Yumeiro Patissiere

Chapter 28 Ichigo, Natsume, and the Princes

One evening Makato had a brain wave; he suggested that he and the others go and train themselves at the weekend, and the others agreed to that idea. Ichigo decided to go to her uncle's shop, Satsuki decided to go to Tokyo to check out rosewater, Sennosuke decided to go home to be coached by his grandpa and Makato decided to go to his uncle's chocolate shop.

That weekend Ichigo and Vanilla went back to her home, and her dad picked her up from the train station. But at home, Kyouko looked absolutely worried. Ichigo asked what was wrong, and Kyouko explained that Natsume was planning about quitting the piano. Ichigo was surprised to hear that because she knew that Natsume loved to play the piano. "We have no idea why she wants to quit," said Shigeru "she won't tell us. And she has locked herself in her room since last night". Ichigo went upstairs to see if she could talk to Natsume. But when she knocked on the door of Natsume's room, Natsume shouted and told her to go away. Ichigo could tell that Natsume was really down in the dumps. "Natsume has a piano recital coming up," sighed Kyouko "if necessary I will have to take Natsume to the piano lessons by force". "Excuse me mum but being persuasive like that will not help or solve anything," said Ichigo. Ichigo had an idea of what to do; she decided to make something sweet for Natsume.

Ichigo went into the kitchen and got out everything that she needed. "What are you going to make Ichigo?" asked Vanilla. "A strawberry tart" smiled Ichigo. "I can't wait," said Vanilla, excitedly. Ichigo first started on the pastry dough by mixing together the sugar and butter, some eggs and some flour until they made dough. After placing the dough into the fridge to set, Ichigo started on the cream. Shigeru and Kyouko started to watch how Ichigo was doing. They had never seen Ichigo cook anything before and this was their chance to see. "Ichigo's sweet making skills are pretty good," said Shigeru. Kyouko agreed. They started to look over Ichigo's shoulders. "Since you two are in here, you can help me," said Ichigo. She told her to start to whip some egg whites and she told her mum to cut up the strawberries for her. Next Ichigo started on the tart pastry. She rolled it out, placed it into a tin and then placed some little baking beans on top of the pastry. The little baking beans were to hold the pastry in place while it cooked in the oven. When the pastry cooked and cooled Ichigo finished her strawberry tart with cream and strawberries. Vanilla sent a sweets card of the strawberry tart to the queen.

Ichigo first had her parents try the tart and they both found it delicious. It made Shigeru fully understand that Ichigo was talented in making sweets like her grandma. Tasting the tart made Kyouko understand more of what Ichigo was capable of and she felt ashamed of never understanding her daughter much. Ichigo then decided to present the tart to Natsume next. She placed a piece outside Natsume's door, and then Vanilla used her magic to make the scent of the tart fly into the room. Natsume smelt the nice smell and opened the door to see what it was. When she noticed it was just Ichigo luring her with some cake she was not happy. Just then her stomach rumbled. "You haven't eaten anything since last night right?" said Ichigo "and it's time that you and I had a chat". Natsume could see she was outnumbered so she gave in.

Ichigo took Natsume to a park area and they ate their strawberry tart pieces there. "Wow Ichigo, your tart is delicious," said Natsume. "Thank you," smiled Ichigo "but it's nothing compared to our grandma's tart though". "Why did you bring me here?" asked Natsume. "Well since you didn't want to talk at home, I suggested we talk here," said Ichigo "and I came here a lot when I was younger especially when I wanted to be alone and to think about things. Now Natsume do you remember when I used to play the piano but I quitted in my third year at elementary school". "Kind of yes, but why did you quit?" said Natsume. Ichigo explained that when mum started to teach her piano, Natsume wanted to play too. At first, Natsume did it wrong, but then she started to get better at it and she started to have a real talent for it. "By the time mum opened up a piano teaching class, I was nowhere skilled enough for the piano like you and mum were. So I quit". "So it was my fault?" asked Natsume, guiltily. "No, the piano was not my skill," said Ichigo "and because of your talent, Mum began paying more attention to you and less to me. After that, I tried to become an artist like dad, but art wasn't my skill either and neither was ballet or swimming. But then grandma cheered me up with her strawberry tart, and I decided to learn a lot of making sweets by her and uncle Hikaru. Of course, before I learned to play the piano, grandma and uncle Hikaru taught me about making sweets then. But ever since I quitted the piano I decided by then that I wanted to become a patisserie. And even after she died I never gave up on that dream". "Oh yes I remember when you told us before you left for the academy that you learned a lot from them about making sweets," said Natsume "you also said that you wanted to become a patisserie like a grandma". "That's correct," said Ichigo "now tell me Natsume, why do you which to quit piano? That isn't like you especially since you love to play the piano".

