Maria-sama ga Miteru

The day of the closing ceremony for the second semester.

At the Rose Mansion, the Yamayurikai member-centered Christmas Party was done. The Bûche de Noël, made by Shimako-san with Rei-sama"s instruction, had been very delicious. Other than the Rose families, even those who had been invited guests were still fresh, they were still fired up about the game compet.i.tion that everyone had partic.i.p.ated in and had enjoyed the silly bantering as well.

If it were reality, as it was with an, "Ah, it was interesting," she soaked up those memories with all her heart, but alas the party"s curtain had to draw closed.

But&h.e.l.lip;

What madness had happened at the very end that had thrown Yumi down into the abyss.

Well&h.e.l.lip; it"s fine, it may be the case that she unknowingly fell on her own.

That other time, it was because of only one word that was directed at Touko-chan.

"Yumi-chan, w-what happened!? Eh, Sachiko too!?"

It was Rei-sama who had opened the front door and started off with a shout.

"The heck, what is--"

Continuing, a rare sight came into the view of Shimako-san"s surprised eyes.

"For the time being, if we can go inside&h.e.l.lip;"

"That"s right. Both of them are in the midst of such cold without wearing a coat. Since when, have they been like this?"

Yoshino-san said to Noriko-chan. With a head that felt vacant, Yumi clearly confirmed the faces of her friends appearing one after the other. While clear, they seemed somehow distant. With this, it was like watching a scene from a drama.

And so it was.

At dusk, the red rose soeurs, who were both embracing and loudly crying outside, were quickly ushered back into to the Rose Mansion by their friends who had become aware of the disturbance.

"...this way."

Noriko-chan placed cups filled with warm black tea in front of the two. Although the party"s tidying up was almost finished, the tea looked to be properly prepared. It was good that the pot"s hot water hadn"t been dumped out yet, Yoshino-san and Shimako-san could be heard saying with soft voices. After that, Rei-sama was in the room. Also Tsutako-san and Nana-chan still remained.

"I"m sorry for making you worry."

Sachiko-sama spoke preemptively. To the right, Yumi in the same way, followed her onee-sama, only to hang her head. She was unable to make the words come out at that moment. Tears, that had started because of whatever and were just now stopped, were once again a flood wanting to flow and she didn"t know if she could put and end to it -- it was from that sort of feeling.

"The story isn"t really such a big deal, you know."

Other than her reddened eyes and nose, Sachiko-sama had the same dignified appearance as always and prefaced the matter before she explained the situation.

"Yumi presented her rosary to Touko-chan."

Thereupon all present exclaimed, "Eh!?" That was obviously not the reaction of those having heard a story that isn"t really such a big deal.

"Was refused..."

This time the outcry didn"t happen. However, what had arrived was not silence, and neither "suu"[1], nor "huu"[2], it was a all of that overlapped together with a breathtaking sound that was difficult to represent.

While not being babies or infants or such, rather because two high school girls shared a big cry, anyone would be expected to wonder if what was experienced was an acceptable reason for this, however if one looks to hear, the reality in itself would leave one astonished.

"It"s just that."

After Sachiko-sama"s words summing things up, Noriko-chan murmured a small, "it"s a lie..."

"Noriko. Watch what you say."

Shimako-san chidingly cautioned.

"Ah, my apologies. In no way did I mean to say that Rosa Chinensis-sama lied."

With Noriko-chan having apologized, Sachiko-sama smiled.

"Of course I realize. What is not believable, it that such a sentiment would just come from out of your mouth, don"t you agree? However, surely this is the truth."

Truth. Yumi closed hey eyes and chewed thoughtfully on that word.

How is it that Touko-chan rejected the offered rosary? Even if that "truth" were amended, she would not waver anymore.

"In the end, her having been refused, may be nothing to report about in particular. Although this way had neglected Yumi"s feelings among other things and I thought that talking is logical. To that, there is also something that I want to ask of everyone."

"Ask?"

Yumi also included, everyone other than Sachiko-sama craned their necks.

"So, please. Regarding the matter of Yumi and Touko-chan, I want you to make sure to let it be for a little while."

"Make sure to let it be&h.e.l.lip;?"

In representation for the group, Rei-sama asked in return.

"Even though you have sympathy for Yumi, also don"t condemn Touko-chan, and please watch over them from a normal distance. Therefore, this is the problem of those two people involved."

