Maria-sama ga Miteru Volume 14 Chapter 2

 

 

 

"Your younger brother's jealous of you, Yumi-sama. Definitely."

 

 

 

 

The girl said as she gathered trash from the floor into a dustpan.

 

 

 

 

"Jealous?"

 

 

 

 

Normally someone as tall as her, 179cm, wouldn't be labeled a "girl" but she was actually only 15 years old. A high-school first-year, one year below Yumi.

 

 

 

 

"Having such a completely flawless and perfect older sister, who's wise, cute and has a bubbly personality, the only way he could preserve himself would be to thoroughly bully you, raise the white flag and become your servant, or completely deny your existence itself."

 

 

 

 

"P-perfect older sister? Kanako-chan."

 

 

 

 

What a joke. Yumi had stopped wiping the tables and was getting to ready to laugh, but -

 

 

 

 

"The best thing about you, Yumi-sama, is that you don't realize what a wonderful girl you are."

 

 

 

 

Kanako-san said with a straight face. It seems she didn't consider that earlier "joke" to be a joke at all.

 

 

 

 

"You're always so modest, Yumi-sama."

 

 

 

 

The younger girl mumbled, her eyes sparkling.

 

 

 

 

It was after school and, for now, it was just Yumi and her on the second-floor of the Rose Mansion.

 

 

 

 

So there was no-one there to back her up.

 

 

 

 

But, ah.

 

 

 

 

How on earth was she supposed to react to this room filled with an atmosphere of sparkling adoration?

 

 

 

 

"Um."

 

 

 

 

Never before in her life had Yumi been complimented like this by a younger girl. Basically, she had no previous data samples to draw on, so she had absolutely no idea how she was supposed to react to this situation.

 

 

 

 

"Ah, oh, right."

 

 

 

 

It seemed awkward to remain silent, so she decided to say something.

 

 

 

 

"I'm sorry you got dragged in to helping clean the Rose Mansion. You shouldn't have to worry about it, since we're the ones that use it, we should be able to keep it clean."

 

 

 

 

"It's fine."

 

 

 

 

Kanako-chan ran a hand through her long hair and smiled.

 

 

 

 

"I only came to help because Noriko-chan has outside cleaning duty this week, so I thought she might be late getting to the Rose Mansion. Which seems to be the case since you were the first to arrive, Yumi-sama. I was hoping that I'd get to enjoy some time with you. Ah, I'll get that."

 

 

 

 

As she said this, Kanako-chan nimbly plucked the dishrag from Yumi's hands.

 

 

 

 

"Ah."

 

 

 

 

"You shouldn't concern yourself with this sort of thing, Yumi-sama."

 

 

 

 

The dishrag was rinsed in the sink, wrung out to dry, then banished to a corner of the bench.

 

 

 

 

"You know, Kanako-chan."

 

 

 

 

If wiping the table clean was something she considered beneath herself, then just what type of cleaning would she ever do? In truth, Yumi had been cleaning the school restrooms before she came here, but saying that would be a bit too brutally honest. Especially since she'd been in charge of cleaning the toilet bowls.

 

 

 

 

"It's only because of a lack of first-years that you have to do this hard work, Yumi-sama. Rosa Foetida en bouton really should hurry up and get a pet.i.t soeur."

 

 

 

 

Kanako-chan said something that would undoubtedly have Yoshino-san scowling in anger if she heard it.

 

 

 

 

In that case, Yumi herself should get a pet.i.t soeur. She was about to rebuke Kanako-chan, but that girl's eyes were off looking at a different dimension.

 

 

 

 

"Oh, Kanako-chan, you're here."

 

 

 

 

"Ah, gokigenyou, Rosa Foetida."

 

 

 

 

It was only after the biscuit door opened and Rosa Foetida entered the room that Kanako-chan finally returned to this dimension.

 

 

 

 

Yumi breathed a sigh of relief. There was someone else besides just herself and Kanako-chan. At the very least, the atmosphere of sparkling adoration should dissipate.

 

 

 

 

"Thanks for your continued a.s.sistance."

 

 

 

 

Rei-sama set her bag down on one of the seats then flopped down in the chair next to it.

