Editing Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume1 Chapter3 1

===<noinclude>Anxious Wednesday, Friday of Battle. </noinclude>Part 1.===

"What is going on, Yumi-san?"

On Wednesday morning, Katsura-san leapt at her as she stepped into the classroom.

"Wh, what?"

Before she could walk into the classroom, Katsura-san had grabbed her shoulders and pushed her against the locker.  As if she were going to discuss something evil, Katsura-san lowered her voice and asked.

"There're rumors that Yumi-san is going to be a part of the Yamayurikai-sponsored play."

"I'm just going to dance in the corner."

Yumi answered truthfully.

"But, your partner is Rosa Foetida en bouton?"

"Umm… well, yes."

"Really!?"

Katsura-san's voice abruptly changed from pianissimo to fortissimo.  The volume of the voice hurt her ears, and their secretiveness went to waste.  Even the classmates who had not yet noticed Yumi took notice.

"Yumi-san, gokigenyou."

"Gokigenyou, Yumi-san."

The faces that smiled like angels began to gather en masse.  Even that looks creepy in a large group.

If a group of chicks, or human babies were to come close, it'd be the same sort of freakiness.

"We were just talking about Yumi-san."

"Y, yes."

Of course, if the incident at the Rose Mansion two days ago could spread all over school before lunch the next day, it was obvious yesterday's gymnasium incident would spread even faster.  After all, there were at least three times the witnesses, and there was even one student from her class.

"Um, could you clarify everything now?"

"Did you really reject Sachiko-sama's proposal?"

"But then why are you two doing things together?"

"What sort of position do you have in the Yamayurikai?"

"Which onee-sama do you like most?"

They had held it all in up to that point, but the classmates began throwing questions like a water dam had been broken.

"Umm…"

Yumi faltered amidst the advancing wave of classmates.

Even though the median level of the students were the daughters of rich estates, they were still girls.  They loved gossip and rumors of 'who liked who.'  If this were a case of, for example, which group or committee grabbed a school facility for their own, people wouldn't be so desperate for answers.

"What happened, Yumi-san?  Please, do feel free to explain."

No matter how much she wanted to explain everything, it was impossible.  First of all, there were so many questions she had already forgotten the first ones.  Plus, if she answered questions one by one, there would be no end in sight.  Further still, it seemed like everyone had already made up answers in their minds, no matter how Yumi were to answer.

(What was I supposed to do in a case like this?)

She thought of Sachiko-sama.

(Umm, Sachiko-sama would.)

Smile, without any hurry or panic.

"Everyone, I apologize for kicking up a fuss."

Elegantly, was, well, impossible, but Yumi felt she started fairly well.  75 points, if she were to grade herself.

"Because of a variety of reasons, I've ended up helping the Yamayurikai with their sponsored play.  The reason why the staff calls on me every so often is because of that."

When Yumi explained herself clearly, everyone backed off.

After all, she had been doing nothing troublesome.  Rosa Chinensis and Rosa Foetida being kind to her, Rei-sama being her partner, all of it was because they were kind, not because it was Yumi.

"Then, how about Sachiko-sama?"

One person asked from the crowd.

"Sachiko-sama?"

"Did Sachiko-sama really ask for you to be her sœur?  Rumor has it Yumi-san rejected her."

Everyone nodded, hearing that question.

"Sachiko-sama,"

Her voice became stuck as she tried to answer.

"Sachiko-sama,"

Huh?  What was it?  What would Sachiko-sama do?

Umm, Sachiko-sama, would probably smile, and say.  –I'll leave it to your imagination.

But Yumi could not say it.  I'll leave it to your imagination, means, take it whichever way you want.  However, as she did not feel that way, she could not use such a reckless response.

"There's no way Sachiko-sama would choose me as her sœur."

Ah, that was it.  As she spoke, she began crying.

"Yumi-san!?"

Her classmates became worried by her sudden tears.

"Oh, dear.  We're sorry.  We weren't asking to make you cry.  It's okay, if you wish not to answer, let it be."

Yumi shook her head.  She was not crying to avoid answering.

Yumi loved Sachiko-sama.

She loved her still.  And because she loved her, her last bit of pride rejected Sachiko-sama.

It was too sad, if she were chosen because she happened to be there.  Why could Sachiko-sama not understand?

How happy she was, being able to simply watch from afar.  If Sachiko-sama had not known Yumi's name nor face, she would not have wrongfully offered her rosary.  And if that hadn't happened, she wouldn't have had to act contrary to her heart.

"We're sorry.  Here, stop crying, please?"

Her classmates held out a handkerchief and embraced her.
But Yumi may have wanted, more than anything else in the world, for that embrace to have come from Sachiko-sama.

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