Baka-Tsuki - User contributions [en]

Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume2 Postscript

2008-06-30T14:50:36Z

Bardsmanship: /* Postscript */

==Postscript==

My second stomach is filled with whipped cream and chocolate and strawberries, it seems……

Hello, it's Konno.

As promised, here's the second coming of cake smorgasbord. This time I decided to shine the spotlight on the Yellow Rose family (?). What did you think?

Of the three colored roses, for whatever reason, the yellow roses seemed to be the forgotten ones. –Or rather, red and white were simply too strong. I won't point any fingers, but Rosa Gigantea and Rosa Chinensis en bouton (you said it, anyways).

Well, lately I've been on a trend of short postscripts, so like karma, this time I ended up with a ton of pages, and I'm kind of flabbergasted.

My supervisor.

"Well, we're hoping for at least seven pages, for starters. But if you have a lot to write, we're good, feel free to write nine pages or eleven pages, if you want."

Was the message he left in my answering machine.

"If you have that many pages you could write a short story!"

Said my big sister (laugh). I was actually thinking, "Maybe I should," but the table of contents does say postscript, and adding a novel there instead would be a bit strange, and there are a few "postscript maniacs," so I opted to write about things I normally wouldn't, instead.

Ah (あ), how about an A I U E O Essay (is that what you call it?). That might be better.

I don't know if I'll be able to fill everything, but I'll try.

I (い Internet) I began using the internet. But when you write it like that, it looks a bit like "I've started making cold Chinese noodles."

Ro (ろ Roan [鸞]) The symbol Roan (a mythical bird) can be made by typing Shinran (親鸞)

Ha (は Hana [花 Flower]) A lot of people tell me flowers often come up in my stories.

Ni (に Nikujaga [肉じゃが Meat potatoes]) One dish that popped up in this story.

Ho (ほ Bakou [母校 Alma mater]) Last autumn, I went to the culture festival for my alma mater. The new school buildings were so pretty, I thought, "I wanna attend again!" Students these days are lucky.

He (へ Heian Jidai [平安時代 Heian Era]) If I were born in the Heian Era, I might have been called a beauty (*limited to exterior appearance). But I don't like being able to take a bath only once a year, so even if I had a time machine I'd never settle there.

To (と Touko [瞳子]) A girl that showed up in the "Maria-sama ga Miteru" magazine story. She was a strong character.

Chi (ち Chocolate) I think it's a wonderful candy.

Ri (り Lillian Girls' Academy) Is on top of a hill.

Nu (ぬ Nurunuru [ぬるぬる Wet]) My supervisor doesn't like food that's wet and slippery.

Ru (る Ruri [瑠璃 Beryl]) Is the name of a bird, the name of a stone (Lapis Lazuli), and is the name of a color. It's beautiful.

Wo (を) When you were small, wasn't it hard writing "wo" straight?

Wa (わ Wanchan [ワンちゃん Dog]) I like dogs that aren't that small, have short hair, and are black.

Ka (か Katakori [肩こり Shoulder-cramp]) For some reason it happens mainly on my right arm.

Yo (よ Youchien no sensei [幼稚園の先生]) I wanted to become one, when I was a kid.

Ta (た Tabemono [食べ物 Food]) I can't help but notice I constantly drift to this topic.

Re (れ Letter) Thanks for all the fan letters. I look forward to them all the time.

So (そ Soba [蕎麦]) You can eat them in the winter, too.

Tsu (つ Tsumami [つまみ Snacks]) I keep eating snacks. But I don't drink sake.

Ne (ね Neko [猫 Cat]) Maybe it's because there aren't many dogs in my neighborhood – I keep seeing cats.

Na (な Natsu no otogi [夏のおとぎ Summer tales]) There're some people that still remember "Natsu no Otogi" (one of her first works), even though it was so short.

Ra (ら Radio) I record late-night broadcasts and listen to them. I'm a heavy listener of certain shows.

Mu (む Musashino [武蔵野 Musashi Park]) I feel like I'm pointing at a huge area.

U (う Undou [運動 Exercise]) I'm so bad at it. But I can swim and run.

Wi (ゐ) When I was working part-time, I had a colleague named Rumiko-chan. She had this cute, curly handwriting, and the letter "wi" reminded me of her.

No (の Nori [海苔 Seaweed]) Love it. I can eat it the way it's packed.

O (お Oyuki [緒雪]) When I introduce myself, I pronounce it the same way you normally say "Osushi." Right, like Ochiyo (お千代) or Okiku (お菊). [As you might be aware, the actual word is "sushi" just like the basic name is Chiyo or Kiku. But for formality and respect, sometimes you had O- as a prefix. This is what she's talking about.]

Ku (く Kushami [くしゃみ Sneeze]) When I use a menthol-based cough drop, I always sneeze.

Ya (や Yamagata [山形]) My parents came from here.

Ma (ま Maria-sama ga Miteru [マリア様がみてる]) On the internet dictionary page for "Maria-sama ga Miteru," I read a lot of comments describing it as "soft but definitely yuri." I laughed. Thanks, everyone, it's the best compliment.

Ke (け Kekkan [血管 Blood Vessel]) Mine are thin, so the nurses always have a fit. Whenever they get it on the first try, I feel like praising them.

Fu (ふ Futagoza [双子座Gemini]) Are double personalities, apparently. Maybe.

Ko (こ Konno [今野]) 今 from 今野 looks like it's laughing.

E (え E [絵 Picture]) Is totally preference, I think.

Te (て Tennis [テニス]) When I was in junior college, a classmate seriously once asked me, "Why aren't you in the tennis club?"

A (あ Amimono [編み物 Knitting]) I was totally into it, a long time ago. Haven't touched it lately, though.

Sa (さ Sachiko [祥子]) Not Shouko, Sachiko.

Ki (き Kirai na mono [嫌いな物 Things I hate ]) Sachiko has a lot of things she hates, but you don't hear about what she likes.

Yu (ゆ Yume no Miya [夢の宮 Palace of Dreams]) That's what I think of when you bring up "Yu."

Me (め Megane [眼鏡 Glasses]) I only wear them at home when I watch TV.

Mi (み Mi [巳]) 乙 and 己 and 已 and 巳 are all different letters. And Yumi's Mi is the Mi from the year of the snake.

