Chapter Text
“My dream...becoming the master of the world? Ah but this interview is about my feelings after the election, so I’ll try to be a little less honest. I want Japan to become an even more flourishing land. I want the living conditions of the Japanese improve etc etc. Isn’t that’s why you voted for me after all?”
Keisuke chuckled and turned off the TV. Did she really answer "etc etc" to the journalist? The man turned to the blonde woman who was looking bored on the couch. He felt his heart warm up at this sight. She was beautiful. He sat down beside her and took her in his arms. The one he considered to be the love of his life raised an eyebrow but didn’t pull away.
“What's wrong?”
Keisuke chuckled.
“Nothing Claudine. You’re just irresistible. I want a hug now.”
“I'm smoking in case you didn’t notice it.”
“So?”
“So I don’t want to burn my apartment. I had enough trouble finding one which wasn’t inhabited by roaches thank you.”
Keisuke refrained from replying that he had seen a rat wander the hallway last week, and that wasn’t better. Instead, he tightened his grip and said nothing. After a few minutes of silence, Keisuke stared at the television thoughtfully.
“The new senator...I have a hard time knowing whether she is serious or not with her story of world domination...”
Claudine extinguished her cigarette with a disinterested air.
“It's because she's so special that she was elected.”
Keisuke nodded.
“I like this Hanayagi Kaoruko. She looks like she’ll give the old people who govern us a hard time. It’ll be fun.”
The woman gave a cynical laugh.
“Surely.”
“I see you’re as interested in politics as ever...”
“Japan isn’t really my homeland. I’ve never been able to get into politics as much as you, the Japaneses, do…”
Keisuke nodded. It was logical. Claudine was French at heart, having spent most of her childhood in France. From what he knew, she had moved to Japan about ten years ago to pursue a specialized course in theater. Since the end of high school, she hadn’t returned to France and had little contact with her family. In the same way she had little contact with the outside world in general.
Apart from Keisuke and the boss of the small shop where she worked, Saijou Claudine's social life was limited to watching television. This didn’t particularly bother Keisuke. He had always known his girlfriend as a cold and distant person after all. Although honestly sometimes, he would have liked to see her more involved in her relationships. To see her with friends for example... but he couldn’t force her to anything. Keisuke's friends often joked and called Claudine autistic. Keisuke didn’t particularly like this. But it was true that sometimes Claudine's apathy and lack of interest in others made him questioning her behavior. But he never went too far in the interrogation. He loved the French woman with all his heart; he loved her flaws and her qualities. And her displayed distance was a part of Claudine's charm.
“Still, you must admit she's pretty funny. I heard that she had been to a drama school. That’s not really surprising don’t you think?”
At that, Claudine stiffened instantly. She quickly lit a new cigarette under the perplexed eyes of her lover.
“Claud?”
She took a deep puff of her cigarette and let a small silence settle. With an uneasy stillness, the Frenchwoman declared.
“I know. We were in the same class.”
Keisuke broke away from the woman with shock.
“Wait seriously ?! You were in the same class as the new senator ?!”
Claudine shrugged disdainfully.
“Oui.”
“Yes ? That's all you have to say?”
Claudine, annoyed, sighed.
“Do you see anything else to add?”
“Yeah ! You can’t drop a bomb like that without giving details! How was Hanayagi in class? Were you friends?”
Claudine gave a cynical laugh.
“She was terrible. A monster...we weren’t really friends.”
“Haha, I see that in your high school days you were the same as now. Bet you were the antisocial of your class...glad to see that in more than ten years, it hasn’t changed.”
Claudine chose to not answer anything. She stood up to open the window. Keisuke watched the long hair of his love float slightly in the wind. From her posture to her size, her curves, the shape of her face and the peculiar color of her eyes, Claudine was perfect. Many could take her for a model. It didn’t surprise Keisuke that many eyes were turned towards her in the street, even though Claudine seemed insensitive to them. The man stood up to stand next to her.
“Hey Claud.”
“What?”
He took her in his arms.
“I love you.”
