Yumeiro Patissiere

Chapter 17 Patissiere showdown

One evening, Rumi and Ichigo were buying some snacks in a convenient school. There was a french test coming up and they were buying snacks to eat while they studied. "You better not let your guard down, just because you passed the first round Ichigo," said Rumi. "Yes I know that there is still more to go," said Ichigo "but one thing else that I mustn't let my guard down is my school studies. The cake grand Prix may be on, but that does not mean that I have to neglect my school studies, and it's thank goodness that I managed to squeeze in school studies when I practiced for the first round". "I'll say," said Rumi "you would have been in trouble if you didn't". "Well let me tell you something Rumi," said Ichigo "a boy at my old school, who was in the baseball club, actually neglected his school studies one time. And he was warned that if he continued doing that, he would be thrown off the baseball club". "Goodness, did he make up for it?" said Rumi. "Yes he did," said Ichigo "but our teacher warned all of us to never neglect school studies no matter what you are or what you're doing. And I've had that warning in my head ever since".

Just then a girl huffed Ichigo as she walked past. The girl's name was Erika Hayami, and she was in group F the lowest rank of the class. "It seems Hayami still doesn't like you Ichigo," said Rumi. "It's true; I've tried to befriend her ever since I entered this school, but she walks off when I try to speak with her," said Ichigo "and I believe it's because that I am group A even though I'm not at the same level yet as the sweets princes. It's bad enough though to have group B bullying me about it". "But you work really hard to keep up with the princes;" said Rumi "and your school grades are excellent". "Yes that's true," said Ichigo. Ichigo did get very good grades for school work. "Don't you listen to what other students think of you," said Rumi "the sweets princes are happy with you in their group, and you work to keep your position in group A". Ichigo was happy to have a good friend like Rumi.

The next day the class was making cookies and icing to go on top. Makato asked Ichigo to color the icing, and Ichigo colored it pink. "You make icing well," said Makato, placing the icing into an icing bag. "I learned how to make the perfect icing before I could walk" replied Ichigo.

Just then group F was getting comments from Ameya-sensei. They had burnt the cookies and Erika just said that she nothing to do with it. "Those guys are slacking off again," said Chocolat. "In my opinion, that group isn't even trying to make good sweets," said Café. Ichigo couldn't understand Erika; Erika was the smartest girl, with high school grades, and yet she wasn't concentrating on sweets very much.

The next day the students were getting the test results back from the french test they had yesterday. Erika got a 95% on her test, which Ichigo was impressed with. Ichigo got 89% on her test, which made her happy; Ichigo always got marks between 70% and 90% on school ever since she went through fifth grade. She couldn't bear going lower than 70%.

That evening Ichigo was doing homework and she had tiramisu with her. Tiramisu was an Italian coffee-flavored dessert. Ichigo always made sweets for herself to eat as snacks while she studied. She had made almond macaroons, Mont Blancs, shortbread biscuits, strawberry mousses, brownies and chocolate chip cookies for snacks during her time at St Marie Academy. "I'm glad you make snacks when it's studying time," said Vanilla "it gives me more chances to send the cards to the queen". "How many cards have you sent to the queen Vanilla?" asked Ichigo. "I don't know," said Vanilla "I've sent so many I've lost count". Ichigo chuckled. "Never mind," she said, "at least it proves that both you and I are working hard for our dreams". Vanilla agreed.

Just then Rumi turned up to start on her homework too. "Say Rumi," said Ichigo "why does Hayami only do excellent work on her studies, but not on making sweets?" "Well to be honest, she wasn't always like this," said Rumi "truth is last year she was in group C". "Really?" asked Ichigo "then how did she drop three levels then?" "I don't know the full details, but she messed up during the finals last year," said Rumi "and because of that her attitude towards making sweets had changed. She worked very hard on sweets when she was in my group, and she was cheerful too". Ichigo couldn't understand why things had gone like this for Erika, but she wanted to find out why.