Shi (し Shinchou [身長 Height]) I'm shorter than expected, is what I hear a lot. Yes, I'm small.

We (ゑ We) Looks like a kettle being boiled.

Hi (ひ Hinemosu [ひねもす All day]) But Hinemosu kind of sounds like a round animal lying around on the balcony.

Mo (も Mossburger [モスバーガー]) Is tasty, but waiting is painful.

Se (せ Senkou [線香 Incense Stick]) You burn them in your room. Quite an aroma.

Su (す Slippish!) I'm sorry, just a bit more.

N (ん) ん and n look and sound similar, it's amazing.

… Phew. Somehow I made it to nine pages, so I'll finish things off with a little preview.

I'll still be on cake smorgasbord next volume. I've gone crimson, then yellow, so now it's time for white.

Speaking of which, Rosa Gigantea seems to be really popular… I mean, it's fun writing her and all.

"Rosa Gigantea's past, revealed now!!" (Oh look, they're gathering they're gathering)

If Minako were to write it, it might be headlined like that (laugh).

Please look forward to how it ends up.

Let's meet again in the spring!

Konno Oyuki

Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume1 Chapter2 3

2008-06-30T05:13:48Z

Bardsmanship: /* 3. */

===3.===

She was brought to the second gymnasium.

This was a bit to the back of the school facilities, and was nowhere near as expansive as the primary gymnasium, which could hold every middle school and high school student. It was about the size of a basketball court, but had no stage. In its stead were a changing room, bathroom, washroom, and lounge, making it rather popular among students. It was used quite often for friendly matches with other schools, or for other athletics or club activities.

"Put on those slippers and come up."

Sachiko-sama pointed at the vinyl slippers on the shelf, furnished for visitors. Every gymnasium required the use of athletics shoes – regular shoes were forbidden.

While Yumi took off her indoor shoes and put on the slippers, Sachiko-sama simply walked up in her socks.

"Ah, Sachiko's here."

"You're late."

Amidst the echoing voices of the Roses, Yumi chased after Sachiko-sama and entered the gymnasium. After one step, she felt a painful number of stares.

Awaiting them were yesterday's members, sans Tsutako-san, plus another twenty or so students. Among them as one student in Yumi's class, and that was all she needed to see to realize this was the dance club.

Sachiko-sama instructed Yumi to watch from the side, and joined the dance club.

"I apologize for disrupting practice. Please, continue."

Then, classical music flowed in from somewhere, and Sachiko-sama held hands with Hasekura Rei-sama in the middle. Every other student likewise found a pair and began dancing to the music.

It was triple time, a waltz.

"Welcome, Fukuzawa Yumi-chan."

When she turned to look, Rosa Chinensis was beckoning with her hands.

"The view is better from here."

Rosa Gigantea and Rosa Foetida were with her as well. The three were leaning against the wall and watching the dance. Yumi stood next to Rosa Chinensis, as per invitation.

The young ladies danced to the elegant music.

Even though they all wore the same uniform, her eyes were magnetized by Sachiko-sama. She spun around like a flower, as if controlled by the music, performing even the most difficult of steps with the ease of walking.

It was not that other students were inadequate dancers. They, too, danced smartly, living up to their name proudly as the Lillian Girls' Academy dance club. Yet, none of them could beat Sachiko-sama when it came to being described as a flower. Even without any costumes, it was easy to tell Sachiko-sama was the lead role.

"It's decent enough, what do you think?"

Rosa Chinensis asked Yumi, still staring straight ahead.

"Decent,… even though it's this spectacular?"

When she asked how long they'd be practicing, she was surprised to hear they had just started that day.

"About thirty minutes before Sachiko arrived, I think? Shimako and Rei learnt the steps from the dance club, and they just tried fitting everything together for the first time now."

"For the first time?"

"You learn the rudimentary aspects of dancing in class, and Shimako is already experienced with Japanese dance, so she seems quite good at learning dancing styles. Rei memorized it with the concentration she gained from martial arts, but she is struggling a bit… See, she just stepped on her foot."

Rei-sama had just stepped on Sachiko-sama's foot. Even so, the two of them continued dancing as if nothing happened. That they weren't wearing shoes probably was out of consideration to the possibility of stepping on one another's foot, it being their first rehearsal.

"In the case of Sachiko, you know. She is an authentic lady, so it's expected of her to be able to dance socially."

Rosa Chinensis spoke rather proudly of Sachiko-sama. She had been doing ballet since she was five, but began private tutelage of social dancing from the first year of middle school. English conversation, piano, tea ceremony, flower arrangement, all the way through middle school she had at least one tutor every day.

"It's like, she's from another world."

She sighed. She'd been alive for fifteen years, but society was still an immeasurable thing.

"Right? You'd suffocate. So, I made her quit them all. I made it so she had to quit, I guess? I made her my sœur and pulled her into every task imaginable for the Yamayurikai."

"… Wow."

Sachiko-sama was amazing to be able to do all of that practice all the way through middle school, but Rosa Chinensis, in her second year of high school, to be able to make Sachiko-sama quit everything was also amazing.

"Sachiko is just so diligent to the core, so if someone expects something of her, she does exactly what is expected. That's why, sometimes, she needs to be allowed to breathe. Do you understand?"

"… Sort of."

"Sort of. … Well, that's fine."

The song was reaching its climax. Sachiko-sama was sweating a bit, and a line of black hair had adhered itself to her white nape.

"But, even if she knows how to dance, would she ever have the opportunity to dance?"

When Yumi blurted out the question, Rosa Chinensis returned with the question, "Why do you think that?"

"If she were dancing frequently, I don't think she would all of a sudden refuse to dance with a man…"

"Exactly. Actually, we were wondering the same thing. For Sachiko, this is 'just a dance.' Yet, she refused it so desperately. She wanted out so badly we began wanting to know the reason, too, so we were waiting a bit to let her off the hook, but-"

But it turned into something even more amusing, Rosa Chinensis happily laughed.

"A spice named Fukuzawa Yumi was added to the mix, now I wonder what it will cook up."

(Eek…)

It felt like dry wind has sliced straight through her body.

It was like a scene from a historical play, where a person with no place to stay, and with no place willing to let him stay, despite being in an inn town, stands out in the open, alone. The dusty, dry wind was irritating to the skin, and enemies were to his left and right, with no knowledge of what the future held for him.

