Editing Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume25 Chapter1 3 (section)

===<noinclude>Sometimes Falling, Sometimes Pulling. </noinclude>Part 3===

They were told that the Yellow Rose soeurs were having a celebration party with both the Hasekura and Shimazu families tonight.

"Hehehe, we're having a Chinese banquet."

In a good mood, Yoshino-sama spun around and said, "Isn't that great?" as she walked along.

"There was a celebration dinner when Rei-sama was elected last year too."

Yumi-sama laughed.

"It's academic now, but what were you going to do if you lost? Since you're having a Chinese banquet, you'd have to have made a reservation at the restaurant, right?"

"In that case we'd change the name – it'd be a "Bad luck, Yoshino" or "Cheer Up" party."

Rei-sama interjected from the side.

"I see."

Even if the food was the same, she felt it would taste somewhat different at a celebration compared to a commiseration party. At any rate, it looked like the most important thing to the Yellow Rose soeurs was that they could eat some delicious Chinese food tonight.

As they walked together down the ginkgo tree path, Noriko couldn't help but worry about Yumi-sama.

What was Yumi-sama thinking she should do about Touko?

Had Yumi-sama talked to her onee-sama, Rosa Chinensis, about Touko?

Despite her initial reaction of bewilderment after the election results were revealed, she was currently acting as though nothing had happened.

As though she'd completely forgotten everything about Touko.

Yumi-sama wouldn't abandon Touko. Noriko had faith in those words. Yumi-sama wasn't the sort of person to fob her off with a lie.

So then, why was she leaving Touko alone?

If she took her time, silently watching, Touko would get further and further away. That was how it felt to Noriko.

She didn't understand.

Did Yumi-sama have an idea? If so, Noriko wanted to know

Or was there no basis for it – just some vague instinct that led her to decide she didn't have to act. In that case, was she really willing to bet on that instinct?

"Noriko?"

"Ah."

She was brought back to reality when Shimako-san called her name. She hadn't noticed that they'd arrived at the statue of Maria-sama.

Neither Maria-sama nor Kannon could save Touko, only Yumi-sama.

As she prayed to Maria-sama, Noriko once again felt that Yumi-sama was Touko's onee-sama, regardless of the rosary ceremony.

And yet Yumi-sama was laughing as though nothing had happened. Noriko couldn't understand what she was thinking.

At one point, their eyes met.

At that point, Noriko was probably looking uneasy. In contrast, Yumi-sama favored her with a mysterious smile.

The smile didn't say, "What's wrong?" or, "It's okay," or, "Leave it to me," but instead it encompassed all of those.

Was that due to their one year age difference? Even though Yumi-sama was close by, it felt to Noriko as though she was suddenly far, far away.

In the end, Yumi-sama didn't say a single word about Touko during their entire journey together to M Station.