Oogami gathered all the Hanagumi together in the dressing room. Also, the TeiGeki Sannin Musume and Kaede. Yoneda was passed drunk in his office so he couldn’t come.
“Everyone, tonight I have an announcement! From this moment on....I, Oogami Ichirou, have decided who to love for the rest of his days!”
They just stared at him, unaffected. He then explained about the secret admirer and the letters and the all the missing pieces to his puzzle.
“But, Taichou, that’s unbelievable!” Kanna argued, “How can you possibly love someone you’ve never met or seen?! She could be an awful snake woman like Sumire!”
“What did you say, you dumb ogre?!” Sumire cried.
Oogami replied, “I know I’ve never met her, but this is it. Just like what Kayama said...”
“K-Kayama-san? How did he get into conversation?” Kaede cried. Everyone looked to her. She just turned red.
“Anyway, Kaede-san said that she met the girl tonight at the play.” Oogami noted.
“But that’s impossible...” Sakura said, “The whole time she was with....” She suddenly stopped and covered her mouth. Everyone looked to her. She just turned red.
“Yes, I met her, Oogami-kun.” Kaede said, “But, I don’t think I can remember what she looked like. And I don’t know her name either.”
“Well then, I guess I’ll just have to find out what I can. Anyway, you’ll all help me, won’t you? After all, I’ve finally chosen who to love....” he said, looking to them.
Maria snapped, “Taichou, you don’t know what love is.”
“M-Maria...” he gasped, “I....”
“It’s true. Only someone blind and foolish would fall for someone who they don’t even know.” she said, and left the room. Kanna went after her.
Iris was crying. “Onii-chan loves someone other than Iris! Iris hates Onii-chan! Jean-Paul does, too!” she wailed and ran out too. Reni went after her.
Oogami turned to the others, who couldn’t find the words. Sakura was first to say something. “If you truly are in love, then...I’m happy for you, Oogami-san.”
“Sakura-kun...”
“I will do what I can to help you!”
“Me, too.” Sumire said, “I won’t let Sakura-san get all the credit.”
“Sumire-kun...” Oogami uttered.
Orihime crossed her arms. “This indeed is a joke. Helping a Japanese man? Sounds boring to me. Excuse me, I’m going now.” she said and left.
Kohran turned to them. “Don’t mind her. I’ll help, too, with any technical stuff.”
“Kohran....” Oogami uttered.
The TeiGeki Sannin Musume promised to keep their ears open and to try to make the postmaster talk. Yuri said that she had some blackmail on him so it could be possible. Kaede wrote down her account and gave it to Oogami, then suddenly got tired and had to leave to her room. Oogami, on the other hand, didn’t notice her sudden departure, but was very happy.
“Finally! I have a chance at finding the one I love! Minna, arigatou!”
* * *
Kanna finally caught up with Maria. “What the heck was that all about? Sure, the Taichou seems to have gone overboard, but he’s meaning to make amends. Sometimes, I wonder if I should just forget about the whole thing.”
“No! I can’t...forget it!”
“M-Maria?!”
“Kanna....Taichou needs to learn a lesson.”
“What do you mean?”
“Come with me and listen to everything I have to say...” Maria said, leading the way.
* * *
“Hm...it seems this girl has money.”
“How do you know that, Sumire-san?” Sakura asked as they were examining the letters in the salon.
Sumire went into a big lecture. “Well, first of all, the perfume is from the same brand that I buy, which is very expensive. Although I prefer the summer lily scent rather than this camilla scent. Also, the stationary is the type that they sell in a special store, like the ones on Minato-ku boulivard, which only sell hand-made paper for an exhausting price. Lastly, she must have bought season passes in advance to go to every performance and that alone costs a great deal. Yes, this woman is definitely rich.”
“Wow, Sumire-san, you sure found out a lot!” Sakura cried.
She tossed her hair over her shoulder and grinned. “Heh, aren’t you glad I’m helping out. Now, what have you done, Sakura-san?”
“Ah...well, the strange things is....if this is some rich girl, then why is she using such an old and faulty typewriter. Wouldn’t she have the money to have a good working one. Look at how the type is faded and crooked. Some letters are even mis-shaped.”
“Huh? Let me see that! .....Hm....you have a point. But....perhaps it’s an antique. Those are very expensive.”
“Also, Sumire-san...” Sakura added, “Those perfumes...don’t they give out free samples sometimes at street fairs and at bigger department stores. So, she didn’t have to neccesarily have bought that expensive perfume.”
