Editing Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume6 Chapter3 2

===<noinclude>Main. </noinclude>Part 2.===

"Umm, is this really okay?"

"What's the matter, Yumi? For some time now, you've been saying things to dampen the mood."

"But..."

When Sachiko-sama had said she wanted to talk about the near future, Yumi hadn't expected they would talk about where to go next on the date. But there was a store Sachiko-sama wanted to visit so she asked Yumi to take her, and here they were.

"Again, this is the first time in your life you've been to a jeans store.... right? Onee-sama."

Call her obstinate, but she confirmed this once more. 

Although it was Sachiko-sama's choice, she wondered if it was really okay to introduce the daughter of the Ogasawara family to such an uncouth store.

Despite the cold, the store's entry was wide open and country music could be heard coming from inside.

The product range was spilling out onto the footpath. The red letters of "Sale" and "Bargain" were burned into the retinas. 

"That's right. The first time in my life."

The comparison may not really be appropriate, but Sachiko-sama was like a greyhound waiting at the gate for the race to start, such was her impatience to go inside.

Yumi was desperately trying to stop this, and asked.

"So, you're actually planning on buying something, and not just window shopping?"

"Of course? Didn't you say that personal purchases were allowed?"

"Well, I did say that, but..."

Buying a dictionary was different to buying a pair of jeans, she thought. But explaining just how it was different was a bit difficult. In Sachiko-sama's case, it was definitely different. Completely different.

"Won't your father and mother be cross at you?"

"Oh, they'll be okay. My grandfather will probably cry, though."

"Then it's not okay, right?"

If there was anything that would make a grandfather cry, it would be wearing jeans. But would something like this really bring Sachiko-sama's grandfather to tears? – I guess it's just a figure of speech.

"But it'll be okay if I don't wear them in front of him. Besides, letting grandfathers have a say in their grandchild's wardrobe would be troublesome."

"Troublesome, hey."

"If it doesn't happen now, it may not happen. For a while now I've wanted to try on a set of jeans."

"Ahh"

A set of jeans, was what she said she wanted to try on. Just like Sachiko-sama to get the words wrong. Yumi thought she must be equating them to trousers, which would be a huge mistake.

Oh well. She had heard that jeans were originally work clothes for laborers, so they should have no relevance to the daughter of a wealthy family.

While Yumi was pondering if it was okay to stain such a lady with this association, Sachiko-sama had quickly entered the store.

"Yumi, stop mumbling to yourself and come and show me around."

"O.. okay"

Yumi prepared herself for the worst. After the victory over the fast food shop, the jeans shop should be a piece of cake, right? But if Sachiko-sama started talking about a games arcade,  she would firmly refuse. That was outside of her territory.

"It's called a jeans store, but I see they also sell things like sweaters and cardigans."

Sachiko-sama remarked somewhat excitedly as she slowly progressed into the store.

(This really is the first time in her life)

Although these days you have so-called specialty stores, it's rare to find a store that sells only one product. The fast food stores called "Burger –" and "– Chicken" also sell fries and drinks. CD stores have cassette tapes and video tapes, butchers have sauces. – Although this is getting a bit off track.

"It's nice that they don't interfere when you're shopping."

As Sachiko-sama was walking, she looked on approvingly as a customer freely searched the store for a particular product. Speaking of which, when they had been window shopping in the fashion building earlier, there were a lot of stores where the shop assistants would be pushing the products on them, telling them about the materials it was made from or urging them to try it on, so this probably seemed fresh by comparison. The clerks at the jean store weren't really following the customers around. Other than the one at the register, they were either diligently lining up the products on the display or helping fold up cuffs.

"How do you find the jeans you want out of all of these?"

Faced with so many different types, Sachiko-sama faltered. There was certainly no lack of quantity, the entire interior of the store was filled with shelves of jeans. While there were some colored jeans sprinkled amongst them, the majority were of similar color and fabric.

"… I'm losing confidence."

The clerks kept folding the clothes, more or less oblivious. But it was at times like this that you were grateful for the existence of a clerk that would call out to you. 

Anxiously, Sachiko-sama surveyed her surroundings.