"By not being compa.s.sionate to Yumi-chan, and not condemning Touko-chan?"

"Of course, I will do so as well."

Sachiko-sama decisively announced, after which Rei-sama laughed.

"If Sachiko, who is the elder sister, will do so, we have no reason to but in."

She laughed afterward and, looking at each of the group member"s faces, she said, "It"s fine, isn"t it?"

"Alright."

Said Yoshino-san and the white rose souers, and after that Tsutako-san and Nana-chan nodded their a.s.sent. Though you couldn"t be sure Tsutako-san, somehow or other, and Nana-chan, completely, understood the situation, perhaps for her future might completely have nothing to do with and couldn"t talk about the story.

"The person who rejected Yumi-san this way, I will gladly withdraw from this person!"

Yoshino cried out. Although her facial expression was angry, the corners of her eyes were glinting just a bit . "Stop it," Rei-sama said, and held her little sister"s head against her cheek. Only now to Sachiko-sama"s words, did Yoshino nod agreement, but only just a bit. However, Yoshino-san couldn"t abide without having said something.

"Certainly."

Shimako-san quietly said.

"Yumi-san isn"t giving up, right?"

Yumi gave a leaden nod.

So it is.

Because the matter wasn"t completely resolved, "Please watch over them," is what Sachiko had said.

The guard on patrol came, hurrying so as to return quickly, and after which finally all present stood up. A few people were walking in a gentle cl.u.s.ter through the ginko-lined avenue that had become dark. Although somehow or other there was a sad atmosphere when it was time to close up the Rose Mansion"s door, now cheerful laughing voices from here and there were fluttering about.

The reason wasn"t because everyone had completely forgotten about the matter of Yumi having been rejected by Touko-chan. In regards to Yumi, there was proper consideration. At the time of grandfather"s funeral, grandfather"s colleagues came running and said while laughing, "That guy, he hated when it was gloomy, you know." The resemblance to the feeling at that time is amazing. It was because they came to produce that overdoing, laughing, and cheerful atmosphere. Therefore, Yumi also laughed.

After all, Yumi"s heart was not dead yet. She couldn"t stay gloomy. At the time that hands were made to meet in front of the Maria statue, Yumi prayed about the matter of Touko-chan ― that Touko-chan wasn"t crying. Not wishing that they could become Soeurs, but rather that she wasn"t crying.

Regarding herself, like this there are good companions by her side. However, now Touko-chan was alone. Some time ago, she had run down this road alone. Although there should be many a person worrying about Touko-chan -- someone who would give her such things as a greeting and a smile -- but now, because there weren"t any nearby&h.e.l.lip;. Yet for Yumi, it is while feeling the warmth of her Onee-sama"s hands. That"s probably why she couldn"t help feeling that it was likely that Touko-chan was hurting much more than she was.

A written invitation that had arrived, three days after that event. In with a number of letters taken out from the house mailbox, she discovered a curiously self-addressed thing (probably like that to conceal to who it would be returned), on which the sender"s name was written: "Ogasawara Sachiko".

When she had seen such characters, she didn"t feel like waiting until she returned to the room. She took out the scissors from were they are stored above the shoe cupboard, and, nevertheless because it was onee-sama"s letter, after carefully breaking the seal so as to not cut the contents, Yumi read where she was standing.

It"s like a few-days-late Christmas Card, the word-processor typed message placed inside a red western-style envelope, after gulping repeatedly, it was a simple thing:

"A New Year"s Party at Sachiko-sama"s house&h.e.l.lip;"

Having seemed to have been tricked by the former Rosa Gigantia Satou Sei-sama last time, she was taken to Sachiko-sama"s house against her will, and if she remembered correctly that time was also one night and two days.

At the Ogasawara house for the two days at the beginning of each year, Sachiko-sama"s grandfather and her father, Touru-sama, are away, and the servants also have off. Because Sachiko-sama and Shachiko"s mother, Sayako-sama, would probably be lonely by themselves, it was to intrude on them and busily pa.s.s the time. Moreover, that Kashiwagi-san, who had thought about it similarly, had come over ahead of us, was probably outside of Sei-sama"s calculations. Somehow, that"s why it came to even Yumi"s younger brother Yuuki being there.

As for Sei-sama, she had said that when she graduated that she would often visit to play. Therefore, if it were true, Yumi churned her feelings, saying, "Was it alright to go to visit on New Year"s?" and she didn"t know if it would it be good to talk to Sachiko-sama.