 

 

 

 

"Not at all, I only just got here. Yumi-sama had finished most of the cleaning by the time I arrived."

 

 

 

 

"Oh, really?"

 

 

 

 

A glance. Rei-sama looked away from both Yumi and Kanako-chan and smiled.

 

 

 

 

"Would you like some barley tea, Rosa Foetida?"

 

 

 

 

"Ah, thank-you."

 

 

 

 

"I'll pour some for you too, Yumi-sama."

 

 

 

 

"Th-thanks."

 

 

 

 

Already well practiced in this, Kanako-chan took the gla.s.s jug out of the refrigerator and poured some of the cool barley tea into gla.s.ses that had been standing upside-down in the dish rack.

 

 

 

 

"Um, Rei-sama."

 

 

 

 

Yumi whispered while Kanako-chan was looking the other way.

 

 

 

 

"About the cleaning, I wasn't really involved &h.e.l.lip; "

 

 

 

 

"I know that. But it's fine. She's valiantly helping out for your sake, Yumi-chan. With everyone running around busy with the school festival, it's hard to find someone who's willing to help out without some form of compensation. It'd be kind of sad to pour cold water on her good mood."

 

 

 

 

"Hah."

 

 

 

 

Well, apart from the excessive compliments there was no real harm for now. In reality, she was a huge help.

 

 

 

 

But still Yumi had her doubts. Was it alright to be taking advantage of her like this?

 

 

 

 

They were grateful for her volunteer work, but was this the sort of thing they should be accepting volunteers for?

 

 

 

 

"Well, I'll be leaving now."

 

 

 

 

Kanako-chan placed the two gla.s.ses of barley tea on the table and bowed quickly.

 

 

 

 

"Ah, thank-you."

 

 

 

 

"Not at all. Until next time."

 

 

 

 

After she disappeared beyond the biscuit door, the sounds of her going down the stairs and the faint sound of the Rose Mansion's front door being opened and closed were carried to Yumi's ears.

 

 

 

 

Alright then. As she reached out a hand towards a gla.s.s of barley tea, Rei-sama smiled.

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

"Huh?"

 

 

 

 

"You were sighing."

 

 

 

 

"Uh."

 

 

 

 

"It was an incredibly large sigh too."

 

 

 

 

"R-really?"

 

 

 

 

It was only when it was pointed out that she became aware of it, but that was certainly the sort of mood she was in - sigh.

 

 

 

 

"Deep with meaning."

 

 

 

 

"As if."

 

 

 

 

But maybe she had been a bit tense being in front of Kanako-chan. After all, wasn't it only human nature to not want to show any eccentricities to someone who admired you, leading to a subconscious stress.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Still, I guess that means Yumi-chan's got a certain dignity about her too. Since she's got an obsessed first-year fan stalking her like a courtier."

 

 

 

 

Rei-sama said as she stamped entry tickets to the Lillian's Girls Academy school festival with the Yamayurikai seal.

 

 

 

 

"What are you talking about?"

 

 

 

 

Sachiko-sama raised her head, her hands stopping their count of the tickets.

 

 

 

 

"Oh, you haven't noticed yet, Sachiko? She's been coming around every so often since the start of second semester. Her sights are obviously set on Yumi-chan."

 

 

 

 

Flattening the tickets.

 

 

 

 

They'd been working for about thirty minutes and Rei-sama may have casually started this conversation because she was getting bored from the monotony of their task.

 

 

 

 

Working the stamp was a mechanical action so she could easily talk while doing it. But it was a bit unfair to those who had to use their minds for their work.

 

 

 

 

"No way, she doesn't have her sights set on me."

 

 

 

 

Thump thump. Yumi humbly demurred as she worked the numbering stamp.

 

 

 

 

Stamping the serial number on the entrance tickets was also a monotonous job, but she still had to check that the numbers stamped were consecutive. It wasn't a job that lent itself to talking, nor was it one that precluded talking, it was halfway between the two.

 

 

 

 

"Ah, I know, the tall girl with the bizarrely long hair - "

 

 

 

 

Sachiko-sama twirled her non-slip gel covered finger in the air.