Even though in the background was an elegant waltz. Ah, how unsuitable.

"Just as Rosa Gigantea said."

"Eh?"

"When Yumi-chan starts thinking, she goes through life's many phases."

Rosa Chinensis' intellectual expression broke down, and she began giggling.

When the song ended, Rosa Chinensis imagined them to have been on a stage and began giving directives about starting positions, body position, and other things. Even though she had been talking to Yumi, she was still paying careful attention to details.

"Yumi-chan have you danced before?"

Rosa Gigantea had come close and began fiddling with Yumi's manner hair, which had been split in two and individually tied.

"N, no. Not at all."

"Really-? Hey, did dance class start from second year?"

She twisted her body and asked Rosa Foetida.

"That was the case, I think."

Rosa Foetida answered indifferently as she re-winded the cassette tape.

"Then, I'll teach you. Here, put out your hands."

"Eh!?"

"Here."

Rosa Gigantea forcibly grabbed Yumi's hands and glued her body to hers.

"Ah."

"Yumi-chan uses so much 'eh' and 'ah' and wah!"

Even if she were told that, she couldn't hold back her voice. She thought there was some responsibility on the person who surprises her.

"It's in three-time because it's a waltz. One, two, three, one, two, three."

Left with no choice, Yumi took off her slippers.

Left foot back a step on one, spin 3/8 while stepping to the side with the right foot on two, move the left foot to the right foot on three. Right step forward and then a half turn right on the next one, left foot back diagonally and turn another 3/8 to the right before collecting both feet back together on two, then a small step forward with the right foot on three.

She tried to do as she was told, but it wasn't going very well.

"Your hip's too close. See, don't look down. You can step on my foot."

One, two, three.

One, two, three.

Just as she became accustomed to not looking down, she noticed the crowding atmosphere around them. The dance club, having finished their review of the rehearsal, all stared at Yumi and Rosa Gigantea as if they were watching some curious animal.

"Ah, that's bad, now Yumi-chan's two-timing rumors might spread!"

Rosa Gigantea laughed and let go of Yumi. Then, she raised one arm high and shouted to everyone.

"Alright-! I'm introducing our new friend, Fukuzawa Yumi-chan. She's joining the group dance from today on, so please be kind to her-!"

"-!"

She wanted to shout "eh!" but, having just been teased about it, Yumi covered her mouth.

"It's boring if you just watch, isn't it? Plus, if we think about what 'could' happen, you probably should get used to dancing."

Whispering that dangerous line in Yumi's ear, Rosa Gigantea pushed Yumi's back.

However, 'could' would be a case of her standing up on stage in Sachiko-sama's stead.

(Rosa Gigantea was betting on me winning, so is it alright to be giving such a negative image to her playing piece?)

However, winning or losing hardly mattered to the Roses. They were just watching, amused by the course of events.

"Someone pair with her."

Rosa Foetida requested, looking at the faces in the circle.

"Alright, I will."

When Yumi looked up at who replied so simply, it was none other than Rosa Foetida en bouton, Hasekura Rei-sama.

"B, but. Rei-sama, is with Sachiko-sama."

"I'm just a stand-in. Once the real prince arrives I say so farewell to that role, so there's no problem with pairing with Yumi-chan."

Oh dear. This didn't seem like it would end with just the level of dry wind.

No matter how alien she was to the scene, she could feel the inquisitive stares stab her like knives. No, rather than inquisitive, it might have been more like envious.

First was the rumor that she rejected the Rosa Chinensis en bouton, Sachiko-sama. Then, when she appeared like friends together anyways at the gymnasium, she was on friendly terms with Rosa Chinensis. Then she learnt dancing from Rosa Gigantea, and now was a dance partner with the Rosa Foetida en bouton, Rei-sama.

Just who does that girl think she is. –They were no doubt thinking that.

Even though she had no intention in the least of garnering attention. Ah, why do things always have to flow away in a completely different direction from her hopes?

Then, when practice resumed, she felt like a pincushion.

Although the boutons dancing with her hardly seemed to care, the majority of the people, the dance members, kept staring at her.

From straight ahead, from behind, whether she looked left or right, she would always lock eyes with a dance club member. On top of that, Rosa Gigantea's practice was quite slow, so, unable to keep up with the pace of the song, she kept stepping on Rei-sama's feet, and Rei-sama kept stepping on her feet, and it was all-in-all a mess.

Through it all, Sachiko-sama remained elegant. She turned aside Rosa Gigantea's offer to be her dance partner, instead dancing her steps alone. As she arched her breast and softly curved her arms, she gave the impression that the prince was, in fact, dancing right there with her.

What sort of prince was Sachiko-sama looking at? What sort of prince would Sachiko-sama be willing to stretch her arms out to?

"Don't look elsewhere."

When she snapped back to attention, Rei-sama was deliberately feigning anger.

"It looks like you can't take your mind off Sachiko."

"No, that's not it."

Even as she answered, she thought, maybe I can't. Because immediately, her eyes followed Sachiko-sama again.

Sachiko-sama danced as lightly as a winged creature with the invisible prince.

Assuming there were a prince the likes of which Sachiko-sama imagined-, Yumi thought. The one definite thing was that the Hanadera student council leader was not he. That thought made her feel a certain amount of compassion for the Hanadera council leader.

What a pitiable Prince.

The Lillian Girls' Academy Cinderella was, unlike the fairy tale, proud and idealistic.

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Return to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru|Main Page]]
| Back to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
| Forward to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_1|Chapter 3 Part 1]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume1 Chapter2 1

2008-06-30T04:43:43Z

Bardsmanship: /* 1. */

==1.==

Rumours circulate quickly.

By noon the next day, every high school student had learnt of the fact that Yumi had rejected Sachiko-sama.

"Tsutako-san, did you tell?"

"Of course not. These things are far more amusing watching than participating."
In that case, the Roses probably proactively spread the rumor, fueling the fire with their peculiar sense of humor. Of course, there was the possibility that Sachiko-sama was the originating source, too.

It wasn't that I wanted to track down who spread the rumor so I could complain, especially because we had made no mention of the topic being secret, but since this was an obstacle for my desire for a peaceful life, I think I at least had reason to complain.

First came the stares of classmates, who, upon meeting eyes with Yumi, must have thought, "as if," and then looked away. No one spoke directly to her.

