Maria-sama ga Miteru

Chapter 86

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On Sat.u.r.day, she didn"t see Sachiko-sama.

This was because Sachiko-sama was absent from school. Given the way they parted, Yumi thought she hadn"t wanted to see Sachiko-sama anyway, but it was lonely knowing that her onee-sama wasn"t on campus.

"Sachiko-sama isn"t here either. Rei-chan said to go home and not stay back today."

Yoshino-san had made up with Rei-chan at some point. Even Shimako-san looked uncharacteristically happy when Yumi ran into her in the shoe-locker room that morning, probably because of Noriko-chan. Yellow and white were in a good mood.

During recess, Yumi saw Touko-chan"s figure in the first-year camellia group cla.s.sroom. She returned to cla.s.s, relieved that Touko-chan wasn"t absent too, but on the other hand she felt disappointed in herself for being so suspicious, and resentful of Sachiko-sama for making her act that way.

She was still feeling depressed when she got home, so she decided to go for a stroll to relax. It looked like it was going to rain, so she got her umbrella from the umbrella stand, and that was when her mother asked her to pick up some things from the shop.

A tub of b.u.t.ter from the convenience store. - Then, the umbrella was gone.

She returned home soaking wet and crying, and broke down sobbing in the entrance.

"Yumi-chan!?"

Hearing her sobs, Yumi"s mother, father and Yuuki all gathered from where they were around the house. Using the loss of her umbrella as a defense, she didn"t hide her tears from her family.

"Don"t just take something that doesn"t belong to you."

Crouched down on the concrete floor in the entry, Yumi pounded her fist on the wooden door frame over and over.

"Don"t take my precious things away from me!"

To Yumi, her missing umbrella was just like Sachiko-sama.

Sunday evening.

Yumi made a telephone call to the Ogasawara residence.

There wasn"t the same sense of antic.i.p.ation that she used to have.

Maybe she shouldn"t have. Sachiko-sama was sure to be out somewhere with Touko-chan. - Feeling like she was checking out an alibi, Yumi dialed the number.

Cold water was flowing somewhere deep within her heart.

Supposing, then.

She thought that it would be okay if she called to apologize for Friday. Yumi didn"t think she was completely in the wrong, but she did acknowledge that she went too far.

If she found out that Sachiko-sama wasn"t out with Touko-chan, she"d be able to meekly apologize to her heart"s content. And when they met tomorrow, if some of the awkwardness between them had dissipated, then the telephone call would have served its purpose.

"Ogasawara residence."

A middle-aged lady"s voice came from the telephone receiver. It wasn"t Sayako-obasama, so Yumi thought it was probably a maid.

Yumi gave her name and asked if Sachiko-sama was available. The maid seemed to think for a while, before saying, "Please wait one moment," and putting her on hold.

"&h.e.l.lip; So onee-sama"s there then."

If she wasn"t, the maid probably would have said so and hung up the phone. As she listened to the sounds in the background, Yumi felt her heart fluttering, just a little. However.

"h.e.l.lo, Yumi-chan?"

The call had been picked up by a young man.

"Huh?"

"It"s Kashiwagi. It"s been a while, hey."

Her head was spinning. She"d definitely called the Ogasawara residence, so why had Kashiwagi-san answered? The crucial piece of information that she was missing was that Kashiwagi-san and Sachiko-sama were cousins.

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

"Sacchan"s at home, but she can"t come to the phone right now."

The thought that she was in the bath floated into Yumi"s mind, but that wasn"t something they"d go to all the trouble of getting Kashiwagi-san as a subst.i.tute to avoid saying. Oddly, Kashiwagi-san apparently read too much into her silence and quickly followed up with:

"She"s resting after getting a bit under the weather in the car."

"In the car - "

"Let me be clear, so you don"t misunderstand. It wasn"t just me and Sacchan going for a drive together. Touko was with us too, so you can relax."

"Touko-chan was there?"

Kashiwagi-san obviously had no idea that Yumi was more worried about Touko-chan being there.

"Yeah, even now Touko"s looking after her. She"s more level-headed than she looks, so you shouldn"t be too worried. They"re not even allowing me in the room."

Kashiwagi-san"s clear laugh came through the receiver.

"&h.e.l.lip; Is that so?"

Despite the nonchalant response, Yumi"s heart was anything but calm.

Touko would be happy just to go on a drive, on a drive, on a drive. - The words that Touko-chan had spoken echoed through her mind.

"Why were you calling? I could take a message for you. Ah, would you prefer I got Touko?"

"No need. It"s not urgent. I"ll tell her when we meet at school."

"Really? Sorry about this."

Although Kashiwagi-san had offered to take a message, Yumi thought it was better to refuse that offer. It would have been okay if Sachiko-sama had been by herself, but knowing Touko-chan was by her side soured things.

After hanging up the phone, all her strength suddenly left her.

While saying that she couldn"t promise another time for their date, Sachiko-sama was faithfully going out with Touko-chan.

It wasn"t a date between the two of them. Kashiwagi-san was there too. However, while that may have been true, it was small comfort indeed.

