Editing Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume12 Chapter5 3

=== <noinclude> Searching in the Mist. </noinclude>Part 3 ===

Kyougoku Kieko-sama came to visit that afternoon.

After crying herself out over Sachiko-sama, Ayanokouji Kikuyo-sama spent about an hour studying then headed home in good spirits.

Given the way Sachiko-sama usually conducted herself like a queen at school, Yumi never would have imagined her soothing and placating someone like that. Internal and external, public and private. The way people interact with each other varies based on their relationship.

Now then, as for Kieko-sama: She invited Sachiko-sama back to her family's holiday house for tea. Kieko-sama said that her mother was under the weather, so she wanted Sachiko-sama to come over and pay her a visit while she was there too.

"That's true, it has been a while since I last saw your mother … I wonder what I should do."

Sachiko-sama seemed to be having trouble making a decision. She probably thought she should go, but she was being reluctant. Yumi thought that Sachiko-sama was probably hesitating because she didn't want to trouble her – although that may just have been conceit on Yumi's part. Probably the after-effects of the incident with Kikuyo-sama.

Therefore, Yumi decided to give her a little nudge in that direction.

"Why don't you go and visit her, onee-sama?"

"What about you, Yumi?"

"I have to read the book for my book report, so I'll stay here."

In truth, she'd already finished reading "Kokoro." But she thought it was okay to lie, if that lie would let her onee-sama feel at ease about leaving.

"Oh? You could come too, Yumi-sama."

"I'd just be in the way, since I don't know her, and I wouldn't want to harm her recovery."

"Really? That's a shame."

Kieko-sama said, but her expression clearly said, "That's a relief." Yumi was certain she wasn't just imagining it.

Taking the pound cake that Kiyo-san had made for their afternoon tea, Sachiko-sama headed out, accompanying Kieko-sama back to her family's summer house.

After seeing them off and returning to the entry, Kiyo-san looked a bit uneasy.

"Yumi-sama, do you have a moment?"

"Sure."

She motioned for Yumi to follow her into the kitchen. Once there, Kiyo-san looked around the area nervously. Although, no matter where she looked, there wasn't any space for a person to hide in the cozy kitchen.

"It's about Miss Kyougoku."

Kiyo-san said.

"Yes?"

By "Miss Kyougoku," she presumably meant Kieko-sama, who had just departed with Sachiko-sama.

"When she first arrived, I directed her to the terrace, but she followed me to the kitchen and asked me all sorts of questions."

"What sort of questions?"

"She was asking about you, Yumi-sama."

"About me?"

Would anyone in this day and age be happy to find out that someone was asking questions about them behind their back? Naturally, Yumi was not pleased to hear this. Especially since the person that had been asking all those questions hadn't been all that amicable towards Yumi. To put it bluntly, she was displeased. Or, more accurately, spooked.

"At first I thought she was asking those questions because she wanted to know more about you. But then she started asking about your family, and your school grades, and I became more and more concerned."

"She asked about my family and my grades … "

"Of course, I don't know about those things so I didn't answer her. But I did let some things slip accidentally."

Kyo-san bowed her head as she confessed this.

"I'm terribly sorry. I should have been more cautious."

Kyo-san said that she'd talked about Yumi and Sachiko-sama's arrival on Monday, and the three days they'd spent here, and other such matters. It didn't seem like she'd said anything of much significance.

"Thank-you for telling me this, but it's okay, you didn't say anything that would embarrass us."

"Yes, yes, that's right. But."

"But?"

"How can I put this? Those young ladies that visited the other day are overly preoccupied with things like family pedigree and social standing."

That was a bit troubling. Kyo-san put her hand to the cheek of her face and sighed deeply.

"You should take care around those ladies."

But even with that warning, how on earth should she take care? Yumi had absolutely no idea.