"'There's a weird rumor circulating about you, but you shouldn't pay it any heed.'"

Katsura-san concluded during class.

The students in the same class already knew how Yumi looked, but because they didn't know the gap between truth and fiction, they settled into a pattern of being confused, and then gradually accepting that it was probably a baseless rumor.

However the reverberation among the students who didn't know Yumi (and granted, those people were far more common) was great.

A person of such magnificent traits that Sachiko-sama would shift gears after being rejected by Toudou Shimako-. The rumor took on a life of its own, and many people gathered in front of the first-year peach-class room during recesses.

"That they need someone to tell them who's the subject of the rumor is both fortunate but painful."

Tsutako-san mumbled as they put away their textbooks after the fourth-period class.

"Indeed. I feel conflicted."

Yumi laughed drily. As Tsutako-san said, Yumi was the perfect image of ordinary, so people who had come to see someone that stood out like Shimako-san had to be pointed in the right direction.

Her classmates, however, were being thoughtful, and so they constantly guarded her with "Yumi-san is not here right now." Because of this, she was able to walk out through everyone and even go to wash her hands.

"Alright, then I have an advice too. Don't be in the classroom during lunch."

Tsutako-san spoke quickly, while smiling peacefully and acting like she was simply having a normal conversation.

"Why?"

"I caught news that the newspaper club was intending to interview Yumi-san. The newspaper club is persistent. They have a lot of sensationalist, paparazzi drama-lovers."

"Fueh…"

She turned pale. Paparazzi would be like, those people that ask, "Did you really marry?" or "Did you really divorce?" or something out of the blue, right? Sachiko-sama is powerful in her own right, but the newspaper club seemed like something she preferred to be away from entirely.

"Understand? Okay, then, pick up your lunch."

Tsutako-san pulled out Yumi's boxed lunch from her bag, hanging from the side of her desk, and, forcing Yumi to grab ahold of it, began pushing her.

"Oh? Yumi-san where are you going?"

Katsura-san asked curiously, as they usually always ate together.

"I'm borrowing Yumi-san for a second."

Tsutako-san answered in Yumi's stead. Then, she swiped her own lunch and urgently whispered, "Hurry hurry." As if she were saying, "Hurry or the newspaper club'll arrive."

"Woah."

Just as they walked out in the hallway, three students whose appearances screamed "newspaper club!" were standing in wait.

"… Too late."

Tsutako-san's regretful voice only reached Yumi's ear.

Camera, tape recorder, memobook… Of course, despite calling them "paparazzi" earlier, they did not have a hand microphone or one of those shoulder cameras.

"Oh, gokingeyou, you were part of this class, too?"

The one in the lead noticed Tsutako-san and began speaking. Newspaper club and photography club, as expected, they'd had previous relationships.

"Gokigenyou, and what matter brings the newspaper club here today?"

Even though she knew everything, Tsutako-san smiled, feigning ignorance.

"We came to interview Fukuzawa Yumi-san. Delightful timing, would you mind calling her here?"

"Umm. Yumi-san, Yumi-san… is."

Acting senile, Tsutako-san looked back into the classroom without giving Yumi even a single glance. Her eyes scanned the peach-class room, beyond the door from whence they had come.

The classroom was in the midst of getting ready for lunch. Some clumped their desks together and laid down table-cloth, some distributed milk and bread and other such ordered food, students from other classes joined in... all in all, it was chaotic.

"Ah, I think she might be Yumi-san, over there?"

Tsutako-san acted like she was adjusting her classes and pointed to the furthest reaches of the class.

"I'll go call her, wait one second."

Just as Yumi was wondering what Tsutako-san intended to do, she took a step into the class, then stopped, abruptly, and turned around, as if remembering something.

"Natsume-san, you were in a hurry, correct? There is no need for me to keep you waiting, go on ahead."

"Huh? … Ah, yes."

As Tsutako-san had deliberately looked into Yumi's eyes and winked, she assumed that meant her.

"Then I will go on ahead."

Yumi gave Tsutako-san and the newspaper club members a quick bow and left the scene. As she walked down the hallway, she thought of Natsume Souseki -> Fukuzawa Yukichi -> Fukuzawa Yumi, and clasped her hands in realization. The connecting point was the figures on printed money.

Even so, she wondered what Tsutako-san was going to do. Because it was her, she might be able to weasel out by claiming, "I got the wrong person," but despite claiming things were more interesting as an observer than a participant, she was pretty caring.

As Tsutako-san was gone, she wondered where to go. As she walked down the stairs in such thought, a voice called out.

"Yumi-san. Over here."

When she looked down the handrail, she noticed a white hand beckoning. When she leaned out to look, Shimako-san's face popped out.

"Let's eat lunch together."

Yumi rhythmically skipped down the stairs, relieved to see that angelic face.

Shimako-san led Yumi to her personal seat.

"Do you eat here every day?"

Here was behind the auditorium. One cherry blossom tree stood among the gingko in an obscure place. There, the two opened their lunches and sat.

"Only seasonal. When the weather is nice during the spring and autumn."

"The summer?"

"This cherry blossom tree, it gathers a lot of caterpillars, and I am not too fond of that. But the gingko falls soon after, and that I do eagerly wait."

Shimako-san wistfully stared up at the gingko trees while plucking taro out of her varnished, square lunch box. It was slightly off balance from how she looked like a Western-style doll. The talking about gingko, the tasteful lunch box, oh and, incidentally, the boiled potato balls, too.

"… You are a bit odd, Shimako-san."

"Am I? But as long as they do not get squished, gingko do not smell too awful. And that is why the gingko pathway is a sight of misery."

"Shimako-san, does that mean you happen to take home uncrushed gingko nuts?"

"Precisely."

Shimako-san laughed happily, fufufu.

"Why do you like gingko?"

"Yumi-san, do you hate them?"

With the question turned, she thought. Hmm, she had no idea people actually ate them.

Until today, she thought it was like the shiso leaves for sashimi platters, or like the decoration placed on savory egg custard.

"I love things like gingko and lily and soya beans. My parents always say it is unlike a normal teenaged girl, but I think taste preference is affected by your environment, don't you? Because I was raised by them, I like bitter tastes, most likely."

When I asked, I learnt that Shimako-san's house is almost purely Japanese-style architecture, with no Western-style rooms. Image-wise, though, I would have guessed a great, chalk-white mansion complete with a grand piano. Also, a lunch of club sandwiches or fried chicken seemed to suit her looks better.

