Editing Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume15 Chapter1 4 (section)

===<noinclude>Today's Enemy: Excess Cuteness. </noinclude>Part 4===

"Pardon my intrusion."

"Welcome to our classroom … but what brings you here, Yumi-sama?"

She'd started playing along with Yumi, but then Noriko-chan returned to her usual cool demeanor to ask her question.

It was the following day, in the break between second and third period. Seeking revenge for yesterday, Yumi had mounted a solo raid on the first-year camellia classroom – where she'd been met by Noriko-chan, who was in the vicinity of the door.

"I have business with Hosokawa Kanako-san. Would you fetch her for me?"

Today, Yumi wasn't trying to appeal with her usual friendliness. She was standing up tall, projecting her voice from her abdomen, and keeping her gaze straight. She was copying the battle-ready (ie. domineering) Ogasawara Sachiko-sama, as she played the role of the unassailable older student.

"Okay, wait here."

Understanding this immediately, Noriko-chan bowed and went back into the classroom. Her intelligence was invaluable at times like this. If Yumi were required to explain why she was acting like Sachiko-sama, then the image that she had gone to great effort to construct would undoubtedly come crashing down.

"Gokigenyou, Rosa Chinensis en bouton."

"Thank-you for all your hard work, Yumi-sama."

The students entering and exiting the classroom greeted Yumi as she stood by the door.

"Gokigenyou."

Yumi answered, producing a faint smile. This was in imitation of Shimako-san. But without a mirror, she couldn't say whether it was a good one or not.

While all this was happening, Kanako-chan reluctantly appeared.

"What?"

It was obvious from her expression that she wasn't doing this voluntarily. By using a classmate as an intermediary, it made it so Kanako-chan couldn't ignore her or run away. 

"I want to talk to you."

"I have nothing to say to you."

"Even if you don't have anything to say, I do. You can just listen."

Yumi wasn't particularly experienced in using her authority as an older student, but she had to hold firm here.

But her enemy was shrewd too. She wouldn't submit to authority that easily.

"Unfortunately, I have to get ready for my next class, so now's not a good time."

Kanako-chan glanced back into the classroom. Inside, the members of the first-year camellia class were nonchalantly watching them, as they fetched cloth bags from the lockers in the rear of the classroom, or readied ones hanging on the hooks on the side of their desks. It looked like they had PE next.

"Then we'll nominate another time. At lunch, or after school. Pick whichever works best for you."

From the start, Yumi hadn't expected that they would have their talk in the small gap between classes. Her goal for this visit was to arrange some time that they could talk.

Now's not a good time? That's what she had wanted.

"Today?"

"That's right."

She mustn't compromise here with, "Whenever suits you." If she didn't pin it down to a specific date and time, then it would undoubtedly be delayed with, "Soon", "Soon."

"Today's not great, can we do it tomorrow?"

"No."

Kanako-chan seemed to finally resign herself to the fact that it would happen.

"So, decide. Lunch or after school, which one?"

"… After school."

"Does the same place as Saturday work for you?"

"Yes."

"Then it's agreed."

With their conversation wrapping up, Yumi turned and surveyed the classroom.

"Everyone here's a witness, so don't forget."

The students that had been pretending to do something else as they surreptitiously watched on forgot their situation and nodded in agreement.

With that done, it would turn into a major scandal if Kanako-chan tried to run away.

The hierarchical relationship between grades was quite strict, perhaps due to the soeur system. If the first-year Kanako-chan unilaterally broke an agreement with a second-year, then the girls around her would not be silent.

"Sorry for interrupting you. Do your best at PE."

Yumi smiled cheerfully, and started walking away, down the hallway. At any rate, her tactics had worked.

Yesterday, Yumi had felt so pathetic as she watched the bus leave, carrying Kanako-chan away. Nonetheless, even when she returned to the Rose Mansion, she was not able to give a full account to her onee-sama, or the rest of the group. When she gave serious thought to why she couldn't give a report, she came to the conclusion that it was probably because she had been so timid, in contrast to Kanako-chan. 

While thinking that she didn't want to make things any more complicated, she'd accidentally seen Kanako-chan's expression. From an attitude perspective, she'd been defeated.

Since she didn't remember doing anything wrong, there was no reason to feel aggrieved. Wouldn't it be better if she acted with more confidence? After coming to this realization, she tried to come up with a plan. She named it the, "I'm Your Senior, You're My Junior Grand Plan." Although, as usual, her naming sense left a lot to be desired.

It went surprisingly well when she finally tried it out, which was a bit of a relief.

In any case, the real battle lay ahead.

Would she be able to open Kanako-chan's heart, or not? It would all depend on how she went about their after-school conversation.

Yumi stayed mindful of her appearance as she walked away, since she didn't know how long Kanako-chan would be watching. Half-way down the staircase she was finally out of sight from the first-year camellia classroom, giving her an opportunity to relax her shoulders and let out a long exhale.

It wasn't easy playing the role of the refined senior.

With her shoulders relaxed, Yumi returned to her usual self, and trotted back to her second-year pine classroom.