Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume29 Chapter2

Conversation Stories

Part 1.

After school that day, having finished her cleaning duties, she ran into Rei-sama as she walked past the third-year classrooms.

"Oh – . Yumi-chan."

"Gokigenyou."

Yumi quickly checked Rei-sama's appearance as she said her greeting. Rei-sama wasn't carrying her school bag, but she was wearing her school coat.

"Have you just arrived? Or are you just about to head home?"

Usually, the second option would be the most obvious given the time, but Yumi knew that Yoshino-san had walked to school alone today, so she thought she check just in case. And then, as suspected:

"Just arrived."

Was the response. Because of entrance exams, results publications and all kinds of other formalities, students who were applying to other universities were often absent or came and went at odd hours. Even Rei-sama's handbag would probably have a manila envelope with the name of a university printed on it somewhere in there.

"Have you finished what you came to school to do? If so, won't you join us at the Rose Mansion?"

"Yeah, I was planning on heading over there next. I've just come from the staff room, so I have nothing left to do here."

Rei-sama had taken hold of her arm and was about to walk off when Yumi hastily called her to a stop.

"Wait, please. I was just going to visit my onee-sama."

Yumi said, pointing at the third-year pine group classroom. She wasn't just aimlessly wandering around. She had a purpose.

"Sachiko?"

Rei-sama tilted her head.

"If you're looking for Sachiko, I ran into her earlier."

As she said this, Rei-sama repositioned Yumi's arm so it was pointing in the opposite direction to the third-year classrooms.

"Huh? Where?"

"Just as I was going through the main gate. In front of the library entrance."

Yumi was glad she had met Rei-sama here. Without that piece of information, she would have been searching blindly. But after she'd taken a single step forward, this time it was Rei-sama that called her to a stop.

"I know you want to chase after her, but she might have got on the bus already."

Rei-sama explained that quite some time had elapsed since she had seen Sachiko-sama. Looking at her watch, Rei-sama said, "I went to the staff room after I left Sachiko, and I talked to my teacher for about ten minutes."

"So, in other words, she's probably gone home. My onee-sama."

Yumi said, in a miserable sounding voice.

"Yep. Why, had you arranged to meet?"

"...We hadn't, but..."

Yumi had come here because they hadn't made any arrangements. She had thought it would be a simple matter of heading to Sachiko-sama's classroom straight after cleaning and catching her there.

"This time of year, there's hardly any third-years around because of entrance exams. So our class will use the homeroom and self-study periods to do the cleaning."

"I see."

Not only that, some third-year classes would alternate who had to clean each day, since they had a smaller area they were responsible for. Satou Sei-sama had told her that long ago, but it had slipped her mind.

"Sachiko said she had some things to take care of."

"Ahh."

Suddenly, Yumi felt drained.

"Well, just like our onee-samas before us, we generally won't visit the Rose Mansion now that we're on the verge of graduation."

So that's how it was. Rei-sama patted her on the shoulder.

"Yeah."

That's how it was. Yumi understood, having experienced it last year.

Moreover, the main topics of conversation at the Rose Mansion were currently the third-years' send-off and the farewell party for Rosa Chinensis and Rosa Foetida. The seniors probably didn't want to get in the way, knowing their juniors would be busy preparing for these.

Still, Yumi had a faint expectation that they should come, if only for today. She thought her onee-sama would have felt the same, and been waiting in her classroom for Yumi to invite her.

"Well, you'll have to make do with me for today."

Rei-sama smiled brightly, and nudged Yumi gently in the back.

"Let's go!"

Perhaps she intended to sound like a steam train's whistle. Incredibly enthusiastic.

"Rei-sama, have you heard about the farewell party?"

"Oh, I've heard of it. Saturday week, right? After the send-off. Yoshino told me about it, maybe a week ago. Seems like you started preparing quite early this year."

"Because of what happened last year."

They both giggled, knowingly.

Exactly one year before, the current members of the Yamayurikai had the bitter experience of almost completely forgetting about the private farewell party for the Roses. Back then, they were able to salvage matters by hurriedly organizing the party after the third-years' send-off, which was for all graduating students.

"Very dignified of you."

"Yep."

