Life was mildly decorous with Juro after his humiliating defeat in the election. One day something happened that was an immense surprise to all: Juro's name had been hammered out of The Wall of Losers, making it practically impossible to read.
No one except him knew who the person was who had removed his name from the wall. Only one piece of evidence remained: the hammer with which the wall had been hit, as well as the remains of dust and pebbles that remained.
As they passed the table where Kazumi ate with her friends, Juro left an apple with a note stuck with a toothpick.
-It wasn't necessary, but thank you very much -said the little note.
Eiji and Yumei had fully reconciled after the elections, spending the occasional recess together (as long as Yurisa did not separate them).
-Can I have the egg salad? –Yurisa asked.
-Here you go, and you can pass me the apple juice. –Asked Juro.
Ringo watched his breakfast without taking a bite, it gave the impression that he had put on a little weight, maybe a kilo or two.
-Why don't you try it? The truth is that it is very good. –Yurisa said.
-I don't know ... I'm a bit unaccustomed to this type of food. -Ringo replied.
-Oh la la, Mr. French. Well, what kind of food do you eat for breakfast every day? –Juro questioned.
-French ... but no breakfast. The how twice a week.
Aimi's heels clicked as she walked, her hair moving delicately with each step she took. You could tell that she checked that everything was in order.
-Hi guys, what are you doing? -She asked.
-Eating without Yumei. –Yurisa regretted.
-Today eat with Eiji, to the bad luck of the present here. –Ringo said, eating some of the asparagus.
Kazumi walked in the same way through the corridors of the cafeteria, but she was not going to the quartet table, she was going with her friends.
As they passed the table, she waved to Juro, smiling at him. He also returned the gesture, only with an idiotic face that made Kazumi amused.
-Disguise. –Yurisa pinched Juro's leg.
-I just can't ...she had stopped feeling pain at being madly in love.
-Sigh, what a man case. -Ringo sighed.
-And you, don't you like anyone? -Aimi questioned.
-It's bigger than him. –Yurisa interrupted. Ringo didn't flinch, on the contrary, he nodded.
-Well, you're going to have to work. I don't know how many years that girl you like is older, but older women are not easy.
-No girl is, really.
Aimi ate with the boys when Yumei was not there, since she preferred to be with the three of them to only be with Yurisa talking about various things.
Tadashi questioned that this kind of approach was not correct, that there was nothing wrong with her living with the students, but it was not the way.
Clearly Aimi didn't care as long as she could feel like a teenager again, without acting like one.
That life that she couldn't have in France… she would have it in Japan, even for a year, but it would be a year of profit.
That day was Thursday, for tomorrow the teacher will not attend the academy. That was not an impediment to her not being able to live with those she already considered her friends: the two Y's.
They would go out to see a good movie, the real thing: Once upon a time in Hollywood. The three of them liked movies.
-I almost forgot it. –Aimi took two movie tickets out of her bag. –Take them, every second I'm changing bags and I'm not going to pass them by. Don't forget to give hers to Yumei.
-Will you go to the movies with them? How entertaining, is it a romance movie or something? -Ringo questioned.
-Not at all, it is such a special film that I prefer not ...
-It's Once upon a time in Hollywood. –Yurisa smiled.
-Ah, the new Quentin Tarantino? It will surely be good, I have seen all your movies. –He counted Juro.
-I would like to invite you, but there were no more places, we reached the last. –Aimi expressed, looking ugly at Yurisa.
-I have no problem with it. On Friday I planned to go out here with my dear.
-Yes ... about that. I was thinking of going with Kazumi to the center of the city, forgive me.
-Merde… -Aimi pinched Ringo's hand. -Ouch!
-Regulate that language, young man. -She corrected.
Tadashi was checking that there were still some propaganda posters from the committee's campaign. Much to him surprise, he had been nominated as tutor, something that had practically been him dream for three years.
He was in charge of accepting and vetoing the requests that the students made as long as they had the approval of the committee. He had sent, in an anonymous letter, that The Loser Wall be knocked down, and after seeing that Juro's name had been erased, that implied the dissatisfaction that the students had with the wall, which is precisely why to tear down.