 

 

 

 

But still, calling it "bizarrely long." Even though she'd made this remark, no-one would ever accuse Sachiko-sama of having short hair.

 

 

 

 

"Right, right."

 

 

 

 

Rei-sama gesticulated with the stamp. Kanako-chan's most distinctive physical features were her height and the length of her hair.

 

 

 

 

"I saw her talking to Yumi in the hallway once. But she left when I approached."

 

 

 

 

"I don't think she was running away because she saw you, onee-sama."

 

 

 

 

They'd probably just spotted each other walking down the hallway and stopped to chat. But without anything substantial to talk about, they would have soon parted ways, each heading towards their original destination. It had probably been something like that.

 

 

 

 

"You didn't scare her off with a furious scowl, Sachiko?"

 

 

 

 

"Why would I do that?"

 

 

 

 

"Jealousy of this mysterious younger student who was chatting casually with your cute Yumi-chan."

 

 

 

 

"That's ridiculous, please give it a rest."

 

 

 

 

Sachiko-sama scowled at Rei-sama, her cheeks puffed out a bit. Yumi thought, "Oh, cute." Although it felt terribly impolite to see her onee-sama like this.

 

 

 

 

"But, ah right, she's a first-year?"

 

 

 

 

Sachiko-sama exhaled deeply, almost like she was sighing.

 

 

 

 

"Now that you mention it, Kanako-san doesn't stop by that often when Rosa Chinensis is here."

 

 

 

 

Noriko-chan was piling up the tickets after checking that the quick-drying ink from the Yamayurikai stamp had completely dried.

 

 

 

 

"Well, I haven't really seen much of her either. You think she's targeting times when Yumi-san's here alone?"

 

 

 

 

Yoshino-san was putting the tickets into bags for each cla.s.s.

 

 

 

 

"Yeah right."

 

 

 

 

Yumi laughed. She'd stopped stamping serial numbers on tickets, resigned to joining in the conversation.

 

 

 

 

"Is she a friend of yours, Noriko?"

 

 

 

 

Shimako-san asked, having listened in silence thus far.

 

 

 

 

"I wouldn't really call her a friend. She's a cla.s.smate."

 

 

 

 

So just where was the boundary between cla.s.smate and friend?

 

 

 

 

"Tell me everything you know."

 

 

 

 

It was Sachiko-sama that said this. So Noriko-chan temporarily set the entry tickets she was holding down on the table and started giving her report on Kanako-chan.

 

 

 

 

"First-year camellia cla.s.s, Hosokawa Kanako-san. She doesn't stand out as much in cla.s.s as her appearance would suggest. She checked out a couple of cultural clubs during the trial period at the beginning of the year, but I don't think she's joined any of them. She doesn't really a.s.sociate with any particular group and mostly spends her spare time alone. I guess she comes off as a bit of a lone wolf."

 

 

 

 

As she was listening to Noriko-chan, Yumi found herself thinking, "That doesn't really match my image of Kanako-chan," throughout the entire report.

 

 

 

 

In Yumi's eyes Kanako-chan was an amiable, cheerful and sensible girl, which was a completely different impression to what Noriko-chan had.

 

 

 

 

"A lone wolf? Isn't that somewhat like you, Noriko-chan?"

 

 

 

 

Yoshino-san said mercilessly, although it was probably pertinent. Still, Kanako-chan must be really bad at getting along with her cla.s.smates for the somewhat cold and standoffish Noriko-chan to label her as such.

 

 

 

 

"Have you tried talking to her, Noriko?"

 

 

 

 

Noriko-chan shook her head at Shimako-san's question.

 

 

 

 

"We can have a business-like conversation, but a general chat goes nowhere. She seems to have an aura about her that makes it hard to talk to her. She seems to be aware of this, but isn't concerned by it."

 

 

 

 

"What about Touko-chan? She seems to like to meddle."

 

 

 

 

Noriko-chan had been annoyed by how much Touko-chan followed her around, but Touko-chan had eventually achieved a spot as one of Noriko-chan's friends and was a fellow member of the first-year camellia cla.s.s.

 

 

 

 

"It's hopeless. They're like natural enemies."