Ichigo tried to talk to Erika again the next day, but she just kept on ignoring her. Another thing; Ichigo found out how lazy the other members of group F were. The boys Matsumoto, Sakata and Nakamura were the irresponsible, lazy, selfish type and they believed that learning to make sweets for themselves was pointless. "Of all the laziest slackers I've ever heard about, they're the worst" said Vanilla. "I agree," said Ichigo "no wonder Hayami doesn't care about making sweets now, especially with a group like that. I would probably be like that too if I was placed with them". Ichigo also found out that Erika was planning to withdraw from St Marie Academy. She thought it would be a pity if Erika did leave St Marie Academy, so she decided to do something about it.

The next day Ichigo challenged Erika to a patisserie showdown. The sweets princes brought Erika to the cooking room. "Why are you challenging me Amano?" asked Erika. "I've been wanting to talk to you all day, especially when I heard that you planned to quit St Marie Academy," said Ichigo "but you had just been ignoring me like I was bad luck, so this was the only way that I could actually talk to you". Erika got mad. "I know full well that you don't like me because I was placed with group A," said Ichigo "but I don't understand myself why Henri-sensei placed me in group A". "We don't understand this either," said Makato "especially as Amano still has things to learn". "But she has worked very hard and she has more heart for her sweets than us princes put together," said Sennosuke "and she comes up with great ideas for creations". Erika was surprised by this; she didn't really know much about Ichigo herself.

The challenge was for Ichigo and Erika to make chiffon cakes. Chiffon cakes were light sponge cakes, made with flour, sugar, eggs, and baking powder, but they were made with vegetable oil, instead of butter, and you had to mix beaten egg whites in the batter. Ichigo decided to make an orange chiffon cake (made with orange zests) and Erika decided to make a lemon chiffon cake (made with lemon zests). The sweets princes watched Erika carefully and they saw that she indeed knew how to make sweets well. She made no flaws and knew exactly what she was doing with the batter. After the cakes were put into the oven to bake, Ichigo and Erika made icing to go on top. Ichigo made orange icing and Erika made lemon icing. Flavored icing was made with icing sugar and with juice instead of water.

The cakes were soon baked. "You make brilliant sweets," said Ichigo "so why do you not concentrate on making sweets in class?" Erika explained that she had enjoyed making sweets ever since she was a child, and she was happy when she enrolled in the school last year. But on the day of the examinations, she got a cold and a fever. "Even though I was sick I still participated in the exams, but because of my sickness I dropped my cake onto the floor. And so my score went downhill and I ended up into group F when I was promoted to year 2. But even so, I wanted to continue to work hard". "I know," said Ichigo "and I understand that. But it's not easy for you is it being in a group with Matsumoto, Sakata and Nakamura and all" "I envy you, Amano," said Erika "not because you were placed into group A, but you had friends with you by your side". "I want to be your friend Hayami," said Ichigo "and let me tell you something; I didn't come here to show off, but to work hard to become a patisserie as my grandma did before me. And the only way for you and your group to work hard on the sweets is that you have to speak up to them more. I always have to speak up to Kashino when he doubts me because he doesn't trust me often because of what Koshiro did in the Grand Prix last year. So speaking up for yourself will help you and your group succeed". Erika looked into Ichigo's eyes and saw that she was indeed a good person and a hard worker.

After the cakes were cooled, Ichigo and Erika iced their cakes and Ichigo placed pieces of candied oranges on hers, and Erika placed pieces of candied lemon on hers. Vanilla made recipe cards of the chiffon cakes and sent them to the queen. The sweets princes enjoyed both their cakes and decided to call it a draw, and Ichigo and Erika agreed with it.

After that Erika and Ichigo became good friends with each other. Erika got her group to work more by giving them orders, and the boys did as they were told under her orders. Their next sweets were given a good mark this time. So Erika didn't withdraw from St Marie Academy after all.

The end
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