Editing Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume29 Chapter6 3

===<noinclude>The Miracle Worker. </noinclude>Part 3.=== 

Now that the ceremony had begun, time seemed to fly by.

After all, as organizers they were only required to give the opening and closing addresses, barring some terrible accident. Still, it's not like they could kick back and watch the show – they were on standby behind the audience seating and to the side of the stage, making the day shine by ensuring that things went smoothly and nothing went wrong. Basically, it was good that their turn didn't come.

So, even though Yumi's class had a seat for her, she didn't sit down at all.

"You don't have to save a seat for me."

Yumi had told her classmates, but they had all responded with, "Come and sit with us, just for a little while," and reserved two aisle seats for Yumi and Yoshino-san. Looking around, it seemed the second-year wisteria class and the first-year camellia class had done the same thing, saving seats for their hardworking classmates. Even though they knew it was probably futile. Still, Yumi appreciated the gesture.

Off to the side of the stage, Yumi looked at the monitor that was showing the audience. Sachiko-sama was visible at the front of the third-years' section. On stage, the story-telling club were on to the final part of their performance. Sachiko-sama was smiling in response to their bizarre acrostic based on the letters of 'Lillian'.

(I'm glad.)

Sachiko-sama seemed to be truly enjoying herself. They had exchanged a few words at the entrance, just as the third-years' were being welcomed. Sachiko-sama had encouraged her, saying, "Best of luck to you." Yumi then said, "I hope you enjoy it," to which Sachiko-sama responded, "I plan to," and that's all that was said.

Alright, now that the story telling club had finished, the judo club, kendo club and karate club were preparing for their demonstration.

The scripture reading club was literally performing a scripture reading in front of the curtain while the set was being changed. Behind the curtain, the members of the story telling club collected their floor pillows and cleared the stage, then the judo club laid their tatami mats down on the stage.

"Yumi-san."

Yumi turned around on hearing her name, and standing there in her kendo gear was Yoshino-san.

"Sorry I had to leave my post. When this is over, I'll take your spot."

"It's okay, it's okay."

Yumi urged Yoshino-san not to worry about it, and instead focus on her performance. Club activities would always eat into their Yamayurikai work, even at the best of times.

"Hehehe."

Poking out her tongue, Yoshino-san ran off to rejoin the other kendo club members. She had her  shinai but wasn't wearing the protective armor. The kimono's collar matched the hakama perfectly. She looked like a wonderful swordsman.

(Oops, sorry, meant to say a samurai.)

However, just as Yumi was revising her opinion.

"No, Yoshino-san. You're supposed to be over here."

Tanuma Chisato-san called out from the other side of the stage. The curtain had already started rising, so the audience probably saw Yoshino-san's legs as she ran from stage right to stage left. Yumi thought the audience probably wouldn't be able to tell who it was, though, since they didn't see Yoshino-san's face. However, the people she could see did seem to know who it was, even though they hadn't seen her face. As for how they knew, it was obvious just by looking at Rei-sama as she sat amongst the third-years.

Yumi knew absolutely nothing about martial arts. Still, the displays of judo, kendo and karate were beautiful, like dances. Did Yoshino-san finish without making a mistake? Yumi thought she must have put on a good display, since Rei-sama had gradually changed from looking completely dejected to leaning forward excitedly.

The koto instruments were carried on to the tatami mats that the judo club had laid out, and the koto music club's concert began. After this, it was the drama club's performance.

Students clad in entrancing kimonos, probably their costumes, were starting to gather behind Yumi. Touko hadn't yet appeared. Since Touko and Tsukasa-san were apparently doing a scene with just the two of them, the kimono-clad girls were probably from some other play.

"Oh?"

A student in school uniform weaved her way through the drama club members over to Yumi. It was Shimako-san, who was supposed to be stationed behind the audience seating area.

"I'm here to take your place."

"Huh? But..."

Shimako-san responded before Yumi could ask her about her post.

"I've left it in Noriko's hands."

Then what about the job that Noriko-chan was supposed to be doing? Yoshino-san still hadn't returned. And Touko was out for now. Shimako-san blew all these concerns away with her next sentence:

"You're to watch from the audience, Yumi-san."

Yumi had no hand to play against someone who could turn over a wildcard with such a serious expression.

"Thank-you. For making this possible."

Yumi bowed, then left her position at the side of the stage. Through the door with the poster on it, out the side exit and into the corridor. The color and monochrome drawings by the manga club that she had seen some time ago were on display in here. Squinting her eyes against the bright lights, Yumi arrived at the photography club's corner. After confirming the presence of the air-conditioning vent, saying, "Ahh, it's really there," and chuckling, Yumi quietly opened the door to the rear of the seating area.