Tadashi signed and approved the petition with all the pleasure in the world, emotion was evident in his spiky hair.
It can be said that with the fall of The Wall, so did the iron curtain, which was already open. However, as long as that curtain continued to exist, it could always be closed.
The entire academy watched as the wall was brought down with hammers. Juro, Kazumi and Tadashi were the three who hit the wall the hardest so that when they fell, everyone would applaud.
Yumei and Eiji played guitar to celebrate, piano and trumpets were also played to celebrate the event in a good way.
Despite what had happened in the elections, the committee, seeing that The Wall of Losers and the Iron Curtain had fallen, knew that things were leading to something better: for a unification of the committee.
The name was still "The Conservatives", but the tutor and some members were Red, so Juro's efforts and humiliation were of no use.
To celebrate the fall of The Wall, a dance was even organized.
As a secret technique, Yumei and Yurisa had proposed that former political rivals be the ones to open the dance.
-B-but, I don't know how to dance. –Juro apologized.
-Yes you know, don't be begging! -Yumei muttered, who pushed Juro to the center of the cafeteria, which was where the dance was held.
-If you don't know, I understand. –Kazumi reassured.
-Yes, you know, but you're embarrassed! -Yurisa yelled.
-Yurisa, you're making a fool of me!
-Hey, when I met you made a fool of yourself, so don't feel embarrassed. –Kazumi took her skirt, lifting it a little while bowing. -Don't leave me like this, huh.
Juro, swallowing all her embarrassment, she put her arm horizontally across her chest, to also bow.
The two held hands to begin the dance, which was orchestrated by Yumei and Eiji, being her the one who sang.
The dance was very simple: one two and repeat. Even so, both Kazumi and Juro enjoyed it, especially him.
When they finished, the entire cafeteria applauded. They bowed and the real party began.
The iron curtain had been knocked down with a dance in the center of the cafeteria, which was where he was.
Tadashi and Aimi looked on smiling as everyone danced and laughed. Yumei danced with Eiji, Yurisa with Ringo and Juro and Kazumi had not separated.
But Yurisa had one more secret technique prepared.
-Teacher, come dancing too! -Yurisa took Aimi's hand and pulled her onto the dance floor. -You too, Professor Tada!
When the two teachers were placed on the dance floor, a spotlight illuminated just the two of them. She was smiling slightly pained, he was smiling the same way, but with more confidence.
Yumei pushed Eiji back, throwing himself at Aimi to dance with her. So it was, the two girls danced very gracefully, especially since Yumei was the one who was in step.
Tada, for his part, danced with Yurisa in a more organized way than his colleague, since they both kept the rhythm of the songs well.
Eiji and Ringo looked on with a disgruntled face as their girls had fun without them.
-I asked Yumei a bit about you ... I know the truth, but I didn't mean to say anything. –Comment Eiji.
-I get it. I know she has a great need to talk about anything. It's funny, up to a point.
-That's why I like it. Now, I'll take her around the waist so you can dance with the teacher, okay?
-Of course.
Eiji immediately got up from where he was sitting, went to the two girls, who couldn't stop laughing, grabbed Yumei by the waist and pulled her tightly to release Aimi.
-Ei-Eiji, what are you doing?! -Yumei sputtered.
-Just cooperate and don't put up resistance.
Yumei was trying to get away from Eiji, her arms were like a baby trying to reach her mother's breast. Yurisa stopped dancing with Tadashi to, likewise, pull Yumei out of the cafeteria, while she kicked and screamed for being released.
When she was alone, a spotlight shone on Aimi, and even though she hadn't moved a single hair, another shone on Ringo. Juro it was part of the game too.
Kazumi was one more accomplice in that evil game, Tadashi was not, but he would still take part by taking Ringo by the shoulders and pushing him aside from Aimi.
-Let them dance! –Kazumi shouted, so that later the other students chanted the same thing. - Let them dance, let them dance!
