Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume9 Chapter2 4

Falling Cherry Blossoms / Exam Failure. Part 4.

"I'm home."

When she unlocked the door and stepped inside, a voice from further in called out, "Welcome home."

"Oh, you're home, Sumireko-san?"

"I only just got back."

Noriko approached the owner of the apartment, who was sprawled out on the sofa with her feet up on the living room table. Her stockings were balled up on the carpet, so it looked like she really did just return home. This was just a sample of what happens to prim and proper "Gokigenyou" saying young ladies after a few decades.

"I thought you were going shopping after the movie?"

Noriko picked up the discarded stockings and handed them to her, receiving the short response, "I changed my mind." The energy she'd had when she set out had disappeared somewhere.

"Are your feet sore from wearing unsuitable high-heels for someone your age?"

"You could have left off "for someone my age.""

"My apologies … oh."

Noriko deftly blocked the flying stocking-ball with her school bag. Sumireko-san had insanely good aim when she was attacking someone.

"By the way, how old are you, Sumireko-san?"

Noriko knew she was fairly old, but still hadn't heard the official count. She didn't think her parents knew either.

"You're asking my age, even though we're both women?"

As she massaged her outstretched legs, Sumireko-san looked at Noriko with upturned eyes.

"It's okay, we're relatives."

"To the same degree as watered-down whiskey at a cheap bar."

Sumireko-san laughed. Implying that their blood relationship was very thin.

Nijou Sumireko, age unknown.

From Noriko's viewpoint, she was her father's father's (ie. her grandfather's) younger sister.

"So there's still people who look after their "watered-down whiskey" out of idle curiosity then."

Noriko glanced at her great-aunt.

"You don't need that much taking care of, right Riko?"

"You said it before, all you're doing is looking out for me."

"I wanted you to say, "Please do so." After all, I'm still your granny."

Sumireko-san laughed, her bright red lips matching her suit. She certainly didn't think of herself as a "granny."

(I'm no match for her … )

It was Sumireko-san that forcibly suggested Noriko attend Lillian's. She was single and without children, so she at least wanted one of her relatives' daughters to attend her alma mater. The only question remaining was had she enjoyed Lillian's all that much? But setting that aside, Noriko's father's siblings were all boys, so it had taken quite some time until Sumireko-san's meager machinations could take shape.

Unbeknownst to her parents, Noriko had used the money set aside for the entrance exam fees for schools other than her first-choice to pay for the trip to Kyoto. But for better or worse she wasn't able to embezzle the money for Lillian's, since it was being handled by Sumireko-san. So even though she didn't think she'd fail the public-school entrance exam, Noriko had sat the Lillian's exam to allow Sumireko-san to save face. That things turned out the way they did was unimaginable.

So, to Noriko, Sumireko-san was a benefactor. If she hadn't sat the Lillian's entrance exam, Noriko would currently be without a high-school, which would have been much worse.

(Should I give her a shoulder rub later?)

Noriko decided that she should go to her room for the time being, but just as she was sliding the door she was stopped from behind by, "Riko."

"I bought a chiffon cake from Maple Parlor, so let's have tea. Hurry up and change out of your uniform."

Not waiting for a reply, Sumireko-san walked to the kitchen.

That she hadn't commented on the sounds Sumireko-san made as she got up was proof of Noriko's modest friendship.

The Japanese-style six tatami-mat sized room to the east of the living room was currently Noriko's fortress.

It wasn't some convoluted family situation that led her to be living with her distantly related granny.

They'd decided to rent Sumireko-san's room for the three-years that Noriko would be in high-school. It was a long way to commute every day to Lillian's Girls Academy from her family's home in Chiba. And while she had thought about living alone, apparently that wasn't permitted by the school for young ladies.

She could live at a girls dormitory, or with a blood relative. Presented with this choice, she chose the latter option. Living with Sumireko-san was somewhat easier than dealing with the curfews and duty roster involved in a dormitory.

Incidentally, the house in Chiba with her completely normal parents and middle-school sister was quite lively.

"Now then."

Entering her room, Noriko switched on the computer.

It had become her custom to take her uniform off with the beeps, rumbles and clicks of the computer as background music. She easily worked the mouse and keyboard as she changed, printing out the email that had arrived.

She probably should have checked the contents before printing it, but the sender was one of her fellow Buddhist statue admirers, so she knew without looking that it was going to be about Buddhist statues. When it came to that topic, she couldn't overlook any kind of information. She'd underline the important details, then file the mail away neatly.

"I wonder if Takuya-kun's better now"

As she put on her T-shirt, Noriko cast an eye over the printed email.

<< I know it's a bit late, but let me start by offering my congratulations on your entry into high-school. How is your new life treating you? >>

"Thank-you. The "Reverse Hidden Christian" has a thrilling daily life."

Despite the one-way nature of email, Noriko had the bad habit of voicing her response as she read. Naturally, she bowed when she was talking over the phone too.

<< I was surprised by how much you've changed while I was in hospital, Nori-chan. >>

"I suddenly sprung up in Tokyo."

She balled up her threefold socks and threw them at the basket in her closet. Strike.

<< But that's just like you. If I hadn't broken my leg skiing, I probably would have done all I could to see the Tamamushi Kannon statue too. >>

"Everyone told me I was an idiot. That the Kannon statue was once in twenty years, but high-school entrance exams were once in a lifetime. But I don't regret it … My Tamamushi Kannon!"

Noriko picked up one of the photo-albums stacked on the tatami mat floor and hugged it tightly. She thought she should study hard and get into a top university to restore the honor of the Tamamushi Kannon.

<< By the way, have you paid a visit to the Shouguu temple in District H while you've been living in Tokyo? If not, then I really would recommend you check it out. The temple houses a statue of Maitreya by your favorite sculptor, Yuukai. >>

When she read that, Noriko unthinkingly stood up and shouted:

"A Yuukai Maitreya!"

She couldn't believe her eyes, so she read the section again.

Shouguu temple – Maitreya – Yuukai. – There was no mistake.

"For Yuukai, who specialized in Acala and Kongorishiki statues, to have sculpted a Maitreya … !"

She had to go and see it. Her Buddhist statue loving spirit was welling up inside her.

Then, just at that moment, Noriko had her wings firmly clipped from behind.

"Riko. I thought I told you to hurry up and change."

"Gah, Sumireko-san."

"Don't take Maple Parlor's chiffon cake lightly or you'll be sorry – "

A reproachful voice right next to her ear.

"Ah, yeah yeah."

"What are you reading that you didn't even notice when I came into your room?"

Sumireko-san stepped back from Noriko, and took a long look at what she held in her hands.

"Nothing. It's just a letter."

To avoid further complications, Noriko put the letter face down on her desk.

"Hmm. A love letter?"

"As if."

"That's for sure. If you had a boyfriend you'd be going out on dates, not visiting temples."

Sumireko-san snorted, then left the room, saying, "The tea's getting cold."

"I hate to break it to you, but if I did have someone I loved, we'd visit temples together."

Noriko stuck her tongue out at the back of her great-aunt. Then she switched off her computer and was lured into the living room by the sweet scent of Darjeeling tea.