 

 

 

 

"Natural enemies, huh."

 

 

 

 

Well, it was because Touko-chan had a strong personality too. Everyone seemed to more or less accept the "natural enemies" comment.

 

 

 

 

"So, what are you going to do, Yumi-chan?"

 

 

 

 

Rei-sama asked, resuming stamping the tickets as though she'd only just remembered.

 

 

 

 

"A-about what?"

 

 

 

 

"Her. Are you interested in her as your soeur? Or not?"

 

 

 

 

"My soeur?"

 

 

 

 

Yumi was pressed for an answer, but she didn't really know because she'd never looked at Kanako-chan in that light.

 

 

 

 

Yumi thought Kanako-chan was a nice girl. And that she would be able to handle the Yamayurikai work. But it was a bit too simplistic to become soeurs just because of that.

 

 

 

 

Would her relationship with Kanako-chan form like the one she had with Sachiko-sama? Or would their feelings for each other gradually grow if they became soeurs?

 

 

 

 

No, perhaps it would be a mistake to go into it with those sort of expectations. Maybe she should think about a soeur from a more practical standpoint. - While Yumi was still considering all these things, Yoshino-san spoke up.

 

 

 

 

"I'm against it. I don't think that girl matches Yumi-san at all."

 

 

 

 

"What, in terms of height?"

 

 

 

 

The short grande soeur and the tall pet.i.t soeur. Their standing and their stature were inversely proportional, making them uneven reverse soeurs.

 

 

 

 

"Well there's that, but I just don't get a good feeling from her. The way she coils around you, saying, "Yumi-sama, Yumi-sama.""

 

 

 

 

She just doesn't get a good feeling. A completely subjective opinion. But just as Yumi was starting to read too much into it and get depressed she was saved by a flash of insight into Yoshino-san's words.

 

 

 

 

"Aren't you just being jealous, Yoshino? It feels like you're annoyed that Yumi-chan might be getting a pet.i.t soeur before you."

 

 

 

 

"You're wrong. Ahh, geez Rei-cha &h.e.l.lip; ah, onee-sama, you're too simple."

 

 

 

 

"I wonder &h.e.l.lip; it's always suspicious when you turn serious."

 

 

 

 

Rei-sama kept on teasing her.

 

 

 

 

"But if Yumi-san had a pet.i.t soeur then life would be easier for Yoshino-san, so would she really oppose it just out of jealousy?"

 

 

 

 

Shimako-san coolly a.n.a.lyzed the feverish Yoshino-san.

 

 

 

 

Indeed, there seemed to have been whisperings about the "pet.i.t soeur problem" around the place recently. During first semester, most of the talk had been about Nijou Noriko-chan becoming Rosa Gigantea en bouton, but now that she'd settled in to that role everyone was starting to ask for new stories. Last year there had been two sets of soeurs formed during the time between the start of second semester and the school festival, so perhaps that led to some high expectations for this year too.

 

 

 

 

The school festival, one year ago.

 

 

 

 

Yumi glanced at Sachiko-sama. Their eyes met and Yumi's onee-sama smiled, looking triumphant.

 

 

 

 

"Well? Do you understand how I was feeling last year?"

 

 

 

 

"How could I? I didn't even know you this time last year."

 

 

 

 

Besides, Yumi hadn't looked at Sachiko-sama's face because she wanted that sort of comment. Why had she looked in that direction? It hadn't been conveyed all that well.

 

 

 

 

"Still, they have a point. It doesn't matter if it's Yoshino or Yumi-chan, but if neither of you find a pet.i.t soeur soon we'll be in a bit of a bind."

 

 

 

 

Rei-sama tapped her own shoulders.

 

 

 

 

"That's true. Feel free to lay our fears to rest at any time now."

 

 

 

 

Sachiko-sama murmured like a retiree.

 

 

 

 

"The more you talk about it, the more it seems like a demand."

 

 

 

 

Noriko-chan's sharp observation cut through.

 

 

 

 

"That's not it at all."

 

 

 

 

"Right."

 

 

 

 

They looked at each other and denied it. Still, now that it had been brought up, Yumi and Yoshino-san both felt they were being obligated to do so by their onee-samas.

