The Cherry Project - Chapter 9 "Held by the wings of an angel..." Originally appeared in Nakayoshi, June 1991. Written by Takeuchi Naoko. Translated by Alex Glover. Version 1.0, 3.98. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Make me your partner, Tsuzuki!" Canty runs to his arms. "Aren't we the same champion partners! We were always together... Why didn't you say one word to me about pair skating?" "I don't know if it will happen or not," says Tsuzuki. "I will make it happen!" "Canty... Wasn't it your dream to be world champion of girls' singles? You're still a junior. Everyone has their hopes placed on you. I'm not about to interrupt you in your most important time." "Are you going to look for another girl? You don't have that kind of time! I have the self-confidence to catch up with you. If you don't like me, change me so that you do! You don't have to answer now. I want you to think about it. I'm serious, Tsuzuki..." She wipes a tear from her eye. "I want to chase the same dreams as Tsuzuki..." she thinks. She leaves. Tsuzuki hears Chieri's voice in his head. "-ki... Tsuzuki..." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chieri runs in the brisk morning air. "I overslept! Waking up at four, and being at the rink by five, that's tough! Just when I think the badge test is over, now there's the tournament... I can't concentrate on anything. I can only think of Tsuzuki... Even though I can't be his partner anymore... And I still have to practice..." She enters the rink, passing by the board listing people who have passed badge tests. The first two listed for level 6 are Tsuzuki Masanori and Canty Akiyama. "'Canty'..." thinks Chieri. "That's the Princess." She looks down to the other end, where the name Asuka Chieri is listed. "So far apart..." "Asuka-san!" says Mori. "What are you doing!? You're thirty minutes late!" They start skating. "Oh..." thinks Chieri. "Even though I'm practicing, it's in vain..." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chieri bursts into the classroom just as the bell rings. "Morning, Cherry!" says Yuni. "Don't you get tired every morning?" "I'll sleep a lot later..." says Chieri. "It's okay..." "Oh right, you have practice at night too," says Yuni. "Why don't you take off school?" "N- No way! I have to come to school!" As class starts, she looks at Tsuzuki. "Because it's the only place I can see Tsuzuki..." she thinks. "I have to be able to see his face." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- As Chieri walks through the hall, she sees Tsuzuki go into the faculty room. "Tsuzuki?" she thinks. She looks inside. "Oh, Tsuzuki-kun," says Haruna. "I got a call from your father... This is very sudden. So when are you going back to your old school?" Chieri's eyes widen. "He's going now...?" she thinks. "Damn father..." says Tsuzuki. Chieri runs outside. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Tsuzuki's going back to his old school...?" "Asuka-san! Look out!" Chieri crashes on the ice. "What were you thinking!?" says Mori. "Losing your concentration! Pull yourself together! What's wrong!? There's one month left until the tournament! You're not focusing at all!" "No, far from it..." thinks Chieri. "Do you think you can win like this!?" "Win..." thinks Chieri. "Get off the rink!" says Mori. Chieri stands at the side of the rink, and watches as Canty starts to skate. "The Princess is practicing for a public performance now," said Mori. "Cool your head for a bit." "She's so pretty..." thinks Chieri. "What am I doing here? Why am I skating? I'm losing Tsuzuki. I can't pair skate with him anymore... Skating has no meaning anymore..." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "So Tsuzuki's dad is doing it..." says Hiroshi. "I'm against transferring!" says Kouichi. "We still haven't done anything with Cherry yet... The one pair skating won't be me, but I don't want to give up on her. You understand, don't you, Hiroshi?" "Isn't Tsuzuki the one who understands most?" says Hiroshi. "Let us know your true feelings, because we'll go along with them..." "Sorry..." says Tsuzuki. "For dragging you so far into this... I would have liked to perform paired with her in the next tournament." "-ki... Tsuzuki..." "I'm not going to search for a partner much longer." "Tsuzuki!?" says Hiroshi. "Wait!!" "I've decided what to do," he says. "I know what I have to do." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chieri sits in Shiba Park, staring at the clock. "Four thirty..." she thinks. "He's really late. No, he must be held up." She puts on her headphones. "Oh... I still haven't completed the triple toe loop combination here... I can't do this... The tournament... Skating..." She sees Tsuzuki. "Is that your free skate music?" he says. "Y- Yeah..." "H- He startled me," she thinks. "Tsuzuki, what..." "I chose a free skate music too," he says. "Might be a bit late..." He hands her a tape. She plays it. "Classical? It's pretty music..." She imagines herself skating. "This is where I go from an eagle into a spiral... It's wonderful..." She takes off her headphones, and looks at Tsuzuki. "It turns out I'm going back to my old school tomorrow," he says. "Along with Hiroshi and Kouichi..." "I- Is that so..." says Chieri. "I finally got my music too, but... I've decided to quit. Skating." "Why?" says Tsuzuki. "Don't say stupid things!" "Since I can't pair skate with you anymore... And you're going far away, too... Without you... How can I go on skating?" "Don't... You're acting like I'm going to Siberia." "It's the same as Siberia," says Chieri. "It's far," she thinks. "So far away... I'll never see you again. Don't go... Stay with me..." "She looks like she's going to cry..." thinks Tsuzuki. He pulls her close and puts his arms around her. "Now... Being held by Tsuzuki..." thinks Chieri. "Flying slowly on the rink." "You like skating... Don't you?" says Tsuzuki. "I ask that you not say you're going to quit." "Tsuzuki's magic is falling on me," thinks Chieri. "You should be stronger than this," he says. "Didn't you say you were going to challenge the Princess." "But, now..." she thinks. "Even though I can't skate paired with Tsuzuki...?" "A challenge is a battle with yourself," says Tsuzuki. "Defeating yourself... Nobody can do it but you." He looks into her eyes. "If you keep skating, we will meet again soon." "Really?" "It's five o'clock. Go to practice. Coach Mori will get mad if you're late." "I'll do it!" says Chieri. "Be sure to watch! I'll beat the Princess!" She turns to leave. "I'm not going to wash my hair today..." she thinks. "Or my clothes... Because Tsuzuki held me tightly..." Hiroshi and Kouichi watch her go. "This might not work with us..." "Maybe..." "I wonder if it'll be all right..." "If it's Cherry, it will be..." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chieri holds a key in her hand. "I got this from Tsuzuki..." "I've got the key for my locker," he said. "Want to use it?" She sticks it in the keyhole of one of the lockers. "It doesn't fit..." She tries another. "Not this one either. Strange..." She looks at the clock. "What! It's already six!? Coach is going to kill me! I'll find the locker next time." She stops as she sees a locker with the name Asuka Chieri. "My locker..." She puts in the key and turns it. The locker opens. "I'm Tsuzuki Masanori." "The same birthday!?" "Tsuzuki had Coach Mori too?" "After Tsuzuki, she's the second person to pass six levels at once." "The locker... Tsuzuki used...?" She holds the key to her face. "Tsuzuki... Do you believe in destiny? I believe." She walks out toward the rink. "We will meet again soon." End of part 1. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Original manga copyright © 1991 Takeuchi Naoko. English translation copyright © 1998 Alex Glover. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Manga of Takeuchi Naoko | The Cherry Project | Volume 2