“Me too.”
He gave her a kiss on her cheek and sighed.
“I want to live with you.”
She pulled away from the embrace to ogle him out of the corner of her eye. Quickly, her attention turned to the urban landscape the window offered.
“I already told you no.”
“Claud, you live in a shabby studio. You know very well that with my salary I could ...”
“I'm doing very well alone Keisuke. I don’t need you to look after me. I don’t need anyone.”
“That's not what I said! It wasn’t against you. It was just... for us.”
“Us?”
He tried to catch her eye.
“Yes us Claud. Us, our couple. We’ve been together for two years now. You are 29 years old, I am 31. We don’t rejuvenate ourselves. It’s time to think about our future.”
She refused to stare at anything other than the window. When in the distance, a fireman's siren sounded, Claudine decided to answer laconically.
“Our future.”
“Yes.”
She sighed.
“I don’t want to start a family Keisuke. You know it.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know.”
He knew it. He knew it very well. Claudine had been clear in the beginning of their relationship: no engagement, no family, no cute couple life. Keisuke, at first, hadn’t been bothered by that. After all, who could be thinking of any serious future at the beginning of a relationship? Yet nowadays he often hoped that their love would have been stronger than Claudine's need for solitude. That after several years of relationship, the French would have changed her vision of things. Maybe he was selfish after all. If Claudine wasn’t ready yet, he would wait.
He would wait for her forever.
-o-
“Have you read the book for literature class?”
“Nope. It’s horrible. I’m fed up with this author. It's been three times we’re studying a work of this guy.”
“The teacher is a fan. And Kagura is a girl.”
“Girl or not, she’s still a depressing author. She should take pills or something. Bet she's suicidal.”
“Aren’t every artist like that?”
“Girls, are you quite finished here? Do I really have to remember you that you’re at work?”
At this, the two teenagers interrupted their discussion and turned to Claudine who stared at them with boredom. The first girl rolled her eyes.
“There's no one here. I believe we are allowed to speak.”
Claudine folded her arms. Indeed at this time the small grocery store was deserted.
“That's not a reason. You can sweep or clean the windows. It would do you good to stir a little.”
The two teenagers groaned in sync but obeyed. They knew very well that it was better t not upset their authoritarian colleague. Claudine heard one of them whisper.
“Seriously this Saijou what a pain in the ass.”
“Bah whatever. Having a poorly paid job in a seedy grocery store frustrates her. She exercises her little power over us because her life is a total crap. Typically the kind of frustrated adult I don’t want to become...”
The two girls giggled in unison under the glare of the French. Claudine sincerely wondered why the boss kept insisting on hiring young people during the holidays. The grocery store was tiny and he barely had enough money to pay for these girls, what a pain. Claudine could very well ensure the holding of the store all alone.
“Oh no, my little Kuro, no way! I know you could manage but you would soon have to work overtime! And I don’t want this job to kill you! I want you to have free time!”
Claudine groaned at this memory. For what she did in her free time anyway... It was not that her life was free of festivities... but let's say that Claudine rarely wanted to have fun. Apart from Keisuke, with whom she went out from time to time, her social relationships were limited. Since the end of high school, she had grown apart from her friends. Little by little, Claudine had ended up alone.
It didn’t really bother her.
On this day she no longer felt the strength to live intense relationships. In high school, she had gone through different phases of experience. From extreme desire to extreme bitterness. The feeling of defeat, admiration, envy, anger, respect, friendship... All reinforced by fatal shows organized by a giraffe in the basement of the school.
All of this was now a distant memory. But Claudine clearly remembered the intensity with which she had lived all these events. She remembered everything. All of the details. All of the sceneries. All of the participants. Their faces. Her face. Her violet eyes staring at her with furious passion. Her powerful voice which seemed to reach the heavens. Her angelic body moving with the tempo of a murderous sonata. Her. All of her.
But Claudine did no longer want to see again or relive this kind of thing. These overwhelming feelings. It wasn’t good for her. Not anymore. Oh of course she loved Keisuke! But she couldn’t offer him a fiery love like in those fairytales he so liked.