“Well...yes that could be true...”
“So, this secret admirer could also be an ordinary girl who wants to appear to be classy!”
“Hmp, Sakura-san, you just don’t want to believe that Shoui has a taste for extravangant woman.” Sumire muttered.
“Oogami-san could like simple girls, too!” Sakura argued.
“Yes, simple-minded girls....”
“Why you....!”
The two get into a fight and the letter floated off the table....towards the fireplace. Oogami saw it and leaped in the way just in time to catch them, although....
“UWAH!!!!!” he screamed as his vest caught on fire.
Kohran poured a pitcher of water on him. Drenched, he sat up and glared at her. “At least you’re not burning anymore, Oogami-han.” she laughed.
He sighed and looked to see that the letters were safe and dry a couple feet away from him. Kohran picked them up and dusted them off. “Now then, let’s start examining the contents.”
“W-wait!” Oogami cried, grabbing them, “Actually they’re kind of personal so I’d appreciate it if you don’t read them.”
Sumire crossed her arms. “Well, what can we do then? You won’t even let us read them!”
The TeiGeki Sannin Musume entered the salon. “Oogami-saaaan!” they called.
“Y-yes? What is it?”
“It’s another one!” Tsubaki said, holding up an envelope.
“We found it in the business office just now. The girl must have slipped it under the door some time after the performance.” Kasumi noted, “She must have wanted to save on postage.”
“Open it! Open it! I want to know what’s in it!” Yuri chimed.
Oogami took the letter and started reading. Everyone were wondering what was written, but he wouldn’t tell them. Sumire and Sakura exchanged glances.
“It’s not fair. If he wants us to help him, how can we if we don’t have that reference.” Sumire pouted, “I want to read them, too.”
“Right, there could be an important clue in there.” Sakura noted.
The letter contained:
Dear Ichirou-san
I learned your name from a fellow co-worker of yours during the play. The play was magnificent. Whenever I come to your theater, my heart is full of joy. I become lost in the music and the lines in the play, and I forget my worries. Perhaps it was the theater that led me to you. I had often wondered if it would be possible for me to have such a feeling, but it has come true. You and the theater....I love dearly. I hope to visit soon.
Love, your secret admirer.
“She called me ‘Ichirou-san’....” Oogami noted, “So, she must have met Kaede-san! Kaede-san knows what she looks like! Where’s her description!?”
“Right here!” Kohran said, holding it up, “It seems she’s in her late teens or early twenties, with long dark hair, gray eyes, elegantly dressed, soft-spoken, very kind....that’s it.”
“Hm.......” Oogami was deep in thought, “I don’t know if I saw anyone like that....I should be able to remember!”
“Oogami-han, for you to remember every single face that walks in through the Teigeki is crazy. Let it go.” Kohran laughed, “She’s a face among many.”
“Yeah....” he muttered, still unsatisfied.
“Well, then let’s go over some other information...” Sumire started to say.
“Actually, let’s take a break.” he said, turning his back to them.
“Shoui?”
“Please....I want some time alone.”
“Fine!” Sumire yelled, storming out.
“S-sumire-san!” Sakura cried, going after her.
The three girls from the Teigeki turned to Oogami then to Kohran who shrugged. They all left the salon. He sat down and looked at the letter again.
“I just want to meet her....” he sighed.
* * *
In the attic....
“Stop! I want to play Wagner!”
“Yuck! Classical music puts me to sleep! Let’s play boogie-woogie!”
“Not again! How uncivilized! We’re playing this record!”
“Oh, don’t be an awful witch like that snake woman, Sumire!”
“K-! I’m starting to agree with that snake woman....”
“What did you say?!”
Maria sighed and turned away from the fighting girls at the record player. There were three knocks and the door opened. Kohran came and sat next to her. “I see you’ve got Kanna-han with us. That’s great! The more the merrier.”
“Yes, but she and Orihime have been at it for the last half hour. How are things going downstairs?”
“Sumire-han and Sakura-han have agreed to help Oogami-han find out who his secret admirer is. They’re working really hard. I wonder what’s their real motives though.”
“That’s a good question....what else?”
“Ah, Kaede-han gave a description of the lady she met. It was very detailed.”
“Really. Next?”
“Oogami-han got another letter and wouldn’t let anyone see it. Then he made Sumire-han mad and she left in a fit. That’s it. Oh, and Iris and Reni were snooping around in the office.”
