Vol 1 Chapter 1 (1/2)
I - Forced Unison
Figure Skating Woles Athlete Profile--
Sakurano Tazusa
Born September 10, 1989, in Tokyo
First-year student at Saint Touland Girls' School
Age: 16 years
Height: 158 cm
Regular rink: Tokyo Crystal Garden
Began lessons at the above rink in 1994
Hobbies: ani comics
Coach: Takashi+ma Yuuji
Principal Past Achievements
2004
March
Junior World Championshi+ps 3rd PlaceDecember
NHK Cup 5th Place
2005
January
japan National Championshi+ps 2nd PlaceMarch
World Athletics Championshi+ps 17th Place
And then, heading into the Olympic season
2005, early November, the first of the Grand Prix Series, Skate America, 10th place
To get this result in a competition that will influence the selection of representatives is definitely painful
Returning to japan with a disappointed feeling
Earlyin one hand, then after school, ain
Compared to America, japan has not yet developed a system that takes athletes' responsibilities into consideration so they can balance it with their schoolwork
There are provisions for overlooking various things, but though Ito take the regularly scheduled exams
I, Sakurano Tazusa-sa for school? Yes, exactly Don't be stupid
The sister's soleh the school church Everyone in school is standing and singing the harmonies of the hymn
Everyone in the class stands and sings the hymn
Right now, I ao of our Catholic school In such a situation, falling asleep would be impossible, even for me--
””
Huh? What is this? I hear so voice, either
”Scuse me a sec”
It's a lance around the rooirls school, after all No way you'd hear a ination
”Hey, can I”
”Who's there?!”
No doubt about it Soht now Filled with confusion, I looked all around me in a circle, but the ten closes people to me just stared at me with annoyed faces
”What are you doing before God?”
Their gazes carry that accusation
”Tazusa, what's wrong?”
See now! The girl whispering froht
The one person you could call my close friend, an ice mate from the same rink, Honjou Mika
”Hahanothing really Just an auditory hallucination”
<it's not=”” a=”” hallucination=””>
Mika's mouth drops open So does everyone else's
The one who can hear this voiceis just me?
I cover my ears But all the same--
<um>
”S”
Even in this echoing space filled by the hymn, for some reason I can hear clearly--
xcuse me=””>
”Quiet! Shut up!”
sigh
The curtain of sound that wrapped the church disappears
The holy melody supposed to be offered up to God, and the consciousnesses of 40 members of the class--
All focus on me
”Sakurano-san?”
The Sister who had probably been playing the organ, under the guidance of the Lord, asked about er, deeply compassionate to the end
”Ah, I'm sorry It's just that”
How do I explain?
In the again-quiet church, I feel completely alone
”Tazusa”
Aside from the worried Mikaeveryone distanced themselves from me Probably manifestations of the contempt and fear reserved for non-believers
but why? Why only me?
<hey, please=””>
”Waa!”
Unconsciously grabbing my head, I shake it fro--
”Sakurano-san!”
Ignoring the Sister's repri above and below
<um, so=””>
”Who is playing a prank?!”
A boy's voice whispering by my ear There's nobody there, so why?
I begin to panic--
<no, it's=”” not=”” a=”” prank=””>
”I don't believe this! What is this!”
I start sto indiscri every corner of the wide church with echoes
Really, what in the worldah
Could it be--
”Sakurano-san! Get a hold”
”The one who needs to get a hold on herself is you! You may try to brainwash me, but it won't work! You fake-Sister!”
”Wh”
The expression on the Sister's face, whosepermanently half-open, is the shock of someone who is accused of an unreer at being called a fake
My conjecture rong Then what--???
”Now it's in English--?”
just then I first realize
The voice is co from inside my head--
The floor is covered with a coray This school's sacred
Bathroom--
Entering the private space enclosed on all four sides, I take a deep breath Once ht
”so? In a word, what are you?”
I am alone in the enclosed space But, decidedlyI a to myself
<i'm not=”” a=”” bad=”” person=”” i=”” don't=”” mean=”” any=”” harm=””>
”That doesn't help me understand at all!”
Quickly, my temper explodes
”why I can hear your voice Explain that, if you please”
really, I uy has taken up residence in my head
<i get=”” it=”” please,=”” just=”” calm=”” down=””>
What's certain is that he's a foreigner proficient in japanese pronunciation and accent are both pretty good A voice probably yet to deepen, a little scratchy, somewhat sweetand so what?
”You'd better hurry and talk while I'm calm If you value your life”
”Hey, Tazusa! Are you alright?”
Mika? Since when has she been in front of the door?
Secludingout my hystericsI wonder what she thinks of me
”Mika, what about class?”
”You were acting strangely, so I also asked for ti?”
this is a proble on myself
”Tazusa?”