The inside of the store was lively. The light country music and the heavy sounds of the sewing machine, a young man and his family enjoying their Sunday afternoon shopping.

(This is bad)

Yumi had noticed that Sachiko-sama was coming down. She was relieved that Sachiko-sama's first visit to the fast food shop had taken place more or less without incident, but if her first time shopping in a jeans store didn't also go smoothly it would probably have huge repercussions for the rest of her life. Trauma, I think they call it. That would be a problem. 

"Hang in there, onee-sama. I'm right here with you."

Yumi took both of Sachiko-sama's hands in her own and encouraged her. Your petit soeur is here to help you out in any way, she was saying.

"… Yumi"

"There are a lot here, but we can restrict it to only those that are your exact size. For a start, we only have to look at the ladies shelves."

Pulling her by the hand, Yumi led Sachiko-sama over to the corner with a drawing of a girl.

"This is the ladies section?"

"Yes. Now we've halved the number of items."

Hearing this, Sachiko-sama looked a bit relieved. Good. Earlier she was looking like someone who was suffering from motion sickness. 

"Then you just have to choose the color and style you like, and buy the one in your size."

Sachiko-sama could probably afford to buy vintage jeans worth several hundreds of thousands of yen, but we'll ignore that. For now, it was important that she didn't get confused, if possible.

"The style I like...?"

"Umm. Like ones with flared legs, or tight ones, or straight ones. I'm simplifying it, but that kind of thing."

Additionally there were various other things, like the rise of the jeans, but she omitted them all. If you tell all these things to a beginner, their head would explode. 

"Yours" 

"Huh?"

"The ones you're wearing now. That's the shape I want."

Yumi took off her coat to better display them, then asked Sachiko-sama.

"These?"

Stonewashed, straight jeans. A totally uninteresting, completely standard pair of jeans. 

"Right. When I saw you in that outfit, I wanted a pair of jeans."

"Huh- !?"

Unthinkingly she cried out. Because her beloved Sachiko-sama wanted to copy her. An astonishing bolt from the blue.

"Your voice is so loud."

But the store was so noisy that nobody paid any attention.

"You're much more stylish than me, so a pair of slim jeans would suit you better."

She was grumbling, but it wasn't ill-natured. Yumi had Sachiko-sama whisper her waist measurement into her ear, then went to the shelves with the straight jeans and returned with two pairs.

"The legs are a little bit long."

Sachiko-sama said, holding them up against herself.

"Try them on, then you can get them cut to size. Or people fold them and wear them like that."

"What do you do, Yumi?"

"Of course, I get mine cut to fit."

"Then I'll do that too."

Sachiko-sama entered into one of the row of changing rooms in a good mood.

"When you've got them on, let me know."

Yumi stood in front of the curtain. Planning to act as a guard, just in case. There were a lot of male customers, and the change rooms were self-service so there were no staff around. It would be a disaster if someone were to mistakenly walk in on her onee-sama as she was changing. 

At the sound of rustling clothes, her heart beat a bit faster. 

She's taking off her coat now. That's the scarf coming off. The way she was imagining it was like a perverted old man. You could probably blame that on Rosa Gigantea.

(For onee-sama, the legs will probably only be 'a little bit' long.)

In her case, the legs were always quite long. Or, rather, way too long. Whenever she got them cut to size, there was enough material to make a tissue case and a purse.

Their height was quite different, so she thought that their legs would also be different lengths. Her quick impression was that Sachiko-sama would have enough left to make a pencil case if you combined both legs. 

(Even still)

It was quite unfair that Sachiko-sama's bust should be bigger than hers, but the waist smaller. What the heck were you doing there, God. – She was thinking these grievances when suddenly a voice called out from behind the curtain.

"Yumi? Are you there?"

"Ah, yes."

"Can you help me."

"Okay?"

She was wondering what Sachiko-sama wanted her help with when she said 'Excuse me,' opened the curtain a fraction and poked her head inside. 

"Whoa"

The words came out reflexively.

Sachiko-sama looked at Yumi a tad awkwardly. As though she wanted to be angry at Yumi for saying 'whoa', but was unable to given the current circumstances. 

"What should I do?"

