Editing Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume23 Chapter1 (section)

=== Part 1 ===
The day of the closing ceremony for the second semester.

At the Rose Mansion, the Yamayurikai member-centered Christmas Party was done.  The Bûche de Noël, made by Shimako-san with Rei-sama's instruction, had been very delicious. Other than the Rose families, even those who had been invited guests were still fresh, they were still fired up about the game competition that everyone had participated in and had enjoyed the silly bantering as well.

If it were reality, as it was with an, "Ah, it was interesting,"  she soaked up those memories with all her heart, but alas the party's curtain had to draw closed.

But…

What madness had happened at the very end that had thrown Yumi down into the abyss.

Well… it's fine, it may be the case that she unknowingly fell on her own.

That other time, it was because of only one word that was directed at Touko-chan.

"Yumi-chan, w-what happened!?  Eh, Sachiko too!?"

It was Rei-sama who had opened the front door and started off with a shout.  

"The heck, what is--"

Continuing, a rare sight came into the view of Shimako-san's surprised eyes.

"For the time being, if we can go inside…"

"That's right. Both of them are in the midst of such cold without wearing a coat. Since when, have they been like this?"

Yoshino-san said to Noriko-chan. With a head that felt vacant, Yumi clearly confirmed the faces of her friends appearing one after the other. While clear, they seemed somehow distant. With this, it was like watching a scene from a drama.

And so it was.

At dusk, the red rose soeurs, who were both embracing and loudly crying outside, were quickly ushered back into to the Rose Mansion by their friends who had become aware of the disturbance.

"...this way."

Noriko-chan placed cups filled with warm black tea in front of the two. Although the party's tidying up was almost finished, the tea looked to be properly prepared. ''It was good that the pot's hot water hadn't been dumped out yet,'' Yoshino-san and Shimako-san could be heard saying with soft voices. After that, Rei-sama was in the room. Also Tsutako-san and Nana-chan still remained.

"I'm sorry for making you worry."

Sachiko-sama spoke preemptively. To the right, Yumi in the same way, followed her onee-sama, only to hang her head. She was unable to make the words come out at that moment. Tears, that had started because of whatever and were just now stopped, were once again a flood wanting to flow and she didn't know if she could put and end to it -- it was from that sort of feeling.

"The story isn't really such a big deal, you know."

Other than her reddened eyes and nose, Sachiko-sama had the same dignified appearance as always and prefaced the matter before she explained the situation.

"Yumi presented her rosary to Touko-chan."

Thereupon all present exclaimed, "Eh!?" That was obviously not the reaction of ''those having heard a story that isn't really such a big deal.'' 

"Was refused..."

"--"

[[Image:MM v23 013.jpg|thumb|right]]
This time the outcry didn't happen.  However, what had arrived was not silence, and neither 'suu'<ref>a sucking sound</ref>, nor 'huu'<ref>a blowing sound</ref>, it was a all of that overlapped together with a breathtaking sound that was difficult to represent.

While not being babies or infants or such, rather because two high school girls shared a big cry, anyone would be expected to wonder if what was experienced was an acceptable reason for this, however if one looks to hear, the reality in itself  would leave one astonished.

"It's just that."

After Sachiko-sama's words summing things up, Noriko-chan murmured a small, "it’s a lie..." 

"Noriko. Watch what you say." 

Shimako-san chidingly cautioned.

"Ah, my apologies. In no way did I mean to say that Rosa Chinensis-sama lied."

With Noriko-chan having apologized, Sachiko-sama smiled.

"Of course I realize. What is not believable, it that such a sentiment would just come from out of your mouth, don't you agree?  However, surely this is the truth."

Truth. Yumi closed hey eyes and chewed thoughtfully on that word. 

How is it that Touko-chan rejected the offered rosary? Even if that "truth" were amended, she would not waver anymore.

"In the end, her having been refused, may be nothing to report about in particular. Although this way had neglected Yumi's feelings among other things and I thought that talking is logical. To that, there is also something that I want to ask of everyone."

"Ask?"

Yumi also included, everyone other than Sachiko-sama craned their necks.

"So, please. Regarding the matter of Yumi and Touko-chan, I want you to make sure to let it be for a little while."

"Make sure to let it be…?"

In representation for the group, Rei-sama asked in return.

"Even though you have sympathy for Yumi, also don't condemn Touko-chan, and  please watch over them from a normal distance. Therefore, this is the problem of those two people involved."

"By not being compassionate to Yumi-chan, and not condemning Touko-chan?"

"Of course, I will do so as well."

Sachiko-sama decisively announced, after which Rei-sama laughed.

"If Sachiko, who is the elder sister, will do so, we have no reason to but in."

She laughed afterward and, looking at each of the group member's faces, she said, "It's fine, isn't it?"

"Alright."

Said Yoshino-san and the white rose souers, and after that Tsutako-san and Nana-chan nodded their assent. Though you couldn't be sure Tsutako-san, somehow or other, and Nana-chan, completely,  understood the situation, perhaps for her future might completely have nothing to do with and couldn't talk about the story.

"The person who rejected Yumi-san this way, I will gladly withdraw from this person!"

Yoshino cried out. Although her facial expression was angry, the corners of her eyes were glinting just a bit . "Stop it," Rei-sama said, and held her little sister's head against her cheek. Only now to Sachiko-sama's words, did Yoshino nod agreement, but only just a bit. However, Yoshino-san couldn't abide without having said something. 

"Certainly."

Shimako-san quietly said.

"Yumi-san isn't giving up, right?"

Yumi gave a leaden nod.

So it is.

Because the matter wasn't completely resolved, "Please watch over them," is what Sachiko had said.


The guard on patrol came, hurrying so as to return quickly, and after which finally all present stood up. A few people were walking in a gentle cluster through the ginko-lined avenue that had become dark.  Although somehow or other there was a sad atmosphere when it was time to close up the Rose Mansion's door, now cheerful laughing voices from here and there were fluttering about. 

The reason wasn't because everyone had completely forgotten about the matter of Yumi having been rejected by Touko-chan. In regards to Yumi, there was proper consideration. At the time of grandfather's funeral, grandfather's colleagues came running and said while laughing, "That guy, he hated when it was gloomy, you know." The resemblance to the feeling at that time is amazing. It was because they came to produce that overdoing, laughing, and cheerful atmosphere. Therefore, Yumi also laughed.

After all, Yumi's heart was not dead yet. She couldn't stay gloomy. At the time that hands were made to meet in front of the  Maria statue, Yumi prayed about the matter of Touko-chan ― that Touko-chan wasn't crying. Not wishing that they could become Soeurs, but rather that she wasn't crying. 

Regarding herself, like this there are good companions by her side. However, now Touko-chan was alone. Some time ago, she had run down this road alone. Although there should be many a person worrying about Touko-chan -- someone who would give her such things as a greeting and a smile -- but now, because there weren't any nearby…. Yet for Yumi, it is while feeling the warmth of her Onee-sama's hands. That's probably why she couldn't help feeling that it was likely that Touko-chan was hurting much more than she was.