She thought he understood it. But yesterday, his behavior had proved her the opposite...
Claudine's reveries were interrupted by the sound of the door indicating the arrival of a client. The two students greeted the newcomer with a loud "welcome!" that the French repeated while settling at the checkout.
When the customer went to where Claudine was, the French lost her commercial smile.
“Clau ... dine?”
Claudine hadn’t totally forgotten her drama lessons. Even if her playing was a bit rusty, she still managed to hide her unprepared face in front of this appearance from her distant past.
“Tsuyuzaki ... long time no see.”
Mahiru Tsuyuzaki, physically, had changed. A lot. Now taller, she had decided to cut her hair up to the shoulders, forming a square highlighting her face. Added to that clothes tastefully selected: stilettos, skirt and black vest, Mahiru was nothing like the shy teenager she used to be. At least in appearance. Because Claudine could easily detect the glow of kindness shine in her eyes. The same soft glow that had kept the blond smiling during her years at Seishou.
Mahiru smiled hesitantly.
“I didn’t know you were working here...”
Claudine just shrugged and quickly changed the subject.
“What did you need?”
“Ah? Uh, just three chicken soups that you have behind you.”
Claudine turned around and took the items behind her counter. She laid them gently on the checkout.
“That's all ?”
“Yes.”
“...”
“...”
That was awkward.
After paying, Mahiru seemed to hesitate for a moment. Claudine suspected that she was thinking of what to say to her. She gave the woman time to collect. Although she didn’t necessarily wanted to, the blond still faced a client. To send her back without explanation would be wrong.
Mahiru finally took a deep breath to encourage herself and said:
“I ... am happy to have seen you again.”
Ah. Claudine had not expected that. Questions, reproaches, looks filled with pity or disdain, that she would have understood.
Claudine stared at the woman. No it was Mahiru. Even after so many years, she remained the epitome of kindness.
“You know... I just moved into the neighborhood with Karen and Hikari. So... I think we'll see each other a little more often.”
“Ah. Certainly.”
“It would make me happy you know? You ... have not given any news since graduation. Karen thought you were angry. ”
“Ah. No, I was not. A lot has happened, that's all.”
Mahiru scanned the small grocery store.
“Yes I have no doubt.”
Claudine suddenly felt particularly aware of her little cashier's uniform. She looked away. Mahiru, sensing her embarrassment, went on to something else.
“Are you planning to come to the Seishou meeting?”
Oh yes she had received the letter. The meeting of the 99th generation. Usually the Seishou Academy didn’t organize this kind of alumni meeting. But the 99th generation had been the most exemplary promotion the school had known for more than 30 years. Thus, Claudine supposed that the great authorities of Takarazuka were nostalgic for this golden age.
“Hmm...I honestly don’t think so...”
Mahiru's face became sad.
“What a shame. It would have been a good opportunity to see us all again. You think you’ll be working on that day?”
“Uh, something like that.”
Work or do other things. Anything else but that.
“I think a lot of people will manage to be there. Karen and Hikari that's for sure. Karen keeps rambling about it.”
Claudine had the feeling that Karen hadn’t changed at all in more than ten years. She didn’t know if it was a good thing or not.
“I lost contact with Junna and Nana since...”
Mahiru paused.
“Since the wedding.”
Claudine lowered her head and bit her lower lip.
“So I don’t know if they’ll come. Kaoruko will certainly be busy considering her new job but I feel like she and Futaba will find the time to be here. At least that's what Maya thinks.”
Maya.
If Mahiru noticed Claudine's sudden tension, she didn’t show it.
“And of course Maya will be here, she had announced it to us last week. We had dinner together. What would be a 99th generation meeting without its star right?”
Mahiru had tried to lighten the mood with a joke. And honestly, Claudine didn’t think it was funny. Not at all.
An uncomfortable silence resumed.
Mahiru, against all odds, suddenly pulled out a piece of paper from her purse, on which she inscribed a succession of numbers. She handed it to Claudine with a light smile.