When they parted on Friday, Yumi had questioned whether Sachiko-sama was choosing Touko-chan over her. She knew that, now, that answer had been found.

Sachiko-sama had chosen Touko-chan, that"s how it was. If she accepted that, there was nothing else to do. Although it was incredibly painful, it happened because peoples" hearts change.

Yumi took off the rosary that hung around her neck.

Even when she wasn"t wearing her school uniform, she"d instinctively put on the rosary that she received nearly eight months ago from Sachiko-sama, as though it were an extension of her body.

(Alright, that"s enough.)

If she took off the rosary and was no longer Sachiko-sama"s pet.i.t soeur, then the feelings of her onee-sama that she had witnessed could no longer wear away at her either.

Yumi was already so tired.

From living her life doubting the person she loved.

Consequently, she decided not to go to the Rose Mansion, starting that Monday.

It hurt to look at Sachiko-sama"s face, and since she"d firmed her resolve to stand down as her pet.i.t soeur, Yumi, as Rosa Chinensis en bouton, had no reason to involve herself in the Yamayurikai work. The timing was fortunate, since Noriko-chan had officially become Rosa Gigantea en bouton, she should be able to fill the hole Yumi left.

"What on earth"s going on?"

Yoshino-san questioned her, when she hadn"t been to the Rose Mansion at lunch or after school.

"Sachiko-sama"s worried about you."

"As if."

Yumi snorted.

"It"s true."

She was probably worried about her dignity as Rosa Chinensis. At this busy time, her pet.i.t soeur was the only one who wasn"t showing up, impugning the honor of the grand soeur.

"Anyway, why don"t we go there together right now?"

As Yumi was about to leave, Yoshino-san grabbed her by the arm and started walking.

"I"m not going."

Yumi shook herself free and turned towards the shoe locker room. Thereupon, Yoshino-san followed after her, saying:

"I don"t know what"s going on, but I"m sure it"s Sachiko-sama"s fault. So I"ll protest alongside you. If you keep silent when you"re angry, you"ll never be able to make up."

"It"s already gone beyond that point."

She rejected the unsightly clinging that would have resulted. And what reconciliation? Sachiko-sama had found a junior that she prioritized over her own pet.i.t soeur, there was no way to return things back to the way they were before.

"Thank-you for your concern. I"m sorry."

"Yumi-san&h.e.l.lip;"

By now Yumi had changed shoes and Yoshino-san no longer tried to stop her leaving. At the same time that Yumi was exiting the shoe locker room, Yoshino was turning around and heading back.

Yumi realized it was raining as she was making her way to the main entrance. The door that was usually open before and after school was closed, and rain was falling heavily on the other side of the gla.s.s pane.

It was all becoming such a bother that she thought she"d rather just get wet on the way home, but that would be too conspicuous and someone would call out to her, so Yumi opened her bag and took out her red folding umbrella.

She stepped outside, irritated that it wasn"t opening properly, and someone standing there looked her way.

"- Yumi."

"Onee-sama&h.e.l.lip;"

Suddenly, she didn"t know what to say. She had the rosary in her pocket, so that she could return it whenever they happened to meet. But now that the time had arrived, she couldn"t jump into action. Her umbrella was in her right hand, her school bag in her left. There was no hand free to give back the rosary.

"I had a feeling we"d meet."

Sachiko-sama smiled. Although she was standing under the roof"s overhang, she had her school bag and umbrella, so it was obvious she intended to go home. If Yumi had let Yoshino-san drag her along to the Rose Mansion, they probably wouldn"t have met here.

"There"s something I have to talk to you about."

Yumi stiffened where she stood, and Sachiko-sama took a step towards her. Yumi started to panic, and took a thoughtless step backwards.

In just that short amount of time, contradictory feelings had stirred within her heart.

Like, Sachiko-sama was waiting here just so she could talk to me.

The talk"s going to be about returning the rosary.

No, she"s going to confess that it"s all been a trick played by the drama club member Touko-chan.

As if it"s going to be such a convenient explanation.

"Yumi."

Sachiko-sama took another step forwards and gently straightened Yumi"s collar. Hearing her name called like that, all the strength left Yumi"s body and she melted.

Her beloved onee-sama. Yumi"s feelings hadn"t changed one bit.

"Onee-sama."

How many times had they called each other that? As she thought about this, they silently locked eyes.

Just then.

A student emerged from the main entrance and made her way to Yumi"s side.

"Sachiko onee-sama. Sorry I kept you waiting."

It was Touko-chan.

Yumi watched Sachiko-sama and Touko-chan regard each other. However, there was no possible explanation other than that they had arranged to meet here.

"&h.e.l.lip; So that"s how it is, then?"

Yumi"s melted heart froze in an instant. Sachiko-sama hadn"t been waiting here for her. Yumi had just happened to come along while she had been waiting for Touko-chan.

Staying would be too miserable, so Yumi turned her back.

"Wait, Yumi-sama."

Surprisingly it was Touko-chan who called her to stop.

"You were still in the middle of your conversation, right? We"re in a bit of a hurry, so we can"t just stand around chatting though. Why don"t you continue your conversation as we walk?"