Somehow Sachiko-sama had managed to put on the moderately long jeans without turning up the cuffs. But it still looked somewhat fashionable on her. The jeans were folded at her heel, and her toes could just be seen peeking out. It's a bit rude, but it was suggestive of a drain spout.

"Excuse me for a bit"

Formalities dealt with once more, this time Yumi slid her whole body inside. Of course, she took her shoes off before doing so. 

"Forgive my inadequate explanation, onee-sama. You have to fold these."

As she said this, Yumi squatted down by Sachiko-sama's feet.

"Onee-sama, can you please stay standing and lift up your heel?"

"Ahh... like this?"

Shaky.

"Ahh!"

Yumi hurriedly steadied Sachiko-sama as she swayed violently.

"Onee-sama, please put your hands on my shoulders, then lift your heels one at a time, okay?"

"… I see. I got it."

Soon, she felt a weight on both her shoulders. Despite the circumstances, she felt strangely happy. Right now, I'm supporting onee-sama's body, was how her thoughts went. And also, onee-sama trusts me enough to lean her weight against me.

"Okay, we'll start with the right foot."

Following Yumi's instructions, Sachiko-sama quietly raised her right heel. After hurriedly folding up the right cuff, she did the same thing for the left. When Sachiko-sama could put both feet on the ground, her balance would return and she wouldn't have to brace herself.

She supposed she had become accustomed to seeing her stockinged legs below her skirt, but Sachiko-sama's feet with only stockings covering them looked like an adult woman's. Looking at such pretty feet, she could somewhat understand the feelings of foot fetishists.

"How's the length?"

She asked, making minute adjustments. Just like she was one of the store clerks.

"Seems okay"

"Please put your shoes on and have a look in the full-length mirror outside the change rooms. To see how they balance, that sort of thing."

"… But, Yumi. Is it okay in pumps?"

"Ahh, I see. Onee-sama, what shoes were you planning on wearing with your jeans?"

"I'd like to wear shoes like yours, Yumi."

Even though she said this, they weren't fine goods you would normally lust after. They were plain, ordinary sneakers.

"…. And your shoe size is?" 

"The same as yours, Yumi. 23."

Smiling sweetly.

"… Okay."

And like that, she was partially coerced into lending Sachiko-sama her plain, ordinary (and a little bit dirty) sneakers. Although their shoe size was the same, Yumi in her socks couldn't fit into Sachiko-sama's high heel pumps. Because she couldn't see the mirror from inside the change room, she was temporarily stuck with the tricky task of trying to walk with just her toes in the pumps.

"Here, Yumi, hold on to me."

Sachiko-sama held out her hand to Yumi.

"Ah, okay."

Their roles were now reversed. The mirror mercilessly reflected Yumi's timid, awkward posture next to Sachiko-sama's slender, cool, jeans-wearing figure. 

"These are fine."

Sachiko-sama made a snap decision, without trying the other pair on. They were simple, but they fit her extremely well. It was almost as if they had been made for her.

"Okay, I'll put a clip here to hold the position then you can take them off."

Yumi attached two of the large clips to the right leg of the jeans to prevent the fold from moving.

"Ahh, so this is what they meant by 'clips holding it'."

In the changing room there were instructions saying "Jeans taken up free of charge. Bring them to the register with clips holding it."

"That's right. If you take it to the store employee they'll take them up for you."

"Understood."

Sachiko-sama entered the changing room and closed the curtain. As she was doing up the laces of her sneakers, Yumi was secretly relieved. 

Somehow they'd been able to clear this hurdle too.

Afterwards, it would finally be time for tea. She would have a cake set at a cafe she had wanted to go to for a long time. That was the plan.

"Yumi"

Sachiko-sama's familiar voice called from the other side of the curtain.

"Yeah"

"Before we go to the cafe, there's another place that I'd like to visit. Is that okay?"

"Hmm"

She had a bad feeling about this. But she couldn't say no. Since they'd made it this far, she would accompany Sachiko-sama anywhere.

"That's okay..... So, where to?"

There was a chance it wouldn't match her premonition, so she asked just in case.

But, unfortunately, she had hit the nail on the head.

"Do they sell sneakers at regular shoe shops?"

She hadn't yet paid for her jeans but already Sachiko-sama's mind had warped to another location.