Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume13 Chapter2 2

Cunning Boy.Part 2.

"Hmm. Is Sacchan's man-hatred really that serious?"

Kashiwagi-san said, after listening to their summary of the situation. And after finishing off one of the grape jellies.

"Yeah."

Showing zero awareness of the cause of this malady. Such a problematic person.

"Then I suppose she won't be able to bear any children. What will the Ogasawara family do, I wonder."

"Huh."

The comeback, "You're worried about that?" immediately came to mind. But more than that, why wasn't he concerned about Sachiko-sama's mental health? Yumi was utterly shocked that he was completely unruffled by what she had said, proving that he really was "that kind of man."

"Sacchan and I are grandfather Ogasawara's only grandchildren. Well, he could have an illegitimate child that I'm not aware of somewhere. In that case, it's a different story. But, well, it's a trifling matter … "

Hey, hey, should you really be trying to suppress a laugh while discussing a topic that serious? Yuuki opened his mouth, losing his temper at that attitude.

"Hey sempai, are you really going to marry Sachiko-san?"

"Oh, Yukichi. Feeling jealous?"

Kashiwagi-san grinned effeminately. Naturally, Yuuki just looked blatantly fed up with him.

"It's always a party in your mind, isn't it? I worry for Sachiko-san."

"For Sacchan?"

"You should cancel the engagement if you can't make her happy. Don't you feel sorry for her?"

Oh, well put, younger brother. Yumi mentally gave him a round of applause.

"Hmm. That's quite a thing to say. So will you live up to your words and bring her happiness? It doesn't bother me, so if you bow your cute head and ask, I suppose I'll be forced to relinquish my precious Sacchan to you, Yukichi."

"H-how did you get that impression?"

He'd only been trying to protect Sachiko-sama, so Yuuki's face went bright red in indignation at being forcibly paired with her. Naturally, Yumi couldn't agree with that idea either. She loved her onee-sama, and her younger brother was cute. But having the two become lovers was a bit hard to swallow. She couldn't really understand her own feelings right now. About all she could say was that something unpleasant was still something unpleasant, no matter how it was said.

"Well, you and I are the only young men that Sacchan's okay with. Although she's surprisingly good with older men, and younger kids that haven't started school yet."

Listening to this, Yumi thought that Kashiwagi-san's examples were all missing the mark. The men that Sachiko-sama was okay with were all completely out of the question, weren't they?

To begin with, the reason she was fine around Yuuki was probably because of the sense of security provided by his biological older sister. In Kashiwagi-san's case, his excessive charm, or rather her current disillusionment with him, had led to Sachiko-sama downgrading him from someone she admired to just another relative. Of course, she wouldn't hate the elderly or infants because she wouldn't see them as "men."

"I would completely spoil Yukichi and Sacchan's children. Ah, Yukichi. Don't worry, I'd still take control of the Ogasawara Group. So all you'd have to do is provide the kids, what do you say?"

There he goes again.

Kashiwagi-san could appear completely idiotic from time to time. Even though he must have been really smart, since he was given priority entry into Hanadera University. There's a fine line between genius and insanity, or so the saying goes.

"So, that was it? All I have to do is take the members of the Hanadera Academy high school student council around to the Ogasawara estate?"

"… That's what we'd thought, but there's no need now."

Kashiwagi-san seemed willing, but Yumi politely declined.

"Oh, why not?"

"Because, we needed you to have the noble goal of "providing your juniors with enough space." But since you live in a house this big, there's no reason for you to use the Ogasawara estate."

Sachiko-sama would obviously know what sort of house her cousin lived in. They'd be in trouble when she asked why he didn't just use his own house, because they'd have no good answer.

"Hmm. How boring."

Kashiwagi-san seemed monumentally bored as he crunched on the ice from his iced green tea. Following that, the sliding door silently opened.

"Pardon me."

"Uwah."