“What for?”
“Don’t know. We should check it out. They might find out about our plans.”
“Right....” Maria says, “I’ll send Orihime.”
Kanna waves her fist in the air with triumph. “YES! BOOGIE WOOGIE TIME!” she cheers, putting her record.
Orihime covers her head. “Oh, not again...”
Maria cleared her throat. “But as you’re listening, would you please kindly get something done. It is YOUR turn.”
“Yossha!” Kanna chimed and turned to the hanging doll, “Taichou, dodge this one if you can!”
And with that, she gave it one of her powered up punches, making some stuffing come out. The doll swung violently back and forth for a bit then stopped lifelessly.
“Well, that was impressive.” Orihime noted, tilting her head to the side to examine the deflated doll.
Kanna cheered. “It’s the BOOGIE WOOGIE, baby!”
Kohran got into the spirit, “Yossha! Turn up!”
Kanna blasted up the volume on the record player and the two started dancing around. Maria and Orihime dropped their heads and sighed.
* * *
Sakura finally caught up with the distraught Sumire, who was now insanely laughing in the hall.
“S-Sumire-san???”
“Hohohohohohoho!!!!!!”
“Are you....feeling okay??”
“Sakura-san,” Sumire said, turning around with a mischievious grin, “I will not lose to a face-less woman! The battle isn’t over yet!”
“Huh? What are you going to do?”
“Hohoho! You will see! This will be Sumire Kanzaki’s finest performance yet!”
“Huh? Huh?”
* * *
Orihime arrived in the business office. Sure enough, Iris and Reni were snooping around. She walked in and noticed that they had moved everything around. Unfortunately, the TeiGeki Sannin Musume had gone home and there was no one there to scold them.
“What do you think you two are doing?!”
Reni said, “We’re on a mission.”
“And who authorized this mission?” she replied, playing along with them.
“Lieutenant Yoneda, who else?”
“Yoneda, huh? So what is this mission?”
Reni noted, “We’re searching for the stolen type-writer.”
She lifted an eyebrow in surprise. “Stolen? How do you know it was stolen? Don’t you mean missing?”
Iris said, “We know it was stolen because one of the ribbons in the business office was also missing. In order to operate the typewriter you need that special ribbon which is now out of stock else where because the model of the typewriter is so old, no one makes that kind of ribbon anymore.....Wai, wai, that was a mouth full.”
Orihime replied, “I see. And why are you undertaking such a mission?”
“Simple. Yoneda-ojichan said if we find it, he’ll FORCE Onii-chan to be my boyfriend!”
“Huh?? Force??”
“Yeah! Iris will not have to worry about Onii-chan floating again!”
“What about you Reni?”
Reni took a moment to search for a reason, then replied, “I’m just helping Iris....because she’s my friend....”
Orihime teased her in turn, “No, you probably want to go on a date with Shou’i-san, too. Hehehe.”
“N-no.”
Iris turned to Reni frantically and cried, “Reni! Onii-chan is MINE!!!”
“Nobody said that.”
“Heeey! I thought we were friends! And Yoneda-ojichan said that if we find the typewriter he will make sure that Onii-chan will be MINE forever!”
“He was drunk when he made that statement.”
“Waaai, waaaai! How could you say that, Reni?!”
“Because he was! You saw....he wasn’t in his right mind....”
Orihime left the business office, a satisfied grin on her face. The other two continued to argue and forgot about their mission for the night. Orihime went up to the attic with a report of what she had seen. By then, Kanna had finished up her work.
“YOSSHI!”
Kohran looked over it and said, “A-OKAY! Not bad, Kanna-han.”
Orihime said, “Let me see...hm, it will do....”
Maria uttered quietly, “Soon....Taichou....he will.....”
Kanna turned up the record player again. She and Kohran started dancing and pulled Orihime unto the floor. As the three happily celebrated another movement in their cause, Maria gazed out the window with saddened eyes.
“Taichou, will this work.....will you.....understand....?”
Across the street on the rooftop, a mysterious figure is watching the attic.
SUMIRE: It’s time to take matters into my hands! It’s long night when the Shou’i and I stake out that mystery girl whoever she is. But, little does he know I’ve got something else in plan. Explosions and Confessions of Love next time on Sakura Taisen! A storm of Romance in Taishou cherry blossoms.
It’s either me or her - make your decision!