Yumi accepted the compliment without humility. Learn from your mistakes. Turn calamity into opportunity. If they were to repeat the same mistake, would their onee-samas really be pleased to have started such a tradition?

"Oh yeah, is Yoshino doing okay?"

"Yes?"

Yumi turned to look at Rei-sama as she answered. Rei-sama leaned over and whispered in her ear:

"This morning. Did she make it on time? The results for one of my entrance exams were published this afternoon, so I thought I'd have a leisurely sleep-in. But there was a shout from next door that was loud enough to wake me. It was Yoshino, shouting 'I'm laaaate.'"

"She made it just in time for the morning prayers."

"Ahh, that's a relief. The last thing I heard was, "Rei-chan you idiot,' so I was afraid that she was going to blame me for being late."

"Ahaha."

Yumi could picture it. Yoshino-san flying out of her house, blaming everyone else and poor, innocent Rei-sama bolting up out of her bed in confusion.

Then, suddenly, Rei-sama came to a stop. Like a train carriage decoupled from the engine, Yumi too came to rest.

"I am glad that she's feeling better. I just wish she'd show a bit more restraint."

Yumi heard the somber voice coming from behind her.

"Oh."

"Yumi-chan. Please look after Yoshino."

Ambushed.

Yumi hadn't been mentally prepared to hear a last will and testament.

"You and Shimako-chan are the only two people I can ask this of."

It seemed to Yumi as though Rei-sama had said, 'Because Yoshino doesn't have a petit soeur,' but the sound itself was drowned out by the thud from Rei-sama's brow impacting on the nape of Yumi's neck.

Part 2.

The White Rose Soeurs, Yoshino-san and Touko, formerly Touko-chan, were already present in the Rose Mansion's second floor room.

"Oh, you're here, Rei-chan."

Yoshino-san spared only a quick glance at the appearance of her beloved Rei-sama. Instead she grabbed Yumi, who had arrived with Rei-sama, by the arm and walked her over to a corner of the room.

"Could it be, could it possibly be..."

Yoshino-san whispered furtively.

"Oh, umm."

"When I arrived, Touko-chan and Noriko-chan were cleaning the room together. Then when they finished cleaning, they started preparing tea."

"Ahh, I'll explain properly."

Yumi had asked everyone to come to the Rose Mansion after school to introduce someone, but she hadn't said anything more. Or, rather, she had carelessly forgotten to mention that she was now a grande soeur. Thankfully, her level-headed petit soeur had taken the right approach.

"It was impossible to get anything out of her. Noriko-chan wasn't saying anything either. Shimako-san looked as though she suspected something, but was politely pretending not to notice. We were all just waiting anxiously for you to arrive."

So the moment Yoshino-san saw Yumi, she just couldn't contain herself and came rushing over.

"I have to make a formal report."

Upon hearing this, Yoshino-san let go of Yumi's arm, as if to say 'Go ahead.'

"A report to everyone."

"Sachiko-sama's fine with it?"

"I spoke to her at lunchtime."

"I see."

It was a shame that she had gone home before Yumi had a chance to invite her.

"Touko."

Yumi invited her over. Yoshino-san let out a small squeal of delight when she saw what was happening, but Yumi continued, unfazed.

"I, Fukuzawa Yumi, and Matsudaira Touko, have today performed the rosary ceremony, making us officially soeurs. As soeurs we're very new, and still a bit raw around the edges, but please watch over us fondly. Please take care of us."

Yumi and Touko both bowed deeply.

When they both simultaneously raised their heads, they were greeted with applause and congratulations from their friends. The greatest joy was the gift of happiness.

There had been plenty of doubts along the way. Yumi truly believed that this day was only possible due to everyone's support.

"Noriko?"

Touko suddenly dashed out from beside Yumi. Looking over at what was happening, Yumi saw tears streaming down Noriko-chan's face. Plonk, plonk. Like drops from the god of crybabies.

"Noriko's ecstatic."

Shimako-san said. Noriko-chan was unable to speak because her throat was blocked from crying, so instead she nodded her head repeatedly in agreement.

"Noriko."

Touko embraced her friend.

"Just like a baby."

