would have to wait until her Sienne entered her fifth year in the company to have a fan club, she had time to see if this girl would make it in the competitive world she lived in.
It was the first time Naru went to a performance by herself. Normally she was with her friends, or even her mother. The girl found out about the yonkasei chorus performance in the official website, a couple weeks ago and she couldn't stop thinking about it. Since she saw that tall blonde girl playing the piano and then when she got to talk to her, Naru couldn't care if the girl was a freshmen or not.
That girl would be great. Naru could feel it.
******
One by one the girls started to fill the make shift stage, the smallest first and the tallest for last. With their hair perfectly braided, all them looked way to serious for teenagers.
Michiru saw herself surrounded by people she really didn't know. Their teacher had arranged them by height and although she wasn't short enough to be with Takako and Kaoru in the front, she wasn't tall enough to be with Haruka in the back.
Even with all her progress, Michiru felt so alone among the girls she barely knew. Of course she knew after she was assigned to a Troupe, it would be almost impossible to work with just people she knew, at least not in a first moment.
But she was still a teenage girl. An insecure, scared and a little too perfectionist teenage girl.
She kept her game face on. This was just the second step in her journey, the first one being when she got into this school. She could do it. She would do it.
With a deep breath, Michiru went to her happy place. That technique always worked when she was about to play her violin in public, it would help her now. Otherwise, she would fail miserably as an actress.
And she couldn´t let that happen.
*****
Watching a Takarazuka performance was like going to a fantastic place. Naru was used to that. It was her first time watching a chorus act by a freshmen class, though. She was excited, truly happy to be there. Knowing that some of those girls would be great actresses someday made her proud of being there.
Her mother was proud of Naru being there, as well. Being a longtime fan, Mayumi knew the effect the Revue had on people. And she knew Naru needed this. She needed to take her mind off her life, being a college student and working at the family store. And of course, Mayumi was just happy to have her only daughter starting her life as a fan.
Naru never thought she would be there, watching those girls on stage, singing in perfect harmony. For most of those girls, that was their first public performance ever. And yet, they were smiling, singing with such fierce discipline. It was indeed something really beautiful to watch.
From her spot, Naru could see a couple of familiar faces. Like those students she saw after the fundraising event. The tall, chivalrous blonde was in the last line, and the delicate aquamarine haired one was right in the middle. Naru couldn't recognize their voices among the others, but she was amazed by everything. She knew those students were first years. She knew they had started school just a few months ago.
Takarazuka music school was indeed a great place to learn how to be amazing.
In the end, Naru realized her mother was right. This was where she was supposed to be. In the audience, watching magic being made. In a few months, those teenagers would be professional actresses. Most of them were younger than Naru. If they could be that dedicated to their future, to their craft, Naru could do it too. The auburn haired girl could do anything she wanted if she applied herself enough.
Maybe that was what her mother was trying to tell her all her life. Finally, she was starting to understand.
**********
A few days later, the excitement of their first performance was still running in Haruka's veins. She was so enthusiastic, even more than before. And that reflected in her dance, singing and acting. It was like she was more focused than usual. Always paying double attention to her teachers, practicing in her dorm room.
She was determined to end the first school term as one of the best students in her class. Her grades were already impressive, but if she wanted to be Top one day, Haruka knew she had to be better.
So, even during her cleaning routine she was thinking about dance movements, song lyrics and acting exercises. This was her life, she had a goal and she would do anything in her power to achieve it.
When the freshmen were told they would perform another chorus act during the Cultural Festival, it was so hard to hide her happiness.
Unlike Haruka, Michiru finally relaxed after their first presentation. She knew they did a good job, even for their impossibly high standards. Of course, there's always ways to improve. But she didn't take that in a bad way. Months ago, she would be depressed about that. But now? She learned to enjoy small victories.
They started practicing for their chorus act in a raining Wednesday. It was early November, so the weather was starting to get chilly. Since she came from Nagano, Haruka was used to the cold. And Michiru grew up a few minutes away, so the cold didn't really bother her.
But the cold weather could be harmful for their voices. And to their bodies. So they had to be extra careful. Haruka was pushing her limits, she knew that… But how would she be better, be the best if she didn´t forced herself to just be the best? Her rational mind knew she was doing something almost dangerous, but she couldn´t care. It wasn´t a big deal, just some extra practice. It wasn't like she never did that… Before coming to this school, she had to learn new techniques, new dance styles and she was fine. Because Haruka knew this was for a greater good. So now, she wouldn´t really worry.
It was for a good even bigger than before. It was her whole future.
In her class, there were a lot of good girls, really talented and amazing. Anyone of them could become Top one day. And after seeing them performing together for the first time, Haruka felt so insecure. She knew all these girls, she practiced with them, ate with them, danced with them. But after that chorus act, she had realized how hard the competition really was…
And she felt a little stupid, especially at night, when she was too tired and sore to even breathe. But it wasn´t something she could help. When Haruka was younger, she had a dream. Now she had an objective.
During ballet class, 34 young women were doing their exercises in silence, as usual. Under the stern look of their teacher, the girls moved in synchrony. The first year teachers thought this class was one of the best they ever had, almost every student were so committed to their work and most of them already had an artistic background.
"Tenou-san?" Michiru whispered to Haruka, noticing the blonde girl stopping. Her worried tone was audible in her voice. "Are you okay?"
Haruka winced, feeling her leg muscle cramping. A few students were looking at her, at her pained expression and she felt like an idiot. A childish idiot.
"Yeah, I´m fine… Just cramps, nothing else…" She felt even worse when her teacher, a round woman with thick framed glasses who seemed incapable of smiling, came to check on her
"What´s wrong?" The woman asked, seeing two of her most talented leaving formation.
"It´s nothing, sensei, just a muscle cramp. It´s getting cold…" Haruka tried to explain, not to her teacher or to Michiru, but to herself. It was nothing. She was fine…
"I´ll get you some water…" the aquamarine girl tried to ran to her bag, left in the wall next to the mirror, but she couldn't leave Haruka all alone under the glare of their classmates. Haruka was always careful and so experienced… If she was starting to feel the pain of their strict routine, Michiru didn´t have any chance to survive this school.
Helping her friend, Michiru lead them to their bags, and Haruka sat on the floor, taking a long sip of her water bottle. She watched, feeling so guilty when Michiru started to gently massage her calf.
"You don´t have to do that…" Haruka said, feeling uncomfortable… She had risked a serious injury, risked her own future just because she got a little irrational over her own abilities.
"Shut up, Haruka… This isn´t even a minor setback. You remember what you said to us? Back in our first test week?" Michiru was focused on her task. Her long and slightly calloused fingers were working nicely on Haruka´s sore muscle. "You said to us that we can´t go further than our body let us. We may try, but it will kick us in our behinds…" She smiled. "You can´t force yourself to go beyond your limit. Now tell me why you´re doing something so stupid."
"The chorus act… I think it got to me more than I thought…." The blonde girl took a deep breath, feeling the pain going away.
"Don´t be silly, Haruka. You know you´re better than everyone here. Just remember that every time you think about doing something like this again, ok?"
Smiling, Haruka understood how irresponsible she was acting.
"Thank you."
"No need to thank me."
Michiru looked at her, her expression so serene. It was her turn to calm this beautiful girl´s heart. And she was glad that she could do that.
"Even the prince needs to be rescued every now and then."
TBC