 

 

 

 

"To start off with, what brought you and that girl together, Yumi?"

 

 

 

 

"It was."

 

 

 

 

Yumi folded her arms in front of her chest and went, "Hmm."

 

 

 

 

"What was it again? I can't remember at all."

 

 

 

 

"Huh?"

 

 

 

 

"It's like she just showed up at some point."

 

 

 

 

It wasn't like she'd fixed her tie or they'd met beneath the falling cherry blossoms. And, naturally, they weren't real-life relatives.

 

 

 

 

"Yumi. Showing signs of dementia at your age &h.e.l.lip; "

 

 

 

 

Sachiko-sama looked sympathetically at Yumi. However.

 

 

 

 

Did her onee-sama really have the right to say that?

 

 

 

 

Why? Because Sachiko-sama had completely and utterly forgotten about their first meeting by the time of their second one.

 

 

 

 

(&h.e.l.lip; Huh?)

 

 

 

 

Just now, those words were tugging at something.

 

 

 

 

(Um.)

 

 

 

 

Right. She'd remembered a keyword that had briefly touched upon something in her mind.

 

 

 

 

- Completely and utterly forgotten.

 

 

 

 

(Forgotten. Speaking of forgotten - )

 

 

 

 

"Ah!?"

 

 

 

 

Yumi shouted and jumped out of her chair.

 

 

 

 

"What is it, Yumi?"

 

 

 

 

"I have to return a book today. I've got to go to the library, what should I do?"

 

 

 

 

She looked at her watch. 4:30pm. What time did the library close today?

 

 

 

 

"It's alright. Why don't we call it a day?"

 

 

 

 

Sachiko-sama shrugged and Rei-sama concurred. To be fair, everyone had stopped working some time ago now.

 

 

 

 

"Yumi, we're fine here so you should go to the library."

 

 

 

 

At Sachiko-sama's urging, she hastily picked up her bag.

 

 

 

 

"You go with her, Yoshino."

 

 

 

 

Rei-sama said.

 

 

 

 

"What about you, onee-sama?"

 

 

 

 

Yoshino-san asked back, filled with doubt.

 

 

 

 

"I'll head out as soon as we're finished cleaning. I'll probably meet you on the way."

 

 

 

 

Yumi had no idea why Rei-sama had suddenly said this. The library was right next to the school buildings, so it wasn't that far away or in a dangerous place. It was still light out, so there was no real reason why she couldn't go alone.

 

 

 

 

"You shouldn't do the cleaning Rosa Foetida, I'll do it."

 

 

 

 

Noriko-chan offered, but Rei-sama smiled and waved her away.

 

 

 

 

"It's fine, you go."

 

 

 

 

"You can leave it to us from time to time. Right, Noriko-chan, Shimako, you two can head home early today too."

 

 

 

 

With the two third-years taking charge like that, the first-year couldn't refuse.

 

 

 

 

"Huh."

 

 

 

 

The end result was that Yumi left with Yoshino-san in tow, then the White Rose soeurs exited the Rose Mansion as though they were chasing after them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Those two are plotting something, don't you think?"

 

 

 

 

Yoshino-san said, coming to a stop at the library entrance.

 

 

 

 

"Plotting something?"

 

 

 

 

Yumi looked back over her shoulder at the Rose Mansion which they'd just recently left.

 

 

 

 

"It was like they were forcing us out. Telling us to accompany you. Why would they have something that they had to discuss today?"

 

 

 

 

"You're right, it is a bit unusual for just the third-years to be tidying up."

 

 

 

 

Shimako-san looked puzzled too.

 

 

 

 

Especially since the pet.i.t soeurs were there to do those sort of odd jobs for the Yamayurikai. Not counting Yumi, who had to hurry to the library, there was no reason for Yoshino-san and Noriko-chan to leave early. If they wanted to have a discussion with just the Roses, then Shimako-san, as Rosa Gigantea, should have been asked to stay as well.

 

 

 

 

"Do you think it's about the play for the school festival?"

 

 

 

 

Noriko-chan mumbled quietly.