But, lately, because there was a bit of a shocking matter. To that extent, her head hadn"t stopped spinning.

But. Without getting forcibly taken by someone, couldn"t she go to Onee-sama"s house for new year greetings too. She must stop being such a pathetic little sister. This time, I have been spoiled because of Sachiko-sama"s way of reaching out her hand. I must become more a.s.sertive.

"Nevertheless."

The "women only" characters made her laugh a bit, and then a sigh of relief came from Yumi. Yumi"s rival, Kashiwagi-san isn"t coming on that day, and therefore Sachiko-sama intentionally made it known.

"However, I wonder&h.e.l.lip;"

This invitation -- just what"s with the invitation"s business-like content similar to that of a cla.s.s reunion invitation. If just Yumi were invited, Sachiko probably would give her a call---?

While walking, she returned the letter to the envelope and during that time looked with a fleeting side-long glance at the living room telephone. As though she looked to have been aiming at it, the phone sound chirped.

"h.e.l.lo."

No way, she thought while picking up the telephone receiver to talk.

"Ah, Yumi-san?"

"Ha?"

Of course, it wasn"t from Sachiko-sama, this was in no way her style of good speaking. But, this "Yumi-san?" was from a frequently heard voice.

"...um, this is the f.u.kazawa residence, isn"t it?"

The person on the other side of the telephone receiver restated.

"It is. Should I call you Shimazu-san?"

"Whaaat? For a moment I thought it was your mom, and I was impatient."

Yep, it was Yoshino-san.

"While talking on the phone a voice is always heard a bit different from usual."

Yoshino-san"s embarra.s.sed sounding laughter came from the phone afterward. "By the way," she promptly entered to the main question at hand.

"Did a letter from Sachiko-sama come?"

"Ah. I see."

Yumi murmured.

"What does "I see." mean?"

"She sent invitations out to everyone; Sachiko-sama did."

Used the same content. Because of numerous invitations, that writing style was chosen. At last she understood. If there were not such consideration, a person would prefer hand-written letters.

"Yumi-san, of course, is probably partic.i.p.ating."

"Uh-huh. Since it just arrived, I haven"t asked my parents though. That"s the plan."

"Well then, I"ll go too."

"Really?"

With the long distance road race, is it ok? But before Yumi could ask, Yoshino spoke.

"After going and spectating the marathon until Hakone for this year"s New Year"s, I no longer hunger to see a demon that seems to have already been defeated, you know. Nah, say it was before defeating the demon, if the Hakone race and the Ogasawara"s New Year"s Party were equal, I don"t know that I"d have chosen the New Year"s Party, you know."

"What about Rei-sama?"

"Why wouldn"t she be going?"

"Being a student preparing for entrance exams?"

"If you say that, didn"t Sei-sama go last time?"

"Well..."

But, with that "If you say that" reply, the year before Mizuno Youko was in a similar situation, and couldn"t come because she was reliably attending winter term short courses. Incidentally, there were two people likewise preparing for entrance exams, since it must"ve also been the case for Torii Eriko-sama, who about then was gracefully pa.s.sing the time in Hawaii.

Now, Rei-sama, which type is she, I wonder.

"Come now, let Rei-chan do as she likes. She"s out now doing reference book shopping. If she comes back I"ll ask and see. After that, I"ll call Yumi back. Since this is my first time at the Osagawara house, we must have discussions about things, by what means do I go, and what do it take along?"

"Hahaha. Somehow or other you"ve become accustomed to vigor haven"t you?"

"I"m counting on you! Well then..."

"Yeah."

Yumi hung up the phone and "Whew&h.e.l.lip;," she laughed.

One year since then, Yumi absentmindedly thought. In this one year, whether from the back breathing "also," or at the front breathing, "still," she didn"t understand it herself.

She put the telephone receiver back, and, in the time she had begun one step toward the stairs, the phone was ringing again.

Could it be Yoshino-san? Still, a.s.suming her neighbor Rei-sama had returned, to talk and call again, it was a bit quick feeling. If she hung up and immediately pushed the redial b.u.t.ton, even in this way it probably couldn"t connect that quickly. Is it that fast?

"h.e.l.lo."

And yet, while Yumi didn"t know if there was something Yoshino forgot to say, she talked into the receiver to find out.

"Ah, is this the f.u.kuzawa residence."

"Yes."

Sometime a switch occurred, and a calmly composed voice was heard coming from the receiver.

