Editing Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume29 Chapter2 1 (section)

===<noinclude>Conversation Stories. </noinclude>Part 1.=== 

After school that day, having finished her cleaning duties, she ran into Rei-sama as she walked past the third-year classrooms.

"Oh – . Yumi-chan."

"Gokigenyou."

Yumi quickly checked Rei-sama's appearance as she said her greeting. Rei-sama wasn't carrying her school bag, but she was wearing her school coat.

"Have you just arrived? Or are you just about to head home?"

Usually, the second option would be the most obvious given the time, but Yumi knew that Yoshino-san had walked to school alone today, so she thought she check just in case. And then, as suspected:

"Just arrived."

Was the response. Because of entrance exams, results publications and all kinds of other formalities, students who were applying to other universities were often absent or came and went at odd hours. Even Rei-sama's handbag would probably have a manila envelope with the name of a university printed on it somewhere in there.

"Have you finished what you came to school to do? If so, won't you join us at the Rose Mansion?"

"Yeah, I was planning on heading over there next. I've just come from the staff room, so I have nothing left to do here."

Rei-sama had taken hold of her arm and was about to walk off when Yumi hastily called her to a stop.

"Wait, please. I was just going to visit my onee-sama."

Yumi said, pointing at the third-year pine group classroom. She wasn't just aimlessly wandering around. She had a purpose. 

"Sachiko?"

Rei-sama tilted her head.

"If you're looking for Sachiko, I ran into her earlier."

As she said this, Rei-sama repositioned Yumi's arm so it was pointing in the opposite direction to the third-year classrooms.

"Huh? Where?"

"Just as I was going through the main gate. In front of the library entrance."

Yumi was glad she had met Rei-sama here. Without that piece of information, she would have been searching blindly. But after she'd taken a single step forward, this time it was Rei-sama that called her to a stop.

"I know you want to chase after her, but she might have got on the bus already."

Rei-sama explained that quite some time had elapsed since she had seen Sachiko-sama. Looking at her watch, Rei-sama said, "I went to the staff room after I left Sachiko, and I talked to my teacher for about ten minutes."

"So, in other words, she's probably gone home. My onee-sama."

Yumi said, in a miserable sounding voice.

"Yep. Why, had you arranged to meet?"

"...We hadn't, but..."

Yumi had come here because they hadn't made any arrangements. She had thought it would be a simple matter of heading to Sachiko-sama's classroom straight after cleaning and catching her there.

"This time of year, there's hardly any third-years around because of entrance exams. So our class will use the homeroom and self-study periods to do the cleaning."

"I see."

Not only that, some third-year classes would alternate who had to clean each day, since they had a smaller area they were responsible for.  Satou Sei-sama had told her that long ago, but it had slipped her mind.

"Sachiko said she had some things to take care of."

"Ahh."

Suddenly, Yumi felt drained.

"Well, just like our onee-samas before us, we generally won't visit the Rose Mansion now that we're on the verge of graduation."

So that's how it was. Rei-sama patted her on the shoulder.

"Yeah."

That's how it was. Yumi understood, having experienced it last year.

Moreover, the main topics of conversation at the Rose Mansion were currently the third-years' send-off and the farewell party for Rosa Chinensis and Rosa Foetida. The seniors probably didn't want to get in the way, knowing their juniors would be busy preparing for these.

Still, Yumi had a faint expectation that they should come, if only for today. She thought her onee-sama would have felt the same, and been waiting in her classroom for Yumi to invite her.

"Well, you'll have to make do with me for today."

Rei-sama smiled brightly, and nudged Yumi gently in the back.

"Let's go!"

Perhaps she intended to sound like a steam train's whistle. Incredibly enthusiastic.

"Rei-sama, have you heard about the farewell party?"

"Oh, I've heard of it. Saturday week, right? After the send-off. Yoshino told me about it, maybe a week ago. Seems like you started preparing quite early this year."

"Because of what happened last year."

They both giggled, knowingly.

Exactly one year before, the current members of the Yamayurikai had the bitter experience of almost completely forgetting about the private farewell party for the Roses. Back then, they were able to salvage matters by hurriedly organizing the party after the third-years' send-off, which was for all graduating students.

"Very dignified of you."

"Yep."

Yumi accepted the compliment without humility. Learn from your mistakes. Turn calamity into opportunity. If they were to repeat the same mistake, would their onee-samas really be pleased to have started such a tradition?

"Oh yeah, is Yoshino doing okay?"

"Yes?"

Yumi turned to look at Rei-sama as she answered. Rei-sama leaned over and whispered in her ear:

"This morning. Did she make it on time? The results for one of my entrance exams were published this afternoon, so I thought I'd have a leisurely sleep-in. But there was a shout from next door that was loud enough to wake me. It was Yoshino, shouting 'I'm laaaate.'"

"She made it just in time for the morning prayers."

"Ahh, that's a relief. The last thing I heard was, "Rei-chan you idiot,' so I was afraid that she was going to blame me for being late."

"Ahaha."

Yumi could picture it. Yoshino-san flying out of her house, blaming everyone else and poor, innocent Rei-sama bolting up out of her bed in confusion.

Then, suddenly, Rei-sama came to a stop. Like a train carriage decoupled from the engine, Yumi too came to rest.

"I am glad that she's feeling better. I just wish she'd show a bit more restraint."

Yumi heard the somber voice coming from behind her.

"Oh."

"Yumi-chan. Please look after Yoshino."

Ambushed.

Yumi hadn't been mentally prepared to hear a last will and testament.

"You and Shimako-chan are the only two people I can ask this of."

It seemed to Yumi as though Rei-sama had said, 'Because Yoshino doesn't have a petit soeur,' but the sound itself was drowned out by the thud from Rei-sama's brow impacting on the nape of Yumi's neck.