“Here. My number. If you change your mind about the meeting, we can go together. And even so, if you just want to chat... call me. I’ll be there.”
Claudine took the paper hesitantly and watched as Mahiru left without adding anything.
Well. That really was awkward.
-o-
Once back home, Claudine slumped on her couch with a loud sigh. There were days when it was better to stay in bed.
She half-heartedly lit a cigarette while playing with the paper Mahiru had given her a little earlier.
Honestly, what could she do with this?
Claudine hadn’t really part with her friends in Seishou on bad terms. Not really. In truth, she had simply didn’t tell them anything.
It was a stupid story.
Her last year at Seishou Music Academy had started smoothly. The "Starlight" play lead by Karen and Hikari the previous year after the giraffe's auditions had been a huge success. All the girls of classes A and B had given themselves thoroughly. So it was concluded that in their last year, Hikari and Karen would replay Claire and Flora in a final performance of “Starlight”.
In the Japanese theater world, the last years students' play was a particularly anticipated event each year. It was then that the professionals came to spot their future gems. Held a week before the final exams, some students found their future employer at that time, in this ultimate play. In other words, with the final exams of the year where high authorities of Takarazuka were jury’s member, the third-year play was crucial for the future of Seishou's students.
Claudine had failed at both the exams and the play.
Two days before the show, the French girl had sprained her ankle during a rehearsal, forcing her to look at the result of her work as a spectator and not as a comedian. Driven by disappointment and rage, Claudine had totally failed her exams, the drama jury was so outraged by her performance that he had stopped her in the middle of a line to dismiss her.
She remembered the evening after the fiasco. Instead of having dinner with her friends, she had gone straight into her room, crying loudly on her bed.
Of course, she had not been alone for long.
-o-
“Claudine...”
“ Go away. I don’t want to see anyone.”
She heard the door of her room close.
“I know your exams didn’t go as planned.”
Claudine sat down on her bed with speed in order to shooting daggers at the unbearable intruder.
“Oh no way, you think so?! How can you tell? Because I'm in tears on my bed or because the whole academy is talking about my incredible failure?”
Violet eyes shone with compassion. The teenager gave Claudine a soft smile.
“Things like that happen…”
“What, losing your mind? What are you talking about, it never happens to you.”
“Of course it does.”
There was a silence. Claudine considered the impeccable form of her interlocutor as if it burned her eyes. She didn’t need to see her now. She didn’t need her smile or her soft gaze. Of all the people in the world, Claudine didn’t want her to pitying her. It was... shameful.
This radiance, this brightness, Claudine couldn’t bear it now.
“Tendou Maya.”
“Yes ?”
“Get out of my room. I ... I don’t want to see you.”
It was too painful.
Maya recoiled.
“What? If I insulted you in any way I...”
“No that’s not it! I just want to be alone.”
The top star seemed not to approve of this decision. But she respected Claudine's choice. Before leaving, she murmured:
“It's not because you failed this year that the next will be the same. I'll wait for you in the Takarazuka troupe. Even with a year apart, you're destined to be my partner on stage Saijou Claudine.”
It was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Of all things to say...
“You...you are unbearable.”
The acidic tone with which the Frenchwoman had spoken made Maya turn her head. She then caught the enraged eyes of the blonde.
“Claudine?”
The teenager stood up violently.
“You are so full of yourself! In such a moment, instead of leaving me alone, instead of letting me have a little dignity, you come and rub salt in the wound! Do you really think that's what I need to hear? That once again, I'm nothing compared to you? That I will have to again start over ?”
Maya shacked her head.
“That's not what I meant.”
Claudine gave a dark laugh.
“Of course not.”
Maya frowned.
“I do not understand you Claudine. What could I have said to ease your pain? What do you want me to do for you?”
“Nothing. Nothing. Just leave me alone. I still have a little dignity and I would like to keep it if you don’t mind.”
Maya really didn’t understand her friend's behavior. Claudine seemed to be bitter about Maya's success. Yet it wasn’t logical. Knowing the French, these words had to mean something else.