"Not what I look like?"

Shimako-san asked, staring intently at Yumi's face.

"Mm, a bit, but it's unexpectedly interesting anyways."

Told so honestly, Shimako-san giggled and responded, "Yumi-san, too."

"I am honestly glad we were able to become acquaintances."

The two of them looked at the sky.

The clouds slowly flowed across the clear sky.

Sky-blue and the white of clouds, and below that, the sun's rays shone through the yellow gingko trees, casting a golden sparkle upon the ground. If I were a painter, I would have been able to paint that scene into a giant canvas. Or if I were a poet, into a poem, or a song, if I were a musician, saving that scene for eternity.

"Shimako-san, why did you reject Sachiko-sama?"

When she spontaneously asked, Shimako-san responded, "Should I not return that question to you?"

"That's right, we both did the same thing."

Even so, it wasn't as though their affinity got closer. She felt that Shimako-san and her approach to Sachiko-sama was completely different.

"In my case."

Shimako-san looked up at an oblique angle, still in thought.

"I am not a fit for Sachiko-sama. Conversely, Sachiko-sama is not a fit for me, either."

"In what way?"

"I like Sachiko-sama, but we look for different things in our partners. Subsequently, what we can offer one another differs."

"… That sounds too complicated for me."

"Sachiko-sama said the same thing. She understood what I meant to say, but that it was too vague. Even I would have to admit that it is simply a vague feeling that I have."

What you can offer the companion and what you seek from a companion. Because it is a one-on-one relationship, it makes sense that a concurrence of that would be of the utmost importance, but-.

"If Shimako-san was no good, wouldn't that mean there is no one who could fit with Sachiko-sama?"

"I do not know. Of course, because such a person is so hard to find, she probably is still left with no petite sœur. But Rosa Chinensis and Sachiko-sama do face each other, as you saw. Compatibility is possible."

"I see…"

Then perhaps that would mean Shimako-san complemented Rosa Gigantea well, thought Yumi. After all, rather than two-timing, it was a decision borne out of taking a careful look at herself and her opponents.

"Well, shall we return?"

Shimako-san stood up. Fifth period would start in five minutes.

"The newspaper club also has class, so it should be safe."

As a consequence of the conversation earlier, Yumi took care not to step on gingko nuts.

She had never paid the ground much attention, but upon closer inspection, the fallen gingko nuts looked like ripe plums.

"In the case of Sachiko-sama, I think her shock was far greater when you rejected her than when I did."

"Why?"

"I believe she felt it coming, in my case. We acted as temporary sisters, so I am sure she had come to notice that we would not be perfect fits."

But in the case of Yumi, she had supreme confidence.

"But she didn't seem to have been that shocked?"

"She is a contrarian who absolutely despises losing. So when she is truly vexed, she refuses to show it."

The two of them lined up and walked up the empty stairs. They overtook the meticulous old teachers whom were entering their classrooms with a greeting, and the chime rang. They had arrived in front of the classroom with a minute to spare.

The newspaper club as well as other students had, as Shimako-san expected, already cleared out of the hallways.

Shimako-san spoke as she opened the rear door.

"Yumi-san and Sachiko-sama may be compatible fits."

Yumi mumbled, "What are you saying," as she stepped in and looked at the backs of the students who had arrived earlier.

How could Yumi be a fit and Shimako-san, who could even describe Sachiko-sama as a contrarian and sore-loser, not?

Sheesh, Shimako-san is definitely an odd-ball.

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Return to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru|Main Page]]
| Back to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5|Chapter 1 Part 5]]
| Forward to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume1 Chapter2 1

2008-06-30T04:41:02Z

Bardsmanship: /* 1. */

==1.==

Rumours circulate quickly.

By noon the next day, every high school student had learnt of the fact that Yumi had rejected Sachiko-sama.

"Tsutako-san, did you tell?"

"Of course not. These things are far more amusing watching than participating."
In that case, the Roses probably proactively spread the rumor, fueling the fire with their peculiar sense of humor. Of course, there was the possibility that Sachiko-sama was the originating source, too.

It wasn't that I wanted to track down who spread the rumor so I could complain, especially because we had made no mention of the topic being secret, but since this was an obstacle for my desire for a peaceful life, I think I at least had reason to complain.

First came the stares of classmates, who, upon meeting eyes with Yumi, must have thought, "as if," and then looked away. No one spoke directly to her.

"'There's a weird rumor circulating about you, but you shouldn't pay it any heed.'"

Katsura-san concluded during class.

The students in the same class already knew how Yumi looked, but because they didn't know the gap between truth and fiction, they settled into a pattern of being confused, and then gradually accepting that it was probably a baseless rumor.

However the reverberation among the students who didn't know Yumi (and granted, those people were far more common) was great.

A person of such magnificent traits that Sachiko-sama would shift gears after being rejected by Toudou Shimako-. The rumor took on a life of its own, and many people gathered in front of the first-year peach-class room during recesses.

"That they need someone to tell them who's the subject of the rumor is both fortunate but painful."

Tsutako-san mumbled as they put away their textbooks after the fourth-period class.

"Indeed. I feel conflicted."

Yumi laughed drily. As Tsutako-san said, Yumi was the perfect image of ordinary, so people who had come to see someone that stood out like Shimako-san had to be pointed in the right direction.

Her classmates, however, were being thoughtful, and so they constantly guarded her with "Yumi-san is not here right now." Because of this, she was able to walk out through everyone and even go to wash her hands.

"Alright, then I have an advice too. Don't be in the classroom during lunch."

Tsutako-san spoke quickly, while smiling peacefully and acting like she was simply having a normal conversation.

"Why?"

"I caught news that the newspaper club was intending to interview Yumi-san. The newspaper club is persistent. They have a lot of sensationalist, paparazzi drama-lovers."

"Fueh…"

She turned pale. Paparazzi would be like, those people that ask, "Did you really marry?" or "Did you really divorce?" or something out of the blue, right? Sachiko-sama is powerful in her own right, but the newspaper club seemed like something she preferred to be away from entirely.

"Understand? Okay, then, pick up your lunch."

Tsutako-san pulled out Yumi's boxed lunch from her bag, hanging from the side of her desk, and, forcing Yumi to grab ahold of it, began pushing her.

