Maria-sama Ga Miteru:Volume18 Chapter 1 2

Shock² Part 2

"Why is this happening?"

Oh dear. Sixth period was over, it was the peace after finishing today's lessons. Yumi slumped over her desk, with those words escaping her mouth as the problem repeated over and over in her mind. In shock from Sachiko-sama's bombshell announcement, an hour of mathematics, plus political economy, did nothing to help her wake up and pull herself together. Today's lessons did not make it into her head.

"By 'why is this happening?', do you mean 'Torikaebaya Monogatari'?"

Yoshino-san reflexively responded to Yumi's talking to herself, coming up to her side.

"Yep. Sigh."

Yoshino-san nodded, then they both went to the hallway. There was a little more time before homeroom. Coming out of a classroom while thinking of something, Shimako-san was waiting there for some reason.

"Rei-chan said that the idea was conceived about a year ago. Of course, since Sachiko-sama first learned of Yuuki-kun's existence at last New Year's, she probably wasn't thinking of 'Torikaebaya' before that."

A while ago? So that's when. While thinking about this, Yumi concentrated on listening to Yoshino-san's story. It seemed that while Yumi was still in a daze from the shock, Yoshino was moving about and quite animated during this break time. After all, this time was for exchanging information and preparing for after-school gatherings.

"Speaking of that, I remembered something, too."

Shimako-san said. The two second-year Pine class members drew near. What? What?

"Something Eriko-sama said at last year's school festival."

"Eriko-sama?"

Yoshino-san's body trembled like it had just been zapped by static electricity. Startling Shimako-san.

"Wha, what's wrong?"

"Ah, that's just Yoshino-san. She overreacts at the name of Eriko-sama. Don't mind her. Please continue, Shimako-san."

Yumi explained in Yoshino-san's stead. The entire story was quite long, so this was the severely abridged version. Yoshino-san was presently under daily pressure from the now-graduated, previous Rosa Foetida: Torii Eriko-sama.

"...Is, is that so? It seems that last year, Eriko-sama learned that this year, we'd do something Japanese."

"Ah, yes, I heard something like that. 'Kaguya Hime,' if I'm not mistaken."

Yumi remembered, too. It was said sarcastically about Sachiko-sama's long and silky smooth hair, pinned up in a complicated style.

"How about a hint?"

"Well, 'Kaguya Hime' is no good. But why 'Torikaebaya'? 'The Bamboo Cutter' is a story that everyone knows, so wouldn't that be better?"

"You baka. That's not enough reason for Sachiko-sama to make it 'Kaguya Hime.'"

Yoshino-san smiled, wryly.

"Why?"

"Noriko-chan, explain it to poor Yumi-san."

Yoshino-san said to Noriko-chan, who had just belatedly arrived.

"Rosa Chinensis has no intention of playing the lead role this year. But if we did 'Kaguya Hime', everyone would probably think of Rosa Chinensis's physical appearance. So to avoid this, she had to choose a story that absolutely would not call for her as the leading role."

"Ah. That's why."

"Torikaebaya Monogatari."

"I object."

Yumi walked out into the hallway. Heading for the third year Pine class. Onee-sama's class.

If Noriko-chan's reasoning is correct, then because onee-sama did not want the lead role herself, she's going to sacrifice her petite soeur.

"Please wait."

Yoshino-san grabbed her wrist.

"You want to battle Sachiko-sama with words?"

"Oh..."

Certainly. One quick "why is that bad?" and it would be over.

"Sigh. The theme of 'Torikaebaya' is ponderous. A story that starts with giving birth to the protagonist is not appropriate for a high school play."

"Sachiko-sama said it's a play with big dramatic scenes, with a whole volume of happenings that call into question masculinity and feminity, all in order for brother and sister to switch places. You heard her."

She heard her. But she still felt like objecting.

"Um. Sets and costumes for period dramas are hard."

"The Crafts club and Art club will be thrilled at the challenge. Before commissioning, we'll go and make the rounds of the clubs and explain the story."

Without being shown the story, it would be difficult to take commissions for costumes, props, and sets. Even if they don't know the title, they can understand that the story is set in the Heian era.

"I see. But..."

"There you have it. It's pointless to resist."

"Hm."

"Can't you be unwilling but still give in and perform 'Torikaebaya'? Just changing the play, the lead role is still Yumi-san."

"Why?"

Yumi asked in return.

"'The Prince and the Pauper.'"

Shimako-san said, following Yoshino-san's words.

"'Lottie and Lisa.'"

"'The November Gymnasium'"

Noriko-chan continued.

"There are stories from all ages and places where people who look alike swap places. Set the stage in the Heian era and go for it."

Go for it, Yoshino-san said. Come on. They got together to use this short time before homeroom, and the conclusion was "go for it."

"Oh, I have to go back soon."

Noriko-chan looked at her watch and said.

"Really. Yumi-san. We'll support you as much as we can. There you have it."

Shimako-san saw the second-year Wisteria class homeroom teacher in the hallway, so she left.

"..."

Yumi wondered if she got up to avoid getting the lead role, but in the end, it looked like the point of this meeting was to get Yumi to resign herself to her fate. Somehow, she was hit by a wave of exhaustion.

As for the remaining two, their teacher had not yet come, so there was no particular hurry to return to the classroom. They remained in the hallway, leaning against the wall.

"By the way, Yumi-san. Isn't the one-year anniversary of your becoming Sachiko-sama's petite soeur coming up? Are you doing anything?"

It seems that in Yoshino-san's head, the subject of 'Torikaebaya Monogatari' is already stamped with "finished."

"Nothing special."

Yumi shook her head. If she had asked Yoshino-san the same thing, her reply would probably be "We might do something, we might not, no, we'll probably have an event."

When she had first entered high school as a new first-year student, Rei-sama came over after school with a cake that she herself had baked. In Yoshino-san's room, the two of them ate the whole thing, not cutting slices, just going straight at it with forks.

"If you think about it, Rei-chan was probably in the same mental state as a husband who returns home with flowers for a wedding anniversary."

Yoshino-san laughed while playing with part of the rosary chain that hung around her neck. But at the time, she probably did not notice Rei-sama's feelings. More like she asked, "why the cake?" Although of course, she ate the delicious cake.

"In our case, we had always been neighbors. Even without the rosary exchange, in our hearts, we had already decided to be sisters. So an anniversary isn't anything. See?"

She'd feel sorry for a husband who had brought home flowers for a wedding anniversary, only to find that the wife had totally forgotten and had a usual dinner. That poor husband would be Rei-sama.

But that's not as sad as if the wife had already gone to bed, and he had to eat a microwaved dinner. They ate a cake together.

"But obviously, Yumi-san's case is different from ours."

"Um, yeah."

"It feels like more than some month or day, it's the school festival night, exactly one year ago?"

"...Um, yeah."

"A special day for the two of you. Please make the effort to have a beautiful anniversary."

That's easy to say for somebody else's problem. For Yumi herself, it was a high hurdle, and how to clear it was the problem.

'A beautiful anniversary,' huh? Just what on earth was that?

What should she do, to make it an unforgettable anniversary?

"Ah, you two. Yoshino-san, Yumi-san."

A school festival executive committee member stuck her head out of the classroom and called to the two of them.

"We'd like to decide on a schedule for our class' shop. Could you come help?"

"Ah. Yes."

And with that response, they straightened themselves up from leaning on the wall.

"Phew. Good grief."

Of their own free will, the class was steadily in the midst of preparing for the school festival.

The second-year Pine class' plans were a festival shop. It was a joint effort with Shimako-san's second-year Wisteria class.