”Wellyou see Explaining would take a long timeor not really, but how should I say this”
As I keep changing around like a broken radio, my blood pressure rises--
”I don't know either!”
My head's about to explode--!
”Tazusa”
I take a deep breath Calin a performance
”Sorry, Mika I'll be fine in a moment, so please let me be alone”
now then
”It's alright now Let's continue I'll have you know I'm not a patient person”
<ok, i=”” said=”” i=”” get=”” it=””>
As if guessing that ins to explain
<to begin=”” with=”” the=”” conclusion,=”” i=”” myself=”” am=”” already=”” dead=”” but,=”” my=”” soul=”” was=”” incomplete=”” and=”” unable=”” to=”” ascend=”” to=”” heaven,=”” so,=”” as=”” you=”” see,=”” it=”” has=”” possessed=”” you=””>
”huh?”
<i guess=”” you=”” could=”” call=”” it=”” spirit-fusion=””>
I rush to reclai sense of reality
”A ghost in these days? How stupid”
<then how=”” do=”” you=”” explain=”” this=”” situation?=””>
”how?”
Possessed by a soulhe says, but the stranger it is, the less frightening it becomes
A sweet voice like an anier than I auy
”Alright, let's suppose you're right When will you be leaving?”
<don't get=”” angry=”” and=”” just=”” listen=”” to=”” me=””>
”I will get angry!”
Fro to be bad
”Now, tella hindrance to me?”
”How Long?”
<hya one=”” hundred=””>
”100 days?”
Theof silence is, yes
”no I won't accept it Get out right now!”
<if i=”” were=”” able,=”” i=”” would=”” have=”” done=”” it=”” long=”” ago=””>
”This sucks!”
Filled with panic, I unconsciously grab my head
it only seen boy has settled there
If I were to see a doctor Surgery? Psychiatry? Or perhaps gynecology?
For so like this, where should I turn to?
<first, i'd=”” like=”” to=”” tell=”” the=”” details=”” of=”” how=”” this=”” happened=”” will=”” you=”” listen?=””>
””
fine, just start talking already
Thus I command him, silently, but there's no reaction
”Youso you can't hear hts?”
<yeah, it=”” seems=”” that=”” way=””>
you idiot, brat, pervert, &!!
”I see It appears to be true”
h?>
”Nothing”
If even hts were known in detail, then I would truly have zero privacy I would have to drag this guy out even if itmy head
”So? Get on with it”
<ok first=”” of=”” all,=”” my=”” name=”” is=”” pete=”” pumps=”” i'm=”” canadian=””>
as he says that, to guess from his sweet voice, his outward appearance would probably be so like this
”Stop it!”
<hat?>
”Nevermind More importantly, noabout having to be possessed by a Canadian ghost”
what lamentable bad luck
”Wait a minute You say 'it seems' Did someone say that?”
<umm, it=”” wasn't=”” really=”” 'someone'=”” per=”” se=”” it's=”” just=”” that=”” when=”” you=”” become=”” an=”” existence=”” like=”” this,=”” you=”” co=”” to=”” be=”” taught=”” by=”” anyone=”” it's=”” hard=”” to=”” explain=”” in=”” words=””>
”Don't make fun of me!”
<i'=”” fun=”” of=”” you=”” it's=”” mysterious=”” to=”” me=”” as=”” well=””>
alright Forget all of my emotions, I need to accept reality
”So, when did you die?”
<5 days=”” ago=”” usually=”” you=”” live=”” in=”” tokyo,=”” in=”” a=”” place=”” not=”” far=”” froo,=”” you=”” happened=”” to=”” go=”” to=”” america=””>
”Could it beColorado?”
<yup there=”” was=”” a=”” lot=”” of=”” snow=”” falling,=”” but=”” straight=”” below=”” that,=”” was=”” me=””>
co nearby
”Oh, congratulations Then, rather than possessing o on and rest in peace”
After saying that, I regret it a little Whatever else, congratulations are out of place
<like i=”” said,=”” that's=””>
”I know Tell me why”
Since however I e
<well, somehow=”” i=”” understand=”” the=”” reason=””>
As if guarding aginst his listener's temper, his words speed up
<it seey=”” of=”” the=”” snow=”” caused=”” =”” up=””>
”Speak a little slower”
<sorry uan=”” wandering=”” this=”” world=”” in=”” special=”” circumstances=”” like=”” this,=”” you=”” transfer=”” for=”” a=”” fixed=”” period=”” of=”” tith=”” or=”” environment=”” matches=”” yours=”” until=”” your=”” soul=”” recovers=””>
”And that takes 100 days?”
<so it=”” seems=””>
so tricked But I really can hear this boy Pete's voice in my head, so
”Do dead people who are hit by the snow all end up like this?”
