Editing Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume10 Chapter3 3

===<noinclude>Suspicious Clouds. </noinclude>Part 3===

Yoshino entered the second-year pine classroom and put her bag down on her desk, then suddenly remembered and rushed over to Yumi-san's desk.

"Hey, about today."

"Today?"

"After school, you know … about Shimako-san."

Technically, it wasn't about Shimako-san but about Noriko-chan, but Yoshino didn't bother to correct herself since that should be well known.

"What about Shimako-san?"

Yumi-san looked puzzled as she took her notebook out of her bag.

"Alright, it's about Noriko-chan. No need to give me a hard time, geez."

Her patience running out, Yoshino talked even faster. If they got caught up here, they wouldn't finish the conversation before morning prayers.

"I'm sorry, but I really have no idea what you're talking about."

"… Huh?"

Yoshino took another look at Yumi-san's face. Even though it sounded like Yumi-san was just trying to give her a hard time, it didn't look like she was playing dumb. – Which meant that the message hadn't yet been conveyed to Yumi-san.

"Wait, but."

Sachiko-sama must have been aware that Noriko-chan was coming to the Rose Mansion. By the way Rei-chan had been speaking, it had all been settled prior to yesterday. Although, like a certain someone, she could have failed to mention it yesterday too … 

"So, what was it?"

This time it was Yumi-san running out of patience as Yoshino pondered. So, without further ado, Yoshino informed her.

"Noriko-chan's making her debut in the Rose Mansion today."

"Really!?"

As expected, Yumi-san's eyes went wide with surprise. Which meant:

"So then, I guess Sachiko-sama didn't tell you?"

To which, Yumi-san stared at her blankly.

"Well, I haven't seen her this morning."

No, not that.

"What I meant was, you mustn't have talked about it on your date yesterday … "

As she said this, Yoshino had a bad premonition. Yumi-san's face slowly drooped and, Yoshino may just have been imagining this, but it seemed like her facial expression stiffened. 

"Don't tell me."

"Yeah, you got it."

"But you were so excited about it on Saturday, saying, "It's finally happening tomorrow." And yet…?"

"Yesterday morning, she called and canceled."

"Huh? That's awful! What the hell was Sachiko-sama thinking!?"

Yoshino was angry just hearing about it. Unlike Yoshino, who could take Rei-chan out any time she wanted, it had been more of a leap of faith for Yumi-san to ask her onee-sama out, and the invitation had been accepted. Yoshino knew how much Yumi-san had been looking forward to their half-day date yesterday. As her onee-sama, Sachiko-sama should have known this too.

"That's just how it was."

"How many times has that been?"

"…"

Yumi-san was silent. From memory, this was either the second or third time that Sachiko-sama had washed away their plans.

Sachiko-sama was a princess, so it may be hard for her household to understand the common people – but even so, canceling on the morning of an event like she had this time was far, far too cruel.

(Don't make plans if you can't be there!)

Yoshino wanted to scream, but Yumi-san already looked like she was on the verge of tears, so she didn't criticize Sachiko-sama further.

Sachiko-sama was in the wrong, but saying that wouldn't help the victim, Yumi-san.

" – I'm sorry. We can talk about Noriko-chan later."

Yoshino gently patted Yumi-san on the shoulder and returned to her desk. The morning bell was about to ring soon, and the sharp-eared newspaper club member Yamaguchi Mami-san had arrived.

But the number one reason was that Yoshino didn't want to drive Yumi-san away from her with her words.

Yoshino sat down in her seat and took the various items out of her bag. Pencil case, textbook, notebook … Her hand touched her folding umbrella, but she left it in there and turned to the window. It wasn't raining just yet.

Even between friends, there were places where they could not tread.

Letting her gaze shift from the window, Yoshino snuck a glance at Yumi-san. She was oblivious to Yoshino's gaze, methodically preparing for their first-period class.

Matters between soeurs could only be understood by those people themselves. Perhaps it was better not to get involved until asked to.

After all, Yoshino would be angry if Yumi-san told her that she should be doing this or that about Rei-chan.