 

 

 

 

"I thought as much."

 

 

 

 

They hadn't said anything, but the three second-years had been thinking the same thing.

 

 

 

 

"I heard Rei-chan and Sachiko-sama talking about commissioning something from the handicraft club and the art club the other day. Do you want to try hitting them up for some info?"

 

 

 

 

Yoshino-san was always racing off and it was usually Yumi's job to apply the brakes.

 

 

 

 

"&h.e.l.lip; Let's not. If there's something they don't want us to know, we shouldn't be trying to uncover it."

 

 

 

 

"I guess."

 

 

 

 

Yoshino-san gave up on the idea surprisingly easily. Perhaps she reconsidered whether hitting someone up was appropriate behavior for a Yamayurikai member.

 

 

 

 

"Have you heard anything, Shimako-san?"

 

 

 

 

"Unfortunately, no. I don't think it means we're on the outer, but I did think that perhaps if we found out too early we would refuse."

 

 

 

 

Like something that was announced at the last moment so they couldn't run away. Or where the preparations were already done, so they should just give up. That was the same sort of thing that happened with last year's Cinderella.

 

 

 

 

"What terrible things will they make us do!?"

 

 

 

 

Yoshino-san pressed Shimako-san with a terrible looking face.

 

 

 

 

The man-hating Sachiko-sama was made to dance with a man. What sort of punishment could rival that - no, not a punishment, it was supposed to be a play after all.

 

 

 

 

"I told you, I don't know. Really."

 

 

 

 

Yumi felt like she had just glimpsed one of the reasons that Sachiko-sama and Rei-sama hadn't told Shimako-san. They may have had well-founded fears that Yoshino-san would force Shimako-san to spill the beans. Of course she wasn't about to mention this because they'd both be offended.

 

 

 

 

"At any rate, what on earth do you think they'll make us do?"

 

 

 

 

"Who knows."

 

 

 

 

The three second-years stood there and pondered this for a while. Then Noriko-chan looked incredulous as she made a proposal:

 

 

 

 

"Yumi-sama. Why don't you return your book before you start worrying about this?"

 

 

 

 

"Ah, right."

 

 

 

 

So with that, they decided to relocate inside the library.

 

 

 

 

Luckily, the reading room was still open and the library a.s.sistants were still processing loans and returns. There were quite a few people like Yumi rushing in at the last minute.

 

 

 

 

"This doesn't seem like your kind of book, Yumi-san."

 

 

 

 

Yoshino-san said, spotting the book Yumi had placed on the counter.

 

 

 

 

"My onee-sama recommended it to me."

 

 

 

 

"I see."

 

 

 

 

It was the anthology of cla.s.sical j.a.panese literature that Sachiko-sama had been returning on the library open day during the summer vacation, which she'd handed over to Yumi to borrow. It had taken a while for her to begin reading it, but with the due date looming she'd made a start and got caught up in what was a surprisingly enjoyable read. Naturally she hadn't read the original versions written in ancient j.a.panese, but the modern translations on the bottom half of the page.

 

 

 

 

After completing the process of returning the book, the library a.s.sistant asked:

 

 

 

 

"Were there any books you wanted to borrow?"

 

 

 

 

"No."

 

 

 

 

Yumi shook her head and put away her library card, but then Noriko-chan poked her head forwards and said:

 

 

 

 

"Um, if no-one's placed a hold on that book, I'd like to borrow it."

 

 

 

 

"This book?"

 

 

 

 

The library a.s.sistant asked, pointing at the book that Yumi had just placed on the counter.

 

 

 

 

"Yes, that one."

 

 

 

 

"I don't think there's a hold on it &h.e.l.lip; "

 

 

 

 

She tapped away on the keyboard to confirm it, but even without that it was obvious that n.o.body would be borrowing an anthology of cla.s.sical literature, except in the lead up to exams or before a report was due. It didn't have the same level of popularity as the novels listed on the whiteboard next to the counter with "Current wait list: 20 people."

 

 

 

 

"But, you know, this book doesn't have any stories about Buddhist statues, so are you sure you want to borrow it?"

 

 

 

 

Yumi asked Noriko-chan, pointing at the book.