"I am Lillian Girls" Academy high school section second year Toudou Shimako--"

"Shimako-san!?"

"Yumi-san? Good day. Is now okay to talk?"

It was rare for Shimako-san to call, but Yumi knew immediately the reason for the call.

"The truth is, a letter came from Sachiko-sama..."

Because of, for example, intruding on this year"s (emotionally it was from about one year prior, therefore something like last year) New Year"s Day and also going to play at the vacation house, her parents gave permission to go to the Ogasawara"s New Year"s party unexpectedly easily.

This was after the f.u.kuzawa residence"s evening meal.

"But, whenever you intrude, because it"s one-sided, there isn"t any excuse, right? Next time, why don"t you get Sachiko-sama to come to our house?"

While wiping the dining table with a tablecloth, Yumi"s mother said that, tacking on "although small" at the end. But, for Sachiko-sama, since she was not very fond of her s.p.a.cious house, somehow this point was alright. It"s a yearning for a house that understands where family members are, which had been said before. But, even if she were talking to an adult, to say, "That"s probably being humble," undoubtedly wouldn"t be taken seriously.

"Hey, Yuuki won"t come, you know right?"

Facing toward the kitchen in order to put away the chopstick holder and pot stand, Yumi called to her brother who going in front holding an earthenware pot. Incidentally, today"s main course was oden.

"What? Because last time I went?"

Yuuki turned around.

"Yeah&h.e.l.lip; from that."

Somehow or other. One year before it became the same pattern didn"t it? Maybe it"s just an uneasy feeling.

"I won"t go."

For the time being, putting the pot down on the gas cooking table, Yuuki sighed and laughed.

"About that, even though I was brought along by Kashiwagi-sempai somewhat against my will, you know."

At the name, "Kashiwagi", Yumi"s heart skipped a beat. Though it skipped a beat, for some reason or other, and more or less whenever also, it seems palpitations enter like echoes, not in the way of a simple heart skip. It doesn"t go as far as a stab in the heart, but whatever his plans, he is an indiscriminant heart-stabbing fellow.

Regarding Kashiwagi-san, who can be called a rival even though he already set aside Sachiko-sama, there are various things she was about to think. Nevertheless, now, due to the Touko-chan affair, the matter of the promise with him was caught in her heart the most.

(When next questioned, I will reply.)

The thought came out, and her heart still skipped.

Though, whether probably heart-skipping, or probably heart-stabbing, if it is noticed by Yuuki, for Yuuki to become unexpectedly suspicious would not be unusual. Therefore, while Yumi returned the chopstick holder and pot stand to the proper locations, "Got it," she said, and turned her back to her brother as she left the kitchen.

But.

"Is that because Kashiwagi-san might also come?"

Returning to the living room, Yumi"s mother was waiting with twinkling eyes. It seems like both children"s conversation had been heard.

"Well&h.e.l.lip;?"

Because Yumi honestly didn"t know, and couldn"t come up with just a vague response, subsequently she persistently continued along.

"Isn"t he Sachiko-sama"s cousin?"

My, my. Lately, what with one thing after another, the f.u.kuzawa residence incessantly called on the matter of Kashiwagi-san, and it was due to her follower-of-each-new-fad mother who wouldn"t bring it to an end until she was completely pleased.

"Nevertheless, Kashiwagi-kun is a male."

While Yumi"s father had his eyes on the newspaper"s television section, looking disinterested, he muttered.

"The New Year"s Party, isn"t it female-only?"

Said, also while feigning a disinterested appearance. Yumi"s father had reliably caught the details of the written invitation. Female only. That, considerably important.

"Well then, Touko-chan is. Maybe she is invited, right?"

Touko-chan. That name, as well..., where Yumi was at now, her heart skipped. She had not yet talked about the tale of refusal by Touko-chan at home.

"Yumi-sama, because at your home you can talk about anything, right?" Though that was what Touko-chan had said, there were many reasons even this was an unexpectedly unspoken matter.

"I have no idea. How should I know whether Sachiko-sama invited her or not."

"Well if it"s Yumi-chan, why not do some information gathering, right?"

Mom, that would be improper for a little sister. Although she was a little sister to someone from inside the academy, because they didn"t live together, she didn"t grasp if it would be an impossible thing to do.

"Since the invitation arrived, we haven"t yet talked."

Though she had talked with Yoshino-san and Shimako-san on the phone.