<no, if=”” you=”” include=”” the=”” entire=”” world,=”” cases=”” like=”” this=”” apparently=”” only=”” happen=”” once=”” every=”” 10=”” years=””>
I suddenly want to swear loudly, butI'll leave that to later
”So, how old are you?”
<16 saths=”” match=””>
Ending , I open the door of the bathroom and
The Sister who in my way
”Sakurano-san! Cell phones are prohibited in this school Give it toconfiscated”
haha I can't take it anymore
”Come on Now”
”I don't have a cell phone”
”You're lying You were talking to someone in the bathroom I could hear it all”
how am I supposed to explain?
That I was intruded upon by a Canadian ghost named Pete?
I am seriously about to snap
”I understand Then, please search me”
”what did you say? You've probably just hidden it somewhere”
”I don't h, I wonder where in this narrow bathroom you would look”
I certainly have no ill intent toward the stern Sister standing before me, and it's natural that she er
”While we're at it, why don't you undergo a body search along with me, Sister? Even if we find a matchbook from a host club, I won't mind”
”Sakurano-san! You are such a--!”
Ahh, now I've done it Sakurano Tazusa's first suspension from school? Looks like it
But really, I don't care anymore
The place is Koutou Ku Next to a certain forested park along Tokyo Bay, stands a white-painted, high-class residence
It is a 2-storey building with extravagant Western architecture The plot, surrounded by deep green trees, is large, and the fountain in the garden continuously creates a little rainbow
Beyond the white-painted gate that is hung with golden ornaments, in the middle of the entryway has been set up a round flowerbed full of colorful flowers, designed to force people to walk around it like a roundabout(!)
That's hoould describe it, butdid we ever have visitors deserving of such a thing?
”I'm home”
That's right This is my home base
The residence of Coach Takashi+ma Yuuji
He is the very one who recognized e he is still a wealthy bachelor Given his age of a little over 40, he's just aboutto that, he is often mistaken for such
Slightly longish hair and a moderately handsome face His eyes seeood-intentioned but indecisive personality Although a decent atteer, his e I don't think it's necessary anyway, but I can't coood
For a figure skater, the effect of the training environe The distance froular rink, Tokyo Crystal Garden, is a 3 minute walk
Early e 2 practices every day, one can't ignore geography Many skaters end up living near skating rinks with clubs
In ano, but my father could not leave there due to his work, soever since I joined the club when I was 5 years old, I have been under Coach's care
Last year, happily my parents divorced, ain The direct reason for the divorce seems to be that my mother, who is a mountain cli hard to conquer some mountain somewhere Consequently, she is a wohout the year In its oay, that's a relief to hter
Co is particularly expensive, so it is difficult to stick with for those without recognized genius Of course, in iven my beauty and talent since birth, and the fact that my parents' families were econo figure skating Excluding having to leaveelementary school
”Oh, Tazusa You're late Did you get failing ain?”
”I am not like you The Sister was just in a bit of a bad mood”
well, soet aith just a reprimand and an admonishment
”My condolences At this rate, won't you have problerade? Instead of the Olympic representative's seat, it would be wiser to worry about whether in April next year, there will be a seat for you in the second-years' classroom”
and, having casuallyfeet, she bursts outside
This cheeky, slant-eyed shorty is my sister, Sakurano Youko Don't be surprised, but she's actually 9 years old
Since 4 years ago, she has lived at the Takashi+ junior class By virtue of being ood muscles
<hey, she's=”” rather=”” cute,=”” isn't=”” she=””>
”if you say soain, I'll kill you”
In order to silence Pete, I ascend the spiral stairs fro Now, practice I should change into my sweats and wash my school uniform--
”Wait a minute”
At that moment--
A frightening truth flickered by
I didn't ask for all the details, but
”Tell ?”
<ah, actually=””>
”Actually what!”
wait, just wait Cal in ht?
<well, um,=”” tazusa=””>
No, probably not just , smell, tasteeven touch?
which means!
<listen>
”Noooo!”
A sudden repulsive thought circulates through ination, and I thrust my forehead between my palms
<tazu>
”This isn't funny! I absolutely won't allow it! Get away from me, you pervert!”
I try to shout this at the inside ofunusually panicked, I pull my hair and run around the room as I continue to scream
”You piece of trash!+ Get out! Disappear!”
<i already=”” told=”” you,=”” it's=”” impossible=””>
”I don't want to hear excuses! Nohatever it takes, get out!”
An instinctive action I bang my head on the wall--
”Ouch”
<ow! ss=””>
I see sparks in both eyes, and stagger The pain echoes to the core of
<whatever the=”” circumstances,=”” that=”” was=”” too=”” cruel=””>
”To whom, now?!”
My forehead feels like it's burning where it hit the wall I still can't open both eyes all the way I have to admit it was stupid, but, if we share the sense of pain, in addition to everything else, then
”All right If that's how it is, I will chase you out, by whatever method necessary”