Touko joked, but Yumi could see the sparkle from a teardrop that had formed in the corner of her eye.

Just for a moment.

Then Touko adjusted her bangs and used that opportunity to wipe her tear away with her fingertips.

Yumi thought Touko would have been better off not hiding it. That would have been honest.

"Ahh... If I may."

Rei-sama had her hand raised, as though she were in class.

"I'm overjoyed that I could be present on such an auspicious occasion. It's not at the same level as this major news, but may I also make an announcement?"

Everyone urged Rei-sama to continue, whereupon she beamed happily.

"I, Hasekura Rei, have today made it safely through the entire university application process."

In other words, she had completed all her entrance examinations and received all the results.

"So, how did you go?"

There was tension as the question was asked, then Rei-sama made the peace sign with her right hand.

"All passed."

"Woo."

"Incredible."

It was just modesty to suggest this wasn't big news itself. It's no wonder she was in such high spirits. The sense of relief from knowing that she had finished her exams and passed would have Rei-sama on a high.

"So, have you decided?"

Yoshino-san asked, meaning which university Rei-sama would go to. Since she only had one body, no matter how many universities had accepted her she could only attend one.

"I'm still undecided. I'm going to give it some serious thought tonight."

"Humph."

Based on her bored response, there was no doubt that Yoshino-san found this uninteresting. Since there was no chance that Lillian's Women's University would be amongst them, they were all the same to Yoshino-san.

At any rate, everyone raised their black tea in a toast. The happiness multiplied, joyously, and everyone shared a laugh.

Even so, Yumi regretted that her onee-sama could not be there. If Sachiko-sama had known how enjoyable a time they would have, surely she would have postponed whatever it was she was doing.

Part 3.

The following day, after school, Yumi was in the newspaper club's clubroom.

"How times change."

Someone said, letting out a theatrical sigh.

"Who would have thought that the day would come when a future Rose would volunteer material to the Lillian Kawaraban."

It wouldn't have mattered if she had remained seated, but the pony-tailed student deliberately stood up and turned her back on the computer she had been using. Both arms open, talking in a loud, clear voice. – She was in fine form.

"It's been a while since we've talked, Minako-sama."

Yumi had initially recoiled from this unexpected meeting with someone who had seemingly been lying in wait, but she could still manage a greeting.

"You seem to be in a good mood."

"Indeed. My mood is incredibly good."

Yumi was surprised, so Mami-san whispered into her ear:

"My onee-sama was accepted into her first choice university."

"Ahh, is that it."

Yumi had come here because she had something to talk to Mami-san about. It wasn't something secret, so Yumi didn't mind that there might be other club members here who would overhear their conversation. And then that one student with her back to them had suddenly turned around and said, 'How times change.'

That person was Tsukiyama Minako-sama, the former head of the newspaper club and former editor-in-chief of the Lillian Kawaraban, the one who had passed all this responsibility on to her petit soeur, Yamaguchi Mami-san.

On a somewhat related note, Mami-san and Yumi were in the same class so they could have talked in their classroom. However, Yumi had something to say to Mami-san in her capacity as editor-in-chief of the Lillian Kawaraban and not as a classmate, so going through official channels meant coming to the newspaper club's clubroom.

The supposedly-retired Tsukiyama Minako-sama moved in front of Yumi, brushing aside the person she had originally been talking to.

"The newspaper club is delighted to take you up on your offer."

Ahh, so cheeky of her to act as the newspaper's representative. The real representative, Mami-san, was smiling ruefully beside her. Understanding her onee-sama's personality, Mami-san seemed content to let Minako-sama continue until she had worn herself out. Hurriedly abandoning the battlefield, Mami-san started looking over some documents.

"So, to sum it up, you want to use the Lillian Kawaraban to announce that you have taken a petit soeur. That's what we're talking about, right Yumi-san?"

"Yes."

Reluctantly, Yumi decided to continue talking to Minako-sama. It didn't matter who she was actually talking to, as long as Mami-san was in the room she would hear and Yumi might still be able to achieve her goal.

"Just something small, in the corner of the Lillian Kawaraban, would be fine."

Yumi made a small gap with her thumb and index finger, about the size of an azuki bean, as she said this.

"Something small?"