 

 

 

 

"Um, there's more to my life than just that, you know?"

 

 

 

 

"Well sure. Come on Yumi-san, not even Noriko-chan's bookshelves would be full of books about Buddhist statues."

 

 

 

 

"&h.e.l.lip; No, that's actually pretty accurate."

 

 

 

 

Noriko-chan laughed. With the words echoing around the reading room, what else could she do but laugh at her book collection.

 

 

 

 

"My apologies."

 

 

 

 

Yumi and Yoshino-san both bowed simultaneously.

 

 

 

 

"Don't worry about it. I'm used to it."

 

 

 

 

She was used to it. Apparently she'd had all sorts of problems due to having a hobby that didn't really match her age.

 

 

 

 

"Um, so what did you want to do with this book?"

 

 

 

 

The library a.s.sistant timidly inquired. She'd confirmed that no-one had a hold on it and was about to lend it out when Yumi had started the conversation with, "Are you sure?" so had probably been waiting for their conversation to end to confirm this.

 

 

 

 

"Ah, I'll borrow it."

 

 

 

 

Noriko-chan presented her library card and the book was handed over to her, so a happy ending all around &h.e.l.lip; or so they thought, but:

 

 

 

 

"Oh my, that looks interesting. I wonder if I could borrow it after Noriko."

 

 

 

 

This time it was Shimako-san making a reservation after seeing the book her pet.i.t soeur was carrying, so naturally the library a.s.sistant was perplexed.

 

 

 

 

Had that book ever been so popular before? And with the student council leaders no less. No, it hadn't. Probably.

 

 

 

 

"Um, is this year's Yamayurikai play going to be something like Princess Kaguya, by any chance?"

 

 

 

 

Was the sparkly-eyed library a.s.sistant perhaps a fan of mystery novels?

 

 

 

 

Like Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot or Kogoro Akechi and Kosuke Kindaichi.

 

 

 

 

Unfortunately, however, Yumi had to refute her deduction. Although they didn't know for sure what this year's Yamayurikai play was going to be, they could say for certain that it wasn't going to be Princess Kaguya. Why? Because the book did not contain The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter.

 

 

 

 

"That's a shame."

 

 

 

 

Still, it was fascinating how much speculation was generated by Sachiko-sama borrowing a single book over the summer vacation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Shimako-san was sticking up for me though."

 

 

 

 

Yoshino-san said, sighing.

 

 

 

 

The group of four had left the library, walked for a little while, stopped and prayed together in front of the statue of Maria-sama and were just about to start walking again.

 

 

 

 

"Sticking up for you?"

 

 

 

 

"Yeah. In the Rose Mansion."

 

 

 

 

The Rose Mansion. In other words, Yoshino-san was reopening a conversation from quite some time ago without any introduction.

 

 

 

 

"I really was jealous. Probably."

 

 

 

 

Upon hearing this, Yumi finally understood. She was referring to her objection of Yumi having Kanako-chan as a soeur.

 

 

 

 

"Shimako-san got Noriko-chan as a soeur and now it's Yumi-san's turn &h.e.l.lip; on reflection, I probably am bitter. No, I guess it's something more like loneliness. Like I'm getting left behind, in a way."

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

"Having said that, it feels like I've got to move in that direction too and find a pet.i.t soeur of my own. Know what I mean?"

 

 

 

 

"Mm."

 

 

 

 

Yumi nodded and Yoshino-san turned her head to look straight at her.

 

 

 

 

"Mm, you say. Do you really understand?"

 

 

 

 

Yoshino-san's face saying that she wouldn't forgive her if she was just being agreeable.

 

 

 

 

"Let's just say I understand what you're trying to say, in general. Because I feel the same way too. From time to time."

 

 

 

 

"Hmm."

 

 

 

 

Yoshino-san looked a bit pleased as she walked along.

 

 

 

 

Even though she knew it was impossible, she wanted things to stay like this forever.

 

 

 

 

Even though in her head she knew she should catch up to her friends and walk alongside them instead of standing and watching them leave. Leaving that place under her own power was scary.

 

 

 

 

She didn't want things to change.

