Editing Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume8 Chapter6 2

===<noinclude>Towards the Light. </noinclude>Part 2===

The sunlight was warm.

Youko instinctively squinted the moment she walked she walked through the doorway. There were hardly any clouds to intercept the sun's rays streaming down on her.

The seniors walked from the gymnasium back to their homeroom, where they were given their graduation certificates and report cards. Youko's classmates were all excited, not really paying attention to what their homeroom teacher was saying.

Things like, "You're considered students of Lillian's Girls Academy right up until the end of March, so make sure you behave yourselves."

And, "From April, you'll be graduates of Lillian's, so make sure you live a life that Maria-sama would be proud of."

The teacher droned on and on with these pieces of advice. But she was probably just following standard operating procedure about what to say during the final homeroom period, and the students knew this so they pretended to listen and nodded along, saying "Mm-hmm."

The Yamayurikai members assembled near the entrance to the school building.

Sachiko, Rei, Yoshino-chan. Shimako and Yumi-chan were nowhere to be seen, so it looked like first-year peach class's homeroom hadn't finished yet.

"Youko, have you got your indoor shoes?"

It looked like chrysanthemum class had been let out first. Eriko smiled as she made her way over.

"Of course?"

"No mistake there. Unlike a certain someone."

A certain someone? As Youko tilted her head in confusion, a shadow appeared behind her.

"A certain someone? You mean me?"

It was Sei.

"Listen to this, Youko. Sei left her indoor shoes in her shoe box, just like every other day."

Eriko cackled, as though she found it hilarious.

"You're laughing a bit too much."

Sei looked gloomy, her expression one of a little child that had been woken up from their afternoon nap. She had undoubtedly fallen asleep during the graduation ceremony.

"Honestly. You've just graduated, what were you thinking, leaving your indoor shoes behind? That the next person to get your locker would use them?"

Even right up to the end, Eriko wasn't about to go easy.

"Since her university's on the same grounds, she was probably just completely relaxed."

"Thanks for that. But this has nothing to do with university, it's just one of my eccentricities. Surely you know I've got a 50% strike rate for leaving my indoor shoes behind after closing ceremonies."

"No way. I don't believe it."

"I can tell you about it now, but I had to come and get them during summer vacation."

Apparently even Sei wasn't game to leave her indoor shoes in the shoe box for the entirety of the 40 day summer vacation. They probably would have festered, being left in a dark, unventilated place.

"You shouldn't speak too openly. If you say any more, you'll ruin your fans' image of you."

Listening to them talk, Youko was confused. Surely Sei's image was already pretty wobbly.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

Shimako and Yumi-chan appeared, accompanied by "Camera-chan," Takeshima Tsutako-chan.

They'd arranged for her to take photographs with all the Yamayurikai members, to commemorate their graduation.

Thankfully, they'd been blessed with good weather. While a photo with them all holding umbrellas might be interesting, it would also be a lot of effort.

"Where should we take the photographs?"

Once Tsutako-chan had joined the conversation, Yumi-chan stealthily pulled Sachiko aside.

(I wonder what she's up to.)

Finding this deeply interesting, Youko focused her attention on those two.

"Here, onee-sama."

Yumi-chan held a pack of tissues out to Sachiko.

(Ohh.)

Youko watched on in admiration – that must have taken a lot of guts.

Sachiko looked refreshed, probably having washed her face somewhere, but it was hard to miss her red eyes and nose. Everyone had noticed, but no-one had reached out to help the downcast Sachiko.

"What?"

Sachiko responded with aggression, probably feeling awkward after breaking down in tears in front of the entire school, not to mention the parents and guests.

"You'll feel better if you blow your nose."

"What are you – "

"It even works for dry-eye and allergies. You'll feel better, no matter what. The day before yesterday, I was feeling the same as  you, onee-sama, and Shimako-san gave me a tissue, so I thought … "

"–"

Sachiko was silent, overwhelmed by Yumi-chan's intensity.

"I'll really feel better?"

As she spoke, Sachiko pulled a tissue from the pack, then blew her nose with all her might.

Chi~n.

After putting the tissue in her pocket, Sachiko's face had a wonderful expression when she looked up.