"Eh, why is that?"

"After all, I had thought that I would make a telephone call response, after receiving Mom and Dad"s permission!"

"Yumi-chan, aren"t you being too serious? Hey, are you ok?"

Being too serious, my worried mother says. Something our parents say, "a bit off point isn"t it?" While tilting her head, Yumi turned toward her room. Well, because she was raised by such parents, this sort of daughter might not be ready.

"I say she"s ok. Only she won"t use the telephone like a high school student daughter in front of her parents, though I also think, "why is it?" Because Yumi is odd."

Yuuki who observed his elder sister picking up the telephone handset extension before climbing the stairs, sneakily advised mom.

Definitely. Though not a private telephone, she was feeling that she wanted to do the call alone in a location that didn"t have people nearby. Nevertheless, that her younger brother saw though her thoughts, is a bit of a shock.

She entered her room, and Sachiko-sama answered when she made the call to the Ogasawara residence.

"For today, I think that I handled many phone calls."

I see. So, steadily around the time the invitations were arriving, during which might have come attendance responses and inquiries -- it was making arrangements sort of things.

"Some time ago, there was a call from Rei. She will be able to come together with Yoshino-chan, she said. Hakone seems already ok, right?"

As I thought, Rei-sama had time also with Sachiko-sama, Yumi and the others" same road race, was apparently a topic that came up. If speaking of Yoshino-san"s New Year"s, it"s race spectating. Although it should be that she didn"t do it even once yet, for the sake of excessive impact there had been input as to whether they would do so every year.

Incidentally, speaking of Yoshino"s summer, it is climbing mount Fuji. This also is the same on the right.[3]

"And what about Yumi?"

She was being asked by Sachiko-sama about her attendance, Yumi gripping the phone tightly with all her strength nodded ascent.

"Of course, I will be coming."

"I"m glad. Though if it was limited to Yumi, erasing the "come and join us" part of the invitation with a slash, and absolutely, "shall I rewrite it?" was greatly thought about."

Sachiko-sama said, and her flowery laughter was heard coming from the telephone receiver.

If it was limited to Yumi, absolutely, she had said. Yumi didn"t think Sachiko was being cheeky.

If it was limited to Yumi. If it was limited to Yumi. In her mind, many times over, it repeated, and she turned completely red. As she thought, doing the call in her room seems like it was the correct choice.

There was a meeting about the matter two or three days afterward, Sachiko-sama said.

"An invitation went out to Touko-chan also, you know."

Because she was completely unprepared, unexpectedly the word called Touko-chan had turned up, again her heart had reacted with a thump.

"...Is that so?"

Yumi murmured. Because she couldn"t see Sachiko-sama"s face, while she stayed silent, she thought about what Sachiko-sama was intending on the opposite side of the telephone.

"It was on my own discretion. I apologize, it was without consent from Yumi."

"No, it"s ok."

If she tried to think about it, it might be that event"s personal items and route from the station were less important, than to a large extent wanting to have asked about this.

"It might be that she won"t come."

"Right."

"Even so, I say I think it"s good that she comes. Though I don"t know if Yumi"s shock at having been rejected still remains, it probably won"t steadily cause action from Touko-chan"s side."

While even if in the end, she might not be able to become souers with Touko-chan, regarding this condition of separation ending, in order that it not become mutual, Yumi also was feeling it.

If you take and erase a word called souers, perhaps like with the current Kanako-chan, she might be able to build up a good relationship. Now that she knew her feelings, therefore, as for not calling out to Touko-chan with little-sister, it is a very mature thing. However, this situation of continuing to have a back turned is said to be less than good.

Although not giving up was also important, probably it"s already become a choice, that time for also thinking about her companion"s feelings and resigning oneself is a significant thing.

At any rate, if onee-sama is waiting.

"Do you not speak because you are shocked? Because, having said for everyone to try to watch over you from a distance, I am beginning to become meddlesome right from the start?"

Sachiko-sama said, and it was as if she read Yumi"s thoughts.

"Onee-sama, are you also a person with supernatural powers?"

"I don"t have super natural powers or anything, you know. But, it is because I"m your onee-sama."

Onee-sama.

"Therefore. I am good, you know."

Meddling, she said. Although saying that, it"s absurd, while she"s said to brim with self-confidence, she has superbly understood.

"Yeah."

Yumi let out a small laugh.

I am good, you know, she said.

If it were limited to Onee-sama.