 

 

 

 

But having taken a step forwards, she'd definitely changed in some way from before she took that step.

 

 

 

 

Shimako-san and Noriko-chan were listening in silence. They probably understood what Yoshino-san was trying to say and what Yumi was feeling. But they weren't about to presume to say that either. Yumi liked that about those two.

 

 

 

 

"A pet.i.t soeur &h.e.l.lip; it's a problem."

 

 

 

 

Yoshino-san stretched her arms.

 

 

 

 

"Really, I wonder what I should do."

 

 

 

 

Yumi wasn't about to give up either so she thrust her hand carrying her bag forwards and gave a cheer.

 

 

 

 

"That girl, Kanako-chan. Do you think she really was looking to become your pet.i.t soeur, Yumi-san?"

 

 

 

 

"I wonder about that."

 

 

 

 

Thinking about it in general, that possibility certainly existed. Or, rather, it was easy to understand why someone would think that.

 

 

 

 

"So what do you think you'll do?"

 

 

 

 

"I don't know."

 

 

 

 

Even if Kanako-chan hoped to become the pet.i.t soeur of Rosa Chinensis en bouton, that by itself didn't mean they had to become soeurs.

 

 

 

 

"If you're not interested in her as a pet.i.t soeur, wouldn't you be better off telling her that directly?"

 

 

 

 

Shimako-san agreed with Yoshino-san's opinion, saying, "That's right."

 

 

 

 

"If she's helping out because she wants to be Yumi-san's pet.i.t soeur, don't you think her expectations will grow as time goes on? Everyone around you may start to see it that way too. Turning her down after it got to that point would be bad for both of you."

 

 

 

 

There was some weight to Shimako-san's words, since she hadn't been anyone's pet.i.t soeur when she first helped out at the Rose Mansion.

 

 

 

 

"But Kanako-chan's never said a word about wanting to be my pet.i.t soeur. Don't you think it'd be strange to go ahead and turn her down?"

 

 

 

 

"Well, that's true."

 

 

 

 

Yoshino-san shrugged. However.

 

 

 

 

"You don't have to force yourself to turn her down. You might want her as your pet.i.t soeur."

 

 

 

 

Shimako-san said gently, like she was giving detailed instructions to a child, while Yoshino-san spoke in a comparatively forceful manner.

 

 

 

 

"But won't that be setting a bad precedent?"

 

 

 

 

"A bad precedent? How?"

 

 

 

 

Yumi asked and Yoshino-san excitedly raised her index finger in the air.

 

 

 

 

"If you set the precedent of taking an uninvited stalker as your pet.i.t soeur, it'll cause problems for those that come later."

 

 

 

 

"Problems later &h.e.l.lip; I see."

 

 

 

 

Yoshino-san was obviously worried about herself.

 

 

 

 

The straight path lined with ginkgo trees.

 

 

 

 

It was less than an hour since it would have been swept during cleaning time, but every so often then there were unripe ginkgo nuts that had fallen from the trees.

 

 

 

 

The ginkgo trees were so tall that human hands couldn't even reach the lowest branch.

 

 

 

 

Perhaps some large birds, like crows, had mischievously shaken the branches. Maybe they'd been brought there by the wind.

 

 

 

 

Noriko-chan suddenly came to a stop and mumbled.

 

 

 

 

"Speaking of uninvited stalkers - "

 

 

 

 

"Huh?"

 

 

 

 

Was the simultaneous response from the other three.

 

 

 

 

"There's another one over there."

 

 

 

 

Noriko-chan's outstretched finger pointed straight at the front gate, towards the figures of Sachiko-sama and Rei-sama who had arrived some time ago. And then.

 

 

 

 

"Ah, Yumi-sa~n."

 

 

 

 

A boy poked his head around the two Roses. He was immediately recognizable.

 

 

 

 

"You made it."

 

 

 

 

The way he was happily waving his hand above his shoulder was cute. Undoubtedly cute, but.

 

 

 

 

Yumi was totally perplexed, as though she needed to squat down to recover her bearings.

 

 

 

 

- Doing that while wearing a boy's school uniform just ruins the effect completely, Alice.