"Oh? Yumi-san where are you going?"

Katsura-san asked curiously, as they usually always ate together.

"I'm borrowing Yumi-san for a second."

Tsutako-san answered in Yumi's stead. Then, she swiped her own lunch and urgently whispered, "Hurry hurry." As if she were saying, "Hurry or the newspaper club'll arrive."

"Woah."

Just as they walked out in the hallway, three students whose appearances screamed "newspaper club!" were standing in wait.

"… Too late."

Tsutako-san's regretful voice only reached Yumi's ear.

Camera, tape recorder, memobook… Of course, despite calling them "paparazzi" earlier, they did not have a hand microphone or one of those shoulder cameras.

"Oh, gokingeyou, you were part of this class, too?"

The one in the lead noticed Tsutako-san and began speaking. Newspaper club and photography club, as expected, they'd had previous relationships.

"Gokigenyou, and what matter brings the newspaper club here today?"

Even though she knew everything, Tsutako-san smiled, feigning ignorance.

"We came to interview Fukuzawa Yumi-san. Delightful timing, would you mind calling her here?"

"Umm. Yumi-san, Yumi-san… is."

Acting senile, Tsutako-san looked back into the classroom without giving Yumi even a single glance. Her eyes scanned the peach-class room, beyond the door from whence they had come.

The classroom was in the midst of getting ready for lunch. Some clumped their desks together and laid down table-cloth, some distributed milk and bread and other such ordered food, students from other classes joined in... all in all, it was chaotic.

"Ah, I think she might be Yumi-san, over there?"

Tsutako-san acted like she was adjusting her classes and pointed to the furthest reaches of the class.

"I'll go call her, wait one second."

Just as Yumi was wondering what Tsutako-san intended to do, she took a step into the class, then stopped, abruptly, and turned around, as if remembering something.

"Natsume-san, you were in a hurry, correct? There is no need for me to keep you waiting, go on ahead."

"Huh? … Ah, yes."

As Tsutako-san had deliberately looked into Yumi's eyes and winked, she assumed that meant her.

"Then I will go on ahead."

Yumi gave Tsutako-san and the newspaper club members a quick bow and left the scene. As she walked down the hallway, she thought of Natsume Souseki -> Fukuzawa Yukichi -> Fukuzawa Yumi, and clasped her hands in realization. The connecting point was the figures on printed money.

Even so, she wondered what Tsutako-san was going to do. Because it was her, she might be able to weasel out by claiming, "I got the wrong person," but despite claiming things were more interesting as an observer than a participant, she was pretty caring.

As Tsutako-san was gone, she wondered where to go. As she walked down the stairs in such thought, a voice called out.

"Yumi-san. Over here."

When she looked down the handrail, she noticed a white hand beckoning. When she leaned out to look, Shimako-san's face popped out.

"Let's eat lunch together."

Yumi rhythmically skipped down the stairs, relieved to see that angelic face.

Shimako-san led Yumi to her personal seat.

"Do you eat here every day?"

Here was behind the auditorium. One cherry blossom tree stood among the gingko in an obscure place. There, the two opened their lunches and sat.

"Only seasonal. When the weather is nice during the spring and autumn."

"The summer?"

"This cherry blossom tree, it gathers a lot of caterpillars, and I am not too fond of that. But the gingko falls soon after, and that I do eagerly wait."

Shimako-san wistfully stared up at the gingko trees while plucking taro out of her varnished, square lunch box. It was slightly off balance from how she looked like a Western-style doll. The talking about gingko, the tasteful lunch box, oh and, incidentally, the boiled potato balls, too.

"… You are a bit odd, Shimako-san."

"Am I? But as long as they do not get squished, gingko do not smell too awful. And that is why the gingko pathway is a sight of misery."

"Shimako-san, does that mean you happen to take home uncrushed gingko nuts?"

"Precisely."

Shimako-san laughed happily, fufufu.

"Why do you like gingko?"

"Yumi-san, do you hate them?"

With the question turned, she thought. Hmm, she had no idea people actually ate them.

Until today, she thought it was like the shiso leaves for sashimi platters, or like the decoration placed on savory egg custard.

"I love things like gingko and lily and soya beans. My parents always say it is unlike a normal teenaged girl, but I think taste preference is affected by your environment, don't you? Because I was raised by them, I like bitter tastes, most likely."

When I asked, I learnt that Shimako-san's house is almost purely Japanese-style architecture, with no Western-style rooms. Image-wise, though, I would have guessed a great, chalk-white mansion complete with a grand piano. Also, a lunch of club sandwiches or fried chicken seemed to suit her looks better.

"Not what I look like?"

Shimako-san asked, staring intently at Yumi's face.

"Mm, a bit, but it's unexpectedly interesting anyways."

Told so honestly, Shimako-san giggled and responded, "Yumi-san, too."

"I am honestly glad we were able to become acquaintances."

The two of them looked at the sky.

The clouds slowly flowed across the clear sky.

Sky-blue and the white of clouds, and below that, the sun's rays shone through the yellow gingko trees, casting a golden sparkle upon the ground. If I were a painter, I would have been able to paint that scene into a giant canvas. Or if I were a poet, into a poem, or a song, if I were a musician, saving that scene for eternity.

"Shimako-san, why did you reject Sachiko-sama?"

When she spontaneously asked, Shimako-san responded, "Should I not return that question to you?"

"That's right, we both did the same thing."

Even so, it wasn't as though their affinity got closer. She felt that Shimako-san and her approach to Sachiko-sama was complete different.

"In my case."

Shimako-san looked up at an oblique angle, still in thought.

"I am not a fit for Sachiko-sama. Conversely, Sachiko-sama is not a fit for me, either."

"In what way?"

"I like Sachiko-sama, but we look for different things in our partners. Subsequently, what we can offer one another differs."

"… That sounds too complicated for me."

"Sachiko-sama said the same thing. She understood what I meant to say, but that it was too vague. Even I would have to admit that it is simply a vague feeling that I have."

What you can offer the companion and what you seek from a companion. Because it is a one-on-one relationship, it makes sense that a concurrence of that would be of the utmost importance, but-.

"If Shimako-san was no good, wouldn't that mean there is no one who could fit with Sachiko-sama?"