-What does it say, teacher? You are not required to dance with a server.
-If I don't, I'll raise suspicions. -She whispered. Just try not to overdo it.
The two held hands. Before dancing, Juro ran to Ringo to put a gladiolus flower on the lapel of his jacket, patting him on the face and winking at him.
-Cheer up, champ. -He whispered in his ear.
The others went about their business, letting this pair dance as they pleased and at ease, without interruption.
Yumei watched from the glass of the door, crying over how "his girl" was robbed.
-Why are you crying because someone else dances with the teacher? –Yurisa questioned.
-She's my girl.
-Yumei, you are a woman!
-And?
-And you also have a boyfriend! -Eiji added.
-And?
The student and the teacher danced to the quiet music. He with his indoor shoes, she clicking her heels, dancing as God gave them to understand: without formulas and without complications.
-You know, I never thought things would end like this.
-Don't you remember that we've only been in school for like four weeks?
-The exams start next week, why don't you help me for the exam while we eat at your house?
-I could ... but why?
-Please ... my little one.
It was so incredible to think how Ringo, being five years younger than Aimi, was almost a head taller than him when it must have been the other way around.
Yumei was slightly smaller than Aimi, so it was uncomfortable, (especially for the teacher), to dance closely since their faces were facing each other.
He, in his case, had to lower his head a little and she had to look up if they wanted to meet his eyes. In order not to keep raising "silly rumors" they never did, they never danced too much together, although sooner or later they would.
The dance and classes were over, everyone cleared the cafeteria while Aimi gathered her things from the desk. He had just finished teaching arts class.
Yumei and Yurisa approached her like they were two unprotected little dogs in the middle of a torrential rain. Speaking of rains, these had already ended, for the most part.
-Teacher, can we ask you something in secret? –Yurisa said while Yumei checked if there was someone in the hall.
-Sure, as long as Yumei doesn't ask my measurements because otherwise I'll get really upset!
-How do you think I was going to ask you that?! -Yumei wrapped her hair around her index finger and looked away.
-Yes you planned to do it, right?
-But not today, I swear!
-Hum ... then ask me once.
-Do you like someone in the room?
-No, why would I like a high school boy? Impossible.
-Then nobody likes him ... but does someone make him handsome or attractive?
-Hum… maybe Ringo. The truth is that he is handsome and all ... but his personality is what attracts me the most about him. Always so chivalrous and attentive to me, I like his jokes at inappropriate times, plus I feel that without him my life would be more monotonous and bitter.
The two girls were left with bright eyes: one because of jealousy and the other because of the tenderness that those words gave her.
-Hum!!! -A push sounded making the three girls' blood run cold. -What? ... oh no, I think I fell asleep again. -Ringo rubbed his eyes and saw the three girls.
Neither of them noticed, because she hadn't made any noise, that Ringo was sleeping on one side of the desk.
Aimi was blushing. Yumei and Yurisa, white with fright.
-What? ... Why are they looking at me like that? Do I have something on my face?
-Kya!!! Between the three girls they kicked the poor boy out of the room, throwing his things at him in the process.
-Hey! But what happens to you three?!
-Shut up and get out, you little punk! -Aimi sputtered as she slammed the door shut.
Ringo made a gesture of not understanding anything. He took his things and put them in his backpack and then went to the entrance of the academy.
-He didn't hear us! Or if?! -Aimi asked.
-No, he didn't, he was asleep! –Yurisa exclaimed.
-Yes, he was sleeping! If he heard something, he would have made a sound! –I try to convince Yumei.
Being already outside the academy, Ringo looked up to the room where from the window you could see that the three girls were arguing God only knew what.
The boy shrugged and headed back to the academy, hurriedly walking toward the parking lot.
Seeing Aimi's car, Ringo removed the gladiolus flower from his jacket to put it on the door handle for Aimi to take before opening her car.
Upon returning to the entrance of the academy, the three girls were still arguing. Ringo blew a kiss into the classroom.
-See you later ... my little one.