"Huh?"

While Yumi was still surprised, Touko-chan turned to Sachiko-sama and almost pleaded.

"Please, Rosa Chinensis, why don"t we do that?"

" - You"re right. Yumi, why don"t we walk home together?"

Sachiko-sama had made the offer, but Yumi rejected it.

"No."

How wretched, to have to intrude on this harmonious pair as they go home.

Yumi didn"t know what the excessively composed girl was planning, and if it was just spite or not, but she hated Touko-chan"s amiable expression and resented the way Sachiko-sama just went along with what she said.

"That"s enough already."

Yumi dashed off, leaving things as they were.

"Ah, Yumi-sama!?"

Touko-chan"s voice chased her from behind. And yet, Sachiko-sama"s voice did not come.

The rain soaked her face. Soaked her hair. Soaked her uniform, steady and heavy.

Yumi ran on, thinking that she must have looked unsightly as she did so. The wounded heroine from a TV drama would look more dashing as she ran.

But when it came to her, what happened? Her school bag thumped against her side, and her umbrella turned inside out, like she was in a comedy.

Continuing to look unsightly, she recklessly raced past the library, flew past Maria-sama"s garden, and thundered down the path lined with gingko trees until her legs finally stopped when she was within sight of the front gate.

Because there was someone she knew in the group of university students about ten metres in front of her.

Mixed among the many brightly colored umbrella was a black, men"s umbrella.

Even from this distance and from behind Yumi knew. It was the back of someone she trusted, who had helped her out countless times.

"&h.e.l.lip; Sei-sama."

Despite how weakly she called out, the black umbrella slowly turned around.

The pink floral umbrella, yellow polka-dot umbrella and navy blue checked umbrella that she was with continued on towards the main gate as though they didn"t notice that the black umbrella had stopped.

"What"s the matter, Yumi-chan!?"

Sei-sama called out. Most people would be surprised to see one of their juniors soaked to the bone despite holding an umbrella.

"Sei-samaaa."

Yumi threw down her umbrella and school bag, and leapt straight at Sei-sama"s chest.

"What on earth happened?"

Yumi just kept sobbing, and while this had rattled Sei-sama, she wasn"t in a position to calmly explain why she was crying. But earlier, Sei-sama had said that she should let it all out. Yumi"s thoughts had grown so painful that she could no longer carry them by herself, and she wanted to tell them to someone.

"Ahh, there, there."

Sei-sama gently rubbed Yumi"s back as she heaved with sobs. Letting her stay like that, without thinking. To surrender herself to a higher power and let her exhausted body rest.

Eventually Sei-sama"s hand stopped moving, and she muttered.

"&h.e.l.lip; Sachiko."

By that, Yumi knew that Sachiko-sama had made an appearance. But she didn"t draw away from Sei-sama. She renewed her effort and clung to her. Conveying without words that she didn"t want to face Sachiko-sama.

Sei-sama and Sachiko-sama were facing each other, but neither of them spoke, so Yumi couldn"t tell what was going on around her. All she could hear were Sachiko-sama"s footsteps slowly approaching.

"Yumi."

Softly, she called out her name. However, Yumi didn"t respond. In Sei-sama"s arms, she shook her head back and forth, not looking up.

Eventually, she heard the sound of Sachiko-sama sighing.

"Sorry for troubling you with her."

Those words seemed to be directed at Sei-sama. The head directly above Yumi"s nodded slightly.

"Yumi-chan."

Sei-sama whispered, accompanied by the sound of receding footsteps.

"Is this okay? Sachiko"s going, you know."

"It"s fine."

Yumi quietly raised her head. - And saw that Sei-sama was holding another umbrella in addition to her open black one.

"What"s this?"

"Sachiko-sama picked it up and gave it to me."

It was Yumi"s red folding umbrella. On closer inspection, Sei-sama was holding her schoolbag too.

"&h.e.l.lip; Sachiko-sama."

Yumi grabbed her closed red umbrella and held on to it tightly.

She thought, "This is me. A wretched umbrella fallen to the ground and dirtied by muddy water. Sachiko-sama picked it up and handed it off to Sei-sama."

She became so disheartened by the thought that she was no longer needed that she flew from the black umbrella.

Sachiko-sama was just beyond the school gates. She was seated alongside Touko-chan in the rear of a black car that had apparently come to pick her up, her face peeking out the window.

"Onee-sama!!"

Yumi tried yelling at the receding car, but her voice didn"t carry. Sachiko-sama didn"t even look her way once and the car kept picking up speed.

Surely it was because of the rain.

The strengthening rain masked both her voice and her appearance.

Eventually the car Sachiko-sama was in became blurred by the rain, and she lost sight of it.

The driving rain was pulling them apart.

"Onee-sama&h.e.l.lip;"

Even when she cried out, the sound of the rain nullified it. Even when she chased, the rain obscured her, making her figure invisible.

The rain fell.

Even though it wasn"t supposed to be like this.

Yumi continued to cry together with the rain.

She had her umbrella, and she clung to it and got drenched as she cried out to her onee-sama, knowing her voice wouldn"t carry.

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