"I do not know. Of course, because such a person is so hard to find, she probably is still left with no petite sœur. But Rosa Chinensis and Sachiko-sama do face each other, as you saw. Compatibility is possible."

"I see…"

Then perhaps that would mean Shimako-san complimented Rosa Gigantea well, thought Yumi. After all, rather than two-timing, it was a decision borne out of taking careful look at herself and her opponents.

"Well, shall we return?"

Shimako-san stood up. Fifth period would start in five minutes.

"The newspaper club also has class, so it should be safe."

As a consequence of the conversation earlier, Yumi took care not to step on gingko nuts.

She had never paid the ground much attention, but upon closer inspection, the fallen gingko nuts looked like ripe plums.

"In the case of Sachiko-sama, I think her shock was far greater when you rejected her than when I did."

"Why?"

"I believe she felt it coming, in my case. We acted as temporary sisters, so I am sure she had come to notice that we would not be perfect fits."

But in the case of Yumi, she had supreme confidence.

"But she didn't seem to have been that shocked?"

"She is a contrarian who absolutely despises losing. So when she is truly vexed, she refuses to show it."

The two of them lined up and walked up the empty stairs. They overtook the meticulous old teachers whom were entering their classrooms with a greeting, and the chime rang. They had arrived in front of the classroom with a minute to spare.

The newspaper club as well as other students had, as Shimako-san expected, already cleared out of the hallways.

Shimako-san spoke as she opened the rear door.

"Yumi-san and Sachiko-sama may be compatible fits."

Yumi mumbled, "What are you saying," as she stepped in and looked at the backs of the students who had arrived earlier.

How could Yumi be a fit and Shimako-san, who could even describe Sachiko-sama as a contrarian and sore-loser, not?

Sheesh, Shimako-san is definitely an odd-ball.

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Return to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru|Main Page]]
| Back to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5|Chapter 1 Part 5]]
| Forward to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume1 Chapter2 1

2008-06-30T04:39:51Z

Bardsmanship: /* 1. */

==1.==

Rumours circulate quickly.

By noon the next day, every high school student had learnt of the fact that Yumi had rejected Sachiko-sama.

"Tsutako-san, did you tell?"

"Of course not. These things are far more amusing watching than participating."
In that case, the Roses probably proactively spread the rumor, fueling the fire with their peculiar sense of humor. Of course, there was the possibility that Sachiko-sama was the originating source, too.

It wasn't that I wanted to track down who spread the rumor so I could complain, especially because we had made no mention of the topic being secret, but since this was an obstacle for my desire for a peaceful life, I think I at least had reason to complain.

First came the stares of classmates, who, upon meeting eyes with Yumi, must have thought, "as if," and then looked away. No one spoke directly to her.

"'There's a weird rumor circulating about you, but you shouldn't pay it any heed.'"

Katsura-san concluded during class.

The students in the same class already knew how Yumi looked, but because they didn't know the gap between truth and fiction, they settled into a pattern of being confused, and then gradually accepting that it was probably a baseless rumor.

However the reverberation among the students who didn't know Yumi (and granted, those people were far more common) was great.

A person of such magnificent traits that Sachiko-sama would shift gears after being rejected by Toudou Shimako-. The rumor took on a life of its own, and many people gathered in front of the first-year peach-class room during recesses.

"That they need someone to tell them who's the subject of the rumor is both fortunate but painful."

Tsutako-san mumbled as they put away their textbooks after the fourth-period class.

"Indeed. I feel conflicted."

Yumi laughed drily. As Tsutako-san said, Yumi was the perfect image of ordinary, so people who had come to see someone that stood out like Shimako-san had to be pointed in the right direction.

Her classmates, however, were being thoughtful, and so they constantly guarded her with "Yumi-san is not here right now." Because of this, she was able to walk out through everyone and even go to wash her hands.

"Alright, then I have an advice too. Don't be in the classroom during lunch."

Tsutako-san spoke quickly, while smiling peacefully and acting like she was simply having a normal conversation.

"Why?"

"I caught news that the newspaper club was intending to interview Yumi-san. The newspaper club is persistent. They have a lot of sensationalist, paparazzi drama-lovers."

"Fueh…"

She turned pale. Paparazzi would be like, those people that ask, "Did you really marry?" or "Did you really divorce?" or something out of the blue, right? Sachiko-sama is powerful in her own right, but the newspaper club seemed like something she preferred to be away from entirely.

"Understand? Okay, then, pick up your lunch."

Tsutako-san pulled out Yumi's boxed lunch from her bag, hanging from the side of her desk, and, forcing Yumi to grab ahold of it, began pushing her.

"Oh? Yumi-san where are you going?"

Katsura-san asked curiously, as they usually always ate together.

"I'm borrowing Yumi-san for a second."

Tsutako-san answered in Yumi's stead. Then, she swiped her own lunch and urgently whispered, "Hurry hurry." As if she were saying, "Hurry or the newspaper club'll arrive."

"Woah."

Just as they walked out in the hallway, three students whose appearances screamed "newspaper club!" were standing in wait.

"… Too late."

Tsutako-san's regretful voice only reached Yumi's ear.

Camera, tape recorder, memobook… Of course, despite calling them "paparazzi" earlier, they did not have a hand microphone or one of those shoulder cameras.

"Oh, gokingeyou, you were part of this class, too?"

The one in the lead noticed Tsutako-san and began speaking. Newspaper club and photography club, as expected, they'd had previous relationships.

"Gokigenyou, and what matter brings the newspaper club here today?"

Even though she knew everything, Tsutako-san smiled, feigning ignorance.

"We came to interview Fukuzawa Yumi-san. Delightful timing, would you mind calling her here?"

"Umm. Yumi-san, Yumi-san… is."

Acting senile, Tsutako-san looked back into the classroom without giving Yumi even a single glance. Her eyes scanned the peach-class room, beyond the door from whence they had come.

The classroom was in the midst of getting ready for lunch. Some clumped their desks together and laid down table-cloth, some distributed milk and bread and other such ordered food, students from other classes joined in... all in all, it was chaotic.

"Ah, I think she might be Yumi-san, over there?"

Tsutako-san acted like she was adjusting her classes and pointed to the furthest reaches of the class.

"I'll go call her, wait one second."

Just as Yumi was wondering what Tsutako-san intended to do, she took a step into the class, then stopped, abruptly, and turned around, as if remembering something.