Yuuki's voice was the first to rise in consternation. And with good reason. Even though the tearoom was separated from the main building, there had been no sound of footsteps along the path, no sign of another human, no indication that the door was about to be opened whatsoever.

"Welcome."

The politely bowing head slowly raised, and when Yumi saw who it was this time she let out an "Ah." Those ringlets like stiff springs belonged to –

"Touko-chan."

"Gokigenyou. I thought it was you, Yumi-sama. I came to offer my greetings because I heard that one of Sachiko onee-sama's juniors was visiting, and I thought it may have been you."

Touko-chan slipped inside, closed the sliding door, then placed a tray in the center of the room. It held a jug of barley tea, as well as one, two, three, four glasses … It looked as though Touko-chan had included herself in the numbers, as though it were the natural thing to do.

"Umm … and this is?"

Touko-chan shifted her gaze to Yuuki.

"Ah, my younger brother Yuuki. A second-year at Hanadera Academy's high school."

Introducing her younger brother felt embarrassing, or at least a little strange. But, as a wind to cool that feeling that arose inside her, Touko-chan was in her "good girl" mode, and smiled sweetly at Yuuki.

"A pleasure to meet you. I'm Matsudaira Touko, currently a first-year high school student at Lillian's Girls Academy. Yumi-sama is always guiding me gently."

"Same here, thanks for looking after my sister."

Smooth. Too smooth. Boy meets girl. Like a scene from a teen movie.

"Touko-chan is Kashiwagi-san's cousin … right?"

"Correct."

Touko-chan nodded. Yumi hadn't been sure, because she'd never formally confirmed it, but thankfully it looked like she was correct. Nor was she completely clear on how Sachiko-sama was related to Touko-chan, but, basically, they were both Kashiwagi-san's cousins.

"My mother's from the Kashiwagi family, so we often come to visit."

So that was it. Well, it wasn't as though Yumi had thought that Touko-chan and Kashiwagi-san lived together.

"Touko. Why are you here? I told Tomi to leave us be."

Kashiwagi-san said. Apparently he hadn't been expecting Touko-chan to make an appearance either.

"Well, she told me to come and have a look. Telling her to leave you be just made her all the more interested."

"She was wondering what I was doing taking a young boy and girl to a secluded spot?"

"Exactly. You're not trustworthy, onii-sama."

Touko-chan chortled. Then, while still laughing, she whispered:

"So, what are you three conspiring about?"

"C-conspiring?"

Yumi quickly shook her head and waved her hands, denying they were doing anything so disreputable.

"Oh, am I mistaken? But isn't it natural to assume that Yumi-sama had some reason for coming all the way here to visit Suguru onii-sama?"

"Touko-chan. Well, you see, my brother had some business with Kashiwagi-san, so … um, I'm here as a sort of chaperone."

Flustered. However, Touko-chan wasn't paying any attention to Yumi's inarticulate explanation.

"In summary … it's about Sachiko onee-sama, I presume?"

"Touko-chan."

Suddenly hitting the bulls-eye. Ah, what to do? It would be curtains for sure if she told Sachiko-sama. Yumi was desperate, having been backed into a corner. Just then.

"Ah-hahahaha."

Kashiwagi-san laughed raucously.

"Haha, good, that's good Yumi-chan."

"What is?"

Glare. She was already on the edge, having been backed into a corner. Why was she being subjected to this roar of laughter?

"That face."

"My face?"

"That face of yours that shows what you're thinking as clear as day. It's the best."

Kashiwagi-san wiped away his tears. Wasn't it rude to laugh at someone's face, especially a woman's?

"Yukichi's funny too, but you've got your own special flavor, Yumi-chan."

– so that was it. Having heard that, she lost all will to protest.

"Well, whatever."

Even Touko-chan shrugged in amazement at Kashiwagi-san's convulsive laughter.

"I don't have the spare time to engage in idle gossip, so I won't mention that I happened to meet you here, Yumi-sama. Rest assured."

"… Thanks for that."

Yumi wasn't too sure how to take that, but she decided to accept it at face value for now.