“I do not think I'm destroying your dignity in any way, though.”
At that, Claudine exploded.
“Oh really ?! Telling me it doesn’t matter to fail, telling me you’ll wait for me, you really find this comforting ?”
“Yes of course. Because it's the truth. I will wait for you forever.”
“Oh for God sake Maya stop it! You know very well how is the world of Takarazuka. With a talent like yours, you will find another partner quickly!”
Maya stiffened. Oh no. She did not like this conversation. She did not like that look in Claudine's eyes. It was dangerous. It was scary.
With a displayed calm that strongly contrasted with the anguish gnawing at her entrails, Maya answered.
“Nobody can make me shine the way you do.”
Claudine shook her head.
“It will have to though. One year is long Maya. Look at what we have accomplished in not even three years. ”
“It doesn’t change anything. You and I are...”
“Finished as Otome-yaku and Musume-yaku. We’ll never be anymore.”
Maya felt herself shivering, Claudine was totally irrational.
“You can’t let a single defeat on a test dictate your life!”
“And you can’t predict the future!”
Maya's voice grew louder; she raised her hands to the sky angrily.
“So what?! Are you going to give up on Takarazuka?!”
“So what if I'm thinking about it?! I’m starting to grow tired of the scene and all the slaps I’m taking where I am there!”
Maya, for the first time of her life, yelled at Claudine furiously.
“And our promise?!”
There was a heavy silence. The two teenagers stared at each other with disappointment, anger and pain.
More gently, Maya repeated.
“And our promise? We vowed to shine together ...”
Claudine looked away.
“I ... I don’t know anymore Maya.”
“But you-”
Claudine stopped her by gently raising her hand. The French woman felt hot tears come to her eyes.
“I really don’t know anymore. Yes, being on stage at your side is... natural. Perfect. But every time I tell myself that we are perfect, I can't help thinking that in truth, it’s you who are perfect. You and you alone. I realized at the auditions of the giraffe that being your partner filled me with joy. That by your side I could be me. That by your side I shine more than I could ever shine alone. But you... I know you can shine alone.”
“No it's not true Claudine you are …”
“No Maya. You don’t realize it... the top star is you. The light is you. And we are only high school girls. It’s true that in high school I am one of the few who can compete with you, who can support your radiance. But in the professional world? Give me a break. You’ll find a Saijou Claudine without any problem.”
Maya shook her head, stubborn.
“I want you.”
Claudine shrugged.
“We don’t always have what we want.”
Maya gritted her teeth.
All of this seemed far too absurd. Claudine was hers. In the same way she was Claudine’s. It was not debatable. It was a fact. They had agreed on that.
Maya knew the world of the stage. She knew that an actor's life could crumble in an instant. But never did she imagined that her Claudine could let her life as an actress collapse overnight because of a simple disappointment. It was inconceivable.
“You talk like you're going to give up because of a simple failure. It's ridiculous Claudine. I expected better from you. You disappoint me.”
Claudine's eyes were now scornful.
“Yeah well, I owe you nothing Tendou Maya. You are not my mother. You are not my sister. You are not my girlfriend. You are nobody. I don’t care if I disappoint you.”
This statement lacerated Maya's heart. Her so passionate Claudine. Her so radiant Claudine. Her Claudine was strong, fierce, burning. She never let herself down. Maya had inflicted her so many defeats, but each time Claudine had recovered. With her head held high, with a motivation and a brilliance that even Maya was in awe for. Her boundless relentlessness. Claudine was a phoenix. Her phoenix. So why...Why today? So close to their goal?
So that the French couldn’t see her face, Maya turned to the door.
“I thought being your partner would be enough. But I can see you're not ready to talk tonight. I understand. Sorry for bothering you. We’ll talk about it later, when you are calmed. Good night Claudine.”
Maya then left the room without a glance for her friend.
This was the last discussion between Tendou Maya and Saijou Claudine.
The next day, Claudine flew to France, leaving behind all her friends and a letter of resignation to Seishou Music Academy.
