Editing Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume29 Chapter7 2 (section)

===<noinclude>Would You Like to Waltz? </noinclude>Part 2.=== 

Sachiko-sama and Rei-sama arrived at the Rose Mansion right on two o'clock.

The second-years had just hidden their makeshift props in the back of the room, underneath their school coats, when they heard the sound of people climbing the staircase. Just in time.

When they opened the door to greet their guests, Rosa Chinensis and Rosa Foetida smiled brilliantly.

"Thank-you for everything you've done for us today."

They both had a salmon-pink rose, with the stalk cut off, pinned to their chest.

"We talked about it on the way over, but we really enjoyed today's third-years' send-off."

"Indeed. Everyone's hard work really paid off."

Yumi had received similar compliments from many third-years today, but when it came from Sachiko-sama and Rei-sama she didn't feel the need to reply with 'Thanks for the compliment.' She was grateful for their praise, but there was something else as well, so she couldn't just respond with that.

These people were the reason why they had worked so hard. The third-years' send-off was for all third-years, so as presenters they obviously wanted to make everyone happy. But setting aside their position as the next Roses, it was these two beloved people that they had thought about as they worked. Surely all the individual members of the various clubs and groups that participated today had some cherished person for whose sake they were working hard. And when you added all that hard work together, what you got was the "Third-years' Send-off."

"Anyway, please take a seat, and have some tea."

As she was saying this, Yumi made a startling realization. They were so busy preparing their props that they had forgotten to place the teacups on the table. She was hastily heading towards the teapot when Touko said to her:

"Onee-sama, Noriko and I will do that."

"… Sorry."

Dejected, Yumi returned to the table and found Rei-sama looking intently in her direction. Yumi looked back, thinking that Rei-sama had something she wanted to say, but Rei-sama just smiled and shook her head. Perhaps Rei-sama was looking for something else.

"Cheers."

The farewell party started with their standard toast using black tea. At any rate, it was 2pm. The first order of business was satisfying their hunger, so everyone reached for a sandwich or a cookie. The main topic of conversation was, naturally, the third-years' send-off. They recounted all the things that happened during their preparation. The story of the kind Santa's presents was incredibly well received. 

As they ate, the words started to flow. Their mouths were kept busy.

"Rei-chan?"

Yoshino-san said, her tone asking if anything was wrong. Come to think of it, Rei-sama had been kind of quiet just recently. As though she were daydreaming, or there in body but not in spirit, or searching for something that wasn't there.

"Oh, it's nothing. I was just thinking of everything that's happened since Christmas."

Rei-sama smiled as she spoke. So had she been looking at something that had gone away? It didn't look like she were yearning for the past.

"Christmas, huh?"

Sachiko-sama smiled broadly. There was no mistaking that this was the face of someone reminiscing fondly about the past. A face that said that so much had happened.

"Yeah."

Yumi nodded.

Back then, Touko wasn't yet her petit soeur.

Kanako-chan and Nana-chan had been invited, and they'd played games and eaten cake. Right, right, and Tsutako-san had taken a ton of pictures with her camera. 

Normally there were eight seats at the table, so they had to bring an additional two over. And they'd chosen where to sit by drawing from a deck of cards.

Now, there were the seven close friends in the room. So there was one chair left over. Rei-sama's gaze was continuously drawn to that empty chair.

Yumi understood.

Rei-sama was undoubtedly looking for Nana-chan.