Minako-sama's eyes sparkled.

"Yeah. Something small."

Annoying. Yumi hadn't really known what would be considered something small. Perhaps she should have started with something the size of a sesame seed.

"Ho-hohoho."

Suddenly, Yumi heard loud laughter. Naturally, the source of this was Minako-sama.

"No can do, Yumi-san. You are Rosa Chinensis en bouton. Can the gigantic news that you have taken a petit soeur be let go of that easily? I certainly wouldn't be able to let it go. It's the will of our readers. The public demands it. It's comparable to my earlier article with Sachiko-san, 'Exclusive Interview with Rosa Chinensis! She Tells All About Her Petit Soeur,' – no, I think it needs even more space than that. In that case, we have no choice. For something this big, we have to replace next week's edition with a special devoted entirely to the birth of the Rosa Chinensis en bouton soeurs – "

"We can't do that, onee-sama."

Mami-san interjected.

"What?"

Drunk on her own words, Minako-sama suddenly turned on her petit soeur and bared her fangs.

"What, indeed. Next week's edition is the special about the Valentine's Day dates."

Mami-san said coolly, without looking up from the documents she was reading. Incredible. She was still paying attention to their conversation even as she carried out her other work. Yumi let out a sigh of relief, now that she no longer felt Minako-sama's intensity pressing down on her.

"Then we'll bump the dates to the next issue."

"Even though it's the graduation special edition?"

"…"

Not even Minako-sama would be willing to cut back on the graduation edition. And what would happen if they postponed the date special for two editions? Freshness was key, after all.

"We put an announcement about the date special edition in this week's edition. And I've already received the first report for publication in next week's paper."

Mami-san said, lightly tapping the manuscript she held in her hand.

"Incidentally, since we're on the subject, this is the report for the Rosa Chinensis en bouton soeurs' date."

In other words, the report that Touko had submitted. Touko had given her a copy of the report yesterday, as she was about to go home, and said, 'Please read it.' Yumi had given Touko the okay when they met in the hallway earlier today, so it looked like Touko had handed it in not long after that.

"No matter how big a scoop it is, I won't slight someone who has gone to all this effort writing a report."

Mami-san turned to her onee-sama and forcibly expressed her opinion.

Yumi did feel a bit sorry for the hyped-up Minako-sama, but all this could have been avoided if she had just agreed to a small notice in the corner saying, 'Rosa Chinensis en bouton has chosen Matsudaira Touko as her petit soeur.' Something about the size of a wedding announcement in a regular newspaper.

But Minako-sama wasn't about to give up.

"If you're to be the editor-in-chief of the Lillian Kawaraban, that's exactly what you'll have to do, Mami."

Her reasoning was hard to follow, but basically she was saying that emotions shouldn't play any part in her decisions.

"The value in a topic is in how fresh it is. You have to publish it now, while people still are unaware of it."

"Anyway, let's suppose I did find some way to fit it into next week's edition."

Mami-san sighed, then continued.

"By that time, most of the student body would already know about it."

"Then publish it this week."

"Surely that's impossible."

Yumi too raised her voice. It was just absurd. She didn't know exactly how long it took to make an edition of the paper, but you had to get all the data for a story, then write it up, then proofread it and finally print it. Today was Tuesday. The Lillian Kawaraban was usually published on Wednesday, although it could vary depending on circumstances. Even though she wasn't in the newspaper club, Yumi could clearly see that it wouldn't be possible for them to have something ready for tomorrow.

"Don't try and tell me what's impossible."

Minako-sama shrieked. She was incredibly worked up. She looked as though she was going to burst a blood vessel. Unless she could find a way to increase the number of Wednesdays in March, there wasn't going to be enough time.

"I've got it."

Mami-san looked up from the document she had been reading.

"There's a way we can do this."

Mami-san, you must have misspoken. Surely you meant, 'There's no way we can do this.'

(Oh? But then what did she mean by that 'I've got it.')

"So, please tell us about how you intend to do this."

Minako-sama glared as she looked back over her shoulder. It was obvious that she was in no mood for frivolity.

"That's because..."

Mami-san spoke smoothly.

"We can do this as an extra."

I see. – Wait.

What!?

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