-o-
Claudine's life after that had been simple: spending money on traveling around Europe to forget her fall.
Her parents had never asked questions, they always had been very open with the life choices of their daughter. If Claudine had decided to live another life, why not? She was young after all.
Seven years after high school, Claudine had decided to return to Japan. Strangely, she felt at home here. At least as much as in France.
But she had decided not to count on the help of her parents anymore, who were beginning to get old. From now on, Saijou Claudine was taking care of herself. Alone. And it was not by staying in France that she would do it. So, here she was now, living an anonymous life in a small Japanese town.
She didn’t regret her choice of abandoning the scene. What was done was done. She couldn’t let her past affect her anymore.
Looking back, Claudine could say that she had been in love with Tendou Maya. And in some extension, maybe the Top star had loved her too. But none of them had been foolish enough to confess. Their hearts had beat as if they were one at that time. Both had been fixated on only one thing: the stage. The desire to shine. Claudine's feelings had been all turned on the spotlight, where she could sparkle with her oh so precious partner. But this wound had been a sledgehammer. She, who had been so obsessed by "Starlight", who had been working for an entire year, had simply been relegated to the rank of spectator during the performance. The fruit of her labor had been nothing but void. She had realized at that moment how her talent could be easily replaceable. Of course she knew it. Intellectually she had always known it. Of course.
And she could have easily recovered. Because at the time, Saijou Claudine had been a fighter.
But the night Maya arrived saying that she would be waiting for her had been like a cold shower to Claudine. So many feelings had mixed up. She remembered her anger for failing. The deep want to be with Maya. But especially her shame at the idea of slowing down her partner. Of all those who deserved to shine, Maya was at the top. And being watched with such interest by such a talented person had oppressed Claudine.
Yes for the first time in her life, Claudine had felt oppressed by the presence of Tendou Maya.
And it was on a whim that she was gone. The kind of sudden impulse that made you tackle everything and change your life in a second.
But again, Claudine didn’t regret anything. What she had experienced belonged to the past. Maya and Seishou were the past.
Now she aspired to one thing: peace.
“Babe, I’m here!”
Claudine jumped and quickly rose from the couch.
“Keisuke what are you doing here?!”
The man smiled innocently.
“Surprising you of course! I was thinking we could have a movie night!”
Claudine gritted her teeth and answered with sharpness.
“You know I hate surprises. Why haven’t you called? I could have been busy elsewhere.”
“Well you gave me a key of your apartment. May as well use it. If you hadn’t been there, I would have done something else. Where is the problem? And you never go out anyway.”
Claudine crossed her arms with annoyance.
“I didn’t gave you a key for you to come as you please. It's creepy.”
Honestly, she gave him a key because it was something lovers do. She hadn’t really thought about it. But the eloquent flush and Keisuke's joy at this gesture let her believe that he, on the other hand, thought it mattered.
“You should really loosen up a little Claud. You look like an old hag to live cloistered in a constant monotony.”
“I like monotony.”
Keisuke sighed. Seeing that the discussion would lead to nothing, Claudine turned to turn on the television.
“Well, can we know what movie you took?”
Keisuki smiled with relief. One of the things he particularly liked about Claudine was her ability to let everything and anything pass. The excesses of anger of the French lasted 2min at most and were quickly forgotten. She was not a resentful person and it really was reassuring.
The man fumbled with his bag and took out three DVDs.
“To tell you the truth it was Shiro who lent them to me. He told me he didn’t know what to do with them.”
Claudine frowned disdainfully.
“You know very well that your brother’s tastes and mine are different.”
Keisuke chuckled.
“Well for once I think you can find your happiness. Look there is a Disney...”
“I'm not in the mood for a Disney.”
“A superheroes blockbuster.”
“No way.”
“Oh ! And a drama starring Tendou Maya!”
“Disney it is then.”
Keisuke pouted.
“Are you sure you don’t want to watch the movie with Tendou Maya? It could be nice for once.”
“I’m waiting for the Disney Keisuke.”