Natsume explained to Ichigo that at a piano lesson two weeks ago there was this boy who was good at playing the piano like her. "He played difficult music, which I couldn't handle as if they were nothing," said Natsume "I tried to become great like that, but I got really worked upon it. And so I don't find the piano fun anymore". "Is that all?" asked Ichigo "listen to me Natsume; you can't just lose your faith at the piano just because there is something who has more talent than you at the piano. There are lots of skilled students at St Marie Academy, who are way better at making cakes than me, and you haven't seen me quit that school has you?" "No I haven't," said Natsume "are the students really that good of making sweets?" "Of course" replied Ichigo.

Ichigo explained to Natsume about Satsuki, Sennosuke, and Makato. "When I arrived there, Henri-sensei recommended me to be on the same team as the sweets princes. I don't understand why he did that, because I'm nowhere as skilled as them. But that was where I was placed, even though I really should have been placed at a lower group at that time". "Wow, it sounds like you went through something rough at that time," said Natsume. "I did," said Ichigo "and let me tell you something. Kashino kept on judging me on my first day in the lesson as if he wanted to judge if I was capable of studying at St Marie Academy. And even now he keeps on acting like a judge or something to me, even though I proved to him lots of times that I had studied of making sweets before". "Is he really like that?" asked Natsume. "Trust me, he's a real devil!" said Ichigo, crossly. "He sounds scary to me," said Natsume. "Scary isn't enough to describe that sadist," replied Ichigo "but I met my best friend Vanilla, and we study hard and make sweets together. I enjoy St Marie Academy every day, even though I still have a lot to learn. So let me say this Natsume, it doesn't matter if there is someone more talented than you at the piano. What's important that you put your heart into playing the piano and that you never let go of your fun and love for playing the piano". "Well said Amano-san," said a voice.

The voice came from Sennosuke; apparently the sweets princes had turned up at her place, rather than going to where they planned to go. "Andou-Kun, Hanabusa-Kun, and Kashino," said Ichigo, surprised to see them. "Wow Onee-chan," said Natsume "these boys are so handsome. You're lucky to be making sweets with them". "Looks have nothing to do with making sweets!" shouted Makato. "Hey Kashino, don't yell at me little sister!" argued Ichigo. Sennosuke begged her to come down. "We are sorry for turning up like this out of the blue Ichigo-chan," said Satsuki. "What are you three doing here anyway?" asked Ichigo. Satsuki explained that the boys' plans didn't go very well; Makato's uncle was on business in Europe, Satsuki couldn't find any good rosewater and Sennosuke's parents and grandfather were too busy with the shop to coach him. "So we decided to come here instead because we wanted to visit your uncle's shop". "We heard from your mother that you were here at the park, so we came here," said Makato. "We heard about what trouble you were going with Natsume," said Sennosuke "so we shall make special sweets for you".

Ichigo, Natsume, and the sweets princes went back to Ichigo's house and the boys got to work on making a special sweet for Natsume. "What kind of sweets do you think the sweets princes are making?" Natsume asked Ichigo. "That I don't know," said Ichigo "but I do know that you will love it". Shigeru was looking angrily; apparently he was one of those overprotective dads who hated seeing their daughters with boys, even if they are only friends. Kyouko was putting on makeup because she found the boys really handsome and she wanted to look nice for them. "Hey Ichigo which boy of those three did you like?" she asked. Kyouko thought it would be nice to have one of them as a son-in-law. Ichigo blushed. "Sorry to disappoint you mum, but those three and I are just friends," she said, "besides I'm too busy to start thinking about getting a boyfriend now".

Soon the sweets princes had finished making Natsume's special sweets. They had made a chocolate cake and on top of decorations were roses made out of icing and a piano made out of the Japanese sweets nerikiri and koshian. Nerikiri was a Japanese sweet made from white bean, sticky rice flour, and sugar, and koshian was a red bean paste. There was also a model of Natsume made out of marzipan. Kyouko, Shigeru and Natsume were very impressed with the cake, and Natsume thanked them at once. Natsume also thanked her sister for making her cheer up again. "I've decided that I'm not going to give up on the piano," she said. Ichigo, Kyouko and Shigeru were happy to hear that. "Natsume you continue working hard on the piano and I will continue making sweets," said Ichigo. The two sisters hugged each other.

So all was well in the end and the two Amano sisters became close like actual sisters.

The end.

1897 words hope you like it.