"Natsume-san, you were in a hurry, correct? There is no need for me to keep you waiting, go on ahead."

"Huh? … Ah, yes."

As Tsutako-san had deliberately looked into Yumi's eyes and winked, she assumed that meant her.

"Then I will go on ahead."

Yumi gave Tsutako-san and the newspaper club members a quick bow and left the scene. As she walked down the hallway, she thought of Natsume Souseki -> Fukuzawa Yukichi -> Fukuzawa Yumi, and clasped her hands in realization. The connecting point was the figures on printed money.

Even so, she wondered what Tsutako-san was going to do. Because it was her, she might be able to weasel out by claiming, "I got the wrong person," but despite claiming things were more interesting as an observer than a participant, she was pretty caring.

As Tsutako-san was gone, she wondered where to go. As she walked down the stairs in such thought, a voice called out.

"Yumi-san. Over here."

When she looked down the handrail, she noticed a white hand beckoning. When she leaned out to look, Shimako-san's face popped out.

"Let's eat lunch together."

Yumi rhythmically skipped down the stairs, relieved to see that angelic face.

Shimako-san led Yumi to her personal seat.

"Do you eat here every day?"

Here was behind the auditorium. One cherry blossom tree stood among the gingko in an obscure place. There, the two opened their lunches and sat.

"Only seasonal. When the weather is nice during the spring and autumn."

"The summer?"

"This cherry blossom tree, it gathers a lot of caterpillars, and I am not too fond of that. But the gingko falls soon after, and that I do eagerly wait."

Shimako-san wistfully stared up at the gingko trees while plucking taro out of her varnished, square lunch box. It was slightly off balance from how she looked like a Western-style doll. The talking about gingko, the tasteful lunch box, oh and, incidentally, the boiled potato balls, too.

"… You are a bid odd, Shimako-san."

"Am I? But as long as they do not get squished, gingko do not smell too awful. And that is why the gingko pathway is a sight of misery."

"Shimako-san, does that mean you happen to take home uncrushed gingko nuts?"

"Precisely."

Shimako-san laughed happily, fufufu.

"Why do you like gingko?"

"Yumi-san, do you hate them?"

With the question turned, she thought. Hmm, she had no idea people actually ate them.

Until today, she thought it was like the shiso leaves for sashimi platters, or like the decoration placed on savory egg custard.

"I love things like gingko and lily and soya beans. My parents always say it is unlike a normal teenaged girl, but I think taste preference is affected by your environment, don't you? Because I was raised by them, I like bitter tastes, most likely."

When I asked, I learnt that Shimako-san's house is almost purely Japanese-style architecture, with no Western-style rooms. Image-wise, though, I would have guessed a great, chalk-white mansion complete with a grand piano. Also, a lunch of club sandwiches or fried chicken seemed to suit her looks better.

"Not what I look like?"

Shimako-san asked, staring intently at Yumi's face.

"Mm, a bit, but it's unexpectedly interesting anyways."

Told so honestly, Shimako-san giggled and responded, "Yumi-san, too."

"I am honestly glad we were able to become acquaintances."

The two of them looked at the sky.

The clouds slowly flowed across the clear sky.

Sky-blue and the white of clouds, and below that, the sun's rays shone through the yellow gingko trees, casting a golden sparkle upon the ground. If I were a painter, I would have been able to paint that scene into a giant canvas. Or if I were a poet, into a poem, or a song, if I were a musician, saving that scene for eternity.

"Shimako-san, why did you reject Sachiko-sama?"

When she spontaneously asked, Shimako-san responded, "Should I not return that question to you?"

"That's right, we both did the same thing."

Even so, it wasn't as though their affinity got closer. She felt that Shimako-san and her approach to Sachiko-sama was complete different.

"In my case."

Shimako-san looked up at an oblique angle, still in thought.

"I am not a fit for Sachiko-sama. Conversely, Sachiko-sama is not a fit for me, either."

"In what way?"

"I like Sachiko-sama, but we look for different things in our partners. Subsequently, what we can offer one another differs."

"… That sounds too complicated for me."

"Sachiko-sama said the same thing. She understood what I meant to say, but that it was too vague. Even I would have to admit that it is simply a vague feeling that I have."

What you can offer the companion and what you seek from a companion. Because it is a one-on-one relationship, it makes sense that a concurrence of that would be of the utmost importance, but-.

"If Shimako-san was no good, wouldn't that mean there is no one who could fit with Sachiko-sama?"

"I do not know. Of course, because such a person is so hard to find, she probably is still left with no petite sœur. But Rosa Chinensis and Sachiko-sama do face each other, as you saw. Compatibility is possible."

"I see…"

Then perhaps that would mean Shimako-san complimented Rosa Gigantea well, thought Yumi. After all, rather than two-timing, it was a decision borne out of taking careful look at herself and her opponents.

"Well, shall we return?"

Shimako-san stood up. Fifth period would start in five minutes.

"The newspaper club also has class, so it should be safe."

As a consequence of the conversation earlier, Yumi took care not to step on gingko nuts.

She had never paid the ground much attention, but upon closer inspection, the fallen gingko nuts looked like ripe plums.

"In the case of Sachiko-sama, I think her shock was far greater when you rejected her than when I did."

"Why?"

"I believe she felt it coming, in my case. We acted as temporary sisters, so I am sure she had come to notice that we would not be perfect fits."

But in the case of Yumi, she had supreme confidence.

"But she didn't seem to have been that shocked?"

"She is a contrarian who absolutely despises losing. So when she is truly vexed, she refuses to show it."

The two of them lined up and walked up the empty stairs. They overtook the meticulous old teachers whom were entering their classrooms with a greeting, and the chime rang. They had arrived in front of the classroom with a minute to spare.

The newspaper club as well as other students had, as Shimako-san expected, already cleared out of the hallways.

Shimako-san spoke as she opened the rear door.

"Yumi-san and Sachiko-sama may be compatible fits."

Yumi mumbled, "What are you saying," as she stepped in and looked at the backs of the students who had arrived earlier.

How could Yumi be a fit and Shimako-san, who could even describe Sachiko-sama as a contrarian and sore-loser, not?

Sheesh, Shimako-san is definitely an odd-ball.

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Return to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru|Main Page]]
| Back to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5|Chapter 1 Part 5]]
| Forward to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>