Keisuke sighed and handed her the DVD. He settled on the couch and watched Claudine start the player.
“I still don’t understand why you refuse to watch movies with this actress. She is very gifted.”
Gifted would be a word to qualify her indeed. But if Keisuke were to be honest, he would use the term "goddess of the stage" to describe this woman.
Everyone knew her.
In a few years, Tendou Maya had conquered the scene of Takarazuka, achieving the feat of making the world enjoy this kind of niche theater. Tourists from all over the world came to Japan just to see Tendou on stage. Recently, she had decided to expand her field and was playing in various productions. From theater to cinema and even musical, Tendou Maya had literally enslaved the world of entertainment. It had been a cyclone. Nobody could have imagined a talent like this could pop up like that. But Tendou Maya was there. From heaven she had come down to bring the art of the stage to its peak. Keisuke and his brother Shiro, like all self-respecting Japanese, admired the national pearl that was Tendou Maya. They were fans.
But much to Keisuke’s chagrin, this wasn’t Claudine’s case.
“I don’t particularly like her, that's all.”
Keisuke raised his arms to heaven. He would never understand his girlfriend.
“And here I am, stuck in this shabby apartment watching Cinderella while I could marvel at the show offered by the greatest actress of our generation!”
“Well, next time, you'll think before coming here out of the blue.”
Oh this was his divine punishment!
-o-
After half an hour of film, Keisuke yawned. The voice of this fairy good-mother was awful. Unlike him though, Claudine seemed caught up in the cartoon.
Keisuke smiled.
Under her harsh air, the French woman remained a child at heart. She loved that kind of movie. Coming from the oh so distant Claudine, it was really cute. The man's eyes went to the table where he noticed a piece of paper. He leaned over to pick it up.
“What's this?”
Claudine reluctantly broke away from her watching to focus on her boyfriend.
“Oh. It's the phone number of an old classmate. She came to the store today.”
Keisuke didn’t hide his astonishment.
“A friend of yours?”
“More or less.”
“Claud?”
Claudine sighed and lit her third cigarette since she was home.
“She offered to accompany me to the alumni meeting of my high school.”
“A meeting?”
First time he heard of this.
“Yes, I received a letter not long ago. Really wonder how they found me. You’d think that this type of school has acquaintances with Interpol members or something...”
“Will you go?”
Claudine took a long puff from her cigarette and let her eyes wander over the crackled ceiling.
“No.”
Keisuke gently stroked her hair and gave her a questioning look.
“Why, is it far from here?”
She closed her eyes.
“Not really. I'm just scared it’ll be awkward.”
Keisuke shook his head with sadness.
“You should go, it would do you good.”
She frowned and turned her head toward him.
“Quoi? No way. Why would it do me good?”
“Because you don’t go out enough?”
“I'm going out with you.”
“Once a month.”
“And that’s really sufficient. As if I had enough money to go out anyway...”
Keisuke had a stroke of genius. He looked at his lover maliciously.
“But the food of your alumni meeting will be free right?”
“Yeah of course. Knowing my high school, they will go thoroughly on the classy and stupidly expensive stuff.”
“Do you think there will be caviar?”
“It wouldn’t be surprising. Why are you asking?”
Keisuke kissed her on the cheek before declaring with a conspiratorial air.
“During one evening you could eat luxury food for free. And even more than one evening if you handle things perfectly.”
Claudine's eyes widened. He wouldn’t dare to suggest…?
“Don’t tell me you want...”
“Yeees?”
“Keisuke no!”
“If you don’t do it for yourself, do it for me!”
“No way!”
“Please Claudine! I’ll even wait for you at home with a nice cup of tea and your favorite Luc Besson movie to reward you!”
“There’s no way I’ll go to an alumni meeting just to steal food!”
“Please? Think about caviar? Think about cream puffs?”
Aaaaaaaaah Keisuke was unfair. He knew she had a thing for cream puffs. After several minutes of silent eyes battle, Claudine sighed, defeated.
“I want my tea perfectly infused.”
-o-