Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume9 Chapter8 3

Worrisome First-Year. Part 3.

"I see."

Sachiko-sama sighed deeply.

"And after that you didn't feel up to coming to the Rose Mansion, and stayed in your classroom the entire time."

"Yeah."

Despite telling Yoshino-san that she'd be late, in the end she didn't make it to the Rose Mansion at all during lunch. She thought her explanation would have seemed a little weak, and there was no visible reason, so all she could do was speak her true feelings. Thinking hard, Yumi spun her words.

It was now after school. Only Sachiko-sama and Yumi were in the Rose Mansion.

"It's not that I don't understand."

Sachiko-sama treated her despondent petit soeur to a warm cup of black tea.

"What does it mean to be friends? When I seriously think about this sort of thing, I want some distance from my friends."

"… I'm sorry."

"It's fine. I'm not concerned, because you came and told me about it. Even Yoshino-chan won't be angry now. … So what's next? Why don't you stay for a while and calm down before you see her?"

"Okay."

She still hadn't made a full recovery. Still, she agreed.

Sachiko-sama was kind. Yumi only ever wanted to answer her cheerfully, so she tentatively agreed.

Sachiko-sama was usually scary, and while she may not have fully understood Yumi, whenever Yumi found herself bewildered and unable to cope with something, just being at Sachiko-sama's side was enough to warm her heart. Her onee-sama was someone precious to her.

"Silly Yumi. Moved to tears?"

"Because."

Now that she was aware of the tears, she wanted to cry even more.

"Go ahead."

Sachiko-sama embraced Yumi around the shoulders, gently pulling her closer.

Yumi thought of Shimako-san the entire time she was pressed against her onee-sama's chest.

Shimako-san no longer had an onee-sama to show her this sort of kindness. She had no-one to silently quell the tears that fell for reasons she didn't understand.

How lonely would she be? How anxious would she be?

It may be a loneliness that even friends couldn't fill.

If Shimako-san wanted someone to warm her heart, then who could blame her for that?

Even if it meant that Nijou Noriko became Shimako-san's savior.

"Onee-sama, I – "

Just when the mood was so nice.

Thud!

"Sachiko onee-sama, big news!"

The third-wheel appeared, almost as though she knew she was entering into a good scene. Naturally, it was without any advance warning.

"What's the matter, Touko-chan?"

Sachiko-sama asked, immediately separating her body from Yumi's. Because it was such a rapid assault, she couldn't process it all immediately, so didn't have the presence of mind to issue a caution about "Sachiko onee-sama." See, because Touko-chan could climb the Rose Mansion staircase without making a sound.

"At lunchtime, Shimako-sama and Noriko-san had a secret meeting."

Touko-chan forgot to close the door as she rushed over to Sachiko-sama.

"So I've heard."

"You've heard … ? Who from?"

As she spoke, Touko-chan slowly shifted her gaze to Sachiko-sama's neighbor.

"Ah, Yumi-sama. It was you?"

Like she'd just noticed. While she was still pulling herself together, Yumi forced a smile and said, "Gokigenyou. Thanks for earlier." Touko-chan showed she was still a new student by her response of, "Now's not the time for a cheerful greeting."

"I know that Shimako and this first-year Noriko met behind the auditorium. But they were just having lunch together."

Sachiko-sama pulled out a chair and sat down.

"That's all that Yumi-sama saw."

Touko-chan shrugged. Yumi frowned, thinking, "Oh, so this big news happened after I left then."

"Shimako-sama gave something to Noriko-san."

"What was it?"

"It was a cloth pouch. I couldn't tell what was inside, so I gathered my courage and when Noriko-san was out of the classroom on cleaning duty, I opened her bag and looked inside."

"Touko-chan, that was going a bit – "

Too far, Yumi tried to caution her from the sidelines.

"She's my friend."

Touko-chan cut her off, decisively. A mind that never doubted the correctness of its actions could easily suppress any feelings of guilt.

Sachiko-sama let out a gasp of amazement, but getting into an argument about this wouldn't advance the main topic, so she pressed onwards.

"And? What was inside?"

"A juzu. Sachiko onee-sama."

"A juzu!?"

"Yes, a juzu. Um, that string of beads they use at Buddhist ceremonies, like funerals."

The string of beads they used at Buddhist funeral ceremonies. The string of beads her rural grandmother used every morning when she prayed before her household shrine. Touko-chan held her hands together in front of her chest, in a praying pose.

"Shimako brought a juzu to school … "

Sachiko-sama put her elbows on the table, linking her fingers in front of her mouth.

"We should use it as a prop, don't you think?"

Touko-chan looked triumphant, having found the pawn, Nijou Noriko, and the juzu prop.

"Yes … well, we'll see."

"And, during class, I was working on a side-project."

Touko-chan took a notebook from her bag and handed it over to Sachiko-sama, who had a conflicted expression on her face.

""Great Detective Touko's Casebook. The Mystery of the Missing Juzu?" What is this?"

"I'm not just an actor, I'm also interested in writing and producing. So this … "

Tee hee. She shrugged, laying on the cute act so thick she was practically shouting it.

"I thought I'd try writing the script."

"Huh!?"

Rosa Chinensis and her petit soeur both exclaimed simultaneously.

She thought she'd try writing the script. That was indeed what Touko-chan had said.

Even so, "Great Detective Touko." Pretty conceited of her to make herself the lead.

"Um, Touko-chan … ?"

Hello?

"Have no fear. Each of the Rose onee-samas have their moment in the spotlight."

"Um."

"Of course, the auditorium scene is the climax."

"…"

It was useless. Touko's mind was already completely occupied with her own play.

"What are you prattling on about?"

A hand came from behind and took hold of the notebook / script. It was Rei-sama standing there.

"Touko-chan, are you there? There's something that has to be said clearly, so I'll say it. You're not a member of this group. Thank-you for your information. But the way you're trying to seize control is laughable."

Ah, Rei-sama. Hypothetically speaking, she'd cut right to the chase, saying what Yumi wanted to say but couldn't. Rosa Foetida was as reliable as ever.

"But."

"But nothing."

Even as she was issuing this stinging rebuke, Rei-sama was smiling and flipping through the notebook.

"Alright, alright. I've picked out most of the important points from your scenario, Touko-chan. Now step back and be quiet. Okay?"

She rolled the notebook into a cylinder and gently tapped Touko-chan on the head with it.

"Okay."

Touko-chan answered, in good-little-girl mode.

"Shimako-san will be here soon."

Yoshino-san entered the room, a bit behind Rei-sama. They'd arranged a meeting for this time. Not just for the people in on the secret.

"Bye then. Touko's off to her club activities."

Touko-chan skipped past Yoshino-san on her way out. Her ringlets bouncing jauntily as she did so.

"… Incredible."

Without thinking, Yumi groaned.

"What?"

Rei-sama asked, eyebrow raised, guessing that Yumi was talking about her.

"Touko-chan's behavior."

"Oh right. Well, I say that, but I'm used to it."

Rei-sama nonchalantly angled her chin towards Yoshino-san.

Oh right.

"I see."

The way Touko-chan carried on. It could definitely give Yoshino-san a run for her money.